Natural Function - The Eternal Religion of the Soul
Every part of a machine or a body has a specific purpose to fulfill in relation to the whole. Similarly, the living entity is an eternal part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the constitutional, natural function of the soul is simply to render transcendental loving service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, and true religion is nothing more than the revival of this dormant relationship.
The Constitutional Position
Just as a finger is naturally meant to serve the entire body, the individual soul is designed to serve the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that every living entity is constitutionally situated as a servant of the Absolute Truth, and fulfilling this specific business is the only path to genuine spiritual happiness.
- A living being, being the part and parcel of the supreme whole purusam purnam, has as his natural function to serve the Supreme Being, just as the parts and parcels of the body, or the limbs of the body, are naturally meant to serve the complete body.
- A living entity is happily the part and parcel of the Lord, and thus his natural function is to render immediate service to the Lord.
- Your natural function is to serve Krsna. That's all. You have no other business. That is dharma. No other business. When we understand this convincingly, then we are situated in our religion.
Misdirected Hankering
In the material world, the living entity constantly searches for satisfaction through various expansions of consciousness—socially, nationally, or internationally. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that this misdirected hankering is simply the soul's natural function searching for its true object, which can only be perfectly satisfied by learning to love God through Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
- You are hankering after satisfaction, full satisfaction. That full satisfaction can be obtained only when you love God. That is the natural function.
- We are trying to expand our feeling socially, communally or nationally or internationally or universally or some other way. This is going on. We try to do it. That is our natural function, especially in the human form of life - expanded consciousness.
- People are actually hankering after this Krsna consciousness movement because it is the natural function of the living entity. It is not artificial.
The Illusion of Difficulty
Because the conditioned soul is covered by the illusory energy of the Lord, engaging in devotional service sometimes appears to be an insurmountable task. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights that this difficulty is entirely artificial; once the material contamination is cleared away, the soul's dormant, natural function of rendering service effortlessly reawakens.
- To engage in the service of the Lord is the natural function of the living entity, but because he is covered by the influence of maya, the material energy, he thinks it to be a very difficult task.
- Conditional life is due to this contamination only, and as soon as it is cleared off, then naturally the dormant function of the living entity - rendering service to the Lord - awakens.
- If the soul is engaged in his natural function of Krsna consciousness, whatever he is able to do is good for him.
Real Religion and Supreme Supervision
Modern society invents countless authorized and unauthorized religious systems, often missing the core principle of spirituality. The great ācāryas explain that people mistakenly believe natural functions and cosmic laws operate blindly, without recognizing that the Supreme Lord actively supervises all material and spiritual activities, establishing service to Him as the only real religion.
- What is religion. In the name of religion, so many things are going on, but the real religion is that we must know that our natural function is to render service to the Lord. That's all. That is real religion.
- As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, the modes of nature act under His direction only and as such no natural functions are blind or automatic. The power behind the activities is the supervision of the Lord and thus He is never inactive as is wrongly conceived.
- They say there is no God, but how these things, the natural functions, are being performed strictly, without any deviation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda elegantly summarizes the essence of spiritual life by demystifying the concept of religion. True dharma is not a collection of rituals or sectarian beliefs; it is the inherent, natural function of the soul to serve the Supreme Lord, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Due to the contamination of material nature (māyā), the living entity temporarily forgets this divine relationship and desperately seeks satisfaction through mundane philanthropy, nationalism, and varied bodily expansions. Yet, no amount of material adjustment can satiate the soul, just as feeding a single finger cannot nourish the body. Only by redirecting one's love and service to the supreme whole can full satisfaction be achieved. Furthermore, observing the flawless operation of cosmic natural functions should remind intelligent human beings of the supreme supervision of the Lord. By taking to the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, anyone can effortlessly awaken their dormant devotion and become peacefully situated in their eternal, natural function.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Natural Function. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.