GOVINDA – MAHAPRABHU’S SERVITOR – STORY
(By Srila Prabhupada in a Letter to: Satsvarupa — Los Angeles 14 November, 1968)
Caitanya Mahaprabhu after taking His lunch would rest for a while and Govinda was daily massaging His feet.
So one day Caitanya Mahaprabhu fell asleep very soon and keeping His head on the threshold.
So while He was sleeping, Govinda came crossing the body of Caitanya and massaged His Feet.
But he was sitting there, so when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was awake He saw that Govinda was sitting there although it was too late.
So He inquired, “Govinda, you have not taken your Prasadam, you are sitting here?”
So he replied, “Yes, I shall go now to take Prasadam.”
Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, “Why so late?”
He replied, “I could not go on the other side because You were lying on the threshold.”
Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “How did you come in?”
He flatly replied, “By crossing You.”
Then He inquired, “Why did you not go out by crossing Me?”
Govinda said, “That I cannot do. I came crossing You inside the room for Your service, but I cannot go out crossing You for taking my lunch. That would be for my sense gratification.”
The idea is for service of the superior sometimes such violation appears to be in the scene.
Ramanujacarya violated the order of the Spiritual Master to advance the cause of the Spiritual Master. The Spiritual Master’s mission was to deliver fallen souls, therefore Ramanujacarya considered that if the mantra was so powerful to deliver the persons, why not deliver it to everyone as soon as possible. That was a little tactic to advance the cause of the Spiritual Master.
So everything has to be judged by the motive, and as the motive of such apparent violation was very good, Ramanuja’s Spiritual Master embraced him. This is not actually violating the order of the Spiritual Master. But such actions are very rarely to be done.
(SECRET OF SATISFACTION – STORY – READ HERE)