For the day after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati's disappeance

[Guest guest]

"Yes, No, Very Good"

 

A simple villager picked up some English through listening. He memorized

only a few English words, such as `Yes' and `No', and `Very good'. But he

never attempted seriously to understand the application of these words in

the proper context. He only knew that a sort of respect for an

`English-speaking' person could be attained by using those words in front of

people.

Once a few dacoits made a plan to commit a murder and then escape making it

look as if that villager had been the culprit.

When the villager was brought to the law court, the judge asked him in

Bengali, "Did you commit the murder ?"

The foolish villager thought that if he could speak some English in front of

the judge, then the judge might have great respect for him, considering him

to be a follower of Western culture, and thus he may be relieved from the

allegation of murder.

Contemplating thus, the villager replied to the judge, "Yes!"

The judge asked, "Was there anyone else with you?"

Promptly the villager replied, "No!"

Then the judge said, "Do you realise that you will have to go to jail?"

Now the villager thought that he should put forth his protest against such

an injustice by applying his last resort. In order to confirm that he was a

perfect gentleman, and that he did not commit the murder, and that he should

never be thrown in prison, he replied to the judge's question, saying, "Very

good!"

 

PURPORT

Even in the field of devotional service, many people often deliver a lot of

scriptural quotes in a parrot-like fashion, without proper understanding of

the instructions, religious terminology and the injunctions that they

receive from the pure devotees. They simply hanker for respect from the

people in that manner.

But eventually their position becomes similar to that of this villager. In

the case the scriptural quotes and authoritative injunctions are not

properly assimilated and digested, the righteous community never appreciates

them. It is also not possible to be released from the clutches of `maya' or

illusion through such a parrot-like verbiage.

It is often observed in pubic meetings, assemblies and popular mundane

literature that many so-called "men-of-letters of modern civilisation

deliver such ludicrous verbosity on the subjects of devotion, devotees, and

the Supreme Godhead. Pure devotees simply consider those deliberations

similar to those of the villager mentioned above, who did not realize

anything beyond `Yes, No, Very good. 'Those persons are ultimately destined

to suffer imprisonment under the merciless clutches of `maya'.