Three Decorations On Krishna’s Body In Vrindavana

“When Krishna, Balarama and Their friends entered the village of Vrindavana, They played Their flutes, and the boys praised Their uncommon activities in the forest. Their faces were decorated with tilaka and smeared with the dust raised by the cows, and Krishna's head was decorated with a peacock feather.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 15)

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All was now right again. The danger posed by Dhenukasura and his friends was no more. The cowherd boys could safely enter the forest area of Talavana and enjoy the fruits whose aroma had enticed them for so long.

Krishna and His elder brother Balarama were of uncommon activities. They were around the same age as their friends, but their strength extended beyond the material creation. Just as the tiny spirit soul can power an intelligent human being and a large elephant, so the potency in the origin of spirit is not limited to any perceived frame appearing like an ordinary form.

Upon returning home, everyone was happy to see the brothers again. A moment in their absence felt like an eternity. From a distance the decorations on Krishna’s body indicated His presence, which gives auspiciousness to objects otherwise considered ordinary.

1. Tilaka

If you come upon an English translation of this Sanskrit word, you might hear “religious mark” or “sect mark.” The connotation is faith or religion. The idea is that you distinguish yourself from followers of other faiths. Those belonging to different camps, ideologies, beliefs or what have you, perhaps wear something different on the forehead.

This tilaka mark actually symbolizes the lotus footprint of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Accepting the mark on the head is something like a reminder of the service mentality. The devotee serves the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, and even there indirectly. They serve the servant of the servant, who is so dear to Bhagavan.

नाहं विप्रो न च नर-पतिर् नापि वैश्यो न शूद्रो
नाहं वर्णी न च गृह-पतिर् नो वनस्थो यतिर् वा
किन्तु प्रोद्यन्-निखिल-परमानन्द-पूर्नामृताब्धेर्
गोपी-भर्तुः पद-कमलयोर् दास-दासानुदासः

nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir nāpi vaiśyo na śūdro
nāhaṁ varṇī na ca gṛha-patir no vanastho yatir vā
kintu prodyan-nikhila-paramānanda-pūrnāmṛtābdher
gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ

“I am not a brahmana, I am not a kshatriya, I am not a vaishya or a shudra. Nor am I a brahmachari, a householder, a vanaprastha or a sannyasi. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Shri Krishna, the maintainer of the gopis. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance.” (Lord Chaitanya, Padyavali (74) quoted from Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 13.80)

Shri Krishna is God Himself, but the tilaka decoration indicates the piety in the people of Vrindavana. The people were worshipers of Vishnu, which is as far as their conception of God went. Vishnu is the personal side, so it is no wonder that as a reward for such allegiance the same Vishnu arrived in their community as the adorable Shri Krishna.

2. The dust raised by cows

We bathe on a daily basis to get rid of excess dust. The vacuum cleaner exists for this reason. It is said that cleanliness is next to godliness. Two youths playing in the fields the entire day are sure to get dirty along the way.

Yet the dust from the cows is different. Those animals are very dear to Krishna and so what they leave behind is considered auspicious. Even more so in this situation, they were protected by Krishna and Balarama and thus happy to fill their bags with milk.

3. The peacock feather

Goswami Tulsidas remarks that the peacock is not known for its good qualities. It is generally cowardly, but ever since it became associated with Krishna it went by the name “mora.” This word also means “mine,” and the double-meaning is not accidental.

तनु बिचित्र कायर बचन अहि अहार मन घोर |
तुलसी हरि भए पच्धर ताते कह सब मोर ||

tanu bicitra kāyara bacana ahi ahāra mana ghora |
tulasī hari bhae pacdhara tāte kaha saba mora ||

“The peacock has a strange body, speaks in a cowardly way, eats snakes for food, and has a ghastly mind. Tulsi says that Shri Hari still uses its feathers to adorn the head, and therefore everyone now says, ‘mine.’” (Dohavali, 107)

One look at a peacock feather can remind a person of the darling of mother Yashoda. He wears the peacock feather in His hair and people are able to more quickly notice His presence in the distance. That single image relieves the suffering borne of separation, which can also be cured through chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Shri Krishna in distance to see,

Recognized by decorations three.

The tilaka mark for Vishnu praised,

Dust from sacred cows raised.

