Page 46 - Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (English)

16 Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu

cups. Despite his paltry income, half of whatever
he earned he would use for worshiping Mother
Gaìgä. Every night he would loudly cry out
“Hari! Näräyaëa!” Their sleep being disturbed, his
neighbors would grumble, “Wretched Çrédhara is
calling out in distress because his stomach is empty
and he cannot sleep.”

Nimäi loved Çrédhara very much but would
repeatedly tease him. He would snatch vegetables
from him and then offer a price far below their value.
He once asked Çrédhara, “Why are you worshiping
Lakñmé-Näräyaëa? What is the use of such adulation?
They don’t give you anything. You are such a poor
man. You live in such a rundown house. Why don’t
you supplicate the demigods? They could help
you.”
Çrédhara replied, “My dear Nimäi Paëòita,
Time respects nobody. Whether one is rich or
poor, animal or bird, Time keeps him engaged in
reaping the results of his previous activities. Both
men and animals enjoy life by eating, drinking,
sleeping, and other sensual enjoyments, but Lord
Çré Hari can be worshiped only by human beings.
So humans who do not worship Kåñëa are no
better than animals. That is why I don’t care about
my home or material condition. I worship Kåñëa
without desire for anything material.”