Individual good is relevant when useful for others. We must contribute to the general well-being 

We all understand what individual and common good stand for. Let us see what we can personally do to achieve both. Beginning with myself, I have a strong desire to be good, because I have experienced its benefits. From the Bhagavad Geeta, we learn that the fruit of good action is good and pure. (14.16) Knowledge comes from goodness. (14.17) And we know what knowledge can do to our direction in life. Here the knowledge refers to the realized knowledge, about which we become convinced that it will help us in our lives. And people’s goodness go upwards, i.e. achieve high status. (14.18)

Goodness benefits both aspects of human life. For the material side of us, we must inculcate goodness in all respects of our lives. If we do that we are contributing to common good also. People trust us and there are healthy interactions. And goodness is the platform from which spirituality in the real sense begins, i.e., one must be good to turn spiritual.

My other strong desire is to be useful and remain useful till the end of my life. I have understood that this creation works on the basis of us serving others and others serving us. It is not necessary that one we serve will serve us, but we will be served alright if we are in the mood to serve others. Obviously, when I serve others I am contributing to common good. It is said that if we serve others we serve God, because this is God’s creation. He is interested in its smooth functioning, which is ensured by material service.

The third desire is to be materially independent, i.e., be self-supporting. We, human beings, have multiple needs due to our material bodies. We must have food on a regular basis; we must have a place to sleep, because we must sleep sufficiently every 24 hours; etc. To obtain all these needs, we must have enough material resources. Most of us spend the first quarter of our lives learning and getting trained to be able to earn our living and become self-supporting. As we do that, we no longer remain a burden on society. Rather we contribute to the general well-being.

My next requirement is lots of help from so many, primarily from God. I have realized how limited I am. I need help from my family, people who serve me, etc. In my present state of eternal journey, I have to avail their help and serve them in return. By doing this I am doing no favour to anyone in particular, and in the process I will be contributing to common good. Quality of service I seek can only be ensured by giving them quality service. This, as I have stated earlier, ensures common good.

I am a curious person. I have a strong desire to know what is in my best interest; what will set me on course for a bright future. Therefore, I have sought knowledge from many sources. Last few decades, it has been mostly from the Bhagavad-Geeta. As it is not so easy to get the best out of it, I have taken help from a Sanskrit scholar, who is also well-versed in this text of eternal wisdom. We have struck a great friendship and do ‘satsang’ on a daily basis. We have learnt and practised and realized its instructions. Surely, this was to be passed on to the others also, who are keen to know what precious knowledge Lord Krishna has given us, human beings. We have written many books together.

(The author is a spiritual teacher)