Five Benefits From Reading Vedic Literature

“We must always engage our minds in reading these Vedic literatures. Just as materialists engage their minds in reading newspapers, magazines and so many materialistic literatures, we must transfer our reading to these literatures which are given to us by Vyasadeva; in that way it will be possible for us to remember the Supreme Lord at the time of death.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, Introduction)

Download this episode (right click and save)

“I understand that the concept of shastra, sacred text, is practically universal to all religions. They rely upon a book or two as their reference guide. It draws the line between good and bad, piety and sin. It is there to settle doubts, to bring clarity to situations where the proper course of action is otherwise unclear.

“I also acknowledge that in the Vedic tradition shastra is not limited to a single work. You could certainly accept Bhagavad-gita and derive a lifetime’s worth of satisfaction, knowledge, enjoyment, comfort, and strength from it, but this is not an exclusive book club or anything similar. Another person might read Shrimad Bhagavatam, Vishnu Purana, Hari-vamsha, or Ramayana and reach a similar level of enlightenment.

“What would your response be to the argument about living in the past? We are here, right now. This is our life. Sure, people before us have passed on. A similar fate awaits us moving forward. No one can stay here forever. Yet to constantly dwell on the past is to live in illusion, it seems. It is thinking that events which occurred thousands of years ago can come to life, that they can become permanent.

“Is there not a danger in spending too much time reading shastra? Is there not a vulnerability to mishandling current events? You see these nerds in school who make up their own reality. They live in these video games or role-playing adventures, completely shut off from society. I don’t think that is healthy.”

1. Avoiding the news

By reading shastra, you are essentially hearing. It is both recorded instruction and storytelling. It is like travelling into the past and sitting down with a famous personality. Their words have been preserved in written form because the sounds are important to hear. The major compilers, like Vyasadeva and Valmiki, took the time to consider who would be worthwhile in association for future generations.

By engaging in such hearing, I am automatically shut off from the noise around me. The news is one of the major culprits in bringing about dissatisfaction, malaise, ill-will, prejudice, consternation, ignorance, and fear. The other side argues that a person should stay up to date with current events, but when someone spends even a weekend away from the television and internet, their outlook on life tends to improve dramatically.

2. Less distracted

As described in shastra itself, the goal of the human birth is to finally achieve liberation, to be at one with the singular source of the spiritual and material energies. The oneness has different levels, such as a total merge and loss of identity or a singularity in terms of the relationship formed.

Devotees like Hanuman and Arjuna choose the latter. Vaishnavas consider this to be the real meaning of liberation, mukti. It is the superior form of escape from the cycle of birth and death. All other kinds of release have some sort of blemish to them, since they don’t align with the true nature of the individual, who is spirit soul.

To make the potential a reality, I should avoid distractions. Maya will have many avenues and tunnels of exploration, for me to curiously wind down this road and that, to the point that I completely forget my original intention. Even a little contemplation on one of the objects of the senses can cause me to veer off in the wrong direction, like a boat carried away by the wind.

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां
यन् मनो ऽनुविधीयते
तद् अस्य हरति प्रज्ञां
वायुर् नावम् इवाम्भसि

indriyāṇāṁ hi caratāṁ
yan mano ‘nuvidhīyate
tad asya harati prajñāṁ
vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi

“As a boat on the water is swept away by a strong wind, even one of the senses on which the mind focuses can carry away a man's intelligence.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.67)

For the period of time spent in reading, at least the mind has reduced vulnerability to maya. This is due to the nature of the subject matter. Maya is that which is not, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is that which is. He is the lone reality in this world of illusion.

3. Hearing sacred sounds

We don’t have a tape-recording available of the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna that constitutes the Bhagavad-gita. There isn’t video footage of Yashoda’s darling child holding up Govardhana Hill and saving the residents of Vraja from the vengeful wrath of Indra, the king of heaven. We don’t have a published vinyl record that plays the sweet sound vibrations emitted by Krishna’s flute.

Yet from reading we get a similar experience. This is because the words, preserved in the original language of Sanskrit, are like a key-pair translation. We see a word and that triggers the mind to create a sound. This sound is identical to the original. Even in the case of a translation, when done by an authorized and empowered representative of Krishna, the potency remains.

