Be a Servant, Not a Dilettante

I cannot simply “study” Prabhupada as a scientist studies a specimen under a microscope.  There were many photographs of Prabhupada in the early days representing many posed and candid moments.  Still, I cannot understand the mind of my spiritual master.  I can study his words and teachings, but even that has to be done with faithful hearing and service.  I am not a literary critic or a lawyer who can endlessly dissect his instructions, looking for … what?  Loopholes?  That would be over-intelligent, and it is an offense.

I have my service in his movement like everyone else, but regardless of whether my service differs from yours, we are all students at the feet of the guru.  I don’t want to become like a jaded sense-gratifier, always needing more and more stimulation to get the same “high.”  Prabhupada is enthusing me.  I collect his memories and photographs to remind myself of that.  To stay alive in Prabhupada memories, while remaining free of dilettantism, is to know that he has a current connection with us.  Don’t relegate Prabhupada to the museum in your mind and think that you are the antiquarian collector of rare books and artifacts.  Prabhupada is out preaching.  I want to serve those devotees who have that “face-to-face with-Prabhupada” realization.  I am poor in Prabhupada consciousness.  Am I trying to compensate for that by collecting Prabhupada memorabilia?  It’s okay, it works.  But let me take the dust on my head of devotees who are alive for Prabhupada.