Performing one's duty in Relationship

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Shrila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaja wrote:

 

 

The day I realise that I belong to Sri Bhagavan and that all my relationships are with Sri Bhagavan, then my real self will become manifested, and spontaneously, all my actions will be for Sri Bhagavan and Sri Bhagavan alone. Identifying my interests with those of Sri Bhagavan, I will then surrender myself and all that belongs to that self to Sri Bhagavan. Only in that specific situation is love and devotion for Sri Bhagavan possible. The grace of the bonafide guru or preceptor will enable us to realise to whom we are actually related. Prior to this knowledge of relationship, it is not possible to have any idea of Sri Bhagavan. When we do not exert much effort to understand the nature of this relationship, our realisation is understandably delayed. After establishing this relationship, we can start our sadhana (abhidheya or spiritual practices) and begin to understand our real needs (prayojana). The scriptures of sanatana-dharma and all the wise sages have discussed three important points in great detail: (1) sambandha, the conditioned soul’s relationship with the Supreme Lord, (2) abhidheya, the regulated activities for reviving one’s relationship with the Supreme Lord, and (3) prayojana, the ultimate goal of life to be attained by the conditioned soul, i.e., Krishna- Prema, love of God.

 

 

In spiritual life then, the first step is toward sambandha-gyana—knowledge of relationships.

 

 

 

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 text 46

 

purport by Srila Prabhupada

 

 

yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ

 

yena sarvam idaṁ tatam

 

sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya

 

siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ

 

 

yataḥ—

from whom;

pravṛttiḥ—

emanation;

bhūtānām—

of all living entities;

yena—

by whom;

sarvam—

all;

idam—

this;

tatam—

is pervaded;

svakarmaṇā—

in his own duties;

tam—

Him;

abhyarcya—

by worshiping;

siddhim

—perfection;

vindati—

achieves;

mānavaḥ—

a man.

 

 

 

TRANSLATION

 

By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, man can, in the performance of his own duty, attain perfection.

 

 

 

PURPORT

 

As stated in the Fifteenth Chapter, all living beings are fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord. As such, the Supreme Lord is the beginning of all living entities. This is confirmed in the

Vedānta-sūtra—janmādy asya yataḥ.

The Supreme Lord is therefore the beginning of life of every living entity. And the Supreme Lord, by His two energies, His external energy and internal energy, is all-pervading. Therefore one should worship the Supreme Lord with His energies. Generally the Vaiṣṇava devotees worship the Supreme Lord with His internal energy. His external energy is a perverted reflection of the internal energy. The external energy is a background, but the Supreme Lord by the expansion of His plenary portion as Paramātmā is situated everywhere. He is the Supersoul of all demigods, all human beings, all animals, everywhere. One should therefore know that as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord it is his duty to render service unto the Supreme. Everyone should be engaged in devotional service to the Lord in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is recommended in this verse.

 

Everyone should think that he is engaged in a particular type of occupation by Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses. And, by the result of the work in which one is engaged, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, should be worshiped. If one thinks always in this way, in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then, by the grace of the Lord, he becomes fully aware of everything. That is the perfection of life. The Lord says in

Bhagavad-gītā, teṣām ahaṁ samuddhartā.

The Supreme Lord Himself takes charge of delivering such a devotee. That is the highest perfection of life. In whatever occupation one may be engaged, if he serves the Supreme Lord, he will achieve the highest perfection.