The World As His Audience

“Bhagavad-gita is also part of the Mahabharata, and it is full of the Lord's instruction for the less intelligent class of men. Some less intelligent men say that Bhagavad-gita is not meant for householders, but such foolish men forget that Bhagavad-gita was explained to Arjuna, a grihastha (family man), and spoken by the Lord in His role as a grihastha.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.3.14 Purport)

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Question: “Shri Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to the people of the time. I’ll acknowledge that the audience wasn’t limited to just Arjuna, the famous bow-warrior and hero of the Bharata War. Still, the people who heard the Divine instruction were part of the Hindu culture. They lived a certain way. They were not barbarians. They didn’t kill animals and roast them just for the fun of it. They followed rituals and time-tested traditions. Keeping this in mind, shouldn’t the distribution of the Bhagavad-gita be limited today? Why should that sacred work be shared with people outside of that ancient culture?”

Do you know someone with an addiction problem? Not to something benign like video games or watching television. A person who cannot go a day without indulging in alcohol or taking illegal drugs - they have a hard time taking advice. No matter how serious we get when talking to them, they don’t listen at all. They know they are harming themselves; it’s not like they are totally ignorant. Still, they don’t listen to what we tell them.

Have you ever tried to explain something complex to a simple person? A good example is physics to a child in elementary school. What will your explanation do? You can give the best presentation, with slides and visual demonstrations, and you’re still wasting your time. The child doesn’t yet have the maturity to understand what you are saying. They need to go through the many years of schooling in order to reach your level. Then, if they are interested, they become a receptive audience.

These two examples are comparable with the issue of sharing Vedic teachings. The Bhagavad-gita is the most famous work of the Vedic tradition, which today is commonly known as Hinduism. The word “Hindu” is from the outsider’s perspective. The Vedas make no mention of this word. The truths presented have nothing to do with faith or religion. The entire system is known as dharma, which is the essential characteristic of something. You can never remove the dharma of the soul, which is the basic identifying force within all living things. Since you can’t remove dharma, the truths centered around dharma become part of a science. In this way we know that the Vedas are not a religion in the typical sense.

The Bhagavad-gita is short in comparison to the book inside which it is found. The sole focus is philosophy, like an afterschool classroom conducted by the brightest teacher. This classroom features only one student, who is most eligible to attend the special session. That eligibility comes from his lack of envy towards the teacher.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ

pravakṣyāmy anasūyave

jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ

yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt

“The Supreme Lord said: My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you this most secret wisdom, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence.” (Bhagavad-gita, 9.1)

In the present time period, adherence to dharma is low. Dharma translates to “religiosity” or “virtue” when looking at the principles and practices that help to maintain the essential characteristic of the individual. When viewed as a table, dharma today has only one leg remaining. Some symptoms of the collapse of this table are the widespread violence toward innocent animals, lack of regulation in sex life, overindulgence in intoxicants, and the denial of the existence of a Supreme Controller.

For these reasons a person may think it unwise to share the spotless wisdom of the Bhagavad-gita. Why waste your time speaking to someone who is drunk? Why teach renunciation to someone who only thinks about where and how much to eat at their next meal? Why teach about the soul and karma when everyone is only concerned about satisfying their senses, content to live like animals?

We need only look to the words of the Gita itself. The wisdom was not specifically targeted to renounced ascetics, yogis and religious men. Indeed, Arjuna himself was of the warrior class, which is the second highest in the four divisions. Both Krishna and Arjuna were married men, leaving them open targets for the ad hominem attack. “Why should I listen to someone preaching renunciation when they were themselves attached to women?”

The Gita is delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who confidentially identifies Himself as such to Arjuna. As the conversation is included in the famous Mahabharata composed by Vyasadeva, the divine nature of Krishna is for everyone to know. The speaker of the Gita is not bound by the laws of material nature. He does not need to explicitly practice renunciation. His marriage to a special queen is a sign of His endless mercy. He will do anything for His devotees, the people who love Him.

The devotees can be found in any type of body. Even if they are so low that they eat dogs, they are still eligible for salvation. They are candidates for practicing the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga, which start with giving up meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex. They may not be able to understand the difference between matter and spirit, but they can at least associate with the Divine through sound. This is easily done through chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The Mahabharata was heard by all classes of men. It was composed specifically for the less intelligent, who are not so keen on hearing philosophical discourses. Undoubtedly in the present time period the general population is not as pure as they were five thousand years ago, but the truths of sanatana-dharma, the Vedic science, are evergreen. Anyone who is willing to listen with an open mind has the chance for rescue. Even if they are bewildered, it is not a disqualification. Arjuna too was in doubt, but due to his lack of envy he received special mercy. Non-envious souls can similarly be found today, anywhere in the world.

In Closing:

Since without enviousness to believe,

Gita’s words Arjuna to receive.

 

Not that renounced yogi a must,

Or that married man not to trust.

 

Similar souls anywhere to be found,

Even if currently in sins abound.

 

Krishna’s divine nature for all to hear,

From Gita clouded consciousness cleared.

Seeing In Goodness

“Since the individual soul is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, in that sense the Lord is living in every body, and, as Supersoul, the Lord is also present as a witness. In both cases the presence of God in every living entity is essential. Therefore persons who profess to belong to some religious sect but who do not feel the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every living entity, and everywhere else, are in the mode of ignorance.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 3.29.22 Purport)

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The Sanskrit word “brahmana” has a specific meaning. There is no reference to birth within that meaning. Nothing is said about honor automatically descending. That meaning does not mention a position within a system of castes, which is a sort of pecking order. The word references Brahman, which is the universal spiritual energy. Brahman is what animates every living being. Covering the vision of Brahman is maya, which is the illusory material nature. The brahmana is a person who understands Brahman; they see spirit within everything. This immediately makes them truly religious and in the mode of goodness.

“If the real brahmana, one not determined solely by birth, is religious in the true sense of the word, what is someone who is only halfway religious? If the brahmana sees in the mode of goodness, which mode are the less advanced in? In what way do they view the world?”

The brahmana is also a pandita, which is a learned person. In today’s vernacular a pandit can also be an occupation, like a priest who is called upon to perform rituals. But once again the original Sanskrit word gives us the real meaning. In the Bhagavad-gita, the vision of the pandita is described.

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste] .” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.18)

The pandita views with equal vision so many different species. He equates the wise brahmana with the dog. He sees the cow and the elephant as being the same. There are obvious differences between these species. You can’t expect an elephant to behave in the same way as a cow. You can’t talk to the dog in the way that you talk to a human being.

