“Tulsi knows, has heard, and has understood that Shri Rama is an ocean of mercy because He made jewels and gold expensive, while keeping the most important things like water and grains inexpensive.”  (Dohavali, 149)

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तुलसी जाने सुनि समुझि कृपासिंधु रघुराज।
महँगे मनि कंचन किए सौंधे जग जल नाज ॥

tulasī jāne suni samujhi kṛpāsiṃdhu raghurāja।
maha~ge mani kaṃcana kie sauṃdhe jaga jala nāja ॥

1. Do you breathe a different kind of air now?

“Did anything change inside? Does nature now treat you better? Are you exempt from the requirement for oxygen? Do you have to take a less number of breaths in an hour? Are you exempt from the requirements for bodily maintenance now that you are lavishly wealthy?”

2. Will you live forever now?

“Since you have so much gold, will that extend the duration of life? Are you going to live longer than everyone else? Will disease stop in its tracks? Will time be mesmerized by the glittering jewels in your treasure chest?”

3. Do you need to sleep less now?

“You must be so excited to have an abundance of wealth. Does that mean you can stay awake all night? Do you no longer succumb to the forces of stress and fatigue? Does hard work no longer impact you negatively?”

4. Are you able to eat more now?

“Just imagine how much food you can order now. You could hire the best chef in the world to come live with you. The delivery services will make a routine stop at your driveway to drop off all the necessary ingredients. Does this mean you can eat more? Has your stomach expanded? Are you able to enjoy more than others? That would be helpful, considering the abundance.”

5. Are you pacified?

“Have your desires ceased? Are your senses now under control? What more could you possibly want? You have everything. You must be jitendriyah; one who has conquered the senses. You must be so happy, all of the time.”

स इत्थं निर्जितककुबेकराड् विषयान् प्रियान् ।
यथोपजोषं भुञ्जानो नातृप्यदजितेन्द्रिय: ॥

sa itthaṁ nirjita-kakub
eka-rāḍ viṣayān priyān
yathopajoṣaṁ bhuñjāno
nātṛpyad ajitendriyaḥ

“In spite of achieving the power to control in all directions and in spite of enjoying all types of dear sense gratification as much as possible, Hiranyakashipu was dissatisfied because instead of controlling his senses he remained their servant.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.19)

…

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada mocks the feverish pursuit of work in factories and technological endeavors by asking a rhetorical question. The nuts and bolts produced in the factory – can those be eaten? Can a person survive on the output of the assembly line? If everything else were to vanish, if there was a sudden world war or calamity of epic proportion, is the factory going to provide sufficient provisions to maintain the community?

The same concerns were expressed at the beginning of the industrial revolution. Several founding fathers of the United States of America were against the idea of factories and difficult labor when compared to farming for a living. At least in the traditional way, the fruits of labor were actually fruits.

The same questions can be asked of the person who takes an interest in gold and jewels, especially for the side of accumulation. Having more than the neighbor. Showing off at parties and galas. Translating the items to a net worth calculation.

Goswami Tulsidas says that the relatively high price of gold and jewels is one way to understand the merciful nature of the Almighty. If mercy were compared to a physical measurement, Shri Rama is merciful in the manner of an ocean.

That is to say, there is no end to this mercy. There will not be a shortage. Just because one person enjoys the blessings of God does not prohibit others from doing the same. In the spiritual science, one minus one does not have to equal zero. There does not have to be a diminishing value tied to a fixed sum total.

There is mercy in the high price because it relays information. The price reveals that something may not be necessary for life to continue. On the other side, grains and water are highly available and inexpensive. This is in the relative comparison.

There is no barrier to survival, then. A person may feel inferior due to their lack of gold and jewels. They may not own a car and a home or have access to a travel agent for visiting exotic destinations. They may not have servants to cater to their every need.

But they have the exact same opportunity to continue in life. This is the mercy of God, in that He does not discriminate between rich and poor. Moreover, the mercy extends into the different options for self-realization. For practicing genuine religion, the high-priced choices are not necessary for success.

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं
यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति
तद् अहं भक्त्य्-उपहृतम्
अश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.26)

Something as basic as a leaf or a flower suffices to please the one who is the source of everything. Make an offering, but with devotion. You could be lacking everything else desirable in life, including a good name and reputation. As long as the devotion is there, no one can interfere in your relationship to the one who is the beloved husband of Sita.

In Closing:

So low seeing only the sky,
For wealth not even to try.

Since failed endeavor for sure,
Perpetually to remain poor.

But can offer a flower still,
Bliss in my heart to fill.

That mercy of husband of Sita to see,
That kind even to lowly me.

Categories: the five

Tags: god, gold, hare krishna, hinduism, poem, poems, poetry, religion