What If My Politics Are Wrong At The Time Of Death

“Suta Gosvami said: Thus Bhishmadeva merged himself in the Supersoul, Lord Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with his mind, speech, sight and actions, and thus he became silent, and his breathing stopped.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.9.43)

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सूत उवाच
कृष्ण एवं भगवति
मनो-वाग्-दृष्टि-वृत्तिभिः
आत्मन्य् आत्मानम् आवेश्य
सो ऽन्तःश्वास उपारमत्

sūta uvāca
kṛṣṇa evaṁ bhagavati
mano-vāg-dṛṣṭi-vṛttibhiḥ
ātmany ātmānam āveśya
so ‘ntaḥśvāsa upāramat

Friend1: You’re not supposed to bring up religion or politics.

Friend2: Where? When?

Friend1: At something like a formal gathering. Actually, any venue where either of those two topics is not the main focus.

Friend2: What is the reason?

Friend1: The passionate beliefs. The heated dialogue to ensue. Just study human history, as much as has been recorded. Great wars were waged over differences in religion. Politics can cause people to be violent towards one another.

“How dare you support such and such? Didn’t you see what that person did? I can’t believe you voted for them.”

Friend2: I must say, I completely agree. I try to steer clear of those discussions, just because so many politicians I have stood up for in the past ended up being disappointments. Moreover, every side has some truth to their arguments. That politician you hate the most – I bet they have done something that you would love.

Friend1: You mean in terms of policy?

Friend2: Yes. Conversely, that one you really like, I am sure there are things they did which you strongly disagree with.

Friend1: Oh, of course. Undoubtedly, within these discussions you will find gross ignorance. People who have no idea what they are talking about. They have their mistaken impressions based on media coverage. When you bring up certain legislation that passed, changes in policies, they are absolutely clueless. Instead, they know only the lies put forth by the opposition party.

Friend2: That is bound to happen. Who wants to spend their day following legislative procedures? Who wants to sit there and study the different political philosophies and break down the individual arguments?

Friend1: The question I have today relates to spiritual life. What happens to the person who is completely wrong in their beliefs? Say they mistakenly support a brutal dictator. They don’t know any better.

Friend2: I am not sure what you are asking. Many people have supported some of the greatest killers in history.

Friend1: Okay, so use that as an example. Are such people still eligible for liberation? Can they be rescued from the cycle of birth and death?

Friend2: Why wouldn’t they be? Shri Krishna makes no mention of political beliefs in Bhagavad-gita. One of the verses simplifies things greatly:

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)

Friend1: So I only have to know how the birth and activities of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are divyam, or Divine?

Friend2: Yes. Another example you can take is Bhishmadeva. He aligned with Duryodhana, one of the worst criminal leaders in human history. That guy was the worst of the worst. Somehow, Bhishma ended up staying on that side. He even fought valiantly in the war against the Pandavas.

Friend1: Right, and Drona was on that side, too. That contributed to Arjuna’s reluctance to proceed with hostilities.

Friend2: Yet see how Bhishma’s life ended. Shrimad Bhagavatam says that he merged into the transcendental body of Narayana, who is non-different from Krishna. That is your answer, right there. The politics were wrong. He fought for the side of adharma, but such varieties in a material existence are not that big a deal when you are a pure devotee. Bhishma is one of the twelve mahajanas, in fact.

Friend1: Authorities on devotional service.

Friend2: It is about consciousness at the time of death. Not whether you know everything about some politician, political party, celebrity, or other person. Do you know Krishna? Do you know God? Are you attached to Him? Do you want to continue to serve Him? These are the important questions to answer.

In Closing:

Showing not in ignorance to live,
At death’s time answers to give.

Like Shri Krishna do you know?
And are you attached to Him so?

Bhishma with wrong party aligned,
But still liberation to find.

Since consciousness appropriately sided,
At Mukunda’s feet resided.

