Radha Krishna Temple ISKCON London

Murli Manohara das: So you have been doing this service for how many years?

Usually I am a bit hesitant to say, lets just say over 20. The exact figure I will not say, but a good innings by anyone’s estimation. Sometimes I feel a little proud. Not proud from the sense that I am worth anything but I think sometimes if the devotees here they will say...

...‘O he has been doing so long, I would like a chance’ I am sort of afraid, although its nectar and everyone wants it I don’t want to create a bit of friction in the minds of the devotees. I always say when you have a bad dog it looks like that dog is getting mercy, but really you have pulled that dog real close because you can’t afford to give him freedom. The over dogs can run around and do stuff but this dog you keep it very close. So in that way Navadvipa Prabhu is pulled very close for better or for worse. Basically for my own protection rather than anything else

Murli Manohara Das: I think Jagannatha has a special attachment to your service

Well I would not put it quite like that, I would say that I have been kept reel close because left to my own devices maybe I would get in trouble, so every now and then I get a firm reminder of what I should be aiming towards

Murli Manohara das: Do you have any words of inspiration for others in our congregation who are thinking of taking some form of service for their Lordships

Well seeing as we are in the Hare Krsna movement and Srila Prabhupada explains that we are all originally coming from Krsna. We are his parts and parcels and we so fortunate that Srila Prabhupada provided the process of deity worship in ISKCON and we are so fortunate that anyone can render some service to the deities either in a direct way or in an indirect way, but actually when I think about its actually direct. Because if your service is going towards maintaining the deities and pleasing the deities then I would consider that service to be direct as opposed to being indirect. When I say indirect, you may make a garland and someone else may put it on but the reality is that when you were making that garland you were thinking about the deities, you were thinking about Krsna and that is direct.

So on that basis everyone can do something for Krsna. Now I just spoke about something to do with deity service, but coming to the temple to do some service, washing the stairs, washing the floor, serving the devotees, or anything for that matter, its actually all in relationship with Krsna, its all direct service. When one gets initiated one is supposed to understand that they are pleasing their spiritual master, but even then there is still the sense of direct service for anything that you do in Krsna’s temple. When you go into someone’s house. Whichever area you may go to clean that person will be grateful because it is their house. The temple is Krsna’s abode, which ever area of the temple that you go to and do some service Krsna will still be pleased.

Murli Manohara das: What are your fondest memories in serving as a Pujari here in London

To be continued in Part 4