Spinning On The Wheel

“Arjuna said: O descendant of Vrishni, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?” (Bhagavad-gita, 3.36)

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अर्जुन उवाच
अथ केन प्रयुक्तो ऽयं
पापं चरति पूरुषः
अनिच्छन्न् अपि वार्ष्णेय
बलाद् इव नियोजितः

arjuna uvāca
atha kena prayukto ‘yaṁ
pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ
anicchann api vārṣṇeya
balād iva niyojitaḥ

“I realize that in those times there were no libraries. There was no internet search engine or an online encyclopedia that was crowd-contributed. Even when I was a child, we didn’t have information so readily available. We had the television and certain cable channels, but you had to wait for them to provide information; it was not like you could choose what content to see at a given moment.

“Yet word still gets around. I remember knowing the starting lineups to every major league baseball team. I knew what the players looked like and how they positioned themselves in the batter’s box. For the pitchers, I had the motions memorized. I don’t know how that happened, but it wasn’t easy.

“In the ancient times of which I reference today, the people still had a general idea. They were aware of significant incidents from the past. Case in point the Dvapara Yuga and the time of Shri Krishna’s advent to this world. There is the incident of Shrimati Radharani criticizing Krishna for behavior in His past life as Shri Ramachandra. She and the other gopis knew about the Ramayana history, and that information must have been distributed by word of mouth, solely.

“Where I am going is that even during Ravana’s time there was the history of Hiranyakashipu. People understood that a higher power had brought down a well-known atheist. The most powerful king in the world still lost, if you want to put it that way.

“Why would someone repeat behavior that they otherwise know to be harmful? Why dip the toe into the scorching hot water after previously getting burned? Why take a sip of alcohol after the catastrophic results the last time around?”

Fortunately, the ever-wise bow-warrior named Arjuna once asked a similar question. Why do people follow behavior that they know is wrong? Why do they act as if they have no control over themselves? We’ve seen vivid examples in our own journey through life. Perhaps a loved one underwent an ordeal with addiction to drugs or alcohol. They had to take up residence in a rehabilitation facility to finally kick the habit; if they were successful at all.

The explanation is that kama drives a person in directions that they would otherwise not go. Kama, which is material desire, quickly turns into krodha, or wrath, if left unfulfilled. How many times have I thrown the golf clubs in anger? What was the point of kicking that wall in frustration? Why did I yell at someone when they had done nothing wrong?

By understanding kama, krodha, lobha, and karma, we see how the situations repeat. If I am unable to control wrath, I fall down again into the pool of suffering known as the material world. This itself is a cycle, wherein birth and death repeat. The experience in between is the same, so it feels like déjà vu, even though we can’t specifically recall the previous instance.

क्रोधाद् भवति सम्मोहः
सम्मोहात् स्मृति-विभ्रमः
स्मृति-भ्रंशाद् बुद्धि-नाशो
बुद्धि-नाशात् प्रणश्यति

krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ
sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ
smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśo
buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati

“From anger, delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost, one falls down again into the material pool.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.63)

Education [vidya] plays a vital role in this regard. The same history available to Ravana is well-documented today. The help of someone familiar with the culture and terminology is required for properly assimilating the lessons.

We have documented evidence of someone extraordinary appearing in this world. He and others claim equivalence with Divinity. In other words, God is real and He has shown Himself in the saguna form many times. As many waves as there are in the ocean, that is how many incarnations of Vishnu we can count, if we so attempted.

Vishnu is our way out. He is the one who can end the déjà vu like experience. Attachment to His lotus feet, connection with Him in consciousness, service in a mood of pure love, interest only for His well-being – these will stop rebirth and guarantee placement in the spiritual realm of Vaikuntha.

Rather than rely on faith alone, the benefits are real and can be tasted even within this lifetime. That is the only explanation for large groups of people collectively chanting a single mantra, day after day, with ever-increasing bliss and happiness: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Despite human birth to win,
Seems like on wheel to spin.

Where bad behavior the same,
Where not even knowledge to tame.

By kama in this way compelled,
Into vicious cycle propelled.

Knowledge way out giving,
Gita wisdom’s eternal living.

