Four Ways The Residents of Vrindavana Were Better Situated Than The King Of Heaven

“As the director of different kinds of clouds, Indra called for the samvartaka. This cloud is invited when there is a need to devastate the whole cosmic manifestation. The samvartaka was ordered by Indra to go over Vrindavana and inundate the whole area with an extensive flood. Demonically, Indra thought himself to be the all-powerful supreme personality.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 25)

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A particular faith argues that you must believe in a certain savior in order to reach heaven. This is a reference to the afterlife. When the present stay within the particular body accepted at the time of birth completes, to where will the individual go? What will be their destination, and is that travel final? Is there no punishment for sinful deeds and is there no reward for adherence to principles of religiosity?

The phrase, “Died and went to heaven,” refers to the general promise of religion. Follow a different way, generally categorized as faith, in order to be rewarded at a later date. Suffer today in order to enjoy in the future.

From studying a particular group of people during a famous act in defiance of religious principles, we see that heaven in the common sense is not all it is cracked up to be. Whereas the direct association of a particular person can turn the surrounding realm into a place superior to any conceived heavenly area.

1. Didn't have to fight asuras

The area of study for this analysis is Gokula-Vrindavana some five thousand years ago, as described in Vedic texts like Vishnu Purana, Hari-vamsha, and Shrimad Bhagavatam. The people were wealthy in the sense that they had millions of cows, protected and well-cared for. There was no scarcity in terms of the necessities of life.

It was a farm community, so the people lived a simple life. The reference point for comparison is the heavenly region described in Vedic literature. Known as svarga-loka, there is a similar kind of society, with a notable distinction. Material enjoyments are available at an advanced level. Staying in a single place for thousands of years. Intoxicating beverages and beautiful companions. Increased ability and sometimes jurisdiction over the important elements constituting the manifest world.

The king of svarga-loka is known as Indra, so he would be eligible for the most enjoyment. One issue is that he must contend with the asura class. Indra is the leader of the suras, or the good guys, whereas the asuras are rooted in sinful life. The good and the bad have been at odds since before anyone can remember.

The people of Vrindavana lived with asuras in their presence from time to time, but they were not expected to provide defense. They could roam about freely, not having to take up arms against powerful enemies of real religion.

2. Didn't rely on the yajna of others to survive

A prominent aspect of Vedic culture is yajna. The sacrificial fire is the symbolic correlation. Pour oblations into this fire at prescribed times, chanting specific mantras, and you could receive a wide variety of benefits, ranging from wealth to a long duration of life.

There are people on the other side of the yajna. In other words, there is the person conducting the sacrifice and then someone enjoying. The Supreme Lord is the real enjoyer, Yajneshvara, but in the visible sense the suras are the ones who benefit.

In other words, people like Indra rely upon the yajnas conducted on earth. The oblations feed the strength. The people of Vrindavana, meanwhile, did not need others to conduct yajna in order to survive. They were independent in this sense, though they surely relied on the elements of nature governed by the demigods, such as rain and sunlight.

3. Were not envious of the events occurring in other realms

If you rely upon the oblations poured into the sacrificial fire ceremonies conducted on earth, it means that even after going to heaven you are not free of distractions. Though you have won a higher realm, you must peek back occasionally, to meet your self-interest.

This can also lead to feelings of envy, such as with the first Govardhana Puja. The people of Vrindavana skipped the Indra-yajna in favor of the nearby hill known as Govardhana, which was dear to the cows. Indra became incensed at the perceived insult. Meanwhile, the people did not care so much about what went on in heaven. They were happy living where they were.

4. Were protected by Krishna

The suras have to fight the asuras, but the people of Vrindavana were protected by Krishna. This was a reward for many lifetimes’ worth of pious activities, culminating in pure devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never bound to any temporary realm or what takes place in them.

Indra’s rage rose to such heights that he felt the need to retaliate. He directed the samvartaka cloud to wash away the area surrounding Govardhana, where the people had congregated because of the recent worship ceremony. Krishna protected them, however. He lifted the hill and held it high above His head to serve as an umbrella.