And peacock feather on the head,

By Him to liberation led.

Even from afar the separation curing,

Also through maha-mantra assuring.

Three Instances Of Auspicious Defeat In Devotion

“The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.12)

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युक्तः कर्म-फलं त्यक्त्वा
शान्तिम् आप्नोति नैष्ठिकीम्
अयुक्तः काम-कारेण
फले सक्तो निबध्यते

yuktaḥ karma-phalaṁ tyaktvā
śāntim āpnoti naiṣṭhikīm
ayuktaḥ kāma-kāreṇa
phale sakto nibadhyate

The duality featured in material life means that no matter the outcome, there will be some misery experienced. Moreover, no situation is universally auspicious. A simple example is rainfall. In a certain part of the world, the majority of the rainfall for the year occurs within two months. Everything necessary to eat arrives in a short span of time. Needless to say, this portion of the calendar is critical for the fields and the expected yield for the landowners.

Simultaneously, someone else dreads those two months. They curse at the skies.

“Why do you hate me, God? I hate this constant humidity. I want to be outside and enjoy nature. I want to play sports. Instead, I have to time these amazing downpours. In some places the power cuts out intermittently, making life at home rather difficult.”

While in material life there is a constant sort of calculation in terms of profit for the purpose of sense enjoyment, the person engaged in pure devotional service is satisfied with any outcome. From the history documented in Vedic literature we have many instances of supposed failure yielding an auspicious end.

1. Jatayu against Ravana

He was a friend of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. Now that late leader’s daughter-in-law was in trouble. Jatayu saw what was happening and decided to intervene. A vulture who could power through the sky, the odds were against him since the perpetrator had ten heads and twenty arms.

The aerial car known as Pushpaka was en-route to returning Ravana to his home in Lanka. He had a passenger with him. Sita Devi, the princess of Videha, was taken against her will. She was already happily married and wanted nothing to do with Ravana or any man other than her husband.

Jatayu tried his best to stop Ravana but in the end suffered defeat. The wounds were mortal, but that supposed loss turned into the greatest gain of seeing the Supreme Lord at the time of death. Shri Rama, the husband of Sita, happened to find Jatayu just as the bird was about to quit his body.

2. Bhishma in the Bharata War

The ways of family infighting and politics are tricky. Sometimes it is not clear where to stand, for which side to choose. Shri Krishna had a dilemma once when His elder brother Balarama was in the midst of a heated quarrel with Rukmi. This happened to be the brother of Rukmini Devi, the principal queen in Dvaraka. Krishna had to choose between His own brother and the brother of His beloved wife. In the end, He remained silent.

Bhishma fought for the side of the Kauravas in the battle of Kurukshetra. He remained a loyal devotee to the Supreme Lord, though. Thus when he lay on the battlefield filled with arrows and ready to depart for the next world, that defeat turned into the greatest gain. He meditated on the form of Narayana while travelling to the next destination.

3. Arjuna protecting Krishna’s queens

Imagine being the best at something, recognized by your peers and admirers alike. You can defeat the best of them and you are on top of the world for a long time. Then one day the skills diminish. You can no longer take on someone half your size. There is dishonor in a sense, which is a tough pill to swallow after having been honored for so long.

अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि
कथयिष्यन्ति ते ऽव्ययाम्
सम्भावितस्य चाकीर्तिर्
मरणाद् अतिरिच्यते

akīrtiṁ cāpi bhūtāni
kathayiṣyanti te 'vyayām
sambhāvitasya cākīrtir
maraṇād atiricyate

“People will always speak of your infamy, and for one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.34)

Arjuna had the amazing distinction of leading his side to victory in one of the greatest military conflicts the world has ever seen. He was well-respected for his marksmanship. He fought courageously and never met defeat.

That is until sometime later. After the well-wisher, Shri Krishna, had departed for the spiritual world, Arjuna was in charge of protecting the queens left behind. He failed in that responsibility. A group of bandits defeated him. That same ability was no longer there. In truth, it was Krishna behind the strength the entire time.

