Three Examples Of The Basic Commerce Taking Place In Gokula

“Prepare very nice foodstuffs of all descriptions from the grains and ghee collected for the yajna. Prepare rice, dahl, then halavah, pakora, puri and all kinds of milk preparations like sweet rice, sweetballs, sandesha, rasagulla and laddu and invite the learned brahmanas who can chant the Vedic hymns and offer oblations to the fire. The brahmanas should be given all kinds of grains in charity. Then decorate all the cows and feed them well.” (Krishna giving direction on the first Govardhana Puja, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 24)

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One side bemoans the current situation. They remember what it was like before, and so they can accurately compare the two:

“It doesn’t matter where you go today, everyone is on their phone. It is like they are zombies or something. They can’t go a minute without checking, without swiping left and right and scrolling up and down. What is becoming of our society? Who will actually be mature enough to lead, to put priorities in their proper order? I remember in times past there weren’t these issues. You could sit down with someone and have a conversation. You had to develop social skills in order to survive. It seems nowadays people are rewarded for being antisocial, which is nothing more than having a lack of etiquette.”

The other side sees nothing wrong with the situation. They think technology has made life so much better:

“I was at a funeral recently for an important public personality. So many well-known people were in attendance, and you know what? Everyone was on their mobile phones. Some had to step out every now and then to take calls. This is the reality of the present day. I love that I can get notified of incoming calls and texts through my watch. I don’t have to reach into my pocket for the phone. I am always connected to the world. I can communicate with people thousands of miles away.”

From the simple life exhibited in the place known as Gokula described in Vedic literature, we see that basic commerce can still take place with ample time leftover for higher pursuits.

1. The protection of cows

This was a special place, in particular because of the appearance of Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Though He is everywhere simultaneously through His feature of Paramatma, He only directly manifests in the personal form on rare occasions.

When He does appear, He favors the devotees in terms of association. Gokula is a farm community neighboring the city of Mathura. Krishna arrives there through the help of Vasudeva, the birth-father. Krishna spends the childhood years under the care of Nanda Maharaja and mother Yashoda.

Nanda has so many cows under his protection. This is not a dogmatic preference. This is not a random association. The cows have spiritual significance that cannot be explained through logic alone. While stool is generally considered unclean and inauspicious, with cows the same substance has tremendous value, as does urine.

Aside from the spiritual benefits that accrue, the cow helps to solve the basic economic problem. If you have nothing else to your name, a single cow with some land on which to feed can produce an abundance of milk.

2. The trade of milk and milk products

The excess can be shared with others, sold, or traded for other commodities. The people in Vrindavana had so much milk and cream that they would go to other towns to sell. Everyone was happily engaged in some kind of work. Though not officially employed in a large, multinational firm, everyone had something to do; there wasn’t idleness.

They were happily engaged since they had Shri Krishna with them. The work was a matter of fact aspect of life. The responsibilities were important, but Yashoda’s son was the person occupying their thoughts. Remembering Him can turn any experience blissful.

3. The growing of food

The cows were protected, the trees provided ample fruit, and there was a sufficient amount of grain. What more could anyone want? Evidence of the abundance of supply is documented in the accounts of the first Govardhana Puja.

Gokula-Vrindavana is indeed God’s country. During Krishna’s manifest lila, the people did not require any outside distractions. The simple life was enough to satisfy them. They had ample time to enjoy with song, dance, and food consumed with a purified consciousness.

While it may be difficult to replicate the environment in the hectic modern day, the connection with God in the all-attractive form is still possible. A person can immediately be transported to Gokula through hearing Shrimad Bhagavatam and other related Vedic texts. They can connect with Krishna today through the chanting of His names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Bemoaning the current plight,

Zombie society drawn by light.

On device carried small,

For email or person to call.

From Gokula a different pace,

But commerce still taking place.

Daily needs accounted for them,

More time with Krishna then.

