Aren’t Humans Part Of Nature

“Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.5)

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अपरेयम् इतस् त्व् अन्यां
प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्
जीव-भूतां महा-बाहो
ययेदं धार्यते जगत्

apareyam itas tv anyāṁ
prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām
jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho
yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat

Friend1: In the face of a national crisis, one of the more deplorable activities you’ll witness is hoarding.

Friend2: What kind of crisis?

Friend1: It doesn’t matter the exact one. Just something that causes a panic. People are afraid. That is why they head to the supermarkets and shopping clubs to stock up.

Friend2: On what? Bottled water?

Friend1: Toilet paper seems to be the hot commodity this time around. In all fairness, people have a reason to be concerned. This still should not be justification for walking out of the store with more than you need.

Friend2: Sadly, that’s what happens. I may think that I am fine with my supply, but if I see others taking everything I might be inclined to follow suit. Who knows if the supply will be there in a few weeks, when I will be in need?

Friend1: I think back to one of the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada during a time like this.

Friend2: Which teaching is that?

Friend1: Where he explains how the birds will not follow the same behavior. If a bag of rice should accidentally split open on the road, the birds will come by, for sure. The key distinction is that they will only take as much as they need.

Friend2: No stocking up for the future.

Friend1: You could argue that they are not intelligent enough to do so.

Friend2: Or devious and cunning.

Friend1: It is still a thought-provoking comparison. To me, it accompanies the teaching about allowing animals to live.

Friend2: Instead of killing them?

Friend1: Unnecessarily. Let them do what they want. I do not require a slaughterhouse.

Friend2: Where we use our intelligence to attack the animals on a large scale.

Friend1: It is similar to the hoarding, if you think about it. Anyway, the idea is that animals are just acting on their nature. They may kill other animals, but that does not mean we have to follow the same.

Friend2: Yes, that is silly logic. If an animal behaves a certain way, why should we, who are supposedly more intelligent, imitate?

Friend1: The thing is, couldn’t someone say that we are part of nature, as well? The human beings maintaining slaughterhouses, interfering with the lives of inferior animals, is part of nature’s way.

Friend2: Well, we are certainly part of nature, there is no doubt.

Friend1: Then why is that killing sinful? Why am I harmed in the future, whereas the animals are not?

Friend2: The living entities are part of the superior energy. We don’t know it. We think that maya is our controller, that the dull and lifeless material nature has dominion over us, but God did not make it that way.

Friend1: Okay, superior or inferior, the human beings are part of nature. We are acting on our instincts to kill innocent life. Shrimad Bhagavatam confirms the concept of a food chain:

अहस्तानि सहस्तानाम्
अपदानि चतुष्-पदाम्
फल्गूनि तत्र महतां
जीवो जीवस्य जीवनम्

ahastāni sahastānām
apadāni catuṣ-padām
phalgūni tatra mahatāṁ
jīvo jīvasya jīvanam

“Those who are devoid of hands are prey for those who have hands; those devoid of legs are prey for the four-legged. The weak are the subsistence of the strong, and the general rule holds that one living being is food for another.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.13.47)

Friend2: The idea is that we are different from the animals, in terms of the species we inhabit during this lifetime. Punya and papa apply to us. There is no such thing as karma for the inferior species. They are making their way through the evolution of the species. We, on the other hand, have reached the pinnacle.

Friend1: The human birth.

Friend2: That birth carries a great responsibility. We can apply discrimination. We can utilize intelligence to a higher degree. That is why we can rationally understand the need for letting other living entities live. We can see why it is better to not interfere with the rights of others.

Friend1: I see.

Friend2: We are part of nature in the sense that we are the stewards. We are meant to act in a responsible way. This is our chance for understanding the Almighty, and inherent in that understanding is His relationship to all living things.

Friend1: In other words, if we are God-realized, we will see the need for non-violence in most cases.

Friend2: Yes, absolutely. Respect all forms of life, act in accordance with dharma and prescribed karma, and always be conscious of the Supreme Lord, who is all-attractive and thus known as Krishna.

