1.

The bundle of Sticks

Narrator: One time there was an old Brahmana who lived in a holy place in an ashram
with his seven disciples. There they worshipped very ancient Deities of Sri Sri Radha and
Sri Krsna. Many people would come to see the Deities and make donations for Their
worship.

Brahmana: My dear disciples, I am growing weak due to old age. Last week, a pilgrim
donated a large ruby for the Deities.

Disciple 1: I think it should be sold for money.

Disciple 2: No, no! I want to put it on Radharani!

Disciple 3: You are both wrong. Let us cut it into many small rubies to make a nice
necklace.

Brahmana: (to himself) I think the Deities would never get Their ruby. I am getting old
and I am not confident to hand over the ashrama services to my disciples. I want to teach
them how to manage the ashram themselves.

Brahmana: That’s enough. Now each one of you go to the forest and bring back one
stick not more than one inch thick.

Narrator: The disciples stopped quarreling and set out to collect the sticks silently
worrying that their guru did not like their arguing very much. They quickly returned with
the stick and the Brahmana tied them in a bundle with some rope.

Brahmana: Which one of you can break this bundle of sticks?

( each one of them tried in turn, but none of them could break it into two)

Disciples: (exclaimed) It is not possible.

Guru: Watch. (he cut the rope with a knife. He took each stick and broke it in two very
easily.) Snap! Snap! Snap!

Guru: You see. I am getting very old. Soon I will die. You are like a bundle of sticks. If
you try to help each other and work together, you will be strong and serve me well. But if
you fight, you will become weak like these separate sticks. And then what will happen to
my Radha Govinda? (tears came in the guru’s eyes) Remember united we stand, divided
we fall.

Narrator: Realizing their foolishness, the seven disciples agreed to set the ruby in a gold
ring and they put it on Govinda’s finger everyday. Their guru, was very pleased and soon
after felt ready to leave this world and he peacefully returned to the spiritual world.
 2. The Brahmana and the Cobbler
Scene 1

Narrator: Once Narada Muni met a proud Brahmana priest who had just finished his
daily morning rituals.

Brahmana: Namaste, my dear Narada. If you are going to the spiritual world, then will
you please ask Lord Narayana when I am going to go back to Vaikuntha? I think it should
be very soon, but I would like to verify it any way.

Narada: All right. I shall ask Him.

Narrator: As Narada proceeded, he met a humble cobbler repairing shoes on the

roadside.

Scene 2

Cobbler: All glories to you Narada Muni!

Narada: All glories to the devotees of Lord Narayana! And how are you?

Cobbler: By the grace of the Lord, all is well. Oh, you are going to see my Lord
Narayana?

Narada: Oh yes. But why do you ask? Do you want me to speak to Him on your behalf?

Cobbler: Yes. You see, I am very tired of living in this material world. Please would you
ask the Lord how many lifetimes I have to wait before going back to the spiritual world?

Narada: Yes, surely I will do that for you.

Narrator: Narada who has a spiritual body, then left for the spiritual world to see Lord
Narayana. Upon arriving he bowed his head at the Lots feet of the Lord.

Scene 3

Narayana: How are you, dear Narada? Is there anything that I can do for you?

Narada: By your mercy all is well, my Lord. On the way I met a brahmana and a
cobbler….(music background)

Narayana: After leaving this body, the cobbler shall come here to Me. But the Brahmana
will have to remain there for a number of births. I do not know when he is coming.

Narada: I cannot understand the mystery of this.

Narayana: That you will see. When they ask you what I am doing in My abode, tell them
that I was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle.

Narrator: Intrigued by the Lord’s words, Narada left immediately. Approaching

Brahmana, he told him he would have to wait for several births before he goes back to the
spiritual world.

Scene 4

Brahmana: Several lifetimes? I don’t believe you even saw Narayana. Tell me what He
was doing?

Narada: Threading an elephant through the eye of a needle.

Brahmana: Impossible! I don’t believe in your words. You are trying to cheat me saying
imaginary things which can never happen!

Narada: Hare Krsna!

Narrator: Narada could immediately understand that the man had no faith and that he
was simply a reader of books and a performer of empty rituals without understanding the
essence of loving devotion to Lord. Narada then left and went to the cobbler.

Scene 5

Narada: My dear cobbler, the Lord said you will be returning to the spiritual world in
this very lifetime!

