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THE LESSON LEARNT BY THE AVADHUTA BRAHMANA

The instruction that the Avadhüta brähmaëa received from the sea is that the mind of the sage who is devoted to the Personality of Godhead appears very clear and grave, just like the still ocean waters. The ocean does not overflow during the rainy season, when all the flooded rivers discharge their waters into it, nor does it dry up during the hot season, when the rivers fail to supply it. Similarly, the sage does not become elated when he achieves desirable things, nor does he become distressed in their absence.

The Theme - Cool and calm even in agitating situations

SLOKA RECITATION

Let us learn a sloka from the Bhagavad Gita, which teaches us something about the above theme. Before teaching the present verse, the teacher should begin the class by chanting all the verses of the 24 Gurus with the children all together. Tell the children we will learn the seventh verse and also understand it. (The teacher recites the sloka line by line and makes the children repeat and memorize the sloka)

äpüryamäëam acala-pratiñöhaàsamudram äpaù praviçanti yadvattadvat kämä yaà praviçanti sarve

sa çäntim äpnoti na käma-kämé

A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires—that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still—can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.

1/1 60 mins 60 mins

Let us learn a sloka from the Bhagavad Gita, which teaches us something

Before teaching the present verse, the teacher should begin the class by

Tell the children we will learn the seventh verse and also understand it. (The

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LESSONS FROM GURU – (SEQ-S)

The teacher can explain to the children, the lessons that this sea guru teaches us. The abbreviation “SEQ-S” makes it convenient for us to remember what the guru wants to teach us. The teacher can write down on the board the below abbreviation and ask the children to note it down and learn it.

1. Quality of a great man

2. Sea is active below its surface – but on the Surface it is calm and cool

3. Swimming of a duck

4. Being equipoise does not mean being Emotionless

In this session, after explaining the meaning of “SEQ-S”, the teacher will be able to narrate a maximum of four stories. The remaining stories can be continued in the next class.

1. Quality of a great man - This is the quality of the mode of goodness. This is the quality of a great man. Srila Prabhupada defines that, “The greatness of a person can be estimated by one’s ability to tolerate provoking situations.”

BG 2.56 duùkheñv anudvigna-manäù

sukheñu vigata-spåhaùvéta-räga-bhaya-krodhaùsthita-dhér munir ucyate

One who is not disturbed in mind even amidst the threefold miseries or elated when there is happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady mind.

People who are having this quality of being able to tolerate provoking situations and who are of steady minds are actually people whom everyone follows.

(a) Lord Rama – When Bharat came to meet Lord Rama in the forest, Bharat came with his army. When Laxmana saw this he assumed that Bharat was coming to kill them, but Lord Rama consoled

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him and spoke from the scriptures. At this time Rama should have been in the worst mindsets since he had been removed from his kingdom and the cause was Bharat. Naturally he should have been angry with Bharat. But instead he acted like the sea with calmness and patience. Similarly, in another situation when Vibhishan came to take shelter of Rama, all the monkey soldiers thought that he was coming as a spy of Ravana and that he had ill intentions. They all wanted to kill him immediately. But Rama was very calm and said that if at this time even Ravana was to come and say that “I am yours.”, Rama was ready to even forgive him even though he had kidnapped Sita.

(b) Krishna in Vrindavan – When demons would attack Vrindavan, everyone would immediately panic out of helplessness. And they would immediately approach Krsna to protect them and to take care of their cows. When even the most scary and fearful demon would come or when even the most fearful situation would arise in Vrindavan, still Krsna was never affected and He always remained calm in spite of the agitating situations.

(c) Prahlada Maharaja - Anyone who remains unagitated, even in the presence of cause for agitation, is called dhéra, or equipoised. When Prahlada was tortured by his father and the other demons, he was not agitated. He never gave up his confidence in the existence of the Lord. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, being always in a transcendental position, is never agitated by anything. Therefore someone who wants to become dhéra must take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. In Bhagavad-gétä (2.13) Kåñëa

says, dhéras tatra na muhyati: a person who is equipoised in all circumstances is never bewildered. Prahläda Mahäräja is a perfect example of a dhéra. When the fierce form of Nåsiàhadeva appeared in order to kill Hiraëyakaçipu, Prahläda was unagitated. He remained calm and quiet, whereas others, including even Lord Brahmä, were frightened by the features of the Lord.