Yet even that defeat was auspicious since it reminded Arjuna of Govinda, the one who gives pleasure to the senses. Only in devotional service are the dualities of material existence removed. Honor, dishonor, fame, infamy, pride, shame and other pairs of opposite conditions have no relevance on the final destination, which is guaranteed through a pure consciousness further strengthened by the constant chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Jatayu against Ravana defeat,

Arjuna later failure to meet.

Bhishma on battlefield fallen,

But Krishna through meditation calling.

Meaning that auspiciousness still,

Despite arrows the body to fill.

Not like on profit calculation stress,

Because Lord devotion to bless.

Three Examples Of Entanglement In Profit Calculation

“In Krishna consciousness, there is no duality. All that exists is a product of Krishna's energy, and Krishna is all good. Therefore, activities in Krishna consciousness are on the absolute plane; they are transcendental and have no material effect. One is, therefore, filled with peace in Krishna consciousness. One who is, however, entangled in profit calculation for sense gratification cannot have that peace.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 5.12 Purport)

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His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada says that one of the benefits of following Krishna consciousness is that there is no anxiety in the purpose. Any outcome ends up being beneficial.

Shri Hanuman always thought of the Supreme Lord Rama throughout the time spent in Lanka looking for Sita Devi, the goddess of fortune. Arjuna was in pure consciousness of Bhagavan for the entire duration of the great war on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Bhishma was on the opposing side, ready to quit his body from flesh wounds inflicted by the opposition, but he was the greatest winner in thinking of Narayana at the time of death.

This is one way to understand the lack of duality in spiritual life. On the other side, no matter the outcome, there is little chance of peace. This is due to the attention paid to profit calculation related to gratification of the senses.

1. Clipping coupons

You recently had ice cream from a store that opened up only a few weeks ago. Rather impressed by the quality, you describe the visit to one of your relatives. Their response surprises you.

“You went on a Wednesday night? On Tuesdays they have a two for one. Yes, you need a coupon but I could have given it to you. What were you thinking? You wasted so much money.”

You then feel bad for having missed out; at least that’s the assessment from the other side. The next week you dutifully bring the coupon with you on a Tuesday night. Upon approaching the establishment, you are surprised to see the massive line to get inside. There are people all the way into the parking lot.

You can’t turn back now. After all, there is the coupon that must be used. You will be saving money, and friends and family will be impressed. So you wait on line for an hour until you finally get the ice cream. You can’t help but think that the previous week’s experience was more enjoyable, where there wasn’t the added pressure from trying to save a few bucks.

2. Retirement investing

At this new job you finally earn a sufficient amount to be able to save. Since you live in a high-tax state, financial advisors say that one of the best ways to save money is to max out the contributions to the retirement plan. These are exempt from state and federal taxes, technically deferred, and there is the added bonus of the employer match, i.e. free money. Even if you should happen to withdraw early later on and face the penalty, the money contributed by the employer more than makes up for it.

The issue is that you can’t decide on the proper allocation. The investment choices aren’t great. One of them is very low in fee because it is a mutual fund that tracks an index of stocks. This is known as passive investing. You are tempted to put everything into that fund, but then you notice that in certain ten-year periods of the past the annual rate of return was actually negative.

Look at past performance, but how can anyone guess the future? You research to the point of exhaustion. At one point you are ready to scrap the entire idea and just put the money in a savings account instead. After all, there is every chance that you get the investment allocation wrong and end up not having as much as you could have in retirement.

3. Long-haul flights

You are visiting family members living in a country many thousands of miles away; across the world in fact. Your usual choice is to find a flight that goes direct; no stops in between. There is only one airline that does this, and they are not viewed too favorably. The food is subpar, the cleanliness leaves a lot to be desired, and the service isn’t great.

Yet you have made this trip several times and tolerated the difficulties just fine. You rather enjoyed the journey; a nice change from the daily routine. But this next trip is a group one; friends and family accompanying.

One friend says that they have the best deal. Free flights for everyone involved, because of points accumulated from purchases on a credit card. Who can beat free? This seems like the best deal in the world.

The problem is that the journey is rather extended. Several stops, adding many hours to the total travel time. When you finally reach the destination, you swear to never put yourself in that situation again.

“I will gladly pay the full fare next time. I am not going to torture myself to save a few bucks. My health is more important.”

…

In these hypothetical scenarios there is validity on each side. Why waste money on food? Why not try to get the best return on an investment? Why pay extra money for something that can be received for free?

