“And of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.47)
yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
Friend1: Life is difficult, wouldn’t you say?
Friend2: How so?
Friend1: Nothing is ever settled. You can never just sit back and relax.
Friend2: That’s for sure. Responsibilities are a huge burden. They are like a train that you have to keep outrunning, lest it run over you.
Friend1: Bearing this in mind, you would have to say it’s understandable for people to neglect spiritual life.
Friend2: Intentionally or because they don’t have the time?
Friend1: A little of both. They are busy taking care of responsibilities. If they make the time for spiritual life, they have to be wondering what that will do to help them.
Friend2: Right, like what will they get out of it? What is the use in stopping by a building on a certain day and paying respects to a statue made of stone?
Friend1: Exactly. To them it’s a little silly. Why not work hard instead? Why leave everything up to some mythical figure?
Friend2: I see what you’re saying. The deity has a much higher purpose, though. It’s there to help you understand everything that is going on.
Friend1: What do you mean?
Friend2: Take all the responsibilities, for instance. We agree that once one gets taken care of, another one sprouts up; sort of like the game “whack-a-mole.”
Friend1: Okay.
Friend2: If they keep springing up, what is the use in taking care of them? What is the meaning to it all?
Friend1: Those are good questions, but how is looking at a statue going to reveal such important information?
Friend2: Looking in that way is called meditation. Undoubtedly, the less intelligent ask things from the statue, which represents a divine figure. It’s not completely foolish to do so, because at least in that practice there is some acknowledgment of a higher power.
Friend1: That we’re not fully in control of the outcomes to actions.
Friend2: If you go one step further and meditate on the form that represents the Divine Himself, then you’re really going somewhere. The process for meditation is described in the Shrimad Bhagavatam. You start with the lotus feet and then gradually work your way up.
Friend1: Is meditation a kind of yoga?
Friend2: Dhyana-yoga. The Bhagavad-gita describes yoga and the different ways it is practiced. Shri Krishna says that of all the yogis, the one who thinks of Him always is the best. One way to always think of Him is to pay respects to the deity in the temple or the home. It may not appear to be worthwhile, but even a little sacrifice in time can pay dividends very quickly.
In Closing:
Burdened by responsibilities of mine,
For spiritual life don’t have time.
What looking at a statue can do?
How to help with money and family too?
When in proper way meditation called,
Easier then Lord’s features to recall.
Of all yogis best focused on Krishna the one,
From a little effort, benefits quickly to come.
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