Both the important citizens and the common citizens welcomed the king very heartedly and he also bestowed upon them the desired blessings, Purport by His divine grace A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

A responsible king was always approachable by the citizens. Generally the citizen’s great and common, all had an aspiration to see the king and take benediction from him. The king knew this and therefore whenever he met the citizens he immediately fulfilled their desires and mitigated their grievances. In such dealings a responsible monarchy is better than a so called democratic government in which no one is responsible to mitigate the grievances of the citizens, were unable to personally meet the supreme execute. In a responsible monarchy, the citizens had no grievances against the government and even if they did they could approach the king directly for immediate satisfaction. Both the important citizens and the common citizens welcomed the king very heartedly and he also bestowed upon them their desired blessings. We are reading today from Canto 4 of Srimad Bhagavatam Chapter 21 entitled Instructions by Maharaja Prthu Text 6.

Herein is a description of Maharaja Prthu entering into his vows and how spontaneously the citizens above classification had come to welcome him? Indeed the sloka today such words as Preetha, Priya bharata, Vijaya indicates that the citizens were not honoring and worshipping the king out of formality or simply due to his high position. It was etiquette but was actually out of love. Srilla Prabhupad translates that they welcomed the king very heartedly. Heartedly means from their hearts. They actually loved him. In the previous verse we have read when the king entered the palace conch shells and kettle drums were sounded. Priests chanted Vedic mantras and professional reciters offered different prayers. But in spite all the ceremony to welcome him, the king was not the least bit affected which means he was not in any way proud. He was in full realization that he was accepting on behalf of God not that any of this honor was firm.

Previous to Maharaja Prthu was his father, Vena who is also welcomed by the citizens in the same way. They blew conch shells, cuddle drums priests chanted mantras professional reciters offered prayers but they did not do this heartedly; they did this out of fear because if they did not, punishment may be upon them. It was simply a superficial formality. So what is the difference and why? In the emotions of the people greeting the Vena and Prthu. This is explained in his particular verse we are reading today. Vena Maharaj he took the position of king more on the role of a dictator, dictating all the citizens to act according to his desire. Or else they were suffering. He was not acting on behalf of God; he was acting as God himself. Therefore no one loved him no one trusted him they simply obeyed because they had no alternative than to suffer. It was lesser suffering in obeying than not obeying. He was a tyrant. Now what is the basic principle that creates a tyrant? Ahankar-false ego. I am the proprietor, I am the enjoyer, I am the lord of all I survey. With Maharaj Prthu, his spirit was not that everyone fulfills his desire; his spirit was that he was responsible for filling everyone in the kingdom of desire. He was in a spirit of servitude. He did not want to lord it over. He wanted to serve his subjects. He took responsibilities for their welfare. He only accepted what could be utilized for the welfare of the citizens. Nothing for himself. Srilla Prabhupada, beloved Guru Maharaj when he was celebrating vyasa pooja he would often explain to the people that I am sitting on this big throne vyasasan. People are coming and chanting my glories and offer gifts, flowers, praises. He said this is not for me Prabhupad said it is actually for all of these people who are gathered together. It is for their benefit that I am accepting this worship not for my own. And that is a fact. Srilla Prabhupad was happy sitting under the banks of Jamuna. Prabhupad was happy sitting in his little rooms and Srila Jiva Go swamis Sri Radha Damodhar mandir. He was accepting this type of worship for the benefit of the worshipers. Servant. This is actual leadership.

In Kali Yuga this is very rare. People are leaders because they want prestige they want satisfaction of being honored and all the facilities that come with. But a great personality prayed in heart is one who is a servant whatever he does is for the welfare and benefit of others. Historically we find within our great scriptures many great kings that exhibited this character. Even the most insignificant citizens they would treat with the same concern and affection as the very influential people who can do so much for them. They were servants of all and each citizen felt a very special personal relationship with the king. They really cared about them. Srilla Prabhupad explains Yudhisthra Maharaj he accepted every living entity within his kingdom as his vraja, as his own children. He is the seed giving father of all living entities aham braja.. Prathami and the king is meant to be the servant representative of Krishna. Therefore when he takes position tremendous responsibilities upon him. He must see every living entity in the same way a mother and father sees their own child. He is responsible for their welfare and their protection on every level. Even to trees even the insects and animals were objects of his service and his compassion. Maharaj Sibi was a great ruler a great king and you know the story how he was willing to actually give his life for an insignificant pigeon.

