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Прочитано: 90% |
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Прочитано: 90% |
As a dowry gift, a man was given a cot, which was actually very cheap and was soon broken. To save face, the man took to sleeping on the bare ground in a pretended mood of renunciation. He also began preaching to all and everyone that a life of comfort and material opulence is illusion; everyone should give up their attachments and practice austerities, as he was doing by sleeping on the bare ground.
This story exemplifies the spirit of false renunciation that arises in the mind of a materialist when he becomes somehow frustrated in his attempt to enjoy sense objects. If it were not for the frustration, he would certainly have continued to enjoy his senses. But barring that, he tries to find satisfaction in advertising himself as a greatly renounced soul. This is just another phase of self-centered materialism. Pure devotees never advertise themselves as renunciates, even though they are perfect in renunciation. Their renunciation is done for Krsna, not for personal considerations.
Harakanta Cakravati was famous for his Vaisnavism in his rural locale. People would say, "Cakravarti Thakur never accepts any food unless it is offered to the Lord."
Once at a Pous-samkranti festival, Cakravarti bought some popcorn for his wife's lunch. By chance a strong wind came up and blew a quantity of popcorn from the paper bag. It so happened that at this moment some friends of his came by and say the flying popcorn. Feeling a little foolish in front of them, Cakravarti thought he could save his dignity by ceremonially dumping out the rest of the bag and letting all the popcorn fly with the wind. As he did this he chanted, Govindaya Namah.
While speaking with his friends, his son came running up, having been sent by his mother to the festival. "Father, Mum awaits her popcorn," he said to his father in front of everyone. She says that you're a little late with it. Can you give it to me so that I can bring it to her?" In this way Cakravarti's friends learned the truth of the "offering."
Just as the previous story illustrated false renuncation, so this story illustrates false devotion displayed for personal prestige due to frustration of one's plans in sense enjoyment.
A boy wanted to seize the moon. Though his parents explained that this desire could not be fulfilled, he insisted that it must be fulfilled. They finally brought him to the top of a high building. Though he stretched his arms out as much as he could, he could still not catch the moon in his grip. Then he started cursing the sky for being too high. "Damn sky! Let go of the moon! Why do you keep it out of my reach? Rascal!" He began spitting into the sky, and of course it all fell back into his own face.
This story is meant to illustrate the folly of criticizing one's own spiritual master. Whatever criticism one may make in foolish self-righteousness, it all flies back in his own face.
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