Who ?

Of what use to the world are these Jivanmukthas?

Krishna, The Charioteer of Millions of lives !

Image is from the great Parthasarathy Kovil, Triplicane,  dating back to Pallavas of 8th Century.

"Another question that is raised is: Of what use to the world are these Jivanmukthas? They might have secured their own moksha, but what good they do to the world? This is a question which many people ask, contrasting the Jivanmuktha with people who engage themselves in what goes by the name of social service. A Jivanmuktha is an enlightened person, a viraktha, who has conquered his passions, who has given up his possessions and is at peace with himself. As such, he is at peace with the entire world and is characterised by universal benevolence and goodwill. His look is a benediction, his words are wisdom; and mental ills disappear in the sense that their edge is blunted and one becomes able to bear them with fortitude. Than this there cannot be a higher service to suffering humanity. They leaven society by their presence and raise its moral and spiritual tone. They are really the benefactors of mankind in a truer and more purposeful sense than any number of people engaged, honestly and sincerely as it may be, in acts of social service. It is only those who have scaled the vertical heights of the Spirit that can generate public weal to the greatest horizontal extent without consciously intending to do so. Have we not seen in recent times Bhagavan Ramana, a Jivanmuktha in Sahaja-samadhi, effecting by his very presence  a Copernican revolution withdrawing men's minds from things material and centering them on the Atman? For, as the great men have taught us, the happiness which the pursuit of worldly things and the removal of physical ills will give us is neither unmixed nor lasting, and is nothing when compared to the peace and bliss of Atmalabdha exemplified by these Jivanmukhas. In fact, as the Sruthi recommends in the words, even for the worldly prosperity, one should seek it from a man of Self-realisation who has it in his power to bestow it without consciously endeavoring or appearing to do so. For, by his very presence in society like all saintly personages, he wafts the fragrance of the Spirit far and wide, and helps to dispel the ills of body and mind that afflict men about him. And, all the world over, in every age, have we not seen countless instances of the victory of the Spirit over Matter ?"

(As written by Shri Sankaranarayanan, in 'Translator's Introduction' to the commentary of Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati on विवेकचूडामणि ) 

( PS : You can find the book in Google Books catalogue here. )