How To Respond To The Claim That The Vedas Sanction Animal Killing

“When animals are killed in a slaughterhouse, six people connected with the killing are responsible for the murder. The person who gives permission for the killing, the person who kills, the person who helps, the person who purchases the meat, the person who cooks the flesh and the person who eats it, all become entangled in the killing. Narada Muni wanted to draw the King's attention to this fact. Thus animal-killing is not encouraged even in a sacrifice.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.25.8 Purport)

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Friend1: I hate bringing this topic up because it is so at the preliminary stages, but it does get a lot of attention from newcomers.

Friend2: Shaving the head? Moving into a temple? Chanting a mantra on a set of beads each morning?

Friend1: No; meat-eating. Or as it is often labeled, vegetarianism.

Friend2: You have to include the restriction on intoxication in there. I think they are associated. You take away meat and alcohol, and many people might jump off the ledge.

Friend1: What else is there in life? So many important celebrations involve the two.

Friend2: Yes, the traditional bachelor party. Eat at a steakhouse, followed by a visit to the strip club.

Friend1: Yeah, so the commonly offered objections are not so important to me. People just don’t know any better. Whatever the degraded condition of today they accept as the norm.

Friend2: Think about it. If every person around you is following a certain way of life, you will think anything different to be odd or unusual. That is the very definition, in fact. You never consider the reverse condition.

Friend1: Where people grow up respecting animals and not killing innocent life for the purpose of satisfying the belly.

Friend2: In such a place the meat-eater is considered strange. In fact, the Vedas have two words of importance here. Mlechcha and yavana. People who ignore shastra. They take to the way of the animal, either out of ignorance or straight up defiance.

Friend1: Then you get a tradition started, sort of a parampara, but where the proper culture is lacking. Anyway, what I wanted to focus on is the objections from people who are somewhat familiar with the Vedas.

Friend2: Objection to what?

Friend1: The restriction on meat-eating.

Friend2: Oh, right.

Friend1: They will say that animal killing is found all over the place. There are sacrifices recommending the killing of this animal and that.

Friend2: Yajna.

Friend1: And so why is vegetarianism a big deal all of a sudden?

Friend2: Similar objections were heard by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The antagonist brought up the idea of bull and cow sacrifices.

Friend1: I understand that in a true yajna the animal isn’t really killed. They get a new body in the next life, one more auspicious than what they have.

Friend2: For sure. The yajna must be conducted by a qualified brahmana. A real priestly person, not just one who descends from others of a previous age or who appears in a family of such.

Friend1: Okay, so the meat-eater today will use that as justification.

“The rishis of the past ate meat. I’m just following what they did.”

Friend2: But you aren’t. There were no such things as slaughterhouses. The existence of a single place where such mass killing takes place implicates so many people in karma. Yajna is supposed to be karma-free.

Friend1: What does that mean, exactly?

Friend2: There are no implications relating to the body. It is a spiritual practice. You are not killing the animal to satisfy any taste buds. That brings me to another argument, one based in common sense. Eating and sex life are mentioned in shastra for a reason. The purpose has to be restriction; otherwise no one needs to be taught.

Friend1: What do you mean?

Friend2: These are animal instincts. I don’t need a higher authority telling me what to eat. Sex attraction is there regardless of instruction. The Supreme Lord passes on these instructions for the purpose of limitation. Interact with the material nature, maya, in a way that you stay free from the effects. No implication. Eat, but in an authorized way.

Friend1: Okay, but people will say that meat eating is, in fact, authorized.

Friend2: The justification is that karma is very difficult to transcend. Sadhu, shastra and guru combine to help a person, but you can’t expect immediate success for everyone. The animal sacrifices are there as a way to gradually break free of the attachment. Regardless, there is no one who knows how to properly conduct these yajnas today. That is why the yuga-dharma is the sankirtana-yajna, something which every person can follow. The chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Just try the recommendations for yourself. Give it a chance and every restriction soon becomes crystal clear in its purpose.

In Closing:

Words of guru not believing,

So many objections receiving.

