Five Vulnerabilities To Consider When Making An Indestructible House

“Lord Brahma said: O son of Kashyapa Muni, please get up, please get up. All good fortune unto you. You are now perfect in the performance of your austerities, and therefore I may give you a benediction. You may now ask from me whatever you desire, and I shall try to fulfill your wish.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.3.17)

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श्री-ब्रह्मोवाच
उत्तिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भद्रं ते
तपः-सिद्धो ’सि काश्यप
वरदो ’हम् अनुप्राप्तो
व्रियताम् ईप्सितो वरः

śrī-brahmovāca
uttiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhadraṁ te
tapaḥ-siddho ’si kāśyapa
varado ’ham anuprāpto
vriyatām īpsito varaḥ

1. Safe from the rain

“We can’t have any leaks. One heavy rainstorm will ruin everything. The last thing I want to be doing is running around with buckets. Place over here. Rush to put another over there. If the water gathers for long enough in a particular area, an entire floor could end up caving due to the pressure.

“Water damage is one of the most expensive to repair. You have electrical appliances everywhere. There is vulnerability to mold growth. Difficulty in breathing. Higher humidity. The roof is therefore vital to sustain.”

2. Safe from the snow

“The roof should be of the proper shape. I know that in some places in the world people keep it totally flat. That way you have a rooftop that you can walk on, hang out on, dry clothes, and so forth. But here things are different. There is increased vulnerability to the elements.

“In particular, we have to worry about snow. If enough falls and then solidifies into ice, then the weight might be too much to withstand. You don’t want the top to collapse and snow to fall into the residence. Better to prepare for proper runoff.”

3. Safe from wind

“I have seen pictures of the devastation. A hurricane went through a particular area. People had prior warning; it was not like they were caught by surprise. They tried their best to evacuate. Sometimes there were attempts at fortification.

“The power of the wind was too much. It was like the nursery rhyme with the big bad wolf. Instead of just threatening to blow the house down, the wind actually took care of the job. That is why we need a solid structure; something that can withstand the heaviest onslaught from this vital element of nature, vayu.”

4. Sturdy against attack

“The presidential motorcade in America has one vehicle known as The Beast. In addition to being bulletproof, it has its own ventilation system. It can be hermetically sealed. The idea is to guard against attackers, people with ill-intent.

“If we’re making an indestructible house, we need to take the same precautions. Impenetrable to foreign attack. Guard well enough on its own, without the need of a standing army. Stay in place, withstanding every blow.”

5. Nonflammable

“We have the story from the Mahabharata of the Pandavas getting tricked into staying in a house made of shellac. A giant tinderbox, the thing could go up in flames at any point. That was the plan, after all, from the wicked Duryodhana.

“In that case the Pandavas were saved with valuable intelligence cryptically delivered by the well-wishing uncle named Vidura. They did their own version of Shawshank Redemption by building an escape tunnel. No one knew that they had survived the eventual fire.

“Anyway, this perfect dwelling obviously needs to be safe from fire. It cannot burn down. In a lot of modern-day buildings there is the embedded sprinkler system. It is a worst-case scenario. If the fire inside becomes too intense, water will immediately flood the area.”

…

From this basic review we see that a human being has intelligence, which can then be applied in any type of construction project. Use your best judgement, taking into account personal experience and research.

Yet no matter how much a person may try, there is always a vulnerability. Someone like Hiranyakashipu received unbelievable boons from the creator, Lord Brahma. The Daitya leader wanted immortality. He asked to stay safe from the onslaught of time. He wanted perpetual association with the temporary body.

Brahma could not offer such a boon, so Hiranyakashipu settled for trying to construct the same through component parts. Safety from this weapon. Immunity from these beings. Protection during the various times of the day. Any request he could think of, he was granted.

No matter the precautions taken, even one percent vulnerability is enough to nullify the protections. This is the amazing intelligence of kala, which in Sanskrit refers to both time and death. For the grossly sinful Hiranyakashipu, time reared its ugly head in the face of a half-man/half-lion.

Narasimhadeva, an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, emerged from a pillar, of all places. Bhagavan killed the demon using nails on the hands, seating the victim so that he was neither on land nor in the air. During dusk, not by an ordinary beast or creature.

