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When we speak of service, there is no motive. Service is love

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

When we speak of worship, there is motive. But when we speak of service, there is no motive. Service is love. Just like mother renders service to the child. There is no motive. It is love only. Everyone can neglect that child, that mother cannot. Because there is love.


Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Devotee: "Bhajate has its root in the verb bhaj which is used when there is need of service. The English word "worship" cannot be used in the same sense as bhaja. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Worship and rendering service, they are different. Worship means there is some motive. I worship some friend or some big man. I have got some motive, that this big man is a very big businessman, and if I can please him then he may give me some business, I'll derive some profit. So the worship of demigods is like that. They worship different demigods for some particular purpose. That is condemned in the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find it in the Eighth Chapter. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who have lost their sense, bewildered by lust, they go to worship demigods, with a motive. So when we speak of worship, there is motive. But when we speak of service, there is no motive. Service is love. Just like mother renders service to the child. There is no motive. It is love only. Everyone can neglect that child, that mother cannot. Because there is love. Similarly bhaj-dhātu, when there is question of service, there is no question of motive. And that is perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

And that is recommended in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, first-class religious principle. What is that? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). This bhakti, this bhaja, the same root, that system of religious principle is first-class. What is that? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. By performing which one can develop his God consciousness or love of God. That's all. If you can develop your love of God, you follow any religious principle, doesn't matter. But you must… The test is how much you are developing your love for God. But if you have got some motive - that by practicing this system of religious system, my material necessities will be fulfilled - that is not first-class religion. That is third-class religion. The first-class religion is that, by which you can develop your love of Godhead. Ahaituky apratihatā. Without any cause and without any impediment. That is first-class. That is being recommended. This yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even you take it from religious side, this is first-class. Because there is no motive. They are not serving Kṛṣṇa to supply them this or that. No. There may be this or that, that doesn't matter. They are engaged in - but there is no scarcity of this and that. They get everything. Don't think that becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious one becomes poor. No. If Kṛṣṇa is there, everything is there, because Kṛṣṇa is everything. So… But we should not make any business with Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa give me this, give me that." Kṛṣṇa knows better than you. Just like a child does not demand from the parents, "My dear father, my dear mother, give me this or give me that." The father knows what is the necessity of the child. So this is not very good business to ask God, "Give me this, give me that." Why shall I ask? If God is all-powerful, He knows my wants, He knows my necessities - and that is also confirmed in the Vedas. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That single one God is supplying all necessities of millions and trillions, innumerable, there is no count, living entities.

So we should simply try to love God. Not demand anything. Demand is already supplied. Even the cats and dogs are getting their necessities. They don't go to the church or ask anything from God, but they are getting. So why a devotee shall not get? If a cat or dog can get his necessities of life without demanding from God, why shall I demand from God, that "Give me this, give me that." No. We shall simply try to love Him. That will fulfill everything. That is called highest platform of yoga. Go on.

Devotee: "One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or demigod, and he may be called discourteous, but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned. Every living entity is a part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such every living entity is intended to serve the Supreme Lord by his own constitution."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is natural. If I am part and parcel of God my duty is to serve. This example I have given you many times. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body. So what is the duty of this finger? The duty of the finger is to serve the whole body, that's all. If I am feeling something itching, immediately finger is working. If I want to see, the eyes immediately work. If I want to go, the legs immediately take me. So as this bodily part and part, limbs, are helping me, the whole thing, and I am eating, and the stomach, I am eating only. Similarly God is meant for simply receiving service from all other parts. Not to serve. The service, if the limbs of the body serves the whole body, the energy automatically comes to the parts of the body. Similarly if we serve Kṛṣṇa, we get all our necessities, energy, automatically. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena (SB 4.31.14). The example, just like pouring water on the root of the tree, the energy is immediately supplied to the leaves, to the twigs, to the branches, to everywhere - immediately. Similarly, simply by serving Kṛṣṇa or God, you supply all other parts, you serve all other parts. There is no question of serving differently. The (indistinct), everything automatically comes. Everything…

Sympathy not only for human being, even for the animals the sympathy comes. God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Without God consciousness, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the sympathy for other living entities is very limited. But with God consciousness, with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the sympathy for other living entities is full. That is the system. Go on.