Finding The One Among Thousands

“There are various grades of men, and out of many thousands one may be sufficiently interested in transcendental realization to try to know what is the self, what is the body, and what is the Absolute Truth. Generally mankind is simply engaged in the animal propensities, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating, and hardly anyone is interested in transcendental knowledge.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 7.3 Purport)

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“If you love someone, why would you want to have a discussion about them with a person who is inimical? There is no way for that person to understand your feelings. They don’t know about the one you love. The result of the conversation can only be negative. From the bad experience, you’re left in a position worse than from where you started. Wouldn’t it be better to keep the feelings to yourself? What purpose is served in discussing the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the open?”

A central teaching of bhakti-yoga philosophy is the oneness shared between the holy name and the person it addresses. Basically, the name Krishna is identical to the person Krishna. The person Krishna is God further defined, going past the veil of abstraction found in practically every spiritual tradition and philosophy conjured up in the mind of the flawed human being.

Realizing the true potency of the holy name is difficult; therefore some rules help to make the realization a reality. There are ten offenses to avoid while chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In the enumerated list, the ninth offense is to speak to a faithless person about the glories of the Lord. This makes sense, as the person who is set in their ways of materialism will not understand what a transcendental form is. They won’t appreciate the person who should be appreciated the most. There is no benefit to the worshiper in having such dealings.

At the same time, those who follow bhakti-yoga are known to produce volumes and volumes of literature. This is not a practice developed only recently, either. Vedic literature is famous for the Mahabharata, which is epic in length. The Ramayana is also quite lengthy as far as religious works go. But to those in the know, these works are not long enough, for the glories of the Supreme Lord are endless. Though the Sanskrit word veda means “knowledge,” the actual definition to the Vedas and Vedic literature are those hymns, verses and descriptions that glorify God. As He is infinite in both directions of time, there is never an end to His glories. Krishna is ananta, or endless, and anadi, or beginning-less.

If so much literature is available, how is the ninth offense to be avoided? Won’t faithless persons get their hands on these books? Shouldn’t distribution of these works be restricted to only the faithful?

Actually, those who love God have no interest in speaking about Him to the faithless. They are not interested in wasting time, but they push on regardless. In the modern age sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the holy names, is the principal method of awakening the dormant God consciousness within the society at large.

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 the Bhagavad-gita, Shri Krishna says if you were to take thousands of people, among them perhaps one would try for spiritual advancement. And in that exclusive group, hardly anyone would know Krishna in truth. Sankirtana is meant for finding these one among thousands. After all, if such a person is rare, should they not be given the most important information? Should they not be rewarded for their endeavor, which is the true boon to having intelligence?

The science of self-realization that is bhakti-yoga and the sincere transcendentalist make the perfect pair. It is after an interest is seen that the wealth of knowledge of the glories of God gets revealed. We live in the age of Kali, which is known for quarrel, hypocrisy and a practically nonexistent religious culture. Therefore it is unavoidable that the faithless would get their hands on classic Vedic literature. Like a monkey trying to open a coconut, these speculators and enemies of the Lord can never understand who He really is. Though they hear about Him directly in these ancient books, they fail to reach the proper conclusion.

Yet the sincere transcendentalist, who has exhausted all efforts in seeking gain in eating, sleeping, mating and defending, gets favored by the inspired devotee of Krishna. It is as if they make it to the final stage of the tournament and get rewarded with a superior coach to help them achieve victory. Such is the value of the Vaishnava, who is as glorious as the person they worship, Shri Krishna.

In Closing:

Offenses in chanting one to state,

That not to speak to he without faith.

 

Keeping one among thousands in mind,

How that fortunate soul then to find?

 

Sankirtana-yajna the way,

Since fallen are all today.

 

Like at end from superior coach to hear,

Through Vaishnava Krishna’s identity to become clear.

Finding The Devotees

“For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees, devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.68)

ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ

mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati

bhaktiṁ mayi parāṁ kṛtvā

mām evaiṣyaty asaṁśayaḥ

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The foundation of friendship is equality; both sides relate on the same level. The relationship is formed off a shared interest. If you’re playing for the same hockey team, it’s natural to become friends off the ice. If you work for the same company, you immediately share a common interest. The same goes for if you’re studying at the same school.

For analysis purposes let’s take a hypothetical conversation that follows the teacher-student paradigm. For a brief moment, you are no longer equals. You are giving instruction and your friend is listening. This is because they acknowledge your expertise in the particular area of importance. After the fact, you both realize that the dialogue was so meaningful that it should be recorded. It should be put down to paper in order to be consulted later on, sometime in the future.

Let’s say that someone happens to pick up the recorded version of your conversation. They read it and have absolutely no idea what you guys are talking about. Therefore they can only speculate. They’re not even sure it’s a conversation that actually occurred. Is it real or is it fake? They can’t tell. The questions and answers are so profound that they’re leaning more towards the side of fiction. “This must be the creation of a writer,” they think to themselves.

In this case the speculation won’t be helpful. The conversation had a particular tone, and it wasn’t meant to be heard by everyone. The same principle applies to the Bhagavad-gita, which is likely the most famous conversation of all-time. It took place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra some five thousand years ago, and it dealt with the most important subject matter: life and death.

This wasn’t about prolonging life or even preventing death. It wasn’t a conversation revealing the secret to preventing disease through some exercise routine. It wasn’t about merely avoiding class distinctions and being nice to people. No, the Bhagavad-gita is about how to understand the reason for birth and death, and how to live life properly, wherever that life may be found. The fundamental truth contained in the work is the identity of the individual, who is spirit soul.

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)

Knowledge of the soul is the starting point. Then comes information on karma, the material nature, and time. There is clarification on a highly misunderstood topic: the supreme controller. One who knows this controller in truth automatically knows the other topics. They have found the way to live through any situation.

That supreme controller is none other than the speaker of the Gita, the teacher. He is Shri Krishna, who is also known as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. Krishna delivered these words to the warrior Arjuna on the battlefield, and it was recorded in book form by Vyasadeva in the Mahabharata. The work was intended for a specific audience, who had an underlying culture of respect for the Supreme Lord and the laws He institutes for the proper governance of man.

