Three Examples Of Krishna’s Causeless Mercy

“The devotees of the Lord do not bother about the impersonal Brahman conception of God; their faith and devotion bring them to surrender immediately unto the Supreme Lord, and out of the causeless mercy of Krishna, they can understand Krishna. No one else can understand Him.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 10.2 Purport)

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He doesn’t have to do anything. He is not obligated to help, since the decision was made a long time ago. An obvious indication of that choice is the behavior at present. Forgetfulness. Lack of interest. Not a care in the world. Focus only on enjoying the senses, building stature, and indulgence in this aspect and that.

The constitutional position is different. The living entity belongs firmly fixed in spiritual life. This is what they are best suited for; it is the occupation matching the qualities within, dharma. The kids go to the playground to pretend to enjoy like adults, but the good parents won’t leave them there forever. The little ones don’t know any better, after all.

In the same way, despite the forgetfulness caused by our choice, the Supreme Lord shows His causeless mercy in many ways, all designed to help us get back on track.

1. Largest person in the world and yet appears in the deity

There is the Sanskrit word Adhokshaja. This refers to a person whose features cannot be measured by blunt instruments. The routine visits to the pediatrician really aren’t necessary unless an obvious illness is present. One of the justifications is the measurement of height and weight. This is a way to gauge progress, i.e. to see if the body is growing at an acceptable rate.

With the Supreme Lord these features cannot be measured. He is larger than the largest. He is more than the greatest number we can conceive. This planet is enormous, but the universe more so. God is more than a multitude of universes combined.

From His causeless mercy He appears in the deity. Not based on speculation or imagination, the figure consisting of material elements is authorized through the system of parampara. The proper procedures taken during construction and subsequent worship make the statue or picture fit for receiving focused thoughts and prayers; the deity is the ideal object of meditation.

This is causeless mercy, since God doesn’t have to do this. He helps us to understand what transcendental features are. The depiction is accurate since God is all-attractive. Hence one of His many names is Krishna.

2. Most complicated subject matter and yet can be worshiped by a small child

We wouldn’t allow a novice to operate a commercial airplane. We wouldn’t put an adolescent behind the wheel of heavy machinery at a construction site. The expensive vase in the home should be protected from toddlers, who don’t yet understand the value.

In the same way, Vedanta philosophy is not meant for just any person. Though the human being has the birthright, with their increased potential for intelligence, there has to be both interest and sobriety of thought. The teacher is not in the business of wasting time. The student must be serious to learn what is translated as “the end of knowledge.”

Scholars have studied Him since the beginning of time, and there is yet to be complete information about Him. This is because His glories continue to increase. Despite being the most complicated subject matter, the Supreme Lord can be worshiped by a small child. That is to say no person is shut out completely.

We may think that the child is simply imitating devotional activities, that they are in the beginning phases of something hopefully to mature later on. In fact, the child is eligible to worship perfectly. Assimilation of esoteric knowledge is not a strict requirement. Consciousness is what matters most, and due to Krishna’s causeless mercy that consciousness can be purified during any stage of life.

3. Lives far away in Vaikuntha and yet can appear in a matter of seconds

The secret here is the holy name. Chanting properly brings the Supreme Lord to the immediate vicinity through the power of sound: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Yet He is known to live far away, in the spiritual realm called Vaikuntha. This place cannot be located on a map. Radar detection will not pick up the location. It is a different realm, after all. There are similar elements around, but they are of a different nature.

Though the material world is like the shadow copy, a perverted reflection, any place can become spiritualized through Krishna’s presence. He is already around us and also within. It just takes the combination of a little desire and His causeless mercy to make the transformation.

In Closing:

By choice this birth to get,

In land of forgetfulness set.

Lord showing causeless mercy still,

Appearing for pages with glories to fill.

In the deity worship for all and one,

From Vaikuntha immediately can come.

Contradictions in many ways so,

But even a small child can know.

Isn’t The Promise Of Liberation A Cheap Ploy To Increase Followers

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.66)

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Friend1: We went over this one day.

Friend2: What?

Friend1: The idea of promising increased wealth for following bhakti-yoga.