Cobbler (in great joy): I will go to the spiritual world at the end of this life? How
merciful the Lord is! My dear Naradadev, Please tell me, what my Lord was doing?

Narada: He was threading an elephant through the eye of a needle.

Cobbler: Oh, my Lord is so wonderful. He can do anything.

Narada: Do you really believe that?

Cobbler: Why not? Of course I believe it.

Narada: How is that?

Cobbler: You can see that big banyan tree across the road? I see so many fruits are
falling daily, and in each seed there is a banyan tree like this one. If, within a small seed
there can be a big tree like this, is it difficult to accept that the Lord is pushing an
elephant through the eye of a needle?
Narrator: Seeing the difference between the proud Brahmana and the faith of the humble
cobbler, Narada easily understood why they were to be rewarded in different ways. It is
not a question of blindly believing. There is a reason behind the belief. Krsna through His
energies is keeping all the planets floating in space. ‘sutre mani gana iva’ ‘just like pearls
are held together by a underlying string, I am the unseen controller of this universe who
is binding all the things together’ says Krsna.
 3. Don’t want

Narrator: There lived in a city a boy named Timmy who had dark hair and big black
eyes. He was always very happy and his face was shining, just like a little sun. Timmy
had a dad, a mom, and an older brother named John. ( They all come in one by one and
wave at the audience). Timmy was the pet of the whole family. Everybody around him
thought he was the sweetest little boy on earth. Timmy had learned to talk a long, long
time ago. But all of a sudden one day something strange happened…

Mom: Timmy, dinner is ready. Come to eat.

Timmy: Don’t want!

Dad: Timmy dear, come and have the fresh vegetable salads that you like very much.

Timmy: Don’t like!

John: Tim, come let us go to the garden to sing and dance after dinner.

Timmy: No fun!

(all are trying through many ways to make Timmy happy and sunny again)

Dad(very concerned): Do you all notice that Timmy is saying only three things these
days…

John: Yes, ‘Don’t want, don’t like, no fun’ for everything we ask him.

Mom: I am very concerned about my little child. What has happened to him?

John: Dad you promised that this summer vacation, you will take us all to visit Krishna’s
farm.

Mom: Yes, why don’t we go? We will have a change from the routine of this city life.

( They are all going to Krsna’s farm where a big feast was being served)

Devotee 1: Please come! Honor the nice prasadam of the Lord! Please sit here! Common
take this gulab jamuns. Hmmm! Oh! I will serve more of this dish! You are liking it
more!

John: I am so full. I am going to burst. The Prasad is so tasty!

Mom: Timmy dear, you also taste a little.

Timmy: Don’t want!

Dad: Come on! Let us go and sing and dance with others in the temple!

Timmy(as usual): Don’t like! (they all go and join the nice kirtans while Timmy sits
aside)

John: Tim, see! How nice the children there are playing lots of fun games, acting out
Lord Krishna’s pastimes. Let us go and join them, come!

Timmy: No fun!

Narrator: This continued almost the whole of summer. Timmy’s family and friends were
now used to Timmy saying only three things. One day while the guests and the devotees
were enjoying the nice prasadam, Timmy watched them and thought to himself,

Timmy(seeing the plate of nice prasadam that he saw a devotee offering to John): That
looks quite good. May be I should taste a little…

Timmy: Everybody is dancing and singing in the temple. (he looked carefully around
and thought) It does not sound that bad. May be I should sing along…

Timmy: (looking at the children who are playing and having such a great time) I feel so
miserable not enjoying like them. They seem to be having so much fun. May be I should
join them…

Next Sunday…

Dad: Look! Timmy is first in the line to take prasadam.

Timmy: (with his mouth full) This is the best food I have had in my whole life!

John: It is time to sing and dance.

(Timmy stood right at the front, by the altar, looked at Krsna and thought to himself,)

Timmy: Can there be anything nicer than this?

John: It is time to play.

Timmy ran out the lawn before everybody else. Together with the other children, he
played lots of fun games.

Bhakta 1: Haribol! Krsna held the earth on his tusk as a boar like this….

Timmy: (expanding his hands widely) I want to have this much fun everyday!
Mom(cheerfully): Hare Krishna!