This means that Krishna’s association is the real heaven. In His company you won’t have to rely on the yajnas conducted by others. You won’t have to defend against wicked asuras, and you won’t be envious of what others are doing in a material realm. You can be safe and secure, happy in knowing that the most powerful one is there to show His lotus-like face.

In Closing:

Basking in His grace,
Showing lotus-like face.

With asuras dealing already,
So better attention steady.

Not like heaven defective,
Where envy reflective.

That in rage samvartaka sending,
But hill into air extending.

Peeking Behind Me

“As the director of different kinds of clouds, Indra called for the samvartaka. This cloud is invited when there is a need to devastate the whole cosmic manifestation. The samvartaka was ordered by Indra to go over Vrindavana and inundate the whole area with an extensive flood. Demonically, Indra thought himself to be the all-powerful supreme personality.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 25)

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“Let me tell you a quick story. I was working at this company for a long time. Typical corporate environment, at least as far as I am familiar. You have the executive class, the employees at the lower tier, and then the fleet, so to speak. The hourly employees are many, while the executives are smaller in number.

“My colleagues and I were in the middle group. We had our own offices, so we were physically separated from the majority consisting of the hourly employees. One of my colleagues, in particular, always complained about one of the executives. He did not like them; there was almost like a grudge. A vendetta that never ran out of fuel.

“Most of his complaints were valid, but I got sick of hearing them, after a while. What was going to be done to change things, anyway? After a few years, this colleague of mine got another job. They moved on to a better place. I was happy for both them and myself, thinking I was now free to work in peace.

“The problem is, they kept asking me how things were going. They wanted to know about that executive they had a feud with. I was flabbergasted. Why did they care so much? They were promoted to a better place. Why even waste a single thought on the place you just left?

“I pass on this story because I am reminded from reading about the behavior of King Indra in the aftermath of the first Govardhana Puja. Is that what happens when you go to heaven? You are still worried about what takes place on earth? What is the benefit to being promoted, then?”

In Indra’s defense, you could use the justification of interference with a specific yajna. The people of Vrindavana were accustomed to worshiping Indra, to honoring him, to feeding him through the sacrificial fire on an annual basis.

One time they decided to skip it. Little Krishna, the darling child of Nanda and Yashoda, convinced the community to redirect their offerings to Govardhana Hill. There was a method to the madness. This supposedly rebellious act was rooted in dharma, though Indra was unaware.

The incident does give confirmation of the warnings provided by the acharyas of the Vaishnava tradition. They say that reaching the heavenly realm in the material world is not very worthwhile. They use Bhagavad-gita as the source authority, wherein the same Krishna, as an adult, teaches Arjuna that there is only flickering happiness in working your way towards svarga-loka.

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)

Indra is the king of the heavenly region. Why should he mind if people living in a village turn towards Govardhana Hill? Why would he want to retaliate with devastating rain, meant to inflict grave harm and damage? Why should he be so jealous of a small child?

The incident shows that the people in Vrindavana were in a superior position. Though they could not summon the samvartaka cloud to target enemies, they had Krishna there to protect them. They had Nanda’s son and His strength, which was exhibited in the subsequent lifting of the hill and holding it aloft to serve as the world’s greatest umbrella.

Vrindavana’s residents were with Krishna, and so they did not need to peek behind them. They were not concerned with Indra’s enjoyment, wrath, happiness, sadness, envy, and so forth taking place in another realm. The presence of the personal God turns any place into the imperishable Vaikuntha, and so devotees are always happy chanting His names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Like Vaikuntha place granting,
So they always happy chanting.

Not of heavenly realm to care,
Or how others elsewhere to fare.

Because everything there to need,
Like pleased Govardhana to feed.

Indra attacking them when,
Shri Krishna saving then.

What Exactly Is The Problem You Are Trying To Solve

“All of these subjects in the Ramayana seem very pitiable, and they may appear to be very distressing to the reciter, but actually this is not so. Otherwise, why would Hanuman, the great devotee of Lord Ramachandra, read daily about the activities of Lord Ramachandra, as described in the Ramayana itself?” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 34)

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Friend1: I heard an interesting question recently. One I had never given thought to before.

Friend2: Is this in relation to spiritual life?

Friend1: Yes.

Friend2: What is the question?

