Hare Krishna!
All our life, since childhood, we are told to do good and avoid doing evil. Do good and you shall enjoy in heaven, do bad and you shall suffer in Hell.
But that is not the purpose of human life. Krishna says not to get carried away by the flowery words of the Vedas that if you do good then after you enjoy heavenly planets you shall come back into an aristocratic family with all the luxuries to enjoy in this world. Even though we may get a higher birth, we cannot avoid death, old age, disease and again birth. Then we have to deal with Adyatmic suffering (the suffering of the mind), Adibhautik suffering (pain caused by things and people) and Adidaivic suffering (suffering caused by divine arrangement - floods, famine, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc)
The purpose of the human birth is to question the higher purpose we are given this human body. When we get a burning desire in our hearts to know the Truth, Krishna sends us His messenger, a pure soul, a spiritual guide.
Actually, we already know the Truth but we have forgotten our true identity that is 'Sat-Chit-Ananda' (Eternity, Knowledge and Bliss) When we get the guidance from a pure soul who has seen the truth he,
a) blows away the smoke which is covering the fire of knowledge in our hearts
or
b) wipes away the dust accumulated on the mirror of our heart
or if we are too stubborn, then
c) he surgically delivers us by removing the embroyo from the womb (http://www.asitis.com/3/38.html)
Then we are given the glimpse that we are infinitesimal, eternal spiritual parts of the Supreme soul and the true purpose is to serve the Lord seated in the hearts of all beings. By serving our spiritual master we learn to see Krishna seated in the heart of one person. Slowly, we learn to see Krishna seated in the hearts of all being and serve them because we are all connected, like pearls in a necklace, to one another by the divine invisible thread that is God, Lord Krishna (http://www.asitis.com/7/7.html)
So, human birth is not to enjoy selfishly because God has given us in abundance, but by serving others, we are serving Krishna who is seated in the hearts of all beings.
Hare Krishna!
Comments
Hare Krishna!
"In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination of devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place" (Ch 2.44)
Krishna explains to us that the mind wants to enjoy the things of the world. Who feeds the mind? The senses feed the mind. The moment we wake up, the senses are hungry to gobble anything and everything. The eyes want to read the news or watch TV. The ears want to hear mundane music so the hand goes to the music system to switch on the latest chart busters. The nose wants to smell something delicious cooking in the kitchen and the tongue salivates to put something tasty though unhealthy in the mouth. The sense of touch wants to touch someone of the opposite sex.
The Kathopanishad describes the 5 senses which are like the 5 horses, are so strong that if they are not reined (controlled) by the mind, they take away the intelligence of the passenger (soul) of the chariot (body) to hell.
The mind does not realize that whatever it wants to enjoy for selfish means and not for the pleasure of God, will be the cause of its greatest sorrow tomorrow because such material pleasures have a beginning and an end (http://www.asitis.com/5/22.html). This world is temporary, hence its pleasures are also temporary (http://www.asitis.com/8/15.html and http://www.asitis.com/9/33.html).
But when the same senses are engaged in seeing the Lord's beautiful form, hearing about His pastimes, smelling the flowers offered at His feet, tasting delicious Prasad (His Mercy) which has been first offered to Him, interacting with Him who is seated in the hearts of all beings, and transforming the lives of all those lives we touch, then we shall eventually come to the realization that God is the only enjoyer and the beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities (http://www.asitis.com/5/29.html), then we begin on the path of selflessness. When we start doing everything for the pleasure of Krishna according to His message in the Bhagavad Gita then we too get His Benediction to enjoy in return. Just like the driver of the car who is taking his master for a drive as per his master's instructions, he too, gets the benefit of enjoying the comforts of sitting and driving in the airconditioned car. Just like the servant who cooks delicious food for his master, gets to the enjoy the same delicious food though it maybe leftovers.
Therefore, the mind can be the cause of bondage if used for own selfish desires and also the cause of its salvation when used selflessly for the pleasure of pleasing Krishna. But the condition is that that our service should be unconditional. We must not have any expectations of return from our service we perform. Then we can reach the platform of Brahmabhuta (platform of the Spirit - http://www.asitis.com/14/26.html ).
Then we shall see no one as our enemy and hence have no hatred towards any one. When we are friendly and compassionate to all, without any sense of doer-ship or proprietorship. (Ch 12.13). When our mind and intelligence and false ego is surrendered to Krishna, then our mind is in equanimity, both in happiness and distress (Ch 12.14) and we can experience Bliss (Happiness without any cause) and the pure love of God (Bhakti) (http://www.asitis.com/18/54.html).
Therefore it is said, "Selflessness is the highest form of selfishness. Selflessness is in our own selfish interest".
That is my perception and understanding of the verse 44 of the 2nd Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
Hare Krishna!
"Make happy Krsna"
You disclose your mind to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa will give you direction also. You see. You offer Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, You have given us so many nice things. So You first of all taste. Then we shall take." Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. Yes, that's all. Kṛṣṇa eats, and Kṛṣṇa puts again in the same way. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). We are offering Kṛṣṇa, that does not mean that Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is eating, but Kṛṣṇa is so full, complete, that He's leaving the whole thing complete. So people do not even understand these things that we are not loser by offering Kṛṣṇa. We become gainer only. Gainer only. You decorate Kṛṣṇa nicely, you see. Then your desire for seeing beautiful thing will be satisfied. You no more will be attracted by the so-called beauties of the world. You keep Kṛṣṇa in comfortable state, You offer Kṛṣṇa nice foodstuff, you'll eat it. So just like if I decorate my face, I cannot see how it is beautiful, but if I bring one mirror before me, the reflection of my face is beautiful. Similarly, you are reflection of Kṛṣṇa. Man is made after God. So if you make happy Kṛṣṇa, then you'll see that your reflection, you are happy. Kṛṣṇa does not require your service to become happy. He is complete in Himself. But if you try to supply, make happy Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be happy.
This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So try to decorate nicely Kṛṣṇa, try to give all foodstuff to Kṛṣṇa, try to keep Kṛṣṇa in all comfortable position. In this way you will reciprocate all the things that you offer to Him. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 7.1 Los Angeles, December 2, 1968