Hare Krishna
9th October, 2015. Gurgaon
Many a times various thoughts and feelings cross our mind as to how should we think ourselves with respect to our Param Guru Srila Prabhupada, in what way should we aspire to develop a relationship with him. I recently came across a wonderful pastime narrated by HH Giriraj Maharaj and I simply could not resist sharing it with everyone. It aptly describes the mood we can all cultivate for our Founder Acharaya and primary shiksha Guru- Srila Prabhupada. It also gives us an idea of what should be the level of our surrender towards our Guru.
Always Remain Srila Prabhupada’s Dog
Almost every morning in Bombay Srila Prabhupada used to walk on Juhu Beach. One morning I had been feeling especially wretched and miserable. Although so many other devotees were present, Srila Prabhupada began to speak as if he were addressing me personally.
He quoted a Sanskrit verse and said there are two words – a-natha and sa-natha. Natha means “master,” so a-natha means “without master” and sa-natha means “with master.” The whole goal of life is to become sa-natha,”with master.”
In the morning on Juhu Beach many gentlemen used to walk their dogs. Srila Prabhupada pointed to a fat and fit gentleman walking with an equally fat and fit dog. The man was walking briskly and confidently with his dog on his leash, and the dog was walking equally briskly and confidently with his master by his side. Srila Prabhupada commented that every dog wants a good master. If the dog has a good master he is happy. He holds his head high, he wags his tail. He knows that his master will maintain and protect him, so he has no anxiety.
But the street dog. “The poor fellow has no master. Therefore he is always suffering.” Srila Prabhupada then pointed to some stray dogs. “They have no master. They do not know where they will sleep, how they will get food. Other dogs bark at them; children throw stones at them. They are always in anxiety.”
Srila Prabhupada stopped walking. He planted his cane firmly in the sand of Juhu Beach. Although I stood behind many of the devotees who moved close around him, with his eyes laden with love and compassion he looked in my eyes. “So we should be sanatha, protected, and not anatha – orphan. We should have our master and be exclusively devoted to him. Then we will feel confident in his protection and always be happy.”
Quoting the verse again, Srila Prabhupada explained each Sanskrit word. Mano-ratha: the chariot of the mind. Mental concoction is driving us here, there, here, there. We have no peace. But when we have our perfect master to serve, we become peaceful, prasanta, and jubilant that, “I have got my master. I have no cares and anxiety.” This is the ideal of life, to become sanatha-Jivitam, living with hope that “I have got my master who will give me protection.”
I knew that Srila Prabhupada was speaking directly to me, addressing my present need in Krsna consciousness. Without my even asking or saying anything, he knew my heart and gave the perfect solution through his instructions.
Thereafter, I always tried to remember and follow these instructions of Srila Prabhupada’s.
Although I had caught some of the words from the verse and Srila Prabhupada’s explanation, I very much wanted to find the verse – but could not. Then several years later I came across the same verse quoted in Sri Caitanya caritamrta (Madhya1.206):
bhavantam evanucaram nirantarah
prasanta-nihsesa-mano-rathantarah
kadaham aikantika-nitya-knikarah
praharsayisyami sanatha-jivitam
“By serving You constantly, one is freed from all material desires and is completely pacified. When shall I engage as your permanent eternal servant and always feel joyful to have such a fitting master?” (Note: this is the verse spoken by Srila Rupa and Srila Sanatana Goswami when they first met Mahaprabhu)
Reading the purport, I found the same instructions Srila Prabhupada had given on Juhu Beach: “Just as a dog or servant is very satisfied to get a competent, perfect master, or as a child is completely satisfied to possess a competent father, so the living entity is satisfied by completely engaging in the service of the Supreme Lord. He thereby knows that he has a competent master to save him from all kinds of danger.”
I realized that Srila Prabhupada is so perfect that he always spoke on the basis of scriptures. At the same time, because of his tremendous compassion and humility, he could say just the right thing in the right way to deeply touch the heart of the listener.
Now whenever I walk on Juhu Beach and see the different types of dogs — those with masters and those without — I remember Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and pray that I will always remember Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and pray that I will always remain Srila Prabhupada’s dog. (From the “Watering the Seed” by HH Giriraja Swami Maharaja)
Isn’t it simply wonderful! So we are all ‘sanath’, protected under the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada in ISKCON. We should be confident that under his protection we will be saved from all kinds of dangers and we will make rapid progress towards our spiritual goal- Krishna Prema. But our mood should that we want to serve Srila Prabhupada by being his faithful dog and we can do that by-
- sincerely building a relationship with him.
- reading his books daily, hearing his lectures.
- following, and practically applying, his instructions in terms of our sadhna bhakti, book distribution, preaching, etc.
- serving the devotees and cooperating with each other
- always remaining in ISKCON.
As we slowly build a personal relationship with Srila Prabhupada, receive reciprocation, and develop a firm faith in him, we will personally experience how this so called ‘material world’ which was earlier ‘duḥkhālayam’ (a place of miseries) for us, slowly starts turning into ‘su-sukhaṁ’ (very happy) all around us. Srila Prabhupada came here for us, to relieve us from our suffering condition. (press here to read this pastime in an earlier blog)
All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.