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660216 - Letter to Mr. Dharwarkar written from New York

2022-03-26T10:36:36Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:1966 - Letters]]
[[Category:1966 - Lectures, Conversations and Letters]]
[[Category:1966-02 - Lectures and Letters]]
[[Category:Letters Written from - USA]]
[[Category:Letters Written from - USA, New York]]
[[Category:Lectures, Conversations and Letters - USA]]
[[Category:Lectures, Conversations and Letters - USA, New York]]
[[Category:Letters to Publishers]]
[[Category:1966 - Letters with Scans of the Originals]]
[[Category:1966 - Letters with Scans of the Originals - checked]]
[[Category:Letters - SIC]]
[[Category:Letters - Unsigned, 1966]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=Category:Letters - by Date]]'''[[:Category:Letters - by Date|Letters by Date]], [[:Category:1966 - Letters|1966]]'''</div>
{{LetterScan|660216_-_Letter_to_Mr._Dharwarka_1.JPG|Letter to Mr. Dharwarkar}}

A.C.BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI<br />
160 West 72 nd Street<br />
Room # 307<br />
New York N.Y. 10023<br />
February 16, 1966.

Messrs. Universal Book House<br />
Sita Sadan Top Floor<br />
Tulsi Pipe Road, Dadar<br />
Bombay -28.

Dear Mr. Dharwarkar,<br />
Please accept my greetings. Since I came to America I have not heard anything from you. Hope everything is well with you and your business. I shall be glad to hear from you about the progress of the sale of my books [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] entrusted to you. I shall be glad to know if the sales proceeds have been deposited with my bank account as follows:

Savings Bank Account: A.C.BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI<br />
No. 4966 with Bank of Baroda Limited<br />
Reclamation Branch Sachivalaya, Bombay-1<br />
Due to my absence from India the printing works are suspended and now I wish to begin it again on hearing from you. The thing is that I am trying here to establish one Temple of Sri Sri Radha Krishna and one big industrialist of India has promised to pay for the cost. But there is difficulty of Indian exchange. So I am trying to get the exchange sanctioned through some friends in India and if I get the sanction then I shall remain here for many more days. So in my absence I wish that you may take charge of selling the books in India. Please let me know if there is any possibility of your taking such charge. So far my experience is concerned this publication can be introduced in all colleges and universities of India. If you have successfully worked out the business in your own Maharashtra province as it is recommended by the Director of Education, then it will be possible for you also for other provinces. In Rajasthan and Delhi it is already recommended and similarly it could be recommended in all other provinces.

If you have not as yet deposited the sales proceeds kindly do it now immediately on receipt of this letter because I have to pay to the Press wala before beginning the 4th, 5th and the 6th parts at once. Also please let me know if you can take charge of the sale for whole of India. If you take up then I shall not negotiate with others because in my absence some body must take charge of the sale otherwise what shall I do simply by printing.

Kindly therefore treat this letter as urgent and reply it per return of post so that I can do the needful.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Yours truly,<br />

A.C. Bhaktivedanta swami.

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2022-03-24T08:48:15Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

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<div class="translation">
48.<br />
The moon, or Candraloka, is one of the four important places of residence for the demigods. Beyond Mānasa Lake is Sumeru Mountain. On the eastern side of this mountain is the planet Devadhānī, where Indra resides. On the southern side is the planet known as Saṁyamanī, where Yamarāja resides. On the western side is the planet known as Nimlocanī, the residence of Vāyu, the demigod who controls the wind. And on the northern side of the mountain is the moon, which is also known as Vibhāvarī.
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All these various planets are within the universe in which our planet is situated. Persons who are too materialistic always engage in sense enjoyment. Such persons worship the material demigods and goddesses to fulfill their material desires. They are fond of performing many ''yajñas'' to propitiate the various demigods and the forefathers in heaven. Such persons are automatically promoted to the moon, where they enjoy ''soma'', a celestial beverage.

The moon is too cold for the inhabitants of this earth, and therefore ordinary persons who want to go there with earthly bodies are attempting to do so in vain. Merely seeing the moon from a distance cannot enable one to understand the real situation of the moon. One has to cross Mānasa Lake and then Sumeru Mountain, and only then can one trace out the orbit of the moon. Besides that, no ordinary man is allowed to enter that planet. Even those admitted there after death must have performed the prescribed duties to satisfy the ''pitās'' and ''devas''. Yet even they are sent back to earth after a fixed duration of life—on the moon.

Men with developed consciousness, therefore, do not waste time making excursions, real or imaginary, to the moon. Such intelligent persons do not endeavor to achieve temporary sense enjoyment. Rather, they apply their conserved energy for the sake of spiritual cultivation. They discharge religious duties for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, and not for personal sense enjoyment. The signs of such exceptional devotees of the Lord are that they are unattached to material enjoyment, contented, pure in heart, attached to devotional service, free from affection for temporary things, and devoid of false ego. According to Vedic injunctions, such great personalities ultimately attain the place where the Supreme Personality of Godhead predominates and where there is no death, no birth, no old age, and no disease. On the way to these spiritual planets, such personalities pass through the sun line called ''arcir-mārga''. And on the way they can see all the planets between here and the spiritual world.

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2022-03-24T08:39:50Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

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<div class="translation">
47.<br />
From the Transcendence, which is called Kṛṣṇaloka, there emanates a glowing effulgence that resembles the tail of a comet. This glowing effulgence is unlimited, immeasurable, and unfathomable. Within this effulgence there are innumerable glowing planets, each of them self-luminous. Somewhere, a limited part of that glowing effulgence is covered by material energy, just as a part of the sky is covered by a cloud. Within this material energy there are innumerable universes, in every universe there are innumerable material planets, and the earth is one of these planets. Thus we can understand what an insignificant part of the entire cosmos is this globe on which we live.
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Kṛṣṇaloka, as above mentioned, is the residence of the Personality of Godhead, the original Transcendence. The glowing effulgence emanating from Kṛṣṇaloka is the personal glow of the Lord. The almighty Lord, being full of inconceivable energies, expands Himself in various forms and energies. There are forms from His energy as well as forms from His person. He has innumerable energies, and therefore He can do anything and everything as He desires, and these things take place immediately, with all perfection. His energies are like the heat and light that expand from a fire. The entire cosmic manifestation is nothing but an expansion of His energies; the energies are emanations from Him, and therefore the emanations are simultaneously one with and different from Him.

The Transcendence is compared to milk, and the emanations are compared to yogurt. Yogurt is nothing but milk, but at the same time it is different from milk. Yogurt is a milk preparation, but it cannot be used in place of milk. The Lord is also sometimes compared to a tree. The root of the tree is the cause of the trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, and fruits, yet the trunk is not the fruit, the fruit is not the leaf, nor is the leaf the root. When water is needed it has to be poured on the root, not on the leaves. Pouring water on the leaves serves no purpose, but pouring water on the root serves all purposes. This is the essence of the philosophy of spiritual culture.

Kṛṣṇaloka is also called Goloka Vṛndāvana. Beneath this Goloka are Hari-dhāma, Maheśa-dhāma, and Devī-dhāma. Hari (Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa) is the formal expansion of the Lord, Maheśa (Śiva) is the formal energetic expansion of the Lord, and Devī is the Lord's energetic expansion. The living entities are also energetic expansions of the Lord. There are two different kinds of living entities, called the liberated souls and the conditioned souls.

The planets within the glowing effulgence are called Hari-dhāma. On these planets the predominating Deity is Hari, and the predominated deities are the liberated souls. The features of the liberated souls and those of Hari are almost the same, yet Hari is predominator and the liberated souls are predominated. The innumerable planets in Hari-dhāma are predominated by different formal expansions of the Lord, and all of them have different names.

The universes within the material energy are called Devī-dhāma, and within Devī-dhāma the predominating Deity is Viṣṇu, who is assisted by Brahmā and Śiva. Devī-dhāma is controlled by three modes, namely goodness, passion, and ignorance. Viṣṇu is the incarnation of goodness, Brahmā of passion, and Śiva of ignorance. Brahmā creates, Viṣṇu maintains, and Śiva destroys the material creation. The material creation comes into being by the will of the Lord, and it is again annihilated by His will. But although the universes of the material energy are thus created and annihilated, the planets in Hari-dhāma are ever existent.

The conditioned living entities who wish to enjoy and not serve are given a chance within Devī-dhāma to seek liberation. Some of them enter Hari-dhāma, some of them enter Maheśa-dhāma, and some of them remain within Devī-dhāma. Maheśa-dhāma is the marginal place between Hari-dhāma and Devī-dhāma. The impersonalists who want to merge into the existence of the Transcendence are placed within Maheśa-dhāma. Those who want to remain within the planetary systems of the material universes do so on various planets. But those who want to go outside the material energy can enter Hari-dhāma and go either to the various planets there or directly to Kṛṣṇaloka.

The system of ''bhakti-yoga'' makes one eligible to enter Hari-dhāma, the system of ''jñāna-yoga'' makes one eligible to enter Maheśa-dhāma, and the system of ''karma-yoga'' obliges one to remain in Devī-dhāma and repeatedly be born and die, changing his material covering according to the standard of ''karma'' he performs.

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2022-03-24T08:22:48Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

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2022-03-24T08:13:08Z

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2022-03-24T08:07:28Z

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2022-03-21T11:03:58Z

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2022-03-21T10:59:11Z

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2022-03-17T04:22:09Z

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2022-03-17T04:17:06Z

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2022-03-16T11:30:35Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

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<div class="translation">
21.<br />
The wind carries the clouds to different parts of the globe, and the clouds distribute rains, to the satisfaction of the people in general, just as rich kings and merchants distribute their accumulated wealth, inspired by religious priests.
</div>
As already explained, the four divisions of society—namely the intelligent class of men (the ''brāhmaṇas''), the ruling class (the ''kṣatriyas''), the mercantile class (the ''vaiśyas''), and the laboring class (the ''śūdras'')—are meant to achieve one goal in life: self-realization, or cultivation of the human spirit. The intelligent class of men, the ''brāhmaṇas'', are to inspire the ''kṣatriyas'' and ''vaiśyas'' in performing sacrifices for spiritual cultivation, and thus the cooperation of the ''brāhmaṇas'', ''kṣatriyas'', and ''vaiśyas'' uplifts the people in general, or the ordinary laboring class of men. As soon as this cooperation between the four classes of men in society stops and the basic principles of spiritual culture are neglected, the social structure of humanity becomes a second edition of animal life, based on the propensities of eating, sleeping, fearing, and mating. It is the duty of the intelligent men to influence the members of the richer communities—the ''kṣatriyas'' and ''vaiśyas''—to sacrifice for spiritual culture. Only in this way can the tension between the capitalists and the laborers be well mitigated.

In this age of Kali, when a slight difference of opinion leads to quarrel, even to the extent of riots, it is the duty of the intelligent men, the ''brāhmaṇas'', to selflessly inspire the richer people to sacrifice for this purpose. It is suggested herewith that the men of the intelligent class should not themselves try to become ''kṣatriyas'' or ''vaiśyas'', nor should they engage themselves in the occupations of the various other classes; rather, the ''brāhmaṇas'' should simply guide them in spiritual cultivation, just as the wind carries the clouds to other places to pour water. The wind itself does not take up the responsibility for pouring water.

The most intelligent men in society are the saints and sages who have sacrificed everything for the service of spiritual culture. Their duty is to travel throughout human society and inspire its members to engage themselves in acts of spiritual culture by sacrificing their words, money, intelligence, and life. That should be the theme of human life in order to make it a complete success. A society with no taste for spiritual culture is a blazing fire, and everyone in that fire perpetually suffers the threefold miseries. As clouds pour water on a blazing fire in the forest and thus extinguish it, the intelligent men who work as the spiritual masters of society pour water on the blazing fire of miseries by disseminating spiritual knowledge and inspiring the richer section of the society to help in the cause. Temples of worship, for example, are constructed by the rich, and these temples are meant to impart spiritual education to people in general. The periodic spiritual ceremonies are held for inspiration, and not for exploitation. If there are flaws now because of the age of Kali, they should be rectified, but the institutions must be saved.

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2022-03-16T11:21:10Z

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2022-03-13T10:42:13Z

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2022-03-09T09:25:54Z

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2022-03-05T11:53:47Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

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<div class="translation">
9.<br />
A picturesque scene of green paddy fields enlivens the heart of the poor agriculturalist, but it brings gloom to the face of the capitalist who lives by exploiting the poor farmers.
</div>
With good rains, the farmer's business in agriculture flourishes. Agriculture is the noblest profession. It makes society happy, wealthy, healthy, honest, and spiritually advanced for a better life after death. The ''vaiśya'' community, or the mercantile class of men, take to this profession. In [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] the ''vaiśyas'' are described as the natural agriculturalists, the protectors of cows, and the general traders. When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa incarnated Himself at Vṛndāvana, He took pleasure in becoming a beloved son of such a ''vaiśya'' family. Nanda Mahārāja was a big protector of cows, and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as the most beloved son of Nanda Mahārāja, used to tend His father's animals in the neighboring forest. By His personal example Lord Kṛṣṇa wanted to teach us the value of protecting cows. Nanda Mahārāja is said to have possessed nine hundred thousand cows, and at the time of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (about five thousand years ago) the tract of land known as Vṛndāvana was flooded with milk and butter. Therefore God's gifted professions for mankind are agriculture and cow protection.

Trade is meant only for transporting surplus produce to places where the produce is scanty. But when traders become too greedy and materialistic they take to large-scale commerce and industry and allure the poor agriculturalist to unsanitary industrial towns with a false hope of earning more money. The industrialist and the capitalist do not want the farmer to remain at home, satisfied with his agricultural produce. When the farmers are satisfied by a luxuriant growth of food grains, the capitalist becomes gloomy at heart. But the real fact is that humanity must depend on agriculture and subsist on agricultural produce.

No one can produce rice and wheat in big iron factories. The industrialist goes to the villagers to purchase the food grains he is unable to produce in his factory. The poor agriculturalist takes advances from the capitalist and sells his produce at a lower price. Hence when food grains are produced abundantly the farmers become financially stronger, and thus the capitalist becomes morose at being unable to exploit them.

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2022-03-04T08:07:40Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

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<div class="translation">
7.<br />
The small rivulets that almost dried up during the months of May and June now begin to overflow their banks, like upstarts that suddenly overflow the limits of expenditure.
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One should learn gravity from the sea and the rivulet. The sea is always within its limits, in spite of the many rivers pouring water into it. Similarly, one should properly use the assets of life and not squander them for purposes that have no permanent value. Uncontrolled, sensuous persons play with the assets of the body and accumulate wealth. But the strength of the body should be used for self-realization, not for sense gratification.

Human beings have two kinds of temperament. Some are introspective, and the others are extravagant. Those who are extravagant are enamored of the external features of phenomenal beauty and have no insight into the whole manifestation. They are practically asleep to introspection, and thus they are unable to derive any permanent value from the assets of the human form of body. But one who has developed introspection is as grave as the sea. While those who are extravagant are calm and quiet in sleep, such grave persons use the full advantage of the human form of life.

Although the animal propensities of the body should be minimized, those who are extravagant temporarily overflow in material enjoyment. Nonetheless, as soon as the rainy season of life is over, they become as dry as dry river beds. Life is meant for the right cause, or ''sat''—that which exists for all time. In the material world, nothing is ''sat'', or eternal, but the bad bargain of the material world can be used for the best purpose. The mind dedicated to extravagance is a bad bargain, but one can make the best use of the mind by introspection.

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2022-02-28T12:27:14Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

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<div class="translation">
6.<br />
On hearing the sound of the torrential rains, the frogs come out of the mountain caves and begin to chant, like ''brahmacārīs'' who chant the Vedic hymns by the order of the spiritual master.
</div>
In this age of a godless civilization, the sages of world-recognized religious sects who believe in God must come out of their secluded places and preach the science of God, the Supreme Will, to the people in general. Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and the members of the other sects that have convincing faith in the authority of God must not sit idly now and silently watch the rapid growth of a godless civilization. There is the supreme will of God, and no nation or society can live in peace and prosperity without acceptance of this vital truth.

The warning is already there, and responsible leaders of religious sects must meet together and form a common platform of a league of devotees of the Lord. There is no need for self-realized souls to live in a secluded place. Perfect self-realized souls, engaged in the service of the Lord, are unafraid of ''māyā'', just as law-abiding citizens of a state never fear the police. Such fearless devotees of God always speak scientifically about the existence of God, even at the risk of death. Such devotees of God feel compassion for the mass of people, who have completely forgotten the Supreme Lord and who engage in the false pursuit of happiness that ends in the sense pleasures enjoyed by the hogs and dogs.

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2022-02-28T12:20:51Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

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<div class="translation">
5.<br />
The evening in the rainy season is dark all around. There is no sight of the twinkling stars on the horizon or the pleasing moon. They are covered by clouds. And the insignificant glowworms become prominent in the absence of the luminaries in the open sky.
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As there are seasonal changes within a year, so there are changing ages in the duration of the manifest cosmic world. These changing ages are called ''yugas'', or periods. As there are three modes of nature, there are also various ages dominated by these three modes. The period dominated by the mode of goodness is called Satya-yuga, the period of passion is called Tretā-yuga, the period of mixed passion and ignorance is called Dvāpara-yuga, and the period of darkness and ignorance (the last period) is called Kali-yuga, or the age of quarrel. The word ''kali'' means "quarrel." Kali-yuga is compared to the rainy season because many difficulties in life are experienced during this damp season.

In Kali-yuga there is a dearth of proper guidance. One may take guidance in the evening from the stars and moon, but in the rainy season the light of guidance comes from insignificant glowworms. The real light in life is the Vedic knowledge. [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] affirms that the purpose of the ''Veda'' is to know the all-powerful Personality of Godhead. But in this age of quarrel there are quarrels even over the point of the existence of Godhead. In the godless civilization of the age of quarrel there are countless religious societies, them trying to banish God from religion. Glowworms want to be prominent in the absence of the sun and the stars, and these small groups following various religious conceptions are like glowworms trying to be prominent before the eyes of the ignorant mass of people. There are now a number of self-made incarnations people follow without authority from the Vedic literatures, and there is regular competition between one incarnation's group and another's.

The Vedic knowledge comes in a tradition from the spiritual master through the chain of disciplic succession, and the knowledge must be acquired through this chain, without deviation. In the present age of quarrel the chain has been broken here and there, and thus the ''Veda'' is now interpreted by unauthorized men who have no realization. The so-called followers of the ''Vedas'' deny the existence of God, as in the darkness of a cloudy evening the glowworms deny the existence of the moon and stars. Saner people should not be waylaid by such unscrupulous men. [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] is the summary of all Vedic knowledge because it is spoken by the same Personality of Godhead who imparted the Vedic knowledge into the heart of Brahmā, the first created being in the universe. [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] was especially spoken for the guidance of the people of this age, which is darkened by the cloud of ignorance.

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2022-02-28T11:48:02Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

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3.<br />
Attracted by electricity throughout the sky and driven by forceful winds, clouds gradually cover the surface of the earth to satisfy the needy people by supplying water, which is the substance of their life. The clouds bestow rains upon man as the mercy of the Lord, who is always kind to the needy living being.
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We should always know that God is ever kind to us. Despite our gross disobedience to the laws of God's nature, the Lord is kind enough to look after our maintenance. Water is one of the most important items for our maintenance, because without water we can neither produce food grains nor quench our thirst. Water is also required very liberally for many other purposes. Thus the Lord has preserved water on three fourths of the globe and has made it salty to preserve it. Salty water does not decompose, and that is the arrangement of providence. The Lord has engaged the powerful sun to evaporate the water of planets like earth and distill it into clear water in the clouds and then stock it on the peaks of mountains, as we stock water in overhead tanks for later distribution. Part of the stock of water is refrigerated into ice, so that it will not flood the earth for no good purpose. The ice melts gradually throughout the year, flows down through the great rivers, and glides down to the sea again for preservation.

Therefore the laws of God's nature are neither blind nor accidental, as men with a poor fund of knowledge conclude. Behind the laws of nature is the living brain of God, just as there is always a lawmaker behind all the laws of the state. It does not matter whether or not we see the lawmaker behind the common laws; we must admit that there is a lawmaker. Matter can never work automatically, without a living hand, and therefore we must admit the existence of God, the supreme living being, behind the laws of nature. The Lord says in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] that nature works under His superintendence. Nature is only a power, and behind the power is a powerhouse and a brain, just as behind electrical power there is an electrical powerhouse, where everything is conducted by the brain of the resident engineer. The material nature works so nicely, and not blindly, because of the superintendence of the supreme powerful God. In the Vedic hymns (''Atharva Veda'') the same thing is confirmed. It is only under the superintendence of God that all the natural laws are conducted.

The Lord distributes His mercy in the form of rains on the scorched earth at times of dire necessity. He supplies rain when we are practically on the verge of death for want of water. God is merciful undoubtedly, but He bestows His mercy on us when we need it most. This is so because we forget God as soon as we obtain this mercy. We should therefore remember the mercy of God constantly if we want to avoid distress. We are eternally related with Him, despite the state of forgetfulness already described above. [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] confirms that the laws of nature are stringent because they are conducted by three different modes. But one who surrenders unto the Lord overcomes the stringency of nature easily.

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2022-02-28T07:58:40Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

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2.<br />
The scorching heat of the sun evaporates water from the seas, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, and there is little water anywhere. The people become thirsty and always look overhead for rain, but in despair. Yet just at the right moment, torrents of rain begin to fall everywhere in the land, even on the hard stones, and the land becomes overflooded.
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The welfare state imposes upon its citizens scorching taxes in various forms—income tax, sales tax, land tax, terminal tax, excise tax, customs tax, and so many other taxes. But in due course, when the taxes accumulate into a large sum of money, they are utilized for the welfare of the citizens in various ways. Nonetheless, sometimes it happens that the benefits of the taxes fall like rains on stone-hearted men in the state who are unable to utilize the money properly and who squander it for sense gratification.

The common man supposes the unequal distribution of rain to represent nature's wrath for our sinful acts. There is truth in this. Thus to have an equal distribution of state-raised taxes, the citizens need to be scrupulously honest and virtuous. They should be honest in the payment of taxes to the state and should have honest representatives to look over the administration. In the modern setup of democratic states the citizens can have no cause for grievances, because the whole administration is conducted by the people themselves. If the people themselves are dishonest, the administrative machinery must be corrupt. Although a damned government of the people may be given a good or fancy name, if the people are not good they cannot have good government, regardless of which party governs the administration. Therefore good character in the consciousness of the mass of people is the first principle necessary for a good government and equal distribution of wealth.

In ancient days the kings were taught lessons in political philosophy by ideal teachers, and the citizens from village to village were taught the principles of self-realization according to the Vedic codes for both the material and the spiritual upliftment of society. Therefore the citizens were God conscious and honest in their dealings, and the kings were responsible for the welfare of the state. The same basic principles are accepted in the democratic governments of the present day, for the irresponsible party of the people is always voted out of power and must yield to the responsible party for a better government. In the cosmic administration there is only one party, which consists of the servants of God, and the responsible deities of the various planets maintain the cosmic laws in terms of the orders of the Supreme Lord. But the people suffer on account of their own folly.

And what is that folly? In [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] it is said that people should perform ''yajñas'', or sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme. The Supreme is all-pervading. Therefore people must learn to perform ''yajñas'' to satisfy the all-pervading Supreme Truth. There are different ''yajñas'' prescribed for different ages, and in the present age of iron industry the ''yajña'' that enlightens the mind of the masses for God consciousness is recommended. This process of ''yajña'' is called the ''saṅkīrtana-yajña'', or mass agitation for invoking man's lost spiritual consciousness. As soon as this movement is taken up through spiritual singing, dancing, and feasting, the people will automatically become obedient and honest.

Obedience is the first law of discipline. The people have become disobedient to the laws of God, and therefore neither rain nor wealth is equally distributed. A man who is ultimately disobedient cannot have any good qualifications. When disobedient leaders lead the disobedient people, the whole atmosphere of the administration becomes polluted and full of dangers, as when a blind man leads several other blind men. The state taxes, therefore, should be spent to build the character of the people in general. That will bring happiness to the citizens of the state.

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LOB 1

2022-02-28T06:36:05Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:Light of the Bhagavata|l01]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=Light of the Bhagavata]] '''[[Light of the Bhagavata]]'''</div>
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<div class="translation">
1.<br />
The arrival of clouds, accompanied by thunder and flashes of lightning all over the sky, provides a picture of life-giving hope. Covered by deep bluish clouds, the sky appears artificially dressed. The thunder and lightning within the clouds are signs of hope for a new way of life.
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The serene sky, limitlessly expansive, is compared to the Absolute Truth. The living entities are truths manifested in relation with the modes of material nature. The deep bluish cloud covers only an insignificant portion of the limitless sky, and this fractional covering is compared to the quality of ignorance, or forgetfulness of the real nature of the living being. A living entity is as pure as the limitless sky. He becomes covered by the cloud of forgetfulness, however, in his tendency for enjoying the material world. Because of this quality, called ''tamas'' (ignorance), he considers himself different from the Absolute Whole and forgets his purity, which is like that of the clear sky. This forgetfulness gives rise to separatism in false ego. Thus the forgetful living entities, individually and collectively, make sounds like thundering clouds: "I am this," "It is ours," or"It is mine." This mood of false separatism is called the quality of ''rajas'', and it gives rise to a creative force for separate lordship over the mode of ''tamas''. The flash of lightning is the only beam of hope that can lead one to the path of knowledge, and therefore it is compared to the mode of ''sattva'', or goodness.

The limitless sky, or the all-pervading Absolute Truth (Brahman), is nondifferent from the covered portion of the sky, but simultaneously the whole sky is different from the fractional portion that is liable to be covered by the dark cloud. The cloud, accompanied by thunder and lightning, cannot possibly cover the limitless sky. Therefore the Absolute Truth, which is compared to the whole sky, is simultaneously one with the manifested living being and different from him. The living being is only a sample of the Absolute Truth and is Prone to be covered by the circumstantial cloud of ignorance.

There are two parties of philosophers, generally known as the monists and the dualists. The monist believes in the oneness of the Absolute Truth and the living entity, but the dualist believes in the separate identities of the living being and the Absolute Truth. Above these two classes of philosophers is the philosophy of ''acintya-bhedābheda tattva'', or the truth of simultaneous oneness and difference. This philosophy was propounded by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His explanation of the ''Vedānta-sūtras''. The ''Vedānta'' is the medium of philosophical interpretations, and thus the ''Vedānta'' cannot be the absolute property of any Particular class of philosopher. A sincere seeker of the Absolute Truth is called a Vedantist. ''Veda'' means "knowledge." Any department of knowledge is called a part of the Vedic knowledge, and ''vedānta'' means the ultimate conclusion of all branches of knowledge. As philosophy is called the science of all sciences, Vedānta is the ultimate philosophy of all philosophical speculations.

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OWK 4 The Roads of the Foolish and the Wise

2022-02-26T12:40:18Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:On the Way to Krsna]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=On the Way to Krsna]] '''[[On the Way to Krsna|On the Way to Kṛṣṇa]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=OWK 3 Seeing Krsna Everywhere and Always]] '''[[OWK 3 Seeing Krsna Everywhere and Always|3. Seeing Kṛṣṇa Everywhere and Always]] - [[OWK 5 Steering Toward the Supreme|5. Steering Toward the Supreme]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=OWK 5 Steering Toward the Supreme]]</div>

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Kṛṣṇa is thus explaining Himself as He is. Yet we are not attracted to Him. Why is this? The reason is given by Kṛṣṇa Himself:

:''daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī''
:''mama māyā duratyayā''
:''mām eva ye prapadyante''
:''māyām etāṁ taranti te''

"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it." ([[BG 7.14|Bg. 7.14]])

The material world is pervaded by the three qualities of material nature. All living entities are influenced by these qualities. If they are primarily influenced by the mode of goodness, they are called ''brāhmaṇas'', and if they are influenced by the mode of passion, they are called ''kṣatriyas''. If they are influenced by the modes of passion and ignorance, they are ''vaiśyas'', and if they are influenced by ignorance, they are ''śūdras''. This is not an artificial imposition due to birth or social status but is according to ''guṇa'', or the mode of nature under which one is operating.

:''cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ''
:''guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ''
:''tasya kartāram api māṁ''
:''viddhy akartāram avyayam''

"According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable." ([[BG 4.13|Bg. 4.13]])

It is not that this system refers to the perverted caste system in India. Śrī Kṛṣṇa specifically states: ''guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ'': men are classified according to the ''guṇa'' or the mode under which they are operating, and this applies to men all over the universe. When Kṛṣṇa speaks, we must understand that whatever He says is not limited but is universally true. He claims to be the father of all living entities - even the animals, the aquatics, the trees, plants, worms, birds and bees are all claimed to be His sons. Śrī Kṛṣṇa asserts that the entire universe is illusioned by the interactions of the three qualities of material nature, and we are under the spell of that illusion; therefore we cannot understand what God is.