In the same verse, the explanation for the vision is given. The pandita, the humble sage, sees this way because of true knowledge, vidya. This knowledge is what puts them in the mode of goodness, which is higher than passion and ignorance. Passion is pretty easy to understand. Think of the distinctions drawn when taking part in a competition. The competitors try their best to beat each other, going to the point of cheating even. They view everyone else as competition, not understanding that the rest of the field is no different than they are. Each person is the same; it’s just that the nature of competition has made it so that viewing with differences is beneficial in the short term.

The term “religion” connotes intelligence with relation to the spiritual. The religious person is synonymous with the pandita. Therefore to limit the presence of spirit to only a few species is religiousness in the mode of ignorance. Spirit comes from God, and to say that spirit is only in a few types of animate bodies is to say that the potency of God is limited and absent in certain living things.

For instance, it is quite common to see the presence of God in the child. The process of a new life coming into this world seems like a miracle. Their departure is similarly amazing, as within a second a person can go from being alive to being dead. To see God in the newborn is to see with an advanced vision.

To see God in the dog and in the cat is also wise. The dog eats, sleeps, mates and defends just like the human being. There is something animating it. Brahman is there, and Brahman comes from God, who is Parabrahman. If the vision stops there, however, then it is a sign of ignorance. Why should God only be in the newborn, the cat and the dog? Why not the cow? Why not the ant? The types of bodies are surely different, but the animating force is not. We know this based on the life cycle of the human being. In infancy, the human being is less evolved than many animals. Yet the same individual matures to become wise. The bodies change, but the individual does not. The development of the body, therefore, cannot determine whether spirit is present or not.

The human being is meant to rise to the mode of goodness and beyond. That is in the nature of the type of body given. The other species do not have this advantage. They are limited in what they can understand. Religion is meant for elevation in consciousness. One who is religious and still sees with duality has not matured fully. Their behavior can often descend to levels lower than what is seen in the nonreligious. Killing innocent women, children and animals in the name of religion is the very definition of activities in the mode of ignorance.

In the mode of goodness one sees the presence of spirit everywhere. That spirit comes from the Supreme Spirit. In fact, the Supreme Spirit is also within every creature through His expansion of the Supersoul. Therefore both the expansions of God and God Himself are everywhere. There is a benefit to seeing this way. The maturity in consciousness brings one closer to the eternal engagement known as sanatana-dharma. This dharma is the essential characteristic of the living spirit and sanatana means that it should be carried out eternally. Sanatana-dharma is service to the Divine, and it can only take place unconditionally and without stop when there is pure love and devotion. The mode of goodness is the platform from which one can again reach in full sanatana-dharma, which is joyfully performed.

In Closing:

Pandita with equal vision to see,

Spirit found in everything that be.

 

Cow, dog and elephant too,

Spiritually equal are me and you.

 

When the vision narrowly applied,

Then sadly mode of ignorance the guide.

 

Human life for goodness and beyond meant,

In bliss of eternal engagement to be spent.

Taking Everyone As Their Dear Friend

“He [the transcendentally situated person] accepts things that are favorable for his duty in Krishna consciousness, otherwise he has no necessity of anything material, either a stone or gold. He takes everyone as his dear friend who helps him in his execution of Krishna consciousness, and he does not hate his so-called enemy.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 14.22-25 Purport)

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Question: How do I avoid envy? I know I shouldn’t be jealous, but sometimes I can’t help it. If I hear that my friend just got married, I immediately think of how they have beaten me to the punch, how they have succeeded in life while I have failed. The same goes for someone landing a good job or doing well in school. I know I shouldn’t think this way, but how can I avoid it?

Envy comes from lust. To lust after something means to want desperately to exploit it for personal enjoyment. If anyone or anything gets in the way, it becomes an enemy. If someone is enjoying the cherished object before me, it means that I am not happy. I don’t like that they have gotten something that I wanted so bad. If someone has a larger quantity of the same desired object, then I also feel envious. Only the transcendentally situated person can truly get passed envy, and along the way they turn the situation completely around: they view everyone as a friend.

Lust is due to ignorance. When I think that my body identifies me fully, I consider specific enjoyments to be worth pursuing. There is the obvious ignorance here in terms of identity, but there is also forgetfulness to consider. The alcoholic is the classic example in this case. They previously lusted after their beverage of choice. They know what the results to that lust were. They have empirical evidence to analyze. And despite knowing and experiencing the negative consequences that came previously, they once again lust after the same thing.

If I am not my body, then who am I? The ego, one of the three subtle elements of the body, can mean “I am.” In the false ego, the “I am” refers to the body. This temporary covering that came to us at the time of birth and has since constantly changed gets mistaken for the sole basis for identity. In the real ego the “I am” shifts towards Brahman, or spirit. The Vedic aphorism aham brahmasmi reveals the real identity of the individual. “I am a spirit soul, part and parcel of the non-differentiated spiritual energy known as Brahman.”

The transcendentally situated person understands this theoretically and they also have practical knowledge of it. They can answer the question of “who am I” on a quiz, and they also act with knowledge throughout their daily affairs. One of the symptoms of that realization is the lack of envy. And why does envy go away? Does the transcendentally situated person just give up? Are they like the quarterback scrambling away from defenders in the pocket who simply decides to lay down and take the sack? Do they throw their hands up and decide that no enjoyment is necessary in this world since it brings the green-eyed monster known as envy?

In fact, the transcendentally situated person views everyone as a friend. How does this work exactly? To know Brahman is one thing, but to know how Brahman should act is another. The living entity is a spirit soul, and spirit is meant to serve the supreme soul. This solves all problems. Even if somehow you’ve avoided envy all your life and managed to prosper materially, you still need something to do in the end. Once everything is settled, you’re left with sitting in a room and having nothing to do, wondering if there is anything more to life.

Service to the Supreme Brahman is that “more.” In the constitutional state, that service takes place in a mood of love. So the transcendentally situated person finds ways to increase their service no matter with whom they interact. If they encounter an enemy, who is against the devotional path, they consider that to be a great blessing. “Ah, see how this person has chastised me. It means that my ego was getting too inflated. It means that the Lord is testing my tolerance, wanting to see how sincere I am on this path.”

Another basis for viewing the antagonist person as a friend is instruction.

“Just see how much they are teaching me. They are reminding me that the life devoid of devotional service is not worth living, that it doesn’t bring any happiness. If they were truly at peace, they wouldn’t have a problem with me chanting the holy names of the Lord: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. I wasn’t bothering them. I know that the majority of the population is averse to devotional service, as they are stuck in the well of envy borne of ignorance. I have no hatred for them, and yet so many of them try to stop me. This is a great reminder that the path I am on is the right one. This person is thus a dear friend of mine.”

