Act in a way that you can serve the Lord with your senses

Satsvarupa Dasa: Some parents believe in 'indulging' their children up to the age of five, because Srila Prabhupada said something to this effect. Or devotee-parents will say that Srila Prabhupada's father sent him to college for a career and use that as an example for their children's future. A business-inclined devotee will look at Prabhupada's life during his pharmaceutical business and take direction from that. A family man sees Prabhupada's responsibility towards his family members as a motto and it helps him to chalk out his own life. Should we take vanaprastha and sannyasa, or try to engage all family members in preaching until we die? What did Prabhupada do? The list of angles is endless since people from all walks of life have made Prabhupada and Krishna their goal. What does this mean? Why the confusion? Shall I alone breakthrough this bewildering variety of sincere attempts to understand Prabhupada and present the real, definitive Prabhupada? No, they are all serving him and each is a testimony to his dearness and greatness. Let each follower do it in his best way. In a 1966 lecture on the Bowery, Prabhupada emphasized "dove-tailing our consciousness with the Supreme." He said, "Don't stop your activity (that's not possible) but act in a way that you can serve the Lord of the senses with your senses." So everyone's service is possible. And yet we must admit that there are servants who are pleasing and those who are more pleasing. All right, here is a glimpse, Prabhupada worked to sell his Back to Godhead magazines in the 1950s alone in Delhi. He approached people at the tea stalls, worked in the heat of Delhi's summer, and sometimes collapsed from the effort. This is an authentic glimpse of Prabhupada. He's told us this in his own words. So think of Srila Prabhupada distributing the magazine in a 110-degree heat. But what is your conclusion based on this incident? Is it Sell books until you drop on the street? Yes, but other messages also. It means, Whatever you do, think of Prabhupada. It means, When you fall on the street (gored by a cow or hit by a car), think of him. It means, Think of him when you go to Delhi, or When you give birth to a child in Krishna consciousness, think of Srila Prabhupada. It can mean many things to many sincere devotees.