Why Aren't The Bhagavatam Benefits An Offense To Bhakti

“In the Shrimad-Bhagavatam it is said that anyone who hears the story of the Syamantaka jewel or describes it or simply remembers it will be free from all kinds of defamation and the reactions of all impious activities and thus will attain the highest perfectional condition of peace.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 2)

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Friend1: Though bhakti-yoga is beyond rules and regulations, we know that there are certain offenses to be avoided.

Friend2: Particularly when chanting the holy names. By the way, these are really an offense to other devotees. The Supreme Lord does not mind. He is not some angry, old man living in the clouds, hovering over everyone in disappointment.

Friend1: He is always in bliss, ananda, and attractive in every way.

Friend2: Shri Krishna has the most justification for being offended. Consider how many people have forgotten Him through the years. A person can go many lifetimes, in fact, until they finally surrender.

Friend1: Okay, we know that the offenses are listed. One of them is to not equate the holy name with some sort of activity bringing a material benefit.

Friend2: Karma. This is action and reaction pertaining specifically to a temporary body. There is a whole section of the Vedas dedicated to this purpose. Karma-kanda.

Friend1: Yes, and so we’re not seeking after anything in that area. The maha-mantra is simply a humble offering to the Lord and His energy to be allowed to further engage in their service: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Friend2: You nailed it.

Friend1: Well, of course I have set you up once again.

Friend2: Time to raise a contradiction?

Friend1: If a person hears the Bhagavata Purana, also known as Shrimad Bhagavatam, they find sprinkled here and there some rewards.

Friend2: Such as?

Friend1: Take the story of the Syamantaka Jewel. At the end, the reciter, Shukadeva Gosvami, promises something to the effect of immunity from defamation.

Friend2: You mean if someone hears that story with attention and faith they will not be falsely accused of something, in the way that Shri Krishna in Dvaraka was?

Friend1: Exactly. At the beginning of the Ramayana there is the promise of getting to enjoy in the heavenly realm with your ancestors and relatives. I think that’s what Narada says, but I could be imprecise with the exact details. Regardless, you see what I am getting at.

Friend2: I do not.

Friend1: Come on! Those are material rewards. Who cares if I am free from defamation? Shri Krishna was accused of stealing a silly jewel that produced gold. Sita Devi, the wife of the Supreme Lord, had false rumors spread about her time in Lanka against her will. If those two can’t get a fair shake, who am I to expect one?

Friend2: I’m not sure what you are saying here. Is this something like the football team declining a penalty? You don’t want these benefits, since you are so advanced in consciousness?

Friend1: You know that is not what I am saying. If the Bhagavata Purana is the ripened fruit of Vedic literature, why are there rewards of karma included?

Friend2: That is an easy one. I use this analogy all the time. Trying to get an infant to do anything important is difficult. Some babies flip over immediately when you go to change their diaper. You have to distract them with a toy or something. The toy is not important to the equation, at all. You give a temporary reward in order to progress towards a higher benefit.

Friend1: And the same applies to these promises for hearing with attention?

Friend2: Absolutely. Maharaja Parikshit sat for seven days and did nothing but hear. We would love to do the same, but who actually can follow through? These rewards make you feel good, hopefully. You will develop a further attachment to Krishna-katha, which as a standalone can provide liberation.

In Closing:

Benefitted those who hear,

That avoiding defamation’s smear.

Or that in heaven to reside,

When with Ramayana to side.

But offense to bhakti not,

Since material benefit got?

Idea that grab attention a way,

More important that after to stay.

Isn’t Ignorance Better

“One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.54)

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ब्रह्म-भूतः प्रसन्नात्मा
न शोचति न काङ्क्षति
समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु
मद्-भक्तिं लभते पराम्

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

Friend1: Do you think that Krishna is sad?

Friend2: This is Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead?

Friend1: Yes.

Friend2: Why would He be?

Friend1: Because He is all-knowing. I was pondering this the other day. You and I don’t know everything.

Friend2: We could argue who is more deficient in that area.

