Why Is Stopping At Brahman Realization Considered Catastrophic

“The king went and received blessings and then paid so much honor and respect after that. When he saw Rama, he experienced a happiness one hundred times that of Brahman realization.” (Janaki Mangala, Chand 5.2)

Download this episode (right click and save)

नृप गहे पाय असीस पाई मान आदर अति किएँ |
अवलोकि रामहि अनुभवत मनु ब्रह्मसुख सौगुन किएँ ||

nṛpa gahe pāya asīsa pāī māna ādara ati kiem̐ |
avaloki rāmahi anubhavata manu brahmasukha sauguna kiem̐ ||

“It has been my understanding that any kind of realization in spiritual life qualifies as liberation. The entry stage is the distinction between body and spirit. This is the boon of the human birth. Realizing that I am not the form that covers me. I am something much more. Beyond the consciousness of the animals.

“Bhagavad-gita provides the necessary information to begin the process. Arjuna learns that destiny is already set. The outcome is already arranged by the master coordinator, Shri Krishna. Better to work in line with dharma, to receive some credit; although no one can do anything entirely on their own.”

“What confuses me is the issue of Brahman realization. That word is included in the aphorism describing the objective of the human birth. Athato brahma-jijnasa. Notice that it doesn’t say Krishna-jijnasa or Vishnu-jijnasa. The inquiry is into the spiritual side. A sort of abstraction. The collective of the spiritual beings. More of a concept than a thing.

“Yes, I am fully aware that Krishna is Brahman and more. We living entities are all Brahman. Fragments of spirit who trace their origin to the personal God. The issue I have is that I recently heard His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada refer to stopping at Brahman realization as catastrophic.

“The situation is where someone has fully realized the spiritual equality of all beings. They view the sage, the tree, the dog, the elephant, the cow, and the tiger as equal. This is from the spiritual angle of vision. Each person is powered by the force, so to speak.

“Why is stopping there considered catastrophic? Why is realization of the personal God necessary? I understand that it is difficult. Out of many thousands among men, hardly one will make the endeavor, and out of that list the graduates, so to speak, will be few and far between.

“Isn’t Brahman realization superior to the maya consciousness? Will not such a person still receive liberation? How can release from the cycle of birth and death be considered catastrophic?”

One analogy that can help to explain is the experience of visiting the theater for a dramatic performance. The audience members intentionally forget that they are viewing a scripted performance, where the actors are not who they portray and the spoken lines are pre-determined.

In fact, it is the intention of the performers to be as convincing as possible. The audience wants to be fooled and the participants on stage hope to meet such desires. Imagine, then, if you viewed the performance and could not be convinced. You remained consciously aware of the false nature of what seems like reality.

Such a consciousness would ruin the entire experience. Unless, of course, you went further and considered the purpose to the entire production. Viewed from the eyes of a producer or an aspirant in the theatrical arts, there would be increased appreciation.

In the same way, if I realize that everything and everyone is Brahman, it removes variety from the experience of life. Suddenly, everything is nothing. Like a void. There is no purpose to action. Pious and impious are the same. There really is no further goal, either. What difference does it make if I act a certain way, since we are all spiritual at the core? Nothing can be done to destroy us.

The further realization of the personal God changes everything. Then there is bliss accompanying an existence, a way to appreciate the nuance and variety. View everything from a coordinator’s perspective. In fact, from connecting directly with Bhagavan, the Supreme Person, I even gain appreciation for maya. The material and spiritual become the same to me.

Shastra gives evidence of the superiority of the Bhagavan-vision. King Janaka felt something hundreds of times more blissful than brahma-sukha when meeting Rama and Lakshmana. Shukadeva Gosvami was born a liberated soul and he proceeded further in relishing the Bhagavata Purana through recitation. That work is all about Rama, Krishna and other personal forms of Vishnu.

In Closing:

Catastrophic like at finish line dropping,
When only at Brahman realization stopping.