Why Aren't Saintly People Afraid Of The Afterlife

“There are an infinite number of living beings, both moving and nonmoving, who have many different abodes, with some residing in the earth, some in the sky, and some in the water. But O helpless Tulsi, for you Shri Rama’s holy name is your only home.” (Dohavali, 37)

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जल थल नभ गति अमित अति अग जग जीव अनेक |
तुलसी तो से दीन कहँ राम नाम गति एक ||

jala thala nabha gati amita ati aga jaga jīva aneka |
tulasī to se dīna kaham̐ rāma nāma gati eka ||

“With respect to the afterlife, I think people generally fall into one of two categories. This is purely based on my speculation, determined through observation of society around me. I obviously could be wrong, but at least hear me out.

“The first category is easy to see. These are the atheists, as you would describe them. I’m not sure that is the best term to use, but we will go with it here. These people are afraid of dying. They don’t want to leave everything behind. They are so attached to the material world that they can’t imagine being separated. They will do everything they can to prolong life for as long as possible.

“I can’t blame them. Who hasn’t been frightened at the prospect of forced separation? Leaving behind friends and family. Travelling to the unknown. Sure, we don’t remember where we were prior to this birth. The timeline of existence spans billions of years and more. What were we doing all that time? Never mind; just focus on the present.

“Then you have the opposite group. Let’s call them the believers. They are content knowing that they will go to heaven. They strive for reaching this destination. They have professed faith to a certain book and institution. They may even meet the attendance requirements. Once a week, sitting in a room. Maybe paying attention to the speaker, maybe not.

“When I review the behavior of the saints of the Vaishnava tradition, it seems to me they are not concerned with the afterlife, at all. That is a strange claim to make, considering the tradition has the strongest intellectual backing anyone could imagine. It is truly a philosophy; not a blind faith.

“What is the best explanation for the difference in attitude? Some of them openly decry the idea of ascending to heaven. They want nothing to do with svarga-loka. How could they have such confidence in the unknown future?”

It is because they understand the almost limitless potential in the circumstances of birth. In the air. On land. Within the sea. As a large elephant or a tiny ant. As the son of a respected member of society or the unwanted child resulting from uncontrolled passion mixed with intoxication.

As space is infinite, so it is impossible to accurately get a handle on time. Both backwards and forwards, there is never a finishing point. If I don’t remember my many past births, why should I be so focused on where I will end up in the immediately succeeding one?

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि
जन्मानि तव चार्जुन
तान्य् अहं वेद सर्वाणि
न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni
janmāni tava cārjuna
tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi
na tvaṁ vettha parantapa

“The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.5)

More importantly, these saints have already created a permanent home. Not in the physical sense, but in consciousness, which is not destroyed. This means that my home will not be subject to the onslaught of time. The circumstances of the world can change to the point of Mahadeva destroying everything, but this home will not be touched.

Goswami Tulsidas describes that home as the holy name. He lives in the house of devotion that is the name of Shri Rama. This is an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Detail to the abstract. Identification of the man otherwise behind a curtain. A clearer picture, identifiable through transcendental features, saguna.

They encourage me to create the same home. Live in it always. Take comfort from it. Maintain it through steady practice. Be not afraid of the end, since that link in consciousness, yoga, will not be broken: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Even if all alone,
My permanent home.

That no one else can attack,
Supreme Lord having my back.

Since chanting His holy name,
Creating abode to His the same.

Then over future not caring,
Since positively faring.

Five Potential Circumstances For The Next Birth

“There are an infinite number of living beings, both moving and nonmoving, who have many different abodes, with some residing in the earth, some in the sky, and some in the water. But O helpless Tulsi, for you Shri Rama’s holy name is your only home.” (Dohavali, 37)

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जल थल नभ गति अमित अति अग जग जीव अनेक |
तुलसी तो से दीन कहँ राम नाम गति एक ||

jala thala nabha gati amita ati aga jaga jīva aneka |
tulasī to se dīna kaham̐ rāma nāma gati eka ||

This life will not be the only one. It may seem that way. We get so immersed in the present, over what will occur in the immediate term, that we forget our own past. We were once so small as to fit inside of a womb. We have no memory of that experience, but it certainly happened.

As Shri Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gita, we will move on to another place after the completion of this lifetime. The transmigration of the soul. The living entity, the jiva, shifting from one residence to another. Like taking off a set of clothes in exchange for a new set.

