VardhiShyate Te Shikhaa - (Your Tuft Will Grow)

वर्दिष्यते ते शिखा
(Your Tuft Will Grow)

Little KruShNa admired the long tuft (sheNDi) of Balaraama. So Yashodaa hit upon a plan to make KruShNa drink full glass of milk. If you drink the full glass, your sheNDi will grow long too. And KruShNa would hold His sheNDi in one hand to feel it grow when He drank gulp by gulp from the glass in the other hand. This is childlike innocence.

It is childish ignorance or foolishness when a person thinks he can sing raagas like Bhimsen when he has only learnt Saa in his Swarasaadhanaa. Swarasaadhanaa is mastering the seven swaras -- saa re ga ma pa da ni saa. Learning first saa, one cannot assume he has learnt all about the seven swaras. Similarly it is ignorance or foolishness when a person expects God to appear like Santa Claus with bag full of gifts as soon as he starts on Saa in his saadhanaa.

Time, effort, perseverance and patience over the years, even over births, go towards reaching the goal.

Long ago, you told me of an American principle - You get what you pay for. I have made a new statement - You hear what you pay attention to.
- Even with great atmospheric disturbances you can listen to cricket commentary. Concentration of mind is required.
- RaamakruShNa said - You hear all noise when you approach a market. As you go nearer, you hear a few distinct voices and finally the price of an item which you had gone to purchase. So keep going nearer and nearer.
- When you visit a temple, think of God. Shut your ears and eyes to anything not connected to God. You may hear and see God. Don't be led by distractions. You will feel the peace of God's Presence.
- A child is ever in the mind of a mother. In the kitchen she can pick her child's SOS on being hurt in the compound outside.