Literally From Riches To Rags

“Neither the demigods nor any exalted personalities were there helping Rama, for He acted alone. You should not entertain any doubt on this matter. Indeed, Rama shot feathered arrows, plated with gold, which turned into five-headed serpents that devoured all the Rakshasas. The Rakshasas were oppressed with fear, and wherever they went and wherever they turned, they saw Rama in front of them. In this way, O spotless one, have your Rakshasas been destroyed in the forest of Janasthana by Rama.” (Akampana speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 31.18-19)

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नैव देवा महात्मानो नात्र कार्या विचारणा।
शरा रामेण तूत्सृष्टा रुक्मपुङ्खाः पतत्रिणः।।
सर्पाः पञ्चानना भूत्वा भक्षयन्ति स्म राक्षसान्।
येन येन च गच्छन्ति राक्षसा भयकर्शिताः।
तेन तेन स्म पश्यन्ति राममेवाग्रतः स्थितम्।
इत्थं विनाशितं तेन जनस्थानं तवानघ।।

naiva devā mahātmāno nātra kāryā vicāraṇā।
śarā rāmeṇa tūtsṛṣṭā rukmapuṅkhāḥ patatriṇaḥ।।
sarpāḥ pañcānanā bhūtvā bhakṣayanti sma rākṣasān।
yena yena ca gacchanti rākṣasā bhayakarśitāḥ।
tena tena sma paśyanti rāmamevāgrataḥ sthitam।
itthaṃ vināśitaṃ tena janasthānaṃ tavānagha।।

Business in the preceding year went well. More than a million dollars in revenue from one particular item, sold online. You hoped for this day a long time ago, when you first started, and now it has become a reality.

You earned so much, in fact, that you are not exactly sure what to do with the excess income. You did purchase that high-end automobile. Custom-built, through a catalog; certainly no haggling with the salespeople. You are so special that they personally delivered the vehicle to your home.

Recently, you sent it off to another state to get the sound system upgraded. The stock equipment was fine, but why not splurge to improve the quality? You had to go to a place that specialized in this area. Yours is not an ordinary car; any changes to the internals also impacts the externals. If the car isn’t as beautiful on the outside, what is the point? You want to show off, after all.

Another person might spend extra money to buy a bigger house. Remodel the kitchen. Or travel the world for several months at a time, staying at the finest hotels. Enjoy life to the fullest, however that is defined.

Imagine if fortunes went the other way. You had previously been living in wealth. You were born into it, in fact. Forget the silver spoon analogy, there is gold everywhere. Servants to take care of every need. An adoring public, since the family is royalty. The father is the most respected, even by people outside of the kingdom. He is a chivalrous warrior who expertly defends the innocent against foreign attack.

Overnight, suddenly, without prior warning, you go from riches to rags. Not merely a metaphor, you actually have to wear rags for clothing. It is stipulated, as such; almost like terms of a contract. Oh, you also weren’t involved in the negotiation. You are like collateral damage in a bitter feud between queens.

Your father’s youngest wife is incensed that you were set to be installed as the next king. You had the support of everyone in the kingdom, including the three younger brothers. You are the oldest; so this would follow protocols of succession. This queen previously had no issues with you; there was mutual love and respect.

But not now. You are being passed over. Adding insult to injury, you must leave for the forest. Stay there for fourteen years. No access to the riches you have known since birth. No well-wishers or supporters. No cooks to prepare meals. No driver of a chariot. Traveling on foot, looking like an ascetic.

This is what occurred for Shri Rama, an avatara of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His tale is well-documented in the Ramayana of Valmiki, along with many other Vedic texts. The change in circumstance was not a big deal for Rama. Since He is God, He possess vairagya to the fullest. He is simultaneously attached to His well-wishers and detached from anything otherwise considered enjoyable in the living experience.

The leader of Lanka at the time received notice of this news and couldn’t believe it. Ravana had spent considerable time acquiring power. He dominated other rulers, applying force, waging war without provocation. He had every material enjoyment available to him, in the extreme.

Ravana couldn’t imagine giving everything up in order to save the honor of his father. He would fight everyone around in order to maintain power. He incorrectly assumed Rama was weak for roaming the forest as punishment.

