Why Am I worried about my Future - ?

 

27th April 2010

Yesterday night slept at around 230am but still manage to awake up at around 750am. Took quick bath and left for temple. When i reached temple last part of lecture was going-on where Prabhu was specifying that due to lack of faith people are so depressed with the worry of their future which is making them to work hard so they can save money for their future. But they are not aware of the fact if they will be fully dependent on Krishna and spend only legitimate hours at work without compromising their spiritual standards then all their anxiety about future will be vanished. Even Jesus taught us that we need to pray for our daily bread that's why we pray "Thank you Lord for our daily bread" here we are not complaining that God why you gave us rotten bread yesterday or God tomorrow please provide us Bread with Butter & Milk but that's not a case because we pray "Thank you lord for our daily bread" which means live in present give 100% to your present without worrying about future. There is very nice story which we can relate to this, it’s a story of a Hunter Mrgari

(Ref Sri Caitanya Caritamr?ta Madhya)

- "Once upon a time the great saint Narada, after visiting Lord Narayana in the Vaikunthas, went to Prayaga to bathe at the confluence of three rivers — the Ganges, Yamuna and Sarasvati.

- "Narada Muni saw that a deer was lying on the path through the forest and that it was pierced by an arrow. It had broken legs and was twisting due to much pain.

- "Farther ahead, Narada Muni saw a boar pierced by an arrow. Its legs were also broken, and it was twisting in pain.

- "When he went farther, he saw a rabbit that was also suffering. Narada Muni was greatly pained at heart to see living entities suffer so.

- "When Narada Muni advanced farther, he saw a hunter behind a tree. This hunter was holding arrows, and he was ready to kill more animals.

- "The hunter's body was blackish. He had reddish eyes, and he appeared fierce. It was as if the superintendent of death, Yamaraja, were standing there with a bow and arrows in his hands.

- "When Narada Muni left the forest path and went to the hunter, all the animals immediately saw him and fled.

- "When all the animals fled, the hunter wanted to chastise Narada with abusive language, but due to Narada's presence, he could not utter anything abusive.

- "The hunter addressed Narada Muni: 'O gosvami! O great saintly person! Why have you left the general path through the forest to come to me? Simply by seeing you, all the animals I was hunting have now fled.'

- "Narada Muni replied, 'Leaving the path, I have come to you to settle a doubt that is in my mind.

- "'I was wondering whether all the boars and other animals that are half-killed belong to you.'"The hunter replied, 'Yes, what you are saying is so.'

- "Narada Muni then inquired, 'Why did you not kill the animals completely? Why did you half-kill them by piercing their bodies with arrows?'

- "The hunter replied, 'My dear saintly person, my name is Mrgari, enemy of animals. My father taught me to kill them in that way.

- "'When I see half-killed animals suffer, I feel great pleasure.'

- "Narada Muni then told the hunter, 'I have one thing to beg of you.'"The hunter replied, 'You may take whatever animals or anything else you would like.

- "'I have many skins, if you would like them. I shall give you either a deerskin or a tiger skin.'

- "Narada Muni said, 'I do not want any of the skins. I am asking only one thing from you in charity.

- "'I beg you that from this day on you will kill animals completely and not leave them half-dead.'

- "The hunter replied, 'My dear sir, what are you asking of me? What is wrong with the animals' lying there half-killed? Will you please explain this to me?'

- "Narada Muni replied, 'If you leave the animals half-dead, you are purposefully giving them pain. Therefore you will have to suffer in retaliation.'

- "Narada Muni continued, 'My dear hunter, your business is killing animals. That is a slight offense on your part. But when you consciously give them unnecessary pain by leaving them half-dead, you incur very great sins.'

- "Narada Muni continued, 'All the animals that you have killed and given unnecessary pain will kill you one after the other in your next life and in life after life.'

- "In this way, through the association of the great sage Narada Muni, the hunter was a little convinced of his sinful activity. He therefore became somewhat afraid due to his offenses.

- "The hunter then admitted that he was convinced of his sinful activity, and he said, 'I have been taught this business from my very childhood. Now I am wondering how I can become freed from these unlimited volumes of sinful activity.'

- "The hunter continued, 'My dear sir, please tell me how I can be relieved from the reactions of my sinful life. Now I fully surrender unto you and fall down at your lotus feet. Please deliver me from sinful reactions.'

