Obstacles Bhakti - Kunjeshwari Home

Obstacles in Bhakti
We should accept only Sri Krishna as our protector. It should not be like this
that as soon as we fall in trouble we start worshiping some other god, wear
their amulets and recite their prayer. In every trouble and tribulation we
should be firm in the faith that Sri Krishna is my only protector.
We should surrender completely unto His lotus feet. Complete
surrender means to sell ourselves to Sri Krishna’s lotus feet. When a man
sells his cow to another person he does not worry anymore about what and
how to feed it. In the same way when we surrender we should not worry
either about ourselves or about anything else. In case we feel worried, we
should know that we have not surrendered. After surrendering we will notice
that we are now performing bhajan only to please Sri Govinda. We will
neither want nor get anything other than Sri Govinda’s pleasure. If we ask
for anything, we will look like a fool. Why? We don’t know to ask! Listen, I’ll
tell you a story-
Once upon a time a brahmin was in need of some money. He went to the
king. The king seated him with respect and asked him the cause of his
arrival. The brahmin said – “O king, all of a sudden I needed some money. I
thought – whom should I ask? I came to you.” The king smiled and said,
“Please be seated, I will return immediately.” And the king went inside the
palace. There he met his eldest son and told him, “Look son, a brahmin
whom I know has come to me. He wants some rupees. Tell me, how much
should I give?”
The prince replied, “Give him one hundred rupees.” The king was not pleased
with this suggestion. He started thinking. Meanwhile his eldest daughter, who
was passing by, saw him. “Father, why are you standing here? What are you
thinking?” she asked. The king told her about the brahmin. The princess said,
“Why don’t you give him two hundred rupees?” Even this idea did not please
the king. Just then his youngest son saw him and asked him the cause of his
worry. The king told him why the brahmin had approached him. The
youngest prince said, “What is there to worry about? Just give him five
hundred rupees, that’s all!” The king was still not satisfied. He kept on
thinking, what if this money is not enough to fulfill the brahmin’s
requirements? Then the brahmin might think, “See, I went to the King, yet
he gave me such a small amount.” If this happens it will be a great insult.
Therefore the king was worried. Just then the youngest princess passed by;
she saw her father and asked, “Why are you standing here? What are you
thinking?” The king said, “My dear, I am very worried. A brahmin whom I
happen to know, needs some rupees. I am not able to decide how much I
should give him; you decide and tell me how many rupees should I give?”
The youngest princess said, “You are really crazy! Why don’t you simply ask
him how much he needs? Why do you bother your head?” Saying this she
quickly strutted out. At last the king was pleased. “Yes! I should ask the one
who requires the money. It is not my headache.” The king approached the
brahmin and asked, “O venerable sir, how many rupees do you need?” The
brahmin thought a while and said, “O king, a total of ten rupees will suffice.”
The king looked at him in astonishment. He has come to a king just for ten
rupees! The brahmin saw the look on the king’s face and thought, “I have
asked too much! The king looks embarrassed!” so he scratched his head and
said meekly, “Mahâraj, for the time being, five rupees will be enough.” The
king was shocked.
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