The ideal example in this regard is Nityananda Prabhu. One time two drunkards attacked him for no reason. He could have retaliated, but instead Nityananda showed supreme compassion on them. And actually the thugs ended up reforming and becoming great friends to so many future generations of man. Their example showed that the mercy of the all-merciful Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is meant for all living entities, that the path of bhakti-yoga is not restricted to anyone.

In Closing:

When in transcendentally situated state,

All viewed as friends, no one to hate.

 

No more by hatred to be attacked,

Since of envy there is a lack.

 

Even antagonist shining the light,

Revealing that bhakti the path right.

 

Like Nityananda Prabhu by Chaitanya sent,

Showing that bhakti life for all is meant.

The Foreign National Pigeon

“The brahmana and the outcaste may be different from the social point of view, or a dog, a cow, or an elephant may be different from the point of view of species, but these differences of body are meaningless from the viewpoint of a learned transcendentalist. This is due to their relationship to the Supreme, for the Supreme Lord, by His plenary portion as Paramatma, is present in everyone's heart. Such an understanding of the Supreme is real knowledge.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 5.18 Purport)

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The human being has free will. They have some independence in the form of how they choose to act, while being otherwise mostly dependent. They are dependent on the external nature for their sustenance. They have the intelligence to cultivate the field to survive off of its yield. They have the intelligence to work to earn a living so that they can pay for the same necessities. They are dependent on the heat and light of the sun, the rain from the clouds, and the cooperation of other living entities. Despite their dependence in so many areas, there is still some independence, and so not surprisingly there is variety in the activities of man.

One of those activities is observing the animal species. Imagine this scene. A college student of ornithology decides to take a field trip. They plan on walking into a nature preserve and observing the habits of the birds of the area. They will make a day of it. During the trip, with binoculars in hand, and carrying a backpack holding their pen and pencil, they decide to study a particular nest on this one tree. The nest is high above.

They notice that the birds live there with their family. When an egg hatches and a new bird emerges, the miracle of life appears right in front of the eyes. Noticeably absent is a person on hand to record the date and time of the birth. There is no birth certificate for the bird. There is no passport issued declaring the bird to be of a particular nationality. If the bird happens to migrate to another area later on due to a change in weather, they are not issued an immigration card. If they choose to remain in that other area, they are not asked to swear an oath of allegiance to the new forest. They are not issued a certificate of naturalization that documents the time of their migration.

Yet these things are very common in the human species. Despite the advanced intelligence of the human being, at the time of birth the intelligence in the most important subject matter is no greater than the bird’s. Identification with the body is the first sign of ignorance, and this continues until there is proper education. The human being identifies one person as worthy of their affection and another as not. We love our mom and dad, but someone else’s mom and dad aren’t automatically as important to us. We love those who do good for our body and dislike those who cause us discomfort.

But in fact, we are all spirit souls. The birds are free to roam about, as they could never understand immigration laws. There is no karma for the birds. They do not have a heavenly destination in the afterlife as a reward for good behavior. They do not have punishment slated in hell in case they are bad. These things are found in the human species only, which means there is the opportunity for discrimination.

That discrimination is utilized properly only when determining what is good for the soul and what is not. The bodily identifications do nothing in this regard. Whether someone is born into poverty or into wealth makes no difference as to their true identity. That identity is as spirit soul. Spirit is above matter. While matter is dull, lifeless and always changing, spirit is eternal, full of knowledge, and always blissful. This does not mean that spirit lacks form. Every individual spirit soul has an original form, which is eternally what they are meant to be.

“As explained by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, jivera 'svarupa' haya-krishnera 'nitya-dasa': the real identity of the living entity is that he is an eternal servant of the Supreme (Cc. Madhya 20.108). As long as one does not come to this conclusion, he must be in ignorance.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 7.118 Purport)

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says that the spirit soul is eternally a servant of Krishna, who is God. Just as the same quality of spirit is found within every creature, regardless of their bodily stature, the Supreme Lord is the same for everyone. He is described as Krishna in Sanskrit texts because He is all-attractive. Everyone is a servant of His, even the less intelligent. When identifying with the body, the servant accepts the illusory energy coming from Krishna as their master. The result of this service is repeated birth and death, acceptance and rejection of temporary things.

When identifying as spirit, the individual has a chance to associate with the internal, superior energy of the Lord. The result is then bliss in service that is everlasting. As an added bonus, the servant gains the proper vision. They see that there is no fundamental difference between the man and the woman. They see that where someone is born does not determine their character. They especially have compassion upon everyone, whom they view as their extended family. They extend this compassion through giving the gift of the transcendental sound vibration representation of Krishna: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

“The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.29)

Surely immigration laws and the like serve legitimate purposes, such as protecting the citizens from foreign attack, but in truth there is no difference between one person and another based solely on their country of origin. The quality of the bird is not determined by where they make their nest, and so where someone chooses to call home does not automatically make them an enemy or a friend. The Supreme Lord is the master of all the planets as well as all the divine figures. He is the supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities. And most importantly, He is the well-wishing friend of every living entity. In devotional service to Him one realizes this very quickly, and they attain the equal vision of the humble sage as a result.

In Closing:

When new bird in nest to stay,

Laws of immigration not to obey.

 

Not needed is certificate of birth,

Land of home not to determine its worth.

 

With intelligence human being to see,

That spiritually equal all living things that be.

 

To Supreme Lord Krishna all connected,

For bhakta equality in spirit easily detected.

Standing Before Kings

“In the Shrimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that even the lowest, who are called chandalas (dog-eaters), can be elevated by association with a pure devotee. Therefore devotional service and guidance of a pure devotee are so strong that there is no discrimination between the lower and higher classes of men; anyone can take to it.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 9.32 Purport)

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Social status has been of issue since time immemorial. The typical situation is that one side considers it to be of great importance and the other derides its inherent discriminatory nature. Indeed, many of the great conflicts of the past few centuries have been over the issue of inheritance versus merit when determining who should have access to the different enjoyments in life. With the Supreme Personality of Godhead the issue has long since been settled. Whether you are a pauper, a prince, a street sweeper or the greatest orator known to the land, you always have the opportunity to meet with the king of kings. The lone eligibility requirement is the right consciousness.

“O son of Pritha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth - women, vaishyas [merchants], as well as shudras [workers] - can approach the supreme destination.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.32)

Consider the following scenarios:

1. A woman takes her seat on a bus. Ready to be driven to her next destination, she gets startled when someone objects to her action. “Ma’am, could you please move to the back of the bus? This section is for people of a certain race. Your skin color, being darker, requires that you sit towards the rear. Thank you for your compliance.”

