Radhanath Swami on Wives of the Brahmanas Achieve Perfection

Meanwhile the noon time passed, and the cowherd boys were hungry. They approached the brahmanas who were performing an elaborate sacrifice and asked them for some food for Krishna and Balarama, but they ignored them.

“Isn’t that typical, isn’t that common for people all over the world? Sometimes even devotees, we are

so busy for what we think is so important in our lives that we don’t have time for Krishna.”

We make wrong priorities. Ultimately everything will perish except our relationship with Krishna. Whatever we invest in that relationship is eternal. So Krishna wanted to show the world. The brahmanas were worshiping all these demigods for their material benefits. That means they were so concerned with their material lives. In one sense this equates us to going to work every day. We are doing our family responsibilities. We are very busy – Just as the brahmanas. It is our prescribed duty on the material platform. And we become so much enraptured in it. And meanwhile Krishna is asking us, “Chant your 16 rounds, read Srimad Bhagavatam, remember Me”, He is calling us. Just as the cowherd boys came to remind us – Krishna wants something. Similarly, the spiritual masters, the Gurus, they are saying, “Please, Krishna wants your love. Chant the holy names, read Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrita, offer some service.”

“Ultimately everything will perish except our relationship with Krishna. Whatever we invest in that relationship is eternal.”

The cowherd boys were disappointed; they came back and told Krishna what had happened. Krishna explained that this is the nature of begging, sometimes we get and sometimes we may be rejected. This is very relevant for us. When we are trying to give Krishna Consciousness to others; sometimes people will accept and sometimes they will not. We cannot be attached. Our enthusiasm is not whether people accept or not. Our enthusiasm is whether we are pleasing Krishna and Guru and Vaisnavas by our efforts. That’s our success.

“Our enthusiasm is whether we are pleasing Krishna and Guru and Vaisnavas byour efforts. That’s our success”

One disciple of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur went out to distribute books. After trying for the whole day he could distribute only one book. He was discouraged and reported it to Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur. But Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur was very happy that at least one person took the book.

Krishna then sent the cowherd boys to approach the wives of the brahmanas and ask them for some food. The wives like the gopis immediately agreed and in spite of being stopped by their husbands they all left to see Krishna. They took all the preparations with them and went to the forest where they saw the beautiful form of Shyamsundar. They embraced Him within their hearts and Krishna reciprocated with their love. They attained the supreme perfection of their lives simply by offering some food to Krishna.

Krishna then told the brahmana wives to go back to their respective homes. They were little apprehensive about their husbands behaviour but they were all readily received and accepted by their husbands. The brahmanas upon seeing their wives condemned their own unfortunate situation due to losing an opportunity to please Krishna. However due to fear of Kamsa they didn’t go and see Krishna.

– Radhanath Swami