Are You Saying That Vishnu Devotees Are Better Situated Than Others Who Believe In God

“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.34)

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मन्-मना भव मद्-भक्तो
मद्-याजी मां नमस्कुरु
माम् एवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवम्
आत्मानं मत्-परायणः

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam
ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

Friend1: We have to acknowledge that a lot of people believe in God.

Friend2: Where is the evidence?

Friend1: Opinion polls. Attendance at houses of worship. Identification with the different faiths. Basic public acknowledgment.

Friend2: You are saying that the majority side is with a belief in a higher being?

Friend1: Yes. That is exactly what I am saying. You have religious disputes for this very reason. They must believe in something. The atheists tend to be in the minority.

Friend2: Many times they aren’t even atheists. They just reject the particular faith forced upon them. They keep an open mind. They are inquisitive into the origins of the world around them. They do not completely deny the concept of an afterlife.

Friend1: Or even previous lifetimes. Reincarnation, the idea that I have lived before.

Friend2: And will live again.

Friend1: Juxtaposing with those who follow the Vedic tradition of worship of Vishnu, what is the comparison?

Friend2: Between what?

Friend1: Say you have someone who believes in God in the general sense.

Friend2: What does that mean?

Friend1: They can’t identify a specific name. They are unsure of what He looks like. They don’t know what to do or how to act, but they don’t attribute the amazing creation to randomness, a collision of chemicals.

Friend2: Alright.

Friend1: I would say a lot of people fall into this category. Then you have someone who worships the personal God. We will use the name Vishnu for the purpose of this discussion. The devotee attends a house of worship, they pray at home at regular intervals, and they chant the holy names in mantras like Om Namo Narayanaya and Hare Krishna.

Friend2: Someone within the bhakti school. They are trying to love God.

Friend1: There you go. That is a good distinction. How does that comparison go? Are not the others loving God?

Friend2: You tell me.

Friend1: I am not sure. They might tell you that they love the Almighty. They appreciate everything He has given them.

Friend2: That is a wonderful sentiment. Most of the time it is just acceptance. Spend time associating with both groups and you will surely notice differences.

Friend1: Such as?

Friend2: In one place it is all about fear. Someone mounted on a cross. Killing. The sacrifice of one person so that others could enjoy forever, without consequences. The absolute necessity of making the acknowledgment, to avoid missing the list for salvation in the afterlife.

Friend1: What is on the other side, though? What you describe sounds like most religions to me.

Friend2: Bliss. Happiness. Beauty. Worshiping the deity in a variety of moods. Dressing the Supreme Lord nicely. Making sure His favorite companion is by His side.

Friend1: The goddess of fortune.

Friend2: Singing songs glorifying His attributes and pastimes. Preparing wonderful food dishes, both tasty and healthy for the mind. Offering with genuine love. Not expecting anything in return. Wishing only to continue in that service, lifetime after lifetime.

परवानस्मि काकुत्स्थ त्वयि वर्षशतं स्थिते |
स्वयं तु रुचिरे देशे क्रियतामिति मां वद ||

paravānasmi kākutstha tvayi varṣaśataṃ sthite |
svayaṃ tu rucire deśe kriyatāmiti māṃ vada ||

“O Rama, for as long as You shall stand before me, even if it be for one hundred years, I will always remain Your servant. Therefore You should be the one to choose a beautiful and appropriate place for the cottage. After You have selected a spot, please then command me to start building.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 15.7)

Friend1: Hmm, that does sound like something different. Especially when you describe it that way.

Friend2: There is no difference in the sense that there is acknowledgment of God on both sides. We spread the glories of bhakti-yoga particularly to make people happier. We are not trying to convert them to a different religion or have them renounce faith in a particular savior.

Friend1: I see.

Friend2: Be joyful. Live happily. That is what the soul is meant to have. It should not be exhausted from maintaining a life in illusion. It should not be envious over what others have and it should not look to bring others down in order to satisfy that envy. It should be happy knowing that everyone is connected to the all-attractive one. It should be always enthusiastic to serve, like the Vanaras of Kishkindha, in order to keep that radiant smile on God’s face.