2. A famed foreign diplomat meets with the king in his palace to negotiate a treaty of alliance and friendship between the two nations. In the after-dinner entertainment, the queen retires to a side room to play various games. She is joined for a brief moment by this diplomat. She thinks to herself, “I’ve heard that this man was a printer in his nation. That is a very lowly profession indeed. Certainly he could have only risen the ranks in his nation. In our great country, the person the likes of him would have stayed at the bottom of the social strata. He certainly wouldn’t have been allowed to meet my husband.”

3. A sincere spiritual seeker visits a place of pilgrimage in a famed part of the world. In that area is a shrine established to worship the Almighty in one of His many forms. The pilgrim waits on line with the others to enter and pay his respects. When it comes time to walk in, the guard stops him. “I’m sorry sir, but you are not allowed in. Only members of a certain caste can enter the temple and worship the deity. You will have to wait outside.”

In these instances there is discrimination based on factors that hardly anyone can control. We inherit our skin color from our parents. The only difference it makes to us is in how quickly the rays of the sun will burn us if we are exposed to the sunlight for too long. Other than that, we are the same as everyone else. We feel, will, and do. We think, we eat, and we feel happiness and sadness. Why should our skin color matter? The same goes for our caste, which is nothing more than a hierarchy established by birthright. Our occupation, too, doesn’t necessarily determine our character. One person answers the phones in a company and another negotiates multi-million dollar deals, but then who cares? How are they any different as people? Why should one be allowed to meet an exalted ruler and another not? Are not both persons offered protection by that ruler?

Of the above mentioned scenarios, the denied entry into the temple is likely the most egregious offense. Surely the author of everything in this world would not make distinctions between His many children? The proprietor of the temple may argue that distinctions are needed so that those envious of God will not take the wrong impression from the deity.

“If you don’t know who God is, you will think that the worshiped figure is a plain statue. You will consider the practice to be idol worship and then give a bad name to something so fundamental to the changing of consciousness for the better.”

These may be valid concerns, but how does one determine worthiness simply off appearance? Just by skin color alone can one decipher the level of culture in a person?

In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna says that with respect to achieving success in devotion to Him it does not matter what one’s gender or occupation is. The four basic occupations integral to a well-functioning society are priest, administrator, businessman and laborer. The level of difficulty decreases with each; hence there are many more laborers than there are priests, sort of like how there are many more students studying biology than there are biologists. Because of the level of difficulty attached to the occupation of priest, those in that occupation are generally afforded a higher status in society. People go up to them and seek their blessings. In certain portions of the world, the honor is passed on to future generations, though in fact honor actually ascends instead of descends. If it were to descend, then it would have to divide as well, which means that the honor originally passed on would eventually dwindle to the point of being barely discernible.

For the truth of equal eligibility, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, provides the philosophical basis in the Bhagavad-gita. He also gives practical evidence with His personal pastimes. During His advent on this earth, some five thousand years ago, many people stood before Him. A poor and lowly brahmana named Sudama once visited Him while He was ruling over the kingdom of Dvaraka. Warriors, businessmen, and even ordinary laborers had the honor of seeing Him and getting His favor.

In Krishna’s previous appearance on earth, as Lord Ramachandra, even monkeys were able to approach the Lord. The most famous devotee of Lord Rama is Shri Hanuman, who visibly manifests in the body of a monkey. Hanuman’s bodily constitution does not matter. That he lives in the forest with his fellow monkey friends also isn’t important to Rama. The Lord looks for the love in the heart; nothing matters beyond that.

In this sense we can safely say that no one is more liberal than God. He gives the original definition of “liberalism” and also “upward mobility.” Whether one comes from a lot or very little, whether they are a man or a woman, a Rhodes Scholar or a high school dropout, if they have love for God, as it is reawakened through bhakti-yoga, they are eligible for elevation to the topmost planet, where Krishna consciousness is the only consciousness.

In Closing:

Whether you have got a lot,

Or very intelligent you’re not.

 

Whether having a high birth,

Or living in poverty of dirt.

 

Supreme destination you can reach,

For eligible is living entity each.

 

Devotional consciousness all that is needed,

Like in Hanuman, who in pleasing Rama succeeded.

Thinking Big

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste] .” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.18)

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“Oh, don’t mind him, he’s only an engineer. He has just a masters degree. He’s not like the rest of us. We have our doctorates. That is why people refer to us as “doctor.” Why would we want to listen to anything he has to tell us? He’s not even smart enough to come up with a doctoral thesis. He’s content just playing with his toys used in his field of engineering. We do the hard work of coming up with these amazing theories, and then he puts in the manual labor to make those ideas a reality. If it weren’t for us, he wouldn’t have any work to do. We are therefore superior to him in all respects.”

The elitist attitude is difficult to shake, especially if you receive so much praise for whatever position of prominence you have reached. In school there are the honors classes reserved for the more intelligent students. In sports there are the positions that go to the more skilled players. In a company, there are the bosses and the management teams, which are ideally paid more because they call the shots. Yet does this really mean anything at the end of the day? Is a person inherently superior because of the position they receive? What if there were no members to fill the other positions? The person with true wisdom sees all souls equally, and in the work performed the same person understands the integral role that everyone plays.

“According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.13)

The scientific division of members of society based on quality and work is nicely described in the Bhagavad-gita. If you don’t know, the Bhagavad-gita is a famous Vedic scripture. The Vedas are the books that form the origin of what is commonly referred to today as Hinduism.

“Hinduism, you say? Isn’t that the religion that discriminates based on caste? Isn’t it that you’re born into a particular caste and then can’t move out of it? Aren’t the lower castes shunned? Doesn’t Hinduism give us the untouchables?”

Surely there is discrimination within the Hindu society today, as there is in any society, but this doesn’t invalidate the original system for division described in the Bhagavad-gita. The four divisions are the brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras. Elsewhere in Vedic literature the same divisions are described by comparing them to the human body. The brahmanas are the brain, the kshatriyas the arms, the vaishyas the stomach, and the shudras the thighs and the legs.

Keeping this in mind, would we ever discriminate between these various parts on our body? Would we ever think: “Wow, our legs are so inferior to the stomach. They are useless. They exist for no reason. They are not as good as the arms or the brain.” Such thinking would be silly, and so it is also the case when we apply elitism to discriminate in society in general.

