(Shree Hari said, “O Uddhava! They are in deep love with me. They have renounced their bodies and belongings. They are detached from the sense objects. The Gopis of Vraj hold firm faith and trust in me.)
Shree Hari said, “O Uddhava! It is true. The Gopis have firm faith and trust in me. The sense objects are most repulsive to them. Though living a householder life they are absolutely detached to the sense objects and the world. They are ascetics in the guise of householders!”
Shree Krishna admired the selfless love of the Gopis and said, “O Uddhava! The Gopis are unparalleled in their devotional love”:
(The ten sense organs and the mind of the Gopis are lost in my divine form. They live in the world of devotional love.)
Shree Hari said, “O Uddhava! Their mind and the ten sense organs are attached to me. They dream not of their householder life. They live forever in my devotional love.”
Sublime souls are free from ominous dreams
Live a simple life to discard the desires of the sense objects. Desires are ominous. Unfulfilled desire agitates and destabilises the mind. If those desires were fulfilled, they would become stronger and more powerful by such fulfilment. Those who have controlled their sense organs are the happiest amongst people. Those whose sense organs are free and unrestricted are the most tormented.
Like an animal, I have chased the sense objects
Once, great Rishi Narada narrated the katha of great devotee Prahlad. Yudhishthira listened to the katha in his royal court. He appeared a bit worried, despite this enlightening Satsang with Rishi Narada. That looked a bit strange to Narada. Narada said, “O Yudhishthira! Are you not interested in this discourse? Why such a depressed mood? Devotional sessions should be attended happily.”
Yudhishthira said, “O Great hermit! I admire the devotional fervour of child Prahlad. Great is Prahlad and great is his devotion. His faith and trust are unique. It was his faith and trust that led to God’s manifestation from the pillar. He did darshan of God at the tender age of five years. This showed his strength of detachment and devotion. I am in my late fifties. After a long journey of fifty-five years, what have I attained? Nothing - a big zero. I haven’t even had a small glimpse of God! This is most shameful on my part.”
“I have spent my life like an animal chasing the sense objects. I am a slave to my sense organs and rendered such slavery to them by eating, drinking and sleeping. I have lost my precious life in such futile pursuit. I have spent my life like dogs and cats.”
“Prahlad realised God at a young age of five years! Think of the devotional fervour of Prahlad! Bhagwan himself came to him and manifested himself from the pillar to prove the truth of the words of his devotee – Prahlad.”
“O Narada! I have earned wealth, power, majesty and imperial grace in my life, but I haven’t attained God. My life is fruitless - good for nothing, without devotion or devotional fervour. I am lamenting in my heart and am not at peace. I have wasted my whole life running after undesirable objects and did nothing for the most desirable object of all - I did nothing to realise God.”
Yudhishthira was very sad for himself, and therefore he looked disenchanted during the Katha session.
Shree Hari said, “O Uddhava! Feel the devotional fervour of the Gopis”:
(Their vital air is slave to my love. Their mind and sense organs are merged in me. They have burnt their desires by loving me.)
Shree Hari said, “O Uddhava! The Gopis mind and soul are merged in me. They are free from the gross matter (Maya).
Discard ephemeral pleasures to ascend to the spiritual plane
The souls are trapped in the maze of ephemeral pleasure. Gross matter has no end. Wherever one goes, Maya will be there to lure the mind and soul. Just as a worker at a coalmine cannot escape staining, we too will have to live in this world – the world of illusion – Maya. Look upon Maya by treating it like fire. Control its effect through spiritual wisdom. Fire is most indispensable, yet nobody would hold fire in his hands. Be extra careful when handling Maya, just as you would be careful when handling fire.
The external world is not so obstructive in devotion, but the world within, the world encroaching the mind, is a most harmful hurdle in our devotional ways. The mind is overpowered with the gross matter within, thinks always and thinks constantly about wealth, children, wife and power. It leaves no room for devotion and devotional fervour. Therefore, discard the gross matter from the mind. Wealth and woman are two powerful forms of Maya. If the mind is stuck to any one of these two, then it will never be attached to God or devotion. Hold your mind firmly - hold it consciously. An enlightened devotee takes good care of his mental processes and diverts them directly to devotion and God.
A punishment is a must for sins committed by us. Whether it was with our body or with the mind, but a sin is a sin and it is liable to be punished. Wealth and woman cause such sins. Withdraw your mind from them and do devotion of God.
Shree Hari said, “O Uddhava! The Gopis have no desires. They are free from desire; they have disowned their heavenly abode and ultimate emancipation for the sake of me! They have renounced all their pleasures. I love their devotional fervour. I am a slave to their love.” Shree Hari said further:
(I love those who love me and follow behind them always. The rope of love ties me to them. I do whatever they ask me to do.)