Obstacles Bhakti - Kunjeshwari Home

Obstacles in Bhakti
The young man was shocked. He remained silent for some time and
pondered. “It is true. The stool was indeed superior before. I am responsible
for its sorry state. So it is better than me.” Meanwhile he spotted a worm in
the stool and said, “Alright, but what about the worm in this stool? Everyone
hates it. I will take it to Gurudev. “As soon as he bent forward to pick up the
worm, he felt the stool talking again, “You there! Dare you touch it! You
reduced me to this hateful state, while this worm will liberate me from this
hideous form. It will eat me and mix me with the soil. I will mix with earth
and help trees and plants to grow. They will blossom into beautiful flowers
and fruits that the Lord will accept as sevâ. Once again, I will become
blessed. The worm is my friend and you think he is hateful? Who is great -
you, who have reduced me to this horrible state, or the worm who will
reinstate me to a glorious form? Will you be able to do what the worm does?
You think you are a man and so you have the right to feel proud! Go away!”
The youth bowed his head, paid obeisance to the worm in the stool. He went
to his Gurudev, hanged his head in shame and stood in silence. Gurudev
asked him, “What happened? Did you bring the most hateful object of all?”
The youth uttered a cry, threw himself at Gurudev’s feet and said,” O my
Lord! I could not find a more hateful object than myself. Please forgive me.”
Gurudev smiled at him in joy, and said, “My child, you have realized the
truth. Come, let me give you dikshâ.”
Therefore, you understand that the great devotees accept only the good
qualities of others. Sri Bhagavân has bestowed one or the other good quality
in every living being. Therefore, a devotee must see only the good in others
and not consider his faults.
This creation is like a machine. A machine has many parts. Every part plays
some role in running the machine. Now if I think the big part of the machine
is doing more work and the small part is doing less work, I will be committing
a great mistake. If that small part stops working, the entire machine will
halt. In the same manner, In Sri Bhagavân’s creation, all living beings – big
or small, are functioning according to His will. If I am so ignorant as to think
I am better than others are, I am a fool. This is ‘Maya’ or ‘illusion’. When we
gain Bhakti Devi’s kripâ, we do not consider anyone small, rather we feel
ourselves to be inferior. Just see how humble is Thakur Mahâshay 1 in Prembhakti-chandrika
–
mo sama patita nâi tribhubone dekho châi
narottam-paban nâm dhoro
Meaning – “Look everywhere - there is none so fallen as myself. Please
deliver me from my sins and take the name –‘The One Who purified
Narottam’.”
See how humble is Nâmâchârya Sri Haridâs Thâkur! He never entered
Jagannâth Mandir lest his touch should defile anybody! Sriman-Mahaprabhu
would celebrate with His devotees while Haridâs Thâkur, who was capable of
purifying the Devatâs, would remain afar because he thought he was
untouchable.
1 Srila Narottam dâs Thâkur Mahâshay
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