Even amongst birds a pigeon is low class, what to speak the higher class of human society. The animals are lower than the lowest cast of human. The animals, the spices of life birds are not a very elevated species. And among birds there is the parrot and the cuckoo and the chakra barga birds and the cookila birds so many auspicious birds where in the scriptures to read about the beautiful singing or elegant beauty peacock or the pigeon. Pigeon are low class. They are like the Squaders amongst birds. They just go where nobody wants them. Pigeon came before Sibi Maharaj with a desire that this hock wants to eat meat. He said I must give him protection. It is my responsibility. If I am seated this seat it is my responsibility to take are. Otherwise I have no right to sit here. I am not here for my sake; I am here for your sake. That’s seroius. This is integrity. When you take a post when you take a position you understand the responsibility that comes with it. Not to you, the responsibility towards others......

..... This is leadership, serious responsibility that one’s behavior, ones words and ones dealing with others must actually be suitable for the position you have taken. Now the common people they didn’t have to give their life for the pigeon but for the king it was his duty. Yes. I will protect you.

Yadhak. He said, “King I am also your praja you are also suppose to treat me as your son and my natural food is pigeon. So what will you do for me? I will cut my flesh equal to the weight of the pigeon and you could eat that. What president or leader of the government is willing to do that today? And he actually did it. He cut his flesh. That Pigeon was not an ordinary Pigeon. However much flesh he put on the scale, the pigeon weighed more until finally he just sat on the scale and told Ha eat me. I have no choice I am king. It’s my responsibility. That is great soul. So because Prthu Maharaj had this sense of servitude personally without discrimination to all those who approached without discrimination therefore he was actual loved by everyone.

Why was he so loved because he loved? Because he loved. Love attracts love, envy attracts envy and pride attracts pride. Have you seen in your life if a person is very boastful then your propensity is under that influence under that spell you start becoming boastful also? In a competitive way Oh you have done this, this, I have done this. You see. But if a person is very humble you become very ashamed of your pride. And you actually understand this is the standard of humble.

If someone loves you, naturally that love if you are a decent person, if you are a little bit sincere when you are loved by someone it attracts love from your heart toward that person. Usually the people who complained are those people who really don’t care for others. People who feel no one is extending themselves for me are generally people who are so self-centered that they are not willing to extend themselves for others. Because if you are selfishly motivated, even if people are extending themselves to you, usually you cannot even recognize it. You are covered over by your own self centered egoistic nature. You cannot even see it, when it is there. So servitude ship means to extend oneself. And of course it is said that if you do not save yourself you cannot save others. So we should really work on our own salvation rather than consider others needs. This is true. So we must understand very carefully how servitude and servitude ship to God and to others is an integral and essential part of our personal salvation because our salvation is not based simply our own sadhana or our own meditation or our own worship. It is based on how we please Krishna.

The Mayavadis, the impersonalists, the voidist often times they have this conception, their own salvation because they do not understand. They are not aspiring for the highest goal. The highest goal is pure unalloyed love. If you are after mukti or liberation if you are inspiring for mystic sidhis then really you don’t have to do anything to anyone else. All you have to do is to go through various mechanical processes somehow or other control your mind and control your senses and fix it on the object of your meditation and gradually you obtain that goal. You cannot obtain pure devotional service by that process. You can only attain pure devotional service by the mercy of Krishna. Then Krishna gives his mercy when he is pleased by your sincerity and Krishna is pleased by our selfless service, our willingness to extend our self to show love of God and to others. Then he reciprocates. So Srilla Prabhupad, so expert with such deep understandings of the inner science of devotion. He thought us that a very integral part of our inner purification is based on our service to others. Preaching. Babajis sadhus go to holy place to perform their own particular Bhajan and isolate themselves from the world in general and thinking that by doing so I will not anyway be contaminated by the influences of material energy. I can completely immerse myself in this sadhana. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu he thought his associates..... Preach this message to whoever you meet give them Krishna. Yes if we want to give something we must have something. So Prabhupad and our acharyas created this balance. We must have our internal sadhanas.

