Three Activities In Bhakti Which Are Ultimately Identical

“The vibration of the Lord's voice appeared in the presence of all the devotees, and although the person vibrating the sound was unseen to them, they were meeting or seeing the Lord because they were offering prayers and because the vibration of the Lord was present. Contrary to the laws of the material world, there is no difference between seeing the Lord, offering prayers and hearing the transcendental vibration.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.25-26 Purport)

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Though only a voice from the sky, the connection qualified as a meeting. Moments prior there was hopelessness, despair, fear, and concern over the situation in the universe. A bad guy’s bad guy had taken such a high post that the administrators of the elements were under his control.

The Vedic philosophy is intelligent design and more. In addition to an intelligent being responsible for the construction of the world and the different kinds of bodies the jiva souls can reside in, there is intelligence behind the subsequent maintenance. That is to say nature is not considered an impersonal force, an energy which acts only at random.

Hiranyakashipu was blessed by the creator, Brahma, to the point that he became in charge of the nature. The intelligent beings behind the various elements, the guardians of the planets, and every other chief administrator deputed by the Supreme Lord approached Him for redress. They were afraid of Hiranyakashipu’s influence, and the subsequent meeting proved that different kinds of activities in devotion are the same in the grand scheme.

1. Hearing the transcendental vibration

The meeting was through sound. An akasha-vani answered the prayers. The demigods knew in which direction to turn, though in fact the Divine is everywhere. Not a single space is missing His presence, as He is responsible for the atom, paramanu. As explained in the Bhagavad-gita, though He doesn’t have eyes, hands and legs in the traditional sense, the spiritual version related to His transcendental body is distributed everywhere.

Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has a form visible to the eyes, but it was not displayed on this occasion. A voice served as delivery confirmation of the appeal. That was sufficient for qualifying as a meeting with God, which was desired.

2. Offering prayers

The prayers came before and after. That is to say even prior to the appearance of an akasha-vani a person can connect with God. Saying nice things in His favor is not necessary. He is atmarama, after all. Satisfied in the self, He is not dependent on any person’s kind words for His happiness.

समो ऽहं सर्व-भूतेषु
न मे द्वेष्यो ऽस्ति न प्रियः
ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या
मयि ते तेषु चाप्य् अहम्

samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu
na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ
ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā
mayi te teṣu cāpy aham

“I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.29)

Yet the devotees are considered friends. The prayers offered in a genuine spirit are certainly appreciated by Him. The guardians of the planets offered prayers to earn His favor and later the saintly son of Hiranyakashipu would offer kind prayers in front of a direct manifestation of Bhagavan known as Narasimha.

3. Seeing the Lord

Prahlada saw the Lord face to face, but the connection was always there. The voice from the sky assured the demigods that everything would be taken care of in the proper time. The meaning is that the rise to prominence of a sinful person is not indicative of a failure in the system of karma. The proper rewards to action arrive in season, like the flowers blossoming on trees.

अवश्यं लभते जन्तुः फलं पापस्य कर्मणः।
घोरं पर्यागते काले द्रुमाः पुष्पमिवार्तवम्।।

avaśyaṃ labhate jantuḥ phalaṃ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ।
ghoraṃ paryāgate kāle drumāḥ puṣpamivārtavam।।

“Just as a tree starts to blossom during the proper season, so the doer of sinful deeds inevitably reaps the horrible fruit of their actions at the appropriate time.” (Lord Rama speaking to Khara, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 29.8)

Interestingly, Hiranyakashipu could not see Bhagavan even when the Lord was standing before Him. The understanding is that prior qualification is required. Prahlada received the proper instruction while within the womb from Narada Muni. In that case sound also did the work.

And so even today sound is sufficient for purifying the consciousness. Sound arrives in the form of Shrimad Bhagavatam, the ripened fruit of Vedic literature. There is the guru-vani, the voice of the spiritual master, penetrating through time and the thick knot of ignorance due to association with maya. There is the sound which simultaneously acts as a prayer, ensuring a meeting with Bhagavan for those who are devoted: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Physical presence not required,

Sound itself can inspire.

Vishnu the demigods greeting,

From voice alone a meeting.

As if offering prayers the same,

From meditation to Prahlada came.

Great advantage for wise to take,

Maha-mantra for bhakti’s sake.