Friend1: What is better to read? Hanuman Chalisa or Ramayana.

Friend2: Which Ramayana? Many people equate the Ramacharitamanasa of Goswami Tulsidas with the Ramayana.

Friend1: He is also the author of Hanuman Chalisa. Why the confusion?

Friend2: It’s easier to understand. Easier to say. It’s a way to praise the author, also.

Friend1: How so?

Friend2: Because people like the Ramacharitamanasa so much that they take it to be their Ramayana. You will hear other saintly people say similar things. Such as His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada saying that the Ramayana can be found in Shrimad Bhagavatam, as well.

Friend1: I did not know that.

Friend2: Ramayana in the vernacular sense, where we are talking about a story of the life and pastimes of Shri Ramachandra, an incarnation of the Almighty.

Friend1: Oh, so if a particular sacred text has a summary of Rama’s life, then that could be considered equivalent to the Ramayana, which was originally authored by Maharishi Valmiki?

Friend2: Yes. In the sense of general conversation.

Friend1: Interesting. For this question, let’s say we are talking about the Tulsidas version.

Friend2: Alright, and so this person wants to know which is better to read?

Friend1: Exactly.

Friend2: Well, I will borrow a technique I see a popular trainer in the technical field use. If he gets these types of questions that generally receive “biblical” answers elsewhere, where one side is better than the other, he returns with his own question.

Friend1: What is that?

Friend2: He asks, “What is the problem you are trying to solve?”

Friend1: Because?

Friend2: That has more relevance. If someone wants to know if they should get a laptop computer or a desktop PC, it is better to first ask what the utilization will be. What are the needs of the user? What are they looking for? In other words, what problem are they trying to solve?

Friend1: Oh, that is brilliant.

Friend2: It applies to this situation, as well. What is that person trying to solve, where they are deciding between Hanuman Chalisa and Ramayana?

Friend1: I actually don’t know. It’s a great question, though. Let me venture a guess. Maybe they would respond with, “Well, for spiritual wellbeing. What will be best for me in the long run?”

Friend2: As Prahlada Maharaja describes in Shrimad Bhagavatam, it is in the best interest, svartha, of the individual to go towards Vishnu. In other words, approach the personal God.

Friend1: When?

Friend2: Always.

Friend1: Even if I have ill intent?

Friend2: Any intent. If you want a new car. If you want to get revenge on someone. If you want to be promoted to the heavenly planets. If you want to give thanks for everything you have in this world. If you want to be free of material desires.

Friend1: Interesting. So which side aligns with Prahlada’s recommendation?

Friend2: Either one. Hanuman Chalisa is a way for Goswami Tulsidas to praise Shri Hanuman. What better way to honor someone than writing a song that will be sung for hundreds of years by millions of people, in a devotional mindset?

Friend1: That’s true.

Friend2: Ramayana is for being with the Supreme Lord directly. Either way, you are going through His representative. On either side the presentation is sourced in a devotee of Rama.

Friend1: I see.

Friend2: I will acknowledge that people sometimes repeat Hanuman Chalisa for personal gain, to be free of fear, to make it through a difficult situation, and so forth. Same thing with reading the Ramayana on a particular day in the year. The association is still powerful enough to purify. Shri Krishna acknowledges that four kinds of people approach Him initially.

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)

Friend1: So does this teaching apply to any sacred text and any mantra?

Friend2: No.

Friend1: Why not?

Friend2: Because you cannot approach a demigod and expect to be elevated to the spiritual consciousness. That is more or less a business transaction.

Friend1: But then what if I have the same motivation in approaching God directly?

Friend2: He is not obliged to return any favor. In fact, He will do what is best for me in the long run, even if I don’t like it. That is why approaching Him is always best. Hanuman is Rama’s dedicated servant, and Hanuman can open the doors to the spiritual kingdom for me. He gives the recommendation, based on the intent of serving God; not competing with Him.

In Closing:

For money in need,
With other desire to proceed.

That motivation not pure,
Only God can help me sure.

Even with ill intent,
Better this way went.

Since Supreme purifying me,
Worshiped by Hanuman is he.