Like in shastra yajna mentioned so,

But animal to higher birth to go.

Not that slaughterhouses to run,

Where damage to karma done.

Consciousness clear when no more meat,

And food only suitable to Krishna to eat.

Four Factors The Bhakta’s Happiness Is Not Dependent On

“The theory of chance can best be explained in the Vedic literature by the words ajnata-sukriti, which refer to pious activities performed without the actor's knowledge. But these are also planned. For example, Krishna comes like an ordinary human being, He comes as a devotee like Lord Chaitanya, or He sends His representative, the spiritual master, or pure devotee. This is also the planned activity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrila Prabhupada, 4.21.27 Purport)

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In this hypothetical situation there is a dependent for whom great affection exists. You want to do the best for them, to ensure that they are healthy, wealthy and wise. In truth, just happiness will do. Not just from stature, where others hold them in high esteem. Not just having a lot of money, either. Let them be in a peaceful and content position wherever they fall in life. Let them best prepare for the next life, as well, since you know that life and death continue in a cycle.

न त्व् एवाहं जातु नासं
न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः
न चैव न भविष्यामः
सर्वे वयम् अतः परम्

na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ
na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ
sarve vayam ataḥ param

“Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.12)

It is possible to give such a reward to someone. In fact, the situation of happiness created through the combination of good fortune, sukriti, and the Supreme Lord’s mercy, kripa, transcends conditions in duality. The recipient can remain happy no matter to which level common factors of importance reach on a subjective scale.

1. Place of residence

Where should they live? In a warm climate, where shoveling snow is never an issue? In the places where the four seasons manifest to almost extreme levels, jobs are abundant. Finding employment will not be an issue.

The devotee of the Supreme Lord remains happy no matter the place of residence. Sleeping on the bare ground in a tiny room is no issue. If there is an expensive mattress whose firmness can be programmed, there is still the same kind of sleep. Goswami Tulsidas gives a hint into the cause. He says that such a person sleeps easily because they know they have the favor of the Supreme Lord.

2. Income

What parent wants their child to grow up to be poor? Let them at least surpass the economic status of the previous generation. That is the meaning to parental love, after all. No jealousy here, at least in the ideal case. If the dependents can support themselves, then everything will be okay once the parents depart for the next life.

Whatever the level of income, the issue of happiness remains. If a person has all the money in the world, but has to work like an ordered animal to reach such a level, then there is no question of happiness. Moreover, there is always the fear of loss, that competitors will arrive on the scene and disrupt the flow of profits.

The bhakta stays happy in any economic situation. They can live humbly, since they are dependent on Narayana and His wife, the goddess of fortune, for their sustenance. After all, there is no utility company responsible for the sunlight. A company may control drinking water flow in a particular municipality, but again nature is the root cause. That rain is due to divine forces, who are placated through religious activity, yajna.

3. Marital status

At some point in time the parents might be concerned with the marital status of the dependent. Time to find a suitable partner for life. The dependent might be searching for themselves. They see that others are supposedly happily married, so there is pressure to enter that same phase.

The devotee is fine in either situation. When by themselves, they are dedicated in some kind of brahmacharya life. They follow principles that allow them to understand Brahman and more. They truly realize the undivided spiritual energy that pervades the entire existence. They understand the localized aspect known as Paramatma and the complete realization that is Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

If married, the bhakta enters the grihastha-ashrama. This is a spiritual institution with the same benefits as remaining single or renouncing everything. The husband and wife live together and worship God the person. They train their dependents along the same path, creating sukriti for others, who may not be aware, ajnata.

4. Age

What to do if an entire lifetime has been spent working hard for crumbs? No wife, no children, no retirement fund. Was it all a waste? The valuable opportunity of the human birth gone for naught, with no chance at redemption?

In fact, devotional service, bhakti-yoga, can be practiced at any age. It is never too late to connect with the Supreme Lord. The body is merely a temporary covering. The individual is always at the same level of vitality; young at heart, so to speak. They are always meant to be in the shelter of Hari, the one who takes away distresses.

