The Early Life Crisis

“As a ripe fruit has no other fear than to fall, so a man who is born has no other fear than death.” (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 105.17)

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यथा फलानां पक्वानां नान्यत्र पतनाद्भयम्।
एवं नरस्य जातस्य नान्यत्र मरणाद्भयम्।।

yathā phalānāṃ pakvānāṃ nānyatra patanādbhayam।
evaṃ narasya jātasya nānyatra maraṇādbhayam।।

Friend1: Are you familiar with the concept of a midlife crisis?

Friend2: Yes.

Friend1: I think you always hear about that growing up but don’t really understand it until approaching the age.

Friend2: You mean you have to reach the midpoint of the average lifespan of a human being, experiencing the actual crisis, in order to properly understand it?

Friend1: You realize that you have reached the halfway point. You have lived so much of life already.

Friend2: Though there is no guaranteed future. As soon as a person takes birth, their destiny is death. Shri Rama compares the predicament to that of the ripened fruit. It has no other fate than to fall, and so the overarching fear for the mature human being is death.

Friend1: The crisis, as we will call it, makes total sense. At least to me, I understand why there is some concern over the future. You have lived for so long and there is something lacking. You might even be married with children, pulling in a steady and reliable income, and still feel a deep void.

Friend2: Whatever you have done so far is not enough.

Friend1: To make matters worse, time is running out. You have lived half your life already. Is that all there is? Shouldn’t there be more? Aren’t we meant to experience something better?

Friend2: This is reaching the fruition of the potential for intelligence in the human being.

Friend1: What do you mean?

Friend2: We separate ourselves from the animals when we pose such questions, when we make the higher inquiries. The animals never have any sort of crisis precisely because they cannot contemplate to such depths.

Friend1: They live off the animal instincts: eating, sleeping, mating and defending.

Friend2: The crisis, as you describe it, should take place from the time of birth. There should be a great awakening from the beginning.

Friend1: Okay, but that will rarely occur. A person hasn’t experienced enough of life to know that they need something more.

Friend2: But others have! They can explain everything to you. The teachers appearing before them also record and document their experiences. There is no reason to wander blindly.

Friend1: How will someone even be interested in such information at a young age? I don’t see that happening.

Friend2: The entire Vedic culture, in the proper implementation, is based on this premise. The human birth is the chance to escape suffering. It is the best opportunity to decipher the actual cause of suffering, which is repeated birth and death. I have the ability to know who I truly am, spirit soul, and work in such a way that my soul will be happy.

Friend1: That is a little deep for a child to contemplate.

Friend2: We find such inquiries made by Sanatana Gosvami in approaching Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. That is the ideal conversation between disciple and guru. The spiritual master should be able to guide me along such a path that I will no longer feel that time is running out. They will give me eternal life, both in terms of outlook and also the future.

Friend1: You mean the destination after death?

Friend2: How the soul continues to live on. Never was there a time that I did not exist, nor will I ever cease to be in the future.

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतो ऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे

na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ‘yaṁ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre

“For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.20)

Friend1: I guess it would be better to have the same crisis early on in life.

Friend2: In whatever time period I learn the truth, that I make the proper inquiries, at least I have gone in the right direction. It is never too late, as even at the moment of death I can make the proper turn towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as Ajamila did.

In Closing:

When even at death’s gate,
To turn never too late.

At midpoint halfway gone,
The lacking life to dwell upon.

Crisis in this way made,
That life soon over afraid.

But in sobriety inquiry make,
Advantage of intelligence take.

The Tireless One

“The Lord is not directly concerned with the maintenance and sustenance of this material manifestation. Sometimes we see a picture of Atlas holding the globe on his shoulders; he seems to be very tired, holding this great earthly planet. Such an image should not be entertained in connection with Krishna's upholding this created universe. He says that although everything is resting on Him, still He is aloof.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 9.5 Purport)

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As Bhagavad-gita has been revered, studied, held in high-esteem, pondered, memorized, and recited for thousands of years, there are bound to be various interpretations and teachings stemming from the deep and profound philosophy. Something like the following might be a common explanation:

“It is not Krishna the person that must be worshiped. It is the Krishna inside of all of us. We are part of the one Brahman, the singular spiritual energy. The perfection of living is realization of this position, that we are entirely spiritual and have nothing to do with the body. Krishna is the embodiment of that Brahman, and Arjuna is the symbol of our position as disciple. We must elevate our consciousness to be on the same level of Brahman as Krishna has found.”