Friend1: I’m sure you’ve come across this situation. You are happy about something. There is good news, reason to celebrate. In the midst of your joy, someone spoils the fun.

Friend2: As in the parents reminding you to study for an upcoming exam?

Friend1: Not even that. Just someone who brings up bad things:

“I don’t know why you guys are celebrating. There are people in the world suffering. Look at the mass starvation in foreign countries. Over here so many people get incarcerated unfairly, identified as suspects based only off their skin-color. Mass pollution ruining the environment. Cheating politicians looking only to line their pockets. The great struggle to maintain an existence. Yeah, I’d say that there is very little reason to be happy.”

Friend2: The classic Debbie Downer. They can’t stand to see others in a joyful mood, so they feel the need to ruin everyone’s fun.

Friend1: Exactly! The thing is, their perpetual misery is rooted in some sort of extended vision.

Friend2: What do you mean?

Friend1: They see things that others don’t. Well, not necessarily see, but remember. For others, it might be better to just forget. Why stay consciously aware of the tragedies occurring around the world?

Friend2: Better to stay in ignorance.

Friend1: That is why I was wondering if Shri Krishna is sad. How can He be happy knowing everything, being the all-pervading witness?

Friend2: Before you get that far, what about the people who are devoted to Him? Take Prahlada Maharaja, for example. His name refers to a person who is ever-joyful.

Friend1: And how could he be knowing that the father was such a horrible person? You are making my point, I guess. If I were in that situation, I would probably prefer to remain in ignorance. Being constantly reminded of the low character within the family would make me depressed.

Friend2: Alright, so do some analysis. Do you think Prahlada was foolish?

Friend1: No, not at all.

Friend2: Then? Explain how he could be joyful.

Friend1: Bhakti-yoga. Devotion to Shri Krishna. Always thinking of the all-attractive one. Something like taking your mind away from the surroundings.

Friend2: You are pretty close, but this isn’t something like burying your head in the sand. Closing your eyes to avoid witnessing the carnage. It is actually an extended vision. Prahlada and people like him are joyful precisely due to their intelligence. It is a linear relationship. The more realized you are, tattva-darshi, the happier you will be.

Friend1: That goes back to my original question. A seer would have to notice the bad, would they not?

Friend2: They don’t take the bad to be negative.

Friend1: How is that possible?

Friend2: Because the hand of the Divine is in everything. The sadness increases the happiness later on. If you watch a film and know that there is a positive ending, the in-between stuff won’t bother you as much.

Friend1: Okay, but how does that make you immune to tragedies in the human existence?

Friend2: Because they aren’t really tragedies. The individual, who is spirit soul, undergoes some temporary suffering in a destructible body. The experience is something like a dream. Self-realization is waking up. It is seeing everything properly. The devotees have a greater appreciation for the Supreme Lord through the amazing ability of the illusory energy of maya to fool otherwise intelligent beings. Hiranyakashipu reached the point of thinking he could rule over the world forever, using just brute force. A person can only be so foolish if there is a corresponding energy engaging them. Saintly people appreciate Krishna for being able to create such an energy. They are neither saddened nor pessimistic about the situation in the manifest world. They know who is coordinating everything behind the scenes.

In Closing:

Coordinating scenes behind,

So different outlook to find.

The saints of Krishna’s potency knowing,

The ignorance praise to maya showing.

That states tragic and sad,

In long run not so bad.

Of full drama just another scene,

Dispelled when waking from dream.

Three Activities As Timeless As The Supreme Lord

“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.14)

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सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां
यतन्तश् च दृढ-व्रताः
नमस्यन्तश् च मां भक्त्या
नित्य-युक्ता उपासते

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ
yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā
nitya-yuktā upāsate

In the Bhagavad-gita we get the explanation from Shri Krishna about who is actually at the beginning. The basic concept of religion is that there is someone. Not that everything came together randomly. There are certain insects which have wings that perfectly resemble a fallen leaf in the forest. This serves as a kind of camouflage; others likely won’t notice the presence of life when making eye-contact.

