What Is The Best Protection Against Disease

“The embodied living entity is diseased by the very construction of his body. The body is the symbol of diseases. The disease may differ from one variety to another, but disease must be there just as there is birth and death for everyone. So, by the grace of the Personality of Godhead, not only are diseases of the body and mind cured, but also the soul is relieved of the constant repetition of birth and death. The name of the Lord is also called bhavaushadhi, or the source of curing the disease of material existence.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.7.21 Purport)

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Friend1: Do you ever get the feeling that the scientists and doctors just don’t know what they are talking about?

Friend2: Which scientists? The doctors are talking about what?

Friend1: I guess you could say the public health officials.

Friend2: Oh, with their recommendations and the like?

Friend1: Warnings. Guidelines. I feel like they are schoolteachers talking to little children.

“Wash your hands. Don’t sneeze in other people’s faces. Stay home when you are sick. Cover your mouth when you cough.”

I swear, if another person tells me to “stay safe,” I am going to scream.

Friend2: It is interesting how that catches on, no pun intended. As if we ever want someone to not stay safe.

Friend1: Yeah. Please, always be in danger. Remain unhealthy. That is my recommendation, says no person ever!

Friend2: You feel those guidelines aren’t helpful?

Friend1: I bet you the people making them don’t even follow them. Also, they keep changing their recommendations. They say we need more testing to get accurate data on a particular disease. Then they say that only people with symptoms should get tested.

Friend2: Which means they will never have accurate data.

Friend1: Yes, exactly. One day they say wearing masks is useless, and the next day they demand every person wear them, even while walking outside. It seems like a giant scam to me. They are only interested in covering for themselves. If the worst happens then at least they could say that they did something.

Friend2: Their precious guidelines.

Friend1: More importantly, I think they don’t know anything about curing these diseases or preventing the spread. They are more or less guessing.

Friend2: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada describes it as the ascending process of knowledge. Observation and experiment. Record data and then study. Create models to predict the future, but never be completely accurate.

Friend1: Those models are absolutely worthless, and yet we destroy lives using them. The dire prediction of millions of deaths, which never materializes.

Friend2: But the experts will say that it is a good thing. Because people followed their recommendations crisis was averted.

Friend1: The ascending process is flawed, then?

Friend2: It has to be. No one can ever perceive everything. Only God, the Supreme Lord, is antaryami.

Friend1: The all-pervading witness.

Friend2: We wouldn’t know what to make of the data if we had it all available to us, anyway. That is the reason for the constant revision. They have one set of guidelines today and another tomorrow. Never do they even touch on the truth of keeping oneself fit and healthy.

Friend1: I’m assuming because it is past that point for many in the population. Is there any solution from the Vedic point of view? Is there a way to protect against diseases?

Friend2: Any disease in particular?

Friend1: You know, like these really bad ones.

Friend2: Vyadhi is a misery associated with a material existence. It is one of the influences of time, kala. Just as there is guaranteed death after birth, there must be disease.

Friend1: So we should just ride it out? No treatment? No prevention?

Friend2: One of the avataras of the Supreme Lord is Dhanvantari. He is the origin of the medical science. The Vedas give information for happiness in all aspects of life, including both material and spiritual.

Friend1: Ayurveda?

Friend2: Yes, but that doesn’t mean disease will be completely eliminated. The root ailment is the acceptance of the body, i.e. material existence itself. Dhanvantari as Shri Krishna can cure that disease, which is the most important to eradicate.

Friend1: Through consciousness?

Friend2: Which ensures the safe passage to body-less state.

Friend1: Liberation.

Friend2: No more material existence. Time still has an influence, but not with disease. No such thing as birth, old age or death. Liberation, mukti, is the end to the cycle of birth and death, which includes disease in between.

Friend1: How do we get the right consciousness?

Friend2: Hear. Chant. Associate.

Friend1: What if the association puts us at risk of contracting a disease?

Friend2: You are already at risk. You have been subject to so many viruses already. Suddenly, today, out of nowhere you are interested in this particular danger of this world? There is vulnerability at every step. No one is truly safe, at any time. Better to clutch the lotus feet of Shri Krishna and those devoted to Him. Best to board the boat guaranteeing safe passage to the imperishable realm. That boat is guided by the spiritual master, who strongly encourages association with the holy name: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Safely locked in my room,
Pandemic hopefully over soon.

But disease still there to be,
None truly ever free.

