Tied Interests

“If I am seen by the Rakshasas, then this work performed on behalf of Rama, who is self-realized and desires the destruction of Ravana, would go for naught.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.42)

mayi dṛṣṭe tu rakśobhī rāmasya viditātmanaḥ |

bhavedvyarthamidaṃ kāryaṃ rāvaṇānarthamicchataḥ

What should happen if we fail our bosses? When given a very important task, one which could determine the future fortunes or misfortunes of the company, failing is not an option. If a worker should “drop the ball”, so to speak, the results can be disastrous. At the initial indication of failure caused by carelessness and recklessness, the boss will most likely get angry and chastise the worker. From this behavior, we see that the initial trepidation on the part of the worker has at its source the fear of some future personal discomfort. “If I fail the boss, he will yell at me, and I might get fired. Obviously I wouldn’t like any of these things to happen.” Similarly, in other areas of life where dependencies are created, the fear of failing is rooted in the personal interests of the performer. By forgetting an anniversary or birthday, we get the cold shoulder from the wife for a few weeks. Children will remember for the rest of their lives if we forget to attend an important play, recital, or baseball game. But there is one person who is beyond all tendencies towards disappointment and anger. Despite this wonderful feature, those who serve Him lovingly actually take His interests more seriously than they do anyone else’s. Since these sincere servants are attached to this most sublime person in every thought, word and deed, the interests mold into one, with the servant taking the master’s happiness as their own. Such was the case with the venerable Shri Hanuman, the faithful servant of Lord Rama.

How can anyone be beyond attachment? Who among us wouldn’t be disappointed if we asked somebody to do something and they failed to do it? Tasks are only handed out if there is a tangible interest to be served. For example, if we ask someone to fill up our car with gasoline and they come back later and tell us they couldn’t do it, we’re left without enough gas to drive the car where we wanted to go. This is just a small example, but the commonality shared in assigned tasks is that there is always a specific interest to be met. When that objective is not realized, surely there will be disappointment. There is one person, however, who is completely self-satisfied, or atmarama. He has no interests that need to be fulfilled because He has everything, including every possible item of wealth and beauty. He is never alone either, as His servants remain with Him for all-time. These wonderful associates are also lacking nothing in beauty, honor, kindness, dedication and purity.

To describe this person as God is to shortchange His attributes and rob the poet of the blissful feelings that come with describing the Supreme Person’s glories. Indeed, this person is better described as Bhagavan, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhagavan possesses every fortune imaginable to the fullest degree and at the same time. He has the most wealth, the greatest beauty, the highest form of knowledge, the strongest dedication to renunciation, the most fame a person could ask for, and a level of strength that surpasses that of every living entity combined. Bhagavan is a person with a form, someone who gives pleasure to others through transcendental interactions. Not surprisingly, due to His all-attractive nature, He is also known by the name of Krishna.

Since Krishna doesn’t need anything, He is described as being satisfied with Himself and also as the knower of the Self. The individual, at the time of birth, identifies solely with its outer covering, a temporary shell if you will. In the Vedic literature, the set of scriptures passed down since the beginning of time starting in the land that is known today as India, it is said that the body of the living entity is akin to a bubble that forms on the water. A living entity is any form of life, i.e. anything with a soul, or atma, inside of it. The body is the outer covering, the bubble that takes shape, travels for some time, and then gets easily destroyed. Though we may consider ourselves to be invincible, our intelligence level to be very high, and our body structure to be very sturdy, when compared with the giant land masses that exist in this and innumerable other universes, our body is simply like a bubble. Within an instant it can be dissolved.

“The Blessed Lord then said: This body, O son of Kunti, is called the field, and one who knows this body is called the knower of the field.” (Bhagavad-gita, 13.2)

But the resident of the body, the knower of the field of activities, never dies. He never even takes birth; therefore he is considered eternal, unchanging and primeval. Understanding these facts is quite difficult for one living in the bubble, for forgetfulness is the allure of the nature surrounding the entity that takes birth inside such a body. One who knows their true identity, the self, understands that the spirit soul never goes through any change; therefore there is no reason for hankering or lamenting. Indeed, only he who is enveloped in ignorance views the temporary gains and setbacks as debilitating. One who is on the highest level of understanding never takes his eye off the ball because of disappointment or great fortune.

Shri Krishna would obviously be the knower of the self since He is the creator of all humanity. He is actually the supreme knower, as He is conscious of every activity that goes on within every single bubble existing past, present and future. The individuals trapped inside of a bubble-like body can also become familiar with their own self through proper training. But their position is slightly different. Krishna is the Superself, or Supersoul, while the individual is the ordinary self. The qualities of both entities are the same, but the quantitative powers are vastly different. Moreover, due to their fixed dispositions, there is an ideal, eternal relationship that exists between the two. This relationship never breaks, but it can be forgotten from time to time. The Supersoul is so kind that it accompanies the individual self in its descent from the spiritual sky to the temporary world full of bubble-like dwellings. When constitutional activities are adopted, steady contact with the Supersoul is gained.

Just as Bhagavan is full of every fortune and beyond illusion and doubt, so the Supersoul, being a non-different expansion of the same Bhagavan, represents the Absolute Truth. Since the Supersoul is difficult to perceive, the original form of Godhead, Bhagavan, descends to earth from time to time in visible forms to allow those sincere souls who want to rekindle their relationship with Him a chance to do so. This form, since it eternally resides in the spiritual world, is known as an avatara, or one who descends. Lord Rama, as an avatara of Krishna, roamed this earth many thousands of years ago in the guise of a warrior prince. The same Supersoul residing within each of our hearts, Shri Rama, gave transcendental pleasure to all He met. Out of His closest associates, we’d be hard pressed to find one who had a stronger connection to Rama than Hanuman.

Though the connection with Bhagavan always remains, even when consciousness of the divine is in the dormant state, the nature of the interaction can vary. In the contaminated state, the spirit soul, the self, misdirects its natural loving propensities towards external objects, people and things that it has grown attached to during its short time on earth. Since these relationships are temporary, they are not the best use of the loving spirit. After purification through acts of devotion, which can include the acquisition of knowledge and dedication to austerity, remembrance of the relationship with the Supersoul is ignited. In the pure state, the relationship with Bhagavan takes on different moods, which are known as rasas, or transcendental mellows. Shri Hanuman, who is actually an eternal knower of the self, follows the mood of servitude. Whatever Rama wants, Hanuman will do. In fact, Rama’s interests are all that Hanuman ever thinks about. Though he possesses extraordinary strength and mastery over every mystic perfection, or siddhi, imaginable, Hanuman only uses his powers for furthering Rama’s interests.

Though Krishna is considered the most attractive and original form of the Lord, Hanuman has no interest in serving any other form of Godhead except Rama. According to the Vaishnava authorities, those spiritual masters who teach dedication to Lord Vishnu, who is another non-different form of Krishna, the same benefit received from reciting the name of Rama three times can be had by saying the name of Krishna just once. Therefore the most potent spiritual practice is the constant recitation of the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. Rama can represent Lord Rama, Lord Balarama [Krishna’s older brother], or the Absolute Truth’s ability to give transcendental pleasure to others. Hanuman, even knowing this information, would still never give up service to Rama. Hearing that Krishna’s name is more powerful, a devotee of Rama would say, “Oh, so I have to chant Rama’s name three times to get the same benefit of saying Krishna’s name once? Great! This means that I have ever the more reason to say my beloved Rama’s name as often as possible.”

