Five Indications That You Are Totally Helpless In This World

“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.14)

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दैवी ह्य् एषा गुण-मयी
मम माया दुरत्यया
माम् एव ये प्रपद्यन्ते
मायाम् एतां तरन्ति ते

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te

It’s natural to be proud of accomplishments. Those are successful outcomes, and who goes into a project hoping for failure? That is the easier option, always, since it involves the lack of effort. Want to fail? Just sit back and do nothing. I assure you that success has little chance of materializing.

On the other side, after overcoming struggles I find a way to reach the desired destination. Be it large or small, I am sure to take some satisfaction in the result. This serves as future impetus. If I have succeeded before, perhaps I will be able to accomplish difficult work again moving forward.

Despite the feeling, the living entity is actually quite helpless in this world. A few experiences from everyday life illustrate the principle quite clearly.

1. A plane ride

I really have no control at all in this situation. Everything is in the hands of the pilot. The turbulence experienced at 30,000 feet in the air is supposedly normal. It’s just the plane moving around because of wind. The difficult landing from last time? That was also expected, according to the experts.

Air travel is practically a necessity in modern-day life, and so millions of people become completely helpless for periods of time. To get from New York to London, you have to take a flight. On that trip the passengers put their trust in the pilot to succeed in the task.

2. Driving on the road

Here the illusion fools me into thinking I have more control than I actually do. I am the operator of the vehicle. I am in the captain’s seat, so to speak. I determine how fast to drive, which roads to take, and how to maneuver around other cars.

The issue is that I am still relying on the vehicle. It must function properly. Something could go wrong at any moment. A nail on the road will puncture the tire. The engine might stop working. The car could run out of gas.

Then there are the other drivers. I trust that they will obey the traffic laws. As I pass through an intersection with a green light, the drivers going across must obey the red light that they see. Otherwise, there will be trouble. Given that so many others are travelling at the same time as me, I am really quite helpless. The age of the smartphone has only made this mode of travel more dangerous.

3. Surgery

This operation is required. There is no other way around it. The heart is in such bad condition, due to many factors. If left alone, another heart attack could strike at any moment. The unanimous consensus among medical professionals is surgery.

During that time I am completely helpless. I have to hope that the years of training pay off for the doctor. I can only wish that the machines function properly and that the recovery goes smoothly. In this case I have absolutely no control over the outcome.

4. War between nations

I was living peacefully in my home. The neighborhood was known to be quiet. Every visitor would remark as such. Now suddenly there is great danger. A bombing nearby. Planes flying overhead. The sirens of emergency vehicles travelling up and down the road.

The cause is war. The leader of my nation got into it with the leader of another. I’m not exactly sure what they are fighting about, but the citizens are caught in the middle. There is nothing I could have done to prevent the situation. Nor did I have any prior warning of imminent danger.

5. Bad weather

Just yesterday I had the air conditioner on. The humidity was unbearable. It seemed like for two months straight we were living in a swamp. One of the most brutal summers I have ever experienced.

Now today I am searching inside the closet for the space heater. It got cold out of nowhere. Nothing in between. I need my autumn jacket, as well. What is going on? Who could have predicted this?

…

Such a review of daily living conditions is not necessary if a person has contact with the Bhagavad-gita, an ancient Sanskrit work which loosely translates as, “The Song of God.” In one of the verses Shri Krishna says that the living entities are overcome by the dualities of attraction and aversion.

Like and hate. Preference and avoidance. I want this today and tomorrow I want something else. I should be happy in either condition, knowing the swinging pendulum of emotions, but I still struggle.

Krishna says that the material nature, though being an inferior energy, actually takes hold over the living entity, who is superior in nature. The material nature consists of three modes – goodness, passion and ignorance. These modes are very difficult to overcome. The fact that one thinks they can act independently and influence outcomes entirely through personal effort shows just how strong the force of illusion is.

The special benediction is that a person who has earned Krishna’s favor can easily overcome the difficulties. He is the highest authority, after all. He is the Supersoul within the heart, and it is actually His sanction which allows any result to manifest. If He decides in favor of the living entity, for escaping the cycle of birth and death and returning to His imperishable realm, then success is guaranteed.

