The Transformative Power of a Simple Offering
Once upon a time, there lived a rich man who was engrossed in material benefits and enjoyment. He spent every moment engaging in material activities for his own delight.
A Chance Offering
One day, as he was crossing a bridge across a river on his way to visit a prostitute, a rose fell from a bunch of roses he was holding and landed into the river. Realizing that there was no way to get the rose back, he casually said, “Govindaya swahah!”
Facing the Consequences
Years passed by, and the day arrived when this rich man passed away. When he reached Yamaloka, Yamaraja asked Chitragupta to check his account of deeds he committed during his lifetime. Chitragupta answered that his account was overloaded with sinful activities. However, there was one pious activity as well!
The Surprising Good Deed
The man was shocked to know that he had committed a good deed too, and enquired as to what that good deed was. The man was informed that once during his lifetime, he had offered a rose to the Lord, and so he could enjoy 10 minutes in heaven. He was given the option to select: first suffering in hell and then enjoying 10 minutes in heaven or first enjoying 10 minutes in heaven and then suffering in hell.
Choosing Heaven First
As the man had always preferred to enjoy, he chose to go to heaven first. Thus, as per his wish, he was allowed to do so. Then, while he was in heaven, he understood that a small good deed could reward him greatly, and so successive good deeds could reward him infinitely!
The Transformation
He ordered two long scissors and asked to be taken to a rose garden. There in the garden, he chopped all the flowers chanting, “Govindaya swahah!”, “Govindaya swahah!” This pious activity of his nullified his sinful activities that he had once committed, and he was allowed to stay in heaven forever!
Moral of the Story
Thus, we must understand that a good karma always has its own fruit. However, we must not wait to do so at the last moment like the rich man in the story mentioned above! We must therefore utilize every moment working for the Lord and save ourselves before it is too late.
Srila Prabhupada warns that one should act according to the direction of the shastra, but the material energy is so powerful that as soon as one becomes materially opulent, he begins to transgress the shastric laws. As soon as one transgresses the laws of shastra, he immediately enters upon the path of destruction.
Relevant Verses
madhuram madhurebhyo ‘pi / mangalebhyopi mangalam paavanam paavanebhyo ‘pi / harer namaiva hi kevalam
“Of sweet things, it’s the sweetest you will taste at any time; Of things that bring good fortune, it’s good fortune’s paradigm; Of things that purify, it purifies most powerfully; The Holy Name of Sri Hari is surely all that be.”
SB 6.2.14 states:
saanketyam paarihaasyam vaa / stobham helanam eva vaa vaikuntha-naama-grahanam / ashesaagha-haram viduh
“One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.”