Timmy: I love prasadam. I like to sing and dance for Krsna. I have so much fun playing
Krsna’s pastimes with my friends. I want to live my life for Krsna. That is the greatest fun
of all. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare! Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama
Rama Hare Hare!!
 4. A hard lesson to learn

Narrator: In a city there lived a devotee couple who had a nice sweet looking daughter
Manjari. One morning, she could not rise from her bed because she had high fever. Her
mother went to call the doctor nearby. (There is a picture of ‘Krsna teaching Bhagavad
Gita to Arjuna’ on the wall.)

Manjari (to the audience): Oh, poor me! Can’t you see? I am more dead than alive. I am
suffering in bed, but soon the doctor will arrive.

(Doctor arrives.)

Doctor: This is just a common flu. In a week it will be gone. So be a little patient now,
okay? And then you will play and run.

(Doctor leaves.)

Manjari: Mom, the doctor does not understand my terrible position. No one is suffering
like me in this feverish condition. Though covered with so many quilts, I am shivering
and freezing. My body is stiff and my head is aching and all the time I am sneezing. My
cheeks are hot, my eyes are red, my nose is sore and runny. To have to lie in bed like this
is not at all that funny.

Mother: Manjari take this ginger tea. It will help you.

Manjari: I cannot even lift a finger.

Krsna das: My dear sister, you should not be so mental. Just chant Lord Krishna’s holy
name and be more transcendental.

Manjari: It is easy to say. You are always strong and well. I am sure you have never been
suffering like me.

Dad: Manjari, come on. I will tell you nice stories of Krsna. Soon you will forget all the
pain and worries. You are not the body.

Manjari: I know that this is true. But it is really hard to understand when your body is
sick with flu.

Dad: You are full of happiness and bliss, eternal spirit soul.

Manjari: (gets up and sits from the bed) Now wait a minute. This would mean that I
don’t have a cold! It is just my body suffering from sickness and pain.

Dad: Yes, one day you are sick and you are staying in bed and the other day you are
healthy. Like someone might be poor one day, and next day he will be wealthy. We try to
turn to happiness from pain but there is no reason. These things are changing anyway like
summer and winter season.

Manjari: Yes, father. I understand now nicely. As soon as I get well I will try to make
others understand, that they are also spirit souls, not their nose or throat or hand.

Krsna dasa: And when this fact is known to them, they can surely see that everyone
should serve the Lord, just like you and me. Hare Krsna!
 5. Krsna and Sudama

Scene 1

(A broken down cottage. A few bare necessities are shown. His wife in a tattered sari is
sweeping. Sudama is worshipping Tulasi and his children in tattered clothes are saying
their prayers).

Sudama’s wife: (Addressing to her husband who is reading the scriptures) O lord, there
is hardly any food in the house to cook, what are we going to do today?

Sudama: Do not worry about me, as long as there is enough for the children, it is alright.

Wife: How long will we go on like this? Please do something about it. I am always
borrowing from neighbours.

Sudama: What can I do? I am just a poor Brahmin. All we can do is depend on the Lord.

Wife: (thinking for a while) My dear husband, You had told me once that Lord Krsna, the
ruler of Dwarka, is your personal friend!

Sudama: Yes. We studied together at the gurukula of Sandipani Muni.

Wife: I have heard that He listens to the problems of everyone. He takes care of the
needy. He is very compassionate to the brahmanas and you are such a pure saintly
Brahmana. And then He is your friend too. Why don’t you visit Him? May be He can
help us.

Sudama: It has been so long since we parted, He may not even remember me now. And
my dear wife, I don’t think I should ask Him for anything. These material prosperity and
enjoyment are not very desirable.

Wife: (begging) Please, please go there. Even if you don’t ask for anything you can still
go.

Sudama: Yes, it has been long since I met Him. I will go to Dwarka. But…I would like
to take a gift. Is there anything in the house?

Wife: No. But don’t worry. You told me that His favorite food is chipped rice. Iwill go
and borrow some from the neighbours.

Scene 2

Narrator: Sudama left to meet his friend Krsna at Dwarka. After a tiresome journey, he
reached Dwarka and was awestruck as he saw the beautiful palace of Krsna. Very
hesitantly he approached the gates of the palace.
Sudama: I wonder if I will be able to see Krsna. There are so many gates and guards
here.

Guard 1: Yes? What are you doing here?

Sudama: I want to meet my friend Krsna.

Guard 2: What? our great king Krsna is your friend?

Krsna: (enters the scene) What is happening out here?

Guard 1: All glories to our Lord! My Lord, this poor man says that he is your friend and
wants to meet You.

