What Is Wrong In Being An Animal Lover

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.6)

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यं यं वापि स्मरन् भावं
त्यजत्य् अन्ते कलेवरम्
तं तम् एवैति कौन्तेय
सदा तद्-भाव-भावितः

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

 

Friend1: A person might argue that the outpouring of affection towards pets is not wasted.

Friend2: Who is saying that it is a waste? Isn’t sanatana-dharma the only legitimate religious system in the lot that applies ahimsa to most circumstances?

Friend1: Non-violence, though the primary work in which you find that word has the backdrop of a battlefield.

Friend2: Bhagavad-gita. The prologue is Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, speaking to a hesitant warrior. You could say Arjuna is a conscientious objector.

Friend1: Right, and you will find the discussion on ahimsa in that presentation, but the conclusion is violence. Arjuna decides to fight in the war, to preserve justice for humanity.

Friend2: An apparent contradiction that makes Bhagavad-gita that much more appealing to the inquisitive, the distressed, the desirer of wealth, and the person seeking knowledge of the Absolute.

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

“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)

Friend1: You know what I mean, though. The acharyas of the Vedic tradition tend to decry obsession with animals in the home. For starters, the dog is considered unclean. A person should not be sleeping with their dog in bed. That animal serves a vital purpose in providing protection, but it is from outside the home.

Friend2: Shaucham is another key principle. Cleanliness, both outside and inside, is important for advancing in consciousness.

Friend1: I guess I am specifically referring to the common complaint that man tends to be more interested in dog than in God. At least that is the situation in the modern day.

Friend2: Can you honestly dispute that?

Friend1: No, but I am trying to look at the positives. A person will say that at least they are showing love. They are not completely cold-hearted. They may be childless in adulthood, but at least they are taking care of someone.

Friend2: You would be interested to know that the Sanskrit word for “son” has a deeper meaning.

Friend1: Which word is that? Putra?

Friend2: Yes. The root definition is someone who delivers from hell. Put is a hellish region, and tra refers to delivering. The son delivers the father and other ancestors from hell, if they should happen to fall there in the afterlife.

Friend1: I see. The dog can’t do the same, I assume.

पुन्नाम्नो नरकाद् यस्मात् पितरं त्रायते सुतः।
तस्मात् पुत्र इति प्रोक्तः पितॄन् यः पाति सर्वतः।।

punnāmno narakād yasmāt pitaraṃ trāyate sutaḥ।
tasmāt putra iti proktaḥ pitṝn yaḥ pāti sarvataḥ।।

“Since a son delivers his father from the hell named ‘Put’, a son is called putra; he who protects his ancestors in every way.” (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 107.12)

Friend2: Putra attains the status through deeds. They deliver the ancestors through specific offerings, in the ritual known as shraddha. A good son satisfies the debt incurred to the forefathers.

Friend1: How does one assume that debt?

Friend2: From the time of birth. A good son can also rescue past generations through pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as yajna because religious sacrifice is ultimately for His pleasure.

Friend1: Listen, I am not arguing the merits of having children. I am trying to say that there is nothing wasted in showing affection for a cat or a dog kept in the home. Would you rather they be ignored? Would you rather someone not care for any other living being, acting completely selfishly their entire life?

Friend2: Of course it is good to be compassionate. Shri Krishna has a favorite animal, as well. If you are kind to a cow, that accumulate spiritual merits, sukriti. We should generally be nonviolent, as necessary per the situation.

Friend1: Okay, then you agree that it is not a waste.

Friend2: There is a danger. That is one of the reasons the acharya will give warnings.

Friend1: What kind of danger?

Friend2: Of developing too strong an attachment. If you forget religious principles and focus entirely on serving the cat or dog, that will affect the consciousness moving forward. You will achieve a state of being identical to what was on the consciousness at the time of death.

Friend1: Oh, so if I am too much infatuated with my dog, I will become a dog in the future?

