Three Problems Solved That Should Have Made Us Happier

“One who is not in transcendental consciousness can have neither a controlled mind nor steady intelligence, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.66)

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नास्ति बुद्धिर् अयुक्तस्य
न चायुक्तस्य भावना
न चाभावयतः शान्तिर्
अशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम्

nāsti buddhir ayuktasya
na cāyuktasya bhāvanā
na cābhāvayataḥ śāntir
aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham

As the history of the world in recent centuries has involved progress in the way of everyday living, a saying often gets invoked to put the advancements in the proper perspective:

“There is no convenience without an inconvenience.”

You get something new. It is supposed to be superior to the old way. The problem is that there is always something wrong. An unintended consequence, perhaps. The primitive way compelled a certain kind of behavior, which happened to be beneficial. The new way eliminates that requirement; and so that behavior is automatically withdrawn.

सह-जं कर्म कौन्तेय
स-दोषम् अपि न त्यजेत्
सर्वारम्भा हि दोषेण
धूमेनाग्निर् इवावृताः

saha-jaṁ karma kaunteya
sa-doṣam api na tyajet
sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa
dhūmenāgnir ivāvṛtāḥ

“Every endeavor is covered by some sort of fault, just as fire is covered by smoke. Therefore one should not give up the work which is born of his nature, O son of Kunti, even if such work is full of fault.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.48)

Shri Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita that every occupation has some kind of fault. No work is perfect. I may think life would be easier working in a different department of the company. I have only my experience to go by, where I understand the difficulties.

I fail to see the potential problems in that other occupation. I only realize once I make the shift, and by then it is too late. It would have been better to stay where I was, where the type of work matched my qualities and skills.

As there is always some smoke covering a fire, solutions to everyday problems do not always yield the intended benefit. From the history in America, we see that many significant barriers to happy and healthy living have been eliminated in the modern day.

1. Predicting the weather

We take it for granted today. The five-day forecast. The extended, ten-day prediction. We can even get hour-by-hour details of what the upcoming day will be like. A lot of the time the experts are absolutely correct. How did they know I would need my umbrella only on the way home from work? How could they predict that the summer-like conditions of yesterday would be replaced by the frigid temperatures this morning?

In times past the ability was not there. In the Revolutionary War in America, General George Washington had to deal with the elements along with the British. He could not predict where there would be snow or if the weather would cooperate with a certain military strategy.

2. Speed in communication

We can stay with the war theme to see the dramatic improvements made. The history books say that Andrew Jackson continued to fight in the War of 1812 weeks after a treaty had ended the war. There was no way for him to know. He was a great distance from the place where the Treaty of Ghent had been signed.

Fast forward to today and there is instant communication. It is so fast that there is the potential for the quick spread of misinformation. Case in point social media users describing an accident involving a famous personality, but getting key details wrong.

3. Vaccines

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada describes four primary miseries in a material existence. One of them is disease. This has been a problem since before anyone can remember. It affects every person at some point in their life. Disease is one of the agents of the all-devouring enemy known as kala, which is time.

In the modern day, we have seen the rapid discovery and use of vaccines. So many deadly diseases are barely found in society anymore; the educated guess is that medical treatment is the cause. Certainly many of the prevalent diseases went away without any vaccines, but the medical community credits the removal of the others to the widespread use of injections, some starting immediately after birth, meant to give protection.

…

These are just a few of the major advancements to improve the condition of everyday living, but we see that people are still unhappy. There are inconveniences and flaws to these improvements. There is still the problem of hankering and lamenting. There is still the lack of peace, without which a person cannot find happiness.

That peace, shanti, is only available in spiritual life, which is not dependent on progression or regression. This means that whether we are living in a time of the written letter dispatched through cargo ships or the era of rapid information transfer, we have the same opportunity for achieving perfection in life.

Genuine spiritual life is understanding the distinction between body and spirit, learning my true identity, inquiring into the nature of the Almighty, knowing His features, and then voluntarily serving Him in a mood of love. It is an extended process to reach maturation, but everything starts in an instant, with the chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Instant video to play,
An important message to say.