Since jaundiced perhaps the view,
Life and death mattering to who?

Or of pious and impious difference none,
From personal God appreciation to come.

Where the existence enjoying in every way,
Like Shukadeva in Bhagavata-Katha display.

The Eyes They Never Close

“Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes and faces, and He hears everything. In this way the Supersoul exists.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 13.14)

Download this episode (right click and save)

सर्वतः पाणि-पादं तत्
सर्वतो ऽक्षि-शिरो-मुखम्
सर्वतः श्रुतिमल् लोके
सर्वम् आवृत्य तिष्ठति

sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat
sarvato ‘kṣi-śiro-mukham
sarvataḥ śrutimal loke
sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati

A common game in philosophy to play. Sort of like a puzzle. Something to make you think, for many hours. Today, one person is on this side of the argument and their counterpart on the other. Tomorrow, the roles could reverse.

Debate teams in school work in this way. What better way to learn the intricacies of the issue than putting yourself in the other person’s shoes and seeing how they feel. Armed with double-sided experience, come to a rational conclusion; one that you will be firmly convinced of.

The question posed goes something like this:

“If a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound? More specifically, if no one is around to witness, if no one can actually testify to having heard the fall, does the sound really get produced?”

Modern technology has provided similar conundrums. In the sport of professional hockey, there is instant replay to see if the puck has crossed the goal line and gone into the net. Sometimes the evidence is not definitive. The puck disappears into the glove of the goaltender.

A rational thinking human being assumes that the puck crossed the line. After all, there is so much room inside of the glove, and the glove is entirely in the net. The puck must have gone into it, well past the goal line.

The problem is the lack of visual evidence. There is no still image showing the puck in the net. A person has to assume, but there is no definitive proof. The same dividing line could apply to the question of the tree falling. No one is there to witness. The assumption based on rational thought is that the tree indeed made a sound. Such a large object hitting the ground always produces some audible result.

From Vedic literature, we find the hard evidence that was previously lacking. There is indeed a witness. Not only specific to our tree falling in an unnamed area of the world, but to any result manifesting.

First, there are the three modes of nature: goodness, passion and ignorance. They must cooperate for any outcome, large or small, complex or simple, to become true. I arose from bed this morning to get ready for work. The same as many previous days. Yet there was no guarantee of the decision matching with the preferred outcome. Nature had to first comply.

Behind that nature is a sanctioning authority. It goes by different names and terms, but understand that it is non-different from the ultimate authority. The Supreme Lord, the Almighty God, the Divine, the one without a second, creates the material and spiritual worlds. We get fooled into thinking that performing action is the sole cause of consequences.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि
गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः
अहङ्कार-विमूढात्मा
कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

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

If God must first give sanction, a natural follow-up question relates to observation:

“How does He know my desires? How does He witness actions in order to give approval to the results?”

There is an expansion of the Divine known as Paramatma. Translated as “Supersoul,” this is something like the all-pervading witness, antaryami. Paramatma is a plenary expansion, which means that it is non-different from God the person.

From shastra we learn that the Supersoul is everywhere. The eyes never close, so to speak. He sees both the good and the bad. Another analogy used is two birds sitting on a tree. One is enjoying the fruits, and dealing with the consequences thereafter. The other bird simply observes. The two are always close by.

The correlation is to me and the Supreme Lord. He is always with me, to whichever body type I travel. He witnesses everything, which means that if I engage in devotional activities, He will surely take note. He witnesses my decision to strive for liberation and He is eager to help in my meditation on the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

If tree in the forest falling,
Sound produced without person there calling?

Philosophical game to play,
But resolved an easy way.

By Paramatma witness known,
Who first giving sanction alone.

So that even my devotion to see,
And lending unyielding support to me.

What To Do If A Bhakti Institution Is Hindering My Progress

“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.2.6)

Download this episode (right click and save)

स वै पुंसां परो धर्मो
यतो भक्तिर् अधोक्षजे
अहैतुक्य् अप्रतिहता
ययात्मा सुप्रसीदति

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati

Friend1: I’ve probably raised a variation on this question before, but it is worth further discussion.