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)

There is no guarantee that the next birth will be a human one. There is potential in every possible direction. The wise understand this and thus immediately assign top priority to influencing the type of birth moving forward.

1. Moving or nonmoving

There is life all-around. Shastra gives the description of sarva-ga. We can go everywhere. We try to enter other areas right now, by brute force, but the easier method is to simply await transmigration. We may have already been in those places in the past; we simply cannot remember.

As a human being, we have the ability to move. Two arms and two legs. There are many species that cannot move. They remain where they are; sometimes for thousands of years. They are as much life as the species which do move.

2. In the sea or on land

We roam the earth and take in oxygen to support life. But this is not the only way. Within the water there is an abundance of life, with a different mechanism for survival. Something like breathing underwater, there is also sufficient supply of food. No planning commissions. No government organization to distribute to the needy. No philanthropy. Nature supplies everything.

3. As a tree or a bird perched on a branch

Part of the nonmoving category, we could take birth as a tree. Tolerate the intense cold of winter. Deal with the steady gusts of wind. Witness the changing of seasons, year after year. Perhaps supply vital food to the human population in the form of fruits.

As we have the potential to take birth as a tree, we could also be one of the birds which sets up a nest on one of the branches. Intelligence in the sense that no GPS device is required. The bird figures out where to return after leaving the nest. They do not get lost. They also can detect the coming shift in weather and move accordingly.

4. As the son of a high court judge or the son of a criminal

There is an often-invoked derogatory label of, “The lucky sperm club.” The idea is that some people are born into wealth, and so they do not have to work for a living. It is not anything that they did. There is no merit identified. They are free of the burdens the majority of the population has to deal with.

In this regard, I could take birth as the son of a high-court judge, and thus be honored within society. Perhaps the path is paved for me to follow in the same line, to one day sit on the bench and be addressed as, “Your honor.”

There is also the potential to be on the other side. Take birth as the son of a criminal. I am so shielded from the proper way of living that I think stealing is righteous. I think everyone else is in the wrong. Like a magnet, I am drawn to law enforcement, facing the local judges so often that they know me by name.

5. A child of a loving mother or one facing a knife in the womb

I could take birth as the son of a loving mother. Someone who takes care of my every need, who always remembers me as the helpless child learning to crawl and walk. No matter how old I get, the love never diminishes.

Since life is constant, since it never actually begins but only gets detected, the person within the womb is as much a person as the one who has survived the birth process. In Kali-yuga, the current age of heightened quarrel and hypocrisy, making it out of the womb alive is an achievement. A knife might be coming at you, and you have no way to defend yourself.

…

The wise saints of the Vaishnava tradition remain constantly aware of these potential circumstances. Someone like Goswami Tulsidas understands that he could end up anywhere, so he prays to always be attached to the holy name of the Lord.

This is his real home. On land, in the sea, flying through the air, moving or nonmoving – these are temporary situations. The association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead is forever, and so the home created through devotion never gets destroyed: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

In wealth of loving home,
Or in poverty all alone.

Standing tall as a tree,
Or that bird in nest to see.

Possible so many places to go,
But saints only one residence to know.

That of holy name chanting,
That wish forever granting.

It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn

“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।।

Vishvamitra attempted a special kind of vrata. A dedicated act in dharma, requiring ten consecutive days, uninterrupted. He was in the remote forest, a place conducive to austerity and penance. A tapo-vana, not unfamiliar to the priestly class, who were the wise counselors to the protectors of the innocent.

Despite residence in a quiet and secluded area, things were not going well. Vishvamitra needed help. Rakshasas from Lanka were obstructing. Two in particular seemed to be locked in on the place. Maricha and Subahu, who could change shapes at will, would attack right at the end. They would throw blood and pus onto the sacrificial fire, spoiling everything.

This yajna was such that Vishvamitra could not retaliate with a curse. He required an actual defender, someone like a bodyguard. He knew just the person to hire. Vishvamitra travelled to Ayodhya and paid a visit to King Dasharatha.

The welcome he received was hospitable beyond belief. Dasharatha offered the kindest words a human being could ever hear. He was willing to offer anything to Vishvamitra, but he was unaware that the promise would be taken literally.