What is the nature of this illusion, and how can it be overcome? That is also explained in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]:

''daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī''
''mama māyā duratyayā''
''mām eva ye prapadyante''
''māyām etaṁ taranti te''

"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered to Me can easily cross beyond it." ([[BG 7.14|Bg. 7.14]])

No one can get rid of the entanglement of the three qualities of material nature by mental speculation. The three ''guṇas'' are very strong and hard to overcome. Can't we feel how we are in the grip of material nature? The word ''guṇa'' (mode) also means rope. When someone is bound by three strong ropes, he is certainly very tightly secured. Our hands and legs are all bound by the strong ropes of goodness, passion and ignorance. Are we therefore to abandon hope? No, for here Śrī Kṛṣṇa promises that whoever surrenders unto Him is at once free. When one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious - whether in this way or that way - he becomes free.

We are all related to Kṛṣṇa, for we are all His sons. A son may have a disagreement with his father, but it is not possible for him to break that relation. In the course of his life he will be asked who he is, and he will have to reply, "I am the son of so and so." That relation cannot be broken. We are all sons of God, and that relationship with Him is eternal, but we have simply forgotten. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, all-famous, all-wealthy, all-beautiful, all-knowledgeable, and He is full of renunciation as well. Although we are friends of such a great personality, we have forgotten it. If a rich man's son forgets his father, leaves home and becomes mad, he may lie on the street to go to sleep, or he may beg money for food, but all of this is due to his forgetfulness. If someone, however, gives him information that he is simply suffering because he has left his father's home and that his father, a very wealthy man and owner of vast property, is anxious to have him return - the person is a great benefactor.

In this material world we are always suffering under threefold miseries - the miseries arising from the body and the mind, from other living entities, and from natural catastrophes. Being covered by illusion, by the modes of material nature, we do not take account of these miseries. However, we should always know that in the material world we are undergoing so much suffering. One who has sufficiently developed consciousness, who is intelligent, inquires why he is suffering. "I do not want miseries. Why am I suffering?" When this question arises, there is chance for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious.

As soon as we surrender ourselves to Kṛṣṇa, He welcomes us very cordially. It is just like a lost child who returns to his father and says, "My dear father, due to some misunderstanding I left your protection, but I have suffered. Now I return to you." The father embraces his son and says, "My dear boy, come on. I was so anxious for you all the days you were gone, and now I'm so happy you have come back." The father is so kind. We are in the same position. We have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and it is not very difficult. When the son surrenders to the father, is it a very difficult job? It is very natural, and the father is always waiting to receive the son. There is no question of insult. If we bow down before our Supreme Father and touch His feet, there is no harm for us, nor is it difficult. Indeed, it is glorious for us. Why should we not? By surrendering unto Kṛṣṇa we come immediately under His protection and are relieved of all miseries. This is validated by all scriptures. At the end of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], Śrī Kṛṣṇa says:

''sarva-dharmān parityajya''
''mam ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja''
''ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo''
''mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ''

"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." ([[BG 18.66|Bg. 18.66]])

When we throw ourselves at the feet of God, we come under His protection, and from that time on there is no fear for us. When children are under the protection of their parents, they are fearless because they know that their parents will not let them be harmed. ''Mām eva ye prapadyante'': Kṛṣṇa promises that those who surrender to Him have no cause for fear.

If surrender unto Kṛṣṇa is such an easy thing, then why don't people do it? Instead there are many who are challenging the very existence of God, claiming that nature and science are everything and that God is nothing. So-called advancement of civilization in knowledge means that the populace is becoming more mad. Instead of being cured, the disease is being increased. People don't care for God, but they care for nature, and it is nature's business to give kicks in the form of the threefold miseries. She is always administering these kicks twenty-four hours a day. However, we have become so accustomed to being kicked that we think it is all right and consider it to be the ordinary course of things. We have become very proud of our education, but we tell material nature, "Thank you very much for kicking me. Now please continue." Thus deluded, we think that we have even conquered material nature. But how is this so? Nature is still inflicting upon us the miseries of birth, old age, disease and death. Has any one solved these problems? Then what advancement have we really made in knowledge and civilization? We are under the stringent rules of material nature, but still we are thinking that we have conquered. This is called ''māyā''.

There may be some difficulty in surrendering to the father of this body, for he has limited knowledge and power, but Kṛṣṇa is not like an ordinary father. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited and has full knowledge, full power, full wealth, full beauty, full fame and full renunciation. Shouldn't we consider ourselves lucky to go to such a father and enjoy His property? Yet no one seems to care about this, and now everyone is making propaganda that there is no God. Why do people not seek Him out? The answer is given in the next verse of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]:

:''na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ''
:''prapadyante narādhamāḥ''
:''māyayāpahṛta jñāna''
:''āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ''

"Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me." ([[BG 7.15|Bg. 7.15]])

In this way the fools are categorized. A ''duṣkṛtī'' is always acting against the scriptural injunctions. The business of current civilization is to break scriptural rules - that's all. By definition, a pious man is one who doesn't. There must be some standard to distinguish between ''duṣkṛtī'' (an evil doer) and ''sukṛtī'' (a virtuous man). Every civilized country has some scripture - it may be Christian, Hindu, Moslem or Buddhist. That doesn't matter. The point is that the book of authority, the scripture, is there. One who does not follow its injunctions is considered an outlaw.

Another category mentioned in this verse is ''mūḍha'', fool number one. The ''narādhama'' is one who is low in the human scale, and ''māyayāpahṛta jñāna'' refers to one whose knowledge is carried away by ''māyā'', or illusion. ''Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ'' refers to those who are out and out atheists. Although there are no disadvantages to surrendering unto the Father, people who are thus characterized never do it. As a result, they are constantly punished by the agents of the Father. They have to be slapped, caned and kicked severely, and they have to suffer. just as a father has to chastise his unruly boy, so material nature has to employ certain punishments. At the same time nature is nourishing us by supplying food and other necessities. Both processes are going on because we are sons of the wealthiest Father of all, and Kṛṣṇa is kind even though we do not surrender unto Him. Yet despite being furnished so well by the Father, the ''duṣkṛtī'' still performs unsanctioned actions. One is foolish if he persists in being punished, and one is low on the human scale if he does not use this human form of life to understand Kṛṣṇa. If a man does not use his life to reawaken the relationship he has with his real Father, he is to be considered fallen in the human scale.

Animals simply eat, sleep, defend themselves, have sexual intercourse and die. They do not avail themselves of higher consciousness because that is not possible in the lower forms of life. If a human being follows the activities of the animals and does not avail himself of his ability to elevate his consciousness, he falls down the human scale and prepares for an animal body in his next life. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa we are given a highly developed body and intelligence, but if we do not utilize them, why should He give them to us again? We must understand that this human body has developed after millions and millions of years of evolution and that in itself it is a chance to get out of the cycle of birth and death in which over eight millions species of life evolve. This chance is given by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, and if we do not take it, are we not the lowest among men? One may be a degree holder - M.A., Ph.D., etc. - from some university, but the illusory energy takes away this mundane knowledge. He who is really intelligent will apply his intelligence to understand who he is, who God is, what material nature is, why he is suffering in material nature, and what is the remedy to this suffering.

We may apply our intelligence to manufacture an automobile, radio or television for sense gratification, but we have to understand that this is not knowledge. Rather, this is plundered intelligence. Intelligence was given to man to understand the problems of life, but it is being misused. People are thinking that they have acquired knowledge because they know how to manufacture and drive cars, but before the car was here people were still going from one place to another. It is just that the facility has been increased, but along with this facility come additional problems - air pollution and over-crowded highways. This is ''māyā''; we are creating facilities, but these facilities in their turn are creating so many problems.

Instead of wasting our energy to supply ourselves with so many facilities and modern amenities, we should apply intelligence to understand who and what we are. We do not like to suffer, but we should understand why suffering is being forced upon us. By so-called knowledge we have simply succeeded in manufacturing the atomic bomb. Thus the killing process has been accelerated. We are so proud to think that this is advancement of knowledge, but if we can manufacture something that can stop death, we have really advanced in knowledge. Death is already there in material nature, but we are so eager to promote it by killing everyone at one drop - this is called ''māyayāpahṛta-jñāna'' knowledge carried away by illusion.

The ''āsuras'', the demons and proclaimed atheists, actually challenge God. If it were not for our Supreme Father, we would not see the light of day, so what is the point of challenging Him? In the ''Vedas'' it is stated that there are two classes of men, the ''devas'' and ''āsuras'', the demigods and demons. Who are the devas? The devotees of the Supreme Lord are called devas because they also become like God, whereas those who defy the authority of the Supreme are called ''āsuras'' or demons. These two classes are always found in human society.

just as there are four types of miscreants who never surrender to Kṛṣṇa, there are four types of fortunate men who worship Him, and they are categorized in the next verse:

:''catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ''
:''janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna''
:''ārto jijñāsur arthārthī''
:''jñānī ca bharatarṣabha''

"O best among the Bhāratas (Arjuna), four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me - the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute." ([[BG 7.16|Bg. 7.16]])

This material world is full of distress, and both the pious and impious are subject to it. The cold of winter treats everyone alike. It does not care for the pious or impious, the rich or the poor. The difference between the pious and the impious, however, is that the pious man thinks of God when he is in his miserable condition. Often when a man is distressed, he will go to church and pray, "Oh my Lord, I am in difficulty. Please help me." Although he is praying for some material necessity, such a man is still to be considered pious because he has come to God in his distress. Similarly, a poor man may go to church and pray, "My dear Lord, please give me some money." On the other hand, the inquisitive are usually intelligent. They are always researching to understand things. They may ask, "What is God?" and then conduct scientific research to find out. They are also considered pious because their research is directed to the proper object. The man in knowledge is called ''jñānī'' - one who has understood his constitutional position. Such ''ajñānī'' may have an impersonal conception of God, but because he is taking shelter of the ultimate, the Supreme Absolute Truth, he is also to be considered pious. These four types of men are called ''sukṛtī'' - pious - because they are all after God.

:''teṣāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta''
:''eka-bhaktir viśiṣyate''
:''priyo hi jñānino 'tyartham''
:''ahaṁ sa ca mama priyaḥ''

"Of these, the wise one who is in full knowledge in union with Me through pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me." ([[BG 7.17|Bg. 7.17]])

Out of the four classes of men who approach God, he who is philosophically trying to understand the nature of God, who is trying to become Kṛṣṇa conscious - ''viśiṣyate'' - is best qualified. Indeed, Kṛṣṇa says that such a person is very dear to Him because he has no other business than understanding God. The others are inferior. No one has to pray to God to ask for anything, and he who does so is foolish because he does not know that the all-knowing God is within his heart and is well aware when he is in distress or in need of money. The wise man realizes this and does not pray for relief from material miseries. Rather, he prays to glorify God and inform others how great He is. He doesn't pray for his personal interest, for bread, dress or shelter. The pure devotee, when he is distressed, says, "Dear Lord, this is Your kindness. You have put me into distress just to rectify me. I should be put in much greater distress, but out of Your mercy You have minimized this." This is the vision of a pure devotee who is not disturbed.

He who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not care for material distress, insult or honor because he is aloof from all these. He knows well that distress, honor and insult pertain to the body only and that he is not the body. Socrates, for instance, who believed in the immortality of the soul, was condemned to death, and upon being asked how he would like to be buried, replied, "First of all you may have to catch me." So one who knows that he is not the body is not disturbed, for he knows the soul cannot be caught, tortured, killed or buried. He who is conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa knows perfectly well that he is not the body, that he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, that his real relationship is with Kṛṣṇa, and that somehow or other, although he has been put in the material body, he must remain aloof from the three qualities of material nature. He is not concerned with the modes of goodness, passion or ignorance, but with Kṛṣṇa. One who understands this is a ''jñānī'', a wise man, and he is very much dear to Kṛṣṇa. A distressed man, when he is put into opulence, may forget God, but a ''jñānī'', who knows the real position of God, will never forget Him.

There is a class of ''jñānīs'' called impersonalists who say that because worshiping the impersonal is too difficult, a form of God has to be imagined. These are not real jñānīs - they're fools. No one can imagine the form of God, for God is so great. One may imagine some form, but that is a concoction; it is not the real form. There are those who imagine the form of God, and there are those who deny the form of God. Neither is a ''jñānī''. Those who imagine the form are called iconoclasts. During the Hindu-Muslim riots in India, some Hindus would go to the Moslem mosque and would break statues and images of God, and the Moslems would reciprocate in like manner. In this way they were both thinking, "We've killed the Hindu God. We've killed the Moslem God, etc." Similarly, when Gandhi was leading his resistance movement, many Indians would go to the street and destroy the mailboxes and in this way think that they were destroying the government postal service. People of such mentality are not ''jñānīs''. The religious wars between the Hindus and Moslems and Christians and non-Christians were all conducted on the basis of ignorance. One who is in knowledge knows that God is one; He cannot be Moslem, Hindu or Christian.

It is our imagination that God is such and such and such and such. That is all imagination. The real wise man knows that God is transcendental. One who knows that God is transcendental to the material modes truly knows God. God is always beside us, present in our hearts. When we leave the body, God also goes with us, and when we take on another body, He goes with us there just to see what we are doing. When shall we turn our face towards Him? He is always waiting. As soon as we turn our face toward God, He says, "My dear son, come on - ''sa ca mama priyaḥ'' - you are eternally dear to Me. Now you are turning your face to Me, and I am very glad."

The wise man, the ''jñānī'', actually understands the science of God. One who only understands that "God is good" is in a preliminary stage, but one who actually understands how great and good God is, is further progressed. That knowledge is to be had in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] and [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. One who is actually interested in God should study the science of God, [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']].

:''idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ''
:''pravakṣyāmy anasūyave''
:''jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ''
:''yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt''

"My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you this most secret wisdom, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence." ([[BG 9.1|Bg. 9.1]])

The knowledge of God imparted in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] is very subtle and confidential. It is full of ''jñāna'', metaphysical wisdom, and ''vijñāna'', scientific knowledge. And it is full of mystery also. How can one understand this knowledge? It must be imparted by God Himself or a bona fide representative of God. Therefore Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that whenever there is a discrepancy on understanding the science of God, He incarnates Himself.

Nor does knowledge come from sentiment. Devotion is not sentiment. It is a science. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says, "A show of spirituality without reference to the Vedic knowledge is simply a disturbance to society." One must taste the nectar of devotion by reason, argument and knowledge, and then he must pass it on to others. One should not think that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is mere sentimentality. The dancing and singing are all scientific. There is science, and there is also loving reciprocation. Kṛṣṇa is very dear to the wise man, and the wise man is very dear to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will return our love a thousand-fold. What capacity do we finite creatures have to love Kṛṣṇa? But Kṛṣṇa has immense capacity - unlimited capacity - for love.
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<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=On the Way to Krsna]] '''[[On the Way to Krsna|On the Way to Kṛṣṇa]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=OWK 3 Seeing Krsna Everywhere and Always]] '''[[OWK 3 Seeing Krsna Everywhere and Always|3. Seeing Kṛṣṇa Everywhere and Always]] - [[OWK 5 Steering Toward the Supreme|5. Steering Toward the Supreme]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=OWK 5 Steering Toward the Supreme]]</div>

OWK 1 Throughway to Happiness

2022-02-23T14:02:37Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:On the Way to Krsna]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=On the Way to Krsna]] '''[[On the Way to Krsna|On the Way to Kṛṣṇa]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">'''[[OWK 2 The Way of Chanting and Knowing Krsna|2. The Way of Chanting and Knowing Kṛṣṇa]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=OWK 2 The Way of Chanting and Knowing Krsna]]</div>

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Every one of us is searching after happiness, but we do not know what real happiness is. We see so much advertised about happiness, but practically speaking we see so few happy people. This is because so few people know that the platform of real happiness is beyond temporary things. It is this real happiness that is described in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna.

Happiness is generally perceived through our senses A stone, for instance, has no senses and cannot perceive happiness and distress. Developed consciousness can perceive happiness and distress more intensely than undeveloped consciousness. Trees have consciousness, but it is not developed. Trees may stand for a long time in all kinds of weather, but they have no way of perceiving miseries. If a human being were asked to stand like a tree for only three days or even less, he would not be able to tolerate it. The conclusion is that every living being feels happiness or distress according to the degree of development of his consciousness.

The happiness that we are experiencing in the material world is not real happiness. If one asks a tree, "Are you feeling happy?" the tree, if it could, might say,"Yes, I am happy, standing here all year. I'm enjoying the wind and snowfall very much, etc." This may be enjoyed by the tree, but for the human being it is a very low standard of enjoyment. There are different kinds and grades of living entities, and their conceptions and perceptions of happiness are also of all different types and grades. Although one animal may see that another animal is being slaughtered, he will go right on chewing grass, for he has no knowledge to understand that he may be next. He is thinking that he is happy, but at the next moment he may be slaughtered.

In this way there are different degrees of happiness. Yet of all of them, what is the highest happiness? Śrī Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna:

:''sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad''
:''buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam''
:''vetti yatra na caivāyaṁ''
:''sthitaś calati tattvataḥ''

"In that joyous state (''samādhi''), one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth." ([[BG 6.21|Bg. 6.21]])

''Buddhi'' means intelligence; one has to be intelligent if he wants to enjoy. Animals do not have really developed intelligence and so cannot enjoy life as a human being can. The hands, the nose, the eyes, the other sense organs and all the bodily parts may be present on a dead man, but he cannot enjoy. Why not? The enjoying energy, the spiritual spark, has left, and therefore the body has no power. If one looks further into the matter with a little intelligence, he can understand that it was not the body that was enjoying at all but the small spiritual spark that was within. Although one may think that he is enjoying by the bodily sense organs, the real enjoyer is that spiritual spark. That spark always has the potency of enjoyment, but it is not always manifest due to being covered by the material tabernacle. Although we may not be aware of it, it is not possible for the body to experience enjoyment without the presence of this spiritual spark. If a man is offered the dead body of a beautiful woman, will he accept it? No, because the spiritual spark has moved out of the body. Not only was it enjoying within the body, but it was maintaining the body. When that spark leaves, the body simply deteriorates.

It follows that if the spirit is enjoying, it must have its senses also, otherwise how can it enjoy? The ''Vedas'' confirm that the spirit soul, although atomic in size, is the actual enjoying agent. It is not possible to measure the soul, but that is not to say that it is without measurement. An object may seem to us to be no bigger than a point and may seem to have no length or width, but when we perceive it under a microscope we can see that it has both length and width. Similarly, the soul also has its dimensions, but we cannot perceive them. When we buy a suit or dress, it is made to fit the body. The spiritual spark must have form, otherwise how is it the material body has grown to accommodate it? The conclusion is that the spiritual spark is not impersonal. It is an actual person. God is an actual person, and the spiritual spark, being a fragmental part of Him, is also a person. If the father has personality and individuality, the son also has them; and if the son has them, we can conclude that the father has them. So how can we, as sons of God, assert our personality and individuality and at the same time deny them to our Father, the Supreme Lord?

''Atīndriyam'' means that we have to transcend these material senses before we can appreciate real happiness. ''Ramante yogino 'nante satyānanda-cid-ātmani'': the ''yogīs'' who are aspiring after spiritual life are also tasting enjoyment by focusing on the Supersoul within. If there is no pleasure, if there is no enjoyment, then what is the point of going to so much trouble to control the senses? What kind of pleasure are the ''yogīs'' relishing if they are taking so much trouble? That pleasure is ''ananta'' - endless. How is this? The spirit soul is eternal, and the Supreme Lord is eternal; therefore reciprocation of their loving exchanges is eternal. One who is actually intelligent will refrain from the flickering sensual enjoyment of this material body and fix his enjoyment in spiritual life. His participation in spiritual life with the Supreme Lord is called ''rāsa-līlā''.

We have often heard of Kṛṣṇa's ''rāsa-līlā'' with the cowherd girls in Vṛndāvana. That is not like ordinary exchanges that take place between these material bodies. Rather it is an exchange of feelings through spiritual bodies. One has to be somewhat intelligent to understand this, for a foolish man, who cannot understand what real happiness is, seeks happiness in this material world. In India there is the story of a man who did not know what sugarcane was and was told that it was very sweet to chew. "Oh, what does it look like?" he asked. "It looks just like a bamboo rod," someone said. So the foolish man began to chew all kinds of bamboo rods. How can he begin to experience the sweetness of sugarcane? Similarly, we are trying to get happiness and pleasure, but we are trying for them by chewing this material body; therefore there is no happiness and no pleasure. For the time being there may be some little feeling of pleasure, but that is not actual pleasure, for it is temporary. It is like a show of lightning which we may see flashing in the sky that may momentarily seem like lightning, but the real lightning is beyond that. Because a person does not really know what happiness is, he deviates from real happiness.

The process for establishing oneself in real happiness is this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness we can gradually develop our real intelligence and naturally enjoy relishing spiritual happiness as we make spiritual progress. As we begin to relish spiritual happiness, we proportionately abandon material happiness. As we make progress in understanding the Absolute Truth, we naturally become detached from this false happiness. If somehow or other one is promoted to that stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what is the result?

:''yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ''
:''manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ''
:''yasmin sthito na duḥkhena''
:''guruṇāpi vicālyate''

"Upon gaining this, he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty." ([[BG 6.22|Bg. 6.22]])

When one attains that stage, other achievements appear insignificant. In this material world we are trying to achieve so many things - riches, women, fame, beauty, knowledge, etc. - but as soon as we are situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness we think, "Oh, no achievement is better than this." Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so potent that a little taste can save one from the greatest danger. As one begins to relish the taste of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he begins to see other so-called enjoyments and attainments as flat and tasteless. And if one is situated firmly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the greatest danger cannot disturb him. There are so many dangers in life because the material world is a place of danger. We tend to close our eyes to this, and because we are foolish we try to adjust to these dangers. We may have many dangerous moments in our lives, but if we are training ourselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and preparing ourselves to go home, back to Godhead, we will not care for them. Our attitude will then be: "Dangers come and go - so let them happen." It is very difficult to make this kind of adjustment as long as one is on the materialistic platform and is identifying with the gross body, which is composed of perishable elements. But the more one advances in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the more he becomes free from bodily designations and this material entanglement.

In [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] the material world is compared to a great ocean. Within this material universe there are millions and billions of planets floating in space, and we can just imagine how many Atlantic and pacific Oceans are there. In fact, the whole material universe is likened to a great ocean of misery, an ocean of birth and death. In order to cross this great ocean of nescience, a strong boat is needed, and that strong boat is the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. We should immediately get aboard that boat. We should not hesitate, thinking that Kṛṣṇa's feet are very small. The whole universe is simply resting on His leg. For one who takes shelter of His feet, it is said that the material universe is no more significant than a puddle of water found in the impression of a calf's hoofprint. There is certainly no difficulty in crossing over such a small puddle.

:''taṁ vidyād duḥkha-saṁyoga-''
:''viyogam yoga-saṁjñitam''

"This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact." ([[BG 6.23|Bg. 6.23]])

We are entangled in this material world due to uncontrolled senses. The ''yoga'' process is meant to control these senses. If somehow we can manage to control the senses, we can turn our face to actual spiritual happiness and make our lives successful.

:''sa niścayena yoktavyo''
:''yogo 'nirviṇṇa-cetasā''
:''saṅkalpa-prabhavān kāmāṁs''
:''tyaktvā sarvān aśeṣataḥ''
:''manasaivendriya-grāmaṁ''
:''viniyamya samantataḥ''

:''śanaiḥ śanair uparamed''
:''buddhyā dhṛti-gṛhītayā''
:''ātma-saṁsthaṁ manaḥ kṛtvā''
:''na kiñcid api cintayet''

:''yato yato niścalati''
:''manaś cañcalam asthiram''
:''tatas tato niyamyaitad''
:''ātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet''

"One should engage oneself in the practice of ''yoga'' with undeviating determination and faith. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of false ego and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind. Gradually, step by step, with full conviction, one should become situated in trance by means of intelligence, and thus the mind should be fixed on the Self alone and should think of nothing else. 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." ([[BG 6.24|Bg. 6.24-26]])

The mind is always disturbed. It is going sometimes this way and sometimes that way. By ''yoga'' practice we literally drag the mind to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The mind strays from Kṛṣṇa consciousness to so many exterior objects because from time immemorial, life after life, that has been our practice. Due to this, there may be great difficulty in the beginning when one tries to fix his mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but these difficulties can all be overcome.

It is because the mind is agitated and not fixed on Kṛṣṇa that it goes from one thought to another. For instance, when we are engaged in work, memories of events that happened ten, twenty, thirty or forty years ago may suddenly come to our mind for no apparent reason. These thoughts come from our subconscious, and because they are always rising, the mind is always agitated. If we agitate a lake or a pond, all the mud from the bottom comes to the surface. Similarly, when the mind is agitated so many thoughts arise from the subconscious that have been stored there over the years. If we do not disturb a pond, the mud will settle to the bottom. This ''yoga'' process is the means to quiet the mind and allow all these thoughts to settle. For this reason there are so many rules and regulations to follow in order to keep the mind from becoming agitated. If we follow the rules and regulations, gradually the mind will come under control. There are so many don'ts and so many dos, and if one is serious about training the mind, he has to follow them. If he acts whimsically, what is the possibility of the mind being controlled? When the mind is finally trained to the point where it will think of nothing but Kṛṣṇa, it will attain peace and will become very tranquil.

:''praśānta-manasaṁ hy enaṁ''
:''yoginaṁ sukham uttamam''
:''upaiti śānta-rajasaṁ''
:''brahma-bhūtam akalmaṣam''

"The ''yogī'' whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest happiness. By virtue of his identity with Brahman, he is liberated; his mind is peaceful, his passions are quieted, and he is freed from sin." ([[BG 6.27|Bg. 6.27]])

The mind is always concocting objects for happiness. I am always thinking, "This will make me happy," or "That will make me happy. Happiness is here. Happiness is there." In this way the mind is taking us anywhere and everywhere. It is as though we are riding on a chariot behind an unbridled horse. We have no power over where we are going but can only sit in horror and watch helplessly. As soon as the mind is engaged in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness process - specifically by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare - then the wild horses of the mind will gradually come under our control. We must engage in Kṛṣṇa's service every moment of our lives in order to keep the restless and turbulent mind from dragging us from one object to another in a vain search for happiness in the temporary material world.

:''yuñjann evaṁ sadātmānaṁ''
:''yogī vigata-kalmaṣaḥ''
:''sukhe na brahma-saṁsparśam''
:''atyantaṁ sukham aśnute''

"Steady in the Self, being freed from all material contamination, the ''yogī'' achieves the highest perfectional stage of happiness in touch with the supreme consciousness." ([[BG 6.28|Bg. 6.28]])

Kṛṣṇa serves as a patron for one who is devoted to Him. When one is in difficulty, his patron saves him. As stated in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], Kṛṣṇa is the real friend of every living entity, and we have to revive our friendship with Him. The method for reviving this friendship is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, mundane passionate hankering will come to a stop. This passionate hankering keeps us divorced from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is within us and is waiting for us to turn to Him, but we are too busy passionately eating the fruits of the tree of material desire. This passionate compulsion to enjoy these fruits must stop, and we must situate ourselves in our real identity as Brahman - pure spirit.
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<div style="float:right">'''[[OWK 2 The Way of Chanting and Knowing Krsna|2. The Way of Chanting and Knowing Kṛṣṇa]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=OWK 2 The Way of Chanting and Knowing Krsna]]</div>

PoP 9 Destination After Death

2022-02-23T12:14:09Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:Path of Perfection]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=The Path of Perfection]] '''[[The Path of Perfection]]'''</div>
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[[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 8.12|8.12]]):

:''sarva-dvārāṇi saṁyamya''
:''mano hṛdi nirudhya ca''
:''mūrdhny ādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam''
:''āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām''

"The yogic situation is that of detachment from all sensual engagements. Closing all the doors of the senses and fixing the mind on the heart and the life air at the top of the head, one establishes himself in ''yoga''."

