The Best Benediction – Dandavats
By Mohini Radha Devi Dasi
Why Krishna’s holy names are the greatest treasure.
Some people fantasize about accumulating immense wealth and dream of what they would buy if they only had enough. To them, happiness hovers elusively on the other side of that new car, that big house, that diamond necklace.
While many of us will say, “Money can’t buy happiness,” do we really believe it? If not money, what is the solution to our hankerings? What is the greatest treasure that will bring true happiness? And how do we acquire that treasure?
Srila Prabhupada answers these questions in one of his purports, which recounts the story of a fortunate brahmana who sought the best benediction from Lord Siva (see purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.7.7). The story reveals that the greatest treasure is not material, but spiritual.
Once, a poor brahmana worshiped Lord Siva to get the best benediction, hoping for the solution to all his problems. Lord Siva is known as midhushtama, the best of the benedictors, and many materialistic people approach him to fulfill their desires. But for this brahmana, Lord Siva granted the best benediction for his spiritual life. He directed the brahmana to see Sanatana Goswami, a direct disciple and close associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, for only Sanatana could award the best benediction.
When the brahmana approached Sanatana Goswami, he noticed that Sanatana had a touchstone that he kept with the garbage. This powerful gem could turn iron into gold simply by contact. Upon the brahmana’s request, Sanatana gave him the touchstone, which seemed like the greatest blessing to the brahmana, who went away gratified by the assurance of immense financial success.
As the brahmana left Sanatana’s company, however, a doubt nagged his mind: If the touchstone were truly the greatest benediction, then why did Sanatana Goswami keep it with the garbage, as if it had no value at all? Surely, he realized, this could not be what he was seeking; Sanatana Goswami must have an even greater treasure.
The brahmana returned to Sanatana Goswami and inquired, “Sir, if this is the best benediction, why did you keep it with the garbage?”
Sanatana Goswami replied that the touchstone was not the best benediction.
“But,” Sanatana asked, “are you prepared to take the best benediction from me?”
The brahmana eagerly assented, and Sanatana then told him to throw the touchstone into the nearby Yamuna River.
When the brahmana returned, Sanatana Goswami initiated him with the Hare Krishna maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. By Lord Siva’s mercy, the brahmana achieved the best benediction of all: the chanting of the holy names of the Lord in the association of a pure devotee.
Rejecting Materialistic Desire
The touchstone represents materialistic desire. When we want wealth or the enjoyment of our senses separately from Krishna, we sabotage our spiritual efforts. We think of ourselves as the proprietors of our wealth, which we consider the fruit of our own hard work. We then become attached and fail to realize that everything comes from the Lord and should be used in His service, for His pleasure. Accordingly, Jesus Christ declared that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. As Srila Prabhupada explains, “Material hankerings and spiritual advancement go ill together.”
Sanatana Goswami’s order to throw away the touchstone signifies a call to renounce materialistic desire. If we want spiritual life, the best benediction, we cannot simultaneously try to satisfy our own senses. That’s like rowing a boat with the anchor still out: We cannot go anywhere despite our exertion. Likewise, if we want to make spiritual progress, we need to lift the anchor of material desire.
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