Three Known Arrivals Of An Akasha-Vani

“Then there appeared before them a transcendental sound vibration, emanating from a personality not visible to material eyes. The voice was as grave as the sound of a cloud, and it was very encouraging, driving away all fear.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.24)

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तेषाम् आविरभूद् वाणी
अरूपा मेघ-निःस्वना
सन्नादयन्ती ककुभः
साधूनाम् अभयङ्करी

teṣām āvirabhūd vāṇī
arūpā megha-niḥsvanā
sannādayantī kakubhaḥ
sādhūnām abhayaṅkarī

Not exclusive to fairytales or artistic productions describing mythology, the truthful history of this world and others included in the vast and continuously expanding Vedic literature features many instances of the appearance of a voice from the sky. Known as akasha-vani in Sanskrit, not surprisingly the celestial announcement always carries tremendous significance.

1. Janaka finding Sita

His dispassion was at such a high level that the title given had real meaning. The king of Videha was indeed without a body, in relation to the consciousness. Connected in yoga to the Divine, Janaka was free of the influence of the senses. This is not easily achieved, especially for someone who continued to perform his duties as king.

Janaka’s work involved resultant actions, phala, but there was no attachment. He followed everything as a matter of duty. This is actually equivalent with the spiritual platform. Running away to an ashrama, living in a cave, and shaving the head are mere formalities. True renunciation takes place on the inside, and in that spirit a person can actually continue to work without becoming entangled.

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

“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)

One day Janaka was preparing a field for a yajna. This is sacrifice to please the enjoyer of sacrifice, Yajneshvara. Others are benefitted simultaneously, especially through the gift of nature known as rain. An amazing thing occurred. Janaka found a baby girl within the ground. She was still alive.

The level of affection he felt cannot be put into words. It was a spontaneous outpouring. At this moment a voice from the sky arrived. It explained to Janaka that this girl was his daughter in all righteousness, dharma. The meaning is that he could act on his inclination and take her home and care for her as his own.

अन्तरिक्षे च वागुक्ताऽप्रतिमाऽमानुषी किल |
एवमेतन्नरपते धर्मेण तनया तव ||

antarikṣe ca vāguktā'pratimā'mānuṣī kila
evametannarapate dharmeṇa tanayā tava

“Then a voice, sounding like a human being, was heard from the sky which said, ‘O king, this child is rightfully your daughter.’” (Sita Devi speaking to Anasuya, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand,118.31)

The emotion from Janaka actually didn’t disqualify his Videha status. This is because the relationship was to the goddess of fortune. He named the girl Sita, since she came from the ground. She would later be married to Shri Rama, an incarnation of the Supreme Lord.

2. Kamsa escorting Devaki

It was a happy occasion, otherwise. Devaki was wed to Vasudeva. An equal match in terms of qualities, Kamsa followed tradition by escorting his sister to her new home. This helps to ease the tension surrounding the transition. The wife in a traditional Vedic style marriage is leaving home for the first time. It is a vidai, or moment of saying goodbye. Not an easy change, but one that brings so many meritorious credits to the new family.

During that trip a voice from the sky appeared. This time the message was a warning. Devaki’s eighth child would be Kamsa’s end. That child would kill Kamsa, who was high up in the government of Mathura. Not ready to face the prospect of death, at the hands of a child no less, Kamsa immediately went to kill his sister. Vasudeva talked him out of it, and the incident is part of the story of the advent of Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Without that warning from above, the amazing appearance of the Lord inside of the jail cell would not have later taken place.

3. Protectors of the planets in fear of Hiranyakashipu

The infamous Hiranyakashipu rose to power through first achieving the favor of the original god, Lord Brahma. He is the creator, though he is first empowered by Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Lord. In the four verses often described as being the sum and substance of the Shrimad Bhagavatam, Vishnu explains to Brahma that before Him there was no one and that He also has no beginning. Therefore Vishnu is both adi and anadi.

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)

Hiranyakashipu received boons that made him powerful enough to put the entire world under his control. The protectors of the planets, loka-pala, became so afraid that they finally went to get help from Vishnu. This should always be the first option, but man tends to be forgetful for a variety of reasons.