Because part of nature so,
Along with time to go.

Shelter of Divine safest bet,
Boarding boat of liberation set.

Why Would Dasharatha Make That Promise To Kaikeyi

“Being under the control of passion and lust, Rama’s father, Maharaja Dasharatha, wanted to fulfill Kaikeyi’s cherished desire, thus he did not go through with Rama’s installation ceremony.” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 47.12)

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कामार्तस्तु महातेजाः पिता दशरथस्स्वयम्।।
कैकेय्याः प्रियकामार्थं तं रामं नाभ्यषेचयत्।

kāmārtastu mahātejāḥ pitā daśarathassvayam।।
kaikeyyāḥ priyakāmārthaṃ taṃ rāmaṃ nābhyaṣecayat।

Friend1: One of the early tragic events from the Ramayana story, which is actually a recounting of history, is the passing of Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya.

Friend2: Due to separation from Shri Rama, his beloved eldest son, the person the king had been waiting forever for, in the same way that the devoted saintly person eagerly anticipates union with the Almighty and the chance to serve eternally.

Friend1: Which is actually superior to the achievement of liberation. Not that I am striving for placement in heaven in the afterlife, that I make a simple acknowledgment and expect someone else to save me.

Friend2: They would rather serve the Supreme Lord, who is a person. Emulating the attitude of Shri Hanuman, who is one of the main characters from the Ramayana. Hanuman is not related to Rama through family.

Friend1: To be clear, Rama is an avatara of Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rama is Vishnu. He is the same Krishna. He is kind enough to descend to this world every now and then. The devotees then celebrate those occasions, such as Rama Navami:

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य
ग्लानिर् भवति भारत
अभ्युत्थानम् अधर्मस्य
तदात्मानं सृजाम्य् अहम्

yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.7)

Friend2: If you live within a culture of spirituality that denies or ignores the saguna aspect, where the Divine has distinguishable features and characteristics, you are really missing out.

Friend1: Getting back to Dasharatha, he certainly did not miss out. He appreciated every moment spent with Rama. The poor guy had to die in separation due to the wicked ways of one of his wives, Kaikeyi.

Friend2: As the saying goes, caught between a rock and a hard place. Uphold the honor and integrity of the Raghu dynasty, in which he appeared, or show favoritism to the son and be known as untruthful.

Friend1: From what I have read, he could not get the words out. Dasharatha never actually told Rama to leave.

Friend2: For where?

Friend1: Oh, sorry. A little background. Dasharatha is ready to install Rama on the throne. This is what everyone wants. This is in line with protocol. At the last minute, Kaikeyi cashes in boons that were previously promised to her. She wants her son, Bharata, to be the next king instead.

Friend2: Dasharatha would have gone along with that.

Friend1: No problem, at all, except for her second wish she wants Rama out of the kingdom.

Friend2: For how long?

Friend1: Fourteen years. She really dug the knife into her husband. My question relates to the boons themselves. I know that Dasharatha had promised her those years prior. Why would he make such a grave mistake?

Friend2: She had saved him on the battlefield one time. Dasharatha was not simply an administrator who sat behind a desk and directed other people to fight. He could defend against chariots attacking in ten directions simultaneously. He was well-appreciated by the demigod class, the suras.

Friend1: Yes, and so he was pleased with Kaikeyi for her help, but why did he have to promise her anything she wanted?

Friend2: This is in the nature of saintly people. They remember every good deed done in their favor. I am so upset with my wife today for the harsh words she spoke to me. I am ready to leave the house for good, but I forget everything positive that she has done for me and my family. That is the way the miser thinks, the kripana.

Friend1: That is well and good, but just see what Dasharatha’s saintly nature got him.

Friend2: Life can be cruel in that way. Sita Devi, Rama’s wife, later remarked that Dasharatha was under the control of lust and passion. In essence, in a moment of weakness he agreed to Kaikeyi’s requests.

Friend1: I guess that is what I am getting at. How could he be so weak?

Friend2: That is just part of being a devotee sometimes. Look at Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. He wanted to forgive the Kauravas and walk away. Sita Devi was trusting at first to the Rakshasa in-disguise named Ravana. Draupadi forgave Ashvatthama, who deserved the harshest punishment.

Friend1: Would someone like Kaikeyi suffer for what she did?

