Is having some Personal motives in Serving the Lord wrong?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna Prabhu, I wanted to ask a general question.. When we make major decisions in life, there are so many uncertainties. yes we should analyze the pros and cons of the decision, but if we think too deep or long, uncertainties make us feel not onfident to move ahead.
One set of people have a view that as long as we are doing good things and try to be service minded. Lord will take of future uncertainties and we need not worry..
Another set of people think that even though we try to do somethings in a service mood there are personal motives involved atleast to some extent as we are not pure devotees, so we should be careful and consider deeply the pros and cons.
How to balance between these two approach?
One solution is to discuss with senior Vaishnavas, but assuming if such a facility is not available, how to manage?
Prabhu, if you want to answer in website, please make it anonymous.
Thanks, Regards”
REPLY:
You are telling that when we have service mentality, Krishna will bear our unstable attitude like developing Personal motives in Serving the Lord.
Of course, Krishna will bear our Personal motives in Serving the Lord and will not punish us for such personal motives until those motives do not affect anyone.
For example, If a devotee preaches very well but with the motive earning and becoming rich, he may get another birth in which he may follow selfless devotion. Their going back to Krishna may be delayed by another birth to purify him further. But, he may not be punished for that. Another birth itself is a kind of punishment for the devotees.
(POWER OF PURITY OF MEN &WOMEN IN SPIRITUALITY! EVIDENCES! READ HERE!)
Similarly, it is said that even being in Satva Guna has a danger. The satva Guna devotee may be good in his character, sadhanas, preaching, etc. But, some of such Satva guna devotees may have a chance to develop some pride in their life for being respected and honoured by others.
Such satva guna devotees who have developed pride may have more births. But, they may not have severe punishments for having developed pride.
Some kinds of Personal motives are dangerous. For example, using the devotional popularity for exploiting the girls/ women; pressurizing others to donate for getting diksha or washing the so called person’s feet, etc.; Claiming themselves Gods or avatars so as to exploit the people telling that it will take them to the god.
Such serious exploiters may go to serious hells and will be severely punished.
(What is called Pure love? Is it possible in this material world? READ HERE!)
Why do we get further births for having some personal motives?
Because, Only the selfless devotees can go back to the kingdom of Krishna.
So, it is the responsibility of a devotee to aim for selfless state in devotion. So, if he has not yet come to that stage of Pure devotion, that means, he has not fully advanced in devotion.
So, when a devotee has a trace of HARMLESS selfish motives, he is given another birth to come out of that contamination of having harmless personal motives in devotion and to follow pure devotion.
In fact, every birth is given to get purified from the stock of our karmic reactions. This is common for both the devotees and non devotees and atheists.
But, the advantage for the devotees is that Krishna gives them maturity and sufficient knowledge to face those karmic reactions without getting destabilized.
For others, the FEELING and effects of the karmic reactions will be stronger.
(Why Krishna is attracted by Pure Devotional service only? READ HERE!)
The devotees are always safe in their material life because they will have sufficient maturity to face the happenings of the material life.
What the devotees have to do is, to try his best to become a selfless devotee in this birth, and if he is unable to get perfection, he may accept another birth in a more comfortable family as assured by Krishna Himself in Bhagavad Gita.
Such imperfection is not punishable, but gives better next birth.
And, yes, association with the senior devotees may help, but, they can’t spend time for you alone. For many devotees, such facilities may not be there to associate. In such cases, you can get Vani association with the senior Vaishnavas. In this world of media and communication revolution, it is not difficult to develop such Vani association like all of you are getting through our media.
Hope you are now clear about whether having some Personal motives in Serving the Lord wrong.
(What if Krishna wants a Pure devotee to take birth again? READ HERE!)