Shouldn’t Yashoda Have Weaned Krishna Off Of Breast Milk

“Just to stop the milk from spilling, mother Yashoda at once put Krishna aside and went to the oven. Left in that state by His mother, Krishna became very angry, and His lips and eyes became red in rage. He pressed His teeth and lips, and taking up a piece of stone, He immediately broke the butter pot. He took butter out of it, and with false tears in His eyes, He began to eat the butter in a secluded place.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 9)

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Friend1: Everyone immersed in the culture of Krishna-bhakti has a particular fondness for Damodara-lila.

Friend2: Which is prominently remembered during the month of Kartika, which occurs around October-November.

Friend1: Where devotees sing the Damodarashtakam in praise of Bhagavan as Lord Damodara, the one tied to the mortar by mother Yashoda.

Friend2: Which was punishment for the transgression of intentionally breaking a pot of yogurt in anger. He ran away from the mother, knowing He would be in trouble. He also fed some of the spilled product to the monkeys, His good friends in the community of Vrindavana.

Friend1: A wonderful time of the year to celebrate such a joyous pastime. I might be spoiling the party here, but I know a skeptic or curmudgeon might raise the following objection.

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: What was the starting point of that lila?

Friend2: What do you mean? Why did Yashoda bind her young child to a mortar?

Friend1: No, no. Why did Krishna break a pot of yogurt?

Friend2: Because Yashoda got up for a second to tend to something cooking in the kitchen.

Friend1: What was she in the middle of that she had to interrupt?

Friend2: Breastfeeding. You don’t know the story?

Friend1: Let’s talk about childrearing for a second. I know in the modern age things are a little different. Parents have to go to work. They likely have to leave the child by themselves for a large amount of time each day. Therefore, we get newer techniques such as “cry it out” and “let the baby sleep in their own room as soon as possible.”

Friend2: Sure, but not everyone adheres to those guidelines.

Friend1: One of the time-honored practices has been weaning the child off of breastfeeding. Sometimes, there is no choice. The mother’s production suddenly drops.

Friend2: Right, and as a person grows up they should be able to eat by themselves.

Friend1: In that light, isn’t there something wrong with the whole Krishna-Yashoda picture in that case? I get it that He asked to be breastfed. Why did Yashoda have to agree? Shouldn’t she have weaned Him off by then?

Friend2: Are you serious with this? We’re talking about Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If He asks for a full pizza pie for breakfast, any devotee would rush at the chance to feed Him. They wouldn’t think twice about the health or behavioral consequences.

Friend1: But hold on now. This is motherly affection. Yashoda is supposed to be the ideal mother. She isn’t actively aware that Krishna is Divine. Why didn’t she simply refuse His request?

Friend2: Because her love was too strong. She didn’t need to teach Him a lesson.

Friend1: Ah ha. What about tying Him to a mortar, then? Why the lesson in the second case and not the first?

Friend2: It wasn’t to teach Him a lesson. She didn’t want Him to run around and be afraid of her. Tying to the mortar was harmless. She didn’t think that would stop Him from wanting to be breastfed in the future. Devotees are willing to do anything for the Supreme Lord. They show love in the truest sense. There is no consideration of reciprocation. If the “parenting experts” of the day have a problem, big deal. Let us pray that mother Yashoda continues to have the same opportunity, that every devotee will be given such a blessing as to share their offerings with Damodara, who gladly accepts and never declines when the mood is pure.

In Closing:

Mood of sentiment considering,

When offering to Him delivering.

Lord through love only to accept,

Big or small not to reject.

With Yashoda milk from breast preferred,

To loving mother her son deserved.

Eventually to adult age reaching,

So not required strict lesson teaching.