Friend2: Repeated discussion is good for both the person inquiring and the one answering. Approach the issue from all angles of vision. Gain more confidence in the presentation. At least study every different side to try to understand from where a person comes.

Friend1: That’s a good way of looking at it. As per usual, let us start with the situation of someone who is genuinely interested in bhakti-yoga.

Friend2: They have decided to make good on the promise of the human birth, of using the intelligence for the highest purpose.

Friend1: Of understanding Brahman, the spiritual energy. They are tired of spinning on the wheel of acceptance and rejection. They discern the repeating pattern of days, weeks, months and years. They start to understand the beginning and end to material enjoyment, and they want to move beyond:

ये हि संस्पर्श-जा भोगा
दुःख-योनय एव ते
आद्य्-अन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय
न तेषु रमते बुधः

ye hi saṁsparśa-jā bhogā
duḥkha-yonaya eva te
ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya
na teṣu ramate budhaḥ

“An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.22)

Friend2: Alright, and so let me guess. They run into a problem somewhere.

Friend1: But not where you would normally expect it.

Friend2: Umm, where would that be?

Friend1: Such as lack of motivation. Distractions due to interest. Basically, maya is not necessarily at play for this case. Our hypothetical aspirant is receiving trouble from an established institution.

Friend2: What kind of trouble and what kind of institution?

Friend1: Oh. I should stress that this is in relation to bhakti. As part of taking up spiritual life in a serious way, this person follows the recommendation for sadhu-sanga. They want to stay amongst like-minded people.

Friend2: Sadhu is the saintly person; either in an official dress or at least in terms of character. Sanga is a gathering or maintaining association.

Friend1: Yes, and so there is an institution nearby to provide the association. Saintly people congregate there. The issue is that this person’s progress is being halted by such association.

Friend2: How is that possible?

Friend1: Could be in a variety of ways. They want to serve in the temple and they are denied access. They want to continue visiting and worshiping, but they get pressured all the time to accept a guru.

Friend2: Well, every person should approach a genuine spiritual master.

Friend1: That’s the thing. This person is not ready to consider any of the people there to be genuine. At least not for their situation.

Friend2: They are not ready to surrender.

Friend1: Exactly. That is the perfect word. But they want to continue to associate, to visit on a weekly basis to listen, hear and exchange ideas.

Friend2: Oh, that’s good. The association itself will be purifying.

Friend1: But it is the association causing issues. There is a lot of pressure. Another issue could be that this person wants to serve more, but the institution doesn’t encourage it.

Friend2: In what way?

Friend1: Say the person wants to write glorifications of Bhagavan and His pastimes. There is no outlet for that within the institution. They want to cook wonderful dishes and offer to the deity. The people in charge might prohibit that. You don’t have to get that specific on the issue. Just take a situation where the association is not helping.

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: What is such a person supposed to do?

Friend2: If you can tolerate, then that is good. At least you have a routine going. If the consciousness is becoming purer, then the association is helpful, if even indirectly.

Friend1: What if it reaches the point where the person wishes to disconnect? Are they helpless after that?

Friend2: Of course not. Bhakti-yoga is described to be ahaituki and apratihata. Unmotivated and uninterrupted. No one can halt the progress. We think that they can. We can go cry in a corner and lament our misery at the failed experiment of association. We can think that everyone is aligned against us, but in truth no one is stopping us from serving.

Friend1: Really?

Friend2: Vishnu is the only one who can keep up with us. No one else is capable. Try telling your paramour every day how much you love them. At some point they will get fed up. It will make them feel weird. You can’t impress your bosses enough, and even if you eliminate the deadliest disease in the world the leader of a country will be viewed negatively by some people.

Friend1: That is true.

