Guru08 13 15

GURU 8 - SerpentGURU 8 - Serpent

83

THE LESSON LEARNT BY THE AVADHUTA BRAHMANA

When a person living in a temporary material body tries to construct a happy home, the result is fruitless and miserable. The snake, however, enters a home that has been built by others and prospers happily.

PURPORTThe snake does not have the proclivity to build his own home, but rather lives in a suitable place constructed by other creatures. Thus he does not entangle himself in the labor of home building. Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura points out that although materialistic persons take unlimited pains to invent and mass-produce

electricity, automobiles, airplanes, etc., ultimately these things are meant for the convenience of the Vaiñëavas who are preaching

Kåñëa consciousness. The karmés will always go to such trouble, and the devotees will always offer such laborious productions to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by engaging them in His loving service. The devotees, being concerned with the ultimate perfection of life, do not personally struggle for material advancement.

On the other hand, there is no need for the devotees to artificially imitate the austere life-style of ancient times. A devotee’s goal is simply to serve Kåñëa as

nicely as possible; therefore the devotees willingly accept beautiful mansions and all types of material opulence, not with any personal attachment, but only so that these things can be engaged in the loving service of the Lord. If one engages such things with a desire to enjoy them, one falls down from the platform of pure devotional service.

The Theme - Concept of using everything in Krishna’s service.

THE LESSON LEARNT BY THE AVADHUTA BRAHMANA

The Avadhüta brähmaëa learnt from the serpent that a sage should wander alone, should not live in any prearranged place, should be always careful and grave, should not reveal his movements, should take assistance from no one and should speak little.Also the brahmana learnt to use everything in krishna’s service.

1/2 60 mins 120 mins

been built by others and prospers happily.

GURU 8 - Serpent

84

GURU 8 - SerpentSLOKA RECITATION

Let us learn a sloka from the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindu (1.2.255) which teaches us something about the above theme. Before teaching the present verse, the teacher should begin the class by chanting all the verses of the 24 Gurus with the children all together. Chant the eighth verse of the 24 Gurus again. Tell the children we will learn the eighth verse and also understand it. Learn the eighth verse. (The teacher recites the sloka line by line and makes the children repeat and memorize the Sloka)

anäsaktasya viñayänyathärham upayuïjataù

nirbandhaù kåñëa-sambandheyuktaà vairägyam ucyate

One should not imitate the activities of great personalities. One should be detached from material enjoyment and should accept everything in connection with Kåñëa’s service.

LESSONS FROM GURU – (DUDE)

The teacher can explain to the children, the lessons which this Earth guru teaches us. The abbreviation “DUDE” makes it convenient for us to remember what the guru wants to teach us. The teacher can write down on the board the below abbreviation and ask the children to note it down and learn it. In this session, after explaining the meaning of “DUDE”, the teacher will be able to narrate a maximum of four stories. The remaining stories can be continued in the next class.

1.Everything can be used in Krsna’s service – it is only up to you to find the way to use it

2.Dovetailing desires is an art – that is bhakti

3.Using things that may be earned by some wrong means in Krsna’s service

4.Dangers of yukta vairagya philosophy

Let us learn a sloka from the Bhakti Rasamrita Sindu (1.2.255) which teaches us something about the above theme. Before teaching the present verse, the teacher should begin the class by chanting all the verses of the 24 Gurus with the children all together. Chant the eighth verse of the 24 Gurus again. Tell the children we will learn the eighth verse and also understand it. Learn the eighth verse. (The teacher recites the sloka line by line and makes


85

Once Srila Prabhupada arrived in an airport

after traveling in a jet plane. As usual a crowd of devotees

enthusiastically chanting kirtan greeted him. Then he spoke for some time. Then a press reporter asked Srila Prabhupada “If you claim yourself to be renounced, why you travel by jet planes?” Srila Prabhupada gave a brilliant answer, he said, “But we see everything has got Krishna connection. Therefore we utilize it for Krishna. Just like you’re talking about Krishna, it is being recorded. So it is useful for Krishna’s service. Why should I give it up? Because the airplane is there, therefore my preaching has been

easier. Every year I’m wandering all over the world, twice, thrice. Because if you use airplane and

are not ready to give it up, then why shall I give it up? It is giving me facility to preach my Krishna consciousness movement, why shall I give it up? It is mithyä. Just like some people, they do not ride on car, but if by going in a car I can go and preach, very swiftly, and come back again, why shall I give up this car? So our philosophy is not like that. Nirbandhaù kåñëa-sambandhe yuktaà vairägyam ucyate. It is yukta-vairägya. We have no attachment for all these things. We are sitting in this palatial building, that’s all right. But you can talk things under the tree. But if I sit down underneath a

tree nobody will come to me. (Everyone laughs) So why shall I do that? This is our philosophy.



