Narada’s Pride in overcoming lust

Story: Narada’s Pride in overcoming lust!

Narada Muni is never touched by Maya,but sometimes he played the part of a conditioned soul nitya baddha for our instruction.

While once doing meditation, some beautiful apsaras from the heavenly planets came down to his asrama in an attempt to seduce him.

However, Narada was so absorbed in spiritual consciousness that he was quite unaffected. Although they had tried to make him fall down, he did not curse them, but, smiling, merely told them to leave.

However, after they had gone, Narada Muni began to feel very proud of himself. Becoming overwhelmed with false ego, he approached his father Lord Brahma, and proudly declared that he had overcome lust.

Although congratulating him, his father Brahma anxiously warned him to keep this to himself, and not to tell Sankara or Lord Visnu.

However, not heeding this advice, Narada Muni next approached Sankara, and told him the same thing.

After praising him warmly, Sankara cautioned him against telling this to Visnu.

But Narada, blinded by pride, at once approached the Lord.

Glorifying Him, he declared:

"O omniscient Lord, by Your mercy I have overcome lust!"

Although outwardly appearing pleased with him, Lord Visnu could see the disease that had come in Narada Muni's heart, and knew that if left unchecked it would spread throughout his whole body and kill him.

Therefore, to save him, He created an illusory world. Within that world there was a king with an incomparably beautiful daughter, whom he wanted to marry off.

By the Lord's arrangement, Narada met the king, who told him that he could also compete for her hand in marriage, but that he was leaving the ultimate choice of husband in her hands.

Upon seeing her, Narada Muni fell completely in love with her. However, he knew that she would never consider him.

So he immediately went to Lord Visnu, saying:

"O Lord, I have never asked you for anything. But now I have an urgent request. Please make me as beautiful as Yourself!"

Smiling affectionately, the Lord answered:

"Yes, I must certainly act for your welfare. I will surely help you."

Having received the Lord's blessings, Narada Muni left and went to the princess, feeling sure that she would not be able to resist him now.

However, upon arriving, he was surprised that the princess seemed not even to notice him. She even appeared faintly disgusted by his presence. Although he walked very closely to her, and indicated by his facial expressions that he was the best choice of partner that she could possibly make, it was all to no avail.

Meanwhile, two of Narada's godbrothers continually praised him sarcastically, saying that there was no-one in the world so beautiful and irresistible as him.

However, Narada Muni was so blinded by lust, that he did not at all realise that they were only mocking him. He had completely forgotten Visnu, and was sunk in lust.

While Narada Muni was trying so hard to woo the princess, suddenly Lord Visnu arrived on the back of Garuda.

As soon as the beautiful princess set eyes on the Lord, she knew that He was the person she wanted as her husband.

She put her garland on Him, Who, smiling, took her onto His lap, and at once flew off with her.

Narada could not believe his eyes. His worshipable Lord, in Whom he had given his implicit trust, had now insulted and cheated him.

Then, seeing his reflection in some water, he recoiled in horror to see the face of a monkey staring back at him.

Furiously, Narada went and confronted Lord Visnu, and proceeded to curse Him and the princess.

"Although I have had to suffer separation from my beloved for only one hour, I curse You to take birth on the earth, where you will be forced to suffer separation from the princess for one year!"

Then Lord Visnu lifted the veil of Yogamaya, and Narada realised the real situation. The princess was none other than Laksmi devi herself.

Repenting most wretchedly, he cried out:

"O Lord! I was in such an illusion, but you were only trying to help me. I have committed such aparadha against You."

However, the Lord was overjoyed to have His devotee back, and answered:

"I am very happy to undergo the effects of your curse. As Sita and Rama, Laksmi and I will advent on the planet earth, and by hearing the heart-rending story of our tribulations and pastimes, people will very easily attain Vaikuntha."

The Lord went on to explain that the material world is such a dangerous place, that one may very easily be derailed at any time, and that we must therefore be very careful.

Moral of the story:

This is the situation of all conditioned souls in this world. One controlled by lust becomes bereft of all intelligence and discrimination, just as Narada was.

In that condition, we criticise many Vaisnavas, and think that we are so qualified. So we must be very careful.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefitted by hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.

Crow search for happiest bird in the world

Story: Crow search for happiest bird in the world

A crow lived in the forest and was absolutely satisfied in life. But one day he saw a swan. "This swan is so white," he thought, "and I am so black. This swan must be the happiest bird in the world."

He expressed his thoughts to the swan. "Actually," the swan replied, "I was feeling that I was the happiest bird around until I saw a parrot, which has two colors. I now think the parrot is the happiest bird in creation."