After pleasing Him through prayers, Vishnu appeared on the scene in the form of a voice. This message was also auspicious, explaining that everything would be taken care of in time. Vishnu was certainly aware of the situation. As explained in the Bhagavad-gita, everywhere are His eyes.

सर्वतः पाणि-पादं तत्
सर्वतो ऽक्षि-शिरो-मुखम्
सर्वतः श्रुतिमल् लोके
सर्वम् आवृत्य तिष्ठति

sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat
sarvato 'kṣi-śiro-mukham
sarvataḥ śrutimal loke
sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati

“Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes and faces, and He hears everything. In this way the Supersoul exists.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 13.14)

The question may be raised as to how sound can just magically appear in the sky. The historical incidents highlight the tremendous potency of sound, shabda. The physical form is not always required, and the instruction coming in the form of sound is powerful enough to deliver. For this reason the wise souls of this age constantly produce and hear the sounds of the holy name: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This is the akasha-vani of the times for delivering the mind from fear and despair, directing it towards the transcendental light.

In Closing:

After for yajna field to plough,

New baby to his family how?

Voice from the sky confirming,

Dedication to dharma affirming.

To Kamsa warning another giving,

And Vishnu to gods in fear living.

Idea that physical not always required,

Towards liberation by sound inspired.

Three Praises That Likely Are Not Part Of A Eulogy

“Materialists are very much advanced in enjoying money and women, yet dissatisfaction prevails within human society because human society cannot be happy and peaceful without Krishna consciousness. As far as material sense gratification is concerned, materialists may go on increasing their enjoyment as far as they can imagine, but because people in such a material condition are servants of their senses, they cannot be satisfied. Hiranyakashipu was a vivid example of this dissatisfied state of humanity.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.19 Purport)

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An important personality has passed. More to help the grieving family than anything else, there is a funeral ceremony held shortly after the departure. The final goodbye, getting closure after a typically unwanted and unwelcomed incident. The soul has moved on, but others are left to feel the separation.

At the ceremony friends and family are asked to speak. It is a tough speech to give, since there is strong emotion weighing on the heart. From the importance placed on certain aspects of material life, it is interesting to see what praises are generally not part of the eulogy.

1. They slept so much

You likely wouldn’t hear the following, as it is not considered complimentary:

“This man slept so much. I mean, they really got everything out of the sleeping arrangements. On average, ten hours a night. They didn’t require medicine or other physical aids. They were naturally able to take rest for that long. They had the softest mattress, with the most comfortable sheets and pillows. They sure knew how to relax.”

2. They ate so much

The following probably wouldn’t be included in the speech, either:

“Wow, could they put down food. An entire pizza in one sitting? Fifty chicken wings to devour in a contest? A twenty-four pack of beer? No sweat. They knew how to enjoy their food. They would eat gigantic meals, three times a day. More calories than with your typical Olympic athlete. They sure knew the meaning of the word ‘bhoga’.”

3. They enjoyed so many women

Especially if the wife of the departed is present at the ceremony, the following wouldn’t be considered pleasant:

“Wow, did they get around! It’s impossible to get a final tally, but ten to twenty thousand is a safe estimate. They were a travelling athlete, after all. In every town they arrived, the women lined up after the game. There was no reason to decline, as this was considered the height of enjoyment. They knew how to take advantage of everything that accompanied fame and power.”

…

There is an important Sanskrit word of relevance to the discussion: ajitendriya. A negation of two combined factors, the description is specifically applicable to two infamous personalities within the history chronicled by Vedic literature.

Indriya refers to the senses. The connected activities are tasting, speaking, touching, hearing and seeing. Jita refers to victory. A person who is jitendriya has conquered the senses. Suffice it to say, this is not easily accomplished.

In fact, the more a person falls on the side of jitendriya, the more that attribute is highlighted in the above referenced hypothetical situation of a eulogy. A charitable disposition automatically involves restriction on the senses. Sacrificing time and body for the benefit of others means that there is less attachment on the objects of the senses.

