It is stormy, windy and rainy in Goa for the last few
days. Seeing the wind and the heavy downpour, I started wondering, "What
an experience it would be to be in such a storm and wind in a boat in
the middle of the turbulent ocean". A crazy thought, I guess.
But
then I got this insight that, "Well, we are already in the middle of an
ocean with violent winds around." The scriptures explain that, this
material world is a huge ocean of birth and death, with turbulent
winds and storm of problems and miseries all around us and we, tiny
entities being caught in this terrible and powerful ocean are struggling
helplessly to stay afloat and stable in the midst of all this drama.
This material world is not so easy to overcome however powerful and
expert one may be just as, even an expert swimmer is unable to swim
across an ocean.
Therefore Lord Krishna tells us in Bhagvat-gita 7.14
"daivÄ« hy eį¹£Ä guį¹a-mayÄ«
mama mÄyÄ duratyayÄ"
"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difļ¬cult to overcome."
So, what is the hope for us to overcome this insurmountable ocean of birth and death?
Lord Krishna Himself answers this question is the second part of this very verse of the Bhagvat-gita. He says -
"mÄm eva ye prapadyante
mÄyÄm etÄį¹ taranti te"
"But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it."
The key is simple, "Surrender unto Him".
His lotus feet are compared to a boat that can safely pligh us across
this dangerous shark infested ocean of miseries as Srimad-bhagvatam
10.14.58 explains -
"samÄÅritÄ ye pada-pallava-plavaį¹
mahat-padaį¹ puį¹ya-yaÅo murÄreįø„
bhavÄmbudhir vatsa-padaį¹ paraį¹ padaį¹
padaį¹ padaį¹ yad vipadÄį¹ na teį¹£Äm"
"For
those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is
the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as MurÄri, the
enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the
water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their goal is paraį¹ padam,
Vaikuį¹į¹ha, the place where there are no material miseries, beyond this
material world where there is danger at every step."
Narottam
Das Thakur, a great Vaishnav Saint of medieval times prays in a similar
mood in his famous song, "Gauranga Karuna Karo" showing us how we
should pray to the Lord so that we can weather the stormy weather of
this world -
"podechi bhava tuphÄne nÄhiko nistÄr
sri carana tarani dÄne, dÄse karo pÄr"
"I am plunged amidst the violent hurricane-
stricken waves in the ocean of this
material world, from which there is no escape. Kindly give me the gift
of Your divine lotus feet, which are compared to a boat in which Your
servant may cross over the ocean of birth and death."
- Achyut Gopal Das
Hari Bol ššš½
ReplyDeleteWell said prabuji šš½