Giving the gift of devotional service is not difficult. Simply chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Share the wisdom of the ages found in texts like Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam. Even if others are not receptive, if they offer some assistance then they unknowingly create auspiciousness for themselves. The reward they can redeem at a later date will bring them happiness not found anywhere else.

In Closing:

Acharya greatest gift to bring,

From simple mantra to sing.

A tremendous ability now,

Can survive any condition how.

Since to Bhagavan always connected,

The unwanted without thought rejected.

Benefit to dependents giving the same,

Just from sound of holy name.

Four Questions About Ajnata-Sukriti

“The theory of chance can best be explained in the Vedic literature by the words ajnata-sukriti, which refer to pious activities performed without the actor's knowledge. But these are also planned. For example, Krishna comes like an ordinary human being, He comes as a devotee like Lord Chaitanya, or He sends His representative, the spiritual master, or pure devotee. This is also the planned activity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.21.27 Purport)

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1. What is it?

Take the two terms individually. Sukriti is meritorious credits. Good deeds. Piety. Something that you inherently understand will not cause bad karma or whatever the preferred word to describe future consequences. Helping an elderly person cross the street. Holding the door open for the next person entering the building. Kindness when it is not necessary. Not broadcasting your good qualities or accomplishments. Staying humble.

Ajnata means “without knowing.” Sometimes a person does something good because they understand that it will lead to future benefits. Something similar is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Charity in the mode of passion is with a specific intent for reciprocation. Like a company donating to a preferred charity of a specific client in order to win their favor for future business.

यत् तु प्रत्युपकारार्थं
फलम् उद्दिश्य वा पुनः
दीयते च परिक्लिष्टं
तद् दानं राजसं स्मृतम्

yat tu pratyupakārārthaṁ
phalam uddiśya vā punaḥ
dīyate ca parikliṣṭaṁ
tad dānaṁ rājasaṁ smṛtam

“But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood, is said to be charity in the mode of passion.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 17.21)

2. Who is eligible?

Every person. It is not that only those of a high birth can perform good deeds. Not every person is aware, either. If there isn’t instruction delineating right and wrong, pious and impious, who will know what to do to forward the interests for the future, paramartha? Self-interest is easier to decipher. Something like the difference between preyas and shreyas, short-term enjoyment and long-term benefit.

Any person can acquire meritorious credits unknowingly. After all, it is the connection which matters, the nature of the activity. Even the worst people are known to do good on occasion. This goes against their nature, but that is the reason for the ajnata description.

3. What are some examples?

Good deeds are easy to understand, but sometimes they are done to help a larger cause, without knowing it. Imagine that an important person in society is on the way to deliver a speech in front of a large assembly. They are running late due to traffic. They happen to run into you on the street, while you are riding a bicycle. They ask for a lift. You give it to them, not understanding the higher purpose. This is very important service since it will allow so many people to hear a message, though you have no knowledge of the gravity of the person being assisted.

4. Is there a way to create it for others?

Ajnata-sukriti is often understood to be chance. It is the explanation for good things randomly occurring, but His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that there is intelligence at the foundation. Underlying the cause and effect is the combination of the Divine will and the mercy of His dedicated servants.

ब्रह्माण्ड भ्रमिते कोन भाग्यवान् जीव
गुरु-कृष्ण-प्रसादे पाय भक्ति-लता-बीज

brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

“According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 19.151)

The devotees of the Supreme Lord create ajnata-sukriti for others by working tirelessly to spread the message of Divine love. Along the way, so many are bound to offer assistance without understanding the importance. For instance, a printer can offer a discount on their services to an acharya wishing to publish translations of sacred texts like Bhagavad-gita and Ramayana.

The general public can give donations to maintain houses of worship, where not only does bhajana take place through song and dance, but enlightening discussions on the highest philosophy occur on a regular basis, benefitting anyone who is fortunate enough to hear.