Krsna: Don’t you understand that to me everyone is a friend. (Taking a closer look)
Sudama! It is you! My dearest friend! (Rushing to embrace him) I am so happy to see
you again! It has been so long since we have seen each other!

Narrator: Krsna took Sudama by the hand and led him inside the palace, to His own
room.

Krsna: Please be seated, you must be tired after your long journey. Come let me bathe
your feet and rest your tired body. We will talk about our childhood days, once you have
rested. Rukmini, the Goddess of fortune Herself fanned Sudama while he slept.

Scene 3

Narration: The next day Krsna and Sudama talked about the glorious days of their
childhood, sometimes laughing and sometimes crying. All along Rukmini devi fanned
them both and listened in amazement to them.

Krsna: Tell me Sudama, didn’t you bring any gift for me? (Sudama looks ashamed and
looks downward. Krsna spies a small cloth bag at the waist of Sudama). What is that? Is
that for me?

(Krsna snatched the little bundle of chipped rice while Sudama tries to resist)

Krsna: Oh, what is this? Chipped rice? You remembered my favorite food! You
remembered how much I love this!

Narrator: Krsna immediately took one morsel, He was about to have another as Rukmini
watched in astonishment as He was about to have the third morsel, she immediately
stopped Him.
Rukmini: My Lord, by accepting two morsels of Sudama’s offering, You have already
shown so much mercy. Now please leave something for me, my friends, the other queens
and servants.

Scene 4

Narrator: The next day, Sudama set off for home. Krsna accompanied Sudama on the
road for a short distance and then both of them embraced and finally parted. Sudama
being immersed in the thoughts of the loving exchanges he had with Krsna, finally came
to the place where his cottage had been earlier. But now there stood a beautiful palace
with high towers, beautiful gardens and well dressed men and women were moving
about.

Sudama (looking around in amazement): Where am I? Whose palace is this? Where is

my cottage?

Narrator: Suddenly well dressed servants came forward to welcome Sudama. Some
people played musical instruments. Sudama’s wife comes running. She is beautifully
dressed and bows down to her husband.

Sudama: Oh my dear wife, the supremely opulent chief of the Yadu dynasty, Lord Krsna,
has showered His mercy on us.

(With tears in his eyes, Sudama comes forward and shares his thoughts)

Sudama: My dear friend Krsna, knew that I came to Him to beg from Him. He said
nothing about it when I was with Him. Yet just like a merciful rain cloud he bestowed
upon me the most abundant riches. He accepts and glorifies even a small service rendered
to Him by His devotee. He was so pleased even with a little chipped rice. Oh, my dear
Lord, I pray that I may serve you lovingly life after life.

Narrator: Sudama and his wife lived together in the palace many years. Even though
they were surrounded by material opulence, they remained unattached. They spent their
time chanting and worshipping the most merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord
Sri Krsna.
 6. Illiterate scholar

Narrator: In the holy place of Sri Ranga-ksetra, a Brahmana Vaishnava used to visit the
temple daily and recite the entire text of Bhagavad Gita. Because he could not pronounce
the word correctly, people used to joke about him. But he did not care.

Villager 1: You are illiterate. How can you read Bhagavad gita?

Villager 2: Hello, Brahmana! How you are reading Bhagavad gita?

Brahmana (with tears in his eyes): I am full of ecstasy due to reading Bhagavad gita and
am personally very happy.

Narrator: Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu comes there and he saw this Brahmana reading
Bhagavad gita with devotion. So he was attracted.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu: My dear Sir, why are you in such ecstatic love? Which portion
of Bhagavad gita gives you such transcendental pleasure?

Brahmana: I am illiterate and therefore do not know the meaning of the words.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu: Then why are you reading if you cannot?

Brahmana: I am doing this according to the order of my spiritual master…Actually, I

only see a picture of Lord Krsna sitting on a chariot as Arjuna’s charioteer. Taking the
ropes in His hands, He appears very beautiful. When I see this picture of Lord Krsna
sitting in a chariot and instructing Arjuna, I am filled with ecstatic happiness.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu: You know the real essence of Bhagavad gita. I am very pleased
by your devotion. There are many scholars and philosophers who read Bhagavad gita
without any devotion. I am not attracted by their erudite scholarship. They simply waste
their time and mislead others. Bhagavad gita can only be understood by a devotee of the
Lord.

(Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced the Brahmana and the Brahmana, catching the lotus feet
of the Lord, began to cry.)