The crow then approached the parrot. The parrot explained, "I lived a very happy life until I saw a peacock. I have only two colors, but the peacock has multiple colors."

The crow then visited a peacock in the zoo and saw that hundreds of people had gathered to see him. After the people had left, the crow approached the peacock, "Dear peacock," the crow said, "you are so beautiful. Every day thousands of people come to see you. When people see me, they immediately shoo me away. I think you are the happiest bird on the planet."

The peacock replied, "I always thought that I was the most beautiful and happy bird on the planet. But because of my beauty, I am entrapped in this zoo. I have examined the zoo very carefully, and I have realized that the crow is the only bird not kept in a cage. So for past few days I have been thinking that if I were a crow, I could happily roam everywhere."
( Source unknown )

Moral of the story:

This is our problem too. We make unnecessary comparison with others and become sad, instead of counting our blessings from the Lord, thus leading to the vicious cycle of unhappiness. There will always be someone who will have more or less than what we have.

So the happiest person is the satisfied person.

That is why we see that Lord Vamanadeva very categorically states in Srimad Bhagavatam 8.19.24

yadrcchayopapannena / santushto vartate sukham
naasantushtas tribhir lokair / ajitaatmopasaaditaih

"One should be satisfied with whatever he achieves by his previous destiny, for discontent can never bring happiness. A person who is not self-controlled will not be happy even with possessing the three worlds."

"If happiness is the ultimate goal of life, one must be satisfied with the position in which he is placed by providence."

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this
moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefitted by hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.

Krishna is very sick has high fever

Krishna Story: Krishna is very sick has high fever!

In Dwarka, Krishna once manifest His jvara-lila. He was shivering with high fever. Narada Muni came and saw Krishna shivering:

“What happened?”

“High fever.”

Then Narada Muni said, “I will get some medicine for You. Then You will be cured of the fever.”

Krishna said, “Oh Narada, there is no medicine for My body. Only one medicine is there. If you can get it, then I will be cured. If you go to some of My devotees and beg some dust from their feet, that is the medicine for Me. No other medicine will work for this body.”

Narada thought, “Here in Dwarka thre are so many humdreds of thousands of queens, Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati and others. Surely they will give some dust.” So he approached them. “Krishna is sick. He has a high fever and the medicine is with you. Please give me some dust of your feet so Krishna will be cured.”

They said, “Oh, what are you saying? Krishna Is our revered husband. Shall we give dust from our feet and go to hell? Get out! We cannot give.” They would not give.

Then Narada went to Vrajabhumi. Seeing Narada Muni, all of the gopis ran to him. Narada wanders everywhere, so the gopis thought, “He can gives us information about Krishna and inform Krishna how we are always thinking of Him and feeling acute pangs of separation from Him.”

Narada Muni said, “Yes, I have information. Krishna is very sick now with high fever. I have come to you for medicine.”

“What medicine is that?”

“If some of you gopis can give dust from your feet, that is medicine. Krishna will smear it on His body and He will become cured.”

“Oh, that medicine. All right, take from me.” said gopis.

At that time there was some competition between them who will give dust for Krishnas headeach.

“O Narada take from me!”

“No, no, no! Take from me!”

“How many bags will you take?”

They said, “If giving dust from our feet is required for Krishna, and we have to go to hell and suffer forever, we are prepared for that. Let our Krishna be cured and happy.”

Moral of the story:

This is love. This is the difference between their love and the love of the queens of Dwarka. Where there is jnana and aisvarya then love is shrunken, priti-sankucita. Gopi-prema, radha-prema, is kevala-bhakti; only pure love is there. It is not mixed with jnana and aisvarya. They are preapred to go to hell and suffer there forever, “Let our Krishna be happy.”

So we should ask ourself today how i yan amke Krishna happy?
( Story nareted by His Holiness Gour Givinda Swami in his book Mathura meet Vrindavana )

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this
moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefitted by hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.

Krishna fears this monster

Vrindavan story: HAU-BILAU- Krishna fears this monster!

One day, Krishna and Balaram were playing with Their friends, but it was time for them to come home to take Their lunch and mother Yashoda sent Rohini, “You go to get Krishna and Balaram”.

Rohini came and she said, “Krishna, Balaram, please come home. Your lunch is waiting for You. Nanda Maharaj is also waiting for You.”

But They were so busy playing, having so much fun with Their friends that They ignored mother Rohini.

So she went and told Yashodamayi that They will not come. So Yashodamayi came and she began to very strictly order Krishna, “You come back”.

But Krishna’s friends told Him “If You go we will not play with You tomorrow, because You will ruin our game if You go in the middle.”

