Prabhupada, May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio: […] “This boy hears very nicely. He does not go away,” the first impression he gave to other godbrothers. “So I shall make him disciple.” These very words he said.
Actually I did not follow him in the beginning. High philosophical speaking and I was a new boy. I could not follow him, but actually I was so much glad to hear him. That’s all. So that was my qualification, whatever you may say. I was simply asking, “When Guru Maharaja will speak? When he will speak? When?”
And I will sit down and go on hearing, and I will understand or not understand— others will disperse—I will not disperse. That he marked. Yes. First. There was first one instance. At that time I was not initiated. There was a circumambulation of whole Vrindavana. So although I was not initiated, I was one of the important members of the… So I thought, “Let me go.
What these people are doing, circumambulating all over Vrindavana?” So I went to Mathura. Then I went to the Vrindavana interior, which place was known as Kosi. So in that Kosi one of my godbrothers declared that “Prabhupada is going tomorrow back to Mathura. So he will speak this evening. So anyone who wants to hear him, they can stay. And others may prepare to…”
So they were to go to see some other temple which is called Sesayi Temple. So although I was new man, I did not like to go to see the Sesayi Temple. I decided that “I shall hear.” So at that time I was new, so all other, some of my important godbrothers, they were sitting like this, and I was sitting.
At last, you see. But he knew that “This boy is new.” Everyone has gone, all others except a few selected godbrothers. So he marked it that “This boy is interested to hear me.” So hearing is very important. Hearing. Just like Arjuna heard from Krishna.
I was serious for hearing, and therefore now I am serious about kirtanam, means speaking, or preaching. Do you follow what I say? Yes. So one who is serious about hearing, he can become a future nice preacher. Sravanam kirtanam. Next stage is developed. That is development. If one has actually heard nicely, then he will speak nicely. Sravanam kirtanam smaranam.
Then consciousness will automatically develop because when you speak or you hear, unless your mind is concentrated, your consciousness is right, you cannot rightly hear or speak. Sravanam kirtanam smaranam pada-sevanam. And then the development, “How I shall serve Krishna? Krishna is so loving. Krishna is so great,” that automatically comes. Not silent, but activity.
Pada-sevanam means that activity begins immediately. In this way last item is sarvatma-snapanam. Sarvatma, atma-samarpanam, sarvatma-samarpanam. Bali Maharaja just like. Giving, giving, giving, giving, giving, giving. Then, when Vamanadeva asked, “Now, Bali Maharaja, you have lost everything. Still I have got another leg, another foot, to place.” “Yes. There is one thing. It is my head. Come on.” So everything is there, and Lord Vamanadeva: “Yes. You have now purchased Me.
You have now purchased Me. So I shall remain your doorman here, standing always to give you protection.” So Krishna became purchased by him, and He remained his doorman. Just see His mercy. Dvara. Dvari. Dvari means doorman. So by serving Krishna, nobody is loser; he is gainer. He is gainer permanently, eternally. We do not know what is the value of that gain now.
Because we are materially covered, we think service means just like service in this world. This service is maya. Nobody will be satisfied, nobody. You cannot satisfy, neither you will be satisfied. The best example is in your country, that your president, Mr. Kennedy, he gave you the best service, and the result was that you killed him.
You or some of your member killed him. That means his service was not appreciated, although he gave his best service. So similarly, in the material world, whatever service you render, that is spoiling time. But you render service to Krishna—you will be satisfied, Krishna will be satisfied, and as Krishna will be satisfied, everyone will be satisfied.
So take to this Krishna consciousness service by hearing, by speaking, by remembering, by giving actually service, by worshiping, by making friendship, and after all, everything for Krishna. That is perfection. Now these new boys have come. Let them question and I shall answer. That will be nice. You have heard something about Krishna consciousness?
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