As the all-pervading witness, the Supreme Lord knows the natural desires kept securely within the depths of the heart of each individual. Knowing Hanuman’s fervent desire to offer service to Him, Rama created situations where tasks could be carried out. One such situation involved the locating of Rama’s kidnapped wife, Sita Devi. The Rakshasa demon Ravana had taken her through a backhanded plot at a time when Rama was not by her side. Seeking shelter in his island kingdom of Lanka, Ravana thought he was shielded from enemy attack by the strategic location of his home. Little did he know that Hanuman, Rama’s faithful servant, and the messenger of the interests of the sweet Lord, or Ramadutta, would come knocking on his door, signaling his imminent death.

When Ravana first brought Sita to Lanka, he tried his best to win her over. Of course this is not possible, because just as Hanuman is an eternally liberated soul dedicated to Rama, so is Sita Devi. Sita made a nice retort to Ravana’s advances, informing him that death was surely upon him. We normally think that an individual takes dangerous actions that then lead to their death, but Sita told Ravana that the situation works in the reverse order. Imminent death approaches first, and due to its influence the living entity takes to destructive behavior which then brings about the end of life. Sita told Ravana that his taking her away from the side of her husband was a surefire sign that death was creeping up on him.

“When the time for the destruction of living entities arrives, people are seen to perform activities that endanger themselves due to the influence of that all-devouring time.” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 56.16)

Hanuman’s arrival in Lanka was the first sign of Sita’s prediction coming true. Reaching the shores of the enemy city, Hanuman needed to figure out a way to infiltrate the Rakshasa kingdom without being noticed. In the above referenced statement from the Ramayana, we see Hanuman is asking questions to himself before making a final decision. His mindset is entirely fixed on Rama’s interests; he doesn’t want to do anything that will foil the mission. In an ordinary endeavor, the fear of anger and retaliation from the entity of interest serves as the impetus for action. It may appear that Hanuman was feeling the same type of fear, but really there was no need for this. Since Rama is self-satisfied and the knower of the self, He knows that the Supersoul, the localized aspect of Bhagavan, is responsible for remembrance and the results of action. The self, or atma, carries the burden for choosing the nature of its interactions with the external world, but no results can be had without the sanction of the higher authorities.

The old-style communists would play the game where they would ask their subjects to pray to God for a certain plant to grow. Without giving it any water or sunlight, the plant would obviously die, so the communists would then ask the same individuals to pray to the government to grow the plant. Taking water and sunlight, the government leaders would be able to successfully grow the plant. Somehow they thought this proved that God doesn’t exist, but in reality, even the communists couldn’t grow the plant without the aid of nature’s elements, namely the sunlight and water. Indeed, it is seen that many human beings, though capable of getting ample sunlight and water, are still unable to raise every plant successfully. In addition, millions of animals and other plants don’t have any interaction with humans whatsoever and yet they still have no problem finding food. They don’t pray to the government or to God, but all their needs are supplied anyway.

The Supreme Lord creates this entire universe and then destroys it again when the time is right. Therefore no result can take place without Bhagavan’s sanction. Hanuman certainly knew all this, so he wasn’t afraid of Rama’s reaction should the mission fail. Rather, Hanuman was worried about not properly serving his most dear and loveable object. As a pure bhakta, or devotee, Hanuman was tied to Rama in thought, word and deed, so Rama’s interests were his own. In this respect, Hanuman was afraid of disappointing himself, for he wanted Sita rescued and Ravana destroyed. If Rama is pleased, Hanuman is pleased. Their relationship is beautiful in that regard, giving us tremendous pleasure just thinking about it.

Hanuman, with his unmatched capabilities, both physical and mental, can never fail in a labor of transcendental love. After deliberating thus, he would go on to infiltrate Lanka, find Sita, set fire to the city after being attacked, and then return to Rama. Subsequently, Rama, His younger brother Lakshmana, Hanuman and a massive army of Vanaras, or monkeys, would march to Lanka, defeat Ravana and his clan, and rescue Sita. Since the devotee ties his interests to the Supreme Lord’s satisfaction, there is never failure or loss of any kind in transcendental endeavors. This is the Lord’s promise to us. Those who make devotional service, or bhakti-yoga, their life and soul will always remain in constant connection with the Supreme Lord residing within the heart. From this service comes all necessary knowledge and renunciation. Every noteworthy attribute belonging to Bhagavan and to the celestials managing the affairs of the material world easily arrives at the doorstep of the bhakta who is feverishly engaged in spreading the glories of Shri Rama, chanting His names, following His orders, and teaching others about the true mission in life, that of becoming God conscious. Tying our interests to Bhagavan’s, we will always tackle each task with the proper consciousness.

Caught Under The Wheel’s Roll

“My dear Lord, I am a living entity perpetually disturbed by the conditions of material existence. I have been cracked to pieces by the smashing wheel of material existence, and because of my various sinful activities while existing in this material world, I am burning in the blazing fire of material reactions. Somehow or other, my dear Lord, I have come to take shelter under Your lotus feet. Please accept me and give me protection.” (Shripada Shridhara Svami, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 32)

Samsara-chakra is known as the wheel of material existence, which continues in a cycle that is generally viewed in a negative light due to the perpetual suffering that accompanies each successive turn of the wheel, as each revolution brings about a variety of unpredictable fortunes. One who is not caught in this spinning, which is constantly working through the effects of time, is thus deemed liberated and free from any effects of material existence. The Supreme Lord, who resides in the spiritual sky and is the fountainhead of all energies, carries a different kind of chakra, one that is described as having an auspicious appearance, sudarshana. Material existence, or samsara, has just the opposite type of wheel, so in the matter of choosing between the two, a sober man would always opt for association with the more beautiful one, the wheel that does not impose any suffering or cause a grinding cycle of pain. Due to the living entity’s marginal potency, unless and until the proper choice is made, the suffering of samsara will continue.

A nice illustration of the resultant effects of not properly accounting for an exit condition from a cycle is seen in the world of computer programming. Due to the advanced technological age, computers have become a mainstay in everyday life, with the internet being the primary source of information, supplanting both television and print media. The software application, or program, is at the heart of the vital functions of the computer, as it is the component that gives the machine its appeal and utility. Without such programs, the computer would be simply a collection of parts incapable of doing anything tangible. Though computer programming can be quite intricate and complex, so much so that it is considered its own field of study, the basic units of a program aren’t too complicated to understand. Just as a large housing structure is composed of simple bolts and different manifestations of wood, a well-functioning computer application is a collection of programmatic instructions presented together in a proper flow and designed to handle and account for different types of input.

In the most basic application, the operations involve the declaration of variables and functions, assignment of different values, calling of functions, and the use of looping constructs. The loop is where things get interesting, as it is especially necessary for dealing with iterative operations, wherein one must traverse through a set of commands or a string of values entering the program from an external source. At the foundational level, the value that requires traversal could be something as simple as user input. Say we have a command line program that takes user input and then echoes back the same value onto the screen with spaces in between the entered characters. Say the user opens the program and enters the word “Krishna” on the screen. The expected output would then be “K r i s h n a ”. Though there are several ways to tackle this problem, as a rudimentary programming exercise the word entered would be stored in a string field, or at least an array of characters.

In this scenario the loop construct is required because the input is not known to the program, for the application is simply a collection of instructions after all. If one writes the program only to handle the word “Krishna”, then the code will fail or not function properly when any other type of input is entered. The code must be able to handle generic information; hence it requires the loop construct to iterate through the input. Since in this example the word “Krishna” is entered, the character string that must be iterated through contains seven letters, or characters. A basic algorithm for delivering the intended result would loop through the string, retrieve each character, append a space to it, store the resulting value in an output string, and then move on to the next character in the input. The output string would be stored in a variable which gets appended to during each iteration of the loop. So if the output variable starts with “K “, then the next iteration would add “K “ to “r “, resulting in “K r “.