At the macro level there is the amazing sun. Rising and setting at predictable intervals, it provides heat and light without requiring an external source of energy. There is no maintenance to be done, either. The sun has yet to burn out, and the degree to which its rays strike the earth have a significant impact on the climate.

The Vedas give the concept of a single creator. An intelligent being who uses the materials at his disposal, Lord Brahma is in charge of creating. His work applies to specific universes, but since space is endless there can be many people occupying a similar post at the same time.

Shri Krishna is prior to that time period. The human mind is limited; it cannot fully comprehend infinity as it applies to time and space. There is the beginning, adi, but there is also the lack of a beginning, anadi. Krishna is both.

He does not disappear after the fact. He is there in the present, in the middle period, madhya. There is also a delineated end, but then beyond that, as well. Anta and ananta apply to Krishna. He was there before anyone can remember and He will remain long after everything has vanished.

As the Supreme Personality of Godhead is timeless, so are various activities associated with devotion to Him, as popularized by Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. These may appear to be modern inventions, ways to appeal to the masses, but the tendency is part of the very soul, which is the essence of living.

1. Chanting

Mahaprabhu particularly prefers the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. He is biased towards this sound vibration, but the repetition of any genuine name for God pleases Him so much.

This chanting has taken place since the beginning of time. There is the story of the robber turned saint. He fell into bad ways, stealing for a living. When he came upon Narada Muni, the occupation change. The trigger agent was the sound of the holy name of Rama. Narada requested that this name be chanted, as a sort of meditation.

The potency was such that the chanting continued for years and years. The thief was purified, and he became initiated with the name Valmiki. It was through chanting that the sacred Ramayana poem came to be.

2. Dancing

Mahaprabhu is Krishna in the guise of a devotee. Dancing is associated with happiness. The best way is to dance as if no one is watching. Then there are no inhibitions. Let the emotions carry you. This was how Shri Chaitanya showed His devotion to the Supreme Lord, to give an idea to others of what life in liberation is like.

This dancing tendency is there within everyone. The great god, Lord Shiva, is known to dance in ecstasy upon remembering the glories of Krishna. Mahadeva is the destroyer, paired with Brahma on the opposite side. After there is creation there must be destruction. Time is the agent gradually applying change, and Lord Shiva does a particular dance when the time of annihilation arrives.

3. Feasting

How can stuffing yourself be a spiritual activity? Surely this must be a ploy to attract interested parties. Lure them in with palatable dishes, explaining some faint resemblance to spiritual tradition, and then make the pitch for engaging in devotional service fulltime.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says that just as Krishna is worshipable, so is His land. This only makes sense. Places like Mathura and Vrindavana have a direct connection with the all-attractive one. The land is worshipable because it more easily arouses consciousness of the darling child of Nanda and Yashoda.

The principle extends to other areas. For instance, the food offered to Krishna is just as worshipable. This is due to the mood of love and devotion. The Supreme Lord glances over the offered items and provides a spiritual infusion. Not a fairytale or concept in mysticism meant to have only symbolic significance, there is an actual difference in the composition due to the association.

This is not a modern concoction, either. Eating spiritually was done as far back as five thousand years ago, during the inaugural Govardhana Puja. This yajna was started by Shri Krishna, who directed the residents to make abundant offerings to the hill that was so vital to the community. It was a kind of Thanksgiving, but with a completely purified consciousness. Krishna later assumed the identity of the hill to verify the legitimacy of the worship.

The formula is simple, so why not give it a try? What does a person really have to lose? There is a strong philosophical foundation; not that the practices are due to blind sentiment. Bring every doubt to the table, become renounced through enjoying. The paradox begins to resolve the more one associates with Krishna and those devoted to Him.

In Closing:

Not concoction of modern day,

Holy names repeatedly to say.

Or that with ecstasy dancing,

Food after Krishna glancing.

Timeless as the Supreme Lord to find,

Brought here by Mahaprabhu kind.