4. Following in the ways of the disciple

Though the human mind is capable of amazing things, though it may come upon amazing discoveries and unlock various secrets of nature through observation and experiment, there is no way to get a proper and complete understanding of the Supreme Lord through speculation alone.

भक्त्या त्व् अनन्यया शक्य
अहम् एवं-विधो ऽर्जुन
ज्ञातुं द्रष्टुं च तत्त्वेन
प्रवेष्टुं च परन्तप

bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakya
aham evaṁ-vidho 'rjuna
jñātuṁ draṣṭuṁ ca tattvena
praveṣṭuṁ ca parantapa

“My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be understood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My understanding.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 11.54)

The devotional method flows through the spiritual master. The disciple should offer humble service and inquire submissively. To regularly hear from sacred texts, especially those published by the guru himself, is one way to properly engage as a disciple. The satisfaction of the spiritual master is everything; he can rescue me on the strength of his connection alone.

5. Always connected to the Supreme Lord

This is the best reason to make a routine of reading shastra. It is the easiest way to stay connected to Bhagavan, whose words and activities feature prominently in the preserved words. Vedic literature feeds the reading appetite both in the voluminous and omnivorous cases. The person who wants to focus on a single literature and subject matter will have their satisfaction met, as will the person who wants to consume everything that could be possibly known.

In Closing:

Advice of guru to heed,
That regularly shastra to read.

Benefits many abound,
Connecting through sound.

As if Bhagavan by my side,
In the present to reside.

And outside world put at arm’s length,
Without distractions spiritual strength.

Aren't You Criticizing Demigods By Calling It A Business Transaction

“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)

Download this episode (right click and save)

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

“You often reference the interactions between the demons and the demigods in the scope of worship. I am not talking about their perennial conflict, symbolizing the fight between good and evil since time immemorial. There is plenty of that to unpack from Vedic literature. There could be a whole series of published works simply describing what went down and then diving into the subtleties and nuance; such as how a person described as a god, deva, would ever be under threat from someone who isn’t in that category.

“Today I am referring to the peaceful interactions, wherein the asuras approach the demigods for help. The classic example is Hiranyakashipu, the king of the Daityas. This is a specific race of people, tracing their lineage to the woman name Diti. All the sons of Aditi were demigods, or saintly in nature. Her sister, Diti, gave birth to the demon race.

“You often say that the worship of the demigods is something like a business transaction; with which we are quite familiar. In the traditional case, we visit the store. We pick out the items we want and bring them to the checkout register. The cashier scans the items and then asks for payment, which we provide.

“There is no extended interest. The storeowner doesn’t really care what we will do after leaving the building. The customer doesn’t really care about the cashier’s political views, the color of their skin, or what struggles they have gone through in life. Everything is about the good or service being sold and the customer willing to part with money as a means of exchange.

“I can see why you would categorize the interactions from the demon side in this way, but what about the demigods? Is it not insulting to compare Lord Brahma, the creator, to a storeowner? Isn’t Lord Shiva, the great-god, much more than an order supplier, ready to offer whatever a nefarious character wants?”

The demigods honorably fulfill the role assigned to them by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are to be appreciated even more for making such a sacrifice, as their primary concern is to please the Almighty. They are aligned with the godly principles; hence they are known as deva.

If playing such a role were demeaning, then we could say the same of the sun. We could curse that large object in space for emitting endless heat and light to the material world. This land of birth and death, mrityu-loka, is where the bad guys thrive. They rise to power and punish the innocent. They try their best to make sure the nice guys finish last, that honesty never pays. They lie, cheat, steal and kill for a living, with scant visible consequences.

The demons thrive on the support of nature, which is controlled by the demigods. The sun, the moon, the stars, the clouds, the mountains, the rivers, and so forth would be culpable under this flawed model of accountability. The rap sheet for these coconspirators would fill endless volumes of published books.

On the contrary, Brahma and Shiva are the most dedicated servants to Vishnu. They have no other interest; highlighted by the fact that they originate different lines of disciplic succession: sampradaya. They are spiritual masters in the study of Vaishnava philosophy and culture. They are symbols of sacrifice in that sense, and so they are worthy of the highest respect and honor.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य
ग्लानिर् भवति भारत
अभ्युत्थानम् अधर्मस्य
तदात्मानं सृजाम्य् अहम्

yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion - at that time I descend Myself.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.7)

Though the boons they offer to the demons cause some trouble in the world every now and then, Vishnu is always standing by. He will correct any cases of egregious misconduct in a direct way. He already indirectly accounts for right and wrong through the system of karma, which is entirely fair. For the powerful offenders like Hiranyakashipu and Ravana, He personally descends as an avatara. Brahma and Shiva play a role in these wonderful occasions, further increasing their glories.

