King Yudhishtra and Charity
Once, after King Yudhishtra regained his kingdom following the great war, a man came to him asking for charity (alms). Yudhishtra Maharaj, busy with his work, told the man to return the next day, promising to fulfill his request then.
Upon seeing this, Bhima cried out loudly, “Attention to all the residents of the city! King Yudhishtra is certain he will live until tomorrow! He is quite sure about this!”
Realizing his mistake, Yudhishtra Maharaj immediately called the man back and gave him the charity he requested.
Moral of the Story:
This story emphasizes the uncertainty of life and the importance of not postponing good deeds. We never know what tomorrow holds, and we should take immediate action to fulfill our duties and promises.
Gopal and Govinda: The Tale of Two Peasants
In another story, there lived two neighboring peasants, Gopal and Govinda. Govinda was very lazy. During a severe drought that lasted for two years, Gopal decided to construct a canal from a nearby river to water his plants.
One morning, Gopal began digging the canal. Despite the scorching sun and profuse sweating, he continued working, ignoring repeated calls from his wife to have lunch. He worked tirelessly and completed the canal construction by 11 PM. Water started flowing into his field, and Gopal’s heart was filled with joy.
Observing Gopal’s flourishing field, Govinda decided to dig a canal to his own field. However, he procrastinated and failed to complete the task. As a result, his crops dried up due to lack of water.
Gopal’s field thrived and turned green, while Govinda’s land remained barren and pitiable.
Moral of the Story:
This story highlights the consequences of procrastination and the benefits of determination and hard work. Govinda suffered due to his procrastination, while Gopal’s determination led to his success. This reminds us of a verse from the Bhagavad Gita (18.28):
ayuktah praakrthah sthabdah shatho naishkrtiko lasah vishaadi dhirga sutrica karthaa taamasa uchyate
“The worker who is always engaged in work against the injunctions of the scripture, who is materialistic, obstinate, cheating and expert in insulting others, and who is lazy, always morose and procrastinating is said to be a worker in the mode of ignorance.”
Govinda’s procrastination led to his loss. We should never postpone our activities, especially our sadhana (devotional service), as we do not know what the next moment holds.
Devotional Service: Act Now
A song beautifully captures this sentiment:
Kaal bhajantha aaj bhaj, Aaj bhajantha ab, do phal mei pralay hoyegi, phir bhajegaa kab?
“Whatever Devotional Service you planned to do tomorrow, do today. What devotional service you planned to do today, start it now, for there will be a devastation in a few moments, then when will you do it?”
We should never postpone our devotional service because doing so may lead to missing the opportunity to cultivate our love for Godhead. Hearing and chanting are the ways to water our spiritual plant, and we should not delay these activities. We must be determined in our sadhana, avoiding laziness, procrastination, and wavering tendencies that can make us fail to utilize the “golden chance” to go back home, back to Godhead, and prevent us from descending to lower species of life.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
