Srila Gurudeva: What is Guru-puja? If anyone is offering a basket of flowers, making a big garland, writing so much, singing so much, “gurudeva! krpa-bindu diya karo ei dase trnapeksa ati hina,” singing all these things, but is actually not giving his heart and engaging himself in Krsna consciousness, then that puspanjali, that offering, is lifeless. But he who is not giving flowers, not washing the feet of Gurudeva, not doing anything outwardly, he may be the best servant. Because at any time he is ready to give his life for Gurudeva. Like our Guru Maharaja, like Srila Prabhupada, like Kuresh, like Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Perhaps the order that Gurudeva has given is very difficult and to complete it is very dangerous. It may even endanger our life. But what will a disciple think? “Oh, it is very pleasant.” If he orders to enter into fire, if Gurudeva wants this, that disciple will think that, “This fire is very pleasant and cool.” Also if there is so much cold ice, he will think, “This is very pleasant, very pleasant and warm.” At once he will enter into that fire. Like Giriraja Govardhana when he was in the hands of Krsna and Indra was showering thunderbolts and so many things.
Indra wanted to break Govardhana into many small pieces. He wanted to turn Govardhana into dust, so he was showering thunderbolts on him. But what was Giriraja feeling? Because he was in the hands of Krsna, he was feeling, “Oh, this is very pleasant.” So we should try to be like that for Krsna. If you want any very high class and very costly and very precious jewel, like a diamond in the crown of the queen of England, then the price will be so high. If you want to have krsna-prema, there is nothing equal to this. It is more costly and precious than anything. So for this, you will have to give everything. Be prepared for this. This is krsna-bhakti. Krsna-prema is so high and the sadhana to achieve this is so high. It is not for ordinary people. But we are fortunate to have come in this line. Gurudeva wants that you should accept this and be happy forever. We should be prepared to give up any desire, anything that we want for ourself. If a servant of Gurudeva is walking into a very dangerous fire but he knows that, “By this, Gurudeva will be happy,” then what will he think? He will feel so happy. Smiling, he will cross that fire or give up his body, no harm. This is really an offering at the lotus feet of Gurudeva. So we should try to be like this. We can perform Vyasa-puja by this. This is called Vyasa-puja.
[Spoken by Srila Gurudeva on January 28th, 1998, Bali, published as part of the Bhakta Bandhav Anthology, Volume 24]