by Krishna Rose
“Therefore, furnish your soul and wear no mask of cleanliness while you are yet encumbered by shadows which stain you. Those who bathe in greed find no favor with the Lord. So repent, and make yourselves clean inside.”
The silence was tangible. He had them in the palm of his bleeding hand.
“Blessed is the lion that a person will eat, for the lion will become human. But cursed is the man who eats the lion, for he shall become a lion, while the lion shall become man. Listen and hear. A sower went out into the field to scatter seeds. Some fell on the path and the birds came and pecked them up. Others fell on rock and did not take root in the soil. Still yet others fell among the thorns, which choked the seeds, and the worms ate them. But some fell upon fertile soil and produced sweet fruits. Make your spirit like that.”
“When will the end of times come, Master?” asked a well-dressed youth, who I presumed might be one of the King’s sons, for he was seated amongst the monarch’s many wives.
“Have you already discovered the beginning, that you are asking about the end? For where the beginning is, there shall the end be too. Blessed is he who will stand at the beginning, for he shall know the end, and he will not taste death.
“There are five trees in Paradise which do not change from summer to winter. Their leaves do not fall and their fruits are always fully ripe. Whosoever comes to taste of them shall not taste death. Let those with ears hear, for I have come to cast fire upon all that is untrue and unvirtuous. If you sup from my bounty, it shall fill you and you will want no more.”
“What is the Kingdom like?” the youth asked, for he thirsted.
“It is like a mustard seed—the smallest of all seeds, which falls on cultivated soil, producing large trees, which come to be a shelter for the birds of the sky. My disciples are like servants who have been entrusted with a field that is not theirs. When the Master of the house learns that a thief has come, he will try to take back his fields. But it will be too late, for they will have broken into his house and stolen all the Master’s possessions.
“Be on guard against the world. Gird thy loins with great strength and be alert so that thieves may not plow the field, wherein I have planted many treasures. That which you have waited for, for so long, and with so much hankering, is at hand. There ought to be a wise person among you.
“When you make the two into one, when the inside is like the outside and the outside like the inside, when the above is the same as below—then you will have unclothed your soul. Since you hide nothing, you can at that time say that the Kingdom is close at hand.
“My soul aches for the children of humanity, for they are blind. They cannot see. You should know that where there are many gods, there are only gods, but where there is One—I am there.
“Once, there was a city built up high on a mountain. It was so heavily fortified that it could not be penetrated, or fall, nor could it be hidden. Be like that city. Be not like the blind person who leads the blind, for you both shall fall into a pit. Repent and free yourselves of shame,” Jesu said, repositioning the pillows as he sat back down, relaxing into the chair.
“A long time ago there lived a powerful Saint. His name was Ashta-Vakra Rishi. He was curved in eight parts of his body, so when he walked, his movements were peculiar and awkward. He was quite ugly and people often laughed at sight of him. Although externally he was crooked, internally his heart was pure, for he had realized his own eternal transcendental identity. He knew the difference between the body and the soul.
“One day the Rishi was invited by a great King, to attend an assembly of Saints and scholars. As he entered the congregation, those present began to laugh. Hearing their laughter—the Rishi also began to laugh, and the members of the assembly were confused by his behavior, whispering to each other, ‘Why is he laughing at us?’
The King rose from his throne and asked the Rishi, ‘Please tell us—why are you laughing so loudly at us?’ “The Saint replied, ‘I thought I was joining an assembly of spiritual scholars, but instead I see that I have stumbled into a convention of shoemakers. A shoemaker’s interest is in skin and leather and I see that all of you here have interest only in seeing someone’s beauty or ugliness. Your minds are so absorbed in temporary things, that you are not seeing the truth of the soul within. It is grave conceit to place such import upon the body whilst being oblivious to the eternal soul dwelling within.’
“The King’s heart was deeply penetrated by the Rishi’s words and in that moment he realized, that he was a liberated soul fit to sit on the throne and lead his people. Lovingly, he placed the Rishi upon his seat of sovereign power, and bowing down to him, he accepted him as his spiritual Master. Let those with ears, hear,” Jesu said, studying them to see if they had understood. They did. And Jesu smiled at them, much pleased by their readiness.
“You should be shrewd as serpents, yet innocent as doves,” he continued. “A grapevine planted outside the vineyard of the Lord, if left unsupported, will be pulled up by its roots and will perish. Whosoever has something in their hand, throw it from you, and something more will be given. I have come to tell you that it is impossible for a person to mount two horses or stretch two bows, just as it is impossible to serve two masters—else he will honor one and insult the other. Blessed are the solitary ones who seek and find, for it is they who shall inherit the Kingdom.”
The Chief of one of the Jewish tribes came forward to ask Jesu whether circumcision is beneficial, to which he replied, “If it were beneficial, our Almighty Father would beget them circumcised from their mothers. True circumcision is in the spirit which prevails over everything. Blessed is that person who has struggled, for they have found life. Seek while you still have life, so that you will not die. Seek the Kingdom within and you shall see the Lord and live out your days with Him, suffering no death. This is everything you need to know. This is true circumcision.”