When the loop finishes traversing the user input, the resulting string value is then outputted to the screen and the program exits. This all seems well and good, right? But what if the loop doesn’t properly exit? What if there is no proper break condition accounted for in the loop declaration? Most popular programming languages utilized today have a “for” or “foreach” looping construct which makes it easier to break out of the loop at the proper time, but what if we used a “while” loop in this scenario? In a while loop at the beginning of each iteration a simple test condition is applied which tells the code whether or not to continue in the loop. This test condition must evaluate to “false” when the loop has finally iterated through all the values.

When the proper break condition is not accounted for, the result is an infinite loop, one that never stops executing. In the history of computer science, these situations have occurred quite often, sometimes in some of the most large-scale programs. The results are, not surprisingly, sometimes disastrous, as the program continues to function without reporting anything back to the user. If a program errors out or if there is a simple bug not accounted for, the execution will stop and the intended functions will not complete. But the infinite loop doesn’t exit; it continues to perform operations perpetually. In our simple example, we are just reading data and iterating through a string, but what if our code called for a more memory intensive operation at each step in the loop? If the loop continues, it will eat up more and more of the computer’s memory, thus shutting out other programs from the resources they need to function. Moreover, an infinite loop will lock up the program currently being utilized, thus not allowing the user to know what is going on.

Since the beginning of time, man has pondered the reason for his existence and the justification for his being put on this earth. Though this inquiry can continue forever without a solid conclusion reached, through the submissive hearing process tied to the most authorized of sources we can actually find out the answers. The Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India passed down through an aural tradition, state that the jiva souls, which are marginal in their position, have a choice as it relates to association. They can either remain with pure spirit or with dull matter. Both energies, the spiritual and the material, are eternally existing and part of the Supreme Lord. Yet the material energy is considered a separated expansion, so the personal influence of the original storehouse of spiritual energy is absent. Matter is dull, lifeless, and temporary in its manifestations. Though the energy exists perpetually, the different forms that it takes and the influences that result are anything but permanent. Spirit, on the other hand, is directly tied to God, who is known as Krishna because of His all-attractive nature. The personal energy of God is never subject to destruction, ignorance, suffering, changes, or any type of pain.

“The Supreme Lord said, The indestructible, transcendental living entity is called Brahman, and his eternal nature is called the self. Action pertaining to the development of these material bodies is called karma, or fruitive activities.” (Bhagavad-gita, 8.3)

The jivas, we living entities, are in between dull matter, or maya, and pure spirit, or Brahman. Though we are Brahman by constitution, we are technically considered marginal because we have a choice in association. Krishna, as the creator of both energies, is Parabrahman; thus He has no defect in His association, nor is He required to choose between any realm. Wherever He goes is considered spiritual. The material world, the phenomenal realm we currently occupy, is ruled by the separated energy. Our presence on earth is due simply to our desires. When that desire was first initiated will forever be unknown, as only God, as antaryami, or the supreme witness, is supremely knowledgeable. For the jiva to understand any and all truths of spiritual life, he must become God; something which can never happen. Krishna’s post is not up for election nor is it ever vacant. God never becomes God; He is always the Supreme Lord.

Though the human mind may not be able to trace out the initial date of its descent from the spiritual sky, the pathway leading out of the suffering of material existence is quite straightforward. One who thinks of Krishna at the time of death makes their choice of spirit over matter well known. The jiva’s wishes are always respected, so when the desire to be with Krishna is sincere, the association with matter ceases. In the absence of this firm attachment to the Supreme Spirit, the wheel of material suffering will continue. Even at the time of death, when the grossly foolish believe everything finishes, the pure spiritual entity, the spark of life, assumes another temporary dress and is thus given a renewed opportunity to play on the temporary playing field known as the material world.

In computer programming terms, the jivas are caught in an iterative loop, one which executes similar operations during each iteration. Though the body types assumed during each turn of the wheel may differ, with some jivas dwelling in bodies of animals and some in humans, the steps encountered in the loop are similar. When the iteration has completed, i.e. when the time of death has come, the loop condition is measured, wherein the sincere desires of the soul and the results of past work are reviewed. As long as the loop condition continues to evaluate to “true”, i.e. the desire to take another stab at material existence remains, the iterations continue.

“O son of Kunti, at the end of the millennium every material manifestation enters into My nature, and at the beginning of another millennium, by My potency I again create.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 9.7)

In the most ideal situation, the wheel of material existence will spin only one time for the fallen soul. One lifetime’s worth of separation from Krishna in consciousness should be enough to set the mind straight. But just as the properly written program must account for all types of input, the wheel of material existence is ready to accept an infinite number of loop iterations, so many that even when the entire creation is destroyed, the wheel starts spinning again when the next creation manifests. Whether a particular jiva only wants one material life to live or millions of them, the hourglass of time must continue to pour its effects of change on the material bodies of the residents of the temporary and perishable realm.

So how do we get out from under the rolling wheel that continually causes us pain? How do we ensure that the next loop condition evaluates to “false” so that we can get out of the spinning wheel? The Vedas, though an intricate set of scriptures that delve into many different topics, are primarily about devotion to God. Indeed, that is the entire purpose behind supreme knowledge, to understand that Krishna is the original proprietor of everything, the greatest enjoyer and the best friend of the living entities. The Vedas and devotional service, or bhakti, are equivalent. In this respect, love of Godhead is even more powerful than the Lord Himself. One who is conditionally situated has to work under the dictates of nature and the wheel of material suffering. But one who is wholly dedicated to Krishna in thought, word and deed is so exalted that even Krishna Himself cannot influence them.

The gopis of Vrindavana are the most sterling example of this truth. They love Krishna so much that they abandon attachment to their husbands, families and household duties. Surely they perform all of their required tasks and give outward deference to established codes of conduct, but internally they are always thinking about Krishna and hearing the transcendental sound of His flute playing. When Krishna asks them to stop loving Him and to go back to serving their husbands, to whom they are religiously duty-bound to provide pleasure and comfort, the gopis simply ignore Krishna, considering Him to be temporarily out of sorts. After all, if the Supreme Lord is the ultimate reservoir of pleasure, how can any behavior devoid of His association be deemed a superior engagement? Through the behavior of the pure bhaktas, Krishna’s influences become nullified, as He is incapable of matching their high standard of love.

Obviously ascending to this highest platform of Krishna consciousness is difficult, if not impossible, but the jiva souls aren’t required to become the most sublime lovers, just sincere enough to turn their backs on the allures of material life, which constantly attack the open and vulnerable senses of the individual. In the lower species such as the animals, the intelligence is lacking to fight off the urges of the senses. The human being, however, due to its higher potential for knowledge, can take the necessary steps to not only control the senses, but to focus the spiritual consciousness on topics relating to Krishna. Of all the practices recommended by the devotees of the Lord, none is more powerful than the chanting of the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. This mantra contains the names of God and His pleasure potency, so the recitation of this sacred formula should never be abandoned or confused with any type of religious practice aimed at providing a temporary fruit. “Hare Krishna” is meant exclusively for the purpose of providing divine pleasure, one that transcends any and all fruits resulting from sense engagement.

One who regularly chants this mantra, making a routine of the practice, dedicating their lives to ensuring that their transcendental recitation continues day after day, will never have to worry about the loop condition any more. In programming one can wait for the next evaluation of the loop condition to determine if the iteration operations will continue, or one can explicitly call for a break, or an exit, from the loop. The devotees who become purely Krishna conscious through chanting and hearing of the Divine pastimes found in wonderful texts like the Shrimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and Ramayana immediately break free of the spinning wheel effects. They are deemed liberated before they even exit their present body. The separated energy, maya, is only harmful and full of ignorance for those who don’t know how to utilize it properly. The paramahamsa, or the topmost transcendentalist, views maya as being Krishna’s dear servant; hence no negative side effects result from maya’s association for one with the proper mood.

