Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.
In our last offering on the story of Mrgari, we meditated on the importance of simple living, i.e., living with only things that is absolutely needed. Let us continue to meditate on further lessons from the story today.
15. Narada muni - The Most Genuine Acarya: Narada muni after assuring the hunter that he will send sufficient food everyday to maintain himself and his wife, by his transcendental power, brought back to life the three animals that were half-killed by the hunter. The animals quickly got up and fled as if nothing has happened to them. Upon seeing this mystic power of his spiritual master, the hunter was struck with wonder. He was convinced beyond doubt about his spiritual master's transcendental power and with full satisfaction and joy paid his obeisances to Narada muni and returned home.
This is a very significant point to meditate upon. Narada muni could have displayed his spiritual mystic potency even before making the hunter realize his sins and go through a change of heart. But he did not do that. Because, if the hunter had surrendered upon witnessing Narada muni's mystic powers, it would have been an incomplete and immature surrender. The cleansing of the hunter's heart would not have been complete because he would have been more attracted to Narada muni's miracles than realizing and repenting his own sinful actions. Narada muni's aim was not to give motivated devotional service to the hunter. He wanted to instill pure devotional service in the heart of the hunter once and for all because when we become pure devotees, even the Supreme Lord Yogeshwara, the master of mystics becomes our servant, then what to speak of some cheap magic tricks? Secondly, he wanted to relieve the animals of the intense pain caused by the hunter to release both the animals and the hunter from the bondage of karma-revenge cycle in their future lives. Thus Narada muni took full control and responsibility of the hunter's future.
Narada muni's genuineness is fully revealed here. Even though he had the mystic power to save the animals, he knew that the mystic power is insignificant when compared to the pure unflinching bhakti he possessed. So his aim is only to distribute the seed of bhakti in everyone's hearts and attract them towards Krishna, not show some cheap magic to attract them towards himself and gather a fan-following. He had absolutely no desire for name, fame, wealth or followers.The hunter also could appreciate this genuineness in Narada muni and hence his respect and adoration for his spiritual master grew leaps and bounds. When we see someone possess special powers and does not boast of it or misuse it to make a business out of it, we get convinced about that person's genuinity and our reverence for them naturally grows. This is natural human tendency of people with common sense. Thus the hunter also developed great adoration for his spiritual master Narada muni. The hunter then returned home and exactly followed the instructions of his spiritual master Narada muni. Narada muni also left for his next destination, completely detached and fixed in his service to Krishna.
Narada muni teaches us a very important lesson as a spiritual master. Being a dear servant of Krishna, even though he had all the power at his disposal, his aim is to bring the living entities closer to Krishna simply by inspiring them with pure bhakti and not by mundane attraction to magical powers, name & fame etc. So we as disciples, when we are in search of a bona fide spiritual master, should look for one who has these genuine qualifications as a pure devotee of Krishna that Narada muni revealed in this pastime.
Srila Prabhupada too, the most recent bona fide acarya in the Vaishnava sampradaya, performed so many miracles during his presence in this world, but he did not want that to be the primary attraction for the living entities. He wanted Krishna bhakti to be the main source of attraction and worked hard for it all through his life. As a result, his miracles such as 'converting hippies into happies', 'building a house in which the whole world can live', 'creating a world wide movement in a very short time', 'writing the most no. of books in a short time' etc., are seen as a by-product of his pure bhakti unto Lord Krishna and not as stand-alone mystic potencies. That is the reason, his movement is still creating pure Krishna devotees and not mundane magicians.
Krishna willing, let us meditate on further lessons from this story in the next offering.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Kalacakra Krsna das
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