By Bhaktin Bharathi

How right Association makes the person change

Being a mother of a 7- year old little girl, I have always been very concerned about ensuring she is carefully raised in a Krishna conscious environment.  It has not been an easy journey but by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and the grace of Krishna, little miracles continue to happen in my life which inspires me more and makes my faith in Krishna, even stronger.

I would like share a little story on how association with Vaishnavas can change any person.

My daughter, Krishna Surabhi, liked eating eggs – a lot!  She wanted to have it every day even though I tried to help her understand through many stories that killing/eating an animal is a sin – this includes egg, especially considering how cruel today’s factory farming of animals is.  But she always said that she would probably think about giving up eggs only when she grows big. I, then, stopped forcing her to give it up and slowly started taking her to the temple and associate with all the little Vaishnava there.

Over a period of around 6-8 months, she began to realize that eating eggs was really not ok. It so happened that one day, the other kids in the temple were discussing what they eat and don’t eat, and what they love to eat etc.  Hearing their conversation, that she is not making Krishna happy by eating eggs, she immediately took a decision to stop eating it.  Now it has been almost over a year and till date she has never even looked at eggs again, even though her other friends and family members asked encouraged her to eat.

Infact, when she goes to birthday parties, she first asks if the cake is eggless and incase it is not, then she boldly declares that she is a vegetarian and follows Krishna Consciousness and asks for the snacks only if it is pure vegetarian; otherwise she is fine to enjoy the party without any snacks and return home very happily.  She is only 8yrs old!

This reminds us of our elders’ story that with bad association, we definitely will be spoilt just like any good tomato puts with spoiled tomatoes or potatoes, the good one would get spoiled over a time.  Srila Prabhupada, Rupa Gosvami and other pure devotees and acaryas of Gaudiya Vaishnavism stress so much on the importance of good association and how even most fallen souls can recover all their good essence with even a moment’s association with Vaishnavas.

All glories to all Vaishnavas!  All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

(*Image Source: jahnavikunja.blogspot.com)