iMonk | May 2010

Calcutta, India — Tuesday, May 4th

Just a minute!

It was nice and cozy under the covers. Prabhu did not want to get up. "Just a few minutes more," he thought, sleepily...

On the altar in the temple room downstairs, Krishna waited — as still and as silent as a statue. He had already said what He had to say. The Lord has given us so much independence that He can only implore, not coerce. It is recorded in Bhagavad Gita (18:65).

man-mana bhava mad-bhakto / mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te / pratijane priyo 'si me

"Oh Prabhu, if you forget Me, you will be the loser, so always think of Me (man-mana) and become My devotee (bhava mad-bhakto). I have assumed the form of the deity in the temple specifically to give you this opportunity to worship Me (mad-yaji) and to bow down before Me (mam namaskuru) during the aratis. Don't neglect Me.

"If you worship Me and offer your obeisance to Me, you will be the beneficiary, not Me. This is why I am so shamelessly begging you to worship Me — not for My satisfaction or appeasement, but because it is the only way that you can come to Me (mam evaisyasi).

"Because you are very dear to Me (priyo 'si me), I will not deceive you (satyam te). This is My promise (pratijane) to you: if you give yourself to Me (mam namaskuru), I will give Myself to you (mam evaisyasi)."

Upstairs, Prabhu could hear the pujari's bell ringing. He rolled onto his side, pulling the blanket over his head. "I'll go to mangala arati tomorrow, for sure," he promised himself... again.

Tags: Just a minute! | Deity | Slokas

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