At the end of the discussion, Shri Krishna says that one who explains the work to the devoted souls is very dear to Him. The explanation must be proper. An armchair speculation will not suffice. If the intended recipients should be devotees, then we can properly infer that the person explaining must be devoted as well. Monists, atheists, and those envious of Krishna do not qualify under this promise.

The issue may be raised of how to find devotees? If everyone around us is overtaken by the illusory material energy known as maya, how can the Bhagavad-gita be properly explained? There is no reason for concern on this issue, as in this age of Kali the Supreme Lord Himself has provided the way to find devotees. The method is the sankirtana-yajna, instituted by Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Chant the holy names of God in congregation, so that as many people as possible can hear. Through the sound of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, those who are receptive to the message of Divine Love can be found. Then to them explain the wonderful secret that was given to Arjuna.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu set the example, and those coming after Him in His spiritual line honor His example. They find the devotees and then explain the Bhagavad-gita to them. The philosophical discussion is not fit for the envious. For such souls it is better not to even hear the Bhagavad-gita, as the wrong conclusion will be reached. They will think that Krishna is not God or that He never existed in the first place. As the very foundation of the work is rejected by them, how can they derive any benefit?

The open-minded get the proper explanation from the acharya, who has the aforementioned, required culture. The acharya is a representative of Vyasadeva, who put the dialogue down into written form for a specific purpose. That purpose is fulfilled by those who are devoted to Krishna in the same way that Arjuna was. Both remain forever dear to the Supreme Lord.

In Closing:

Giving explanation true and clear,

To Shri Krishna to become most dear.

 

But only when to the devoted explaining,

Not to atheists who interest feigning.

 

Bearing this truth in mind,

How the devoted souls to find?

 

Lord Chaitanya the way for all showing,

Sankirtana for proper recipients knowing.

Just One More Hour

“O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.14)

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You’re so tired. You can’t muster the strength to move your body out of bed. Plus, it’s so comfortable underneath the sheets. Wouldn’t it be great to lie there for the rest of the day? If you have to go to work, however, you will likely arise. No matter the conditions outside and no matter how fatigued you feel, if you have a deadline to meet, you’ll have no choice but to wake up. This example speaks to the mission in life and how the opportunity is for everyone to seize, regardless of their circumstances.

A child is stricken with cancer. Another loses their parents at an early age. One person grows up in poverty. Another has to work two jobs in order to support their family. Another loses a limb fighting for their country overseas. One person feels so much heartache after their wife has left them. Another person has just gotten divorced for the second time, left to wonder if their life will ever work out the way they had planned.

In all such cases, the individual must go on. Quitting doesn’t solve anything. If it is a hot day, do we avoid going into the kitchen? Do we not cook food? Perhaps we don’t prepare our own dishes; we only eat at restaurants or what others serve us. Nevertheless, at some point in the chain someone needs to prepare the food. Should they avoid doing so because of the heat? If it is a very cold winter day, should one avoid taking a shower? Is bathing only reserved for those days when the weather is nice? Do we only work when we feel like it? Do we only sleep when we’ve run out of things to do in the day?

From this review we see that we already do so many things regardless of the external circumstances. They “must” be done; they are obligatory. In the same way the birthright of every individual is to be God conscious. That is the point to being alive. If I had the good fortune to wake up this morning, it means that I’ve been given another opportunity to learn about God. If I already know Him, I have another chance to serve Him. If I’ve already been serving Him, it means that I have been given more time to continue in that service.

Excuses are many. “It’s not fair; I don’t have the necessary intelligence. No one else is worshiping the Lord. Everyone around me eats meat, drinks, and smokes. They think the summit to an existence is to work like a dog all week and then forget their troubles on the weekend through intoxication. By going out to a nightclub, they are essentially paying to become stupid. Children have a leg up on them, as they don’t need to get wasted in order to be happy. So in this sense reaching adulthood is a punishment for them. How am I supposed to worship in such circumstances?”

As it is said, “the show must go on,” and with genuine service to God, any place can serve as the stage for the show. An elaborate stage preparation is not required. A captive audience isn’t even necessary. A long time back a distressed princess was surrounded day and night by ghoulish creatures who threatened to eat her. Imagine your worst nightmare playing out in real life. And by the way, she had no idea when this reality would end. The king of the area was holding her there against her will, trying to convince her to renounce her dear husband, Shri Rama.

The strong lady, Sita Devi, did not budge. Her husband is God Himself in His incarnation made famous through the sacred Vedic work titled the Ramayana. She serves as a faithful wife. Obviously, to play the part of a wife one prefers to be in the company of the husband. Do things for the husband so that he may be pleased. The husband acts in the same way. Yet even in separation Sita was able to serve. Despite the fact that everyone around her was full of the worst qualities, she continued to speak as though she hadn’t left the divine association.

“Smelling the fragrance of Rama and Lakshmana, like a dog smelling a tiger, certainly you will not be able to stand.” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 21.31-32)

She served the Lord by speaking about Him, offering sound words of advice. Though the audience wasn’t very receptive, her effort was not a waste. For starters, Shri Rama’s beloved messenger, the minister of the king of Vanaras in Kishkindha, observed her behavior from his perch on a tree in the Ashoka grove in Lanka. Hanuman was sent to find Sita, for she had suddenly gone missing from the couple’s camp in the Dandaka forest. Sita’s behavior and words are found in the Ramayana, which means that her preaching lives forever.

The ascetics living in the Dandaka forest had the ideal conditions for worship. No outside distractions. No pressures of a family. No obligations for growing food, showing up for work, or maintaining a kingdom. They worshiped God in these conditions, and they continued to do so after being attacked. Their safe environment suddenly became dangerous through night-rangers coming from Lanka. Picture a prototypical villain from a modern-day movie based on a comic book. These creatures could change their shapes at will, and they had no problem eating human flesh. The victims were skinny, peaceful sages. Despite the mismatch, the sages stayed strong in their vows.

The key in both instances was that the beneficiary of their worship was the Supreme Lord, who has a personal form. With that form He was able to arrive on the scene and protect the worship. Sometimes that protection arrives subtly in the shifting of external conditions. We may think that rituals and recommendations are just superstitions, like wearing your hat backwards in a baseball game in the hopes that your team will make a rally, but actually the real foolishness is to think that every reaction arrives only at random. We may pray for help today and not receive it, but this doesn’t mean that the prayer is fruitless. All reactions come at the appropriate time, like a tree that blossoms flowers. This truth is especially worth knowing for the sinful, who think that they can commit whatever crimes they wish and get away with them.

