Saranagati dasi
Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
“Happy birthday!!” I would like to offer Your Holiness the best, most scrumptious birthday cake that Your Holiness would like to honor... yes, it can even be chocolate. J Please forgive me for all my offenses at Your lotus feet and please bless me that all pride be vanquished from my heart.
I have just heard one conversation with Srila Prabhupada where His Divine Grace said that... “Krsna is very big... and just like in this material world if you want to please, or even see, a big man it is very difficult to do. Just like Mr. Ford, if you want to please Mr. Ford it is very hard, or if you want to see him it is very hard. But if you happen to see Mr. Ford walking his dog and you give Mr. Ford’s dog a two cent lozenge, then Mr. Ford is very easily pleased. I am the dog of God. It is very difficult to approach Krsna, but if you simply please His dog Krsna will be pleased.”
Guru Maharaja, just as Your baseball cap proudly said “Prabhupada’s Dog”, I would like to endeavour to become your dog.
So what are the qualifications of a dog? A dog is not independent... it is dependent. It is loyal to its master. It is obedient to its master’s orders/commands. It is eager to please and serve the master (infact displays great joy in serving). It enjoys the company of the master. It is humble. It is patient. It is not expectant. It protects the master. It lies at the feet of the master.
From these few examples I see that I have no qualification to become Your dog. But if I lie at the feet of the Master, then maybe my heart will soften, become less stubborn and foolish, and the qualifications of becoming a dog will begin to manifest within my heart. As Your Holiness has said, our tulasi mala is our dog-collar... I should seriously see this as such and then maybe Your Holiness will attach a lead to my collar and train me... for I am like an untrained mongrel. Infact, it is like I choose to be an untrained stray; yet Your Holiness is holding out a leash, offering a home to this stray... but there is still apprehension to allow Your Holiness to attach the leash. Although the promise of shelter, nourishment, care, affection are there... one thing must be surrendered – independence.
Guru Maharaja, why am I so afraid to give up my independence? It is a bogus concept – for I know we are never really independent, always being dependent – it is only the illusion of I, Me and My.
I suppose that throughout our journey of self-realisation we come to many crossroads, come across snakes and ladders, and with our independence we can choose one way or another... “am I pleasing my senses or Krsna’s”, “who am I actually serving”.
Dear Guru Maharaja, although I am snarling, bearing my fangs, making it so difficult for You to attach the leash, I beg that You keep holding out the leash... and I can hope that this rabid dog will not fear this hand... this shelter... and surrender.
I was just reflecting on how Your Holiness gave me so much shelter. I felt such protection in Your Holiness’ care. Such love. When someone has given such love, protection to you and then they are taken away from you on the physical plane, then one is bound to feel a gap. I know that that protection and love is eternal... all that’s required is to follow Your Holiness’ instructions, serve You, please You, the Dog of the Dog of God. When I take on too many responsibilities, the tendency is to neglect the services one already has, and in doing so, serving inattentively means that I am missing out on Your sweet Mercy... Your association. I don’t just want to realise this, but I want to adjust this anartha and be more attentive to Your Holiness’ kind association and presence.
Please always allow me to reside at Your lotus feet, and let me know how to serve You.
Your aspiring dog,
Saranagati dasi
Please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
“Happy birthday!!” I would like to offer Your Holiness the best, most scrumptious birthday cake that Your Holiness would like to honor... yes, it can even be chocolate. J Please forgive me for all my offenses at Your lotus feet and please bless me that all pride be vanquished from my heart.
I have just heard one conversation with Srila Prabhupada where His Divine Grace said that... “Krsna is very big... and just like in this material world if you want to please, or even see, a big man it is very difficult to do. Just like Mr. Ford, if you want to please Mr. Ford it is very hard, or if you want to see him it is very hard. But if you happen to see Mr. Ford walking his dog and you give Mr. Ford’s dog a two cent lozenge, then Mr. Ford is very easily pleased. I am the dog of God. It is very difficult to approach Krsna, but if you simply please His dog Krsna will be pleased.”
Guru Maharaja, just as Your baseball cap proudly said “Prabhupada’s Dog”, I would like to endeavour to become your dog.
So what are the qualifications of a dog? A dog is not independent... it is dependent. It is loyal to its master. It is obedient to its master’s orders/commands. It is eager to please and serve the master (infact displays great joy in serving). It enjoys the company of the master. It is humble. It is patient. It is not expectant. It protects the master. It lies at the feet of the master.
From these few examples I see that I have no qualification to become Your dog. But if I lie at the feet of the Master, then maybe my heart will soften, become less stubborn and foolish, and the qualifications of becoming a dog will begin to manifest within my heart. As Your Holiness has said, our tulasi mala is our dog-collar... I should seriously see this as such and then maybe Your Holiness will attach a lead to my collar and train me... for I am like an untrained mongrel. Infact, it is like I choose to be an untrained stray; yet Your Holiness is holding out a leash, offering a home to this stray... but there is still apprehension to allow Your Holiness to attach the leash. Although the promise of shelter, nourishment, care, affection are there... one thing must be surrendered – independence.
Guru Maharaja, why am I so afraid to give up my independence? It is a bogus concept – for I know we are never really independent, always being dependent – it is only the illusion of I, Me and My.
I suppose that throughout our journey of self-realisation we come to many crossroads, come across snakes and ladders, and with our independence we can choose one way or another... “am I pleasing my senses or Krsna’s”, “who am I actually serving”.
Dear Guru Maharaja, although I am snarling, bearing my fangs, making it so difficult for You to attach the leash, I beg that You keep holding out the leash... and I can hope that this rabid dog will not fear this hand... this shelter... and surrender.
I was just reflecting on how Your Holiness gave me so much shelter. I felt such protection in Your Holiness’ care. Such love. When someone has given such love, protection to you and then they are taken away from you on the physical plane, then one is bound to feel a gap. I know that that protection and love is eternal... all that’s required is to follow Your Holiness’ instructions, serve You, please You, the Dog of the Dog of God. When I take on too many responsibilities, the tendency is to neglect the services one already has, and in doing so, serving inattentively means that I am missing out on Your sweet Mercy... Your association. I don’t just want to realise this, but I want to adjust this anartha and be more attentive to Your Holiness’ kind association and presence.
Please always allow me to reside at Your lotus feet, and let me know how to serve You.
Your aspiring dog,
Saranagati dasi
 Sanatana Goswami das |
8 / 10 | Sudevi dasi |