Do not become a mouse.

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Do Not Become a Mouse

17 January 2025

In a Srimad Bhagavatam class given on November 30, 1973, in Los Angeles Srila Prabhupada told a very enlightening and entertaining story about a mouse who become a tiger and then again became a mouse. Here it is:

Prabhupāda: You know the story, punar mūṣiko bhava? Anyone knows?
Devotees: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Punar mūṣiko bhava means "Again you become a mouse." [laughter] A mouse came to a saintly person: "Sir, I am very much troubled." "What is that?" People generally go to saintly person for some material profit. That is the nature, animalistic nature. Why you should go to a saintly person for some material benefit? No. You go there to learn what is God. That is real business. Anyway, saintly persons sometimes receive. "So, what you want?" Just like Lord Śiva, his devotees are all like that, mouse, want something. "Sir, this cat troubles me very much." "So what do you want?" "Let me become a cat." "All right, you become a cat." So he became a cat.
Then after few days, he came back: "Sir, still I am in trouble." "What is that?" "The dogs, [laughter] they trouble us very much." "So what do you want?" "Now I want to become a dog." "All right, you become." Then after few days, one after... There is nature's arrangement: one is weak, one is strong. That is nature's arrangement. So after all, he wanted to become a tiger. So by the grace of the saintly person he became a tiger. And when he became a tiger, he was staring on the saintly person, like "Oh."
[Prabhupāda makes a face; devotees laugh]
So the saintly person asked him, "You want to eat me?" "Yes." "Oh, then you may again become a mouse. [laughter] If by my grace, by my favor, you have become tiger, so I will again condemn you to become a mouse."
So you American people, you have become tiger now, Nixon tiger. But if you don't behave obligely, if you don't feel obliged... If the tiger feels obliged that "By the grace of the saintly person, I have come to the stage of becoming a tiger. I must be very much obliged to him." But instead of becoming obliged, if you want to eat, then again become a mouse. If the saintly person has got the power to make you from mouse to tiger, then he can convert you again from tiger to mouse. You must always remember this.
So by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, you have become so powerful nation—rich, beautiful, educated. By grace of Kṛṣṇa you have become, but if you forget Kṛṣṇa, then you are again going to be mouse. Remember that. Nobody will care for you. Just like Englishmen: Englishmen, they established the British Empire, great, powerful, most powerful nation in the world. Now they are not so. Because they misused their power. So you get power, opulence, by the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And if you misuse it, then you become again... That is happening. That is the nature's law. Nature's law.

My observation: We should all take lesson from this story not to become big, big tigers who want to kill God. We should remember whatever opulence we have received is by the grace of God and always engage it in His service instead of trying to enjoy it separately. If we do not do this our opulence will taken away by the laws of nature. Again we will become mice.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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By the Yogi's Grace the Mouse Became a Tiger, But Then He Wanted to Eat the Yogi

So Again He Became a Mouse

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Questions and Answers

Hare Krishna Maharaj Ji,
Kindly accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

Has ISKCON's GBC removed the ban, the suspension, that for the time being you cannot initiate disciples?

Thanks & Regards,
Your Insignificant Servant
Natha Nistha Das

Answer

From: Austin, Texas, USA

My Dear Natha Nistha,

Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

They have not removed it yet. But I am confident that by Krishna’s grace this suspension will be removed in due course of time because it was an unfair politically motivated attack engineered by a Godbrother who is envious of my success as a preacher. Srila Prabhupada also had such difficulty with some of his Godbrothers. He explained this as follows in a room conversation in Delhi, India on 3 November 1973:

"Even in the spiritual field, my Godbrothers are envious. You see? So as soon as you become successful, there will be many enemies. That is natural. That is the sign of success. In your business, if there are many enemies, competitor, that means you are successful.”

So instead of being discouraged by this suspension I see it as a sign of my success as a preacher of the science of Krishna consciousness. In Krishna consciousness obstacles are stepping stones for achieving greater success.

I hope this meets you in the best of health.
Your ever well-wisher,

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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