Ten percent profit

Hansadutta: I’m 65 now. How old are you?
Das: Coming on 50.
Hansadutta: So I’ve got 15 years on you. Getting older is so awkward. How do you like getting older?
Das: Not at all.
Hansadutta: When Srila Prabhupada was very sick and weak, about to leave his body, he said to us, “Don’t think that this won’t happen to you.” And I remember at the time his words sent a chill down my spine. Now we’re looking at it. Old age, death coming right up. After my heart attack, my daughter Radharani said to me, “Oh Baba, you’re so lucky to be alive,” but I didn’t see it that way. All I could think was, “Why did you bring me back? I was gone, but you brought me back, and now I’ll have to go through it all over again.”
Das: Mark Twain said, “Youth is wasted on youth.” That only when you’re older and wiser you know how to live and make use of youth’s energy. Somehow Prabhupada captured you in your youth.
Hansadutta: There is that. You know, when a business turns over a profit of 10% after taking into account all the investment capital and operational costs, it’s considered a success. Successful business. So we gave 10 years of our life for Prabhupada, fully dedicated. We wish we could have done so our whole life, but unfortunately not. Even so, 10 years out of 100–or actually less than 100–is not a bad return.
Das: Okay, 10%. See, you’re an optimist after all.
Hansadutta: No, I’m not. I’m the worst, most depressed pessimist, but this is the reality. Ten years out of 100 represents spiritual profit. There is no loss, no diminution. Of course, we wish it would be 100%, not just 10%.