Is fighting Corruption a service to Krishna?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna sir, Hope you are doing well. I read your stories on how you are such a sincere devotee to Krishna and how you serve The Lord despite all your health issues. I was deeply moved by it and I self-reflected to see what I can do for Krisna.
I have a medical and research background. I feel like my natural talent is to learn pretty much anything very quickly and I am actively working to make money off of this to serve Krishna, His devotees and pretty much humanity once I have wealth on my end. As of now, I do serve Krishna by doing devotion and donating to temples. I will be sending you some help too as I believe that I owe you a lot for the honest answers you give me.
A lot of industries around the world are heavily corrupted and they actively lie just to achieve their sales. As such, if I work hard to fight their injustice by becoming a leader in some industries (particularly food and medicine) can it be considered as a service to Krishna?
Thank you and Hare Krishna!”
REPLY:
Not at all.
Fighting against corruption in the country or organisation is not a service to Krishna.
Any service to Krishna should enhance the love for Krishna in the minds of others.
(Social Service and Karma Yoga – Does Krishna consider them equally? READ HERE!)
No one can eradicate corruption from the country or any set up.
He can avoid giving and getting bribe in his life. That’s all.
Because, if there are 100 persons, there will be a certain percentage of cheaters or violators among them.
In this kaliyuga, such violators will be more – about 75%.
Those who involve in corruption will involve in it until they care caught.
Even after getting caught, they will escape from the case and the allegations by bribing the authorities.
So, Corruption exists at all the levels at all the time.
The trend of kaliyuga is like that.
If we catch a corrupt red handed and hand over to the police, that corrupt will bribe that police, come out and continue to involve in the corruption again.
So, if you start to clean the system, you should become the leader of a country or region or group.
Then, if you follow strictness in taking actions and giving punishments, you can see reduction in the number of people involving in corruption. But, still some persons will be violating using his intelligence.
Even your employees may betray you and involve in corruption.
In India, we have seen politicians and even Chief ministers who once actively fought corruption.
Then, after coming to power, the same person started to face cases, arrest, etc., based on the allegations of corruption.
The courts may decide their credibility, but the situation is like this. If you start to eradicate corruption, you yourself may end up in facing such charges one day. Though you don’t involve in corruption, others will frame cases and try to defame you for a few months till the case is finished.
Instead of taking unreliable material efforts in fighting corruption, make as many people as devotees by preaching them.
If you make a person a devotee of Krishna, you are reforming a violator or offender.
(Is devotees enjoying student age wrong? Tips to come out of guilt! READ HERE!)
This is what Srila Prabhupada did and his thousands of followers are doing.
I know some convicted criminals who were reformed because of the preaching of the devotees in the prisons.
They are now nicely following the devotion to Krishna. One such a person was released from jail earlier than his actual jail term.
Hearing Krishna’s messages and Lilas reform any person of any status – even grave criminals.
Because Krishna’s Names and messages are 100% Pure & Powerful.
So, my advice to you is this:
Don’t take unreliable materialistic efforts to fight corruption. Though you reform one person thru material means, you will add karma and hence good rebirth with usual, unavoidable four pains – Birth, Old age, Diseases & Death.
Instead of social reformation that binds you, follow spiritual revolution as done by acharyas like Srila Prabhupada that liberates you.
Just make as many people as possible as devotees of Krishna.
It is more reliable and effective than material means of reforming the corrupting persons.
Then, Everything will be alright. The whole society will become a clean society. Or, atleast a few people will turn to Krishna because of you and will quit corruption practices.
What else can a devotee do?
(Social Service for Krishna Devotees – Recommended or not? READ HERE!)