Friend2: She was married in all dharma to her husband, who ascended to the higher realm while conscious of his beloved son. No one can ask for a better death, and death is guaranteed for every person. The wives share in the meritorious credits accumulated by the husband. What we view as tragic actually is not so. The Ramayana story has many such events, and Shri Hanuman delights in reliving them every day.

In Closing:

How Dasharatha so weak,
When suras his help to seek?

And battling against directions ten,
But made unthinkable promise then.

To Kaikeyi his wife,
One costing his life.

Because in nature of saintly people so,
Tragic but really auspicious to know.

What Is The Purpose Of Knowing More About God

“While Vasudeva was carrying his son Krishna in the falling rain, Lord Shesha in the shape of a serpent spread His hood over the head of Vasudeva so that he would not be hampered by the rainfall. Vasudeva came onto the bank of the Yamuna and saw that the water of the Yamuna was roaring with waves and that the whole span was full of foam. Still, in that furious feature, the river gave passage to Vasudeva to cross, just as the great Indian Ocean gave a path to Lord Rama when He was bridging over the gulf.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 3)

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Friend1: One of the analogies offered by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada that really strikes me is to the two kinds of dictionaries, the pocket and full.

Friend2: What is the context?

Friend1: To explain the difference between Vedic culture and other popular traditions of spirituality. On one side you have the scriptures with no known date of origin. They were only written down later.

Friend2: The shrutis. “That which is heard.” Later the smritis, or that which is remembered.

Friend1: Then you have the scriptures of the yavanas, for lack of a better term.

Friend2: Mleccha, yavana. Basically, anyone who has deviated from the original Vedic culture. The prominent indications are meat eating and alcohol consumption.

Friend1: The comparison is that the Vedas are like the full dictionary. Much larger in size. The other books are like the pocket dictionary.

Friend2: Both are valid dictionaries. You can get an idea about God from the smaller one. We are not saying that the texts are invalid by themselves.

Friend1: Yes, but if you want to proceed further, to satisfy the inquisitiveness associated with advanced intelligence, only Vedic literature will meet your curiosity.

Friend2: Remember, this is not just an exercise for faculty lounge academics. The knowledge is there for fulfilling the highest purpose.

Friend1: That is what I wanted to ask you today. What do you say to the person who says that they do not need to know more about God?

Friend2: That the pocket dictionary is enough for them?

Friend1: Yes. Exactly. They have no concern with dictionaries, large or small. They don’t require hearing the many verses of Shrimad Bhagavatam, for instance. They are content knowing that God is great, that He is the origin and that He will be the savior.

Friend2: Okay, but you don’t know how great.

Friend1: But who cares? Why do I need to know that?

Friend2: Because your appreciation will increase. That is why Vedic literature is known to be endless, ananta. It continues to expand to this day. The saintly people sing of God’s gunas. These are His transcendental glories. There is never sufficient glorification, so the collection of published volumes, whether made public or kept private, continues to expand.

Friend1: I am not saying that no one would benefit from the full dictionary. I’m just wondering what the appeal is for someone who is already satisfied knowing that God is great.

Friend2: Because if you know exactly how great, your appreciation for Him will increase. Notice that saintly people like Narada Muni and Vyasadeva are never satisfied. They know that God is Krishna, or the all-attractive one. They describe Krishna’s glories to so many people and in so many ways. Through these devotional acts their appreciation only increases. The appreciation equates to attachment.

Friend1: And being attached to God is good.

Friend2: Because you will always be attached to something or someone. If you are not attached to Krishna, you will be vulnerable to the temporary pleasures of a material existence. Maya will get in your way. It is safer to be on the side of the Divine. The more you learn about Him, the stronger the attachment will be, as attested to by those who regularly chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Friend1: Better to be with the Divine consciousness than to be fixated on illusion.

Friend2: You can take the image of Vasudeva crossing the Yamuna. From a single incident, we learn that Krishna is kind enough to be so small as to be carried by a loving father through a very dangerous situation. Vasudeva risked personal safety for the wellbeing of his son, who had only appeared in the world moments prior. The direct connection with God enables this kind of blissful exchange.

In Closing:

“God already sufficient to know,
Then why to your scriptures to go?

Where endlessly books to read,
For me right now not a need.“

Idea that closer to Him coming,
Life more blissful becoming.

Where in lila’s play starring when,
Like Vasudeva reaching river’s end.

