An amazing sacrifice...

Think of anyone who achieved anything wonderful in this world – they invariably made a significant sacrifice. Fame, power, wealth and followers are often the goals of people who seek to achieve something great in this world. To establish genuine spirituality which withstands the tests of time within a materialistic society requires sacrifice which is motivated by something completely different. In his final days, Srila Prabhupada revealed the secret – “I have no other motive, I am only planning how people can become happy.”

This week, we had the great fortune of hearing the stories, reflections and profound insights of four of the original six devotees who established the Hare Krishna movement in London some 40 years ago. As they spoke, one could sense a deep gratitude for their beloved spiritual teacher, Srila Prabhupada. Having spent barely a year with him, feeling great inspiration, love and gratitude in their hearts, they traveled to London in 1969 with practically nothing – young spiritual searchers coming to the one of the most important cities in the world to spread the teachings of Bhagavad-gita.

As their deep gratitude for Srila Prabhupada fueled their selfless sacrifice and service to humanity, I feel that this week of inspiration has deepened my gratitude towards them, which will hopefully translate into an increased commitment and sacrifice on my part. Hearing about the amazing dedication of these rare souls has definitely prompted me to do some soul-searching in terms of what humble contribution I can make in this life. This is ultimately how a spiritual movement is developing and growing. Where there is gratitude there is selfless sacrifice, and where this genuine sacrifice manifests, it become an object of gratitude for the future generations which fuels their selfless sacrifice. Gratitude and sacrifice...