Two Things You Don't Have To Indulge In Kali-Yuga

“For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.30)

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यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र
सर्वं च मयि पश्यति
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि
स च मे न प्रणश्यति

yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra
sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati
tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi
sa ca me na praṇaśyati

The potency of the genuine spiritual master, the guru, is rooted in the Supreme Lord Himself. It is like talent and ability, combined together, descending from on high. On loan from the person who from but a drop of His splendor creates this and innumerable other amazing universes, each of which are seemingly self-sustaining and impossible to destroy through a mortal individual.

In simpler terms, if I meet the guru and accept their shelter, I will be benefitted greatly. I will be able to see God all the time and in every place. As He confirms in Bhagavad-gita, He will never be lost to me.

I will be able to worship in peace and bliss for as long as I want to. Death will not signal an end, nor a beginning. The transmigration of the soul will mean continuation in the devotional path, identified as bhakti-yoga when immersed in a realm of duality, with contradictory conditions and ever-changing desires.

As an added benefit, there will be things that I no longer have to do. We can take the two hallmark characteristics of the present age, Kali-yuga, to see just how valuable this benefit is.

1. Hypocrisy

“You know, that political leader was on television every single day lecturing people about wearing masks. That we needed to keep them on to remain safe. The virus was still a threat; we shouldn’t think that victory was on the horizon.

“Then they end up getting caught going to a place that is otherwise closed. The business was shut down for normal operation, to the general public. But the owners were forced to make an exception for this politician. They opened in secret, and this politician was caught on camera going there.

“The kicker was that they weren’t wearing a mask. They were exposed as a total hypocrite. It seems a lot of these leaders are like that. One set of rules for the common person, and another set for the elite. It’s sickening, if you ask me. This kind of hypocrisy is all over the place.”

2. Quarrel

“One side says that if you don’t vote for their candidate in the upcoming election, they will tear down the country. Riots. Looting. Shooting. Senseless violence. I didn’t think our country would ever descend to such barbarism. Is this even civilized society? Is that any way to make a persuasive argument?

“This kind of thing has been going on for hundreds of years. You had the religious leaders persecuting those who weren’t intimidated into blind faith. They shunned scientific advancements. There was conflict between various ethnic groups. No one can ever get along, it seems.”

…

Kali-yuga is the dark age. Dharma stands on only one leg, instead of four. Shrimad Bhagavatam provides more details, on how to identify, listing the indications many thousands of years ago. In other words, shastra was able to predict the future to a stunning degree of accuracy.

The guru came to me, bestowed their favor upon me, and now I don’t have to participate in these two faults of the present time period. No reason to be hypocritical if body, mind and speech are dedicated to the Supreme Lord. If my entire life is for Him, then there is no incompatibility with anything that I do.

No reason to quarrel, either. Let others debate who is the greatest athlete in a particular sport. I know the ebbs and flows of politics, how the landscape continues to change. One year the votes go for a certain party, another year they throw the same people out of office.

Prahlada Maharaja is the ideal example in this regard. Like the lotus flower floating atop the water and never getting wet, that five-year old son of the king never became contaminated by material desires, though everyone around was encouraging him along that path.

Prahlada did speak when asked, but his words of wisdom were neither contentious nor with the purpose of seeking conflict. Prahlada did not have to vehemently argue with the father, Hiranyakashipu, who was the leader of the atheist class, the Daityas.

The child steered clear of quarrel and hypocrisy, though there was so much deceit and aggression from the other side. The Supreme Lord was there to protect him, the same Almighty described to Prahlada earlier on, through the words of the spiritual master, Narada Muni.

In Closing:

Hypocrisy everywhere to see,
Rules for me, but not for thee.

Argument on every issue found.
Obstinate to each corner bound.

The guru for my deliverance sent,
So that no more in this way spent.

Like safely to liberation on boat,
Not wet while on water to float.