For liberation easily to reach,

Destiny for living soul each.

How To Handle Learning Your Guru Sometimes Uses A Mild Intoxicant

“Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge, you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.36)

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अपि चेद् असि पापेभ्यः
सर्वेभ्यः पाप-कृत्-तमः
सर्वं ज्ञान-प्लवेनैव
वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि

api ced asi pāpebhyaḥ
sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛt-tamaḥ
sarvaṁ jñāna-plavenaiva
vṛjinaṁ santariṣyasi

Friend1: One of the aspects of the Vaishnava tradition, as it is presented in the modern day, is the underlying renunciation recommended. This is what stands out from other kinds of religion, which seem more like faiths to me than distinct ways of living.

Friend2: You mean vairagya?

Friend1: Or nivritti-marga. Whatever you want to call it.

Friend2: Hmm. I thought the emphasis was on the positive activities. In the simplified version, chanting, dancing and feasting. Chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Dance if you feel it, taking the lead of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the person who inaugurated the sankirtana movement in this age; though dancing in devotional ecstasy is as timeless as the Supreme Lord Himself. Feasting? Come on. That has been around forever. You are eating in enjoyment, but with a specific kind of consciousness.

Friend1: Okay, but someone who wants to get really serious, wherein they formally accept a teacher and the like, has to agree to four basic principles. No meat eating. No gambling. No intoxication, and no illicit sex.

Friend2: Sure. Think of it like enrolling in a boarding school. Military students have to get up at a certain time of the day. The bed has to be made. They should eat a certain amount, train to develop a certain physical shape, avoid getting drunk, and the like. In the end those restrictions have no relation to doing the actual job. If you are on the battlefield, the skill is in identifying enemies, choosing the appropriate time to attack, and properly defending yourself. The time of day you woke up that morning is of little concern.

Friend1: I get it, but it is also a way of filtering out candidates.

Friend2: What do you mean?

Friend1: Someone once told me that the reason introductory biology courses in college are so large, up to five hundred students, and tough at the same time is because in the beginning a lot of people might consider a career in medicine. If the institution can weed out the pretenders through a difficult first taste of the sciences, then the students avoid a tough lesson later on.

Friend2: Therefore, you consider the restrictions for the bhakti-yoga student to be a way to find out who is serious and who is not.

Friend1: I think that the teacher doesn’t want to waste his time. They would pass on the timeless wisdom of the Vedas to every person if they could, but it is better to develop the souls who are willing to put in the effort.

Friend2: Okay. Makes sense to me.

Friend1: Here is my question for today. Suppose that you accepted a specific teacher. They are amazing. They always speak of the Supreme Lord and devotion to Him. They are tolerant and at the same time very serious. They are learned in shastra and they appear to be above the demands of the material world.

Friend2: How so?

Friend1: They do not require a lot of sleep. They are content with whatever food in the mode of goodness people offer to them. Their only focus is on spreading the message of Divine love, going to wherever they have to, taking whatever risks necessary.

Friend2: And they chant regularly?

Friend1: Yes. Constantly. Both silent japa and boisterous sankirtana.

Friend2: Cool. What is the question?

Friend1: What if you find out later on that the teacher has a minor flaw or two? As an example, they take a mild intoxicant every now and then. It is not that big a deal to me, since there appears to be a justifiable reason.

Friend2: Medicinal use?

Friend1: Yeah, sort of. It helps them to stay awake to accomplish the task of publishing.

Friend2: Oh, as in writing books on bhakti-yoga and the science of self-realization?

Friend1: Yes. Exactly. The problem is, others will point to hypocrisy. Here the teacher is demanding sobriety from the students. He rails against the problems with intoxication in the modern world. Then behind closed doors he is just as tainted.

Friend2: That would be the pessimistic outlook. People will certainly have that opinion. Look at the case of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He tried to be the ideal sannyasi, a person in the formal renounced order. Yet one time a scrutinizing person saw that Mahaprabhu was eating so much. The food was offered to Him by well-wishers, and so there was no underlying desire to eat palatable dishes. Still, the criticism was there and Mahaprabhu took it to heart.