Narrator: Brahmana’s guru knew that he is illiterate but still ordered him to read
Bhagavad gita. This is called firm faith in guru. Guru mukha padma vakya, cittete koriya
aikya, ar na koriho mane asa. Because of this he was trying to read and Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu, Lord Krsna Himself came to see him. Just see. The Brahmana became a
great devotee of Lord Caitanya. Whatever your guru says, you just try to carry it out.
Thank you! Hare Krsna!
 7. “I will personally carry what my devotee lacks”

Narrator: Arjunacarya, was a poor brahmana. He wrote a commentary on the Gita. One
day when he was writing commentary to Bhagavad Gita chapter 9, verse 22…

Arjunacarya: oh! In this sloka, Sri Krsna says,

ananyäs cintayanto mäm

ye janäh paryupäsate
tesam nityäbhiyuktänäm
yoga-ksemam vahämy aham

The word to word meaning is, “But those who always worship Me with exclusive
devotion, meditating on My transcendental form—to them I carry what they lack, and I
preserve what they have.”

Krsna says "vahamy" – means "I carry". I cannot believe that the Lord would personally
carry what the devotee needed. How is that Lord will come Himself and deliver the
goods? Oh, it is not possible. He might be sending through some agent.”

I will cut vahämy aham, “I bear the burden and deliver.”and I will write “I send some
agent who delivers.” i.e., I will change it to "karomy" - "I have it done."

Narrator: Arjunäcärya after making this change, went out to take bath, and in the
meantime two very beautiful boys, one of dark and the other of a lighter complexion
came at the door of his house. They brought some very highly valuable foodstuff and
grains and ghee in large quantity by taking two sides burden on the bamboo. Just like a
scale it was balanced.

Arjunacarya’s wife: Who is it?

The boys: My dear mother, Arjunäcärya has sent these goods to you. Please take
delivery.

Arjuanacarya’s wife: Oh, you are so nice boy, you are so beautiful boys, and he has
given. And Äcärya is not so cruel. How is that? He has given so much burden to you, and
he is not kind...?

Dark Boy: (in great anxiety) Oh, I was not taking, and just see, he has beaten me. Here is
cane mark. Oh, see.

Wife: (to herself) Äcärya is not so cruel. How he has become so cruel?

Wife: All right, my dear boys. You come on. Come and take some rest and meanwhile I
will make some nice preparations and you can have them.
Boys: No. We shall go because if Arjunäcärya again comes. He will chastise us.

Wife: No, no. Come on don't worry. My husband would never do such a thing. You sit
down, take foodstuff.

Narrator: She prepared foodstuff, and then they went away. And when Arjunäcärya
came back, he saw that his wife is eating.

Scene 2

Arjunacarya: My dear wife, you usually take food after I have taken my food. What is
that?

Wife: Acarya! you have become so much cruel nowadays?

Arjunacarya: Oh, what is that?

Wife: Two boys, very nice boys, they have brought so many foodstuff. You loaded on
their head, and they denied to take it, and you have beaten them, chastised?

Arjunacarya: No. I have never done this. Why shall I do it?

Wife: Oh, such a nice beautiful boy.

Arjunäcärya: Oh! When I was away, Krsna and Balarama had personally come. The
marks on Krsna's back were from changing the sastra. Krsna had personally come to
show him what he lacked. Because I wanted that God does not deliver, so He has
delivered these goods, and because I cut these alphabets that He does not give personally,
so He has shown that beating mark. (falls at the feet of the Lord’s figure).

Narrator: So those who are in Krsna consciousness, those who are actually busy in the
matter of discharging their duties as a Krsna conscious person, they may be assured that
so far their living condition is concerned or their comforts of life is concerned, that is
assured by the Lord. There will be no hampering. Thank you very much.
 8. The Revolt Of The Parts Of The Body

CAST: Narrator 1 & 2, Head, Eyes, Mouth, Nose, Arms & Hands, Legs & Feet.

Narrator 1: Ladies and gentlemen, nearly every day, in the newspaper, on the radio and
T.V., we hear of organizations of people going on strike when they feel they are being
treated unfairly. There are teacher strikes, student strikes, police strikes, union strikes,
garbage men strikes. So now the story of quite an unusual strike will be told—The
Striking of The Body Parts!

Narrator 2: Once upon a time, all the body parts called a meeting. They were dissatisfied
with the arrangement of things. Each part claimed it was working so hard, yet the
stomach was reaping all the benefits. They could all agree that this was unfair.

