Posted on: 06 Feb 2005
The Lord is impressed by the spiritual values only and not by nationality, religion, caste, age, sex etc. The only real spiritual value is sacrifice. The sages had all the external spiritual dress like a long beard, hair style [matted locks], deerskin, danda [staff], kamandalu [water jug], fire altar, darbha [a type of sacred grass] etc. Their voice was always occupied in chanting Vedic hymns, mantras etc. Neither dress nor words can impress the Lord. They were living in the forests along with their families and had family bonds. The things that are responsible for their selection are, detachment from family bonds and sacrifice for the sake of Lord, which are the qualification certificates and the performance in the interview with the Lord. [They lacked the basic qualifications and hence were not given salvation.]
Sacrifice is in three steps and thus there were three types of the Gopikas:
1. Some thought that they can give butter to their family members instead of giving it to Krishna.
2. Some thought that they can give butter to Krishna as long as their family members are not aware of it. Once they became aware, they stopped giving butter to Krishna.
3. Some gave butter to Krishna even if their family members opposed and they were prepared to go to any extent in that matter.
Blind love (Moha) forms several bonds with family members. All those bonds should be crushed and with all the existing Moha, only one bond with Lord should be formed. The first step is Moksha and the second step is Kaivalya. Forms of ten parrots are prepared with 1 kilogram of sugar. All the parrots should be crushed and the one kilogram of sugar should be collected. This is salvation (Moksha). With that one kilogram sugar, a single big swan should be prepared and this is Kaivalya. Shabari and Hanuman were excellent in both these spiritual values and so were given salvation. No one can impress the Lord by mere external dress, expressed feelings or chanting.