Setting aside for the moment that Bhagavad-gita only exists because of the presence of distinct and unique personalities, Krishna and Arjuna, there are specific words and phrases used in the verses that contradict the above conclusion.

The Sanskrit words “mat”, “mama”, and “aham” reference the personal. When I say to someone, “me” or “myself”, there is no ambiguity. The other person knows of whom I speak. They would never mistake my reference to be of a general energy or an identity-less entity.

In one shloka Krishna describes how He is the source of everything. Though He creates everything, that creation is not a part of Him. The meaning is that the byproducts of His work do not define Him. If we were to eliminate the cosmic manifestation, Shri Krishna would not be affected. He would maintain His position as Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Under the cheating, speculative interpretation, if there really is no Krishna the person, the burden falls to us. That is to say if I one day achieve Brahman realization, then I would be justified in uttering the same words to another disciple, who would be a prospective Brahman-elevated person.

I would be able to tell them that the creation is due to me and that I am above it. The many universes are my handiwork, but I am not impacted by what goes on. Whether a communist leader rises to power through a stolen election, conducted in cooperation with the opposing party, or if everyone is happy living under a protective and caring ruler makes no difference to me. I am above it all, though I am responsible for the presence and placement of the requisite energies.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is Brahman-elevated but never claims to be God Himself, explains that Shri Krishna does not get tired in sustaining the universe. The juxtaposition is to the image of Atlas. We can certainly relate to that picture, since we carry so many burdens in the journey through life. We are exhausted through taking care of a single child; imagine if we had to hold up the entire universe.

This is precisely why we can never become Bhagavan. There is no equivalence in that sense, though we are intimately related due to the similarity in essence, of our underlying nature as spirit. If God were merely a formless, attribute-less energy, then we would be able to one day sustain the universes. We would have to do so without tiring. No signs of fatigue, and no indications of slipping from the responsibility.

Shri Krishna is the lone person responsible and capable for such an amazing feat. Bhagavad-gita is for connecting with Him, who is a person and not a concept. The proper pursuit aligns with our constitutional position as servant of the Almighty, as we are part and parcel of His amazing spiritual energy. Arjuna was in such a role, and He served through the great conflict known as the Bharata War. Our struggle is with the illusion of maya, which attacks in so many ways, including through bogus philosophies and conclusions presented erroneously in the name of Bhagavad-gita.

In Closing:

Cheaters flowery words to use,
In bogus interpretation to choose.

Where original meaning to lose,
And the population to confuse.

But from Sanskrit words direct,
Presence of personality to detect.

Only God the universes could sustain,
Responsible for everything they contain.

I Don't Feel No Ways Tired

“The Lord says that everything is resting on Him. This should not be misunderstood. The Lord is not directly concerned with the maintenance and sustenance of this material manifestation. Sometimes we see a picture of Atlas holding the globe on his shoulders; he seems to be very tired, holding this great earthly planet. Such an image should not be entertained in connection with Krishna's upholding this created universe.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 9.5 Purport)

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The concept is difficult to understand, even after firsthand experience with breaking the limits. After seeing Shri Krishna, the jewel of Vrindavana, the darling son of mother Yashoda, save the residents from one calamity after another, the people were still concerned.

In His latest feat, Krishna held up the recently worshiped Govardhana Hill. This was not some tiny mound of dirt created for fun by the children. It was not the size of an obstacle created for a television game show. It had no resemblance to a miniature volcano submitted for a science class project.

This was a massive tract of land. It was always dear to Krishna, who understands the importance in relation to the cows. That sacred animal was vital to the economy of Vrindavana, and the people had immense respect. They cared for and tended to thousands of cows.

