Amrita Vani
Q&A by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Thakura Prabhupada
Q : Who is a materialist?
A : A materialist is one who accumulates material objects for his own pleasure and who engages them as ingredients of his sense gratification. One who accumulates material objects for the Lord’s service is not a materialist but a devotee. It is not possible to differentiate between a material enjoyer and a devotee on the basis of their respective activities, but it is possible to differentiate by studying the motivation of each. One who eats for personal sense gratification is a materialist; one who eats to maintain the body for Krsna’s service is a devotee. A devotee is neither a material enjoyer nor a dry renunciant but a servant of the Lord. A devotee engages wealth, material objects, and everything in this world in the Lord’s service.
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.
Q. How long should we engage in karma?
A. The Bhagavatam (11.20.9) states:tavat karmani kurvita, na nirvidyeta yavatamat-katha-sravanadau va, sraddha yavan na jayateOne should continue to perform the Vedic ritualistic activities until one actually becomes detached from material sense gratification and develops faith for hearing and chanting about Me.
Continue reading →