One translation of the word ''yoga'' is "plus" - that is, just the opposite of minus. At the present moment, due to our materially contaminated consciousness, we are minus God. When we add God to our lives, when we connect with Him, life is perfected. This process has to be finished at the time of death; therefore as long as we are alive, we have to practice approaching that point of perfection so that at the time of death, when we give up this material body, we can realize the Supreme ([[BG 8.10|BG 8.10]]):

:''prayāṇa-kāle manasācalena''
:''bhaktyā yukto yoga-balena caiva''
:''bhruvor madhye prāṇam āveśya samyak''
:''sa taṁ paraṁ puruṣam upaiti divyam''

"One who, at the time of death, fixes his life air between the eyebrows and in full devotion engages himself in remembering the Supreme Lord, will certainly attain to the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

The words ''prayāṇa-kāle'' mean "at the time of death." Life is kind of a preparation for the final examination, which is death. If we pass that examination, we are transferred to the spiritual world. According to a very common Bengali proverb, "Whatever you do for perfection will be tested at the time of your death."

This process by which the ''yogī'' closes the doors of the senses is technically called ''pratyāhāra'', meaning "just the opposite." Presently, our senses are engaged in seeing worldly beauty. "Just the opposite" means retracting the senses from that beauty and seeing the beauty inside. Hearing is concentrated on the ''oṁkāra'' sound that is within. Similarly, all the other senses are withdrawn from external activity. The mind is then concentrated on the ''viṣṇu-mūrti'' within the heart (''manaḥ hṛdi nirudhya''). The word ''nirudhya'' means "confining" the mind within the heart. When the ''yogī'' has thus withdrawn his senses and concentrated his mind, he transfers the life air to the top of the head and decides where he should go. There are innumerable planets, and beyond these planets is the spiritual world. The ''yogīs'' obtain information of these planets from the Vedic literatures, just as, before coming to the United States, I obtained information about this country from books. Since all the higher planets in the spiritual world are described in the Vedic literatures, the ''yogī'' knows everything and can transfer himself to any planet he likes. He does not need a material spaceship.

Scientists have been trying for many years to reach other planets with spaceships, but this is not the process. Maybe by this means one or two men can reach a planet, but that is not the general process. It is not possible for everyone. Generally, if one wants to transfer himself to a higher planet, he practices this ''jñāna-yoga'' system. Not the ''bhakti-yoga'' system. The system of ''bhakti-yoga'' is not used for attaining any material planet.

The devotees of Kṛṣṇa are not interested in any planet within this material universe, because they know that on all planets the four basic miseries exist - birth, old age, disease, and death. In the higher planets, one's life span may be much greater than on this earth, but death is ultimately there. Therefore those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are not interested in material life but spiritual life, which means relief from these fourfold miseries. Those who are intelligent do not try to elevate themselves to any planet within this material world. To attain a higher planet, one has to prepare a particular type of body to enable one to live on that planet. We cannot attain these planets by artificial, materialistic means, because a suitable body is necessary to live there. We can stay within water only a short while, but fish are living there their entire lives. But the fish does not have a body suitable for living on the land. Similarly, to enter a higher planet, one has to prepare a suitable body.

In the higher planets, six of our months are equal to one of their days, and the inhabitants of these planets live ten thousand years. This is all described in the Vedic literatures. Although the life span on these planets is very long, there is ultimately death. After ten thousand years, twenty thousand years, or millions of years - it doesn't matter - death is ultimately there.

In the very beginning of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 2.20|2.20]]) however, we learn that we are not subject to death.

:''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."

Kṛṣṇa thus instructs us that we are spirit soul and eternal; therefore why should we subject ourselves to birth and death? One who utilizes his intelligence can understand this. One who is situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not interested in promotion to any planet where death exists; rather, being promoted to the spiritual sky, he receives a body just like God's. ''Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ'' (Bs. 5.1). God's body is ''sac-cid-ānanda'' - eternal, full of knowledge, and full of pleasure. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is called the reservoir of all pleasure. If, upon leaving this body, we transfer ourselves to the spiritual world - to Kṛṣṇa's planet or any other spiritual planet - we attain a similar body full of ''sac-cid-ānanda''.

The spirit soul is a very minute particle within the body. It cannot be seen like the external body, but it is sustaining the external body. The object of the ''ṣaṭ-cakra'' system is to locate the soul at the topmost part of the head. From there, one who is perfect in ''dhyāna-yoga'' can transfer himself to a higher planet at will. That is the perfection of this type of ''yoga''. The ''dhyāna-yogī'' is somewhat like a traveler who thinks, "Oh, let me see what the moon is like, then I will transfer myself to higher planets." He goes from here to there in the universe, just as on earth travelers go from New York to California or Canada. But a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is not interested in such interplanetary travel within the material universe. His goal is service to Kṛṣṇa and transferal to the spiritual sky ([[BG 8.13|BG 8.13]]):

:''oṁ ity ekākṣaraṁ brahma''
:''vyāharan mām anusmaran''
:''yaḥ prayāti tyajan dehaṁ''
:''sa yāti paramāṁ gatim''

"After being situated in this ''yoga'' practice and vibrating the sacred syllable ''oṁ'', the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and quits his body, he will certainly reach the spiritual planets."

''Oṁ'', or ''oṁkāra'', is the concise form, or impersonal form, of the transcendental vibration. The ''dhyāna-yogī'' should vibrate ''oṁ'' while remembering Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The impersonal sound of Kṛṣṇa is ''oṁ'', but the sound ''Hare Kṛṣṇa'' contains ''oṁ''. Whatever the case, the entire ''yoga'' system aims at concentration on Viṣṇu. Impersonalists may imagine a form of Viṣṇu, but the personalists do not imagine; they actually see the form of the Supreme Lord. Whether one imagines or factually sees, one has to concentrate his mind on the Viṣṇu form. Here the word ''mām'' means "unto the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu." If one can remember Viṣṇu upon quitting this body, he can enter into the spiritual kingdom.

One who is intelligent naturally thinks, "I am permanent and eternal. Why should I be interested in things that are not permanent?" Actually, no one wants an existence that is temporary. If we are living in an apartment and the landlord asks us to vacate, we have to do so, whether we want to leave or not. However, if we move to a better apartment, we are not sorry. It is our nature, however, to want to remain wherever we live. That is because we are permanent and want a permanent residence. Our inclination is to remain. Therefore we don't want to die. We don't want the miseries of birth, old age, disease, and death. These are external miseries inflicted by material nature, and they attack us like some fever. In order to extricate ourselves, we have to take certain precautions. To get rid of these miseries, it is necessary to get rid of the material body, because these miseries are inherent in material existence.

Thus by vibrating ''oṁ'' and leaving the material body thinking of the Supreme Lord, the ''yogī'' is transferred to the spiritual world. Those who are not personalists, however, cannot enter into the spiritual planet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. They remain outside, in the ''brahma-jyotir'' effulgence. Just as the sunshine is not different from the sun globe, the ''brahma-jyotir'' effulgence of the Supreme Lord is not different from the Supreme Lord. The impersonalists are placed in that ''brahma-jyotir'' as minute particles. We are all spiritual sparks, and the ''brahma-jyotir'' is full of these spiritual sparks. In this way, the impersonalists merge into the spiritual existence; however, individuality is retained, because the spirit soul is constitutionally an individual. Because the impersonalists don't want a personal form, they are placed and held in the impersonal ''brahma-jyotir''. There they exist just as atoms exist within the sunshine. The individual spiritual spark remains within the ''brahma-jyotir'' as if homogeneous.

As living entities, we all want enjoyment. We do not simply want existence. We are constitutionally ''sac-cid-ānanda-eternal'' (''sat''), full of knowledge (''cit''), and full of bliss (''ānanda''). Those who enter the impersonal ''brahma-jyotir'' cannot remain there eternally with the knowledge that "Now I am merged. I am now one with Brahman." Although there is eternality and knowledge, bliss (''ānanda'') is lacking. Who can remain alone in a room year after year reading some book and trying to enjoy himself? We cannot remain alone forever. Eventually we will leave that room and look for some association. It is our nature to want some recreation with others. The impersonalists, dissatisfied with the loneliness of their position in the impersonal effulgence of the Lord, therefore return again to this material world. This is stated in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 10.2.32|10.2.32]]):

:''ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas''
:''tvayy asta-bhāvād a viśuddha-buddhayaḥ''
:''āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ''
:''patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ''

"O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet."

The impersonalists are like astronauts in search of a planet. If they cannot rest in some planet, they have to return to earth. It is herein stated in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] (''anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ'') that the impersonalist must return to the material world because he has neglected to serve the Supreme Lord with love and devotion. As long as we are on this earth, we should practice to love and serve Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord; then we can enter His spiritual planet. If we are not trained up in this way, we can enter the ''brahma-jyotir'' as an impersonalist, but there is every risk that we will again fall down into material existence. Out of loneliness, we will search out some association and therefore return to the material world. What we actually want is the eternal association of the Supreme Lord. This is our constitutional position of eternality, knowledge, and pleasure. If we are alone, if we do not associate with the Supreme Lord, that pleasure is lacking. For want of pleasure, we feel uncomfortable. For want of pleasure, we will accept any kind of association, any kind of pleasure. Therefore, out of a kind of desperation, we will say, "All right, then let me have material pleasure again." That is the risk the impersonalists take.

In the material world, the highest pleasure is found in sex. That is but a perverted reflection of the pleasure experienced with Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual world. Unless there is sex present in the spiritual world, it cannot be reflected here. However, we should understand that here the reflection is perverted. Actual life is there in Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is full of pleasure, and if we train ourselves to serve Him in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it will be possible at the time of death to transfer ourselves to the spiritual world and enter into Kṛṣṇaloka, Kṛṣṇa's planet, and enjoy ourselves in the association of Kṛṣṇa, the reservoir of all pleasure.

Kṛṣṇa's planet is described in ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' (5.29) in this way:

:''cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-''
:''lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam''
:''lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ''
:''govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi''

"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, the first progenitor, who is tending the surabhi cows that fulfill all desires, who is surrounded by millions of purpose (wish-fulfilling) trees and abodes built with spiritual gems, and who is always served with great reverence and affection by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune."

In this way Kṛṣṇaloka is described. There the houses are made of touchstone (''cintāmaṇi''). If a small particle of touchstone touches an iron rod, that rod will immediately turn to gold. Of course, in this material world we have no experience with such a thing as touchstone, but according to ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' all the abodes in Kṛṣṇaloka are composed of touchstone. Similarly, the trees there are called desire trees (''kalpa-vṛkṣa'') because one can get whatever he desires from them. Here we can get only mangoes from a mango tree, but in Kṛṣṇaloka we can get whatever we desire from any tree because the trees are ''kalpa-vṛkṣa''. This is just a partial description of Kṛṣṇaloka, Kṛṣṇa's eternal abode in the spiritual sky.

The conclusion, therefore, is not to try to elevate ourselves to any material planet, because the same miserable conditions of birth, old age, disease, and death exist in all of them. Scientists are very proud of "scientific" advancement, but they have not been able to check old age, disease, and death. They can manufacture something to accelerate death, but nothing that can stop death. That is not within their power.

Those who are intelligent are interested in putting an end to birth, old age, disease, and death and entering into a spiritual life full of eternality, bliss, and knowledge. The ''bhakti-yogī'' knows that such a life is possible through practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and remembrance of Kṛṣṇa at the time of death ([[BG 8.14|BG 8.14]]):

:''ananya-cetāḥ satatam''
:''yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ''
:''tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha''
:''nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ''

"For one who remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Pṛthā, because of his constant engagement in devotional service."

In this verse, the word ''nitya-yukta'' means "continuously in trance." Such a person who is continuously thinking of Kṛṣṇa and always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest ''yogī''. His attention is not diverted to ''jñāna-yoga'', ''dhyāna-yoga'', or any other system. For him, there is only one system - Kṛṣṇa. ''Ananya-cetāḥ'' means "without deviation." A Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee is not disturbed by anything, because his mind is always concentrated on Kṛṣṇa. The word ''satatam'' means that he is thinking of Kṛṣṇa at all places and at all times. When Kṛṣṇa descended onto this earth, He appeared in Vṛndāvana. Although I am presently living in America, my residence is in Vṛndāvana because I am always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Although I may be in a New York apartment, my consciousness is there, and this is as good as being there.

Kṛṣṇa consciousness means always living with Kṛṣṇa in His spiritual planet. Because we are conscious of Kṛṣṇa, we are already living with Him. We simply have to wait to give up this material body to go there. For one who remembers Kṛṣṇa without deviation, He is easy to obtain. ''Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha'': ([[BG 8.14|BG 8.14]]) "I become very cheap for them." For one who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the most valuable thing becomes very easy to obtain. Because one is engaged in ''bhakti-yoga'', Kṛṣṇa becomes easily available. Why should we try so hard to attain Kṛṣṇa, when Kṛṣṇa Himself says, "I am easy to obtain"? We have only to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare twenty - four hours daily. There is no fast rule and regulation. We can chant in the street or on the subway, in our home or in our office. There is neither expenditure nor tax.

Actually Kṛṣṇa, being omnipotent, is unconquerable, but it is said that He is not only obtained but conquered through pure devotional service. As stated before, it is generally very difficult to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore one of His names is Ajita, meaning, "He whom no one can conquer." In [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 10.14.3|10.14.3]]), Lord Brahmā prays to Ajita:

:''jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva''
:''jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām''
:''sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir''
:''ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām''

"O my dear Lord Ajita, those devotees who have thrown away the impersonal conceptions of the Absolute Truth and have therefore abandoned discussing empiric philosophical truths should hear from self-realized devotees about Your holy name, form, pastimes, and qualities. They should completely follow the principles of devotional service and remain free from illicit sex, gambling, intoxication, and animal slaughter. Surrendering themselves fully with body, words, and mind, they can live in any ''āśrama'' or social status. Indeed, You are conquered by such persons, although You are always unconquerable."

In this verse, the words ''jñāne prayāsam'' refer to theosophists and philosophers who are trying year after year and life after life to understand God, or the Absolute Truth. Their attempts are like those of the frog in a well trying to comprehend the vastness of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Even our attempts to measure outer space are futile, to say nothing of the attempt to measure God. Such attempts are doomed to failure; therefore [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] recommends that we abandon all attempts to measure the Supreme. It is completely useless to try to understand God by our limited knowledge, and an intelligent man understands this. We should become submissive and try to understand that our position is that of a very insignificant segment in this creation. The words ''namanta'' eva indicate that we are just to become submissive in order to understand the Supreme from a reliable source. And what is that source? ''San-mukharitām'': from the lips of realized souls. Arjuna is understanding God directly from the lips of Kṛṣṇa, and we have to understand God through the lips of Arjuna or his bona fide representative. We can understand the transcendental nature of God only from a reliable source. That source may be Indian, European, American, Japanese, Hindu, Muslim, or whatever. The circumstances are not important. We just have to try to understand by hearing and then try to put the process to practice in our daily lives. By becoming submissive, hearing from the right source, and trying to apply the teachings in our daily lives, we can become conquerors of the Supreme. For one who does this, Lord Kṛṣṇa becomes easily available. Ordinarily, God realization is very difficult, but it is very easy for one who submissively hears (''śruti-gatām'').

There are two processes by which we can acquire knowledge: one is the ascending process (''āroha-panthā''), and the other is the descending process (''avaroha-panthā''). By the ascending process, one attempts to understand God by his own efforts - by philosophizing, meditating, or speculating. According to the descending process, one acquires knowledge simply by hearing from an authority, from the bona fide spiritual master and the scriptures. As far as the ascending process is concerned, it is stated in ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' (5.34),

:''panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo''
:''vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām''
:''so 'py asti yat-prapada-sīmny a vicintya-tattve''
:''govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi''

"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, only the tips of the toes of whose lotus feet are approached by the ''yogīs'' and ''jñānīs'', who travel for billions of years at the speed of the wind or mind."

We can all understand how great the speed of mind is. Although sitting in New York City, I can immediately think of India, which is thousands and thousands of miles away. It is herein stated that even if one travels at this speed for billions of years, Kṛṣṇa will still remain inconceivable. The word ''muni-puṅgavānām'' refers to a great thinker, not an ordinary man. Even if such a great thinker travels for millions of years at the speed of mind, he will still find the Supreme Person unknowable. Yet for one who takes undeviatingly to this path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa is easy to obtain. Why is this? ''Nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ'': "Because such a person is constantly engaged in My devotional service, and I cannot forget him." So this is the process. We have only to become submissive to attract the attention of God. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "Don't try to see God, but work in such a way that God will see you. God will take care of you. You don't have to try to see Him."

This should be our attitude. We should not think, "I want to see God. O God, please come and stand before me. Be like my servant." But since God is no one's servant, we have to oblige Him by our love and service. We all know how difficult it is to see the king or president of a country. It is practically impossible for an ordinary man to get an interview with such an important person, to say nothing of having this important person come and stand before him. Yet people are demanding that the Supreme Personality of Godhead come and stand before them. It is our nature to hanker after Kṛṣṇa, because He is the most attractive, most beautiful, most opulent, most powerful, most learned, and most famous person in the universe. Everyone hankers after these qualities, and Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all these qualities, and He possesses them in full. Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of everything (''raso vai saḥ''); therefore when we hanker after beauty or power or knowledge or fame, we should just turn our attention to Kṛṣṇa. Then we will automatically get whatever our hearts desire.
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PoP 8 Failure and Success in Yoga

2022-02-23T10:56:02Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:Path of Perfection]]
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Suppose I give up my business, my ordinary occupation, and begin to practice ''yoga'', real ''yoga'', as explained herein by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Suppose I practice, and somehow or other I fail; I cannot properly complete the process. What, then, is the result? This is Arjuna's very next question ([[BG 6.37|BG 6.37]]):

:''arjuna uvāca''
:''ayatiḥ śraddhayopeto''
:''yogāc calita-mānasaḥ''
:''aprāpya yoga-saṁsiddhiṁ''
:''kāṁ gatiṁ kṛṣṇa gacchati''

"Arjuna said: What is the destination of the man of faith who does not persevere, who in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization but who later desists due to worldly-mindedness and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?"

The path of self-realization, of mysticism, is described in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. The basic principle of self-realization is knowing that "I am not this material body but am different from it, and my happiness is in eternal life, bliss, and knowledge." Before arriving at the point of self-realization, one must take it for granted that he is not this body. That lesson is taught in the very beginning of the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]: the living entity is not this material body but something different, and his happiness is in eternal life.

Clearly, this life is not eternal. The perfection of ''yoga'' means attaining a blissful, eternal life full of knowledge. All ''yoga'' systems should be executed with that goal in mind. It is not that one attends ''yoga'' classes to reduce fat or to keep the body fit for sense gratification. This is not the goal of ''yoga'', but people are taught this way because they want to be cheated. Actually, if you undergo any exercise program, your body will be kept fit. There are many systems of bodily exercise - weight lifting and other sports - and they help keep the body fit, reduce fat, and help the digestive system. Therefore there is no need to practice ''yoga'' for these purposes. The real purpose for practicing ''yoga'' is to realize that I am not this body. I want eternal happiness, complete knowledge, and eternal life - that is the ultimate end of the true ''yoga'' system.

The goal of ''yoga'' is transcendental, beyond both body and mind. Self-realization is sought by three methods: (1) the path of knowledge (''jñāna''); (2) the path of the eightfold system; or (3) the path of ''bhakti-yoga''. In each of these processes, one has to realize the constitutional position of the living entity, his relationship with God, and the activities whereby he can reestablish the lost link and achieve the highest perfectional stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Following any of the above-mentioned three methods, one is sure to reach the supreme goal sooner or later. This was asserted by the Lord in the Second Chapter: even a little endeavor on the transcendental path offers a great hope for deliverance.

Of these three methods, the path of ''bhakti-yoga'' is especially suitable for this age, because it is the most direct method of God realization. To be doubly assured, Arjuna is asking Lord Kṛṣṇa to confirm His former statement. One may sincerely accept the path of self-realization, but the process of cultivation of knowledge (''jñāna'') and the practice of the eightfold ''yoga'' system are generally very difficult for this age. Therefore, despite constant endeavor, one may fail for many reasons. First of all, one may not be actually following the process, the rules and regulations. To pursue the transcendental path is more or less to declare war on the illusory energy. When we accept any process of self-realization, we are actually declaring war against ''māyā'', illusion, and ''māyā'' is certain to place many difficulties before us. Therefore, there is a chance of failure, but one has to become very steady. Whenever a person tries to escape the clutches of the illusory energy, she tries to defeat the practitioner by various allurements. A conditioned soul is already allured by the modes of material energy, and there is every chance of being allured again, even while performing transcendental disciplines. This is called ''yogāc calita-mānasaḥ'': deviation from the transcendental path. Arjuna is inquisitive to know the results of deviation from the path of self-realization.

As stated in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 6.37|6.37]]), quoted above, ''yogāt'' means "from the practice of ''yoga''," ''calita'' means "diversion," and ''mānasaḥ'' means "mind." So there is every chance for the mind to be diverted from ''yoga'' practice. We all have some experience of trying to concentrate by reading a book, and our mind is so disturbed that it does not allow us to concentrate on the book.

Actually, Arjuna is asking a very important question, for one is subject to failure in all types of ''yoga'' - be it the eightfold ''yoga'' system, the ''jñāna-yoga'' system of speculative philosophy, or the ''bhakti-yoga'' system of devotional service. Failure is possible on any of these paths, and the results of failure are clearly explained by Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself in the following dialogue with Arjuna ([[BG 6.38|6.38-44]]), Arjuna, continuing his inquiry, asks:

:''kaccin nobhaya-vibhraṣṭaś''
:''chinnābhram iva naśyati''
:''apratiṣṭho mahā-bāho''
:''vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi''

"O mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa, does not such a man, being deviated from the path of Transcendence, perish like a riven cloud, with no position in any sphere?"

:''etan me saṁśayaṁ kṛṣṇa''
:''chettum arhasy aśeṣataḥ''
:''tvad-anyaḥ saṁśayasyāsya''
:''chettā na hy upapadyate''

"This is my doubt, O Kṛṣṇa, and I ask You to dispel it completely. But for Yourself, no one is to be found who can destroy this doubt."

:''śrī-bhaga vān uvāca''
:''pārtha naiveha nāmutra''
:''vināśas tasya vidyate''
:''na hi kalyāṇa-kṛt kaścid''
:''durgatiṁ tāta gacchati''

"The Blessed Lord said: Son of Pṛthā, a transcendentalist engaged in auspicious activities does not meet with destruction either in this world or in the spiritual world; one who does good, My friend, is never overcome by evil."

:''prāpya puṇya-kṛtāṁ lokān''
:''uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ''
:''śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe''
:''yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate''

"The unsuccessful ''yogī'', after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy."

:''atha vā yoginām eva''
:''kule bhavati dhīmatām''
:''etad dhi durlabhataraṁ''
:''loke janma yad īdṛśam''

"Or he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Verily, such a birth is rare in this world."

:''tatra taṁ buddhi-saṁyogaṁ''
:''labhate paurva-dehikam''
:''yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ''
:''saṁsiddhau kuru-nandana''

"On taking such a birth, he again revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru."

:''pūrvābhyāsena tenaiva''
:''hriyate hy avaśo 'pi saḥ''
:''jijñāsur api yogasya''
:''śabda-brahmātivartate''

"By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles - even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist, striving for ''yoga'', stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures."

Purification of consciousness is the purpose of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Presently we are preparing this divine consciousness, for our consciousness goes with us at the time of death. Consciousness is carried from the body just as the aroma of a flower is carried by the air. When we die, this material body composed of five elements - earth, water, air, fire, and ether - decomposes, and the gross materials return to the elements. Or, as the Christian Bible says, "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return." In some societies the body is burned, in others it is buried, and in others it is thrown to animals. In India, the Hindus burn the body, and thus the body is transformed into ashes. Ash is simply another form of earth. Christians bury the body, and after some time in the grave, the body eventually turns to dust, which again, like ash, is another form of earth. There are other societies - like the Parsee community in India - that neither burn nor bury the body but throw it to the vultures, and the vultures immediately come to eat the body, and then the body is eventually transformed into stool. So in any case, this beautiful body, which we are soaping and caring for so nicely, will eventually turn into either stool, ashes, or dust.

At death, the finer elements (mind, intelligence, and ego), which, combined, are called consciousness, carry the small particle of spirit soul to another body to suffer or enjoy, according to one's work. Our consciousness is molded by our work. If we associate with stool, our consciousness, which is like the air, will carry the aroma of stool, and thus at the time of death will transport us to an undesirable body. Or, if the consciousness passes over roses, it carries the aroma of roses, and thus we are transported to a body wherein we can enjoy the results of our previous work. If we train ourselves to work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, our consciousness will carry us to Kṛṣṇa. Different types of body are developed according to consciousness; therefore, if we train our consciousness according to the yogic principles, we will attain a body wherein we can practice ''yoga''. We will get good parents and a chance to practice the ''yoga'' system, and automatically we will be able to revive the Kṛṣṇa consciousness practiced in our previous body. Therefore it is stated in this last verse, "By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attracted to the yogic principles - even without seeking them." Therefore, our present duty is to cultivate divine consciousness. If we want divine life, spiritual elevation, and eternal, blissful life, full of knowledge - in other words, if we want to go back home, back to Godhead - we have to train ourselves in divine consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

This can be easily done through association (''saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ''). Through divine association, our consciousness is made divine, and through demoniac association, our consciousness is made demoniac. Therefore, our consciousness must be trained to be divine through the proper association of those in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the duty of one in this human form, a form that gives us a chance to make our next life completely divine. To attain this end, we should try to contact those who are developing divine consciousness. ([[BG 6.45|BG 6.45]]),

:''prayatnād yatamānas tu''
:''yogī saṁśuddha-kilbiṣaḥ''
:''aneka-janma-saṁsiddhas''
:''tato yāti parāṁ gatim''

"But when the ''yogī'' engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal."

As indicated in this verse, making progress is a question of practice. When a child is born, he neither knows how to smoke nor how to drink, but through association he becomes a drunkard or a smoker. Association is the most important factor. ''Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ''. For instance, there are many business associations, and by becoming a member of certain associations, one's business flourishes. In any endeavor, association is very important. For the development of divine consciousness, we have established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in which the methods of attaining divine consciousness are taught. In this society we invite everyone to come and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This process is not difficult, and even children can participate. No previous qualifications are necessary; one doesn't need a master's degree or doctorate. Our invitation to everyone is to join this association and become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

The Supreme Lord, God, is pure, and His kingdom is also pure. If one wants to enter His kingdom, he must also be pure. This is very natural; if we want to enter a particular society, we must meet certain qualifications. If we want to return home, back to Godhead, there is a qualification we must meet - we must not be materially contaminated. And what is this contamination? Unrestricted sense gratification. If we can free ourselves from the material contamination of sense gratification, we can become eligible to enter the kingdom of God. That process of freeing ourselves, of washing ourselves of this contamination, is called the ''yoga'' system. As stated before, ''yoga'' does not mean sitting down for fifteen minutes, meditating, and then continuing with sense gratification. To be cured of a certain disease, we must follow the prescriptions of a physician. In this Sixth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], the process of ''yoga'' is recommended, and we have to follow the prescribed methods in order to be freed from material contamination. If we succeed in doing so, we can link up, or connect, with the Supreme.

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a method for connecting directly with the Supreme. This is the special gift of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Not only is this method direct and immediate, but it is also practical. Although many people entering this Society have no qualifications, they have become highly advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness simply by coming in contact with the Society. In this age, life is very short, and a ''yoga'' process that takes a long time will not help the general populace. In Kali-yuga, people are all so unfortunate, and association is very bad. Therefore, this process of directly contacting the Supreme is recommended - ''hari-nāma''. Kṛṣṇa is present in the form of His transcendental name, and we can contact Him immediately by hearing His name. Simply by hearing the name Kṛṣṇa we immediately become freed from material contamination.

As stated in the Seventh Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 7.28|7.28]]):

:''yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ''
:''janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām''
:''te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā''
:''bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ''

"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated, and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination."

It is herein stressed that one must be completely fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devoid of duality, and must execute only pious activities. Because the mind is flickering, dualities will always come. One is always wondering, "Shall I become Kṛṣṇa conscious, or should I engage in another consciousness?" These problems are always there, but if one is advanced by virtue of pious activities executed in a previous life, his consciousness will be steadily fixed, and he will resolve, "I will be Kṛṣṇa conscious."

Whether we acted piously in this life or a previous life really doesn't matter. This chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa is so potent that through it we will immediately be purified. We should have the determination, however, not to become implicated in further impious activities. Therefore, for those who want to be initiated in this Society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there are four principles: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, and no gambling. We don't say, "No sex." But we do say, "No illicit sex." If you want sex, get married and have Kṛṣṇa conscious children. "No intoxication" means not even taking tea or coffee - to say nothing of other intoxicants. And there is no gambling and no meat-eating (including fish and eggs). Simply by following these four basic rules and regulations, one becomes immediately uncontaminated. No further endeavor is necessary. As soon as one joins this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and follows these rules and regulations, material contamination is immediately removed, but one must be careful not to be contaminated again. Therefore these rules and regulations should be followed carefully.