In Closing:

Like business transaction considered,
Goods for proper payment delivered.

The demon obvious this way,
But why for the demigod to say?

Not for demeaning meant,
To that role by Hari sent.

Servants obligations fulfilling,
Paving way for avatara thrilling.

Can You Be A Devotee In Theory

“In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa there is the following statement about self-surrender: ‘My dear Lord, a person who has surrendered himself unto You, and is in firm conviction that he is Yours, and actually acts in that way by his body, mind and words, can actually relish transcendental bliss.’” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 11)

Download this episode (right click and save)

Friend1: Can someone be a devotee in theory?

Friend2: What do you mean?

Friend1: A theoretical devotee.

Friend2: I still don’t understand. What is the opposite? Is there an analogous category?

Friend1: A practicing devotee. Someone who is actually engaged in the work.

Friend2: What identifies such a person?

Friend1: The tilaka on the forehead. Tulasi beads around the neck. Visiting places of pilgrimage, tirtha; maybe even living there. Associating with other devotees. Hearing hari-katha. Chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Friend2: What identifies the theoretical devotee? They don’t follow any of the behaviors you just listed?

Friend1: They might desperately want to. They make lofty plans; they promise to one day follow. They are just devoted in theory; at least from an external viewpoint. They have so much love for God in their heart. They always think about Him. They are always remembering His pastimes, such as with Shri Rama and Shri Krishna.

Friend2: That is very nice.

Friend1: They don’t necessarily chant the holy names. The daily responsibilities take up the majority of the time. But they never stop thinking; they relate their experiences to something spiritual.

Friend2: In what way?

Friend1: For instance, on a morning where they feel extremely tired, even after having slept for a sufficient amount of time, they can’t help but remember Lakshmana.

Friend2: The younger brother of Rama.

Friend1: They appreciate Lakshmana’s sacrifice in the forest period, as described in the Ramayana. He would go without sleep so as to keep a careful watch on Rama and His wife Sita.

Friend2: The best brother you could ever hope to find.

Friend1: This person applies butter to their bread for the morning meal. They immediately think of young Krishna and how much He loves butter. They wonder if what they are eating at the moment would be up to Krishna’s preferred standard.

Friend2: The person you are describing is not a theoretical devotee. They are dear to Krishna, in truth.

Friend1: Okay, but no one would ever identify them as such. They are not following the principles for practical realization.

Friend2: Does it matter?

Friend1: I am asking you. What is the purpose to the rules and regulations, then? Why are people living in the temples? Why even have a specific house of worship? If you can succeed in theory, why do you need reality?

Friend2: It is not easy to reach the standard you described. In Bhagavad-gita Krishna advises to always think of Him, to become His devotee, and to be saved in that manner. But who can actually carry out that recommendation? We need help. We require assistance. The practical life of a devotee, in terms of following the recommendations of the spiritual master, facilitate elevation to the highest platform of consciousness.

Friend1: Let’s say that I am at the platform of understanding. Does this mean I should abandon the rules and regulations?

Friend2: You can, but more often than not someone like that takes the rules even more seriously.

Friend1: Why is that?

Friend2: Several reasons. They are afraid of falling into the illusion of maya. They don’t want to take the chance. They might also wish to help others by giving an example to follow. This is the easiest way to teach children. Example is better than precept. Countless people have been liberated through simply desiring to imitate the devotional activities of their parents.

Friend1: That makes sense. If a child can imitate his father shaving a beard, why not also in offering worship to the Supreme Personality of Godhead?

Friend2: The living example is vital. It proves that the theoretical can manifest into reality. It is a way to prove that the principles of sanatana-dharma can make a lasting impact.

In Closing:

Not with tilaka known,
Keeping to themselves alone.

Not with standard dress,
How God then to bless?

Though in theory considered,
By consciousness delivered.

Since mattering most the connection,
Perhaps not by outward detection.