Yukta-vairägya. After all, you have to practice vairägya. Not under attachment. But in connection with Kåñëa, nonattachment is required. Otherwise this nonattachment will not stay. This is the principle of yukta vairagya.

Neeti verse Ayikta svaamino yuktam,

yuktam neechasya dooshanamAmritam raahave mrityur,

visham shanker bhoosanam

Getting an able owner even the worthless thing becomes useful and adorable while a

worthless owner ruins the value of a priceless thing. Lord Shiva made even the deadly poison an ornament of his throat while Rahu, the demon got beheaded even when he had sipped nectar. If someone knows how to utilize things of this world, then even the most useless thing becomes most valuable and if one does not know how to utilize something then even the most valuable thing becomes the most useful.

STORY 1Once Srila Prabhupada arrived in an airport

after traveling in a jet plane. As usual a crowd of devotees

a press reporter asked Srila Prabhupada

building, that’s all right. But you can talk things under the tree. But if I sit down underneath a

worthless owner ruins the value of a

1. Everything can be used in Krsna’s service – it is only up to you to find the way to use it

GURU 8 - Serpent

86

Jayananda Prabhu once was driving and distributing books in a sankirtan bus party. Along

the way they passed by a peach orchard. And the peaches were ripe. He stopped the vehicle and jumped up into one of the trees. After offering the whole tree, he invited the others to climb up and join him for a peach feast. His idea was not just that he wanted

to eat the fruits himself. But he offered the whole tree thinking that anyone in future who passes this side and happens to taste the fruits of this tree would immediately get Krsna Prasad and their life would be transformed. Thus Jayananda Prabhu was practically demonstrating the example of yukta vairagya.

STORY 2

STORY 3

Once a devotee was driving in a car and the vehicle stopped in a traffic signal. Suddenly a boy belonging to the Islamic faith offered

flowers to this devotee and told him to offer to his God. The devotee declined saying that he did not have any money as he was a brahmacari. Spontaneously, this boy though he was of a different faith, he handed over three strings of flowers to this brahmacari and said, “This is for your God from me.” This devotee was taken aback by the reaction of

this boy and decided that the next day

he was going to use those flowers. He

dressed the deities and he tied one flower string to the lotus feet of Krsna, he tied another one to the hair of

Krsna and the last to the arms of Krsna. The same flower if used in decorating the hair of a woman,in decorating some marriage party, decorating some business function, in welcoming the President of India or in beautifying the form of Krsna; the result may look same to the eye, but to the soul the result is a

different destination. By using this flower in serving Krsna this devotee had assured a great destination for this boy. This is the power of the principle of yukta vairagya.

Suddenly a boy belonging to the Islamic faith offered

another one to the hair of

The same flower if

GURU 8 - Serpent


87

3. Using things that may be earned by some wrong means in Krsna’s service

(E.g. Money coming out of bribes) should be used directly in Krsna‛s service.

2. Dovetailing desires is an art – that is bhakti

Hanumanji had an ability and desire to fight. He was angry; he used it in Rama’s service. Vali had the same ability and anger, but he used it to serve his own ego. Though both of them were monkeys with the same propensity, both used it to

serve different masters (Vali his ego and Hanuman the Lord) and naturally the results were very different. The difference is that the anger of Hanumanji is even now praised and emulated, but the anger of Vali is disapproved of and is not to be followed.