In fact, that was young Krishna’s first job, so to speak. The father, Nanda Maharaja, enlisted the help of his beloved son. The other children in the community were similarly engaged. Everyone would go out and take the calves to the pasturing grounds. If ever the animals should wander astray, Krishna would climb to the top of Govardhana Hill and play His flute. This music would capture everyone’s attention. It was a sound directly sourced in the spiritual world, which is known as Vaikuntha since it is free of anxieties.

Krishna was later seen holding up that hill because of an attack. He had persuaded the residents to shift the worship paraphernalia initially intended for Indra, the king of heaven. The worship would now be for Govardhana Hill. A strange tradition to begin, but Nanda’s son had never steered them wrong before.

Though the chief resident of the heavenly realm, though relied upon to tackle the asuras, though in charge of critical elements of material nature, Indra became petty and jealous. So enraged by the perceived insult, he decided to target the area near Govardhana Hill with rainfall sufficient to destroy the creation.

Rather than take up weapons, at the time Krishna decided to lift the just worshiped hill and hold it up. It became the world’s largest umbrella, carried in the left hand of a small boy, resting on His pinky finger, no less.

Some of the residents were still concerned. It was amazing that Krishna could lift up the hill, but how long would it stay suspended in air? Would not His hand get tired? What if His attention got diverted? A split second is all it would take. Then disaster for every person taking shelter underneath.

They decided to help, and Krishna accepted their service. But as His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains, the Supreme Lord is never tired in such a role. As the boar incarnation known as Varaha, God rescues the earth from underwater. He holds it up, just as it is currently in orbit today.

There is no fatigue. There is no difficulty. There is no cause for concern. Both literally and figuratively, such work is child’s play for Him. He is responsible for the many universes. He creates, maintains and destroys without issue. A single image says it all.

Narayana lays down to rest in Vaikuntha. The three phases, each having their own past, present, and future, occur in synchronization with His breathing. Upon exhaling the many universes emerge, like bubbles floating in space. Upon inhaling everything goes back into Narayana, who is the source of men. The time in between could be billions of our human years, but to God it is nothing, as His timelines are in terms of eternity.

That one of immeasurable strength, who never tires, who never carries too large a burden, can certainly rescue me from my dangerous predicament of repeated birth and death. This is the real cause of my suffering, and in this human birth I have the ability to both inquire into the problem and take the necessary steps to find a cure, which ultimately leads to the lotus feet of that famous lifter of Govardhana.

In Closing:

A rescuing gift,
When Govardhana to lift.

A wonder so much strength,
To hold for considerable length.

On His pinky finger resting,
But residents worried that fate testing.

For Krishna easy for more to transpire.
In work of the world God never to tire.

Why Is It Important To Define God

“The Blessed Lord said: My dear Arjuna, O son of Pritha, behold now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied divine forms, multicolored like the sea.” (Bhagavad-gita, 11.5)

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श्री-भगवान् उवाच
पश्य मे पार्थ रूपाणि
शतशो ‘थ सहस्रशः
नाना-विधानि दिव्यानि
नाना-वर्णाकृतीनि च

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi
śataśo ‘tha sahasraśaḥ
nānā-vidhāni divyāni
nānā-varṇākṛtīni ca

“One of the many unique aspects to the sanatana-dharma presentation, the science of self-realization, through the parampara associated with Brahma, Shiva, Lakshmi, or the four Kumaras, is the detail involved in the discussion of God.

“We use more generic terms in general conversation, as the most commonly invoked ‘God’ is itself open for debate, interpretation, speculation, contemplation, and so forth. While the Vedic tradition has the analogous ishvara, there are still more descriptive names and terms; bountiful and plentiful.

“Each name has its own nuance and extended meaning. The idea is to describe God in terrific detail, to bring the person closer in their worship, upasana. Just as the more a child hears about the history of their parents, the more affection they tend to have, so the children of God take great interest in His appearances, pastimes and qualities.