Two Correlations To Spiritual Life From The Bubbles Game

“Whom are you lamenting for when you yourself are pitiable? Why do you pity the poor when you yourself have now been made poor? While in this body that is like a bubble, how can anyone look at anyone else as being worthy of lamentation?” (Hanuman speaking to Tara, Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kand, 21.3)

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शोच्या शोचसि कं शोच्यं दीनं दीनाऽनुकम्पसे।
कस्य कोवाऽनुशोच्योऽस्ति देहेऽस्मिन् बुद्बुदोपमे।।

śocyā śocasi kaṃ śocyaṃ dīnaṃ dīnā’nukampase।
kasya kovā’nuśocyo’sti dehe’smin budbudopame

Parenting is not easy. It seems the older the children get, the more challenging it becomes to watch over them, to keep them happy, to make sure they avoid harmful behavior. Having many helpers around is not exactly practical in the modern day, as compared to life for our parents and grandparents.

You hate to do it, but sometimes the only way is to buy new toys. Keep the toddler active and happy, if only for a few hours. The latest one you got seems like a home run. They are playing with it constantly. They involve you in the fun sometimes.

Not a toy in the classic sense, but here you dip a plastic rod of sorts into a long and deep bottle of fluid. After quickly taking the rod out, you can wave it around or simply blow through one of the holes. The result is many bubbles, floating through the air.

The child is so happy. They sometimes try to catch the bubbles. Other times they want to burst them. The bubbles do not retain shape for long. They dissipate a few seconds after being produced. Playing this game long enough you can’t help but notice the correlation to principles of genuine spiritual life.

1. Lord Vishnu lying down

What sane person wouldn’t be enamored at the wonders of the creation? A single glance out the window aboard an airplane flying high in the sky gives a vivid picture of the complexity and the depth of nuance embedded within this amazing place we know to be the creation.

Yet if we abstract out further, we have the image of earth as a globe. This is similar to how we see the sun and the moon. They are too far in the distance to get any sort of clear picture, of how the scene changes upon a closer look.

From the tradition of spirituality descending from the Vedas, which passes forward through both word of mouth and written pages, we learn that not only this universe, but countless others manifest through the breathing of a single individual.

Lord Vishnu, the personal side of the Divine, lies down in rest in the spiritual world of Vaikuntha. Every time He exhales, we get countless universes. They are something like bubbles; at least to Him. When He inhales, everything gets destroyed. Returning to the sender, back in the original place.

Within each of those universes Vishnu expands several times over, to the point that He is never absent from any space. He is the all-pervading witness through the feature known as Paramatma, or Supersoul.

2. The body of the living entity

Not only is a universe like a bubble, but so are the varieties of living quarters produced for the sparks of spirit to temporarily inhabit. In other words, my body right now is like a bubble. Shri Hanuman confirms this in the Ramayana. He explains that no person can really be considered poor, since how rich can anyone be if they live in something that is like a bubble, which can burst at any moment?

Within this bubble is both atma and Paramatma. The individual soul and the expansion of the Almighty. He is so kind that He will stay with me wherever I go. This bubble-like body gets destroyed at a future date in time, after which I travel to another place. This is the process known as transmigration of the soul, or reincarnation.

वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय
नवानि गृह्णाति नरो ऽपराणि
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णान्य्
अन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही

vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya
navāni gṛhṇāti naro ‘parāṇi
tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇāny
anyāni saṁyāti navāni dehī

“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.22)

The comparison to bubbles helps to put things in the proper perspective. While a game to a child, the short duration of time draws an appropriate comparison to the length of stay within these temporary dwellings. Even one hundred years is not long in comparison to the vast timeline of existence.

My priority should be on returning to that origin, to being by His side, to staying immune from the breathing that creates and destroys the innumerable universes. I have that opportunity in this very lifetime. If I am able to remember Him while quitting the body, in a measurable consciousness, then I will attain a nature similar to His.

जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यम्
एवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर् जन्म
नैति माम् एति सो ऽर्जुन

janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ‘rjuna

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.9)

Another option is to simply know the transcendental nature to Vishnu’s appearance and activities. Such knowledge carries the same benefits. An end to punar janma. No more rebirth. No more vulnerability to the fragile bubble consisting of the eight elements of earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego.

In Closing:

Game of bubbles playing,
Correlation to life displaying.

How fragile in this body found,
To it not permanently bound.

Quickly like magic to appear,
Then like that to disappear.

To Vishnu with universes equating,
How through breathing creating.