In Closing:

Sign of illusion overtaking,

When of my own effort making.

For outcomes delivering through,

But actually on those like pilot who.

Plane flying and others driving,

Their attention for safe arriving.

Hard to overcome nature’s modes three,

But easy when Shri Krishna to oversee.

Four Different Kinds Of Mistakes I Commit

“Shastra is without the four principal defects that are visible in the conditioned soul: imperfect senses, the propensity for cheating, certainty of committing mistakes, and certainty of being illusioned. These four principal defects in conditioned life disqualify one from putting forth rules and regulations. Therefore, the rules and regulations as described in the shastra-being above these defects-are accepted without alteration by all great saints, acharyas, and great souls.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 16.24)

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The admission is, “To err is human.” Everyone makes mistakes, do they not? No one is perfect. What may not be acknowledged or properly understood is to the depths to which this defect takes hold. In many areas, in many places, in many stages of life, for every kind of person there is the tendency to commit mistakes. The Vedas say that this is one of the four principal faults in conditioned life.

1. I eat too much

The formula for good health is rather simple. Eat right, exercise a moderate amount, and get enough rest. Of the three eating should be the easiest to control. Just don’t eat what you are not supposed to. Compulsion is almost always absent in the situation.

Despite no one forcing me, I can’t help myself. When the family orders pizza, I make excuses as to why I should eat more than the normal amount.

“The pie may not get finished. Pizza tastes best when fresh out of the oven. I don’t eat it that often, so might as well enjoy right now.”

The effects of the mistake of eating too much are obvious. Increased weight. Difficulty breathing. The earlier onset of disease. Trouble with blood sugar levels. Heart problems. The mistake in this area can have dangerous consequences.

2. I succumb to lust

I should know better. Too much indulgence of kama, which is material desire, is not a good option. Better to have self-control. Balance bhoga and tyaga, enjoyment and renunciation. Don’t keep consuming adult beverages without limitation. Don’t sleep the entire day away. Be happy with a single spouse; no need to have many partners at a single time.

Yet despite knowing better I fall into the trap repeatedly. It is like a higher force is at play, compelling me to act against better judgment. In the Bhagavad-gita, Shri Krishna says that kama alone is the great-devouring enemy of this world, as it combines with krodha [wrath] to take down a person of otherwise proper discriminating ability.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
काम एष क्रोध एष
रजो-गुण-समुद्भवः
महाशनो महा-पाप्मा
विद्ध्य् एनम् इह वैरिणम्

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
kāma eṣa krodha eṣa
rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ
mahāśano mahā-pāpmā
viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

“The Blessed Lord said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.37)

3. I forget things

The wife told me to pick up a few things from the supermarket. Since the list was so short, I didn’t bother to write everything down. When I reach home and unpack the bags, she asks if I remembered to get a certain item. I did not. She is not happy. Neither am I, as the mistake could have been avoided.

In school, despite acting responsibly and completing homework assignments on time, I forget to do one particular thing. The next day the teacher asks everyone to hand in the work that I failed to complete. The omission is costly, and the excuse of, “I forgot,” doesn’t sit well with anyone.

4. I recite verses from shastra incorrectly

Here I am trying to connect with a different consciousness. Travelling to a different realm without physically leaving the present one. Shastra is scripture descending from above. Originating with a person who is perfect and who never falls down, Achyuta, these works now preserved in written form are above the four defects in conditioned life.

Yet I am still flawed, and so when reciting the Sanskrit verses I make mistakes. This could be in a public setting, where I have just heard others pronounce the words correctly. When my turn arrives, I make a mistake here and there.

Fortunately for me the book I am reading is not about advancing materially. Therefore mistakes in recitation are not held against me. If I were engaged in a special yajna [sacrifice] for attaining the favor of some Divine figure other than the Supreme Authority, then I would need to follow every procedure exactly. Otherwise the phala [reward] would not manifest.

Since the vulnerability to mistakes is everywhere, the better option is to stay with the most forgiving person. He passes on the principles for genuine spiritual life in works like Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam. Following these principles simultaneously pleases Him. Though I may have so many faults, the spotless wisdom of the ages can still rescue me, provided there is some genuineness of purpose.

