Life in the Peaceful Village
Once, in a peaceful village, there lived a scholarly brahmana (priest). His daily routine included sitting in his doorway and reciting the Gita. Opposite his home, a prostitute lived and conducted her business. As the years passed, the brahmana grew increasingly disturbed by the prostitute’s activities. He often thought to himself, “Just see how lowly she is,” while continuing with his recitation.
The Inevitable End
Eventually, both the brahmana and the prostitute died at the same time. To the brahmana’s astonishment, the Vishnuduttas (the Lord of Heaven’s messengers) came to deliver the prostitute, while the Yamadutas (the Lord of Death’s messengers) came for him.
The Divine Explanation
The brahmana protested, “What is this? There must be some mistake!” The Yamaduttas and the Vishnuduttas replied, “My dear brahmana, there is no mistake. While you were busy meditating on the lowly activities of the prostitute, she listened to you recite the Gita and prayed that she could one day elevate herself to your position. In this way, the prostitute achieved liberation while you only degraded yourself.”
Moral of the Story
The moral of this story is clear: It is not only our external actions that matter but also our attitude and thoughts. The prostitute, despite her external circumstances, focused on the divine words of the Gita and aspired for a higher spiritual position. On the other hand, the brahmana, although engaged in a pious activity, allowed his mind to be filled with judgment and disdain.
Lessons to Learn
- Focus on Inner Purity: Our internal thoughts and attitudes shape our spiritual journey. One’s external actions alone do not determine one’s spiritual progress.
- Avoid Judgment: Judging others can cloud our own spiritual vision. Instead of focusing on others’ faults, we should cultivate humility and compassion.
- Power of Sincere Aspiration: Sincere aspiration and prayer, regardless of one’s current situation, can lead to spiritual elevation.
Scriptural Reference
Sri Krishna emphasizes the importance of one’s thoughts at the time of death in the Bhagavad-gītā (8.5 – 8.6):
8.5: “And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this, there is no doubt.”
8.6: “Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kuntī, that state he will attain without fail.”
Our thoughts at the end of our life are influenced by what we have meditated upon throughout our life. Hence, it is crucial to cultivate positive and divine thoughts consistently.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