Four Incidents That Might Dissuade A Person From The Bhakti Path

“The Haryashvas, the sons of Prajapati Daksha, were very well behaved, cultured sons, but unfortunately, because of the instructions of Narada Muni, they deviated from the order of their father. When Daksha heard this news, which was brought to him by Narada Muni, he began to lament. Although he was the father of such good sons, he had lost them all. Certainly this was lamentable.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 6.5.23)

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नाशं निशम्य पुत्राणां
नारदाच् छील-शालिनाम्
अन्वतप्यत कः शोचन्
सुप्रजस्त्वं शुचां पदम्

nāśaṁ niśamya putrāṇāṁ
nāradāc chīla-śālinām
anvatapyata kaḥ śocan
suprajastvaṁ śucāṁ padam

The punishment has a threefold effect. The first is to actually provide the offender with the appropriate consequence to their actions. This is in the eyes of the law-enforcers. Certain offenses are common to every society. Theft. Murder. Rape. Assaulting an innocent person.

The second effect is to prevent recidivism. Give the punishment but also hope for a turnaround in the future. Perhaps they will learn the error of their ways. They will avoid repeating the same offense in the future.

The third effect is to display to others the impact of following the same. If a person who illegally enters a home and takes what doesn’t belong to them gets a sufficient amount of jail-time in return, another person considering the same act will think twice:

“I don’t want to go to jail. That is not a pleasant fate. That person lost their freedom over a petty matter. They would have been better served controlling their envy and hatred. Just work to acquire the same fruits. Get an honest job. Follow the legal path.”

Problems arise when the punishers are themselves great offenders to the basic laws of humanity. This way of life is known as adharma, and those committed to it sometimes rise to the top in authority. They take aim at those following the Divine way of life, dharma, and the punishments offered could deter others from considering the same path.

1. Narada cursed

He is a great devotee of Narayana, which is one name for the personal God. Beyond an abstract that is susceptible to misinterpretation, a victim of a person’s whims, i.e. their emotions holding priority over their intellect, Narayana is a fixture that cannot be explained away through speculation. There is authority to that transcendental form, which has been displayed many times to worthy recipients.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य
ग्लानिर् भवति भारत
अभ्युत्थानम् अधर्मस्य
तदात्मानं सृजाम्य् अहम्

yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

“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)

Narada has direct access to Narayana, but he doesn’t insist on constant physical association. Narada is ready to travel to distant places to bring the news from Vaikuntha, which is the spiritual world known for its lack of anxieties.

The power of the instruction is such that a person will be turned away from the temporary. Instead of chasing after sense enjoyment in illusion, they will take seriously the option of Divine life. The age of the students is not a factor, either.

One time Narada convinced children to abandon material life and remain celibate for the purpose of advancing the consciousness. These happened to be the offspring of one of the progenitors of man, Daksha. Prajapati then cursed Narada as a result, so outraged was he at the perceived offense of speaking the science of self-realization to those with the potential to carry on the family line.

2. Prahlada tortured

Narada Muni again at work, this time there was a single person on the receiving end. The five-year old Prahlada was so dedicated to bhakti-yoga, which is another way to describe the Divine life, that he was not afraid to voice his allegiance to anyone who would ask. The boy did not consider whether the person on the other end would be favorable to the same or not.

Prahlada’s father, Hiranyakashipu, happened to be the greatest enemy to the devotees of the Lord. He took revenge on the son choosing in favor of Vishnu by offering lethal punishment. Prahlada was tortured in unspeakable ways, but he survived unscathed.

3. Sita harassed by female ogres

This situation involves physical coercion. Sita Devi was a wedded princess. She married Shri Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu, in all righteousness, dharma. The Rakshasa king named Ravana had his choice of so many other women for companionship. He had so many beautiful queens already living in the kingdom of Lanka.

Yet Lakshmi Devi is something special. In addition to exceptional physical attributes are the glowing transcendental qualities, gunas, due to her attachment to the Supreme Lord. Sita Devi exemplified that devotion in every aspect of her behavior.

Ravana wanted to punish that devotion. For refusing his advances, Sita Devi had to endure female ogres harassing her day and night. They threatened to kill and then eat her. They conjured up horror stories about Rama, who was not in the area at the time. They made the dreadful situation exponentially worse for that chaste daughter of King Janaka.

