"Yes Sir" Date: 2005-12-21 Author: Sudarshana devi dasi Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev. We must obey and respect our elders. We should remember that we are neophytes in this world, whereas they are more experienced. Especially one must obey the words of father. In Tamil we have a famous proverb which states that there is no better mantra than the words of one's father. In Srimad Bhagavatam, verse 3.24.13, Lord Brahma, the father of the human race, pleased with his obedient son Kardama Muni, has very nicely explained the manner in which one has to obey the words of the father: etāvaty eva śuśrūṣā kāryā pitari putrakaiḥ bāḍham ity anumanyeta gauraveṇa guror vacaḥ Sons ought to render service to their father exactly to this extent. One should obey the command of his father or spiritual master with due deference, saying, "Yes, sir." In his wonderful purport to the above verse, Srila Prabhupada very nicely explains that, "Whatever the father and the spiritual master order should be taken without argument: "Yes." There should be no instance in which the disciple or the son says, "This is not correct. I cannot carry it out." When he says that, he is fallen. The father and the spiritual master are on the same platform because a spiritual master is the second father." In the Vedic age, children were all obedient to their father and gurus. When Dronacaharya asked Ekalavya to offer him his thumb, Ekalavya did it without hesitation. When King Dasaratha asked Lord Ram to go to the forest for 14 years, Lord Ram offered obeisances to him and immediately followed his father's orders. Who else could be a better example for obedience than Him? But nowadays in the name of modern advancements, we foolishly think that we know better and question the instructions of elders. We waste our time arguing against them and spend time unnecessarily re- inventing the wheel. When we fail to follow their instructions, we subsequently fall into a pool of miseries. Lord Krishna while instructing Arjuna about the austerity of the body has also confirmed the importance of respecting parents, elders, and spiritual masters through verse 17.14 in Bhagavad Gita: deva-dvija-guru-prājña- pūjanaṁ śaucam ārjavam brahmacaryam ahiṁsā ca śārīraṁ tapa ucyate Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Supreme Lord, the Brahmanas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanliness, simplicity, celibacy, and nonviolence. So in order to save ourselves from dangerous conditions, we should obey the orders of father and spiritual master just like how soldiers follow the orders of their commander-in-chief. Thank you very much, Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev, Sudarshana devi dasi.