There are innumerable spirit souls living in both the material universe and beyond the spiritual sky, and each of us has an eternal and personal relationship with Krishna. Krishna consciousness means transcending the conditioning of the material body and awakening the propensity to love and serve Krishna, which is lying dormant in the heart of every living entity. As there are innumerable, eternally individual personalities, so there are innumerable ways to serve Krishna. This article aims to help the reader to answer the question: How can I work for Krishna?
We cannot escape work. Somehow or other, the living entity is constantly engaged in service, be it service to his friends, his family, his boss, or his senses. This service is very pleasing to the senses. It is so satisying to help a pregnant lady with her pushchair, or to see someone's eyes light up when you give them a compliment. The problem with this type of work is that it is pertaining to material nature, and anything which pertains to matter is by nature temporary, so any fruits of pleasure or distress obtained by this service is fleeting. If we want to reach that happiness which is unending, we must serve our eternal well wisher, Krishna.
Prabhupāda: So our principle is: We have to act according to the desire of Krishna; then it is good. Otherwise, bad. Krishna says, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). So in spite of advancement of knowledge, because they are not Krishna conscious, therefore they are all duṣkṛtinaḥ, all sinful men. That is the test. So it is very difficult to understand this philosophy, but this is the fact. We are not going to be followers of zero-vādīs or impersonal-vādīs. We remain completely in the varieties, but these varieties are usable only for the satisfaction of Krishna. That is spiritual. You cannot stop the varieties. You have to change the quality of the varieties. Just like we are eating. It is not possible to stop eating. Why shall I stop eating? But the quality is changed. It is prasādam.
Devotee: Just like we're getting some money for our books...
Prabhupāda: The quality's changed.
Devotee: ...they take that spiritual life is negation of anything that they're doing now—no more money, no more anything.
Prabhupāda: For our personal comfort, we, our students are lying on the floor. They are not using the money for purchasing nice furniture. No personal comfort. But if you say that "You are purchasing big, big car," yes, for going quickly to serve Krishna. Our service is main point. If I can go and serve Krishna within a minute, why shall I wait for one hour? So we take all advantages. After all, it belongs to Krishna. They say that "We have manufactured." That's all... But we say that Krishna has manufactured. So they... This philosophy, it is little difficult to understand by the dull men, that nothing is without Krishna. Everything... Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (Īśopaniṣad 1). Sarvam, when we say sarvam, how we can exclude this and that? Everything is in relationship with Krishna, sarvam. Sarvam means everything. So how can you discriminate, "This is material; this is spiritual"? The discrimination is that when it is not used for Krishna, that is material, and when it is used for Krishna, that is spiritual.
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Melbourne, April 20, 1976)
"Bad work means sense gratification. That's all. Anything you do for the satisfaction of your sense, that is bad work. And anything you do for satisfaction of Krishna, that is good work. This is the division of bad work and good work. The same thing, if you do for your personal satisfaction, it is bad work. And the same thing, if you do for the satisfaction of Krishna, that is good work. We must first of all learn this.
Just like Arjuna was thinking in the beginning that 'Fighting and killing is not good, especially fighting with the family members and killing them. No, no, I cannot do that.' Bad work. He was thinking it was bad. But same thing he did. When he understood Bhagavad-gītā, he did not do anything else, because he was a fighter, he was a warrior. In the beginning he was refusing because he was trying to satisfy his senses. 'Oh, it is very good. I think it is... I think...' What you are? You are always misguided if you think like that. But the same Arjuna, when understood Bhagavad-gītā... Krishna inquired from him, 'Now what is your decision?' Now, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73). 'Yes, now I have decided.' So what is that vacanaṁ tava? Krishna asked him to fight. So same fighting, how he became good now? Because Krishna wanted it. A good work. So this should be our motto of life, that you should act if Krishna is pleased. This is good work."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Bombay, April 5, 1974)
Spritual life does not mean renouncing everything and sitting in a deep meditation, actually it's quite the opposite. There is a nice quote from Srila Rupa Gosvami, as follows:
anāsaktasya viṣayān
yathārham upayuñjataḥ
nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe
yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate
prāpañcikatayā buddhyā
hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ
mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo
vairāgyaṁ phalgu kathyate
"When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krishna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Krishna is not as complete in his renunciation." (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255-256)
So Krishna consciousness gives you all facility to pursue what you are passionate about, provided you utilise it in Krishna's service. After all, Krishna is the fulfiller of all desires. So if you want to be a big preacher, or you want to have lots of babies, if you can cook a mean curry or enjoy singing, dancing, reading or writing, all this and more can be dovetailed with the will of Krishna.
"There is no question of giving anything up in Krishna consciousness. That is the sum and substance of the Bhagavad-gita. Arjuna also thought like that 'I shall not fight' and fell silent. but Krishna did not approve of this sentimental attitude of the great Arjuna. The whole Bhagavad-gita was spoken to Arjuna simply to convince him that he should work for the satisfaction of Krishna. Therefore Krishna plainly says, 'Whatever you do as work, whatever you eat, or give away in charity, do it for Me.' This is real Krishna consciousness, to work for the satisfaction of Krishna."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, August 30, 1973)
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