Balance philosophy with sensitivity – Be dharma-centered, not karma-centered

Lecture Highlights:

Only when body is maintained can it give the fruit of dharma, mukti and bhakti

Maintaining body means also maintaining mind with emotional sensitivity while applying the philosophy

1. Be encouraging and commiserating with sick devotees

eg. Body is like a dream – but that means, according to Baladeva Vidyabhushan, even dreams are real, not that the body is unreal

Every metaphor is like a rubber band

2. Be caring while helping others deal with loss

eg. Krishna with Arjuna while coping with Abhimanyu’s death

3. Don’t neglect social responsibility in the name of destiny

eg. Vasudeva – Devaki – Kamsa, Vidura-Dhritarashtra-Vyasadeva

Be dharma-centered, not karma-centered

Charity and social service are sattvika – Vaishnava critique of social service is a contextual response to Christian conversion through social service and Hindu reactionary propping of Manava seva above Madhava seva