Many people regard Ekalavya’s guru-bhakti as that of the ideal disciple. But one special consideration must be observed.
Hiraṇyadhanura, the king of the outcastes (chaṇḍālās), had a son named Ekalavya. Desiring to study the science of projectile weaponry (astra-vidyā), the outcaste prince presented himself before Droṇācārya.
However, Droṇācārya did not agree to initiate him into the science of archery, for he was aware of Ekalavya’s very low status.
Krishna says that even a human being in the lowest status of life, lowest status of life, or even a fallen woman or a mercantile man or a laborer class of man... The mercantile class of men, the laborer class of men and the woman class, they are counted in the same category, because their intelligence is not so developed.
Godess Parvati said to Lord Shiva "My dear husband, You know all the transcendental truths, and by your mercy I have heard the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna. Oh Lord, now I long to hear from You the glories of the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, which was spoken by Lord Krishna, and by hearing which, one’s devotion to Lord Krishna increases"
Sloka 1
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha--davagni-nirvapanam
shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritaswadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krishna-sankirtanam
Many of us may sometimes feel fed up with the way things are going in our life. At such times, we feel mentally tired even when we are not physically tired. Because of mental exhaustion, many people seek relief in illusion through time-wasting entertainment at best and self-defeating addiction at worst.
The two major car accidents this week (Iskcon devotees in serious car accident in Mayapur, and 5 Iskcon devotees of Mathuradesh leave their bodies in car accident ) have cast a cloud of sadness upon the entire ISKCON movement. I remember ISKCON’s first such car accident, two devotees, Vaidyanath and Maranda, were killed in Arizona in 1970 when a truck pushed their VW off a mountain slope in Arizona. Like the devotees in Mathuradesh, they passed from this world in Krishna’s service.