अवश्यं विनशिष्यन्ति सर्वे रावण राक्षसाः|
येषां त्वं कर्कशो राजा दुर्बुद्धिरजितेन्द्रियः||

avaśyaṃ vinaśiṣyanti sarve rāvaṇa rākṣasāḥ|
yeṣāṃ tvaṃ karkaśo rājā durbuddhirajitendriyaḥ||

“O Ravana, inevitably all of the Rakshasas will be completely destroyed, for they have a person like you, who is stupid, lustful, and unable to control his senses, for their king.” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 48.22)

Both Hiranyakashipu and Ravana were described as ajitendriya. The senses controlled them, instead of the other way around. The mention is significant since in every other analysis they would be considered victorious. They succeeded in material life beyond anyone’s imagination. More than having loads of stock in a publicly traded company, they possessed genuine wealth. In Hiranyakashipu’s case, there was control over the demigods. Everything produced by nature went for his pleasure first.

Yet the ajitendriya condition means that happiness was elusive. The same applies to everyone engaged in material life. If becoming king of the world itself doesn’t make you happy, why chase after it? There has to be more. The one who is jitendriya is at peace. They have kept the senses at bay, and so they are free to meet the needs of the soul.

The jitendriya trait arrives seemingly without effort when everything is offered in sacrifice to the master of all senses combined, Hrishikesha. This was the case with Prahlada, the soon to arrive son of Hiranyakashipu. He was only five years old when he showed his amazing ability to conquer the forces of nature. The connection with Bhagavan was too strong for even the formidable enemy in the form of the father to overcome.

In Closing:

Departed’s qualities to consider,

When task of eulogy to deliver.

Likely on these dwelling not,

Over how much sleep they got.

How many targeted women found,

Or large meals regularly put down.

Rather any sense control to address,

For devotee Krishna easily to bless.

How Can Victory And Defeat Be The Same Thing

“O Emperor, now I am separated from my friend and dearmost well-wisher, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore my heart appears to be void of everything. In His absence I have been defeated by a number of infidel cowherd men while I was guarding the bodies of all the wives of Krishna.” (Arjuna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.15.20)

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सो ’हं नृपेन्द्र रहितः पुरुषोत्तमेन
सख्या प्रियेण सुहृदा हृदयेन शून्यः
अध्वन्य् उरुक्रम-परिग्रहम् अङ्ग रक्षन्
गोपैर् असद्भिर् अबलेव विनिर्जितो ’स्मि

so ’haṁ nṛpendra rahitaḥ puruṣottamena
sakhyā priyeṇa suhṛdā hṛdayena śūnyaḥ
adhvany urukrama-parigraham aṅga rakṣan
gopair asadbhir abaleva vinirjito ’smi

Friend1: We’ve probably discussed this before, but I would like to go into a deeper analysis with a specific example. One of the eye-opening teachings at the beginning of bhakti-yoga instruction, at least for me, is the revelation that good and bad are the same.

Friend2: Explain further, please.

Friend1: Piety and sin. Gain and loss. Wealth and poverty. Really no difference between the two.

Friend2: How are they not different, though? Why would there be separate words if they are both describing the same thing?

Friend1: Hey, that is the teaching. I can’t give you the exact chapter and verse, but I know I heard it. I had similar objections during that time. Let’s focus on one pair, before you continue with your false denial.

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: Victory and defeat. Let’s take the occasion of a war. It could be a single battle, in fact.

Friend2: Alright. We are on a battlefield. That is the setting.

Friend1: You have at least two parties. I understand there is the possibility of what they refer to in professional wrestling as the triple-threat match.

Friend2: Don’t forget the fatal-fourway, haha.

Friend1: Yes, as many participants as you can think of, but there is still the same range of outcomes. Victory or defeat. Winning or losing. In a military conflict, the winning side is still alive. They have suppressed the other side, who either has given up, surrendered through waving the white flag, or been killed.

Friend2: In the fight to the death.

Friend1: Those two situations are completely different. Victory has an entirely separate meaning from defeat. Therefore, how can we say that the two are the same?

Friend2: There are two factors to consider. One is the ultimate result, i.e. when enough time has passed since the culmination of the event. The other is the effect on consciousness.

Friend1: Alright.

Friend2: Piety and sin and other pairs representing duality are ultimately the same because there is no difference in situation. If I am pious I ascend to the heavenly realm after death. I cannot stay there forever, though. When the time commensurate with the meritorious credits expires, there is the chance of falling back to earth.

ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्ग-लोकं विशालं
क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्य-लोकं विशन्ति
एवं त्रयी-धर्मम् अनुप्रपन्ना
गतागतं काम-कामा लभन्ते

te taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ viśālaṁ
kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti
evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante

“When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus, through the Vedic principles, they achieve only flickering happiness.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.21)

Friend1: It’s the same with sinful life, right?

Friend2: Descend to the hellish realm, suffer punishments commensurate with the crimes, so to speak, and then work your way back up. In the end you reach the same place. That is why those conditions in duality are considered the same.

Friend1: Explain the second factor, consciousness.

Friend2: This is when you are on the spiritual platform. If connected to the Divine in what is known as yoga, then you are the same in victory and defeat. There are two notable examples. One person was never previously defeated. Bhishmadeva was the pitamaha, or the great-father, of an important dynasty. That family happened to divide into sections, i.e. a rivalry was born. There could not be a peaceful resolution, so at last there was war.

Friend1: The Bharata War, between the Pandavas and the Kauravas.

Friend2: The one who had never met defeat became filled with arrows as he lay on the battlefield, ready to quit his body. Bhishma was defeated, but the end result was the same for him. He was thinking of Shri Krishna throughout. The consciousness was pure. The outcome may not have been desired, but there was no change in the way he thought.

Friend1: What is the second example?

Friend2: Arjuna, who happened to be the person who defeated Bhishmadeva during that war. Arjuna and his side emerged victorious. They took over the kingdom of Hastinapura. They were favored by Shri Krishna, who in addition to being God the person acted as Arjuna’s charioteer during the war. Years later the same Arjuna met a humiliating defeat. He couldn’t protect Krishna’s many queens from cowherd bandits.

Friend1: That’s right. I forgot about that.

Friend2: Though he was sorry for being defeated, Arjuna’s consciousness was the same. That is to say he thought of Krishna again. He knew that the Divine favor was no longer with him, at least in terms of ability in military conflict. So, there you have it. Victory and defeat. Different in terms of temporary situations but identical in terms of consciousness for the pure devotee.

In Closing:

How from battle victory to gain,

To humiliating defeat the same?

Since different words existing,

Meaning from effect persisting.

Like Arjuna once in triumph to shine,

Later defeated by protectors of kine.

Bhishma dying filled with arrows so,

Still towards highest destination to go.

Is It Necessary To Be Religious For The Earth To Produce

“As if in fear of Hiranyakashipu, the planet earth, which consists of seven islands, delivered food grains without being plowed. Thus it resembled cows like the surabhi of the spiritual world or the kama-dugha of heaven. The earth yielded sufficient food grains, the cows supplied abundant milk, and outer space was beautifully decorated with wonderful phenomena.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.16)

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अकृष्ट-पच्या तस्यासीत्
सप्त-द्वीपवती मही
तथा काम-दुघा गावो
नानाश्चर्य-पदं नभः

akṛṣṭa-pacyā tasyāsīt
sapta-dvīpavatī mahī
tathā kāma-dughā gāvo
nānāścarya-padaṁ nabhaḥ

Friend1: I think this issue comes up every now and then, and I’d like to dig into it a little deeper. This idea of requiring sacrifice, yajna, in order to receive food grains.

Friend2: Well, you receive the rain first. The clouds extract water from the ocean and then distribute rain in a timely manner. In some places of the world the rain only appears during two months of the year, primarily. Goswami Tulsidas takes advantage of this phenomenon of nature to make a comparison to the transformation that takes place in the person who chants the holy name of Rama.

बरषा रितु रघुपति भगति तुलसी सालि सुदास |
रामनाम बर बरन जुग सावन भादव मास ||

baraṣā ritu raghupati bhagati tulasī sāli sudāsa |
rāmanāma bara barana juga sāvana bhādava māsa ||

“Devotion to Shri Rama is like the rainy season, the wonderful devotees the paddy fields, and the two syllables in Rama’s name the months of Sawan and Bhadon [rainy season], says Tulsi.” (Dohavali, 25)

Friend1: Okay, but the general idea is that some religious effort is required. You have to do something in order to get rain, which leads to the important grain.