In Closing:

If coming with genuineness real,

Then process my fate to seal.

Every mistake and fault not to consider,

Shastra’s transcendental sound to deliver.

With proper spirit material renouncing,

Accepted if verses improperly pronouncing.

Since principles implanted for living,

Supreme Lord transgressions forgiving.

Shouldn’t Every Person Retire Immediately And Live In A Sacred Place

“Shukadeva Gosvami imparted transcendental knowledge to Maharaja Parikshit during the remaining seven days of his life, and Maharaja Parikshit heard him properly, just like an ardent student. The effect of such a bona fide hearing and chanting of Shrimad-Bhagavatam was equally shared by both the hearer and the chanter. Both of them were benefited.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.12.3 Purport)

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Friend1: The Bhagavata Purana, also known as the Shrimad Bhagavatam, is so glorious because it teaches both how to live and how to die.

Friend2: With living there is plenty of advice already available. If unsure, visit a bookstore or library and read the volumes of published works categorized as “self-help.”

Friend1: “How to be successful in business. The key things necessary for avoiding depression. What not to say to your spouse.” I’m making these titles up, but I’m sure there are similarities to actual works.

Friend2: For sure. Philosophy exists for this reason. Study the world around you. Reach conclusions on how to make the most out of an existence.

Friend1: Yet rarely do we get any information on how to die. If you only had a certain number of days left, describe the best way to spend the remaining time.

Friend2: From the Bhagavatam we see that King Parikshit took a curse as a blessing. He used the knowledge of death’s arrival as impetus for renouncing the kingdom and sitting on the banks of a sacred river.

Friend1: To listen to Krishna-katha. Active participation, as well. Not just enduring through a boring lecture, with the mind drifting here and there.

Friend2: A detailed explanation covering so many intriguing topics, too. Birth, death, life, misery, despair, chaos, tumult, the creation, the different species, the influence of time, the merging of elements to cover what is known as spirit, the source of everything and His different manifestations.

Friend1: Culminating with the lila of the Supreme Lord in the form of Shri Krishna.

Friend2: From Vraja to Mathura.

Friend1: And Dvaraka. From fighting bad guys as a child to leading a chariot placed in the middle of the greatest military conflict in history.

Friend2: Krishna on the consciousness while quitting the body assures the best end to life.

Friend1: Pleased you mentioned that. Listening to Krishna-katha or Hari-katha is a great way to finish off a set amount of time in a temporary body. We come to learn that doing the same while living is just as beneficial.

Friend2: Yes. You don’t have to wait until death to experience liberation. We are not investing everything in a hope and a prayer here. Not even one book, either. Know God the person. That is the purpose of the Bhagavatam.

Friend1: The thing is, life is uncertain. No one knows when tragedy will strike. The weather changes by the day. There is little financial security. You think the country is headed in the right direction, when suddenly the leader’s party does very poorly in the lower-ballot elections. Divided government. Nothing to really count on.

Friend2: Yes, this life is known to be miserable and temporary.

Friend1: Then shouldn’t every person follow Parikshit’s example?

Friend2: What do you mean?

Friend1: Quit everything and move to a sacred place. I mean today; don’t wait for the uncertain future.

Friend2: Okay, but that is not necessary. The saintly person gets compared to a travelling tirtha for a reason. They bring the sacred places to others; extensive travel is not required.

Friend1: Alright, then take the same concept. I understand that the spotless nectar that Parikshit heard is today available in written form. Should not every person give up everything and simply read Shrimad Bhagavatam?

Friend2: Yes.

Friend1: You agree with me? I thought you would challenge that there is no need to abandon personal responsibilities.

Friend2: I’m not saying that anyone should, either, but definitely find a way to include Krishna-katha as part of the daily routine. If there is no routine, make one.

Friend1: Yes, a little bit of devotion is nice, but let’s get back to the uncertainty aspect. If I have to go to work or school, doesn’t that leave me vulnerable? What if something happens to me and I don’t remember the Supreme Lord?