Five Things We Can Be Taught To Do

“For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.30)

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यो मां पश्यति सर्वत्र
सर्वं च मयि पश्यति
तस्याहं न प्रणश्यामि
स च मे न प्रणश्यति

yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra
sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati
tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi
sa ca me na praṇaśyati

1. Read words on a page

In rare instances, a child can become skilled in this area as soon as two years after emerging from the womb. The adult is surprised, as what they were typing on the screen was read out loud by the youngster and soon shared with others.

There are smartphone applications and online videos that today assist in the process. Just for fun, without explicitly trying, a toddler can learn letters, numbers, basic mathematics, and even words.

The truth is that everyone has to be taught. While reading might be second nature later in life, the skill had to be acquired. It was not a natural ability, such as the newborn horse trotting away or the turtle crawling.

2. Construct a house

From laying the foundation to hammering the final nail in one of the boards, sometimes a single person can take care of the entire process. Others may not know the first thing about construction.

“I literally have no idea. I would just hire someone. I don’t want to take the time to learn. If I have to do something much simpler, like assembling furniture, I get frustrated easily. What would take a professional a few minutes takes me days, and I am not sure I am doing it right, either.”

3. Repair a broken cooling system

“This is one of the pitfalls of owning a home. I had no problem renting, but everyone kept putting pressure on me. They claimed I was throwing away money each month, that a home is a better investment. In addition to the extra space, I would have more freedom to make alterations.

“Well, here is the freedom manifesting. The air conditioning is broken. In the middle of summer, too. Scorching heat. We are suffering, for sure. Thank God there are people out there who know how to conduct repairs. They have training schools, and I am sure thankful that people are willing to attend and learn the craft.”

4. Drive a car

“For the longest time, I was too scared. I did not want to sit behind the wheel. Let others take care of it. But then in school my classmates started to drive, and I was soon the odd person out. I decided to at least train enough to get a driver’s license.

“I started the moment after I was allowed, by law. I drove every single day for two months. I found the process to be difficult, especially parallel parking. This skill is required in our state in order to earn a driving license. Today, of course, driving is second nature. I don’t keep conscious attention on starting, stopping, turning, watching for other cars, stopping at lights, and the like. But originally, I needed to be trained.”

5. Recognize different bird calls

“One of my friends took such a class in college. I didn’t make much of it at the time, but looking back it was quite fascinating. He had to go into the woods and identify the different birds by the sounds they made. How anyone first came upon such a list is beyond me.

“But think about it. Every spring the birds outside the window sing to one another. The sounds are not identical. Wouldn’t it be cool to know exactly what kind of bird is making each sound? Pretty interesting stuff.”

…

The list is endless. The human being has intelligence. There is jnana available for so many different departments of knowledge. Jnana is the foundation for vijnana, which is practical realization. Book learning and then application on the street, for complete realization of the field of study.

The same principle applies to discerning the presence of both spirit and Supreme Spirit. As we can be taught to see the equality of spirit soul distributed throughout the universe, in the presence of animated life, we can find a way to see the Almighty in every corner.

Of all the disciplines, this endeavor is the most worthwhile. If I see God everywhere, He will never be lost to me. Shri Krishna confirms in Bhagavad-gita that such a soul is never lost to Him, either. Bhagavan is already the all-pervading witness. He sees and hears everything through the expansion known as Supersoul.

For the devoted soul, He is both witness and personal protector. He takes control of their fate, of where they will end up moving forward. This assistance is available to every person; the requirement is choice. If I want to see God everywhere, if I want to always be with Him, the great coordinator will make that desire a reality.

In Closing:

Human so many things can learn,
To even doctoral degree can earn.

Sounds of birds moving swift,
Handy with tools a natural gift.

Same with presence of spirit so,
And the source also to know.

Where in every direction to be,
Never lost to that soul is He.