(d) Srila Prabhupada in Amsterdam - Equipoisedness comes when you understand that the actual doer is Krsna – when you think that you are the doer then you think that you have to act if there is an agitating situation and thus get disturbed. When Çréla Prabhupäda visited the ISKCON temple in Amsterdam in July 1972, he agreed to the devotees’ request to install

Equipoisedness comes when you understand that the actual doer is Krsna – when you think that you are the doer then you think that you have to act if there is an agitating situation and

When Çréla Prabhupäda visited the ISKCON temple in Amsterdam in July 1972, he agreed to the devotees’ request to install

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GURU 7 - Seadeities of Lord Jagannätha. Due to the temple leaders’ mismanagement,

however, the event turned into a fiasco. TV cameramen were present, as well as reporters from the biggest newspapers in the city, and the temple room was crowded with guests, but when Prabhupäda came into the temple room and sat to perform the

yajïa, he saw many discrepancies.“Where are the fruits and grains?” he asked. The temple president replied that the fruits had all been used in the fruit salad. Prabhupäda became angry.“Where are the flowers?” he asked. The reply was, “We forgot.”“Who is responsible for this?” Prabhupäda demanded. In his transcendental anger, Prabhupäda was not the least bit intimidated by the presence of the TV, press, and guests. He was more concerned about Lord Jagannätha and the installation—and his disciples’ incompetence.“Well, Prabhupäda,” stammered the temple president, “they didn’t follow my instructions.”“What instructions?” said Prabhupäda loudly. “Who’s responsible for this? Which rascal!” The devotees present were all frightened by Prabhupäda’s anger. His eyes widened and the devotees felt it was like the wrath of Lord Nåsiàhadeva.Vedavyäsa Däsa: “One new bhakta had been living in the temple for a couple of weeks, and whenever he got disturbed, the devotees had always instructed him to

just chant Hare Kåñëa. So when he saw Prabhupäda upset, he remarked to him, ‘Why don’t you just chant Hare Kåñëa?’ Without a word, Çréla Prabhupäda took his beadbag and began chanting japa. He continued on and off until the devotees had gathered the necessary paraphernalia and were ready to begin the ceremony.”

Despite the mistakes, Prabhupäda proceeded with the ceremony, but when it came time to actually place the deities on the altar, major miscalculations became evident. The devotees suddenly discovered that the altar they had built was too small. The deities could not fit. The püjäré closed the curtains, while half a dozen devotees rushed behind the altar to make emergency alterations. As Çréla Prabhupäda, the media people, and the large crowd waited, sounds of banging and chopping emitted from behind the closed curtain. The whole throne had to be taken apart and carried to a corner of the hall. To support the painting of Lord Caitanya which would serve as a backdrop, the devotees kept stacks of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Finally, the curtain opened and the deities were placed on the altar.The deities were dressed and decorated very plainly, and Prabhupäda’s visage remained displeased. But after his initial, fiery expressions, his anger abated. He proceeded with the ceremony, chanting the mantras and delivering a full Kåñëa conscious lecture. At this time he also awarded the sannyäsa order to the Amsterdam temple president. Due to the density of the crowd and the heat and smoke from the fire, the unventilated room became

deities of Lord Jagannätha. Due to the temple leaders’ mismanagement,

yajïa, he saw many discrepancies.