4. Haridasa Thakura punished

A pure devotee of the Supreme Lord Krishna, Haridasa’s crime was genetics. He was born as a Muslim and in the place he lived those with such a title were not permitted to show allegiance to someone considered a Hindu god. Haridasa knew the truth, that there is only one Almighty and that Krishna is the best name to describe Him.

That peaceful and nonviolent devotee did not protest when the authorities decided to reprimand through physical punishment. Though he absorbed repeated blows to his back, Haridasa Thakura was not hurt. Krishna saved Him in the same way that Prahlada in a previous time was protected.

…

The message is anything but subtle. Take to the bhakti way of life and you could get cursed like Narada Muni to never remain in one place for too long. You could be separated from those dearest to you, and even a previously loving father can turn into the greatest enemy.

Just consider how these exceptional souls did not waver. This must mean that there is something substantial to the connection. Yoga is the real thing, the perfect match for the loving propensity that can never be removed from the soul. Once found, the shelter of the Supreme Lord, Hari-sharanam, never has to be abandoned, no matter how much external forces may attempt to interfere.

In Closing:

When through punishment to interfere,

Message sent loud and clear.

That if bhakti way to choose,

So much to point of life to lose.

But still Haridasa persevered,

Accepting lashes severe.

And Narada happily wandering,

Their stories worth pondering.

What Was God Doing Prior To The Creation Of The Universe

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.4)

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सर्व-योनिषु कौन्तेय
मूर्तयः सम्भवन्ति याः
तासां ब्रह्म महद् योनिर्
अहं बीज-प्रदः पिता

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ
tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir
ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

A child is known for not being afraid to ask tough questions. They don’t have to worry about looking foolish. There is genuine inquisitiveness. Whatever may come to mind they are likely to vocalize.

On the other side, the adults typically don’t mind. They understand the mentality. They appreciate that someone is not yet jaded from life experiences. The children are not held back by awkward interaction with strangers. They are not as self-conscious; which is a good thing.

In comparison, the children see the adults as authority figures. The Sanskrit word is guru. One literal translation is heavy. The guru carries weight; they have gravitas.

Guru also refers to a personality who is generally respected. The first gurus are the parents. Mother and father. There is the seed-giver and the field on which that seed grows through proper nurturing and protection.

From the Bhagavad-gita we learn that Shri Krishna is the original seed-giver. He is the father and material nature the mother. It is in this area that the child one day poses a difficult question. They acknowledge the existence of a creator. They attribute that amazing and visionary task to a single person.

In summary, the child believes in God, but they want more details. Despite being so young, at the very least they fall into the category of “inquisitive” that is mentioned by Krishna.

चतुर्-विधा भजन्ते मां
जनाः सुकृतिनो ऽर्जुन
आर्तो जिज्ञासुर् अर्थार्थी
ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
janāḥ sukṛtino ‘rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

“O best among the Bharatas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.16)

The child wants the adult to explain what exactly God was doing prior to the creation. Such a beautiful question since it incorporates the infinite nature of time. Prior to the beginning there had to be something. After the end existence will continue.

भूत-ग्रामः स एवायं
भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते
रात्र्य्-आगमे ऽवशः पार्थ
प्रभवत्य् अहर्-आगमे

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ
bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate
rātry-āgame 'vaśaḥ pārtha
prabhavaty ahar-āgame

“Again and again the day comes, and this host of beings is active; and again the night falls, O Partha, and they are helplessly dissolved.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.19)

Depending on the particular faith followed by the person receiving the question, a satisfactory answer may not be forthcoming. The Vedic tradition, which passes off something like a science and not mere blind faith, has the authority of God’s direct words as support.

Krishna explains that time continues in both directions. Prior to the creation there was annihilation. At the end of the present cycle, a new one will begin; just as how death merely signals the beginning of a new life for the spirit soul.

But there is more. God is not an abstract. He is not a basic emotion, like love. He is a distinct individual, purusha. As the supreme proprietor He has nothing to do, and yet He is always doing something. He is also omnipresent, so He does many things simultaneously.

In the Vaikuntha realm Bhagavan is lying in rest with His close associates nearby. With every exhaling breath He creates universes. Every inhalation destroys the same. This means that the most amazing work gets accomplished through something considered involuntary or effortless.