Forget protecting a house that is always vulnerable to the onslaught of time. Prepare for the continuous, eternal existence. Remember Narasimhadeva, follow the devotion of Prahlada Maharaja, and avoid the path of the ill-fated Daitya race.

In Closing:

A house trying to protect,
But destruction to expect.

Since time working its way,
For only so long can stay.

Better with bhakti to try.
And on Narasimha to rely.

Who eternal way giving,
In blissful spirit living.

Isn't It Harsh To Call Leaders Demons

“One who has not listened to the messages about the prowess and marvelous acts of the Personality of Godhead and has not sung or chanted loudly the worthy songs about the Lord is to be considered to possess earholes like the holes of snakes and a tongue like the tongue of a frog.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.3.20)

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बिले बतोरुक्रम-विक्रमान् ये
न शृण्वतः कर्ण-पुटे नरस्य
जिह्वासती दार्दुरिकेव सूत
न चोपगायत्य् उरुगाय-गाथाः

bile batorukrama-vikramān ye
na śṛṇvataḥ karṇa-puṭe narasya
jihvāsatī dārdurikeva sūta
na copagāyaty urugāya-gāthāḥ

Friend1: I often hear His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada make comparisons to the dogs and hogs.

Friend2: In what context? We worship dog instead of God? It is a clever play on words, if you think about it.

Friend1: Very accurate, too. We forgo worshiping the Almighty, but will do everything for a dependent animal. We should not treat any being in an ill-manner, but the priority is off.

Friend2: Inverted. Upside-down. Worship God first, and then offer respect and compassion to others. It is like watering the roots of the tree instead of the individual branches.

Friend1: Let’s deal with the comparison in terms of world leaders. Calling the people in government hogs and dogs. Demons of the highest order.

Friend2: Do you disagree with that assessment?

Friend1: Probably not. Prabhupada is on to something. These people lie, cheat and steal. They have no problem, for instance, stuffing the ballot box while the whole world is watching. After someone calls them out on the theft, they reply with, “You have no evidence.” Their sycophants in the media go along. Pretty soon, the honest person starts to doubt whether they are sane.

“Everyone else is telling me that two plus two equals five, so maybe I am the one who is wrong.”

Friend2: Those leaders will do worse than that. They will kill anyone who opposes them in a serious way.

Friend1: Prabhupada goes further to condemn the followers of such leaders. “The cheaters and the cheated” is the term, I believe.

Friend2: Keep in mind, this isn’t anything made up. Read Shrimad Bhagavatam and you will find the origin of the harsh assessment. There is one verse where a person’s ears are likened to a snake-hole.

Friend1: On what basis?

Friend2: Because they have never heard the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those ears will only listen to rubbish. The talk of the village. Gossip. Rebuke of truth. Nothing of value.

Friend1: I see.

Friend2: Just wait until you cover family life. The comparison is to a person who has fallen into a pit. They are essentially drinking their own blood in order to survive. You have to love it when someone gives it to you straight. Thank God for people like Prabhupada.

Friend1: I get that, but it makes living within society much more difficult.

Friend2: Why?

Friend1: Lamentation. You feel sorry for everyone else. You don’t want to think of yourself as being better, either.

Friend2: It’s not about superior or inferior. You have been fortunate to hear the transcendental message. Take the lesson seriously. The acharyas speak the truth. When they speak, listen carefully. Then deliver the same message to others.

Friend1: Okay, but if the people and leaders are like cats and dogs, who will listen? Wouldn’t I run the risk of persecution? Look at what they did to Jesus Christ.

Friend2: One moon lights up the dark night. People deserve to hear the truth. You cannot save the world, but no one is asking you to. Save yourself and then save others. Parampara has passed down the timeless wisdom, which is evergreen. You can hear the sacred sounds every day and also repeat them: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

A harsh assessment made,
Where government leaders paid.

Their benefactors only obeying,
And whatever lies saying.

But truth from acharyas to hear,
Presenting in terms clear.

That this life meant for glories to hear,
And to Supreme Lord coming near.

What If Government Takes Everything Away

“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 am genuinely scared at the moment. I realize people face similar, if not greater, problems in other countries. But here things were always relatively free. You could argue that there might have been too much freedom, that life in excess went too strongly in the direction of sinful life.