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

In the present period of time, the origin of matter and spirit, the non-sectarian Absolute Truth, is best served through chanting His holy names, such as those found in the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. We find a way to shower in the winter, cook in the summer, get up for work when we’re tired, and dig out of our driveway after a snowstorm. Therefore we should be able to find a way to always chant the holy names. A person of strong resolve glorifies God no matter the circumstance. And that resolve is always rewarded, as has been shown time and time again.

In Closing:

Work even when hard to concentrate,

Winter and summer seasons to tolerate.

 

Shower, eat, sleep not only when to feel,

Responsibilities wait not for conditions ideal.

 

Worship of God the same you can know,

Sita spoke truth even when in Lanka to go.

 

For chanting holy names make the time,

Devotees with resolve find life sublime.

Pleasing the Choir

“The description of the pastimes of Lord Krishna is so attractive that automatically it gives us an impetus to study repeatedly, and the more we study the pastimes of the Lord, the more we become attached to Him. This very attachment to Krishna makes one eligible to be transferred to His abode, Goloka Vrindavana.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 35)

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“I appreciate all that you’re doing to get the word out, but shouldn’t you try to branch out a little more? Do you think you’re really making a difference by speaking to the same audience every day? These people are unique. They don’t listen to anyone else. They are in their own little world. Just because they agree with you doesn’t mean that everyone else does. If you only speak to them, you won’t really make a difference in society.”

This sentiment, where one is accused of the more general term of “preaching to the choir,” seems logical enough. If you’ve got an important message to give, why keep offering it only to people who already believe it? Isn’t that like washing your clothes right after they have come out of the dryer? Isn’t it like cooking an elaborate meal for yourself after you have just eaten? While the “preaching to the choir” criticism may have merits in many circumstances, in bhakti it does not. This is because the aim in bhakti is different. While the discussion may be externally labeled as a class or sermon, the real purpose is to bring pleasure to the speaker. Interestingly enough, the speaker’s pleasure in this instance also pleases the object of the speech, and also those within audible range.

Let’s work through a few examples to see where the “preaching to the choir” criticism has merits. The origin of the term is obviously religious. The choir is the group in church that sings the glories of God. If they are already dedicated to some type of service, which the majority of the community will not be dedicated to, what is the need to preach to them further? It’s like when you’re younger and your mom keeps telling you to go to sleep on time or do your homework when you already do these things every day.

“For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krishna, and to subdue it is, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.34)

The most obvious argument in favor of preaching to the choir is reinforcement. The mind forgets very easily. In the Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna describes the mind as being restless. Its thoughts go adrift very easily. Arjuna likens trying to control the mind to trying to control the wind, which is impossible to do. As the mind flickers in this way, constant reinforcement of guiding principles is necessary to keep one on the proper course.

Issues arise in “preaching to the choir” when the predominant aim is to accumulate converts. Everyone is trying to convert someone to something. This is just a plain fact. Even the news media, which will say that they are only innocently reporting the news, is giving you their opinion on things in the stories they choose. Most often they have their narrative already in place, and they set about to find people to give testimony to support the story. Their behavior is only natural, as every person has some system of maintenance which guides them.

When there is a perceived absence of a system, the guidance comes through the impulse of the senses. Eat whatever you want, drink whatever you want, have sexual relations with anyone, and gamble and party as much as your heart desires. When the enjoyment, or bhoga, leads to pains, the tide turns; there is the desire for renunciation, or tyaga. A lifetime of swinging between bhoga and tyaga provides sufficient research for crafting a personal system of maintenance. “This is how I’ve managed to moderate things. This is what works for me. I should share this information with others, as this will help them.”

In this way we see how the many books of self-help and personal memoirs line the bookshelves at retail outlets and fill the search results on online stores. As everyone is essentially selling some type of system, to be effective in their preaching they need to go out and target those who either don’t know their message or don’t believe in it. Therefore preaching to the choir isn’t the best option, as this will not yield many new converts.

In bhakti-yoga, which is the ultimate system of maintenance, as it guides one towards the constitutional engagement of divine love, there is automatic preaching through one’s behavior. And since bhakti-yoga transcends all sectarian designations, differences based on intelligence and age, and even qualifications hinged upon ability, it can be taught to any person. Love is the universal language, after all, and since God is the Supreme Lord and best friend for every single person, the message of bhakti-yoga has appeal to everyone.

As this is the ultimate system of maintenance, it shouldn’t be limited to just the choir, right?

Actually, speaking of the glories of bhakti is part of bhakti. No need to be puzzled by this, as the mystery is revealed to one who is intimately familiar with bhakti, a familiarity which comes through personal practice. The recursion is due to the fact that bhakti-yoga is non-different from the Supreme Lord. One worships by offering attention, and when that worship brings one closer to the object of attention, that worship is as good as the object itself. The potency of the worship is linearly related to the potency of the object of attention. Since no one is more potent than God, His worship is the best activity.

To put it in simpler terms, if I speak about God to a room full of people who already know and love Him, there is no wasted effort on my part. Bhakti is solely reserved for the personal form of the Lord, who is known by such names as Vishnu, Krishna and Rama. These are also personalities with transcendental features, with Krishna considered the original, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Let’s say that as part of my bhakti practice I daily speak to gatherings about Krishna’s childhood pastimes in the Vrindavana forest. “My friends, when Shri Krishna was young He would sneak into the homes of the neighbors and steal their butter. The women of these households would get angry and lodge complaints with Krishna’s mother, Yashoda. Yet amazingly enough, while complaining they would get one look at Krishna’s smiling face and forget about their anger. After complaining, which apparently made them happy, they asked Yashoda not to punish the young child.”

This gathering may have heard these stories many, many times. And yet hearing it again brings so much pleasure. In the Ramacharitamanasa of Goswami Tulsidas, there is a section where the same Supreme Lord Krishna, in His form of Rama, asks the sage Valmiki where He should go to set up camp while in the forest. Rama is accompanied at the time by His wife Sita and younger brother Lakshmana. Valmiki cleverly responds with descriptions of a devotee, stating that Sita and Rama should live in such a person’s heart. One of the descriptions he gives is that the devotee constantly relishes hearing about Rama. It is like they have a reservoir full of nectar that constantly gets filled with rushing waters in the form of Rama’s pastimes. And though the waters keep rushing in, the reservoir never spills over.