In Closing:

All-attractive as Krishna is known,
Compassion to all beings shown.

Since as Supersoul living inside,
Close in every birth to reside.

So as humans responsibility more,
Stewards with higher purpose for.

With animal community not to interfere,
And with dharma and karma to adhere.

Three Times When Hari-Katha Is The Right Medicine

“Though engaged in all kinds of activities, My devotee, under My protection, reaches the eternal and imperishable abode by My grace.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.56)

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सर्व-कर्माण्य् अपि सदा
कुर्वाणो मद्-व्यपाश्रयः
मत्-प्रसादाद् अवाप्नोति
शाश्वतं पदम् अव्ययम्

sarva-karmāṇy api sadā
kurvāṇo mad-vyapāśrayaḥ
mat-prasādād avāpnoti
śāśvataṁ padam avyayam

1. Things are going well

No issues. Everything moving along smoothly. Home, family, job, career path, government intrusion, overall world economy, the health of the people around you – no outstanding problems. You can’t remember things ever being so good.

Hari-katha is ideal in this situation because there are fewer distractions. Not as much to worry over, so the entire focus can be placed on the speaker or presenter. Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is so kind that He sends empowered representatives to speak on His behalf.

Someone like Vyasadeva assists the fallen souls by making the original Veda, the ultimate source of knowledge, easier to understand. He divides the one into four and then explains the same concepts through historical accounts known as Puranas.

Other poets such as Valmiki add to the anthology. The idea is that no one should be left in the dark. Whoever wishes to hear something to uplift their spirits, news from a different world, one which never undergoes dissolution, has that opportunity.

The Sanskrit word is avyayam. We can be engaged in all sorts of activities, but simply through hearing we can change the nature of our space. Though surrounded by that which is temporary and perishable, we get transported to the imperishable realm even prior to quitting the body.

2. Things are in a holding pattern

This might be one of the more difficult situations in life to deal with. It could go either way. You are not sure. Maybe you get hired for that new job and the economic problem at home is solved. There is also the chance that you get passed over, that someone else fills the single vacant position in the company.

There could be surgery for a loved one. It is necessary and safe most of the time, but there is always the chance that something goes wrong. The future is in limbo. Who wouldn’t worry at such a time?

This is another ideal opportunity for Hari-katha. Put your mind at ease. From studying history related to Shri Krishna, we get a reminder that events eventually do play out. One way or another, the existence continues. Nothing can destroy the imperishable soul.

अविनाशि तु तद् विद्धि
येन सर्वम् इदं ततम्
विनाशम् अव्ययस्यास्य
न कश्चित् कर्तुम् अर्हति

avināśi tu tad viddhi
yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
vināśam avyayasyāsya
na kaścit kartum arhati

“Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.17)

3. Things are not going well

The entire country is in lockdown. You can’t go to work. The restaurants are closed. The news media is warning of the risk of infection from a new disease, one that has the health experts baffled. You are okay for the moment, but who knows what the future holds? You might run out of supplies and have nowhere to turn.

This is another wonderful opportunity to connect with the Divine through hearing, shravanam. Queen Kunti prays that so many past calamities repeat, since during those stressful moments she always thinks of Krishna, and He is there to rescue her and her family.

विपदः सन्तु ताः शश्वत्
तत्र तत्र जगद्-गुरो
भवतो दर्शनं यत् स्याद्
अपुनर् भव-दर्शनम्

vipadaḥ santu tāḥ śaśvat
tatra tatra jagad-guro
bhavato darśanaṁ yat syād
apunar bhava-darśanam

“I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths.” (Queen Kunti speaking to Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.8.25)

The destruction started right at the time of birth. This is daivam at work. Destiny. As soon as there is birth, there must be death. Nothing can be done to stop it. If not today, then tomorrow. If not this year, then several years later.

Better to take the shelter of the Supreme Lord and His servants. They can carry us across this ocean of suffering, and through Hari-katha they rescue immediately.