(All the parts present should be in costumes depicting their identity. SCENE—All body
parts facing audience in a semicircle, discussing amongst themselves: )

Everyone: Unfair! Unfair! Unfair!

The Hands: We're picking. We're choosing. We're doing so much work. We use our skill
to cut and clean and deliver, but the stomach takes everything—and we're left empty-
handed. I know I'm a little TOUCHY, but I FEEL things are getting out of HAND.

The Arms: Yeah! We're carrying everything, too.

The Eyes: I SEE what you mean. I always look for the most attractive items, but it's just
a flash in the pan for me—because the stomach always gets it in the end.

The Nose: I'm in charge of quality control—without me, the stomach wouldn't know
what was good as what was bad.

The Ear: I HEAR you brother. SOUNDS unfair to me.

The Mouth: Yeah! I chew, and it's true. I get to taste a little, but soon it's gone down
there to the stomach. Taste and chew that's all I do; but soon it's through. I'm fed up with
this!

The Legs and Feet: You think you all got it bad? Well, we're carrying the weight of the
whole operation. We're standing long hours in the kitchen, and walking all around and
standing in long lines at the grocery store. Then, after the stomach is happily filled to
capacity, we're expected to keep dragging the stomach all around. We must strike!

Brain: (steps forward to interject—speaks with great erudition and authority, although no
one really cares—kind of British accent) I would like to postulate, as the brain amongst
you, that serious repercussions might be incurred by embarking on a course born of
impulse...
Everyone: Strike! Strike! Strike!

Narrator: So they decided to protest and strike. They continued in this way for several
days—refusing to provide any food to the stomach. But as they continued, something
very strange began to happen. All the parts themselves became very, very weak.

Hand: (slowly and feebly) I've got to HAND it to the stomach. Now I can GRASP the
truth. We can't be happy without feeding him.

Foot: (slowly and feebly) Yeah. I can't KICK this feeling of lethargy.

Ear: (slowly and feebly) Speak up. I can hardly HEAR you.

Eye: (slowly and feebly) I'm beginning to SEE things differently.

Nose: (nasally) How long we can go on like this—God only “KNOWS.”

Brain: (wearily steps forward again, speaking slowly) Though I'm troubled by brain
death, I would like to propose that we again provide consumable nutrients through the
alimentary canal to our associate, the stomach. Such a gesture would...

Mouth: (interrupting angrily, though weak) Alright, already! You've convinced us. I'm
TONGUE-TIED and SPEECHLESS. Let's call off the strike. Let's call the stomach and
tell him we're ready to begin serving him again.

The Head: I don't know if I'm coming or going—let's break this strike!

Narrator: The arms and hands were raised in surrender.

The Legs and Feet: Let's break this strike!

Narrator: The hand pointed out:

The Hand: Just see what happened when I tried to enjoy by myself. Look what mess I
made of everything!

Everyone: We must serve the stomach. It's the only way we can survive. Yeah. Break,
break! Serve the stomach, serve the stomach, break the strike!

(They all cry out individually, “Stomach, stomach! Please come back. Forgive us.” etc.
Suddenly the stomach enters stage left, appearing majestic, plump, round, and with a
smile of great satisfaction. All the parts of the body offer obeisances and begin to feed the
stomach—reviving their own strength simultaneously)
Narrator: So the strike was broken when the body parts again took up their
constitutional positions in service to the stomach. Just as when the various parts of the
body did not supply foodstuffs to the stomach, they became unhappy. Since the stomach
is the source of energy which extends to every part of the body; or, just as pouring water
on the root of a tree energizes its leaves, twigs and branches—similarly, the spirit soul
can be happy only by serving Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is
the cause of all causes, source of all sources, the supreme enjoyer and maintainer of all
that be.
We invite you to re-establish your constitutional position simply by chanting the Hare
Krishna maha-mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.
For further information, consult the Bhagavad-Gitä As It Is, translation and purports by
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Prabhupäda. Thank you very much.
 9. Don’t give them your heart

Narrator 1: Srila Prabhupäda told the following story to illustrate how one may mix with
nondevotees and yet keep one’s devotional integrity.

Narrator 2: Once a crocodile invited a monkey in a tree to come and ride on his back.
The foolish monkey jumped down from the tree and soon found himself clinging to the
crocodile’s back in the middle of the river.

