In our schedules and itineraries and to-do lists, there are so many things we have to do, but what is there to offer only for the service of others and the pleasure of our Lord? Because as you have to offer those things anyway, it is not such a big offering. But even that is good

For example, if you offer the food before you eat it, what you are really offering is your mind, and your acceptance that this food is coming to me by grace. So the five minutes offering, that is what you're offering. Because you would have cooked and eaten anyway. But, if we take these things to heart, they help us to make our entire life devotional. But really, we have to make special efforts to serve if we want to be recognized by our Lord as someone who really aspires to get his grace or even wants to become an instrument of his grace.

Renounciation of private entertainment

So we are very grateful whenever we met devotees who have that determination to actually work hard and offer their name, their money, for the pleasure of Sri Krishna, or even risking their own comfort, or putting themselves in danger for the sake of others. These symptoms are the ones who bring a soul towards saintliness. No matter if someone really is a saint or not, that depends on the proportion of how much his time is spent on such divine dedication, and how much time he reserves for his private entertainment. A saint renounces all the private entertainment. So we can understand the proportion of peoples' saintliness with how much they have renounced their private entertainment for the sake of benefiting others in the true spirit of devotion and service to God.

If you divide the day into 24 hours, you see so many hours you have to do things you have to do anyway. We have to sleep enough to recharge our system. That's a pretty amazing system.So we sleep quite a few hours everyday, and the whole other amount we spend to make ends meet. Cleaning our bodies, etc. But still the Lord has arranged it, there is still quite a lot of time left over. What we will do with that time, that will be the main forming of our consciousness. And if we are really lucky, we may even find some way to make ends meet which go along with our ideals and our spiritual service we like to render. But that's not always the case. In devotion we distinguish between mukya vitri and gauna vitri.

Direct and indirect activities being offered

Mukya vitri are those activities which are directly connected with the holy name, preaching, reading books, whereas gauna vriti are the indirect activities. They only become spiritual if the final result is offered to the spiritual ideal. Gauna comes from the three modes of material nature. Some activities are predominantly ignorant, passionate, or in goodness. If we offer the result to Krisna, even in those activities we are protected. Otherwise, we run the risk of being carried away by them. The scholars may get proud and get carried away by arrogance. The construction worker maybe dominated by passion and gross dealings. Other people are doing charity work may fall into the illusion that they are the ones who are making others happy. Or, that their activity is meant to make them happy, rather than Sri Krishna.

Whatever we do with love is already successful

So you see, in the spiritual paths there are quite a few subtleties. Also many difficulties come from the commitments we have with other people. Sometimes they are not so favourable and may even want to drag us away from our ideals, and that is a special struggle. But, if we love Sri Krishna and our guru, we will also feel great love for these people, and we will try our best to drag them towards Krishna. This sometimes takes a long time, and sometimes it doesn't seem to work at all. But whatever we do with love is already successful.

So this is once again an example of overcoming the resistance within us to share that which is most sacred to us. Without becoming sectarian or disturbing other peoples faith. You see the lesson of love is a real big lesson. Who know how many lifetimes it will take us to learn that lesson. But everyday we stick with the struggle to overcome our resistance is another day gained successfully. So whoever enthuses us in this direction, he is our best friend. And whoever is able to drag us away from spiritual, dedication his or her association should be avoided. Without making them feel bad hopefully.

The meaning of progress

Srila BR Sridhar Maharaj said: "Progress means to give up old friends and accept new ones, if they do not want to come along to your higher spiritual understanding. Progress means to give up old, erroneous concepts, and embrace new ones." For the truth, we always have to sacrifice the misgivings. That's a price we have to pay. There's nothing we can do about it. There's no bargaining or any discounts. What's pure, is pure. What's true, is truth. What helps, it helps, and what damages, just stay away. You got it?

So let's go and shoot for it, keep our mind focused on it however far away to reach there, doesn't matter. There's no other place to go, there's no other turn to take, we owe it to ourself and to our creator, and to all others who we are truly committed to. You cannot bring any lie home to try and satisfy your commitments. Because any lie will simply be an increasing of your debt. Please, be humble about it, and ask for forgiveness from anyone you have ever hurt along the path. That is the power of repentance, and it brings grace towards you.

Being freed by taking shelter

Those who cannot recognize their own faults cannot even move one step ahead from where they are. So they are doomed in their own lack of willingness to overcome whatever is dragging them down. The truth is, by the grace of God, we can be freed from the shackles and the burdens of our own karma. If we take shelter of the holy name and the holy vaishnavas. They have that power. But you have to really take shelter and to get their guidance. The supreme guru, who is living right there in your heart, is going to oversee the affair, and he will make sure that you know what to do and how to do it.

Now I admit, it's easy to speak that way and not easy to live that way. Therefore, the more eager we cry out for help, the faster the help will come. But even after some help has come, keep the crying out mentality. That's the safest attitude.

Inauguration of Concorde Vrinda Center

With these words, I am closing this chat today. Because we have many other things to do, as we are inaugurating today the Concord, New Hampshire Vrinda Center, which has been so valiantly established by Siddhanta Prabhu, with the help of his wife, family, and friends; the help of Sadhu Maharaj, and all the friends from Hungary, like Keshava Maharaj, who have shown him the example that it can be done, even when its difficult. Also, he has helped me in the production of the inbound yoga system and the OIDA therapy book, plus he is managing a english teacher job, and managing a big building in the city.

And today, Sunday, we are going to have a full house here for the inauguration, Sandi Pani Manu Prabhu will prepare the fire jagna; Govardan, Radhika, and Chaitanya wil do the kitchen, the feast cooking, and Abhay Charan prabhu, from our Dallas preaching center is also present here. The family of Sadhu Maharaj is coming this afternoon. So you can see a lot of life is going on. And we have a spiritual revolution going towards Cuba with our new initiate Gaur Nitai Das. Actually Cuba has just opened the doors towards preaching, it is a historical moment for the island. Our friend Murari Gupta from Miami has already gone there twice, and we hope our devotees from the Domincan Republic and from Puerto Rico will also make it to visit this wonderful island, which is thirsty for divine love.

Jay Srila Prabhupada!
Jay Srila Harijan !
Concord yatra ki jay!

Always your well-wisher,
B.A. Paramadvaiti Swami