“Listen Rama, I will now tell You where You, Sita and Lakshmana should reside. Those whose ears are like oceans which are constantly replenished by, and never overflow from, streams represented by stories of Your wonderful activities – in their hearts You should make Your charming abode.” (Maharishi Valmiki speaking to Lord Rama, Ramacharitamanasa, Ayodhya Kand, 127.1-2)

In the same way, if I speak of Krishna’s glories day after day, despite the makeup of the audience, there is some benefit. The need to convert is of secondary importance. Whether one person likes to hear about God’s glories or one thousand, a benefit is there all the same. Therefore in the bhakti tradition there are so many books written glorifying God and describing the service required to stay connected with Him. Those same glories are nicely packed into a simple set of words, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.” Repeating this sound to oneself maintains internal purity and broadcasting it can turn a chorus of naysayers doomed in a material existence into a choir of energized parrots who daily repeat the glories of Shri Krishna.

In Closing:

If message of God I give to people the same,

What will be the use, what will they gain?

 

Should not to others message go instead,

This way useful information throughout will spread?

 

Creating converts of importance secondary,

Glorifying God the issue primary.

 

From those words myself I will please,

Attention of devoted souls also to seize.

 

Ears like reservoir of divine nectar that gets filled,

Though always hearing God’s glories never to overfill.

 

Chorus of naysayers too can hear the sound,

Of holy names and become choir of ecstasy abound.

Concealing Information

“’Have you seen Krishna coming this way? Kindly tell us which way He has gone and save our lives.’” (Lord Chaitanya in the mood of the gopis, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Antya 15.36)

Is remaining silent when you know vital information about something the same as lying? If nobody asks you, and you don’t tell, are you to blame if something bad happens? The devotees of the Supreme Lord Krishna don’t take any chances in this regard. Why risk getting caught in a moral gray area when you can take the safer route, which will in turn give you tremendous pleasure at the same time?

If there is a fugitive on the loose and the authorities come to your home, they may ask you if you have seen the missing person. “Excuse me sir, we’re looking for such and such person. They are implicated in quite a terrible crime and have fled the scene to escape punishment. We need to bring them to justice, for that is our job. Also, by apprehending the suspect we can make sure that they don’t commit any more crimes in the near future. Have you seen such and such person? We’ve heard whisperings that the suspect may have come through your neighborhood.”

If you know where the suspect is, or if you have seen them personally, you are obligated to tell the truth, at least in the eyes of the law. More importantly, saying anything but the truth here is considered a lie, and you are in essence aiding the fugitive in their crime. But what if this question wasn’t asked of you directly? Let’s say it was asked of your neighbor, and you were in the vicinity when the question was asked. Are you still obligated to tell the truth? Is remaining silent here the same as lying?

Though you weren’t asked directly, you can decipher the proper course by seeing the consequences to the different options. If you remain silent, the fugitive will continue to remain at large. Depending on the crime they supposedly committed, this may mean that others will be put into grave danger. If you speak up, however, you’re ratting out the suspect, but at the same time you’re no longer guilty of concealing information. There is no worry over the ethical gray area. More importantly, the burden is off of you. It is up to the authorities to then act off of the information you gave them. If they fail in their search, you are not to blame at all.

In the grander scheme every person is looking for ananda, or bliss. The problem with their search, however, is that they look in all the wrong places. As the human being is no wiser than an animal at the time of birth, the natural inclination is to scratch the itching for sense gratification. Look for bliss in beer, wine, and illegal drugs. Look for pleasure in intimate relations with the opposite sex. When the mind is bored, stimulate it through gambling, and when the stomach starts to growl, feed it with animal flesh.

None of these avenues deals with the soul. In fact, they tie directly to the opposite of spirit: matter. The human being can understand that they are spirit and not matter just by looking at the constant shifts to their own body. The concept of “you only get one life” doesn’t hold if you really think about it. You only get one childhood too then, right? But when you’re an adult your childhood is gone forever. You’ll never get that youthful form back. Does this mean that you cease to exist? Is not the consciousness that allows you to realize that your childhood is gone indication enough that you’re still alive?

That consciousness never leaves, even during times of rest. At the time of death that consciousness accompanies us to a new form, which is again composed of material elements. The consciousness is tied to the soul, which is the essence of our identity. Real ananda is found through addressing the needs of the soul. To address the needs, you have to know more about the soul. In the Vedas, the atma, or soul, is described as blissful, knowledgeable and eternal. It also has a core property, or dharma, which is service. The service is ideally directed at the Supreme Soul, who is the same in quality as the individual soul but vastly superior in the quantitative measurement of that quality.

How can we quantify knowledge, bliss and eternality?

Some people have a little knowledge while others have a lot. The same applies for happiness. As far as eternality goes, the quantitative measurement is drawn from the Supreme Soul’s ability to remain within the same form for all of time. We are also eternal, but we accept and reject different bodies through reincarnation, which is ultimately our choice.

In service to God there is no need to change bodies, as the original consciousness is God consciousness. Service to God is ideal because God is all-attractive; hence one of His names is Krishna. The devotees of the personal aspect of the Supreme Lord, which is His original feature, thus hold vital information. They first gathered it from a spiritual teacher who follows devotion themselves. They learned it from their own spiritual teacher, and if you ascend the chain of succession you eventually reach the Supreme Lord Himself.

The Vaishnavas, devotees of Vishnu [Krishna], don’t take any chances with respect to concealing vital information. They will gladly share information about Krishna, provided that one is receptive to the message. I can explain the trade policy with China to my friend during dinner, but if they are focused on something else, my talk will fall on deaf ears. Yet devotees in this age of Kali are so kind that they constantly look for people who are interested, rather than wait for others to approach them. And to catch the attention of the world, they always chant the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.

This chanting actually delivers Krishna, as the Lord is not different from His holy name. And when one is offered Krishna, the Lord’s presence saves their life. This was shown by the gopis of Vrindavana, who are considered the topmost devotees. Lord Chaitanya, who is Krishna Himself, inaugurated the sankirtana-yajna, the congregational chanting of the holy names. During His time on earth He often exhibited the mood of the gopis, sometimes asking the trees if they had seen Krishna. If they told Him where the Lord was, that information would be a lifesaver. And so the kind preacher following in Lord Chaitanya’s line looks to save everyone by revealing Krishna’s location. And more importantly, they teach us how to keep Krishna’s association through following bhakti-yoga.