Friend2: You mean lying to people? Telling something you know to be untrue in order to get them through the door?

Friend1: Right, to increase the attendance figures. To catch their attention. You concluded that it wasn’t worth it since they could easily see through the ruse. A quick survey of practicing devotees shows that increased wealth doesn’t necessarily follow chanting the holy names.

Friend2: There is the comparison made between devotees of Shiva and Vishnu. Worshiping Mahadeva, the destroyer, it is not difficult to please him.

Friend1: Hence the name Ashutosha.

Friend2: And so you can ask him for anything, including wealth. Vishnu devotees, on the other hand, might end up poorer as a result of approaching Him. Something to ponder, for sure.

Friend1: I know the explanation is that Vishnu is also known as Hari. He might take away something important to you, or at least what you think is important.

Friend2: If it is an impediment in the practice of devotion. The idea is that He helps to remove distractions, whereas Shiva doesn’t want to be bothered by petty requests. “Here, take your money and leave me alone. Let me get back to worshiping Vishnu.”

Friend1: Yeah, that is another aspect to ponder. Shiva is himself a devotee of Vishnu. Mahadeva is the most renounced person.

Friend2: He lives in a cave with his wife. He doesn’t require anything except a place to sit. Then he is happy.

Friend1: The money angle won’t work, but here is something to think about. You know how other religions gain followers?

Friend2: I am not an expert on other religions or divisions of faith. That is your area of interest, exclusively.

Friend1: Very funny. Anyway, what I’m referring to is the whole, “You better follow or you’re going to hell,” argument.

Friend2: Yes, that is standard. More of a threat. A similar one is, “You better accept or I’m going to kill you.”

Friend1: Coercion in either case. To me, something similar is the promise of enjoyment in heaven in the afterlife.

Friend2: Be more specific.

Friend1: If you accept such and such as the savior, you will be saved. Specifically, you will enjoy in heaven for eternity. Suffer a little now to gain a lot in the future. You don’t want to take a chance, do you?

Friend2: Spiritual life should, at a minimum, include descriptions of the unknown, particularly what will happen after death.

Friend1: Here is my question for the day. Is not the famous verse from the Bhagavad-gita doing the same thing, where Krishna promises to deliver from all sinful reaction if someone surrenders?

Friend2: To you that is the same as a blanket promise of eternal life in heaven for following blindly?

Friend1: Forget the following part. I’m talking about the promise. If you present that verse to someone, isn’t that an easy way to increase the number of followers?

Friend2: Is that what you think it is? A ploy?

Friend1: Someone could use it that way. Open to the page in the Bhagavad-gita and read the verse. Then tell the person to surrender to Krishna.

Friend2: You realize that the verse comes at the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gita. Conclusion means that there is a beginning. The middle is quite substantive, as well. If a person reads only the beginning, they receive knowledge that is not available anywhere else. We’re talking knowledge here, not just faith. Truths that apply to the right now, to how life is lived in any era.

Friend1: I get all that, but I’m talking about the promise. It seems awfully similar.

Friend2: Krishna explains heaven and hell and life in between. He describes the difference between matter and spirit. He even explains what surrender is. It is consciousness. It is not merely an acknowledgment of faith. He didn’t tell Arjuna to simply have faith and then do whatever he wanted going forward, that actions are meaningless. There was no pledge to sign.

Friend1: But Krishna will deliver. There will be no sinful reactions because of the surrender.

Friend2: Surrender means consciousness. That is the distinction, and one that is important to acknowledge, accept and understand. You will feel the benefits of liberation before death. You are not just relying on hope. You’ve heard of the term jivan-mukta.

Friend1: Yes. Liberated in this very life.

Friend2: No need to wait for the afterlife. The promise has nothing to do with attracting followers. Let everyone reclaim what is rightfully theirs: ananda. This is real bliss that doesn’t have to wait until after death to arrive. Bhakti-yoga is a way of living; much more than faith. Practice the principles and see for yourself. Jnana and vijnana, knowledge and practical realization, go well beyond the, “Follow or you’re going to hell,” argument.

In Closing:

“Follow or you’re going to hell,”

The zealous preacher to tell.

