After the morning program at the temple, I approached a devotee who gave Srimad Bhagavatam class that day. I expressed gratitude for the talk he gave and for the realisations that he shared. I shared with him how impressed I am with his knowledge of the scriptures and the verses that he memorised.
The devotee carefully listened to me, and when I finished speaking he replied: “Do you think that all this knowledge and the verses I know came to me for free?”
He stopped speaking for a moment and looked deeply into my eyes before he continued to explain: “Nothing comes for free. If you want to advance spiritually or gain knowledge of the scriptures, you need to put effort into that. It needs to become your priority.”
This exchange happened more than ten years ago.
Yesterday, before an important meeting, I walked into the temple room to take darshan of the Lord. As I was about to walk in, a congregation devotee stopped me.
“Can you share some wisdom from the scriptures with me? I need some inspiration in my spiritual life.”
“Of course,” I said. I went to explain the story of Lord Caitanya revealing the universal form to Advaita Acarya and the lessons from that pastime. I also shared a few verses from that section of Caitanya Bhagavata.
“I wish I could learn as much as you know,” the devotee said after I shared the wisdom with him.
Remembering my experience from ten years ago when I had desired to have knowledge like that devotee who gave class, from that time till now, I have spent many hours studying scriptures, performing sadhana and praying.
I replied to the devotee: “You need to put in the effort and make it your priority if you want to learn anything in life, especially spiritual knowledge.”
“What service can I do for you?” He asked.
“Become serious in your service and sadhana, and that would be the best service you can do for me,” I replied.
“How will this help you?” he asked.
I smiled at him whilst remembering all the devotees who have inspired me in my life.
I replied: “A devotee who gave class ten years ago and inspired me to study scriptures had a huge impact on my spiritual life because he was exemplary in his spiritual practice. If we all practise our spiritual life seriously, we will become an inspiration for each other, and this is what devotee association means. Inspiring each other to become more surrendered, and ultimately more advanced devotees.”
We ended our conversation with this point.
I was late for my meeting because of this conversation, which was not exemplary.
Despite that, I was satisfied in my heart. I inspired that devotee to become serious in his spiritual life. Who knows, he may inspire someone else.
We can only inspire others if we are convinced and inspired ourselves!
Ref. VedaBase => SB 11.9.25- By studying the body’s birth and death, one can acquire virakti-viveka, the intelligence to detach oneself from useless things. The word avasita indicates conviction. One should be convinced of all the truths of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Ananta Gopal das
16.6.2023
Bhakti Wisdom 