In Closing:

Authorities may question if you know,

Where the suspected fugitive did go.

 

If within the vicinity of question you hear,

Whether to tell the truth or not is unclear.

 

If the location to them not told,

Future crimes possibly to unfold.

 

Similarly, God’s location Chaitanya gave,

So that countless souls He could save.

 

His followers take up the same task,

So that “Where is God?” we won’t have to ask.

He Has Got Life

“The body is only a dead vehicle to be worked by the spirit soul, which is always active and cannot stop even for a moment. As such, the spirit soul has to be engaged in the good work of Krishna consciousness, otherwise it will be engaged in occupations dictated by illusory energy.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 3.5 Purport)

“If only I could sleep in; wake up on the weekend. I work so hard during the week. There are endless responsibilities. I have to get up in time for work. I have to make breakfast, eat it on time, get out the door at a certain hour, all just so I can arrive at the office. And then life at the office isn’t a picnic, either. I’m constantly bombarded with requests. It’s like a never-ending soap opera. At the end of each day, we complete one task, only to have a new one that needs to get resolved. When I get home at night, I just want to relax and do absolutely nothing. I long for the days when time is of no concern, when I have no idea where the day is going, nor do I care.”

These laments are certainly understandable given a hectic lifestyle for the busy adult worker. But on the other hand, think of the day where you don’t have to do anything. You can get up out of bed whenever you want. In fact, you can stay in bed the whole day. Wake up, reach over for the remote control, flip on the television, and just lie there. Watch show after show. Maybe get up once to use the restroom, but then quickly jump back into bed.

After a few hours of this, will you feel good? Will you feel happy? Is the summit of an existence the absence of activity? Actually, you probably feel better on the days when you have responsibilities. Not that you crave tension and pressure, but at least during those times you are actively engaged. Rest is nice when it comes after hard work, but rest as a fulltime occupation is not very fulfilling.

The ancient art of bhakti-yoga, devotional service, is the topmost system of activity because it directly deals with the core properties of the individual. To know those properties one must know the individual. What represents me? Is it my hand? My leg? What about my body as a whole? In the Vedic definition, the individual is identified by the atma, or soul. There are different kinds of atmas, and the individual soul is more technically known as the jivatma.

The jivatma is not dormant. To “be” means to be alive, and since the spirit soul always exists, it is always active. Evidence of this can be seen even during sleep. Sleep is the absence of activity for the tired worker, but just because we’re not working doesn’t mean that the mind ceases to function. In fact, in order to fall asleep the mind has to start racing from one thought to another, more quickly than it does during periods of alertness. Thus the mind is “always on”, if you will, which is a symptom of the soul’s active propensity.

The properties of the soul are known to the Vedic seers, who first heard them from the Supreme Soul, who never heard it from anyone because no one existed before Him. In fact, He has always existed; He is sanatana. Our mind has no way of conceiving of infinite time or infinite space, so we are inferior to the sanatana Supreme Soul. The jivatma is also sanatana, but because of its inferior nature it can be placed into bodies that mask pure consciousness.

Knowledge of the soul is kindly passed on by the original person to sincere disciples, and that chain of information transfer has continued to this day. It is through consultation with this link of spiritual knowledge that we’re able to know that the spirit soul is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. Eternal means never inactive. Blissful means not unhappy, and full of knowledge means not ignorant.

Compare this to the state of inactivity, where we’re just sitting around all day. The soul is still active during this period, but the consciousness is in a less active state. In addition, bliss is absent as well; otherwise everyone would immediately choose to do nothing all the time. Also, you cannot be knowledgeable when you are in a state of laziness. Laziness equates to ignorance. Combining these conditions together, we see that bodily inactivity does not square with the constitutional position of the spirit soul.

To regain the real happiness of the soul one needs to find an engagement suited for the soul and its properties. Bhakti-yoga is that engagement. Any other activity that brings some sort of satisfaction is but a derivative of bhakti-yoga, sort of like a watered down version. As you can dilute a compound in decreasing percentages of purity, you can water down bhakti-yoga to the point that you’re offering service to just your personal senses. Bhakti-yoga can translate to mean the connection of the individual soul to the Supreme Soul in a mood of love. Love manifests in service, and so any kind of service gives a glimpse of the original occupation that is bhakti-yoga.

There is service to the parents, the community, the paramour, the children, the nation, the employer, the employee, the customer, and so on. Only service to the personal form of God qualifies as bhakti. The personal forms are described in the Vedic texts. Not to be confused with the concocted idea of many gods popularly attributed to Hinduism, there is only one God. He kindly expands into other non-different forms to fit the preferred method of worship of the devotee, but this does not mean that everything or everyone is God.

The original Personality of Godhead is described as all-attractive, and so He is addressed as Krishna. He is also the source of transcendental pleasure, and so He is also addressed as Rama. His energy is always tied to Him, and we are part of that energy. The aspects of that energy that follow bhakti-yoga are as worshipable as God, and so the chanting of the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, is a great way to practice bhakti-yoga.

Better than worshiping by yourself is worshiping with others, and better than this is expounding on the glories of God to others. The need for this kind of preaching should make sense. If there weren’t active spiritual preachers around, how would we ever find out about God? How would we know the alphabet if nobody taught it to us? How would we know mathematics unless someone took the time to give instruction? Similarly, how are we going to learn about the properties of the soul and its ideal engagement if no one is kind enough to give us the information?

In ancient times the spiritual teachers were very selective in sharing information. We don’t allow just anyone to take over the airplane and fly it. We don’t put children behind the wheel to drive a car. You must be qualified to do these things. Knowledge of the soul and the fundamentals of bhakti-yoga represent very powerful information, and so only the worthy recipient should be blessed with it.

In more recent times, finding qualified recipients is much more difficult, as the watered down versions of bhakti, which are based in illusion rather than knowledge, are more prominent. For this reason, saints like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu actively preach about bhakti-yoga through the method of congregational chanting of the holy names. Let everyone hear the names of God, and if there is an interest from there, then one can further expound on the glories of the Supreme Lord and His personal features. Even if no one is around to listen, the devotee is advised to still carry on with their preaching, for through describing God they will gain a better understanding of Him for themselves.

