The Esoteric Significance of the Kathopanishad - 3.4 Swami Krishnananda
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06/10/2019
Chapter 3: Nachiketas’ Third Boon-4.
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Great Masters do not initiate us into high mysteries unless we are tested and trained and disciplined in various ways. Anything that can detract our attention will be presented first, and then let us see what our reaction is in regard to these presentations. When Gauranga Mahaprabhu Krishna Chaitanya Deva went to the great saint and sage of the Madhva Sampradaya for initiation, he was not ready to initiate Gauranga Mahaprabhu without a test. We are told that he asked him to take a few grains of sugar and put them into his mouth. Generally if we put a few grains of sugar into the mouth, they will immediately melt into liquid. This young man, Gauranga, was asked take this morsel of sugar and put it in his mouth. The moment he placed it on his tongue, he was asked to spit the whole thing back. And Gauranga spat back the dry grains as they were, without their getting liquefied or even moistened, showing thereby that his senses were under perfect control and his tongue would not water so easily. When it was found that here is a person who could spit back dry grains of sugar even after they entered his mouth, he was initiated into the great mysteries of Sri Krishna Bhakti.
In a similar manner, in a larger measure, in a more intensive way, this lad was tested by Yama. “The wealth of the three worlds is here. Take it.” If any one of us is told that, what will we say? We will go mad in one second. We cannot imagine what is the wealth of the three worlds. Yet it was rejected by Nachiketas as inadequate to his purpose.
"Sreyas - ca preyas - ca manushyam - etah
tau samparitya vivinakti dhirah," (Katha : Ch-1. Sec-2. Mantram-2. 1st two lines.).
This is the initiation, and it began like this. There are two approaches of consciousness: the approach in the direction of what is good, and the other in the direction of what is pleasant – sreyas and preyas.
"Sreyo hi dhiro’bhi preyaso vrnite
preyo mando yoga-kshemad vrnite." (Katha : Ch-1. Sec-2. Mantram-2. next two lines.).
The wise one chooses the good rather than the pleasant; the foolish one chooses the pleasant and not the good, and falls short of his aim.
To be continued .....
=======================================================================
06/10/2019
Chapter 3: Nachiketas’ Third Boon-4.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great Masters do not initiate us into high mysteries unless we are tested and trained and disciplined in various ways. Anything that can detract our attention will be presented first, and then let us see what our reaction is in regard to these presentations. When Gauranga Mahaprabhu Krishna Chaitanya Deva went to the great saint and sage of the Madhva Sampradaya for initiation, he was not ready to initiate Gauranga Mahaprabhu without a test. We are told that he asked him to take a few grains of sugar and put them into his mouth. Generally if we put a few grains of sugar into the mouth, they will immediately melt into liquid. This young man, Gauranga, was asked take this morsel of sugar and put it in his mouth. The moment he placed it on his tongue, he was asked to spit the whole thing back. And Gauranga spat back the dry grains as they were, without their getting liquefied or even moistened, showing thereby that his senses were under perfect control and his tongue would not water so easily. When it was found that here is a person who could spit back dry grains of sugar even after they entered his mouth, he was initiated into the great mysteries of Sri Krishna Bhakti.
In a similar manner, in a larger measure, in a more intensive way, this lad was tested by Yama. “The wealth of the three worlds is here. Take it.” If any one of us is told that, what will we say? We will go mad in one second. We cannot imagine what is the wealth of the three worlds. Yet it was rejected by Nachiketas as inadequate to his purpose.
"Sreyas - ca preyas - ca manushyam - etah
tau samparitya vivinakti dhirah," (Katha : Ch-1. Sec-2. Mantram-2. 1st two lines.).
This is the initiation, and it began like this. There are two approaches of consciousness: the approach in the direction of what is good, and the other in the direction of what is pleasant – sreyas and preyas.
"Sreyo hi dhiro’bhi preyaso vrnite
preyo mando yoga-kshemad vrnite." (Katha : Ch-1. Sec-2. Mantram-2. next two lines.).
The wise one chooses the good rather than the pleasant; the foolish one chooses the pleasant and not the good, and falls short of his aim.
To be continued .....
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