Two Situations To Help Understand Krishna’s Potencies

“While Vasudeva was carrying his son Krishna in the falling rain, Lord Shesha in the shape of a serpent spread His hood over the head of Vasudeva so that he would not be hampered by the rainfall. Vasudeva came onto the bank of the Yamuna and saw that the water of the Yamuna was roaring with waves and that the whole span was full of foam. Still, in that furious feature, the river gave passage to Vasudeva to cross, just as the great Indian Ocean gave a path to Lord Rama when He was bridging over the gulf.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 3)

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His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada juxtaposes these two extreme situations in order to highlight the greatness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna. In order to conduct a proper assessment, every side of ability needs to be considered.

1. He is carrying the whole planetary system as Sankarshana

This is the explanation for gravity. Kudos to the scientific community for discovering this law of nature. Though Newton thoughtfully came upon the idea through studying the effect of an apple falling from a tree, that aspect of nature has been around since before anyone can remember. In other words, more amazing than the scientist making the discovery is the person or force responsible for the law of science to begin with.

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)

Sankarshana is an expansion of the Supreme Lord, who is singular. It is the same God for everyone, though He may not be known to the same degree of certainty within each region. Sankarshana holds the entire universe up. Nothing could be more amazing than this.

There is no fatigue. The planets have been there since before anyone can remember and they will remain so into the foreseeable future. Man can try their best to give a different attribution, to say that someone or something else is responsible, but they will never supplant the actual truth.

2. He agrees to be carried by His devotees, as small as a devotee can carry Him

Though He is larger than the largest, Krishna can also become smaller than the smallest. He sometimes does this to facilitate the desire of the devotee, the person who wants to serve Him with love. It is not possible for me to find enough cloth to properly dress Krishna. All the fabric in the world would not be sufficient.

Yet I can accomplish the same through the deity in the temple. The saguna form, the replica crafted for the purpose of worship - I can get an idea of Krishna’s features through this statue. It will hear my prayers, accept my food offerings and wear the clothes I put on it. The experience is actually no different than connecting with Sankarshana directly, except I fail to make the equivalence.

There is the incident of baby Krishna being carried across the raging Yamuna River in the middle of the night by the father, Vasudeva. This can only be possible if Krishna agrees to become small. He retains full potency in that diminutive stature, and simultaneously Vasudeva has the chance to offer service in His preferred mood, that of a protective father.

This means that no one is prohibited from devotional service. Appreciate in awe and reverence through the greatness of material nature or come close to Him through the loving exchanges available with the two-handed, all-attractive Krishna feature, which is the original. Use the conduit of sound and be forever benefitted: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Higher consciousness found,
Through conduit of sound.

Sacred mantra repeating,
Ignorance and despair defeating.

Despite entire universe upholding,
As small child to father unfolding.

Amazing journey against nature’s fight,
Vasudeva success through stormy night.

What Is The Basic Cause Of Human Sinful Activities

“Shri Ishopanishad advises us to pour water on the root, the source of all germination. Worship of the mass of humanity by rendering bodily service, which can never be perfect, is less important than service to the soul. The soul is the root that generates different types of bodies according to the law of karma. To serve human beings by medical aid, social help and educational facilities while at the same time cutting the throats of poor animals in slaughterhouses is no service at all to the soul, the living being.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shri Ishopanishad, 13 Purport)

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Friend1: Do plants have life?

Friend2: They are life; yes.

Friend1: How do you know?

Friend2: Development of the body. The Sanskrit is dehantara-praptir:

देहिनो ऽस्मिन् यथा देहे
कौमारं यौवनं जरा
तथा देहान्तर-प्राप्तिर्
धीरस् तत्र न मुह्यति

dehino ‘smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

Friend1: That is your evidence, then? A verse from the Bhagavad-gita?

Friend2: Is that not sufficient?

Friend1: Is there empirical evidence to support the claim?

Friend2: Like I said, development. You witness the changes. From the seed to the creeper to the tree. Sometimes fruits get produced. You also know when the plant is dead, i.e. the absence of life.

Friend1: That is true.

Friend2: The same cannot be said of a rock. There is no development; it is just matter.

Friend1: What about animals? Is it the same concept?

Friend2: Even more so, meaning the evidence is clearer. The animal eats, sleeps, mates and defends. These are features in common with the human species.

Friend1: Okay, but the counterargument is that the animals are not as intelligent.

Friend2: So? Intelligence is now the indication of life? Since when? The human infant is less intelligent than many animals. Does that mean the infant lacks a soul?