“Now there is a self-correction, it seems, in the extreme. Practically everyone in government is a fraud. They lie about everything. Nothing in the news is true. Something I witness with my own eyes, the next day the reports are of the exact opposite. The reporters are not that foolish; they are lying and misleading intentionally.

“I get it that the material world is a dangerous place. I understand the teaching from the acharyas that in this dark age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the worst of the worst will rise to power. Led by the demons, the people are in a perilous condition.

“I am worried about myself. In particular, what will happen to devotional life? What if chanting the holy names becomes an unapproved activity? What if they censor any and all discussion of truth? What if they put faithful, honorable people in jail? How will we survive?”

Such egregious violations of natural law have been commonplace since time immemorial. In the ancient history documented in the Ramayana of Valmiki, for instance, we have the most innocent people attacked in the dead of night. They weren’t doing anything wrong. They had no money. They were not stirring up a rebellion. There was no insurrection. They did not share anything offensive on social media.

They were targeted precisely because of the efforts in dharma. The attackers could change shapes at will. They could see well in the darkness. They had no sense of decency. There was no remorse after the fact.

The perpetrators were Rakshasas from Lanka. People who literally ate other human beings. Because of boons offered by Lord Brahma, the leader was safe from attack. He had an almost impenetrable defense. No one dared raise hostilities against him, no matter how justified.

We see saintly people like Vishvamitra Muni continuing without fear. He did not flee the scene or pretend to be something else. He did not disavow his occupation. He knew something special at the time. Vishvamitra went to the kingdom of Ayodhya and asked for Dasharatha’s son as a bodyguard.

Though a youth at the time, Shri Rama defended Vishvamitra in the forest. He delivered a shocking blow to the attacking Maricha. That demon later recounted the amazing incident to Ravana. The event gives life to the promise made in Bhagavad-gita:

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)

Bhagavan protects what we have and gives to us what we are missing. Visible indications of the imminent arrival may be missing. All hope is gone, but it never should be. There is always a way to access the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No one can ban the production of sound, especially the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Sparks of oppression to fan,
The truth everywhere to ban.

So that now living in fear,
How to Godhead coming near?

Still can produce the sound,
In which all glories found.

That holy name daily chanting,
For relief in distress granting.

How To Be Freed Of Sophistication

“The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.1.6)

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एतावान् साङ्ख्य-योगाभ्यां
स्व-धर्म-परिनिष्ठया
जन्म-लाभः परः पुंसाम्
अन्ते नारायण-स्मृतिः

etāvān sāṅkhya-yogābhyāṁ
sva-dharma-pariniṣṭhayā
janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ puṁsām
ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ

Friend1: Would you agree that a person takes pride in their work?

Friend2: At what stage of life? What kind of work?

Friend1: In adulthood. Their occupation.

Friend2: Okay, that is an important distinction. Pride as in they are not ashamed to tell other people what they do for a living?

Friend1: Precisely.

Friend2: It would be more accurate to say that a person wants to take pride in their occupation.

Friend1: Alright, fine. Extend that principle out to spiritual life. A person wants to have some pride in the manner in which they worship.

Friend2: That’s mostly true. That pride, ahankara, could also be the reason they avoid worship altogether.

Friend1: Great. That is exactly what I wanted to cover today. What if a person thinks that bhakti life, in particular, is not sophisticated? They are embarrassed at the concept of worshiping in front of a deity.

Friend2: Why would they be embarrassed?

Friend1: I don’t know. The “false god” accusation. Being lumped in with idol worshipers. It doesn’t fit in with the surrounding society.

Friend2: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada says that loving God purely, without motivation and without interruption, is the highest occupation. At the moment that the service is in pure love, we will be free of all sophistication.

Friend1: Interesting. What does that mean, exactly?

Friend2: It means I won’t care what others think about me. The feeling will be more than pride. I will not necessarily think that I am superior to others. Rather, I know that there are no blemishes in the manner of worship. I am doing what I was born to do, so to speak.

Friend1: You think we can reach that platform of understanding? It would be pretty cool not to care what others thought about us.