Or that heaven to enjoy from accepting,

Out of fear people not rejecting.

Promise of Gita not similar how,

Since benefit from abandoning now?

After extended discussion, at conclusion to see,

Real meaning that the consciousness to free.

A Tale Of Two Sins

“It is My vow that if one only once seriously surrenders unto Me saying, ‘My dear Lord, from this day I am Yours,’ and prays to Me for courage, I shall immediately award courage to that person, and he will always remain safe from that time on.” (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kand, 18.33)

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At the most basic level, sin is the wrong way of doing something. The different individual misdeeds can be grouped together into what is known as sinful life. Think gambling, drinking, women hunting, lying, cheating, stealing, and the like.

There is sin because the individual gets pulled away from the ideal destination. That is to say it will take them longer to get back on track after the fact. Think of the person who must go to a rehabilitation center to shed addiction. If successful, they return to a state from which they already were prior to the initial indulgence; so much valuable time was wasted.

Piety and sin can change based on the objective. For instance, if I need to remove a screw, the proper way is to insert the screwdriver and twist in the leftward direction. This is piety, since the action will bring the intended result. Sin in this case would be twisting in the opposite direction. If you reverse the objective, where the screw needs to be tightened, then pious and sinful actions switch places.

Identifying the two is not always easy, especially when there are no immediate consequences to the behavior. Eventually, there will be a reaction; it might not be noticed and the duration may not equate to a considerable period of time.

Complicating matters is the issue of absolution. Like the state forgiving the burden of debt accumulated from borrowing money to pay for college, there is a way to prevent the negative reactions to even the worst kind of behavior. Naturally, the person who institutes the laws of nature would have the greatest ability in this area. In the Sanskrit work known as the Ramayana we get an example of how this works. Focusing on two brothers who both sinned, we see that the reactions weren’t the same.

1. Ravana

The king of Lanka. He was in the Rakshasa species, which are like man-eating ogres. It is not sinful for animals to eat one another, as karma does not apply to them. They get sense enjoyment for as long as the life remains in that particular body type. Progressing, regressing, right and wrong, conscious thought and such apply to the human species only.

By nature the population in Lanka were sinful, and so it was not surprising that the leader chose the route of trickery and deceit in stealing another man’s wife. This was the blameless Sita Devi, who was in the Dandaka forest dutifully following her husband Rama, who had dissuaded her from accompanying precisely due to the increased vulnerability to enemy attack.

2. Vibhishana

He is Ravana’s younger brother who broke from the norm in Lanka. He was pious since birth. He remained in the city because of loyalty and affection for the family. When he saw Ravana committing the horrible sin of keeping Sita in Lanka against her will, despite her many refusals of his advances, Vibhishana attempted to correct the wrong.

He gave wise advice to Ravana.

“Just return Sita to Rama. The incarnation of the Supreme Lord will forgive you. It is not too late to avoid calamity, as the reaction is sure to reach our shores. There are already beautiful queens living in the palaces. Why invite destiny in this way?”

Ravana, of course, didn’t listen. He was too consumed by kama, which is lust. Vibhishana then had a difficult choice to make. Should he stay in the place where everyone was against dharma or should he leave? He decided on the latter. To make matters worse for Ravana, Vibhishana went to the side of Rama.

Assessing the choice based simply on moral codes, Vibhishana committed a sin. He abandoned the elder brother. He turned his back on the family. He was a quintessential traitor. From one house we had two people committing sin. One took another man’s wife without fighting for her. The other betrayed the family.

The reaction for Ravana was devastation and destruction. The entire Lanka was destroyed, with the first signs of the eminent doom shown by Rama’s representative Hanuman setting fire to the city with his tail that was only burning because of Ravana in the first place. Later on Rama arrived, with Vibhishana in his camp, to defeat Ravana and rescue Sita.

The brother who turned to the supposed enemy became the new king. That initial sin was absolved immediately. Indeed, all the minutiae of right and wrong, good and bad, and rules and regulations become insignificant when there is pure devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the proper destination for every person, so once surrendered at His lotus feet there is full protection from any kind of danger, including the wrath of a sinful brother.

