Jul 02, 2016 — INDIA (SUN) —
Recently an article was published in Dandavats.com entitled "Service to Go-Mata is greater than Service to Govinda!" What a misleading title it is! At best, it can be categorised as mayavada or karma-kanda, and has nothing to do with pure devotion.
Is Bhakti Raghava Maharaj not aware of such deviations in his camp? If Bhakti Raghava Maharaj has not given blessings to this title, then let Maharaj clarify and present the right understanding.
All in all, it is a big disservice to the parampara. Let me explain briefly:
'Service to Go-mata' is part and parcel of serving Govinda. When you say 'Service to Go-Mata is greater than service to Govinda', you are separating both of them. By serving go-mata, one automatically does not become Krsna conscious. But he/she becomes eligible to become Krsna conscious, because it pleases Krsna and gets one rid of sins (as explained in the tenth principle of sadhana bhakti in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu). Serving go-mata brings also the mood of 'dasyam' of nava-vidha sadhana bhakti because Krsna says worship me within cows by feeding them and caressing them (SB 11.11.43).
Going further, service to go-mata becomes an ecstatic symptom (anubhava) of various rasas (loving exchanges of devotees with Krsna) during advanced stages of Bhava and Prema bhakti, because go-mata reminds one of Krsna in these stages.
In other words, service to go-mata can never be separated from the purpose of pleasing Krsna. Everything connected to the Lord is worshipable. Thus the title should reflect this mood and not deflect it, which is what the present title seems to do.
The title is propounding Mayavada, because it is as if saying "Serving people is serving Narayana" (manav seva hi madhava seva/nara seva hi
narayana seva) etc., a non-sense. It also similar to the falldown of a Mayavada sannyasi who could not find his brahman position and falls down to open up schools, hospitals etc.
The title is also propounding Karma-kanda because it is clearly not the perspective of the process of achieving pure devotion. It is as if saying to a neophyte, "You can get greater deals by worshipping and serving go-mata than Govinda".
One endeavourng in Krsna consciousness has to understand the truth that serving cows cannot be separated from the process of serving and pleasing Krsna. Similarly, one involved in cow protection should understand that the purpose of Krsna bhakti is what that is going to bring ultimate purpose and solution to serving Gomata.
Let me make it clear, no matter how hard you hit about with your campaign to serve go-mata, it cannot offer the real satisfaction and fulfillment for the need of the soul, which is to develop a loving relationship with Krsna. You are doing a great disservice by disconnecting Krsna and go-mata. In other words, you are not doing enough to present service of go-mata as being part and parcel of serving Govinda. For it to be done, you must implant in the minds of people through the process of Krsna consciousness as taught by the Founder-Acarya, Srila Prabhupada, that service to Govinda, Who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the ultimate goal of life. This is true even if you are addressing the assembly of those introduced to Krsna consciousness process. Because, no matter what stage one is, let be an 'atmarama', everyone is intrinsically looking for the unmotivated and unflinching loving relationship with Krsna.
Hovering around, beating around the bush and twisting and turning the statements of sastra will not bring any benefit to people, nor to your campaign.
Having said this, the article says a good deal about achievements of the campaign in village preaching. That's wonderful mercy of Krsna and His pure devotees! Congratulations!