When the wheel of material existence continues to roll, the living entities trapped underneath are not in very good conditions. The most debilitating effect of maya is that she continually deludes the jivas who are fully endowed with freedom into choosing matter over spirit. Therefore by regular chanting and adherence to the four regulative principles of abstention from meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex, the desire of the independent jiva can be altered. Chanting is the most effective method because it gradually brings about knowledge of the differences between Krishna’s three energies and our unique position within the grand scheme. Knowledge is power, and more powerful than knowledge is Krishna. One who has Krishna will never have to be trapped in an infinite loop ever again. Their life’s mission, that of thinking of God at the time of death, will be easily accomplished, thus allowing for a smooth and successful exit from the program of conditioned life.

The Soothing Light

“How can I ensure that the purpose of my task does not get destroyed? How shall I avoid mental disparity, and how do I ensure that my crossing of the ocean does not go for naught?” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.41)

na vinaśyetkathaṃ kāryaṃ vaiklabyam na kathaṃ bhavet |

laṅghanaṃ ca samudrasya kathaṃ nu na vṛthā bhavet

Have you ever forgotten to do something that was very important? Have you ever made a mistake that just seemed inexcusable, a transgression as simple as forgetting to fill up the car with gasoline? These careless mistakes can lead to damaging results, leaving us scratching our heads as to why something so simple could have been overlooked and what could have been done to avoid the mistake. “I can’t believe I let that happen. How on earth could I be so absent-minded? I need to do something in the future to avoid making the same mistakes again.” Invariably, the solutions will involve reminders, hints from friends, and maybe even personal notes left in strategic locations. But if we study the issue a little more closely, we’ll see that the key ingredient to carelessness is the caring itself. When the mind gets diverted to other areas of interest, the initial primary activity immediately takes on a secondary importance, thus increasing the chances of error. Only one individual, one supreme entity, brings about so much sublime pleasure that those who fix their thoughts on Him never get diverted from the tasks that are aimed to please Him.

A classic example of carelessness is seen with the motorist talking on their cell phone while driving. Operating a motor vehicle is a serious business, as mistakes made on the road can be fatal. While driving on the road, it is very easy to spot another motorist who is not paying attention. The first indication of their lack of awareness is a very low speed in their driving. Generally drivers travel at or above the posted speed limit; so if a car is seen travelling unusually slow on a local road, it is an indication of some problem. The driver may be looking for a particular building or house that they have never visited before, searching for something on the passenger seat, or combing their hair; or perhaps they are simply just poor at driving. In many instances, the motorist is talking on their mobile telephone, or in other words, they are distracted. Such behavior is seen on the fast highways as well, where drivers plant themselves in the left lane, the lane used to pass slower cars, and don’t move out of it. Pretty soon a giant row of cars starts to line up behind the slower driver, and if these obstructed cars are fortunate enough to pass on through the right or middle lanes, they look back at the slow car and notice that the driver is talking on their cell phone.

From the driver’s perspective, talking on the phone is beneficial because it makes the time go by very quickly. Driving is a necessity and not necessarily a pleasant experience. Who would want to sit in traffic all day or have to drive for an extended period of time just to get to work? Working is itself a chore; something we do out of necessity more than desire. Therefore we’ll jump at any opportunity to make the time in the car pass more smoothly. Conversation is arguably the best way to keep the mind engaged, so the motorist on the cell phone enjoys not having to remain conscious of time and the length of their trip.

But an inattentive driver is more prone to accidents and other issues. Therefore it is wiser to remain focused on the task at hand than to divert the mind towards other interests. This principle holds true in virtually every sphere of life where attention to detail is required. Carelessness and recklessness only come about through a diversion in desires, the mind wandering off in a direction not related to the present realm of activity. The only surefire way to remain focused on the task at hand through its completion is to develop a sincere desire to adopt that activity.

In order for desire to remain active, the end-goal, the soothing light at the end of the tunnel, must bring a supremely tangible benefit. No one takes to activity that will knowingly harm them in the end. Even self-destructive behavior has an end-goal of seeing some type of favorable condition. Therefore the higher the pleasure, the greater the desire will be to perform the activity. The more intense the desire, the greater the attention to detail there will be. No reward is higher than the association of the Supreme Divine Entity, that person who provides the most pleasure to the pleasure-seekers.

Labeling this person as God is too simplistic an identification. In the Vedic tradition the original Divine Entity is known by three primary characteristics. He is the original proprietor of everything; so all the possessions that we lay claim to actually belong to Him. This makes sense because at the time of birth we are penniless and without any possessions. Just because we find objects of matter or are given them through the exchange of work and money doesn’t mean that we can claim to be original owners of anything. The Supreme Lord, as the Almighty Creator, holds the property rights to every object of matter, which is nothing more than a manifestation of His external energy.

The Supreme Lord’s second feature is that He is the ultimate reservoir of pleasure. Presently service is offered to ourselves, friends, family, coworkers, children, pets, paramours and communities. Each recipient of our service can be considered an object whose pleasure we seek. But God is so sublime that He is the most inclusive and largest reservoir of pleasure, for He accepts the humble service of every living entity inhabiting the innumerable universes. This fact firmly establishes Him as the only entity worth serving.

The Lord is also the best friend of every living entity. This feature ties the other two together. From these facts we can deduce that the most sublime engagement in life is to take whatever possessions we have and use them for the pleasure of the reservoir of all energy. Since He is our best friend, God’s pleasure automatically equates to increased happiness for us. In this way the activities of transcendental love bring about the highest rewards, the most spectacular enjoyment. Those who are keenly aware of these properties never get diverted in their business. They remain fixed in the constitutional activities that are bhakti-yoga, or devotional service.

Only those who are firmly fixed in bhakti can avoid recklessness at all times. Carelessness comes from not caring one hundred percent about the activity that one is engaged in. If the Supreme Lord, whose original form is known as Krishna, provides full sweetness to the living entity, there is no chance that other “cares” will take precedence in the engagement of bhakti. Similarly, through the strong bond formed to the transcendental world and its proprietor, mental disparity, anguish, lamentation, and other ill conditions brought on by the mind can be avoided. Full knowledge of the beauty and supremacy of the Supreme Lord keeps the mind firmly interested in meeting the objectives of the most important mission. Shri Hanuman’s behavior in the enemy territory of Lanka perfectly illustrates this fact. Many thousands of years ago, a divine creature, one in the form of a monkey, took up bhakti-yoga by directly serving the Supreme Lord, who had appeared on earth in human form as Shri Rama.

This faithful servant of Rama, or Ramadutta, known by the name of Hanuman, was given the task of infiltrating a formidable enemy’s home territory and locating a missing princess, the wife of Lord Rama, Sita Devi. Hanuman braved his way across the massive ocean and reached the outskirts of Lanka. But now the battle was really beginning. How was he going to get into Lanka without being noticed? What type of form would be both beneficial in masking his appearance and allowing for keen observation?

From the above quoted passage of the Ramayana, we see that Hanuman was indeed concerned with all of these issues. He especially wanted to avoid mental disparity, or carelessness, for that would squander any opportunity to find Sita. In actuality, just the mere fact that Hanuman was worried about being careless is proof enough that he can never behave in a way that diverts his attention from serving the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. Rama had created this situation so that Hanuman would have an opportunity to act out his pure love for God. A general without a mission is never happy, for the important title he owns loses its meaning unless it can be acted upon. In the same way, a lover of God needs an outlet for their emotions, a way to exhibit their love for the ultimate reservoir of pleasure.