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a spiritual teacher following in Mahaprabhu’s line of instruction, would say that his spiritual master, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, used to say that one who has life can preach. In other words, someone who is actively engaged in spiritual life will take to glorifying God out in the open and discussing those glories with others. This preaching life is actually a wonderful gift handed down to the sincere spiritualist. This is a gift that continues to give infinitely into the future. You can never run out of good things to say about God. There is limitless information found in Vedic texts like the Bhagavad-gita, Shrimad Bhagavatam, and Ramayana. Personal experiences bring new points of reference which can be used in explaining the properties of the soul and how its constitutional engagement is devotional service.

Plugging into these new outlets of worship beats sitting around doing nothing. We are happiest when we are active, and in real spiritual life the individual is never sedentary. And in that always active state, bhakti-yoga’s supremacy, along with the authority of the personalities who teach it to us, is validated.

In Closing:

One who has got life can preach,

Of devotion to God they can teach.

 

Why all day just sit around,

And behave like rocks on the ground?

 

With work initiative take,

And fulfilling your day make.

 

Describe God every single day,

And happily never run out of things to say.

The Best Use of Time

“A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.3.17 Purport)

There are many ways to define a saint, but if we look at the core of the individual, what it is that makes them tick, it’s uncovered that someone who knows how to best extract that quality and direct it towards the proper area can be considered the most saintly. The saint under this definition is the kindest welfare worker, and despite the negative reception they may receive on occasion, they stand tall and have a positive, lasting influence.

How do we determine what makes someone tick? What is that single property that gives a meaning to our existence? As a famous philosopher once said, “I think therefore I am”, the ability to do something on your own indicates that you have an existence. A sleeping man isn’t capable of solving complex equations, preparing an elaborate dish, writing a computer program, delivering a groundbreaking speech, taking care of dependents, or serving the right person. Granted, sleep is still an activity, a necessary one at that, but it is not until one is awake, full of ability to consciously direct thought and perform intelligent action, that they can really make a difference.

So, the ability to act defines our existence, but breaking things down further, the difference between a dead body and a living one is the presence of the spirit soul. The soul is the essence of identity, and its features are kindly described in the Vedic scriptures, whose most brilliant and concise work is the Bhagavad-gita, spoken by the delight of Maharaja Nanda and mother Yashoda, Lord Krishna. That is just one way to describe the blue-complexioned chariot driver of the Pandava warrior Arjuna, but since He is the oldest person and also the wisest, He has countless names, which each address a different feature. As He is the origin of life and matter, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Naturally, His instructions would then prove to be the most valid and worthwhile.

“This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, all-pervading, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.”  (Lord Krishna, Bg. 2.24)

For argument’s sake, let’s say that we aren’t familiar with the teachings of the world’s original preceptor. Let’s say that we don’t even know about the soul and its ability to transcend birth and death. In ignorance of the laws of the spiritual science, we still know that the awake human being has the potential to act. Therefore the primary question is on how to use that ability, and not necessarily on studying from where the ability came or where it will go in the future. Granted, familiarity with the properties of that spirit is helpful in directing activity, but we can tell right now from the results we see that so many activities do not make the best use of the individual’s ability.

For instance, it is seen that in the absence of knowledge of spirit, time is spent doing things like playing sports, gambling, and drinking to get heavily intoxicated. In remote areas, there is even cow-tipping and other strange games invented to pass the time. We also know that young children are given an education. The adults provide this instruction, and yet they are the ones using their free time for these other pursuits. Therefore we can conclude that the instruction is guiding the pupil towards a destination where the same activities of the adult will take place.

The emergence of extreme sports and odd games played out in rural areas shows that the human being craves activity. He has the ability to act, but without knowing where to direct that ability, he will look for new ways to pass his time. At the end of the day, there is no difference between the person who plays sports and the person who doesn’t. Both are trying to fill the void created by endless amounts of free time. Whether one spends that time in quiet or in noise is of no difference, as the mind is occupied in both situations.

The saint arrives to guide man’s energy along the proper channels. Man is capable enough to do crazy tricks in extreme sports and creative enough to find new ways to spend time, but these efforts don’t extract the true potency of spirit: the ability to love. That love can continue uninhibited and uninterrupted, but only when the target is pure. Not surprisingly, that ideal object of service is God, who can be understood with greater clarity through the Vedic texts, which are the oldest scriptural tradition in the world.

The mere mention of “religion” will introduce fears pertaining to law codes and harsh condemnation of specific kinds of behavior. Actually, only in ignorance are these fears present, for a bona fide system of spirituality intends to focus on a notable destination, which when reached doesn’t signal the end to activity. Typically there is interruption with our projects because at the time of completion the work stops. That is the whole point after all. The desire to reach completion also represents the motivation, which then must vanish at the attainment of the end goal.

Spirituality followed under authorized guidelines takes the worker to a place where motivation never runs dry, which in turn creates a condition devoid of interruption. Sure there are temporary respites from work, but in this higher plane of consciousness, service continues even during rest. There is action in inaction and inaction in action for the devoted soul.

“One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.”  (Lord Krishna, Bg. 4.18)

The saint can teach the divine principles to others because he follows them himself. He knows that man has amazing abilities, the potential to love to the highest. The wonderful innovations created in recent times could not have come about without great intelligence and capability for work. When those capabilities are applied to a system of spiritual practice that aims to please the Supreme Lord, the result is ananda, or bliss, that is in such high supply that there is plenty to go around.

The saint takes the ingenuity that goes into inventing a new sport like truck racing and directs it towards finding new ways to please the Supreme Lord. At the heart of a loving relationship is association, and since Krishna is full and complete in His name, chanting the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, is as good as being in the Lord’s presence. Of course we can’t understand this fact in the beginning, but since the saint follows the prescribed regulation of chanting this wonderful mantra for sixteen rounds a day on a set of japa beads, others can see a valid and functioning prototype to copy.

But imitation alone isn’t fun. Instead, there is the competitive spirit which tries to add on to what others are doing, maybe even surpassing them. Rather than be threatened, the saint is warmed to the heart when this attitude is directed at them in the realm of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. The same sportive tendency used to race against other cars can be applied to chanting the holy names more and more, to writing about the glories of the darling of Vrajabhumi, to preparing the most sumptuous food dishes to be offered to Krishna and then distributed to others.

