WHO IS SENIOR?
A story from chapter 18 of the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya
In ancient times a group of sages met together on the bank of the Ganges to discuss about the topics of Krishna. When the great sage Markandeya Rishi, who was seven kalpas old, arrived, everyone offered him obeisances and a seat of respect. [One kalpa is about 4.32 billion years.] Markandeya Rishi then noticed the young boy Parashara sitting on the lap of his father. Although the boy was only seven years old, Markandeya got down and offered his obeisances to the young boy. Seeing this, all the assembled sages became surprised and confused.
Parashara jumped up and fell at the feet of the elderly Rishi Markandeya. Markandeya then lifted the boy up and said, "You are older than all of us, therefore we worship you. Please tell us your age."
The young Parashara replied, "What mystery is this? Markandeya Rishi is seven kalpas old, whereas I am a mere boy of seven years."
markandeyo 'tha vihasan prāha madhye tapasvinām
āyuşo gananam naivam brahmams tac chrņu tattvatah
yāvanto hi kşaņā jātā hari-smrtyaiva dehinām
ekīkṛtyaiva tān eva gananam kāryam āyuşah
Markandeya smiled and said to the rishis, "How is one's span of life to be considered? O rishis, I speak the truth. All jīvas are born with material bodies, but the time that one spends doing hari-bhajana should be calculated as the actual span of life." (texts 19-20)
Just as when one blows away the empty rice husks, one does not see the remaining grains, similarly, wise persons do not count the period of one's life which is not spent in remembering Lord Hari. Addressing Parashara, Markandeya then said, since you do not spend even a moment without contemplating Lord Narayan, you are, by that estimation, older than all of us, and are an object of respect for all of us. We are so averse to hari-bhajana that if our days are accordingly calculated then none of us would be even five years old.
Time spent for attaining spiritual benefit in life is the only value of life. Simply leading an unholy life in gross material enjoyment, how can one be considered better than a beast who also has the same freedom of enjoying eating, drinking, sleeping, and mating, etc.? All sentient beings indulge in eating, sleeping, infatuation, and sexual intercourse. They all ultimately succumb to anger, sorrow, aversion, etc. These are common factors for entities, whereas only human beings have been given the rare opportunity to contemplate upon the blissful lotus feet of the Supreme Lord Narayan. To have steadfast devotion at the lotus feet of Sri Narayan is the only source of auspiciousness. Wise persons do not recognize a man devoid of devotion to Narayan as a living person.
dāru kim na calaty angam kim na śvasiti bhastrikā
kim svid vīnā na vadati sajīvatvam na tāvatā
Does a tree not grow? Do the bellows of a blacksmith not breathe? Does a vina not make melodious music? Should we consider that they are all living beings? (27)
bālo bhāgavatah śrestho vrthoccaiś cira-jīvy api
netaror 'bhyeti tulasīm sumahān api vrkşakah
A child who has steadfast devotion to Sri Hari is most glorious whereas an old man who is devoid of devo-tion to Hari is totally undone in life. Which is greater, a mighty tree or a small tulasi plant? (28)
-Sri Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, of the Naradiya Purana. English translation
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆 🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆
Hare Krishna 🙏
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