Isn't Life One Giant Roadside Hazard

“For one who has accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Mukunda or the giver of mukti, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoofprint. Param padam, or the place where there are no material miseries, or Vaikuntha, is his goal, not the place where there is danger in every step of life.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.14.58)

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समाश्रिता ये पदपल्लवप्लवं
महत्पदं पुण्ययशो मुरारे:
भवाम्बुधिर्वत्सपदं परं पदं
पदं पदं यद् विपदां न तेषाम्

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām

Friend1: Have you ever had to change a tire?

Friend2: On a car?

Friend1: Yes, such as after getting a flat.

Friend2: I have been in the situation requiring such a change. Many times, in fact, but I never did the work myself.

Friend1: Is there a reason for that?

Friend2: I don’t know how. At least I think I don’t. There was either someone with us who did or we made a phone call to a local service that helped us out.

Friend1: Oh, like one of those auto-club memberships?

Friend2: Yes, back in the day, but now most of these car companies offer roadside assistance for free if you buy a new vehicle from them. Actually, some of the repair places offer the same service if you get new tires from them.

Friend1: I found myself in such a predicament recently. You don’t realize the danger of the situation until you are stranded on the side of the road, feeling helpless.

Friend2: You didn’t call someone?

Friend1: I did, but it took a few tries. Still, being on the side of the road, on a major highway, you see and hear just how fast everyone is passing you. It gets you to thinking. One small mistake by a driver and you are finished.

Friend2: Especially considering that everyone has smartphones now. If they get a text message that they feel needs to be answered, their attention could get diverted.

Friend1: I was lucky that my issue occurred in the daytime. What if it was at night, where visibility is significantly less? I escaped without a problem, but I can’t forget the danger. This could happen to anyone. What if it was someplace that had poor cell phone reception?

Friend2: Absolutely. You could be out in the middle of nowhere, on a road-trip. You could have young children with you, crying in the backseat. It could be extreme weather, as well.

Friend1: The middle of winter or under the scorching heat of the sun. This certainly reminded me of spiritual life and the teachings on how dangerous this world is. I think there is the verse from Shrimad Bhagavatam which explains.

Friend2: It says that there is danger at every step. No one is safe. At every moment we are vulnerable to the three sources of misery: from the heavens, from other living beings, and from within. Shri Hanuman compares the deha, the body, to a bubble, which can burst at any moment:

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

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

“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)

Friend1: It puts things into perspective; for me, anyway. I will not boast about the type of car I have. Even if it is top of the line, I know that in a split second everything can change. The same goes with comfortable living at home. A good job, a loving family, supportive friends and neighbors. What do I really gain from that?

Friend2: The key is to bring everything together. While the world is full of danger, for one who has surrendered to Mukunda, the giver of liberation, the vast ocean of suffering shrinks to the size of a hoof-print left by a calf.

Friend1: That is amazing, if you think about it.

Friend2: To us it is amazing, since we are so helpless. For Narayana it is not much effort at all. He generates, maintains and destroys the infinite universes through His breathing. Why would it be so difficult for Him to change the nature of our experience here? He is the greatest well-wishing friend and we can use whatever we have in life to honor Him on a daily basis.

In Closing:

Since punctured by nail,
Front tire to fail.

Now stranded motorist sight,
With setting sun to fight.

Danger in every case the same,
Began when to this world came.

While in samsara battling wave,
Mukunda my fortunes to save.

Of Animals And Men

“The common religion of all classes of human beings, regardless of whosoever and whatsoever one may be, is devotional service. Even the animals may be included in devotional service to the Lord, and the best example is set by Shri Vajrangaji, or Hanuman, the great devotee of Lord Shri Rama.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.8.18 Purport)

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“I often hear His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada compare and contrast the different kinds of birth. As soon as there is birth there must be death, and prior to birth the living spirit lived someplace else. This obviously means that placement is up in the air; we are not entirely sure where we will end up in the future. Someone else makes the decision, and hopefully everything is properly adjudicated, taking into account desire and past action.

“There is a distinction with the human birth. It specifically carries the increased potential for understanding spiritual life and the source of it. Just making an inquiry into those matters represents significant progress. Not every human being will strive for perfection in understanding, and out of those who try hardly one will succeed to a sufficient level.

“The idea is that the potential is simply not there in other births. A common comparison is to the dog, as spelled backwards it is God. The criticism is that man places too much significance on the dog, replacing the Almighty from His proper position. There is merit to this argument, as what can the dog really do for us? It cannot speak. It cannot provide wisdom. We will not maintain its association after death.