From communication quick,
News of cloud-cover thick.

But is anyone happier to be,
Or just the same misery to see?

From spiritual life only relief,
At His lotus feet found peace.

Four Reasons A Householder Wouldn't Visit A Brahmana

“If it is asked, ‘Why don't the householders go to a saintly person or a brahmana for enlightenment?’ the answer is that householders are very poor-hearted. Generally householders think that their engagement in family affairs is their prime duty and that self-realization or enlightenment in spiritual knowledge is secondary. Out of compassion only, saintly persons and brahmanas go to householders' homes.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 8)

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It is one of the four in the divisions of occupations, descending since the origin of the universe and with a scientific basis. Shri Krishna confirms in the Bhagavad-gita, that He is the origin of the divisions of society in terms of occupation, and also the divisions in terms of spiritual progressive stages of life.

चातुर्-वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं
गुण-कर्म-विभागशः
तस्य कर्तारम् अपि मां
विद्ध्य् अकर्तारम् अव्ययम्

cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ
viddhy akartāram avyayam

“According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.13)

Of the four, only the householders earn money. This is in the ideal circumstance, where the occupation gets determined by guna and karma. These are material qualities and fruitive work. You are a true brahmana based on the qualities you possess and the subsequent action you take.

The householders are in the grihastha-ashrama. This is typically the second stage of life, following study as a celibate student of the spiritual master. The grihastha produces not only for themselves, but for everyone else, as well.

The brahmanas are known to beg for a living, travelling village to village and door to door. They are compared to tirthas. They are travelling tirthas, or places of pilgrimage that are something like on wheels.

It may be asked why the householders don’t do the travelling. They have sufficient means, after all. They take vacations on expensive cruise-ships. They spend liberally to have the latest automobile and the largest home. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that the householders tend to be poor-hearted.

1. Too busy

“I have so much going on, it’s insane. No one ever has enough money. Someone may envy my salary at present, but they don’t understand the expenses. So much gets withdrawn in taxes. I have to save for retirement, along with the education expenses for my children. The wife is never happy; she always wants more. There is only so much my mind can handle on a daily basis.”

2. Too worried about money

“I took this side job for an extra source of income. You can never be too careful. The situation at a company can change overnight. A deadly pandemic can cause communities to shut down and disengage from commerce. This means that you might be out of a job.

“We need money to survive. Winning the lottery is out of the question. Friends and relatives will not provide enough assistance to maintain daily life. I have to think about money. There is no choice.”

3. Too tired

“I would love to read more. In fact, that is one of my favorite pastimes. Sitting in a coffee shop or restaurant, attached to an entertaining book. I don’t mind the philosophical works, either. Anything to increase my knowledge. Active listening. Paying attention, developing counter ideas, and inquiring further in my analytical study.

“The problem is the lack of energy. When I arrive home from work, I want to stay in bed. I am too tired to even keep my eyes open to watch television. Sleep is what I cherish the most. It is sad to say, as I know that equates with the mode of ignorance in Sanskrit teachings, but what can I do?”

4. Too puffed up

“Look at these people. They beg for a living, and it is by choice. They don’t have any idea what us people in the real world have to go through. That is why they can’t relate. They sit in their ashramas and collect donations. Speak for a few minutes on a particular subject, criticizing everyone else in the process.

“Why would I go to visit such people? They should be seeking me out for advice. At least I am self-sustaining. I am not a parasite to society. I don’t squeeze others for money, shaking them down through guilt.”

…

We see that whatever the reason, the effect is the same: concern over spiritual realization becomes secondary in priority. My life in liberation will come later, down the road, after I have settled my affairs. But as the acharyas warn, nothing is ever settled in this world. There is danger at every step, and no one can fully escape the three principal sources of misery.

Fortunately, the brahmanas are kind enough to visit the householders. They usually don’t ask much in return. A modest donation to maintain the efforts in travel, to eat enough to keep the body fit for serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna. The tradition is there to follow from Nanda Maharaja, who invites Garga Muni to visit and decide on the names for the two new children in the family, Balarama and Krishna.

