FAMILY FOR THE GITA
Upakhyane Upadesha
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
Once a spiritual master presented his callous disciple with a copy of the holy Gita, advising him to constantly study the book. The disciple thus withdrew himself from the world and started studying the Gita sitting inside a cave of Vindya hill.
A small mouse in the cave however, began eating away the pages of his Gita every day. Perturbed by the mischievous mouse the disciple brought a kitten from a nearby village to prevent the mouse from doing further mischief.
But then milk was required to maintain the kitten. Considering the problems of acquiring milk everyday, he felt it necessary to keep a cow.
By the grace of the Lord, a kind-hearted person donated one cow. Now the anxiety for maintaining the cow loomed prominently in the heart of the disciple. So that the cow might stay safely and comfortably, the disciple built a cowshed with much labour.
Then arose the anxiety for the day-to-day care and maintenance of the cow — providing her with regular fodder and water. Over and above this, the disciple became anxious about spoiling his devotional performance, while caring for the cow. As such, he decided to appoint a cowherd.
The cowherd took charge of maintaining the cow. But then, who was going to feed the cowherd and look after his duties regularly? So, after much thinking to solve the riddle, the anxious so-called renunciant at last got married.
Gradually his family grew and he acquired extensive properties, man-power and a big palace. The forma renunciant thus became an out-and-out family man, leaving aside his study of the Gita altogether.
After a long time, his spiritual master, trying to find out his disciple's whereabouts, happened to come in front of the disciple's palace. Looking at the disciple's material opulence, host of family members etc., he asked, "What is all this?"
Then, with folded hands, the disciple submitted everything to his spiritual master, "Oh Master, this is the family I had to build up for the sake of your Gita!" * * * * * A truly Krishna-conscious person should not increase the magnitude of his wants and requirements in the name of yukta-vairagya (engaging everything in Krishna's service). A living entity cultivating devotional service should never consider himself to be on the level of a great liberatedĺsoul. One who is engaged in devotional service, either as a sannyasi or as a grhastha, must adhere strictly to the scriptural injunction which prescibes thus: yavannirvaha pratigraha - he should endeavour only as much as is essentially required in favour of worshipping Sri Hari. His material activities should neither be excessive nor deficient, as either of them leads to deviation from spiritual upliftment. Persons undertaking the rigours of celibacy (brahmacarya), seclusion (vanaprastha), and renunciation (sannyasa) as their ways of living (asrama) and so staying in a secluded holy place as math away from home for absorbing themselves in the devotional service to Lord Sri Hari might also find themselves entangled in such a "family for the sake of the Gita" in case they become enchanted with the thoughts of daily wants and requirements, thus deceiving themselves in the name of favouring devotional services to Lord Sri Hari. Therefore, an honest person must be very careful. He should not fall under the clutches of the illusory energy (maya) while pretending to acquire favourable objects for devotional services to Sri Hari. The material senses are always thirsty for gratifying objects. Pretending to attain perfection through carefully listening and adhering to myriads of injunctions from liberated great souls, our wicked, mischievous, uncontrollable extrovert mind along with its propensities endeavours to acquire gratifying objects, falsely ascribing them as favourable to devotional services to Sri Hari while talking recourse to hypocritical diplomatic demeanours. Many of us become highly attracted to material knowledge in the name of studying scriptures or of learning and erudition! We become much attached to physical comfort and to our dependant wife and children, through self-deception of undergoing family life with a plea to observe yukta-vairagya (proper renuncation) and offering devotional service to Lord Sri Hari simultaneously. Even after becoming a sannyasi, brahmacari, Krishna-conscious grhastha, or a vanaprastha, many of us desire to attain material reputation and fame and we try to lord it over everything. This will cause us utter spiritual destruction. It is therefore most essential to crave for the mercy of the pure, honest devotees, constantly keeping ourselves in their uncontaminated association with complete loyalty and allegiance. Thus exposing before them all our misgivings, we may be blessed with their inestimable guidance.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
Once a spiritual master presented his callous disciple with a copy of the holy Gita, advising him to constantly study the book. The disciple thus withdrew himself from the world and started studying the Gita sitting inside a cave of Vindya hill.