So Krishna, afraid of being banned from the play, continued playing, and mother Yashoda was pleading with Krishna and chastising Krishna. But Krishna and Balaram just kept playing.

And finally mother Yashoda was thinking, “What should I do? He will be hungry. I cannot allow Krishna and Balaram to be hungry. It is not good for Their health.” So she began to think. Then she got an idea.

She said, “Krishna-Balaram, You better come right now, because the Hau-Bilau is coming”.

Krishna and Balaram said, “What is Hau-Bilau?”

She said, “He is coming. He is coming, lets go.”

They again asked, “What is this ‘Hau-Bilau’?”

Yashoda replied with a huff, “Hmm… ‘Hau-Bilau’ walks on four legs and has very, very fierce eyes and big, big mouth and sharp, sharp teeth and he eats little children, and he is coming”.

Then Krishna-Balaram looked at her and said, “We do not believe in “Hau-Bilaus”. There is no such thing.”

And then mother Yashoda, she looked behind Krishna and Balaram from where they were standing and she said, “Here he is, the “Hau-Bilau” has come ahhh!!!”

And then with big eyes she started running away as fast as possible.

And when Krishna and Balaram saw this they were afraid to even look back.

They immediately let out and scream and said, “Mother wait for us.”

They started running full speed ahead and mother Yashoda ran all the way back to Nanda Bhavan and Krishna and Balaram ran and ran as fast as they could.

They were afraid to even look back, and then They came into the house, and Yashodamayi had nice prasad ready for Them and They sat next to Nanda Maharaj.

And Krishna and Balaram were telling Nanda Maharaj, “You should have seen this Hau-Bilau. He had big fiery eyes, and long teeth and big mouth and fur all over him, but We escaped. Somehow or other We ran so fast, We got away.” and Nanda Maharaj was very happy.

So in this way mother Yashoda with her loving parental affection performed so many pastimes for the pleasure of Krishna and Balaram. It is also said, that after mother Yashoda saw that this pastime worked very good, she made these Murtis of Hau-Bilau.

And when Krishna and Balaram would be naughty, she would say, “Beware, I will take you to Hau-Bilau”. So they would become very nice. So, even the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna and Balaram fear Hau-Bilau! This is the sweetness of the Leela of Shri Vraja Dham.

( Story narrated by His grace Deena Bandhu Prabhu and His holiness Radhanat Swami )

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefitted by hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.

Krishna plants pearls

Vrindavan story: Krishna plants pearls!!!

On the day of Diwali, in the month of Karthik, Radharani and gopis assembled together at Malyahara kunda. Krsna’s parrot, Vicakshana, informed Him. Krsna came to Malyahara kunda and there He found Srimati Radharani and Her sakhis making pearl necklaces.

Krsna requested from Radha and gopis if He could have a few of those pearls to decorate His most favorite cows, Harini and Hafini. But the gopis refused. Krsna pleaded with gopis, pleaded, “Please give me some pearls for my cows.”

Lalitha sakhi went to the body of the bag of pearls and found one broken little piece. And she said, “You can have this.”

Shyamasunder was very unhappy. So He went home and told mother Yashoda that, “I want to grow a garden of pearls. Please give me some pearls to plant in the ground.”

Yashoda Mayi responded that, “O Gopal, you don’t understand.” And then she laughed that, “Pearls do not grow on trees. Pearls come from the ocean.”

And Gopal insisted, “No, they will grow if I plant them in the ground. I have seen my father growing. I have seen him put seeds in the ground. Pearls, like seeds, I will plant.”

Krsna Plants Pearls

He insisted, and Yashoda Mayi, to satisfy His heart, gave Him some pearls. And He brought them near the bank of Yamuna and dug little holes in the ground and put the pearls in and then buried them, and then told mother Mangal to go to the gopis and request some milk to water His pearls.

So gopa Madhumangal went to Sri Radharani and gopis and requested some milk to water Krsna’s pearls and the gopis simply laughed.

That’s all they gave Him, was a laugh. So Madhumangal returned.

Krsna then went to mother Yashoda and requested some milk. She supplied all the milk He could want and He went, and profusely watered the ground on the bank of Yamuna where He planted the pearls.

After a few days, a little green shoot came out of the ground. And Krsna was so happy. He told gopis and the gopis came and looked at the shoot and they laughed, and they said, “Those are thorn shoots, not pearl shoots.”

Krsna’s Big, Beautiful Pearl Creepers

A few days later, a creeper grew that was covered with an immense quantity of large, beautiful, multi-colored pearls. Those pearls were so special that they filled the entire Vrindavana dham with an ambrosia-intoxicating fragrance.

