People are very much interested in welfare activities for the human society. So they think that by feeding poor men or giving cloth or opening hospitals, schools, colleges — “These things are required. What is the use of hearing about Krsna?” That is their opinion. But these welfare activities are extended selfishness.

This word we learned from our Guru Maharaja: “extended selfishness.” Just like I love myself for my sense gratification, and then I extend it to my son. I am gratifying my senses. I have got my wife. And to get my son another wife… The principle is the same. Then my grandchildren, then my great-grandchildren. Or, not only limited with the family, then society, then community, then nationality, then internationality. But they are all extended selfishness. Yes. Without knowing what is the real self-interest.

Therefore we find so many faults in such welfare activities. In… They are opening hospitals for the human being, daridra-narayana-seva, but the poor goats and cows, daridra-narayana — they are also daridra-narayana according to the definition — but they are being killed. For one daridra-narayana, another daridra-narayana is being killed.

So that kind of philanthropy is not accepted in the Srimad-Bhagavatam as very advancement of civilization. The advancement of civilization will be tested, how the nation, individually or collectively, has advanced in Krsna consciousness. It is very difficult to understand this, but the fact is this. Bhagavata says that you cannot rectify the destiny of another man. That is not possible. Balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha [SB 7.9.19]. It is not that because one has got good parents, therefore he will be happy. No. Not necessarily. Balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha.

So similarly, it is not that a diseased person, because he is being treated by a first-class physician and he is being supplied first-class medicine, therefore he will be cured. No. There is no such guarantee. Because if the supreme authority does not sanction… Suppose a man is diseased; he is going to die or suffering. So his relatives and friends are trying to save him. The sastra says that “You cannot save him simply by giving him first-class medicine or first-class medical treatment.” They…, they can also…, cannot guarantee. Ask any qualified doctor that “This man is being treated by you. Can you guarantee that he will be cured?” they will say, “No, that is not possible. We are trying our best.” Therefore we should know the ultimate sanction depends on Krsna.

I have got practical experience, because I was dealing in medicine. So the attending physician of my pharmacy, he came back from a call and told me that “I saw one patient lying in a very precarious condition, suffering from pneumonia. So according to our science, he could not live. I do not know how he is living.” There are so many cases. I had dealings with medical men. One big medical man in Gaya, he told me that “Mr. De,” that “we give very first class medicine to a patient, to my best knowledge. He dies. And I try one small medicine, and he is saved. That is my practical experience.” He was Muhammadan doctor. He told me.

So actually, unless one is saved by the supreme authority, there is no question of saving him by so many philanthropic work. Actual saving is this Krsna consciousness movement. Because if one is raised to his Krsna consciousness, the whole problems of his life will be solved. That is real welfare activity. Other things you cannot change. If one is destined to suffer by some agency, you cannot stop. Therefore Bhagavata says, tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah [SB 1.5.18]. You simply try to awaken your Krsna consciousness, which was impossible in other living condition. Either going to the heaven planet or going to the hell planet or becoming Brahma or ant… Do not try for all these elevation. Simply try for awakening your Krsna consciousness.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.8 — October 19, 1972, Vrndavana