To those who are sincere enough, Krishna provides all the opportunities for service. Since Hanuman was engaged in an activity that was to bring him the highest pleasure, his mind never diverted to other areas of interest. He had no reason to think of anything or anyone else, for in his mind the rewards resulting from activities devoid of devotion to God paled in comparison to the ultimate benediction of seeing the Supreme Lord and His wife happy. Not surprisingly, Hanuman would figure everything out and be able to successfully enter Lanka and find Sita. Returning back to Rama with his intelligence information acquired through great difficulty, Hanuman would later come back to Lanka with Rama, His younger brother Lakshmana, and a massive army of monkeys. They would soundly defeat the king of Lanka, Ravana, and all his associates, rescuing Sita in the process.

The mood of devotional service exhibited by Hanuman is actually every single person’s natural proclivity. Only when acting in divine love can we avoid the pitfalls of carelessness and recklessness. In an activity that brings about the highest pleasure, there is no need for distraction or assuaging the passage of time. But since we are so accustomed to adopting subordinate activities, in the beginning stages of devotional life there must be strict attention paid to particular behavior and actions. The most effective exercise of bhakti is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”

“From whatever and wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.26)

Revisiting the example of driving a car, it can be asked how taking to bhakti will help us avoid carelessness on the road. The chanting of the holy names of the Lord is the most potent form of religious practice because it brings about a change in consciousness. Contrary to prevailing thought, happiness is not determined by the size of one’s bank balance, the amount of material possessions, or the nature of personal interactions. Rather, happiness is directly tied to consciousness, or thought processes. One who can control the mind through steady practice in bhakti can unlock the secret to eternal bliss.

Since Krishna, or any one of His non-different expansions for that matter, is the ultimate reservoir of pleasure, thoughts fixed on His lotus feet or His activities naturally brings tremendous bliss to the mind. One whose consciousness is always focused on the Lord’s form, pastimes and attributes will be in a happy state. Yet since we have so many activities to perform to maintain our body, it is easy to withdraw from this purified consciousness. Therefore the highest authorities, especially the acharya of the chanting of the holy name, Shrila Haridasa Thakura, say that the Lord’s name is His most powerful feature. Unlike the other individual aspects of God, the name automatically awakens thoughts of the Lord’s pastimes, attributes and forms. Indeed, Goswami Tulsidas remarks that the form of God that one keeps in the mind and the form that one outwardly worships in the temple or in person are like the top and bottom of a jewelry box, while the name itself is the jewel. As such, the name can be invoked anywhere to remember and associate with other features of the Lord. The name is non-different from God Himself.

Thus the best way to avoid distraction is to chant the holy names as often as possible. God has thousands of names, each of which addresses a specific transcendental feature. There is no requirement that one exclusively chant Rama and Krishna, for reciting any authorized name regularly can bring about the same shift in consciousness. But Lord Chaitanya, the most merciful incarnation of Godhead, has specifically empowered the names of Krishna and Rama found in the famous maha-mantra. Therefore those who chant this sacred formula on a regular basis will have the best chance at permanently shifting their consciousness towards a sublime state. Whether driving in the car, working in the office, taking care of children, or even sleeping, holding on to the holy name for dear life is our only hope for success. Those who respect the sound vibration representation of the Supreme Spirit and treat it like the valuable jewel that it is will never have to worry about carelessness or failure in any important endeavor.

To this day Hanuman always chants the glories of Sita, Rama and Lakshmana. Therefore it is not surprising to see that he is a celebrated figure of the Vedic tradition, one who is ever-worthy of our love, adoration and respect. Hanuman never fails in his tasks because he always works in the interests of Rama. There is never a chance of carelessness because Hanuman doesn’t concern himself with anything except Rama’s happiness. Since the Lord is the best friend of the living entities, His happiness results in the pleasure of others, just as the water poured on the root of the tree nourishes all the branches and leaves. The Supreme Lord is kind enough to reside within our heart as the Supersoul. Those who realize His presence can understand their inherent link to God and the affectionate relationship that exists. The Lord never stops being our friend, and through adopting bhakti as a way of life, we can remember this fact every day.

Get Up

“As expressed in a song by Thakura Bhaktivinoda, Lord Chaitanya says, jiva jaga, jiva jaga. The Lord asks every sleeping living entity to get up and engage in devotional service so that his mission in this human form of life may be fulfilled. This awakening voice comes through the mouth of a pure devotee.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.20.25 Purport)

If the recipient of knowledge is actively engaged throughout the learning process, the teaching techniques will be all the more effective and the information being transmitted will be assimilated much more quickly. For the disengaged student, a steady inflow of instruction will lose its power to effect change after a short period of time, as a wall will be erected around the mind that causes new information to simply bounce off without being absorbed. An effective teacher is one who can elicit responses from their students throughout the teaching process, thus allowing the student to feel that they are alive and making real progress. Not only does knowledge best transmit through these techniques, but so do natural emotions of love and attachment. Simply sitting idly by and observing can certainly evoke the natural loving spirit, but the emotion is enhanced further by an active engagement, where explicit tasks are performed for the pleasure of the loveable object. Such intricacies were not lost to one of the greatest spiritual preachers this world has ever seen. Knowing full well the human psyche and the tendencies of loving emotions, His method of teaching the highest truths of the Vedas, whose most potent message says that Divine Love is the superior engagement for all forms of life, was tailored to appeal to every single person, across every single land.

As is quite obvious to the sober individual, people are born with specific characteristics, tendencies and appearances which aren’t uniform from person to person. Since every person is born with different natures, they will take to learning in different ways. Therefore students in a classroom will behave according to their nature, with some being eager to learn and some not paying any attention at all. This latter group is noteworthy, because even though a student is sitting in a classroom and taking instruction from a bona fide teacher, if their heart and mind aren’t into the subject matter, they won’t learn anything. The ants and the flies are also in the classroom, but since they lack the potential for intelligence and the sense awareness to pay attention to what is being spoken, they do not benefit in any way from the kind instructions of the teacher. When the human being, through distractions of the mind or through simple apathy, ignores what they are hearing in a classroom dedicated to teaching an important subject, there is no benefit received.

The good teachers are fully aware of these tendencies, so they will try their best to keep their students awake, giving them opportunities to participate and show what they have learned. The unruly students, those who are comfortable in their inactive position, may not take too well to this teaching method, but despite their grumblings, they end up better off for having participated. The hearing process is supremely effective in knowledge transmittal because it elicits argument and analysis of philosophy within the mind of the recipient. A challenge to the thought processes of the brain immediately will trigger counterarguments and deep thought, causing the listener to think wisely before retorting. The more one argues in this way, the more sound their base of reasoning becomes, and thus the higher their level of intelligence reaches.

The benefits of active participation are not limited to the arena of instruction. Having a steady stream of purposeful activity also helps to keep an emotional attachment to one’s loveable object. For instance, parents love their children, but if the kids weren’t in need of help, the strength of that love would be diminished. The natural loving spirit is there, but if not acted upon, other forces, which are brought on by the demands of the senses, can take precedence. Therefore it is seen that infancy is the time in the child’s life where it receives the most love from others. Parents huddle around the child, make funny faces at it, speak in broken words, and always love to pick up the child and carry it around. Even changing dirty diapers isn’t frowned upon because it brings another opportunity for the natural loving spirit to be shown. When the child grows up, the loving propensity in the caretakers is still there, but it is not allowed to be acted upon in the same way. The point of becoming an adult is to mature into a self-sufficient individual capable of taking care of one’s needs. Therefore, by definition, when the child gets older the opportunities for service diminish for the parents and elderly relatives. When the opportunities for service are there, the potential of the loving emotion is fully realized.