The Chief, surprisingly nodded in agreement. ‘These people are not like those in Judea,’ I thought to myself. For if this same question had been answered there, as it was here, Jesu would have been stoned for heresy.
“Listen,” Jesu continued, “two will rest on a bed—one will die, the other shall live. Verily I say unto you, if you become like me, you shall be full of light. But if you are separate from me, you are separate from the Lord and you will find yourself filled with darkness.
“There once was a man who had guests come to stay in his house. When he had prepared the dinner, he sent his servant to get them, that they might eat with him. The servant came to the first guest and said, ‘My master invites you.’
“The guest said, ‘Oh, I have merchants coming to me this evening who need to pay me. So please tell your master and excuse me from the dinner.’
“The faithful servant came to the next guest and said, ‘My master has invited you to sup with him.’
“The guest replied, ‘I have this day bought a new house and have been called away to sign the contracts. I will not have time. Please tell your master and excuse me from the dinner.’
“The servant went to the next guest and said, ‘My master invites you.’
“The guest said, ‘My friend is marrying today and I am the one who must help prepare for the celebrations, so I will not be able to come. Please tell your master and excuse me from the dinner.’
“Then the servant came before another guest to invite him, saying, ‘My master invites you to dinner.’
“The guest said to him, ‘I own a village, and tonight I must go and collect the rents which are due. I will not be able to come. Please tell your master and excuse me from the dinner.’
“The servant went away. Returning to his master, he said, ‘Those whom you invited have all asked to be excused.’
“The master said unto his
servant, ‘Then go out into the street and bring whomever you find, so that they might find nourishment with me.’
“I am like that master and my disciples are like that faithful servant—and those who care more for the things of this world, than for the things of the spirit, shall not enter the place of my Father.”
“Yes, yes, go on,” the crowd chimed.
“A man owned a vineyard. He gave it to some farmers so that they would work it, so that he might receive a percentage of its fruit from them. One day, he sent his servant to the farmers, requesting a portion of the fruit from his vineyard. They seized his servant, beat him, and almost killed him. When the servant then returned and told his master what had happened, his master considered what he had heard and replied, ‘Perhaps they did not recognize you.’
“The next day he sent another servant and the farmers beat him too. The master finally sent his own son, thinking they would show him respect. But those farmers, since they knew that he was the son and heir of the vineyard, seized and killed him. If you have faith in my words, the Lord will invite you, and if the Lord invites you, you will surely weep.”
“Master, I have heard how the Brahmins persecuted you for preaching to the untouchables. You have been tormented everywhere you have been and I am sorry for that,” the King said considerately.
“If the whole world sets itself against me, but the Lord is with me, then I am blessed beyond compare. I told the Brahmins, ‘Fie on you, for you have become arrogant in your learning and proud of your theory regarding classes of birth. You love the tree, but you hate its fruit. Then you love the fruit, but hate the tree from whence it came.’
“So the priests threatened me with execution if I continued to teach outside of their circle. But they could not see, for they were blind with pride. I am not bound by mortal laws, for I have but one Master. So I told them, ‘One need not worship the sun god, nor give praises to the moon. Nor do we offer prayers unto the gods of Heaven, nor of the underworlds. Nor do we even vow to give alms to priests or temples, as privileged birth makes not a man holy, nor does it make one an emissary of the Lord.’
“Thus, I spoke with the proud Brahmins and they became so angry with me that their faces turned red and they shook their fists in my direction. ‘You offend us!’ they shouted. So I told them, ‘The sun, moon, and stars have no effect on their own, but by the will of the Lord to whom we owe our gratitude and submission. But know this—all are equal before Him.’
“They did not like my speaking this way, for it thwarted their authority over those of lesser means. But since they could not silence me with their base arguments, they resorted to harassment, even paying dacoits to have me killed. They could not catch me, nor could they control me!” Jesu said chuckling to himself, amused by memory of it. A nervous laughter rang through the audience. Jesu smiled wide, for they had understood him.
“I came not for the proud, but for the thirsty, who are that much closer to the Kingdom than those filled with wicked pride. Those who deceitfully take payment for rituals and prayers, exploiting the poor for their position and pocket . . .” he said, eyes flashing, “they are far from me, and they are far from our Father’s Kingdom.
“You and I hold the keys to eternity and not one of us is set above the other before the Lord, and no one but God can claim to be God. Therefore, seek not the rays of the sun, nor the sun which made the rays, but rather seek He who created the heat which warms you, and the light by which you see,” he said pointing to the fast dimming light of the sun.
“The Lord is like a tree with many branches. As branches, you may say gods are many, but as a tree, I see only one. He is all of them and I am none of them. And if one breaks the law of God, life shall beget life and those who craved freedom shall come to know that they chose rebellion against their own souls. I have come not to convert you, but to save you from your own inevitable peril.”
