Hare Krishna

10th May, 2014, Gurgaon

I was talking to a devotee the other day and he shared a recent realisation of one of his married friend. He narrated how in last few weeks his friend started looking at a particular girl in his office. Knowing it is wrong, his friend tried his best to control his senses but he would lose all self-control when this girl would pass by. His friend shared this problem with his wife and in spite of all his efforts he failed to control himself. Soon afterwards, he had the good fortune to visit Dham after a long time. There he prayed sincerely to Lord to please help him with this particular problem. Prabhuji joined back his office after his trip and Lo and behold ! his eyes would no longer run after this girl. The problem got solved like magic ! At one level this incident teaches us many positives

1.  We should always accept out problem, share it with a close friend, in this case he shared with his wife.
2. Pray to The Lord for help.
3. Lord reciprocates most mercifully with His devotees.

After my friend left, I remembered the story of an old woman who was coming  back from the forest after collecting dry woods. The old woman was very tired and somehow the bundle of dry woods, she was carrying on her head, fell down. The bundle was heavy, she tried hard but could not lift it. It was getting dark, and feeling helpless, she prayed to the Lord `God, please help me.’ Lord manifested and asked her what does she want. She replied that she is very tired and needs help in lifting the bundle of woods on her head. Lord obliged and helped her carry the bundle back on her head and left.

The moral from the above stories for me, as a devotee, is that I should be careful for what I pray to Krishna.

One consideration could be that whatever helps us stay closer to Krishna is good for us to pray. Second consideration could be that if we don’t ask our own father (Lord)  to help then who else do we pray to?

My point is that, as a devotees, should we not a bit more careful as to what do we pray to Krishna ? As practicing sadhakas should we trouble Lord with our material problems or can I pray to Krishna to please

1. give me an opportunity to serve His devotees.

2. give me faith in Srila Prabhupada’s words.

3. help me chant once with purity, shudha Nama.

4. to give me Your bhakti, Your love.

5. let me participate in Mahāprabhu’s sankirtan movement

5. bless me that I never forget You ……..  ( it could be a long list)

Won’t all our material desires, and problems and irritants, would simply evaporate if we get any of the above, even a  miniscule portion will take us far higher in our spiritual journey.

Srila Prabhupada once spoke

So a devotee is not very much anxious for mukti because a devotee is always mukta. He is already mukta. Why should he… Suppose if you have got millions of dollars, why should you hanker after ten rupees? So bhakti is such a nice thing. But what is that bhakti? That bhakti is animitta bhagavati. That bhakti should be animitta, not with a motive that “I shall go to the temple and serve Krsna for this purpose.” Krsna can fulfill any purpose you desire. It is not very difficult for Him, because He is almighty, full with all opulences. So if you want something, material happiness, from Krsna, it is not very difficult for Krsna. He can give you mukti even. But to ask from Krsna anything else than bhakti is foolishness. That is foolishness. My Guru Maharaja used to give this example: just like if you go to a rich man and he says, “Now whatever you like, you can ask from me. I shall give you,” then if you ask him that “You give me a pinch of ash,” is that very intelligent? ( lecture, SB 3.25.32 Bombay, December 2, 1974).

I am copying a prayer by Srila Narottama dasa Thakura to take inspiration from our paramapara on what to pray

hari hari, kabe mora haibe sudina,

bhajiba shri radha-krishna haiya premadhina

(O Shri Hari, when will that auspicious day be mine? Filled with prema, when will I worship Shri Radha-Krisna?)

suyantremishaiya ga’ba sumadhura tana

anande koriba duhara rupa-guna-gana

(As the sounds of the divine instruments mix and create the sweetest melodies, I will blissfully sing songs about Their forms and qualities.)

‘radhika-govinda’ bali’ kandibo uccaih-svare

bhijibe sakala anga nayanera nire

(While singing “Radhika-Govinda,” I will weep loudly and my whole body will become soaked by the tears falling from my eyes.)

ei-bara karuna kara rupa-sanatana

raghunatha dasa mora shri jiva-jivana

(Be merciful now, Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami! O my Raghunatha dasa Gosvami! My life-giving Shri Jiva Gosvami!)

ei-bara karuna kara lalita vishakha

sakhya-bhaveshridama-subala-adisakha

(Be merciful now, O Lalita and Vishakha! O Shridama, Subala and all other friends in sakhya-bhava!)

sabe mili’ kara daya puruka mora asha

prarthana karaye sada narottama dasa

(Being merciful, all of you together, kindly fulfill my deepest desires! Narottama dasa is forever praying in this way.)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.