Vishvamitra asked for Dasharatha’s eldest son, Shri Rama. Though a youth at the time, the muni assured the king that Rama was fully capable. He was uniquely qualified to deal with these shape-shifting, night-ranging ogres.

The symbolism from this historical event detailed in the Ramayana cannot be missed. Dasharatha is the monarch of the solar dynasty. The line of kings traces its ancestry to the sun-god, Vivasvan, who is also mentioned in Bhagavad-gita.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
इमं विवस्वते योगं
प्रोक्तवान् अहम् अव्ययम्
विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह
मनुर् इक्ष्वाकवे ’ब्रवीत्

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave ’bravīt

“The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikshvaku.” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.1)

Rama is the heir apparent. He is the sun of that dynasty, since He is an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Though the yajnas took place in darkness, though Maricha and company were previously successful, though Vishvamitra seemingly had no savior, the dawn was about to arrive.

Interestingly, the best account of the subsequent reversal comes from Maricha. He tells the story to Ravana, the king of the ogres in Lanka. It is a warning. Do not stoke the beast. Do not go up against the most powerful fighter in the world. Even during His youth, Rama was capable enough to successfully defend against Maricha and Subahu.

There was no fear. The darkness did not play a role. Dasharatha’s son could see everything. He fitted arrow to bow and released a targeted strike that addressed the heart of the matter. In the spiritual world, contradictions play no role. Though there is intense darkness, Rama’s presence creates the dawn. Though there are two attackers, a single youth is capable of successfully defending. Though Rama is seemingly a pupil, He is the one teaching a lesson to Maricha.

The issue resolved for the time, Vishvamitra continued the association moving forward. He passed on to Rama and His younger brother Lakshmana mantras to be used in military combat. These sacred formulas could turn ordinary arrows into nuclear weapons. Such potency was needed based on the ability of the opposing force. The Rakshasas could appear and disappear at will. As they could conjure up the energy found within the material world, someone even more powerful had to be on the other side.

Though we are not in the category of Vishvamitra, though King Dasharatha may not be nearby to offer His eldest son for assistance, we have the same opportunity to connect. The darkness will be dissipated by the light, who arrives through the sound of His names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Always darkest before the dawn,
This time ready with arrow drawn.

So that ignorance defeated,
Maricha way back retreated.

Since Rama defending this time,
Sun of solar dynasty to shine.

For me also willing and ready,
Protected by that hand steady.

Why Didn't Vishvamitra Just Curse The Attackers

“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।।

“There is that wonderful description in the Ramayana of Shri Rama’s fighting ability, exhibited at a young age. Maricha tells the story, which is remarkable in and of itself. This is because Maricha is on the other side. He is an adversary. By no stretch of the imagination would anyone consider him to be a good person.

“Maybe in the past. Perhaps at the soul level, where every individual is pure. He was later cursed to become a Rakshasa, which is something like a man-eating ogre. In that capacity he became a trusted advisor to Ravana, the king of Rakshasas. The lowest among men lived in Lanka, and they often ventured out on seek and destroy missions.

“Maricha and his cohort named Subahu were accustomed to attacking Vishvamitra. The sage lived in the forest at the time and was engaged in a particular yajna. The problem is that it never came to fruition. Maricha made sure of it. He would attack, in tandem, by throwing blood and pus on the sacrificial fire, ruining everything.

“I’m wondering why Vishvamitra didn’t fight back. Why did he choose to remain nonviolent? Elevated brahmanas have certain tools at their disposal to handle such issues. Why not defend against Maricha and teach others a lesson in the process?”

As described to King Dasharatha, the particular yajna attempted involved a moratorium on curses. This is the way brahmanas can otherwise fight back. Through their spiritual endeavors they accumulate pious credits. That is essentially currency that can be used in exchange for attacks on opponents.

The problem is that each curse depletes the bank account, so to speak. It would be like if I were saving up money to purchase a house. After the balance reached a certain amount, I decided to splurge on an expensive car instead. Now the original intent gets nullified. I no longer have the money I need to buy the house.

