The Land of Scanty water

Ananda Vrindavan Devi

While Krishna was on His way to Dwaraka He passed through the land of scanty water (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.34). I began to imagine what else might be scanty in that land with less water. And how today, in this time of Kali Yuga, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy, scantiness is everywhere. 

But first this delicious word - scanty. It means ‘limited or less than sufficient in degree, quantity, or extent.’ Miriam Webster

Only when water is scanty do we realize how much we depend on it to grow and sustain all aspects of our life. We take for granted the water gushing out of our taps, the rain that falls generously, the rivers that flow endlessly. 

When water is scanty, life becomes very difficult. Just imagine a day without water in our taps. Or that we only had access to it for one hour a day. Or that we had to walk a mile to fill a water pot at the well. Many people do. 

But whether we live with a scanty supply of water or not, we can always be careful to avoid scantiness in our personal dealings with others. Are we scanty with our respect and affection? With forgiveness and letting go? Are we scanty with expressing our appreciation and gratitude?  

And with Krishna? Perhaps we are the most scanty with Him - barely giving time or attention to our daily meditation on His amazing personhood? Are we less than sufficient when it comes to living the teachings and really trying to understand the dangerous cycle of repeated birth and death?

Prabhupada wrote, “In the material world every one is engrossed with the scanty idea of identifying the body or the mind as self.” (SB 1.5.5) He goes on to write that this is the root cause of all despondency. 

He also said: “Sometimes the Māyāvādī philosophers give this example that "As all the rivers come down to the ocean, and then business is finished (individuality)." But our philosophy is not so scanty. We do not wish to mix with the ocean, we want to go deep into the ocean.” 

Take this word scanty and play with it. Let’s work to reduce scantiness in all areas of our lives, so that the abundance mentality of Krishna Bhakti can permeate everywhere.