“At least this is the case with the children who are not against Him, who are not competing for the same title. I was thinking to myself about the contrary position. What if someone objects to defining God to such a granularity? Is there not something missing; offense by omission? This seems to be one of the primary objections to deity worship, that man is limiting God to a statue or picture.”

For instructional purposes, Arjuna asked to see the virata-rupa. He already accepted Shri Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He knew that the person standing near him, ready to guide the chariot and also the fortunes of the submissive and inquisitive disciple, was the same Ishvara that everyone already had an idea of.

Arjuna referred to the same Krishna, of a singular identity, with various names. Krishna is Govinda because He gives pleasure to the cows and to the senses, as witnessed in the years spent in Gokula and Vrindavana. Krishna is Janardana as the leader of men. He is Keshava since He once killed a demon named Keshi.

The names are too many to count, and devotees take great pleasure in using them, remembering, and contemplating their meanings. Arjuna had no need for further proof, but for the benefit of the world he asked to see Krishna as the universal form. This is the complete everything. This is the extent to which man can understand.

The virata-rupa is like the largest point of reference. Take everything together and put it into a single image. We have the depths of our personal experiences, observed and recorded through the senses. Then we have the recorded observations of others, both living now and from the past. As much as we can absorb contributes to the collective, the sum total.

Krishna as the virata-rupa explains God’s position as the complete everything. At the same time, the image is limiting. It does not include everything precisely because the human mind is incapable of conceiving the inconceivable, achintya. We don’t know everything that goes on in every single universe.

We are astounded that Krishna could display such a vision, but even more amazing is His skill and craftsmanship in creating, maintaining, and destroying. He does these effortlessly; it’s as easy as lying down in rest and breathing.

We notice the importance of defining God when we come upon cheaters, charlatans, competitors, and bad actors. If God is inconceivable, the supreme Divine being, then who will be able to properly validate? Any person can make the claim, and what information do I really have to refute or accept?

Bhagavad-gita and Vedic literature, in general, provide the necessary knowledge. If someone claims to be God, for instance, I can ask them to show the virata-rupa. This would be a bare minimum, if I am inclined to doubt. They should show no signs of aging, as Krishna was a great-grandfather at the time of the Bharata War and still looked like a teenager, nava-yauvanam.

They should have full capability in the six areas of opulence: beauty, wealth, strength, fame, wisdom and renunciation. Granted, we cannot properly measure unlimited fame or strength, but at least we should have some idea that the person is extraordinary.

Shri Krishna, the guru to Arjuna, checks every box. He is not lacking in anything, and so we know that He is the real God; the one and only. The granularity in definition is for our benefit, to save us from unwarranted doubt, and to help us accept the path of dharma for our greatest long-term wellbeing.

In Closing:

Since the senses to confine,
Important God to define.

Otherwise cheaters to emerge,
From principles of dharma to diverge.

The fooled with them taking,
Inauspicious situation making.

Virata-rupa way for doubt to remove,
From single vision confusion to lose.

How Was Arjuna Sure That The Virata-Rupa Was Real

“The Blessed Lord said: My dear Arjuna, O son of Pritha, behold now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied divine forms, multicolored like the sea.” (Bhagavad-gita, 11.5)

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श्री-भगवान् उवाच
पश्य मे पार्थ रूपाणि
शतशो ‘थ सहस्रशः
नाना-विधानि दिव्यानि
नाना-वर्णाकृतीनि च

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
paśya me pārtha rūpāṇi
śataśo ‘tha sahasraśaḥ
nānā-vidhāni divyāni
nānā-varṇākṛtīni ca

Friend1: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains how the human being has four general defects.

Friend2: Can you name them?

Friend1: Without peeking…let me see. Committing mistakes. The tendency to cheat. To be easily illusioned. Wow; I cannot remember the fourth one.

Friend2: Imperfect senses.

Friend1: There you go. The list tends to come up when discussing the discovery of God.

Friend2: What do you mean by discovery?

Friend1: Exactly that. Someone is trying to find the Almighty. They are searching for the supreme Divine Being.