Brahmanas do not like to waste their pious credits. Moreover, it is not their duty to protect against injury. The kshatriyas provide that function for society. Vishvamitra was entirely within his rights to approach King Dasharatha directly, to ask for assistance.

The request was astonishing. Vishvamitra asked for Rama to act as bodyguard. Dasharatha would essentially have to sacrifice his most beloved son, to move under the care of a brahmana who was facing imminent and repeated danger.

Though a youth at the time, Rama was the perfect defense. As Maricha later described, during the subsequent attack there was no hesitation or fear. Rama fitted arrow to bow in a split second, thwarting the attack from the Rakshasas.

The lessons from the incident carry over to the modern day. The person engaged in devotion to God, in all sincerity, can expect to face strong opposition from the rest of the world. Words of derision, shutting down of houses of worship, and sometimes physical violence.

Rather than have to deal with each instance individually, they can rest assured continuing in their efforts, knowing that the same Rama is there to protect. He may not be visible to the less advanced. He may appear to be a figment of the imagination to those who have never uttered His name, but the devotees know exactly the potency in Him and the dexterity He can utilize against the intruders: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

By ignorance deluding,
That successful intruding.

Since before to get,
But this time Rama met.

Arrow releasing where,
Demons removed from there.

So curse by brahmana not needed,
Since force by God preceded.

Defender Of The Faith

“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 guess one of the fears a devotee might have is preservation. Start with the boundless joy from following devotional service, bhakti-yoga. I have finally found something fulfilling. I don’t have to jump into something else. The holy names are everything to me: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

“We see in professional fields that reaching the pinnacle is not enough. You have to constantly work at staying up to date. There is pressure to maintain the stature, lest you get left behind, washed over by the changing tides of time.

“I think there is a similar concern with devotional life. How will it be maintained? I found something I truly enjoy, but I am afraid that circumstances beyond my control will interfere. The rise of communism around the world. Totalitarian local leaders locking everyone in their homes for months on end. Shutting down the houses of worship. Viewing everyone around you as a set of germs. Disinformation campaigns. Speech and thought control.

“What should be the strategy to combat? Is it even worth the effort? Will that not become the distraction itself? I am so worried about how to maintain the devotional culture that I abandon my religious practices altogether. Do you see what I mean?”

Shri Krishna provides reassurance. In Bhagavad-gita, He explains to Arjuna that everything the devotee possesses will be preserved. Whatever they might be missing, Krishna supplies.

अनन्याश् चिन्तयन्तो मां
ये जनाः पर्युपासते
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां
योग-क्षेमं वहाम्य् अहम्

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ
ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham

“But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form-to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.22)

There are several notable examples in this regard. There is the story of a brahmana living in the kingdom of Ayodhya during the time of Shri Rama, who is an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The brahmana, who is a member of the priestly order, felt terrible pains of separation whenever Rama had to leave town on official business.

To bring to the brahmana what he lacked, Rama donated a family deity. Worship of the deity would be considered as good as seeing Rama, the king, personally. Thus the devotional life was maintained, and it thrived even more going forward. Spiritual life is not limited in the way material life is. One plus one can equal four when immersed in the devotional culture. What we previously considered to be the height of bliss can expand ever greater due to the grace of the Almighty.

There is another story from the Ramayana period, this time notably narrated by one of the great enemies of dharma. The Rakshasa named Maricha describes an incident where he attacked the sacrificial fire of Vishvamitra Muni.

This was another case of a brahmana worshiping. The life of tapasya needed to be preserved. Vishvamitra and other men like him took up residence in the remote forests. The setting was conducive to religious practice. Fewer distractions. A better opportunity to really focus on the ultimate aim of life.

Maricha was accustomed to obstructing. Interfering with dharma. The Rakshasas carry this mentality, even to the present day. Rather than leave well enough alone, they cannot stand to see worship of the Supreme Lord thrive.

During one such attack, Maricha surprisingly was thwarted. This is because Shri Rama was there personally. Though only a youth, with barely any signs of manhood on His face, Rama defended perfectly. He was not stunned by the lightning-like strike of Maricha. There was no fear in the Supreme Lord.