Four Questions For Why I Might Respect Saintly People

“For the devotees there is no need for performance of prescribed sacrifices because the very life of the devotee i a symbol of sacrifice.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.16.20 Purport)

Download this episode (right click and save)

1. Is it because of their dress?

“Similar to the military man, the police officer, or the fireman, they are known by the dress. There is a uniform of sorts, identifying to which group they belong. In general, the saintly person of the Vedic tradition wears some sort of robe. A specific color to indicate the official status in progression through the ashrama system, but no matter the case they are to be respected.

“In truth, anyone can put on a uniform or dress. People do so intentionally on the annual occasion of Halloween. There is something known as the costume party. This means that I cannot respect someone simply because of what they wear. They may have the tilaka on the forehead, but anyone can apply this. I mean to say that I will not be fooled into offering full and complete respect to a person simply because of how they decorate themselves.”

2. Is it because of their diet?

“The saintly person is generally thin. This is for a variety of reasons. If they are in the official renounced order of life, then there is no home with a refrigerator. There is no cooking for themselves, usually. In the strict sense, they should never stock up for a rainy day.

“You beg for a living, which includes the food that you eat. Travelling from place to place, not staying anywhere too long, you accept whatever others are willing to offer in charity. This aligns with the basic principles of renunciation.

“In truth, anyone can go on a diet. Plenty of people reduce their eating, for a variety of purposes. Sure, it is cool that someone gives up eating meat, fish, and eggs. If they refrain from intoxicants, all the better, but many animals have such a diet and no one approaches them with reverence because of it.”

3. Is it because of where they live?

“It is said that one of the reasons to visit tirthas is because saintly people tend to congregate there. A tirtha is a place of pilgrimage, as designated through scripture and tradition. As a way to understand, if we visit a baseball stadium, we will find people who are interested in baseball. This could range from the players themselves to those selling memorabilia on the streets.

“If we are interested in spiritual life, we will do well by visiting a tirtha. Saintly people might take up permanent residence in such a place, considering the circumstances to be conducive to advancement in their craft, which has the goal of liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

“In truth, anyone can live anywhere. If they have money, they can buy a home in one of these sacred places. They might stay inside the entire time and watch television, living with the same consciousness as someone outside of the tirtha.

“The same can be said of the saintly person. If they are begging for a living, why not go someplace that features an abundance of tourists? The visitors will be more willing to part with their money. It is like the salesperson finding a place full of customers; business will be good.”

4. Is it because of what they have renounced?

“Sannyasa is the highest order of the ashrama system. Full and complete renunciation. Suicide in terms of life within society. No more friends. No family. No safety-net. You are at the mercy of others, accepting every situation to be the influence of the Almighty.

“This ashrama is ideally suited for the end of life, since every other responsibility has been taken care of. If you are on the verge of death, you might as well prepare for it. Physically, not much can be done, but mental preparation hopefully purifies the consciousness to the point that there is a smooth transition to the next life.

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)

“In truth, people renounce home all the time. Look at the homeless people living in the big cities. Granted, they are usually addicted to intoxicants, never bathe, and are not interested in spiritual life at all, but their level of renunciation is similar. Do we offer them respect or do we stay miles away from them?”

…

As His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains, the devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead lives in such a way that their life is a symbol of sacrifice. This is the reason they deserve respect.

They are considered saintly not necessarily because of the type of dress they wear, the place where they live, the level of renunciation they implement, or their lack of attachments. Rather, their ability to liberate others, to bring them into the life of genuine sacrifice, to forge a connection with the Almighty – these are of such high value that they deserve respect from every living entity.

तद् विद्धि प्रणिपातेन
परिप्रश्नेन सेवया
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं
ज्ञानिनस् तत्त्व-दर्शिनः

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.34)

Shri Krishna explains that the combination of service in humility and submissive inquiries towards the person who has seen the truth, tattva-darshi, is the key to success. The external indications help us to identify, but the full verification is evident through how the person lives in total, how they embody the connection to the all-attractive one, and how they can help us to follow the same path: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Not by dress alone,
Level of devotion known.

Or where they live,
What others to give.

Helping maybe to identify,
But full picture to verify.

Symbol of sacrifice worthy of respect,
From them secret of life to get.

