Bhakti Changes Our Priorities

There was once a man who was attracted to the daughter of his priest. The man was

married and the priest's daughter had a natural inclination towards Krishna. There was no way he could possibly marry her.

But his attraction became an obsession. And he decided that he will give up his life since his desire could not be fulfilled. His wife could not bear his husband's plight. So she went to the priest's daughter and narrated the situation to her. She requested the priest's daughter to marry him.

The priest's daughter was a devotee of Krishna. She was calm, humble and wise. She could see the conflict clearly. She never wanted to marry a person who was infatuated with her material beauty. But on the other hand, if she declined, the man would die and she would become responsible for his death. The Dharam Sankat was very clear to her.

The priest daughter closed her eyes and prayed to Lord Krishna - O Lord! Save me. Tell me what to do.

Then she opened her eyes and smiled.

She said to the man's wife - Go and tell your husband. If he really loves me, he should live in isolation and pray to Krishna. I will come and meet him there. I shall talk to him alone.

As was expected, the man went to the forest and started praying to Krishna. He could do anything to fulfill his desire.

He was praying to Krishna but in the back of his mind he was waiting for the priest's daughter to come. Days went by one after the other. Two weeks went by but the priest's daughter did not come. But in the meantime, the man started getting the nectar of Bhakti from Krishna and he started becoming intoxicated with it. He was no longer waiting for the priest's daughter.

One evening the priest's daughter dressed herself in a beautiful attire and perfumes and arrived in the forest with a big plate of prasad. The man was meditating at that time.

She said to the man - My dear! Please accept this prasad. Don't you recognize me?

The man opened his eyes but due to the effect of the meditation closed them again.

The priest's daughter went close to the man and said - O Maharaj! Please open your eyes. I am the same priest's daughter whom you wanted to marry.

The man had attained a good level of Vairag due to his devotion. He thought for a minute what he would like now. On one hand was the intoxicating nectar of Bhakti and on the other was that beautiful woman for whom he was so crazy. It took him no time in realizing that he did not want anything from the world anymore.

So he opened his eyes and said - O lady! Please excuse me. I did recognize you. I thank you for coming for me. But I have changed. I am no longer the same person who was so crazy for you. Please forgive me.

The priest's daughter understood that Krishna had solved her problem. The man's life was saved and at the same time he no longer was attached to her. So she went back happily.

Moral Of The Story

The story teaches us that Krishna Bhakti is extremely powerful and it changes our priorities. Krishna Bhakti is the real bliss and the one who has tasted it does not want to go back into the world.