अन्नाद् भवन्ति भूतानि
पर्जन्याद् अन्न-सम्भवः
यज्ञाद् भवति पर्जन्यो
यज्ञः कर्म-समुद्भवः

annād bhavanti bhūtāni
parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ
yajñād bhavati parjanyo
yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ

“All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rain. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.14)

Friend2: Yes, the verse from the Bhagavad-gita explains it perfectly. Rain seems like a random occurrence, just another aspect of nature, but there is always intelligence in the background. That is why you sometimes see droughts. Some areas get too much rain. The more man tries to study science while neglecting the influence of a higher authority, the more they are baffled. One day they warn of a coming ice age. The next day they say the planet is getting too hot. When that stops happening, they point to any severe weather event as proof of a so-called configurable changing climate.

Friend1: It’s like every time they proclaim something, they have to revise it later on.

Friend2: Because no one knows. Nature is infinitely complex. You can develop a computer model to predict the future based on the input of past data, but that is still such a small sample size. The universe is billions of years old, and no one has the complete picture.

Friend1: And even if they did, there is no guarantee that the future will follow the same pattern. Anyway, a couple of issues to bring up. The first relates to the obvious lack of religious behavior in animals.

Friend2: They cannot engage in yajna. They have no concept of it.

Friend1: They still receive rain, though. Cows feed off the grass, which is due to the rain. Even carnivorous species can eventually link their diet back to rain.

Friend2: And you want to know how these people survive since they don’t engage in yajna.

Friend1: Exactly. There is also something I read in Shrimad Bhagavatam.

Friend2: What is that?

Friend1: When the wicked Hiranyakashipu took control over the world, the earth would produce grain without being plowed. It was so in fear of what that evil king would do that it didn’t rely on external factors.

Friend2: Yes, because Hiranyakashipu usurped the post of the demigods. He took over Indra’s kingdom. The demigods would worship him out of fear. When receiving oblations from sacrifice, Hiranyakashipu would not share with anyone else.

Friend1: Again, the question of grain production. There was no yajna that I know of. The earth produced regardless. Cows produced milk. Doesn’t this mean yajna is not the cause?

Friend2: Now you are getting somewhere.

Friend1: If you agree with me, aren’t you contradicting the Bhagavad-gita and Shri Krishna Himself?

Friend2: There is always a higher purpose to fulfill. Yajna is synonymous with Vishnu, who is the person Hiranyakashipu despised. The ultimate objective of any yajna is to please Vishnu. The rain and the grain that subsequently arrive aren’t that important.

Friend1: But they are to the people in need of food.

Friend2: Yes, that is the psychology of which Krishna takes advantage. He helps people come closer to Him. There is no other purpose to religion. Otherwise, stay the same as the animals, who don’t engage in yajna. They eat without a problem. They have no elaborate food storage systems, like pantries, refrigerators or freezers. They rely entirely on nature, and that is sufficient to live the average duration of life.

Friend1: Why should the human being engage in yajna, then?

Friend2: Follow the sacrifice recommended for the age. Pleasing the demigods is fine, but bypassing them you can still receive resources from nature. That is one of the lessons from the first Govardhana Puja. The people worshiped the nearby hill instead of Indra. This was at Krishna’s insistence. They weren’t penalized as a result. They still had plenty of food to eat, afterwards. Hiranyakashipu and others can attempt to rise as high as the demigods in a material existence, but there is always Krishna’s sanction in the background. He can give, and He can also take away. The earth was in fear of that father of Prahlada, but soon that reign of terror would end.

In Closing:

If rain supply to reduce,

How earth grain to produce?

And milk receiving how,

Since nothing to eat for cow?

Hiranyakashipu over heaven control taking,

But still earth and cows production making.

Meaning that yajna of higher purpose then,

Realized through Prahlada appearance when.

Four Aspects To Being The True King Of The World

“Being worshiped by sacrifices offered with great gifts by those who strictly followed the principles of varna and ashrama, Hiranyakashipu, instead of offering shares of the oblations to the demigods, accepted them himself.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.4.15)

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स एव वर्णाश्रमिभिः
क्रतुभिर् भूरि-दक्षिणैः
इज्यमानो हविर्-भागान्
अग्रहीत् स्वेन तेजसा

sa eva varṇāśramibhiḥ
kratubhir bhūri-dakṣiṇaiḥ
ijyamāno havir-bhāgān
agrahīt svena tejasā

In the past a television series called Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous depicted what it was like to possess a lot of money. At least externally, there was the evidence of advanced living, with palatial residences and servants to take care of every single need that could arise throughout the day.

