The Magnanimity of a Devotee's Heart

[ISKCON-Ahmedabad]

|| हरे कृष्ण ||
|| Hare Kṛṣṇa ||

All Glories to Śrī Guru & Gaurānga!
All Glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Nitāi Gaura Premānande, HARI HARI BOLO!

पतितानाम पावनेभ्यो वैष्णवेभ्यो नमो नम:|
Patitānām Pāvanebhyo Vaiśṇavebhyo Namo Namaḥ!

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Radhabhava Gaur Das

Srimad Bhaagavatam 11.14.16

nirapeksham munim shaantam / nirvairam sama-darshanam
anuvrajaamy aham nityam / puyeyety anghri-renubhih

"With the dust of My devotees' lotus feet I desire to purify the material worlds, which are situated within Me. Thus, I always follow the footsteps of My pure devotees, who are free from all personal desire, rapt in thought of My pastimes, peaceful, without any feelings of enmity, and of equal disposition everywhere."

Krishna takes over in the second part of the verse and says, "My great devotees have all these wonderful qualities and I am always following My devotees wherever they go - anuvrajaami aham nityam. Always watching over him, always giving him shelter. When it is hot, I give him shade. When it is cool, I give him warmth and why am I running after him, because I am so attracted by his character." Kubja became a beautiful woman. When she asked Krishna to come to her house, it was not on account of beauty that Krishna went to her house. It was on account of her service, that Krishna went to her house. So if our service to devotees and Krishna is loving, Krishna becomes very attracted. In this verse Krishna states that, "I want to take the dust from the lotus feet of such devotees and put it on My head because that dust is so purifying." Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura says that the devotee of Krishna, refuses to give Krishna the dust. He wants to run after Krishna's lotus feet and Krishna is behind him because He wants the devotee's dust. So what to do? Bhagavatam tells us that Krishna allows the wind to blow so that Krishna's lotus feet's dust comes in front of the devotee. The devotee steps and gets the dust and then Krishna waits for the dust to come back and He takes the dust of the devotees. This is the reciprocation between the Lord and the devotee.

. If we approach Bhagavatam with motive, Bhagavatam reveals to us only so much. But if we approach Bhagavatam without motive, only to sincerely serve the spiritual master and Krishna, then Bhagavatam becomes an oasis. Otherwise what happens is we use Bhagavatam very often for our profit. By becoming good Bhagavatam preachers, we get fame, adoration. By walking around with Bhagavatam, we think everyone thinks he is a very learned devotee. Krishna is so kind that even if we pretend to read Bhagavatam, we can still become purified.

When Putana just pretended to be dhaatri, Krishna allowed her to be purified because she pretended and acted so well as a devotee. Krishna just closed His eyes at the point He was going to kill her and said, "Never mind. Even if you are pretending, your acting is very good." None of the gopis thought that she was anyone else but another gopi and for days before that, she was acting and practising, "How I will behave with Krishna, how I must look at Krishna. I must act like I have so much love for Krishna." In all that acting, Krishna said, "Never mind. I will take your credits. Does not matter."

If we try our best, Krishna is not looking for the results of our efforts. He is only looking at the attempt. That is all. Leave the result to Him. We have no control over the results. But we should try. Attempt is all that is needed. Not the result. All of you children, when you do the best for your studies, and supposing the results do not come out well, you should not be discouraged. You should touch your heart and sincerely tell Krishna, "Krishna, I have tried my best." Of course, if you haven't tried your best, that is a different story. But if you have tried your best in a service and then you have offered it to Krishna, do not worry. Bhoga you have offered. Prasadam is His to give. Why do you worry? We worry up to Bhoga stage. Isn’t it? Up to Bhoga stage, we pray to Krishna salt must be there, sugar must be there, everything should be there. Once we put it there before Krishna, then it is transformed and transformation is in His hands. Not in our hands. So up to Bhoga is ours but when it comes as prasadam, we have no say. It is just coming. So this is the mood of a devotee.

With sincere prayers for your well-being and dandavat praṇāma,
Your humble servants at,

श्री राधागोविंदजी धाम - इस्कॉन अहमदाबाद
Śrī RādhāGovindajī Dhāma
ISKCON - Ahmedābād - INDIĀ

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Always Chant Mahaa-Mantra...

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण, कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे |
हरे राम हरे राम, राम राम हरे हरे ||
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare |
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare ||

...and be Happy