Page 8 - Powerful Feminine Qualities
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passions of lust, anger and greed. This is the blessing of Krishna consciousness. Regardless of one’s position, one can
         make spiritual progress and attain a transcendental consciousness as described by the following. “He who is satisfied
         with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success
         and failure, is never  entangled, although performing actions.”  (Bg  4.22) A  Krishna conscious person is above the
         dualities of the material world such as success and failure, or happiness and distress, because he does not hesitate to
         act for the satisfaction of Krishna.
         Another example is given in the Srimad Bhagavatam, which describes the wives of the brahmanas of Vrindavan in the
         time of Krishna, 5000 years ago. Their priestly husbands were employed by Kamsa to perform Vedic rituals for the
         comforts of the material body and eventual elevation to the higher planetary residences called svarga-loka. Due to
         their materialistic leanings, they were unable to understand the position of Krishna. The wives of these Brahmana
         priests were neither educated like their husbands nor were they expert in performing Vedic rituals. Nevertheless, they
         were great devotees because they were always absorbed in thinking of Krishna.
         One day,  the cowherd  boys  who  accompanied Krishna and Balarama,  were very hungry because they did not eat
         breakfast. They  requested  asked  Krishna and Balarama  to  satisfy their hunger. Krishna and Balarama asked their
         friends to go to the brahmanas who were performing Vedic sacrifices for elevation to heavenly planets. Krishna said
         that the  brahmanas  were not  Vaishnavas, as  they  did not  chant  Krishna’s names. He instructed them to ask the
         brahmanas for some of the eatable remains of the sacrifice. Krishna cautioned the cowherd boys that the brahmanas
         may not agree to give them prasadam.
         The boys approached the brahmanas and asked for some prasadam from the sacrifice for Krishna and Balarama. The
         smarta-brahmanas  did not care for the  begging on behalf of Krishna and Balarama. They refused to speak to the
         cowherd boys.  Although the purpose  of Vedic knowledge is  to  know Lord Krishna as the Supreme  Personality of
         Godhead and the ultimate beneficiary  of all sacrifices, the non-devotee  brahmanas  confined themselves to
         mechanically performing sacrificial ceremonies for material benefits and ignored devotion for Lord Krishna. The Lord
         says,  “I am the only enjoyer and  master of all  sacrifices.  Therefore, those who do not recognize My true
         transcendental nature fall down.” (Bg 9.24) It is also said, “The occupational activities a man performs according to his
         own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of
         Godhead.” (SB 1.2.8)
         The brahmanas were primarily interested in obtaining comforts for the material body and elevation to the higher
         material planets call svarga. Blinded by such material desires, they were unable to understand the transcendental
         position of Lord Krishna. Krishna says, “In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material
         opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination for devotional service to the Supreme
         Lord does not take place.” (Bg 2.44)
         The boys returned to  Krishna and Balarama. Krishna reassured them not to  be discouraged by  the refusal of the
         brahmanas. Begging efforts will not always be successful. He instructed them to go see the wives of the brahmanas
         who were  genuine  devotees of  the  Lords.  They approached  the  wives  and  begged  food  from  them. The  wives
         spontaneously responded that they would prepare food and bring it themselves to the Lords so that they could see
         Them. Their immediate acceptance was natural because they were highly advanced spiritually by virtue of always
         thinking about Krishna and Balarama. This is mystic meditation. Because of their meditation, they were eager to see
         the Lords.
         When they  were ready to take  the food to Krishna and Balarama,  their husbands and family  members tried to
         convince them not to go. They disregarded their family members and rushed to see Krishna and Balarama. On seeing
         their cherished Lords, the wives felt all their desires fulfilled. They exhibited unalloyed love and devotion for Krishna.
         Their only desire was to please the Lord by always being in agreement with His desires. This is the real sense of
         oneness, which is always  agreeing  to satisfy the desire  of the Lord. Understanding oneself  as the soul  within the
         temporary body, one can progress to the next level of spiritual realization, which is seeing the individual soul as the



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