FW: [granthraj] Real Trustees
Rammohan G
From:
gran...@yahoogroups.com [mailto:gran...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Abirami
Nagalingam
Sent: 21 July 2011 23:23
To: gran...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [granthraj] Real Trustees
Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.
For the past few days, we were blessed with the nectarean topic, "Just Drop It", wherein our beloved spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj very nicely made it clear how we can become free, simply by not holding on to the objects of desire. Our heartfelt thanks to HG Devakinandan Prabhuji for sharing Maharaj's words and HG Vaijayanti Mataji for very nicely transcribing Prabhuji's class for benefit of all of us.
In Brahma Samhita, Lord Brahma very nicely says that Krishna is Supreme Lord and sarva kaarana kaaranam - He is cause of all causes. Scriptures like Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavatam also affirm the truth the Lord is the source of everything and He is the actual owner of all this wonderful creation. But unfortunately we fail to accept these truths whole-heartedly and hanker for things in the material world, which actually does not belong to us. Many of us would have heard about the treasures discovered in Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Kerala, India. Ever since the news came out about the treasure, we find people (even those who have not even visited the temple or given even a single penny out of their pocket) debating and discussing on how the wealth should be divided and used. First of all the wealth belongs to Deity and it has been in temple for so many centuries. But it is not surprising to hear such comments from people as we are living in Kali Yuga.
All these days there was no requirement for any special security or complicated legal procedures or disturbance from media and outside world, but now there was so much hassles. I was wondering how much this incident would have affected the royal family of Travancore who are serving as trustees of the temple. I came across one of the interviews done with current trustee, King Marthanda Varma and it was nice to see how he considers himself really as a "trustee".
The king Sri Marthanda Varma, who is 90 years old had very nicely answered to the queries of media and his answers reminded us more and more of Gurudev and his instructions. Even at this age, he appeared very hale and healthy. So when he was questioned how he is not even using a walking stick, the king replied - "We have all been brought up very strictly and frugally. My day starts at 4 am with yoga. I only drink milk, I am a vegetarian and a teetotaler. I read the Vedas everyday. I go the temple for a ten-minute private audience with the deity every morning. I am in bed by 9:45pm. I have always slept well. Since there is nothing on my conscience, sleep comes swiftly."
When he was inquired about how he felt when he heard about the rubies, diamonds and other precious items found in the cellars, he replied - "I have never been inside those cellars. Our philosophy has always been not to look at such objects and get tempted. But of course I know what is inside them." In fact as per Travancore tradition, it is a must for the royal family to take darshan of the Lord on a daily basis and if for some reason, they miss it, they have to pay a fine of Rs 166.35. This rule is also being followed by the royal family till date. The royal family had been donating so many things to the temple for so many centuries. But they all knew the truth that everything belongs to the Lord and for generations they have been carrying on this nice culture of serving the Lord. May be due to invasions from foreign countries, it was decided to keep the precious items locked in the cellars and somehow now by
Lord's will this has been revealed to world. When
the media people asked him as to whether he was now thinking of insuring those
treasures, now that the whole world is talking about them, or whether they are
already insured, the king laughed and replied - "I am least
worried that they will be stolen. If that happens, then it was the Lord's will."
Such qualities of detachment can be found in only true devotees of the Lord. People in general would be very attached to such treasures and will not be able to sleep properly in the nights, as their minds would be completely anxious of how to protect it from thieves, politicians etc. But here we find this devoted king, very nicely practising the Bhagavatam principle of, "Just Drop It" and so he is free. He knows the truth that all powerful Lord knows how to take care of the wealth. He says that the best part of his day is the 10 minute darshan of the Lord and that bliss experienced cannot be expressed by words. Hearing his words, I realised that indeed Lord very well knows whom to entrust the possessions. We have also heard how even while handling big big projects, acharyas like Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva saw the hands of Krishna in everything. His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada although made a humble beginning with just 40 Rs, started this great society of ISKCON and established 108 temples all over the world. But never was he proud of his achievements. He never thought himself as the owner of these temples. He simply considered himself as servant of his spiritual master and Supreme Lord. He played the role of "trustee" in the real sense and carefully used everything in service of Lord.
Few days ago, a devotee was sharing with us the shloka 2.6.36 from Srimad Bhagavatam wherein Brahmaji glorifies the Lord's opulence as follows
nato
'smy aham tac-caranam samiyushaam
bhavac-chidam
svasty-ayanam sumangalam
yo hy
aatma-maayaa-vibhavam sma paryagaad
yathaa nabhah
svaantam athaapare kutah
"Therefore it is best for me to surrender unto His feet, which alone can deliver one from the miseries of repeated birth and death. Such surrender is all-auspicious and allows one to perceive all happiness. Even the sky cannot estimate the limits of its own expansion. So what can others do when the Lord Himself is unable to estimate His own limits?"
Lord Krishna Himself declares in verse 10.19 of Bhagavad Gita that
sri bhagavaan uvaaca
hanta
te kathayishyaami / divyaa hy aatma-vibhutayah
praadhaanyatah kuru-shreshtha
/ naasty anto vistarasya me
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Yes, I will tell you of My splendorous manifestations, but only of those which are prominent, O Arjuna, for My opulence is limitless."
Whatever treasures are being discovered in this world are just very small samples of the limitless opulences of Supreme Lord. So there is no point wasting time debating on how it needs to be used etc. The lesson we need to learn from these scriptures and such great devotees is to simply surrender to Lord and remember that we are just trustees of whatever possessions Lord is blessing us. So we need to use them carefully in Lord's service and never dare to misuse the same or commit the mistake of "I and mine".
Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Sudarshana devi dasi.
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