In Goloka Vrindavana God is enjoying as Shri Krishna. No responsibilities. No strict attention to dharma. No punishing the sinners. Simply playing all the time with His friends.

In the material world He expands as the Supersoul in the heart. Through that feature He witnesses everything that is going on. The boon of the human birth is the opportunity to share in these activities. Enjoy with Him. You might even get a chance to witness a creation like Brahma did or a destruction like Markandeya Rishi did. If you are thinking of Krishna at the time of death, you go to His realm, where He is always enjoying.

In Closing:

To the creation attributed for,

But what God was doing before?

From faith-based idea unclear,

Since to infinite time looking rear.

Vedas with explanation the best,

That as Narayana lying in rest.

Cycle in both ways to move,

Through Him doubts to remove.

Three Principles The Intelligent Class Should Consider

“One should give up all other processes of self-realization and simply execute devotional service in Krishna consciousness. That will enable one to reach the highest perfection of life. There is no need for one to consider the sinful actions of his past life because the Supreme Lord fully takes charge of him. Therefore one should not futilely try to deliver himself in spiritual realization. Let everyone take shelter of the supreme omnipotent Godhead Krishna. That is the highest perfection of life.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 12.6-7 Purport)

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1. Human life is based on spiritual ground

Not the place of birth. Not the country of origin. Not the link in ancestry to a ruling family. Not the machines used in aiding the birth process. Not the cost of the vehicle of transport and not the amount of money to be later earned as a professional.

The human birth is actually not rooted in anything human, for the very classification is based on something not spiritual. The individual, the animating force inside, is of a different substance.

भूमिर् आपो ऽनलो वायुः
खं मनो बुद्धिर् एव च
अहङ्कार इतीयं मे
भिन्ना प्रकृतिर् अष्टधा

bhūmir āpo ‘nalo vāyuḥ
khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca
ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me
bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā

“Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego - altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.4)

The human form is a collection of material elements – five gross and three subtle. This is true for every living being in the manifest world.

The subtle elements are something of a ladder in the category of fineness. The entry point is mind, which is finer than any of the gross elements like earth, water and fire. Everyone acknowledges that mind exists but no one can touch it.

Finer than the mind is intelligence, and ego even more so. The spirit soul, atma, is the finest of them all, on a level equivalent to the tip of a piece of hair divided into ten-thousand parts.

This tiny fragment is what animates the body. From the ant to the elephant, everything is powered by soul inside. Thus the entire basis for existence is spirit.

2. Spirit is separate and an element superior to matter

You can’t judge by size alone. A larger television doesn’t mean a better one. The picture quality might be poorer. There may be an increased, unnecessary consumption of electricity. There may be higher maintenance costs involved.

In the same way, the subtle nature of the soul, finer than the other three subtle elements that constitute the individual, has no bearing on its potency. Though no one can see the soul, nothing can live without it. Death is defined by its absence. Nothing else has to change. The same gross elements can remain, but the subtle ones go along for the ride with the soul, who is off to another destination.

It is sometimes seen that a person endures several tragic events which leave the body severely debilitated. The person can no longer walk or move their arms properly. Yet they are just as much alive as before. This means that spirit is superior; it should be the prime focus of attention in an existence.

3. By spiritual culture only can the human society be brought into perfection

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada one time asked that these three points be raised at a congress of important and intelligent world personalities. Even before reaching the sacred shlokas of Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam, a person has a perfect entryway towards success in life through these basic principles.

Material culture has been attempted since before anyone can remember. It continues to be tried, with seemingly increasing failure linearly related to success on the other side. That is to say the more materially advanced a society becomes, the less peaceful and happy they are.

In some nations the poverty question is essentially solved. The poorest people have one or many automobiles, own their own home, enjoy air conditioning and high-speed internet. They are considered poverty stricken due to a strict comparison of net-worth values, but to the logical person there really is no issue economically.

On the other side, not only will spiritual life bring perfection in the present snapshot of time, but the best future gets simultaneously created. Feeding the needs of the soul is beneficial both today and into the future.

