ALWAYS MINDFUL OF THE MASTER’S COMFORT

Once during Śrī Vraja-maṇḍala parikramā, Guru Mahārāja, Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Pramoda Purī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Vilāsa Bhāratī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, Śrī Śrīmad Bhakti Vikāśa Hṛṣikeśa Gosvāmī Mahārāja and I, their servant, were travelling from Śrī Saṅketbihārī to Nandagrāma by car. On the way, our car ran out of petrol and stopped. I arranged for a ṭāṅgā (horse cart) by which Guru Mahārāja and others could continue on to the dharmaśālā (guesthouse).

Before departing, Guru Mahārāja tossed me his money bag, which I nimbly caught. Later, as I was giving money to the driver to fetch petrol, I saw the key to Guru Mahārāja’s room in the money bag. I asked the driver, “Will you pass through Nandagrāma on your way to get petrol?”

The driver replied, “Definitely. The only bus route is via Nandagrāma.”

I gave him Guru Mahārāja’s room key and said, “Since I have to wait here with the car, you should first go to the dharmaśālā and give this key to Śrīpāda Dīna-bandhu dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja (a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda) before fetching petrol.” Heeding my words, the driver eventually arrived at the dharmaśālā and gave the keys to Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja quite some time before Guru Mahārāja’s arrival.

When Guru Mahārāja reached the dharm-śālā, the devotees who had come along with him went to their respective rooms. But when Guru Mahārāja realized that his room key was in the money bag he had given me, he began to pace around, without mentioning the situation to anyone, so that no one would be inconvenienced. Śrīla Dīna-bandhu dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja approached Guru Mahārāja and said, “Mahārāja, please take rest in your room.”

Guru Mahārāja said, “Gurubhāi(dear godbrother)! I made a great blunder today: I left my room key with Bhāratī Mahārāja.”

Śrīla Bābājī Mahārāja said, “Mahārāja! Bhāratī Mahārāja has sent the room key through the driver, and it reached me even before your arrival.” Guru Mahārāja then went to his room and rested.

Guru Mahārāja mentioned the incident during hari-kathā that evening, and also explained the symptoms of an uttama-sevaka (advanced, topmost servant) and an adhama-sevaka (unqualified servant). While describing the ideal serving tendency (citta-vṛtti) a servant should possess, he said, “An uttama-sevaka is always conscious of all the services at hand, and he is expert in assessing which services he should attend to and at what time he should attend to them. Although the master—that is, the object of service— may not be mindful of his belongings, like his keys, the uttama-sevaka gives great attention to such items and eagerly endeavors wholeheartedly to make sure his master is not inconvenienced. Such a sevaka is highly satisfied to please his master and does not mind enduring physical or mental trouble to this end. Bhagavān sees the endeavor of a sincere sevaka and provides him with all the required intelligence to properly perform service.”

That day, I felt highly bashful when many devotees conveyed to me the affection and satisfaction Guru Mahārāja possessed for me as a result of the service I performed. The following words of Śrīla Kṛṣṇdāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī repeatedly drifted in my mind like waves on a shore:

alpa-sevā bahu māne ātma-paryanta prasāda

Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya-līlā 1.107)

The Lord considers as great whatever little service one offers, and He mercifully offers Himself to that person in return.