Material contamination begins with these four bad habits, and if we manage to check them, there is no question of contamination. Therefore, as soon as we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we become free. However, we should not think that because Kṛṣṇa consciousness makes us free, we can again indulge in these four bad habits and get free by chanting. That is cheating, and that will not be allowed. Once we are freed, we should not allow ourselves to become contaminated again. One should not think, "I shall drink or have illicit sex and then chant and make myself free." According to some religious processes, it is said that one can commit all kinds of sin and then go to church, confess to a priest, and be freed of all sin. Therefore people are sinning and confessing and sinning and confessing over and over again. But this is not the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you are freed, that's all right, but don't do it again. After all, what is the purpose of confession? If you confess, "I have committed these sinful activities," why should you commit them again? If a thief confesses that he has been pickpocketing, he is freed of his sin by virtue of his confession, but does this mean that he should go out again and pick pockets? This requires a little intelligence. One should not think that because by confessing one becomes freed, he should continue to commit sinful activities, confess again, and again become freed. That is not the purpose of confession.

We should therefore understand that if we indulge in unrestricted sinful activities, we become contaminated. We should be careful to have sex only according to the rules and regulations, to eat only food that has been prescribed and properly offered, to defend as Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna - for the right cause. In this way we can avoid contamination and purify our life. If we can continue to live a pure life until the time of death, we will surely be transferred to the kingdom of God. When one is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not return to this material world when he gives up his body. This is stated in the Fourth Chapter ([[BG 4.9|BG 4.9]]):

:''janma karma ca me divyam''
:''evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ''
:''tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma''
:''naiti mām eti so 'rjuna''

"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna."

The unsuccessful ''yogī'' returns to a good family or to a righteous, rich, or aristocratic family, but if one is situated in perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not return again. He attains Goloka Vṛndāvana in the eternal spiritual sky. We should be determined not to come back to this material world again, because even if we attain a good birth in a rich or aristocratic family, we can degrade ourselves again by improperly utilizing our good chance. Why take this risk? It is better to complete the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life. It is very simple and not at all difficult. We only have to keep thinking of Kṛṣṇa; then we will be assured that our next birth will be in the spiritual sky, in Goloka Vṛndāvana, in the kingdom of God. ([[BG 6.46|BG 6.46]]),

:''tapasvibhyo 'dhiko yogī''
:''jñānibhyo 'pi mato 'dhikaḥ''
:''karmibhyaś cādhiko yogī''
:''tasmād yogī bhavārjuna''

"A ''yogī'' is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist, and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a ''yogī''."

There are different gradations of life within this material world, but if one lives according to the yogic principle, especially the principles of ''bhakti-yoga'', one is living the most perfect life possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is telling Arjuna, "My dear friend Arjuna, in all circumstances be a ''yogī'' and remain a ''yogi''." ([[BG 6.47|BG 6.47]]),

:''yoginām api sarveṣāṁ''
:''mad-gatenāntarātmanā''
:''śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ''
:''sa me yuktatamo mataḥ''

"And of all ''yogīs'', he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in ''yoga'' and is the highest of all."

Here it is clearly stated that there are many types of ''yogīs-aṣṭāṅga-yogīs'', ''haṭha-yogīs'', ''jñāna-yogīs'', ''karma-yogīs'', and ''bhakti-yogīs'' - and that of all the ''yogīs'', "he who always abides in Me" is said to be the greatest of all. "In Me" means in Kṛṣṇa; that is, the greatest ''yogī'' is always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Such a ''yogī'' "abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in ''yoga'', and is the highest of all." This is the prime instruction of this Sixth Chapter on ''sāṅkhya-yoga'': if one wants to attain the highest platform of ''yoga'', one must remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In Sanskrit, the word ''bhajate'', with its root ''bhaj'' (''bhaj-dhātu'') means "to render service." But who renders service to Kṛṣṇa unless he is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa? In this Society of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotees are rendering service without payment, out of love for Kṛṣṇa. They can render service elsewhere and get paid hundreds of dollars a month, but this service rendered here is loving service (''bhaj''), based on love of Godhead. Devotees render service in many ways - gardening, typing, cooking, cleaning, etc. All activities are connected with Kṛṣṇa, and therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness is prevailing twenty-four hours a day. That is the highest type of ''yoga''. That is "worshiping Me in transcendental loving service." As stated before, the perfection of ''yoga'' is keeping one's consciousness in contact with Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. We are not simply boasting that even a child can be the highest ''yogī'' simply by participating in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; no, this is the verdict of authorized scripture - [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. These words are not our creation but are specifically stated by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.

Actually, worship and service are somewhat different. Worship implies some motive. I worship a friend or an important man because if I can please that person, I may derive some profit. Those who worship the demigods worship for some ulterior purpose, and that is condemned in the Seventh Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 7.20|7.20]]):

:''kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ''
:''prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ''
:''taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya''
:''prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā''

"Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures."

Those who are bewildered by lust worship the demigods with a motive; therefore, when we speak of worship, some motive is implied. Service, however, is different, for in service there is no motive. Service is rendered out of love, just as a mother renders service to her child out of love only. Everyone can neglect that child, but the mother cannot, because love is present. ''Bhaj-dhātu'' is similar in that there is no question of motive, but service is rendered out of pure love. That is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

This is also the recommendation of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.2.6|1.2.6]]):

:''sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo''
:''yato bhaktir adhokṣaje''
:''ahaituky apratihatā''
:''yayātmā suprasīdati''

"The supreme occupation (''dharma'') for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self."

''Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje''. The word ''bhakti'' comes from the same root as ''bhaj''. The test of a first-class religion is whether or not we are developing our love for God. If we practice religion with some ulterior motive, hoping to fulfill our material necessities, our religion is not first class but third class. It must be understood that first-class religion is that by which we can develop our love of Godhead. ''Ahaituky apratihatā''. This perfect religion should be executed without ulterior motive or impediment. That is the ''yoga'' system recommended in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] and in this Sixth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. That is the system of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not rendered with some motive in mind. The devotees are not serving Kṛṣṇa in order that He supply them this or that. For a devotee there is no scarcity. One should not think that by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, one becomes poor. No. If Kṛṣṇa is there, everything is there, because Kṛṣṇa is everything. But this does not mean that we should try to conduct business with Kṛṣṇa, demanding, "Kṛṣṇa give me this. Give me that." Kṛṣṇa knows better than we do, and He knows our motives. A child does not make demands of his parents, saying, "Dear father, give me this. Give me that." Since the father knows his child's necessities, there is no need for the child to ask. Similarly, it is not a very good idea to ask God to give us this or that. Why should we ask? If God is all-knowing and all-powerful, He knows our wants, our necessities, and can supply them. This is confirmed in the ''Vedas''. ''Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān'': "The single one almighty God is supplying all necessities to millions and trillions of living entities." Therefore, we should not demand anything of God, because our demands are already met. The supplies are already there. We should simply try to love God. Even cats and dogs are receiving their necessities without going to church and petitioning God. If a cat or dog receives its necessities without making demands, why should the devotee not receive what he needs? Therefore we should not demand anything from God but should simply try to love Him. Then everything will be fulfilled, and we will have attained the highest platform of ''yoga''.

We can actually see how the various parts of the body serve the body. If I have an itch, the fingers immediately scratch. If I want to see something, the eyes immediately look. If I want to go somewhere, the legs immediately take me. As I receive service from the different parts of my body, God receives service from all parts of His creation. God is not meant to serve. If the limbs of the body serve the entire body, the parts of the body automatically receive energy. Similarly, if we serve Kṛṣṇa, we automatically receive all necessities, all energy.

[[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] confirms that we are all parts and parcels of the Supreme. If a part of the body cannot regularly render service, it gives pain to the body, and if a person does not render service to the Supreme Lord, he is simply giving pain and trouble to the Supreme Lord. Therefore such a person has to suffer, just as a criminal has to suffer when he does not abide by the laws of the state. Such a criminal may think, "I'm a very good man," but because he is violating the laws of the state, he is giving the government trouble, and consequently the government puts him in prison. When living entities give the Supreme Lord trouble, the Lord comes, collects them together, and puts them in this material world. In essence, He says, "You live here. You are all disturbing the creation; therefore you are criminals and have to live in this material world." ''Sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ'': "One falls down from his constitutional position." If a finger is diseased, it has to be amputated lest it pollute the entire body. Having rebelled against the principles of God consciousness, we are cut off from our original position. We have fallen. In order to regain our original position, we must resume rendering service unto the Supreme Lord. That is the perfect cure. Otherwise we will continue to suffer pain, and God will suffer pain because of us. If I am a father, and my son is not good, I suffer, and my son suffers also. Similarly, we are all sons of God, and when we cause God pain, we are also pained. The best course is to revive our original Kṛṣṇa consciousness and engage in the Lord's service. That is our natural life, and that is possible in the spiritual sky, Goloka Vṛndāvana.

The word ''avajānanti'' actually means "to neglect." This means thinking, "What is God? I am God. Why should I serve God?" This is just like a criminal thinking, "What is this government? I can manage my own affairs. I don't care for the government." This is called ''avajānanti''. We may speak in this way, but the police department is there to punish us. Similarly, material nature is here to punish us with the threefold miseries. These miseries are meant for those rascals who ''avajānanti'', who don't care for God or who take the meaning of God cheaply, saying, "I am God. You are God."

Thus the general progress of ''yoga'' is gradual. First one practices ''karma-yoga'', which refers to ordinary, fruitive activity. Ordinary activities include sinful activities, but ''karma-yoga'' excludes such activities. ''Karma-yoga'' refers only to good, pious activities, or those actions which are prescribed. After performing ''karma-yoga'', one comes to the platform of ''jñāna-yoga'', knowledge. From the platform of knowledge, one attains to this ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'', the eightfold ''yoga'' system-''dhyāna'', ''dhāraṇā'', ''prāṇāyāma'', ''āsana'', etc. - and from ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'', as one concentrates on Viṣṇu, one comes to the point of ''bhakti-yoga''. ''Bhakti-yoga'' is the perfectional stage, and if one practices Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one attains this stage from the very beginning. That is the direct route.

If one practices ''jñāna-yoga'' and thinks that he has attained the ultimate, he is mistaken. He has to make further progress. If we are on a staircase and have to reach the top floor, which is the hundredth floor, we are mistaken if we think we have arrived when we are on the thirtieth floor. As stated before, the whole ''yoga'' system may be likened to a staircase, connecting or linking us to God. In order to attain the ultimate, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we must go to the highest platform, and that is ''bhakti-yoga''.

But why walk up all these steps if we have a chance to take an elevator? By means of an elevator, we can reach the top in a matter of seconds. ''Bhakti-yoga'' is this elevator, the direct process by which we can reach the top in a matter of seconds. We can go step by step, following all the other ''yoga'' systems, or we can go directly. Since in this age of Kali-yuga people have short life spans and are always disturbed and anxious, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by His causeless mercy, has given us the elevator by which we can come immediately to the platform of ''bhakti-yoga''. That direct means is the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, and that is the special gift of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī offers respects to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, ''namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te'': ([[CC Madhya 19.53|CC ''Madhya'' 19.53]]) "Oh, You are the most munificent incarnation because You are directly giving love of Kṛṣṇa. To attain pure love of Kṛṣṇa, one has to pass through so many stages of ''yoga'', but You are giving this love directly. Therefore You are the most munificent."

As stated in the Eighteenth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 18.55|18.55]]):

:''bhaktyā mām abhijānāti''
:''yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ''
:''tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā''
:''viśate tad-anantaram''

"one can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."

In the other ''yoga'' systems, there must be a mixture of ''bhakti'', but ''bhakti-yoga'' is unadulterated devotion. It is service without a motive. Generally people pray with some motive in mind, but we should pray only for further engagement in devotional service. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us that when we pray we should not pray for anything material. In the beginning, we cited Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's perfect prayer ([[CC Antya 20.29|CC ''Antya'' 20.29, ''Śikṣāṣṭaka'' 4]]):

:''na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ''
:''kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye''
:''mama janmani janmanīśvare''
:''bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi''

"O Almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor to enjoy beautiful women. Nor do I want any number of followers. What I want only is the causeless mercy of Your devotional service in my life, birth after birth."

In this verse, Caitanya Mahāprabhu addresses the Supreme Lord as Jagadīśa. ''Jagat'' means "universe," and ''īśa'' means "controller." The Supreme Lord is the controller of the universe, and this can be understood by anyone; therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu addresses the Supreme Lord as Jagadīśa instead of Kṛṣṇa or Rāma. In the material world we find many controllers, so it is logical that there is a controller of the entire universe. Caitanya Mahāprabhu does not pray for wealth, followers, or beautiful women, because these are material requests. Usually, people want to be very great leaders within this material world. Someone tries to become a very rich man like Ford or Rockefeller, or someone else tries to become president or some great leader that many thousands of people will follow. These are all material demands: "Give me money. Give me followers. Give me a nice wife." Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu refuses to make such materialistic requests. He frankly says, "I don't want any of these things." He even says, ''mama janmani janmanīśvare'' ([[CC Antya 20.29|CC ''Antya'' 20.29, ''Śikṣāṣṭaka'' 4]]). That is, He's not even asking for liberation. Just as the materialists have their demands, the ''yogīs'' demand liberation. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu does not want anything of this nature. Then why is He a devotee? Why is He worshiping Kṛṣṇa? "I simply want to engage in Your service birth after birth." He does not even pray for an end to birth, old age, disease, and death. There are no demands whatsoever, for this is the highest platform, the stage of ''bhakti-yoga''.

Chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa is also asking the Lord, "Please engage me in Your service." This is the ''mantra'' taught by Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself. Hare refers to the energy of the Lord, and ''Kṛṣṇa'' and ''Rāma'' are names for the Lord Himself. When we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we are asking Kṛṣṇa to please engage us in His service. This is because our entire material disease is due to our having forgotten to serve God. In illusion, we are thinking, "I am God. What is the other God that I have to serve? I myself am God." Ultimately, that is the only disease, the last snare of illusion. First of all, a person tries to be prime minister, president, Rockefeller, Ford, this and that, and when one fails or attains such a post and is still unhappy, he wants to become God. That is like becoming an even higher president. When I understand that the presidency does not afford me eternal bliss and knowledge, I demand the highest presidency. I demand to become God. In any case, the demand is there, and this demand is our disease. In illusion, we are demanding to be the highest, but the process of ''bhakti-yoga'' is just the opposite. We want to become servants, servants of the servants of the Lord. There is no question of demanding to become the Lord; we just want to serve. That's all.

Our original nature is rooted in service, and wanting to serve is the crucial test for the devotee. We may not realize it, but in this material world we are also serving. If we want to become president, we have to make so many promises to the voters. In other words, the president has to say, "I'll give the people my service." Unless he promises to serve his country, there is no question of his becoming president. So even if one is the most exalted leader, his position is to render service. This is very difficult for people to understand. Despite becoming the highest executive in the land, one has to give service to the people. If that service is not given, one is likely to be usurped, fired, or killed. In the material world, service is very dangerous. If there is a little discrepancy in one's service, one is immediately fired. When the people did not like the service that President Nixon was rendering, they forced him to resign. Some people disagreed with President Kennedy, and he was killed. Similarly, in India, Gandhi was also killed because some people did not like the way he was rendering service. This is always the position in the material world; therefore one should be intelligent enough to decide to cease rendering service for material motives. We must render service to the Supreme Lord, and that rendering of service is our perfection.

We have formed this International Society for Krishna Consciousness in order to teach people what they have forgotten. In this material world, we have forgotten the service of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa; therefore we have become servants of ''māyā'', the senses. Therefore, in this Society we are saying, "You are serving your senses. Now just turn your service to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and you will be happy. You have to render service - either to ''māyā'' (illusion), the senses, or to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa."

In this world, everyone is serving the senses, but people are not satisfied. No one can be satisfied, because the senses are always demanding more gratification, and this means that we are constantly having to serve the senses. In any case, our position as servant remains the same. It is a question of whether we want to be happy in our service. It is the verdict of Bhagavad-gītā and the other Vedic scriptures that we will never be happy trying to serve our senses, for they are only sources of misery. Therefore Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu prays to be situated in Kṛṣṇa's service. He also prays ([[CC Antya 20.32|CC ''Antya'' 20.32, ''Śikṣāṣṭaka'' 5]]):

:''ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ''
:''patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau''
:''kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-''
:''sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya''

"O son of Mahārāja Nanda (Kṛṣṇa), I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet."

This is another way of asking Kṛṣṇa to engage us in His service.

Loving devotional service can only be rendered to the personal form of Kṛṣṇa, Śyāmasundara. The impersonalists emphasize the ''virāṭ-rūpa'', the universal form exhibited in the Eleventh Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 11.21|11.21]]), but it is stated therein that the demigods are very much afraid of this form, and Arjuna says ([[BG 11.45|BG 11.45]]):

:''adṛṣṭa-pūrvaṁ hṛṣito 'smi dṛṣṭvā''
:''bhayena ca pravyathitaṁ mano me''
:''tad eva me darśaya deva rūpaṁ''
:''prasīda deveśa jagan-nivāsa''

"After seeing this universal form, which I have never seen before, I am gladdened, but at the same time my mind is disturbed with fear. Therefore please bestow Your grace upon me and reveal again Your form as the Personality of Godhead (Kṛṣṇa, or Śyāmasundara), O Lord of lords, O abode of the universe."

There is no question of loving the ''virāṭ-rūpa''. If Kṛṣṇa comes before you in the ''virāṭ-rūpa'' form, you will be so filled with fear that you will forget your love. So don't be eager like the impersonalists to see the ''virāṭ-rūpa'' form; just render loving service to Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṇa.

We have more or less seen Kṛṣṇa as the ''viśva-rūpa'' during wartime in Calcutta in 1942. There was a siren, and we ran into a shelter, and the bombing began. In this way, we were seeing that ''viśva-rūpa'', and I was thinking, "Of course, this is also just another form of Kṛṣṇa. But this is not a very lovable form." A devotee wants to love Kṛṣṇa in His original form, and this ''viśva-rūpa'' is not His original form. Being omnipotent, Kṛṣṇa can appear in any form, but His lovable form is that of Kṛṣṇa, Śyāmasundara. Although a man may be a police officer, when he is at home he is a beloved father to his son. But if he comes home firing his revolver, the son will be so frightened that he will forget that he is his beloved father. Naturally, the child loves his father when he's at home like a father, and similarly we love Kṛṣṇa as He is in His eternal abode, in the form of Śyāmasundara.

The ''viśva-rūpa'' was shown to Arjuna to warn those rascals who claim, "I am God." Arjuna asked to see the ''viśva-rūpa'' so that in the future we may have some criterion by which to test rascals who claim to be God. In other words, if someone says, "I am God," we can simply reply, "If you are God, please show me your ''viśva-rūpa''." And we can rest assured that such rascals cannot display this form.

Of course, Arjuna was offering all respects to the ''viśva-rūpa'' form. That is a natural quality of a devotee. A devotee even respects Durgā, Māyā, because Māyā is Kṛṣṇa's energy. If we respect Kṛṣṇa, we respect everyone, even an ant. Therefore Brahmā prays (Bs. 5.44):

:''sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā''
:''chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā''
:''icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā''
:''govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi''

"The external potency, Māyā, who is of the nature of the shadow of the ''cit'' (spiritual) potency, is worshiped by all people as Durgā, the creating, preserving, and destroying agency of this mundane world. I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, in accordance with whose will Durgā conducts herself."

Thus when we pray to Kṛṣṇa, we pray to Durgā immediately, because Durgā is His energy. And when we pray to Durgā, we are actually praying to Kṛṣṇa, because she is working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. When the devotee sees the activities of Māyā, he sees Kṛṣṇa immediately, thinking, "Oh, Māyā is acting so nicely under the direction of Kṛṣṇa." When one offers respect to a policeman, he is actually offering respect to the government. Durgā, the material energy, is so powerful that she can create, annihilate, and maintain, but in all cases she is acting under Kṛṣṇa's directions.

Through ''bhakti'', pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa, we can leave the association of Māyā and be promoted to the eternal association of Kṛṣṇa. Some of the ''gopas'', Kṛṣṇa's friends, are eternal associates, and others are promoted to that eternal position. If only the eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa can play with Him and others cannot, then what is the meaning of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious? We can also become eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa through pious deeds executed in many, many lives. Actually, in the Vṛndāvana manifest in this material world, the associates of Kṛṣṇa are mainly conditioned living entities who have been promoted to the perfect stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus promoted, they are first of all allowed to see Kṛṣṇa on the planet where Kṛṣṇa's pastimes are being enacted. After this, they are promoted to the transcendental Goloka Vṛndāvana in the spiritual sky. Therefore it is stated in the ''Bhāgavata'' ([[SB 10.12.11|10.12.11]]), ''kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ''.

''Bhakti-yoga'' means connecting ourselves with Kṛṣṇa, God, and becoming His eternal associates. ''Bhakti-yoga'' cannot be applied to any other objective; therefore in Buddhism, for instance, there is no ''bhakti-yoga'', because they do not recognize the Supreme Lord existing as the supreme objective. Christians, however, practice ''bhakti-yoga'' when they worship Jesus Christ, because they are accepting him as the son of God and are therefore accepting God. Unless one accepts God, there is no question of ''bhakti-yoga''. Christianity, therefore, is also a form of Vaiṣṇavism, because God is recognized. Nonetheless, there are different stages of God realization. Mainly, Christianity says, "God is great," and that is a very good assertion, but the actual greatness of God can be understood from [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Accepting the greatness of God is the beginning of ''bhakti''. ''Bhakti-yoga'' also exists among the Muhammadans, because God is the target in the Muslim religion. However, where there is no recognition of a personal God - in other words, where there is only impersonalism - there is no question of ''bhakti-yoga''. ''Bhakti-yoga'' must include three items: the servitor, the served, and service. One must be present to accept service, and one must be present to render service. The via media is the process of service itself, ''bhakti-yoga''. Now, if there is no one to accept that service, how is ''bhakti-yoga'' possible? Therefore, if a philosophy or religion does not accept God as the Supreme Person, there is no possibility of ''bhakti-yoga'' being applied.

In the ''bhakti-yoga'' process, the role of the spiritual master is most important and essential. Although the spiritual master will always come back until his devotees have achieved God realization, one should not try to take advantage of this. We should not trouble our spiritual master but should complete the ''bhakti-yoga'' process in this life. The disciple should be serious in his service to the spiritual master, and if the devotee is intelligent, he should think, "Why should I act in such a way that my spiritual master has to take the trouble to reclaim me again? Let me realize Kṛṣṇa in this life." That is the proper way of thinking. We should not think, "Oh, I am sure that my spiritual master will come and save me. Therefore I will do as I please." If we have any affection for our spiritual master, we should complete the process in this life, so that he does not have to return to reclaim us.

In this regard, there is the example of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, who, in his previous life, was elevated almost to ''prema-bhakti'', the highest platform of devotional service. However, since there is always a chance for a falldown, somehow or other he fell down. In his next life, he was born in a very rich ''brāhmaṇa'' family, in accordance with the principle enunciated in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā ([[BG 6.41|6.41]]): ''śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe''. Unfortunately, as is often the case with rich boys, he became a prostitute hunter. Yet it is said that his spiritual master instructed him through his prostitute, saying, "Oh, you are so attached to this mere flesh and bones. If you were this much attached to Kṛṣṇa, how much good you might achieve!" Immediately Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura resumed his devotional service.

Although the spiritual master assumes responsibility for his disciple, we should not take advantage of this. Rather, we should try to please the spiritual master (''yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ''). We should not put our spiritual master in such a position that he has to reclaim us from a house of prostitution. But even if he has to do so, he will do it, because he assumes this responsibility when he accepts his disciple.

The ''bhakti-yoga'' process should be completed in this life, because in this life we have all the instruments necessary to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. We have ''mṛdaṅgas'' and cymbals and tongues with which to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Even if we don't have ''mṛdaṅgas'' and cymbals, we have a tongue. No one has to purchase a tongue. We also have ears with which to hear the sound that the tongue vibrates. Therefore we have all the instruments we need with us - a tongue and ears. We have only to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and use our ears to hear this vibration, and all perfection will be there. We don't have to become highly educated scientists or philosophers. We have only to chant and hear.

Thus we have everything complete. ''Pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idam'' (''Īśopaniṣad'', Invocation): everything created by God is complete. This aggregate earth, for instance, is complete. There is sufficient water in the oceans, and the sun acts to evaporate this water, turn it into clouds, and drop rain on the land to produce plants. And from the mountains, pure rivers are flowing to supply water throughout the year. If we want to evaporate a few hundred gallons of water, we have to make many arrangements, but the creation is so complete that millions of tons of water are being drawn from the ocean, turned into clouds, and then sprayed all over the land and reserved on the peaks of mountains so that water will be present for the production of grains and vegetables. Thus the creation is complete because it comes from the complete, and similarly our bodies are also complete for spiritual realization. The complete machine is already with us. We have only to utilize it to vibrate the transcendental sound (''śabda'') of Hare Kṛṣṇa, and we will attain complete liberation from all material pangs.
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<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=The Path of Perfection]] '''[[The Path of Perfection]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=PoP 7 Yoga for the Modern Age]] '''[[PoP 7 Yoga for the Modern Age|7. Yoga for the Modern Age]] - [[PoP 9 Destination After Death|9. Destination After Death]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=PoP 9 Destination After Death]]</div>

PoP 7 Yoga for the Modern Age

2022-02-23T06:26:29Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:Path of Perfection]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=The Path of Perfection]] '''[[The Path of Perfection]]'''</div>
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[[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 6.33|6.33]]):

:''arjuna uvāca''
:''yo 'yaṁ yogas tvayā proktaḥ''
:''sāmyena madhusūdana''
:''etasyāhaṁ na paśyāmi''
:''cañcalatvāt sthitiṁ sthirām''

"Arjuna said: O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady."

This is the crucial test of the eightfold ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'' system expounded herein by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. It has already been explained that one must sit in a certain way and concentrate the mind on the form of Viṣṇu seated within the heart. According to the ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'' system, first of all one has to control the senses, follow all the rules and regulations, practice the sitting posture and the breathing process, concentrate the mind on the form of Viṣṇu within the heart, and then become absorbed in that form. There are eight processes in this ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'' system, but herein Arjuna says quite frankly that this ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'' system is very difficult. Indeed, he says that it "appears impractical and unendurable to me."

Actually, the ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'' system is not impractical, for were it impractical, Lord Kṛṣṇa would not have taken so much trouble to describe it. It is not impractical, but it appears impractical. What may be impractical for one man may be practical for another. Arjuna is representative of the common man in the sense that he is not a mendicant or a ''sannyāsī'' or a scholar. He is on the battlefield fighting for his kingdom, and in this sense he is an ordinary man engaged in a worldly activity. He is concerned with earning a livelihood, supporting his family, and so on. Arjuna has many problems, just as the common man, and generally this system of ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'' is impractical for the ordinary common man. That is the point being made. It is practical for one who has already completely renounced everything and can sit in a secluded, sacred place on the side of a hill or in a cave. But who can do this in this age? Although Arjuna was a great warrior, a member of the royal family, and a very advanced person, he proclaims this ''yoga'' system impractical. And what are we in comparison to Arjuna? If we attempt this system, failure is certain.

Therefore this system of mysticism described by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna beginning with the words ''śucau deśe'' and ending with ''yogī paramaḥ'' is here rejected by Arjuna out of a feeling of inability. As stated before, it is not possible for an ordinary man to leave home and go to a secluded place in the mountains or jungles to practice ''yoga'' in this age of Kali. The present age is characterized by a bitter struggle for a life of short duration. As Kali-yuga progresses, our life span gets shorter and shorter. Our forefathers lived for a hundred years or more, but now people are dying at the age of sixty or seventy. Gradually the life span will decrease even further. Memory, mercy, and other good qualities will also decrease in this age.

In Kali-yuga, people are not serious about self-realization even by simple, practical means, and what to speak of this difficult ''yoga'' system, which regulates the mode of living, the manner of sitting, selection of place, and detachment of the mind from material engagements. As a practical man, Arjuna thought it was impossible to follow this system of ''yoga'', even though he was favorably endowed in many ways. He was not prepared to become a pseudo ''yogī'' and practice some gymnastic feats. He was not a pretender but a soldier and a family man. Therefore he frankly admitted that for him this system of ''yoga'' would be a waste of time. Arjuna belonged to the royal family and was highly elevated in terms of numerous qualities; he was a great warrior, he had great longevity, and, above all, he was the most intimate friend of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Five thousand years ago, when Arjuna was living, the life span was very long. At that time, people used to live up to one thousand years. In the present age of Kali-yuga, the life span is limited to a hundred years; in Dvāpara-yuga, the life span was a thousand years; in Tretā-yuga, the life span was ten thousand years; and in Satya-yuga, the life span was one hundred thousand years. Thus as the ''yugas'' degenerate, the life span decreases. Even though Arjuna was living at a time when one would live and practice meditation for a thousand years, he still considered this system impossible.

