Radhanath Swami on Pridelessness of Vasudeva the leper

Radhanatha Swamy on Pridelessness of Vasudeva the leper

Caitanya Caritamrita describes about the leper Vasudeva. There were limitless worms on his body. If a worm would fall out, he would respectfully place it back, thinking that this body belongs to the worm as much as to him. Lord Caitanya understood that this was his mood and He came all the way back to Kurma kshetra and embraced Vasudeva and cured him of his leprosy and gave him a healthy, effulgent body.

Vasudeva was worried, “Now people will see me that I have received such a blessing of the Lord, a miracle was made of my life. What if I become proud? Then my ability to please Krishna will be spoiled. Better I remain a leper at least my service will never be contaminated by false pride.” He was worried because he understood that where there is false pride, we think we are the doer and we are clinging to our positions. If Krishna does not think about you much, He will just let you continue thinking like that. And you will think I am winning. But if Krishna is very kind to you, He will take away the cause of your pride directly or indirectly.

Krishna didn’t want to take away Indra’s position but He wanted to award him an understanding and realization of the real purpose of life. Krishna humiliated him, he was very angry. Indra could not believe what had just happened. He wanted to retaliate so he sent the clouds of universal destruction – Samvartaka clouds, to inundate the land of Vrajbhumi.

“If you have a boil on your body and if somebody squeezes it, it really hurts. If you don’t have a boil on your body you can squeeze that same part and it doesn’t hurt. But if you do have one if somebody even looks on it, it hurts. So where there is pride, it is like that boil filled with that puss.”

– Radhanath Swami

Radhanatha Swamy on Pridelessness of Vasudeva the leper