In Closing:

In great pleasure to feel,
The situation ideal.

Even when holding for hope,
Or with painful ordeal to cope.

Hari-katha blessing for the soul,
Ways to immediate the goal.

That the ocean of misery surpassing,
And time in between blissfully passing.

Three Things The Self-Realized Soul Sees As The Same

“A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a yogi [or mystic] when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything-whether it be pebbles, stones or gold-as the same.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.8)

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ज्ञान-विज्ञान-तृप्तात्मा
कूट-स्थो विजितेन्द्रियः
युक्त इत्य् उच्यते योगी
सम-लोष्ट्राश्म-काञ्चनः

jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā
kūṭa-stho vijitendriyaḥ
yukta ity ucyate yogī
sama-loṣṭrāśma-kāñcanaḥ

The wife has been hounding you for quite some time. This is not your area of expertise. You are more than willing to pay someone else a lot of money to get the job done. Sadly, in this particular part of the world, combined with the present situation relating to a public health crisis, it is difficult to find anyone willing to do the job.

You decide to finally bite the bullet. Climb that stool and put hammer to nail. Hang curtain rods in the various rooms of the house. A problem you run into immediately is the lack of proper supplies. No hammer. No nails.

After making the necessary purchases, you get to work. You need the right kind of screwdriver, one matching the type of screw to hold the piece in place. If anything in the setup does not match, you will not be able to succeed.

When the experience is over, you can’t help but recall the verse in the Bhagavad-gita describing the vision of the yogi, the one who is fully realized in the self, and how he sees things that are certainly different as equal.

1. Pebbles

During a recent visit to the home of a friend, you noticed the landscaping improvements they made since the last visit:

“Oh, interesting. They have a circular driveway now. I have always wanted one of those. Makes entering and exiting a lot easier. There is a walkway with small lights to help you find the way to the front-door. That area is lined with so many small rocks. Looks pretty cool.”

Usually, the pebbles are not worth much. Who would want them? They are the residue of larger objects broken apart. The pebbles certainly wouldn’t exchange for much on the open market.

2. Stones

Take the raw material from pebbles together and you get a stone. These can be valuable, depending on the circumstance. Need something to act as a weight to hold an object in place? The washing machine malfunctioning in the home and you need to clean clothes by hand? Need a way to traverse a pond without getting wet? Stones can help.

3. Gold

Wherever there is gold, people will notice. The price of the nation’s currency is not as important. The economy could be booming or there may be a recession, but gold will always be in demand. The Vedas describe that wherever there is gold, there will be sinful behavior of some kind, such as lying and cheating.

Shrimad Bhagavatam illustrates this with the historical account of King Satrajit and his Syamantaka Jewel. Krishna was already living in the community, presiding over the majestic city of Dvaraka, safely guarded by gates. But somehow the people got overtaken by the allure of gold and this jewel that could produce endless amounts of it on a daily basis.

“The Syamantaka jewel was so powerful that it was daily producing a large quantity of gold. A quantity of gold is counted by a measurement called a bhara. According to Vedic formulas, one bhara is equal to sixteen pounds of gold; one mound equals eighty-two pounds. The jewel was producing about 170 pounds of gold every day.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 1)

The jewel became something of a hot potato, and the people who possessed it did not fare well. Envy, greed, murder, conspiracy – the people even suspected Krishna at one point. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and so to Him gold is nothing but a material element.

The person realized in the self and the relationship to Krishna has a similar vision. Gold is the same as the pebbles and stone. Not that they are foolish enough to throw away valuable objects or that they decorate themselves with fake jewels. They simply understand the difference between matter and spirit.

At the end of this lifetime the same spirit soul that entered and associated with dull and lifeless matter will have to exit the arena, so to speak. Better to value the soul and its plight than to worry over something temporary and fleeting like a commodity.

This vision is also helpful in the way that it discourages envy, without extra effort. If I view pebbles, stones and gold as the same, I will not be overly concerned if someone else should come into wealth. The same if they should suddenly become destitute, as they are still spirit soul who are meant to connect with Krishna in a mood of love.

