From the Book Perfect questions and Perfect Answers
An Indian gentleman: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I have one question. What is the status of service minus devotion?
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Hm-m? That is not service, that is business. [Everyone laughs.] For example, here in Māyāpur we have employed a contractor. That is not service—that is business. Is it not? Sometimes they will advertise, "Our customers are our masters." Is it not? But in spite of the flowery language—"Our customers are our masters"—this is business, because nobody is a qualified customer unless he pays. But service is not like that. Service—Caitanya Mahāprabhu prays to Kṛṣṇa:
"You do whatever You like, but still You are my worshipable Lord." That is service. "I don't ask any return from You." That is service. When you expect some return, that is business.
Bob: I wish to ask you to advise me on how I can come to feel closer to God. I'll be leaving you soon. And I'm—
Śrīla Prabhupāda: You have to be purified.
Bob: I come to the temple at times, and then I leave, and I'm not sure how much I take with me.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: It does not take much time. Within six months you will realize your progress. But you have to follow the regulative principles. Then it will be all right. Just like these boys and girls are doing.
Bob: Yes, I see.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: They have no tendency for going to the cinema or going to a hotel. No. They have stopped all anarthas, all unnecessary things.
Bob: I—I feel that when I go back, they'll—
Śrīla Prabhupāda: The whole human life is meant for purification.
Bob: Yes.
Śrīla Prabhupāda:
Sattva means existence. So if you don't purify your existence, then you will have to change your body. From this body to that. Sometimes it may be higher, sometimes lower. For example, if you don't cure a disease, it can put you into trouble in so many ways. Similarly. if you don't purify your existence, then you will have to transmigrate from one body to another. There are very subtle laws of nature. Now there is no guarantee that you will get a very comfortable body or an American body. Therefore, it is essential for the human being to purify his existence. Unless you purify your existence, you will hanker after happiness but will not always be happy.
Bob: When I go to my job in New York, I hope I'll become pure, but I'm sure that I won't become as pure as your devotees here. I—I don't see myself doing that.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: You can do as they are doing. They were not pure in the beginning; now they are pure. Similarly. you can become pure. For example, in your childhood you were not educated—but now you are educated.
Bob: So, what are the things that I may do? When I go back, I must—
Śrīla Prabhupāda: When do you go back?
Bob: I'll be going back to Chaibasa to do my work there, and...
Śrīla Prabhupāda: What is there in Chaibasa?
Bob: That is where I do my teaching. I live there.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: So better not to teach—because you do not know what to teach.
Bob: [laughs] I'll be going—I don't like this teaching so much, and I'll be returning to America in May, but while I'm here, this is my agreement for staying in India.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: If you are serious, you can keep yourself pure anywhere. It doesn't matter whether you stay in America or India. But you must know how to keep yourself purified. That's all.
Bob: You mean by folllowing these principles?
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, I went to America, for instance, but either in America or India, I am the same man.
Bob: I—I have somewhat tried to follow since I met you the first time. [a brief visit to Calcutta in November 1971]
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Hm-m. But follow—you must strictly follow if you are serious.
Bob: Maybe—OK, Maybe—what I say now is—well—the most foolish all I've said. But let me tell you how I feel.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: No, no, not foolish. I don't say foolish—but imperfect.
Bob: OK [He laughs.] Imperfect. But let me tell you. I feel that right now I admire and respect your devotees, but I don't feel as if I am part of them, or even that I have a great desire to be part of them. I feel that I just want—I want to do what is right, come closer to God, and if—and if I just go to a better life next time—I'd be satisfied.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Very good.
Bob: I guess it's material clinging, but ...
An Indian gentleman: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I have one question. What is the status of service minus devotion?
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Hm-m? That is not service, that is business. [Everyone laughs.] For example, here in Māyāpur we have employed a contractor. That is not service—that is business. Is it not? Sometimes they will advertise, "Our customers are our masters." Is it not? But in spite of the flowery language—"Our customers are our masters"—this is business, because nobody is a qualified customer unless he pays. But service is not like that. Service—Caitanya Mahāprabhu prays to Kṛṣṇa:
yathā tathā vā vidadhātu lampaṭo
mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥ
[Cc. Antya 20.47]
"You do whatever You like, but still You are my worshipable Lord." That is service. "I don't ask any return from You." That is service. When you expect some return, that is business.
Bob: I wish to ask you to advise me on how I can come to feel closer to God. I'll be leaving you soon. And I'm—
Śrīla Prabhupāda: You have to be purified.
Bob: I come to the temple at times, and then I leave, and I'm not sure how much I take with me.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: It does not take much time. Within six months you will realize your progress. But you have to follow the regulative principles. Then it will be all right. Just like these boys and girls are doing.
Bob: Yes, I see.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: They have no tendency for going to the cinema or going to a hotel. No. They have stopped all anarthas, all unnecessary things.
Bob: I—I feel that when I go back, they'll—
Śrīla Prabhupāda: The whole human life is meant for purification.
Bob: Yes.
Śrīla Prabhupāda:
tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ
śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam
[SB 5.5.1]
Sattva means existence. So if you don't purify your existence, then you will have to change your body. From this body to that. Sometimes it may be higher, sometimes lower. For example, if you don't cure a disease, it can put you into trouble in so many ways. Similarly. if you don't purify your existence, then you will have to transmigrate from one body to another. There are very subtle laws of nature. Now there is no guarantee that you will get a very comfortable body or an American body. Therefore, it is essential for the human being to purify his existence. Unless you purify your existence, you will hanker after happiness but will not always be happy.
Bob: When I go to my job in New York, I hope I'll become pure, but I'm sure that I won't become as pure as your devotees here. I—I don't see myself doing that.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: You can do as they are doing. They were not pure in the beginning; now they are pure. Similarly. you can become pure. For example, in your childhood you were not educated—but now you are educated.
Bob: So, what are the things that I may do? When I go back, I must—
Śrīla Prabhupāda: When do you go back?
Bob: I'll be going back to Chaibasa to do my work there, and...
Śrīla Prabhupāda: What is there in Chaibasa?
Bob: That is where I do my teaching. I live there.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: So better not to teach—because you do not know what to teach.
Bob: [laughs] I'll be going—I don't like this teaching so much, and I'll be returning to America in May, but while I'm here, this is my agreement for staying in India.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: If you are serious, you can keep yourself pure anywhere. It doesn't matter whether you stay in America or India. But you must know how to keep yourself purified. That's all.
Bob: You mean by folllowing these principles?
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, I went to America, for instance, but either in America or India, I am the same man.
Bob: I—I have somewhat tried to follow since I met you the first time. [a brief visit to Calcutta in November 1971]
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Hm-m. But follow—you must strictly follow if you are serious.
Bob: Maybe—OK, Maybe—what I say now is—well—the most foolish all I've said. But let me tell you how I feel.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: No, no, not foolish. I don't say foolish—but imperfect.
Bob: OK [He laughs.] Imperfect. But let me tell you. I feel that right now I admire and respect your devotees, but I don't feel as if I am part of them, or even that I have a great desire to be part of them. I feel that I just want—I want to do what is right, come closer to God, and if—and if I just go to a better life next time—I'd be satisfied.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: Very good.
Bob: I guess it's material clinging, but ...
To be continued.....
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