Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 10.05.2018, Sofia) 

(continues from the previous Monday)

If I may mention one story concerning pride. This story is about Narada Muni. He is a very special person. He is cursed not to be able to stay in one place for a long time. So, I think, the sannyasis are students of Narada – they cannot stay in one place for a long time. It is said in the tradition that in a farm you can stay for the time of milking a cow, in a small village – for one day or one night, in a little bigger place – for three nights, and in a big city – for five nights. So I think our time is over, although Sofia is big enough.

So, this story is about Narada. He is the apostle of bhakti. And now you might raise a question: ‘How is an Apostle cursed? Wait a minute, if I join this process of prema-bhakti and I become an apostle of bhakti, am I expected to be cursed? I have to think twice whether this is my process or not. If this is a prospect of a prophet here, then better I choose a different religion. Better I become a Christian.’ But sorry, my dears, what has happened to the apostles? It is not a simple curse, but dying on the cross. So, wherever you go, you must face some realities.

But anyway, back to the story. Narada Muni is a personality that is a little controversial. He is fully aware of all the truths of divine reality and wherever he appears, things start to happen. He gives some little news here and there, he instructs somebody like that and all of a sudden the soup is stirred. This time he saw a peasant, a gardener who prayed to Krishna in the morning: “Oh, my dear Lord, I love You so much. Please give me blessings so that I can perform my duty today nicely”. For a few minutes he prayed and then he went off for a job. And then after a busy day, returning in the evening, he said: “Oh my Lord, thank You for Your blessings for this day.”

Narada said: “What is this? Is this uttama-bhakti? Such a miserable service! He is thinking of God only twice a day. Some prayers here and there, otherwise he is busy with the daily activities. What is this?” So, he complained to Krishna about this devotee. “You see? There are such guys. He is thinking of You only twice a day. It is incredible. How it happens, I don’t understand.” And Krishna said: “Yes, some people are really deeply in maya. By the way, My dear Narada, can you help Me?” Narada answered: “Yes, I am Your unconditional servant. I am always ready to glorify You, I am always ready to serve You, I am always ready to think of You – tell me what to do.” Then Krishna said: “Well, here is this little cup”. And this cup was full up to the brim. “Can you please carry this cup around this city?” Narada said, “No problem, I can carry Your cup.” “But please, pay attention not to spill even a drop from the cup.”

You know, around Krishna, and especially in the cases of Narada – he has got many other stories also – the dimensions start to change. Sometimes Narada thinks only for a moment and yugas have passed. Other times Narada thinks that, ‘Well, this is a small village, I can cover the distance in half an hour’, but then it starts to grow. The same happened this time again: Narada started his journey carrying the cup and the distance started to grow. So until he could accomplish his circumambulatiоn the village, it took a full day. He started in the morning and returned in the evening. He was in sweat, trying to pay full attention to the cup. And his mission was successful – not even one drop was spilled. So with all his enthusiasm he approached Krishna and said, “Here is Your cup, my dear Lord.” Krishna said, “Oh, very nice, but may I have a question? Did you think of Me while carrying this cup?” “Think of You? No, I was focusing all my attention on the cup, not to spill the water. I couldn’t think of You, I was thinking of the water.” And Krishna said, “Aha, there are such kinds of people! Not even twice did you think of Me?” Narada immediately understood that he committed the mistake of pride, criticizing a person who at least twice remembered the Lord.

So in our process it is very much recommended to avoid even this type of innocent criticism. The general way how things happen is criticism. Why not be independent from this bad habit? The practice of others is not our job, our job is our own practice.