Friend2: For sure, and keep in mind that the principle applies to all kinds of attachment. The human birth is meant for tapasya, which has the incorporated feature of vairagya. This Sanskrit word means “lack of attachment.” You can be close with others in any kind of birth, but as a human being you have the chance to break the cycle of dependency. You can focus on the permanent instead, and be forever benefitted.

In Closing:

If pet in the home to keep,
And at night in same bed to sleep.

Then from affection to sway,
Consciousness in material way.

Where opportunity for liberation lost,
For short-term interest a mighty cost.

Putra with higher value so,
This life for towards Supreme to go.

Is There Anything Wrong With Keeping Pets

“Since a son delivers his father from the hell named ‘Put’, a son is called putra; he who protects his ancestors in every way.” (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 107.12)

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पुन्नाम्नो नरकाद् यस्मात् पितरं त्रायते सुतः।
तस्मात् पुत्र इति प्रोक्तः पितॄन् यः पाति सर्वतः।।

punnāmno narakād yasmāt pitaraṃ trāyate sutaḥ।
tasmāt putra iti proktaḥ pitṝn yaḥ pāti sarvataḥ।।

 

“I know that one of the favorite lines of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was a play on words, and more specifically spelling. He would lament how man in the present age of darkness, symbolized by increased quarrel and hypocrisy, is more interested in dog than God. They would rather submit to their beloved pet, doing everything for them, than give thought to the Almighty, the afterlife, or the nature of the individual, who is actually spirit soul, eternally existing.

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)

“I will use that to pivot to the growing trend amongst married adults. They seem to be foregoing having children. Family to them is the two spouses. Even the definition for that is getting stretched beyond the boundaries of sanity and propriety, wherein any sort of amorous relationship qualifies for the standard, lest any objectors be accused of bigotry or hatred.

“You will notice, however, that the childless couples tend to have pets. Usually more than one; a cat or a dog or some combination of the two. They do everything for the pet, as Prabhupada described. If you didn’t know any better, you would think the pet was their child. You could even say it is their ishta-deva, or worshipable deity of choice.

“I was wondering, is there anything inherently wrong in this path? If someone doesn’t want to have children, should they be blamed or castigated? You have to remember that raising a family in the modern day is extremely difficult. You likely don’t have helpers around. It is not like people can afford to hire servants to do the cooking and cleaning. Both parents have to work just to pay the bills, so the idea of increased family responsibility is dreadful.”

When accepting the concept of karma, there is a distinct advantage to having children. It is said that man inherits three debts at the time of birth. One is to the demigods, who are like administrators in the Divine government, responsible for different departments of affairs. The demigods give rain, sunlight, snow, clouds, and so forth.

The second debt is to the rishis. These are the elevated souls who have passed down timeless wisdom. The lead newspaper story published yesterday immediately starts to lose significance. In the future, if a person is researching a specific time period they may go back and read the newspapers, but there is generally no lasting value to the information.

The wisdom passed down by the rishis is evergreen. For instance, Vyasadeva dictated the Mahabharata to Ganesha to write down in the Sanskrit language. Within that lengthy work is Bhagavad-gita, which is a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna. Bhagavad-gita is as relevant today as it was five thousand years ago, spoken on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Within that work is a brief history, wherein we learn that the same wisdom was spoken to the sun-god at the beginning of the creation.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
इमं विवस्वते योगं
प्रोक्तवान् अहम् अव्ययम्
विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह
मनुर् इक्ष्वाकवे ’ब्रवीत्

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave ’bravīt

“The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikshvaku.” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.1)

The third debt is to the forefathers. We did not intentionally choose the family in which we took birth, but there was work that took place prior to our arrival. Whether we prefer the conditions or not, at least we grew up alive and vibrant. The forefathers deserve credit in that regard, for laying the groundwork.

With each debt there is a corresponding method of payment. We resolve the debt to the demigods by conducting yajna, which is religious sacrifice. We honor the rishis by reading their works, by consulting their voluminous knowledgebase and implementing the principles contained therein.