The mention of the four societal divisions is made by Lord Krishna, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the detail behind the abstract conception of God. If you are hesitant to accept Shri Krishna, who has a beautiful body of a blackish hue, as the Supreme Lord, then at least know that these divisions are scientifically based and rooted in a higher power. And that higher power does not make distinctions between the classes. He doesn’t consider one to be inherently superior to another, at least not at the constitutional level.

Why make distinctions then if everyone is equal?

Just as a business cannot function if everyone takes up the same role, society will have great difficulty if the four orders don’t exist. If you don’t have a brain, how will the arms, stomach and legs know what to do? You can perhaps lose a leg or an arm and still survive in great difficulty, but without the brain there is no question of an existence. Thus in the material scheme the brahmana is superior, but material is not the end-game. Spiritual is what life is about, as each one of us is a spirit soul at the core.

In the same Bhagavad-gita, it is said that a learned man sees with an equal vision. He sees the tiger and the human being as equal. He won’t necessarily treat them the same, as there is no benefit to going up to talk to a tiger. But the vision is equal, which means that the learned man won’t think that the human is inherently superior. He knows that the bodies are just temporary, the result of past action in karma. As action continues to take place, new results consistently accumulate. The tiger can be a human being in the next life and the human being a tiger. Nothing is fixed in the material world. That is part of the definition of material.

Every person operating within the divisions has their value. Thus a wise person, without even needing to consult the Bhagavad-gita, appreciates the work of the so-called inferiors. Rather than looking down on them, he is so thankful that they dutifully take up their tasks. He thinks of how fortunate he is to be paired with such kind-hearted souls.

And you would be glad to hear that the Supreme Lord takes the same attitude. He is intimately related to all of us, as we are by nature spirit. He is the Supreme Spirit, so there is similarity in quality. He is the superior and we the inferior; that is always the case no matter what anyone says. As He is really superior, He has no need to flaunt His superiority. In fact, for those who love Him, He’s always trying to elevate their spirits, to lift them out of difficulty. He does not make distinctions between “big devotees” and “small devotees.”

Prahlada Maharaja was a helpless five-year old boy who was favored by the Supreme Lord when He appeared as a half-man/half-lion to do away with the boy’s evil father. Sudama Vipra was a brahmana but materially very poor. Shri Krishna favored him by having His wife, the goddess of fortune, provide the brahmana’s family with tremendous opulence. Maharaja Ambarisha was a powerful king, and yet Krishna favored him as well when he ran into trouble with Durvasa Muni. The king was not puffed up at all; in fact he offered everyone else the highest respect.

The more one loves Krishna, the humbler they become. The truly self-realized soul will actually never admit to anyone that they are self-realized. If they do, it is done confidentially for the purpose of maintaining the other person’s faith. Nevertheless, the self-realized soul still always thinks that others are better devotees, that they are better at pleasing Krishna. This attitude is adopted by even the biggest spiritual master, who has so many disciples across the world. If even they are humble and fully appreciative of the efforts of all, then why shouldn’t we have the same attitude?

In Closing:

“To what he says don’t mind,

Great intelligence in him not to find.

 

Doctorate never did he earn,

To reach our status he’ll always yearn.

 

Thankfully he has us around to teach,

Only then material opulence within reach.”

 

Such attitude in wise never to persist,

In them humility in knowledge exists.

 

Four divisions of society Krishna gave,

For from inactivity in ignorance to save.

 

Yet distinctions in devotees He does not make,

Only sincerity from them away does He take.

Human Tendencies

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste] .” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.18)

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Since time immemorial the living entity ignorant of his real constitutional position has been bewildered by the influence of the material energy. Like a mirage that gives false hope to the thirsty wanderer in the desert, the covering composed of earth, water, fire, air and ether tricks the eye of the beholder into thinking something that is incorrect. Stereotypes and prejudices based on skin color, gender and ethnicity are a common indication of this influence.

How do such prejudices begin?

Quite easily, actually. Let’s say that I live in one place my whole life. I only see people of a certain skin color. They are all I have to use to form my conclusions about human behavior. I have seen men, women and children. From the behavior of children I have figured out that they are less intelligent. I have learned that women have a strong influence over men, especially in the men who are overly desirous of amorous relationships. I have learned that conversations with women are usually different than conversations with men, particularly with respect to subject matter.

Now, let’s say that I’m exposed to a person of a different skin color. Perhaps they entered my town or I went to travel outside somewhere. Whatever that new person’s tendency is, be it good or bad, as long as it is different it will create a prejudice in me. I will think that all people of that skin color act in the same way. Obviously, I would have to be ignorant to make this conclusion, but if I have no other reference to use in my observation, it will be very easy for me to assign the same behavioral characteristics to all other members of the same race.

Prejudices of the different races and nationalities can go something like this:

“I hate black people. They are so loud and obnoxious. White people have no style; they don’t know how to dress. Asians, especially Koreans, are always hanging out together. They exclude everyone else from their cliques. Hispanics are overly sensitive; they get moody at the first joke made their way. Jewish people are so cheap; they will do anything to earn a dollar and they are never willing to part with it. People from France smell; it’s like they don’t bathe regularly over there in Europe. Indian people are frugal and always nodding their heads in that weird way. I can’t tell whether they’re agreeing or disagreeing. What is wrong with them? People from this section of India are very business-minded and people from that section are very cunning. You should beware of them.”

If you break down these stereotypes, stepping back from the situation for a moment, you see that all the complaints relate to traits that any human being can possess. Anyone can be stingy. Why should that trait be exclusive to any particular race? You may say that you have gathered enough evidence to say without reservation that such and such race is stingy, but have you yourself never been careful with your money? Have you never been hesitant to part with your hard earned cash? Also, have you never been lax on your hygiene on a given day? Have you never been loud and obnoxious?

The truly wise person, who sees with the eyes of shastra, knows that all the traits complained about by the people holding racial stereotypes belong to the material modes of nature. The spirit soul is the identifying force within each creature, and the outward tendencies are due to the material covering only. A pig acts in a certain way because of the body they have received. The same goes for a dog. You may then say that certain races have received their specific bodies from nature and that that is why they behave the way they do. But this doesn’t mean that such individuals are any different from you and me. Every spirit soul is of the same quality. In addition, as each person is an individual, they have every chance of acting in a unique way, one that others can’t predict.

Even if you are fully convinced that the viewpoint you hold of another group is true, the traits you are complaining about are rooted in the material nature, which does not represent any of us. Indeed, the very practice of holding prejudices in this way is further indication of the strength of that nature. Only the wise soul who understands the difference between spirit and matter can transcend such distinctions, both personally and with respect to judging others.

