How to become humble? ,,...and more......on Practical Devotion

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

 

I am reminded of what I heard many times in Sri Kripaluji Maharaj's

discourses about 'Raganuga Bhakti'.

 

He used tell the devotees an episode from Puranic source. Many

viewers of his T.V. programs might be familiar with it.

 

Once Lord Krishna was on a hunting trip with His friend Arjuna. Lord

wanted to give an understanding of higher stages of selfless Divine

Love to His friend. The great Actor, Krishna seemed to be very

thirsty and asked Arjuna to go and fetch some water to quench His

thirst. Arjuna left the Lord in his chariot and went on the search

for water. He came across an ashram where an ascetic, muni, was

peacefully meditating, but in one of his hands he was holding a

sword!

 

Arjuna was puzzled to see this and wanted to know why the simple sage

was holding a terrible weapon. So he waited until the ascetic

completed his meditation and requested for some drinking water. He

also humbly questioned the sage about the reason for his carrying of

the sword even in his peaceful meditation.

 

The sage replied:

 

" I am an ardent, selfless devotee of the Lord. When heard about the

three persons who troubled my Lord to a great extent, I could not

keep my heart from burning and agitating in pain. I am patiently

waiting in this ashram if I could ever encounter even one of these

three cruel personalities, I'd cut his/her head off!"

 

Arjuna was surprised to hear this but liked to know more about the

three unfortunate souls who were responsible for the sage's wrath.

 

The ascetic answered:

First one is saint 'Bhrigu' maharshi who kicked with his foot on the

delicate bosom of the Lord, for no apparent reason! That foot print

of the sage ever present on Lord's chest and appears to be unfading!

 

Second one is queen Draupadi. She had to disturb the Lord from taking

His meal to save her from being unrobed. Tell me what is the urgency

here to interrupt Lord's pleasure? Just for the sake of a material

body made of flesh and bones and its so called honor! Where is the

question of shame for the naked spirit soul? Even the material bodies

in the world are born naked and cremated naked. To save the honor of

that bag of flesh, how could one trouble his/her dearmost Lord?

 

The third one, whom I could never forgive, is prince Arjuna. He made

my Lord become his servant driver of the chariot while he himself sat

comfortably and enjoyed the ride. He never could imagine the pain he

caused to the delicate lotus hands of my Beloved Krishna holding the

reins of powerful horses!

Even a thought of it trembles my whole being!

 

Can anyone forget what my teachers, Gopis, have expressed in

Bhagavatam 10.31.19 ?

 

yatte sujaatacharaNaamburuha.n staneshha

bhiitaaH shanaiH priya dadhiimahi karkasheshhu .

tenaaTaviimaTasi tadvyathate na ki.nsvit.h

kuurpaadibhirbhramati dhiirbhavadaayushhaa.n naH .. 19..

 

O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them

gently on our breasts, fearing that Your feet will be hurt. Our life

rests only in You. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that

Your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as You roam about on the

forest path

 

I am waiting for these cruel (supposedly) devotees of the Lord to

make them understand selfless Divine Love. One day my mission would

be accomplished."

 

Hearing these powerful words from the sage, Arjuna felt ashamed and

also got scared that the ascetic might injure or curse him. Without

asking for water nor revealing himself as Arjuna, he left that ashram

quickly.

 

Lord Krishna enquired with a naughty smile about the cause of his

delay looking at the frightened Arjuna. But Arjuna was very anxious

to leave that place soon saying they must find drinking water

somewhere else but not there!

 

Sri Maharaj ji insists that if any seeker has 'desires of his/her

own' he/she should NOT come to him for devotional guidance. He

proudly declares that his teachings are only for those souls who

believe in the

'Narada Bhakti Sutra' - 21 'yathA vraja gopikAnAM' -

The cowherd women of Vraja are an example of pure selless bhakti'

and 24

'tat sukhe sukhitvam' ...find pleasure exclusively in the Lord's

pleasure.

 

'Prema Rasa Siddhanta - chapter 12' elaborates more on this subject.

 

http://forums.delphiforums.com/jayaradhey/messages?msg=31.8

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!