The competitive attitude is sometimes even used to try to please the saint, who acts as the kindest teacher. He expects a lot from others because he knows that others are capable of amazing things if they apply themselves. If prizes are won throughout a process, then incentive is always present. There is no greater reward than Shyamasundara’s association, which comes through His holy name, so the more one follows bhakti the more they are inclined to cling to the process, which is initially supervised by the guiding hand of the saint.

An individual is considered saintly when they extend the fraternal attitude beyond themselves. In fact, the further out that vision of kindness spreads, the more their sainthood increases. The Vaishnava extends the vision of equality to all creatures, large and small. The human beings should have compassion for one another because they are all in the same boat, and they are also the elder brothers of the lower species like the animals, birds and aquatics.

Yet the Vaishnava, the devotee of Krishna, doesn’t stop with the gentleness extended to all creatures. Real compassion is showing others how to properly direct their energy. Therefore the Vaishnava kindly speaks of the glories of God in public forums, personal conversations, written words, and beautifully sung songs. This way they show others the proper destination, which is a newer consciousness more than a different physical location. The person connected to the divine consciousness can find a pleasurable situation wherever they go.

The end of life will come eventually, and when it does every person must ask themselves whether they spent their valuable time wisely. Time can be passed through any endeavor, but only when consciousness develops properly is the time well spent. By following bhakti-yoga, by devoting your life to God in any way possible, large or small, consciousness makes lasting progress for the better, and from that right way of thinking the vibrant force that is the spirit soul can get the most out of its energy.

In Closing:

What to do today, on my hands I have so much time?

What activity will keep active and also pacify my mind?

 

Should I gamble or play video games for fun?

Or on the fields chasing animals should I run?

 

If adults who play as such others do teach,

Guaranteed that same position pupils will reach.

 

Know that the individual within is a vital force,

Through intelligence place action on proper course.

 

For that, from the most saintly characters learn,

So that with work residence in spiritual abode to earn.

 

Saint does more than just affection to all extend,

Shows others proper way, to state of bliss man to send.

Tear Down This Wall

“Prahlada Maharaja said: One who is sufficiently intelligent should use the human form of body from the very beginning of life — in other words, from the tender age of childhood — to practice the activities of devotional service, giving up all other engagements. The human body is most rarely achieved, and although temporary like other bodies, it is meaningful because in human life one can perform devotional service. Even a slight amount of sincere devotional service can give one complete perfection.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.6.1)

Among the many issues discussed during a campaign for the office of President of the United States is foreign policy. How will such and such candidate deal with other nations, including those who may be hostile to the country? On the campaign trail it is easy to talk your way through difficult issues. You can say anything, as your words don’t directly affect legislation. The goal of the candidate is to get elected, not necessarily to immediately impact policy. Once you get into office and bring in your handlers, aides, advisers and administrators, you can make more rational decisions.

The general recommendation is for presidents to remain neutral in foreign affairs. Don’t ruffle any feathers. Why would you want to raise hostilities that might get your country into more trouble? The other nations understand that you might talk tough during the campaign season, but once you get into office they expect you to use keen diplomacy to get what you want. Even in the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, punishment, or danda, is not the only means for achieving an end. There are other options such as pacification, giving gifts, and using divide and conquer strategies for rulers to achieve their stated objective.

“After some time, the teachers Shanda and Amarka thought that Prahlada Maharaja was sufficiently educated in the diplomatic affairs of pacifying public leaders, appeasing them by giving them lucrative posts, dividing and ruling over them and punishing them in cases of disobedience. Then, one day, after Prahlada's mother had personally washed the boy and dressed him nicely with sufficient ornaments, they presented him before his father.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.19)

Divide and conquer is one of the more intriguing options because it has a psychological component to it. Danda is straightforward. The aggressor sets the rules in any conflict, so if you have more military might then it is easy to just impose your will on another party. The United States has had the predominant military in the world for the past hundred years or so, but the option for armed conflict is not the one first taken. Rather than anger others, there are paths of lesser resistance like pacification and the giving of gifts. Typically, though, pacification is the resort for the weaker parties.

Division is your way to attack the enemy from within. You inspire rebel forces inside of the enemy camp to fight their way to achieve their interest, which is ideally your interest as well. Division is rarely practiced in the open, as the strong rhetoric required is not considered diplomatic. Why try “cowboy diplomacy” when you can speak softly on the outside and work your way around the edges without the enemy knowing?

One particular world leader in recent times was advised not to openly criticize a regime that had erected a wall in one of its satellite countries. Walls are only built when you want to keep people from coming in or leaving. The influx of people is only a problem when the nation you govern is attractive to outsiders. In the case of this small territory, the problem was the opposite. The people were dying to get out. If you live in an area with tight government controls and limited freedom, you will likely want to flee. The move may be difficult, but in the end you have to do what is right for yourself and your family. The egress is similar to leaving a job that you might be comfortable in. If the boss makes many changes and cuts your salary enough you will have no other choice but to leave and find another job.

The giant wall at the city’s boundary caused a problem for the people wanting to leave. The citizens that wanted to move out couldn’t. They’d have to try to climb the giant wall, which would place them out in the open for the governing bodies to see. The government put up the wall for a reason; they did not want people to leave. If someone did try to escape and then ended up getting caught, they surely wouldn’t be treated well by the authorities. Watching from the outside, many nations thought the government’s behavior was reprehensible. If people want to leave a country, why not allow them to? Why erect a wall?

Though they were thinking this way, it was difficult for them to openly share their feelings, as a lack of confidence in the proper path often prevents the open sharing of criticism. “For starters, who is anyone to criticize anyone else? If one nation has a wall on its boundary, who am I, an outsider, to criticize? I don’t know their circumstances. I don’t know why they may have put up that wall. What gives me the right to say it should be done differently? Instead, I should kindly ask them to consider shifting gears, being collegial on the outside and then a little stricter when talking to them personally.”

On one visit to this famous wall, the world leader in question went the bold route. To the people gathered at the wall, he assertively advised the leader of that area to “tear down this wall.” The recommendation was straightforward, honest and could not be misconstrued. The message wasn’t, “Please consider getting rid of this wall”, or, “Please try reforming your nation so that people can live happily within these confines.” A few years later, the inspired people of that city would tear down that wall themselves, not waiting for help from the government.

