Dear devotees, PAMHO! AGTSP! AGTGM!

This is a part of one of GMs lecture from Sofia, I hope you will enjoy it:

"This karma mentality manifests in so many ways. Quickly excusing myself
for making offenses to other devotees, because my service is more important
than theirs. So this guy should just get out of my way. But that's what
they are thinking out there too, only it's 'my service to my senses', they
are more honest. 'My service to my senses is more important than their
service to their senses, because after all, I am a big shot in this world.
So they better get out of my way.' But in KC we have to dress this up, you
can't just say:'my service to my senses', no, 'my service to the SKT
mission, or to some other thing and I am the big guy here, get out of my
way...grr grr grr'

There is also the idea of the rasas, that these
relationships with Krsna are based on some sort of merit system, merit
means what you deserve. The gopis are the highest of all, because of some
kind of actions, which they must have done. So the gopis are Number One. 'I
deserve to be a gopi, look at all the work I have done here! (laughter)
These other guys are lazy, so they will probably end up in santa rasa, I am
the most active, I am gonna to be a gopi.' This mode of thinking has
nothing to do with bhakti at all.This is karmic. SP was very clear,
actually he very much disliked when these types of speculations appeared.

Once in 1975 he was informed about a big argument, which was going on among
the devotees. Some book distributors were saying that 'our service is the
highest service and pujaris, they are neophytes. So puja service is not
important.' when SP heard about this, he sais that this is childish, 'what
is this talk' He said that Krsna is the supreme enjoyer. And what does
enjoyment require - it requires variety. There is the statement, that
variety is the mother of enjoyment. Those, who argue, that only one service
is the real service and all other services are...yeee...just some mercy for
these lazy guys. But actually, it's not necessary. And all those guys, who
are doing other services, they could bloop tommorrow. But as long as the
book distribution went on, then the KC movement is still there, stronger
than ever, because all the useless guys have left...(laughter) And this
will be more enjoyable for Krsna. Because now there is only the real
service.'

But as SP pointed out, Krsna enjoys all varieties of
devootional service. That's the meaning of enjoyment, variety. Those who
saay 'no, only one service', it's like saying 'no, eat only one kind of
food'. As if, once SP said 'Potatoes are the kind of vegetables.' And I
often heard this quoted by devotees, not really knowing what SP meant. SP
actually meant, that potatoes are the king of vegetables, because you can
combine them with any other kind of vegetable and they fit in, they are
nice. He didn't mean, that you just eat potatoes and you will be completely
nourished and you actually don't need any other vegetables. Now imagine if
someone interpreted this 'Potatoes are the kinfg of vegetables' in
fanatical way. 'Than we ONLY eat potatoes. We are only going to offer
potatoes to Lord Jagganath. NOTHING ELSE.' (devotees erupting into laughter
because GM makes a grimmase of a fanatic's face) So will that be enjoyable
for Krsna? Only potatoes? Every day? For breakfast-potatoes. For
lunch-potatoes. And in the evening-potatoes. The drink also, some potato
juice...(laughter), potato tea...and then starting to dress the Deities in
potato skin...and always say 'Prabhupad said-potatoes are the king of
vegetables.'

No, Krsna is the enjoyer, so therefore we offer all sorts of
variety of foodstuffs and similarly we offer to Him all kinds of variety of
devotional service. And yes, we have to in our preaching mission to always
expand this variety more and more and more. Because that was SP's vision,
that everything that's going on, in the world, in the human society can be
dovetailed in Krsna's service and succes of our BD and preaching will be
that. That all kinds of people in all walks of life wil engage their
occupation in Krsna's service. And thus Krsna will enjoy. And that is the
point. The point is to see that Krsna is happy. Not that I am feeling
all-important, not that I've justified my activities, not that I'm Number
One. No, I'm just a small servant of Krsna. One of the little ants, that
are trying to get some honey at the Lord's lotus feet. That's our position.
We are very very tiny. Then bhakti mentality, defvotional mentality, puts
Krsna's enjoyment first. I am trying to serve the Lord's happiness. And
since the Lord enjoys variety, I should be happy to see many varieties of
devotees and service and I should welcome this. I should not feel that I
have to juustify my existence, my activities against others. Why? Why do
we have to do this? ... "

ys vgd