When a person is so immersed in sense gratification and they lose their way with dharma, they can never understand someone who is dedicated to virtue and righteousness. Thus they don’t see clearly. Ravana at one point thought he could overwhelm Rama in battle. Ravana sent fourteen thousand of his men to the forest of Dandaka, as a show of revenge for what Ravana’s sister had previously experienced after she had violently rushed after Rama’s wife Sita.

Rama soundly defeated the attackers. One of them made it back to Lanka and reported on what happened. That supposedly poor person, dressed in rags, released arrows that behaved something like heat-seeking missiles. The attackers, who were man-eating ogres, desperately sought relief, to no avail, no matter where they turned.

Many of the supporters of Sita’s husband follow a similar transition in life. They perhaps grew up in wealth, but due to their dedication in devotion they seek a simpler life later on. They give up everything in order to always meditate on the Almighty, serving Him with mind, body and speech.

In Closing:

Alone against Rakshasas standing,
Control over arrows commanding.

Rags in the forest now to wear,
No hints of regal life there.

But as Bhagavan not to mind,
Most powerful wherever to find.

His servants for similar path ready,
Supported by their devotion steady.

Shouldn't We Encourage Children To Reach For Their Dreams

“When irreligion is prominent in the family, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupt, and from the degradation of womanhood, O descendant of Vrishni, comes unwanted progeny.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 1.40)

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अधर्माभिभवात् कृष्ण
प्रदुष्यन्ति कुल-स्त्रियः
स्त्रीषु दुष्टासु वार्ष्णेय
जायते वर्ण-सङ्करः

adharmābhibhavāt kṛṣṇa
praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ
strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya
jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ

“One of the complaints you’ll often here from children growing up in more traditional settings is that they were limited in their upbringing. Not that sufficient quantities of food and clothing were lacking. Not that they were necessarily poor.

“To get an idea, let’s contrast with a question often asked of children in more industrialized nations. The teacher will pose the question of what the child wants to be when they grow up. Well, transitioning back to the other societies, the children never hear that question. There are so few options for future employment that no one gives it any thought.

“If they are a female, then they are expected to get married at a young age. A sort of sacrifice, if you will, a father giving away in charity for the benefit of another family, which in turn keeps society functioning.

“I believe Arjuna makes a similar reference in Bhagavad-gita. Avoiding varna-sankara, which is the mixing of the different groups. In other words, have marriage by dharma instead of kama. Limit illicit sex so that the children born in this world are wanted and cared for.

“A person may argue that it is cruel to limit children in this way. Shouldn’t they be told that the sky is the limit? Expand beyond children and just see how many impositions religious systems apply. Don’t do this. Don’t do that. Conduct this sacrifice. Limit your diet.

“Shouldn’t we encourage people to explore, to cross beyond the horizons, to dream big? Shouldn’t we be telling them that they can be anything they want instead of constantly giving the grim reminder of impending death?”

There is another side to that encouragement, which remains unspoken. In an honest presentation, the children would receive the complete picture. Not just the boundless potential of enjoying life in the way they choose, but also the aftermath.

Namely, what happens if you do achieve your dreams? Imagine you reach the pinnacle in your respective field. You are a world famous doctor, lawyer, politician, inventor, athlete, or actor. What happens next? Are you happy? More importantly, are you any happier than the person who came in second? Are you better situated than the person who lived in relative obscurity, anonymity to the point that no one would recognize them on the street?

The followers of the bhakti tradition would argue that their teacher opened up the universe to them. What others see as restriction is merely training. Mechanisms for removing the illusion that is maya, which results in a toggling between bhoga and tyaga, enjoyment and renunciation.

My guru opened my eyes to the unlimited because they describe the one person who is without limits. His glories are endless, ananta. He has no beginning, anadi, and He is also the original person, adi-purusha. His features are so amazing that no instruments can get an accurate measurement, adhokshaja.

These glories are not limited to Himself. His servants exhibit similar boundless potential and achievement. Someone like Shri Hanuman is glorified to this day. You could write a poem or essay in his honor for a particular trait or activity. A first draft, then an edit, and then ready to be sent to the publisher, hopefully to be shared with the world.

You could repeat the same day after day for hundreds of years and still not be short of material. That is a single person, and the Supreme Lord has countless dedicated servants, some of whom are roaming before us in the world at present.