Monkey: Where are we going?

Crocodile: I’m going to take you home, where my wife will cut out your heart and we
will eat you for lunch!

Monkey: (afraid and thoughtful) But I left my heart back on shore in the tree. Will you
please let me get it?

Crocodile: (to himself) This is a good proposal! Okay! You can go to the shore.

Narator 1: Once he got a chance, the monkey jumped into his tree and refused to accept
further invitations from the crocodile.

Narrator 2: The moral of this story is You may associate with the nondevotee, but don’t
give him your heart. Preachers living in ISKCON follow this advice daily. They rise early
and gather for mangala-ärati before the Deities, chant kirtana and japa, hear Srimad-
Bhägavatam, and honor prasädam with the family members. Strengthened by this
morning program, they go out to the most materialistic places in the world, offering
people a chance to receive Krsna’s mercy through their exemplary behaviour, by giving
Krsna conscious books, prasädam, or hari-näma. In the early evening the devotees return
to the home and call their friends and have spiritual association along with their family
members. While they are with the nondevotees, they do not compromise their devotional
principles, and thus they keep their hearts aloof from the modes of material nature and
bad association.

Narrator 3: Of course, if a preacher finds himself being overwhelmed by the material

energy, he should save himself instead of allowing mäyä to swallow him up while he’s
trying to save others. But Närada’s advice against bad association does not mean that
those who are strong enough to preach should approach the Jagäis and Mädhäis of this
world and humbly offer them the holy name and transcendental literature. If devotees
don’t approach them, how will the fools and rascals be saved? Thank you very much!
Hare Krsna!!
 10. How Nitai made it to Guru-puja one day

Narrator: In a busy city, there lived a boy, Nitai with his parents. Every Friday Nitai’s
father conducts a bhakti vrksa class (weekly meeting of a small group of people to
discuss on the topics of devotional service) in their home. There was a Radha Govinda
temple near Nitai’s house where all bhakti vrksa groups of that city meet regularly. Nitai
used to go to the temple with his father to attend mangala arati, Guru puja and Srimad
Bhagavatam class.

One day during the kirtans in the temple…

Father: Nitai! Take care. Don’t go anywhere…

Devotee: Where is Nitai’s mother?

Father: Nitai’s mother is not here. She has gone to her mother’s place for delivery of our
second child.

Narrator: Inspite of his father telling him not to go anywhere, Nitai ran home from the
temple…he reaches his home and runs to his room…

Nitai: I know my father will worry but I want to play with my cars. I have many pieces
of track for the electric cars.

( the cars are zipping by and Nitai becomes excited)

Nitai: I am so happy to see my cars running so well in their tracks. I find this figure eight
to be a good layout for the track. My father does not understand. How can I go to guru-
puja when I made this new layout for my car race last night? He should not worry.

Narrator: Suddenly Nitai noticed that his cars are not going on the track and they were
sliding on the floor. He heard some sounds.

Nitai: Help! Help! What a horrible sound. This is an earthquake!! The house is shaking
back and forth!!! Father always says that the best thing to do in an earthquake or in any
type of danger is to chant Hare Krsna. Krsna can do anything, He can protect me!

Narrator: He ran towards the temple while everything was still shaking on the streets.

Father: Nitai! Where did you go? I was searching for you all over the temple. Don’t you
know that being in the kirtana is the safest place you can be? (the father picked up Nitai
in his arms)

Narrator: As Nitai looked at Srila Prabhupada, the earthquake gradually stopped.

Father: Mother earth sent you back to the temple, Nitai?

Nitai: Mother? (confused and afraid)

Father: Yes, Nitai, Mother earth.

Nitai: Yes, father. She is a strong mother, isn’t she!

 11. The most beautiful hands

Narrator: Govinda dasa went to Radha Madhava school every week. His teacher was
Kapila prabhu. One day Govinda dasa was talking to his teacher when they were walking
down the street after the classes.

Govinda dasa: Kapila prabhu, what rough and hard looking hands Bhakta dasa has!
They look all red and dried out.

Kapila: In my opinion, Bhakta dasa’s hands are the nicest hands at the temple.

Govinda dasa: Nice? You call those nice? They are stiff and cracked. He could never
play harmonium with his hands.

Kapila: (taking a look at Govinda’s hands) Your hands are very young and lively,
Govinda, just the hands to play beautifully on the harmonium. Yet they lack something
Bhakta’s hands have. Shall I tell you what the difference is?