Friend2: Except Vishnu will always accept my service, provided I am willing to offer it. This is why chanting the holy names is so effective. No one can stop me, and the recipient of the worship will always support the practice: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Always my service accepting,
Despite institution rejecting.

And torture name-calling through,
Forced acceptance of fake-guru too.

Bhakti on higher ground standing,
Since fate Vishnu Himself commanding.

So that desire the qualification alone,
Strength through chanting routine grown.

Four Things Hari Might Take Away From Me

“Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura explains in this regard that the very word harih means ‘one who takes away.’ If one connects himself with Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord takes away all his miseries, and in the beginning the Lord also superficially appears to take away all his material possessions, reputation, education and beauty.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 8.19.32 Purport)

Download this episode (right click and save)

It is a strange concept, for sure. The customary view, the default image of religious life, is sitting in a house of worship. The mood is serious. The attendees are in some kind of distress. They are looking for relief. Who better to offer assistance than the person controlling the entire universe?

His name in this respect is Jagannatha. The Lord of the entire collection of planetary systems. A person with a watchful eye, dispersed throughout space in the impersonal form, which is still worshipable. As He created the material nature, He can interject with respect to the laws of action and reaction. He can make someone do the impossible, like walk on water, if He so happens to favor them.

Antithetical it is when He would take away from someone who worships Him sincerely. The prayer is for the opposite, but the personal God is different in this regard. He applies discrimination. He is not bound to the desires of His worshipers. For this reason one of His names is Hari.

1. Possessions

“To keep up with the neighbors I have purchased an expensive car. Not that I really care either way. How much time do I spend driving on a given day? The money would have been better spent elsewhere, but the same principle applies to other aspects of the visual presentation.

“That is to say the house has to be a certain size. You don’t want people pitying you when they visit for a gathering. You want to show that you are succeeding in the business world. Those years of intense study have paid off. You earn enough to mingle with a higher class.

“The issue is that ever since worshiping the Supreme Lord in earnest, I have become poorer. Thus my possessions have naturally decreased. I no longer can afford to hold onto that second boat. The number of clothes has diminished, since I am unable to keep up with the latest fashion trends.”

2. Reputation

“His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada invokes the saying that no one listens to a poor person. There is the age-old expression that an empty sack cannot stand up straight. You need some kind of financial standing in order to influence the world. If not in net worth, then at least through influence from followers and supporters.

“The Supreme Lord has taken away my reputation. I am not a respected member of society for the mere fact that hardly anyone knows me. I cannot attend the big ticket political fundraiser dinners. I no longer can go to sporting events and enjoy with friends.

“God has taken away to the point that no one holds me in high esteem. I am something like isolated from everyone else. This is not what I envisioned the result to be from practicing genuine spiritual life.”

3. Education

“At the office I used to be the go-to person for difficult projects. They knew I could get the job done in the fastest amount of time. Minimal mistakes, but even if there were issues I could provide support after the fact. In both coding and debugging I was the best.

“Since I have worshiped Bhagavan, my education is becoming relatively less. There are people at the office who are definitely more capable than me. I look at them as geniuses. It is no contest; really. I couldn’t accomplish what they do. I still have a job, but no way can I be placed at the top in terms of performance, which is ultimately based on perceived intelligence.”

4. Beauty

“A while back there was a popular game on the internet called, “The Ten Year Challenge.” Take a picture of yourself from today and compare it to one from ten years ago. See how you have dealt with all-devouring time. Have you been able to maintain a decent look? Maybe you are in better shape today than before?

“It is an interesting game for me, particularly because my intense worship of the Supreme Lord began around ten years ago. It is no contest. I have been utterly defeated. I am entirely less attractive than I was before. One glance tells it all. No sense complaining about it now, since the damage has been done.”

…

God is Hari because despite my protest to these changes in life conditions, everything is for the better. The higher purpose of increasing the devotional consciousness has been met. Bhagavan knows better than I do what is good for me. Despite so much that He might take away from me, I am eternally grateful that He continues to provide the chance to connect with Him, especially through the chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

For that always grateful,
The opportunity fateful.