Friend1: Others could use the blemish as an excuse to violate the principles themselves. What should I think of the whole situation?

Friend2: If it were me, I would pay homage to that intoxicant.

Friend1: Haha, what? Why?

Friend2: If it helped my guru to deliver Vedic teachings to others, to help bring them closer to their original friend, Shri Krishna, then the intoxicant plays such an important role. It becomes spiritual.

Friend1: Okay, but isn’t that a convenient excuse? Couldn’t others say the same about alcohol?

“I drink because it relaxes me, and when I’m relaxed I can better focus on Shri Krishna.”

Friend2: That is the danger in imitating the advanced souls. You asked me how I would view this, and I told you. If it were a cheater guru, a pretender, then I would have a different opinion. You should also remember that the restrictions are not made up out of nowhere.

Friend1: What do you mean?

Friend2: They descend from shastra. If you read carefully, there is the warning to avoid addiction to certain behaviors. Drinking wine, hunting animals, chasing after women, and playing dice. Brahmanas, those in the priestly order, should particularly avoid alcohol. There are so many restrictions and exceptions. It is difficult to decipher what is acceptable and what is not. For this case I would try to be understanding. See the final outcome. A mild intoxicant used on occasion is much different than getting drunk all the time. Still, some advanced souls of the past did frequently indulge in intoxication.

Friend1: That is my point. How can I decipher if this is a case of an advanced person slightly breaking the rules or someone just pretending to be advanced in order to attract followers?

Friend2: You have to judge for yourself. Shri Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita that a sadhu sometimes falls down. They slip up. The material world is a difficult place to live in, after all. If there is a genuine effort applied, to stay connected to God and serve the devotees, then those supposed indiscretions are always forgiven.

In Closing:

Spiritual master everything to me,

But once odd behavior to see.

That intoxicant using mild,

Not addicted or indulgence wild.

But what now to do?

Sign of other deviations too?

Advanced souls sometimes rules breaking,

Judge at full picture of devotion taking.

Three Strategies For Improving Data Retrieval

“Originally there was only one Veda, and there was no necessity of reading it. People were so intelligent and had such sharp memories that by once hearing from the lips of the spiritual master they would understand. They would immediately grasp the whole purport. But 5,000 years ago Vyasadeva put the Vedas in writing for the people in this age, Kali-yuga. He knew that eventually the people would be short-lived, their memories would be very poor and their intelligence would not be very sharp.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shri Ishopanishad, Introduction)

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You want to study the natural world. That is your initial inclination when trying to make sense of anything. Before accepting information from someone’s word, prior to believing one hundred percent in a particular philosophy, better to study what you can.

The main issue is that there is just so much information. Even if focusing on only one subject area, like science, there are volumes and volumes of published literature. There is so much scientific evidence to analyze, and not all of the experiments are still relevant to today. New researchers come along who disprove previously accepted assertions.

In conjunction with modern technology, one method to ease the bottleneck with data retrieval is to create a relational database management system, or RDBMS. More than just tables on a spreadsheet, there is some intelligence within the design. Data enters the system in a certain way. Extraction occurs through syntactically correct programming statements known as queries.

Within the RDBMS there are certain strategies to help find data. Nothing is perfect, and every layer adds further complexity to the import process, but at least there is some way to ask questions and get answers fast.

1. Clustered index

For all intents and purposes, this is the table. Create a clustered index and you are organizing the actual data of the table. A balanced tree, or b-tree, creates a system for accepting requests and quickly locating the data to be retrieved. Without this index, the table is known as a heap, which has one advantage in the increase in speed for large inserts.

2. Non-clustered index

Since the clustered index organizes the table, with the actual data at the leaf level of the tree, there can only be one per table. Non-clustered indexes are built upon the clustered, and so there can be many. We can think of it like the difference between the page numbers in a book and the index at the back. The page numbers deal with the actual structure of the book, while the index at the back ultimately references the page numbers.