A Lie Does Not Like To Be Challenged

“In the Hari-bhakti-sudhadaya there is another example, forwarded by Maharaj Dhruva. He says there, ‘My dear Lord, I have practiced austerities and penances because I was desiring to receive something from You, but in exchange You have allowed me to see You, who are never visible even to the great sages and saintly persons. I had been searching out some pieces of broken glass, but instead I have found the most valuable jewel. I am therefore fully satisfied, my Lord. I do not wish to ask anything more from Your Lordship.’” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 46)

Download this episode (right click and save)

“This issue has been spinning in my mind for a while. Likely due to recent events, I have come upon a conclusion. Maybe other people already realized this long before me, but the pattern is easily discernible now. It is almost unmistakable; I can spot it right away.

“I am referring to the issue of censorship. As soon as someone decides to censor information, I take it to mean that the offending party is telling the truth. I am not referring to spam postings or ludicrous and crazy ideas. If someone has an innocent question they ask of someone in power, common decency says to at least try to give a response.

“We have so descended into an animal society that the people aren’t even allowed to ask the question anymore. If they publish factual information, like the previous words of a public health official, if it doesn’t agree with the current narrative then the information will be taken down. It is the equivalent of reporting on the temperature for a given day, publishing into the public domain, and then later citing the previous work as a reference.

“The demons in positions of power will today block that information from the public. They will try to erase the recorded history, if possible. It is a really bad situation, if you ask me. The practice is not limited to material life. In spiritual institutions they are busy rewriting the published books from the acharya. They then remove all records of the original works. People newly interested in the subject matter might not ever find out.

“If you blow the whistle on criminal behavior in one of the temples, the authorities will kick you out. No questions asked. No chance to apologize or give a rebuttal. This is the work of criminals. They do not want the truth to get out. It is said that the truth does not mind being questioned and that a lie does not like being challenged.

“I was thinking about how this relates to spiritual life, in general, and particularly the verse from Bhagavad-gita [4.34], where the recommendation is to approach a bona fide spiritual master. The words are spoken by Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

“Be submissive in service and humble in your inquiries. But if you are selling something, in this case a way of life, then why be afraid of questions? Why should someone be apprehensive in raising their doubts? If the guru gets angry at the disciple, does that not put them in the category of the ordinary criminal, who doesn’t want their lies exposed?”

The idea is that we should avoid absurd inquiries. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada uses the example of asking the guru to show you God. That is the first question when approaching them. No service. No attempt to understand the vital components to this large and complex puzzle that makes the complete picture.

Right away, upon the initial meeting, insist that the spiritual teacher show you everything, which is one way to define God. If the guru should fail, then the disciple turns away, rationalizing that there is no God. This is an absurd inquiry precisely because something of the highest value is not so cheap as to be sold on a street corner, ready for any person to pick up, no matter what state of mind they are in.

Rather, the real guru welcomes every kind of legitimate question and challenge. They are not afraid of being challenged to show God. The disciple will begin to see, but only after they serve and please the spiritual master. Only after they agree to follow some basic principles and lifestyle changes will they be put on the path towards liberation.

There will come a day when they see God not only in a single place at a single time, but at every moment of the day, wherever they turn. They see God in the beautiful horizon, in the dark raincloud about to drop torrents of water, in the vast and endless array of trees in the park, planted and coordinated by nature, and in the love and support of friends and family.

They learn to see God everywhere, and that vision was made possible through the connection to the guru, who is not a miser. Dhruva Maharaja met the Supreme Lord face-to-face after a long and difficult struggle in austerity and penance. Though he began with a personal motive in mind, by the time he met Vishnu the nature changed. He no longer wanted what he originally sought.

There were no absurd inquiries in meeting Vishnu. There was no direct challenge. Dhruva understood who was before him. He did not forget that wonderful experience, and it shaped his existence moving forward.

In Closing:

To person telling a lie,
With posed questions to try.

But censor and away to throw,
Close but not the truth to know.

Spiritual guide genuine inquiries accepting,
Only way for entrenched ignorance rejecting.

Absurd and useless wasting time,
From humility God soon to find.

Hell and Heaven In The Same Day

“O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.14)

Download this episode (right click and save)

मात्रा-स्पर्शास् तु कौन्तेय
शीतोष्ण-सुख-दुःख-दाः
आगमापायिनो ऽनित्यास्
तांस् तितिक्षस्व भारत

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino ‘nityās
tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata

Friend1: You often hear His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada talk about the need to accept one’s allotment in life.