Of chanting holy names routine,
And with saintly people convene.

Hari elsewhere away taking,
Such as less attractive making.

And not as popular to be,
But still always best for me.

Four Reasons I Would Not Want To Have Dinner With God

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I will accept it.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.26)

Download this episode (right click and save)

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं
यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति
तद् अहं भक्त्य्-उपहृतम्
अश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

A newly formed organization looks for ways to bring the participants closer together. The personnel do not know each other. Direct hires through people on the inside is the best way, but if your network of friends and colleagues isn’t wide enough, it may be difficult to fill every vacancy. Moreover, that expert programmer you recommend for the job could be quite content at the place they work for currently.

One way to get to know each other is an ice-breaker game. Go around the room and ask each person to describe their perfect day. What would go into making a twenty-four hour period ideal in every way? The mind is the limit; nothing is off the table.

Another game is to ask someone who would they like to sit and have dinner with. The corresponding person could be anyone, real or fictional. They could be alive today or a historical personality.

You might be surprised to learn that someone following the bhakti path of the spiritual tradition emanating from the Vedas could reject a meeting with God. In other words, if offered the chance, they would decline getting to sit and eat dinner with the Almighty.

1. The time is limited

I have been taught that this person is all-attractive; hence the name Krishna. He is ever-youthful, nava-yauvanam. This means that He does not age, in the typical sense. He is the oldest person, anadi, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at Him.

He is also completely satisfied in the self, atmarama. He is not upset at anyone, and neither does He stare down from His perch in heaven in a disapproving manner. His eyes, they never close, but this is through the extension known as Paramatma. He witnesses everything, but His demeanor is not impacted by our behavior, either pious or impious.

The acharyas, the representatives in the tradition emanating from Krishna, have opened my eyes to the Divine and serving Him to the level that my appreciation is too much to describe in words. This means that a dinner meeting with God would be too limited.

The time is so short. After that meeting, I would feel much worse, for I would certainly long for continued association. I would be so heartbroken at the separation that it is better not to think about it.

2. What could He really tell me?

In this dinner, what could Krishna really tell me? Again, time is a factor. I could ask Him to explain hidden secrets regarding history in the material world, but this is ultimately trivial information. It will not get me anywhere. It will do nothing for me in the long run.

I already know how creation takes place. There is the personal witness to the process, Lord Brahma. I already know about the eventual dissolution. Again, there is eyewitness testimony, coming from Markandeya Rishi.

I am familiar with birth and death. The cycle takes place all around me. I know about the different emotions, the stages of life, the dreaded disease of lust, and the utter futility in seeking any type of permanent happiness in an existence that has a beginning and an end.

ये हि संस्पर्श-जा भोगा
दुःख-योनय एव ते
आद्य्-अन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय
न तेषु रमते बुधः

ye hi saṁsparśa-jā bhogā
duḥkha-yonaya eva te
ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya
na teṣu ramate budhaḥ

“An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.22)

If there is not much God can tell me, I don’t really have anything to ask Him. Sitting at the dinner table, on an equal level, with nothing to say is not really an experience to look forward to.

3. I would rather offer Him food to eat

As advised in the Bhagavad-gita, I would rather offer foods in the mode of goodness for Krishna to eat. Maybe stop off at the dinner table and drop off the meal. I would rather not eat with Him. Let the Supreme Lord enjoy in peace, without botheration. Let those most dear to Him remain close by.

4. I prefer the path of Tulsidas

Goswami Tulsidas describes the day when the king of Ayodhya meets with every citizen. The rule is that they can ask for anything and the king will grant the request. This is a holy city during a particular time period of the world. Ruled by Shri Rama, an incarnation of the Supreme Lord, the citizens are worthy to stay under His protection. This means that their requests will not be outlandish, and neither will they go against dharma.