In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that a learned man sees as being equal a cat, a dog, a priest, and an elephant. They are a true pandita, or learned man, because they see the spirit soul in all creatures. They acquire this vision through study of the Vedas, the original scriptural tradition of India, and practice of sacrifice. The Bhagavad-gita itself is sufficient material for study. It is also known as the Gitopanishad, and it is the essence of all Vedic literature. In the Gita the speaker says that He is the object to be known through study of the Vedas.

“I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.15)

Knowing Him is important because He is the origin of matter and spirit. He gives birth to the living creation through His influence. He impregnates the total material substance with living entities. The influence of the material nature is due solely to Him. The difference with Him, however, is that His body and spirit are identical. He also possesses every single trait imaginable. Those traits are spiritual; thus they are not detrimental to Him. They are also not specifically beneficial in terms of helping to reach a better condition. He is already in the best position, so He doesn’t need help from any of His traits.

From further study of His nature, we know that He is intimately tied to every living entity. Whether someone is loud or quiet, nice or mean, happy or sad, Shri Krishna is their best friend, their ever well-wisher. Through knowing Him we know ourselves, and from knowing ourselves we know others too. In devotional service, the dislike of the traits in others turns into an appreciation of how every living entity is originally a servant of God. Through chanting the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,” we can awaken our dormant love for Him and thus be properly situated in consciousness.

In Closing:

From strange person to see,

Prejudices to take birth in me.

 

If tendency in them even faint,

A broad brush across race to paint.

 

Tendencies actually exist in us all.

Flawless none of us we can call.

 

What I don’t like in others also in me,

With vision of shastra only to properly see.

 

Shri Krishna, friend to me and others alike,

Chant His holy names for future to make bright.

Helping The Little Guy

“Exploitation of the weaker living being by the stronger is the natural law of existence; there is always an attempt to devour the weak in different kingdoms of living beings. There is no possibility of checking this tendency by any artificial means under material conditions; it can be checked only by awakening the spiritual sense of the human being by practice of spiritual regulations.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.13.47 Purport)

“The little guy is in trouble. It’s time to help him. He’s suffering more than we are, so why not do something that will fix his condition, bring him to a higher place? Now that you mention it, there are so many other people in the same position. The teams in the sports leagues that are always at the bottom of the standings, what can we do to help them? What about the victims of discrimination? There should be something in the law codes to address their plight. In fact, all the injustices and inequities of life need to be fixed, and I will dedicate my life to enacting and distributing the necessary fairness.”

The sad case is that these issues will always exist. In a specific region of the world, one group of citizens, perhaps of a specific skin color, is exploited, while in another part of the world that same group is in the majority that exploits. Through the passage of time the positions can change, with one group dominant for a period and then the same group exploited later on. Those with a firm understanding of the purpose of this creation know how its conditions foster the attitude of exploitation. Therefore they don’t give much attention to temporary highs and lows, because in all species and at all intelligence levels the same exploitation takes place. Through following the religious principles, which are geared towards man and his higher potential for intelligence, every type of social issue is addressed, including exploitation.

But aren’t religious principles dogmatic in nature? One politician says that I shouldn’t use contraception, but what business is it of his? Should the same recommendation come from a spiritual leader, what is its significance? Shouldn’t I be allowed to live my life the way that I want to? Under bona fide religious principles, the proper end goal is what drives all activity. Think of what it takes to complete a marathon. Obviously you need to practice running. But you also need to prepare mentally, not distracting yourself with too many other stressful obligations. You also need to sleep on time the night prior to the race and eat the right kinds of food.

The marathon is but one short activity in a list of many that will take place in the journey through a single lifetime. That same vibrant force for action flows through the cycle of birth and death perpetually until desire is purified. The nature of the land of residence is such that it fosters attachment to temporary objects. It keeps the otherwise knowledgeable living entity in ignorance of his real position, that of servant of God. The playing field exists to facilitate the pursuit for equaling or even surpassing the Supreme Lord in the areas of beauty, wealth, knowledge, renunciation, strength and fame.

Ah, but this pursuit is fatally flawed. To begin with, no one can be more opulent than God; hence He is known as Bhagavan in the Vedas. He is the most fortunate, and also the most attractive; hence another way to address Him is Krishna. He is also Rama because He gives more transcendental pleasure to others than any person possibly could. His direct energy serves at His pleasure, and since that energy is so intimately tied to Him, both He and His energy are called in the famous maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.

Only when I am ignorant of God’s position and the constitutional nature of His energy expansions will I feverishly pursue material gain in a temporary body. Every other conditioned soul has the right to follow the same pursuit as well. As no one can be God, the competition that results is similar to the fighting that goes on between animals. To further a specific aim, one person comes up with a system of rules and regulations, but those are regularly violated by the competitors looking to gain an edge.

Discrimination against a specific race, gender, ethnicity, or income group helps to advance in the competition to become God. Hence the practice will continue, regardless of the efforts made to curb it. Recognition of the problem isn’t enough; there has to be a tangible reason provided for its root cause. Also, the proper end goal must be uncovered; otherwise man is left in the dark.

The pursuit that removes the harmful competitive spirit entirely will solve the problem, at least on the local level. The starting point is recognition of God’s supreme standing and His intimate relationship to every living entity. From that knowledge one can take up devotional service with firm faith, love and determination. Chant the holy names, devote yourself to God, always think of Him, and you will gradually come to Him.

“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.34)

How will this style of worship curb exploitation? The purification of desire is what does the trick. For instance, instead of harboring jealously for the rich, the devoted soul knows that no amount of material wealth can make one happy. True happiness comes from having the ability to stay in Krishna’s company, to be able to chant His name and remember His sweet smile. The ears are gifts from God that allow us to hear the sweet pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who protects His devotees and continues to show His mercy through the deity form, which is authorized for worship by the spiritual master, who is sent from heaven to rescue us from the ocean of material suffering.

If my guiding desire is to connect with Krishna, instead of having a competitive attitude, my mindset will be to forgive as many people as possible for their exploitative attitude, for they don’t know any better. At the same time, the message of divine love, which is so nicely presented in the Shrimad Bhagavatam, can be distributed and discussed widely, as it is the only cure for the venom injected by the serpent-like fangs of competition, which then fuels the attitude of exploitation.