“At the same time, the acharyas explain that connection with God is never fully restricted based on circumstance. That is to say, even the dog can be liberated. From Vedic literature we read of amazing monkeys who befriended Shri Rama, an avatara of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu offered the greatest benediction to wild animals in the forest.

“How do we square the two? Are we superior as human beings or are we not? Is birth as an animal hopeless or is there still a chance?”

We are in the human species now. We cannot make a proper comparison to life as an animal since we will not be able to remember the experience at present. Perhaps we were in such forms prior, as confirmed through dreamlike experiences where we fly through the air or swim easily underwater, but memory gets erased with each subsequent birth.

The acharyas stress the importance of taking advantage of the human form. This is our best chance for liberation, for escaping the cycle of birth and death. Otherwise, we have this theoretical reset button that gets pressed. We have to start over again, in the future. As if we were in the middle of building a house, leaving it for some time, only to return to see that the progress has been erased.

We are human beings today, so let us find the proper way. Let us accept the shelter of the Divine and make Him our top priority. He is the sun to our existence, no matter where we live. Even in the spiritual world He is the source of the splendor, and so there is no need for external lighting.

न तद् भासयते सूर्यो
न शशाङ्को न पावकः
यद् गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते
तद् धाम परमं मम

na tad bhāsayate sūryo
na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante
tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

“That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.6)

His causeless mercy extends to the animals. No living being is forever restricted from the connection in yoga. This is because they are spirit soul at the core, the same in quality across the numerous instances, but still maintaining a separate identity.

Shri Hanuman appears in this world as a forest-dwelling monkey-type living being. He and his friends do become eternally dear to Shri Rama, Sita Devi and Lakshmana. We find derogatory remarks made about their features, tendencies, and habits, but these do not influence their standing in the eyes of the Supreme.

Rama looks at devotion only, and so even the small child has the opportunity for success in approaching and coming closer to the one who is an endless ocean of compassion and mercy. Let us take advantage of this amazing opportunity provided by the human birth to always stay connected: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Though as human to be,
Even the animals can see.

Vanaras serving aware,
Travel to commanded where.

Chaitanya in the forest liberating,
Extensive mercy proliferating.

So right now advantage taking,
For successful completion making.

If Someone Has Attained Krishna How Can They Stay In This World

“After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.15)

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माम् उपेत्य पुनर् जन्म
दुःखालयम् अशाश्वतम्
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः
संसिद्धिं परमां गताः

mām upetya punar janma
duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ

“In Bhagavad-gita, Shri Krishna makes the promise that someone who attains Him never returns to this world of birth and death. It is otherwise a temporary and miserable place. You develop intense love and affection for dependents like children and spouse. You have to live with them for decades, perhaps. Some couples are able to celebrate a fiftieth wedding anniversary.

“In the back of your mind you know that the relationship will not last. One day the cruel hands of time will open their grip and snatch one of you away. Never to be seen again, the only thing remaining are the memories, the impression that person left on others.

“To me, there is nothing more cruel than this. Why would anyone want to descend to this world and subject themselves to that horror? I certainly would not, if given the choice. The path of yoga in devotion is the right way; it is dharma. This is true both on the word of authority and my conclusion reached after careful deliberation.

“I guess I am wondering why Arjuna and the Pandava family were still in this world. They had already attained Krishna. They were in yoga, but not in the traditional sense. Instead of retiring to a remote area and sitting in a proper pose, asana, they were on the battlefield, defending the innocent. They were upholding righteous principles, while their dependents suffered and watched, hoping for justice to be served.

“Why were not the Pandavas immediately elevated to Vaikuntha, which is the spiritual realm noted for its lack of anxieties? Why did they have to stay here and suffer at the hands of the wicked Duryodhana, who tried in so many ways to eliminate them?”

It is said that someone who sincerely attempts yoga in devotion, bhagavata-dharma, is already liberated. They may not know it yet. They may not have the proper consciousness at the time, but since there is an infallible being on the other side, Achytua, to help them, there is no possibility of failure.

There is no perfect analogous experience from our time, but we can try to think of the student entering school. They barely know how to read and write. They certainly are not expert in math or science. Yet if everything goes correctly, if they have proper guidance from the parents and follow certain disciplinary measures, they will eventually graduate.

The chances of success are so high that in many cases the parents start saving for college. They regularly deposit money into a fund designated for paying tuition expenses. This money will ideally be withdrawn much later, perhaps after eighteen years. They can only do this if they have an assurance the student will grow up to be smart enough to attend college.