In Closing:

Bhakti from others differentiated,
Is one better situated?

For moving beyond fear,
And having understanding clear.

That God best friend of all,
With joy His name to call.

And ready infinitely serving,
Since my efforts deserving.

What Is The Point If So Many People Already Accept God

“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.34)

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मन्-मना भव मद्-भक्तो
मद्-याजी मां नमस्कुरु
माम् एवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवम्
आत्मानं मत्-परायणः

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam
ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

“It is the majority opinion in whatever polling gets conducted. You could say that the participants are ashamed to respond in the negative. They don’t want the pollster to view them in some strange light. They don’t want to admit to their neighbors how they truly feel.

“But accepting the results at face value, we see that most people already agree to the concept of God. That is the basic acknowledgment when regularly visiting a house of worship. Sure, they may forget Him most of the time. To err is human. We make mistakes. We are not perfect.

“There is no need of convincing. That is all I am saying. What is the point to the spreading of Krishna consciousness, bhakti-yoga, when so many people already identify with certain faiths? They already acknowledge God and His supremacy. What exactly are you teaching them?”

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada uses the comparison to higher learning. There is the preliminary qualification. This usually means high school. From there you move on to college. You earn a degree in a specific field of study.

If you really want to be considered an expert, you advance to the next stage of post-graduate. The Vedic science, which deals with the self, is something like this higher stage. Beyond acknowledgement of God. More than just accepting an Almighty.

The question may be raised as to what more there could be. Is not the dividing line between theist and atheist? Worshiper and denier. Saint and sinner. Ascending to heaven in the afterlife and being condemned to hell, for eternity.

The post-graduate study is for learning how to love God. The true relationship. Not speculating as to what pleases Him. Not aimlessly searching for direction in life. Not viewing the man upstairs as merely an order supplier, someone to whom we beg for basic things like food and water.

He is as much a living, breathing individual as you or I. There is the potential to form a connection. There is a way to see Him in every aspect of the creation, which is the product of His amazing artistic ability to begin with. I can remain conscious of Him, always thinking of Him, becoming His devotee.

What is the benefit? How is the post-graduate student better situated than the person who only accepts the existence of God? An ideal example is Arjuna, as referenced in the Bhagavad-gita. He could fight in a bloody war, filled with fear and uncertainty, and remain on an equal standing with a renounced ascetic living in a remote cave.

Just ponder that equivalence. Peace and quiet set against tumult and chaos. Safe and secure against danger and vulnerability. Yet the truth is there. Consciousness is key. More than knowing the Almighty, we should serve Him with love. That is in the nature of the soul, which has a dharma.

That essential characteristic always remains, but it is difficult to identify. The post-graduate study reveals the ideal service and how to reawaken it. The leading teachers in the field start with the recommendation of chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

“Maybe not of devotion steady,
But majority believing already.

That God certainly to exist,
Your teaching likely to resist.”

Idea that from knowledge to grow,
Love result when further to know.

In every aspect of living how,
The blissful feeling arriving now.

Five Places To Which I Become Attached

“As water on the root of a tree is automatically distributed to the leaves and branches, in Krishna consciousness, one can render the highest service to everyone—namely self, family, society, country, humanity, etc. If Krishna is satisfied by one's actions, then everyone will be satisfied.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 2.41 Purport)

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1. My country of origin

As a child I did not really know about distinctions. I did not identify someone based on their skin color. It was not a homogeneous mixture of backgrounds in school, either, so there was plenty of diversity. I never once thought that someone with a funny sounding name was somehow different.

As I grow older, there are distinctions drawn. There is the tribal culture. My favorite sports team against yours. My religion as compared to what others follow. My preferred industry against what you do for a living.

It is only natural to have attachment based on the country of origin. I can proudly wave the flag. I share that association with others. As if somehow an arbitrarily drawn map can influence character and values, I am patriotic to the point of willing to risk my life for people I don’t even know.

