“Just like two birds. So he is acting as my friend. That is described in the Upanisad, that two birds are sitting in one tree in friendly terms. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird is simply witnessing. So the bird which is eating the fruit of the tree, that means we are enjoying happiness or distress out of my own activities or this bodily activities… But the other bird, or Supersoul, He is not affected with the activities of the body. He is simply looking when this bird will turn to Him. That is His friendship.”
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.1 — Boston, May 8, 1968
So it was a warm sunny day and they served the feast at the temple outside today. I was sitting with some old friends in the patterned shade of an unleafed tree.
At one point someone whom I won’t name (she sings in a folk group and used to be a teacher) let out a gasp. A bird, singing in the tree above, er, ah, did its business and it landed right on her leg. Merriment ensued amongst the onlookers.
Although the observation was made that it matched her dress, she took a spoon and removed it, which made me remember why I like eating with my fingers. Anyway, she weathered the awkward situation with dignity, despite the lack of empathy of her companions.
The conversation moved on, including a story by Sankirtan about a man who used to stand outside a bakery and smell the aroma and look at the baked goods but never bought any. The baker kept telling him to leave but when he wouldn’t, he had him arrested.
The judge ruled in favor of the baker, and ordered the defendant to pay 7 gold coins. The baker was pleased. Then the judge told the defendant to lay the coins on the table, and told the baker he could look at them and smell them, but he couldn’t touch them.
Suddenly, she gasped again. The bird had repeated the deed. Needless to say, I found this quite amusing.