In Closing:

Both living in house the same,

Rakshasa brothers of Ramayana fame.

Different natures but sin in each to find,

Ravana taking another’s wife one time.

And Vibhishana from family turning away,

After with enemy camp to stay.

For ten-headed death and destruction,

For other Rama’s perfect protection.

Five Things God Could Do To Prove To Me He Exists

“Just then the child inhaled, drawing Markandeya within His body like a mosquito. There the sage found the entire universe arrayed as it had been before its dissolution. Seeing this, Markandeya was most astonished and perplexed.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 12.9.27)

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On the surface it seems like a reasonable enough request. Require visible evidence. Empirical proof. Not just belief. When the man knocking at the door says he is with the police, there has to be some validation. Show me the badge. Otherwise, I am right to be skeptical.

When boarding an airplane, the pilot has a specific uniform. If further credentials are requested, they can be provided. That is to say there is some certificate or written evidence substantiating the claim that this person is capable of safely operating an aircraft.

What might get overlooked in these instances is the element of faith. The passengers did not personally witness the training of the pilot. They were not there to see the evidence. They accept the information on faith, from other people who are deemed authority figures. The same goes for the badge on the police officer.

Yet with the highest subject matter, that has perplexed man since before anyone can remember, faith from authority figures is insufficient. Science has changed the rules of the game. So many aspects of life explained by myths and legends have been demystified. Science has revealed the truth.

God should be explained in the same way. Otherwise, the safe option is to not believe in His existence. If He did happen to appear before us, perhaps there are certain ways He could prove that He is who He claims to be.

1. Part the seas

Do something amazing. Parting the seas would be pretty neat. No human being is capable in this area, as far as we know. The ocean represents a large body of water. Its potency is unfathomable. When there is an oil spill and environmental destruction appears imminent, somehow the ocean manages to clean itself. If the person standing before us were to divide the ocean in half, clearing a path for walking, then that would go a long way in establishing trust.

2. Lift a mountain

The ocean is a massive collection of the material element of water. Something comparable but with a different constituent element is a mountain or hill. Here earth is in abundance. There are competitions to show who is the world’s strongest man, but never do they try to lift mountains. If the person standing before me were to exhibit such strength, maybe there is something to take note of.

3. Read minds

What am I thinking right now? Can you tell? Alright, maybe you guessed correctly a few times, but try the same with other people. What are they thinking? How about in the past? In the future what will be on my mind? You better have a one hundred percent success rate; otherwise a defect is present and therefore you can’t be God.

4. Appear and disappear at will

Bodies change. There is birth, youth, adolescence, adulthood and then old age. That is the standard progression. It is not guaranteed that a person makes it to old age. Life might end prior. The idea is that the body is defective, or at least eventually becomes that way.

The person claiming to be God should be different. Their body should not be subject to the influence of time. They should prove that they are without death, but that might be difficult since I won’t be able to maintain my power of perception forever. No one knows what will happen after I am gone.

How about if this person appears and disappears whenever they want? One second they are standing in front of me and the next they are out of sight. That would be pretty neat. I don’t know anyone else who can do that.

5. Change shape

Similarly related to the external form, how about shrinking and enlarging size? One second they are a certain height and the next they are different. That would be pretty amazing, since the body is known to change naturally only after considerable time has passed. If the same could be accomplished instantly, that would be an indication of being different.

…

While such exhibitions would certainly be interesting to behold, none of them actually provide the empirical evidence insisted upon. We know this for certain based on historical accounts given in Vedic literature. People have been able to move mountains. Expert yogis could appear and disappear at will. Even bad characters, like the ten-headed Ravana, could change his shape whenever desired. He was anything but God, as he had no control over his senses.

The idea is that there has to be an element of faith. As man’s power of perception is limited, they can never properly understand someone who is beyond perception. Markandeya Rishi, for instance, one time lived long enough to witness the destruction of the world. When no one was left, He saw a beautiful boy lying on a leaf, sucking His toe. This was the Supreme Lord, the same Shri Krishna who later appeared as the cousin and well-wisher to the Pandava brothers from Hastinapura.