The debt to the forefathers is paid through begetting a son. In fact, the Sanskrit word for a male child has added significance; the sounds are not accidentally placed together. Putra is the word for “son”, and the root meaning is a person who rescues their ancestors from hell. Put is a certain kind of hellish region, and one who delivers their ancestors from that condition in the afterlife is known as putra. Shri Rama explains this to Bharata in a discussion found in the Ramayana.

The dog or cat cannot provide the same protection. They are not able to assimilate higher teachings, and neither can they conduct a specific ritual for the purpose of rescuing forefathers. The putra can conduct a shraddha ceremony to directly feed any ancestors who may have fallen into the hellish regions due to sinful life.

When taking the discussion outside of the realm of karma, no single situation or circumstance automatically disqualifies a person from the highest achievement. Whether they are married, unmarried, with children, childless, or with pets, they can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly and achieve liberation.

As confirmed by Narasimhadeva, direct devotion is so powerful that it will automatically liberate many generations prior within the same family. This is what occurred with Prahlada Maharaja, who as a five-year old child of an antagonistic and atheistic father had little resources available to conduct formal worship. Even the meditation he tried was thwarted with physical attacks, but he persevered nonetheless.

In Closing:

If in future hell to see,
Putra can rescue me.

By shraddha observing,
Fed even if not deserving.

Not capable for dog to do,
At death ending relationship too.

But if in worship pleased is He,
Then automatically debts to free.

Is It Necessary To Decode God's Creation

“But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.42)

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अथ वा बहुनैतेन
किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन
विष्टभ्याहम् इदं कृत्स्नम्
एकांशेन स्थितो जगत्

atha vā bahunaitena
kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam
ekāṁśena sthito jagat

 

“I came across something recently that I found interesting. It was in an online discussion forum. I am well aware of how out of control those can get, but this was in the context of the medical community reversing course on the use of face coverings to prevent the spread of contagious illness.

“What happened is that one of the top scientists got exposed. Through internal communications leaked to the public, it was learned that the scientist himself did not think that the coverings were effective. This is newsworthy considering that he has been one of the more vocal proponents for their use. In effect, there is a difference between what he says to the public and what he actually thinks from the scientific perspective.

“In this online discussion, someone commented that science is nothing more than man’s attempt to decode God’s creation. I found that so interesting because it really is true. I had never heard someone phrase it that way before, but it pays such a high compliment to the Almighty.

“Everything is already there. I know that the Sanskrit equivalent is pradhana. This is the unmanifest material substance. Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is past, present and future, glances over the pradhana. This instigates a chain reaction which ultimately leads to the many universes and their component populations of living beings, large and small, moving and nonmoving.

“A person may argue that while God is certainly the origin, there is no harm in trying to study His creation. Even if scientists are merely trying to decode what is already there, just see the benefit extracted. Mankind has come a long way since the primitive stages, when it wasn’t even aware of so many aspects that science brings to us today.

“Is it really necessary, though? Has anything really changed? What has man gained from discovering many puzzle pieces? Everyone still dies. People are still suffering. Is there a balance that is necessary in a conversation like this?”

Shri Krishna explains that the detailed knowledge of the creation and the universes, both at the collective and individual levels, is not really necessary. This is in terms of understanding in a separate way, such as appreciating the beautiful flowers of spring, the bright full moon of autumn, and the naturally occurring waterfalls.

It is not that we should be ignorant of the world around us. There is no need to close our eyes and hide in a closet. Rather, knowing that the Supreme Lord is everywhere is enough. Shri Krishna, the all-attractive one, is responsible for everything. I can search out who, what, where, when and why about various aspects of the creation, but this information will not make a lasting positive impact.

The connection to Krishna will. Hearing about Him on a daily basis is like drinking refreshing nectar from a pot that is self-serving. It refills on its own; no outside intervention required. This puts a new perspective on the repeating days. Rather than dreading the upcoming future of hard work, fatigue, and never-ending responsibilities, I welcome the opportunity to again savor the transcendental taste made possible through the connection to the origin of everything.

