Nothing Belongs to Us - 1/6

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

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Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Mathajis,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

Below mail is humble effort to transcribe nectarean, instructive Bhagavatam class given by our beloved spiritual master HDG Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj in Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia in 1992.

"The point is we don't understand the importance of our scriptures. And because we don't understand the importance, for many years these books are lying in our houses - we are all from India and so we should be having some Bhagavad Gita copy in our houses. But it is very difficult to open the book and follow the arguments given in the scriptures and it is impossible nearly to put into practice. We are completely in the darkness. And because we are in darkness we are ignorant - completely ignorant of the fact that this planet is not our permanent home. Never the idea passes through our brain that one day, we have to go. We are here in Kaula Lumpur - very nice place, very nice prasadam. We are here only for 2 days and we know that we have to go. So whatever facilities are here, we are not attracted to it. I cannot take the bed with me when I leave. I can't take this microphone. I like it very much. But I can't take it. And if I try to take it - you will force me out saying, "Get out. This is not yours." This does not belong to me. And if I want to take it, either I steal it or take by force - which is impossible. You are so many people here. As soon as I try to take, I will have to go straight to Goloka Vrindavan. You will say - "Why are you touching mine ?" The same thing happens in our life. We don't know that we are living temporarily. We are staying in this Kaula Lumpur for 2 days and on this planet we may be for 50, 60, 70, 80 or 100 years at the most. But time doesn't matter. We have to go and the things which are here does not belongs to us. And this house particularly - temple house, belonged to so many living entities, for last so many years and they are all gone. The house is still here. If the house belonged to them, then it would have gone with them. There are so many houses here. Every living entity would have claimed that "it is my house". But they are all gone and the houses are still lying here. These houses don't belong to us. Properties don't belong to us. What to talk of property ? Our own body does not belong to us. Can you take your body with you ? Would you be able to ? Why not ? The body is yours. And if you can't take the body along with you, how can you claim that the body is yours ? We can't. And if we claim it, it is madness. Isn't it ? Is it a wise thing to claim that this body belongs to us ? No. It doesn't belong to us. It is very nicely said in Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmya

dehe asthi maamsa rudhire abhimatim tyajasva
jaayaa sutaadishu sadaa mamataam vimunca
pashyaanisham jagat idam kshana bhanga tishtham
vairaagya raaga rasiko bhava bhakti nishtaah

"Give up the thought that this body is you. It is nothing but a collection of bones, flesh and blood. Give up the ownership on wife, children etc., realize that this world is very temporary. Show interest and relish (become a rasika) detachment from everything by performing devotional service unto the primeval Lord Govinda, with great determination."

Beautiful - beautiful verse and these verses could be nicely sung. They are in a nice meter. Devotional meter. If you learn one verse to sing that is the perfection of your devotional service and that is the perfection of your life and that is why these scriptures are very important. Now please hear this verse. Very beautiful verse. Sanskrit language is not very difficult. It is very easy and very near to our Indian languages. You might be speaking Tamil or any other language. These are very near to Sanskrit. (Gurudev sings the above verse in the same meter as he recites Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.2.3). Very clear meaning. In the first line He says - "dehe asthi maamsa rudhire abhimatim tyajasva". Deha means our body. Asthimeans our bones. Maams means flesh. Rudhira means blood. bhimatim tyajasyva - these are things in our body. We have bones, flesh, blood and the whole body we have. Krishna says - "This body doesn't belong to you. All these materials are supplied by Me." Frankly speaking, nothing belongs to us. It is all the energies of Krishna which is given to us. And He has told that "this is given on lease to you. It is not yours." Lease may be for 50, 60, 70 or 80 years. That is the lease. Ordinary lease we can increase. Ordinary lease of shop, houses etc can be increased. We may think that rent may increase and then we can renew. But this lease cannot be renewed. Its one way. You go. Thats all. You cannot say Yamaraj - "Please wait. I will go an withdraw money from the bank." He will not wait. You cannot give him any reason. You cannot tell him - "I have one million dollars. You take half a million and let me stay back here.". No. You cannot do it. We have to go. There is a very nice story on how we cannot avoid death.

You know Baghdad ? Sadam Hussains's Baghdad. There was a rich merchant in Baghdad and one day he wanted to invite all his friends for dinner in the evening. He had so many friends because he was rich. So to entertain them he wanted to give a party. So he called one of his servants and asked him to go to the market to buy some food so that it could be served for his friends and they could have a lavish party. In the market servant was trying to buy something. But he was being pushed by someone. So he turned around and to his suprise he saw death personified standing right behind him. He was scared because he didn't want to die. We also don't want to die. Thats why we are doing a job, earning money etc, to save ourselves. Even a small ant, if we touch it tries to run here and there. No living entity wants to die. But the truth is we have to leave the body one day and this servant also didn't want to die. Without buying anything he ran back to the master. The master was surprised to see him empty handed and asked him whats the matter with you ? He said - "You please excuse me. I went to the market and saw death personified there. I don't want to die. So please save me." The master could not understand anything. But he consoled the servant by saying - "Alright. if you don't buy anything also its alright. If you want to save yourself, you can go to the stable and take one of the fast horses and ride on it and within 2 hrs you will be in the neighbouring town Samara." The servant was very pleased and he said - "Thank you master. I will act accordingly." And he went to the stable took the horse and rode away.

When the servant went away, the master thought about this - "Who is death personified ? Let me go and check out in the market." He looked around and he found death standing in the market. The master asked death - "Come here. Why are you wandering here ?". Death replied - "It is my job to wander and pick people and go. Some day I will come and pick you as well." The master said - "Thats alright - But why did you push my servant ?". Death replied - "I did not push your servant. But I was surprised to see him here as I have an appointment with him in Samara in the afternoon." (Gurudev and devotees laugh). Poor fellow wanted to save himself and went to Samara just to meet death there. This is how we are completely ignorant of death. We don't know when it is coming. But it is definitely coming. It may be now or after 20, 40, 50 years. But it is definitely coming and that which is coming, we should be prepared for it. Isn't it ? And if we are not prepared for it, and keep running after the body, which is not ours, then it is sheer madness."

Krishna willing, we shall hear more nectar from Maharaj in the forthcoming mails.

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

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----- Nothing Belongs to Us - 1/6 -----

Chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna

Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama

Hare Hare

and be happy.

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