A Learned Man

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

Last time when our spiritual master HH Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj visited Abu Dhabi, he made everybody memorize the following verse just before his departure and asked me to post it to Granthraj. This verse has been spoken by Chanakya Pandit and quoted by Srila Prabhupada in his several lectures.

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat
ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ

One who sees otherso wives as his mother, who sees all otherso possessions as insignificant as a lump of clay, and sees all living beings as himself - such a person is considered a learned man.

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu:
This means one should see all ladies except his wife as his mother and treat and respect them like his mother.

For example, once Lord Rama and Laxmana were searching for mother Sita. They met Sugriva, who showed them the ornaments of some lady who was being forcefully carried away by a rakshasa. When Lord Rama showed these ornaments to Laxmana, he recognized only the anklets (leg bells) of mother Sita because he had never seen mother Sita except Her lotus feet. This shows that we should respect all women, just as Laxmana respected mother Sita.

para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat:
It means one should consider other's property as an insignificant lump of clay. 

For example, Lord Rama conquered the golden Lanka, but He considered it very insignificant because it was someone else's property and gave it to Vibheeshan. Similarly, Krishna conquered Mathura but He did not rule over it, rather He gave it to the King Ugrasena.

ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu:
It means we should treat all living entities like we treat ourselves.

For example, when Draupadi saw Ashwatthama bound with ropes, she being a devoted lady could not tolerate this. Even though the murderer of her sons was right before her eyes, still she requested Arjuna to release Ashwatthama. Why? Srila Prabhupada explains in a lecture on SB 1.7.47, "Draupadi is studying the position of Ashwatthama's mother from her position. Draupadi thought I am so aggrieved on account of my sons being killed. So she is thinking if Ashwatthama is killed, his mother would have to be under the distress of her son being killed like me."

Thank you very much.
Your servant,
Mukunda
Abu Dhabi.

Moderator's Note: HG Mukunda prabhu is the eldest son of HG Svayam Sphuraty Krishna Prabhu and H G Radhacaran Mataji, the pioneers of Hare Krishna gathering in Abu Dhabi. He is about 10 years old and is going to school. He is a very intelligent boy, knows lot of slokas by heart, and reads Srila Prabhupada's books with interest. His parents are bringing him up in a Krishna Conscious environment right from his young age and hence he has a bright future both materially and spiritually.