Five thousand years ago, Arjuna had much better facilities than we do now, yet he refused to accept this system of ''yoga''. In fact, we do not find any record in history of his practicing it at any time. Therefore, this system must be considered generally impossible in this age of Kali. Of course, it may be possible for some very few, rare men, but for the people in general it is an impossible proposal. If this were so five thousand years ago, what of the present day? Those who are imitating this ''yoga'' system in different so-called schools and societies, although complacent, are certainly wasting their time. They are completely ignorant of the desired goal.

Since this ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'' system is considered impossible, the ''bhakti-yoga'' system is recommended for everyone. Without training or education, one can automatically participate in ''bhakti-yoga''. Even a small child can clap at ''kīrtana''. Therefore Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has proclaimed ''bhakti-yoga'' the only system practical for this age ([[CC Adi 17.21|CC ''Adi'' 17.21]]):

:''harer nāma harer nāma''
:''harer nāmaiva kevalam''
:''kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva''
:''nāsty eva gatir anyathā''

"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way."

Chanting is very simple, and one will feel the results immediately. ''Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam''. If we attempt to practice other ''yoga'' systems, we will remain in darkness; we will not know whether or not we are making progress. In ''bhakti-yoga'', one can understand, "Yes, now I am making progress." This is the only ''yoga'' system by which one can quickly attain self-realization and liberation in this life. One doesn't have to wait for another lifetime. ([[BG 6.34|BG 6.34]]):

:''cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa''
:''pramāthi balavad dṛḍham''
:''tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye''
:''vāyor iva suduṣkaram''

"For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate, and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it is, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind."

By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one captures the mind immediately. Just by saying the name Kṛṣṇa and hearing it, the mind is automatically fixed on Kṛṣṇa. This means that the ''yoga'' system is immediately attained. The entire ''yoga'' system aims at concentration on the form of Viṣṇu, and Kṛṣṇa is the original personality from whom all these Viṣṇu forms are expanded. Kṛṣṇa is like the original candle from which all other candles are lit. If one candle is lit, one can light any number of candles, and there is no doubt that each candle is as powerful as the original candle. Nonetheless, one has to recognize the original candle as the original. Similarly, from Kṛṣṇa millions of Viṣṇu forms expand, and each Viṣṇu form is as good as Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa remains the original. Thus one who concentrates his mind on Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately attains the perfection of ''yoga''. ([[BG 6.35|BG 6.35]]):

:''śrī-bhagavān uvāca''
:''asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho''
:''mano durnigrahaṁ calam''
:''abhyāsena tu kaunteya''
:''vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate''

"The Blessed Lord said: O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by constant practice and by detachment."

Kṛṣṇa does not say that it is not difficult. Rather, He admits that it is difficult, but possible by means of constant practice. Constant practice means engaging ourselves in some activities that remind us of Kṛṣṇa. In this Society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness we therefore have many activities-''kīrtana'', temple activities, ''prasāda'', publications, and so on. Everyone is engaged in some activity with Kṛṣṇa at the center. Therefore whether one is typing for Kṛṣṇa, cooking for Kṛṣṇa, chanting for Kṛṣṇa, or distributing literature for Kṛṣṇa, he is in the ''yoga'' system, and he is also in Kṛṣṇa. We engage in activities just as in material life, but these activities are molded in such a way that they are directly connected with Kṛṣṇa. Thus through every activity, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is possible, and perfection in ''yoga'' follows automatically ([[BG 6.36|BG 6.36]]):

:''asaṁyatātmanā yogo''
:''duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ''
:''vaśyātmanā tu yatatā''
:''śakyo 'vāptum upāyataḥ''

"For one whose mind is unbridled, self-realization is difficult work. But he whose mind is controlled and who strives by right means is assured of success. That is My opinion."

The Supreme Personality of Godhead declares that one who does not accept the proper treatment to detach the mind from material engagement can hardly achieve success in self-realization. Trying to practice ''yoga'' while engaging the mind in material enjoyment is like trying to ignite a fire while pouring water on it. Similarly, ''yoga'' practice without mental control is a waste of time. I may sit down to meditate and focus my mind on Kṛṣṇa, and that is very commendable, but there are many ''yoga'' societies that teach their students to concentrate on the void or on some color. That is, they do not recommend concentration on the form of Viṣṇu. Trying to concentrate the mind on the impersonal or the void is very difficult and troublesome. It is stated by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the Twelfth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 12.5|12.5]]):

:''kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām''
:''avyaktāsakta-cetasām''
:''avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ''
:''dehavadbhir avāpyate''

"For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied."

In the temple, the devotee tries to concentrate on the form of Kṛṣṇa. Concentrating on nothingness, on void, is very difficult, and naturally the mind is very flickering. Therefore instead of concentrating on the void, the mind searches out something else. The mind must be engaged in thinking of something, and if it is not thinking of Kṛṣṇa, it must be thinking of ''māyā''. Therefore, pseudomeditation on the impersonal void is simply a waste of time. Such a show of ''yoga'' practice may be materially lucrative, but useless as far as spiritual realization is concerned. I may open a class in yogic meditation and charge people money for sitting down and pressing their nose this way and that, but if my students do not attain the real goal of ''yoga'' practice, they have wasted their time and money, and I have cheated them.

Therefore one has to concentrate his mind steadily and constantly on the form of Viṣṇu, and that is called ''samādhi''. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the mind is controlled by engaging it constantly in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Unless one is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he cannot steadily control the mind. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person easily achieves the result of yoga practice without separate endeavor, but a ''yoga'' practitioner cannot achieve success without becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious.
</div>

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PoP 6 Perception of the Supersoul

2022-02-21T12:13:37Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:Path of Perfection]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=The Path of Perfection]] '''[[The Path of Perfection]]'''</div>
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[[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 6.27|6.27-28]]):

:''praśānta-manasaṁ hy enaṁ''
:''yoginaṁ sukham uttamam''
:''upaiti śānta-rajasaṁ''
:''brahma-bhūtam akalmaṣam''

"The ''yogī'' whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest happiness. By virtue of his identity with Brahman, he is liberated; his mind is peaceful, his passions are quieted, and he is freed from sin."

:''yuñjann evaṁ sadātmānaṁ''
:''yogī vigata-kalmaṣaḥ''
:''sukhena brahma-saṁsparśam''
:''atyantaṁ sukham aśnute''

"Steady in the Self, being freed from all material contamination, the ''yogī'' achieves the highest perfectional stage of happiness in touch with the Supreme Consciousness."

So here is the perfection: "The ''yogī'' whose mind is fixed on Me." Since Kṛṣṇa is speaking, the "Me" refers to Kṛṣṇa. If I am speaking and saying, "Give me a glass of water," I do not intend that the water be supplied to someone else. We must therefore clearly understand that, since [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] is being spoken by Śrī Kṛṣṇa, when He says "unto Me," He means unto Kṛṣṇa. Unfortunately, there are many commentators who deviate from these clear instructions. I do not know why; their motives are no doubt nefarious. ([[BG 6.29|BG 6.29]]):

:''sarva-bhūta-stham ātmānaṁ''
:''sarva-bhūtāni cātmani''
:''īkṣate yoga-yuktātmā''
:''sarvatra sama-darśanaḥ''

"A true ''yogī'' observes Me in all beings, and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized man sees Me everywhere."

''Sarva-bhūta-stham ātmānam'': "A true ''yogī'' observes Me in all beings." How is this possible? Some people say that all beings are Kṛṣṇa and that therefore there is no point in worshiping Kṛṣṇa separately. Consequently, such people take to humanitarian activities, claiming that such work is better. They say, "Why should Kṛṣṇa be worshiped? Kṛṣṇa says that one should see Kṛṣṇa in every being. Therefore let us serve ''daridra-nārāyaṇa'', the man in the street." Such misinterpreters do not know the proper techniques, which have to be learned under a bona fide spiritual master.

A true ''yogī'', as explained before, is the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and the most advanced devotee goes forth to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why? Because he sees Kṛṣṇa in all beings. How is this? Because he sees that all beings are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He also understands that since these beings have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, it is his duty to awaken them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sometimes missionaries go forth to educate primitive, uneducated people just because they see that they are human beings and so deserve to be educated in order to understand the value of life. This is due to the missionary's sympathy. The devotee is similarly motivated. He understands that everyone should know himself to be part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. The devotee understands that people are suffering due to their forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa.

Thus the devotee sees Kṛṣṇa in everything. He is not under the illusion that everything has become Kṛṣṇa. Rather, he sees every living being as the son of God. If I say that this boy is the son of Mr. Johnson, do I mean that this boy is Mr. Johnson himself? I may see Mr. Johnson in this boy because this boy is his son, but the distinction remains. If I see every living being as the son of Kṛṣṇa, I see Kṛṣṇa in every being. This should not be difficult to understand. It is neither an association nor a vision but a fact.

When a devotee sees a cat or a dog, he sees Kṛṣṇa in him. He knows that a cat, for instance, is a living being, and that due to his past deeds he has received the body of a cat. This is due to his forgetfulness. The devotee helps the cat by giving it some ''kṛṣṇa-prasāda'' so that someday the cat will come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is seeing Kṛṣṇa in the cat. The devotee does not think, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa. Let me embrace this cat and serve this cat as God." Such thinking is nonsensical. If one sees a tiger, he does not say, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa. Come one, please eat me." The devotee does not embrace all beings as Kṛṣṇa but rather sympathizes with every living being because he sees all beings as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. In this way, "the true ''yogī'' observes Me in all beings." This is real vision.

Whatever is done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, knowingly or unknowingly, will have its effect. Children who bow down or try to vibrate Kṛṣṇa's names or clap during ''kīrtana'' are actually accumulating so much in their bank account of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Fire will act, whether one is a child or an adult. If a child touches fire, the fire will burn. The fire does not say, "Oh, I will not burn him. He is a child and does not know." No, the fire will always act as fire. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit, and if a child partakes in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he will be affected. Kṛṣṇa will act, whether the child knows or does not know. Every living being should be given a chance to partake of Kṛṣṇa consciousness because Kṛṣṇa is there and will act. Therefore everyone is being invited to come and take ''prasāda'', because this ''prasāda'' will someday take effect.

We should be careful not to make the mistake of thinking that everyone is Kṛṣṇa; rather, we should see Kṛṣṇa in everyone. Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. Why is He to be seen only in human beings? As stated in ''Brahma-saṁhitā'', He is also present within the atom: ''aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham''. (Bs. 5.35) The word ''paramāṇu'' means "atom," and we should understand that Kṛṣṇa is present within every atom. "A true ''yogī'' observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me." How does the ''yogī'' see every being "in Me"? This is possible because the true ''yogī'' knows that everything that we see is Kṛṣṇa. We are sitting on this floor or on this carpet, but in actuality we are sitting on Kṛṣṇa. We should know this to be a fact. How is this carpet Kṛṣṇa? It is Kṛṣṇa because it is made of Kṛṣṇa's energy. The Supreme Lord has various energies, of which there are three primary divisions - material energy, spiritual energy, and marginal energy. ''Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate'' ([[CC Madhya 13.65|CC ''Madhya'' 13.65, purport]]). We living entities are marginal energy, the material world is material energy, and the spiritual world is spiritual energy. We are marginal energy in the sense that we can be either spiritually or materially situated. There is no third alternative; either we become materialistic or spiritualistic.

As long as we are in the material world, we are seated on the material energy, and therefore we are situated in Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa's energy is not separate from Kṛṣṇa. A flame contains both heat and illumination, two energies. Neither the heat nor the illumination are separate from the flame; therefore in one sense heat is fire, and illumination is fire, but they can be distinguished. Similarly, this material energy is also Kṛṣṇa, and although we are thinking that we are sitting on this floor, we are actually sitting on Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is stated, "The self-realized man sees Me everywhere." Seeing Kṛṣṇa everywhere means seeing every living being as well as everything else in relationship to Kṛṣṇa. In the Seventh Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 7.8|7.8]]), Lord Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna how He can be seen in various manifestations:

:''raso 'ham apsu kaunteya''
:''prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ''
:''praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu''
:''śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu''

"O son of Kuntī (Arjuna), I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable ''oṁ'' in the Vedic ''mantras''; I am the sound in ether and ability in man."

Water is drunk by all living entities, and is needed by birds, beasts, and man. It is not only used for drinking, but for washing and for cultivating plants as well. A soldier on the battlefield can understand how important water is. When fighting, soldiers become thirsty, and if they have no water, they die. Once a person has learned the philosophy of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], whenever he drinks water, he sees Kṛṣṇa. And when does a day pass when we do not drink water? This is the way of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "I am the light of the sun and the moon." So whether in the day or the night, we see either sunshine or moonshine. How, then, can we forget Kṛṣṇa? This, then, is the way of perfect ''yoga''. We have to see Kṛṣṇa everywhere and at all times ([[BG 6.30|BG 6.30]]):

:''yo māṁ paśyati sarvatra''
:''sarvaṁ ca mayi paśyati''
:''tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi''
:''sa ca me na praṇaśyati''

"For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me."

This is ''sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ'': ([[BG 8.6|BG 8.6]]) always remembering Kṛṣṇa. If we practice living in this way, we never lose Kṛṣṇa and are never lost to Kṛṣṇa, and at the time of death we are therefore sure to go to Kṛṣṇa. If we are not lost to Kṛṣṇa, where can we go but to Kṛṣṇa? In the Ninth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna, ''kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati'' ([[BG 9.31|BG 9.31]]): "O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."

Simply don't lose sight of Kṛṣṇa. That is the perfection of life. We can forget everything else, but we should never forget Kṛṣṇa. If we can remember Kṛṣṇa, we are the richest of men, even though people may see us as very poor. Although Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī were learned scholars and very opulent ministers, they adopted the poor life of mendicants. In his ''Śrī Sad-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka'' (verse 4), Śrīnivāsa Ācārya thus describes the Six Gosvāmīs:

:''tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha vat''
:''bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau''
:''gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur''
:''vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau''

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Six Gosvāmīs - Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī - who cast off all aristocratic association as insignificant. To deliver poor, conditioned souls, they accepted loincloths and became mendicants, but they were always merged in the ecstatic ocean of the ''gopīs'' ' love for Kṛṣṇa, and they were always bathing repeatedly in the waves of that ocean."

The words ''kaupīna-kanthāśritau'' indicate that the Gosvāmīs were simply wearing underwear and a loincloth and nothing else. In other words, they accepted the poorest way of life as mendicants. Generally, if one is habituated to living according to a high standard, he cannot immediately lower his standard. If a rich man accepts such a poor condition, he cannot live, but the Gosvāmīs lived very happily. How was this possible? ''Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur/ vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau''. They were actually rich because they were constantly dipping themselves in the ocean of the loving affairs of the ''gopīs''. If one simply thinks of the ''gopīs'' ' love for Kṛṣṇa, one is not lost. There are many ways not to lose sight of Kṛṣṇa. If we do not lose sight of Kṛṣṇa, then we will not be lost.

A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness certainly sees Lord Kṛṣṇa everywhere, and he sees everything in Kṛṣṇa. Such a person may appear to see all separate manifestations of the material nature, but in each and every instance he is conscious of Kṛṣṇa, knowing that everything is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Nothing can exist without Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of everything - this is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. How does the devotee know that everything is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy? First of all, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is a philosopher. If he sees a tree, he thinks, "What is this tree?" He then sees that the tree has a material body - just as he has a material body - and that the tree is also a living entity, but due to the tree's past misdeeds, he has obtained such an abominable body that he cannot even move. The tree's body is material, material energy, and the devotee automatically questions, "Whose energy? Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore the tree is connected to Kṛṣṇa. Being a living entity, the tree is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." In this way, the Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not see the tree, but sees Kṛṣṇa present. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness: you don't see the tree. You see Kṛṣṇa. That is the perfection of ''yoga'', and that is also ''samādhi''.

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the development of love of Kṛṣṇa - a position transcendental even to material liberation. Why does the Kṛṣṇa conscious person take such an account of the tree? Because he has love for Kṛṣṇa. If you love your child and your child is away, you think of him when you see his shoes. You think, "Oh, this is my dear child's shoe." It is not that you love the shoe, but the child. The shoe, however, evokes that love. Similarly, as soon as we see Kṛṣṇa's energy manifested in a living entity, we love that entity because we love Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, if we love Kṛṣṇa, universal love is accounted for. Otherwise "universal love" is nonsensical, because it is not possible to love everybody without loving Kṛṣṇa. If we love Kṛṣṇa, universal love is automatically there. Without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, a person may say, "Here is my American brother, and here is my Indian brother. Now let us eat this cow." Such a person may look on other humans as brothers, but he looks on the cow as food. Is this universal love? A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, however, thinks, "Oh, here is a cow. Here is a dog. They are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, but somehow or other they have acquired different bodies. This does not mean that they are not my brothers. How can I kill and eat my brothers?" That is true universal love - rooted in love for Kṛṣṇa. Without such Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no question of love at all.

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the stage beyond self-realization in which the devotee becomes one with Kṛṣṇa in the sense that Kṛṣṇa becomes everything for the devotee, and the devotee becomes full in loving Kṛṣṇa. An intimate relationship between the Lord and the devotee then exists. In that stage, the living entity attains his immortality. Nor is the Personality of Godhead ever out of sight of the devotee. To merge in Kṛṣṇa is spiritual annihilation. A devotee takes no such risk. It is stated in the ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' (5.38),

:''premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena''
:''santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti''
:''yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ''
:''govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi''

"I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal form of Śyāmasundara, situated within the heart of the devotee."

One who has developed such a love for Kṛṣṇa sees Śyāmasundara, Kartāmeśāna, always within his heart. At this stage, Lord Kṛṣṇa never disappears from the sight of the devotee, nor does the devotee ever lose sight of the Lord. In the case of a ''yogī'' who sees the Lord as Paramātmā within the heart, the same applies. Such a ''yogī'' turns into a pure devotee and cannot bear to live for a moment without seeing the Lord within himself.

This is the real process by which we can see God. God is not our order supplier. We cannot demand, "Come and show Yourself." No, we first have to qualify ourselves. Then we can see God at every moment and everywhere ([[BG 6.31|BG 6.31]]):

:''sarva-bhūta-sthitaṁ yo māṁ''
:''bhajaty ekatvam āsthitaḥ''
:''sarvathā vartamāno 'pi''
:''sa yogī mayi vartate''

"The ''yogī'' who knows that I and the Supersoul within all creatures are one worships Me and remains always in Me in all circumstances."

A ''yogī'' who is practicing meditation on the Supersoul sees within himself the plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa as Viṣṇu-with four hands, holding conchshell, wheel, club, and lotus flower. This manifestation of Viṣṇu, which is the ''yogī'' 's object of concentration, is Kṛṣṇa's plenary portion. As stated in ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' (5.48),

:''yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya''
:''jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ''
:''viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo''
:''govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi''

"The Brahmās and other lords of the mundane worlds appear from the pores of Mahā-Viṣṇu and remain alive for the duration of His one exhalation. I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, for Mahā-Viṣṇu is a portion of His plenary portion."

The words ''govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi'' ("I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord") are most important. The word ''ādi'' means "original," and ''puruṣam'' means "the Lord as the original male, the original enjoyer." And who is this Govinda whose plenary portion is the Mahā-Viṣṇu? And what is the function of the Mahā-Viṣṇu?

In every universe there is a primary, original living entity known as Brahmā. The life of Brahmā is the life of the universe, and this life exists during only one breathing period (exhalation and inhalation) of the Mahā-Viṣṇu. The Mahā-Viṣṇu lies on the Causal Ocean, and when He exhales, millions of universes issue from His body as bubbles and then develop. When the Mahā-Viṣṇu inhales, these millions of universes return within Him, and this is called the process of annihilation. That, in essence, is the position of these material universes: they come out from the body of the Mahā-Viṣṇu and then again return. In the Ninth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 9.7|9.7]]) it is also indicated that these material universes are manifest at a certain period and are then annihilated:

:''sarva-bhūtāni kaunteya''
:''prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām''
:''kalpa-kṣaye punas tāni''
:''kalpādau visṛjāmy aham''

"O son of Kuntī, 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."

The creation, maintenance, and annihilation of this material cosmic manifestation are completely dependent on the supreme will of the Personality of Godhead. "At the end of the millennium" means at the death of Brahmā. Brahmā lives for one hundred years, and his one day is calculated at 4,300,000,000 of our earthly years. His night is of the same duration. His month consists of thirty such days and nights, and his year of twelve months. After one hundred such years, when Brahmā dies, the devastation or annihilation takes place; this means that the energy manifested by the Supreme Lord is again wound up in Himself. That is, the Mahā-Viṣṇu inhales. Then again, when there is need to manifest the cosmic world, it is done by His will: "Although I am one, I shall become many." This is the Vedic aphorism. He expands Himself in this material energy, and the whole cosmic manifestation again takes place.

Since the entire creation and annihilation of the material universes depend on the exhaling and inhaling of the Mahā-Viṣṇu, we can hardly imagine the magnitude of that Mahā-Viṣṇu. And yet it is said here that this Mahā-Viṣṇu is but a plenary portion of the plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa, who is the original Govinda. The Mahā-Viṣṇu enters into each universe as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu further expands as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and it is this Viṣṇu form that enters into the heart of every living entity. In this way, Viṣṇu is manifest throughout the creation. Thus the ''yogīs'' concentrate their minds on the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu form within the heart. As stated in the last chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 18.61|18.61]]):

:''īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ''
:''hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati''
:''bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni''
:''yantrārūḍhāni māyayā''

"The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy."

Thus, according to the yogic process, the ''yogī'' finds out where the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is seated within the heart, and when he finds this form there, he concentrates on Him. The ''yogī'' should know that this Viṣṇu is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa in this form of Supersoul is situated in everyone's heart. Furthermore, there is no difference between the innumerable Supersouls present in the innumerable hearts of living entities. For example, there is only one sun in the sky, but this sun may be reflected in millions of buckets of water. Or, one may ask millions and trillions of people, "Where is the sun?" And each will say, "Over my head." The sun is one, but it is reflected countless times. According to the ''Vedas'', the living entities are innumerable; there is no possibility of counting them. Just as the sun can be reflected in countless buckets of water, Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can live in each and everyone's heart. It is this form that is Kṛṣṇa's plenary portion, and it is this form on which the ''yogī'' concentrates.

One who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is already a perfect ''yogī''. In fact, there is no difference between a Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee always engaged in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa and a perfect ''yogī'' engaged in meditation on the Supersoul. There is no difference between a ''yogī'' in ''samādhi'' (in a trance meditating on the Viṣṇu form) and a Kṛṣṇa conscious person engaged in different activities. The devotee - even though engaged in various activities while in material existence - remains always situated in Kṛṣṇa. This is confirmed in the ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'' of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī: ''nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu/ jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate''. A devotee of the Lord, always acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is automatically liberated. This is also confirmed in the Fourteenth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 14.26|14.26]]):

:''māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa''
:''bhakti-yogena sevate''
:''sa guṇān samatītyaitān''
:''brahma-bhūyāya kalpate''

"One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman."

Thus the devotee engaged in unalloyed devotional service has already transcended the material modes of nature. Being situated on the Brahman platform means being liberated. There are three platforms: the bodily, or sensual; the mental; and the spiritual. The spiritual platform is called the Brahman platform, and liberation means being situated on that platform. Being conditioned souls, we are presently situated on the bodily, or sensual, platform. Those who are a little advanced - speculators, philosophers - are situated on the mental platform. Above this is the platform of liberation, of Brahman realization.

That the devotee, always acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is automatically situated on the liberated platform of Brahman is also confirmed in the ''Nārada Pañcarātra'':

:''dik-kālādy-anavacchinne''
:''kṛṣṇe ceto vidhāya ca''
:''tan-mayo bhavati kṣipraṁ''
:''jīvo brahmaṇi yojayet''

"By concentrating one's attention on the transcendental form of Kṛṣṇa, who is all-pervading and beyond time and space, one becomes absorbed in thinking of Kṛṣṇa and then attains the happy state of transcendental association with Him."

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest stage of trance in yoga practice. This very understanding that Kṛṣṇa is present as Paramātmā in everyone's heart makes the ''yogī'' faultless. The ''Vedas'' confirm this inconceivable potency of the Lord as follows:

:''eko 'pi san bahudhā yo 'vabhāti''
:''aiśvaryād rūpaṁ ekaṁ ca sūrya vad bahudheyate''

"Viṣṇu is one, and yet He is certainly all-pervading. By His inconceivable potency, in spite of His one form, He is present everywhere. As the sun, He appears in many places at once."

[[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 6.32|6.32]]):

:''ātmaupamyena sarvatra''
:''samaṁ paśyati yo 'rjuna''
:''sukhaṁ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṁ''
:''sa yogī paramo mataḥ''

"He is a perfect ''yogī'' who, by comparison to his own self, sees the true equality of all beings, both in their happiness and distress, O Arjuna!"

This is true universal vision. It is not that God is sitting in my heart and not in the heart of a dog, cat, or cow. ''Sarva-bhūtānām'' means that He is sitting in the hearts of all living entities, in the human heart and in the ant's heart. The only difference is that cats and dogs cannot realize this. A human being, if he tries to follow the ''sāṅkhya-yoga'' or ''bhakti-yoga'' system, is able to understand, and this is the prerogative of human life. If we miss this opportunity, we suffer a great loss, for we have undergone the evolutionary process and have passed through more than eight million species of life in order to get this human form. We should therefore be conscious of this and careful not to miss this opportunity. We have a good body, the human form, and intelligence and civilization. We should not live like animals and struggle hard for existence but should utilize our time thinking peacefully and understanding our relationship with the Supreme Lord. This is the instruction of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]: Don't lose this opportunity; utilize it properly.
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PoP 5 Determination and Steadiness in Yoga

2022-02-21T11:31:51Z

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PoP 4 Moderation in Yoga

2022-02-20T12:43:38Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:Path of Perfection]]
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In this Sixth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], the system of ''sāṅkhya-yoga'', which is the meditational ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'' system, is emphasized. ''Jñāna-yoga'' emphasizes the philosophical process of analysis by which we determine what is Brahman and what is not Brahman. This process is known as the neti neti process, or "not this, not that." In the beginning of the ''Vedānta-sūtra'' it is stated, ''janmādy asya yataḥ'': "The Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth, is He from whom everything emanates." ([[SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]) This is a hint, and from this we must try to understand the nature of the Supreme Brahman, from whom everything is emanating. The nature of that Absolute Truth is explained in detail in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']].

In the [[SB 1.1.1|first verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam]] it is stated,

:''oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya''
:''janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ''
:''tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ''
:''tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mṛṣā''
:''dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi''

"O my Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance, and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmājī, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode. which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth."

Thus from the very beginning of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] the Absolute Truth is proclaimed to be cognizant. He is not dead or void. And what is the nature of His cognizance? ''Anvayād itarataś cārtheṣu'': "He is directly and indirectly cognizant of all manifestations." To a limited degree, each and every living entity is cognizant, but we are not completely cognizant. I may claim, "This is my head," but if someone asks me, "Do you know how many hairs are on your head?" I will not be able to reply. Of course, this kind of knowledge is not transcendental, but in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] it is stated that the Supreme Absolute Truth knows everything, directly and indirectly. I may know that I am eating, but I do not know the intricacies of the eating process - how my body is exactly assimilating food, how the blood is passing through my veins, etc. I am cognizant that my body is functioning, but I do not know how these processes are working perfectly and all at once. This is because my knowledge is limited.

By definition, God is He who knows everything. He knows what is going on in every corner of His creation; therefore, from the very beginning, [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] explains that the Supreme Truth from whom everything is emanating is supremely cognizant (''abhijñaḥ''). One may ask, "If the Absolute Truth is so powerful, wise, and cognizant, He must have attained this knowledge from some similar being." This is not the case. If He attains His knowledge from someone else, He is not God. Svarāṭ. He is independent, and His knowledge is automatically there.

