Question. I specifically do not ask questions in public assemblies. I have a tendency to want appreciation from others and it makes me feel very proud. I have noticed that when ask questions in the class many devotees come later and tell me that I asked a very nice question and how they felt very benefitted. It makes me very proud and while I am working towards being in a mood of service I felt that this time let me ask you privately so I can curb this tendency. Can you please comment whether this is a correct way of thinking?
Answer by Romapada Swami :
It is better for you ask questions publically when the circumstance is available, for the following reasons –
1. Vaisnava seva should be accepted by each of us, as far as possible.
2. By expressing the answer to your public question in the presence of many souls, the value of the speaker’s time spent in offering a reply is amplified in worth by X times when the audience is X, in other words whatever the number in the audience is. In this way, by asking non-confidential type of questions publically, you are serving others!
3. The speaker’s time in answering your question verbally would be less time consuming than answering in writing.
Suggestion –
Further your cultivation of the “mood of service” by asking questions in public simply to serve the vaisnavas. If others respond by praising you for your beneficial question, you can say “My inspiration to ask this question arose from being in the presence of saintly vaisnava’s association, like yours. Otherwise my thougths are far from such contemplations. So it is I who wish to thank *you* for so your kindly extending your assocation to us in this assembly!”