The material world operates in this way, as what is good for one person may not be so for another. Rain hampers the commute to the office but greatly aids the farmer seeking a bountiful yield at harvest time. Winter removes the opportunity for spending time outside, but the brutal heat of the summer can take its toll.

यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र
सर्वं च मयि पश्यति
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि
स च मे न प्रणश्यति

yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra
sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati
tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi
sa ca me na praṇaśyati

“For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.30)

With devotion to the Supreme Lord, any and every effort pays a benefit. Even if I should forget the all-attractive one at some time in the future, He will always remember me. If somehow I can keep Him in the consciousness, He will never be lost to me and neither will I to Him.

In Closing:

With profit calculation a risk,

That better opportunity to miss.

That investments allocated wrong,

Cheaper flight from points but long.

Soon that time wondering where went,

Better if on contemplation spent.

With Supreme Lord who everywhere within,

Close by and even never lost to Him.

What Does It Mean To Quote Authority

“O Krishna, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 1.43)

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उत्सन्न-कुल-धर्माणां
मनुष्याणां जनार्दन
नरके नियतं वासो
भवतीत्य् अनुशुश्रुम

utsanna-kula-dharmāṇāṁ
manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana
narake niyataṁ vāso
bhavatīty anuśuśruma

Friend1: I have heard that it is not wise to mentally speculate. Better to take lessons on the highest subject matter from the descending process. Something like a waterfall bringing down the information from up top.

Friend2: The idea is that there is a limitation in terms of mental capacity. My speculation can only take me so far. I can’t go beyond infinity, which is an integral aspect to the concept of God.

Friend1: You mean like traveling to the beginning of the creation and prior to that?

Friend2: I have referenced this scenario before. Suppose someone comes to you with proof of what took place at the time of creation.

Friend1: What kind of proof?

Friend2: Visual evidence. A camera recording.

Friend1: But that technology wasn’t around then.

Friend2: Suppose that it was. There is this recording of the creation taking place.

Friend1: Alright. Cool. It shows the planets, the stars, and the different chemical reactions? Are we confirming the information presented in Shrimad Bhagavatam?

Friend2: Sure. You get the visual evidence. The problem is that there is no way to prove that the time period being shown is actually the beginning. There had to be something prior. That is the meaning to infinity in respect to time.

Friend1: What about moving forward?

Friend2: Take the situation of meeting God. He shows Himself to you. Visual evidence. No more doubt.

Friend1: Nice.

Friend2: The issue is that for a person to be God, they have to be beyond birth and death. So this individual in front of me has to prove that they will never die.

Friend1: Shouldn’t be a problem.

Friend2: Actually, it is.

Friend1: Oh?

Friend2: If I have to eventually pass on, I will not know what takes place after my departure. Meanwhile, there is no amount of time sufficient for establishing an infinite existence. The purported God could be standing in front of me for a thousand years. That is quite remarkable, but it alone doesn’t prove deathlessness.

Friend1: I see. So it’s kind of impossible.

Friend2: Which is why the descending process is the only way. Take the information from authority. This does not apply only to the information accepted.

Friend1: What do you mean?

Friend2: Proper etiquette is to reference authority when making inquiries. Arjuna followed this model in his famous conversation with Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Friend1: But wasn’t he acting on a whim in dropping the weapons prior to the war at Kurukshetra?

Friend2: He used references to shastra and Vedic authorities to support his position. One claim was that people who destroy family traditions suffer in hell in the future. By killing so many leaders on the other side, the rival party known as the Kauravas, Arjuna would be indirectly responsible for ending traditions within the family.

Friend1: That is a clever way to justify your position. Because there is a hint of truth.

Friend2: The Sanskrit word is sushruma. He heard from others. He wanted to give support to his claim, to let Krishna know that these weren’t just wild thoughts.

Friend1: Interesting. It’s almost like a philosophical debate where both sides have the same reference material.

Friend2: There you go. In your challenges you should use the best arguments that you can come up with. That’s what makes the resolution even more special. Arjuna asked the most appropriate questions to Krishna, but in a friendly spirit. The Supreme Lord settled the doubts by also quoting from authority, even though He is the origin of the Vedas.