Friend2: What if they don’t believe in one?

Friend1: That is part of the discovery process. They debate with themselves if they believe such a being could exist. Then they try contemplating, and so forth.

Friend2: Which is a flawed method.

Friend1: Because of the defects, right?

Friend2: Well, that also, but I was thinking in terms of the Dr. Frog comparison. If I am trying to find someone who is better than everyone else, I should at least have experience with every person in the universe first.

Friend1: Otherwise, I only have what I know to go off of.

Friend2: The frog in the well does not understand the outside world. If you try to explain to them the size of the Pacific Ocean, they will try to contemplate in terms of the well.

“Is the ocean two or three times the size of the well? Is it forty times? What exactly is this ocean you speak of?”

Friend1: Okay, so maybe it doesn’t align exactly, but that limitation is sort of in the category of imperfect senses.

Friend2: Even if you had perfect senses, you don’t have the time, ability, or memory power to consume all there is to see or hear in the universe.

Friend1: Okay, so this is bound to be a follow-up question in the discussion. If I acknowledge that man has the four principal defects, then why am I even listening to you?

Friend2: What do you mean?

Friend1: You are explaining these defects to me, but how am I going to understand, considering I have imperfect senses, and all?

Friend2: You listen to the person who lacks the defects.

Friend1: But I didn’t hear of any exceptions. I am listening to a human being. The guru, the spiritual master, is just like you and me. They have their own defects.

Friend2: That is true. The explanation is that since they are connected to the original person, adi-purusha, the information they accept is perfect. They are something like a parrot, passing along the information as it is, as they first heard it. But they make sure not to adulterate, and they also understand the principles based on their own assimilation.

Friend1: Hmm, so it is because of the link to Krishna?

Friend2: He was there prior to the creation. He is here right now and He will be around after everything gets annihilated.

अहम् एवासम् एवाग्रे
नान्यद् यत् सद्-असत् परम्
पश्चाद् अहं यद् एतच् च
यो ऽवशिष्येत सो ऽस्म्य् अहम्

aham evāsam evāgre
nānyad yat sad-asat param
paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca
yo ‘vaśiṣyeta so ‘smy aham

“Brahma, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.9.33)

Friend1: Okay, but what about the case of direct perception? For instance, Arjuna seeing the universal form. Since he has imperfect senses, how could he authenticate the image? How could he validate that this was indeed everything in the universe and more?

Friend2: For starters, he asked to see the virata-rupa. It was something of which he already had an idea. It wasn’t a concoction or some magic show that Krishna decided to put on. It wasn’t:

“Hey dude, check this out. You don’t know what this is? Let me explain it to you. I am God. I am everything. Surrender unto me.”

Friend1: Still, there is the issue of committing mistakes. How could Arjuna really be sure?

Friend2: This was visual confirmation for something he already knew. Arjuna made sure to reference authorities in his subsequent praise of Krishna. The viewpoint was shared by notable personalities like Vyasa and Narada. We will always have defects, as will others. The claim is that the Vedas are perfect, since they originate in the infallible one, Achyuta. We can test for ourselves through the processes and principles passed on by the acharya to see if there is truth.

In Closing:

Everything in Supreme Divine Being,
Arjuna in virata-rupa seeing.

But how in that case sure?
Since man with defects four.

Idea that origin the one,
From whom knowledge has come.

Others confirming the same,
Arjuna referencing by name.

Five Ridiculous Questions To Pose To A Person of Authority

“We may be very proud of our eyes, but we cannot even see our next-door neighbor. People challenge, ‘Can you show me God?’ But what can they see? What is the value of their eyes? God is not cheap. We cannot see anything, not to speak of God, without sunshine. Without sunlight we are blind. At night, we cannot see anything, and therefore we use electricity because the sun is not present.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Easy Journey To Other Planets, Ch 2)

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1. Can you make me a doctor?

“Oh, you are a doctor? That is pretty cool. A lot of my peers were steered in that direction growing up. I did not follow, likely because I was concerned with the extraordinary effort required in studying. It is a major commitment, and what if I didn’t like the occupation later on? Hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and so many years of your life gone.

