LESSON FROM BHAGAVATAM
Take a lesson from Srimad Bhagavatam how to achieve rare ecstatic devotion for Krishna, when it is available and being offered, as it is now. In Tenth Canto once upon a time, the cowherd boys came to the home of some brahmins who were busy performing pujas. They asked for some food for Krishna yet the brahmins turned them down thinking they were simpletons who were dressed simply without pomp. The Brahmins only believed in opulent worship and did not have any faith that the cowherd boys really represented their deliverance from this world if they would accept their association.
The boys then went to the wives the Brahmans asking for some food and the wives very enthusiastically served them in the form of cooking food. Krishna who really eats through the mouths of shudda bhaktas like the cowherd boys yet avoids puffed up brahmins, who often commits offences against his real transcendental devotees like the simple-hearted cowherd boys. The result of the wives serving Krishna through the medium of the cowherd boys engaging them, was that they effortlessly received love of God by their simply being favorable to associate and do a little service for the cowherd boys.
When their husbands saw that their wives returned from the picnic with the cowherd boys, in the intoxicated ecstasy of love of Godhead, they repented, condemning themselves for their missed opportunity. Fortunately they received the gift of devotion to Krishna because they had a sincere change of heart.
"My dear Uddhava, the unalloyed devotional service rendered to Me by My devotees brings Me under their control. I cannot be thus controlled by those engaged in mystic yoga, Sankhya philosophy, pious work, Vedic study, austerity or renunciation."Srimad- Bhagavatam (11.14.20): also quoted by Lord Caitanya in Caitanya Mangala chapter four madya lila
What lessons goes around come around again and is the same challenge for everyone seeking the real truth today. Our sanga is looked at by most of the brahmins, sanyasis and gurus as a band of half-witted simpletons because we don't care about looking good, Yet those who are coming to associate and serve this mission of distribution of prema bhakti or the awakening of pure devotional taste for Krishna's Names and Qualities are rewarded with the awakening of devotion to Krishna. This is even happening in this life, as some have received prema bhakti in being around for less than a year. Hard to believe?
Well the brahmins, gurus and sanyasis and their followers in mainstream Vaishnavism think so. They are teaching the hard path of austerities, renunciation and sadhana practices, not recommended by the Bhagavatam or Lord Caitanya, because of not having the potency or divine authority to awaken transcendental taste for Krishna's Holy Name in themselves or others.
The purpose of the Bhagavatam is to shed transcendental light on where the real path to Krishna is and that is our joy to help our brothers and sisters make it back to Godhead as quickly as possible. The real purpose of a bonafide Spiritual Master is to be that path as a personal form as an empowered vigraha of sat, cit, ananda and to impregnate others with that transcendental potency liberating them from the cycle of birth and death forever. Such genuine associates of Gaura/Krishna are the rarely seen and are the only authorised distribution point for that transcendental potency to easily be given to others in this world.