Meeting the Saint
Once there was a man named Champaklal who was known for his foolish behavior. Because of his stupidity, he was called Stupid Champaklal. One day, he happened to meet a saint and requested to worship the most powerful person.
The saintly person gave him a small Krishna deity and asked him to worship it. Champaklal, seeing the small size of the Krishna deity, inquired whether he could worship something more powerful than Krishna. The saint tried to convince him that Krishna, despite his small size, was very powerful. However, Champaklal relentlessly refused to accept the saint’s statement.
The saint, seeing Champaklal’s stubbornness, told him to do whatever he wished.
Worshiping the Rat
Champaklal started worshipping the Krishna deity reluctantly. One day, a rat came and stole all the offerings he had placed before the deity. Champaklal thought that since the rat was more powerful than the Krishna deity, he should worship the rat instead. So, he began offering food to the rat every day.
Worshiping the Cat
One day, a cat came into the house. Upon seeing the cat, the rat ran away and never returned. Champaklal concluded that the cat was more powerful than the rat and started worshipping the cat daily.
Worshiping the Dog
Soon after, Champaklal’s wife decided to get a dog for the safety of the house. As soon as the dog arrived, the cat ran away just like the rat had. Champaklal then thought that the dog was more powerful and began worshipping the dog with food and other offerings.
Worshiping His Wife
One day, Champaklal’s wife saw the dog stealing food from the kitchen. She hit the dog, causing it to run away like the cat and the rat. Champaklal then concluded that his wife was more powerful than the dog and started worshipping her daily with food and offerings.
Worshiping Himself
One day, feeling hungry, Champaklal shouted at his wife for not giving him food on time. His wife, out of fear, started feeding him with all love and adoration. Champaklal then concluded that he was more powerful than his wife and began worshipping himself every day with food and offerings.
Moral of the Story
This story illustrates how misguided and whimsical devotion can lead to foolish outcomes. In the same way, if devotees in Krishna consciousness are not fixed in devotional service as given by the previous acharyas and do not follow their instructions, they may end up like the foolish Champaklal.
Srimad Bhagavatam 2.4.21 warns us about this:
“It is the Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna who gives liberation. By thinking of His lotus feet at every second, following in the footsteps of authorities, the devotee in trance can see the Absolute Truth. The learned mental speculators, however, think of Him according to their whims. May the Lord be pleased with me.”
*“And because they cannot enter into the network of the lotus stem of the Lord, all material speculators differ in conclusions, and in the end, they make a useless compromise by saying, ‘As many conclusions, as many ways,’ according to one’s own inclination (yathaa-rucam).
But the Lord is not like a shopkeeper trying to please all sorts of customers in the mental speculator exchange. The Lord is what He is, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, and He demands absolute surrender unto Him only. The pure devotee, however, by following the ways of previous acharyas, or authorities, can see the Supreme Lord through the transparent medium of a bona fide spiritual master (anupashyanti). The pure devotee never tries to see the Lord by mental speculation but by following in the footsteps of the acharyas (mahaajano yena gatah sa panthaah).”
By following the footsteps of previous acharyas, it is easy to cross over the ocean of material existence just as one might cross a small hole created by a calf’s hoof print.
Prabhupada emphatically puts in his purport to 10.2.30 that “In regard to the word mahat-krtena, it is also significant that the process shown by great devotees is not only for them but also for others. If things are made easy, this affords facility for the person who has made them easy and also for others who follow the same principles.
“As disciples or devotees, we should implicitly be obedient to follow the spiritual master’s instructions and the instructions of shastras very strictly, and then our spiritual success is guaranteed in this life itself.”
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share these moral/instructive stories so that everyone can benefit by hearing about Krishna and His dear devotees
