She bought half a cow!

"When God Shuts one door He opens another."

" I have a pacemaker and cannot run."

"She bought half a cow."

"Do you want the liver?"

Two days ago when i woke up, these words were going around in my mind. These are fragments of conversations that i have had with a lady i meet at my daughter's bus stop. Instantly my mind screamed back at the thoughts;"That, is your karma." But my conscience was feeling sad for this 70 year old woman that she has no clue where she would end up in her next birth. The first time i heard the words "She bought half a cow," i could not comprehend the meaning and asked with a puzzled look, "How does one do that?" Coming from such a background where cows are revered and being in ISKCON, i could only think of buying cows for domestic use, rearing them milking them etc., that i did not realize that they had bought half a slaughtered cow aka Beef! When she asked me if i wanted the liver, i thought i would throw up all over the side walk. They say that in Kaliyuga the reactions to impious deeds are felt instantaneously. A few weeks later the very same woman was saying that her son is moving away and she might end up being sent to a senior citizen's housing. As a human being i did feel sorry for her plight, and out of respect for the age tried and offered some words of sympathy.

Though she consoled herself saying "When God Shuts one door He opens another," At the back of mind i thought that was our mother, someone else's mother that you enjoyed eating for Christmas dinner when the Lord states in the old testament: He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

I was just reading that America and Canada top the list of countries in terms of beef eating.So how can one complain. The just Lord is doling out our dues and some face it sooner than later.

Now, i am not back biting this woman while being nice to her but in fact am thankful to her for making me reflect on her situation, filling me with gratitude for the wonderful biological family that i have. I was even more thankful of the fact that somehow through our Guru Maharaja we are connected to Srila Prabhupada and eventually to Krishna. Maybe, lifetimes ago i was in the position that she is in. Coming in contact with Krishna wipes millions of life times of Karma away! My prayer is that i be able to recognize this treasure and special privilege given to us eternally, so that i do not fall down again into this ocean of misery.