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uncomfortable for everyone. By now, Çréla Prabhupäda was beyond such discomforts. In fact, he also seemed undisturbed as smoke filled the room and the ceremony continued for installing Lord Jagannätha in His Amsterdam temple.Srila Prabhupada though externally showing anger was not disturbed in his mental stability. His only interest was in serving the Lord as best as possible. For himself he was ready to tolerate all kinds of inconveniences. “Prabhupäda’s anger had left a deep impression on the Amsterdam devotees, and they really felt sorry that their inexperience had evoked Prabhupäda displeasure. So Akñayänanda Swami came to apologize, but Çréla Prabhupäda’s mood had already changed. He had shown such anger and now was as cool and calm as a lotus flower. Prabhupäda said, ‘It’s for your education, not for my sake. A devotee does not become angry when offended, but when he sees that the Lord or another devotee is offended, he shows anger.’“Then Prabhupäda laid down on a couch to rest for a while. Lying on his back, he clasped his knees with his hands and slowly rocked back and forth while softly chanting, ‘Hari-bol! Hari-bol!’

(e) Vasista and Vishwamitra – Vasista had every reason to get agitated because of the different things that Viswamitra was doing to his life. But Vasista was able to remain calm and unagitated. And thus he became respectable and is praised in the scriptures. So much so that he actually became the spiritual master of Lord Rama.

2. Being equipoise does not mean being emotionless

Does being equipoise means that one becomes emotionless? Example when there is death in family, should you not cry just to prove that you are equipoise in joy and distress? The right understanding is that: Being equipoise means the following things: - - Equipoise is not insensitive- Equipoise is being unaffected on a personal level

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2. Sea is active below its surface – but on the surface it is calm and cool

When you sit on the seashore, it seems that the sea is so calm and cool. But for a diver who does deep sea diving, he can see the multiple activities inside the sea. He can see huge fishes chasing the smaller fishes to eat them up, he can see unlimited number of corals, weeds, and other living entities, and so much more. Thus though the sea seems to be calm and cool in its surface, yet it is active below its surface.

SB 3.24.44Thus he gradually became unaffected by the false ego of material identity and became free from material affection. Undisturbed, equal to everyone and without duality, he could indeed see himself also. His mind was turned inward and was perfectly calm, like an ocean unagitated by waves.PURPORTWhen one’s mind is in full Kåñëa consciousness and one fully engages in rendering devotional service to the Lord, he becomes just like an ocean unagitated by waves. This very example is also cited in Bhagavad-gétä: one should become like the ocean. The ocean is filled by many thousands of rivers, and millions of tons of its water evaporates into clouds, yet the ocean is the same unagitated ocean. The laws of nature may work, but if one is fixed in devotional service at the lotus feet of the Lord, he is not agitated, for he is introspective. He does not look outside to material nature, but he looks into the spiritual nature of his existence; with a sober mind, he simply engages in the service of the Lord. Thus he realizes his own self without false identification with matter and without affection for material possessions. Such a great devotee is never in trouble with others because he sees everyone from the platform of spiritual understanding; he sees himself and others in the right perspective.

3. Swimming of a duckFor someone who is seeing a duck swimming, it seems that it is practically gliding over the waters. It seems that it is cool and unagitated. But inside the surface of the water, it is active and is struggling to swim.

Lesson – From the sea and the duck, we can learn that all of us should strive to endeavor and serve the Lord, but should be so calm that it should not seem that you are the doer. When one is in a safe and natural position, he can remain calm and cool.

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HOW IS IT RELEVANT IN MY LIFE? Being elated during happiness and being depressed during sadness, are

both indications that we are thinking that we are the doer of our actions. For example, if we stand first in the class in our examination, we think that we have succeeded due to our efforts, and if we fail we think that I answered everything but still I failed and then we blame our teachers and the person who corrected it. In both cases we think that we are in control. But a person who is stable understands that neither our

success is only due to our effort and also our failure is also not only due to someone else’s mistake. But he understands that there are higher powers and also our own karma which is the cause of either our failure or our success. If we get success, we should thank Krishna and if we get failure then we should not blame Krishna or anyone else for our failure. In both cases accept it as God’s special arrangement to show us His love and continue life ahead.

`How do you think the following types of people will act in the below mentioned situations?

People: 1.. A sadhu, 2. A child, 3. A criminal minded person, 4. Policeman5. Sportsman

Situation: 1. A thief is stealing the necklace of a woman and running away.

2. A beautiful lady is walking by.

3. A sugar-candy is lying nearby.

4. The world cup final is going on in the Television.

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