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Story 9: "All Glories to Balam Rice and Cow Ghee"

     One landlord was having difficulty keeping house-servants. After a few days of work, they would leave his employ. He was ever having to search out new help; his household was thus never properly managed.

     He mentioned this problem to a friend of his. "Why is it so difficult for me to keep even one steady servant at home?"

     His friend replied, "Take my advice and your next servant will cling to his job even if you want to get rid of him. See, you've got to feed these people well. Feed him fine Balam rice with cow's ghee twice a day. After six months of this diet that servant will be unable to leave your employment, even if you overwork him."

     The landlord followed his friend's advice. After six months of feeding his servant Balam rice and cow's ghee, he increased his work load. The servant became unhappy and com- plained, but the landlord kept up his demands. Finally the servant left. But within a day he had returned. He'd gone around looking for other employment, but found no one who served Balam rice and cow's ghee to the household help. Having grown too attached to this diet, the servant, though he tried to abandon the landlord several times, was always forced to relent and return to his duty.

     When the landlord again met his friend after having tested his advice, he rejoiced "All glories to Balam rice and cow ghee!"

     This story illustrates a preaching strategy used by spirit- ual masters of the Krsna consciousness movement. Hardly anyone wants to render selfless service to the Supreme Lord. Everyone is attracted to material gain, position, reputation, religion, wealth, fruitive work or liberation. These goals constitute the basis of almost everyone's work in this world. Therefore genuine spiritual masters manage the Krsna consciousness movement in such a way that neophyte devotees get "Balam rice and cows ghee" daily. Thus the aspiring Vaisnavas become satisfied and more willing to engage themselves in Krsna's service. Balam rice and cows ghee actually symbolize the position, honor and reputation that a spiritual master bestows upon neophyte devotees who render service pleasing to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga.

Story 10: Lalu and Kalu

     A grocer had two sons named Lalu and Kalu. He wanted them to be trained in the use of weights and measurements so that they'd be of help to him in his business. And so he hired a tutor to educate them. But these boys were incorrigibly naughty, and the tutor quit in disgust. So the grocer hired another--with the same result. And another, who fared no better that his predecessors.

     Finally the grocer announced that the tutor who could just accomplish two things with his boys--that they learn to count to one hundred and they quit the bad habit of smoking that they'd developed at an early age--would be given one half of his business assets.

     An elderly and experienced brahmin volunteered to the challenge. The father arranged that the boys would remain always in the teacher's sight. The brahmin then took the boys for a walk. He pointed out a cow to them and asked Lalu, "Can you tell me how many legs that cow has?"

     Lalu replied, "Surely" and began to count: "One, two, three.."

     Just then Kalu put his hand over Lalu's mouth. "Brother!" Kalu cried. "Now stop! That crafty brahmin is just trying to teach you how to count! So Lalu became silent.

     After more such futile efforts at teaching them numbers, the old brahmin finally decided it was time for recess. So he led them to a room where they all might rest. The two boys im- mediately laid themselves down and feigned sleep, snoring loudly. The brahmin thought, "Now that these two young rascals are asleep, I may also safely sleep." He happily took a nap, being tired from minding the grocer's sons all day.

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