Friend2: Live your life in such a way that you can remember. Put in enough time. There is something known as numerical strength. Parikshit had the special fortune of staying in shravanam, hearing, for seven straight days. You and I can do the same by listening regularly. Even better is to chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Repeat the mantra a set number of times each day. Don’t skip the routine. Develop strength through consistency. Augment the process with regular hearing. Then even if you are called away for some other duty, you won’t forget. Keep in mind, Arjuna fought on a battlefield having the same consciousness as one would hope to get through hearing Krishna-katha.

In Closing:

With consciousness the same,

As of from hearing holy name.

All while on battlefield fighting,

Tumult of arrows skies alighting.

Great indeed by Parikshit inspired,

But for today retire not required.

Just hear in way consistent,

Soon the transformation subsequent.

Bringing The Right Medicine

“O best of the monkeys, bring here soon my husband along with Lakshmana and the army troops. O chief of the monkeys, I have been suffering grief for a long time because of Rama, so in this way bring happiness to me.” (Sita Devi, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 37.66)

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स मे हरिश्रेष्ठ सलक्ष्मणं पतिं सयूथपं क्षिप्रमिहोपपादय।
चिराय रामं प्रति शोककर्शितां कुरुष्व मां वानरमुख्य हर्षिताम्।।

sa me hariśreṣṭha salakṣmaṇaṃ patiṃ sayūthapaṃ kṣipramihopapādaya।
cirāya rāmaṃ prati śokakarśitāṃ kuruṣva māṃ vānaramukhya harṣitām।।

As the Vaishnava presents the challenge of giving up sense gratification, vairagya, in favor of experiencing a higher taste, param drishtva, they are bound to meet opposition. The rational human being does not accept philosophies blindly. They have their own experience to use as a foundation. They know of the many cheaters encountered, how someone may have an ulterior motive.

The initial argument of the proponent is to not waste time in a futile search for permanent happiness in a temporary world. Avoid the regret sure to be felt later on in life. Make the best use of vitality at the present moment, for no one can guarantee the future.

Take to spiritual life instead. It is something different, for sure. There was ample opportunity for sense enjoyment in previous births. If there is skepticism about past existences, just look to the population visible at present. There are dogs, birds, bears, insects, and so forth. They enjoy in certain ways. Perhaps not the same as the human being, but a taste is there.

Human life is something different. There is the added gift of intelligence, which can be used to apply discrimination. Progress is already a vital force acting within society. Avoid the mistakes of past generations. Move forward in a way that benefits everyone.

In fact, the human birth is ideally the last stage in a progressive march for the individual, who is spirit soul. The Vaishnava says to complete the maturation by engaging in bhajana, which is worship of the Supreme Lord. More than blind faith in a single institution or book or leader, learn about the identity of the person being worshiped and how they transcend temporary designations. Really get to know Him and His creation.

This bhajana will bring more happiness than ever previously experienced. The destination is logical. The spirit soul is meant to be in connection with the Divine. Dharma instead of adharma. More than simply following righteous behavior, bring to life the intrinsic characteristics of the spirit soul.

One of the arguments against is that mankind will be neglected:

If I only worry about myself, working on attaining the best destination in the afterlife, paramartha, then what will happen to everyone else? If every person left home and went to live in a temple, would not society suffer?

The corresponding option is called “service to man.”

Help the poor. Give service to the elderly. Take care of those less fortunate. This will please God more than simple expressions of faith and allegiance. Give respect to His children; through them reach the proper destination.

While the sentiment is often rooted in genuine concern for others, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada often cites a story to illustrate the folly. The situation is of a sick patient. They are on the path to recovery, provided they follow the doctor’s instructions. In addition to rest, the sick person must refrain from certain foods.

Another person, seeing the helpless condition of the patient, decides to implement the “service to man” ideal, with their own interpretation. They bring tasty food to the sick person, but everything is from the restricted list. Though the intention is good, by accepting such service the patient will die.

In the same way, if someone doesn’t know how to properly help mankind, then what good will their service do? Keeping a person bound to the cycle of birth and death, when they otherwise have a great opportunity at escaping, is not very nice. Though presented as service, any effort made will end up being a disservice.

