## Chapter III Preaching Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Is the Highest Welfare Activity ### 1. Devotees (preachers) are the greatest well-wishers of living entities: Persons who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are living a very precarious life ... but all these circumstantial conditions are due to forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant to give relief to all these bewildered and distressed persons; therefore it is the greatest relief work for all human society, and the workers thereof are the greatest well-wishers, for they follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, who is the greatest friend to all living entities. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/7/28|4.7.28]]* ### 2. Preaching kṛṣṇa-kathā is the greatest missionary activity: *Kṛṣṇa-kathā *is* *the only remedy for all people of the world because it can situate one in pure consciousness of the self and liberate one from material bondage. To preach *kṛṣṇa-kathā *all over the world, as recommended by Lord Caitanya, is the greatest missionary activity, and all sensible men and women of the world may join in this great movement started by Lord Caitanya. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/3/5/11|3.5.11]]* ### 3. Preaching is the best welfare activity: The word *ātmaupamyena *refers to thinking others to be like oneself. One can very intelligently conclude that without devotional service, without becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, one cannot be happy. Therefore the duty of all devotees is to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness everywhere all over the world, because all living entities without Kṛṣṇa consciousness are suffering the pangs of material existence. To preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the best welfare activity. Indeed, it is described by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as *para-upakāra, *work for the true benefit of others. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* [[sb/7/7/53|7.7.53]]* ### 4. Preaching the knowledge of the living entity's spiritual existence is the highest welfare work: ... [the living entity] must preach this knowledge [of self-realization] after perfecting himself and understanding his own position as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Preaching this is showing real mercy to living entities. Other types of humanitarian work may be temporarily beneficial for the body, but because a living entity is spirit soul, ultimately one can show him real mercy only by revealing knowledge of his spiritual existence. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, *jīvera 'srarūpa' haya-kṛṣṇera 'nitya-dāsa.' *"Every living entity is constitutionally a servant of Kṛṣṇa." One should know this fact perfectly and should preach it to the mass of people. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/29/1b|4.29.1b]]* ### 5. Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest welfare activity (the Lord is pleased with one who preaches): **It is said that great personalities almost always accept voluntary suffering because of the suffering of people in general. This is considered the highest method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present in everyone's heart.** Here is an explanation of how those engaged in activities for the welfare of others are very quickly recognized by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord says in *Bhagavad-gītā* ([[bg/18/68|18.68-69]]), *ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati ... na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ: *"One who preaches the message of *Bhagavad-gītā *to My devotees is most dear to Me. No one can excel him in satisfying Me by worship." There are different kinds of welfare activities in this material world, but the supreme welfare activity is the spreading of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Other welfare activities cannot be effective, for the laws of nature and the results of *karma *cannot be checked.... If one tries to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, he should be understood to be performing the best welfare activity. The Lord is automatically very pleased with him. If the Lord is pleased with him, what is left for him to achieve? If one has been recognized by the Lord, even if he does not ask the Lord for anything, the Lord, who is within everyone, supplies him whatever he wants.... The best welfare activity is raising people to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, since the conditioned souls are suffering only for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.... All the *śāstras *conclude, therefore, that spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the best welfare activity in the world. Because of the ultimate benefit this bestows upon people in general, the Lord very quickly recognizes such service performed by a devotee. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/8/7/44|8.7.44]]* ### 6. Preaching of Krṣna consciousness is real mercy: ... we also must know what actual mercy is. To give a sick man something forbidden for him to eat is not mercy. Rather, it is cruelty. Unless we know what mercy really is, we may create an undesirable situation. If we wish to show real mercy, we will preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in order to revive the lost consciousness of human beings, the living entity's original consciousness. *— Cc. *Madhya *[[cc/madhya/9/49|9.49]]* ### 7. Devotee-preachers are engaged in the highest welfare work: **The self-effulgent Vaikuṇṭha planets, by whose illumination alone all the illuminating planets within this material world give off reflected light, cannot be reached by those who are not merciful to other living entities. Only persons who constantly engage in welfare activities for other living entities can reach the Vaikuṇtha planets.