2. My home

It doesn’t have to be under my name. I could be renting. Having lived here long enough, there is attachment through sentiment. When I shift elsewhere, I miss where I used to live. I long for a return to the old way of life, with the familiar surroundings. It wasn’t perfect, but at least it was something I could count on.

3. My office

This is the third time in three months. It’s strange because every time I have the same feeling. I hate it from day one. The new floor. The higher ceilings. The close proximity of colleagues. I wish to return to the old setting, even though there were well-acknowledged problems.

Pretty soon I get used to the new office. I don’t want to leave. It becomes something like a temporary home. I take only the positives and ignore the negatives. If a better job offer comes around, I will have to think twice before leaving.

…

The entire material existence is one attachment to another. I cry over failing at something that I wasn’t even interested in prior. I miss the association of someone I didn’t know for the first part of my life. I require a specific substance to continue throughout the day, though I survived just fine without it for many years before introduction.

In Vedic teachings, there is the concept of vairagya. The lack of attachment. Renunciation, particularly with the senses and sense objects. Like pulling apart two things joined by an adhesive. The process is not easy, but it is certainly necessary.

The reason being that the lack of attachments is a significant contributing factor towards purushartha, which is meeting the best interest of the living being. We are meant to enjoy in the truest sense, which is assuming the subordinate position in the relationship with the Almighty.

He is a distinct individual, a purusha like us, but also different. He has a specific home, although He is all-pervading. We can return to that home, although it seems unfamiliar to us at the moment. We do not remember having ever been there. We might not be willing to break away from the comfortable surroundings at present to make the journey.

Yet the process is the same. Once we return, it is like being home again. We won’t want to leave. The acharya passes on the secret formula of chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This gives a taste of the home cooking, so to speak. It is a window into the spiritual world.

Through advancement in the process, under expert guidance, I will automatically lose my attachments to home, body, nationality, and other temporary situations. My lone desire will be to continue to serve, and that consciousness creates the home to which I will return. In other words, I can find liberation even prior to quitting the body.

In Closing:

Strange patterns to see,
How quickly attached to be.

To something new,
Fondness gradually grew.

But no one permanently to stay,
Change is nature’s way.

Better to Krishna to finally come,
And with rebirth to be done.

How To Prevent Idleness

“Being very much delighted and satisfied, those monkeys enthusiastic to see you arrived at the northern shore of the ocean.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 35.68)

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vindhyādutthāya samprāptāḥ sāgarasyāntamuttaram |
tvat darśana kṛta utsāhā hṛṣṭāḥ tuṣṭāḥ plavamgamāḥ ||

Friend1: I think one of the big problems in modern-day life is idleness.

Friend2: Why do you say that?

Friend1: From personal experience, mostly. I notice that on days where I am fully engaged throughout, with this task to complete and that, I am actually happier than on days when I have nothing to do.

Friend2: It seems contradictory, right? There is the popular song about everybody working for the weekend.

Friend1: Spend the time in the office in order to rest and relax at week’s end. It is something to look forward to. But if you have nothing to do, it ends up being depressing.

Friend2: For sure. There is also that saying, an idle brain is the devil’s workshop.

Friend1: Bad things happen. Kids end up spending so much time on the internet. Browsing social media, they become upset over something they didn’t even care about moments prior.

Friend2: For sure.

Friend1: How do you stop idleness? Is there a solution?

Friend2: Other than to work seven days a week?

Friend1: That causes burnout, though. You would go crazy after a while.

Friend2: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada says that Krishna consciousness itself removes idleness.

Friend1: How so?

Friend2: Well, at the root you are serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is eagerness. The Sanskrit word is utsaha. Enthusiasm. An ideal example is Shri Hanuman.

Friend1: The dedicated servant of Shri Rama.

Friend2: Always enthusiastic to engage in service. Not needing so much rest because there is always something to do. It is joyful, as well. This is confirmed by Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita:

राज-विद्या राज-गुह्यं
पवित्रम् इदम् उत्तमम्
प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं
सु-सुखं कर्तुम् अव्ययम्

rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ
su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam

“This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.2)

Friend1: What about exhaustion?