In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, we get a similar dichotomy, except on a much higher level. Here Shri Hanuman offers service to Sita Devi, the wife of Shri Rama. Hanuman wants to carry Sita on his back and return her to the side of her husband, from whom she has been separated for too long.

This is the nicest sentiment, since Hanuman has nothing but love for Sita and Rama. Yet she declines the offer, explaining that the act in kindness would actually diminish the glory of her husband. This is not intended by either party in the situation.

As she is the goddess of fortune, and thus supremely magnanimous and charitable, Sita does not leave Hanuman without other options. She gives the way towards making her happy. She asks that Hanuman bring Rama and His younger brother Lakshmana to Lanka quickly. Come with the members of the army. Just the news of their arrival will bring so much happiness to her.

In the same way, Sita and Rama are most pleased when people engage in their service, always thinking of them and honoring them. Shri Hanuman is their eternal servant, and he recommends others for service. Thus those who honor him are supremely blessed. Their efforts in bhajana never go to waste, and they provide the best example for mankind to follow. Those on the side of Sita and Rama end up victorious in life, while those actively against them perish in the way of the evil Ravana.

In Closing:

When sick patient to see,

Desire for suffering to free.

Bringing something palatable to eat,

But if restricted only calamity to meet.

Same way for “service to man” action,

Better first from authority sanction.

Like Hanuman from Sita idea getting,

Goal accomplished without regretting.

Five Things To Do If You Only Had Seven Days To Live

“Maharaja Parikshit, just after receiving the news of his death within seven days, at once retired from family life and shifted himself to the sacred bank of the Yamuna River.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.19.6 Purport)

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The news is terrifying, but at the same time not totally unexpected. As Shri Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, for the person who has taken birth, death is certain.

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)

As Shri Rama says in the Ramayana, for the mature human being there is no other fear than death. The comparison is to the ripened fruit, which has no other fate except to fall off the tree.

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

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

“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)

You only have seven days to live. That’s what people of authority tell you. The good news is that you can spend it however you wish. You are not confined to a bed in a facility. Complete freedom of motion. There are different options available.

1. Eat and drink as much as you like

No concerns about health. Whether the vital signs are good or bad, the end is near regardless. Why not take the time to enjoy your favorite dishes? Eat the same thing for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Go out to a restaurant and spend whatever is necessary to satisfy the taste buds.

Intoxication is also a possibility. Drink as much as you like. No worries about tomorrow, since in a few days there will be no future. Actually, in the back of your mind you are aware that something must be in store, that beyond this life there is some other kind of living, but right now you don’t know for sure.

2. Binge watch your favorite television show

As intoxication brings an escape from the senses, so too watching television takes the individual to a different time and setting. Choose your favorite television show and watch it from beginning to end. Nothing else to worry about. Laugh, cry, get caught up in the drama – there are no consequences at this moment, or so it seems.

3. Spend time with family and friends

They have meant so much to you. Your parents were everything in childhood. When you were little and just starting school, you would hold your mom’s hand while walking and crossing the street. One day an onlooker said, “Young man, you are growing up. You won’t be able to hold your mother’s hand forever.” In response, your mother said, “Today he is holding my hand, and tomorrow I will hold his.”

It turned out to be true. When your parents were ill, you had to help them to walk, move around, and eat. You are forever indebted to them, along with siblings and well-wishers. Now that the time is short, you would rather spend every moment with them than do anything else.

4. Travel to different places

Because of daily responsibilities, you couldn’t do this before. Just flying away and not caring about anything else was a fantasy, an idea never given serious consideration. Though seven days isn’t much time, there is still the opportunity to see different places, to go where you have never gone. Maybe bring a different perspective on things, escape the bad climate and take in some sights.

5. Sit down and hear Hari-katha

This hypothetical exercise is inspired by a real-life experience of a saintly king several thousands of years ago. He knew the exact end based on a curse applied to him by a powerful priest-like person. Parikshit was essentially the ruler of the world, so he had everything at his disposal. He could have consumed as much wine as desired. He could have travelled to any place and spent time enjoying with friends and family.

