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Ep.10 ~ Selfless Service
One time, Mr. Tiwari, my Indian father, was sitting with Maharajji. Maharajji said, “So, you’re a brahmin, you’re supposed to know everything. What does Krishna teach in the Gita?” So now everybody, if you ask that question, they basically say, “Selfless Service,” right? So, he knew it was a setup, but he said it anyway. “You miserable brahmins, misleading the people. Only God does Selfless Service.” Because God is the whole thing. There is no Self. You know? There’s only That. All of us are just doing the best we can and we’re working on thinning that, that barrier or shell that seems so solid of self.”- Krishna Das
Transcription:
Q: So, I once thanked you for sharing your practice with us and
KD: I belted you, right? Boom. Left hook.
Q: Yeah, and you didn’t appreciate that.
KD: Listen, this is proof that you can sing your ass off and still be an asshole.
Q: No, but this is my question for you, because I’ve actually thought about it a lot, I think that the whole concept of being really cognizant of your ego and letting your ego get fluffed up, for lack of a better word…
KD: Fluffed…
Q: Fluffed. Is, this is important, but at the same time, if what you’re doing is really just a practice to draw yourself closer to your Guru, to your God, to your Self, to your One, isn’t that, and you’ll really think I’m a brat, but isn’t that really in direct conflict with what the underlying message was of Maharajji, which was to serve others? And so, if what you’re doing is just your practice and, but, are you, do you feel like it’s in service of others? Or how do you wrap around, and I’m not trying to be difficult…
KD: You’re just good at it.
I said to Ram Das at lunch, it’s weird to be famous for being humble. People say all the time, “Oh, you’re so humble.” I say, “No, no, I know who I am.” “Oh, wow you’re so humble.” Ok, what can I do? It comes to a point where it’s what, me thinks the lady doth protest too much, you know? Fuck it, I’m just going to sing, no matter what, whether I’m taking it personally or not taking it personally, or its good or its bad or people are singing or not singing or I’m in my bathroom alone or I’m with you, I’m going to keep singing. And I’m not, I always say, I sing to save my miserable ass, right? However, through all the years of chanting, my ass has gotten much wider. And all ya’ll are part of it. Thank you. If I, service, just to serve, it doesn’t mean you have to walk around with a big sign saying “I’m serving.” That’s ridiculous. That’s not service. You’re not serving anybody at that point except your own ego. The real Beings that serve humanity, that serve, they have no, they really do service because, you know one time, Mr. Tiwari, my Indian father, was sitting with Maharajji. Maharajji said, “So, you’re a brahmin, you’re supposed to know everything. What does Krishna teach in the Gita?” So now everybody, if you ask that question, they basically say, “Selfless Service,” right? So, he knew it was a setup, but he said it anyway. “You miserable brahmins, misleading the people. Only God does Selfless Service.” Because God is the whole thing. There is no Self. You know? There’s only That. All of us are just doing the best we can and we’re working on thinning that, that barrier or shell that seems so solid of self, but we don’t have to do it with a big sign, or carrying around a sign, if I was sitting here thinking I’m really doing something for you, then I’d be like, “What should I do now? What should I sing now? Should I make them happy? I should sing faster now. Now louder and faster. Ok. Now I’ll sing a soft one.” Ugh. Why would I think about all that stuff? I just sing. And so do you. And maybe because I’m doing my practice, you could do yours. I don’t kmow. I don’t know how it works. But this is what is, this is what the program is at the moment. So, yeah, it’s not necessary for me to think about this all the time. It’s a pain in the ass. I sing and then I binge watch and I don’t feel guilty much.
Suggestions for your practice: Devi Sadhana | Sri Ram Kirtan Sadhana
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