Introduction to Pushti Marg
When Krushna was a few days old, Yashodaji decided to thank all the Vrajvasis for their good wishes and help during her pregnancy by inviting them to a feast at her place. The house was soon full of people, activity and noise. Yashodaji decided to place Krushna’s cradle under a cart out side the house. She was hoping the cart would keep Krushna out of the sun and it would be less noisy outside than in !
A demon, sent by Kansa came to kill Krushna and sat on the cart, thinking how he should carry out his mission. Krushna, seeing the demon, kicked the cart over, burying the demon under numerous pots of food !
It's an interesting lila in that the very person Yashodaji was having the feast for was shifted out of the house ! Yashodaji was so lost in the feast that she forgot the very person she was holding the feast for. The demon came when the focal point of the feast was forgotten - Krushna.
In our lives too, problems come when we forget the very people we are “living” for. Relationship issues, strain in the family, misunderstandings occur when we become so “busy” with our lives that we forget who we are being “busy” for. In our desire to earn for our family, we often spend too much time away from the very spouse and children we are earning for.
Here is an anecdote I have read on the net several times.
One day a young boy asked his father, “Dad, how much do you make per hour ?” The father, rather smugly answered, $1000 dollars.
The young boy sighed. He said good night and went to his room.
Surprised at the reaction from his son, the father followed him to his bedroom and asked him why he was so sad. “Knowing that your father earns $1000 an hour should be a source of pride for you son. Just think of all the things I can buy for you !!”
The young boy said, “Yes father, I am impressed with your capacity to earn for
us.”
“Why are you so sad than ?”
“Because father, I can’t yet afford to pay you to spend an hour playing with me.”
Father was stunned in to silence.
After a few minutes, he picked up his son, sat him down on his knees and asked, “You don’t need to pay me to play with you son.”
“But father, you always say you are too busy with work to play with me. I wanted to buy some of your “time” so that you can play with me.”
Speechless, father embraced his son and they had a great evening, playing for several hours.
How often have we ignored the very people we work so hard for ?
How often have we been so focused on “the goal”, that we forget to enjoy the game ?
In our spiritual life too, we often spend too much time pursuing gurus / god-men, rituals, seminars and scriptures rather than God. We are so focused on following some rule(s) and “getting it right”, that we forget who we are doing this for.
We forget God loves us as we are.
Why can’t we love God as S/he is ?
Bhagwat Shah ©
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