Radhanath Swami speaks of the responsibilities of doctors

 

“There is a saying in English, ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed.’ Disease is a time of great need.”- Radhanath Swami.

Generally, a person comes to a doctor when they are helpless. Otherwise, why go to a doctor, if you can fix yourself? Why pay money? Why do all the traveling? Why take the medicines? People go to a doctor when they feel themselves helpless, when they cannot help themselves anymore, when their family cannot help them anymore, when even their money cannot help them anymore. They need somebody else. And they turn to a doctor in that spirit.

And in that setting, a doctor is like a god to them. People go to church to pray when they are in need, and they go to a doctor to kind-of pray, when they are in need – “Please help me.” From a moral ethical perspective, when people approach you that way, you have an incredible, immense responsibility. If they are approaching you like you were god, you have the responsibility to be a proper representative of the God who is giving you your power. And we are responsible to that person to give them the very, very best. We’re dutifully responsible and spiritually responsible.

“When we think, ‘I’m the friend of this person,’ according to the Gita, that is an illusion that disrupts your whole life. There can be no peace in that state, as long as you think that you are the doer.” – Radhanath Swami

The basic principle of any religion is to understand that we are not the doers, that there is a power beyond our own that is working through us. But I’ve the free will, who I want to work through me. Is it going to be my own selfish ego? Or is it going to be the grace of God? So, firstly we should recognize that Krishna is the dear intimate friend, father and mother of all living beings. And then when we take a position of leadership, we are like an elder brother or an elder sister, who is meant to help that person on behalf of the mother and father.

These three principles the Gita tells we should understand: Krishna, Isvara, or God, whatever name we may have, is the proprietor of all that exists, including my abilities, my intelligence and all my wealth; everything is ultimately meant to be used in harmony with his will, which is for the compassion and the well-being of all living beings; and that ultimately he is the supreme friend, and I’m meant to be the instrument of the love of that friend.

Radhanath Swami