It is the material world, after all, so time can get in the way. Other factors might interfere, beyond the control of the guardians. Since Shri Krishna is ultimately in charge of who enters His transcendental abode and who does not, even the person with no qualifications will win liberation, if they make a genuine attempt.

Arjuna was already liberated by the time he reached the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Krishna had already arranged the proper outcome, as shown in the amazing vision during their subsequent conversation known as Bhagavad-gita.

अमी च त्वां धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राः
सर्वे सहैवावनि-पाल-सङ्घैः
भीष्मो द्रोणः सूत-पुत्रस् तथासौ
सहास्मदीयैर् अपि योध-मुख्यैः
वक्त्राणि ते त्वरमाणा विशन्ति
दंष्ट्रा-करालानि भयानकानि
केचिद् विलग्ना दशनान्तरेषु
सन्दृश्यन्ते चूर्णितैर् उत्तमाङ्गैः

amī ca tvāṁ dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāḥ
sarve sahaivāvani-pāla-saṅghaiḥ
bhīṣmo droṇaḥ sūta-putras tathāsau
sahāsmadīyair api yodha-mukhyaiḥ
vaktrāṇi te tvaramāṇā viśanti
daṁṣṭrā-karālāni bhayānakāni
kecid vilagnā daśanāntareṣu
sandṛśyante cūrṇitair uttamāṅgaiḥ

“All the sons of Dhritarashtra along with their allied kings, and Bhishma, Drona and Karna, and all our soldiers are rushing into Your mouths, their heads smashed by Your fearful teeth. I see that some are being crushed between Your teeth as well.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 11.26-27)

To become liberated does not mean to abandon responsibility. Nor is it used as a license for living in an unregulated way. Rather, the person who is dear to Krishna often feels a stronger need to set a good example and follow behavior indicative of a person who is still in search of the Divine mercy, who is not sure of the final outcome.

Arjuna and his brothers followed their duty as kshatriya warriors and the world benefitted because of that decision. They were working for Krishna, and from beginning to end they were protected. The same applies to those who are strongly connected to that husband of Lakshmi through the chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

When genuine and steady,
Achieved liberation already.

Just by feet in path placing,
Towards the Divine facing.

Who my efforts to sustain,
Memory of deeds retained.

So that in this world can stay,
And ideal role to display.

Life After The End

“After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.15)

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माम् उपेत्य पुनर् जन्म
दुःखालयम् अशाश्वतम्
नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मानः
संसिद्धिं परमां गताः

mām upetya punar janma
duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ

Just see the kindness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no limit to His causeless mercy, which has fallen my way since before I can remember, though I previously failed to both recognize it and appreciate it. To a commensurate level, to match the love and affection from the other side, I remain a miser.

From the beginning, I was blessed with good association and protection from my parents, grandparents and extended family. Despite their shortcomings, though not ideal in terms of behavior, I could have had it much worse. In this dark age of Kali, the forces of evil begin to attack while you are still in the womb. If you make it out alive, that is a noteworthy achievement.

Then I received an abundance of the basic necessities. A roof over my head, plenty of food to eat, and a formal education. The excess in the industrialized part of the world is to such an extent that the greatest calamity is the lamentation in comparing with other parts of the world. An overwhelming sense of guilt that we were able to take birth in these circumstances, while others are less fortunate.

In adulthood, I had the great fortune of coming in contact with a genuine spiritual master, a person who follows in the line of acharyas tracing their lineage back to the Supreme Lord Himself. Bhagavan is the adi-guru; no one is before Him. As He explains to Brahma in Bhagavata Purana, God was there at the beginning, He is here right now, and He will remain after everything gets annihilated.

That is the past, present and future for the Almighty, who is greater than time. The three periods are relative to each person. Still, the same truths apply to my sphere. For my past, present and future, Vishnu is always there. He never leaves my side, though I fail to recognize His presence.

In the exceptional case of achieving perfection in spiritual practice, through accepting the mercy of the guru and following through on their words of instruction, I get a benefit I never before considered. In every other area of life, there is a finish line in terms of achievement.

For instance, if your goal is to win the upcoming race, there is nothing after the race is finished. You either win or you don’t. If you reach successful completion, that is the end to the cycle. You may try for another race, but that is creating another goal and working towards another end.

