The HighEST Taste!

India was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I learned so much, got so much mercy and feel so grateful for all the blessings I received. But when I left it was with a specific purpose: to receive, rather than to give. Now, I know that's not the best attitude to have, but I'm a neophyte devotee and after being given the opportunity to assist so many others in their services in Toronto, I was feeling a little tapped out before going to India.

Ever since I've been back, my meditation has now been, "It's time to give everything you have received." That may sound very noble but please don't be mislead. It's actually for very selfish motivations. You see, a senior devotee once said a very wonderful phrase that has become ingrained in my consciousness "It is not possible to receive more mercy if you do not empty what you're holding in your hands. Where is the room?" So in order to make room and get more mercy, I've been really wanting to be a transparent medium and instrument to give whatever I've received.

Krsna is always listening and tonight was proof once more. I was attending a talk by HH Devamrita Swami on Spiritual Economics given at the University of Toronto to a crowd mainly made up of Certified Management Accountants. After the talk I was asked to mingle amongst the guests and talk to them. I turned to my friend Rashi, who was also requested to do the same, and said "But I don't speak Accounting," to which she replied, "No problem. Just got up to someone and say 'Hi, my name is Vinodini. I don't speak Accounting.'" LOL!

And so I started to make the rounds around the room when I saw one girl about to sit down holding a plate of prasadam. So I introduced myself (skipped the whole not speaking Accounting bit :D) and asked her what she did. Lo and behold, as it so happened she was high school math teacher! Some relatively common ground as I love teaching and have been contemplating on being a teacher in some type of capacity. We talked about how she finds teaching high school to be somewhat repetitive and how she feels unfulfilled.

As we continued to talk, I asked how she heard about the talk and from there the conversation totally took a turn to so many different topics. We spoke of Hinduism/Vaisnavism, karma, destiny, free will and how to connect to God. In fact when we were speaking about free will she said something really amazing. She said, "Yes I know that we have some control, but I don't like thinking that we are in full control. I also want to feel God's hand in everything." WOW! So wonderful! And so I was able to give the analogy of the two birds on a tree representing the atma and paramatma. She seemed to really like that analogy and remarked that her friend always says, "Let go, let God" but she went on to remark how difficult it is. At this I remarked that it's difficult because we have so many material conditionings and to actually "let God", so to speak, we need to get rid of them. This gave me the opportunity to speak about how the Hare Krsna mantra is the maha mantra and how it helps to dissolve all these conditionings.

She seemed very receptive and said she would try chanting and then went on to remark how the prasadam is so wonderful and how she really wants to go veggie. At the end of our conversation I felt so enlivened and realized how truly fallen I actually am. There is no higher taste in life than to share Krsna with others. In fact it is our sense gratification as aspiring devotees to give Krsna to others. We are spoiled and the sooner we realize it the better. To be miserly is of no use. The best thing we can do is to pray to Srila Prabhupada and the Guru parampara that we can somehow be utilized in their service.

mukam karoti vachalam
pangum langhayate girim
yat-kripa tam aham vande
shri-gurum dina-taranam

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, the deliverer of the fallen souls. His mercy turns the dumb into eloquent speakers and enables the lame to cross mountains."