Upon accepting these higher principles, the next issue is how to exactly follow the spiritual culture. This is where the descending knowledge of the Vedas becomes of practical use. Know that simply enjoying like the animals, bhoga, is not the way, and neither is strict renunciation, tyaga.

A higher taste is from bhakti, which is devotion to the source of spirit. Not for any purposes of personal advancement, conducted simply for the pleasure of the object of worship there is a reciprocal benefit. The devotee becomes further inspired to continue in their service, and they become enlightened in the process. They connect in the beginning through the chanting of the holy names, and they subsequently never let go : Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

For life properly to see,

Should understand principles three.

That human life on spirit based,

All else by time erased.

And an energy superior,

To material elements inferior.

With spiritual culture to perfection brought,

Through descending tradition taught.

The Four People In The Rama Darbar Image

“Then a voice, sounding like a human being, was heard from the sky which said, ‘O king, this child is rightfully your daughter.’ Thereupon my father, the righteous King of Mithila, was greatly pleased. Obtaining me as his daughter, that ruler of men felt highly blessed and fortunate.” (Sita Devi speaking to Anasuya, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 118.31-32)

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अन्तरिक्षे च वागुक्ताऽप्रतिमाऽमानुषी किल |
एवमेतन्नरपते धर्मेण तनया तव ||

ततः प्रहृष्टो धर्मात्मा पिता मे मिथिलाधिपः |
अवाप्तो विपुलां बुद्धिं मामवाप्य नराधिपः ||

antarikṣe ca vāguktā'pratimā'mānuṣī kila |
evametannarapate dharmeṇa tanayā tava ||
tataḥ prahṛṣṭo dharmātmā pitā me mithilādhipaḥ |
avāpto vipulāṃ buddhiṃ māmavāpya narādhipaḥ ||

Sometimes the entire family of brothers is included, but usually the worshipable image has the same group of four. The picture is transcendental, meaning whether on paper, canvas, or in statue form worshiped in the temple, the effect of contact is the same.

The depiction is not based off imagination. These are historical personalities described in great detail in the sacred texts known as the Vedas and their derivative works, like the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas.

1. Sita Devi

Going from right to left, first there is the daughter of King Janaka. He found her one day while preparing a field for a yajna, which is religious sacrifice. The famously dispassionate ruler of Videha was overwhelmed with joy upon finding this baby girl. He named her Sita due to the origins of her arrival into the family.

She is worshipable due to both her pious qualities and her association to the Divine realm. Sita is the same goddess of fortune, Lakshmi Devi, who resides eternally by the side of Narayana, who is the Supreme Lord.

In the Rama Darbar image, she is in her preferred and suitable place, next to her husband. She serves purely; no outside motivation. Whether Rama is the prince of Ayodhya or a penniless mendicant roaming the forests, Janaka's daughter remains by His side, dutifully serving. She is capable of showering endless blessings upon those dear to her husband.

2. Shri Rama

Next to Sita is her husband, who is the same Narayana from the spiritual world. Just as the ocean gave away Lakshmi in marriage to Vishnu and as the mountain king offered Uma to Mahadeva, Janaka arranged for the marriage of his daughter with the only suitable match, the lone person to lift the amazingly heavy bow of Lord Shiva in the great contest.

Rama is not the only form of God, but the image helps to give a clearer understanding of someone who is beyond the bounds of material qualities, gunas. He carries a bow in His hand to symbolize His commitment to defending the sadhus, who are the saintly people representing Him on earth.

He is a hero in the truest sense, having the most ability but never boasting about His accomplishments. He speaks as much as necessary, allowing His example to set the standard for others to follow. He is the delight of mother Kausalya and the object of endless contemplation and appreciation by saints like Valmiki and Tulsidas.

3. Shri Lakshmana

Shri Rama has three younger brothers in Ayodhya. They are also sons to King Dasharatha, but Lakshmana is the one closest in terms of association. This son of Queen Sumitra cannot tolerate any injustice perpetrated against Rama. He forgoes food and sleep in order to see to Rama’s comfort. He is something like the best bodyguard, unfailing in his defense of righteous principles.

