His Bhakta Vatsalya

One time during a Harikatha in Kolkata Math, Gurudev expressed his great concern about devotees who had a desire to visit the zoological park at Kolkata when they came there.


His concern was really palpable when he said, "You go there to see the lions and tigers, but if you suffer a heart attack and die there out of fear hearing just one roar from one of them in close quarters, you may be born as a tiger or a lion next because your last thoughts were of them!"

By Gurudev's grace we see a lesson He is conveying to us, i.e. though death of the body is certain and I have no control over the date, time, place and circumstances of death, but I still have a choice to choose how I live now and so, let me only aspire and pray to live a devotional life in the association of pure devotees of the Lord.



I found myself pondering on the words of Gurudev and could not get it off my mind easily. More thinking made me realize that Gurudev's concern was not like an ordinary mother's concern for her little child; for example when she sends him to school or even say, on a picnic, or when he is sick. She concerns herself about his safety and no untoward thing happen and my child suffer.

 But His concern is for the eternal welfare of his disciples, full-blown bhakta vatsalya million times greater than matra vatsalya, expressed in such humble words.

Our careless and foolish activities may lead us to fall down into lower species of life, for how many millions of such more miserable lives we do not know. Even to this day I remember the instance and feel the depth of his concern.



I later heard that particular day's event (2015) as it happened and narrated by Sri Ananta Ram Prabhu which is as follows:



Once a few devotees came to Kolkata Math. They went into Gurudev's room to pay obeisances to Him. Then they said, “We are going to the zoo”.

Guruji said, “I have been staying in Kolkata for so many years and I studied here, but I do not know what is there in a zoo? There are animals there.”



Then Guruji told, Why do you need to go to the zoo? Just see outside! Zoo is just outside—all are animals, all are fighting with each other, all are giving trouble to each other, you see? Cars are moving, houses are there, people are there doing different activities— it is like zoo! Why you should go especially to see all this? People are disappointed, and after coming outside they are asking me should we go?”

People are disappointed and after coming outside they are asking me should we go.

Guruji told like this. I told, "Ok, you go now, no problem. Guruji is giving teaching, we should have this in mind. Now that you have planned to go, you go and visit it."



May Gurudev's boundless affection and compassion give us the strength to walk the path He has chalked out for us very humbly and submissively.



—Vishakha Dasi