When we chant the holy names according to our vows and when we hear the scriptures amongst devotees we absorb ourselves very deeply in hari kirtan, hari katha and seva of the deities but if we want the fullness and richness of satisfying Krishna then we must assist him in his mission. In the spiritual world everything is perfectly harmonious in loving exchange but in material world Krishna descends .........he comes for the mission of rescuing condition souls. So we want to be a part of his mission while we are in this world therefore we preach. We have completed just completed the book distribution marathon and devotees work very hard. Some devotees they left their positions of head poojaris under Jananivas prabhu of course to go out on a bus party to distribute books. So one may think this head poojari is with Krishna. Prabhupad said the most fortunate person in the temple is the poojari because he is always with Krishna. But there is most fortunate and there is most, most fortunate and most, most, most fortunate to carry the mercy of deities to others it is a glorious activity but at the same time much risk much hardship much humiliation to preach means thankless task. So much humiliation. The majority of the people you try to approach will not at all appreciate. Some will condemn you. It was brought to Srilla Prabhupad’s attention that much of the public were calling his devotees as parasites. For those of you in the medical field you know what an insult that is to be called a parasite. Parasite is an insidious little creature like a worm that’s just eating your way and just robbing your nutrients for his own egoistic purposes and that is parasite. But i was thinking of that word parasite means the supreme site to see. Parasite, you are giving them darshan of the supreme lord Parasite because you are representing the lord. So Saraswathi Devi is speaking nicely through them. They are glorifying the devotees. Oh you are parasite. You are giving darshan of the supreme lord by your presence. So devotees are not appreciated they are insulted, they are ridiculed, its difficult. Why did they take such difficult austerities? Because it pleases Krishna. And the path of perfection is pleasing Krishna. Srilla Bhakti Sidhhanta Saraswathi Thakur was very strong with this point. You cannot just barge your way into the spiritual world by your sadhana. You deserve in such a way that Krishna is so pleased to pick you up and take you there. You don’t have to artificially superficially contemplate and meditate the higher rasas of the spiritual world. You deserve with sincerity and chant with humility and a guru is pleased with you Sri Radha Gopinath will personally pick you up and take you into their internal lilla. So when we give love we attract love. Why is Krishna all attractive? Because his love is unlimited for every living entity. In the Christian world, the Christian preachers that is one of their main lines that they speak. Jesus loves you. You have heard this. Because he loves you therefore you naturally want to love him and where is that love coming from? Its coming ....... the absolute truth is him from whom everything emanates. Krishna is the supreme lover. In Gaudiya Vaishanv Sidhhanta we understand scientifically, intimately what is the nature of that love? The nature of love between Radha and Krishna the supreme lover and the supreme object of love, all love is emanating from them. Radha Gopinath’s love is perfect and complete and whatever little drop of love is within our heart is part and parcel of their love. To share their love is to love; to share their compassion is compassion. Reconsidering our own then we are thieves. It’s like if the post man gives you a letter with one crore of rupee cheque from your father and he says I am giving you 1 crore of Rupees. It’s coming from my hands you see. This is my hand. This is your hand. This is the cheque. So you should honor and love me. What is that person he is a thief. He is not a realistic. But actually the post man says this is your father’s gift to you. Please accept it. And you love the postman just as you love your father because he is honestly giving your great fortune. So real love means to serve as an instrument of love and when we give Krishna’s love which is all attractive, then we attract peoples love. So devotee is not concerned with getting or taking but a devotee is concern is with being instrumental to giving Krishna.

It was amazing. Srilla Prabhupad would come to an airport where 90% of the people who were coming to greet him had never seen or met him in their lives. Sometimes one or two or three leaders who had personal association with him and the others they never saw him before, they never met him before. But they were so excited and as he was walking off the plane and they got the first site of him, devotees will sometimes be weeping and bowing down and offering their hearts unconditionally to him. A man he never met. How is that possible? Because of the energies of his movements, through the association of his devotees he invested his love with him, through his books, through the inspiration of his life. People felt his love so deeply so profoundly that they loved him.