Not only is the hearing process effective when instruction is passed on in a classroom or through a lecture, but it also proves a formidable force when the same information is presented through a song. Hence some of the most popular celebrities are song writers, singers and rock bands. If we simply hear a song on the radio, it can remain stuck in our heads for the next few days, with the words constantly repeating. Instead of waiting to turn on the radio to hear the station playing your song, you can just have it playing within your mind all the time. The catchy song, one full of hooks and other techniques aimed at grabbing the attention of the listener, creates a strong bond between the fan of the music and the artist who composed and performed it.

The loving experience between the fan and the artist is enhanced during the rock concert or live performance. There is really no reason to attend a live concert other than to increase the enjoyment felt from association with the music. After all, the band will be playing the same songs that are recorded on their albums. Indeed, the album versions of the songs are arguably the best sounding ones, as great care was taken to ensure the accuracy of the performance and the acoustics of the various instruments. The studio engineer can also perform many tricks, such as multi-tracking and fading, that can’t be duplicated during a live performance.

Fans will flock to see their favorite bands play around the world because the live experience brings an exchange of emotion, one party offering their love and another party accepting it. Simply by stepping out on stage and playing the songs from their albums, the rock band can enjoy tremendous adulation and favor from the members of the audience. The crowd members paid a good deal of money to sit in the seats and listen to the band play after all, so the band really isn’t obligated to do much beyond just playing the songs correctly. The fans already like the songs, so what need is there to expend any extra effort?

Yet the intelligent artists, those who are keenly aware of what it takes to keep the flame of love alive within the body, will carefully craft their show to include sections of crowd participation, wherein a oneness is created between the band members and the audience. The singular powerful entity is created from the relationship that results, not from an equality in abilities or actions. The band will always be the band, so they will not allow crowd members to all of a sudden take to playing all the songs. Rather, there is an intimate bond shared when the fans are allowed to feel like they are part of the show and contributing to the uniqueness of the atmosphere.

To the band member on stage, nothing causes more exhilaration and thrill than to see the audience members singing along to the songs. As such, the wise performing artists will purposefully create breaks in songs, allowing the crowd to further act upon their singing desires. For instance, the famous rock band Def Leppard during the early 1980s would create a long break in their songs Another Hit and Run and Rock of Ages, wherein the tempo would be slowed down and the sound of the guitars subdued. The whole point was to have the singer talk to the crowd and get them to scream as loud as they could at various intervals. The singer would lead the charge and the audience members would respond. After a few minutes of this call-and-response exchange, the rest of the song would continue. Indeed, many other rock bands employ similar techniques to allow the crowd to sing along and feel part of the show. The songs that are most conducive to this type of interaction are staples in the live performances, as Metallica’s famous anthem Seek and Destroy now concludes every show, for the crowd participation is at its peak during this song.

“Intelligent persons factually take a dip in the ocean of Your nectarean activities and very patiently hear of them. Thus they immediately become freed from the contamination of the material qualities; they do not have to undergo severe penances and austerities for advancement of spiritual life.” (Prayers of the personified Vedas, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 32)

The Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, very accurately note that the most effective way to take in information is through hearing. As such, the Vedic scriptures, works which contain the highest truths, are presented in poetry form. The fact that the Vedas can be sung makes them all the more astounding considering the deep import and knowledge that is contained within. The Bhagavad-gita, which is arguably the most famous religious work in the world, is known as the “Song of God”, as it was sung on the battlefield of Kurukshetra by Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to His dear cousin and disciple Arjuna.

Simply singing the Vedas is enough to make a dent with the listening public, those who may or may not realize that their highest dharma, or occupational duty, is to take to devotional service to God, wherein the natural loving spirit meets the one object capable of accepting and reciprocating an endless amount of affection. Only in the divine engagement of bhakti-yoga can each day bring new and fresh opportunities for service that keep the fire of devotion ever lit within the devoted individual. But there is a difficulty in understanding the Vedas for the people of this age because of the issue of language. What to speak of for ordinary men, the Vedic hymns and writings, which are composed mostly in the Sanskrit language, are difficult to comprehend for even those familiar with the languages used, as Sanskrit is known as the language of the gods, meaning it is meant for the highest class of individuals.

Not to worry, though, as the Vaishnava saints appearing in the Kali Yuga come to rescue the fallen conditioned souls at all costs, without worrying about the limits imposed by language, time or circumstance. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the greatest exponent of bhakti, put forth a flawless technique aimed at teaching the masses about love of the Supreme Godhead. It should be noted that knowledge, eternality and bliss reside permanently within the soul; these qualities don’t need to be taught, imbibed or forced. In the conditioned state, the internal torchlight of knowledge gets covered up by the nescience of the material world. By taking to activities which are seemingly knowledge-acquiring, one’s supreme intelligence is allowed to come free. Hence taking instruction from teachers is really more about reawakening knowledge than it is about learning new concepts.

Just as knowledge perpetually exists with the soul, so does love for God. The key to eliciting loving responses from the general public is to find a way to arouse the natural endearment that is harbored for the Supreme Spirit, who is addressed by different names in different times but still remains a singular entity. In the Vedic tradition, the Supreme Lord is known as Krishna, a word which speaks to God’s all-attractive nature. Since every soul is a lover of God, it would make sense to describe the Lord as being supremely attractive. Not only is Krishna beautiful, but so are the words that describe Him and the songs that detail His exploits and His wonderful characteristics.

Lord Chaitanya, Krishna Himself appearing on earth in the guise of a brahmana around five hundred years ago, introduced the sankirtana-yajna, or the sacrifice of chanting the holy names of God in a congregational manner, as the most potent and universal method of self-realization for the people of the Kali Yuga, the age we currently live in. Simply singing the verses of the Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic texts is certainly enough to deliver the mind to some extent, as the powerful sound vibrations heard from pure devotees enter the ear and immediately start to attack the wall of nescience brought on by material contact. But from the example of the student in the classroom, we saw that if information stops making sense and that if there is no active response from the mind, no amount of hearing will make any dent with the listener. Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, always concerned about the well-being of His students, which consist of every man, woman and child past, present and future, introduced a process which keeps the audience member, the potential student and future lover of Krishna, always actively engaged, feeling alive throughout the process.

The bhajan, or devotional song, is the next step up from the direct singing of the Vedas. The bhajan is often composed in a dialect native to the people of a particular area, thus allowing the truths of the Vedas to be presented in a more appealing form, one that is easily understandable. Since the bhajan is nicely sung, it exudes the symptoms of pure love found in the singer and the author of the songs. Though the bhajan is a step up from simple hearing of truths and lectures expounding on the greatness of Krishna, sankirtana, the method enthusiastically recommended by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is even more effective.

Just as the rock band creates breaks in their live performance to allow for audience participation, the leader of the sankirtana party sings songs in such a way that the listeners are not only allowed to sing along, but they are wholly encouraged to participate as much as possible. To increase the effectiveness of sankirtana, the leader needs a song, or a tag line, that can be easily understood by the listener which, at the same time, accurately conveys the qualities of the Lord and the benefits of devotional service to Him. There is no more superior aspect to Krishna than His names. The name automatically evokes thoughts and memories of His pastimes, qualities and attributes. All other direct aspects of God are surely spiritual, but they do not carry the same potency as the name. The song sung by the sankirtana party leader must include these names in order to effectively evoke Krishna consciousness, or remembrance of God, within the listener.