There is the added cost in this technique of a key lookup. If I find what I am looking for in the non-clustered index, I typically have to use the clustering key, which is one or more columns defining the clustered index, to look up the other columns of data I need.

3. Statistics

These aren’t as involved as indexes, since they typically take only one page of data in the RDBMS. The benefit here is that there is information on the indexes. The statistic tied to a particular index tries to group the organized data into equally distributed buckets. This helps in optimizing the query plan.

If I have a non-clustered index on a date column, for instance, the statistic should know roughly how many records are within a particular date range. This way when the query request arrives, the optimizer can know whether to seek in a particular index or not. It may make sense to just scan the entire table if a lot of data has to be returned.

…

There is no free lunch in such a system. New data does not always arrive in a numerically increasing fashion. This means that the indexes have to constantly be rebuilt, which brings an I/O overhead. The statistics have to be accurate; otherwise the query plans will suffer.

Even with the help of modern technology, it is impossible to study every recorded observation made about the world throughout the course of known history. This is the ascending process of knowledge, and it is imperfect. The reason is that no one can ever know everything. Even if they had all the data stored, there would be issues in retrieval and subsequent analysis.

One would think students of Vedic literature would have a similar problem. Not just one book. Not just one teacher. Not just one time period. The Vedas are ever-expanding since they continue to glorify the origin of everything. He is both the beginning and without one. He is the final word and also beyond any identified end to time.

There are many works describing God the person and notable saintly people devoted to Him. Teachers like Vyasadeva could recite these works from memory. They did not need an expensive server managing indexes in order to retrieve a specific verse describing an important aspect of life. They could remember everything and repeat according to the context.

The present age of Kali negatively influences memory power. Man can’t remember as well as they used to. Proof is there in analyzing only a short duration of time, such as fifty years. Without computers and calculators, students were taught to remember much more important information. Now there is seemingly no need, since anything can be looked up in a matter of seconds on a smartphone device.

Fortunately, the entire published database of Vedic literature does not have to be held in memory. Knowing a few simple concepts is enough to reach perfection in life. In a single verse, Shri Krishna explains.

भोक्तारं यज्ञ-तपसां
सर्व-लोक-महेश्वरम्
सुहृदं सर्व-भूतानां
ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिम् ऋच्छति

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

“The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.29)

He is the enjoyer of every effort in sacrifice. He is the Supreme Lord over the entire universe and every empowered being. He is also the best friend of every living being. Such a well-wisher is the one to impress, who is easily won over through acts of devotion, such as chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Strategy for data to retrieve,

But at cost when to receive.

Indexing for system maintaining,

But not perfect for all sustaining.

Since universe always expanding,

But Vyasa and others commanding.

With verses to memory applied,

For future in books supplied.

Three Training Classes Likely No One Would Take Today

“Of all creations I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the Self, and among logicians I am the conclusive truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.32)

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सर्गाणाम् आदिर् अन्तश् च
मध्यं चैवाहम् अर्जुन
अध्यात्म-विद्या विद्यानां
वादः प्रवदताम् अहम्

sargāṇām ādir antaś ca
madhyaṁ caivāham arjuna
adhyātma-vidyā vidyānāṁ
vādaḥ pravadatām aham

You are passionate about what you do. It’s fun. There is the saying that if you enjoy your occupation then you will not work a day in your life. Sure, there are the tedious tasks. There are the clients that irritate you, the ones you wish you could reject. But getting up in the morning is not difficult. Generally, you look forward to new days and you are surprised at how quickly the time passes.

If you are really good at what you do and you have the skills necessary to articulate that passion, you might develop a training class in your spare time. Perhaps gathering a few books on the subject matter, you invite others to learn and possibly enter the same field.

Such targeted training has been around for a long time, and yet so many of those classes have little to no relevance to today’s world. A person might consult them to get an idea of a particular state in time, but they are not necessarily learning skills to put to practical use.