What an incredible phenomenon? People from wealthy families who have given up their homes, given up their wealth, given up their comforts of life renounce the world to come and surrender unconditionally out of love for someone that they never met before. Because Krishna’s love was so perfectly and purely flowing through him. Those who are fortunate be receptive. They wanted to reciprocate spontaneously and surrender everything to him. They wanted to surrender everything to him because he surrendered everything to them. He wanted nothing for himself he wanted them to be happy with Krishna. That is love. That love attracts God. So we are concerned with this kind of I will scratch your back my friend and you will scratch mine. If you want that type of love it is cheap, easily available in this world. That is not love that is mutual exploitation in the name of love. Real love is the willingness to sacrifice to surrender for the welfare of another by giving them Krishna, by sharing Krishna. ......The devotees they find the greatest happiness because they are sharing Krishna with each other they are sharing Krishna with everyone. That is love.

This Prethistha, the enemy of the soul very shuttle, insidious enemy of our spiritual lives but yet so powerful that even persons who are able to give up sex life to give up all their possessions to give up all the commodities and pleasures of this world which as we know are all extremely difficult to relinquish. Even such persons become victims of Prethistha. They desire for adoration and distinction, the need to be respected. The longing to control other people on a shuttle platform. Some people give up lording at over material nature on a gross level only to be victimized to have the same aspiration on a more shuttle platform. Why people are so attached to positions of respect and the facilities they provide? Very difficult. Can’t we see this desire as a friend that is giving facilities for nice fruits to enjoy? But an intelligent person sees it as an enemy.

As it is said absolute authority corrupts absolutely. In the material sense that is true. It is very difficult when you are honored. If a person is just a humble soul, just comes, nobody knows him, nobody likes him, it is not that difficult to do some meanial service. But then you do meanial service and then you get spiritual prowess. And people start recognizing you for meanial service and they put you in a high position. And then you become addicted. It’s like intoxication, alcoholic, synonymous, there is drug anonymous and high people they should have anonymous for them. People who are addicted to this Prethistha to respect and being honored. It is a deeper type of intoxication in this gross intoxication. It also affects the destination of where you will go in your life. Because it cannot be seen with the senses.

Maya works through his agency like a secret mission underground. Sometimes if you want to overcome a powerful government it begins underground. Study revolution, the French revolution, the Russian Revolution, the Revolution in Germany usually it always begins underground. You are not seen by the government, you are not seen by the people in general, just working, working, working and you get power and you get strength and ultimately finally when you come to the public’s notice you are so strong you have so much support that is irresistible you cannot be stopped. That is underground movement. Of course you can work in a good way too. In the former Soviet Union devotees were not allowed to preach they were not allowed to practice they would be punished and tortured if they were found to be devotees. So everything was underground. Book distribution underground.

Srinathji Prabhu was recently telling that in a country of Hungary when it was under communist they would not allow any type of religious practices that were not authorized and controlled by the communist state. But he was a big businessman. People who were coming in with this big business type of visas there was a rule not to check their baggages. Others check if you get caught for bringing in a Bhagavat Gita you would be charged with smuggling, illegal contraband versus smuggling Heroine is what is Bhagavat Gita. Because it could do more damage to the state.

Srinathji Prabhupad wanted the influence of Prabhupads mercy he would practically bring no clothes with him because he didn’t want to take space in his suitcase. He would just bring in may be an extra pair of socks, an extra pants whatever and he would fill all bags to the maximum with Bhagavat Gitas. And he secretly meet the devotees somewhere and they would secretly take those Gitas , distribute them underground. Haribol! So if you want to conquer a big power underground is very very good way of doing. But do not think Maya knows all of these things.