Like A Weekend Retreat

“Then I, resembling a cloud and having molten-golden earrings, made my way into Vishvamitra’s ashrama, for I was very proud of my strength due to the boon given to me by Lord Brahma. As soon as I entered, Rama quickly noticed me and raised His weapon. Though He saw me, Rama strung His bow without any fear.” (Maricha speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 38.16-17)

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ततोऽहं मेघसङ्काशस्तप्तकाञ्चनकुण्डलः।
बली दत्तवरोदर्पादाजगाम तदाश्रमम्।।
तेन दृष्टः प्रविष्टोऽहं सहसैवोद्यतायुधः।
मां तु दृष्ट्वा धनुस्सज्यमसम्भ्रान्तश्चकार सः।।

tato’haṃ meghasaṅkāśastaptakāñcanakuṇḍalaḥ।
balī dattavarodarpādājagāma tadāśramam।।
tena dṛṣṭaḥ praviṣṭo’haṃ sahasaivodyatāyudhaḥ।
māṃ tu dṛṣṭvā dhanussajyamasambhrāntaścakāra saḥ।।

“I know that one of the reasons for the advent of the Shri Rama avatara was to protect the saintly class who were living in the Dandaka forest and similar areas. This aligns with the principle presented in Bhagavad-gita, wherein the same Supreme Personality of Godhead lists some of the reasons for His personal appearances in the manifest world.

परित्राणाय साधूनां
विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्
धर्म-संस्थापनार्थाय
सम्भवामि युगे युगे

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge

“In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.8)

“In the Ramayana, we find the conversation between Sita and Rama, wife and husband, about the potential harm that can come from carrying weapons through an area otherwise not known for military conflict. Sita is concerned that Rama’s patrolling the area will invite violence instead of suppressing it.

“Rama responds that He has been directly asked for help. The saintly people are being attacked and then eaten away by the intruding night-rangers from Lanka. These are Rakshasas, so the behavior should not surprise anyone. In this material world there is potential for acting in every possible direction: good, bad, or indifferent.

“The Rakshasas are the embodiment of bad, but we’ve never really covered the other side. Why were the saintly people in the Dandaka forest to begin with? Why not remain someplace that has a strong leader? Ayodhya had King Dasharatha to defend the people. Why wouldn’t the saintly people conduct their yajnas over there?”

We can look to a modern-day practice known as a weekend retreat. This is often a strategic move in the corporate office. The team gets bored arriving at the same location every day, following the same routine and schedule, and then leaving for home at the end, only to repeat everything subsequently.

The boss has an idea. Let’s everyone travel to a different location for a few days. It might be on a weekend or also within the week. A remote area, with few distractions. Friends and family will stay back. Barely any signs of civilization to get in the way.

Writers are known to follow similar behavior. They retreat to a log cabin so that they can concentrate on their task at hand. Be compelled to produce written words based on the circumstances. Nothing else to do. No one knowing where you are. The telephone won’t ring since there isn’t any phone coverage to begin with. No television to distract from the top priority.

As saintly people are the equivalent of the intelligentsia in a civilized society, they are constantly bothered. Everyone looks to them for guidance. There are so many questions on how to live properly, what to do in this situation and that. The people approaching are seeking ashirvad, or blessings, often without changing anything about their consciousness.

Dandaka-aranya was known as a tapo-vana. This is a forest area conducive to austerity and penance. Being compelled to focus on spiritual life. Almost nothing around to serve as a distraction. Little chance for the senses to be engaged and thus attached in a harmful way.

Well-wishers and knowledge seekers would still approach, but less frequently. If they were really serious about making advancement in spiritual life, they would intentionally go out of their way to travel to a remote area in order to meet a saintly person. The hosts would welcome their guests in a proper manner, such as those who were fortunate to see Shri Rama directly.

A tapo-vana should be free of distractions. You should not expect man-eating ogres to attack in secret, without being seen. Who are you really bothering, anyway? Why not leave well enough alone? The most sinful in society certainly will never sit still and watch as dharma rises to prominence, as the people become more and more pious and dedicated to the path of righteousness.

Those firmly entrenched in adharma will feel compelled to interfere, to stop the regular yajnas that give satisfaction to the demigods and the source of their strength, the Supreme Lord. From the incidents described in the Ramayana, we can take comfort knowing that Bhagavan keeps a watchful eye, that He is aware of harassment of His most trusted friends.

In Closing:

Sages in forest quiet life making,
But villains advantage taking.

Of their harassment aware,
So Rama sometimes there.

With bow and arrow at the ready,
Maintaining vigilance steady.

Because Rakshasas not to relent,
Of behavior never to repent.