Saturday, February 15

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 22 April 2016, Radhadesh, Srimad Bhagavatam 7.8.14-16)

Krsna_with_fluteDemoniac tendencies remain with the living being for a very long time. Even when we take on the process of devotional service, it does not mean that all the influence of previous demoniac activities are gone. There are so many traces of demoniac tendencies in our consciousness that still make us think that we are controllers; this tendency is very strong. Some time we are controllers but on behalf of Krsna. So, be a controller for Krsna and at the same time do not claim any power from it. Do not to take advantage of the position that we gain from being in ‘control’  as it is difficult to be a servant in that role. Simply see that we have received a position of power for the sake of being a servant. This is the idea.

Just like in the biblical context, we find the description that man received dominion over all the living entities and over the entire universe. But what did man do rather than protect the animals? Man began to feast on the flesh of the animals which does not take into consideration the desire of the Supreme Lord, where it is said:

balaṁ balavatāṁ cāhaṁ
kāma-rāga-vivarjitam, (Bhagavad-gita 7.11)

The strength of the strong is meant to protect the weak. In this way, human beings who are more intelligent than animals are meant to protect the animals.

This understanding is not possible for a conditioned soul and since we are in the world predominated with conditioned souls, we need guiding principles in society. We need education in society. Without education, we cannot expect that people are simply going to do the right thing. The conditioned soul is contaminated with demoniac mentality, contaminated with the misused tendency to control, and contaminated with the tendency to enjoy what is not his property, that which is the property of the Supreme Lord. That understanding goes very deep, including our bodies, even our bodies are the property of the Supreme Lord. So it is a huge adjustment and even upon hearing again and again from Srimad Bhagavatam, still the tendency is there to forget.

We forget or we look for a compromise between personal interest and the interest of Krsna. Krsna has provided for that within varnasrama. He has provided for us to have that compromise where we can say, “How much for Krsna? And how much for me?” Of course, ultimately it has to come to the point of giving our life cent per cent for Krsna. Just as we see how Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakura, as a householder, said, “I am no longer maintaining this household for myself. This I am doing so now, as your servant, on your behalf. It is your household. It is your facility which will only be used now for preaching Krsna Consciousness.”

In this way, our entire life is meant to be dedicated to spreading the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this world and that is the opposite of the demoniac mentality.

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