She knows everything. If we were becoming good devotees, good sadhana, good character, good service attitude then Maya, she knows, she just comes standing before you some beautiful object of the senses. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. So try those things. You are not that easy to overcome. She begins her underground revolution in the form of Prethistha, enters your heart, oh! You are an advance devotee. See how they love you. You know why they love you because you are so advanced, you are so good, you are so wonderful, enjoy, enjoy. ya, Yes, yes. And then you become proud and then when you are proud you make offenses and that’s when the revolution manifests. Conclusion. You fall down.

Pride cometh before the fall. It is reality. It is nature’s law. That is why Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswathi Thakur in his own graphic, pure, devotional, merciful, vocabulary, he compared Prethistha to the stool of a hog not even a hog because even amongst hogs there is castes. The hogs that live in towns and villages are considered civilized because they are living with people but those outcaste hogs who due to their previous sins are destined to live in the jungles they are called boars. Yes, great boring life to be a boar. Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswathi Thakur said the adoration and the distinction of Prethistha should be seen as the dung of a boar. Hare Krishna. How many of us see it that way? We take high position, respect, and all of the conveniences that come with it. We see it as a great treasure that we want to achieve. But we should see it as the stool of a boar. It is abominable. If we don’t see it as such then the underground revolution of Maya will ultimately make you fall as she had made the Russian Government fall, the French Government fall, the German Government fall, and revolution.

Even America, if you read American history, when it was under British occupation, it began an underground secret society of people who were plotting and planning to overcome the British and they were getting support and secret underground. When they had enough strength, they appeared. By the time they appeared in such a way that the British Government could see them. It was too late they were too powerful. That is the way Maya works through Prethistha. So we must be very careful. Thus Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught.....And it is instructed that string this verse on the necklace of the holy name and never ever be apart from it. Keep it always on your heart.

Humble like a blade of grass. Tolerant as tree. Eager to offer all respect to others and expect none in return thus we can chant the holy names always. Srilla Haridas Thakur he would chant 300,000 names every single day but he was also a very active, dynamic preacher. He didn’t just sit in his cave and chant but he also went out to preach the glories of the holy name. He would chant 192 rounds a day and still preach means he didn’t eat or sleep too much. And see the various people he converted. Prostitutes, Mayadevi herself, Kazis, Governors who hated Hindus and the general population they loved him. When Haridas Thakur was beaten in those 22 market places, the common people were begging and praying. Beat me instead. Take my life instead but leave him. Why? Because they loved him. In reciprocation to his love for them. He was willing to give his life for them and they were willing to give their life for him. That is real love that is Krishna Consiousness.

So real leadership is not simply based on managerial formulas, certainly they can be utilized effectively and they should be utilized effectively whenever warranted. But you build a house on a foundation. The foundation of real leadership is love, selfless service being an instrument of God s mercy and to do that requires humility. So Maharaj Prthu he was not just a temple president, he was not just the ruler of a particular state or a country. He was the king of the entire earth. And all the earth was his citizens. The people loved him so dearly why because he lived for them. He was so accessible. He would have a time of the day when anybody wanted to see him could come and see him. Ramachandra did the same thing. Ugrasena did the same thing, Yudhisthra Maharaj also. All these great kings is not that they would have private meetings with everyone. But everyone would come and assemble and they would come forth and they would speak because Prthu Maharaj ruled the kingdom in such harmony with Krishna’s desire. Everything was bountiful. There was so much prosperity.

In previous chapter we have seen that due to vena Maharaj abominable sins he exploited human society and the earth itself to such an extent that mother earth would drove her opulence. People were shivering due to hunger and thirst. Prthu Maharaj was not shivering due to hunger and thirst. He was the king. He had a palace. He had everything. But he was so conscious and compassionate towards the needs of others that he declare war against the planet earth unless she surrender to give abundant facilities for all the citizens. It was a great effort. He chased all over the sky with bow and arrow until she gave. He did it for the citizens. He loved them therefore they loved him and there were practically no problems. Most people from their heart they had no grievances. They would just come to thank the king. What else can you do to such a person?