The devotees create good fortune for others, and those helping, knowingly or unknowingly, accumulate meritorious credits to pay dividends at a future time. In this way the process of devotional service is known to be the highest welfare work, benefitting every connected person, including any family members who may present an opposition.

In Closing:

At time not understanding,

Just helping hand lending.

But a benefit created then,

To understand in bhakti when.

That Shri Krishna always to see,

And happiest in my life to be.

Others involved almost by chance,

Bhajana their fortunes to enhance.

The Three Factors In Accord When Accepting Spiritual Life

“One should accept a thing as genuine by studying the words of saintly people, the spiritual master and shastra. The actual center is shastra, the revealed scripture. If a spiritual master does not speak according to revealed scripture, he is not to be accepted. Similarly, if a saintly person does not speak according to the shastra, he is not a saintly person. Shastra is the center for all.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 20.352 Purport)

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1. Sadhu

This is the saintly person. If I am seeking higher knowledge, the best choice is to approach someone who has some familiarity. Another seeker will be beneficial in the sense that I won’t feel alone. Less peer pressure when your peers are travelling in the same direction. It’s not necessarily good to follow the herd, but going it alone sometimes is too much stress to bear. The burden of criticism and contrary viewpoints can take a toll on a person.

The sadhu might have a particular outfit for identification, but this is not a requirement. A real police officer has the same qualities whether or not they are in uniform. The doctor is equally capable of treating patients while at home sleeping as they are in the hospital. The knowledge is the same. The potential for the practical application, vijnana, is always there.

Yet sadhus are generally known by their dress and also their location. They tend to congregate around tirthas. These are places of pilgrimage, typically having some significance to God or one of His dear servants. In India today there are many tirthas, such as Badrinath, Vrindavan, Jagannath Puri and Mayapur. A person is sure to find many sadhus living there, and such association is beneficial. Sadhu-sanga is synonymous with sat-sanga.

Sat refers to that which is transcendental, lasting beyond this temporary experience inside of a destructible body. Asat is the negation; hence the opposite. It is very easy to find asat-sanga. Anyone not pursuing a higher goal, the param-drishtva described in the Bhagavad-gita, is asat at present.

2. Shastra

This is scripture, or the holy book. In Vedic culture there is not just one shastra, but the destination is uniform. That is to say there may be many books, but the underlying message is always the same. Shastra is any work of authority originally passed down, since before anyone can remember, such as the Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads and so forth. Shastra extends through any works that are based on the originals.

The authority is the same because the glories of the Supreme Lord are ananta, or without end. A sadhu is known to author shastra through their lens of devotional love. They record their observations, experiences and insights for the benefit of others. Sometimes the sadhu offers a translation so that an original work of shastra can be made more accessible to the people of the time. This is one reason a true sadhu is known as kripalu, or merciful.

Shastra is the basis for determining the genuineness of the sadhu. If a saintly person is not following shastra, then they are not genuine. Even if they have the proper dress and ideal location, there must be scripture at the foundation. Otherwise, everything that emanates from their mouth is based on mental speculation, which is flawed. Such teachings will not provide an ultimate benefit to anyone.

3. Guru

This is the spiritual master. They are the specific sadhu reserved for helping an individual. Amongst the sadhus I meet or interact with, the guru is the one who helps me directly. They provide the instruction to lift me out of the darkness of ignorance. They help me find the light of the Divine, which is the supreme shelter, Hari-sharanam.

…

All three actually teach the same thing. If any one of them should diverge, then there is a question on authenticity. Something is faulty, and so the seeker should become skeptical. When all three align then the individual is on the right path.

Shastra describes this age of Kali as dark and full of faults. Everyone argues over everything, even trivial matters. No one is truthful; hypocrisy is easier than integrity. Despite the inauspicious conditions, one concession has been made. Simply through harinama a person can achieve liberation. Never mind the many strikes against them, at least if they are holding on to the holy name they will achieve perfection.