This defense was something Vishvamitra and others lacked. They did not have to work hard to procure it, though. The devotion itself was enough for the Supreme Lord to take notice. He will defend our faith in Him, regardless of the circumstances. He is the ultimate determining factor in our success, and He never abandons those who are surrendered to Him.

In Closing:

Like Rama’s arrows extending,
Our faith in Him defending.

So worrying not over outside,
As long as bhakti inside.

Such as with Maricha attack,
Fierce reply sending back.

So that sacrificial fire raging,
Despite enemy onslaught waging.

Why Wasn't There An Insurrection Against Dasharatha's Decision

“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: If you look at the history of the world, there is constant war. Doesn’t matter the country. Doesn’t matter the time period. Doesn’t matter the language spoken or the religion followed. It is perpetual conflict.

Friend2: The ongoing struggle between good and evil. In terms of shastra, the conflict between the suras and the asuras. The good guys against the bad guys.

Friend1: These wars sort of muddy the waters.

Friend2: In what sense?

Friend1: Well, you have bad guys against bad guys, in many cases. One ruling party stepping too far in their drive towards totalitarianism. Another party, which is equally as corrupt, attempts an insurrection. Just look at the French Revolution. Amazing to see what happened. I don’t think you could say either side necessarily had the moral high ground.

Friend2: Those are valid points. But there is always some fight against good. Evil will not leave well enough alone. Many historical incidents bear this out. Hiranyakashipu in the Daitya kingdom. Ravana, when leading the Rakshasas in Lanka.

Friend1: They are instigators of war, in a sense. They invite total destruction.

Friend2: That is how Sita Devi warned Ravana. She said that when a person is on the verge of death, they actually take to irrational behavior in a manner that brings about the end. It was foreshadowing in that case, as Hanuman first burned Lanka to the ground and then afterwards Shri Rama was journey bound. He put an end to Ravana’s reign of terror.

Friend1: Which leads to my question today. When we look at King Dasharatha’s decision to honor Kaikeyi’s wish, as described in the Ramayana, why did not that lead to conflict?

Friend2: From who? Who would mount the opposition?

Friend1: Anyone. The citizens. The sons.

Friend2: Well, if you remember, Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana proposed that very thing. He even presented a wonderful question at the end of his case. He asked Rama who should be killed first. Lakshmana viewed Dasharatha’s decision as a coup attempt, to subvert the will of the people and precedent in protocol.

Friend1: Since Rama was the eldest son of the king and the decision was already made to hand over control to Him. Dasharatha changed plans because Kaikeyi, his youngest wife, boxed him into a corner by bringing up boons previously offered to her.

Friend2: Any two of her choosing.

Friend1: Okay, so Lakshmana didn’t mount the coup, but why didn’t the people do anything?

Friend2: Because Rama accepted the decision. Sita Devi was upset about it for a long time. She couldn’t believe people would treat her husband that way. She later remarked that Dasharatha was a victim to kama, which is material desire. The king wanted to fulfill the cherished wishes of Kaikeyi.

Friend1: Should people accept injustice, though?

Friend2: That is another constant throughout history. Look at what happened to the Pandava brothers. See how Prahlada Maharaja was treated. Poor Vasudeva and Devaki, victimized by King Kamsa in Mathura. Every day you will find horrible things happening to innocent people and animals.

Friend1: What can be done? What is our option?

Friend2: Shri Rama allowed events to play out. Each person in the narrative fulfilled their obligations based on occupation. Try to follow dharma as best as you can. Ultimately, we are not the doer, as Shri Krishna explains.

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)

Friend1: Just sit back and pray that things work themselves out? That doesn’t seem like a smart way to go.

Friend2: The sinner’s fruit arrives at the appropriate time. Just because things look bad at the moment doesn’t mean they won’t be corrected in the future. Better to focus on the more important task at hand: liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Escape from the illusion of maya, which competes for my interest and attention. I know better, that I should always be on the side of the Divine: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Task of correcting to do,
Why not in Ayodhya a coup?

When Dasharatha overstepping bounds,
And Rama the forest dwelling found.

Because eventually delivered by time,
Appropriate reactions to find.

Better with dharma to stay,
Moving distractions out of the way.