The most benevolent teachers find ways to increase their reach. Beyond the physical limitation of being in one place at a single time, they publish works and distribute on a mass scale. This way every householder can be benefitted. Even those who are in student life get a taste of the real education of this existence: the difference between body and soul.

Because of the mercy of such brahmanas we get the opportunity to relish the transcendental sound vibration of the holy name on a daily basis: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Because of brahmanas benevolent so,
Who from home to home to go.

Where also in books to teach,
So as to extend their reach.

I can cherish the spiritual sound,
Most valuable jewel I have found.

So my ignorance from past is lost,
And not much for welcoming cost.

Two People Who Might Not View Us As We Expect

“The Personality of Godhead is never inactive as some less intelligent persons suggest. His works are magnificent and magnanimous. His creations both material and spiritual are all wonderful and contain all variegatedness. They are described nicely by such liberated souls as Shrila Narada, Vyasa, Valmiki, Devala, Asita, Madhva, Shri Chaitanya, Ramanuja, Vishnusvami, Nimbarka, Shridhara, Vishvanatha, Baladeva, Bhaktivinoda, Siddhanta Sarasvati and many other learned and self-realized souls.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.1.17 Purport)

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A stark contrast. A surprise is in store, as it is only natural to assume that others think the way we do. Projection. The Sanskrit is atmavan manyate jagat. I tend to think that the mind of everyone is just like mine.

1. Family

My view could be as follows:

“I will do anything for my family. No matter what. When I think about it, I have known my parents since birth. They are my first priority. The older siblings are in the same category. The births of my younger siblings represent some of the most memorable moments in my life. Sure, we get into arguments sometimes, but I wouldn’t want anyone else close to me during the times that really matter.”

On the other side, their viewpoint might not be as universally benevolent. The elderly parents want some financial assistance. They view it as a return on the investment they made many years prior. The mother remembers the long, consecutive sleepless nights when you were a baby, when you wouldn’t stop crying.

The siblings are envious of the treatment you receive from the parents. In fact, they are jealous of the way your own children get extra attention and care from the grandparents. The children always want things. No matter how much you have given them in the past, they want more. If you fail to deliver, they will lob the worst abuses your way.

2. Friends

My view could be as follows:

“Similar to the way it is with family, I will do anything for my friends. I don’t need anything from them. In fact, I hate to bother them for favors. I wish only to spend time together, talking about life, discussing troubles, sharing possible solutions, looking towards the future.”

My friends, meanwhile, always want favors. They seem to make requests in areas where I have the most difficulty. They are well aware of the imposition, of the inconvenience, but they ask anyway. If I fail to meet their expectations a single time, they might not talk to me for months. That has already happened with several of them. It has been years since there was contact. I am not sure what I did wrong. Who knew friendship would have such a flimsy foundation?

…

From Vedic literature we have the case of Maharishi Valmiki. Prior to initiation with his spiritual master, Narada Muni, there was affection for family to the point of breaking the law to meet their demands.

In their first meeting, Narada asked if the family members knew they would share in the bad karma associated with the work. Valmiki went and asked. He was surprised to hear the response. The family essentially abandoned him. The sacrifices he had made for them were not appreciated.

On the other hand, the future dedication in spiritual practice was greatly appreciated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Valmiki went on to compose the Ramayana poem, one of the oldest works in Sanskrit literature. When the same Valmiki appeared again as Tulsidas, he wrote many couplets in poetry describing the faulty nature of relationships with friends and family.

The common bond is an interest, and once that interest is not met, the relationship breaks. With Bhagavan, there is nothing we can actually do for Him. He requires nothing from us, so devotional activities are always appreciated, even if it is something simple like chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

By endless mercy demonstrated,
That even the most simple appreciated.

Such as chanting holy names so,
Or into lengthy composition to go.

Where Valmiki the poem composing,
After former life his family opposing.

Since always there an interest to be,
God only my true welfare to see.

