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Some herons standing in a bog saw a swan happening by. They had never seen a swan before, and their curiosity was aroused. "Why are your eyes, beak and feet so red?" one of the herons asked the swan. "Because I'm a swan." "Well, where do you come from?" "From the Mana-sarovara Lake." "And how are things over there?" "The lake water is as clear as crystal and tastes like nectar. From it grows a garden of golden lotuses. All around are islands studded with jewels where beautiful trees, plants, fruits and flowers grow." The heron then asked, "But are there big snails here?" "No," the swan answered. Smirking, the herons exchanged glances. Their spokesman told the swan with haughty finality, "If it has no snails, it can hardly be called a lake. From what you say it is not a suitable place for connoisseurs like us. Thank you, swan, for all you've told us, but don't expect us to follow you back home!" MORAL: Prabhupada has come to transform herons into swans. The spiritual home of the paramhamsas is revealed in books like Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. In order to enter that realm, we have to become like swans and lose our taste for snails.
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