The commonly held belief is that spiritual life is for the end, which is death. Make sure to be sent to the heavenly realm, where the picture is too foggy to get any exact detail. We know that it is not like life on earth, but we’re not really sure what happens moving forward.

Vishnu is so kind that He gives me eternal life after the end. That is to say if I achieve perfection in consciousness, through the yoga process, I certainly am free from having to take birth again. I won’t have to return to the land of birth and death, subject to dualities.

Yet this does not mean that my existence is over. Neither is my work. The person to study in this regard is Shri Hanuman. Already a liberated soul, he chooses his time of passing. He does not leave this world until he is ready to.

Hanuman volunteers to remain here for as long as the glories of Shri Rama continue to be told. This is his life after liberation, after having met Vishnu face to face, after having served Him in the most daring mission, after having pleased Him to a level that cannot be repaid in favor.

Because of the unlimited mercy of the Almighty, I will continue to work in such a way that Hanuman’s decision is not regretted. If he is kind enough to stay here and guide me along the proper path, to give me strength when I feel weak, to lift me up when I have fallen down, then I at least can glorify the Supreme Lord and constantly chant His holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Eternal life displaying,
While in this world staying.

Despite sacrifice paid,
Choice by him made.

That in this world for as long,
As devotion to Shri Rama strong.

Hanuman showing life to extend,
That more to it after the end.

Five Activities I Might Consider Pointless

“For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.27)

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जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्
ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च
तस्माद् अपरिहार्ये ऽर्थे
न त्वं शोचितुम् अर्हसि

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur
dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ‘rthe
na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi

1. Waking up in the morning

“I want to sleep for at least a week straight. Serious. What is out there for me? Under the covers, with the fan running, I don’t even hear the outside world. Near complete sensory deprivation. I don’t need to eat anything; that only causes more problems.

“If I get up, I know that I will be attacked with one issue after another. I will become so exhausted throughout the day that I will long for the return to where I am currently: the bed. There is no point in waking up; I swear.”

2. Feeding yourself on time

“You receive conflicting advice. One group says to eat on a regular basis, in a timely manner. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, at a minimum. Maintain control over portions. Skipping meals is when you start to overcompensate, leading to health issues.

“An emerging group gaining in popularity says the opposite. Fast on an intermittent basis. Consume all of your calories for the day within a specific window of time. A few hours, at most, and the rest of the time give your digestive system a break.

“I can do better than both groups. Just forget eating. Don’t even think about it. If you are super hungry, go grab something, but otherwise don’t pay it any attention. What is the point, anyway?”

3. Getting an education during youth

“For the twelve plus years that I spent in school, there was not a single day that I enjoyed going. I never looked forward to school. This was my sentiment dating back to the pre-school era. I specifically remember negotiating with my mom to allow me to stay home one day. It so happened that someone from the school later knocked on our front door.

“I thought I was in trouble, for sure, but it turns out that there were horses visiting the school that day and they wanted to know if I would like to see them. Meet the horses, climb onto them, dress up, and take pictures. It was a memorable experience, especially since I had intentionally skipped school.

“When we reach adulthood, how much of what we have learned actually applies to daily life? Many people would contend that very little does. Therefore, what is the point of it? Why not learn through example and life struggles, instead?”

4. Taking care of people who need help

“You’re supposed to assist the needy. Lend them a helping hand. Take care of the sick and the downtrodden. Blah, blah, blah. What is any of that really going to do? Why would they want to hang around in this miserable world, anyway? It is not like the healthy are any happier. If you’re healthy, it just means people expect more out of you. They take advantage.”

5. Working for a living

“They tell you to find your passion in life. In school they ask what you want to be when you grow up. What if I don’t want to do anything? I will live off of others. You might consider that shameful, but what does it really matter in the end? We are all going to die. Once that forced exit occurs, everything gets left behind, including your reputation.”

…

While it may seem hopeless, while it may seem like there is no point to living, while it may seem like nothing is worthwhile, while the risks are too strong, with a reward not even close to commensurate, there is a purpose to living. It is indeed a blessing to be in this human form of life.

Shri Krishna confirms in Bhagavad-gita that death is certain for the person who has taken birth. He acknowledges the reality, and nothing can change that law of nature. Yet, instead of using that reality as an excuse to do nothing, the Supreme Personality of Godhead recommends the path of dharma. Use guaranteed death as the impetus to follow righteousness, honor and duty.