[[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] is the supreme combination of both the ''jñāna'' - and ''bhakti-yoga'' systems, because it analyzes in detail the nature of that Supreme Being from whom everything is emanating. By the ''jñāna-yoga'' system, one attempts to understand the nature of the Absolute Truth in a philosophical way. In the ''bhakti-yoga'' system, the target is the same. The methodology, however, is somewhat different. Whereas the ''jñānī'' attempts to concentrate his mind philosophically on the Supreme, the ''bhakta'' simply engages himself in the service of the Supreme Lord, and the Lord reveals Himself. The ''jñāna'' method is called the ascending process, and the ''bhakti'' method is called the descending process. If we are in the darkness of night, we may attempt to attain the sunlight by ascending in a powerful rocket. According to the descending process, however, we simply await the sunrise, and then we understand immediately.

Through the ascending process, we attempt to reach the Supreme through our own endeavor, through the process of induction. By induction, we may attempt to find out whether man is mortal by studying thousands of men, trying to see whether they are mortal or immortal. This, of course, will take a great deal of time. If, however, I accept from superior authority the fact that all men are mortal, my knowledge is complete and immediate. Thus it is stated in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 10.14.29]]), "My dear Lord, a person who has received a little favor from You can understand You very quickly. But those who are trying to understand You by the ascending process may go on speculating for millions of years and still never understand You."

By mental speculation, one is more likely to simply reach a point of frustration and confusion and conclude, "Oh, God is zero." But if God is zero, how are so many figures emanating from Him? As the ''Vedānta'' says (''janmādy asya yataḥ'' ([[SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]])), "Everything is generating from the Supreme." Therefore the Supreme cannot be zero. We have to study how so many forms, so many infinite living entities, are being generated from the Supreme. This is also explained in the ''Vedānta-sūtra'', which is the study of ultimate knowledge. The word ''veda'' means "knowledge," and ''anta'' means "ultimate." Ultimate knowledge is knowledge of the Supreme Lord.

So how is it possible to understand the form of Kṛṣṇa? If it is stated that God does not have eyes, limbs, and senses like ours, how are we to understand His transcendental senses, His transcendental form? This is not possible by mental speculation. We simply have to serve Him, and then He will reveal Himself to us. As Kṛṣṇa Himself states in the Tenth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 10.11|10.11]]):

:''teṣām evānukampārtham''
:''aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ''
:''nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho''
:''jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā''

"Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance." Kṛṣṇa is within us, and when we are sincerely searching for Him by the devotional process, He will reveal Himself.

Again, as stated in the Eighteenth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 18.55|18.55]]):

:''bhaktyā mām abhijānāti''
:''yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ''
:''tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā''
:''viśate tad-anantaram''

"One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."

Thus God has to be understood by this process of ''bhakti-yoga'', which is the process of ''śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ'' ([[SB 7.5.23|SB 7.5.23]]) - hearing and chanting about Viṣṇu. This is the beginning of the ''bhakti-yoga'' process. If we but hear sincerely and submissively, we will understand. Kṛṣṇa will reveal Himself. ''Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam''. There are nine different processes in the ''bhakti-yoga'' system. By ''vandanam'', we offer prayers, and that is also ''bhakti''. ''Śravaṇam'' is hearing about Kṛṣṇa fro m Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and other ''śāstras''. ''Kīrtanam'' is chanting about His glories, chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra''. This is the beginning of the ''bhakti-yoga'' process. ''Śravaṇam kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ'' ([[SB 7.5.23|SB 7.5.23]]). Everything is Viṣṇu, and meditation is on Viṣṇu. It is not possible to have ''bhakti'' without Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa is the original form of Viṣṇu (''kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam'': ([[SB 1.3.28|SB 1.3.28]]) "Kṛṣṇa is the original form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead"). If we but follow this ''bhakti-yoga'' process, we should be able to understand the Supreme, and all doubts should be removed.

The ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'' process is outlined very specifically in the Sixth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 6.13-14|6.13-14]]):

:''samaṁ kāya-śiro-grīvam-''
:''dhārayann acalaṁ sthiraḥ''
:''samprekṣya nāsikāgraṁ svaṁ''
:''diśaś cānavalokayan''

:''praśāntātmā vigata-bhīr''
:''brahmacāri-vrate sthitaḥ''
:''manaḥ saṁyamya mac-citto''
:''yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ''

"One should hold one's body, neck, and head erect in a straight line and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus, with an unagitated, subdued mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should meditate upon Me within the heart and make Me the ultimate goal of life."

''Yoga'' does not mean going to some class, paying some money, engaging in gymnastics, and then returning home to drink, smoke, and engage in sex. Such ''yoga'' is practiced by societies of the cheaters and the cheated. The authoritative ''yoga'' system is here outlined by the supreme authority, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. Is there a better ''yogi'' than Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead? First of all, one has to go alone to a holy place and sit in a straight line, holding one's body, neck, and head erect, and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Why is this? This is a method to help concentrate one's mind. That's all. The real purpose of ''yoga'', however, is to keep oneself always aware that Lord Kṛṣṇa is within.

One of the dangers of sitting in meditation and staring at the tip of one's nose is that one will fall asleep. I have seen many so-called meditators sitting like this and snoring. As soon as one closes his eyes, it is natural to feel sleepy; therefore it is recommended that the eyes are half closed. Thus it is said that one should look at the tip of his nose. With one's sight thus concentrated, the mind should be subdued and unagitated. In India, the ''yogī'' often goes to a jungle to practice such meditation in solitude. But in a jungle, the ''yogī'' may think, "Maybe some tiger or snake is coming. What is that noise?" In this way, his mind may be agitated; therefore it is especially stated that the ''yogī'' must be "devoid of fear." A deerskin is especially recommended as a ''yoga-āsana'', because it contains a chemical property that repels snakes; thus the ''yogī'' will not be disturbed by serpents. Whatever the case - serpents, tigers, or lions - one can be truly fearless only when he is established in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Due to perverted memory, the conditioned soul is naturally fearful. Fear is due to forgetting one's eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. According to [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 11.2.37]]): ''bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ''. Kṛṣṇa consciousness provides the only true basis for fearlessness; therefore perfect practice of ''yoga'' is not possible for one who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious.

The ''yogī'' must also be "completely free from sex life." If one indulges in sex, he cannot concentrate; therefore ''brahmacarya'', complete celibacy, is recommended to make the mind steady. By practicing celibacy, one cultivates determination. One modern example of such determination is that of Mahatma Gandhi, who was determined to resist the powerful British empire by means of nonviolence. At this time, India was dependent on the British, and the people had no weapons. The Britishers, being more powerful, easily cut down whatever violent revolutions the people attempted. Therefore Gandhi resorted to nonviolence, noncooperation. "I shall not fight with the Britishers," he declared, "and even if they react with violence, I shall remain nonviolent. In this way the world will sympathize with us." Such a policy required a great amount of determination, and Gandhi's determination was very strong because he was a ''brahmacārī''. Although he had children and a wife, he renounced sex at the age of thirty-six. It was this sexual renunciation that enabled him to be so determined that he was able to lead his country and drive the British from India.

Thus, refraining from sex enables one to be very determined and powerful. It is not necessary to do anything else. This is a secret people are not aware of. If you want to do something with determination, you have to refrain from sex. Regardless of the process - be it ''haṭha-yoga'', ''bhakti-yoga'', ''jñāna-yoga'', or whatever - sex indulgence is not allowed. Sex is allowed only for householders who want to beget good children and raise them in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sex is not meant for sense enjoyment, although enjoyment is there by nature. Unless there is some enjoyment, why should one assume the responsibility of begetting children? That is the secret of nature's gift, but we should not take advantage of it. These are the secrets of life. By taking advantage and indulging in sex life, we are simply wasting our time. If one tells you that you can indulge in sex as much as you like and at the same time become a ''yogī'', he is cheating you. If some so-called ''guru'' tells you to give him money in exchange for some ''mantra'' and that you can go on and engage in all kinds of nonsense, he is just cheating you. Because we want something sublime and yet want it cheaply, we put ourselves in a position to be cheated. This means that we actually want to be cheated. If we want something valuable, we must pay for it. We cannot expect to walk into a jewelry store and demand the most valuable jewel for a mere ten cents. No, we must pay a great deal. Similarly, if we want perfection in ''yoga'', we have to pay by abstaining from sex. Perfection in ''yoga'' is not something childish, and [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] instructs us that if we try to make ''yoga'' into something childish, we will be cheated. There are many cheaters awaiting us, waiting to take our money, giving us nothing, and then leaving. But according to Śrī Kṛṣṇa's authoritative statement in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], one must be "completely free from sex life." Being free from sex, one should "meditate upon Me within the heart and make Me the ultimate goal of life." This is real meditation.

Kṛṣṇa does not recommend meditation on the void. He specifically states, "meditate upon Me." The ''viṣṇu-mūrti'' is situated in one's heart, and meditation upon Him is the object of ''yoga''. This is the ''sāṅkhya-yoga'' system, as first practiced by Lord Kapiladeva, an incarnation of God. By sitting straight, staring steadily at the tip of one's nose, subduing one's mind, and abstaining from sex, one may be able to concentrate the mind on the ''viṣṇu-mūrti'' situated within the heart. When we refer to the Viṣṇu form, or ''viṣṇu-mūrti'', we refer to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

In this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we are meditating directly on Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This is a process of practical meditation. The members of this movement are concentrating their minds on Kṛṣṇa, regardless of their particular occupation. One may be working in the garden and digging in the earth, but he is thinking, "I am cultivating beautiful roses to offer to Kṛṣṇa." One may be cooking in the kitchen, but he is always thinking, "I am preparing palatable food to be offered to Kṛṣṇa." Similarly, chanting and dancing in the temple are forms of meditating on Kṛṣṇa. Thus the boys and girls in this Society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness are perfect ''yogīs'' because they are meditating on Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day. We are teaching the perfect ''yoga'' system, not according to our personal whims but according to the authority of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. Nothing is concocted or manufactured. The verses of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] are there for all to see. The activities of the ''bhakti-yogīs'' in this movement are so molded that the practitioners cannot help but think of Kṛṣṇa at all times. "Meditate upon Me within the heart, and make Me the ultimate goal of life," Śrī Kṛṣṇa says. This is the perfect ''yoga'' system, and one who practices it prepares himself to be transferred to Kṛṣṇaloka ([[BG 6.15|BG 6.15]]):

:''yuñjann evaṁ sadātmānaṁ''
:''yogī niyata-mānasah''
:''śāntiṁ nirvāṇa-paramāṁ''
:''mat-saṁsthām adhigacchati''

"Thus practicing control of the body, mind, and activities, the mystic transcendentalist attains to the kingdom of God (or the abode of Kṛṣṇa) by cessation of material existence."

It is stated in Sanskrit in this verse, ''śāntiṁ nirvāṇa-paramām''; that is, one attains peace through ''nirvāṇa-paramām'', or the cessation of material activities. ''Nirvāṇa'' does not refer to void, but to putting an end to materialistic activities. Unless one puts an end to them, there is no question of peace. When Hiraṇyakaśipu asked his five-year-old son Prahlāda Mahārāja, "My dear boy, what is the best thing you have thus far learned?" Prahlāda immediately replied, ''tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt'' ([[SB 7.5.5|SB 7.5.5]]): "My dear father, O greatest of the demons, materialistic people are always full of anxiety because they have accepted as real that which is nonpermanent." The word ''asad-grahāt'' is important because it indicates that materialists are always hankering to capture or possess something that is nonpermanent. History affords us many examples. Mr. Kennedy was a very rich man who wanted to become President, and he spent a great deal of money to attain that elevated position. Yet although he had a nice wife, children, and the presidency, everything was finished within a second. In the material world, people are always trying to capture something that is nonpermanent. Unfortunately, people do not come to their senses and realize, "I am permanent. I am spirit soul. Why am I hankering after something that is nonpermanent?"

We are always busy acquiring comforts for this body without considering that today, tomorrow, or in a hundred years this body will be finished. As far as the real "I" is concerned, "I am spirit soul. I have no birth. I have no death. What, then, is my proper function?" When we act on the material platform, we are engaged in bodily functions; therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says that people are anxious because all their activities are targeted to capturing and possessing something nonpermanent. All living entities - men, beasts, birds, or whatever - are always full of anxiety, and this is the material disease. If we are always full of anxiety, how can we attain peace? People may live in a very nice house, but out front they place signs saying, "Beware of Dog," or "No Trespassers." This means that although they are living comfortably, they are anxious that someone will come and molest them. Sitting in an office and earning a very good salary, a man is always thinking, "Oh, I hope I don't lose this position." The American nation is very rich, but because of this, it has to maintain a great defense force. So who is free from anxiety? The conclusion is that if we want peace without anxiety, we have to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no alternative.

In order to attain peace, we must meditate on Kṛṣṇa, and by meditating on Kṛṣṇa, we can control the body. The first part of the body to control is the tongue, and the next part is the genital. When these are controlled, everything is controlled. The tongue is controlled by chanting and eating ''kṛṣṇa-prasāda''. As soon as the tongue is controlled, the stomach is controlled, and next the genitals are controlled. Actually, controlling the body and mind is a very simple process. When the mind is fixed on Kṛṣṇa and has no other engagement, it is automatically controlled. Activities should always be centered on working for Kṛṣṇa - gardening, typing, cooking, cleaning, whatever. By engaging the body, mind, and activities in the service of Kṛṣṇa, one attains the supreme ''nirvāṇa'', which abides in Kṛṣṇa. Everything is in Kṛṣṇa; therefore we cannot find peace outside Kṛṣṇa conscious activities.

The ultimate goal of ''yoga'' is thus clearly explained. ''Yoga'' is not meant for attaining any kind of material facility; it is to enable the cessation of all material existence. As long as we require some material facilities, we will get them. But these facilities will not solve the problems of life. I have traveled throughout the world, and it is my opinion that American boys and girls have the best material facilities, but does this mean that they have attained peace? Can anyone say, "Yes, I am completely peaceful"? If this is so, why are American youngsters so frustrated and confused?

As long as we practice ''yoga'' in order to attain some material facility, there will be no question of peace. ''Yoga'' should only be practiced in order to understand Kṛṣṇa. ''Yoga'' is meant for the reestablishment of our lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Generally, one joins a ''yoga'' society in order to improve his health, to reduce fat. People in rich nations eat more, become fat, and then pay exorbitant prices to so-called ''yoga'' instructors in order to reduce. People try to reduce by all these artificial gymnastics; they do not understand that if they just eat vegetables or fruits and grains, they will never get fat. People get fat because they eat voraciously, because they eat meat. People who eat voraciously suffer from diabetes, overweight, heart attacks, etc., and those who eat insufficiently suffer from tuberculosis. Therefore moderation is required, and moderation in eating means that we eat only what is needed to keep body and soul together. If we eat more than we need or less, we will become diseased. All this is explained in the following verses ([[BG 6.16|BG 6.16-17]]):

:''nāty-aśnatas tu yogo 'sti''
:''na caikāntam anaśnataḥ''
:''na cāti-svapna-śīlasya''
:''jāgrato naiva cārjuna''

"There is no possibility of one's becoming a ''yogī'', O Arjuna, if one eats too much, or eats too little, sleeps too much, or does not sleep enough."

:''yuktāhāra-vihārasya''
:''yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu''
:''yukta-svapnāvabodhasya''
:''yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā''

"He who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working, and recreation can mitigate all material pains by practicing the ''yoga'' system."

It is not that we are to starve ourselves. The body must be kept fit for any practice; therefore eating is required, and according to our program, we eat only ''kṛṣṇa-prasāda''. If you can comfortably eat ten pounds of food a day, then eat it, but if you try to eat ten pounds out of greed or avarice, you will suffer.

So in the practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all these activities are present, but they are spiritualized. The cessation of material existence does not mean entering into "the void," which is only a myth. There is no void anywhere within the creation of the Lord. I am not void but spirit soul. If I were void, how would my bodily development take place? Where is this "void"? If we sow a seed in the ground, it grows into a plant or large tree. The father injects a seed into the womb of the mother, the body grows like a tree. Where is there void? In the Fourteenth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 14.4|14.4]]), Śrī Kṛṣṇa states,

:''sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya''
:''mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ''
:''tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir''
:''ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā''

"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father."

The seed is originally given by Kṛṣṇa, placed in the womb of material nature, and thus many living entities are generated. How can one argue against this process? If the seed of existence is void, how has this body developed?

''Nirvāṇa'' actually means not accepting another material body. It's not that we attempt to make this body void. ''Nirvāṇa'' means making the miserable, material, conditional body void - that is, converting the material body into a spiritual body. This means entering into the kingdom of God, which is described in the Fifteenth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 15.6|15.6]]):

:''na tad bhāsayate sūryo''
:''sa śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ''
:''yad gatvā na nivartante''
:''tad dhāma paramaṁ mama''

"That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world."

So there is no void anywhere within the Lord's creation. All the planets in the spiritual sky are self-illumined, like the sun. The kingdom of God is everywhere, but the spiritual sky and the planets thereof are all ''paraṁ dhāma'', or superior abodes. As stated, sunlight, moonlight, or electricity are not required in the ''param-dhāma''. We cannot find such an abode within this universe. We may travel as far as possible within our spaceships, but we will not find any place where there is no sunlight. The sunlight is so extensive that it pervades the universe. Therefore, that abode in which there is no sunlight, moonlight, or electricity is beyond this material sky. Beyond this material nature is a spiritual nature. Actually, we know nothing of this material nature; we do not even know how it was originally formed. So how can we know anything about the spiritual nature beyond? We have to learn from Kṛṣṇa, who lives there; otherwise we remain in ignorance.

In this [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], information of the spiritual sky is given. How can we know anything about that which we cannot reach? Our senses are so imperfect, how can we attain knowledge? We just have to hear and accept. How will we ever know who our father is unless we accept the word of our mother? Our mother says, "Here is your father," and we have to accept this. We cannot determine our father by making inquiries here and there or by attempting to experiment. This knowledge is beyond our means. Similarly, if we want to learn about the spiritual sky, God's kingdom, we have to hear from the authority, mother ''Vedas''. The ''Vedas'' are called ''veda-mātā'', or mother ''Vedas'', because the knowledge imparted therein is like that knowledge received from the mother. We have to believe in order to acquire knowledge. There is no possibility of acquiring this transcendental knowledge by experimenting with our imperfect senses.

A consummate ''yogī'', who is perfect in understanding Lord Kṛṣṇa, as is clearly stated herein (''śāntiṁ nirvāṇa-paramāṁ mat-saṁsthām adhigacchati'') by the Lord Himself, can attain real peace and ultimately reach the supreme abode of the Lord. This abode is known as Kṛṣṇaloka, or Goloka Vṛndāvana. In the ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' it is clearly stated (''goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ'' (Bs. 5.37)) that the Lord, although residing always in His abode called Goloka, is the all-pervading Brahman and the localized Paramātmā as well, by dint of His superior spiritual energies. No one can reach the spiritual sky or enter into the eternal abode of the Lord (Vaikuṇṭha, Goloka Vṛndāvana) without properly understanding Kṛṣṇa and His plenary expansion Viṣṇu. And according to ''Brahma-saṁhitā'', it is necessary to learn from our authorized mother, ''veda-mātā''. ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' states that the Supreme Lord is living not only in His abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana, but everywhere: ''goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ'' (Bs. 5.37). He is like the sun, which is millions of miles away and yet is still present within this room.

In conclusion, the person who works in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the perfect ''yogī'', because his mind is always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa's activities. ''Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ'' ([[SB 9.4.18|SB 9.4.18]]). In the ''Vedas'' we also learn, ''tam eva viditvāti mṛtyum eti'': "One can overcome the path of birth and death only by understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa." Thus perfection of ''yoga'' is the attainment of freedom from material existence and not some magical jugglery or gymnastic feat to befool innocent people.

In this system of ''yoga'', moderation is required; therefore it is stated that we should not eat too much or too little, sleep too much or too little, or work too much or too little. All these activities are there because we have to execute the ''yoga'' system with this material body. In other words, we have to make the best use of a bad bargain. The material body is a bad bargain in the sense that it is the source of all miseries. The spirit soul does not experience misery, and the normal condition of the living entity is his healthy, spiritual life. Misery and disease occur due to material contamination, disease, infection. So in a sense, material existence is a diseased condition of the soul. And what is that disease? The answer is not a great mystery. The disease is this body. This body is actually not meant for me. It may be "my" body, but it is a symptom of my diseased condition. In any case, I should identify with this body no more than I should identify with my clothes. In this world, we are all differently dressed. We are dressed as red men, brown men, white men, black men, yellow men, etc., or as Indians, Americans, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, etc. All these designations are not symptomatic of our actual position but of our diseased condition. The ''yoga'' system is meant to cure this disease by connecting us again with the Supreme.

We are meant to be connected with the Supreme just as our hand is meant to be connected to our body. We are part and parcel of the Supreme, just as the hand is part and parcel of the body. When the hand is severed from the body, it is valueless, but when it is joined to the body, it is invaluable. Similarly, in this material condition, we are disconnected from God. Actually, the word disconnected is not precise, because the connection is always there. God is always supplying all our necessities. Since nothing can exist without Kṛṣṇa, we cannot be disconnected from Him. Rather, it is better to say that we have forgotten that we are connected to Kṛṣṇa. Because of this forgetfulness, we have entered the criminal department of the universe. The government still takes care of its criminals, but they are legally disconnected from the civilian state. Our disconnection is a result of our engaging in so many nonsensical activities instead of utilizing our senses in the performance of our Kṛṣṇa conscious duties.

Instead of thinking, "I am the eternal servant of God, or Kṛṣṇa," we are thinking, "I am the servant of my society, my country, my husband, my wife, my dog, or whatever." This is called forgetfulness. How has this come about? All these misconceptions have arisen due to this body. Because I was born in America, I am thinking that I am an American. Each society teaches its citizens to think in this way. Because I am thinking that I am an American, the American government can tell me, "Come and fight. Give your life for your country." This is all due to the bodily conception; therefore an intelligent person should know that he is suffering miseries due to his body and that he should not act in such a way that he will continue to be imprisoned within a material body birth after birth. According to ''Padma Purāṇa'', there are 8,400,000 species of life, and all are but different forms of contamination - whether one has an American body, an Indian body, a dog's body, a hog's body, or whatever. Therefore the first instruction in ''yoga'' is, "I am not this body."

Attaining liberation from the contamination of the material body is the first teaching of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. In the Second Chapter, after Arjuna told Śrī Kṛṣṇa, "I shall not fight," the Lord said, "While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead." ([[BG 2.11|BG 2.11]]) In other words, Arjuna was thinking on the bodily platform. He wanted to leave the battlefield because he did not want to fight with his relatives. All his conceptions were within the bodily atmosphere; therefore after Arjuna accepted Śrī Kṛṣṇa as his spiritual master, the Lord immediately chastised him, just as a master chastises his disciple in order to teach him. Essentially, Śrī Kṛṣṇa told Arjuna, "You are talking very wisely, as if you know so many things, but actually you are speaking nonsense, because you are speaking from the bodily position." Similarly, people throughout the world are posing themselves as highly advanced in education, science, philosophy, politics, etc., but their position is on the bodily platform.

A vulture may rise very high in the sky - seven or eight miles - and it is wonderful to see him fly in this way. He also has powerful eyes, for he can spot a carcass from a great distance. Yet what is the object of all these great qualifications? A dead body, a rotting carcass. His perfection is just to discover a dead piece of meat and eat it. That's all. Similarly, we may have a very high education, but what is our objective? Sense enjoyment, the enjoyment of this material body. We may rise very high with our spaceships, but what is the purpose? Sense gratification, that's all. This means that all the striving and all this high education are merely on the animal platform.

Therefore we should first of all know that our miserable material condition is due to this body. At the same time, we should know that this body is not permanent. Although I identify with my body, family, society, country, and so many other things, how long will these objects exist? They are not permanent. Asat is a word meaning that they will cease to exist. ''Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ'': ([[SB 5.5.4|SB 5.5.4]]) "The body is simply troublesome and impermanent."

Many people come to us saying, "Swāmījī, my position is so troublesome," but as soon as we suggest the medicine, they will not accept it. This means that people want to manufacture their own medicine. Why do we go to a physician if we want to treat ourselves? People want to accept only what they think is palatable.

Although we are suggesting that this body is useless and is a form of contamination, we are not recommending that it be abused. We may use a car to carry us to work, but this does not mean that we should not take care of the car. We should take care of the car for it to carry us to and fro, but we should not become so attached to it that we are polishing it every day. We must utilize this material body in order to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and to this end we should keep it fit and healthy, but we should not become too attached to it. That is called ''yukta-vairāgya''. The body should not be neglected. We should bathe regularly, eat regularly, sleep regularly in order to keep mind and body healthy. Some people say that the body should be renounced and that we should take some drugs and abandon ourselves to intoxication, but this is not a ''yoga'' process. Kṛṣṇa has given us nice food - fruits, grains, vegetables, and milk - and we can prepare hundreds and thousands of nice preparations and offer them to the Lord. Our process is to eat ''kṛṣṇa-prasāda'' and to satisfy the tongue in that way. But we should not be greedy and eat dozens of ''samosās'', sweetballs, and ''rasagullās''. No. We should eat and sleep just enough to keep the body fit, and no more. It is stated ([[BG 6.17|BG 6.17]]):

:''yuktāhāra-vihārasya''
:''yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu''
:''yukta-svapnāvabodhasya''
:''yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā''

"He who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working, and recreation can mitigate all material pains by practicing the ''yoga'' system."

Although we should minimize our eating and sleeping, we should not attempt this too rapidly, at the risk of becoming sick. Because people are accustomed to eating voraciously, there are prescriptions for fasting. We can reduce our sleeping and eating, but we should remain in good health for spiritual purposes. We should not attempt to reduce eating and sleeping too rapidly or artificially; when we advance we will naturally not feel pain due to the reduction of these natural bodily processes. In this respect, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī offers a good example. Although a very rich man's son, Raghunātha dāsa left his home to join Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because he was the only son, Raghunātha dāsa was very beloved by his father. Understanding that his son had gone to Jagannātha Purī to join Lord Caitanya, the father sent four servants with money to attend him. At first, Raghunātha accepted the money, thinking, "Oh, since my father has sent all this money, I will accept it and invite all the ''sannyāsīs'' to feast."

After some time, however, the feasts came to an end. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu then inquired from His secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara, "Nowadays I don't receive any invitations from Raghunātha. What has happened?"

"That is because Raghunātha has stopped accepting his father's money."

"Oh, that's very nice," Caitanya Mahāprabhu said.

"Raghunātha was thinking, 'Although I have renounced everything, I am still enjoying my father's money. This is hypocritical.' Therefore he has told the servants to go home and has refused the money."

"So how is he living?" Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired.

"Oh, he's standing on the steps of the Jagannātha temple, and when the priests pass him on their way home, they offer him some ''prasāda''. In this way, he is satisfied."

"This is very nice," Caitanya Mahāprabhu commented.

Regularly going to the Jagannātha temple, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu would see Raghunātha standing on the steps. After a few days, however, He no longer saw him there. Therefore the Lord commented to His secretary, "I no longer see Raghunātha standing on the temple steps."

"He has given that up," Svarūpa Dāmodara explained. "He was thinking, 'Oh, I am standing here just like a prostitute, waiting for someone to come and give me food. No. I don't like this at all.' "

"That is very nice," Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "but how is he eating?"

"Every day he is collecting some rejected rice from the kitchen and is eating that."

To encourage Raghunātha, Caitanya Mahāprabhu one day visited him. "Raghunātha," the Lord said, "I hear that you are eating very palatable food. Why are you not inviting Me?"

Raghunātha did not reply, but the Lord quickly found the place where he kept the rice, and the Lord immediately took some and began to eat it.

"Dear Lord," Raghunātha implored, "please do not eat this. It is not fit for You."

"Oh, no? Why do you say it's not fit for Me? It's Lord Jagannātha's ''prasāda''!"

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu enacted this pastime just to discourage Raghunātha from thinking, "I am eating this miserable, rejected rice." Through the Lord's encouragement, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī reduced his daily quantity of food until he was finally eating only one pat of butter every other day. And every day he was also bowing down hundreds of times and constantly chanting the holy names. ''Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau''.

Although this is an excellent example of minimizing all material necessities, we should not try to imitate it. It is not possible for an ordinary man to imitate Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, who was one of the Six Gosvāmīs, a highly elevated associate of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself. Each one of the Six Gosvāmīs displayed a unique example of how one can advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but it is not our duty to imitate them. We should just try to follow, as far as possible, in their footsteps. If we immediately try to become like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī by imitating him, we are sure to fail, and whatever progress we have made will be defeated. Therefore the Lord says ([[BG 6.16|BG 6.16]]) that there is no possibility of one's becoming a ''yogī'' if one eats too much or too little.

