Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

Never seen it happened... I mean to say what benefit?

What is "personal ambition"?

To use the process of bhakti yoga to achieve ones own goals, instead of the goals of guru, sadhu and sastra (ultimately Krsna bhakti/prema).

Why would anyone do such a thing?

[quote][cite] VEDA:[/cite]To use the process of bhakti yoga to achieve ones own goals, instead of the goals of guru, sadhu and sastra (ultimately Krsna bhakti/prema).[/quote]

[br]Is that even possible? I mean, if one were using the process of bhakti yoga to achieve ones own [materialistic or otherwise supremacy-pursuing goals], this wouldnt be bhakti yoga to begin with ... 8)

BG 7.16 gives four motivations to start bhakti process. Until one gets rid of them, his service entails, to a various extent, an element of self-serving. Karma misra, jnana misra, yoga misra. (SB 10.10.20-21 p.) Leaving aside pretention of bhakti, which cant be called bhakti as you say.

My problems all stem from this desire for personal Profit,adoration and distinction.However as neophytes we have to get at least to the mode of passion.Which means working hard for guru and krishna.Eventually we become peaceful,so are more inclined to understand everything belongs to krishna.....We cannot enjoy separately from krishna....because everything is for his enjoyment.So renouncing every-thing is a neophyte approach because it is not ours to renounce.....Hence personal ambition is generally due to our desire for this Profit.....adoration and our desire for being appreciated.....i am very important and if you do not appreciate me you are my enemy indeed.So this is a symptomatic of our false ego and passionate lusty desires in my opinion.

From my research, I concluded that there are two types personal ambition manifest in a religious organisation: One acknowledges Krishna, one doesnt .

1. Personal ambition including Krishna (seeing Krishna as the source of your gains):

Purport, BG 7.18: "The devotees who want some benefit out of devotional service are accepted by the Lord because there is an exchange of affection. Out of affection they ask the Lord for some material benefit, and when they get it they become so satisfied that they also advance in devotional service."

2. Personal ambition not including Krishna (seeing yourself as the source of your gains):

Purport, BG 16.17: "Thinking themselves all in all, not caring for any authority or scripture, the demoniac sometimes perform so-called religious or sacrificial rites. And since they do not believe in authority, they are very impudent. This is due to illusion caused by accumulating some wealth and false prestige. Sometimes such demons take up the role of preacher, mislead the people, and become known as religious reformers or as incarnations of God. They make a show of performing sacrifices, or they worship the demigods, or manufacture their own God."

To answer the question at hand, both types can be purifed by association with a pure devotee, as Prabhupada writes in the purport to BG 7.16: "When these four kinds of persons come to the Supreme Lord for devotional service and are completely purified by the association of a pure devotee, they also become pure devotees. As far as the miscreants are concerned, for them devotional service is very difficult because their lives are selfish, irregular and without spiritual goals. But even some of them, by chance, when they come in contact with a pure devotee, also become pure devotees."

Religious institutions can not count on people being free from personal ambitions and other vices - they must have a system of checks and balances built into them to prevent the abuse of power.

Srila Prabhupada used personal ambitions of his disciples to spread his movement world wide. The leaders he promoted were in general very ambitious, very competitive, very American. Their runaway egos created all kinds of problems even before SP left this world. It got a lot worse later, because the system of checks and balances in Iskcon was very weak.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Q How can we become free from personal ambition within our movement?

A Start with consciously give up thinking in terms of Mine and think Srila Prabhupadas and Sri Krishnas. Think They instead of I.

Another nice quote on this subject:[br]
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"....so long you remain active only satisfying Krishnas senses, then this movement will be successful without any doubt. [u]As soon as someone wants to satisfy his own senses, then he fails at everything[/u]. We are the only movement in the world which is preaching the real fact or secret to success, and outside our movement everything else will fail. So try to convince people to join us and be successful in their life, that will be your credit."[br]
[br]
Letter to Kurusrestha - 23 November, 1972