The sadhus of this age are identified through such behavior. They are always chanting the holy names in some form or another. The guru gives guidance on which names to chant and how to make a routine of the process. As an example, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada advises to repeat the maha-mantra daily: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Give up the four worst habits: meat eating, intoxication, illicit sex and gambling. Associate with other saintly people chanting this mantra and remain always conscious of God the person. Shastra and sadhu are in agreement, and so a person following with a genuine spirit is assured of success.

In Closing:

If actual success wanting to see,

From cycle of rebirth to free.

Then in accord factors three,

For highest benefit to me.

Sadhu as saintly person known,

Highest knowledge in shastra shown.

Offering guru spiritual science,

Hari-sharanam on their reliance.

Is The Focus On The Next Life Or This One

“When the embodied being is able to transcend these three modes, he can become free from birth, death, old age and their distresses and can enjoy nectar even in this life.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.20)

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गुणान् एतान् अतीत्य त्रीन्
देही देह-समुद्भवान्
जन्म-मृत्यु-जरा-दुःखैर्
विमुक्तो ऽमृतम् अश्नुते

guṇān etān atītya trīn
dehī deha-samudbhavān
janma-mṛtyu-jarā-duḥkhair
vimukto 'mṛtam aśnute

Friend1: I often hear His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada speak about the need to prepare for the next life. Do in this body to influence the next kind of body.

Friend2: And the principle is tied to the scientific truth of transmigration of the soul. What is referred to as reincarnation in general conversation is known as the changing of bodies, the basic effects of time on the visual manifestation. Demystifying the concept, Shri Krishna says that a dhira person, one who is sober, does not get bewildered by such changes.

देहिनो ऽस्मिन् यथा देहे
कौमारं यौवनं जरा
तथा देहान्तर-प्राप्तिर्
धीरस् तत्र न मुह्यति

dehino 'smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

Friend1: As it is always changing, I have a way to influence. Though time is undefeated, though it is synonymous with death, kala, I do play a certain role.

Friend2: Yes; just because someone is bound for destruction does not mean that the short term cannot be changed. Scientific studies in the health field are based on this principle.

Friend1: What is that?

Friend2: Control groups. Differences in environmental factors. One person eats pizza every day; another eats bananas. Then study the difference over a period of time.

Friend1: There will surely be a difference.

Friend2: At the bodily level. That is one way to influence, though the modes of nature are in fact first providing sanction. The individual makes the choice for action, but the result is not guaranteed.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि
गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः
अहङ्कार-विमूढात्मा
कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.27)

Friend1: Listen, the reincarnation stuff makes sense if you are open-minded. People inherently believe that they have lived before. By before, I mean prior to the present lifetime.

Friend2: For sure. I dream about flying through the air. I have visions of swimming underwater for lengthy periods of time. These occur because of past lives, i.e. the same soul but in a different body.

Friend1: The thing is, if we focus so much on the next life, isn’t there too much of a reliance on faith?

Friend2: What is there to have faith about? The understanding of the transmigration principle is specifically for having less reliance on faith.

Friend1: Okay, but no one can see the future. It’s the ole, “Follow me now so that you’ll benefit later. Just trust me. You don’t want to screw up, do you?” It becomes almost like a threat.

Friend2: You’re saying Vedic teachings then get lumped into the category of “faith based”?

Friend1: That’s exactly what I am saying. I never want that to happen. It is not simply another religion to put into a basket with others. There is no single book, single savior, or single time period of revelation.

Friend2: It is a culture, a way of life. Sanatana-dharma. The eternal way of living to match the qualities of the individual, who is spirit soul.

Friend1: How do you get beyond faith, though, if you constantly emphasize preparing for the next life?

Friend2: Here’s one way. The principles put forth actually produce benefits in the present life.

Friend1: Are they visible, though?

Friend2: Absolutely. You can gauge progress. You can see how you are doing. No need to rely solely on faith. No need to be afraid of God. No need to worry endlessly about eternal damnation. The latter is a quick way to increase the attendance at the weekly gathering, but logic dictates that a basic profession of faith can’t be all there is to connecting with the Almighty.

Friend1: What is your proof, though?