In Closing:

Beginning of time and prior,

But infinity before that to transpire.

And future going the same way,

Who definitely the end can say?

For when on God and higher topics to land,

Needing more than speculation to understand.

Authority consult and in questions apply,

Teacher even God on same source to rely.

Three Successful Endeavors Which Don’t Yield A Lasting Profit

“We see materialistic persons busily engaged in economic development all day and all night, trying to increase their material opulence, but even if we suppose that they get some benefit from such endeavors, that does not solve the real problem of their lives. Nor do they know what the real problem of life is. This is due to a lack of spiritual education.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.6.4 Purport)

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The Sanskrit word is artha. This means “profit” or “interest.” The idea is that someone works to fulfill a specific desire. They want the effort to be saphala, or with fruit. Why waste time? Why go to so much trouble only to see failure? It would be something like taking a shower in the morning and then putting on the dirty clothes that were worn yesterday immediately after.

Prahlada Maharaja says that artha in the sense of the material world is not a very good use of time. There is the illusion of progress, as there is no real benefit gained.

1. Becoming the greatest champion in a particular sport

These two players were the best for so long. They set the standard. They each had their preferred event, which they dominated year after year. The debate as to the greatest of all-time always involved only them. If one player won a major championship, they were deemed to be ahead in the race to the finish.

Then almost out of nowhere, this other player emerged. Not only did he start winning titles, but his head-to-head record turned in his favor against both of the main rivals. He looks to be on pace to surpass everyone.

In truth, one day he will be exceeded by someone else. That is nature’s way, after all. Today’s champion is tomorrow’s hard-luck loser. You may have dominated in a particular arena in the past, but today you struggled so much that even when the match looks to be in your favor, you find a way to squander the opportunity of assured victory.

2. Launching groundbreaking software

There is the original project plan that everyone now gets a chuckle out of reading. Nothing went according to schedule. Delays. Rewrites. Changes in personnel. A new management company. An ever-changing dynamic.

Yet the firm finally did it. They reached the finish line of a product release. And it made a significant impact. The company’s profits soared in the immediate aftermath. The CEO was handsomely rewarded with stock options and bonus pay.

While there was success, the comfort didn’t last very long. Competitors saw an opportunity to enter that particular market. Now your software has to keep up. It needs to be rewritten to match the growing demands of the consumer. The initial effort, which was exhaustive, yielded little long-term benefit.

3. Building that dream house

You found the right location. A good price. As it wasn’t built already, you had complete input into the design. You considered every need, both for the present and what might arrive in the future. An example of the foresight, you decided to install central air conditioning. A wise decision to be made at the beginning, for later on the process would be more difficult.

Despite this wonderful house to live in, the occupants are not happy. They generally do not get along with one another. They have plenty of room for themselves, but they would like more. They want a separate bathroom entirely reserved for them. They take up a large portion of the basement area for what they call their “studio.”

So much infighting that you wish to go back to the previous time. When there was a tiny apartment and no one had a sense of ownership, the various members of the family got along. As soon as this bigger place was built everyone seemed to mark their territory.

…

Rather than see the benefits of success erased quickly thereafter, the option advised by saints like Prahlada Maharaja is to choose Krishna consciousness. Take the same spirit of endeavor and turn it towards the Divine. Go in His direction and the progress will never be erased.

For instance, if I decide to make a routine of chanting the holy names, my consciousness will only continue to be purified: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. It is not like an investment where one day the principal gets returned with some interest, with the investor left to search for their next venture.

I can continue to chant this sacred mantra for the rest of my life. I can engage in basic worship in the home. A humble process creates a large result that cannot be matched by any other area of life. Prahlada wanted his friends in school to have this great advantage. Despite being born as Daityas, who are prone towards atheism, they had the opportunity of the human birth for fulfilling life’s mission.

In Closing:

My room now too small,

Needing space wider and ceiling tall.

Last year the championship I won,

But now success difficult to come.

Hard-earned profits from software release,

But now competition only to increase.

Prahlada thus on bhakti course advising,

Real profit when atma-jnana realizing.