There is no harm in being curious about the world in which we live. It is not a strike against us to be inquisitive about how things work, where they came from, and what will occur in the future. The key is to remember the center of everything. The Supreme Lord is the source, and the more we discover about His amazing creation, the more conduits we have to appreciation, which can expand to an infinite degree.

In Closing:

Objects of nature not alone,
That magically as brilliant known.

From a creator first coming,
From seed to maturity becoming.

Better to understand Him complete,
Otherwise time our discovery to defeat.

When knowing Shri Krishna so,
Endless appreciation to flow.

Enjoying With Many

“There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in the fruitive reactions of work.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.14)

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न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति
न मे कर्म-फले स्पृहा
इति मां यो ऽभिजानाति
कर्मभिर् न स बध्यते

na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti
na me karma-phale spṛhā
iti māṁ yo 'bhijānāti
karmabhir na sa badhyate

 

As the acharyas explain, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never alone. Although He is atmarama and satisfied in Himself, there are associates close by. This is true both in the spiritual realm of Vaikuntha and also in the analogous dealings in the material world, during the period for Divine descents known as avataras.

As Krishna explains in Bhagavad-gita, there is no work that binds Him. Though He may be married in an official ceremony to Rukmini Devi, He is not bound by duty. It is not imperative on Him to lift the heavy Govardhana Hill for the rescue of the people of Vrindavana.

He is not forced into the rasa-lila, the dance with the gopis under the bright moon of autumn. He takes pleasure in this enjoyment because it is in the nature of pleasure to have associates. This is one of the reasons given for the expansions of the Almighty, known as amshas.

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति।।

mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ।
manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati।।

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.7)

As a living entity I am part and parcel of the Supreme. I am like a sample of God; equal in quality but vastly inferior in the complete comparison. I live through the various changes to the body. From boyhood to youth to old age, I am the same person inside.

देहिनो ऽस्मिन् यथा देहे
कौमारं यौवनं जरा
तथा देहान्तर-प्राप्तिर्
धीरस् तत्र न मुह्यति

dehino ‘smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

The Supreme Lord is similarly unchanged despite the shifting visuals in the manifest form. The difference is that He is never subject to the rules of karma, whereas I am forced to enjoy or suffer based on my actions. I have to intentionally choose a path that will bring liberation. Dharma is an option for me, whereas Krishna is the embodiment of dharma.

I am vulnerable to the illusory energy known as maya. I mistake a snake for a rope and vice versa. I fall prey to sadness and despondency based on how others treat me, even though I will not maintain their association for long. I hope and pray for a better birth in the future, but for God there is never such concern. He is always in the superior position.

Bhagavan has associates and enjoys with them for His benefit and theirs. He is never affected by the work, since He is originally responsible for the creation of the universes. If I engage in strenuous activity to set up an establishment, I likely will suffer or enjoy as a result. Even if I wash my hands completely of the affair, there is still the impact to my psyche based on the period of engagement.

Vishnu creates, maintains and annihilates the universes so effortlessly that it is almost like He doesn’t notice. He is lying down in rest, and with every cycle of exhaling and inhaling, everything happens that we consider amazing. A brief moment for Him is billions of years in our human estimation.

I am thankful that He prefers to enjoy with others, for since He is unlimited there is never a quota in terms of associates. Though He already has the best eternal consort in the goddess of fortune, He is open to accepting my service. Though He has the best brothers and therefore never is in need of companionship, He will always remain my well-wishing friend.

He is the best companion in that regard, and I can spend the rest of my time thanking Him for the attention. I appreciate His causeless mercy through activities that keep me connected to Him in consciousness, such as with the chanting of the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Never with quota to fill,
Room for more associates still.

So that eligible am I,
If fervently to try.

The devotional way,
Where faithfully to pray.

Then companion of mine,
Inside and outside to find.

Man's Attempt To Decode God's Creation

“Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.3)

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मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु
कश्चिद् यतति सिद्धये
यतताम् अपि सिद्धानां
कश्चिन् मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

 

“Is anyone else getting sick and tired of being reprimanded for their skepticism of the experts? I keep hearing them tell me to ‘trust the science,’ but when a new study comes out that debunks their previously, strongly held belief, they ignore it.