The same moderation applies to sleep. Presently I may be sleeping ten hours a day, but if I can keep myself fit by sleeping five hours, why sleep ten? As far as the body is concerned, there are four demands - eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. The problem with modern civilization is that it is trying to increase these demands, but they should be decreased instead. Eat what we need, and sleep when we need, and our health will be excellent. There is no question of artificial imitation.

And what is the result obtained by one who is temperate in his habits? ([[BG 6.18|BG 6.18]]):

:''yadā viniyataṁ cittam''
:''ātmany evāvatiṣṭhate''
:''nispṛhaḥ sarva-kāmebhyo''
:''yukta ity ucyate tadā''

"When the ''yogī'', by practice of ''yoga'', disciplines his mental activities and becomes situated in Transcendence - devoid of all material desires - he is said to have attained ''yoga''."

The perfection of ''yoga'' means keeping the mind in a state of equilibrium. Materially speaking, this is impossible. After reading a mundane novel once, you will not want to read it again, but you can read [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] four times a day and still not tire of it. You may chant someone's name a half an hour, or sing a mundane song three or four times, but before long this becomes tiresome. Hare Kṛṣṇa, however, can be chanted day and night, and one will never tire of it. Therefore it is only through transcendental vibration that the mind can be kept in a state of equilibrium. When one's mental activities are thus stabilized, one is said to have attained ''yoga''.

The perfectional stage of ''yoga'' was exhibited by King Ambarīṣa, who utilized all his senses in the service of the Lord. As stated in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 9.4.18-20]]),

:''sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor''
:''vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane''
:''karau harer mandira-mārjanādiṣu''
:''śrutiṁ cakārācyuta-sat-kathodaye''

:''mukunda-liṅgālaya-darśane dṛśau''
:''tad-bhṛtya-gātra-sparśe 'ṅga-saṅgamam''
:''ghrāṇaṁ ca tat-pāda-saroja-saurabhe''
:''śrīmat-tulasyā rasanaṁ tad-arpite''

:''pādau hareḥ kṣetra-padānusarpaṇe''
:''śiro hṛṣīkeśa-padābhivandane''
:''kāmaṁ ca dāsye na tu kāma-kāmyayā''
:''yathottamaśloka-janāśrayā ratiḥ''

"King Ambarīṣa first of all engaged his mind on the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa; then, one after another, he engaged his words in describing the transcendental qualities of the Lord, his hands in mopping the temple of the Lord, his ears in hearing of the activities of the Lord, his eyes in seeing the transcendental forms of the Lord, his body in touching the bodies of the devotees, his sense of smell in smelling the scents of the lotus flowers offered to the Lord, his tongue in tasting the ''tulasī'' leaf offered at the temple of the Lord, his head in offering obeisances unto the Lord, and his desires in executing the mission of the Lord. All these transcendental activities are quite befitting a pure devotee."

This, then, is the perfection of ''yoga'' devoid of all material desire. If all our desires are for Kṛṣṇa, there is no scope for material desire. All material desire is automatically finished. We don't have to try to concentrate artificially. All perfection is there in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because it is on the spiritual platform. Being on the spiritual platform, this supreme ''yoga'' is eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge. Therefore there are no misgivings or material impediments.
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<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=PoP 3 Learning How to See God]] '''[[PoP 3 Learning How to See God|3. Learning How to See God]] - [[PoP 5 Determination and Steadiness in Yoga|5. Determination and Steadiness in Yoga]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=PoP 5 Determination and Steadiness in Yoga]]</div>

PoP 3 Learning How to See God

2022-02-19T13:15:37Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:Path of Perfection]]
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[[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 6.6|6.6]]):

:''bandhur ātmātmanas tasya''
:''yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ''
:''anātmanas tu śatrutve''
:''vartetātmaiva śatru-vat''

"For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the greatest enemy."

The purpose of the ''yoga'' system is to make the mind into a friend instead of an enemy. In material contact, the mind is in a kind of drunken condition. As stated in ''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'' ([[CC Madhya 20.117|CC ''Madhya'' 20.117]]):

:''kṛṣṇa bhuli' sei jīva-anādi-bahirmukha''
:''ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha''

"Forgetting Kṛṣṇa, the living entity has been attracted by the Lord's external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the illusory energy (''māyā'') gives him all kinds of misery in his material existence."

The living entity is constitutionally spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. As soon as the mind is contaminated, the living entity, because he has a little independence, rebels. In this state, the mind dictates, "Why should I serve Kṛṣṇa? I am God." Thus one labors under a false impression, and his life is spoiled. We try to conquer many things - even empires - but if we fail to conquer the mind, we are failures even if we manage to conquer an empire. Even though emperors, we will have within us our greatest enemy - our own mind ([[BG 6.7|BG 6.7]]):

:''jitātmanaḥ praśāntasya''
:''paramātmā samāhitaḥ''
:''śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkheṣu''
:''tathā mānāpamānayoḥ''

"For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquillity. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same."

Actually, every living entity is intended to abide by the dictation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated in everyone's heart as Paramātmā. When the mind is misled by the external illusory energy, one becomes entangled in material activities. Therefore, as soon as one's mind is controlled through one of the ''yoga'' systems, one is to be considered as having already reached the destination. One has to abide by superior dictation. When the mind is fixed on the superior nature, he has no alternative but to follow the dictation of the Supreme. The mind must admit some superior dictation and follow it. When the mind is controlled, one automatically follows the dictation of the Paramātmā, or Supersoul. Because this transcendental position is at once achieved by one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the devotee of the Lord is unaffected by the dualities of material existence - distress and happiness, cold and heat, etc. This state is called ''samādhi'', or absorption in the Supreme ([[BG 6.8|BG 6.8]]):

:''jñāna-vijñāna-tṛptātmā''
:''kūṭa-stho vijitendriyaḥ''
:''yukta ity ucyate yogī''
:''sama-loṣṭrāśma-kāñcanaḥ''

"A person is said to be established in self-realization and is called a ''yogī'' (or mystic) when he is fully satisfied by virtue of acquired knowledge and realization. Such a person is situated in transcendence and is self-controlled. He sees everything - whether it be pebbles, stones, or gold - as the same."

Book knowledge without realization of the Supreme Truth is useless. This is stated as follows ([[CC Madhya 17.136|CC ''Madhya'' 17.136]], ''Padma Purāṇa''):

:''ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi''
:''na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ''
:''sevonmukhe hi jihvādau''
:''svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ''

"No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality, and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality, and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him."

There are men in the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance, and to reclaim all these conditioned souls, there are eighteen ''Purāṇas''. Six ''Purāṇas'' are meant for those in the mode of goodness, six for those in the mode of passion, and six for those in the mode of ignorance. The ''Padma Purāṇa'' is written for those in the mode of goodness. Because there are many different types of men, there are many different Vedic rituals. In the Vedic literatures there are descriptions of rituals and ceremonies in which a goat may be sacrificed in the presence of the goddess Kālī. This is described in the ''Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa'', but this ''Purāṇa'' is meant for the instruction of those in the mode of ignorance.

It is very difficult for one to give up his attachments all at once. If one is addicted to meat-eating and is suddenly told that he must not eat meat, he cannot do so. If one is attached to drinking liquor and is suddenly told that liquor is no good, he cannot accept this advice. Therefore, in the ''Purāṇas'' we find certain instructions that say in essence, "All right, if you want to eat meat, just worship the goddess Kālī and sacrifice a goat for her. Only then can you eat meat. You cannot eat meat just by purchasing it from the butcher shop. No, there must be sacrifice or restriction." In order to sacrifice a goat to the goddess Kālī, one must make arrangements for a certain date and utilize certain paraphernalia. That type of ''pūjā'', or worship, is allowed on the night of the dark moon, which means once a month. There are also certain mantras to be chanted when the goat is sacrificed. The goat is told, "Your life is being sacrificed before the goddess Kālī; you will therefore be immediately promoted to the human form." Generally, in order to attain the human form, a living entity has to pass through many species of life on the evolutionary scale, but if a goat is sacrificed to the goddess Kālī, he is immediately promoted to the human form. The ''mantra'' also says, "You have the right to kill this man who is sacrificing you." The word ''māṁsa'' indicates that in his next birth, the goat will eat the flesh of the man who is presently sacrificing him. This in itself should bring the goat-eater to his senses. He should consider, "Why am I eating this flesh? Why am I doing this? I'll have to repay with my own flesh in another life." The whole idea is to discourage one from eating meat.

Thus, because there are different types of men, there are eighteen ''Purāṇas'' to guide them. The Vedic literatures are meant to redeem all men, not just a few. It is not that those who are meat-eaters or drunkards are rejected. A doctor accepts all patients, and he prescribes different medicines according to the disease. It is not that he gives the same medicine for all diseases or that he treats just one disease. No, he offers a specific type of medicine to whomever comes, and the patient receives gradual treatment. However, the ''sattvic Purāṇas'' like the ''Padma Purāṇa'' are meant for those in the mode of goodness, for those who immediately are capable of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' it is stated, ''īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ'' (Bs. 5.1): "The supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa, who has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body." This is the Vedic pronouncement, and we thus accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord. Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance attempt to imagine the form of God, and when they are confused, they say, "Oh, there is no personal God. God is impersonal, or void." This is just the result of frustration. Actually, God has His form. And why not? According to the ''Vedānta-sūtra'', ''janmādy asya yataḥ'': ([[SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]) "The Supreme Absolute Truth is He from whom everything emanates." It is easy to see that we have different types of bodies, different types of forms. We must consider where these forms are coming from. Where have these forms originated? We have to use a little common sense. If God is not a person, how can His sons be persons? If your father is just a void, if he is not a person, how can you be a person? If your father has no form, how can you have form? This is not very difficult; it is just a common sense question. Unfortunately, because people are frustrated, they try to imagine some form, or they conclude that because this material form is temporary and troublesome, God must be formless. Indeed, because all forms in this material world must perish, God, of necessity, must be formless.

''Brahma-saṁhitā'' specifically states that this conception is a mistake. ''Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ'' (Bs. 5.1). God has form, but His form is ''sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha''. ''Sat'' means "eternal," ''cit'' means "knowledge," and ''ānanda'' means "pleasure." God has form, but His form is eternal and is full of knowledge and pleasure. We cannot compare His form to our form. Our form is neither eternal, full of pleasure, nor full of knowledge; therefore God's form is different.

As soon as we speak of form, we think that form must be like ours, and we therefore conclude that the eternal, all-knowing, and all-blissful God must be without form. This is not knowledge but the result of imperfect speculation. According to ''Padma Purāṇa'', ''ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ'': ([[CC Madhya 17.136|CC ''Madhya'' 17.136]]) "One cannot understand the form, name, quality, or paraphernalia of God with one's material senses." Since our senses are imperfect, we cannot speculate on Him who is supremely perfect. That is not possible.

Then how is it possible to understand Him? ''Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau''. By training and purifying our senses, we may come to understand and see God. Presently we are attempting to understand God with impure, imperfect senses. It is like someone with cataracts trying to see. Just because one has cataracts, he should not conclude that there is nothing to be seen. Similarly, we cannot presently conceive of God's form, but once our cataracts are removed, we can see. According to ''Brahma-saṁhitā'', ''premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti'': (Bs. 5.38) "The devotees whose eyes are anointed with the ointment of love of God can see God within their hearts twenty-four hours a day." Purification of the senses is what is required; then we can understand the name, form, qualities, and pastimes of God. Then we'll be able to see God everywhere and in everything.

These matters are discussed thoroughly in the Vedic literatures. For instance, it is said that although God has no hands or legs, He can accept whatever we offer (''apāṇi-pādo javano gṛhītā''). It is also stated that although God has neither eyes nor ears, He can see and hear everything. These are apparent contradictions, but they are meant to teach us an important lesson. When we speak of seeing, we think of material vision. Due to our material conception, we think that the eyes of God must be like ours. Therefore, in order to remove these material conceptions, the Vedic literatures say that God has no hands, legs, eyes, ears, etc. God has eyes, but His vision is infinite. He can see in darkness, and He can see everywhere at once; therefore He has different eyes. Similarly, God has ears and can hear. He may be in His kingdom, millions and millions of miles away, but He can hear us whispering, because He is sitting within. We cannot avoid God's seeing, hearing, or touching. ([[BG 9.26|BG 9.26]]):

:''patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ''
:''yo me bhaktyā prayacchati''
:''tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam''
:''aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ''

"If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I will accept it."

If God does not have senses, how can He accept and eat the offerings that are presented to Him? According to ritual, we are offering Kṛṣṇa food daily, and we can see that the taste of this food is immediately changed. This is a practical example. God eats, but because He is full, He does not eat like us. If I offer you a plate of food, you will eat it, and it will be finished. God is not hungry, but He eats, and at the same time, He leaves the food as it is, and thus it is transformed into ''prasāda'', His mercy. ''Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate'' (''Īśo'' Invocation). God is full, yet He accepts all the food that we offer. Still, the food remains as it is. He can eat with His eyes. As stated in ''Brahma-saṁhitā'', ''aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti'': "Every sense of the Lord's body has all the potencies of the other senses." Although we can see with our eyes, we cannot eat with our eyes. The senses of God, however, being infinite, are different. Simply by looking at the food that is offered to Him, He eats it.

This may not be understood at the present moment; therefore the ''Padma Purāṇa'' states that when one becomes spiritually saturated by rendering transcendental service to the Lord, the transcendental name, form, qualities, and pastimes of the Lord are revealed. We cannot understand God by our own endeavor, but out of mercy God reveals Himself to us. If it is night, and you want to see the sun, you will have to wait for the sun to appear in the morning. You cannot go outside with a big torch and say, "Come on, I will show you the sunlight." In the morning, when the sun rises of its own will, we can see it. Because our senses are imperfect, we cannot see God by our own endeavor. We have to purify our senses and wait for the time when God will be pleased to reveal Himself to us. That is the process. We cannot challenge God. We cannot say, "O my dear God, my dear Kṛṣṇa. Please come. I want to see You." No, God is not our order supplier. He is not our servant. When He is pleased, we will see Him; therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a process by which we can please God so that He will reveal Himself to us.

Because people cannot see God, they readily accept anyone who says, "I am God." Because people have no conception of God, they are eager to accept any rascal who comes along and proclaims himself to be God. People are fond of saying, "I am searching after the truth," but in order to search for the truth, we must know what the truth is. Otherwise, how can we search it out? If we want to purchase gold, we must at least theoretically know what gold is, otherwise we will be cheated. Consequently, having no conception of the truth or of God, people are being cheated by so many rascals who say, "I am God." In a society of rascals, one rascal accepts another rascal as God, and this is all the result of rascaldom. But all this has nothing to do with God. One has to qualify himself to see and understand God, and that process of qualification is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. ''Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ'': (Brs. 1.2.234) by engaging ourselves in God's service, we become qualified to see God. Otherwise it is not possible. We may be great scientists or scholars, but our mundane scholarship will not help us see God.

This [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] is the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and in order to understand Kṛṣṇa, we must be fortunate enough to associate with a person who is in pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We cannot understand [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] simply by acquiring an M.A., Ph.D., or whatever. [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] is a transcendental science, and it requires different senses in order to be understood. Our senses must be purified by the rendering of service, not by the acquiring of academic degrees. There are many Ph. D.'s, many scholars, who cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa appears in the material world. Although He is unborn (''ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā''), He comes to reveal Himself to us.

Thus Kṛṣṇa is realized by the grace of Kṛṣṇa or by the grace of a Kṛṣṇa conscious person who has realized Kṛṣṇa by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot understand Him through academic knowledge. We can only understand Kṛṣṇa by acquiring the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Once we acquire His grace, we can see Him, talk with Him - do whatever we desire. It is not that Kṛṣṇa is a void. He is a person, the Supreme Person, and we can have a relationship with Him. That is the Vedic injunction. ''Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām'' (''Kaṭha Upaniṣad'' 2.2.13): "We are all eternal persons, and God is the supreme eternal person." We are all eternal, and God is the supreme eternal. Presently, because we are encaged within these bodies, we are experiencing birth and death, but actually we are beyond birth and death. We are eternal spirit souls, but according to our work and desires, we are transmigrating from one body to another. It is explained in the Second Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 2.20|2.20]]),

:''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."

Just as God is eternal, we are also eternal, and when we establish our eternal relationship with the supreme, complete eternal, we realize our eternality. ''Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām'' (''Kaṭha Upaniṣad'' 2.2.13). God is the supreme living entity among all living entities, the supreme eternal among all eternals. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by purification of the senses, this knowledge will be realized, and we will come to see God.

A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has realized knowledge, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, because he is satisfied with pure devotional service. By realized knowledge, one becomes perfect. By transcendental knowledge one can remain steady in his convictions, but by mere academic knowledge one can be easily deluded and confused by apparent contradictions. It is the realized soul who is actually self-controlled, because he is surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. He is transcendental because he has nothing to do with mundane scholarship. For him, mundane scholarship and mental speculation, which may be as good as gold to others, are of no greater value than pebbles or stones.

Even if one is illiterate, he can realize God simply by engaging himself in submissive, transcendental loving service. God is not subjected to any material condition. He is supreme spirit, and the process of realizing Him is also beyond material considerations. Therefore, one may be a very learned scholar and still not be able to understand God. One should not think that because he is very poor he cannot realize God; nor should one think that he can realize God just because he is very rich. God may be understood by an uneducated person and misunderstood by one with great education. The understanding of God, like God Himself, is unconditional (''apratihata'').

In [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.2.6|1.2.6]]) it is stated,

:''sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo''
:''yato bhaktir adhokṣaje''
:''ahaituky apratihatā''
:''yayātmā suprasīdati''

"The supreme occupation (''dharma'') for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self."

Cultivation of love of God: that is the definition of first-class religion. Just as there are three ''guṇas'', or three qualities, in the material world, there are various religions, each situated in one of the three modes. We are not, however, concerned with analyzing these religious conceptions. For us, the purpose of religion is to understand God and to learn how to love God. That is the real purpose of any first-class religious system. If a religion does not teach love of God, it is useless. One may follow his religious principles very carefully, but if one does not possess love of God, his religion is null and void. According to [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.2.6|1.2.6]]) real religion must be ''ahaitukī'' and ''apratihatā'': without selfish motivation and without impediment. By practicing such a religion, we will become happy in all respects.

''Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje''. Another name for God is ''adhokṣaja'', which means "one who cannot be seen by materialistic attempts." That is to say that God conquers all our attempts to see Him materially. The word ''akṣaja'' refers to experimental knowledge, and ''adhaḥ'' means "unreachable." So God cannot be reached through experimental knowledge. We have to learn to contact Him in a different way: through submissive hearing and the rendering of transcendental loving service.

True religion teaches causeless love of God. It does not say, "I love God because He supplies me nice objects for my sense gratification." That is not love. God is great, God is our eternal father, and it is our duty to love Him. There is no question of barter or exchange. We should not think, "Oh, God gives me my daily bread; therefore I love God." God gives daily bread even to the cats and dogs. Since He is the father of everyone, He is supplying everyone food. So loving God for daily bread is not love. Love is without reason. Even if God does not supply us our daily bread, we should love Him. That is true love. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ''āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām adarśanān marma-hatāṁ karotu vā'': ([[CC Antya 20.47|CC ''Antya'' 20.47]]) "I know no one but Kṛṣṇa as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me broken-hearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally." That is the sentiment of one who is established in pure love of God. When we attain that stage of love of God, we will find that everything is full of pleasure; God is full of pleasure, and we also are full of pleasure. ([[BG 6.9|BG 6.9]]):

:''suhṛn-mitrāry-udāsīna-''
:''madhyastha-dveṣya-bandhuṣu''
:''sādhuṣv api ca pāpeṣu''
:''sama-buddhir viśiṣyate''

"A person is said to be still further advanced when he regards all - the honest well-wisher, friends and enemies, the envious, the pious, the sinner, and those who are indifferent and impartial - with an equal mind."

This is a sign of real spiritual advancement. In this material world we are considering people friends and enemies on the bodily platform - that is, on the basis of sense gratification. If one gratifies our senses, he is our friend, and if he doesn't, he is our enemy. However, once we have realized God, or the Absolute Truth, there are no such material considerations.

In this material world, all conditioned souls are under illusion. A doctor treats all patients, and although a patient may be delirious and insult the doctor, the doctor does not refuse to treat him. He still administers the medicine that is required. As Lord Jesus Christ said, we should hate the sin, not the sinner. That is a very nice statement, because the sinner is under illusion. He is mad. If we hate him, how can we deliver him? Therefore, those who are advanced devotees, who are really servants of God, do not hate anyone. When Lord Jesus Christ was being crucified, he said, "My God, forgive them. They know not what they do." This is the proper attitude of an advanced devotee. He understands that the conditioned souls cannot be hated, because they have become mad due to their materialistic way of thinking. In this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, there is no question of hating anyone. Everyone is welcomed to come and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, take ''kṛṣṇa-prasāda'', listen to the philosophy of the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] , and try to rectify material, conditioned life. This is the essential program of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu said ([[CC Madhya 7.128|CC ''Madhya'' 7.128]]):

:''yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa''
:''āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa''

"Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] and [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']]. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land."

[[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 6.10|6.10]]):

:''yogi yuñjīta satatam''
:''ātmānaṁ rahasi sthitaḥ''
:''ekākī yata-cittātmā''
:''nirāśīr aparigrahaḥ''

"A transcendentalist should always try to concentrate his mind on the Supreme Self; he should live alone in a secluded place and should always carefully control his mind. He should be free from desires and feelings of possessiveness."

In this chapter, in which the Lord is teaching the principles of the ''yoga'' system, He here points out that a transcendentalist should always try to concentrate his mind on the Supreme Self. "The Supreme Self' refers to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. As explained before (''nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām'' (''Kaṭha Upaniṣad'' 2.2.13)), God is the supreme eternal, the supreme living entity, the Supreme Self. The purpose of the entire ''yoga'' system is to concentrate the mind on this Supreme Self. We are not the Supreme Self. That should be understood. The Supreme Self is God. This is ''dvaita-vāda''-duality. Duality means that God is different from me. He is supreme, and I am subordinate. He is great, and I am small. He is infinite, and I am infinitesimal. This is the relationship between ourselves and God as we should understand it. Because we are infinitesimal, we should concentrate our mind on the infinite Supreme Self. In order to do this, we should live alone, and "living alone" means that we should not live with those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. Ideally, this means that one should live in a secluded place, like a forest or a jungle, but in this age such a secluded place is very difficult to find. Therefore "secluded place" refers to that place where God consciousness is taught.

The transcendentalist should also carefully control his mind, and this means fixing the mind on the Supreme Self, or Kṛṣṇa. As explained before, Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun, and if the mind is fixed on Him, there is no question of darkness. If Kṛṣṇa is always on our minds, ''māyā'', or illusion, can never enter. This is the process of concentration.

The transcendentalist should also be free from desires and feelings of possessiveness. People are materially diseased because they desire things and want to possess them. We desire that which we do not have, and we lament for that which we have lost. ''Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā'' ([[BG 18.54|BG 18.54]]). One who is actually God conscious does not desire material possessions. He has only one desire - to serve Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible to give up desire, but it is possible to purify our desires. It is the nature of the living entity to have some desire, but in the conditioned state, one's desire is contaminated. Conditioned, one thinks, "I desire to satisfy my senses by material possession." Purified desire is desire for Kṛṣṇa, and if we desire Kṛṣṇa, desires for material possessions will automatically vanish. ([[BG 6.11-12]]):

:''śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya''
:''sthiram āsanam ātmanaḥ''
:''nāty-ucchritaṁ nāti-nīcaṁ''
:''cailājina-kuśottaram''

:''tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kṛtvā''
:''yata-cittendriya-kriyaḥ''
:''upaviśyāsane yuñjyād''
:''yogam ātma-viśuddhaye''

"To practice ''yoga'', one should go to a secluded place and should lay ''kuśa'' grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should neither be too high nor too low and should be situated in a sacred place. The ''yogī'' should then sit on it very firmly and should practice ''yoga'' by controlling the mind and the senses, purifying the heart, and fixing the mind on one point."

In these verses it is emphasized how and where one should sit. In the United States and other Western countries, there are many so-called ''yoga'' societies, but they do not practice ''yoga'' according to these prescriptions. "A sacred place" refers to a place of pilgrimage. In India, the ''yogīs'', the transcendentalists, or devotees, all leave home and reside in sacred places such as Prayāga, Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, Hṛṣīkeśa, and Hardwar and in solitude practice ''yoga'' where the sacred rivers like the Yamunā and the Ganges flow. So how is this possible in this age? How many people are prepared to find such a sacred place? In order to earn one's livelihood, one has to live in a congested city. There is no question of finding a sacred place, but for the practice of ''yoga'', that is the first prerequisite.

Therefore in this ''bhakti-yoga'' system, the temple is considered the sacred place. The temple is ''nirguṇa'' - transcendental. According to the ''Vedas'', a city is in the mode of passion, and a forest is in the mode of goodness. The temple, however, is transcendental. If you live in a city or town, you live in a place where passion is predominant, and if you want to escape this, you may go to a forest, a place of goodness. God's temple, however, is above passion and goodness; therefore the temple of Kṛṣṇa is the only secluded place for this age. In this age, it is not possible to retreat to a forest; nor is it useful to make a show of practicing ''yoga'' in so-called ''yoga'' societies and at the same time engage in nonsense.

Therefore, in the ''Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa'' it is said that in Kali-yuga, when people are generally short-lived slow in spiritual realization, and always disturbed by various anxieties, the best means of spiritual realization is chanting the holy names of the Lord ([[CC Adi 17.21|CC ''Adi'' 17.21]]):

:''harer nāma harer nāma''
:''harer nāmaiva kevalam''
:''kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva''
:''nāsty eva gatir anyathā''

"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way."

This is the solution, the grand gift of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In this age, other ''yoga'' practices are not feasible, but this practice is so simple and universal that even a child can take to it.
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<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=PoP 2 Mastering the Mind and Senses]] '''[[PoP 2 Mastering the Mind and Senses|2. Mastering the Mind and Senses]] - [[PoP 4 Moderation in Yoga|4. Moderation in Yoga]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=PoP 4 Moderation in Yoga]]</div>

PoP 2 Mastering the Mind and Senses

2022-02-19T11:59:18Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:Path of Perfection]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=The Path of Perfection]] '''[[The Path of Perfection]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=PoP 1 Yoga as Action]] '''[[PoP 1 Yoga as Action|1. Yoga as Action]] - [[PoP 3 Learning How to See God|3. Learning How to See God]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=PoP 3 Learning How to See God]]</div>
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<div class="text">
[[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 6.2|6.2]]):

:''yaṁ sannyāsam iti prāhur''
:''yogaṁ taṁ viddhi pāṇḍava''
:''na hy asannyasta-saṅkalpo''
:''yogī bhavati kaścana''

"What is called renunciation is the same as ''yoga'', or linking oneself with the Supreme, for no one can become a ''yogī'' unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification."

This is the real purpose of the practice of ''yoga''. The word ''yoga'' means "to join." Although we are naturally part and parcel of the Supreme, in our conditioned state we are now separated. Because of our separation, we are reluctant to understand God and to speak of our relationship with Him and are even inclined to think of such discussion as a waste of time. In a church or in a Kṛṣṇa consciousness temple, we speak of God, but people in general are not very interested. They think it is a waste of time, a kind of recreation in the name of spiritual advancement, and they believe that this time could be better used to earn money or enjoy themselves in a nightclub or restaurant.

Therefore, it is due to sense enjoyment that we are not attracted to God, and therefore it is said that those who are addicted to sense enjoyment cannot become ''yogīs'' - that is, they are not eligible to participate in the ''yoga'' system. One cannot advance in any ''yoga'' system if he partakes in sense gratification and then sits down to try to meditate. This is just a colossal hoax. Such contradictory activity has no meaning. First of all, ''yoga'' means controlling the senses - ''yama-niyama''. There are eight stages of ''yoga-yama'', ''niyama'', ''āsana'', ''dhyāna'', ''dhāraṇā'', ''prāṇāyāma'', ''pratyāhāra'', and ''samādhi''.

In this Sixth Chapter, in which the Lord speaks of the ''sāṅkhya-yoga'' system, He states from the very beginning that one cannot become a ''yogī'' unless one renounces the desire for sense gratification. Therefore, if one indulges his senses, he cannot be accepted as a ''yogī''. ''Yoga'' demands strict celibacy. In the ''yoga'' system, there is no sex life. If one indulges in sex, he cannot be a ''yogī''. Many so-called ''yogīs'' come from India to America and say, "Yes, you can do whatever you like. You can have as much sex as you like. Just meditate. I will give you some ''mantra'', and you will give me some money." This is all nonsense. According to the authoritative statements of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one cannot become a ''yogī'' unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification. This is explicitly stated as the first condition for ''yoga'' practice ([[BG 6.3|BG 6.3]]):

:''ārurukṣor muner yogaṁ''
:''karma kāraṇam ucyate''
:''yogārūḍhasya tasyaiva''
:''śamaḥ kāraṇam ucyate''

"For one who is a neophyte in the eightfold ''yoga'' system, work is said to be the means; and for one who has already attained to ''yoga'', cessation of all material activities is said to be the means."