Only in bhakti life is there true independence, which has the foundation of full dependence on God the person. This is called sharanagati, surrender at the lotus feet. I know that Arjuna’s teacher will protect me, and in that safe and secure position I continue to stay with Him, ready to jump into whatever adventure He sends me.

In Closing:

Ready next adventure to see,
To wherever sending me.

Because guru proper way teaching,
Potential in sharanagati reaching.

Where someone like Hanuman praising,
And daily the spirits raising.

Eyes finally opened wide,
Found boundless inside.

Two Viewpoints On Inaction

“One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.18)

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कर्मण्य् अकर्म यः पश्येद्
अकर्मणि च कर्म यः
स बुद्धिमान् मनुष्येषु
स युक्तः कृत्स्न-कर्म-कृत्

karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed
akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu
sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt

1. The materialists towards the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead

“Look at those fools. They sit around and worship all day. It’s an excuse, if you ask me. They couldn’t make it in life so they’ve convinced themselves that this alternative lifestyle is superior. They think they are better than everyone else.

“I understand now why parents within that tradition keep the books hidden from their children. One look at a verse from Bhagavad-gita or Shrimad Bhagavatam and a person is prone to giving up the world. No more attention on advancing in life, in getting married, having a high-paying job, raising children, and the like.

“They end up rejecting everything. They turn into parasites. They beg from everyone else. They should get up and do something. Make a meaningful contribution. If everyone were to follow them, what would be left of society? The rogues and thieves would run wild. There would be no food to eat. No doctors to heal the sick. No public health officials to lock us in our homes during a pandemic.”

2. The devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead towards the materialists

“These people are in illusion. They think they are hard at work, engaged in karma, but really it is all inaction. Imagine building a house in a dream. You put in the effort, but in the morning the entire structure is gone. As soon as you wake up, the reality sets in.

“These people are finding different ways to pass the time. They think they are involved in important work at the office, but it is really no different than building sandcastles. That is why there is so much difficulty in retirement.

“Researchers have conducted studies. The consensus of conclusions is that those who retire early tend to not live as long. The reason is obvious. The occupation is more for their mental wellbeing than it is for any meaningful achievement. That is to say the person stuck at the office for forty years or more is really there because they have nothing else to do. Let that sink in. That screams of inaction to me.”

…

It is certainly an intricate subject. Shri Krishna covers inaction and action in Bhagavad-gita because even the wise person is unsure on occasion. Arjuna was prepared for action in battle, to save the world from the rise of adharma, but at the last moment he changed his mind.

He switched and considered inaction to be superior. Drop the weapons. Retreat for the forest. Be not a party to killing, especially with family members and teachers fighting for the opposing side. Arjuna thought he was being the bigger person.

Krishna highlighted that this was actually action. Arjuna would be responsible for an inauspicious outcome. Retreating here would be something like seeing a fire in the kitchen and doing nothing about it. Having the ability to protect others from danger and relinquishing responsibility.

Arjuna could engage in the fight and that could be considered inaction. The mentality and the beneficiary of the work determine the nature. Fight as being but an instrument for the origin of men, Shri Krishna.

तस्मात् त्वम् उत्तिष्ठ यशो लभस्व
जित्वा शत्रून् भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यं समृद्धम्
मयैवैते निहताः पूर्वम् एव
निमित्त-मात्रं भव सव्य-साचिन्

tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva
jitvā śatrūn bhuṅkṣva rājyaṁ samṛddham
mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva
nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin

“Therefore get up and prepare to fight. After conquering your enemies you will enjoy a flourishing kingdom. They are already put to death by My arrangement, and you, O Savyasachin, can be but an instrument in the fight.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 11.33)

The lesson extends to everyday life, in any period of time. What exactly are my priorities? Why am I living? Why was I put in this human form? Should I play with sandcastles until the inevitable end or should I work in such a way that the fruits will remain with me forever, by my side so that I will feel eternal bliss no matter where I end up next?

In Closing:

Attachment to work displaying,
But really like with sandcastles playing.

As action considered,
But nothing lasting delivered.

Whereas even with arrows to fire,
As inaction could transpire.

Since to Almighty dedicated,
Not on karma reaction predicated.