Friend2: Of what?

Friend1: Of experiencing benefits prior to death.

Friend2: A verse from the Bhagavad-gita. Shri Krishna says that a person who can transcend the three modes of nature will taste nectar.

Friend1: Goodness, passion and ignorance.

Friend2: The transcendental position brings freedom from birth, old age, death and the accompanying distresses. He does not specify that the benefits are only in the afterlife. That is to say a person can reach the transcendental position in this lifetime.

Friend1: How do they transcend the modes, though? What are the symptoms of such a person?

Friend2: Great questions. That is exactly what Arjuna asked next.

Friend1: You are not going to tell me?

Friend2: It’s more fun if you go look up the answers yourself. The fourteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. Actually, the more you become immersed in the Vaishnava culture, the more you will see the truth for yourself. You may or may not be able to explain it to others, but the experience will be unmistakable.

In Closing:

When seriously Vaishnava culture to take,

Then experience never to mistake.

Since tasting nectar now,

Transcending modes how.

Not that only for afterlife to await,

When then just profession of faith.

For next and today also prepare,

In bhakti always way to compare.

Two Ways Not To Treat Material Nature

“For one who worships Me, giving up all his activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, who has fixed his mind upon Me, O son of Pritha, for him I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 12.6-7)

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ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि
मयि सन्न्यस्य मत्-पराः
अनन्येनैव योगेन
मां ध्यायन्त उपासते
तेषाम् अहं समुद्धर्ता
मृत्यु-संसार-सागरात्
भवामि न चिरात् पार्थ
मय्य् आवेशित-चेतसाम्

ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi
mayi sannyasya mat-parāḥ
ananyenaiva yogena
māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate
teṣām ahaṁ samuddhartā
mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt
bhavāmi na cirāt pārtha
mayy āveśita-cetasām

We’re living in the ocean of suffering, samsara. It is like a spinning wheel, chakra. The birth-death cycle perfectly symbolizes the sequence of events. Accept and then reject. Potential and then the abrupt end. Hope followed by despair.

How should the existence be treated? This is the world accepted, after all. There is no alternative. There has to be a way. It is said that jnana must have an associated kriya. Knowledge put to use through action.

1. For enjoyment: bhoga

This is the initial thought. Children don’t know any better. Play every day, at every moment. Even feeding is a kind of enjoyment. The infant who just learned to walk and move around quickly has no shyness when requesting food. They will approach the mother and make specific sounds to voice their request. If an answer is not forthcoming, they will start to grumble.

The pursuit continues into adulthood, but shastra says to avoid this path. Samsara is not meant for bhoga. The more a person remains on this path, the more entangled they become. Something like sinking further into quicksand. The goal is to escape; not to remain in the dangerous situation for one cycle after another.

2. For renunciation: tyaga

This is the opposite of bhoga. If I’m not supposed to enjoy since it leads to stronger attachments, perhaps I should go in the other direction. Renounce everything and everyone. Live in a cave on a mountain. Drink water from a nearby stream, eat fruits that fall off a tree, accept torn, used garments for clothing and live a generally peaceful life.

Yet shastra says that this isn’t entirely the way, either. It is a leg up from the animal species, who have no choice on the matter. Tyaga is a choice based on intelligence, but giving things up won’t lead to success without an overall shift in consciousness. This is because the mentality is still rooted in some attachment. I am avoiding something because I have fear of developing an attachment; therefore the objects of the senses still have influence over me.

कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य
य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन्
इन्द्रियार्थान् विमूढात्मा
मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते

karmendriyāṇi saṁyamya
ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā
mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate

“One who restrains the senses and organs of action, but whose mind dwells on sense objects, certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.6)

An example given by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada helps to illustrate the proper way. Walking down the road a person in front inadvertently drops some money on the ground. They are unaware, and so they proceed further. You happen to come upon the money.

The bhoga choice is to take it for yourself. Use it for purchasing something to enjoy. No one will know; except perhaps the people in charge of karma, but who actually believes in that? The amount could be trivial in the grand scheme, and so who is it really going to hurt?