Krsna was laughing and joking to the gopis that, “My pearls are so big and so colorful and so fragrant compared to yours all.” So the gopis became quite competitive. And they had a meeting together. And they vowed to make a garden that would grow better pearls than Krsna’s.

So all of their pearl necklaces were planted in the ground. And then they went to their parent’s house and took every pearl from all of the houses of their families. Then they planted those pearls. And three times a day, every day, they watered the pearls with milk, yoghurt, butter and ghee.

And after a few days, a little shoot came out of the ground. And they became very excited. And a few more days passed, and there were thorn bushes.

When Krsna and His gopas saw those thorn bushes, they became ecstatic. They laughing and joking. And Krsna really wanted to humiliate the gopis.

He had His cowherd boyfriends make pearl necklaces out of big, beautiful, multi-colored, fragrant pearls, and they made pearl necklaces for every cow in Vrindavana. For every buffalo, for every goat, for every sheep. In fact, in all Vraja dham, every monkey had a pearl necklace. But He would not give a single pearl to the gopis.

The Loving Exchanges Between Krsna and the Gopis

So the gopis were in a lot of anxiety, because they took all the pearls of their parents’ homes. And now they all turned into thorns. What were they going to tell their parents? So they sent Chandramukhi and Kanchanalata, two gopis, with gold, to barter gold for a few of Krsna’s pearls.

Krsna looked at them and said that, “Even the Kaustubha Mani of Lord Narayana is not worth a fraction of the price of the fraction of one of my pearls.”

Then each gopi came one by one to try the barter. Whatever they had, for some pearls of Krsna. Srimati Radharani was hiding in a private little kunja, where Krsna could not see Her. But she could hear everything that was being said. And each gopi, individually was coming.

Krsna had a large box of these pearls He grew. But no matter what they would give, He would not even release a single pearl. Finally, Krsna told Vishaka gopi, He said, “I will give your Radharani the smallest of all my pearls, and She has to pay Me whatever price I ask immediately, otherwise I will put Her in a prison of one of my private kunjas.”

So nothing was working. There was a big argument. Raghunath Das Goswami goes into nice detail about that loving exchange of arguments. And then Subala was brought in as the mediator because it was like one of those conflicts where they could not make a negotiation. So Subala was the mediator. Continued, and in the end, they could not agree on any price.

Radharani was listening to everything. The other gopis, very sad, they came with Srimati Radharani and came to Sri Radha kunda.

Krsna’s Gift And Radharani’s Reciprocation

When the gopis were at Radha kunda, Krsna took the best of all His pearls, and with His own hands, He strung the most elegant necklace. Then He put that necklace in a golden box. And with His own loving hand, engraved the name of Sri Radharani on that box. Then He made another necklace of pearls with His own hands and put it in a golden box and put the name of another gopi.

In this way, He made boxes with gifts of handmade pearl necklaces for all of Radharani’s sakhis and Sri Radharani Herself. And He sent them to Radha kunda to be given as gifts.

The gopis were so joyful. Srimati Radha picked flowers, beautiful, fragrant flowers and made a divine garland. And She prepared the most ambrosia bhoga, fruit stuff, and She sent it to Krsna in reciprocation of His love.

Then all the gopis decorated themselves with the most beautiful pearls in all of existence. And they went home and their parents were very happy.

Moral of the story:

This is the supreme treasure that Krishna is offering to place our head in the sacred dust of Vrindavana and pray that the priceless pearl of the mercy of Guru and the Vaishnavas may be cherished as the supreme most wealth of our life. Let everything else be seen as nothing but useless, thorny worship that only cause obstacles on our path.

We should not take these pearls to be something ordinary. Unless we understand, even to a small extent the value of the pearl of this opportunity in life we have for developing bhakti devotion for Krishna, we will lose it, trying to enjoy the thorny pleasures of this world,

( From the book The Mukta Caritra - The Pearl Story, by Raghunatha dasa Gosvami )

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefitted by hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.

Narada, Hanuman and men who chanted at toile

Holy name story: Narada, Hanuman and men who chanted at toilet!

Ones Narada Muni meet one household man and was preaching to him about value of chanting of the holy names of Lord Rama.

But this man said as all of us people of the modern world:

- It is nice to chant Narada, but you know i am so busy i have not time! I have so many duties to perform every day. I need to work, to take care for my wife and children. So many duties, so not time to chant!

- Is there any little free time in your busy day? Asked sage Narada.

- I do not know! said the man. Only free time i have is when i am siting in toilet. There i have some free undisturbed minutes! said busy men.