The poet Tulsidas places Himself in that situation, approaching the king as a beggar. Tulsidas asks for one boon: continued devotion. He wants to serve Rama in life after life. This is a wonderful request, taking full advantage of the opportunity. The king has already promised to grant every request. This means that the dream for Tulsidas is guaranteed to become a reality.

Following in his path, I wish the same. Shri Hanuman already met Rama and family. Hanuman does not insist on remaining close by. Serving from a distance is fine by him, since he knows that the name and the person are non-different. By saying the name of the Almighty, I am already with Him, and He can never leave me.

In Closing:

My side never to leave,
This blessing to receive.

From the acharyas teaching,
For how spiritual world reaching.

Then on single dinner invitation why?
Where time quickly to fly.

Better that in devotion choosing,
A request Rama never refusing.

Five Difficult Questions With Corresponding Answers From Shastra

“Just as a tree starts to blossom during the proper season, so the doer of sinful deeds inevitably reaps the horrible fruit of their actions at the appropriate time.” (Lord Rama speaking to Khara, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 29.8)

Download this episode (right click and save)

अवश्यं लभते जन्तुः फलं पापस्य कर्मणः।
घोरं पर्यागते काले द्रुमाः पुष्पमिवार्तवम्।।

avaśyaṃ labhate jantuḥ phalaṃ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ।
ghoraṃ paryāgate kāle drumāḥ puṣpamivārtavam।।

As a fictional psychiatrist character on a television sitcom once told his onscreen brother in a joint therapy session, “No hanging up on the hard ones here,” so in Vedic culture no question is off-limits for the expert teacher.

There is active encouragement to bring doubts to the table. Have them settled by the acharya, the genuine representative in the line of teachers who trace their origin to the person who is without one, anadi.

A person might find it remarkable that many of the most difficult questions actually have a corresponding verse in shastra to provide the answer.

“Don’t just take my word for it. Go and see for yourself. I am not concocting anything. I am simply passing on what others have given to me.”

1. Why do bad people seem to get away with crimes?

“Not just get away, sometimes they thrive. The criminals rise to the highest levels of power, such as in the government. They destroy property after court orders to turn evidence over. They have whistleblowers killed, a warning sign to others if they dare think of speaking out.

“In some local governments today, the criminals get let out of jail after being arrested. They get better treatment than those who abide by the law. It is mind-boggling. And no one seems to care. Everyone is staring at their smartphones and binge-watching television shows. How can God allow this to happen?”

Shri Rama explains that every person eventually gets what is owed to them. If they follow horrible sinful deeds, the punishment is commensurate. The only area of confusion is the timing. In the middle of winter we cannot very well expect the trees to grow leaves. Patience is necessary. Wait for the right time.

Rama explained this concept to a bad person named Khara. Interestingly, the punishment was moments from arriving. The Rakshasas who had previously killed innocent sages and eaten their flesh were now on the verge of receiving lethal punishment from Rama’s illustrious arrows. Prior to that, they thought they got away with murder; but they were wrong.

2. Have I lived before?

Time really is an arbitrary demarcation. We think in terms of youth, adulthood and old age, but in truth we have remained the same person. Just because I went to sleep last night and woke up today doesn’t mean that anything has changed about me.

When considering the possibility of past lives, the structure is prior to the present birth. In a different womb. Maybe not even as a human being. But we can’t remember, so how to be sure?

In the Bhagavad-gita we get confirmation from Shri Krishna. He is acting as guru to the disciple named Arjuna. Krishna tells Arjuna that both of them have lived before. Many, many births, in fact. The distinction is that Krishna can remember those experiences, but Arjuna cannot.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि
जन्मानि तव चार्जुन
तान्य् अहं वेद सर्वाणि
न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni
janmāni tava cārjuna
tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi
na tvaṁ vettha parantapa

“The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.5)

This is the case because Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His word alone establishes authority. We can try to make a test of the persistence of spirit for ourselves if we like, but the single verse from shastra is sufficient basis.