Friend2: We are conscious because we are a living force. Being the topmost consciousness, Krishna consciousness is the ideal match for the living force.

Friend1: It is something like staying awake, then?

Friend2: Right. When you are so wired from having seriously engaged in work, you are ready for more. It is something like that, except there is no lack of motivation. Even after success, you want to continue to serve. You can try to get a glimpse into the process through a routine in chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Friend1: Alright, but that takes up maybe a few hours a day. There is so much time remaining. I get it that people go to work. They may have to study. But it’s not like they have to wake up before sunrise to plough the fields. There is no harvest over which to be concerned. Food can be delivered to you in less than an hour. You don’t even have to speak to anyone. That is why people can binge-watch television shows.

Friend2: Chanting is not the only outlet for service. Congregate with like-minded people. Read. Hear. Write. Utilize artistic expression.

Friend1: I don’t know. I’m still a little skeptical. Too many distractions around today. Too easy to simply lie down, do nothing, and turn on the television. Reach for your smartphone or tablet device. Scroll endlessly through meaningless stories.

Friend2: That’s a pretty bleak picture you paint.

Friend1: I’m just being honest.

Friend2: Find a different venue. Sort of how the office environment forces you to work, go to a place that is conducive towards devotional activities. Not only are we conscious beings, we are intelligent, as well. Use that intelligence for finding a way to succeed in Krishna consciousness.

In Closing:

Intelligence used to find,
Better ways to occupy mind.

Or for work-life succeeding,
In specific direction proceeding.

Carry over principle the same,
To routine of holy name.

And bhakti activities outstanding,
Control over maya commanding.

Can A Young Person Become A Spiritual Guide

“Prahlada Maharaja said: My dear King, the source of my strength, of which you are asking, is also the source of yours. Indeed, the original source of all kinds of strength is one. He is not only your strength or mine, but the only strength for everyone. Without Him, no one can get any strength. Whether moving or not moving, superior or inferior, everyone, including Lord Brahma, is controlled by the strength of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.8.7)

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श्री-प्रह्राद उवाच
न केवलं मे भवतश् च राजन्
स वै बलं बलिनां चापरेषाम्
परे ’वरे ’मी स्थिर-जङ्गमा ये
ब्रह्मादयो येन वशं प्रणीताः

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
na kevalaṁ me bhavataś ca rājan
sa vai balaṁ balināṁ cāpareṣām
pare ’vare ’mī sthira-jaṅgamā ye
brahmādayo yena vaśaṁ praṇītāḥ

Friend1: I know you have many instances in history. Prahlada Maharaja. Shankaracharya. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Friend2: What is the category, here? Learned scholars? Fearless proponents of the Vedic tradition?

Friend1: People who become spiritual guides at a young age. Prahlada wasn’t necessarily acknowledged as such, but there can be no denying it. He was the leader of his friends in school. He spoke nothing but the real truth when questioned by his atheistic father, Hiranyakashipu.

Friend2: That is one of the many appealing aspects to that historical account. How can a five-year old child be so wise? How can he see the light, when the mature ones, the adults, have gone astray?

Friend1: I have a broader question on that topic. How can any young person become a spiritual guide?

Friend2: You have to define “young.”

Friend1: In comparison to others, especially those with whom they are interacting. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is a little on the older side at twenty-four. That is still rather young to officially become a sannyasi.

Friend2: Which is something like a full-time worker in devotion. A beggar, but by choice. Perhaps you could compare it to moving into a monastery, but there you have some support. We’re talking genuine sannyasa here, where there is no fixed residence and no guarantee of food for the upcoming day.

Friend1: Is that what makes up for the perceived lack of credibility? That they are a sannyasi, which is something a lot of older people don’t have the courage to take up.

Friend2: Who says there is an issue with credibility?

Friend1: That is generally the knock on young people. They have not lived long enough to know anything. Their life experiences are small in number. What are they going to teach someone who has seen so much more?