As instituted by Lord Chaitanya, the most potent tag line, the most powerful and effective song for any sankirtana leader, is the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. By singing this song out loud in a call-and-response format, the audience members are allowed to sing along as loudly as they can. Moreover, there is no explicit break to the singing, as the song doesn’t include any other tag line, beginning, end, bridge, guitar solo, etc. Though one would think such a style of music would become monotonous, the sankirtana party leaders and their audience members that dance and sing in ecstasy remain in a high fever of transcendental love for a very long time. No other exchange of song or music style bears such properties. Lord Chaitanya, as the inaugurator of the sankirtana movement, kindly beseeches everyone to get up, leave their seats and move their feet at the sound of the message of transcendental love, universal brotherhood and full dedication to God espoused in the short, simple, but supremely effective phrase of the maha-mantra. Joining Lord Chaitanya in this never-ending song, our hearts and minds can merge into the ocean of transcendental bliss, where there is never any disconnect from the Supreme Lover, Shri Krishna.

Three Questions

“How can I ensure that the purpose of my task does not get destroyed? How shall I avoid mental disparity, and how do I ensure that my crossing of the ocean does not go for naught?” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.41)

na vinaśyetkathaṃ kāryaṃ vaiklabyam na kathaṃ bhavet |

laṅghanaṃ ca samudrasya kathaṃ nu na vṛthā bhavet

The Sundara-kanda of the Ramayana is named as such because of the beauty of the sound vibrations contained within this most wonderful section. More than just music or lyrical poetry, the sounds of this specific portion of one of India’s most sacred and revered texts describe the exploits, thoughts and graceful nature of one of the most celebrated divine figures in history: Shri Hanuman. The beauty of this chapter can be, in fact, attributed entirely to Hanuman’s prominent role in it, his substantial presence in the true story of a lifetime. With the above referenced passage the higher authorities have kindly allowed us to be privy to Hanuman’s thoughts just prior to his commencement of the most difficult task in his mission, a job which no ordinary human being, or celestial for that matter, would be up to. Despite the difficulty of the mission, success would surely come, as that is the destiny for the Lord’s beautiful and beloved friends.

Lord Hanuman, though in the outward form of a monkey, first appeared on this earth many thousands of years ago for a specific purpose. The Supreme Lord of humanity, the entity we all know as God, personally descended from His spiritual abode to enact wonderful pastimes on the earthly planet, allowing the illusioned human beings and animals a chance to get a glimpse of the form of the original Divine Being. God is always with us, even if we may be in the dark about His presence and His position as the all-pervading witness, antaryami. Through His expansion as the Supersoul, a manifestation that is often considered unmanifest or without visible qualities [nirguna], God resides within the heart of each life form. Through the remembering process that is at the core of the discipline of yoga, one can try to connect with the Supersoul and feel His presence. But as is evident from most engagements, interaction with an outward appearance always proves more helpful, as that is how we identify everything else in life. A meditational yogi may be very attracted by things that are invisible, or alakshya, but he nevertheless still identifies with his body and the bodies of others. If ordinary individuals have outward forms that are visible, why can’t the Supreme Lord?

When such a visible form appears on earth, it comes solely for the benefit of the eyes. Indeed, there is no purpose to having the power of sight other than to gaze at the Supreme Lord’s form, understand His true nature, and then subsequently view everything in life with the proper vision. The manifested form of the Supreme Lord is always transcendental, and thus it is not subject to the laws of nature. God created nature and all its intricate and complex workings, so how could He be subject to the influences of natural forces? In the outward dress of a warrior prince, Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord, roamed the earth alongside His younger brother Lakshmana, wife Sita Devi and many other associates. It is said that the blissful energy which empowered the exalted demigods Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva through a single drop could be found in such abundance in the town of Ayodhya, the place where Rama first appeared and then later ruled over, that the land and the residents were swelling over with blissful delight, such is the power of pure devotion to God. Yet the purpose of the Lord’s appearance wasn’t strictly to mesmerize others, though this certainly occurred, as was evident during Rama’s visit to the kingdom of Videha in His youth. The king of the town, Maharaja Janaka, was known as Videha due to his expertise of meditational yoga. “Deha” refers to the body, and Videha is one who has transcended the effects of the senses brought on by the body. Janaka was thus known as one incapable of being swayed by emotion, good or bad.

King Janaka had a beautiful daughter whom he needed to get married off. A pious king will reap great scorn and ridicule from others should he keep his daughter unprotected in her adult years. For his daughter Sita’s nuptials, Janaka decided on holding a bow-lifting contest, wherein the winner would get Sita’s hand in marriage. Rama and Lakshmana, though young at the time, were roaming the neighboring forests with the venerable Vishvamitra Muni, protecting his sacrifices from the attacks of demons. At the behest of Vishvamitra, the two brothers entered the kingdom of Videha and met Janaka. The residents of the town were totally mesmerized by seeing Rama and Lakshmana. They would talk amongst themselves of how even Lord Brahma, the progenitor of all life on earth and the first created living entity, couldn’t ever dream of creating two such beautiful human beings. This speaks to the high knowledge possessed by the town’s residents. The soul is the driving force to the movements of matter, so the body is simply a constructed dwelling for the soul, a structure which is created, maintained and then ultimately destroyed. Seeing Rama and Lakshmana’s beauty, the residents couldn’t imagine anyone creating such wonderful forms. It is said that even the townspeople became “Videha” by seeing Rama and Lakshmana, for they had “out of body” experiences through their transcendental bliss. This is indeed the behavior exhibited by those who see God personally and harbor great affection for Him. It is said that Janaka even couldn’t understand who the two brothers were, for he thought maybe they were the same impersonal energy called Brahman he had meditated on. “Perhaps they are the same Brahman appearing in two beautiful forms”, he thought, thus proving that the bliss and delight that comes from the divine vision is higher than even the understanding of the all-pervading nature of the Absolute Truth, which itself is simply a light emanating from the Lord’s original transcendental body.

Capturing the hearts and minds of the sincere souls by giving His darshana is certainly nice, but the Lord knows an even higher transcendental emotion is evoked when direct service is offered to Him. This was the opportunity given to Hanuman and a select few others. After Rama would win the bow contest, Sita would be married to Him, and twelve years into their marriage the couple would have to roam the forests as exiles. Of course Lakshmana came with them, as he refused to live without Rama. Lakshmana, though a warrior prince just like his brothers, had only one dharma, or occupational duty in life, that of serving Rama.

While in the forest, Sita would be taken away by the powerful Rakshasa named Ravana through a backhanded plot. This incident served two purposes. It gave Rama an outward excuse to go after the enemy king, and it also served as an opportunity for others to enlist in the service of the transcendent Lord. Forming an alliance with the monkey-king Sugriva, Rama and Lakshmana were assured of finding Sita through the help of the army of monkeys. This eager pack of forest dwellers was led by Hanuman, an individual who is as dear to Rama as anyone. Hanuman, though formally a minister in Sugriva’s kingdom, was a pure soul from the time of his birth, a dedicated devotee of God in every thought, word and deed.

This dedication would be proved on many occasions, including during Hanuman’s entry into Lanka. Ravana lived on an island far away from any mainland, so it was very difficult, if not impossible, for any ordinary person to reach its shores. But Hanuman was no ordinary person. He assumed a massive form and jumped across the ocean to reach the island. Yet getting to Lanka was only half the battle. Now he had to figure out a way to infiltrate the enemy territory without being noticed. The last thing Hanuman wanted to do was fail, for he took Rama’s orders to be his life and soul.