3. Will I live again after this life?

There is the issue of past lives. Information for placating curiosity more than anything. What do I really gain through confirmation of past lives? More important is what will occur moving forward. The body is destined for destruction. We see evidence already, as abilities diminish with time.

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतो ऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे

na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ‘yaṁ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre

“For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.20)

Again, in a single verse shastra explains so much. Shri Krishna says that the soul is never born and it never dies. Having once been, it never ceases to be. This means that every instance of life is eternal. No one actually gets killed. There is merely a change of body.

4. What is man’s greatest fear?

I am afraid of what will happen on the upcoming exam at school. I need to pass; otherwise so much effort gone to waste. My friend is concerned over the bidding process for a new house. He found a place that his family really likes, but there is competition from other potential buyers.

Another person is afraid of the onset of disease, and their colleague at work has trouble sleeping at night. They fear not getting any rest and having to sit at the office the next day, enduring utter fatigue.

So many concerns, but what is the greatest of all? Shri Rama, who is the same Supreme Lord, identical to Vishnu and Krishna, explains that man has no other fear than death. This is the total end. Every other fear is a subsidiary, related to the larger concern.

यथा फलानां पक्वानां नान्यत्र पतनाद्भयम्।
एवं नरस्य जातस्य नान्यत्र मरणाद्भयम्।।

yathā phalānāṃ pakvānāṃ nānyatra patanādbhayam।
evaṃ narasya jātasya nānyatra maraṇādbhayam।।

“As a ripe fruit has no other fear than to fall, so a man who is born has no other fear than death.” (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 105.17)

The comparison is to the ripened fruit. This explains the absence of the fear in young children. They are not mature, yet. They think that playing all day is fun. They are so happy to be alive. Only with sober, rational thought does a person give consideration to the completion, the end of everything. Then the greatest fear takes hold.

5. Why are there so many religions?

If Bhagavad-gita is so brilliant, why isn’t everyone following Shri Krishna? If the Ramayana has timeless wisdom, answers to life’s most difficult questions, why has not every person read the work? Why isn’t it compulsory in the literature classes for school children?

एवं प्रकृति-वैचित्र्याद्
भिद्यन्ते मतयो नृणाम्
पारम्पर्येण केषाञ्चित्
पाषण्ड-मतयो ’परे

evaṁ prakṛti-vaicitryād
bhidyante matayo nṛṇām
pāramparyeṇa keṣāñcit
pāṣaṇḍa-matayo ’pare

“…Due to the great variety of desires and natures among human beings, there are many different theistic philosophies of life, which are handed down through tradition, custom and disciplic succession. There are other teachers who directly support atheistic viewpoints.” (Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 11.14.8)

Amazingly, shastra has an answer to this question. The living entities are the same in constitutional makeup, that of spirit soul, but there is variety in everything else. Consider two people of the same age. They don’t share identical interests. They don’t speak the exact same words every day. They don’t have the same reactions to stimuli.

For every desire there is a corresponding way to meet it. That system then becomes something like a religion. Even the atheists have their teachers, gurus, and exalted guides. Moreover, not everything can be explained to the society at every point in time. A child in school cannot yet grasp algebra, but the instruction they receive in mathematics is equally as valuable.

It would make sense that the specific dharma which answers life’s most difficult questions would be the one chosen. In truth, dharma is only one, but that is not realized until a person sees the proper categorization of desires, the dividing line between material and spiritual. Then, the choice is clear, as Krishna leads the way towards eternal, blissful life.

In Closing:

Shri Krishna the way leading,
Towards eternal life proceeding.

After the many dharmas to see,
How even for atheists to be.

Answering life’s questions puzzling,
That for generations troubling.

Highest truth from source the same,
Experience now through holy name.

