Arrival Conversation

Prabhupāda: Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca [Bg 15.15].

[I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.]

We can submit to Kṛṣṅa. So if Kṛṣṅa’s..., for Kṛṣṅa’s service we submit some plan, He is very glad. You wanted some flower for Kṛṣṅa’s service, Kṛṣṅa is giving us. Everything we wanted for Kṛṣṅa, not for our sense gratification. Then it is...

[break] ...Kṛṣṅa til akhila cestha[?]. For Kṛṣṅa you can endeavor multifariously. That is wanted. That is the contribution of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. Before that, Vaiṣṅavas, they used to live retired life in Vṛndāvana or some other place—no preaching activities. This is the first attempt. Of course, Caitanya Mahāprabhu did it, but the practical sense how we can serve Kṛṣṅa even sitting on big, big buildings and on motorcars we can serve Kṛṣṅa, that is introduced by Bhaktisiddhānta. Otherwise, people were afraid of becoming Vaiṣṅava: “Oh, I’ll have to live underneath a tree like Rūpa Gosvāmī." Some of them will imitate like that. Imitation is no good. Rūpa Gosvāmī never said imitation.

īhā yasya harer dāsye karmaṅā manasā vāchā nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.187]

[One who engages in the transcendental service of the Lord in body, mind and word is to be considered liberated in all conditions of material existence.]

Simply that one desire, that "I shall serve Kṛṣṅa," then in any position he is liberated. Any position. And that is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

māṁ ca avyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena ya sevate sa guṅān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg 14.26]

[One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.]

So if we are actually sincerely serving Kṛṣṅa, people may be envious, that "These people, living in palatial buildings." Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said only the devotees shall live in palatial buildings. Only the devotees. Just like the government servants. [Hindi] Government servant, they are given the best place to live in. Similarly, those who are devotees, they should be given all facilities. Not extravagancy, not luxury, but nice food, nice place, nice facilities, chant Hare Kṛṣṅa. This is our Vaiṣṅava… This is not dry. Our mission, we invite everyone, "Come here, live comfortably, chant Hare Kṛṣṅa." Don’t become sensuous, but live very nicely and serve Kṛṣṅa.

This is our mission. Especially you coming from European, American countries, you are not accustomed to the hardships of Indian [indistinct]. You must have the bare necessities of comfort and serve Kṛṣṅa. That is I am trying to do, and utilize, and you are doing that. I thank you very much for your kind cooperation. And you are the future hope for world preaching. American brain, American money and Indian culture—the ISKCON. Then the whole world will be heaven. This Indian culture, Kṛṣṅa consciousness, and American brain and American money. Everything is successful. Big [indistinct]. Talk very, very nicely. Kṛṣṅa will give you all facilities. He is giving us. When we first purchased this land, we never expected this building of Sridharnatha-tirtha[?]. [chuckling] [indistinct] suggested one Jagannātha temple. Did you not? And then they suggested on Mādhava Mahārāja. You suggested plan one Jagannātha temple here. [laughter] Now our temple is not yet come; it is simply residence of the temple worship. Hmm?

So if you want, we can go. [end]