Rather, the self-realized soul values that relationship and finds ways to maintain it, such as through chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Pebbles, stones and gold,
With same value to hold.

In terms of understanding so,
Where of future impact to go.

Since destined for destruction is he,
And again in type of body to be.

Better for to the Almighty connected,
Whose entire creation respected.

Why Didn't Sanatana Gosvami Practice Social Distancing

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, said: My dear Uddhava, neither through ashtanga-yoga [the mystic yoga system to control the senses], nor through impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the Vedas, nor through austerities, charity or acceptance of sannyasa can one satisfy Me as much as by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 11.14.20)

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न साधयति मां योगो न साङ्ख्यं धर्म उद्धव
न स्वाध्यायस्तपस्त्यागो यथा भक्तिर्ममोर्जिता

na sādhayati māṁ yogo
na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava
na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo
yathā bhaktir mamorjitā

Friend1: Okay, so I understand that devotional service, bhakti-yoga, is everything. It is the ultimate cure.

Friend2: For what?

Friend1: Every disease. Every issue.

Friend2: So if I have a cold or the flu, I should just stick to bhakti? Chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Then everything will be alright?

Friend1: I think the focus is on the long-term. The higher, superior objective. Chanting the holy names is not going to solve physical ailments, but then nothing really can.

Friend2: Why not?

Friend1: Because of the influence of kala.

Friend2: What is that?

Friend1: The Sanskrit word for “time.” It also means “death.” They are essentially the same thing. Time destroys. Vyadhi, disease, works together with time. We can cure one disease, but that does not equate to safety.

Friend2: Think about it. We probably carry so many viruses with us, all the time, without even knowing it.

Friend1: Yes, and that brings me to this social distancing issue. Do you think that really stops the spread of disease?

Friend2: If it is practiced properly, it has to. No easier way to be safe from a disease than to keep a distance from the virus itself. The problem is that the people lecturing about social distancing are always out and about. It takes contact with a single person for the spread to take place.

Friend1: And even during these government-mandated lockdowns, there is so much interaction.

Friend2: The supermarkets are still open. The banks. The roads. They don’t really shut anything down, except someone’s ability to make money in specific industries.

Friend1: Right, and so how should the knowledgeable person behave? Say that a devotee contracts a contagious disease. Should they self-quarantine?

Friend2: I would say to listen to the doctors. What do I know about this stuff?

Friend1: The reason I am asking is that in the modern day the recommended practice is sankirtana; for spiritual life. Follow the yajna [sacrifice] of chanting the holy names together. This means with other people. That automatically carries the risk of disease.

Friend2: There is danger at every step in this material world. Shrimad Bhagavatam confirms this:

समाश्रिता ये पदपल्लवप्लवं
महत्पदं पुण्ययशो मुरारे:
भवाम्बुधिर्वत्सपदं परं पदं
पदं पदं यद् विपदां न तेषाम्

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām

“For one who has accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Mukunda or the giver of mukti, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoofprint. Param padam, or the place where there are no material miseries, or Vaikuntha, is his goal, not the place where there is danger in every step of life.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.14.58)

Friend1: If the government gives recommendations to stay home, should sankirtana be stopped?

Friend2: That is a good question. What do you think?

Friend1: There is the story of Sanatana Gosvami meeting Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sanatana Gosvami was suffering from some type of skin disease. He was resolved to end his life.

Friend2: Suicide.

Friend1: Mahaprabhu met him and forced an embrace. Sanatana Gosvami was mortified, thinking that he had spread his disease.

Friend2: Mahaprabhu gave the best explanation. He said that nothing pleases Krishna more than bhakti. Suicide is not the way. Stay alive as long as time allows, and always be serving the Supreme Lord.

Friend1: But should Sanatana Gosvami have practiced social distancing?

Friend2: He was a sannyasi, wasn’t he? That means there is no connection to the material world. Limited interaction with society.

Friend1: Right, but that wasn’t to protect others from disease.