Four Misconceptions About God Resulting From Mental Speculation

“Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 6.17.28)

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नारायण-पराः सर्वे
न कुतश्चन बिभ्यति
स्वर्गापवर्ग-नरकेष्व्
अपि तुल्यार्थ-दर्शिनः

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve
na kutaścana bibhyati
svargāpavarga-narakeṣv
api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ

“I often hear His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada warn against mental speculation. Basically, don’t do it. It will sometimes be lumped in with the four regulative principles: no meat eating, no gambling, no intoxication, and no illicit sex.

“But are we not supposed to use our brain? I thought this wasn’t supposed to be based on blind faith, like the other traditions. Bhakti is for the most intelligent. Athato brahma-jijnasa. Now is the time for inquiring into the spiritual nature, Brahman.

“Inquiry implies mental deliberation, which is rooted in intelligence. Why should I not speculate? Why should I not conceive of ideas, travel further in such directions, and see for myself if the thought is valid or not? Or is there something I am missing here?”

The flaw with mental speculation particularly manifests in the area of understanding God. The idea is to get the proper idea from someone else. Because of the four basic defects of the human being, we cannot reach the proper conclusion on our own.

Imperfect senses, the tendency to cheat, committing mistakes, and being easily illusioned combine to create a host of false impressions and incorrect conclusions. Take the most important information from a trusted source, instead.

A wise person sees a potential flaw. If human beings have defects, then how can we trust another flawed person to give us information on the Almighty? The response is while a person may not be perfect, if they are in line with a tradition of information transfer that originates with the one perfect person, then there is no defect to the information.

Mental speculation leads to misconceptions. The ideas can deviate significantly from the true concept of the Supreme Lord, and from there a person is less likely to be drawn towards the imperishable path.

1. That He is old

The gray-haired, bearded man in the sky. We speculate that God is old since He would have had to been around at the beginning of the creation. We have an idea of what an old person looks like today. Their skin is wrinkled. They may not be able to walk with the same dexterity as they used to.

If they still have any hair left, it has turned white. They speak slowly and sometimes have difficulty recalling events from the past. As God would have to be the oldest person, He must bear a resemblance.

2. That He is angry

The old man is watching from above. He is like that curmudgeon, always complaining about things. He has plenty of source material. Just turn on the nightly news. Chaos. Tumult. Destruction. Despair. Sadness. Heartache.

All occurring in God’s kingdom, so of course He would be angry. The people messed up this great experiment called life on earth. They have plenty of food to eat and more than enough land to roam. Yet they fight each other to the death, quarrelling over trivial issues.

3. That He is vengeful

As He is all-powerful, God can do tremendous damage with His anger. He can retaliate in the most significant way. Look out, world. Watch your back. Locusts. Famine. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. The old man is ready to put a hurt on.

4. That He condemns for eternity

This is one of the main appeals of joining organized religion. An insurance policy against eternal damnation. Would you want to take the chance and be condemned to hell, forever? When all you have to do is show up at a house of worship once a week, pledge allegiance to an established institution, and everything will be fine.

…

The authorized information, passed down from parampara, dispels these misconceptions borne of mental speculation. The Supreme Lord is the kindest person you would ever meet. He is never old and tired. Quite the contrary, the Sanskrit description is nava-yauvanam. His transcendental body is ever fresh and new; like someone who has just entered the teenage years.

He lies down quietly in rest in the Vaikuntha world. He has no reason to pay strict attention to the happenings of the temporary world. Whether someone is up or down makes no difference to Him. It makes no difference to the participants, also, but they do not know better.

There is no reason for revenge, since the system of karma accounts for action and proper consequence. Everyone will get what is due them eventually; either in this life or a future one. There will be life after death, as the spirit soul is eternal.

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

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

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

There is no such thing as eternal damnation precisely because God is always with us. This is through the expansion known as Supersoul. The neutral, all-pervading witness. He does not interfere with decisions, but He witnesses everything. He must give prior sanction for any result to manifest.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि
गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः
अहङ्कार-विमूढात्मा
कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

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

Knowing how God really is, it becomes much easier to understand where genuine religion fits into the picture, why I should follow the path of dharma, how it will benefit me and my fellow man, and how I am never forever shut out from the mercy of the Almighty, who displays endless compassion, karuna.

In Closing:

That God angry and mean,
Disappointed from above seen.

Old, gray and tired,
Revenge for what transpired.

From speculation wrong impression,
Proper only from disciplic succession.

That Krishna always in pleasure to be,
In heaven and hell best friend is He.