Five Candidates For The Most Amazing Thing

"Day after day countless living entities in this world go to the kingdom of death. Still, those who remain aspire for a permanent situation here. What could be more amazing than this?" (Maharaja Yudhishthira speaking to Yamaraja, Mahabharata, Vana-parva, 313.116)

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अहन्य् अहनि भूतानि
गच्छन्तीह यमालयम्
शेषाः स्थावरम् इच्छन्ति
किम् आश्चर्यम् अतः परम्

ahany ahani bhūtāni
gacchantīha yamālayam
śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti
kim āścaryam ataḥ param

1. Childbirth

“Everyone knew it was coming. It wasn’t like the woman’s stomach started hurting from out of nowhere and she rushed to the hospital to see what was going on. Pregnancy is a process, but one that occurs mostly out of sight. Behind a veil, so to speak, but everyone has a pretty good idea what the end result will be.

“No matter the expectations, it is always a miracle. A brand new life. A real person, ready to be your friend, your dependent, your only focus throughout the day. This must be the most amazing thing in the world. Everyone has the same origin; we seemingly came from nothing, but today we are certainly something.”

2. The rising of the sun

“It doesn’t matter the time of year. The weather is not a factor, either. No matter the good or the bad, the sun will always rise in the morning. It is a beautiful sight to behold. The great luminous body ready to dissipate the darkness. Without the sun we wouldn’t survive for long. It is this great miracle in the sky, and it requires no outside intervention. The sun is self-sustaining, and it has yet to burn out.”

3. Commuters on the morning train

“I don’t think there is any other way to accomplish the same. Try finding thousands of people, giving them money, and asking them to appear in one place. The destination appointment repeats. Day after day, the same location. Everyone trying to get into the train, no matter how packed or empty it is.

“This is a natural phenomenon, seen in cities across the world. The root cause is artha, which is the Sanskrit word for profit. Everyone is trying to meet a personal interest, and one way to do it is to travel to a metropolitan area and earn a living as a professional.”

4. Natural wonders

“Waterfalls. Large canyons. Expansive desert areas. Picturesque meadows. Man could never create such beautiful visions. It is beyond the artistic ability. Someone with a higher level of intelligence has to be responsible. If you visit these places in person, you will quickly lose any confidence you had in the theory of atheism.”

5. Someone thinking that they will never die

This is the answer from shastra. In the scriptural tradition known as the Vedas, there is one section where a famous king remarks on what he thinks is the most amazing thing. The premise is that everyone in the past has died. We know this because they are no longer with us. We trust that they existed based on documented evidence and the eyewitness testimony of others.

Despite it being well-established that others have passed on, we somehow think the same will never happen to us. Perhaps we make the acknowledgment every now and then, but day-to-day life is not altered. We act as if we can stay in this place permanently.

Yudhishthira Maharaja considers this to be amazing because the human being is otherwise intelligent. They are considered the topmost species for this reason. Constant acknowledgment of eventual death is not meant to be a source of misery. Rather, from that knowledge I can better direct my daily activities.

In other words, work for the highest purpose, one that will be fulfilled in this lifetime and have an influence moving forward. While every person is destined to die, the living force can never be extinguished. I will eventually move on to someplace else.

भक्त्या माम् अभिजानाति
यावान् यश् चास्मि तत्त्वतः
ततो मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा
विशते तद्-अनन्तरम्

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ
tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā
viśate tad-anantaram

“One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.55)

With dedication to spiritual life, I can influence the travel for my benefit. Paramartha is the long-term interest, and through connecting with the Vedic tradition and understanding the source behind the material and spiritual natures, my consciousness can be purified to the point that I will never have to return to the land of birth and death. I will receive the most amazing benediction of constant companionship with the all-attractive one.

In Closing:

Birth of child amazing to see,
Out of nowhere a person to be.

Daily into commuter trains packing,
And issues of corporate world attacking.

Most amazing that thinking here to stay,
When others seen to have gone away.

Better the long-term foundation to build,
That destiny by Krishna fulfilled.