** From this material world ... people can be transferred to the Vaikuṇṭha-loka, if they incessantly engage in welfare activities for all other living entities. Such incessant welfare activities can really be performed only in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other philanthropic work within this material world but Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which can engage a person twenty-four hours a day. A Kṛṣṇa conscious being is always engaged in planning how to take all the suffering humanity back home, back to Godhead. Even if one is not successful in reclaiming all the fallen souls back to Godhead, still, because he is Kṛṣṇa conscious, his path to Vaikuṇṭha-loka is open. He personally becomes qualified to enter the Vaikuṇṭha-lokas, and if anyone follows such a devotee, he also enters into Vaikuṇṭha-loka. Others, who engage in envious activities, are known as *karmīs. Karmīs *are envious of one another.... *Jñānīs *are not as sinful as *karmīs, *but they do not try to reclaim others back to Godhead. They perform austerities for their own liberation. *Yogīs *are also engaged in self-aggrandizement by trying to attain mystic powers. But devotees, Vaiṣṇavas, who are servants of the Lord, come forward in the actual field of work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness to reclaim fallen souls.... the Lord says that there is no one dearer to Him than those who preach the gospel of *Bhagavad-gītā *to the world. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/12/36|4.12.36]]* ### 8. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's saṅkīrtana movement is meant for making people happy: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the most benevolent personality in human society because His only desire is to make people happy. His *saṅkīrtana *movement is especially meant for the purpose of making people happy. *— Cc. Ā*di *[[cc/adi/9/45|9.45]]* ### 9. Distribution of transcendental knowledge is the highest welfare work: **Pṛthu Mahāraja continued: How can such persons, who have rendered unlimited service by explaining the path of self realization in relation to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and whose explanations are given for our enlightenment with complete conviction and Vedic evidence, be repaid except by folded palms containing water for their satisfaction? Such great personalities can be satished only by their own activities, which are distributed amongst human society out of their unlimited mercy.** Great personalities of the material world are very eager to render welfare service to human society, but actually no one can render better service than one who distributes the knowledge of spiritual realization in relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All living entities are within the clutches of the illusory energy. Forgetting their real identity, they hover in material existence, transmigrating from one body to another in search of a peaceful life. Since these living entities have very little knowledge of self-realization, they are not getting any relief, although they are very anxious to attain peace of mind and some substantial happiness. Saintly persons like the Kumāras, Nārada, Prahlāda, Janaka, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Kapiladeva, as well as the followers of such authorities as the Vaiṣṇava *ācāryas *and their servants, can render a valuable service to humanity by disseminating knowledge of the relationship between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity. Such knowledge is the perfect benediction for humanity. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/22/4|4.22.4]]* ### 10. Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness is showing real mercy to living entities: **"If a living entity is developed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is merciful to others, and if his spiritual knowledge of self-realization is perfect, he will immediately attain liberation from the bondage of material existence."** In this verse the word *dayā jīvesu, *meaning mercy to other living entities, indicates that a living entity must be merciful to other living entities if he wishes to make progress in self-realization. This means he must preach this knowledge after perfecting himself and understanding his own position as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Preaching this is showing real mercy to living entities. Other types of humanitarian work may be temporarily beneficial for the body, but because a living entity is spirit soul, ultimately one can show him real mercy only by revealing knowledge of his spiritual existence. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/29/1b|4.29.1b]]* ### 11. Distribution of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all over the world is a great welfare activity: The secret of success is unknown to people in general, and therefore Śrīla Vyāsadeva, being compassionate toward the poor souls in this material world, especially in this Age of Kali, has given us the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.... *For Vaisṇavas who are somewhat advanced, or who are fully aware of the glories and potencies of the Lord, *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *is* *a very beloved Vedic literature. After all, we have to change this body *(tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ* [Bg [[bg/2/13|2.13]]]*). *If we do not care about *Bhagavad-gītā *and *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, *we do not know what the next body will be. But if one adheres to these two literatures—*Bhagavad-gītā *and *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—*one is sure to obtain the association of Kṛṣṇa in the next life. Therefore, distribution of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *all over the world is a great welfare activity for theologians, philosophers, transcendentalists and *yogīs *as well as for people in general. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *10.12.7-11* ### 12. Distribution of transcendental literature benefits human society: There are so many unwanted literatures full of materialistic ideas of sense gratification.... The people in general want to read (that is a natural instinct), but because their minds are polluted they want such literatures. Under the circumstances, transcendental literature like *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *will not only diminish the activities of the corrupt mind of the people in general, but also it will supply food for their hankering after reading some interesting literature. In the beginning they may not like it because one suffering from jaundice is reluctant to take sugar candy, but we should know that sugar candy is the only remedy for jaundice. Similarly, let there be systematic propaganda for popularizing reading of the *Bhagavad-gītā *and the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavaram, *which will act like sugar candy for the jaundicelike condition of sense gratification. When men have a taste for this literature, the other literatures, which are catering poison to society, will then automatically cease. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/1/5/11|1.5.11]]* ### 13. An intelligent man must perform welfare activities: **"By his work, thoughts and words, an intelligent man must perform actions which will be beneficial for all living entities in this life and in the next."** [Quoted from Viṣṇu *Purāṇa *3.12.45] *— Cc. Ā*di *[[cc/adi/9/43|9.43]]* ### 14. Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the only remedy which can bring world peace: In this material world, everyone is trying to counteract the onslaught of material nature, but everyone is ultimately fully controlled by material nature.... So-called scientists, philosophers, religionists and politicians should therefore conclude that they cannot offer facilities to the people in general. They should make vigorous propaganda to awaken the populace and raise them to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our humble attempt to propagate the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world is the only remedy that can bring about a peaceful and happy life. We can never be happy without the mercy of the Supreme Lord.... *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/7/9/19|7.9.19]]* ### 15. Spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness renders eternal benefits to human society: Different people may accept certain welfare activities to be beneficial for human society, according to their own views, but the welfare activity that can be rendered to people in general, for eternal benefit, is the spreading of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Everyone should be prepared to propagate this movement. *— *Kṛṣṇa,* Ch. 22* ### 16. Spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest benefit for society: **My dear Arjuna, one who is engaged in My pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of previous activities and from mental speculation, who is friendly to every living entity, certainly comes to Me.** A devotee of Kṛṣṇa is friendly to everyone. Therefore it is said here that he has no enemy. How is this? A devotee situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness knows that only devotional service to Kṛṣṇa can relieve a person from all the problems of life. He has personal experience of this, and therefore he wants to introduce this system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, into human society. There are many examples in history of devotees of the Lord risking their lives for the spreading of God consciousness. The favorite example is Lord Jesus Christ. He was crucified by the nondevotees, but He sacrificed His life for spreading God consciousness.... Similarly, in India also there are many examples, such as Ṭhākura Haridāsa. Why such risk? Because they wanted to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and it is difficult. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person knows that if a man is suffering, it is due to his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, the highest benefit one can render to human society is relieving one's neighbor from all material problems. In such a way, a pure devotee is engaged in the service of the Lord. *— Bg. [[bg/11/55|11.55]]* ### 17. A Krṣna conscious preacher is the best friend of everyone: **He is a perfect yogī who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, both in their happiness and distress, Arjuna!** One who is Kṛṣṇa conscious is a perfect *yogī*; he is aware of everyone's happiness and distress by dint of his own personal experience. The cause of the distress of a living entity is forgetfulness of his relationship with God. And the cause of happiness is knowing Kṛṣṇa to be the supreme enjoyer of all the activities of the human being. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of all lands and planets. The perfect yogī is the sincerest friend of all living entities. He knows that the living being who is conditioned by the modes of material nature is subjected to the threefold material miseries due to forgetfulness of his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Because one in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is happy, he tries to distribute the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Since the perfect yogī tries to broadcast the importance of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is the best philanthropist in the world, and he is the dearest servitor of the Lord. *Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ* [Bg [[bg/18/69|18.69]]]*. *In other words, a devotee of the Lord always looks to the welfare of all living entities, and in this way he is factually the friend of everyone. He is the best *yogī* because he does not desire perfection in *yoga* for his personal benefit, but tries for others also. He does not envy his fellow living entities. Here is a contrast between a pure devotee of the Lord and a *yogī* interested only in his personal elevation. The *yogī* who has withdrawn to a secluded place in order to meditate perfectly may not be as perfect as a devotee who is trying his best to turn every man toward Kṛṣṇa consciousness. *— Bg. [[bg/6/32|6.32]]* ### 18. Preaching is the highest welfare activity: **One who is beyond duality and doubt, whose mind is engaged within, who is always busy working for the welfare of all sentient beings, and who is free from all sins, achieves liberation in the Supreme.