What Exactly Should We Be Afraid Of

“Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 6.17.28)

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नारायण-पराः सर्वे
न कुतश्चन बिभ्यति
स्वर्गापवर्ग-नरकेष्व्
अपि तुल्यार्थ-दर्शिनः

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve
na kutaścana bibhyati
svargāpavarga-narakeṣv
api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ

“Are you not worried in the slightest by the threats from members of competing faiths? You know, the ones about eternal damnation. That we are following false gods, that it is satanic-like to make these statues, color them in a certain way, prostrate before, and read out Sanskrit names.

“I know, the more I talk about it, the more ridiculous it sounds, but these are some of the challenges the people out in the field, the itinerant preachers, face. They would rather not get into a ‘my religion against your religion’ type of argument.

“Within society in general, there is a legitimate fear of eternal damnation. We cannot deny the reality; it is the primary reason many people fall in line. They are self-professed, “God-fearing.” Are we not afraid, in the least?”

The initial response, based on intelligence guided by experience, is that we are already in the fearful condition. You do not need to threaten me further. I already witness the horrors of birth, old age, disease and death.

I see friends and family members passing away. Here one moment, gone the next. Healthy today, terminally ill tomorrow. Sound and fit in mind a few minutes ago, and now no longer able to correctly identify the year, what city they live in, or who their relatives are.

I have experience with heavenly delights and hellish torments. I have been called all sorts of names based on how I look. I have been denied equal status in social situations because of the difference in cultural upbringing, in how my name sounds, in what I prefer to eat.

Why would any threat of future punishment change how I would live? If God is indeed God, He would have to remain in that position for eternity. Both backwards and forwards in the infinite timeline of existence.

He could stand before me and make the claim of immortality, but I have no way to validate based on personal experience. I could observe Him for one hundred years, but that does not establish fixed existence. What if I fall asleep for a few hours? How could I prove that the person in front of me did not disappear and then reappear after I awoke?

If He is always God, that means He is always worshipable. Whether I am in heaven or hell. Whether He is favorable to me or not. Whether I have forgotten Him for countless lifetimes or I never stop thinking of Him, for even a moment. Whether He is rich or poor. Whether I am wealthy or struggling to make ends meet.

If I get condemned to hell because of an oversight, one mistake committed amongst countless others, then that should not have any bearing on my relationship with Him. Even in hell I will continue to chant His names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Maharishi Valmiki confirms this in Ramacharitamanasa. He says that devotees don’t mind where they go, because they always see their beloved standing close by, holding bow and arrow. This is in reference to the avatara of Shri Rama, but the same applies to any relationship to the personal God, the one who is always with form and substance, though of the transcendental kind.

If the contentious preacher wants to truly frighten me, he should focus on continued material existence. Mistaking a snake for a rope. Considering sense pleasure to be the pinnacle of achievement. Killing innocent life in order to satisfy the taste buds. Not realizing the countless demerits accumulated through improper behavior, which has no connection with righteousness, dharma.

I would find it scary if I could never worship properly, such as when the government institutes draconian measures in the name of public health. When leaders in society insist on being worshiped, after they have told one lie after another. When friends and family keep me in the dark about the spiritual heritage that I should have inherited, which includes endless volumes of information meant for my consuming pleasure.

Otherwise, the challenges to the bhakti way of life will have no effect on me. They will be more noise merging into the background, to not be taken seriously against the overwhelming blissful message of bhagavata, which is passed down through the generations in the parampara system.

In Closing:

To their faith coming near,
With appeal of fear.

Of future doom to tell,
Condemned forever to hell.

But already in this life seeing,
Pain and pleasure from being.

Whether fallen or high to gain,
My devotion to Bhagavan the same.

Two Imperfect Justifications For Worshiping God

“Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 6.17.28)

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नारायण-पराः सर्वे
न कुतश्चन बिभ्यति
स्वर्गापवर्ग-नरकेष्व्
अपि तुल्यार्थ-दर्शिनः

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve
na kutaścana bibhyati
svargāpavarga-narakeṣv
api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ

“I know there is not much we can do about dogmatic insistence. People will stay firmly in their respective corners, afraid to venture out. The mind is made up. No convincing otherwise. No changing of ways.