“These same people love to denigrate religion, to label people as belonging to the stone ages, for relying on faith alone. But the way I see it, these leaders are the ones imposing faith and allegiance. The deities in this religion of science, as I call it, are tremendously flawed. They lie. They cheat. They are duplicitous.

“For many months one leading scientist kept telling us that a certain public health issue afflicting the planet at the moment has unknown origins. Then later on someone unearths emails from this official wherein he openly admits to knowing the origins.

“Why was he lying this entire time? Why are people ignoring the science? Why this need to deify something that is observation and experiment? Why is there a struggle to simply search out the truth? Where does religion really fit into all of this?”

A person might say that science, as it is understood today, is nothing more than an attempt to decode God’s creation. For instance, we say that such and such person discovered gravity. They were resting comfortably underneath a tree one day when an apple fell and hit them on the head.

This sparked the interest to uncover the cause. Why did the apple fall? At what rate was the descent? Will every object fall in a similar way? Is there a singular force that holds everything together, which keeps us from floating in outer space?

Hence a wise scientist, blessed with tremendous intelligence, discovers gravity. He publishes his findings and the world is better off for it. The scientist is a hero in many circles, but something is amiss. What about credit to the person who created gravity? Should not they be considered more intelligent?

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada often describes sanatana-dharma as the science of self-realization. The specific use of the word is intentional, to appeal to basic scientific principles as we know them, such as the properties of fire, water, earth, sky and so forth. Two plus two is always four; this is a law of science, though perhaps a basic one.

In the same way, spiritual life incorporates many scientific principles. Fortunately, they do not have to be discovered. They are passed down from the original person, who happens to be the creator of the natural world. This means that He is the basis for modern science, although someone may not come upon that discovery for a long time, if ever.

To understand the science of self-realization is not easy. After accepting the principles passed down through the generations, the student can make a test. For instance, they can witness for themselves if an individual remains unchanged through the transmigration of the soul, with the changing bodies.

देहिनो ऽस्मिन् यथा देहे
कौमारं यौवनं जरा
तथा देहान्तर-प्राप्तिर्
धीरस् तत्र न मुह्यति

dehino ‘smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

They can test the hypothesis that uncontrolled desire, turning into wrath, is the all-devouring enemy of this world. They can study whether certain actions are actually not actions at all, akarma, and vice versa. They can see if attempting to connect with the source of the material and spiritual worlds has a positive influence on the manner of living moving forward.

Out of many thousands of men, barely anyone will try to achieve perfection in the science. Out of those who succeed, hardly anyone will know the Almighty in truth. This is another way of saying that decoding the entire creation of God is next to impossible. He cannot be known with full precision because He is everything and more. Even if we were to survey the landscape of the entire universe, that would not fully encompass the potency of the one who is everywhere but also aloof from His creation.

मया ततम् इदं सर्वं
जगद् अव्यक्त-मूर्तिना
मत्-स्थानि सर्व-भूतानि
न चाहं तेष्व् अवस्थितः

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ
jagad avyakta-mūrtinā
mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni
na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ

“By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.4)

The theological science is difficult to understand, and normally there are high requirements for even being admitted to the academic study, but thanks to the merciful Vyasadeva even the layperson has a chance at understanding God.

“Shrimad-Bhagavatam is the topmost theological science, and therefore it can react on the laymen as medicinal doses. Because it contains the transcendental activities of the Lord, there is no difference between the Lord and the literature. The literature is the factual literary incarnation of the Lord.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.5.16 Purport)

In Closing:

Pursuit of science unrelenting,
To decode God’s creation attempting.

But with dharma can make a test,
To see which system is best.

That body really changing so,
And the same identity to know.

That kama with krodha leading,
To anger and wrath proceeding.

