BY: ROCANA DASA
Aug 19, 2010 — CANADA (SUN) — Bhagavad-gita As It Is 5.2
This verse brings up an aspect of our philosophy that on one hand is very simple to comprehend, but on the other hand is very difficult to execute, because we are conditioned in this material world to spontaneously engage in activities that are motivated by desire for sense gratification.
In his purport, Srila Prabhupada quotes Srila Rupa Goswami's Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.258), which states that it's a matter of developing the consciousness that everything belongs to Krsna, and everything therefore should be done in His service. But at the same time there are many instructions by the Acaryas and injunctions in sastra which forbid certain activities, even though they are ultimately part of Krsna's energy.
Therefore, unless one has a bona fide Spiritual Master and is carefully following their instructions as to what constitutes action in Krsna Consciousness, there is a tendency to rationalize or justify one's activities as being in devotional service, or for the pleasure of Krsna, when in fact it's actually action for satisfying the mind and senses. And this activity is not pleasing to the Spiritual Master and to Krsna.
We see this constantly when observing what's going on around us, including the higher levels of activity going on in the name of serving Srila Prabhupada. Even within his society people are engaged in activities they believe, and they've convinced others to believe, are activities in Krsna Consciousness, when that's not actually the case.
Unless the Spiritual Master, who is representing the Sampradaya Acaryas, is actually pleased by a particular activity, then in fact, it is simply entangling you. Regardless of whether an individual devotee is under the impression that they're engaged in Krsna's service, it's incumbent upon them to always try their best to see everything as belonging to Krsna, and to consider how it can be used in Krsna's service for the pleasure of the Spiritual Master, which is non-different than pleasing Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada was asked, 'How do we know we're doing things that are pleasing to Krsna?' and he immediately responded, 'If it's pleasing the Spiritual Master, then it's pleasing to Krsna.' So we have to protect ourselves from the tendency to just assume that we're doing something that's in the category of devotional service.
The danger in assuming that one is engaged in devotional service when in fact, one is entangling themselves, is that it means the devotee imagines himself to be very advanced. This is especially true if they take on positions and titles such as guru, sannyasi and in the case of ISKCON, GBC, temple president, and so on, without much reflection as to whether or not their actions, instructions and dictates are actually pleasing to Srila Prabhupada. If they develop an attitude that whatever they do, it automatically falls into the category of devotional service, then they are certainly becoming entangled. Our reflection or consideration in this regards ultimately has to be based on the principle embodied in the question: "Would Srila Prabhupada be pleased by these words, these actions, these instructions?"