Instead, he chose to sit down at the banks of a sacred river and completely give up food and water. He simply heard. The teacher was Shukadeva Gosvami and the subject matter Shri Hari, who is the Supreme Lord. There was question and answer mixed into a narrative. The king learned the position of God with respect to the universe and the living entities. He learned the history of the rulers on earth and how to behave piously.

At the end of life he tasted the nectar of what is known as the Bhagavata Purana. He heard about the lila, or pastimes, of the Supreme Lord in the visible manifestation of Shri Krishna. This was not only the best way to spend the end of days, but also for living in general. It was the genuine eternal life, for central to the teachings was the deathlessness of the spirit soul.

The king would move on to someplace else, just as every living entity does after death. The consciousness at that most crucial moment, of quitting the body, determines the next state of being. Therefore, Parikshit taught everyone not only how to die, but also how to live. His choice benefits every kind of person, in any stage of life. Since most don’t know the precise moment when kala will strike, to have Krishna on the consciousness, through hearing Hari-katha from a bona fide source, will provide the most auspicious passing.

In Closing:

In renounced spirit to sit,

After kingdom to quit.

To spiritual master coming near,

Now topics of Shri Hari to hear.

With only days remaining seven,

Parikshit on path to heaven.

Eternal, the one of Krishna so,

Best way for everyone to go.

How To Practice Bhakti When In Difficulty

“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.47)

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कर्मण्य् एवाधिकारस् ते
मा फलेषु कदाचन
मा कर्म-फल-हेतुर् भूर्
मा ते सङ्गो ऽस्त्व् अकर्मणि

karmaṇy evādhikāras te
mā phaleṣu kadācana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr
mā te saṅgo 'stv akarmaṇi

Friend1: Alright, I know we’ve discussed this many times. It is likely the most common question posed to the speaker after a Hari-katha lecture.

Friend2: A discourse on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Hari, who takes away the distresses of His devotees.

Friend1: By sometimes removing objects to which they are attached.

Friend2: Might be people to. What is this common question to which you refer? How to find a spiritual master?

Friend1: I think that is a little more advanced, further down the line. At the programs I have attended, people always ask how they can be spiritual while maintaining a job and family. They seem scared at the prospect of having to renounce everything.

Friend2: Oh, for sure. Then you get the verse from the Bhagavad-gita about renouncing attachment to the fruits of work.

Friend1: Which a person may not properly understand at the beginning.

Friend2: Yeah. They think it means just keep doing what you’re doing and try to be detached. Keep a level head, but specifics as to a direction in life are lacking.

Friend1: Let’s take a more specific instance extracted from that question. Let’s say that a person is in the hospital. They have just undergone grueling surgery.

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: They are in recovery, but right now they can’t do much. There is barely any movement, tubes in so many parts of the body.

Friend2: Can they watch television?

Friend1: There is one in the hospital room, but it takes too much effort to look up.

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: How does someone practice bhakti in that situation? Do they have to wait until being fully healed?

Friend2: No.

Friend1: Then?

Friend2: That is the beauty of the holy name. In this situation a book would do wonders. Just read Bhagavad-gita, Shrimad Bhagavatam, or Ramayana. Yet since that is not an option, there is still the ability to chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Friend1: Okay, but this person can barely speak.

Friend2: Doesn’t matter. Repeat the mantra in your mind. That is why consciousness is everything. There is still vitality, which means that consciousness can be influenced. Chant the holy names. If that is too much, then just remember, vishno-smaranam.

Friend1: Go back and review what you’ve heard previously, shravanam?

Friend2: There you go. Remember how great Shri Hanuman is, how he overcame fear, doubt, foreign enemies, physical barriers, the race against time, and a large body of water. Remember how he stayed dedicated to Sita and Rama, the Divine couple who kindly descends to this earth now and then. Remember how he had no one helping him while in Lanka. Remember how he stayed in yoga despite inauspicious conditions surrounding him. Remember the servants who travel the three worlds helping to awaken people from their slumber, to bring them back into the eternal engagement that is devotional service.

Friend1: Nice.