STORY 4

STORY 5During a yatra two small children were fighting with each other and almost on the verge of beating up each

other. When the leader who was a sanyasi saw both of them fighting badly, he approached them and told them, don’t use your energy like this. And he told them I will tell you how to use your energy later, and he walked away. Many days later during the same trip, a thief was caught who had stolen many

costly things from the devotees. And the devotees were going to beat him up. At that time this sanyasi saw this boy standing in the crowd and he went up to him and told him, now is the time to use your energy. By this he was indicating that the propensity to fight and act violent by also has a place, but not among devotees, but among people who try to create disturbance and nuisance in society.

In South India, there is a story of one of the alwars of the Sri Sampradaya who is called Tirumangai alwar. He constructed the Sri Rangam temple for Ranganath. There was an interesting way in which he collected the

funds for this temple. He made a gang of dacoits who would loot all the rich

men and plunder their wealth. With this immense wealth he

made the fabulous temple, which we see in Sri

STORY 6In South India, there is a story of one of the alwars of the Sri Sampradaya who is called Tirumangai alwar. He constructed the Sri Rangam temple for Ranganath. There was an interesting way in which he collected the

funds for this temple. He made a gang of dacoits who would loot all the rich

men and plunder their wealth. With this immense wealth he

made the fabulous temple,

GURU 8 - Serpent

88

GURU 8 - SerpentRangam today.

Though he used wrong manner to get the funds for the temple, he saw to it that not even a penny

was used for his own sense gratification; he used everything fully for the service of the Lord. On the other hand, even Ravana did the same thing in one sense. He would

loot different kingdoms and different planets. And he would get the best things in that planet for his personal enjoyment. He had the pushpak viman and many beautiful girls and the best of all opulences. But he used everything for his own enjoyment.

Rupa Goswami was worshipping the deities of Radha Govindadev in Vrindavan. He himself was staying in a very dilapidated

condition and would stay under a different tree every night. But he had a desire of giving elaborate worship for the Lord. One day a rich merchant seeing the love and devotion of Rupa Goswami decided to help him to build a temple for the deities.

Though Rupa Goswami was not at all interested in his own welfare, but he very much wanted to provide all facilities for the deities. Therefore he immediately accepted the offer of this rich man. Soon a huge temple was constructed for

Radha Govindadev and Rupa Goswami performed elaborate worship there. But for himself he still continued to stay under trees with minimum

needs. This is the concept of a devotee using everything in Krishna’s service.

STORY 7

Lord. One day a rich merchant seeing the love and devotion of


89

The teacher should begin the second session of this Serpent Guru with the recitation of slokas first.

SLOKA RECITATION

The teacher should begin the class by chanting all the verses of the 24 Gurus with the children all together.

Chant the second verse of the 24 Gurus again.



One should not imitate the activities of great personalities. One should be detached from material enjoyment and should accept everything in connection with Kåñëa’s service.

LESSONS FROM GURU – (DUDE)

Compromise principles in the name of dovetailing in Krsna’s service. E.g. – Drinking coca cola and saying I am drinking to offer this to Krsna

Beware of Yukta Vairagya. Do not think we can use everything in Krishna consciousness. If one is removing a thorn with another, one has to be extremely careful. Else both the thorns may prick him.

GURU 8 - Serpent2/2 60 mins 120 mins

The teacher should begin the class by chanting all the verses of the 24 Gurus

Chant the second verse of the 24 Gurus again.

4. Dangers of yukta vairagya philosophy

1.Everything can be used in Krsna’s service – it is only up to you to find the way to use it

2.Dovetailing desires is an art – that is bhakti

3.Using things that may be earned by some wrong means in Krsna’s service

4.Dangers of yukta vairagya philosophy

GURU 8 - Serpent

90

GURU 8 - SerpentSTORY 8 - SRILA PRABHUPADA & 7 UP

Once Srila Prabhupada was traveling from one city to another in the US and on the flight Srila Prabhupada was feeling a bit uneasy due to some gas in his stomach. In the meantime an airhostess

came up to Srila Prabhupada offering him a 7up. Prabhupada had that small glass and it

immediately gave him some relief and Prabhupada went on to have one or two of those small glasses. So by the time the flight landed and Prabhupada reached the temple he went to his room he was shocked to see some boxes of canned 7ups lying in the room.