Friend1: No, but what about the argument that the animals have a different kind of soul?

Friend2: That is mental speculation. Completely made up. No logical foundation; simply an excuse to justify killing the animals. There is no difference in soul. The difference is in body type; that is what defines species.

Friend1: So the animal has the exact same kind of soul?

Friend2: There is only one kind, for the purpose of this discussion. Jivatma. Conditioned soul. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada says that this denial of the presence of soul in the animals and plants is the basic cause of human sinful activities.

Friend1: Oh really? That is interesting.

Friend2: Because once I have denied the right of other living entities to live, I can justify practically any behavior. Wherever my sense demands take me. Nothing is off the table.

Friend1: That would confirm the teaching of Shri Krishna that sense gratification, kama, is the all-devouring enemy of this world:

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
काम एष क्रोध एष
रजो-गुण-समुद्भवः
महाशनो महा-पाप्मा
विद्ध्य् एनम् इह वैरिणम्

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa
rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ
mahāśano mahā-pāpmā
viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

“The Blessed Lord said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world.” (Bhagavad-gita, 3.37)

Friend2: Yes, kama is the foundation, and through a desire to satisfy kama we make so many excuses, not realizing the violation of dharma, how we are going against nature.

Friend1: If a society just understood the presence of soul inside species outside of the humans then that would be a big step forward?

Friend2: No doubt about it. It is realizing the self. It is understanding that the soul is inside of other living entities, as well. From there you can understand the relationship we have to one another and also our link to God, who is the Supreme Soul.

Friend1: Paramatma.

Friend2: Atma is an expansion of Paramatma, and so a person who sees the soul everywhere indirectly sees Krishna at the same time:

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

“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)

That is a very advanced state.

In Closing:

A denial at the source,
Drastically altering course.

Where soul of animal not to see,
And content with killing to be.

But the effects far and wide,
In pain and misery to reside.

Vedanta study clearing the confusion,
Equal souls and no right on intrusion.

Ascending To Heaven And Realizing God Are Two Different Things

“When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus, through the Vedic principles, they achieve only flickering happiness.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.21)

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ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्ग-लोकं विशालं
क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्य-लोकं विशन्ति
एवं त्रयी-धर्मम् अनुप्रपन्ना
गतागतं काम-कामा लभन्ते

te taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ viśālaṁ
kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti
evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante

Friend1: Have you heard that saying about the difficulty the rich person encounters in trying to reach heaven?

Friend2: What is that, exactly?

Friend1: Something about it being more difficult to thread the eye of a needle with a large object than it is for a wealthy person to reach heaven.

Friend2: Why is that?

Friend1: They don’t give justification.

Friend2: Who is “they”?

Friend1: The people putting forward the saying. They claim the truth is based on a sacred text, of their particular faith.

Friend2: Oh. But no logical foundation, otherwise?

Friend1: They don’t seem too interested in logic or understanding. Faith in the savior. Belief in the book. That is the way to heaven.

Friend2: Says who?

Friend1: I guess their faith.

Friend2: Who represents their faith?

Friend1: Maybe the institution. I see where you are going with this. If the institution is flawed, if there is bias based on insider-status and politics, then the followers should insist on more than just faith.

Friend2: Not that there shouldn’t be representatives. You need parampara. A disciplic succession is how you reach the original person. In fact, if the representatives are qualified and true to the mission, it is like you are connecting directly with the person who is supposed to grant every wish.

Friend1: And the wish here is salvation. Life in heaven, after death, though the achievement can’t be confirmed until later.

Friend2: Why not?

Friend1: Umm, because heaven is the afterlife. In other words, after this life is over. How can you confirm otherwise?

Friend2: The followers are helpless, then? They have to believe in a hope and a prayer?

Friend1: I think so. Should it be any different?

Friend2: Of course. If I can realize so many other things right now, with the senses given to me by nature, why shouldn’t it be the same with the highest concept of all?

Friend1: Never thought of it that way. What exactly should be realized? Heaven? But isn’t that a destination?

Friend2: There is a difference between ascending to heaven and realizing God. You can take that lesson right away from association with the Vedic tradition.

Friend1: Isn’t heaven where God is? Don’t I realize God by reaching heaven?

Friend2: Physical proximity is not the qualifier. I could be living next to the most important leader for decades. They are my neighbor. I might get a glance at them periodically, when they are entering and leaving. This doesn’t mean I have any sort of relationship with them.

