Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 14.08.2018, Ludasto)

(continues from the previous Friday)

 “After taking rest, the Deity must be awakened at the end of the day, and immediately some food and some water must be offered to Him. When it was advertised throughout the country that Lord Gopala had appeared atop Govardhana Hill, all the people from neighboring villages came to see the Deity. One village after another was pleased to beg Madhavendra Puri to allot them one day to perform the Annakuta ceremony. Thus, day after day, the Annakuta ceremony was performed for some time. Shri Madhavendra Puri did not eat anything throughout the day, but at night, after laying the Deity down to rest, he took a milk preparation. The next morning, the rendering of service to the Deity began again, and people from one village arrived with all kinds of food grains. The inhabitants of the village brought to the Deity of Gopala as much food grains, ghee, yogurt and milk as they had in their village.”[1]

Sometimes you don’t know whether you read a holy scripture or a holy cookbook. Because Shrila Prabhupada adds here: “Anna, ghrita, dadhi and dugdha are food grains, ghee, yogurt and milk… these are the basics of all foodstuff. The fruits and vegetables are only secondary. From grains, ghee, yogurt, fruits you can prepare thousands of different foodstuffs.” But why are people in general so focused on food? Because we think that this is the key to our sustenance – food. No doubt from time to time the body needs certain energy input, but the specialty of sanctified food is that it not only nourishes the body, but also purifies the heart and nurtures the soul. And it starts to provide a purification process. Therefore, it’s not only eating, it’s respecting prasadam, or accepting prasadam. This is a different mood, the attitude is different.

“The next day, almost as before, there was an Annakuta ceremony. All the brahmanas prepared foods and Gopala accepted them. The ideal place to execute Krishna consciousness is Vrajabhumi, or Vrindavana, where the people are naturally inclined to love Krishna and Krishna is naturally inclined to love them. Throngs of people came from different villages to see the Deity of Gopala, and they took maha-prasadam sumptuously. When they saw the superexcellent form of Lord Gopala, all their lamentation and unhappiness disappeared. All the villages in neighboring Vrajabhumi [Vrindavana] became aware of the appearance of Gopala, and all the people from these villages came to see Him. Day after day they all performed the Annakuta ceremony. In this way not only the neighboring villages but all the other provinces came to know of Gopala’s appearance. Thus people came from all over, bringing a variety of presentations. The people of Mathura, who are very big capitalists, also brought various presentations and offered them before the Deity in devotional service. Thus countless presentations of gold, silver, garments, scented articles and eatables arrived. The store of Gopala increased daily. One very rich kshatriya of the royal order constructed a temple, someone made cooking utensils, and someone constructed boundary walls. Each and every family residing in the land of Vrajabhumi contributed one cow. In this way, thousands of cows became the property of Gopala.”[2]

Please, don’t follow this word for word. Because Isvara would feel a little uneasy with so many cows. Many thousands are too much, a few is enough. But what is the point here – that all the wealth of the world belongs to God. Because it’s His property. Everything belongs to Him. We are not the owners, we are only the caretakers. And whether Krishna wants to keep some money in His right pocket or in His left pocket, it’s His business. we’d better give everything into His pocket and then He can decide. To be conscious that all the blessings are coming from above and therefore we have to remunerate, share with others, offer something – this is what we have to acquire.

[1] Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 4.88-93

[2] Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 4.94-102