Om Ganesha,
Afternoon Pujas and Prayers
Namaste my chelas all over the world.
The other day one of my close chelas told me how much he appreciated my patience with my chelas for so many years and life times.
It reminded me of the time I said the exact words to our Baba Neem Karoli
A little while later I was told this story of three holy men and scholars of the Vedas.
The three men were asked to help a young woman that was kidnapped by bandits and was to be put to death if a certain amount of rupees were not given.
The holy men were in a dilemma.
They were men of the Word of God and did not handle money, yet they knew the young woman would be put to death if the money was not paid.
They knew of a very rich merchant in town who came to the Krishna Temple to worship and take prasad, yet he never gave a rupee toward the upkeep of the temple or the temple priests, though he was the richest man in the village and for that matter in all the villages near and far.
The youngest of the learned men said to his peers that he was going to ask of the merchant for enough rupees to save the young woman’s life.
The holy men begged him not to as it was known that this merchant had a terrible temper and was apt to strike out like he had done in the past when his money was concerned.
The young holy man said he was going and that was that.
His two friend begged to go with him as they were afraid for their friend.
He said on one condition and one condition only.
That they would not utter a word while he was talking to the merchant.
Then they got to the merchant’s house and was shocked to hear the merchant pranaming and welcoming the learned men into his home.
The youngest holy man took his time and spoke deeply from his heart about the woman who was to die with out the ransom money.
To every one’s surprise the merchant then said : you have touched me deeply: and with these words he reached into his pocket and pulled out a rusty dirty rupee.
The young holy man instead of getting insulted praised the merchant over and over.
His two friends were furious, yet they had made a solemn promise to not say anything.
When they were a little bit away from the house they began to yell at their young companion, we wasted so much time with the merchant and all he gave was a rupee.
They went on and on until they heard the merchant calling out to them, Holy ones please come back to the house.
They returned and the old merchant again put his hand in his pocket and searched around and found another rupee and gave it to them.
Again the young one praised the merchant over and over.
Now his friends were really fuming.
They walked away and once more the old merchant called them and gave them another rupee and again he was praised and blessed and his family was blessed.
Then finally after a very long time, he called them back again only this time he opened a old rusty tin box and gave them the thousands of rupees that they needed to save the girls life.
Again the praises only this time all three of the holy ones praised him and blessed him.
When they were alone walking on the dark path they turned to the young scholar and said: how did you know, how did you know to be so patient and that he would give so much?
The young scholar said, : in the Vedas it is written that the heart has a thick crust around it, a thick crust of fear and loneliness and jealousy and pain.
It takes lots of love and patients to melt this crust and so two lives were saved this night, the young woman and the old merchant who tasted love for the first time.
They all walked the road to meet up with the bandits.
The young one again asked for his friends to be silent.
He said to the leader of the bandits that he had the money in his pouch but he wanted to tell him the story of how he got the money,
The bandit heard the story and then said, that it was this merchant who stole his money and forced his wife and children into a life of crime in order to live and eat.
Hearing about the change in the merchant he said to the Holy Man to give him the pouch just to make sure that the holy one was not cheated, and then to every ones surprise he gave the pouch back to the young holy one and said : fix your temple fix the House of Krishna and Radha and take care of the pujaris.
He then walked away with his gang down the dark path.
The three holy ones just feel to their knees and gave thanks to their Dark Blue Lord.
Then the older two touched the feet of the young man.
As this was going on, the young woman who was shivering in the cold came toward them, and all of a sudden there was a bright golden light all around Her.
The three holy men saw then that indeed the woman was Mother Laxmi who had taught them all the lesson of the four Vedas.
She blessed them all as they all did danda pranam and said that there is no greater weapon to open the heart than the heart of love and patience.
So my chelas, when you do something nice for some one and you do not like how they are treating you remember this little story and know that some day when you do not react to someone else’s anger you are not only helping yourself but you are living the DIVINE TEACHING OF THE VEDAS.
My Pujas an Prayers go out to the Great Mother Laxmi.
I ask my Mother to give my chelas the ability to have patience and love for all peoples of the world.
This is my Puja and this is My Prayer.
I love you all so very much.
Love Ma
Jai Kali Ma Ki Jai
Always at His Feet Of Our Neem Karoli Baba Ki Jai