Friend2: Everyone is infected with the disease of illusion. Isolation or quarantine will not save them. The message of Divine love is needed, and that cannot be delivered without bold and benevolent representatives of Krishna travelling far and wide. They take every risk in this endeavor, seeking to lift others out of illusion. They wish to eliminate the suffering in the ocean of misery. Bask in the Divine light of devotion instead.

In Closing:

Not cowardly in corner to hide,
Representatives going far and wide.

Message of Divine love to bring,
Glories of Narayana to sing.

For benefit into future endure,
The disease of illusion’s cure.

Shri Krishna this work to see,
Most pleased by it is He.

Three Mistakes That Are Not Blemishes In Bhakti

“He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.31)

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क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा
शश्वच्-छान्तिं निगच्छति
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि
न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā
śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati
kaunteya pratijānīhi
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati

It is the reality, sadly. There is no way to sugarcoat it. If the kicker made that last-second field goal, his team would have won the game. He did not. “Wide-right” is what the radio announcer said. The team played well, otherwise. They were huge underdogs entering the contest. Not a chance to win based on the statistical comparison.

Yet there they were, on the precipice of a monumental upset. The kicker had not missed a field goal the entire season. This one would have sealed the deal and sent the team to the championship game. Sadly, to err is human, and everyone was reminded of just how human these players are.

Sometimes a defeat can turn into a victory. We need the extended vision in order to perceive. In bhakti-yoga, the vision travels backwards and forwards. Seeing where the individual was before and assessing the difference based on where they are headed. Through devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the worst mistake may not be held against you.

1. If they should stammer while giving a lecture on the science of self-realization

“This person is famous throughout the world for their discourses on the Shrimad Bhagavatam. This is one of the important texts of the Vedic tradition. Originally in the Sanskrit language, the verses are preserved. That is to say there hasn’t been monkeying around with the literature, as there is no need for a translation.

“This speaker sings the verses and then explains them to the audience, in a language familiar to the people. Yet during a recent event they had difficulty. They could only remember the first line of many of the verses. They had to pause mid-sentence, as if forgetting their place. Their speech was not smooth-flowing.

“Something must have gone wrong. Perhaps they were nervous, due to the large attendance. Maybe they didn’t get enough sleep, as travelling great distances takes its toll on the body.”

2. If they should forget a key ingredient in a preparation placed on the altar

“An integral aspect of devotional life at the temple is prasadam. Everyone honors this together, while seated on the floor. This occurs at the end of the program. There is congregational chanting [sankirtana], a formal worship ceremony [arati], and then partaking of the remnants offered to the Supreme Lord.

“It is obvious someone made a mistake. The sweet dish does not taste sweet. Perhaps they added salt instead of sugar. And man is there a lot of salt! Out of respect, everyone is eating. There are no complaints voiced, but the cook did not have his best day.”

3. If they should not properly recall a Sanskrit shloka from a sacred text

“At our weekly program there is something of a challenge for the participants. See if they can memorize a particular verse from the Bhagavad-gita. To test their success, we go around the room and each person recites both the Sanskrit and the English equivalent.

“Surprisingly, last week the leader of the program could not recall the verse from memory. They were the one who distributed the assignment. You would expect them to be the expert. Yet they knew only the first half of the Sanskrit. Strange. Goes to show you that no one is infallible.”

…

These supposed mistakes are actually not blemishes. The reason is the underlying mood. If there is a sincere desire to please Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to put a smile on His face, to serve His servants, then whatever shortcomings there are get quickly remediated.

There is evidence from direct dealings with Krishna. One time He was mistakenly served banana peels to eat as a visiting guest in a home. He happily consumed the peels and said not a word. The host eventually realized their mistake, but nothing was held against them.

This should serve as further justification for following devotional activities like chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. I may not be perfect in the beginning, but Bhagavan will assist me in my endeavor.

In Closing:

Speech not smoothly flowing,
Despite verses so well knowing.

Salt instead of sugar a mistake,
But people so kind as to take.