- Wonderful, then you start chanting holy names of Lord Rama when you are in toilet! happily spoke sage Narada and went away.

So our busy men started chanting every day when was in toilet. People in modern times are taking books or newspapers while sitting on toilet desk. But our busy men was more spiritual, he was chanting holy names of Rama.

By hearing intensity of chanting the names of his master Hanuman started searching. Who is so devotedly chanting names of my master? Finally Hanuman found this men chanting Rama, Rama while siting in his toilet room.

By seeng this Hanuman become very angry. He thought who is this men who so disrespectfully chanting holy names of Rama while siting in such impure place as toilet. I will finish him! So Hanuman started kicking the men with his lags but could not move the men even for inch. Hanuman tray even harder but was not successful. Hanuman thought: I am one of the most powerful persons in universe, but i cannot even touch this men. What is happening?

Then at scene appeared Guru of our busy men, Narada Muni.

He asked: Hanuman what is happening?

- I try to kick this men who chant holy names of my Lord Rama at toilet, but i cannot do nothing to him? Help me! Spoke Hanuman.

- My dear Hanuman, when one is chanting holy names of Lord Rama he is personally associating with him Lord Rama. Lord and his names are not different, so who can hurt that person who is chanting. Because he is so busy in life, this is only place he can chant. Holy name cannot be contaminated even by chanting in dirty place such as toilet.

Happily understanding glories of holy names of his Lord Rama, Hanuman continue chanting and our busy men continue chanting in toilet even up to day.

Moral of the story:

By chanting holy name we associate with the Lord. So why not always chant and be in personal association with God! So... Happy new year and dont forget to chant in new year, at least at toilet!

( Story narrated by His Holiness Sacinandana Swami)

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefitted by hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.

God and duration of our life

God and duration of our life

When God had created the world and was about to fix the length of each creature's life, the ass came and asked, "Lord, how long shall I live?" "Thirty years," replied God; "does that content you?" "Ah, Lord," answered the ass, "that is a long time. Think of my painful existence! To carry heavy burdens from morning to night, to drag sacks of corn to the mill, that others may eat bread, to be cheered and refreshed with nothing but blows and kicks. Relieve me of a portion of this long time." Then God had pity on him and relieved him of eighteen years. The ass went away comforted.

The dog appeared. "How long would you like to live?" said God to him. "Thirty years are too many for the ass, but thou wilt be satisfied
with that." "Lord," answered the dog, "is that Thy will? Consider how I shall have to run; my feet will never hold out so long, and when I have once lost my voice for barking, and my teeth for biting, what will be left for me to do but run from one corner to another and growl?" God saw that he was right, and released him from twelve years of life.

Then came the monkey. "Thou wilt certainly live thirty years willingly," said the Lord to him. "Thou hast no need to work as the ass and the dog have to do, and wilt always enjoy yourself." "Ah! Lord," he answered, "it may seem as if that were the case, but it is quite
different. When it rains porridge I have no spoon. I am always to play merry pranks, and make faces which force people to laugh, and if they give me an apple, and I bite into it, why it is sour! How often sadness hides itself behind mirth! I shall never be able to hold out for thirty years." God was gracious and took off ten.

At last man appeared, joyous, healthy and vigorous, and begged God to appoint his time for him. "Thirty years shalt thou live," said the Lord. "Is that enough for me?" "What a short time," cried man, "when I have built my house and my fire burns on my own hearth; when I have planted trees which blossom and bear fruit, and am just intending to enjoy my life, I am to die! O Lord, lengthen my time." "I will add to it the ass's eighteen years," said God. "That is not enough," replied the man. "Thou shalt also have the dog's twelve years." "Still too little!"
"Well, then," said God, "I will give thee the monkey's ten years also, but more thou shalt not have." The man went away, but was not satisfied.

Moral of the story:

So man lives seventy years. The first thirty are his human years, which are soon gone; then is he healthy, merry, works with pleasure, and is glad of his life. Then follow the ass's eighteen years, when
one burden after another is laid on him; he has to carry the corn which feeds others, and blows and kicks are the reward of his faithful services. Then come the dog's twelve years, when he lies in the corner, and growls and has no longer any teeth to bite with, and
when this time is over the monkey's ten years form the end. Then man is weak-headed and foolish, does silly things, and becomes the jest of the children.

===========================================
ayur harati vai pumsam
udyann astam ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-ksano nita
uttama-sloka-vartaya

Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases
the duration of life of everyone, except one who
utilizes the time by discussing topics of the
all-good Personality of Godhead. SB 2.3.17

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this moral / instructive stories they hear so that everyone can be benefitted by hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.