Is such a lifestyle actually worth it? Some of the rich inherit the fortune from their ancestors, but others are described as “self-made.” What exactly goes into being powerful? What enjoyments should be present and what distresses should be absent?

Fortunately, the Vedas provide the best historical example in Hiranyakashipu. He was the genuine king of the world, extending beyond the earthly region. His life bore some similarities to today’s rich and famous, but there were striking differences, as well.

1. Everyone under your control

There is the saying, “Being king for a day.” The idea is that you get whatever you want. Not that you rely on anyone else’s sanction. No need to visit a government office for approval since you are yourself the government.

Many of the wealthy in modern times wield similar power. Even if they are not officially in the government, through donations they possess the same influence. The politicians are in their back pocket, so to speak, bought and paid for through legal bribery, though it may not go by that name. As an example, a wealthy business mogul has the most famous actors attend his child’s wedding, where they do menial work like serving food to the guests.

Hiranyakashipu’s authority went beyond what would be expected. He took over the heavenly region, residing in the best palace a person could think of. This was constructed by the architect of the demigods, Vishvakarma.

2. Limitless food and beverage consumption

There shouldn’t be an issue with the basic economic problem: food. A king shouldn’t be starving. If he wants to put down one hundred sandwiches in a sitting, the supply should be presented to him immediately. A king is the opposite of the beggar. They are in the position to offer charity to others.

Hiranyakashipu met this qualification and beyond. Enough liquor consumed that his coppery eyes were always rolling. Not the cheap stuff, either. Residents of the heavenly region drink Soma-rasa, which is supposed to be the most exquisite intoxicant, not experienced by man.

3. Capability to travel anywhere

The modern-day mogul has the private jet, which means less reliance on the crammed commercial travel system. There are still some inconveniences, but much less so than if there weren’t as much in the bank account.

Hiranyakashipu had a leg up since he could travel to different planets. The heavenly region is the reward for pious behavior, for following the mode of goodness, sattva-guna. The duration of residence is longer than it is on earth, but Hiranyakashipu took a short cut.

He forced his way into the place and took over upon the might of his boons granted by Lord Brahma, who is actually above the heavenly region. Everyone feared Hiranyakashipu except for the three principal gods of the creation: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

4. Supplanting the demigods

Can you become so rich that you control the air? Can you decide when and where it rains? Make it colder on a specific day and warmer on another? By supplanting the demigods, Hiranyakashipu essentially had this potency.

There are oblations offered for the pleasure of the devas, the gods in control of the material nature. Hiranyakashipu would accept these offerings himself and then not share them with anyone. He was the actual king of the world, with no one above.

Despite achieving the highest status in a material existence, he was not happy. He was always envious, specifically of Vishnu. He was not at peace, although everyone feared him. It would be a five year old boy, of all people, to take him down, and without any intentional force applied.

The obvious lesson is that being king of the world is not the highest achievement. If a sufficient rise in character does not accompany, then the shift in stature is merely another way to pass the time. The potency is in illusion, since everything is eventually crushed under the ruthless wheel of time, kala-chakra.

क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा
शश्वच्-छान्तिं निगच्छति
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि
न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā
śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati
kaunteya pratijānīhi
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati

“He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.31)

The devotion of the devotee, however, can never be destroyed. The king’s own son had something much more valuable, and he did not have to work nearly as hard for it. It was an issue of consciousness, and the flawed material one would spell doom for Hiranyakashipu directly at Vishnu’s hands.

In Closing:

Genuine highest position to entail,

That never in desire to fail.

To any place easily can go,

Success when contemplated so.

Hiranyakashipu installed in this place,

But soon to fall from grace.

Whereas different Prahlada the son,

Same kingdom without effort won.

Four Traits Of The Spiritual Energy

“The living entities, who are residents of the spiritual as well as the material expansions, are His marginal energy (tatastha-shakti), and they are at liberty to live in either of the energies, external or internal. Those who live within the spiritual expansion of the Lord are called liberated souls, whereas the residents of the external expansion are called the conditioned souls.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.6.17 Purport)

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The living entity is described as a jiva. The functional unit of life is spirit. Long before modern science discovered it, the Vedas described atomic theory. Anu and Paramanu. Get down to the lowest level and you have a basic building block of life.