Why Don't More People Research The Cause Of Suffering

“Suffering without knowledge, without remedy, is animal life. One who cannot understand that he is suffering and who thinks that he is very well off is in animal consciousness, not human consciousness. The human being should be cognizant of suffering the threefold miseries of this planet. One should know that he is suffering in birth, suffering in death, suffering in old age and suffering in disease, and one should be inquisitive as to how he may avoid the suffering. That is real research work.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Easy Journey To Other Planets, Ch 2)

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Friend1: Why don’t more people do research into the root cause of suffering?

Friend2: What do you mean? People try to alleviate suffering all the time. That is the entire basis of modern science and health.

Friend1: Well, I would take issue with that statement.

Friend2: Why?

Friend1: Science is not about avoiding suffering.

Friend2: It isn’t?

Friend1: Just see what the world has been put through the last year and change. The aim was to prevent people from catching disease, though that never has been an objective in the past.

Friend2: They have been giving those injections to children for decades.

Friend1: If they know that such treatment will prevent disease, fine, but even those don’t promise that anymore. They give you comparison pictures of the suffering of a person with the injection and those who don’t take it. The idea is that you won’t suffer as much if you get the shots.

Friend2: I see.

Friend1: This is for some of the diseases. Anyway, the remedies applied to society as a whole in recent times have been to stay locked in the home and obstruct your breathing while out in public.

Friend2: Yes, even though the same scientists previously stated that asymptomatic spread does not cause a pandemic and that the face coverings are practically useless in stopping the spread of contagious disease.

Friend1: We can cover the hypocrisy and dishonesty of the credentialed medical community on another day, but I am more focused on the suffering aspect. They are supposedly trying to stop disease, but the suffering is still there.

Friend2: How so?

Friend1: Being locked at home for a year. Not seeing your friends and relatives. Telling children that the world is too unsafe to go outside. Not even the worst dictators of the previous century thought of inflicting that kind of harm to their people. Ravana from the Ramayana was a man-eating ogre, but he never tortured his people in this way.

Friend2: It really is bad, if you think about it.

Friend1: Therefore, I conclude that science is not about avoiding suffering. Maybe trying to mitigate disease and the like, but they rarely consider quality of living or other unintended consequences to their recommendations.

Friend2: True.

Friend1: That is I why I am wondering why more people don’t research the cause of suffering itself.

Friend2: If you can’t get them to see the bigger picture when it comes to treatment of disease, you are sure out of luck with something they would consider metaphysical or religious in nature.

Friend1: Yes, they throw the word “religion” out there as a way to discredit.

“Why even bother going down that route? Just live your life. Be miserable like everyone else and await guaranteed death.”

Friend2: I will say that they are trying to stop that death. That seems to be the bond shared by the asuras of the different generations and ages. They think they can live forever. They want to rise to the stature of Almighty, though they never come close.

Friend1: What would research into the cause of suffering involve?

Friend2: It is the question posed by the wise human being. If you meet a genuine spiritual master, someone who has seen the truth [tattva-darshi], you can ask this question. You can inquire into why you are suffering, who you really are, and what the point to living is.

Friend1: What are the responses?

Friend2: To truly understand requires a lifetime of study and contemplation, beginning with implementing the principles of the science of self-realization. You have the opportunity to understand immediately, as no one is automatically disqualified from understanding the reality based on their qualities from this birth.

Friend1: Not only would I like to understand, but I would hope that others would be interested in hearing from me after I have learned.

Friend2: Good luck with that, but at least your heart is in the right place. Be thankful that you have the interest, which doesn’t occur even after many lifetimes. Simply endeavoring for perfection of living is noteworthy, and out of those who try hardly one will succeed.

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु
कश्चिद् यतति सिद्धये
यतताम् अपि सिद्धानां
कश्चिन् मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

“Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.3)

In Closing:

This amazing thing I’ve found,
Through connecting with sound.

That cause of suffering all,
From higher realm to fall.

But now easily to correct,
When consciousness to direct.

Towards the one Supreme go,
Further research not required so.