The preacher who knows the true position of the spirit soul and its ideal home also is very bold in presenting their message. The spirit soul is the essence of identity, the spark within every living being. The temporary coverings are like shirts and coats that get put on before a trip and then taken off once the destination is reached. Through the transmigration of the soul, or reincarnation, these dresses are constantly put on and taken off.

“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.22)

The soul remains the same throughout, but since the land inhabited is filled with inhibiting matter, there is no happiness. Through mental speculation and fruitive activity, the living being tries their best to make use of their environment. They are not allowed to escape the impenetrable walls of maya, or illusion, because they are unaware of their proper identity. Thus so many other systems of regulation arise. As the soul’s natural desire is to serve, that propensity follows so many outlets within the confines of maya’s walls. Philanthropy, charity, sense gratification, concern for the material wellbeing of others, protection of the environment, the feverish pursuit of profit, the desire to control people through accepting the reins of government, and so many other ventures are attempted to fill the void for lasting happiness.

The Vaishnava preacher knows both the position of the soul and its link to the Supersoul, who has a personal form in His original feature. The spirit souls come from God and only in His association is there real happiness. The walls of maya are sort of like the perimeter of a large prison house. Through the proper behavior one can escape from confinement by figuratively tearing down maya’s walls. As this is what is best for every spirit soul, the Vaishnava boldly declares that the walls of maya must be brought down, not accommodated.

What is the difference between tearing down maya’s walls and remaining within them? What sort of behavior helps one break free of the prison-like environment? Mental speculation will be of no help in this regard. The human mind has the ability to discriminate, so when accepting the most righteous path of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, there certainly must be more than just blind sentiment. Nevertheless, the right path cannot initially be revealed through mental effort alone. One must tap into the storehouse of knowledge that is the Vedic literature, with its most important works being the Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam.

The Vedas are non-different from God, so it is difficult to say that some works are more important than others. The Bhagavatam is generally considered the best because it deals exclusively with devotion to the Lord, without hints of procedures for material acquisition, dry renunciation, or mystic perfection. These other pursuits can help elevate one to the platform of God consciousness, but they can also serve as distractions. If the boss that previously treated you horribly one day comes in with a new enticing offer, you may be tempted to stay at the job. The employer’s intent is to make you forget about his past transgressions. But accepting the entreaty is a mistake because within a short period of time the same erratic behavior from the boss will resurface.

In a similar manner, taking shelter of any type of fruitive activity, mental speculation, or mystic perfection may make the living being temporarily comfortable again within maya’s prison, but only in bhakti are the walls eviscerated, with the invigorated spirit soul more anxious than ever to take the right action. The spark of life brings the potential for excelling in spiritual practice. The Vaishnava preacher presents all of this information, giving both the end-goal and the tools necessary for achieving it. The end is really the beginning of an endless pursuit that keeps the soul in ananda, or bliss.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna, is the object of sacrifice. The most potent sacrifice is the sankirtana-yajna, chanting the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. The recommendation is to take the chanting option right away. At the same time learn about Krishna and His teachings from the Bhagavad-gita. Become fully convinced of the position of the spirit soul, how it transcends birth and death, and how it remains always in Krishna’s association once full God consciousness is reached.

After acceptance of the devotional path read more about Krishna’s personal qualities and pastimes found in the Bhagavatam, which has accounts from great devotees and teachers like Prahlada Maharaja, who as a five year old boy instructed his classmates on the supremacy of vishnu-bhakti. In this way spend the rest of your life immersed in God consciousness, which automatically ensures that maya’s walls will have no influence. Tear down the walls of illusion instead of trying to work within them. Follow the path of bhakti, invite Krishna into your consciousness and soon you will taste the real fruit of your existence, freedom in pure bliss.

Question: What if I fail? What if I try to scale the walls and don’t make it over? Won’t maya punish me again?

In the past many yogis, real transcendentalists trying to perfect consciousness, were unsuccessful in fully scaling maya’s giant walls within their lifetime. If you try to escape from the government and get caught, they will punish you. With maya, she will provide many enticements to get you to stay within her web of illusion - which makes you take objects of matter to be yours and your material body to be your identity - but if the effort is directed at Krishna immediately, there is no need to fear.

Several sincere devotees of the past were pure of heart and only dependent on Krishna for everything. They were attacked by others opposed to God or were stricken temporarily by the influence of passion, but they were nevertheless saved. Queen Draupadi was helpless in an assembly where other kings tried to strip her naked. At the last moment she finally prayed to Krishna, and the Lord came and took the form of her dress. No matter how much the miscreants pulled, they couldn’t seem to get Draupadi’s sari off of her. Prahlada Maharaja was a five year old practicing devotion, so he had no way of protecting himself. His father tried to kill him so many times, but Krishna was there to save the boy and maintain his devotional standard.

The body must be renounced at some point, so even if we don’t succeed in escaping the material prison house or purifying its influence within this lifetime, if the effort in devotion is sincere, in the next life the process resumes from the same position. It’s like hitting pause while watching a movie, taking care of some work, and then returning to the same spot. This feature is not available outside the realm of devotional service. If you build a house halfway and leave it, there’s no guarantee that the structure will remain there for you to complete. If the house should crumble, all of your past effort goes to waste.

If just one sincere utterance of Krishna’s name is made, there is no chance of ever meeting doom. Even if an accidental fall from grace should take place in the future, the divine consciousness will eventually revive. The spirit soul is capable of amazing things. If you look around and see the complex arrangements created by man, you should know that the people who created them have the same internal qualities that you do. Therefore the potential for action is tremendous, and with bhakti-yoga the potential meets its ideal match, resulting in a synergistic force that is capable of scaling the highest walls.

In Closing:

This wonderful land, don’t you dare leave,

To the almighty government’s will do you cleave.

 

If fail in your desire for freedom to gain,

Authorities to inflict punishing pain.

 

This material land home that you do call,

Has similar boundaries, unscalable walls.

 

But Vaishnava has answer, gives it to you bold,

To be devoted to Krishna and name you’re told.

 

Maya’s walls tear down, break them with force,

Or remove their influence, follow bhakti’s course.