That should be evidence enough of the existence of God. A better way to get confirmation of His nature is to accept and understand His teachings, like those found in the Bhagavad-gita. Spoken directly by Shri Krishna, the principles practically realized through dedicated practice give the best evidence there can be of the reality of spiritual life and the promise of eternal bliss and happiness that await the person connected to the Supreme Lord.

In Closing:

On direct evidence insisting,

Like body displayed persisting.

Or a giant mountain to move,

Current shape in moment to lose.

Reading my mind a start,

Or the great ocean to part.

But by the mortal already shown,

Know Bhagavan by bhakti alone.

Three Obvious Signs Of Adharma From Ravana’s Behavior

“Smelling the fragrance of Rama and Lakshmana, like a dog smelling a tiger, certainly you will not be able to stand.” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 21.31-32)

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In the days of the VHS tape, with every copy of a recording made the quality of the subsequent version would diminish. There was something known as a “highly generated” copy, which meant that it was a copy of a copy of a copy, and so forth, many generations removed from the original.

A similar tendency is there when original historical accounts described in the Vedas are translated, reinterpreted and presented in different languages throughout the course of time. Add the increased tendency towards sense gratification and sinful life in future generations and it is not surprising to come across commentaries such as these:

“Ravana wasn’t so bad of a guy. He was simply defending his sister. He stood up for her. Rama was really at fault for Sita’s plight in Lanka. Ravana fought against Him valiantly, eventually succumbing to the might of Rama’s mantra-enhanced arrows. The mean Rama then made His blameless wife ascend a fire pit to prove her purity. Ravana would never have done something like that.”

Yes, turn the villain into the hero and try to denigrate the character of the person who is piety personified. Yet from a single incident we get several obvious indications of Ravana’s affinity towards adharma.

1. Stealing another man’s wife

Adharma is not sustainable. At its root, it is simply the wrong way to do something. For instance, if the objective is to loosen the screw, turning to the right is adharma. This is tightening the screw, which is the opposite of the desired condition. Other basic examples are eating soup with a fork, driving on the left side of the road in America, and consuming a massive feast in order to lose weight.

The original accounts of the story of Shri Rama are found in the Ramayana. Not surprisingly, the epic Sanskrit work is named after the main character, who is an incarnation of God. No one would know Sita, Rama’s wife, or Ravana, the king of Lanka, without the existence of this work. There are other descriptions of the historical events found in Puranas and similar literature of the Vedic category, but the most authoritative work, the final word, so to speak, is Valmiki’s Ramayana.

From there we learn that Ravana’s sister first attempted to attack Sita in the forest of Dandaka. It was in Sita’s defense that Lakshmana, Rama’s younger brother, disfigured Shurpanakha. There was some playful joking and perhaps a misunderstanding in intent, but the threat to Sita was real. Ravana’s sister returned to her family and explained what had happened, actually blaming Sita for the entire incident. Then a massive army came and attacked Rama. How massive? Fourteen-thousand fighters, up against one man. Rama defeated them. He defended His wife, which was the dharma for both the warrior order and a capable husband.

Ravana then hatched a plan to steal Sita. This is quintessential adharma since a man should be satisfied with what he has. If he desires something, stealing is not the best option. Would Ravana like it if others stole from him? Killing is wrong precisely because the killers expect to have their lives protected. Why not offer the same respect to others?

2. Using underhanded tactics

Ravana was angry. He wanted revenge. In truth, he wanted to satisfy his senses, as he heard from Shurpanakha just how beautiful Sita was. In his era, it would have been dharma, or pious, to fight with Rama openly. Challenge a rival warrior and let the best man win.

That was not the chosen approach. In fact, Ravana’s advisor Maricha cautioned against that plan. Rama already beat fourteen-thousand, so why wouldn’t He wipe the floor with one? Ravana resorted to deception. He used underhanded methods to get his so-called revenge. No respectable king would boast after the fact of having used a false guise and a distraction from his advisor.

