Our Visa for Vraja - Part 2

Date: 2011-08-19 Author: Vaijayantimala dasi

Hare Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble pranams! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev!

This is in continuation of the previous offering sharing the points from the class delivered by HG Sajjanapriya Prabhuji on the occasion of the appearance day of Lord on 14th August, 2011.

In the previous offering on this topic we saw the following essential qualities we should acquire to confirm our visa for entry into Vraja.

1. Joyful in nature 2. Constant chanting of Krishna’s glories 3. Becoming equipoised 4. Simple living

Now let us continue to see the other lessons.

5. Encouragement and appreciation: In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 10.18.13 we see that, "While the other boys were dancing, O King, Krishna and Balarama would sometimes accompany them with song and instrumental music, and sometimes the two Lords would praise the boys, saying, 'Very good! Very good!'"

Our beloved Guru Maharaj says that encouragement is Krishna consciousness. This quality of encouraging and appreciating the living entities is very much important for us to imbibe. We have all taken up the process of devotional service mainly because of the encouragement and appreciation by our most beloved Guru maharaj. We do not deserve any appreciation being completely under the modes and we are actually worthy of rejection, but Maharaj who is so broad minded, has not only accepted us but also appreciated us. In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 4.22.16, the Lord is referred to as, "atma bhaavanah" – always wishing to elevate the living entities. The gopas were not expert in singing and dancing, but the Lord still appreciated them. So we have to encourage all the living entities. Especially in yuga, anybody taking to devotional service of the Lord, has become a rare phenomena. Our tendency is that we appreciate only those who are appreciating us. If somebody is finding fault with us, we just ignore them or condemn them. Sometimes when some devotees stray away from devotional service, we should feel repentant and try to see their difficulties and encourage them in devotional service. Our tendency is that if some devotee does not come for programs we simply conclude that devotee is not interested in devotional service and is in maya. Our tendency is to put them down. Already they are in threshold of leaving the devotee association and by our behaviour we worsen the situation. Our Gurudev says that, "How can we conclude that the devotee is in maya? We do not know. May be he is performing devotional service at home. We should be encouraging and guiding all the souls coming to devotional service, by not only ensuring their spiritual well-being but their material well-being also. Unless they are materially placed nicely they, would not be consistent in spiritual upliftment."

6. Accept the Krishna and Guru as our leader: When the cowherd boys were playing games, they chose Krishna and Balarama as the leaders of the two parties. In our life also, Krishna and Balaram should be our leaders and accepting a leader means we have to follow the leader's instruction. Krishna and Guru should be our leader and we should unhesitatingly follow Their instructions. A leader knows everything. It is said that Krishna is 'sarva darshanah' and 'vihaara vit' – one who knows everything. But we are choosing the leaders who are completely devoid of any spiritual knowledge as political leaders and the result is chaos.

7. Carry the Lord in the heart to subdue the demoniac mentalities: According to the rules of the game the boys were playing, the winners would climb up on the back of the losers who would have to carry them. Demon Pralamba had assumed the form of a cowherd boy and he entered their midst with the intention of kidnapping Krishna and Balarama. Pralamba was in the losing team and he carried Balarama. At that point, Srimad Bhagavatam explains in verse 10.18.26:

tam udvahan dharaṇi-dharendra-gauravaṁ mahāsuro vigata-rayo nijaṁ vapuḥ

As the great demon carried Balarama, the Lord became as heavy as massive Mount Sumeru, and Pralamba had to slow down.

In the verse, the word 'vigatah rayah' means losing his momentum. When we carry the Lord in our hearts very closely, our demoniac mentality loses its intensity. The more we remember Balaram, and acaryas like Srila Prabhupada and our spiritual master, the more the demoniac mentality will disappear. The more we come to the satsangs and associate with devotees and Srimad Bhagavatam, our demoniac mentality will subdue.

Our sincere devotional service, depending on the mercy of the Lord by carrying Him in our hearts, will reduce the lead time required to recover from the reversals and remember our actual position as the servants of the Lord.

Krishna willing, the last and the most important lesson that we learn from this pastime shall be offered in the next mail.

Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev, Vaijayantimala devi dasi, Abu Dhabi.