4. Shri Hanuman

Likely the most amazing aspect of the image is the inclusion of someone outside the human species. Hanuman is a Vanara by birth, which is something like a forest-dwelling monkey. He is a fearless, capable, magnanimous and dedicated servant. He requires only a single meeting with Rama to voluntarily enlist in pure devotional service. Sita and Rama cannot find a way to sufficiently repay him for his bravery and sacrifice, and so he is honored eternally through association.

…

The Rama Darbar is one of many worshipable images descending from the Vedic tradition. All aspects of God and His principal energies are represented. There is the transcendental effect of lack of exhaustion. The meaning is that a person can meditate on this image every single day, for year after year, and never be bored. As the time spent in the Divine shelter increases, the more they appreciate the objects of worship, who are endlessly benevolent in their reciprocation.

In Closing:

When Rama Darbar found,

Eyes to it immediately bound.

Daughter of Janaka starting on the right,

Husband with bow a beautiful sight.

Lakshmana the dutiful brother,

Hanuman a servant like no other.

Worship today and in future endlessly so,

Knowledge, dispassion and love to grow.

Three Common Causes Of Delusion

“O scion of Bharata [Arjuna], O conqueror of the foe, all living entities are born into delusion, overcome by the dualities of desire and hate.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.27)

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इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत।
सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप।।

icchādveṣasamutthena dvandvamohena bhārata।
sarvabhūtāni saṃmohaṃ sarge yānti parantapa।।

“Surrender unto the Supreme Lord. Immediately become absolved of sin. Guarantee the best destination in the afterlife. Suffer no more. Be eternally happy in the shelter of the Divine.”

These are the boilerplate recommendations forwarded by proponents of genuine religion, but what exactly is the harm in not following? Does not every person share the identical fate of death? Is not everyone suffering through the same hellish life experienced at present?

Goswami Tulsidas lists different areas where people get burned. The common theme is the lack of association with the Supreme Lord. That is to say the life in maya is one of illusion, and eventually the false setting dissipates, bringing a hard crash back to the real thing.

1. Anger

There is something called “anger management” for a reason. Toss that golf club into the pond out of frustration. Break the tennis racket that led you to victory so many times in the past. Punch that person in the face, drive dangerously close to the car in front of you, spout off at the boss, and so on.

These are regrettable incidents after the fact. Yet who hasn’t been burned by anger, no matter how much they tried to control their emotions? Who won’t be vulnerable to the same moving forward, as the raging fire of personal desire never seems to be fully under control?

2. Wealth

Earn a significant amount of money and all problems will be solved. At last the ability to live in peace. No more having to worry about meeting life’s necessities.

The problem is that it is easy to lose one’s grounding through such an ascent. Others will become envious. Suddenly, no more friends around. Family members feel like you owe them some financial assistance. After all, you can now “afford” it.

Because of the increasing bank balance, you think you are better than others, that somehow you have excelled in an area where they have failed. Their dismay is merely a case of sour grapes, you tell yourself. Meanwhile, you don’t notice until it is too late that in gaining so much you have lost nearly everything.

3. Greed

The aforementioned situation may have been the result of excessive desire, but here you already have everything going for you. Yet you hanker for more. If it doesn’t arrive, the lack of success is seen as a great failure. Lament the situation, not realizing that further progress will only lead to the same situation of restlessness.

…

Shri Krishna concurs with the saint’s opinion that every person is vulnerable to such delusion. In fact, they are born into it. The dualities are desire and hate, or aversion. I want something today. Tomorrow I can’t wait to get rid of it.

Tulsidas gives the solution: surrender unto the Supreme Lord. God is the only cure. There is no embarrassment in approaching Him. Every person is suffering. No one can say that they have never been the victim of illusion. Maya is God’s energy; she works at His direction.

Only He can dispel the illusion. Those fortunate souls who awake into the reality realize what they have been missing for so long. They are kind enough to share it with others, who are eligible to interact through something as simple as sound: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Who by anger never been burned,

Or for beyond excess yearned?

