Toronto, Ontario
One of my favorite stories to do with the nature of service goes as follows:
Our guru’s assistant, Sruti Kirti, was embarrassed about something. He was always taken by the tremendous demonstration of love by the students of Srila Prabhupada. Wherever they traveled together devotees would chant, dance, cry, expressing emotions of attachment for their teacher. Sruti Kirti on the other hand felt inside a lack of this feeling.
One of Sruti Kirti’s services was to give regular massage to Prabhupada. He decided to put his position of self – pity before his guru.
“Srila Prabhupada, all these devotees have such love for you. It makes me feel so bad. I have none of this love. I have so much of your association and yet I don’t feel that this is there.”
During the massage Prabhupada said nothing. After his shower he called Sruti Kirti to the room and asked, “ Do you like serving me? “
“Yes, Prabhupada! Very much.” Answered Sruti Kirti.
“Then that is love. Everyone can do so many things…..singing, dancing, jumping up and down, but you are actually doing something. That is what love means- to do service.”
As I had someone read the passage I was receiving a much needed foot massage around the infected area. For the first time since the catfish encounter eleven days ago I could wiggle my big toe. It was happy.
This day I succeeded in walking a quarter of a block. The strain was a bit too much to bear. I had to return to the indoors and to bed.
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