The tyaga choice is to keep walking. Forget about the money. Don’t even think about it. Someone else’s problem. Just touching it gets you entangled in a process that you will regret later on. Maybe it’s a sting operation. Perhaps someone is trying to frame you for a crime. Better to leave it behind and move on towards higher pursuits.

The proper action is to return the money to the person who dropped it. There is no entanglement since the attitude is neither attachment nor aversion. The object is being put to the proper use. Whether appreciation is forthcoming is of no issue. You inherently understand that this is the right thing to do.

In the same way, the body found in the samsara has an ideal purpose. The nature around us is meant to be used for fulfilling this objective, for reaching the ideal destination. In any form the living being is always pure spirit at the core. The individual soul, the jivatma, is meant for serving the Supreme Soul, Paramatma.

Therefore the best treatment of samsara is to take everything available for use in both creating the connection and maintaining it. The link is known as yoga, and as Shri Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, yoga is always the best option.

तपस्विभ्यो ऽधिको योगी
ज्ञानिभ्यो ऽपि मतो ऽधिकः
कर्मिभ्यश् चाधिको योगी
तस्माद् योगी भवार्जुन

tapasvibhyo 'dhiko yogī
jñānibhyo 'pi mato 'dhikaḥ
karmibhyaś cādhiko yogī
tasmād yogī bhavārjuna

“A yogi is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogi.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.46)

The next issue is how to be a yogi while living in the samsara, which has dangers in every corner. I want to connect to the Supreme Soul but I have a job to attend in order to maintain life. There are diseases associated with aging, and others sometimes get in the way, acting as obstructionists.

Fortunately, in this age the way to practice yoga is easier. Simply chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Make a routine of the process and follow the guidance of someone who is already connected. Then you not only make the best use of this world for yourself, but you also show others the way, shining the light of the Divine into an otherwise dark and hopeless area.

In Closing:

Otherwise dark and without hope,

With samsara difficult to cope.

Bhoga an option one,

Enjoy with more desires to come.

Renunciation choice two,

But lingering attachment too.

Best when to proper use set,

Shine mercy of His Divine let.

Three Amazing People Who Didn’t Have A Great Ending

“O Emperor, now I am separated from my friend and dearmost well-wisher, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore my heart appears to be void of everything. In His absence I have been defeated by a number of infidel cowherd men while I was guarding the bodies of all the wives of Krishna.” (Arjuna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.15.20)

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सो ऽहं नृपेन्द्र रहितः पुरुषोत्तमेन
सख्या प्रियेण सुहृदा हृदयेन शून्यः
अध्वन्य् उरुक्रम-परिग्रहम् अङ्ग रक्षन्
गोपैर् असद्भिर् अबलेव विनिर्जितो ऽस्मि

so 'haṁ nṛpendra rahitaḥ puruṣottamena
sakhyā priyeṇa suhṛdā hṛdayena śūnyaḥ
adhvany urukrama-parigraham aṅga rakṣan
gopair asadbhir abaleva vinirjito 'smi

It goes in a cycle. A microcosm of the general pattern of life, where the paired events of birth and death have the accompanying contradictory emotions of hope and despair. Birth brings almost unlimited potential. The newborn can turn out to be anything. They have opportunities in front of them. The right instruction and proper association can make adulthood very auspicious. A chance to accumulate meritorious credits, sukriti, to pay dividends at some point in the future.

At the time of death everything is lost. No more winning. No more chance at redemption, since there is nothing left to do. Whatever was going to be experienced after birth happened already. On to another place, in a different body, existing in a different time period.

In between it is sometimes seen that a person earns a strong reputation through accomplishments and achievements. An almost mythology builds around them, where others expect excellence based simply on the presence.

If such a person should subsequently fail, it is a surprise. After all, they succeeded so many times in the past. They were labeled, “the greatest of all time,” in their particular area of expertise. How, then, could they suddenly lose?