“Not that we are trying to get people to convert to anything. This is simply to push back on the challenge that we are practicing a religion specific to a region. Hinduism. A dirty-word, with the followers considered satanic by the least intelligent in society.

“In the sacred texts that are followed there is not a single mention of the word Hindu or Hinduism. It is a term derived from an outsider’s perspective. Not knowing what to call a tradition that describes the entire scope of an existence, from the tiny ant all the way up to heavenly creatures, accounting for infinite time and space, and features to the original being, they just label it as a competing faith.

“We try to explain that we are simply loving God, that real religion should have this as the ultimate objective. How do we get others to understand? Especially if they know only the faith paradigm, what will open their minds to the scientific aspect to living in terms of the spiritual?”

As Shri Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gita, the people who approach Him directly generally fall into one of four categories. They are not pure in their motives, to say the least, but they do not get rejected outright. Everyone follows the Supreme Lord in one way or another, whether they know it or not.

चतुर्-विधा भजन्ते मां
जनाः सुकृतिनो ऽर्जुन
आर्तो जिज्ञासुर् अर्थार्थी
ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
janāḥ sukṛtino ‘rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

“O best among the Bharatas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.16)

Nevertheless, we could still find some reasons that aren’t very logical for approaching the Almighty. These might be the most popular justifications for religious life, as it is practiced today. But a little logic and understanding highlights the fallacies in the thinking.

1. Afraid of going to hell

“I mean no one has witnessed it personally. I will grant you that side of the argument. But do I really want to take my chances? I’ve heard the testimony of people who were destroyed by dependency on illegal drugs. I have never tried myself; the warnings were enough to scare me straight.

“In the same way, I would rather not suffer in hell for eternity. If all I have to do is attend a specific worship function once a week, pledging allegiance to an established institution, why not? What is the harm? Just see the upside. It’s a win-win scenario.”

2. Asking for stuff

“You want to know what we do in our worship ceremony each week? I don’t know. We hear a lecture on the need to be tolerant, forgiving, kind, and the like. We say a lot of prayers, especially for people in the community who are suffering.

“Personally, I have my own things that I ask for. I’ll keep that to myself, but let me tell you that so many times the good Lord has come through. That’s how I am sure He exists. Otherwise, my faith could be shaken.”

…

As the Vedas explain the science of God and by extension the energies that are connected to Him, we find out much more detail about the living experience. We living entities, the jiva souls, are part of the marginal energy. Spiritual in nature, but vulnerable to illusion, to falling away from the transcendental service that is eternally meant for us; sanatana-dharma.

We already experience hellish conditions. We do not need to wait for the afterlife to receive confirmation. Similarly, there are heavenly pleasures. For one person, it could be the blaring alarm on the unattended car finally turning off. It could be getting a good night of sleep, in peace and quiet.

Shri Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gita that the common conception we have of heaven is really just another physical location within the material world. Svarga-loka, a planet full of inhabitants. The place certainly has a different feel to it. Enhanced enjoyments. Cows and trees, but not those with which we have experience.

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

“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)

The issue is that the stay is not permanent. Upon expiry of the pious credits that landed us there in the first place, we have to return to the mortal world, mrityu-loka, to again suffer on the spinning wheel of acceptance and rejection; otherwise known as reincarnation.

If we only worship God to fulfill our orders, what happens in the case of failure? Should that not give further justification to the atheists to turn away? Were they not favored by the Almighty? Why not? What have they done wrong? Why have they essentially been disowned as children?

Do not the animals receive sufficient food and shelter to continue living? They most certainly do, and without a house of worship, a profession of faith, or a single moment in prayer. Why would it not be the same for the human population?

Rather, the proper justification is the position of the Almighty, His character, His eternal nature, and how we are related to Him. Worship is proper because it is part of who we are. It is within the essential characteristic traits of the living being, no matter to which type of body he is sent.

If we are in doubt, the Vedas provide as much clarity as required. We learn of the Almighty’s features, how He has both a personal and an impersonal side. We learn of His activities and good qualities, which are actually endless and impossible to accurately measure.

The sole objective is to bring us closer in worship, upasana, to always feel like we are next to Him, ready to serve, in any condition of life and in any place of residence. Whether in heaven or hell, we will continue to remain connected in yoga, chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

What if my prayers to fail?
And living a woeful tale.

Where countless miseries without favor,
Not blessed like my neighbors.

