2020-12-04 • Q&A: In what mood to do seva? • B.S.Goswāmī Mahārāja • CNX • [en]

Q: In what mood to do seva? There are times when we have sinned a lot. And when the realization comes, we feel a lot of regrets. Krishna says that He can save us from the reactions of so many sins if we surrender fully. But, the thing is, after we can situate ourselves as the most fallen souls, we are no longer interested in being saved from the reactions of those sins. In some way, it is one reason for us to give the best of ourselves in seva, to do our best to please Krishna, but still it is not easy to come to terms that we could have sinned so much. (It is like the kind of feeling we have when we hurt our father and after realizing it, we will ask for forgiveness and do our best to please him all the time. But it is not until he has forgiven us that we can get rid of this guilt from our hearts and strengthen our bond with him). After realization of our sins, if we do seva with the mood of enjoying the transcendental bliss that we get while doing it, even then I do not feel that it is okay. So, what should we do in this case? In what mood to do seva? And if we do seva for the act of purifying ourselves, then also, it is like doing it for our own selfish motive, so, eventually, with what mood to do seva?

Seva is the mood. — Service: self-giving. — Adarshanam: whatever pleases Krishna—that’s what I want. — The holy name powered by heart. — For the holy name: no amount of sinfulness is too much. — Give up even dharma and just surrender to Krishna. — Uddhava observes braja-gopis’ devotion. — Volcanic eruptions of the heart. — Association is always the cure. — Reason to surrender. — To see through hearing. — Repurposing the senses. — Everything can be achieved by surrender. — Vaishnavas and service to them is transformatory. — Just stay connected. — The proper candidate for mercy. — The uncertainty principle: never think that you’re a devotee. — Self-oblivion: “It doesn’t matter about us.”

00:07:35  Whatever pleases Krishna—that’s what I want!

00:10:26  How attractive the Name of Krishna is

00:18:11  Uddhava observes braja-gopis’ devotion

00:27:05  Volcanic eruptions of the heart in separation

00:34:18  Association is always the cure

00:40:17  Reason to surrender

00:45:20  Repurposing the senses

00:55:41  Vaishnavas and service to them is transformatory