Of man’s fallibility to shine,
With these blemishes of mine.

But lingering memories not to keep,
When Krishna’s shelter to seek.

Four Places To See The Soul

“A true yogi observes Me in all beings, and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized man sees Me everywhere.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.29)

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सर्व-भूत-स्थम् आत्मानं
सर्व-भूतानि चात्मनि
ईक्षते योग-युक्तात्मा
सर्वत्र सम-दर्शनः

sarva-bhūta-stham ātmānaṁ
sarva-bhūtāni cātmani
īkṣate yoga-yuktātmā
sarvatra sama-darśanaḥ

In times of scarcity, such as with a growing pandemic involving a never-before-seen disease, tough decisions need to be made. The medical practitioners choose who to treat and who to leave behind. Value judgments based on future life expectancy, chances of survival, and worth to society.

The government essentially places a price tag on the different instances of life:

“How much money will come into the treasury through tax dollars? How many working years does this person have left? How much will it cost to keep them alive moving forward, seeing as they will not be able to return to full function?”

Despite the external viewpoint, it is never valid to say that one person is more of a life than another. This proper assessment is based on the spiritual vision, which detects the soul in different places.

1. That cow languishing after separation from its newborn.

“Amazingly, some people use this as justification for needless animal killing. They say that the mother, the cow, certainly feels some pain in the beginning, but that soon after she is back to normal. It is no big deal to have forced separation between mother and child in this instance.

“Really a horrible practice, if you ask me. And we dare to call ourselves civilized? We consider modern society to be advanced, but in what ways? To make such a practice routine indicates barbarism. This is an intelligently coordinated sinful act, conducted on a mass scale.”

2. That calf sent for untimely death, in violation of nature’s way.

“That poor calf. The fools tell us that formula milk is better for them. As if nature were too stupid to provide for the newborn. It gives to everyone else just fine. The tiger does not require a planning commission, a strategic reserve to be tapped in times of war, or a configured eating plan.

“It has its specific dietary needs and nature provides. The tiger has a certain duration of life, which may be longer or shorter than other species, but the length of stay on this earth is not the basis for determining the presence of life.”

3. That cancer-stricken celebrity

“What awful news to be told. A tragic diagnosis. This person may not be with us for much longer. They were doing just fine. You couldn’t tell there was any health problem, otherwise. How did this happen? All of a sudden we are reminded of the limited time remaining. I really feel for them and their family. I pray that everything works out.”

4. That leader of the important nation

“He’s got a tough job, for sure. The news media treats him so unfairly. The questions they ask during press conferences are ridiculous. Someone should punch them in the face. Never seeking answers to real issues. They are just looking to trip up the leaders, to blame them for things, to make them look bad.

“Yet he remains cool and calm. Unflustered. These clowns cannot distract him from running the country. What a great human being. I pray for him all the time, that he will be successful in protecting us.”

…

The soul is present in each of these situations. That is to say, it can be found within the cow and the calf. In the higher understanding, the life of the tiger is just as important as the life of the state leader. It may seem silly to say so. The tiger kills other animals, after all. It doesn’t make tough decisions that will impact daily life.

विद्या-विनय-सम्पन्ने
ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि
शुनि चैव श्व-पाके च
पण्डिताः सम-दर्शिनः

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.18)

The soul inside is of the same quality, however. The stay within a particular species is temporary. The treatment may not be uniform across the different instances of life, but the acknowledgment should be there. At the very least, I should act in such a way that I see the soul everywhere.

This is because the soul is sourced in the Supreme Soul. In other words, by seeing everyone as spirit, I am able to notice the presence of God, who is all-attractive. Seeing God is the best way to live, as He is the source of strength, perseverance, optimism, and enthusiasm. If I see Him, then everything is right in my way of life, and at the end I will be able to return to the spiritual world.

In Closing:

Not exclusive to humans being,
Wise the soul in others seeing.

Like mother cow giving birth,
And satisfying calf’s thirst.

That tiger daily on the hunt,
Others the danger to blunt.