Friend2: Think about it. Have you ever seen those sadhus living in remote areas? Have you seen the way they dress, the way they look? You think they care at all about outside opinion?

Friend1: Definitely not. Some may be diminutive in stature, with barely any muscles showing, but they have this inner strength which is incomparable.

Friend2: That inner-strength is the devotion. The Supreme Personality of Godhead supports their efforts directly.

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)

Be confident in the path. Take support from the acharyas and other sadhus dedicated in that occupation. Chant the holy names and be free of temporary designations: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Sophistication holding me back,
Afraid of how others to attack.

Since before deity standing,
And sometimes on floor landing.

Where worship to idol resembling,
Easy for criticism assembling.

Eventually the concern lost,
Since to love Krishna at any cost.

Three Things Narayana Does Not Have To Worry About

“Again and again the day comes, and this host of beings is active; and again the night falls, O Partha, and they are helplessly dissolved.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.19)

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भूत-ग्रामः स एवायं
भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते
रात्र्य्-आगमे ऽवशः पार्थ
प्रभवत्य् अहर्-आगमे

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ
bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate
rātry-āgame ‘vaśaḥ pārtha
prabhavaty ahar-āgame

1. Unpacking

“I swear, moving is the worst. I never want to do it again. You go through this whole process to get everything packed into boxes. You hire the truck and the people to load and unload. You have to find a place to stay in the meantime. It is a lengthy ordeal, even if you are only shifting a few miles away.

“That is not the end of the stress, though. In the new home, which is unfamiliar surroundings, you have the daunting task of unpacking. You don’t know exactly where your stuff is. When you unpack a specific box, you have to find a way to get rid of it. The city does not collect garbage every day, and they want these large boxes broken down.

“I never want to go through this again. The moving company did not offer the service of unpacking. It doesn’t seem to be a standard thing. I can’t wait for the problem to be over.

2. Fixing the garage door opener

“There is the saying that every convenience carries an accompanying inconvenience. You think that you are making progress, advancing the condition of living in some way, but there are always some drawbacks. Sometimes you might not perceive the potential until it becomes a reality.

“Enter the garage door opener. A great convenience of the modern day, as you don’t have to get out of the car in order to enter the garage. Simply press a button and a machine will lift the door for you. Same thing for closing it.

“What if the power goes out, however? Unless you know the trick for triggering the manual operation, your car will be stuck in the garage. There is also the issue of the light bulb going out. Grab a ladder, reach all the way up, and make the change. The garage door sensor might think something is impeding the progress, and so it won’t close or open properly. Just a ridiculous stress that was never there during the time of manual operation only.”

3. Making dinner

“On top of the heavy responsibilities of the day, there is always eating to figure out. What to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner – not so easy when you have to do everything by yourself. You don’t want to order out too much, considering the quality is not as good. You want to save money, as well.

“But who has the time? If cooking was the only responsibility of the day, we could take care of it without a problem. Prepare in advance. Put in the necessary effort. Clean up properly afterwards. Sadly, this is not a standard convenience of modern-day living.”

…

Of course the total number of tasks varies from person to person, but the general idea is that material life is difficult. It is a struggle, due to the contact with the modes of nature, which are not binding to the individual, who is spirit soul.

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति।।

mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ।
manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati।।

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.7)

We struggle due to the senses and the contact to objects through such a conduit. The mind might be the greatest source of trouble, as there is vulnerability to excessive lamentation. I think too much about the past failures. I worry greatly over the outcome to a specific upcoming event. To control the mind is like trying to get ahold of the wind.

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण
प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम्
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये
वायोर् इव सु-दुष्करम्

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa
pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye
vāyor iva su-duṣkaram

“For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krishna, and to subdue it is, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.34)

In such times of difficulty, it is comforting to remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The entire world has some idea of God. Even those who do not accept, at least they have a target against which to base their opposition. They are thinking of someone or something to deny, rather than remaining completely unaware.

The Vedas provide an accurate understanding, for the purposes of our advancement. God is everywhere. He is omnipresent through the plenary expansion of Supersoul. To understand God as a separate individual is to know Him as Bhagavan.

One image of Bhagavan is that of Vishnu lying down in the causal ocean. He is resting. He does not have any pressing responsibilities. He is not tied down by the weight of the planets. He is not worrying over what will occur in places that are only temporarily manifest.

