By HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj

(Excerpt from the lecture on Prthu Maharaj cooperating by not performing the 100th Aswamedha Sacrifice).

In the conditioned state of consciousness we have these competitive envious tendencies, which create so much dissatisfaction in our own hearts and creates unpalatable dealings among people, even devotees. And to the degree we are willing to make the sacrifice to humble ourselves for the overall mission of the spiritual master and Krishna, to that degree, Krishna is pleased and Krishna bestows His blessings and those blessings are what make our lives and our temple attractive for other people. We're not trying to attract people to see the beauty of how there are beautiful paintings on the wall or there are carvings on the walls. We're trying to make this place a wonderful abode where the people can receive blessings of the Lord.

There are so many beautiful buildings. We must make the temple as beautiful as we can, because it is for Krishna's satisfaction. The capitol building in DC is a masterpiece. The white house is a fantastic building. But the Hare Krishna temple is a little place. But people come to our temples, because they experience the beauty of God's blessings. And God's blessings manifests to the degree that the devotees are in the spirit of loving and trusting and serving one another. Because that is what pleases Krishna. That is our goal. We want to help to spread the movement of Lord Caitanya and Prabhupada all over the world.

We must be pure in our own lives. Strictly follow the regulative principles. No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating. We must understand the philosophy correctly, by reading Prabhupada's books. We must purify our hearts by chanting the holy names according to his instructions and with the purification that comes through hearing and chanting and living moral lives, we must exert all of our energy in trying to be the humble servant of the servant of the servants and work together. And working together means, I must sacrifice my egoistic ideas for the purpose of co-operation. The eyes of the devotees and the eyes of the world may not see that I can do what I can do, if I co-operate like this. But Krishna can see and Guru will see that I am trying to be a humble servant and that is the goal of life. And not cheap adoration.

Because the nature of cheap adoration we've seen so many times. We can reach the top and everyone will be praising. But because you displease Krishna, you fall down to the bottom and everyone starts blaming you. Name and fame does not last in this world. Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Ramananda Roy, what is the real glory? What is the real name and fame? Ramananda Roy, replied, `the greatest fame is to be known as a humble devotee'. Not as the greatest this or that. Because if you displease Krsna, it will not last. So many empires have come and gone. So many sadhus have become great and famous. But if they trampled on others and offended Vaisnavas to get to that point, they get the name and fame for sometime and they fall down from their position and everyone says, `who are you'? They don't remember. Once you fall, they don't remember what you've done. They only remember what you are. So what's the use?

Should we take the risk of offending a Vaisnava for any of our own temporary feelings and prestige? It's not worth it. We'll get it. But ultimately we lose it all. This is co-operation. Never to offend devotees. Or to create a difficult tense atmosphere, simply for our own recognition. Because it is temporary. What the spiritual masters, the previous Acaryas and all the Vaisanva world and Krishna will see is your humility, your sincerity; to do the very best you possibly can in the spirit of cooperation and service. And if we develop this wonderful consciousness amongst us, the temple will be an effulgent place. That will change and transform the hearts of so many people. Thousands of people would want to come here. Raise their arms and chant the holy name.

GIVING UP ENVY IN DEVOTIONAL LIFE