An Unusual Bhajana-kutira.

[Guest guest]

Hare Krsna.PAMHO.AGTSP.AGTGM.

 

On Another occasion Srila Babaji Maharaja remarked,"It is not

possible to properly worship the Supreme Lord in an outhouse."

Having made this remark,he saw that the people in his

vicinity could not grasp his meaning,and so he explained,"A house where

persons always indulge in eating and sensual pleasure is not a place for

sadhus.Such places may appear to be asramas or temples,but they are the

abodes of lust.Sensual life may be permissible for the demigods,but not for

the devotees of the Lord.Materialistic persons who live in this way imagine

they are residing in heaven,but they actually live in a deep pool of

excrement in the form of the sense objects of the material

world.However,when those who seriously worship the Supreme Lord take full

shelter of Him,wherever they reside becomes non-different to Sri

Radha-kunda(the supremely holy pond of Sri Radha)."

 

A few days after these remarks were made the proprietor of a

Navadvipa dharmasala named Mr.Girish,accompanied by his wife,came to see

Babaji Maharaja.The propreitor's wife very humbly requested Babaji Maharaja

to allow them to build a bhajana-kutira(a small cottage for worship)for

him.They remarked that during the rainy and cold seasons he was undergoing

extreme hardship in the thatched cottage where he was then residing.Hearing

this Babaji Maharaja replied,"No I am not experiencing even the slightest

hardship.But there is one thing which causes me difficulty.If you will agree

to help me,then I will tell you what it is."They expressed their

eagerness,and so he continued,"Many people come to me with selffish

motives.They do not desire their real welfare,and they simply create a

disturbance to my bhajana.If you can give me your latrine,it will serve as a

favourable place for my chanting the Holy Name of the Lord.There I shall be

able to worship the Holy Name without disturbance.People will hate to go

there.If you cannot do this,then do not disturb me and make me waste this

human form of life."

 

On hearing this,Mr. Girish's wife exclaimed,"Oh,most revered

Babaji,We are prepared to obey your command.But if we let a saint to live in

our privy,it will be a great sin for us."

 

Babaji Maharaja replied,"I am not a saint.Those who are

pujaris where the temple Deities are worshipped,or others who keep matted

hair and wear tree bark are saints.I am unable to worship the Lord in a

proper way,so a privy is the right place for me.If you can oblige me in this

way,then say so,Otherwise I shall not listen to you any longer."

 

Having no other alternative,Girish and his wife agreed,to the

proposal and said,"Even if you do not utilize the room adjoining the

privy,there will be two chambers there for those who serve you."Girish Had

the exterior of the privy renovated by masons and the interior thoroughly

cleansed.Otherwise,the inner structure was left unchanged for fear that the

Babaji would be displeased.Srila Gaura Kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja stayed in

the public latrine of a dharmasala to teach people in general that

attachment to material affairs under the pretense of devotion,is more

foul-smelling than excreta.

 

(Babaji Maharaja "Two Beyond Duality" by Karnamrta dasa Adhikari)

 

Srila Gaura-kisora dasa Babaji Maharaja ki jai.

Srila Bhakti Siddanta Saraswati Thakura Maharaja ki jai.

Srila Prabhupad Maharaj ki jai.

Gurudave Maharaj ki jai.

 

YHS Ramananda Gaura das

Krsnapremavati dd.