Friend2: That is true. Young kids think they know it all. I remember being that way.

Friend1: Me, too. Of course, I realize now that was silly. My perspective is totally different today. There you go. Perspective. How does a young person know what everyone is going through in order to relate to them?

Friend2: These are great questions. The foundation is the descending knowledge, the system of parampara. When I am young I don’t know that fire will burn my hand. I could try to experience it for myself, but I take the word of my parents. I can go the rest of my life without making a physical test of it. I can pass on the same information to others.

Friend1: Right, but that is simple. Life and death is much more complex. These spiritual guides are talking on the self. They present it as a science. Why should I take them seriously?

Friend2: Because the science of matter and exploiting it hasn’t gotten you very far, has it? You are open to hearing new ideas precisely because something is missing. The age of the source of the enlightening wisdom should not be a factor. It should not matter to which family they are born or what part of the world they live in.

Friend1: I guess that’s true, but I’m speaking on the credibility angle.

Friend2: The wisdom itself is the credibility. There is always some kind of skepticism. In the Bhagavad-gita we find that Arjuna receives the most important information from someone who moments prior was his good friend. Krishna shows the universal form, the virata-rupa, just to make sure there are no doubts. The person who was stealing butter from the neighbors during childhood is now the most trusted authority to someone who is bewildered.

Friend1: Right.

Friend2: And any person can accept the torch moving forward. Just repeat Krishna’s upadesha, His instructions.

In Closing:

At that age what can I teach?
Vedanta surely out of reach.

So much of life to experience yet,
How then as teacher set?

Because from parampara descending,
Prahlada Vedic principles defending.

Guru even a youth can become,
Showing how higher destination won.

Five Sacrifices Not Made In Isolation

“Although the Lord was present in Vaikuntha, He was present also in the heart of the brahmana when he was meditating on the worshiping process. Thus, we can understand that things offered by the devotees even in meditation are accepted by the Lord, and they help one achieve the desired result.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 10)

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It is a classic philosophical challenge. A good ice-breaker at a party, in fact. There will be variety of opinion. Not everyone will have the same response.

“If a tree should fall in the forest, with no one around, does it make a sound?”

One side jumps to respond:

“Of course it does. The presence or absence of witnesses does not invalidate a truth of nature.”

The other side is a little skeptical:

“Okay, we can reasonably assume that a sound results, but there is no way to know for sure. No eyewitness testimony. Therefore, the answer cannot be in the affirmative. It is like trying to prove someone is guilty. Unless you have evidence, you can’t put someone in jail.”

A person following spiritual life may have a similar concern about being noticed. The guide may be there to give validation, but sometimes it is unseemly to brag about your efforts. Why do you have to announce it to the community every time you have successfully chanted a round of the maha-mantra? Why does every success story regarding publication or book distribution need to be shared with the world? The great ones act like they have been there before. The empty can rattles the most.

Is the man upstairs watching? That is the question. Is the Supreme Personality of Godhead taking notice? I’ve given up everything for Him, in fact. He is the ultimate beneficiary. I don’t ask anything in return, but it would be nice to know that I am not going it alone.

1. Prahlada against the Daityas

After birth there was no sadhu-sanga. Prahlada received the valuable association of a saintly person while still in the womb. His was an extraordinary case. Higher forces were at play, set to take down a legendary adversary to the principles of dharma.

Prahlada had to sacrifice a lot against his Daitya community. Instigated by the father, King Hiranyakashipu, the attacks were relentless. They were meant to destroy both the boy and his faith in the Divine. The foes failed in both areas.

Hiranyakashipu mocked the sacrifice. He thought there was no one on the receiving end. There is no God. He is certainly not the strength of the human being. The father’s calculation turned out to be wrong. Prahlada was correct. Vishnu was watching the entire time. In the end, He provided visual evidence to the skeptical Hiranyakashipu.

