Obstacles Bhakti - Kunjeshwari Home

Obstacles in Bhakti
Vivek das – I understand everything. But why do I not feel hungry? Why do
I not feel this ‘sense of lacking’? I know everything is temporary. I realize
that my mind is absorbed in material things, and so I am not remembering
Sri Bhagavân. Yet, why do I not feel any sense of lacking?
Gour Kripa – “I am not hungry” – this means I must have eaten something.
Had I not eaten, surely I would have felt hungry. Similarly, if we don’t feel
we are lacking Sri Bhagavân, it means that we are still attached to material
things. Material objects do not mean only money, house, relatives etc.
It also includes the desire for respect and fame. It is easy to forsake
house, relatives and friends, but it is extremely difficult to give up the desire
for honor and glory.
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If we are attached to other material things, it is possible we
will survive, but if the craving for recognition enters our heart
even once, it will kill any possibility of spiritual survival. It
destroys the heart of a sâdhak just as a ferocious tigress tears
open its prey. Our Goswâmis have called the desire for fame
as a ‘tigress’.
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ce the sâdhak falls prey to this vampiress called ‘honor’, he is finished. She
will suck the blood out of him. There is no more hope for any spiritual
progress. I cannot tell you how much the desire for respect can ruin a
sâdhak. If the sâdhak falls once in the clutches of this enemy, all his spiritual
endeavors will go in vain.
When we think deeply, we realize that the world is temporary. Sri Bhagavân
is my only friend. Although we say this, we do not show it in action. However
if this feeling becomes firm, then automatically we will thing about Sri
Bhagavân. We will not have to make any special effort for the same. We will
not find ras in material things any more. Listen, I’ll tell you a story.
Once upon a time, there was a King. He suffered from some incurable illness.
He had seen many doctors, but they could not cure him. Therefore, the King
gave up all hopes for living and spent his time in misery. One day a sage
arrived in the palace. The King served him carefully. The sage too became
extremely happy with the King. Now the time of farewell arrived. The sage
told the King –“Mahârâj, you have served me well. I am most satisfied.
Please tell me what I can do for you.” The King said, “See, O great soul, I do
not lack anything material. However, I have been suffering from an incurable
illness since many days. Please, can you cure me of this illness?”
The sage said, “Mahârâj, I will most certainly rid you of the illness, but you
have to obey my command. Otherwise the medicine will have no effect.”
“Look Mahârâj”, continued the sage, “As long as I give you the medicine, you
must not desire for material enjoyment. If you have any such desire, the
medicine will become ineffective. All this while, you have to practice celibacy.
You cannot even see the face of a woman. If you promise to obey me, then I
will give you the medicine.” The King was overjoyed. He said, “O great one! I
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