Vishnu’s work is so effortless that simply through breathing everything gets accomplished. The one breath out creates. The one breath back in destroys. The time in between is where we find ourselves. Again and again the host of beings arrives, stays for some time, and then gets dissolved.

The one who does the most amazing work with minimal effort is the ideal target for our service. We are working towards something, after all. Service is in the very nature of our existence; it is dharma. Sanatana-dharma is our eternal calling, ready to be resumed at any moment. We can find Vishnu through His names, and with such contact the difficulty of material living gradually diminishes: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Worrying over this and that,
That performed correctly exact.

Another after one done,
Desperate for relief to come.

When to Vishnu comparing,
How so easily faring.

The same for His children meant,
When back to original home sent.

Five Areas Where We Can Apply Influence

“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)

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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

1. Politics

“This is a grassroots organization. We don’t have any big donors. We are not funded by an industry or two. This is literally, ‘We the people.’ We have had enough of the corruption. The backroom deals go against our interests.

“It is time to make the liars pay. They say one thing during the campaign and then another after assuming office. Sure, this aligns with the cynical view of politics, but the citizens do not have to sit back and take it. They can fight back. That is what we are doing. It is our mission to unseat every liar in the next election. We don’t care which party they belong to; no one is safe.”

2. Business

“Due to the draconian measures instituted by the government in response to the worldwide pandemic, our business has been shut down. We cannot operate remotely. The entire model is based on personal presence; paying customers visiting the establishment and using our services.

“We can go out of business, for sure. Take the loss and move on in life. We would rather not do that. We put in too much work to walk away now. Rather, we are asking for a bailout. The government hands out money like it is candy at Halloween, so why not us? Give us some assistance so that we can survive these difficult months.”

3. Day job

“I am not ashamed to say that I love my job. I do have to hide my enthusiasm from time to time. Colleagues moan and groan. They count down the days until the next vacation. I am the opposite. When time off hits, it is like I have no direction. I don’t know what to do. I get depressed from the resulting inaction.

“I landed this job through a friend. Otherwise, I would have had a difficult time. The requirements were not aligned with my prior experience. I knew someone on the inside, so to speak, and that helped me tremendously. I am glad I was not too embarrassed to ask for help.”

4. School admission

“I am an alum. I graduated from the place around twenty years ago. I have maintained a good relationship since, making yearly donations and contributing to various events around the world. I don’t know why I did; maybe because that seemed to be the proper etiquette.

“Anyway, that diligence seems to have paid off. This upcoming year my child will be attending. Their grades weren’t in the top level. They had okay scores on the standardized tests, but I know that my membership in the alumni had a lot to do with them getting accepted. I will take the assistance because everyone in this world needs some kind of outside help to get ahead.”

5. Restaurant seating

“I was awkward in the beginning. I had seen it done in movies and on television shows, but I thought real life would be different. It actually isn’t. At these big restaurants, tipping the person in charge of seating does go a long way. Every time I arrive, no matter how busy it is, I am able to get a seat. My companions are impressed.”

…

These are but a few examples out of many where an individual can apply influence in order to get a desired outcome. The result is never guaranteed. Others may attempt the same kind of pressure campaign and find failure. This underscores the truth from Bhagavad-gita about the individual not being the doer.

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)

The acharyas recommend influencing in the long-term interest. Known as paramartha in Sanskrit, the connotation is the afterlife. Where will I go once this term completes? What does my future hold? Will I even continue to exist?

Bhagavad-gita confirms that the existence continues. The comparison is to changing clothes. One set comes off. Usually tossed in the hamper to be washed. Sometimes donated to a local charity. Then a new set comes on. The individual does not change; though outside viewpoint may.

In the same way, the individual changes full clothes in terms of bodies, one lifetime to another. This is transmigration of the soul, or reincarnation. While we cannot remember our past lives, they did occur. We can also influence where we will go moving forward.

अन्त-काले च माम् एव
स्मरन् मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्
यः प्रयाति स मद्-भावं
याति नास्त्य् अत्र संशयः

anta-kāle ca mām eva
smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ

“And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.5)

A simple truth. Remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna, while quitting the body. That will stop the cycle. This will influence the best possible outcome: liberation. The promise is true; no exceptions, no special qualifications, no outside requirements. We remember at the end by remembering today, through saying the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

From consciousness detection,
To rule no exception.