Even then in worship to proceed,
Since Almighty fulfilling a need.

That deep within the soul found,
Joyful whether hell or to heaven bound.

Five Potential Dangers Visitors Bring To The Sadhu

“Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 6.17.28)

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नारायण-पराः सर्वे
न कुतश्चन बिभ्यति
स्वर्गापवर्ग-नरकेष्व्
अपि तुल्यार्थ-दर्शिनः

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve
na kutaścana bibhyati
svargāpavarga-narakeṣv
api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ

“One thing I have found sort of troubling during this pandemic is that spiritual leaders that I used to trust and respect are more than happy to close up shop. They advise their followers to stay home. They are fine with the temples shutting down, denying entry to visitors.

“You listen close enough and you hear how some of them are actually happy with the new situation. They find more peace and quiet. They don’t have to meet with outsiders. I don’t know why, but this attitude bothers me. Isn’t a saintly person supposed to be an ocean of mercy, karuna?

“I guess self-preservation is understandable. On a commercial flight in the case of an emergency they instruct you to set up the breathing apparatus for yourself first, before trying to help anyone else. That makes sense. At the same time, you are a sadhu because you want to rescue people from illusion, in the same way that your teacher made the sacrifice to rescue you.

“Isn’t the path of dharma filled with difficulties? Isn’t there danger at every step in this world? Could you highlight some of the risks that itinerant preachers face? I know Prahlada Maharaja specifically rejected the choice of mauna-vrata, which is a vow of silence. He wasn’t afraid to speak the truth.”

1. Contagious disease

Contrary to what the behavior in the world right now might indicate, there has been contagious, potentially lethal disease since the beginning of time. It wasn’t only invented in the last year. There was just as much risk of contracting illnesses last winter, five years ago, ten years ago, and so forth, as there is today.

A travelling preacher like His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada faces so many risks. They are in close contact with people from morning until night. Those people carry disease, just as you and I do. They may or may not know it, since there is not widespread testing for every single virus in the asymptomatic state.

2. Glorification of sense activity

A sadhu-like person, such as Prahlada Maharaja, speaks only on the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and devotion to Him. By extension, there is little to no interest in the material world. What to eat for dinner, where to spend the few weeks of vacation, how to enjoy sleep and comfort in the home, what to watch on television – these take lower priority.

Yet it is only natural to come upon such discussions when meeting with others. They are looking for spiritual wisdom, after all. They may bring up topics that the sadhu is intentionally trying to avoid, such as sex life, intoxication, and politics. Material nature is so strong that even a little indulgence can set a person back for a long time.

3. Hostile challenges

“There is no God. The person you worship runs around having affairs with young, married women. He promotes violence on the battlefield, in a war to end all wars. You guys carve these statues and then worship them in the temple. That is satanic practice. We are one with God. There is no separate existence. Your bhakti life is for the less intelligent. You will have to abandon it one day and reach the pinnacle that is oneness enabled by Vedanta study.”

The servant of the Supreme Lord faces many such challenges. If they remained inside of an ashrama, with no contact with the outside world, they would be spared the nonsense arguments. They would avoid becoming upset at listening to ignorance, at being criticized by people who know nothing about spiritual life.

4. Uncontrolled children

You are on the stage, delivering soul-stirring stories from Bhagavata Purana, Ramayana, or other important Vedic texts. You are so moved by the content that you have difficulty holding back tears.

In the midst of it all, there are babies crying within the audience. At the local temple, the young children run around uncontrollably. While you surely can relate to the exuberance of youth, you wonder how anyone can concentrate with so many distractions going on.

5. Accumulation of sinful activity

Extending the practice that takes place within families for generations, attendees to the spiritual discourse gatherings want to touch the feet of the speaker. They want direct contact with the sadhu. The problem is they bring so many accumulated sins, papa, with them. The sadhu is trying to stay free of papa; they want to remain pure.

…

In spite of these dangers, there are saintly people willing to take the risks. They are never afraid, no matter the condition of life. They wouldn’t be upset if punished to the hellish region, either, since they will always stay connected with the Almighty, chanting His names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Like fleet of ships forever docked,
Temple doors closed and locked.

Sadhu now in peace can stay,
With no others in the way.

But not with saintly nature aligning,
Wanting transcendental light shining.

So that others too can live,
The wonderful life bhakti to give.