Me, My Guru - Bhagavatam

Me, My Guru

Bhagavatam

Rahul had called to tell that he wouldn’t be able to come to class. It was so rare that he missed a class. It just can’t be anything simple that had come up – that was for sure!

Aziz smsed to give similar news. Did today have something common in store for these regulars I wondered! When I reached the class, to my amazement, I found Shruti, Geetha, Priya and even Murali absent. I called them up to get similar news. That was no coincidence, or was it?

Though there were others, I felt a bit alone today. I missed my ‘gang’ dearly today!

And to think just last class I thought I was in ‘space’ where I preferred being in ‘solitude’. I chuckled at this thought. No sooner did I ‘realize’ something about self, that I had found it to be ‘wrong’. Why was it so?

But, I actually was in ‘good space of wanting to be left alone’ just last week and here I was missing our Gang. What did it mean? Was what I felt then wrong or is this my imagination? I was confused. But before I could analyse my ‘state of confusion’, she came and took her seat and closed her eyes. Others took the clue and did like-wise. She didn’t say a word and yet..... People who were talking immediately went into silence. This was classic example of ‘lead by example’. I picked up this lesson today. But, it would be fruitful only if I can emulate this of ‘leading by example’ act in my official life. I was fed up of shouting, cajoling, bribing my juniors to streamline their acts. I had to put this to good use and get results. Otherwise, what is the purpose of coming here and learning from her if I couldn’t live by it and imbibe it in my character and way of living?

These were the thoughts that were playing in my mind when I closed my eyes with others. And as obvious I couldn’t meditate but had to open my eyes when I heard her voice “Hare Krishna hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna hare hare”.

“Krishna was beautiful 7-8 years old now full of mischief leading a gang of cowherd boys of more or less same age. He would along with others wait till maids left their homes to fill water from the river. Then he would with others enter the empty homes to steal his favourite butter. Now in those days, butter was kept in pots hanging from the ceiling. It was so high hung that only grown-ups would be able to reach up and get it! All the boys were disheartened. They knew they would never be able to get butter as promised by Krishna. They looked at Krishna with ‘sorry faces’ and were surprised when they saw Krishna holding flute in one hand and was hitting the other hand with it lightly with a smile on his lips.

...contd....