Best vision the spiritual extending,
Mechanism to transcendence ascending.

The Four Miseries Of Life

“In the Bhagavad-gita (13.9) it is stated, janma-mrityu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-doshanudarshanam: one who is actually advancing must always consider the four principles of miserable life, namely, birth, death, old age and disease. One cannot be saved from all these miseries unless he takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Chairtamrita, Adi 7.1 Purport)

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There are the three sources of misery in life, but that relates to the experience within a specific lifetime. There are four commonly listed miseries which apply to a material existence itself. Namely, these affect every living entity, in any time period, where there is a distinction between body and spirit.

1. Birth

This is where the two meet. The acharyas advise against pursuing the complete history of the living entity. A waste of time. Better to cure the disease than to search out the root cause. The time is short. Make the best use of the current situation.

But we can easily decipher the cause. There was a lack of a pure consciousness during the previous lifetime. Successive lifetimes, dating infinitely back into the past, but we know the presence of impurity based on the event of birth.

The pure spirit soul contacts material elements. The association begins behind the curtain, so to speak. No one actually sees the development, though advancements in technology allow for the detection of a heartbeat and the vision of a general shape of the body-spirit combination.

Shrimad Bhagavatam reveals that the experience within the womb is not pleasurable. Would you prefer to be bunched up in a tight space for upwards of nine months, with no relief in sight? No ability to act on desires. No contact with the outside world.

Finally, birth itself is such a traumatic experience that the living being forgets their time spent in the womb. The mother delivering the baby might suffer tremendously in the process. It may take her quite a long time to heal, and she may vow to never endure the same again in the future.

2. Old age

The Sanskrit word is jara. Old age works in concert with kala, which is time. No one is immune to this process. We typically equate jara with reaching the status known as “senior citizen,” but aging takes place constantly. The person in the boyhood state of body has aged considerably since their time spent in the womb. The adult may be halfway through the typical time spent in a human form.

Nothing can be done to stop old age. Despite every advancement made in modern society, the body eventually deteriorates. I can no longer eat the way I used to when I was younger. My muscles start to ache after barely any physical exertion. I cannot tolerate the cold weather the same; I must move to someplace warmer.

3. Disease

This misery is everywhere, but it is easy to overlook. How else to explain the sudden panic over the spread of the virus which is really no different than other common illnesses? Disease applies to every person and every time period. There are so many viruses carried and spread constantly, but the effect is not always the same. I may be suffering from a cold and have close contact with my husband, but this does not mean that he is guaranteed to suffer in the same way.

Disease works along with kala to further worsen the condition of the body. That automobile cannot keep running forever. Eventually, the parts start to wear out. The living room sofa needs new cushions. As soon as you sit down, you sink to the bottom.

4. Death

This is the final misery, which no one really expects or wants. Better to avoid thinking about it, but the experience can be very painful. Forced exit from a home that we grew attached to. Kala’s final act, and for this reason the same word can translate to “death.”

These miseries are guaranteed to take place in a material existence. For this reason, the acharyas urge an end to the cycle. Break the pattern. Refuse to participate. Don’t buy into the panic that we must live a certain way or miss out on the fun. Seek real and lasting enjoyment.

The person who is realized in the difference between body and spirit, in the sources of misery and the guaranteed nature of their arrival, no longer has to suffer the experience. They win something called moksha, which is liberation. The end to the cycle of birth and death.

दैवी ह्य् एषा गुण-मयी
मम माया दुरत्यया
माम् एव ये प्रपद्यन्ते
मायाम् एतां तरन्ति ते

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te

“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.14)

Serve the Supreme Lord and easily cross beyond the vast ocean of suffering. He has been with us all along, ready to help. Now we can realize Him and wake up from the slumber of ignorance: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Appearing the misery first,
Traumatic time before birth.

Kala then its battle to wage,
Guaranteed old coming age.

Disease vast and wide to spread,
And final blow of death to dread.

But rescued those at His feet falling,
And in love His holy names calling.