Now in a materialistic society nobody is ever satisfied. If the Prime minister or the President or the dictator of any country today actually open their doors to hear from their citizens without intimidating where they can actually reveal their hearts openly without fear there would be a massive avalanche of complaints. Yes, what do you think? You are an Indian. Some complaints are there. In America, Russia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia anywhere you go so many complaints. Because nobody is satisfied. Everybody wants something more. Prthu Maharaj and his other kings ruled on the basis of God consciousness. They taught the real virtue of life. His renunciation, loving service to the lord and the people of all the varnas and all the ashrams and even those who were not within the categories of Varna and ashram, they had a spiritual basis in their life. Because that’s the way the king trained them by his example and by his educational outreach programs. Therefore people were satisfied with whatever they have. They didn’t want more. .....Sri Shubanasad explains that you should just be happy with what God gives you and you should not encroach upon another person’s property. Srila Prabhupad explains that Krishna is the father; the father fortune is given to the sons and the daughters. Is it not? So we have a right to be satisfied in utilizing what the father gives us. What will the father do if you try to steal your brother’s property or your sister’s property? Will he be pleased with you? He will punish you. Very simple concept.

So because these principles were taught within society everyone was happy. No one would come to the king and say I have an ambassador but I want a Toyota. Nobody will say that. Of course they didn’t have those types of Kali Yuga machines those days. No one was saying I am living in a clay hut and i want an ivory palace. Because they knew these things are of no value. They are just facilities. Under Maharaj Prthu reign people were God conscious. Therefore they were self satisfied. Krishna tells in Gita one who is enlightened within, one who is illuminant within, one who rejoices within is actual intelligent. He is actually satisfied. If you are inwardly satisfied you don’t need anything beyond the basic necessities and if you are not inwardly satisfied, it doesn’t matter what you have how much you have you need more desperately, viciously, passionately. You see people with multi billions of dollars and they still try to take over other peoples businesses and put them on the streets so that they can have more billions of dollars.

They are not satisfied. Prthu Maharaj everyone would come to him and thank him. That’s all they could do from their hearts they didn’t want anything more. They loved him. And the greatest joy in their life was just to express their love for him. And if anyone was having a grievance they would honestly present it for him. If anyone had a complaint, they would complain directly to the king. And it was the king Prthus responsibility to resolve their grievances to address their complaints and to satisfy them and he did it incredible. You do not find this in democracies. Unfortunately monarchy generally became dictatorship where the person who actually had the ultimate control of the governmental facilities were not really living for the people. So therefore better than a bad monarchy is probably is democracy. But the ideal is exhibited here. Everyone happy and how Prthu Maharaj was reciprocating personally with everyone because he was servant of everyone. It’s not only people who give the biggest donations to his political party will give his personal audience too. Nor would he give audience to a beggar so that all the newspaper cameras would show how he likes the beggers so the beggars would vote for him. Other than that he doesn’t give anything for the beggars. He actually from his heart he felt responsible on every level. This is my child. I am his father I must provide. There is the story of Rantidev often we tell because he is so inconceivable. Recently i told the story to someone and very sincere cultured people and they just looked at each other and said impossible. How can we ever come to that level? It seems unreachable. But that is the standard the most unreachable standard. If we actually understand that’s what I want I may not be there but that’s what I want. I may be millions of light years away from that realization. But if you aspire for that and Krishna who is the light of the sun he can make those light years accessible. Rantidev fasted with his family for 48 days from food and water. For those of you who have done the Pandava Nirjala Ekadasi you know what 1 day does to you and you notice know how probably more attentively than other days you are glancing upon the clock the next morning, eagerly awaiting for the padana to arrive. 7.02. 6.30. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare. Very much waiting for that 7.02 when you can break the fast and drink some water may be the Brahmacharis will give some puffed rice to eat. So Rantidev didn’t tell his family you must fast with me but by their own sweet will because they were so inspired by their loving compassion of their father, the whole family fasted 48 days with him, wife and all children. Because the father gave so much love to them, Krishna conscious love. He inspired them in a spirit of sacrifice and devotion. And he saw his father’s concern for others they just spontaneously wanted to power bind him.