2. Hanuman against the Rakshasas

Hanuman received orders directly from Bhagavan. Shri Rama asked Hanuman to search for Sita, the princess of Videha. She was also Rama’s wife. Gone missing for a long time, there was a glimmer of hope with the large search party working under King Sugriva from Kishkindha. Hanuman had the best credentials. He won the unofficial vote for “most likely to succeed.”

Today, Hanuman is known as a hero, but the task was anything but easy. At first there were so many accomplishments, but nothing to show for it. He reached Lanka, the territory ruled by man-eating ogres. He had done so much for Rama already, but there was no validation. There was no confidence that any of it would go appreciated.

On the contrary, the primary concern was that returning to home-base without information about Sita would make Hanuman a failure. Of course, the effort was appreciated, by both Sita and Rama. Success was not the determining factor, but since there was such sincerity of purpose the prince of Ayodhya was surely going to make the dream a reality.

3. Jatayu

Sita had gone missing after Ravana, the leader of Lanka, forcibly took her away from the forest of Dandaka. The aerial path wasn’t a smooth one, however. Jatayu interfered. He tried to stop Ravana. The vulture was defending dharma, but he was overmatched.

Jatayu failed in stopping Ravana; he also lost his life in the process. The sacrifice was not made in isolation, however. Shri Rama happened to run into Jatayu just as the bird was quitting his body. The end-result of the effort was not so important. The attempt was there. Jatayu was on the proper side of conduct; he was with dharma. The protector of dharma offered His auspicious darshana at the most important time.

4. Brahmana offering sweet rice

Devotional service is so powerful that even meditating on a routine practice can produce the same results as if they were conducted in real life. There is the story in the Nectar of Devotion about a brahmana who contemplated offering sweet rice to Bhagavan.

The offering tastes best when it is cold. In his meditation, the brahmana [a priest-like person] dipped his finger in the dish to test the temperature. It was still so hot that it caused a burn. Upon breaking his meditation, the brahmana noticed that his finger was burned in real life.

That wasn’t the end of the reality, as Vishnu in Vaikuntha was pleased to the point that the brahmana won liberation. After all, Vishnu does not require anything. What is the difference to Him between real sweet-rice and the imaginary kind? The purified consciousness of the devotee, on the other hand, is always something to be appreciated.

5. Vibhishana against his family

Not everyone in Lanka was pleased with the conduct of Ravana. The younger brother named Vibhishana was bent towards dharma since birth. He remained a loyal follower, though of a different nature compared to the rest of the family.

He tried his best to get Ravana to take corrective measures. Return Sita to Rama. Accept the shelter of the Divine. Be forgiven of past transgressions. Live happily thereafter. Ravana, of course, did not listen. The advice from the younger brother was not appreciated, either.

Vibhishana made a sacrifice in total isolation. There was no one to support him. No one was watching to give credit for the brave effort in standing out and standing up. Except Shri Hanuman was there. The representative of Shri Rama later vouched for Vibhishana. This was when the younger brother completely abandoned Lanka in favor of the side of good.

…

These are just some of the few well-known instances. The deity is not merely stone. The maha-mantra is not just any sound vibration. The spiritual master is not to be judged based on where he appeared and to which family. The Almighty Vishnu is never on equal footing with other figures worshiped in the Vedic tradition and the devotees will always be rewarded for the sacrifices they make.

In Closing:

Paltry effort by me,
But does He really see?

That at least sacrifice making,
Or my future forsaking?

Proof from Prahlada found,
And Hanuman on Lanka’s ground.

Sweet rice meditation to feed,
But immediately to Vaikuntha to proceed.

Five Causes You Might Get Guilted Into Supporting

“Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Krishna and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.7)

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तस्मात् सर्वेषु कालेषु
माम् अनुस्मर युध्य च
मय्य् अर्पित-मनो-बुद्धिर्
माम् एवैष्यस्य् असंशयः

tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu
mām anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mām evaiṣyasy asaṁśayaḥ

1. Cleaning up the environment

“Just look at the amount of plastic thrown out on a regular basis. I am sure you notice when you take out the trash. Sometimes it’s a twice-daily affair. I know that I am sick and tired of it. Wouldn’t it be great if you had a full day without creating any rubbish?

