Self-realization means understanding you are Krishna's eternal servant; all duties then naturally align with divine purpose.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Bhagavad-gītā 3.18–30 — December 30, 1968, Los Angeles 681230BG-LOS ANGELES [64:17 Minutes] Prabhupāda: All glories to the assembled devotees. Devotees: Jaya! Haribol! [cheers] Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Page 98. Prabhupāda: Go on. Purport. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Verse 18 is that good?
Verse 18. Prabhupāda: Yes. Ninety-eight. Oh, yes. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is the chapter entitled Karma-yoga. Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, go on.
Go on reading. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Eighteen: "A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being." Prabhupāda: Hmm. This is very important. What is actually self-realization?
All processes, religious process, yoga practice, philosophical speculation or anything for self-realization, any method, what is the purpose? And what is the ultimate goal of the self-realization? That ultimate goal is to understand that "I am eternal servant of God, Kṛṣṇa." That's all. This is self-realization. So long one is identifying oneself with this material world, with this body, with this mind, it is not self-realization.
Self-realization means that I am spirit, and the Supreme Lord is also spirit, so I am part and parcel of the Supreme. Just like take for example this finger. The finger is the part and parcel of this body. So when the finger can understand that "I am part and parcel of this whole body and my duty is to serve the whole body," that is self-realization. So long one is not understanding this point, he is illusioned.
What is the position of this finger? Suppose this finger is a person. Any individual spirit is a person. That we have discussed in the Second Chapter.
Everyone, every one of us, individual person. So as individual person what is my position? My position is... Just like you are individual citizen of the state. What is your position?