The Five Steps On The Scale Of Subtle Elements

“The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.42)

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इन्द्रियाणि पराण्य् आहुर्
इन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः
मनसस् तु परा बुद्धिर्
|यो बुद्धेः परतस् तु सः

indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
manasas tu parā buddhir
yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ

One of the first teachings presented in the Vedanta school of spirituality is the difference between body and spirit. This is at the foundation, the primary building block. Without such knowledge, any type of subsequent allegiance will be based in faith only. Intelligence is used for discriminating between different substances and situations, which in turn influences the style of living.

The distinction is not difficult to understand, especially when considering the events of birth and death. The two bookends of a duration known as a lifetime, first there is the acceptance of the body. Later on the same gets rejected.

That body is generally visible. Even within the womb there is development. What may not be known through perception is the idea of a subtle side. These are elements of the material world in the same way that the body comes together, but they can only be realized through associated perception, i.e. from the influence on external objects.

1. The working senses

The analysis is not based on mental speculation. After all, anyone can say anything. Each person’s guess is as valid as the next person’s. Shri Krishna highlights the distinctions in His famous conversation to the bow-warrior named Arjuna. He provides the list of material elements:

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 difference between gross and subtle is based on fineness. For instance, while still a gross element, air is finer than earth. We can’t see air, but we know that it is there based on the impact to objects that are gross in nature. The material body, i.e. the temporary residence of the individual, is an ideal example of a gross object.

At the individual level, the subtle nature begins with the working senses. These are finer than dull matter. They cannot be seen, but we know they are there. Without senses, interaction is not possible. The words spoken at the moment could not be heard. The written text could not be read. The change of clothes could not be felt, and so on.

2. The mind

Increase the degree of subtleness, and you next reach the mind. Everyone knows that it exists, though it cannot be seen. The mind is something like the processing engine in what is the body machine. The mind gathers information, stores it appropriately, and then retrieves it when necessary. If a person says that their brain is not working too well on a particular day, it means that the ability of the mind has been temporarily diminished.

3. The intelligence

This element is not as easy to identify. After all, does not the brain do everything? Is not the mind tied to the brain? What is this higher entity known as the intelligence?

We can consider the situation of driving on the road, while listening to music and talking on the phone. The mind continues to process information. After all, a person would never know to stop at a red light or make the appropriate turn if the mind were not in the “on” position.

At the same time, there is a higher force in the background. That is the intelligence. The mind can say to do something, but the intelligence can overrule the decision. My senses draw me towards that doughnut resting on the kitchen table. My mind makes excuses as to why having a doughnut will not be that harmful. But my intelligence steps in to stop the activity, acting off superior information.

Another example is the child knowing to suck the breast of the mother after birth. There is no training in this process. The mind does not gather information and then make a rational decision. The practice is instinct, which proves the existence of a higher force, i.e. the intelligence.

4. The ego

Known as ahankara in Sanskrit, this is what identifies a person. The resultant words are “I am.” The ego can be false or real. In the temporary land of duality, the illusory energy known as maya tricks me into choosing the false version. I take identity from the temporary body covering me. This is nothing more than a collection of material elements, gross and subtle.

5. The soul

Finer than the ego is the soul. It is said that if you take the tip of a piece of hair and divide it into ten thousand parts, one of those parts is comparable to the size of the soul. Yet this fragment is everything. It is what determines the presence of the other elements. That is to say without a soul inside, there is no ego, mind, intelligence or senses. The subtle body accompanies the soul to the next gross body after death.

शरीरं यद् अवाप्नोति
यच् चाप्य् उत्क्रामतीश्वरः
गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति
वायुर् गन्धान् इवाशयात्

śarīraṁ yad avāpnoti
yac cāpy utkrāmatīśvaraḥ
gṛhītvaitāni saṁyāti
vāyur gandhān ivāśayāt

“The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.8)

The finest substance happens to be the most potent. Spirit, or atma, is part of the superior energy of the Divine. We are like a sample of God, while He is the entire thing. He is the powerhouse, the energetic, while we are the energy. The gross and subtle elements are just more of His energies, the inferior variety.

The aim of Vedanta study is to realize this soul. Not just acknowledge its presence and superiority, but come to a firm understanding of how it interacts with the world around it. The higher objective is to turn the ego towards the real side, wherein I identify always as spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord.

In Closing:

Just because not easily to see,

Disqualified existence to be.

Vedanta with concept fine,

Elements like senses and mind.

