SB 10.22.35

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On Thu, 21 Feb 2002, Viraja (dd) KKD (Wiesbaden - D) wrote:

> > > "It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare

> > > activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence

> > > and words."

> Mukunda, I don't have the 10th Canto at hand right now, is there more to

> this verse about welfare activities there? If yes, could you please copy and

> paste it? Thank you.

 

There is no purport in that section of the Bhagavatam, but the

context has Sri Krsna commenting on how nicely the trees of Vraja have

dedicated their every ounce of energy for the service of all the other

residents of Vrndavana. However, it's clear from Srila Prabhupada's comments

(below) that for us, this principle of mercy applies to all other living

entities too, though the transcendental nature of our concern and activities

just as clearly is to remain on the sreyas level. Here's the purport

Srila Prabhupada wrote on it in Cc. Adi-lila, 9.42:

 

"There are two kinds of general activities--sreyas, or activities

which are ultimately beneficial and auspicious, and preyas, or those which

are immediately beneficial and auspicious. For example, children are fond

of playing. They dont want to go to school to receive an education, and

they think that to play all day and night and enjoy with their friends is

the aim of life. Even in the transcendental life of Lord Krsna, we find

that when He was a child He was very fond of playing with His friends of the

same age, the cowherd boys. He would not even go home to take His dinner.

Mother Yasoda would have to come out to induce Him to come home. Thus it

is a child's nature to engage all day and night in playing, not caring

even for his health and other important concerns. This is an example of

preyas, or immediately beneficial activities. But there are also sreyas,

or activities which are ultimately auspicious. According to Vedic

civilization, a human being must be God conscious. He should understand

what God is, what this material world is, who he is, and what their

interrelationships are. This is called sreyas, or ultimately auspicious

activity.

 

"In this verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that one should be

interested in sreyas. To achieve the ultimate goal of sreyas, or good

fortune, one should engage everything, including his life, wealth and words,

not only for himself but for others also. However, unless one is interested in

sreyas in his own life, he cannot preach of sreyas for the benefit of

others.

 

"This verse cited by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu applies to human beings, not

to animals. As indicated in the previous verse by the words manusya-janma,

these injunctions are for human beings. Unfortunately, human beings,

although they have the bodies of men, are becoming less than animals in

their behavior. This is the fault of modern education. Modern educators do

not know the aim of human life; they are simply concerned with how to

develop the economic condition of their countries or of human society.

This is also necessary; the Vedic civilization considers all aspects of

human life, including dharma (religion), artha (economic development),

kama (sense gratification) and moksa (liberation). But humanity's first

concern should be religion. To be religious, one must abide by the orders

of God, but unfortunately people in this age have rejected religion, and

they are busy in economic development. Therefore they will adopt any means

to get money. For economic development one does not need to get money by

hook or by crook; one needs only sufficient money to maintain his body and

soul. However, because modern economic development is going on with no

religious background, people have become lusty, greedy and mad after money.

They are simply developing the qualities of rajas (passion) and tamas

(ignorance), neglecting the other quality of nature, sattva (goodness), and

the brahminical qualifications. Therefore the entire society is in chaos.

The Bhagavatam says that it is the duty of an advanced human being to act

in such a way as to facilitate human society's attainment of the ultimate

goal of life. There is a similar verse in the Visnu Purana, Part Three,

Chapter Twelve, verse 45, which is quoted in this chapter of

Caitanya-caritamrta as verse 43."

 

That verse (43) is:

 

"By his work, thoughts and words, an intelligent man must perform

actions which will be beneficial for all living entities in this life and in

the next."

 

Srila Prabhupada's purport on that text emphasizes the next life, not this

one. He even says that sreyas is the *principle* of Vedic culture

(something I've also observed, but is at any rate well known), and

concludes:

 

"At present, people do not understand this knowledge, although it

constitutes a great science, for they are uneducated and trained not to

accept it. This is the horrible condition of modern human society. As

such, the Krsna consciousness movement is the only hope to direct the

attention of intelligent men to a greater benefit in life."

 

>From this and similar passages (such as those Braja quoted), it seems

clear that the late Princess Diana's welfare activities, while of noble

intent, were unfortunately ill-informed. Possibly that's because we

didn't make her a devotee. :-)

 

I hope this helps.

 

MDd