- "Narada Muni assured the hunter, 'If you listen to my instructions, I shall find the way you can be liberated.'

- "The hunter then said, 'My dear sir, whatever you say I shall do.'"Narada immediately ordered him, 'First of all, break your bow. Then I shall tell you what is to be done.'

- "The hunter replied, 'If I break my bow, how shall I maintain myself?'"Narada Muni replied, 'Do not worry. I shall supply all your food every day.'

- "Being thus assured by the great sage Narada Muni, the hunter broke his bow, immediately fell down at the saint's lotus feet and fully surrendered. After this, Narada Muni raised him with his hand and gave him instructions for spiritual advancement.

- "Narada Muni then advised the hunter, 'Return home and distribute whatever riches you have to the pure brahman?as who know the Absolute Truth. After you have distributed all your riches to the brahman?as, you and your wife should leave home, each of you taking only one cloth to wear.'

- "Narada Muni continued, 'Leave your home and go to the river. There you should construct a small cottage, and in front of the cottage you should grow a tulasi plant on a raised platform.

- "'After planting the tulasi tree before your house, you should daily circumambulate that tulasi plant, serve her by giving her water and other things, and continuously chant the Hare Kr?s?n?a maha-mantra.'

- "Narada Muni continued, 'Every day I shall send sufficient food to you both. You can take as much food as you want.'

- "The three animals that were half-killed were then brought to their consciousness by the sage Narada. Indeed, the animals got up and swiftly fled.

- "When the hunter saw the half-killed animals flee, he was certainly struck with wonder. He then offered his respectful obeisances to the sage Narada and returned home.

- "After all this, Narada Muni went to his destination. After the hunter returned home, he exactly followed the instructions of his spiritual master, Narada.

- "The news that the hunter had become a Vaisnava spread all over the village. Indeed, all the villagers brought alms and presented them to the Vais?n?ava who had formerly been a hunter.

- "In one day enough food was brought for ten or twenty people, but the hunter and his wife would accept only as much as they could eat.

- "One day, while speaking to his friend Parvata Muni, Narada Muni requested him to go with him to see his disciple the hunter.

- "As the saintly sages approached the hunter's place, the hunter could see them from a distance.

- "With great alacrity the hunter began to run toward his spiritual master, but he could not fall down and offer obeisances because ants were running hither and thither around his feet.

- "Seeing the ants, the hunter whisked them away with a piece of cloth. After thus clearing the ants from the ground, he fell down flat to offer his obeisances.

- "Narada Muni said, 'My dear hunter, such behavior is not at all astonishing. A man in devotional service is automatically nonviolent. He is the best of gentlemen.

- "'O hunter, good qualities like nonviolence, which you have developed, are not very astonishing, for those engaged in the Lord's devotional service are never inclined to give pain to others because of envy.'

- "The hunter then received the two great sages in the courtyard of his house. He spread out a straw mat for them to sit upon, and with great devotion he begged them to sit down.

- "He then fetched water and washed the sages' feet with great devotion. Then both husband and wife drank that water and sprinkled it on their heads.

- "When the hunter chanted the Hare Krsna maha-mantra before his spiritual master, his body trembled and tears welled up in his eyes. Filled with ecstatic love, he raised his hands and began to dance, waving his garments up and down.

- "When Parvata Muni saw the ecstatic loving symptoms of the hunter, he told Narada, 'Certainly you are a touchstone.'

- "Parvata Muni continued, 'My dear friend Narada Muni, you are glorified as the sage among the demigods. By your mercy, even a lowborn person like this hunter can immediately become attached to Lord Krsna.'

- "Narada Muni then asked the hunter, 'My dear Vaisnava, do you have some income for your maintenance?'"The hunter replied, 'My dear spiritual master, whoever you send gives me something when he comes to see me.'

- "The former hunter said, 'Please do not send so much grain. Only send what is sufficient for two people, no more.'

So, this is real incident from which we can learn that a heartless person can transform to a Vaishnava by getting right direction from his Guru, Association and firm faith in the words of Guru. Without worrying about future Mrgari broke his bow which is the only source of his income and you saw how Krishna had arranged food for his devotee.

Hare Krishna