A terrified murmur rustled through the crowds.
“In truth, our soul falters like a drop of water on the precipice of a trembling leaf. At any moment, this life can be taken from us, and fate, sealed by our deeds, determines our next—for which we are wholly responsible. The degree to which you seek what is hidden from view, is the measurement by which you truly live. If in life you thirst, refresh yourself. If you hunger, nourish yourself. If you are sick, heal yourself. Give whatever riches you have, that others might be relieved. Care not for flesh and bone which is sure to perish, for death begets death.”
Picking up a fistful of dirt, he began smearing his arms and face with it, asserting, “With this soil upon my skin, am I the same as I have ever been or is my soul touched by what is unclean?” he asked dramatically. “What makes a man clean is not metered by the skin, but by the skin of one’s deeds. Know that eternal life remains hidden from all who privilege themselves.”
Jesu spoke fearlessly, aware that the audience was both privileged and of esteemed wealth.
“And if the things I have spoken here make you physically ill, then know that your body has become a temple of Satan. The things you drink through your ears this day, shall purge you of that which is not holy inside, so that you shall be healed.”
The King fell down, prostrating himself before Jesu, begging him, “Please, Master, take my throne from me.”
Amused and impressed by the King’s generous gesture, Jesu declined, just as one pushes away a stinking rat at the dinner table. He blessed the monarch over and over, telling him, “Give up the kingdom which gnaws at your heart and a Kingdom shall be yours at the last. There can be no peace in this world, without justice. And without infatuation for the Lord—we shall never know love.”
The people wished to see Jesu perform a miracle, so he told them, “If you wish to walk upon water, all you need is a coin to pay the ferryman and he shall be glad to take you in his boat. Why waste time on miracles? Seek not to be impressed by magic, for I have come to give you eternal life.
“Verily I say unto you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto the mountain, ‘Move,’ and it shall move, for nothing will be impossible for you, and your very life shall be as a miracle!”
CHAPTER 26
DUTY
Duty is a moral obligation, a calling, or a responsibility by which you know what right thing to do.
King Shalivahana had a dream later that night, wherein an angel of the Lord showed him a temple having four majestic pillars, one at each end, with elaborate etchings carved upon them. The angel of the Lord made it known to him that the temple was one that the King himself was commissioned by the Lord to build.
The next morning, the King approached his Master, to tell him of his incredible dream. But while the King had been dreaming, Jesu had spent the entire night sketching designs for the King’s temple, for he knew the Lord’s will. And when the King came before his Master to tell him of his vision, Jesu unfolded before him the illustrated designs for the temple he was to build. Each detail of the King’s dream was there upon the paper, and in that moment, his faith was magnified a thousand-fold. He was beyond himself with an inconsolable longing to please his Master and took it upon himself to personally fulfill his divine commission as an act of worship.
Immediately the King ordered for the construction of the temple to begin.
The four pillars were inscribed exactly as the King had seen in his divine vision. And the beautifully carved supporting stones dazzled in the rising and setting sun, giving precedence to the weighty and most crucial of instructions by which humankind could elevate itself. Without even one of these pillars the stronghold of the temple within, would crumble. Its collapse would cause destruction and ruin, for it would be the downfall of the soul.
The four columns symbolized the path to God and were known as the Pillars of
Truth:
The first pillar represented truthfulness and honesty;
The second pillar stood for selfless service unto all living beings;
The third, embodied devotion and humble submission to the Lord;
The fourth, contemplative prayer transfused with love.
“These are the four supporting columns by which the soul gains strength, reaping great benefit, moving from the superficial to the eternal,” Jesu told the King. “Be free from intoxication, not only of the flesh, but of pride—which is more wicked and vile than the first. Without morality, Satan’s wheels of misery shall without doubt deliver shackles by which to chain and bind thee.”
Razi-Hashti-Zako was the appointed stonemason who undertook the task of building the temple over many years, while Jesu and the King carefully guided him until its completion. And upon its unveiling, the locals were amazed and encouraged by its celestial power.
Razi, as an act of devotion, carved into one of the columns “This pillar is in honor of Eli, son of Marjan and Jesu” with a Star of David beside it. Eli is Hebrew for “he who is set above others.” This one pillar he dedicated to our son, Jesus Justus, who indeed supported and upheld our ways—like a pillar.
From here we travelled south to the famed city of Mathura, where once the Lord was said to have descended to heroically annihilate the demons who overburdened earth. Even now, thousands of years later, Lord Krishna’s pastimes attract suffering souls unto the eternal Kingdom by their charming, captivating draw.
Prophecy and scripture recorded that the Lord was to be born in Mathura, alongside His eternal family who accompanied Him to bear witness to His sublime pastimes on earth. Said to have been the most handsome Prince of the celebrated Yadu Dynasty, he was famed for His many miracles, which were beyond the bounds of human possibility.
