Story About a Simple Vaishnava

Heard from His Grace Gauranga Prabhu during Bhagavad Gita Classes, at the Sri Sri

Radha Gopinath Mandir, at Chowpatty in Bombay, INDIA.

This is a simple story of a Vaishnava. It happened in a time not far back. There was this Vaishnava, who was a very kind, and merciful to one and all.

Before having prasada, he would go to the 'chauraha' (town square), and call out loudly that prasada was at his house, anyone desiring to honour it was most welcome to do so. He used to invite passerbys, friends and anyone who would like to honour Krsna's prasada. After letting the guest honour the prasada, only then would he do so. He used to do this day, after day.

One day, as usual he went to the 'chauraha' and called out that prasada was there at his house. But no one came to his house. Undaunted he again went back and called out once again. This time too no one turned up. Disappointed, he turned homewards. Just then, he came across a person wearing tilak on his forehead.

Taking this man as a devotee of the Lord, the humble Vaishnava called upon him, and requested the passerby to come to his house to honour delicious Krsna prasada. The man agreed and followed the Vaishnava to his house.

While the passerby was having Krsna prasada, the Vaishnava was telling Krsna Katha. For a while the passerby kept quite, but then burst out yelling, "Why are speaking all this Krsna Krsna stuff, why do you not allow me to have my food peacefully I don't want to hear about this Krsna anymore!"

The humble Vaishnava was taken aback, never had he come across such a person in India, who did not like Krsna!

The Vaishnava felt very bad that he had given Krsna prasada to a person who was blasphemous to the Lord and His devotees. Just then, he caught hold of the passerby and threw him out of his house.

After this the Vaishnava was saddened as he had associated with and fed a demon. Thinking in this way, he went to rest.

In his dream, Krsna came and asked the Vaishnava the reason for his saddness. The Vaishnava said that he was sad as he had fed a demon. But Krsna smiled and said that the Vaishnava was feeling sad because he had fed one demon, and asked the Vaishnava to think about Krsna, who has to feed so many millions and millions of demons