That if on Krishna setting,
Then liberation getting.

Whereas influence tenuous in kind,
Chance for success or failure to find.

In material endeavors flawed and competing,
Only through Lord’s favor defeating.

What If I Like Living In The Material World

“The living entity in this frightful condition of life, bound by seven layers of material ingredients, prays with folded hands, appealing to the Lord, who has put him in that condition.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 3.31.11)

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नाथमान ऋषिर् भीतः
सप्त-वध्रिः कृताञ्जलिः
स्तुवीत तं विक्लवया
वाचा येनोदरे ’र्पितः

nāthamāna ṛṣir bhītaḥ
sapta-vadhriḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ
stuvīta taṁ viklavayā
vācā yenodare ’rpitaḥ

“You might hear someone describe how they wish they could return to the womb. I realize that it is a weird thing for a person to admit. How would you even get on the subject? You would need to find a trustworthy ally to speak in such a free manner, knowing that they will safeguard your secret. After all, information is power.

“But I think you know what I mean. A person wanting to return to someplace safe. In the womb, under the protection of the mother, no one to bother them. Everything taken care of, for nine months. No day job. No crying children. No nagging spouse. Just food and comfort.

“I bring this up because isn’t it possible for someone to have the same longing for the material world? I understand that sadhu, shastra and guru speak in the opposite way. They highlight the illusion that is maya, and how repeated birth and death is the worst thing that could happen to the individual, who is spirit soul.

“Yet people are comfortable here, enough that they are desperate to prolong life. Why would God torture us in this way? Why not let us stay? Why not promote the idea of reincarnation?”

Whether it is promoted or not, the result remains the same. Everything is based on consciousness. Shri Krishna reveals that it is the state of being at the time of death which determines the next kind of existence.

यं यं वापि स्मरन् भावं
त्यजत्य् अन्ते कलेवरम्
तं तम् एवैति कौन्तेय
सदा तद्-भाव-भावितः

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.6)

Sort of like life flashing before your eyes, the quickest review of thousands of days, like the movie played on super-fast-forward, the time of quitting the body has an associated consciousness. That consciousness was developed over significant time in activity, both good and bad. Guna and dosha, a collection of pious credits and impious demerits, there will be punishments and rewards moving forward.

The acharyas warn against taking the risk. These spiritual leaders by example understand the inherent problems with taking birth again. Through speculation we might consider a return to the womb to be a positive thing, but Shrimad Bhagavatam explains that the experience is entirely miserable. Forced into a ball, surrounded by unpleasant fluids, the living entity promises to finally be devoted to God in full.

The entry into the world is so traumatic that the individual forgets their time in the womb. We can use a basic example from everyday life to explain the same principle. Suppose someone plans to move. They are okay with the current living arrangements, but they are looking for an improvement.

After a lengthy process in finding, offering on, and purchasing a new home, they finally make the move. On the first night in the new place, they are terrified. They want to return to the old place. Never mind the earthquake-like sounds caused by the walking of the upstairs neighbors. They will tolerate the foul odors emitted from the other residents. The sounds from outside are okay; they just want to go back to a place that is comfortable.

Indeed, with enough time the same person will become attached to their new place. Hence the cycle repeats, in the same way that in the material existence the individual becomes attached to their temporary surroundings and the relationships formed through the journey of life.

Vairagya is like the sharpest knife to cut through the knot of attachment. This may seem like a dangerous change, severing the link to something known and familiar. In truth, the other side is the most familiar, since it is the original home.

It is the dharma of the individual to be a servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Asking what He wants instead of what we want. Seeking His pleasure instead of our own. The reciprocal benefit is too great to measure, and so saintly people never tire of singing the glories of the one who lives in the spiritual land of Vaikuntha: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

To become attached inevitable,
Dreading impending severable.

But again the pattern to repeat,
Same fear soon to meet.

Spiritual home original surrounding,
Created again through sounding.

Holy names of Shri Krishna pronounced,
So that easily the temporary renounced.