Four Ways To Avoid Suffering

“Suffering without knowledge, without remedy, is animal life. One who cannot understand that he is suffering and who thinks that he is very well off is in animal consciousness, not human consciousness. The human being should be cognizant of suffering the threefold miseries of this planet. One should know that he is suffering in birth, suffering in death, suffering in old age and suffering in disease, and one should be inquisitive as to how he may avoid the suffering. That is real research work.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Easy Journey To Other Planets, Ch 2)

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1. Observation

I do not have to be of advanced years to begin the journey as a scientist. Credentials from a highly respected institution are not necessary, either. For instance, the person who initially hypothesized a correlation between lightning and electricity was basically a tinkerer. A hobbyist who dabbled in various interests when finished from his day job as a printer, he contemplated aspects of nature and what they might actually be.

He therefore devised an experiment involving a kite and a key. The spirit of community so strong at the time, he wrote down the parameters of the experiment and first sent it to those interested from another continent. It is said that someone else actually proved the hypothesis prior to the originator of the idea doing the same with an experiment at home.

The suffering avoided in this case was lightning strikes to important buildings. If lightning were indeed just electricity, one way to mitigate damage to structures would be to put up something like a rod. It would hopefully be the first object to attract the electricity, and the captured charge could then safely be brought to ground using connected wires.

To avoid suffering a person does not have to be that mature. A small child might observe an adult running toward the home. It is raining outside and they do not want to continue to get wet. The excess water causes suffering in terms of soaked clothes and possible damage to any objects carried in the hands. The child follows the example of the adult.

2. Experiment

A person observes what they think to be suffering and then devises experiments to see if they can replicate the situation. They might try the same with mitigation attempts. For instance, placing the lightning rod on the roof of the home and connecting a grounding wire is a kind of experiment. The next time there is a lightning storm, the scientist, whether by profession or spirit, can observe the results to see how everything worked out.

The journey through life involves many such cases of observation and experiment. If I start to notice that after consuming bagels I feel increasingly lethargic, have itchy skin, and develop a bloated stomach, I might try avoiding the food in the future. If the negative symptoms correspondingly go away, I have an idea on how to avoid a specific type of suffering.

3. Memory

Not every observation will be written down. If the negative response to a certain stimuli took place many years ago, the entire episode might be forgotten. The next time the opportunity rolls around I have no reservations with following through. It is only until the repeat offense to the sensibilities takes place that I have an inkling of deja-vu, that maybe I went down this road before and did not like the destination.

4. Recall

In the future, I should have a better memory. To further increase the potential in avoiding suffering, I will write down every negative experience. The list grows exponentially, requiring many volumes of work, but at least the encounters will not be forgotten. If there is any question about a particular choice moving forward, I can apply recall from consulting the written word, with appropriate indexes to speed up the lookup process. 

…

A person can apply these same principles for realizing the pattern of birth and death. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that the animal society cannot do anything to mitigate their suffering. They are lucky to notice a few warning signs portending danger, but there is not much they can do in terms of the scientific method.

In the human birth we have the opportunity for both developing an elaborate system of security and also researching into the root cause of all suffering. That information fortunately descends from the highest authority figure.

We do not have to discover the truth, in this case. The root cause of suffering is birth itself, and connection to the Divine is the only way to stop birth from occurring in the future. We can try our best to avoid one negative situation and another, but eternal time continues to move forward, and it has slated death as our final destination.

आ-ब्रह्म-भुवनाल् लोकाः
पुनर् आवर्तिनो ऽर्जुन
माम् उपेत्य तु कौन्तेय
पुनर् जन्म न विद्यते

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ
punar āvartino ‘rjuna
mām upetya tu kaunteya
punar janma na vidyate

“From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kunti, never takes birth again.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.16)

One who contemplates the lotus feet of the personal God while quitting the body, at the time that kala delivers the final blow, will not have to return to the realm of birth and death, mrityu-loka. Their destination is the eternal realm of Bhagavan, and one who goes there never has to leave.

In Closing:

Why I am suffering now?
In future to avoid how?

Through observation gaining,
Experiment and results retaining.

But from shastra saving time,
That miseries from birth to find.

Better that destination home to call,
From where never again to fall.