“Oh GOSH! Reflecting on Hackteria's Collaborative Practices in a Global Do-It...
08 07 lesson-05
1. STANDARD
VIII
CHAPTER 07
DEVOTION
You can know Krishna only by hearing from Krishna
Lesson-05
WHO COMES TO KRISHNA TO TAKE HIS SHELTER?
Krishna says: Four kinds of pious men begin to render
devotional service unto Me—thedistressed, the desirer of
wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for
knowledge. Krishna calls them magnanimous because
unless one is sinless he cannot come to Krishna.
Apart from these, there are pure devotees of Krishna
whom Krishna loves the most. Such pure devotees have
nothingto ask from Krishna. They simply want to serve
Krishna life after life. That is the mood of Vrajavasis
(residents of Vrindavan, the eternal home of Krishna).
Krishna is everything for them. Krishna is their very life.
EVERYTHING COMES FROM KRISHNA. DOES IT MEAN
THAT EVERYTHING IS KRISHNA?
2. Just like sun-rays come from the sun, but the sun-rays are
not same as the sun. Similarly everything comes from
Krishna and everything is energy of Krishna, but
everything is not same as Krishna. In this regard, there is
a pastime of Lord Caitanya who is Krishna Himself in His
most merciful form. (Who was known as Nimai in His
childhood)
Nimai eats dirt
So littleNimai was playing in the courtyard and mother
Shaci comes with nice food preparations. Nimai starts
eating dirt. MotherShaci asks why areYou eating dirt?
Nimai says, “Everything comes from earth. So these
foodstuffs also come from earth. So everything is one.”
Then mother Shaci explains to Him that although the
source of everything is earth, the pot can be used for
storing water but the mud can not. Similarly, foodstuffs
will make you healthy but dirt will make you sick. So
they are not the same.
MORAL: Lord enacted thispastimeto instruct theworld
that althoughthe causeof everythingis Lord, everything
is not same as the Lord. So this is called the acintya
bhedabhed(or simultaneousonenessand difference)
philosophy.
3. CAN YOU SHOW ME KRISHNA RIGHT NOW? HAVE YOU
SEEN GOD?
Seeing God requires qualification, God is not revealed to
everyone and anyone. We need to develop qualification to
see Krishna, renderingselfless service to Him and
becoming completelyclean in our heart. Only then
Krishna becomes visible to us and not otherwise.
Can you see professor’s brain?
A freshman in college started his first day of philosophy
class. His professor was clearly an atheist, and started the
class by saying the following:
"Students, is there anyonehere who can see God? If so,
raise your hand. If anyone can hear God, raise your hand."
If anyone here can smell God, raise your hand."
After a short pause, with no response from any of the
students, he concluded, "Since no one of you can see,
hear, or smell God -- there is no God.
A student then raised his hand and asked to address the
class. The student then asked, "Students, can anyonehere
see the professor's brain? Can anyone here hear the
professor's brain? Can anyone here smell the professor's
brain?" After a short pause, he concluded, "Since no one
can see, hear, or smell the professor's brain -- it appears
he has no brain!"
4. MORAL: Lord cannot be seen by ordinary vision; He is
revealed only to those who serve him in pure devotion
and are completely clean in heart.