3. Running away in fear

Theft and deception. Add cowardly flight into the mix and you have Ravana’s plan perfectly understood. He was a proud ruler, boasting of his accomplishments to any who would listen. Yet in this plan he ran away like a coward. Sita Devi would later dig the knife in by reminding the king of how low he was. She compared him to a dog and Rama to a tiger. Just by smelling Rama, Ravana would run away in fear.

Ravana could have waited around in Dandaka for Rama to return. He could have informed the victim about the crime after the fact. Rather, he stayed in Lanka, hoping that no one would ever find out. The Supreme Lord is not so weak. Though He is kind to His devotees, to the point of abandoning the kingdom of Ayodhya to maintain their honor, He does not tolerate a wrong committed against them. He would show Ravana the gruesome face of time, arriving in the form of swiftly-coursing arrows penetrating the body that previously seemed impenetrable to injury.

In Closing:

Body strong seeming impenetrable,

With fighting ability demonstrable.

Yet still to trickery resorting,

Sita by force escorting.

To world a valiant king perception,

But in practice cowardly deception.

Signs of adharma from single act,

Lord personally justice to enact.

Three Ways The Still Image Of Life May Mislead

“Indeed, Ravana is not agreeable to the idea of returning me. Ravana has come under the influence of time, who is seeking his death in battle.” (Sita Devi speaking to Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 37.10)

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As with Hiranyakashipu, the case of Ravana can be studied for a lengthy period of time. Not necessarily staying on one aspect, as the journey through life continues from boyhood to old age, so there are new ways to apply the lessons from the life of the king of Lanka. Vedic literature is magical in this way; the historical incidents are presented in such a manner that they provide valuable teachings for every age group and every kind of situation encountered.

One lesson to take particularly from Ravana’s time in Lanka after stealing the princess of Videha is the illusory aspect to a still image. While a picture may say a thousand words, there is a lot it does not say. Conjecture alone won’t fill in the gaps. It takes a wise person such as Sita Devi to know what is actually occurring.

1. Showing victory

Ravana was in Lanka. Sita Devi was there, held against her will. The image displays victory. The king of Lanka has won in his quest to take the woman that he wanted. Never mind that he already had hundreds of beautiful queens. Kama is such that it can never be satisfied through indulgence alone. For this reason it is considered the all-devouring enemy of this world.

“The Blessed Lord said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world.” (Bhagavad-gita, 3.37)

Ravana was victorious, but for how long would he stay in that position? The professional athlete celebrates their championship at the end of the season. There is a trophy presentation, pictures taken, and perhaps even a parade afterwards. Yet are they guaranteed to remain in the respected position in perpetuity?

2. Showing sensual enjoyment

There was so much gold in Lanka that it was included in the construction of the buildings. This is a sign of real wealth. Not just some skyscraper erected in a crammed city to make room for spacious housing and office space, Ravana had palaces. There was crystal in the walls and floors. The visual alone was breathtaking.

There was an endless supply of wine and animal flesh to consume. The residents were constantly intoxicated. Hanuman witnessed firsthand. He was there later on, after time had moved on from the still image of the victorious Ravana.

3. Showing security

The people were enjoying because they thought there was security. Ravana had ten heads and twenty arms. The material world is such that the elements can come in different levels and combinations. Ravana received a ghastly form to match his nature. He wanted dominance over rival kings. He wanted supremacy and respect through fear. He succeeded.

There was also the physical barrier. As an island, Lanka was protected on all sides by the ocean. If someone wanted to enter, how would they arrive? Maybe one person, by themselves, but what damage could they do? Certainly an army would not be able to make their presence felt without some prior warning, to which Ravana and his men could appropriately prepare.

Yet the king forgot about time. He thought there was no such thing as karma. Both operate as though invisible. It is difficult to notice their influence, but there is an impact at every moment.

Sita Devi could recognize. She was not fooled by the still image. She refused Ravana’s advances, and so the king used the last resort of the threat of lethal punishment. Hanuman was Rama’s messenger, sent to look for Sita. Rama is actually the Supreme Lord, responsible for both time and karma. Ordinarily, the delivery of results is automatic and beyond the interest of God. In this special case there would be visible indications, plain for any sober person to see. Hanuman was one such sign.

