Pusta Krsna: Anxiety for one’s self is maya?

Prabhupada: That is material.

Pusta Krsna: And anxiety for Krsna?

Prabhupada: That is spiritual. Rupa Gosvami’s sloka, krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam yadi kuto ‘pi labhyate  [Cc. Madhya 8.70]: “The anxiety for Krsna, if it can be purchased, immediately purchase it.” Rupa Gosvami said. Krsna-bhakti-rasa-bhavita matih kriyatam: “Just purchase Krsna anxiety if it is available somewhere.” So the next question will be that “What is the price?” Tatra laulyam ekalam mulyam: “That anxiety can be purchased by anxiety.” “So I’ll do it.” No. Na janma-koti-sukrtair labhyate: “That anxiety is not available even by millions of births’ pious activities.” So this anxiety is not so easy.

Devotee (1): So if we’re performing the Deity worship and we get in anxiety, how to make it nice…

Prabhupada: Yes, that is Krsna anxiety. That is Krsna anxiety. If you become anxious how to worship Deity, how to dress Krsna nicely, how to do, if you remain, that will develop your anxiety for Krsna. Therefore Deity worship essential. Exactly in time to get up, to offer mangala-arati, to dress — this anxiety is the beginning of Krsna anxiety. Then, when you become perfect, you’ll always be anxious for Krsna. And that is perfectional stage. Therefore, by the injunction of the sastra, regulative, it is a way of creating that anxiety. So we must follow. Then we’ll come to the real anxiety.

Gurukrpa: Not artificially.

Devotee (1): So therefore it is good that we have so much Deity worship to do that we’re very, very busy and we do not have any time? We practically do not have enough time, but that is very good? To worship the Deity. We have so much to do.

Prabhupada: So what enough time you want? To go to the cinema? [laughter] Then? Your time has to be occupied by Krsna anxiety. That’s all. And as soon as you go to other anxiety, then it is maya.

Gurukrpa: If we have four hours to dress the Deity, we can use the whole four hours. But sometimes we only have an hour and a half, so we have to rush. So that is anxiety.

Prabhupada: No, that anxiety does not mean this laziness, that “I am anxiety for four hours. Deity cannot be opened now. I am in anxiety.” That is negligence. That is negligence. That is not anxiety.

Devotee (2): When we are distributing books, Srila Prabhupada, and we are not doing so good and we are in anxiety, that is also spiritual?

Prabhupada: That is… For selling books anxiety is Krsna anxiety. So if you become very anxious how to sell more books, that is Krsna anxiety. That is not trade anxiety; that is Krsna anxiety.

Gurukrpa: So some people say that “When I go on sankirtana to sell books I become in too much anxiety if I’m not doing well, so I’d rather not do it.”

Prabhupada: No, that is Krsna anxiety. He does not know. Let him know that that is Krsna anxiety. Yasoda, Mother Yasoda, became mother of Krsna so that she would always remain in anxiety for Krsna, whether Krsna is safe. That is mother’s anxiety. Therefore she became mother. How to become in Krsna anxiety? This philosophy nobody knows. Everyone takes Krsna as the father. Father means I’m anxiety-less: “Father, you supply my wants.” And to become father of Krsna means to purchase anxiety for Krsna. This philosophy they do not know. To accept Krsna as father means “My father is there. I have no anxiety.” And if you accept Krsna as your son, then you are full of Krsna anxiety. This is the philosophy. And these Mayavadis, they cannot understand. They think that “Krsna is born of this father and mother. How He is God?” But they do not know the philosophy.

Pusta Krsna: They talk of santi.

Prabhupada: Mother Yasoda is always anxious: “Krsna is crawling. Whether He is falling down in some water or some monkey has come, hurting Him, or…?” Always. Or “He is touching some fire.” Always anxiety. And besides that, the demons are coming. So this is perfection. Always remain in anxiety for Krsna.

April 26, 1976, Melbourne