Preaching Mood and Service Mood

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Speaking to the Ukrainian devotees,
2 October 2014

Question: Could you please give us some guidance how to preach here in our city?

Devotees should preach some simple things, distribute some brochures, leaflets, sometimes distribute prasadam, and go for sankirtan in the street. Sankirtan in the street is good for you.

Question: There is one more question. Should we think that the service that comes through devotees is service to our Gurudev?

When the service comes directly from Gurudev it is good, but if somebody is a pure devotee of Gurudev and they give you some service, then you must think that the service is coming from Gurudev.

Question: What should our mood be like when we do service?

Our mood will be humility, tolerance and giving honour to others—this mood, as well as sincerity and full dedication, is necessary. Our mood must always be a humble mood. Our mind should always be with Krishna—everything is for the Lord, everything is for Gurudev.

Question: What should be our aim when preaching?

Our aim will be to anyhow use everybody for the service to my Guru.

Question: Should we tell people just the general Vedic idea or should we tell them something from Mahaprabhu's teaching?

Both. First general Vedic culture, after that Mahaprabhu's teaching. You can tell people what Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur told, what our Gurudev told—there are so many things. Give a simple conception, like what the main religion in the Age of Kali is, why we chant, what your religion is, who you are, what your real home is, like this.

Question: Everybody is talking about service, service, service, but what is the meaning of this word 'service'?

Service means bhajan. 'Bhajan' means service, coming from 'bhaj dhatu' (ভজ-ধাতু). 'Bhaj' means 'seva', service. What is service? Service is that which pleases your Guru. If something pleases your Guru, it is service, otherwise it will go to karma, and a reaction will come.

Jiver seva korte korte atma kalyan labha haya (জীবের সেবা করতে করতে আত্ম কল্যাণ লাভ হয়): it means you must engage everything, even a flower, even a blade of grass, in the service of the Lord. Prabhupad Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur says that the main meaning of service is being under the guidance of a Guru. If you are not under the guidance of your Guru, it is bhajan of Maya, not bhajan of the Guru (bhajan means service). When you do something not under the guidance of your Guru, it means you do the bhajan of Maya.

Question: How can we understand that we are under the guidance of our Guru after the Guru leaves?...

You should ask this question to your chaitya-guru. In your heart, there is another Guru, and you should that Gurudev who is in your heart, he will give you the answer.

Question: What should be the ratio of the spiritual life and the material life? Like, 50%/50% or something else?

[His Divine Grace laughs.] If you give 50%, you will get 50%; if you give 100% you will get 100%!

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