Friend2: All of this can be done anywhere, under any circumstances. You could turn the lack of mobility into a positive. It means there are less options available to distract the mind. Now is your chance to focus. Athato-brahma-jijnasa, now is the time for inquiring into spiritual matters. If you have already made inquiries and are ready for implementation, know that remembering is sufficient.

In Closing:

After operation on cart to wheel,

From medications numb to feel.

Can speak or even move barely,

Know that such chance to come rarely.

Since easier to focus on Bhagavan now,

Chanting and remembering through how.

Meaning that at any time opportunity there,

Renewed chance from medical scare.

How Do You Deal With Health Emergencies

“O best among the Bharatas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.16)

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चतुर्-विधा भजन्ते मां
जनाः सुकृतिनो ऽर्जुन
आर्तो जिज्ञासुर् अर्थार्थी
ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

Friend1: Alright, so I understand that bhakti is supposed to be love and devotion. Juxtaposed with other kinds of worship to show a clear contrast.

Friend2: Where even what we refer to as “atheism” is a kind of worship.

Friend1: Because there is respect of the reflection. Paying honor to the illusory energy of maya, the living entity thinks that there is no controller behind the amazing nature.

Friend2: Or they worship nature itself. Taking the senses to be paramount, they are still connected to the Divine in some way.

Friend1: In bhakti you are not supposed to really ask for anything. By chanting the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,” you are asking God the person and His direct energy to let you engage in their service.

Friend2: Yes, and nothing else. Bhakti for bhakti. Devotion for devotion. That is the highest stage, which is not easily achieved. Just knowing that God is a person comes after considerable time.

बहूनां जन्मनाम् अन्ते
ज्ञानवान् मां प्रपद्यते
वासुदेवः सर्वम् इति
स महात्मा सु-दुर्लभः

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.19)

Friend1: Let me ask you this. Say a loved one is in trouble. They need a lifesaving surgery.

Friend2: Like a heart operation?

Friend1: Sure. Should we not pray for their wellbeing? Should we not ask Bhagavan to make everything go smoothly?

Friend2: I’m surprised you have to ask. What makes you think it is wrong to pray in that way?

Friend1: It’s not bhakti. It falls into the realm of material life. Praying for someone’s health is asking the higher authorities to ensure that the sick person remains in their body, which is known to be temporary.

Friend2: What is the alternative? You want that person to suffer from bad health?

Friend1: I think you shouldn’t do anything. Let the higher forces governing this world take over.

Friend2: That will occur regardless. Praying or not, the proper outcome will arrive.

Friend1: Okay, so then prayer is meaningless. People shouldn’t approach God in such circumstances?

Friend2: Just the opposite. They should approach God in all circumstances.

Friend1: You are confusing me.

Friend2: I’m sure you are aware of that Bhagavad-gita verse describing the four kinds of people who approach Krishna initially.

Friend1: Yes. The distressed. The person who wants wealth. The inquisitive and the person who already has knowledge, jnana, but wants to go further.

Friend2: Then? The distressed fits this situation, do they not?

Friend1: We should advance past those four categories, though.

Friend2: I’m saying there is no harm. You should be the same in consciousness no matter the outcome, but this does not mean you throw away all emotion. Praying for their wellbeing is a good thing. In fact, the Vaishnava, the devotee of the personal side of God, offers prayers for every person suffering. That is why they engage in prachara, in popularizing the teachings of the Vedas. They know that every person can benefit, irrespective of their health condition. Whether recently entering this world or close to their way out, connecting with Krishna will provide the best benefit.

Friend1: What about praying to someone like Shri Hanuman?

Friend2: What is wrong with that?

Friend1: He is not Bhagavan.

Friend2: He is just as good. The dedicated servant, who is like a spiritual master, is simply a different side of God. They are the Divine in service, while Krishna or Rama is the Divine accepting the service.

Friend1: Hanuman is amazing.

Friend2: Absolutely. Anyone who remembers him, especially during times of distress, is eternally blessed.

In Closing:

Hanuman so dedicated is he,

Most amazing servant to see.

Especially in times distressing,

His memory fortunes blessing.

Like when family member ill,

Time for God remembrance better still.

Since purification from the move,

His shelter best option to choose.