Friend1: Whereas I could know someone intimately who lives thousands of miles away. This is because I communicate with them on a regular basis.

Friend2: Thus you have invalidated the concept of heavenly residence automatically involving realization of God. From Bhagavad-gita we learn that residence in heaven, as we know it, is not fixed.

Friend1: Why not?

Friend2: Because it is an achievement. It is the result of following piety, dharma. Heaven is part of the material world. You enjoy there for a longer period of time and with a greater degree of indulgence, but you cannot remain there forever.

Friend1: What about realizing God?

Friend2: That can take place anywhere. Such realization is known as yoga, the genuine kind. If you are in yoga, you have no desire to change location. I can be completely in union with the Divine right now, in fact. While speaking to you, describing His glories, quoting from His teachings in sacred texts like Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam, inviting others to follow the same imperishable path of devotion, I can be associating with Him directly. Then I won’t mind heaven or hell, pebbles or gold, sickness or health, or cold or heat.

In Closing:

After faith in savior to affirm,
Still heaven not now can confirm.

Faith the only way,
The Sunday leaders say.

But truth not based on ascending,
Realization through that descending.

Knowledge towards transcendence shown,
Through guru the Supreme is known.

Three Truths To Consider In The Animal Killing Debate

“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)

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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

1. The tiger is following its nature

It doesn’t have to pray. Actually, it wouldn’t know how to. No understanding of a higher authority, commanding control over the material nature and its intricate workings. The tiger doesn’t even know what a tiger is.

It does know the four basic activities of an animal: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. To eat, there is enough available. The tiger survives by killing other animals. It is not a vegetarian. The tiger does not know how to maintain slaughterhouses and neither is such a scheme required.

The tiger kills, eats and then lives off of that energy until the next time hunger arrives. It cannot be blamed for its behavior, since it is simply acting based on the nature assumed at the time of birth.

2. The fish is doing the same

In his youth, one of the founding fathers of the United States dabbled for a period with what he called an “all-vegetable diet.” He had read a book by Thomas Tryon inspiring the idea. The concept was novel for the time and place; certainly not as popular as it is today.

The experiment was short-lived. He one day discovered that the inside of the fish had so many other living organisms. In other words, fish lived off other creatures. If they were not following non-violence, why should the people who desired to eat them?

Benjamin Franklin later poked fun at himself for using this justification for returning to meat-eating. In truth, the fish was acting like the tiger. It is in the nature of fish to eat other living things within the water.

3. The nature of the human being is to discriminate

Should the human beings imitate the animals? Are we not part of nature, as well? If we consume animal flesh, is that not based on instinct?

The key distinction is that it is in the nature of the human being to discriminate. That is to say we have more influence over our actions than other species do over theirs. We can choose to accept a thirty-day no-carb challenge, for instance.

We decide which animals to respect and which ones to keep as pets. We choose whether to get married or remain single throughout adulthood. We choose what kind of car to drive and where to live.

Most importantly, we can discriminate between right and wrong. The corresponding terms in Sanskrit are punya and papa or guna and dosha. Piety and sin. Punya is the right way to do something, collecting meritorious credits. Papa is the wrong way, carrying justifiable punishment to the degree of the error, set to arrive at the appropriate time.

The conscious human being can make a rational decision on diet. More important is the treatment of other living entities. It is the law of nature that one living entity subsists off another, but is it necessary to kill on such a large scale, when there is sufficient food available from the plants and the milk provided by cows?

These are questions the rational human being asks when considering their fate, when taking the collective of an existence into account. These teachings are fundamental to the Vedic science, which aims at self-realization. Seeing the animating spark within and how it is not different from species to species.

The wise person sees that the elephant, the cow, the dog, the tiger, and the intelligent scholar are all the same on the inside. Not that they necessarily warrant the same treatment, but the understanding should be there of the distinction between body and spirit.

This is a stepping-stone, a launching pad, to the higher realization of Supreme Spirit. All living things emanate from Him, after all. While there is no sin for the animals, as they act off nature, the human beings have a choice. The best one they can make is towards the Divine light, which brings an accompanying way of life that automatically gives respect to others and their right to live.

In Closing:

Tiger off its nature acting,
And not for higher scheme enacting.

Same for fish and other creatures too,
But discrimination in me and you.

A choice in which way to go,
And of future consequences to know.

That both body and spirit freeing,
And respect for every living being.