** Only a person who is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be said to be engaged in welfare work for all living entities. When a person is actually in the knowledge that Kṛṣṇa is the fountainhead of everything, then when he acts in that spirit he acts for everyone. The sufferings of humanity are due to forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa as the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor, and the supreme friend. Therefore, to act to revive this consciousness within the entire human society is the highest welfare work. One cannot be engaged in first-class welfare work without being liberated in the Supreme. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has no doubt about the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa. He has no doubt because he is completely freed from all sins. This is the state of divine love. A person engaged only in ministering to the physical welfare of human society cannot factually help anyone. Temporary relief of the external body and the mind is not satisfactory. The real cause of one's difficulties in the hard struggle for life may be found in one's forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord. When a man is fully conscious of his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, he is actually a liberated soul, although he may be in the material tabernacle. *— Bg. [[bg/5/25|5.25]]* ### 19. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement renders the highest benefit to human society: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has given a definition of auspiciousness. He says that actual auspiciousness means welfare activities for all the people of the world. At the present moment groups of people are engaged in welfare activities in terms of society, community or nation. There is even an attempt in the form of the United Nations for world-help activities. But due to the shortcomings of limited national activities, such a general mass welfare program for the whole world is not practically possible. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, however, is so nice that it can render the highest benefit to the entire human race. Everyone can be attracted by this movement, and everyone can feel the result. Therefore, Rūpa Gosvāmī and other learned scholars agree that a broad propaganda program for the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement of devotional service all over the world is the highest humanitarian welfare activity. *— NOD Ch. 1* ### 20. One should spend fifty percent of his income for preaching: Mahārāja Parīkṣit, therefore, like his grandfather Arjuna, collected all illicit gold kept for the propensities of Kali and employed it in the *saṅkīrtana-yajña, *as per instruction of the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. *As we have suggested before, one's accumulated wealth may be divided into three parts for distribution, namely fifty percent for the service of the Lord, twenty-five percent for the family members and twenty-five percent for personal necessities. Spending fifty percent for the service of the Lord or for propagation of spiritual knowledge in society by way of the *saṅkīrtana-yajña *is* *the maximum display of human mercy. People of the world are generally in darkness regarding spiritual knowledge, especially in regard to the devotional service of the Lord, and therefore to propagate the systematic transcendental knowledge of devotional service is the greatest mercy that one can show in this world. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/1/17/42|1.17.42]]* ### 21. The highest act of philanthropy is to engage everyone in preaching: The highest perfectional project of philanthropic activities is to engage everyone in the act of preaching *bhakti-yoga *all over the world because that alone can save the people from the control of *māyā, *or the material nature represented by *kāla, karma *and *guṇa.... *The *Bhagavad-gītā ... *confirms this definitely. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/1/13/46|1.13.46]]* ### 22. The flaws of human society are corrected by the preaching of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: The preaching of the *Bhāgavatam *principles will automatically render all men austere, clean both inside and outside, merciful to the suffering, and truthful in daily behavior. That is the way of correcting the flaws of human society, which are very prominently exhibited at the present moment. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/1/17/24|1.17.24]]* ### 23. Preaching Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam purifies the world: ... in the absence of a suitable king to curb irreligious tendencies, educating the people systematically in the teaching of *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *will clear up the hazy atmosphere of corruption, bribery, blackmail, etc. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/1/17/27|1.17.27]]* ### 24. Saṅkīrtana drives away the effects of Kali-yuga: **Therefore, friend of irreligion, you do not deserve to remain in a place where experts perform sacrifices according to truth and religious principles for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.** In this Age of Kali, the greatest common formula of sacrifice is the *saṅkīrtana-yajña. *That is the opinion of the experts who know how to propagate the process of *yajña. *Lord Caitanya preached this method of *yajña, *and it is understood from this verse that the sacrificial method of *saṅkīrtana-yajña *may be performed anywhere and everywhere in order to drive away the personality of Kali and save human society from falling prey to the influence of the age. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/1/17/33|1.17.33]]*