Unity in service of the Lord

Expressions researched:
"Lord" |"servant" |"servants" |"service" |"unity"

Notes from the compiler: Selected from Vedabase query: "unity serv*"@40

SB Canto 4

The unity of the individual souls attempting to satisfy the Supreme Lord or rendering service to the Lord is real unity.

SB 4.30.8, Purport:

Since the sons of King Prācīnabarhiṣat were all united in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the Lord was very pleased with them. Each and every one of the sons of King Prācīnabarhiṣat was an individual soul, but they were united in offering transcendental service to the Lord. The unity of the individual souls attempting to satisfy the Supreme Lord or rendering service to the Lord is real unity. In the material world such unity is not possible. Even though people may officially unite, they all have different interests. In the United Nations, for instance, all the nations have their particular national ambitions, and consequently they cannot be united. Disunity between individual souls is so strong within this material world that even in a society of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, members sometimes appear disunited due to their having different opinions and leaning toward material things. Actually, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness there cannot be two opinions. There is only one goal: to serve Kṛṣṇa to one's best ability. If there is some disagreement over service, such disagreement is to be taken as spiritual. Those who are actually engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be disunited in any circumstance.

CC Madhya-lila

The world is anxious for religious unity, and that common platform can be achieved in transcendental devotional service.

CC Madhya 25.121, Purport:

When we are on the material platform, there are different types of religions—Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and so on. These are instituted for a particular time, a particular country or a particular person. Consequently there are differences. Christian principles are different from Hindu principles, and Hindu principles are different from Muslim and Buddhist principles. These may be considered on the material platform, but when we come to the platform of transcendental devotional service, there are no such considerations. The transcendental service of the Lord (sādhana-bhakti) is above these principles. The world is anxious for religious unity, and that common platform can be achieved in transcendental devotional service. This is the verdict of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When one becomes a Vaiṣṇava, he becomes transcendental to all these limited considerations.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Recent times have witnessed a concerted and noble effort on all fronts to bring about unity, peace, and harmony in the world, but these are possible only when people worship Lord Kṛṣṇa and render Him devotional service.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.11:

Lord Kṛṣṇa is unborn, yet He can accept any form imaginable. And because He is the supreme father of every living being, anyone—whether a high-born brāhmaṇa or a social outcast—can offer Him a flower, a fruit, a leaf, and water with love and devotion. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa, the cause of all causes, will accept this offering, and by such spiritual activity the worshipper becomes eligible to enter His eternal abode. Who could be more foolish than the person who rejects this easy and joyful process and, becoming captivated by the mirage of material existence and craving for temporary mundane facilities, takes shelter of demigods? Recent times have witnessed a concerted and noble effort on all fronts to bring about unity, peace, and harmony in the world, but these are possible only when people worship Lord Kṛṣṇa and render Him devotional service.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

When one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness there is no such differentiation, there is one consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, I am His servant, that's all. So long one does not come to this platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no possibility of so-called eternity, fraternity, unity, universal brotherhood.

Lecture on SB 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971:

In this way you will find varieties of life. But they're based on the three types of consciousness—sattva-guṇa consciousness, raja-guṇa consciousness, tamo-guṇa consciousness. So when one is transcendental to this contaminated consciousness, polluted by the three qualities of material nature, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

aṣṭau prakṛtayaḥ proktās

traya eva hi tad-guṇāḥ

vikārāḥ ṣoḍaśācāryaiḥ

pumān ekaḥ samanvayāt

But the soul is the same. By external affection in the material world under different qualities, he's appearing different. Therefore, we have got 8,400,000 of species of life, by different consciousness. When one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness there is no such differentiation, there is one consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, I am His servant, that's all. So long one does not come to this platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no possibility of so-called eternity, fraternity, unity, universal brotherhood, that is not possible. It is impossible because they are all contaminated.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

When we are free from designation, when we are purified, then we can unite in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa. That is real unity.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

This is our position. We are not Indian; we are not American; we are not Hindu; we are not Muslim. These are all designations. Therefore (the) Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to make people free from designation. Just like, actually, you see. Here are American, European boys and girls. They have forgotten that they are American or European or they come from Christian group or Jewish group. Similarly, we should also forget that "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," or "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am kṣatriya." No. This is the only platform, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, where we can unite on spiritual platform. We cannot be united by resolutions. Just like the United Nations: they are trying for the last thirty years to become united—simply resolution. On that platform we cannot be united. On political platform or social platform, that is not possible, because the designations are there. When we are free from designation, sarvopādhi-virnirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam, when we are purified, then we can unite in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa. That is real unity. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam... (CC Madhya 19.170). That is Vaikuṇṭha platform. Just like in Vaikuṇṭha, the Vaikuṇṭheśvara, Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa, He's the central point of service.

Cornerstone Ceremonies

Unless we come to that platform, that we are servants of Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of unity.

Foundation Stone Ceremony Speech -- Bhuvanesvara, February 2, 1977:

In Melbourne I was speaking, so I accused the United Nations, "They're assembly of barking dogs." Because you cannot be united on this material platform. If you keep yourself that "I am dog," "I am tiger," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," then there is no question of United Nations. United Nations is possible when sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You have to become purified on Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not "I am American," not "I am Indian." No. This will not help.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ

tat-paratvena nirmalam

hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-

sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

(CC Madhya 19.170)

So factually we see that these Americans, Europeans, they are Christian, Jews, or there are Muhammadans also in our movement, Africans, all over the world, but they no more think that he is African or Indian or American. They think Kṛṣṇa dāsa. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Unless we come to that platform, that we are servants of Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of unity.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

We saw that foreigners, they visit, and gradually, there will be unity between the so-called Hindu, Muslim, all Kṛṣṇa's servant. This is the idea behind Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Now you have got enough place in Vṛndāvana, in Navadvīpa, in Bombay. There will be no difficulty if you go by thousands to India. You can live very comfortable. So you can go, purchase, you can go and come back. We saw that foreigners, they visit, and gradually, there will be unity between the so-called Hindu, Muslim, all Kṛṣṇa's servant. This is the idea behind Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We don't believe in this skin disease.