“Anyway, can you make me a doctor? You know, just for a day or two. They do that with other jobs, as I’ve seen on television. If you win a contest or something, you get a contract as a recording artist. Perhaps there could be something similar with your profession.

“It doesn’t seem that difficult to me. Just the basics will suffice. You know, tell people to cover their face, obstruct their breathing, due to the new discovery of contagious respiratory illnesses that could kill people even who are asymptomatic. In all seriousness, could I borrow your stethoscope and coat for a day? It would be fun.”

2. Can you make me an airline pilot?

“It was a dream of mine ever since I was little. My parents bought me so many toy airplanes. I would pretend to fly them around the house. I might have even promised to purchase an aircraft when I grew up and take my mom on trips around the world.

“Things didn’t quite work out that way. Would I be able to steer the ship for a few flights? People could refer to me as ‘captain’ and I could make announcements from the cabin. The uniform and hat would look great; we could take some pictures.”

3. Can you make me a champion wrestler?

“I watched all of your matches when I was little. At the time I did not know about the choreography. It’s okay; I don’t resent anyone. I had so much interest that I look back at the period fondly. The performance you guys put on was spectacular.

“Can you make me a wrestler, also? I would love to get in the ring and battle it out with the best of the best. You could help me find a unique finishing move. It would be so much fun. I want to win the championship and hold onto the belt for the longest time, breaking the existing record.”

4. Can you make me a PhD?

“Growing up, my dad had a favorite joke he liked to tell in this regard. He used a word from the Hindi language and mixed it together to describe a PhD as being a fake doctor. It was really funny, and people always laughed when he told it.

“Nevertheless, people do get respect with that title. There are some teachers and heads of academic institutions who insist on being referred to as ‘doctor’. They consider it an insult, otherwise. Can you make me one of those? I really don’t think it is difficult. Celebrities get awarded honorary degrees all the time, so why not just give me a real one?”

5. Can you make me president of the country

“You are the leader of the free world. You actually won your election fair and square. There wasn’t a synchronized halt to the vote-counting in the middle of the night across several key states. There weren’t suitcases of ballots wheeled out when no one was looking. Observers weren’t denied access to the counting through boarded-up windows and locked doors.

“Wouldn’t it be neat if I could sit in your seat for a day? I could deliver an address to a joint session of Congress. I could veto that latest spending bill. I could fly on that amazing airplane. Just for a day or two; I’m sure you could make that happen.”

…

These questions in one sense are an insult, as the people being approached put in significant time and effort to reach their position. They did not become a doctor overnight. If they did, who would trust approaching such a person for medical treatment? The aspiring pilot must log many hours of training in order to be trusted with an aircraft full of passengers.

In the same way, to demand the spiritual master reveal God immediately belittles the entire endeavor associated with spiritual life. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not so cheap a thing that simply by removing a curtain at a carnival show, everyone gets a vision.

As His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains, we cannot see anything without the sun. Even with artificial lighting during the nighttime, the strength and potency by comparison is laughable. The sun is infinitely more powerful than any light man could produce through electricity and the like.

If we cannot see without the sun, then how can we see God so easily? We obviously require assistance. There must be some training beforehand. There must be some effort, some sacrifice, some dedication, and later some indication that we are worthy of the high achievement.

The guru can certainly help me to see God on my own, but there is a process. I must earn their favor. I must meet the qualifications described in Bhagavad-gita.

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)

Inquire submissively and the spiritual master will provide helpful hints. The speed of the progress depends on my willingness to follow the instruction, to be patient, and to understand who or what I am trying so desperately to see. I might even learn that there are other ways to connect with the Almighty, that sight is not everything: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Some ridiculous questions to ask,
Like pilot assigning captain’s task.

Or overnight a doctor to be made,
Or respected scholar by institution paid.

Idea that required some training,
Same with vision of God gaining.

Only after spiritual guide pleased by me,
The true realm of Divinity to see.