With each step finer to go,

Until finally essence to know.

Spirit soul, my identity true,

Sample of God, the powerhouse who.

Four Case Studies For Understanding Worship Of Vishnu

“In the Padma Purana Lord Shiva explains to his wife, Parvati, the goddess Durga, that the highest goal of life is to satisfy Lord Vishnu, who can be satisfied only when His servant is satisfied.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.10.6 Purport)

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The acharya has a project for you. Rather than have them speak for an hour or so, hoping that the people in attendance are paying attention, they want others to think for themselves. Let them reach the proper conclusion through deliberation, question and answer, and applied theory.

The assignment for today goes something like this:

“We have four different situations. They are relatable to your average adult. This is not like trying to imagine what it is like to be a billionaire or the leader of the free world. Take the student, the employee and the citizen. For each case tell me what makes someone excel. In other words, how do we tell what is appropriate or satisfactory for each situation.”

1. A good student

The host of the popular radio talk show invites listeners to call in. He explains that a good caller is not someone who is necessarily over the top in their praise of the show or the performer. Rather, an insightful remark or a thought-provoking question is what actually helps the program. If the caller can make the host look good, they have done their job.

The concept is similar with the student. Help the teacher to get through to others. Allow for theoretical ideas to be fully grasped. The two Sanskrit words are jnana and vijnana. The first is the theoretical understanding. Something like memorizing that one plus one equals two in mathematics.

Vijnana is actually knowing that if I add one more apple to the one I currently possess, I will then have two apples. Of the two, vijnana is more important. The teacher can stand in front of the classroom for hours and not make a difference if no one is paying attention.

तद् विद्धि प्रणिपातेन
परिप्रश्नेन सेवया
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं
ज्ञानिनस् तत्त्व-दर्शिनः

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.34)

A good student is respectful of the teacher. There is the verse from the Bhagavad-gita recommending the approach towards a tattva-darshi, someone who has seen the real truth. Inquiries should be made, but not in a challenging manner. Respect the teacher and you will have a better chance of getting something out of the interaction. The bad student causes disruptions. They don’t pay attention and thus derive little benefit out of the class.

2. A good employee

A manager in charge of one or more employees can easily spot out the good ones. They know the characteristics required to identify someone as excelling:

“The most important thing is reliability. If I have someone that I can count on to get the job done, that makes my life much easier. Even if they should run into trouble, at least I can trust their judgment. I know that they are trying their best. Most of all, they understand that getting the task completed helps me. They are not in it for themselves.”

3. A good citizen

This is rather easy to identify, as well. Take the population of the prison centers. Find what it is that got them there and then do the opposite. A simpler way of understanding is that the people who follow the rules, the law, are usually the good citizens. They respect the higher authorities. They understand that the laws are ideally implemented for everyone’s benefit.

As an example, I may not like the red light stopping me at an intersection, but respect for the rules allows others to drive safely. If I am on the other side, travelling through a green light, I depend on the faithful adherence to the red light by the other drivers. Without such respect, there is chaos.

4. A good devotee

The exercise of reviewing the three situations leads to the understanding of a fourth. The acharya explains the need for Vishnu-aradhyate. Worship the Supreme Lord in the personal form. Follow His recommendations. The guidance from above will lead to the best destination in the future. Brahma utilized this support for creating the entire universe. Arjuna heard and achieved success in the Bharata War. Uddhava listened attentively to meet an auspicious end amidst the calamity of the fall of the Yadu dynasty.

If a person denies the existence of the Almighty, then they have no chance of falling into this “good category.” They get punished in a way similar to those sentenced to prison. The difference is that the holding cell is much larger and features many more illusions, which fluctuate between good and bad. The length of stay can continue indefinitely into the future, with transmigration of the body accounting for variety in experience.

Those who qualify as “good,” who have the Divine qualities described by Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, get the immediate benefit of peace, tranquility, and purpose in direction. The end-benefit is the culmination of the cycle of birth and death, with liberation awaiting at life’s end.

In Closing:

A good student can spot,

When attention to teacher got.

Employee the jobs completing,

Not purpose of boss defeating.

Citizen the laws to obey,

Devotee in similar way.

Vishnu and representative respecting,

Benefits for today and future collecting.