Friend2: In terms of? Food? Clothing? Shelter?

Friend1: I guess necessities or maybe things that you would enjoy. I wish I could remember the exact verbiage. It is in the neighborhood of the discussion about over-endeavoring.

Friend2: Oh, as in trying too hard for something?

Friend1: That is how I understood it. Basically, if you already have one house, why do you need a second one? Why keep jumping from job to job if you are steady and secure in the one that you have? Why look for another partner if you have sufficient happiness in the current relationship?

Friend2: This is a world of duality, after all. For every one of these cases, you could legitimately argue either side.

Friend1: I understand the basic premise. Just take what life gives you. Don’t try to change too much. You can try as hard as you want, but sometimes success won’t happen.

Friend2: Nature will get in the way. Another person might interfere. Things that are out of your control.

Friend1: I think this point is a little difficult to sell to a new person. They might equate it with blind faith.

Friend2: As in?

Friend1: For instance, someone thinks that by praying their diseases will go away. Medical treatment is not necessary. If God wants us to heal, He will take care of it.

Friend2: I see. But that is a little naïve, don’t you think?

Friend1: Of course, but I am saying that is the impression people might take away when they hear the teaching about not over-endeavoring.

Friend2: You don’t need to go to such an extreme to understand. Let me ask you something. Have you ever experienced something horrible and something great in the same day?

Friend1: You mean both ends of the spectrum? Really good and really bad?

Friend2: Yes.

Friend1: Actually, that just happened to me.

Friend2: When?

Friend1: The other day. I needed to get a photo inspection done on my car.

Friend2: What is that?

Friend1: I wasn’t sure at first, either. This is different from the annual inspection required by the state.

Friend2: Oh, okay. That is the one I am familiar with; emissions test and the like.

Friend1: This is for insurance purposes. You get some place to take photos of the car, just to make sure there isn’t any ridiculous damage that would need to be fixed right away.

Friend2: I see [no pun intended].

Friend1: Anyway, it wasn’t easy to find a place that would take the photos. They have to be approved and assigned by the insurance company to perform such a task. I finally found one that was near where I live.

Friend2: How long does the process take?

Friend1: I was thinking it would be a few minutes. Anyway, I called up the place beforehand and they said to come on over. I did just that and had a horrible experience.

Friend2: What happened?

Friend1: First, there was hardly any parking. I went into the office area and it was ridiculously tiny. There was a seating area next to the counter, but I stood up and waited for someone to greet me.

Friend2: And?

Friend1: No one did. I stood there for like twenty minutes. Then, the person behind the counter finally asked what I was there for. She seemed upset that I wanted to get the inspection, that I was inconveniencing her. She made some excuse about why I probably didn’t need it done right away.

Friend2: That’s not cool.

Friend1: I was ready to leave, anyway, so I used that as an opportunity to walk out. It was a miserable experience; I don’t know why bad customer service bothers me so much. I am never going back to that place again.

Friend2: What was the good experience, then?

Friend1: When I got in my car, I searched for another place to do the inspection. I found one and called ahead of time, drove over, and they did everything in five minutes. No wait. No rudeness. I was so happy to have gone there. I felt so good about it, afterwards.

Friend2: There you go. Hell and heaven in one day.

Friend1: Yeah.

Friend2: And so there was nothing you could do to create or alter the situation. You got to experience both without trying. Shri Krishna explains to Arjuna in Bhagavad-gita that happiness and sadness arrive in the same way, like the seasons. We just have to tolerate.

Friend1: Okay, but won’t people use that as an excuse to not work? I at least put in the effort to look for another place to do the inspection.

Friend2: That is fine. Of course you should do the work necessary, but don’t worry too much if things don’t go well. If you have a bad day or two, they will be balanced out by some really good days. The key is to look for something lasting, something permanent.

Friend1: How do I find that if I am just tolerating what life throws at me?

Friend2: Spiritual happiness. You should certainly strive for this. That is the reason for our vibrancy. We are alive to meet this lofty goal, which has thus far remained elusive. Follow your prescribed duties. Do enough to maintain body and spirit, but always keep the primary focus on pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is known as Mukunda because He is the giver of liberation.

In Closing:

Not too far to extend,
Both heaven and hell to send.

Maybe even in single day,
No work or having to pray.

The extremes learn to accept,
That life’s flow to expect.