The living spirit, chetana, is encased in a covering lacking a spiritual component. That is to say a jiva resides within an ever changing-body. Everything is originally sourced in the creator and beyond. The person using the three modes of nature as ingredients for construction had to first receive the creative potency from somewhere.

That source is the Supreme Lord, who has three main energies in terms of analysis. One is the material energy, of which we are quite familiar. The jivas are also His energy, and they are technically known as tatastha. This is marginal, like remaining on the shore of an ocean. Sometimes the waves come over and the resident is part of the spiritual energy, the third category. Sometimes they are without shelter and left to fend with material nature.

That supreme shelter has specific characteristics, distinguishing it from the material energy. The jiva always has the choice, and from knowledge, jnana, they can more clearly see the urgency for going with the spiritual energy.

1. No degrading influence of time

Without that shelter, kala always acts. This Sanskrit word actually has two main definitions. One is time. When we see pictures from childhood it is easy to notice the difference from the present. The individual is the same since they are spirit soul on the inside. Spirit is never created and it can never be destroyed.

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)

The body changes and the instrument of that change is time. Kala has yet to be defeated. Its other meaning is “death.” Time’s final work, so to speak, at the individual level is effecting the last change of the body. This is the moment when the jiva inside travels to an entirely different body. The process is transmigration, or what is commonly referred to as reincarnation.

The spiritual energy lacks this degrading influence of time. That is to say if a spirit soul takes complete shelter of the spiritual energy, they eventually receive their svarupa, or true form. Then the entire distinction between body and spirit vanishes. The eyes, legs, arms, feet, etc. are of a different nature; they also identify the individual, as they are non-different from the vital force.

2. No spirit-body dichotomy

Kala acts on something that is not ours. One meaning for maya is “that which is not.” The material energy is maya because it is not Brahman. The external world, the objects manifest before the eyes, do not truly represent the spiritual energy. This is because of the presence of the vital force inside.

The best evidence is death. The only difference is the lack of a vital force. The same organs may be there. The same form that was animated maybe moments prior is no longer so. What is the cause of the change? What provided the spark before and why is it absent now?

As mentioned above, with the spiritual energy the dichotomy ceases to exist. Proof is there in the Supreme Lord Himself, whose transcendental body is full of bliss and knowledge. When He appears in this world from time to time, the properties remain the same. That is why Shri Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra still appeared like a youth just entering the teenage years. He was nava-yauvanam after over one hundred years having elapsed since His emergence from the womb of mother Devaki.

3. No negative illusory force

Maya begins to act as soon as there is birth. The child is mostly in ignorance. They have to learn, through both personal experience and the guidance of authority figures. The false identification may never cease. The spiritual vision is required, and only someone who has seen the truth can help others to see it.

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)

With the spiritual energy there is also maya, but of a different nature. The illusory energy is positive; the interaction is auspicious in every way. The best example is the effect on the residents of the planet of Goloka Vrindavana.

They are with God constantly, yet they are not consciously aware of His Divine status. They see Him in a variety of relationships, and this so-called ignorance only increases their attachment for Him. In that life in liberation the bliss they feel always increases.

4. No forgetfulness of Krishna

The fall to the material world is merely an issue of forgetfulness. The status of remaining on the shore without the waves is not the result of randomness. There is a choice which can be acted upon at any moment.

This is another way to see the superiority of the bhakti path. Love and devotion connected to the Divine, bhakti-yoga, is nothing more than changing the status from forgetful to always remembering. Any person, at any stage of life can trigger the requisite transformation. The other paths of spiritual life, which bring benefits that are like shadows always following the goddess of devotion, Bhakti Devi, have strict requirements.

The liberated state is always remembering Krishna. As mentioned before, He may not always be remembered as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. The cows see Him as their beloved caretaker. The parrots sing of His glories and His amorous dealings with Shrimati Radharani. The mother sees Krishna as her beloved dependent, and the friends see Him as their equal with whom to enjoy each and every day. The devotees in this world see Him as their eternal object of service, the one called out to with love through the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Spiritual energy divided by line,

Such as not influenced by time.

Body can identify me,

Despite changes to see.

Maya having different effect,

Where His nature not to detect.

Always thinking of Krishna instead,

The one by mother Yashoda fed.