Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, Sri Guru and Gauranga.
I received this inspirational story recently and would like to explain a little bit with some of the relevant instructions from Srimad Bhagavatam.
When Yudhishtira Maharaj was ruling this planet, Bhima used to help in solving problems of people, hence people whoever has any questions/problems would come to Bhima and ask him for help. One day, one citizen came and told Bhima that he noticed a strange thing that day that his fence is moving into other’s place and he is wondering why it happened like that. Bhima can help if a demon is troubling but not these kind of puzzles so he asked him to approach Yudhishtira Maharaj.
On the same day, another citizen came and told that he came across a strange thing that he had a big pot with full of water, he poured that water into small pots then he poured back from the small pots to big pot but surprisingly only half is filling into that big pot. Bhima not knowing what to say, he asked them also to contact Yudhishtira Maharaj. Another person
came to Bhima and said that he saw a strange thing that a big elephant is passing through from a needle hole but surprisingly its tail got stuck in that hole. Bhima again referred him to Yudhishtira Maharaj.
Another person came and said that he saw big rock in the street and big big personalities are not able to move but a sadhu came and by waving his Sannyasa danda, it moved. Bhima thinking that it’s bad day for him and all are coming with these strange questions which he can’t help, so he referred them to Yudhishtira Maharaj.
They all went to Maharaj Yudhishtira and asked about these questions, then Yudhishtira Maharaj said that, all these qualities shows that kali yuga is coming and he explained thus:
1.The first symptom is one of the citizen’s fence is moving into other’s area shows that people are interested in what other’s have and feel unhappy why they don’t have, then think a way to acquire them either hook or crook.
The greed to possess is unlimited in us, especially due to the effect of Kali yuga too. The nature and power of greed is very nicely mentioned in SB 7.15.20:
*kaamasyaantam hi kshut-trdbhyaam / krodhasyaitat phalodayaat jano yaati na lobhasya / jitvaa bhuktvaa disho bhuvah *
"*The strong bodily desires and needs of a person disturbed by hunger and thirst are certainly satisfied when he eats. Similarly, if one becomes very angry, that anger is satisfied by chastisement and its reaction. But as for greed, even if a greedy person has conquered all the directions of the world or has enjoyed everything in the world, still he will not be satisfied.*"
And the wonderful effect of being self-satisfied is mentioned in SB 7.15.17:
*sadaa santushta manasah / sarvaah shivamayaa dishah
sharkaraa kantakaadibhyo / yatho-paanat padah shivam *
"*For a person who has suitable shoes on his feet, there is no danger even when he walks on pebbles and thorns. For him, everything is auspicious. Similarly, for one who is always self-satisfied there is no distress; indeed, he feels happiness everywhere.*"
So it is very important to be self-content with whatever we obtain by the grace of the Lord.
2. The second symptom is the big pot with full of water when it is poured into small pots and pour back into big pot, he noticed half only, which means that one can only expect 50% love/affection/help from others compared what you did to the same person.
In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 3.30.13 - Lord Kapila very nicely explains the condition of a what happens to a materialistic person, (who is 100% absorbed in serving his family through out his life) -
*evam sva-bharanaakalpam / tat-kalatraadayas tathaa
naadriyante yathaa purvam / keenaashaa iva go-jaram *
*Seeing him unable to support them, his wife and others do not treat him with the same respect as before, even as miserly farmers do not accord the same treatment to their old and worn-out oxen.*
3. The third symptom is big elephant is going through a needle but the tail is stuck, it means that people are ready to spend a huge chunk of their income/strength/resource for the sense satisfaction of their family, friends and love (Personal sense gratification) but when it comes to Bhagavan and Bhagavatha seva they are not ready to spend a little bit also. Our miserly nature is very nicely described by Prahlad Maharaj in verse 7.6.10 of Srimad Bhagavatam
*ko 'nv artha-trshnaam visrjet / praanebhyo 'pi ya ipsitah
yam krinaaty asubhih preshtais / taskarah sevako vanik *
"*Money is so dear that one conceives of money as being sweeter than honey. Therefore, who can give up the desire to accumulate money, especially in household life? Thieves, professional servants [soldiers] and merchants try to acquire money even by risking their very dear lives.*" No matter how much ever we accumulate, we cannot take even a single penny along with us when we leave. So we should whole-heartedly use atleast some percentage of our income in service of Lord.
4. The fourth symptom is, big rock not moved by persons who are having lot of strength but a sadhu moved that rock just by waving his danda, which means that one can get rid of all their unlimited sins, just by performing Namasankirtanam (Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare).
Though there are so many faults in this kaliyuga, the good thing is, just by chanting the holy names of the lord, one can get up to the highest benefit of liberation as mentioned in SB 12.3.51:
*kaler dosha-nidhe rajann / asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya / mukta-sangah param vrajet *
"*My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the name of Lord Sri Krishna, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.*"
Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada
Supriya Narayan Gawas
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