Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Persons possessed

Sankarshana Kunda, Talavana
This is where Shri Balarama killed Dhenukasura
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The demon Dhenukasura in the form of an ass, tries to prevent the palm fruits, which he is himself unable to taste, from being enjoyed by others. The principles of Vaishnavism require for their due appreciation the most penetrating judgment. Persons possessed of a blunted understanding are exposed to this grave plight. The Vaishnava religion is indivisible. There is no scope in it for sectarian narrownesses. It is the blunt-headed fool who is liable to misconceive the true nature of the Vaishnava community by supposing it to be a sect distinct from other sects of this world. As a matter of fact thick-headed persons are themselves unable to understand the teaching of the spiritual works that have been penned by the former Acaryas of the community and they are also apt to actively prevent others from having access to those works.

This is specially the case with those devotees possessed of a stunted judgment who, being mechanically addicted to the regulations, have no inclination to strive for the attainment of the status. But the Vaishnava religion holds within itself the prospect of infinite progressive advance. Those muddy-headed persons, who choose to remain confined within the literal meaning of the narrow limits of the Scriptural regulations, being thereby led to neglect the unconventional path of spontaneous love for Godhead, soon become indistinguishable from persons who are wedded to the cult of fruitive mundane activities. It is, therefore, never possible to make any progress in the Vaishnava religion till Dhenukasura in the form of the ass has been killed.

Commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja
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