Story illustrating material existance

So here is a typical example of material life. Everything Kamsa wanted he got, but he lived in misery. – Radhanath Swami

 

He wanted to be the most powerful person in the world and he was. He wanted all the other Asuras to surrender to him and be his servant, and they did. He wanted all the Andaka and Bhoja and Yadu dynasties to be under his exclusive ruler-ship; he put his father in prison, killed anybody who was in anyway opposing him; he became the king and there was no one in world that could possibly stand up to oppose him. Being the king he had inconceivable wealth; he perfected mystic Yogic Siddhis so that he could perform supernatural feats. He had unprecedented strength; he had everything that he ever wanted, but yet he lived in misery. He couldn’t enjoy any of it because he was constantly worrying about this eighth child who wasn’t even born.

tiger-roars

Srila Prabhupada tells the story of how maya just knows how to make everyone frustrated, whoever we are. He gives the example of the tiger, the king of the jungle. There is no animal that the tiger is afraid of.  Either you run in fear of tiger or you offer obeisance and pray for mercy. That’s all. The tiger is the strongest; tiger is the king. But yet, Srila Prabhupada said, there is a certain type of tiny bird, very tiny little bird that flies and lands on the tiger’s back. Now the tiger can kill elephants, panthers, everything, what to speak of little humans! But the tiger can’t reach on his back, can’t bite what’s on his back; doesn’t have the Yogic Siddhis to put his claws behind his back. Little bird just rides on his back, and wherever the tiger goes the bird says this little song. And the translation of the song is, “The tiger is coming,” and every animal when they know the tiger is coming they run away before the tiger comes. So the tiger can’t get anything to eat. If the tiger was a vegetarian there would no problem, but he doesn’t eat vegetables; he eats meat. Therefore every animal… And the tiger usually attacks at night. But even little birds have loud voices. “Tiger is coming. Tiger is coming.” As soon as the tiger would come in the neighborhood of the jungle every animal would run away. There would be no deer; there would be no boars, nothing. So the tiger is in total anxiety because he can’t find anything to eat. And this little tiny bird who it’s like chick pet at a tiger as far eating he can’t reach him, there is nothing he could do about this bird. So regardless of being a king with all prowess, still something in this world puts you in anxiety.

Kamsa. The more you have, the more you fear that you could lose. His fear was so great; he had renounced all morality to kill six infant babies with his own hands. Just to enjoy his kingdom he was willing to engage in such sin. And he knew philosophy! He was a profound philosopher in theory; he knew the laws of karma; he knew what he was risking in his next lives just so that he can enjoy in this life. This eighth child would be the one that kills him; it was for certain, and he knew it in his heart of hearts. Therefore he saying as soon as he gets this news, “Here is Käla, the supreme time factor, which has taken birth to kill me!” But in his heart of heart due to his attachments he was under illusion. He still had the conviction that he could kill the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the extent of the illusion.

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