Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Service in Separation

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Service in Separation

 

 

The greatest part of Prabhupada's lila is how devotees

are serving him in separation. In fact, most devotees

grew up in Krsna consciousness, came into Krsna

consciousness, and are maintained in separation. And

now that's still going on.

 

Prabhupada's lila is spiritual and eternal. We all

have our different perspectives from which we

understand Prabhupada. As the representative of Krsna

he's almost unlimited. Just as in the rasa dance,

Krsna could dance with so many of the gopis

simultaneously, so Prabhupada gave orders to all his

disciples simultaneously. Each one is unique.

 

Every one of us has a unique relationship with

Prabhupada. With me, I felt closer to Prabhupada when

I was preaching in the political campaign. I've been

in the same room as Prabhupada and not felt anywhere

near him. That's obvious even in material dealings

sometimes. A man and wife, for example, can be married

and can be total strangers because they don't like

each other any more. The same with Prabhupada. You

could be in the same room, but if you weren't pleasing

him, you might as well be a million miles away. So

that's where we're really close, by rendering pleasing

services, and that's how we can get even closer.

 

Even if someone had never been personally in the room

with Prabhupada or been on a walk with him, it didn't

matter. He could also know Prabhupada through serving

him. By service, disciples have direct spiritual

realization; they have direct spiritual experience.

When someone goes on sankirtana and distributes books,

he experiences a higher taste from the book

distribution and that's Prabhupada's presence.

Otherwise, he couldn't go out. It is not just another

activity like any other in the material world. No, he

is experiencing something, and that experience goes

beyond the bodily coverings into the spirit soul. The

spirit soul tastes that relationship. By distributing

Prabhupada's books or rendering any service personally

he is tasting his relationship with Prabhupada.

 

-- Balavanta dasa Adhikari

 

Balavanta dasa Adhikari, interview.

 

- From the Prabhupada Nectar by HH Satsvarupa dasa

Goswami Maharaj

 

 

 

 

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