How can I help my loved ones?
I want to help my loved ones, but here Srila Prabhupada tells me that i can’t help anyone until i first help myself. And what does it mean to help myself? I have to understand Krishna….i have to learn from books like Bg and SB the science of Krishna consciousness. I understand that as long as i do not understand these two books, i can neither help myself nor anyone else:
“The Bhagavata says, pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat: “One should not try to become father. One should not try to become mother.” Why? Na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum: “One who is unable to save his children from the grip of material nature.” That should be Krsna consciousness. If you are a responsible father, then, if you are completely in knowledge of Krsna consciousness, then your duty will be that “These creatures, these innocent creatures now, who are playing in my, at my home as my children, as my boys, now this life should be the last installment of his transmigration from one body to another. I shall train these boys in such a way that after this body he will have no more to go into the cycle of birth and death.” That is Krsna consciousness.
That means you have to make yourself expert. Then you can help your children also. Then you can help your nation also. Then you can help your society also. If you are yourself ignorant, then andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te ‘pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah [SB 7.5.31].
Just like a person who is, I mean, tightly bound-up, hands and feet. Suppose we are sitting here, some people, twenty-five gentlemen, ladies, and all our hands are tightly bound-up by some rope, and if I want to make you free, although my hand is also tightly bound-up, is it possible? No. At least my hand should be free. Then I can open, I can untie, your bindings by the rope. So unless one is free man… And what is that freedom? One who is Krsna conscious, he is free man.”
lecture on Bhagavad-gita 4.19 — New York, August 5, 1966