Four People Who Might Have Trouble With Dhyana

“To practice yoga, one should go to a secluded place and should lay kusha-grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should neither be too high nor too low and should be situated in a sacred place. The yogi should then sit on it very firmly and should practice yoga by controlling the mind and the senses, purifying the heart and fixing the mind on one point.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.11-12)

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शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य
स्थिरम् आसनम् आत्मनः
नात्य्-उच्छ्रितं नाति-नीचं
चैलाजिन-कुशोत्तरम्
तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा
यत-चित्तेन्द्रिय-क्रियः
उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्
योगम् आत्म-विशुद्धये

śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya
sthiram āsanam ātmanaḥ
nāty-ucchritaṁ nāti-nīcaṁ
cailājina-kuśottaram
tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kṛtvā
yata-cittendriya-kriyaḥ
upaviśyāsane yuñjyād
yogam ātma-viśuddhaye

Approach a certain kind of spiritual leader and they will talk to you about one thing. Only a single recommendation. Nothing else suffices. Not that they are intentionally being exclusionary. Not that they harbor resentment for the other camps.

The basis is personal experience. Yoga has done so much for them. They learned from their teacher, who learned from their teacher, and so forth. There is sufficient foundational backing from sacred texts like Bhagavad-gita, which has details on the ideal and necessary conditions for yoga practice to succeed.

This is the meditational kind, as the root meaning of yoga is simply a union. One of something plus one of something. From observing the world around us, we see that certain people might have a difficult time succeeding in this kind of meditation, which is a limb of yoga known as dhyana. Despite their best efforts, the nature inherited from the time of birth serves as a barrier towards perfection, siddhi.

1. Children

There is the common lamentation, “Youth is wasted on the young.” It is unbelievable how much energy some children possess. They can run around for hours. They are happy playing with an empty box in the living room. They pretend it is some home base that they run away from and then back towards.

At night they do not want to sleep. You essentially have to trick them. Get their mind focused someplace else and then start a rocking motion. Sleep occurs against their desires. You laugh at the thought of trying to get them to meditate. Yoga would be impossible for them, even if they are flexible enough to bend into the different sitting postures.

2. Active people

Take the same tendency and transition to adulthood. Instead of jumping up and down in a ball-pit at an indoor playground, there is rock-climbing, cycling, tennis, basketball, hiking, and so forth. Any type of outdoor activity will do. The last thing this adult wants is to sit down and meditate. They are so restless that they will not be able to last for more than a few minutes.

3. The disabled

This is a case where it is physically impossible for a person to meet the requirements. They cannot find a remote place and lay down a deerskin rug. They cannot sit on the floor and focus the half-closed eyes on the tip of the nose. The body prevents it. They are still capable, mind you. The animating spark is inside, vibrant as ever, but dhyana of mystic yoga is off the table.

4. The disinterested

This is a case where someone simply does not want to sit down and meditate. They are willing to do anything else to make advancement in spiritual life. Read, hear, chant, dance, travel – you name it and they will not decline. The lone exception is sitting in isolation for extended periods of time and focusing on a single thing.

…

This basic analysis gives further evidence of the superiority of the bhakti-yoga path. While dhyana in meditation has automatic barriers based on the qualifications and necessary conditions, bhakti is open for everyone. It is as much yoga as the other paths, like jnana and karma.

This means that I can follow my nature and still connect with the Almighty. I am the one side of the addition, and He is the other. One soul meeting another, except His soul is a different kind. I am individual soul, jivatma, while He is Supreme, Paramatma.

Once the two meet in perfect yoga, the differences cease. It is a blissful engagement, a feeling of oneness based on the servant-master paradigm. Shri Krishna, who teaches every kind of yoga but ultimately recommends bhakti to Arjuna, happily accepts my service, to any amount I am willing to offer. There is no limit, meaning that the bliss continues even after this present lifetime.

In Closing:

Try your active child to take,
And yogi out of them make.

Or that person with interest none,
Who sitting only for minutes some.

Whereas yoga of bhakti anyone to try,
Not on isolation to rely.

Since Krishna at other end,
Who towards success to send.

Just What Kind Of Evidence Do You Want

“But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.40)

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अज्ञश् चाश्रद्दधानश् च
संशयात्मा विनश्यति
नायं लोको ऽस्ति न परो
न सुखं संशयात्मनः

ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca
saṁśayātmā vinaśyati
nāyaṁ loko ‘sti na paro
na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ

“Listen, I hate to be blunt here, but I am not one to believe in hocus-pocus. Magic tricks by people living beyond the clouds. Modern science has already enabled travel into outer-space. We did not find any demigods living high above. We did not find any signs of life, at all.