From studying Vedic literature we see that some of the most amazing people to ever have graced this earth met an end that wouldn’t be considered good, positive, auspicious or whatever the preferred term to describe a desired condition.

1. Sita Devi

The daughter of King Janaka was pious since birth. She learned the principles of dharma from her family, who were often visited by brahmanas. These are like saintly people who publicly identify as capable of providing valuable instruction.

Then later she married Shri Rama, the prince of Ayodhya. The dedication to dharma in her was the perfect match for the qualities of her husband. She went to live in a family with three mothers-in-law, but there was no issue.

She struggled during a particular period of fourteen years. She endured tremendous hardships due to the wicked deeds of a person ruling over the territory of Lanka. Yet everything ended well, as she was reunited with Rama. The two returned to Ayodhya, where Rama was crowned the new king.

The princess who deserved everything had an unfortunate end to life. She was intentionally renounced by her husband due to issues of properly governing the kingdom and maintaining the dedication to dharma in the dynasty. She was blameless throughout, yet the less intelligent found fault in Rama due to her.

2. Bhishmadeva

He was the patriarch of an important family. The grandfather to both the Kurus and the Pandavas, he was respected by so many people. Known as a great devotee of the Supreme Lord, Bhishma was practically unbeatable in battle.

When the great Bharata War came to pass, he ended up on the side of the Kurus. He succumbed to the arrows of the fighter Arjuna from the Pandava side. Though he spoke sound words of advice to the incoming administration of Yudhishthira, Bhishma was still lying on the battlefield at the time of death. He was defeated and ready to depart for the next life.

3. Arjuna

He was Shri Krishna’s cousin and friend. This means that he had the direct favor of the Divine. Though every person has this inside of their heart in the merciful incarnation known as Supersoul, Arjuna had the full manifestation in front of him. Krishna was the chariot driver who did more than follow directions on where to turn.

In a conversation that became famous as the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna counseled Arjuna on all aspects of life. The skilled fighter for the Pandava side was so capable that victory was the greater concern. Arjuna was worried about what would happen to the people fighting for the Kurus. What would be gained by their defeat?

Such a noble warrior met a seemingly inauspicious end, as well. Years later, after Shri Krishna had returned to the spiritual world, Arjuna failed to defend Krishna’s queens against rogue attackers. These men were much less capable than those who Arjuna faced in the Bharata War, but the Divine support was no longer with him.

…

While these events seem to highlight a kind of unfairness to life, in truth material abilities are guaranteed to diminish. This is concomitant with the death process itself, which is the shedding of the body. No one’s abilities remain in their full form throughout life, as those abilities are tied to a perishable body.

The stories told above are under the material analysis. In truth the devotee of Bhagavan never meets an inauspicious end. Sita Devi maintained connection to her husband throughout. She is the goddess of fortune, after all, so she can never be truly separated from the Supreme Lord, who is her husband.

अद्वेष्टा सर्व-भूतानां
मैत्रः करुण एव च
निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः
सम-दुःख-सुखः क्षमी
सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी
यतात्मा दृढ-निश्चयः
मय्य् अर्पित-मनो-बुद्धिर्
यो मद्-भक्तः स मे प्रियः

adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ
maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ
sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣamī
santuṣṭaḥ satataṁ yogī
yatātmā dṛḍha-niścayaḥ
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ

“One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me-he is very dear to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 12.13-14)

Bhishmadeva’s quitting of the body is celebrated in the Shrimad Bhagavatam. He was directly conscious of Krishna, who was standing before him. Arjuna, too, during the time of defeat remembered Krishna and His favor. Thus the consciousness was always pure, whether in victory or defeat. This is one of the qualities of a person dear to Krishna, as He describes in the Bhagavad-gita.

In Closing:

Bereft of husband at life’s end,

Alone in ashrama to spend.

Arjuna by rogues defeated,

Whereas prior in victory seated.

Bhishma defeated on battlefield lay,

Covered by arrows of enemy spray.

But in truth auspiciousness remaining,

Since connection to Krishna maintaining.