At the end of 48 days there was a limit that their bodies could sustain such an intense fast. And he was in a secluded place not in his kingdom. I mean not in his palace he was in a secluded place. He was brought with some nice food cooked with ghee and milk products and water. So he was about to distribute that Prasad, when a Brahman appeared at the door. Soon as the Brahman appeared all the guest has come. According to our Vedic perspective when a guest comes to your home you should see that this as a representative of God. Krishna has sent this person. We should serve the guest as we would serve God. So he fed the Brahman to his full satisfaction and then sat down to eat with his family and at that moment a Sudra came. Who cares about a Sudra especially those days? He didn’t have those what is statues of that one man gave rights to the Sudra. Yes. Whole underground moment arose to give power and rights to the sudras. And out of political pressures sometimes government people respect Sudras because they need their votes. But out of love a Sudra came and said Oh King I am hungry so he divided the Prasad with all of his family members and with the Sudra he didn’t take anything himself. When everyone was satisfied there was just a small portion of food left and a little water. He was just about to eat that food when a man came with a pack of dogs and the man cried out My Dogs are hungry can you feed them. What would you do? He didn’t eat 48 days, dogs are standing around you. Rantidev felt responsibility for those dogs. It wasn’t a ritual. He loved the dogs and Sukadev Goswami explains why he loved the dogs because he saw Krishna in the heart of all the living beings. He saw every living entity as part and parcel of Krishna. This is service to Krishna. Now there is a concept service done to man is service done to God. But unless we love God then our service to man is not really service to God. We must understand and have some realization of the spirit soul within the heart and God’s presence.

Because Rantidev loved Krishna he loved every living being. He cannot superficially impose this conception on the mind. So Rantidev gave all the rest of the foods to the dogs and the keeper of the dogs. They were satisfied and they left and all was left was a small glass of water which was just sufficient to save him from death. And when he was about to honor that water a Chandala appeared and with a pitiable voice the Chandala cried out please give me water I am dying of thirst. Upon hearing that Rantidev had folded his palms and offered a prayer of nectarine words to the supreme personality of Godhead, he prayed Oh my dear lord, Oh supreme personality of Godhead, I do not desire the eight mystic perfections, I do not desire salvation from the cycle of repeated birth and death, I only want that i may always live amongst all living beings and that by your mercy I may continuously accept all distress for their benefits so that they may be free from all sufferings. By giving this water to this Chandala I would become forever free from hunger, thirst, fear, bodily trembling, lamentation, moroseness and illusion. Then without hesitation he gave the water to the Chandala which really means he gave up his life.

At that moment, Rama, Shiva and other Devas just appeared before Rantidev. So pleased with his selfless service attitude so pleased with his compassion to others. Rantidev offered his respectful obeisance to the demigods. But he did not desire any benediction from them. They offered he asked nothing from them .When the demigods approached to give benediction he just bowed down and in the core of his heart remembered the supreme personality of Godhead the only object of his love. He was king and those citizens who were so much seen how much he loved them, they loved him and they followed him and thus the whole world was God conscious. This is real leadership. Not impersonal government but very personalized and on every love of leadership personal concern, personal sacrifice is what gives actual substance and what is that substance? The mercy of Krishna.

We find in this spiritual world how everyone feels Krishna’s personal love .When Nityananda Prabhu was performing his Lilas with his children small boy and he will perform the different past times of Krishna. The whole day they would just do dramas. Like here in Radha Gopinath Temple we have our drama festival. For some months everyone is absorbed in dramas. Nityananda Prabhu he was the type of director, producer, then he would have all of his friends 365 days a year absorbed in performing dramas constantly remembering the past times of Supreme personality of Godhead Varahas pastimes, Vamanadevs pastimes, Narasimhadevs pastimes, Sri Ramachandras pastime various pastimes of Krishna in Vrindavan. They would be enacting them constantly and every one of Nityananda Prabhus little friends considered how much he loves me? How much he is with me? They couldn’t give up his associations spontaneously. The children never wanted to go home. They didn’t care about eating or sleeping. They just wanted to be with Nityananda Prabhu why? Because he loved them so much on such a personal basis and the most amazing thing is even the parents they felt so much the love of Nityananda Prabhu that they were happy their children were with them day and night. Miraculous!

When Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was dancing in Ratha Yatra in Sri Puroshottam Chetra, seven sankirtan parties he created. So many mrindangas, so many kartals, so many devotees dancing and singing, but why were they doing it? For the pleasure of Lord Chaitanya and how did Lord Chaitanya reciprocate. He appeared in each of the seven groups simultaneously. So that each of the groups was thinking that Lord Chaitanya is only with me. They circumambulated at one time during the Lila of the lord. He brought all these groups of sankirtan and they were circumambulating Jagannath temple and when they came to the back he stopped and he was looking upon everyone. Every single devotee was thinking Lord Chaitanya is looking at me only. So personal not some bureaucratic hierarchy. Even the most meanial servant of the servant of the servant was feeling Lord Chaitanyas personal love and attachment.

This was a reenactment when Krishna was sitting at the bank of Jamuna with tens and thousands of cowherd boys eating prasadham and every single cowherd boy was thinking Krishna is only looking at me. Feeling his love feeling his mercy. Their hearts melting in reciprocation. Radha Gopinath is looking only at you. If you have the eyes to see. Of course fortunately we don’t have. Because if we did we would probably become proud, they are looking only at me so I am better than everyone else. Therefore he doesn’t allow you to realize how you are looking over him. The Gopas were not proud they were humble. Their hearts melted in ecstasy. I don’t deserve this. If you think if you deserve mercy then you will not receive it. If you really feel that you do not deserve it but you honestly and sincerely aspire for it then full mercy will come upon you. Those are the prayers of Rupa and Sanatana. I don’t deserve but it is our only hope. And during the Ratha Yatra dance when Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was looking at each devotee it was non different than the past time of rasa Lila where Krishna was expanding himself in such an inconceivable and spiritual way that each Gopi was thinking Krishna was dancing only with me. He was in-between each Gopi. That is the personal nature of the spiritual world. Even the leaf of the tree, even the individual blade of grass feels an intimate personal relationship as the servant of the servant of the servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Krishna is pleased to see how you are serving the servant of the servant of the servant he reveals himself. Miraculously, Intimately, Personally, that is the way Krishna leads and a real leader is meant to lead as an instrumental representative of Krishna. To lead with love, to lead with concern, to lead with care which means to lead in a spirit of servitude.

Even today in modern managements and organizational teachings, they say that the best type of leaders is one who is actually humble in service. Because then you get people who follow you, who actually have faith, who had actually willing to go beyond just the minimum. Because we don’t have those kind of leaders. We have these punch clocks. You go to your office. Boom, boom. Punch the time you come in. boom, boom. Punch the time you come out. So you can see whether you put your full day of working. That’s necessary sometimes. But when you really have faith when you really have trust, when you really feel for the concern and care of your leader, then you want to do everything beyond the time allotted for your service. You go the extra miles, two miles or ten miles, you give your life, you give your life for the project because Prabhupad loved us.

Devotees were willing to do anything. But the actual essence is when we represent Krishna. A real leader is one who is Krishna’s representative. As a father, as a mother, as a department head, as a temple commander, as a friend, as a preacher whatever relate, whatever situation we are in, we are all supposed to be leaders in some way or another. In a spirit of service, personal service nothing is impersonal on the path of Bhakti. Even the Brahman effulgence we call it impersonal Brahman but for a Vaishnava it is not impersonal Brahman. We call it impersonal Brahman because we are speaking of the impersonal stake of it but actually it is personal Brahman. Because it is emanating from Krishna’s body how it could be impersonal? It is Krishna’s energy. Nothing is impersonal on the path of Bhakti except sometimes the devotees!!! That is not correct. Let us take inspiration from Maharaj Prthu how he was so personal to bestow all the desired lessons on all of the citizens. The important citizens and the common citizens. He loved them, they loved him. He served him. They were willing to give their lives for him. And what is the result? Krishna Consciousness. Harinam Sankirtan. For everyone together now united to chant the holy name. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Thank you very much.

Srilla Prabhupad ki jay. Sri Radha Gopinath ki jay. Srimad Bhagavatam ki jay.