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Give up broken glass for a priceless diamond

“Because of my state of complete foolishness and paucity of pious activities, although the Lord offered me His personal service, I wanted material name, fame and prosperity. My case is just like that of the poor man who, when he satisfied a great emperor who wanted to give him anything he might ask, out of ignorance asked only a few broken grains of husked rice.” (Dhruva Maharaj’s prayer, Srimad Bhagavatam 4.9.35)

Little Dhruva desired a kingdom greater than what even his great grandfather Lord Brahma possessed. And by the grace of Lord Vishnu, he was now standing face to face with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the Lord was ready to offer him any benediction he desired. This was the coveted moment; the moment that Dhruva had intensely longed for when he could seek his heart’s desire.

However the story takes a different twist here. Since the last few months that Dhruva was chanting the Lord’s Holy Names, his heart got purified of all material desires, and now he confesses he doesn’t want any kingdom. He laments that he had sought broken pieces of glass while he was now being bestowed with the priceless jewel of an audience with the Supreme Lord.

The analogy given by Dhruva is interesting. Both the shining yet broken pieces of glass as well as priceless jewels sparkle and appear attractive. An ignorant person wouldn’t know the difference, and might even opt for the piece of glass. Although both may externally look alike, yet if you play with broken glass, you will surely cut your hands and bleed profusely. In the same manner material sense gratification, as well as the path of pure devotional service both provide happiness. One may see a materialist enjoy and even a devotee happily chant and dance in the kirtans. Externally it may appear that there is not much difference between them. “Ultimately it’s a matter of your preference”, a naive philosopher may conclude, “both, enjoying unrestricted sense gratification as well as engaging in Krishna consciousness give happiness. And it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you are happy”

However like the glass and jewel, there is a world of difference when we go beyond the externals of these activities. A life of sense gratification is like playing with glass. One would ‘cut and bleed’, that is, pain and misery is a constant accompaniment in a life centred on seeking gross bodily pleasures. On the other hand, a life centred on service to God and His devotees gives pleasure of the ‘jewels’. That is it gives us a lasting experience of deep contentment from within. Both are as incomparable as glass and a diamond.

We have a choice; either play with the easily available glass like sensual pleasures or seek the rare and precious diamond of Krishna consciousness.
And, this rare diamond is easily available if we approach a bonafide spiritual master like Srila Prabhupada and his representatives. They would happily give us the Holy Names of Krishna, and if we vibrate these Names without offense, and in a spirit of gratitude, the priceless diamond of Krishna’s love would be our property also. We would then become billionaires in spiritual life, and wouldn’t be attracted by the painful, materialistic life of selfish pursuits. It would simply pale in front of the priceless gift of Krishna consciousness.

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