On questioning the devotees it was revealed that they were told some devotees traveling with Prabhupada that he liked it. Srila Prabhupada simply rubbished the claim.Devotees started having the drink justifying that Prabhupada has had it and till today we see this happening.So we must be careful in implementing the principle of yukta vairagya as sometimes it may not be the way we think. It may be that because we have a desire to enjoy something, we justify our weaknesses.

immediately gave him some relief and

Does being a devotee means you cannot perform well in the world? Does it mean that you cannot compete with everyone? Name devotees who are competent in the material world as well as exemplary in their devotional lives. Give five names of such devotees in the scriptures, mentioning which field they are competent in and also which of their devotional qualities are known. And also give five names of devotees in today’s world, mentioning which field they are competent in and also which of their devotional qualities is known.

Devotees from scriptures:1. Arjuna – Expert in archery, could defeat Indra, Shiva, etc and he was known for his friendship with Krsna.

2. Narottama Das Thakur – Sanskrit Scholar and a prince – he is known for his composition of devotional songs and for preaching to many people like Chandra Rai, etc.

3. King Prataprudra – He was the king of Orissa but for the sake of associating with Lord Caitanya he was ready to give up everything. And as a king he used his position to spread Krishna Consciousness and assist Lord Caitanya.


91

4. Sivananda Sen – He was expert in management and would arrange travel and accommodation and prasad for thousands of people to travel for months together. He did this for years when devotees from Bengal would travel to Puri to meet Lord Caitanya. He also was expert in accounts. Not only materially, but also he was spiritually very profound and was loved by Lord Caitanya for his service attitude.

5. Rupa Goswami – Scholar in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, Bengali and many other languages. Was the finance minister of Nawab Hussain Shah. Wrote many books about Krishna Consciousness, which are still the guidebooks for our movement.

Devotees in today’s world:1. Alfred Ford – Owner of the Ford Motors. Spiritually contributing for the construction of the Mayapur vedic planetarium and serving in so many other ways fulfilling the instructions of Srila Prabhupada.

2. George Harrison – Most famous of the Beetles music group. Was a follower of Srila Prabhupada and composed many albums glorifying Krsna. Most devotees in Europe and US became devotees through his music. Their first touch with Krsna was George Harrisson.

3. Bhakti Vinod Thakur – District Magistrate during the British times, author of 100’s of books. Though he was great in his judgement, he was even greater in his devotion. His songs are practically the vedic scriptures. He is practically the first person to envision a worldwide preaching movement.

4. Hrishikesh Mafatlal – Eminent industrialist, Chairman of the Mafatlal Industries. Was the chairperson in the board of IIM Ahmedabad for more than 12 years? But his contribution as a devotee is extremely great. In spite of his services and his position he is completely down-to-earth.

5. Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur – Scholar in several languages, expert in astrology and astronomy, wrote the surya siddhanta and was called the walking encyclopedia. Yet spiritually he had performed a 10 year vrata of chanting 1 crore names of Krsna (192 rounds a day for 10 years). He established 64 temples all over India. Sent his disciples to preach all over the world.

GURU 8 - Serpent

92

Can devotees not use science and technology in Krsna’s service? What are the danger and the caution for devotees? - Thinking that science is supreme - Caution – even the brain and the idea that scientists get is the creation of God

ConclusionHOW IS IT RELEVANT IN MY LIFE?

Everything is a creation of God, so naturally everything can be used in His service. It is only up to us to think carefully and use it. But at the same time there is a tendency to justify things that are unacceptable using this concept of yukta vairagya. Human mind always wants to do things, which it is not supposed to. Therefore it is necessary that we discriminate everything using our intelligence and consult seniors when there is confusion. For example, a man told a devotee that he also offers everything to Krishna including wine. This is foolishness in the guise of yukta vairagya. Basically the main point is discrimination while using this principle. Safest way is to follow the footsteps of the acaryas and senior devotees who know what to and what not to do.

Also a quick recap of the guru and his teachings.

GURU 8 - Serpent

How will you use the following in Krishna’s service?

2. If you get a 21” plasma T.V, will you accept it?

___________________________

1. If your uncle gives you a farmhouse in a remote part of the forest, how will you use it?

___________________________

3. If someone gives you a digital camera with high zoom facility, what will you do with it?

___________________________

Guru08 13 15

Education

Transcript of Guru08 13 15