In a conversation with him, Sita said that it looked like death wanted to meet Ravana on the battlefield, to kill him. This was the only logical explanation for the king of Lanka’s behavior. The changing images of life apply to every person. Nothing material remains in the same manifestation. Change is the law of nature, and the creator of those laws is the Supreme Lord.

While the still image of enjoyment in Lanka was soon to change, the fame, good character, and glorious nature of God’s servants, such as Hanuman, never diminish. That heroic servant is just as powerful and devoted today as he was during the mission in Lanka. Sita Devi, the goddess of fortune, is just as connected to her husband in thought, word and deed now as she was during the trying time spent in separation. This is the power of connecting with the inexhaustible one, who secures the work done in His favor from future calamity.

In Closing:

Area of fruits of work securing,

So that efforts for Him enduring.

Like with Sita Devi shown,

Suffered times worst ever known.

And Hanuman heroically going,

To change that still image showing.

In illusion Ravana protected to be,

Soon a different picture to see.

The Two Sides To The Devotee Shown By Sita’s Time In Lanka

“How can that female swan who is accustomed to sporting with the king of swans amidst lotus flowers ever cast her eyes on a water-crow that stays amidst bunches of grass?” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 56.20)

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They are supposed to be brahmanas. This is the priestly class. Distinct from the warriors, the businessmen and the laborers, there is a typical body type associated with the occupation, whose qualifications come from guna and karma, or material quality and work.

“According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.13)

The devotees of the Lord, coming in different shapes and sizes, are actually above the brahmanas. That is to say they possess the qualities of a person in the priestly class and more. They are not simply realized in the spiritual truth, that of Brahman. They are not tied to a specific occupation. They can be in any form, even one taking a subordinate role, like a wife or princess.

One example is Sita Devi. Though she is actually the goddess of fortune, pure devotion is what defines her; she is never outside of that way of life. From her time in Lanka, we see the contradictory sides that simultaneously exist in a pure devotee.

1. Strong and tough in their determination

Just because a person is not very muscular or athletic does not mean they lack strength. A person may be kind, smiling constantly, and happily chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. But the peaceful disposition does not prevent them from enduring difficult situations in a way that few others could.

Sita Devi was in Lanka against her will. She did not want to travel there. She had no interest in the king, Ravana, who wanted her to be his chief queen. Ravana used trickery to take Sita away from her husband Rama, and he tried every tactic he knew to win her over.

As nothing worked, he resorted to harassment and the threat of lethal punishment. Though in a park-like setting, with Ashoka trees surrounding, Sita was bothered day and night by Ravana’s attendants. These were ghoulish-looking creatures, known for eating human flesh. There was no respite; Sita had to endure while sleeping and awake.

2. Kind and compassionate towards the fallen

Since her thoughts were fixed on her husband, Sita was in full yoga. Her husband is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who kindly descends to earth whenever and wherever certain conditions are met.

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.7)

That yoga allowed her to endure. She toughed it out, so to speak. She received help now and then, such as from Rama’s representative Hanuman and indirectly through Ravana’s younger brother Vibhishana.

Eventually Rama arrived in Lanka with a massive army to win His wife back. He didn’t have to use trickery like Ravana. In the chivalrous manner, showing courage and fortitude, Rama defeated Ravana in battle. When it was time to reunite with Sita, Rama sent Hanuman to bring her.

The dedicated servant, now basking in victory for his side, remembered the torture Sita had endured. Hanuman asked permission to kill the perpetrators. The potential slaying was justified, but Sita gave pardon. The enmity ended with Ravana’s death. She also understood that they were simply following orders.

In this way the pure devotee is both strength and kindness personified. Apparently features which contradict, but both present and ready to be invoked when necessary and appropriate. These features are found in the Supreme Lord, after all, and man is made in the image of God. Those who connect with Him are able to retrieve qualities appropriate to the situation to maintain their link to Him. This is the true power of yoga.

In Closing:

Endowed by Him to receive,

Qualities appropriate to retrieve.

For situation and time,

Bhakti of followers to shine.

Like Sita Devi in Lanka enduring,

Constant harassment from king ensuring.

But when Hanuman wanting to return,

Perpetrators her forgiveness to earn.