“Before you laugh at the idea, stop and think for a moment. No paper plates or disposable utensils. Food and drink delivered in clay pots. You just cast them aside when finished. The clay goes back into the earth, the place from which it came.

“These are just small steps, but you need to help us in the fight. You don’t want to keep contributing to the mess, do you? It’s overconsumption at the heart, and that needs to be corrected before it is too late.”

2. Removing corruption from government

“I get it that you don’t follow politics much. Trust me, I wish I could do the same. But I can’t stand by while these leaders ruin our country. Did you see what they did last time around? They put the innocent in jail. They let the criminals walk free. It all depends on campaign contributions. Name your price. Then you get whatever you want.

“We don’t have to accept the status quo. Come and help us. Remove these crooks from office. The next election is right around the corner. This is the most important vote of our lifetime. Join the fight for a better tomorrow.”

3. Changing leadership in a large institution

“In a single generation just see how much damage has been done. They took a thriving institution and ran it into the ground. The places of congregation used to be full. Everyone was happy living together and working towards the common goal set by the founder.

“Now it has become a joke. To correct their mismanagement, the leaders have sold off the most worthy properties. They needed money quick. They did not stop and consider the amount of sacrifice that went into the original purchases.

“They have watered down the principles to the point that the only followers you get are neophytes. They can’t write or explain any of the philosophy. They just follow, and they think once they are accepted by a person of authority that their efforts have reached a perfect conclusion.

“I understand that the challengers get thrown out. Ask an innocent question and they will ban you from the institution. We need to do something. Let us save the institution for the future. The founder would have wanted that. If you simply stay silent and go along to get along, you are part of the problem.”

4. Stopping the killing of innocent children

“It used to be that the supporters wanted it to be rare and safe. Now they are more open about their beliefs. Abortion at any time, no matter the reason. The ultimate birth control. They are so degraded now that they don’t mind killing the child if it should happen to survive.

“You heard me right. The baby in the womb somehow doesn’t get killed successfully. It is lying there on the table. The doctor and the woman make the decision to end the life. This is written into law, if you don’t believe me. Look it up.

“How can society stand for such things? This is not civilized life. This is barbaric. Even the animal community would not stoop so low. What is happening to our culture? If you can’t get behind this cause, then you must not have a pulse.”

5. Equality for the different ethnic groups

“Sure, you are in a high position. You earn plenty of money. They can’t touch you. But don’t think that the rest of the community is the same way. There is systemic bigotry. It is part of the upbringing. This one group hates the other. They act on that hatred in both subtle and obvious ways.

“We have to take a stand. This is unacceptable. Do not be fooled by their kind treatment towards you. They don’t mean it. They use you to hide behind how they really feel. Help those who are suffering. Make a difference.”

…

As the material world is a place of duality, each of the above mentioned causes has opponents. The other side has equally as valid arguments in their favor, at least in isolated cases. They are just as eager for supporting their side.

Moreover, solving a single issue does not eliminate strife, fear, anger, resentment, hatred, depression, or despair. It is something like stopping that annoying car alarm outside. While suffering through the episode, the hope is that peace and quiet will soon emerge. But as soon as it does, something else fills the gap for causing distress.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada advises getting behind one cause. To make things easier, try a single vision of God, a single sacred text of importance, and a single prayer to repeat. The cause is Krishna consciousness, which is the full purification of the existence.

The benefactor is the personal God, the full and complete vision of the one who we otherwise only can speculate about. The prayer is a simple mantra, which can be repeated softly or sung with others: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. The words of encouragement are the Bhagavad-gita, spoken on the battlefield to the warrior Arjuna.

In Closing:

Suffering here and there to see,
And every side with guilt upon me.

For their cause taking,
A sinner if forsaking.

Guru with different way advising,
Sacrifice for the one who all providing.

Like to what Arjuna told,
To the cause of bhakti sold.