Compassion for Suffering Humanity

The world is filled with organizations dedicated to relieving human suffering—hospitals, charities, international aid bodies—yet the volume of suffering only seems to increase. Śrīla Prabhupāda offers a radical perspective on this paradox. He teaches that real compassion is not just feeding the body or curing a disease, which are temporary solutions for a temporary body. Real compassion means delivering the soul from the cycle of birth and death. This article explores the definition of true welfare work from the perspective of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Diagnosis of Suffering

Before one can cure a disease, one must properly diagnose it. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the sufferings of humanity are not accidental, nor are they the pastimes of God. They are the result of the misuse of the soul's independence and its forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. The material world is compared to a forest fire; no amount of human effort (like a fire brigade) can extinguish it. Only the rainfall of God's mercy can solve the problem. Attempting to solve suffering without God consciousness is like treating the symptoms while ignoring the cancer of atheism.

• The sufferings of humanity are due to forgetfulness of Krsna as the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor, and the supreme friend. Therefore, to act to revive this consciousness within the entire human society is the highest welfare work.
• If, instead of treating the people's inherent disease - atheism - the leaders simply show a superficial sympathy for the disease's symptoms, certainly there will be no benefit whatsoever for suffering humanity.
• You understand this philosophy and add water to the suffering humanity. They are suffering in the burning, blazing fire of material existence. So blazing fire can be extinguished when the water falls from the sky, not by your fire brigade.
• The sufferings of humanity are caused by the misuse of the discriminative power or the little independence which is given to individual souls.

Vaisnava's Compassion

A devotee of the Lord is naturally compassionate. Śrīla Prabhupāda uses the term para-duḥkha-duḥkhī—one who is distressed by the distress of others. While ordinary people are busy with their own families or nations, a Vaiṣṇava thinks of the whole of suffering humanity. This was the mood of the Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, who left their comfortable positions in government to live as mendicants, writing books to guide the fallen souls. Their renunciation was not for their own salvation, but to show mercy to the world.

• A Vaisnava is para-duhkha-duhkhi. He knows what is the real suffering of humanity.
• My predecessors, Vaisnavas, they were so generous that they felt very much afflicted for the suffering of the human society. Sri Rupa Goswami tried to elevate them to real path of happiness by introducing this Govinda Ganamrta.
• Here is the Gosvamis' photo. You can see how they have become mendicant: a small loincloth, one waterpot only, that's all, finished, no possession. So, why? They wanted to show their mercy to the suffering humanity.

Limitation of Material Altruism

Śrīla Prabhupāda acknowledges that opening hospitals and feeding the poor are "nice" sentiments, but he classifies them as insufficient. Such activities may give temporary relief to the body, but they do not stop the cycle of birth, death, old age, and disease. He argues that a society of "polished animals"—people who are advanced technologically but bereft of spiritual knowledge—cannot truly benefit humanity. True welfare work must raise people from the platform of bodily consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

• A society of polished animals cannot benefit suffering humanity, for an animal can easily harm another animal but rarely do good.
• Maya is very strong. In the name of philanthropy, altruism and communism, people are feeling compassion for suffering humanity throughout the world.
• Your sympathy for the suffering humanity is nice, because if you think that, "So many people are suffering from disease. Let me open a hospital, and let me give free treatment," from your part it is all right.
• They have started so many humanitarian institutes to favor the suffering humanity, but it is not possible. They cannot. They cannot do it. It is false attempt.

Mission of Krsna Consciousness

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) was founded with the specific mission of rehabilitating suffering humanity. Śrīla Prabhupāda viewed his disciples not just as students but as agents of mercy sent by Kṛṣṇa. The method is simple: the distribution of transcendental knowledge through books, chanting, and prasādam. This process cleanses the accumulated dirt from the mind and solves the problems of life permanently.

• This Krsna consciousness movement is meant for taking back all the suffering humanity, all living entities, back to home, back to Godhead. This is the sum and substance of Krsna consciousness movement.
• Krsna Consciousness is factually the only solution to all the suffering which is besetting fellow humanity and all living entities. So we have great responsibilities in discharging our duties in devotional service.
• It is your responsibility to always exhibit a Krsna conscious example. You should always be thinking how to spread Krsna consciousness to the African people. This is our mission - to save suffering humanity from the path of repeated birth and death.
• Just like in my old age I have come to your country carrying the order of my spiritual master to distribute it. You are all young boys and girls; take this message and distribute it. The whole suffering humanity will be happy.

Conclusion

Compassion without knowledge is sentiment, but compassion with knowledge is salvation. Śrīla Prabhupāda calls upon all intelligent people to understand the gravity of the human condition and to join the mission of saving souls. By giving people Kṛṣṇa, we give them everything. As he poignantly states, "The whole suffering humanity will be happy" if they simply receive this message.

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 Suffering Humanity. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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