Practice then Preach!


Kausika wanted to hear more about how Karma takes one thro’ cycle of repeated birth & death


Butcher said: Pious acts carry us to heavenly planets, where we can enjoy life of demigod. Sinful & sensual life leads us downward, to animal existence or hellish torments. A mixture of pious & sinful life awards one a human birth. However, one can free himself from effects of past Karma by performing austerities & living a life of piety. Indeed, when one renounces temporary material enjoyment, he can attain liberation from vicious cycle of birth & death


Ultimate goal of virtue & study of Vedas is to detach oneself from materialistic life of personal & extended sense gratification. This is not only the goal of life for those who’ve been born in Brāhmanā families. Even if one is born in a Sudrā family but cultivates mode of goodness with virtuous qualities, he must be accepted as a Brāhmanā


Kausika after hearing this said: I feel very fortunate to have met you & your words have given me great satisfaction


Butcher requested: Pls enter my house so that you can see my sole claim to virtue-my old father & mother


Kausika went to the house & saw that it was nicely decorated. He saw butcher’s father & mother dressed in white robes, sitting at ease after having their meal. Butcher fell to ground to offer obeisances & then touched his head to their feet. The parents picked up their beloved son & praised him for regarding them as his chief deity


Butcher introduced Kausika to his parents & said: I worship my parents just as one is supposed to worship principal demigods. My life is dedicated to their service & I always do what is most agreeable to them. I wash their feet with my own hands


Kausika was astonished to see butcher’s piety & praised him highly for being the perfect virtuous person


Butcher said: Dear Brāhmanā! You’ve wronged your mother & father by leaving home without their permission for studying Vedas. Now they’re old & invalid, blind as well & are aggrieved with your absence. You should return home to console them. Infact, due to this single fault, all your religious practices have been rendered useless


Preaching & not practicing what one preaches has no value. Purity is the essence of preaching


To traverse this journey, we need to become free from impure desires such as lust, anger and greed by practicing the purificatory process of devotional service to the Supreme Lord. When we strive to regulate ourselves in all the actions we do, putting aside our aversions & attachments, we attract God’s mercy & he bestows upon us mercy, to cleanse ourselves


We then feel energized to take the message of virtue to others by our personal example


Krsna says:

rāga-dveṣa-vimuktais tu viṣayān indriyaiś caran

ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati


But a person free from all attachment & aversion and able to control his senses through regulative principles of freedom can obtain the complete mercy of the Lord


Thoughts? #gameoflife

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