Govinda dasa: Yes Prabhu.

Kapila: Well, Govinda. Bhakta dasa’s hands are always busy. They wash all the pots
after the festivals in the temple. They cut vegetables, they help do the assisting of
devotees in their services like buying bhoga vegetables at the market and they even pat a
godbrother on the back when he stops to talk. And all the while his rough hands are
working. I have never Bhakta dasa complaining. He loves the devotees and services very
much.

Govinda dasa: He is always doing something, I see him.

Kapila: You know, in his room in his home, he has small Jagannatha, Baladeva and
Subhadra Dieties that he worships. Go and look at those Deities. You will see how clean
and bright They look. From the looks on Their faces, from Their smiles, you can tell They
are very happy with Bhakta dasa.

Govinda dasa: I hope I will not think Bhakta’s hands are ugly again, Kapila Prabhu.

Kapila: I am glad to hear you say that.

Govinda dasa (looking into his teacher’s face): I should not say anything about Bhakta
dasa.

Kapila: (laughed) Well, you can say what is good about him, if you happen to think of
something.
 12. Lord Caitanya and the Banana Salesman

Narrator: Once there was a devotee named Sridhara. He sold bananas and cups made
out of banana leaves in the marketplace. With the money he made he could just barely
feed his family and pay for the incense and ghee to offer a nice arati to the Ganges River
each day.

One day, Lord Caitanya Himself came to the market place asking for bananas from
Sridhara. However He did not pay the price that Sridhara was asking for them.

Sridhara: I will not lower my price just for You! Who do you think You are? My profits
go to the worship of Mother Ganges. I cannot lower my prices just for anyone who comes
along!

Narrator: Sridhara did not know that Lord Caitanya is Lord Sri Krsna Himself. Lord
Caitanya asked for a lower price again and again. They argued until Lord Caitanya took a
bunch of the bananas and ran away. Lord Caitanya could have a billion bananas if He
wanted to but he just wanted Sridhara’s bananas because Sridhara was His dear devotee.
The Lord comes to him on another day.

Sridhara (shouted): You have stolen my bananas and taken away my profit for the
Mother Ganges! Who are you?

Lord Caitanya: Well, sir, I am Gaurasundara of West Bengal, of Navadvipa.

Sridhara: (looking carefully at the face of the Lord): You are tall, strong, yet delicately
golden-colored. Your face looks pure and happy and full of knowledge and love. I did not
realize who You are. I now know that I have met my Lord! I have met my Lord!!

(he falls at the feet of the Lord and offered his sincere obeisances)

Sridhara: Forgive me, O my Lord, I did not understand that it was You! You are the one
who leads the sankirtana parties that chant the holy name all over this land. You are the
one who is giving away pure love of God!

(Lord Caitanya and Kolavecha Sridhara embraced)

Sridhara: Please take as many bananas as you like, my Lord!

(Kolavecha Sridhara and the Lord laughed and laughed)

Scene 2

Narrator: Kolavecha Sridhara actually was a pure devotee of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He

loved God more than anything in this world. One day the Lord called for him to take part
in a sankirtana.
Sridhara: Lord Gaurasundara wants me to attend the kirtana.

(he cries and faints)

Narrator: There was a loud kirtana and after that the Lord shows Sridhara how He looks
like when He is Krsna. After that Kolaveca Sridhara and the Lord sat down to talk.

Lord Caitanya: Whole day you stand in the sales stand and sell bananas. All your tiny
profit goes to feed you family and do your worship. Now is there anything at all that I can
do for you?

Sridhara (feeling embarrassed): I don’t want to ask you for anything. You are my Lord. I
am so glad to be Your devotee and I just don’t need more than that. I am sorry I ever
asked You to pay for Your bananas!

Lord Caitanya: May be you would like to be freed from this material world and go back
to the spiritual world?

Sridhara: My Lord, what You want is what I want. I would be happy just to stay here
and make sure You get all the bananas that you ask for. Please let me go on having these
wonderful meetings with You. That is all I care about.

Narrator: Lord Caitanya was very happy with Sridhara’s simple and determined mood.
And Kolavecha was always full of joy to know he had met His Lord from whom the
Ganges river flows. Sridhara became the Lord’s eternal devotee who supplies bananas
and banana leaf cups to Him wherever He incarnates to carry on the sankirtana
movement. Hare Krsna!