Fwd: [granthraj] Caring for Others

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

 

When we are in pain and if someone comes to meet us, we don't even care to inquire about their well-being. Either we avoid them or complain to them about the pains we are suffering or we even chastise them for not coming and meeting us earlier. This is because we do not genuinely love or care for others. But we can learn from Mahajans like Bhishmadev as to how we should behave. When Bhishmadev is lying on the bed of arrows, Krishna is going to meet him along with Pandavas and all the sages in the battle-field. On seeing Yudhisthir Maharaj, Bhishmadev says in Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.9.12

 

aho kashtam aho 'nyaayam / yad yuyam dharma-nandanaah
jivitum naarhatha klishtum  / vipra-dharmaacyutaashrayaaha

 

"Bhishmadeva said: Oh, what terrible sufferings and what terrible injustices you good souls suffer for being the sons of religion personified. You did not deserve to remain alive under those tribulations, yet you were protected by the brahmanas, God and religion."

 

In this situation Bhishmadev is actually lying in bed of arrows and is suffering from so much bodily pains. He is the one who is now undergoing so much terrible suffering and injustice throughout the life. But inspite of all these pains, he is welcoming all of them very nicely and speaking to Pandavas with so much love and care. Whenever we study about Bhishmadev and his glorious qualities, we are always reminded of our beloved spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj. Maharaj always welcomes everyone with loving smile and inquires the well-being, irrespective of whatever situation he is in. Even during the final days when Maharaj was in Bhaktivedanta hospital in Mumbai, suffering due to breathlessness, oxygen saturation and so many bodily pains, Maharaj mercifully extended to give darshan to all of us and genuinely inquired about the health condition of the devotees. Actually he was the one who was undergoing terrible suffering. But his loving and caring inquiries infact made people who went to meet Maharaj really wonder whether he was really in his final days. Only the devotees who served Maharaj knew how much he was extending himself for these meetings. As a true acarya he has shown us by his own personal example as to how we should treat others.

 

 Our pains are actually nothing when compared to such great devotees like Bhishmadev or Maharaj. We are lying in cushion beds and still fail to care for others or realise their pains and as Maharaj says we just walk like bamboo sticks when they meet us. Let us take the lessons from these great souls. We cannot definitely imitate them. But atleast let us not be miserly in our words, when we meet someone and genuinely smile at people and inquire about their well-being, appreciate the good qualities in them without expecting that others should also reciprocate accordingly.  Such loving dealings without any expectations will save us from unwanted adhyaatmic and adhibhautik miseries as well. Such miseries occur more when we keep ourselves in the center. Instead if we keep Krishna in the center and see everyone else as His parts and parcels, then we will not hesitate to greet them or talk with them lovingly.

 

Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Kalacakra Krsna das and Sudarshana devi dasi.

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