Three Tasks Where We May Get Filibustered

“The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.2.6)

Download this episode (right click and save)

स वै पुंसां परो धर्मो
यतो भक्तिर् अधोक्षजे
अहैतुक्य् अप्रतिहता
ययात्मा सुप्रसीदति

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati

You are enthusiastic. Ready to put in the extra effort. This is not a case of idleness or disenchantment with the process. That will surely come later, as a result of the opposition on the other side. Despite the eagerness to continue, to produce good work, there are forces at play which suppress the output of service.

1. Coding project at the office

“There was an issue in production. A specific query was running slow, and my department got called out in front of the entire company. It is related to an application that I work on, but one that was originally written by programmers who are no longer here.

“I did the research. I undertook the difficult work in diagnosing the problem. I came up with a solution. This should make the entire application run faster; I think. I am pretty excited to get to work on implementing the fix.

“The problem is that I cannot just push my code through by myself. There are others involved. It is an approval process. They don’t like the speed with which I produce. Not that I am some great programmer, but others like to take their time. It seems to be on purpose, that they don’t want to set the expectations too high with the bosses, lest they receive additional projects in the meantime.

“I don’t mind how it looks. Give me more. I am ready to handle. I am particularly interested in solving the problem I was asked to look into. Alas, I am running into a brick wall. People who know nothing about this issue are giving ridiculous suggestions for the unstated purpose of delaying.”

2. Home improvements

“All I want is a little extension to the house. A tiny apartment for my elderly parents to live in. They are already occupants of the house, but I want to give them some privacy. A space of their own. I have the contractors lined up. I have budgeted accordingly.

“Unfortunately, the permit approval process is not so easy. They are not as eager for me to get this project done before the cold of winter sets in. In fact, they go at their own pace. No one can tell them to speed things up. There is the off-chance that a bribe would help, but I am not willing to take that risk yet.”

3. Legislation

“It is in this arena that the filibuster got its name. Constituents in my district have been complaining about the government-run hospitals and doctors offices for a while now. These are veterans of war. The government has designated places they can go in order to receive treatment.

“The problem is that the service is terrible. Long waiting lines. Sometimes it takes weeks just to get the initial visit with the doctor. Hearing from the affected people, this issue has been ongoing for decades. I have a solution. I think it will solve the problem and make everyone happy.

“There seems to be broad support for the proposal. In other words, I have the votes. The problem is the other body of the government. My legislation cannot pass unless they give the approval. Certain senators are filibustering. They are blocking the legislation from even coming to the floor for a vote. They won’t say whether they are opposed or in support.

“I think the real reason is that my proposal would cut the staff at some of these facilities. The veterans would be able to see their own doctors if they wanted to. Thus the people who work at these places are lobbying senators to block the legislation. To start with they are terrible at their jobs, and now they will do anything to keep them, even if it means sick people have to die.”

…

Actually, the same limitations are there in practically every area of life. The material world is considered miserable for this reason. What goes up must come down. What one person attempts, another thwarts. The victor today, the loser tomorrow.

Devotional service is directed at the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This work is considered bhakti, which is above the material nature. Therefore, the same limitations are absent. The two Sanskrit words of relevance are ahaituki and apratihata.

Bhakti, in its purest form, is unmotivated and uninterrupted. Even in the case where an established institution puts roadblocks to halt my progress, such as through cheating gurus and policies antithetical to the teachings of the acharyas, I am not without hope.

At any time, I can sit by myself and chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. I can speak on the glories of Shri Krishna and His upadesha [instructions] to any person I meet. I can write down glorifications meant for my eyes only. I do not require the approval of others.

Bhagavan will support me in this endeavor. He is the only one who will be able to keep up with me. As much output as I can produce, He will accept. Who can be a better friend than He, who is the greatest well-wisher known since time immemorial?

In Closing:

Since time immemorial known,
As greatest well-wisher shown.

Where even for me of ability none,
So much to benefit done.

So that output enthusiasm to match,
And never ailment of lethargy to catch.

Not thwarting even strong force,
Success assured in bhakti’s course.