“By remembering Shri Rama’s holy name, even those who are born into a low caste become worthy of fame, just as the wild trees that line the roads in heaven are famous throughout the three worlds.” (Dohavali, 16)

Krishna’s land is worshipable, as are the foodstuff and flowers offered to Him in love and devotion. If that is the case, it shouldn’t surprise us that His devotee who regularly chants His name is also worshipable. The holy name is what removes any specific defining negative condition. This fact is nicely pointed out by Goswami Tulsidas in his Vinai Patrika. The poet says that among many other things, the holy name is the high birth for one who is low born. If I am born in a family that doesn’t have a rich spiritual culture, the odds of me turning to devotional life are very slim. Following religious principles alone will be difficult for me.

But if I should chant the holy names of Krishna and Rama, all of a sudden my low birth turns into a high birth, wherein I am deserving of honor and respect from others. That status results from the ability to shed transcendental light on others. Therefore the devotee is a saint at heart and always above useless competition. The true saint knows what is best for everyone and tries to distribute that knowledge freely, without concern for the reception. The devotee saint knows how to extract the loving sentiments from every single person, giving them the greatest gift of all: the ability to practice divine love.

The primary principles instituted in the beginning stages of religious life are austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness. These four principles are absent in society when there is a lack of true God consciousness. From these practices the root of exploitation is removed. Dedication to these principles is strengthened by full devotion to God. In fact, bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is so powerful that one can start chanting the holy names and worshiping the Lord even from the contaminated state. The holy name is so powerful that it will automatically bring the aforementioned primary principles to the sincere worshiper.

A life dedicated to redressing a specific social ill will have temporary effects, but eventually the exploitative attitude will continue in some way or another. The weak and the strong can trade places, either in the current life or in a future one. Regardless, rebirth indicates a restart to the fierce competitive race that is destined to end with death. The devoted soul, on the other hand, finds a cure to birth and death, and reaches the supreme abode at the end of life. Giving that same gift to others through their example, the saint shows how to stop the onset of the disease of exploitation.

In Closing:

A fierce competitive advantage to seek,

Leads to the strong exploiting the weak.

 

One group is up while the other is down,

Though in other places it’s turned around.

 

To fix the issue is a daunting task you face,

Solve one and another you’ll soon have to chase.

 

Root of the problem is inability to see,

Know the Vedas for from ignorance to be free.

 

Saint chants holy names and thus passes on highest gift.

Follow bhakti and from competitive fire yourself lift.

The Same As Me

“Whenever we see any living entity we should think, ‘Here is a spirit soul.’ Anyone who can understand such a spiritual vision of life is pandita.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Raja-vidya, Ch 8 )

Our treatment of others is directly influenced by how we identify them. If the person standing next to us is considered an enemy, we will not be forthcoming with our thoughts and emotions. When interacting with a salesperson or someone who is only interested in separating us from our money, we will be hesitant to buy what they are selling, even if it’s just advice. On the flip side, if the neighboring person is identified as a friend, someone with a common interest, we will be friendlier towards them and more open in our dealings. For the learned person, there is no such thing as the duality of like and dislike. When this mindset is applied to the vision, every life form is taken to be equal, a spirit soul just like everyone else. This proper identification can prove to be most beneficial for all parties involved.

How do we know that everyone is equal? One way is to do a study of every single life form on earth and notice how they go through growth, development, and decay cycles. We could also research how human beings and animals both eat, sleep, mate and defend, and how they have consciousness. But outward perception is limited by time and space. Our time within a specific body is not infinite; our residence is not fixed. Even the dwelling we occupy, the body, goes through so many cycles of creation and destruction. The body we had as a child is completely different from the body we have as adults. We know for a fact that once we become very old, our body will again be completely different. Yet our identity remains the same throughout, so we can deduce that whatever it is that identifies us must not be tied to the form that constantly changes.

“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)

We can hopefully deduce all of this information from outward study, which is limited, or we can accept supreme knowledge from the proper authority sources. There is no better place to go for right information than the Vedas, whose most concise and complete scripture is the Bhagavad-gita. In this wonderful work, which is set on a battlefield many thousands of years ago, a bewildered soldier has a discussion with his friend, cousin and charioteer prior to the commencement of hostilities. You see the soldier doesn’t want to fight, because there are friends and family members on the opposing side. Understanding that they too are life forms, he doesn’t want to cause them any harm, especially for something as insignificant as the right to rule over a kingdom.

Rather than rely solely on his identifications formed through sense perception, this soldier had the good sense to take instruction from a more reliable source. He was open to being convinced otherwise should the arguments move him so. He asked his charioteer, who was known to be the well-wisher of every living entity and also the greatest authority figure on knowledge, to settle his doubts about what should be done. This wonderful chariot driver, whose name was Krishna, started off His discourse with a bang, an unexpected jolt of sublime wisdom delivered without hesitation. Immediately He informed the warrior, Arjuna, that the soul is the identifiable aspect within the body. Just as the soul flows with the bodily changes from the time of youth all the way up until old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at the time of death. One who is dhira, or sober, is not bewildered by such changes.

This point raised by Krishna is very important to understand. The constant shifts in the manifested world can certainly delude our consciousness. Arjuna himself was taken off the righteous path duly assigned his class because of identifications he was making with respect to the body. He was thinking that his friends and family on the other side would lose their identities if killed in a fair fight, one that their side had actually instigated. Arjuna was fighting for the Pandavas, who were the rightful heirs to a massive kingdom. The opposing side, the Kauravas, had unjustly usurped this authority and driven the Pandavas out. If Arjuna did not stand up and fight, which was his occupational duty as a warrior to do, then who would ever stand up for justice?

Krishna then informed Arjuna that the pandita, or wise man, views everyone equally. This vision doesn’t just apply to human beings. Whether looking at a cow, dog, learned sage, fighter, laborer, or even a small child, the pandita sees the same essence of life within. As such, their vision is the most inclusive, as it does not discriminate based on outward features. The advantage of having this vision, which is the most accurate, is that one can realize that everyone else is in the same boat of suffering. If we create designations such as “friend” and “enemy” based on perceived differences in outward features, we fail to understand the purpose behind man’s association with material nature.

Is there not a difference between a friend and an enemy? Were not the members of the opposing army Arjuna’s enemies? Should he have treated them the same as he did the members of his own army? The equal vision of the pandita is meant to act as a starting point. Our initial identification, which should also be the most inclusive in scope, influences our initial impulses, or our behavior towards others. If I see another living entity and identify them first as being a spirit soul, my subsequent thoughts can follow along these lines. “Oh, here is another spirit soul trapped in an ever-changing body. Their original home, as well as mine, is in a place that is permanent, non-changing, blissful and conducive to knowledge. These properties are beneficial to me as well as to them, for we are both spirit souls. Since I realize that we are both equal, it is my duty to try to instill the same vision of equality in them and help them ascend back to our natural home.”