No embarrassment in approach taking,

When after proper assessment making.

Those raging fires to douse,

When living in devotion’s house.

For everyone possible the same,

Simple like chanting holy name.

Four Things A Child Might Do During Recess

“Prahlada Maharaja, who was truly the supreme learned person, then addressed his class friends in very sweet language. Smiling, he began to teach them about the uselessness of the materialistic way of life. Being very kind to them, he instructed them as follows.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.55)

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अथ ताञ् श्लक्ष्णया वाचा
प्रत्याहूय महा-बुधः
उवाच विद्वांस् तन्-निष्ठां
कृपया प्रहसन्न् इव

atha tāñ ślakṣṇayā vācā
pratyāhūya mahā-budhaḥ
uvāca vidvāṁs tan-niṣṭhāṁ
kṛpayā prahasann iva

The school is publicly funded, after all. This means that there is competition for the limited amount of dollars arriving from the outside. Each group has their particular interest. The teachers would like higher salaries. The athletic director wants more resources allocated for the popular sports. The principal would love some renovation to be done to the building.

One area which might be sacrificed is recess. Is that specific period during the day necessary? Do the children derive any significant benefit? The other side says that the break is vital for good health. Children have more energy than the adults, and so they need a way to release it. Sitting in a classroom all day is not ideal for them.

1. Swing on the monkey bars

Go from one end to the other using only the strength of your arms. You don’t necessarily have to do a pull up, which requires enough strength to lift the entire weight of your body. Simply travel from one end to the other, alternating which hand is used to keep the body off the ground. Some children get across rather quickly, while others can’t hold themselves up for even a second.

2. Eat lunch

The recess period coincides with lunch. One option during this time is to simply sit and eat. Relax. Enjoy what the parents have packed for the day. If the items in the bag are not to their liking, trade with other students. Maybe have some fun and play “pass-around,” stealing another child’s lunch and not letting them touch it.

“While passing through the forest, one boy stole another boy's lunch package and passed it to a third. And when the boy whose lunch package was stolen came to know of it, he tried to take it back. But one threw it to another boy. This sportive playing went on amongst the boys as childhood pastimes.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 12)

A similar pastime is described in the Shrimad Bhagavatam . The fun takes place in the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna. The participants and victims are His friends. They live in the farm community of Gokula, and the food packed by the mothers is of the highest quality. They enjoy lunch during the day of tending to the calves on the beautiful fields.

3. Run on the fields

Just as Krishna and His friends did during childhood, recess is a great opportunity to run from here to there. The children don’t have to come up with a game, either. A ball is not a strict requirement. Simply go from place to place. Run in circles. Race each other to a specific destination. This activity can be so much fun that the children have to be called multiple times to return to class once the recess time expires, in the same way that mother Yashoda would call Krishna to return home at the end of the day.

4. Speak on the glories of Bhagavan

Another story documented in Shrimad Bhagavatam, we see a five-year old child use the opportunity of the recess period to speak on the glories of the Supreme Lord. He is fully equipped to do so after having heard from Narada Muni, the saint who travels the three worlds and sings the name of Narayana, which describes God in His feature as the origin of people.

You would be surprised to know that the other children made a receptive audience. They did not discount Prahlada’s words offhand as childish or unnecessary. They did not run off here and there, thinking that the time would be better spent in play.

The model is suited for people of every age group. The adult working hard at the office will likely get a brief period of rest during the day. In many countries this is mandated by law. The lunch break can be a great opportunity to hear of the same glories, which are disseminated in many forms, such as books, recorded lectures, and songs.

The benefit is the same: progress towards enlightenment. The teacher simply forwards what they have heard. If children of Daityas, which is a race known to be atheistic and against the principles of dharma, can prove to be receptive and attentive, then even the person today struggling in the ocean of nescience has a chance to revive their dormant consciousness of God.

In Closing:

A chance now to revive,

In bhakti to come alive.

Just as Prahlada teaching,

Friends during recess reaching.

So the ears now can hear,

Doubts over existence to clear.

The most of this birth making,

Opportunity for real yoga taking.