In the above referenced passage from the Ramayana, we see evidence of Hanuman’s conscientious nature. He is asking himself three simple questions that, if answered properly, will always lead to success in a mission. He first asks himself how he can continue on without foiling the purpose of his work. This speaks to the workings of passionate activity. We may start an endeavor with a specific goal in mind, but there are many distractions that come along the way, allurements of every kind. For example, we may take up the task of building a house, and halfway through it we think that it’d be nice to change some of the plans. “Maybe I should install another bathroom. Ooh, it would be great to have a nice garden in the backyard, with maybe a deck right next to it. Let me get started on building the deck.” Obviously worrying about ancillary items will only divert attention away from the task at hand, that of building the house. In Hanuman’s case, he easily could have gotten distracted by wanting to fight the Rakshasas guarding the outskirts of Lanka. After all, they were partners to one of the worst crimes perpetrated in history. Ravana and anyone who served him was worthy of the harshest punishment. Hanuman, as a most powerful fighter, easily could have destroyed all of these enemies, but this wasn’t the mission. From his thoughts we see that he didn’t want to get distracted from the task at hand, that of finding Sita.

Hanuman’s next question is sort of humorous. He asks himself what can be done to avoid mental disparity, which can also mean recklessness or thoughtlessness. The Vanaras are a type of human-like monkey race, with the monkey traits dominating the human-like abilities. A human being is unique in its potential for intelligence, so in this case Hanuman is trying to avoid letting his monkey side take over. A monkey is known for being uncontrolled in its eating, drinking and mating habits. Those who have visited India are well aware of the fact that monkeys roaming the villages have no problem coming up to you and stealing your food. This is their nature after all. Hanuman was always worried about letting his monkey tendencies take over. This thought process only further enhances his stature, for it is a well-known fact that Hanuman is a completely transcendental figure, not subject to any of the deficiencies borne of his body-type.

Hanuman wanted to avoid recklessness because acting without thinking is the quickest way to foil a mission. Going back to the house-building example, if we neglected to be thoughtful while building a certain portion of the house, the entire foundation could be destroyed. Say one day we showed up to the job intoxicated and decided to work on putting in a certain beam or other foundational piece. In the intoxicated state, there is less attention paid to detail, so the chances of making a mistake are increased. If the beam is erected improperly, or if some other piece vital to the foundation is destroyed through careless use of power tools, the hard work previously performed can go for naught. In Hanuman’s case, thoughtlessness could jeopardize Sita’s safety and Rama’s chances of ever seeing her again. Thoughtlessness can also come from mental disparity, or anxiety. Say we are building our house and working towards its completion. If we start lamenting that the work is too difficult or that we’ll never finish, obviously our chances for success will be hampered. Similarly, Hanuman did not want any temporary setbacks or potential roadblocks dampening his enthusiasm for finishing the mission.

Hanuman’s third question brings together the previous two. He wants to make sure that his now celebrated feat of leaping across the ocean doesn’t go to waste. As a living entity Hanuman is not ordinary in any way and neither are his exhibitions of strength and courage. Leaping across an expansive ocean is an unheard of task for a human being, let alone a monkey; hence the tendency for unintelligent scholars and non-devotees to label the events of the Ramayana as mythology. When extraordinary land masses such as planets can float on their own in outer space, what’s to stop an individual from leaping across an ocean? The only aspects of the Ramayana that can give the hint of mythology are the exalted characters and their level of devotion to Shri Rama. Hanuman’s dedication, love, kindness, thoughtfulness and pure devotion offered to Rama are qualities rarely found in any person. Thus it would be natural to think that Hanuman doesn’t exist or that he never roamed this earth. But from the behavior of the keepers of the faith, those who pass on the traditions of the Ramayana and other ancient Vedic texts, we can understand that pure devotees certainly do exist, and they roam the earth to this day. They are proof positive that, though rarely seen, wonderful, worshipable figures of the likes of Hanuman are real in every way.

If Hanuman’s mission were to be foiled at such a late stage, the great feat of leaping across the ocean wouldn’t mean anything. It is similar to how an individual athlete may have a great performance in a particular game, but if their team doesn’t win, the effort goes for naught. If a baseball player hits three homeruns in a game but then makes an error in the ninth inning to cost his team victory, the homeruns turned out to be meaningless. Similarly, Hanuman, always desiring Rama’s interests, never wanted to waste all the efforts he had previously put in towards the ultimate victory.

“O son of Kunti [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.8)

So how did the events play out? Was Hanuman able to answer these questions and achieve success? Of course he was, as such a sincere servant of the Supreme Lord is never defeated. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna, the original form of the Personality of Godhead, states that He is the ability in man. As spirit souls, we make the choice as to how we want to interact with nature, but the results of our actions are distributed by higher authorities. Hanuman was engaged in the most sublime business of serving the Lord, so Shri Rama ensured his success in the venture. Unlike with material endeavors, acts of dedication and love that fall under the umbrella of devotional service never go in vain. There was no opportunity for Hanuman to fail, but the questions he posed to himself just served to further enhance his glory. Hanuman never thinks himself to be God, though he possesses all godly qualities. He never thinks himself to be the ultimate object of worship, though as Rama’s dear servant he is indeed worthy of eternal worship. Hanuman never thinks himself to be unbeatable in battle, though from his exploits we can understand that no one can stand against him in any fight. Hanuman is always worried about failing to please Shri Rama, but as we know from the famous Rama Darbar picture, Hanuman is always with Rama in thought, word and deed.

For us mere mortals roaming the earth in human form, the task at hand is quite simple: become God conscious by the end of life. One who thinks of the Lord at the time of death will automatically be granted liberation and thus return to the spiritual sky, where a permanent, transcendental and blissful body will be assumed. The path to achieving this shift in consciousness is laid down by the great acharyas of this age, started by Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the preacher incarnation of God. He has empowered one specific sequence of Sanskrit words with the ability to grant liberation to all persons, men and women alike. This string of words is known as the maha-mantra, and by regularly chanting it, all yogic perfections, all material opulence, and most importantly, all successes required in life will be achieved fairly quickly. “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare” is Lord Chaitanya’s favorite formula, and He has specifically tasked all of us with chanting this mantra and kindly making it available to others.

From Hanuman’s example we see that even the most exalted divine figures remain conscientious at every step. We too should periodically ask the same three questions that Hanuman posed to himself prior to entering Lanka. Before taking on any important action, consideration should be made about the task at hand and the relation of the potential action to the final goal. The primary aim of life, becoming God conscious, should never suffer as the result of any action. In this way anything favorable towards the performance of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, should be accepted, and anything unfavorable should be rejected. Secondly, recklessness should always be avoided; hence the requirement for abstaining from the four pillars of sinful life: meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex. These four activities are considered the most reckless because of the damage they inflict on the mission of life. Sinful activities solidify the wall of nescience enveloping the consciousness of the conditioned living entity, causing him to lament over even the most meaningless defeats. Finally, all the hard work that we put in, such as chanting, hearing and talking about God, should not go to waste through ill-conceived plans. Consciousness is a force that gets regularly fueled by activity. When conditioned activities are adopted, those actions which have no relation to the ultimate mission in life, the energy of spiritual consciousness gradually diminishes in the current life. Therefore care should be taken to avoid depleting the stock of spiritual energy gathered through activities in bhakti.

“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 2.40)

Anyone who makes a sincere effort at connecting with the Supreme Spirit will never be a loser. If we are unfortunately not successful in perfecting God consciousness in this life, we get to resume our efforts in the next life from the same position that we left off. This speaks to the merciful and magnanimous nature of Hanuman’s Lord. Just as He ensured Hanuman’s success in every beautiful venture he took up, Shri Rama will make sure that we ultimately succeed in life’s mission, provided our motives are pure.