“Sure, we are still coming to grips with what is out there. The infinite space. The different planets. The moon itself is impossible to comprehend. This ball-shaped collection of matter just suspended in space. It does not resemble the earth, but it is vital to the way life on earth functions.

“Anyway, what I am getting at is that we require sufficient evidence before believing in God. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer your version of events, the Vedic point of view, to the fire and brimstone style of preaching found in other faiths. To me it seems like any person could anoint a savior and then threaten condemnation to those who don’t surrender to that savior.

“I appreciate the analytical nature of the Vedic tradition, where you study the difference between matter and spirit. You look at the different kinds of elements. The teachers are wise enough to realize the existence of a subtle nature, such as with mind, intelligence and ego.

“Still, I would prefer some concrete evidence. I need validation that God exists. I cannot accept everything on faith alone.”

This is a common challenge faced by those wishing to disseminate the timeless wisdom of the Vedas, which emanates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna. There must be some trust extended, since the events and personalities described predate recorded history. Anyone can put anything on a piece of paper and preserve it for the future, so there must be other ways to validate authenticity.

Fortunately, with the Vedic principles the culture itself serves as validation. In other words, try for yourself. There is not much to lose. At the very least, sit and listen attentively, as Maharaja Parikshit did. Sacrifice time for accepting the wisdom about the purpose of life and the meaning for everything that surrounds us. Use the brainpower gifted to man to accept, reject, or make counterarguments.

The authorized teacher is realized in the truth, and one of the effects of this realization is the ability to accept and deal with challenges. In the case of the person insisting on concrete evidence, one way to counter is to ask just exactly what kind of evidence they are looking for.

One response might be a personal meeting with the Almighty.

“Have God show up in front of me, identifying Himself as such, and thereby proving to me that He exists.”

The problem with this kind of evidence is that it does not prove anything. Anyone can say anything. I can walk up to a person on the street and claim to be the President of the United States, even though I am not.

The challenger might get more specific. They would like the real God to prove that He is God through some amazing display. Again, this does not prove anything. We learn from Vedic literature that it is possible to acquire mystic abilities through the process of meditational yoga. You can do pretty amazing things once you reach the stage of perfection, siddhi. Even the worst people in the world, the greatest atheists, could change their shapes at will, appear and disappear on the battlefield, and rise to great prominence in the material world. None of these displays indicate Divinity.

Another possible way to validate is to see that God the person does not die. He reveals Himself to me and then remains alive. But I already know people can live longer than I can. Even if I personally witness God’s association for one thousand years, that does not prove infinity. If I have to one day quit the body, it means that I have no way of validating through perception the issue over which I have the most doubt.

Shri Krishna reveals that the doubting soul is doomed in this regard. Neither in this world nor in the next will they find happiness. They will remain under the illusion of maya, which is so powerful and clever as to make a person believe that this amazing creation is the product of randomness and the basic collision of chemicals.

The recommendation is to follow the example of Arjuna. Ask questions. Raise doubts, but to the right source. They will be able to answer any question in a way that satisfies the doubts as to the nature of living and the proper course of action moving forward. This imperishable science of real yoga, connecting with the Almighty, is the way towards happiness for every kind of person, from true-believer to staunch atheist.

In Closing:

Gifted is the receiver,
From atheist to true believer.

Since to intellect the appeal,
With certainty and not just to feel.

That God the person to exist,
And for physical evidence to resist.

Since not possible infinite perception,
Only through some faith perfection.

Three People Who Have No Need For Further Realization

“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)

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नृप गहे पाय असीस पाई मान आदर अति किएँ।
अवलोकि रामहि अनुभवत मनु ब्रह्मसुख सौगुन किएँ।।5।।

nr̥pa gahe pāya asīsa pā'ī māna ādara ati ki'em̐ |
avaloki rāmahi anubhavata manu brahmasukha sauguna ki'em̐ ||5||

1. Mahadeva

He plays different roles over the course of an existence, which is quite long. More difficult than calculating the self-employment tax for a business with income in a year, Shri Krishna provides hints on how to reach the exact number in the Bhagavad-gita.