With this vision a fraternal attitude is immediately adopted. As mentioned before, the soul is the object of identification within any form of life. The outward features are there to be delusional, to result in the formation of factions, castes and prejudices for those who are unaware of their real identity. From the same conversation between Arjuna and Krishna, we learn that the soul’s natural home is in the spiritual world, a transcendental realm situated far above our current one. Based on the desires for contact with changing matter, the soul is granted a body and residence in the perishable realm. When the specific form decays and runs its course of usefulness, a new form is granted. The differences in outward forms are the result of the desires of the conditioned soul and the reactions to the work he performs. Just as when we let go of an object from our hands it will fall to the ground, every single action undertaken under a false identification brings a commensurate reaction.

“Arjuna saw in that universal form unlimited mouths and unlimited eyes. It was all wondrous. The form was decorated with divine, dazzling ornaments and arrayed in many garbs. He was garlanded gloriously, and there were many scents smeared over His body. All was magnificent, all-expanding, unlimited. This was seen by Arjuna.” (Bhagavad-gita, 11.10-11)

Krishna also tells Arjuna that the spirit soul who has the proper identification then understands the ultimate mission in life, that of serving God. Finally, Krishna reveals the most hidden secret, the piece of information that will help rescue the fallen souls and enable them to quickly attain a proper vision. You see the person Arjuna was accepting instruction from was none other than the Supreme Personality Himself, the origin of all spirit and life. Krishna supported His claim of divinity by showing off His universal form, the virata-rupa, to Arjuna. So awe-inspiring was this vision that Arjuna could not look at it for too long. He preferred interacting with Krishna in His two-armed form.

Understanding that Krishna is God, or at least acknowledging that God is a merciful personality who is the object of worship, is the most important objective because it provides the person who has adopted the proper identifying system an end-goal, a purpose to their activities following a purified vision. Because everyone is equal in the spiritual sense, the ultimate destination, or ideal home, is the same for everyone. Therefore the first thing that results from acquiring the equal vision is a desire to help every living entity, irrespective of their outward appearance, reach their ideal destination, the spiritual sky where Lord Krishna and His multitude of non-different forms reside. The formula for returning to this land is quite simple. Krishna declared to Arjuna that anyone who thinks of Him at the time of death will immediately return to His land and never have to endure reincarnation again.

So what did Arjuna do with his newly acquired information, knowledge which he took from the most authorized source? Did he go up to the opposing fighters and apprise them of their real identities and their need for going back to the spiritual land? As a member of the fighting class, Arjuna’s duty was to protect the principles of religion, which in this case called for the Pandavas to rule over the disputed kingdom. The equal vision is just the starting point, and based on the qualities of the target individual, different courses of action can be taken. For instance, we know that a tiger is a spirit soul, one who is intimately tied to God, but this doesn’t mean that we should go up to one and pet it. A tiger is a ferocious animal that lives off killing others. It has no capacity to understand spiritual instruction, nor should such an attempt to teach even be made.

The equal vision, understanding that everyone else is in the same boat that I am in, brings strong feelings of compassion and kindness. But the effects of material nature should not be forgotten. The ants, trees, animals and other non-human species can be understood to be where they are because of past karma. At the same time, just because they are in a species incapable of accepting spiritual instruction and acting on it doesn’t mean that we should consider them to be inferior to us or worthy of punishment. We don’t kill our dogs and cats because they are less intelligent; so just because a cow’s flesh might be tasty doesn’t mean we should unnecessarily kill them. The cow is a mother with children just like many human beings are, so why should we systematically go on a killing spree to eat beef, especially when so many other varieties of food are available to the human being?

The material qualities continue to act on all embodied living beings, but this doesn’t preclude the person with an equal vision from instructing those willing to learn about spiritual matters. It was Arjuna’s duty to fight, as the time and circumstance did not call for spiritual instruction being imparted to the opposing side, who were all spirit souls just like Arjuna. The equal vision makes it much easier to abide by our prescribed duties borne of our order. If we are suited for performing labor, running a business, administering a community, protecting the innocent, or teaching others about the highest knowledge, we should perform our duties while simultaneously maintaining the equal vision.

With respect to the most important instruction found in the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna, a discourse which is famously chronicled in the book called the Bhagavad-gita, the way to think of Krishna constantly is to take to devotional service, or bhakti-yoga. Just as the spirit soul is the identifiable aspect within every form of life, the engagement of divine love, or bhakti, is the foremost occupational duty, or dharma, for spirit. While the body types assumed have commensurate occupational duties as they relate to material activities, the penchant for loving God never leaves the soul. In every form of life there is the desire to serve God, but only with a developed consciousness can that service be acted upon fully. Thus we see that the true benefit of acquiring the equal vision of the pandita is the ability to apprise others of the essence of divine love and the benefits that come from practicing it.

The pandita, understanding the true nature of spirit, regularly chants the holy names found in the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, and induces others to take up the same chanting process. Unlike occupational duties tied to the specific body type assumed by the soul, bhakti is not reserved for any specific species. Even a young child can chant Hare Krishna and come into contact with the Lord. When we apply the equal vision to the surrounding world and understand that every other living entity is the same as us, we can understand that their ideal home is in the spiritual land where Krishna resides, a place where the glories of Godhead are sung on a regular basis and the flawed identifications borne of material contact are completely absent.

The vision of the pandita starts with the proper identification. “Here is a spirit soul. Here is a person who is intimately tied to Krishna’s service.” Even if we see that another’s body type precludes them from understanding their true nature and the beauty of divine love, we can still maintain our devotional attitude and keep our service going. Arjuna was a member of the warrior caste temporarily deluded by attachments formed off of false identifications, but when he needed help, the original spiritual master, Shri Krishna, was there to properly guide him. The confidential knowledge of the Gita was revealed to Arjuna not because he was a learned scholar or a recognized pandita. He was Krishna’s friend who harbored no ill-will towards the Lord. Similarly, those who are pure hearted and non-envious of God can understand the sublime instructions of the Gita, the transcendental sound vibrations emanating from the lotus mouths of the panidtas ever engaged in devotional service, and the need for returning back home, back to Godhead. The equal vision acquired through hearing from authorized sources allows us to properly identify all forms of life and also speak to those who are interested about the meaning of life and the purpose to our existence. With this clarity in vision and purpose, much of the hesitation that so debilitates us goes away, allowing for life to continue peacefully, with the consciousness focused on that wonderful teacher who so kindly took to instructing Arjuna and the world on that fateful day on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.