Cooperating with God - The Essence of Devotional Service
The fundamental cause of all suffering in the material world is the soul's rebellious desire to act independently. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the only way to achieve perfect peace and happiness is to return to our eternal, constitutional position by voluntarily cooperating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Constitutional Position
Every living entity is an inseparable part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that just as a finger must cooperate with the entire body, the eternal and unchanging duty of the spirit soul is to engage in subordinate, cooperative service to Kṛṣṇa.
- The actual fact is that every living being is an individual part and parcel of the Supreme Being, and his constitutional position is subordinate cooperative service.
- Each and every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and thus his eternal position is to cooperate or to dovetail his energy with the Supreme Lord. That is his unchanging position.
- His (the self-realized living being) constitutional position is to cooperate with Him (God) in all respects in the transcendental relation of the served and the servitor.
- The living entity cannot be happy independant of the cooperation of the Supreme Lord because the eternal constitutional position of the living entity is to become subordinate to the desires of the Lord.
The Master and the Cooperator
The universe is designed for the pleasure of the Supreme Enjoyer. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that God is the central figure of all creation, and while we may act and create within this world, all ultimate credit belongs to the Lord, whom we are simply meant to assist.
- The central figure of creation and of enjoyment is the Supreme Lord, and the living entities are cooperators. By cooperation they enjoy.
- The central figure of creation and of enjoyment is the Supreme Lord, and the living entities are cooperators. The relation is also like that of the master and the servant. If the master is fully satisfied, then the servant is satisfied.
- The soul can merely act in cooperation with the Supersoul because it is the Supersoul who gives him directions to act or not to act.
- God has created this tree, and you are cooperating to make it nicely trimmed, make this path, this is cooperation. You take this much credit. But the first credit given to God, who has created this tree.
Dovetailing Desires
The defining difference between material and spiritual life is whose desires are being served. Śrīla Prabhupāda states that the moment a conditioned soul stops trying to enjoy independently and dovetails their desires with Kṛṣṇa's, they are instantly engaged in pure spiritual life.
- A living entity who wants to enjoy on his personal account and not cooperate with the Supreme Lord is engaged in materialistic life. As soon as he dovetails his enjoyment with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is engaged in spiritual life.
- The living being, by his desiring to lord it over the material world and declining to cooperate with the Supreme Lord, contacts the sum total of the material world, namely the mahat-tattva.
- People should understand the science of God. Unless we cooperate with the Supreme Lord, our life is baffled.
- Perfection of desires may be achieved when one desires to serve the Lord, and the Lord also desires that every living entity banish all personal desires and cooperate with His desires. That is the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gita.
The Path of Peace and Happiness
When the servant satisfies the master, the servant naturally shares in the master's joy. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that Kṛṣṇa is perpetually happy, and by consciously cooperating with Him and His pure devotees, human society can immediately experience unparalleled peace and prosperity.
- As long as a person is fully in cooperation with the wishes of the Lord, guided by the bona fide brahmanas and Vaisnavas and strictly following religious principles, one has no cause for despondency, however trying the circumstances of life.
- The Lord is perpetually happy, and if the living entities associate with the Lord, cooperate with Him and take part in His association, then they also become happy.
- The Lord is also perpetually happy, and if we associate with the Lord, cooperate with Him, take part in His association, then also we become happy. The Lord descends on this mortal world to show His pastimes in Vrndavana full of happiness.
- If there is full cooperation between man and God and man and nature, then this conscious cooperation between man and God and man and nature, as exemplified by King Yudhisthira, can bring about happiness, peace and prosperity in the world.
Cooperating in the Lord's Mission
The ultimate expression of cooperation is actively assisting the Lord in reclaiming the conditioned souls. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that a bona fide spiritual master works solely to cooperate with Kṛṣṇa's mission, and by doing so, attains the highest facilities of the spiritual world.
- One should look unto the Lord; one should not be disturbed by the so-called manifestations of happiness or distress, but he should try to cooperate with the Lord in His outward activities for correcting the fallen souls.
- Bona fide spiritual masters who look unto the Supreme Lord to cooperate with Him are actually qualitatively one with the Lord, and the forgetful ones are perverted reflections only.
- By His order only, one should become a spiritual master and cooperate with the Lord. One should not become a spiritual master for one's personal benefit, for some material gain or as an avenue of business or occupation for earning livelihood.
- We being part and parcel of God, qualitatively we are one; quantitatively we are different. Although we are different, still, in the spiritual world we can enjoy the same facilities in cooperation with God.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes that cooperating with God is the very definition of bhakti-yoga. The living entity's eternal, constitutional position is that of a subordinate servitor, meant to assist in the pastimes and desires of the Supreme Enjoyer. Whenever a soul attempts to break this cooperative bond to enjoy independently, they are immediately captured by the material energy and subjected to the miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease. However, the moment one abandons these false, independent ambitions and dovetails their desires with Kṛṣṇa's, their life becomes entirely spiritualized. By following the guidance of bona fide ācāryas and actively cooperating with the Lord's mission to reclaim fallen souls, the devotee achieves absolute peace. Ultimately, through this voluntary and loving cooperation, the soul is elevated to the spiritual sky, where they enjoy the exact same transcendental facilities and boundless happiness as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Cooperating with God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.