People are very much interested in welfare activities for the human society. So they think that by feeding poor men or giving cloth or opening hospitals, schools, colleges—"These things are required. What is the use of hearing about Kṛṣṇa?" That is their opinion. But these welfare activities are extended selfishness.
This word we learned from our Guru Mahārāja, "Extended selfishness." Just like I love myself for my sense gratification, and then I extend it to my son. I am gratifying my senses. I have got my wife. And to get my son another wife . . . the principle is the same. Then my grandchildren, then my great-grandchildren. Or, not only limited with the family, then society, then community, then nationality, then internationality. But they are all extended selfishness. Yes. Without knowing what is the real self-interest.
Therefore we find so many faults in such welfare activities. In . . . they are opening hospitals for the human being, daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā, but the poor goats and cows, daridra-nārāyaṇa—they are also daridra-nārāyaṇa according to the definition—but they are being killed. For one daridra-nārāyaṇa, another daridra-nārāyaṇa is being killed.
So that kind of philanthropy is not accepted in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as very advancement of civilization. The advancement of civilization will be tested, how the nation, individually or collectively, has advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is very difficult to understand this, but the fact is this. Bhāgavata says that you cannot rectify the destiny of another man. That is not possible. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha (SB 7.9.19). It is not that because one has got good parents, therefore he will be happy. No. Not necessarily. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha.
So similarly, it is not that a diseased person, because he is being treated by a first-class physician and he is being supplied first-class medicine, therefore he will be cured. No. There is no such guarantee. Because if the supreme authority does not sanction . . . suppose a man is diseased; he is going to die or suffering. So his relatives and friends are trying to save him. The śāstra says that, "You cannot save him simply by giving him first-class medicine or first-class medical treatment." They . . . they can also . . . cannot guarantee. Ask any qualified doctor that, "This man is being treated by you. Can you guarantee that he will be cured?" they will say: "No, that is not possible. We are trying our best." Therefore we should know the ultimate sanction depends on Kṛṣṇa.
I have got practical experience, because I was dealing in medicine. So the attending physician of my pharmacy, he came back from a call and told me that, "I saw one patient lying in a very precarious condition, suffering from pneumonia. So according to our science, he could not live. I do not know how he is living." There are so many cases. I had dealings with medical men. One big medical man in Gayā, he told me that "Mr. De," that, "we give very first class medicine to a patient, to my best knowledge. He dies. And I try one small medicine, and he is saved. That is my practical experience." He was Muhammadan doctor. He told me.
So actually, unless one is saved by the supreme authority, there is no question of saving him by so many philanthropic work. Actual saving is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Because if one is raised to his Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the whole problems of his life will be solved. That is real welfare activity. Other things you cannot change. If one is destined to suffer by some agency, you cannot stop. Therefore Bhāgavata says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). You simply try to awaken your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which was impossible in other living condition. Either going to the heaven planet or going to the hell planet or becoming Brahmā or ant . . . do not try for all these elevation. Simply try for awakening your Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Then why so many people are trying for happiness? The answer is, tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā (SB 1.5.18). Nobody tries for distress, but distress comes; similarly, even if you do not try for your happiness, if you are destined, happiness will come. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is simply happiness. There is no more distress. If we become steadily situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is simply happiness. As Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī has explained, viśvaṁ pūrṇaṁ sukhāyate (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5). There is no problem for a devotee. Viśvaṁ pūrṇam . . . everyone is perplexed with the problems of this universe, but for a devotee, viśvaṁ pūrṇaṁ sukhāyate.
(aside) I think time is up.
Thank you very much. (break) Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says:
- mānasa deho geho jo kichu mor
- arpiluṅ tuwā pade nanda-kiśor
- (from Śaraṇāgati)
He was family man. So he surrendered everything: his body, his mind, his family, his children—everything under Kṛṣṇa.
- mānasa deho geho jo kichu mor
- arpiluṅ tuwā pade nanda-kiśor
Mārobi rākhobi jo icchā tohārā . . . in this way, there is a nice song. So you cannot take charge of your family, society or community or country. No. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Everything is going on under the influence of different modes of material nature.
Just like in our country, when Gandhi was living, he got sva-rājya, but still, he was thinking he had to do something, he had to do something. And he did not separate from politics. He was old man. He should have retired. But he did not, unless he was killed by somebody. This is the attachment for material things. All these leaders, they think, "Without me, the country will go to hell." But so many leaders came and gone; the country is going on. Therefore, in the Bengali it is said, rāja mare, rājya acāra: "Because the king has died, therefore kingdom will stop." That is not the . . . it, it will go on. Why do you bother? That is knowledge. Kṛṣṇa is taking care. You just engage yourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa. That is your duty.