Did Not Arjuna Put Too Much Pressure On Krishna

“I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I foresee only evil, O killer of the Keshi demon.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 1.30)

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न च शक्नोम्य् अवस्थातुं
भ्रमतीव च मे मनः
निमित्तानि च पश्यामि
विपरीतानि केशव

na ca śaknomy avasthātuṁ
bhramatīva ca me manaḥ
nimittāni ca paśyāmi
viparītāni keśava

“Have you ever been put into a situation where someone demanded a solution and you had no possible way of providing one? Don’t worry, I will offer some examples. It is not fun, let me tell you. It is the worst kind of pressure.

“Don’t mistake this to be complaining about having responsibility in life. I will readily acknowledge that certain pressures are good. The alarm clock, for instance. If every person weren’t required in the office at a certain time each day, hardly anyone would show up. If that latest assignment did not carry a deadline, a person would take their sweet time working on it.

“I am talking about cases where there is literally nothing that can be done. For instance, have you ever been with an elderly person with brain issues? Imagine that every five minutes they get up from the living room sofa and go into the kitchen. They want to eat something. The problem is, they just ate. They don’t remember what happened sixty seconds ago, let alone what day it is.

“Reasoning with them is pointless. If you tell them not to go in the kitchen, they ignore you. They simply will not listen. This situation repeats throughout the day. The elderly person ignores everything that you say, from when it is time to sleep to when they are looking for someone who is not home.

“In another case you have a small child. They are crying intensely. They want something specific from the mother, who is feeling terribly unwell. At this moment she cannot provide for what the child wants. The child will not listen to reason. They are kicking and screaming. The mother then yells at you for being a useless father, for not having control over the situation.

“These are just a few examples from ordinary life. From here we can study the case of Shri Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. His cousin and good friend was set to lead the way towards victory in the war to end all wars. Arjuna was the preeminent fighter for the Pandava side, but there was a hiccup.

“Moments prior to commencement of hostilities, Arjuna had doubts. Grave ones, at that. He wanted to quit. The many years of torment and misery his family faced at the hands of the wicked Duryodhana. The frustration, the pain, the anguish, the heartache, the austerity – Arjuna was prepared to forgive it all.

“He was something like a conscientious objector, but prior to making the final decision he decided to run things by Krishna, who was seated on the chariot, ready to steer. Was that not too much pressure to put on a friend? How can you leave one of the most important decisions in the history of the world to someone else? To me, that is not fair.”

Fortunately, Krishna, who is also known as Keshava, which means the killer of the Keshi demon, can assume the burden of the entire world. He literally did so when appearing in the incarnation of the boar, Varahadeva. He is the origin of the material and spiritual worlds, as He effortlessly creates, maintains and destroys through His expansion of Narayana.

Krishna is also the adi-guru. This refers to the original spiritual master. In the case of a direct relationship, where the disciple does not have to rely on recorded instruction alone, you can get one-on-one advice. Arjuna was in a special circumstance, and due to the closeness of the relationship he did not hesitate in making the approach.

If they had not been so close, perhaps Arjuna would have been too embarrassed. After all, the first words from Krishna in response were of the admonishing tone. He could not believe what He was hearing. How had Arjuna descended to the point of speaking like someone who completely lacked culture?

Nevertheless, the mercy is limitless. Krishna is Arjuna’s friend, and He has also been my greatest well-wisher since before I can remember. He hears prayers offered simultaneously in the multitude of universes. He remembers every incident from history, whether recorded or not. He knows the future, as He is time itself.

Krishna empowers His representatives to similarly carry the burden of success for future generations. The acharya makes tremendous sacrifices for the benefit of others, many of whom they will never meet. Taking their example of accepting the burden seriously, I decide to stay steady on the path of dharma, never forgetting the love and affection that was shown to me: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

With difficult decision to live,
Not too much burden to give?

From Arjuna to charioteer seated,
Lacking direction feeling defeated.

Krishna handling world’s weight,
Not troubled in that particular state.

Where as guru offering to guide,
The wise in Him to confide.