1. Learning Windows 95

No more relying solely on the command line. Sure, some people can type rather fast, and so they have no problem entering commands through the keyboard. But to make the personal computer really user friendly, there has to be a nice graphical user interface (GUI), where everything can be done with a point and click methodology.

Enter Windows 95. The main competitor, Apple, long before provided a user-friendly experience with the computer, but Microsoft had significant market share for its software. This means that they had a loyal following ready to dive into innovative features.

While important at the time, Windows 95 is not really relevant to anyone today. Operating systems go through a constant flow of evolution. Even the one most used at the moment is likely to become obsolete in a few years. Tremendous effort goes into developing a guide for a soon-to-be antiquated product.

2. How to start a video store franchise

Tired of working for someone else? Want to set your own hours? Sick of sitting next to someone in a crammed office? Why not start your own business? You get to hire and fire people. You set the prices. You can go on vacation at your choosing.

An even easier way to get started as an entrepreneur is to participate in the franchise model. Another entity does most of the heavy lifting. They establish name recognition. They worry about increasing market share. All you need is some capital and a physical location.

One particular type of franchise popular in times past was the video store. Here someone could teach you what is needed. The brick and mortar building. The size of the parking lot. The pricing model. The advertising. The ideal location. A training program to teach everything you need to know to get started being on your own.

The issue here is that technology has changed significantly. A few video stores are still around, but the internet has changed the way the public consumes video programming. They no longer require physical storage. They can stream content directly from their television or tablet computer.

The training program took time and effort to develop. The teachers likely participated in the franchises, and so not only is their instruction no longer relevant but they probably also moved on to a different kind of business.

3. How to repair your VCR

What did the original video store franchises keep in stock? You guessed it: videos. Known as VHS cassettes, these were the commodity to trade in. Rather than purchase a title outright, a patron could rent from the store. They had to return the VHS after a certain amount of time or face a penalty, similar to the way the public lending library works.

The cassettes played on a specific device. During that era of technology, the video player was a staple in most homes. The tapes would sometimes get stuck. There would be problems in rewinding and forwarding.

Enter the repairman. They were trained by someone. The instruction involved learning the ins and outs of the device and also the cassettes. The issue, of course, is that no one publishes content in the VHS format anymore. The DVD quickly replaced it, and while still in circulation, the digital platform is greatly reducing the reliance on physical media.

…

The same review can be conducted across a broad spectrum of subject matters, from transportation methods to techniques used in medicine. The idea is that what you are passionate about today is not guaranteed to stay relevant into the future. This is due to the nature of the material world, which is always changing.

There is a notable exception to this principle, however. When the discussion turns to the origin of all things, to the person who was around before anything manifest, then the subject matter has eternal relevance. Works like Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam are evergreen.

Shri Krishna reveals that He is the beginning, middle and end of everything. The principle is presented solely for our understanding. In truth, He has no beginning. He is both the start, adi, and also without a starting point, anadi. He is the end, anta, and also without an end, ananta.

If any effort is made towards explaining the principles of dharma and the ultimate objective of connecting with the Supreme Lord, the output remains relevant for as long as people are around to consult.

An ideal reference is Shri Hanuman. He directly connected with the Supreme Lord in the incarnation of Rama. Hanuman had the option of returning to the spiritual world with Bhagavan, but he chose to remain on earth for as long as Rama’s glories continue to be told. This outlasts any phase of societal preference, any evolution in lifestyle choices, and even the shifts in the overall climate of the world. Hanuman takes great pleasure in reliving the events of Rama’s time on earth documented in the Ramayana poem. Such potency can only exist when there is direct association with the Supreme Lord.

In Closing:

Class to give for training,

So that proper knowledge gaining.

Like Windows 95 how to use,

Or cherished VHS not to lose.

But models changing due to time,

With notable exception to find.

That Vedas and principles so,

With eternal relevance to go.