Guest guest Posted March 6, 2005 Report Share Posted March 6, 2005 Hare Krishna . Pranam to all Vaishnavas, Service to Krishna , an end in itself Performance of eternal service to Bhagavan Krishna is considered as the ultimate good that a spiritual aspirant can aspire for as the fruit of all his efforts. According to the scriptures the eternal and the ealizin souls in the transcendental realm engage themselves in the service of the Divine couple (Naryayana and Mahalakshmi) and they accompanied the Almighty during His incarnations. The Ramayana portrays Lakshmana as the epitome of service to Rama, the incarnation of Bhagavan Krishna. He could not even entertain the thought of being left behind in Ayodhya when Rama went on exile and preempted such a situation by appealing through Sita to Rama. His acts of service to Rama is legion. The epic describes in every possible juncture how Lakshmana was always at the service of Rama and Sita. When they reached Chitrakoot they visited the hermitage of Sage Valmiki and paid their respects to him. When Rama expressed His wish that He would like to stay there beholding the beauty and serenity of the place and sought the sage’s permission, Lakshmana immediately took upon himself the task of erecting a hut out of leaves for Rama and Sita. He had not indicated in any manner that He wanted the privacy of an abode for Him and Sita, but Lakshmana who always wanted to serve them in the best possible way thought it fit to build a dwelling place for them. The Ramayana notes that Rama rejoiced and shed the agony caused by His exile from Ayodhya during their stay in Chitrakoot. The manner in which Rama broke the news to Lakshmana when He learnt about Dasaratha’s demise from Bharata gave an insight into how much Lakshmana cared for Him. Rama told him, ``You are fatherless Lakshmana. Bharata sorrowfully related the emperor’s ascent to heaven.’’ By these words Rama indicated that Lakshmana was caring for Him in the same manner as His father would have and hence Dasaratha’s death would affect Lakshmana more than Him. The means for ealizing the privilege of performing service to the Bhagavan is through surrender to Him (Prapatti). The doctrine of self- surrender as means to liberation is unique in that the responsibility of the aspirant’s liberation is shifted to the Bhagavan. The efficacy of this means is apparent from scriptural authority adduced by preceptors like Ramanuja in their works. The promise given by the Bhagavan during His manifestation as Varaha to His consort is cited to show that if a person had performed Prapatti once, the Bhagavan remembers him during his last moments and redeems him even if the devotee fails to concentrate his mind on Him. Bhagavan Krishna says in Gita, Chapter 18, Sloka, 55 & 56 : bhaktya mam abhijanati / yavan yas casmi tattvatahtato mam tattvato jnatva / visate tad-anantaram sarva-karmany api sada / kurvano mad-vyapasrayahmat-prasadad avapnoti / sasvatam padam avyayam (It is only by bhakti (devotional service) that he can know the tattva of My glories and svarupa. He then enters My eternal pastimes through that tattva on the strength of prema-bhakti.One who is My sincere devotee attains My eternal and imperishable abode, Vaikuntha by My grace, even though he is always engaged in various types of activities. ) OM NAMO BHAGAVATE VASUDEVAYA!!! SriKrishnaDasa RajeevSend instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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