Sharanagati

Question of Bahurupa: My question is why in this fruit seller lila was Krishna alone?

Swami Tirtha: Well, it is said that Krishna fulfills all the desires. But you know, sometimes He considers the environment, other times He does not. Here there were two sides, let’s say. What is the dharma side? Rules, family tradition, etiquette, this and that. And the other is a desire of a devotee. Because that lady wanted to meet Krishna so much. Of course Krishna is residing in the heart of that lady also, so He knew that desire. So in one sense He started to arrange things like this that they could meet. In one aspect He was arranging; in other aspect He was looking around: ‘Nobody sees?’ Isn’t that beautiful – that sometimes God Himself acts according to limitations? And actually at this moment Krishna wanted to have the association of this specific devotee, this lady. And as she had that very special desire to enter the position like a mother, Krishna satisfied that desire. Do you have any desires? I think we all have many desires, right? Never mind, bring your basket and don’t worry if it looks like you’ve made a bad business, bad bargain. Ultimately this will be very positive for you.

Krishna is never alone. In that moment He was with this devotee. So, why don’t we all bring our baskets with some precious offerings to Krishna? And then forget about our basket and forget about our: “Plum-lo! Plum-lo!” and chant: “Govinda-lo! Krishna-lo! Take my Govinda, take my Krishna!”

Question of Bilyana: Why do you think that the fruit seller wanted Krishna to call her ‘mother’?

Swami Tirtha: We have our physical basket and we have our emotional basket. The material basket is the fruits of your activities. The emotional basket is the desire to be connected with the Supreme – in some way. And although I am not a lady, still – but correct me if it is not true – ladies like to be called by two names. One is ‘mother’ and the other is ‘lover’. In this case this was a ‘mother’. It’s a very intimate connection. Very intimate, very selfless.

Question of Kripadham: The fruit seller offered some fruits to Krishna and He was choosing: “This one I want, that one I want…” I would like to ask: what are the fruits which we have to offer to Him so that He would like to take them?

Swami Tirtha: Krishna likes especially the fruits that you want to preserve for yourself. Even if you try to hide it at home and don’t bring in your basket, He will search for that. And I tell you: He will take it!

Please join our kirtan. In this way we can collect our fruits that we can offer later.