This is because there is an achievement to be had, purushartha. The greatest benefit to the living being who is an enjoyer, purusha, while associating with this land of temporary matter, prakriti. Work in such a way that the consciousness will be purified. That is the perfection of human life.

Upon achieving this perfection, the component activities become purified. It is like travelling on a time machine and repairing previous wrongs. All of those days I decided to wake up. All of that time spent in school. The association with the less fortunate. The attention to rules and regulations in eating and sleeping.

Everything culminated in the attachment to the lotus feet of the all-attractive one. This means that everything was worth it. Had I not participated in life, I would not have found the proper destination. For this blessing I am thankful to everyone, including nature itself, for revealing to me the Absolute Truth, the one whose effulgence is bright enough to light up the entire universe for eternity and beyond.

In Closing:

To my lethargy appealing,
Desire to wake up not feeling.

Since destined to end,
Why effort to expend?

But when to dharma steered,
The past mistakes cleared.

Since now to eternity bound,
Shelter of lotus feet found.

Leaving A Lasting Impression With Your Temporary Association

“The seed of devotional service fructifies and becomes a transcendental creeper. Finally it reaches the lotus feet of the Lord in the spiritual sky. This seed is obtained by the mercy of the Lord and the guru. By the Lord's mercy one gets the association of a bona fide guru, and by the mercy of the guru, one gets a chance to render devotional service. Devotional service, the science of bhakti-yoga, carries one from this material world to the spiritual world.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 13.18 Purport)

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As we are growing up, a harsh reality hits us. Like a brick thrown in the face, there is no immediate relief from the pain. We simply have to accept the fact. It is the truth that so many others before us have faced, and we will have to find some grace and composure in moving forward.

The reality is that death will occur. It is guaranteed, along with taxes, as famously quipped by a founding father of the United States of America. I am going to die. Nothing will be able to prevent the inevitable end. It is the destiny as soon as there was birth.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्
ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च
तस्माद् अपरिहार्ये ऽर्थे
न त्वं शोचितुम् अर्हसि

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur
dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ‘rthe
na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi

“For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.27)

A somewhat comforting thought is that the same rule applies to others. Everyone is destined for the same fate. We had no control over the time and place of our birth, and so we were forced into this situation of eventual exit from the world to which we grow attached.

This means that our association with others is only temporary. The time they spend with us is limited. Those loving parents that cared for and protected us during childhood. That best friend from the neighborhood who would play video games and talk on the phone. That colleague at work whom we saw in the office for five days a week, for ten years and more.

They must all depart at some point in time. If we are fortunate, we find people who make a lasting impact. For instance, a father who taught us the way. They paved the foundation for our steady disposition, strong work ethic, and properly grounded outlook later in life, during adulthood. They protected us both in the physical sense and also in the mental preparation to handle the difficulties life would throw our way.

As described by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a fortunate person comes in contact with the spiritual master, who then shows the way towards transcendence. This association, which might be for only a few minutes, makes an impact that lasts beyond the present lifetime.

That meeting triggers the second birth, which is only available to the human being. The first birth is certainly important, occurring through the combination of mother and father. Even the animals have this opportunity, so the second birth carries added significance.

The spiritual master brings me into the eternal engagement known as dharma. I cannot understand this term while in other births. As a mature human being I have the opportunity to see the distinctions between body and soul, life and death, one hundred years and eternity.

I can learn my true identity and act in a way that matches who I am. This essential characteristic is what defines me, and in the mode of living corresponding to that feature I am truly happy. I will continue to be in bliss after exiting the body. Death will not destroy my way of life; though technically my body will be lifeless.

The spiritual master, the mother, the father, the king – whoever elevates their dependents to the spiritual platform has fulfilled their duty. They have left a lasting impression in an otherwise temporary world. From Vedic literature we consult the many instances of Narada Muni rescuing disciples from hopelessness, despair, and even a life of crime.

The disciples in his line continue the tradition and further extend the impact of the original spiritual master, the adi-guru, Shri Krishna. Those who lead us to Krishna’s lotus feet are blessed in this world, and they can never be properly repaid, though we try on a daily basis through the chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

From despair and dread,
To eternal living led.

By that protector now departed,
From that influence first started.

Now known the only way,
Holy names always to say.

But fortunate that contact came,
Surrender to lotus feet to reign.