Amrta Vani

Q&A by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Thakura Prabhupada

Q. What is karma?

A. Work done for one’s own happiness and the happiness of others is called karma. There is nothing about trying to please Krsna in the performance of karma. The goal of karma is to search after one’s own happiness and the happiness of others, whereas searching for Krsna’s pleasure is called devotional service.
This material world is the field of karma for ordinary people, but for the devotees the material world is a place in which to cultivate devotional service. Whatever is performed in this world with the prideful thought, “I am the doer,” is called karma, whereas whatever is done for the Lord’s pleasure, induced by the Lord, with the idea, “I am Krsna’s servant,” is called devotional service.

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Amrita Vani

Q&A by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Thakura Prabhupada

Q. Is it essential to become subordinate?

A . An independent person cannot worship Hari or become a devotee. One’s benefit lies in following in the footsteps of one’s acarya. People with independent natures maintain different opinions. If millions of gopis have millions of opinions, then there will certainly be disturbances in their discharge of service to Krsna. No one has the power to please Sri Madhava without subordinating themselves to the daughter of Vrsabhanu. The spiritual master is nondifferent from and an intimate associate of the daughter of Vrsabhanu. That is why it is important for a person desiring auspiciousness to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. There is no other way to achieve auspiciousness.

Amrita Vani

Q&A by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Thakura Prabhupada

Q. How did the dependent independent souls receive their independence?

A. We are part and parcels of the fully independent Personality of Godhead, and therefore God’s qualities are present in us in minute quantity. Krsna is fully independent. Therefore we also possess minute independence.
In our independence, there are two kinds of aversion to the Lord, aversion in the form of desire for material enjoyment, and aversion in the form of renunciation of material enjoyment. For the independent souls, there are only two ways open; to walk the path of material enjoyment or to walk the path of devotional service. No one can remain neutral; everyone must choose one of these two paths.
By constantly worshiping the Lord with love and devotion, one is not covered and thrown by the Lord’s illusory energy. But worship should be constant. If there is even a slight interruption in our attention, Maya will take advantage of the situation and cause us trouble

Amrta Vani

Q&A by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Thakura Prabhupada.

Q : Is the phrase “As many opinions, as many paths” correct?

A : Opinion is born from mental speculation. As there are innumerable living entities, there are innumerable thoughts and tastes. The path that has been created, is being created, and will be created in the future by peoples’ whims can never be the eternal occupational duty of the spirit soul (sanatana-dharma). Although there have been and will be innumerable opinions based on mental speculation, Srimad- Bhagavatam, the king of all sastras, declares, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo, yato bhaktir adhoksaja/ ahaituky apratihata, yayatma suprasidati: “The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.6)
The philosophy of “as many opinions, as many paths” found in this world is a path born from material knowledge; it is a path favorable to the material world. It is unmotivated, uninterrupted devotional service to Hari that is the supreme opinion for all humanity. The soul can be happy by no other means. Since other religious principles and processes award a little pleasure to body or mind, gross materialists and mental speculators consider such religious principles and processes as their ultimate goal. Discussions of the Absolute Truth must be heard from the living source. Then the living entities can attain highest eternal benefit. Otherwise, there will be danger at every moment for those who are misguided.