A small mouse in the cave however, began eating away the pages of his Gita every day. Perturbed by the mischievous mouse the disciple brought a kitten from a nearby village to prevent the mouse from doing further mischief.
But then milk was required to maintain the kitten. Considering the problems of acquiring milk everyday, he felt it necessary to keep a cow.
By the grace of the Lord, a kind-hearted person donated one cow. Now the anxiety for maintaining the cow loomed prominently in the heart of the disciple. So that the cow might stay safely and comfortably, the disciple built a cowshed with much labour.
Then arose the anxiety for the day-to-day care and maintenance of the cow — providing her with regular fodder and water. Over and above this, the disciple became anxious about spoiling his devotional performance, while caring for the cow. As such, he decided to appoint a cowherd.
The cowherd took charge of maintaining the cow. But then, who was going to feed the cowherd and look after his duties regularly? So, after much thinking to solve the riddle, the anxious so-called renunciant at last got married.
Gradually his family grew and he acquired extensive properties, man-power and a big palace. The forma renunciant thus became an out-and-out family man, leaving aside his study of the Gita altogether.
After a long time, his spiritual master, trying to find out his disciple's whereabouts, happened to come in front of the disciple's palace. Looking at the disciple's material opulence, host of family members etc., he asked, "What is all this?"
Then, with folded hands, the disciple submitted everything to his spiritual master, "Oh Master, this is the family I had to build up for the sake of your Gita!" * * * * * A truly Krishna-conscious person should not increase the magnitude of his wants and requirements in the name of yukta-vairagya (engaging everything in Krishna's service). A living entity cultivating devotional service should never consider himself to be on the level of a great liberatedĺsoul. One who is engaged in devotional service, either as a sannyasi or as a grhastha, must adhere strictly to the scriptural injunction which prescibes thus: yavannirvaha pratigraha - he should endeavour only as much as is essentially required in favour of worshipping Sri Hari. His material activities should neither be excessive nor deficient, as either of them leads to deviation from spiritual upliftment. Persons undertaking the rigours of celibacy (brahmacarya), seclusion (vanaprastha), and renunciation (sannyasa) as their ways of living (asrama) and so staying in a secluded holy place as math away from home for absorbing themselves in the devotional service to Lord Sri Hari might also find themselves entangled in such a "family for the sake of the Gita" in case they become enchanted with the thoughts of daily wants and requirements, thus deceiving themselves in the name of favouring devotional services to Lord Sri Hari. Therefore, an honest person must be very careful. He should not fall under the clutches of the illusory energy (maya) while pretending to acquire favourable objects for devotional services to Sri Hari. The material senses are always thirsty for gratifying objects. Pretending to attain perfection through carefully listening and adhering to myriads of injunctions from liberated great souls, our wicked, mischievous, uncontrollable extrovert mind along with its propensities endeavours to acquire gratifying objects, falsely ascribing them as favourable to devotional services to Sri Hari while talking recourse to hypocritical diplomatic demeanours. Many of us become highly attracted to material knowledge in the name of studying scriptures or of learning and erudition! We become much attached to physical comfort and to our dependant wife and children, through self-deception of undergoing family life with a plea to observe yukta-vairagya (proper renuncation) and offering devotional service to Lord Sri Hari simultaneously. Even after becoming a sannyasi, brahmacari, Krishna-conscious grhastha, or a vanaprastha, many of us desire to attain material reputation and fame and we try to lord it over everything. This will cause us utter spiritual destruction. It is therefore most essential to crave for the mercy of the pure, honest devotees, constantly keeping ourselves in their uncontaminated association with complete loyalty and allegiance. Thus exposing before them all our misgivings, we may be blessed with their inestimable guidance.
Comments