Steady on the spiritual path remain,
And eventually higher realm attain.

Why Aren't Humans Allowed To Follow Nature

“Among the many animals and birds, some are vegetarian and others are carnivorous, but none of them transgress the laws of nature, which have been ordained by the will of the Lord. Animals, birds, reptiles and other lower life forms strictly adhere to the laws of nature; therefore there is no question of sin for them, nor are the Vedic instructions meant for them. Human life alone is a life of responsibility.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shri Ishopanishad, 1 Purport)

Download this episode (right click and save)

“Introduce any person to sanatana-dharma, the real version of spiritual life descending from the Vedas, and they are bound to be blown away. Certainly by the philosophy, with its emphasis on the dichotomy between body and spirit.

“Aham brahmasmi: I am spirit soul. The human birth is the chance for realizing and experiencing this truth. The animal has no idea that it is an animal. The tree does not know the distinction between plant and animal life. It has no concept of time. It cannot contemplate the future and it cannot defend itself against the attacks from the neighboring vicinity.

“While the philosophical side is appealing, what likely will get more attention is the list of restrictions assigned to the people willing to volunteer for the path of enlightenment. The people taking the religion seriously, for lack of a better term, refrain from certain behaviors.

“Chief among the prohibitions are eating meat and uncontrolled sex life. To the outside world, these two interests are everything. What can I enjoy to eat for dinner tonight? With whom will I enjoy conjugal relations? How can I extend the enjoyment so that I am not bored moving forward? How do I keep the flame of interest lit?

“Who wants to give up eating meat? Especially if they are accustomed to it since birth, if they know no other way of eating, if everyone around them is following the same – the preaching from the person officially aligned with sanatana-dharma will be a tough sell. There will be pushback.

“One of the responses will be that animals do not abide by any such regulations. They kill one another without a second thought. There is no remorse. I will ask that why should the human being act differently.

“The counter might be that human beings are a higher species and that the animals are behaving according to their nature. Well, aren’t human beings also part of nature? Why don’t they get to participate in the same way that the animals and other forms of life do? Why the unnecessary restriction?”

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that the human life is one of responsibility. From beginning to end. In sanatana-dharma, the corresponding events are known as samskaras. Rights of passage, of staying within the proper bounds of behavior and consciousness.

The animals do not have samskaras. There is no opportunity for a second birth. They cannot be enlightened as to the ways of the world. They have an inherent link to God and they solely depend on His mercy to continue living, but they have no way of acting on that link, acknowledging it, or even appreciating it.

The human birth carries increased potential for intelligence, and simultaneously nature injects a life of responsibility. The human being hankers and laments. It can revisit past behavior and make assessments as to the proper way moving forward. It can conduct experiments involving observation, trial-and-error, hypotheses, and so forth.

Therefore, restrictions on eating and sex life are based on intelligence. They are not created out of thin air. They apply exclusively to the human being because these are the behaviors where the human being separates from the animal. If there were no such restrictions, then human life would be the same as any other birth.

In fact, it would make the experience inferior. If I am going to enjoy eating, why not take birth as a hog or a dog? If I am going to enjoy sex life, why not ask God to make me a monkey, life after life? If I am only interested in living a long time, perhaps a tree form would best suit me. I could stand naked, in the same place, for thousands of years.

Human beings do not have to follow the animal instincts. They have the opportunity for jnana and vairagya, and these tools help to purify the consciousness. That is the ultimate stage of perfection, wherein the living being transcends both the body they live in and the nature surrounding them.

That stage of perfection is a constant link to the Divine, who is the greatest well-wisher and unlimitedly compassionate towards His innumerable children, who can be found in the sky, on earth, and in the water. They may even be in other planets in the universe, with bodies not visible to the naked eye.

We can take birth anywhere, but fortunately we have the human intelligence at the moment. We should make the most of this wonderful opportunity by not following the ways of the animals. Instead, we should take the example of the acharyas, who have blazed the trail for success in this otherwise vast ocean of suffering. Restriction coupled with dedicated practice in devotion, to both enlighten and strengthen the bond to the Almighty, is the best use of our time.

In Closing:

No restrictions there to find,
Why not like animals in kind?

Where following nature’s way,
Eat to liking and with lovers stay.

To human being a responsible life,
To control intake and keep a wife.

To higher purpose appeal,
That no more on karmic wheel.