Sincere Krishna service in any position liberates the soul; combine Indian culture with Western resources for spiritual victory.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Prabhupāda: Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca [Bg 15.15]. We can submit to Kṛṣṇa. So if Kṛṣṇa’s..., for Kṛṣṇa’s service we submit some plan, He is very glad. You wanted some flower for Kṛṣṇa’s service, Kṛṣṇa is giving us.
Everything we wanted for Kṛṣṇa, not for our sense gratification. Then it is... [break] ...Kṛṣṇārthe akhila ceṣṭā. For Kṛṣṇa you can endeavor multifariously. That is wanted.
That is the contribution of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. Before that, Vaiṣṇavas, they used to live retired life in Vṛndāvana or some other place—no preaching activities. This is the first attempt. Of course, Caitanya Mahāprabhu did it, but for the practical sake how we can serve Kṛṣṇa even sitting on big, big buildings and on motorcars we can serve Kṛṣṇa, that is introduced by Bhaktisiddhānta.
Otherwise, people were afraid of becoming Vaiṣṇava: “Oh, I’ll have to live underneath a tree like Rūpa Gosvāmī." Some of them will imitate like that. Imitation is no good. Rūpa Gosvāmī never said imitation. īhā yasya harer dāsye karmaṇā manasā vāchā nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.187(1)] Simply that one desire, that "I shall serve Kṛṣṇa," then in any position he is liberated. Any position.
And that is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: māṁ ca avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena ya sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg 14.26] So if we are actually sincerely serving Kṛṣṇa, people may be envious, that "These people, living in palatial buildings." Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said only the devotees shall live in palatial buildings. Only the devotees. Just like the government servants. [Transl. Are you keeping well? Your service and activities are going on nicely? No?] Indian devotee: [Transl. Yes. Service is going on nicely.] Prabhupāda: Government servant, they are given the best place to live in. Similarly, those who are devotees, they should be given all facilities. Not extravagancy, not luxury, but nice food, nice place, nice facilities, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our mission...
This is not dry. Our mission, we invite everyone, "Come here, live comfortably, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Don’t become sensuous, but live very nicely and serve Kṛṣṇa. This is our mission. Especially you coming from European, American countries, you are not accustomed to the hardships of Indian people. You must have the bare necessities of comfort and serve Kṛṣṇa.
That is I am trying to do, and utilize, and you are doing that. I thank you very much for your kind cooperation. And you are the future hope for world preaching. American brain, American money and Indian culture—the ISKCON.