सहस्र-युग-पर्यन्तम्
अहर् यद् ब्रह्मणो विदुः
रात्रिं युग-सहस्रान्तां
ते ऽहो-रात्र-विदो जनाः

sahasra-yuga-paryantam
ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ
rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ
te 'ho-rātra-vido janāḥ

“By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahma's one day. And such also is the duration of his night.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.17)

Lord Brahma is the creator. The first living entity, Svayambhu, emerging from the lotus stem from the lotus-like navel of Vishnu, who is the origin of everything. Brahma’s day is unimaginably long, and the host of beings comes and goes during Brahma’s lifetime.

Mahadeva is in a higher category. Though he is responsible for the destruction to take place at the designated time, he is not affected. He is a realized soul whose favorite activity is meditating on the lotus feet of Vishnu’s non-different form of Shri Rama.

Mahadeva requires no further realization. There is nothing anyone can teach him. Rather, he is the origin of a sampradaya, which is a disciplic succession, in the worship of the personal God. In this way, man wastes time searching for God and the origin of the universe through research work. True knowledge in this sense can only be passed down; it cannot be deciphered through the process of elimination spanning millions of years of recorded observation.

2. King Janaka

He is one of the most famous kings in the history of the world. One appearing in a long line of rulers with the same name, this Janaka is known as Shiradhvaja. He was the king of Videha and he lived up to the name. He was bodiless in the sense that nothing from the external covering interfered with his meditation.

He was completely realized in the self. Contrary to the popular stereotype, this did not require abandoning home and responsibility. Janaka lived with the renounced spirit while carrying out his prescribed duties. Nothing was lacking on either end: responsibility or yoga.

3. Shukadeva Gosvami

He emerged from the womb of his mother after a long time. He was a full-grown human being. This seems like a mythological story passed on for symbolic significance, but Shukadeva has so many activities attributed to him, witnessed by others, that it would be a shame not to accept everything as fact.

He was born a liberated soul. He was considered more advanced than his father, the venerable Vyasadeva. Shukadeva walked around without clothes on, not caring what anyone thought. One time women who were bathing outside witnessed him passing by and were not ashamed, since they knew he would not view anyone based on their bodily features. With Vyasadeva, on the other hand, they were more reserved.

…

It is interesting to see that even with these most advanced souls, there is still further immersion in spiritual life. Mahadeva takes great pleasure in hearing the pastimes of Shri Rama, which are found in many Vedic texts, including the Ramayana of Valmiki. Mahadeva does not require further realization or inspiration. This means that he meditates on Rama simply because of the increasing bliss it brings.

King Janaka, known for his dispassion, once found a baby girl in the ground. The girl was still alive, and Janaka held the utmost affection for her. This did not violate the “Videha” title since the baby was Lakshmi Devi, the goddess of fortune.

The association of God and those close to Him brings bliss even to the liberated souls. When Janaka later met Rama and His younger brother Lakshmana, Goswami Tulsidas says that the feeling of bliss in the king was one hundred times that achieved through realization of the impersonal spiritual energy, Brahman.

The same was true with Shukadeva, who despite not requiring anything in life took to becoming a great orator of Shrimad Bhagavatam. His most famous association with that Purana took place as a conversation with the dying king named Parikshit. That exchange revealed both how to live and how to die.

The beauty of pure devotion is that it is neither a supplement nor a passing stage to the realization matching the potential for intelligence in the human being. Bhakti is a way of life, and an eternal one. It brings bliss to every person on the progressive path towards liberation, and even after the achievement it continues to be the source of inspiration and joy, as discovered in the repeated chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Veil of illusion uncover,
From chanting routine discover.

That bliss more and more arriving,
Rather than for temporary striving.

Even liberated souls this path taking,
Like Shuka Bhagavata-katha making.

And dispassionate king by Sita caught,
And Mahadeva who sampradaya brought.