According to this verse, there are those who are attempting to reach the perfectional stage and those who have already attained that stage. As long as one is not situated on the perfectional platform, he must engage in so many works. In the West, there are many ''yoga'' societies attempting to practice the ''āsana'' system, and therefore they practice sitting in different postures. That may help, but it is only a process by which one can attain the real platform. The real ''yoga'' system, in its perfectional stage, is far different from these bodily gymnastics.

It is important to understand, however, that from the beginning, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is situated on the platform of meditation because he is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Being constantly engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, he is considered to have ceased all material activities ([[BG 6.4|BG 6.4]]):

:''yadā hi nendriyārtheṣu''
:''na karmasv anuṣajjate''
:''sarva-saṅkalpa-san nyāsī''
:''yogārūḍhas tadocyate''

"A person is said to have attained to ''yoga'' when, having renounced all material desires, he neither acts for sense gratification nor engages in fruitive activities."

This is actually the perfectional stage of ''yoga'', and one who has attained this stage is said to have attained to ''yoga''. This is to say that he has connected, joined, or linked himself with the supreme whole. If a part is disconnected from a machine, it serves no function, but as soon as it is properly attached to the machine, it works properly and carries out its different functions. That is the meaning of ''yoga'' - joining with the supreme whole, serving in conjunction with the total machine. Presently we are disconnected, and our material fruitive activities are simply a waste of time. One who engages in such activity is described in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] as a ''mūḍha'' - that is, a rascal. Although one may earn thousands of dollars daily and be an important businessman, he is described in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] as a ''mūḍha'', rascal, because he is just wasting his time in eating, sleeping, defending, and mating.

People do not stop to consider that they are actually working very hard for nothing. One who earns millions of dollars cannot really eat much more than a man who makes ten dollars. A man who earns millions of dollars cannot mate with millions of women. That is not within his power. His mating power is the same as one who earns ten dollars, just as his power of eating is the same. This is to say that our power of enjoyment is limited. One should therefore think, "My enjoyment is the same as that of the man who is earning ten dollars daily. So why am I working so hard to earn millions of dollars? Why am I wasting my energy? I should engage my time and energy in understanding God. That is the purpose of life." If one has no economic problems, he has sufficient time to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If he wastes this precious time, he is called a ''mūḍha'', a rascal or an ass.

According to the preceding verse, a person is said to have attained ''yoga'' when he has renounced all material desires. Once we are situated perfectly in ''yoga'', we are satisfied. We no longer experience material desires. We no longer act for sense gratification or engage in fruitive activity. When we speak of "fruitive activity," we refer to activities carried out for the purpose of sense gratification. That is, we are earning money in order to gratify our senses. If one is virtuous, he engages in pious activities - he donates money to charities, opens hospitals, schools, etc. Although these are certainly virtuous activities, they are ultimately meant for sense gratification. How is this? If I donate to an educational institution, for instance, I will receive good educational facilities and will become highly educated in my next life. Being thus educated, I will attain a good position and will acquire a good amount of money. Then how will I utilize this money? For sense gratification. Thus these virtuous and fruitive activities form a kind of cycle.

We often hear the expression "a better standard of life," but what does this mean? It is said that the standard of life in America is superior to that in India, but in both countries there is eating, sleeping, defending, and mating. Of course, in America the quality of food may be better, but the eating process is there. A superior standard of life does not mean superior spiritual realization. It just means better eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. This is called fruitive activity, and it is based on sense gratification.

''Yoga'' has nothing to do with sense gratification or fruitive activity. ''Yoga'' means connecting with the Supreme. Dhruva Mahārāja underwent severe austerities in order to see God, and when he finally saw God, he said, ''svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce.'': ([[CC Madhya 22.42|CC ''Madhya'' 22.42]]) "My dear Lord, I am now fully satisfied. I am not asking for anything more. I do not want any further benediction from You." Why didn't Dhruva Mahārāja ask for benedictions? What is a "benediction"? Generally, benediction means receiving a great kingdom, a beautiful wife, palatable food, and so forth, but when one is actually connected with God, he does not want such "benedictions." He is fully satisfied. ''Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce''.

Actually, Dhruva Mahārāja initially searched for God in order to attain his father's kingdom. Dhruva Mahārāja's mother was rejected by his father, and his stepmother resented his sitting on his father's lap. Indeed, she forbade him to sit on his father's lap because Dhruva Mahārāja was not born in her womb. Although only five years old, Dhruva Mahārāja was a ''kṣatriya'', and he took this as a great insult. Going to his own mother, he said, "Mother, my stepmother has insulted me by forbidding me to sit on my father's lap." Dhruva Mahārāja then started to cry, and his mother said, "My dear boy, what can I do? Your father loves your stepmother more than he loves me. I can do nothing." Dhruva Mahārāja then said, "But I want my father's kingdom. Tell me how I can get it." "My dear boy," his mother said, "if Kṛṣṇa, God, blesses you, you can get it." "Where is God?" Dhruva Mahārāja asked. "Oh, it is said that God is in the forest," his mother said. "Great sages go to the forest to search for God."

Hearing this, Dhruva Mahārāja went directly to the forest and began to perform severe penances. Finally he saw God, and when he saw Him, he no longer desired his father's kingdom. Instead, he said, "My dear Lord, I was searching for some pebbles, but instead I have found valuable jewels. I no longer care for my father's kingdom. Now I am fully satisfied." When one is actually connected with God, he is totally satisfied. His satisfaction is infinitely greater than so-called enjoyment in this material world. That is the satisfaction resulting from God realization, and that is the perfection of ''yoga''.

When a person is fully engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, he is pleased in himself, and thus he is no longer engaged in sense gratification or in fruitive activities. Otherwise, one must be engaged in sense gratification, since one cannot live without engagement. It is impossible to cease all activity. As stated before, it is our nature as living entities to act. It is said, "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." If we have no Kṛṣṇa conscious engagement, we will engage in sense gratification or fruitive activity. If a child is not trained or educated, he becomes spoiled. If one does not practice the ''yoga'' system, if he does not attempt to control his senses by the ''yoga'' process, he will engage his senses in their own gratification. When one is gratifying his senses, there is no question of practicing ''yoga''.

Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one must be always seeking self-centered or extended selfish activities. But a Kṛṣṇa conscious person can do everything for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa and thereby be perfectly detached from sense gratification. One who has not realized Kṛṣṇa must mechanically try to escape material desires before being elevated to the top rung of the ''yoga'' ladder.

One may compare the ''yoga'' system to a stepladder. One ''yogī'' may be situated on the fifth step, another ''yogī'' may be on the fiftieth step and yet another on the five-hundredth step. The purpose, of course, is to reach the top. Although the entire ladder may be called the ''yoga'' system, one who is on the fifth step is not equal to one who is higher up. In [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], Śrī Kṛṣṇa delineates a number of ''yoga'' systems - ''karma-yoga'', ''jñāna-yoga'', ''dhyāna-yoga'', and ''bhakti-yoga''. All of these systems are connected with God, Kṛṣṇa, just as the entire ladder is connected to the topmost floor. This is not to say that everyone practicing the ''yoga'' system is situated on the topmost floor; only he who is in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so situated. Others are situated on different steps of the yogic ladder ([[BG 6.5|BG 6.5]]):

:''uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ''
:''nātmānam avasādayet''
:''ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur''
:''ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ''

"A man must elevate himself by his own mind, not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well."

The word ''ātmā'' denotes body, mind, and soul - depending on different circumstances. In the ''yoga'' system, the mind and the conditioned soul are especially important. Since the mind is the central point of ''yoga'' practice, ''ātmā'' refers here to the mind. The purpose of the ''yoga'' system is to control the mind and to draw it away from attachment to sense objects. It is stressed herein that the mind must be so trained that it can deliver the conditioned soul from the mire of nescience.

In the ''aṣṭāṅga-yoga'' system, these eightfold ''yogas'' - ''dhyāna'', ''dhāraṇā'', etc. - are meant to control the mind. Śrī Kṛṣṇa explicitly states that a man must utilize his mind to elevate himself. Unless one can control the mind, there is no question of elevation. The body is like a chariot, and the mind is the driver. If you tell your driver, "Please take me to the Kṛṣṇa temple," the driver will take you there, but if you tell him, "Please take me to that liquor house," you will go there. It is the driver's business to take you wherever you like. If you can control the driver, he will take you where you should go, but if not, he will ultimately take you wherever he likes. If you have no control over your driver, your driver is your enemy, but if he acts according to your orders, he is your friend.

The ''yoga'' system is meant to control the mind in such a way that the mind will act as your friend. Sometimes the mind acts as a friend and sometimes as an enemy. Because we are part and parcel of the Supreme, who has infinite independence, we have minute, or finite, independence. It is the mind that is controlling that independence, and therefore he may either take us to the Kṛṣṇa temple or to some nightclub.

It is the purpose of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to fix the mind on Kṛṣṇa. When the mind is so fixed, he cannot do anything but act as our friend. He has no scope to act any other way. As soon as Kṛṣṇa is seated in the mind, there is light, just as when the sun is in the sky, darkness is vanquished. Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun, and when He is present, there is no scope for darkness. If we keep Kṛṣṇa on our mind, the darkness of ''māyā'' will never be able to enter. Keeping the mind fixed on Kṛṣṇa is the perfection of ''yoga''. If the mind is strongly fixed on the Supreme, it will not allow any nonsense to enter, and there will be no falldown. If the mind is strong, the driver is strong, and we may go wherever we may desire. The entire ''yoga'' system is meant to make the mind strong, to make it incapable of deviating from the Supreme.

''Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ'' ([[SB 9.4.18|SB 9.4.18]]). One should fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa, just as Ambarīṣa Mahārāja did when he had a fight with a great ''aṣṭāṅga-yogī'' named Durvāsā Muni. Since Ambarīṣa Mahārāja was a householder, he was a pounds-shillings man. This means that he had to take into account pounds, shillings, and sixpence, or dollars and cents. Apart from being a householder, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was also a great king and devotee. Durvāsā Muni was a great ''yogī'' who happened to be very envious of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. Durvāsā Muni was thinking, "I am a great ''yogī'', and I can travel in space. This man is an ordinary king, and he does not possess such yogic powers. Still, people pay him more honor. Why is this? I will teach him a good lesson." Durvāsā Muni then proceeded to pick a quarrel with Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, but because the king was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, he managed to defeat this great ''yogī''. Durvāsā Muni was consequently directed by Nārāyaṇa to take shelter at the feet of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. Durvāsā Muni was such a perfect ''yogī'' that within a year he could travel throughout the material universe and also penetrate the spiritual universe. Indeed, he went directly to the abode of God, Vaikuṇṭha, and saw the Personality of Godhead Himself. Yet Durvāsā Muni was so weak that he had to return to earth and fall at the feet of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was an ordinary king, but his one great qualification was that he was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Thus his mind was always controlled, and he was situated at the highest perfectional level of ''yoga''. We also can very easily control the mind by keeping it fixed on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa within. Simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa, we become victorious conquerors, topmost ''yogīs''.

''Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ''. The ''yoga'' system is meant to control the senses, and since the mind is above the senses, if we can control the mind, our senses are automatically controlled. The tongue may want to eat something improper, but if the mind is strong, it can say, "No. You cannot eat this. You can only eat ''kṛṣṇa-prasāda''." In this way the tongue, as well as all the other senses, can be controlled by the mind. ''Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ'' ([[BG 3.42|BG 3.42]]). The material body consists of the senses, and consequently the body's activities are sensual activities. However, above the senses is the mind, and above the mind is the intelligence, and above the intelligence is the spirit soul. If one is on the spiritual platform, his intelligence, mind, and senses are all spiritualized. The purpose of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness process is to actualize the spiritualization of senses, mind, and intelligence. The spirit soul is superior to all, but because he is sleeping, he has given power of attorney to the fickle mind. However, when the soul is awakened, he is once again master, and the servile mind cannot act improperly. Once we are awakened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the intelligence, mind, and senses cannot act nonsensically. They must act in accordance with the dictations of the spirit soul. That is spiritualization and purification. ''Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate'' ([[CC Madhya 19.170|CC ''Madhya'' 19.170]]). We must serve the master of the senses with the senses. The Supreme Lord is called Hṛṣīkeśa, which means that He is the original controller of the senses, just as a king is the original controller of all the activities of a state, and the citizens are secondary controllers.

''Bhakti'' means acting spiritually in accordance with the desires of Hṛṣīkeśa. How can we act? Since we must act with our senses, we must spiritualize our senses in order to act properly. As stated before, sitting in silent meditation means stopping undesirable activity, but acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental. The cessation of nonsensical action is not in itself perfection. We must act perfectly. Unless we train our senses to act in accordance with Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses, our senses will again engage in undesirable activities, and we will fall down. Therefore we must engage the senses in action for Kṛṣṇa and in this way remain firmly fixed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In material existence one is subjected to the influence of the mind and the senses. In fact, the pure soul is entangled in the material world because of the mind's ego, which desires to lord it over material nature. Therefore the mind should be trained so that it will not be attracted by the glitter of material nature, and in this way the conditioned soul may be saved. One should not degrade oneself by attraction to sense objects. The more one is attracted by sense objects, the more one becomes entangled in material existence. The best way to disentangle oneself is to always engage the mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The word hi in verse 5, Chapter Six [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]), is used to emphasize this point - namely, that one must do this. It is also said (''Viṣṇu Purāṇa'' 6.7.28):

:''mana eva manuṣyāṇāṁ''
:''kāraṇaṁ bandha-mokṣayoḥ''
:''bandhāya viṣayāsaṅgo''
:''muktyai nirviṣayaṁ manaḥ''

"For man, mind is the cause of bondage and mind is the cause of liberation. Mind absorbed in sense objects is the cause of bondage, and mind detached from the sense objects is the cause of liberation."

The mind which is always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the cause of supreme liberation. When the mind is thus engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no chance of its being engaged in ''māyā'' consciousness. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we remain in the sunlight, and there is no chance of our being obscured by darkness.

Because we have freedom, or liberty, we can stay within a dark room or go out into the broad daylight. That is our choice. Darkness can be eradicated by light, but light cannot be covered by darkness. If we are in a dark room and someone brings in a lamp, the darkness is vanquished. But we cannot take darkness into the sunlight. It is not possible. The darkness will simply fade away. ''Kṛṣṇa - sūrya-sama, māyā haya andhakāra''. Kṛṣṇa is like sunlight, and ''māyā'' is like darkness. So how can darkness exist in sunlight? If we always keep ourselves in the sunlight, darkness will fail to act upon us. This is the whole philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness: always engage in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, and ''māyā'' will be dissipated, just as darkness is dissipated when there is light. This is stated in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.7.4|1.7.4]]):

:''bhakti-yogena manasi''
:''samyak praṇihite 'male''
:''apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ''
:''māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam''

"When the sage Vyāsadeva, under the instruction of his spiritual master, Nārada, fixed his mind, perfectly engaging it by linking it in devotional service (''bhakti-yoga'') without any tinge of materialism, Vyāsadeva saw the Absolute Personality of Godhead, along with His external energy, which was under full control."

The word ''manasi'' refers to the mind. When one is enlightened in ''bhakti-yoga'', the mind becomes completely freed from all contamination (''samyak praṇihite 'male''). When Vyāsa saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he saw ''māyā'' in the background (''māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam''). Whenever there is light, there is also the possibility of darkness being present. That is, darkness is the other side of light, or darkness is under the shelter of light, just as if I hold my hand up to the light, the top part of my hand will be in light, and the bottom part will be shaded. In other words, one side is light and the other darkness. When Vyāsadeva saw Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, he also saw ''māyā'', darkness, under His shelter.

And what is this ''māyā''? This is explained in the next verse of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.7.5|1.7.5]]):

:''yayā sammohito jīva''
:''ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam''
:''paro 'pi manute 'narthaṁ''
:''tat-kṛtaṁ cābhipadyate''

"Due to the external energy, the living entity, although transcendental to the three modes of material nature, thinks of himself as a material product and thus undergoes the reactions of material miseries."

Thus the illusory energy has temporarily covered the conditioned souls. And who are these conditioned souls? Although finite, the conditioned spirit souls are as full of light as Kṛṣṇa. The problem is that the conditioned soul identifies himself with this material world. This is called illusion, false identification with matter. Although the individual spirit soul is transcendental, he engages in improper activities under the dictation of ''māyā'', and this brings about his conditioning or false identification. This is very elaborately explained in the Seventh Chapter, First Canto, of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] .

In conclusion, our actual position is that of spiritual sparks, full of light. Now we are temporarily covered by this illusory energy, ''māyā'', which is dictating to us. Acting under the influence of ''māyā'', we are becoming more and more entangled in the material energy. The ''yoga'' system is meant to disentangle us, and the perfection of ''yoga'' is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thus Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the most effective means by which we can disentangle ourselves from the influence of the material energy.
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PoP 10 The Path of Perfection

2022-02-18T13:03:57Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:Path of Perfection]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=The Path of Perfection]] '''[[The Path of Perfection]]'''</div>
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[[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 8.15|8.15]]):

:''mām upetya punar janma''
:''duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam''
:''nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ''
:''saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ''

"After attaining Me, the great souls, who are ''yogīs'' in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection."

This material world is certified by its very creator, the Supreme Lord, as ''duḥkhālayam'', which means "the place of miseries." Since this is the case, how can we possibly make it comfortable by so-called scientific advancement? ''Duḥkha'' means "misery" or "suffering," and real suffering is birth, old age, disease, and death. We have set these problems aside because we cannot solve them; therefore scientists concentrate on atomic bombs and spaceships. Why can't they solve these important problems that are always causing us to suffer? Obviously, they haven't the power to do so.

But in this verse, Śrī Kṛṣṇa gives the solution: ''mām upetya punar janma'' ([[BG 8.15|BG 8.15]]). That is, "If one attains My platform, he does not come back again to this place of misery." Unfortunately, in the mode of ignorance, people cannot understand that they are in a miserable situation. Animals cannot understand their miserable situations because they haven't the reason. Man possesses reason whereby he can understand this, but in this age people are using their reasoning power in order to gratify their animal propensities. Reason should be used in getting liberated from this miserable condition. However, if we engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness twenty-four hours a day without deviation, we will go to Kṛṣṇa and not be reborn in this miserable world. ''Mahātmānaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ'': those great souls who have attained the highest perfection, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, are forever freed from misery. In this verse, the word ''mahātmā'' refers to a Kṛṣṇa conscious man eligible to enter the abode of Kṛṣṇa. The word ''mahātmā'' does not refer to a political leader like Mahatma Gandhi but to a great soul, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

When Kṛṣṇa says that the ''mahātmā'' enters His abode, He is referring to His transcendental kingdom, Goloka Vṛndāvana. The Vṛndāvana from which I have come is called Bhauma Vṛndāvana, which means it is the same Vṛndāvana descended on this earth. Just as Kṛṣṇa descended on this earth through His own internal potency, similarly His ''dhāma'', His abode, also descends. In other words, when Kṛṣṇa descends on this earth, He manifests Himself in that particular land, Vṛndāvana, and therefore that land is also sacred. Apart from this, Kṛṣṇa has His own abode in the spiritual sky, and this is called Goloka Vṛndāvana.

The ''mahātmā'' prepares in this life to enter that transcendental abode. The human form of life can utilize nature to its best interest. Animals cannot. These facilities should be utilized in striving to become a ''mahātmā'' and putting an end to birth in this material world, which is characterized by threefold miseries. The threefold miseries are those that pertain to the mind or the body, natural disturbances, and miseries caused by other living entities. Whatever our position in this material world, there is always some kind of misery being inflicted upon us. Śrī Kṛṣṇa frankly says that it is not possible to avoid misery in this material world, because this world is meant for misery. Unless miseries are present, we cannot come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Misery serves as an impetus to help elevate us to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. An intelligent person understands that although he does not want misery, miseries are being inflicted upon him by force. No one wants misery, but a person should be intelligent enough to question, "Why are these miseries being forced upon me?" Unfortunately, in modern civilization, people try to set miseries aside, thinking, "Oh, why suffer? Let me cover my miseries with some intoxication." However, the miseries of life cannot be solved by artificial intoxication. As soon as the intoxication is over, one returns to the same point. The miseries of material existence can be solved only by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If we always remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we'll be transferred to Kṛṣṇa's planet upon leaving this material body. That is called the highest perfection.

People may inquire, "Well, you say that entering Kṛṣṇa's planet constitutes the highest perfection, but we are interested in going to the moon. Is this not a kind of perfection?" Well, the desire to enter the higher planets is always there in the human mind. In fact, another name for the living entity is ''sarva-gata'', which means that he wants to travel everywhere. That is the nature of the living entity. Americans who have money often go to India, Europe, or some other country, because they do not like to stagnate in one place. That is our nature, and therefore we are interested in going to the moon or wherever. But according to Kṛṣṇa, even if we attain the higher planets, we are still subject to the material miseries ([[BG 8.16|BG 8.16]]):

:''ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ''
:''punar āvartino 'rjuna''
:''mām upetya tu kaunteya''
:''punar janma na vidyate''

"From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again."

The universe is divided into fourteen planetary systems (''caturdaśa-bhuvana'') - seven lower and seven higher. The earth is situated in the middle. In this verse, Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, ''ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ'': even if one enters the highest planet, Brahmaloka, there is still birth and death. The words ''punar āvartinaḥ'' mean "returning again," or "repetition of birth and death." We are changing bodies just as we change clothes, leaving one body and entering another. All planets are filled with living entities. We shouldn't think that only the earth is inhabited. There are living entities on the higher planets and lower planets as well. From our experience, we can see that no place on earth is vacant of living entities. If we dig into the earth, we find some worms, and if we go into the water we find many aquatics. The air is filled with birds, and if we analyze outer space, we will find many living entities. It is illogical to conclude that there are no living entities on the other planets. To the contrary, they are full of living entities.

In any case, Kṛṣṇa says that from the highest planet to the lowest planet, there is repetition of birth and death. Yet again, as in the former verse, He says, ''mām upetya'': "If you reach My planet, you don't have to return to this miserable material world." To stress this point, Śrī Kṛṣṇa repeats that upon reaching Goloka Vṛndāvana, His eternal abode, one is liberated from the cycle of birth and death and attains eternal life. It is the duty of human life to understand these problems and attain a blissful, eternal life that is full of knowledge. Unfortunately, people in this age have forgotten the aim of life. Why? ''Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ'' ([[SB 7.5.31|SB 7.5.31]]). People have been trapped by the material glitter - by skyscrapers, big factories, and political activities. People do not stop to consider that however big the skyscraper may be, they will not be allowed to live there indefinitely. We should not spoil our energy, therefore, in building great cities but should employ our energy to elevate ourselves to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not a religious formula or some spiritual recreation but is the most important factor in our lives.

People are interested in attaining higher planets because there one's enjoyment is a thousand times greater and the duration of life much longer ([[BG 8.17|BG 8.17]]):

:''sahasra-yuga-paryantam''
:''ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ''
:''rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ''
:''te 'ho-rātra-vido janāḥ''

The duration of the material universe is limited. It is manifested in cycles of ''kalpas''. A ''kalpa'' is a day of Brahmā, and one day of Brahmā consists of a thousand cycles of four ''yugas'', or ages: Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali. The cycle of Satya is characterized by virtue, wisdom, and religion, there being practically no ignorance and vice, and the ''yuga'' lasts 1,728,000 years. In the Tretā-yuga vice is introduced, and this ''yuga'' lasts 1,296,000 years. In the Dvāpara-yuga there is an even greater decline in virtue and religion, vice increasing, and this ''yuga'' lasts 864,000 years. And finally, in Kali-yuga (the ''yuga'' we have now been experiencing over the past 5,000 years), there is an abundance of strife, ignorance, irreligion, and vice, true virtue being practically nonexistent, and this ''yuga'' lasts 432,000 years. In Kali-yuga vice increases to such a point that at the termination of the ''yuga'', the Supreme Lord Himself appears as the Kalki-avatāra, vanquishes the demons, saves His devotees, and commences another Satya-yuga. Then the process is set rolling again. These four ''yugas'' rotating a thousand times comprise one day of Brahmā, the creator god, and the same number comprise one night. Brahmā lives one hundred of such "years" and then dies. These "hundred years" by earth calculations total 31 I trillion and 40 million earth years. By these calculations, the life of Brahmā seems fantastic and interminable, but from the viewpoint of eternity, it is as brief as a lightning flash. In the Causal Ocean there are innumerable Brahmās rising and disappearing like bubbles in the Atlantic. Brahmā and his creation are all part of the material universe, and therefore they are in constant flux.

In the material universe, not even Brahmā is free from the process of birth, old age, disease, and death. Brahmā, however, is directly engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord in the management of this universe; therefore he at once attains liberation. Elevated ''sannyāsīs'' are promoted to Brahmā's particular planet, Brahmaloka, which is the highest planet in the material universe and which survives all the heavenly planets in the upper strata of the planetary system, but in due course Brahmā and all inhabitants of Brahmaloka are subject to death, according to the law of material nature. So even if we live millions and trillions of years, we have to die. Death cannot be avoided. Throughout the entire universe the process of creation and annihilation is taking place, as described in the next verse ([[BG 8.18|BG 8.18]]):

:''avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ''
:''prabhavanty ahar-āgame''
:''rātry-āgame pralīyante''
:''tatraivāvyakta-saṁjñake''

"When Brahmā's day is manifest, this multitude of living entities comes into being, and at the arrival of Brahmā's night they are all annihilated."

Unless we go to the spiritual sky, there is no escaping this process of birth and death, creation and annihilation. When Brahmā's days are finished, all these planetary systems are covered by water, and when Brahmā rises again, creation takes place. The word ''ahar'' means "in the daytime," which is twelve hours of Brahmā's life. During this time this material manifestation - all these planets - are seen, but when night comes they are all merged in water. That is, they are annihilated. The word ''rātry-āgame'' means "at the fall of night." During this time, all these planets are invisible because they are inundated with water. This flux is the nature of the material world ([[BG 8.19|BG 8.19]]):

:''bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ''
:''bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate''
:''rātry-āgame 'vaśaḥ pārtha''
:''prabhavaty ahar-āgame''
</div>

"Again and again the day comes, and this host of beings is active; and again the night falls, O Pārtha, and they are helplessly dissolved."

Although we do not want devastation, devastation is inevitable. At night, everything is flooded, and when day appears, gradually the waters disappear. For instance, on this one planet, the surface is three-fourths covered with water. Gradually, land is emerging, and the day will come when there will no longer be water but simply land. That is nature's process. ([[BG 8.20|BG 8.20]]),

:''paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo''
:'' 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ''
:''yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu''
:''naśyatsu na vinaśyati''

"Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and nonmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is."

We cannot calculate the length and breadth of this universe. There are millions and millions of universes like this within this material world, and above this material world is the spiritual sky, where the planets are all eternal. Life on those planets is also eternal. This material manifestation comprises only one fourth of the entire creation. ''Ekāṁśena sthito jagat'' ([[BG 10.42|BG 10.42]]). ''Ekāṁśena'' means "one fourth." Three fourths of the creation is beyond this material sky, which is covered like a ball. This covering extends millions and millions of miles, and only after penetrating that covering can one enter the spiritual sky. That is open sky, eternal sky. In this verse it is stated, ''paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ'': ([[BG 8.20|BG 8.20]]) "Yet there is another nature." The word ''bhāva'' means another "nature." We have experience only with this material nature, but from [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] we understand that there is a spiritual nature that is transcendental and eternal. We actually belong to that spiritual nature, because we are spirit, but presently we are covered by this material body, and therefore we are a combination of the material and spiritual. Just as we can understand that we are a combination of both natures, we should understand also that there is a spiritual world beyond this material universe. Spiritual nature is called superior, and material nature is called inferior, because without spirit, matter cannot move.

This cannot be understood by experimental knowledge. We may look at millions and millions of stars through telescopes, but we cannot approach what we are seeing. Similarly, our senses are so insufficient that we cannot approach an understanding of the spiritual nature. Being incapable, we should not try to understand God and His kingdom by experimental knowledge. Rather, we have to understand by hearing [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. There is no other way. If we want to know who our father is, we simply have to believe our mother. We have no other way of knowing except by her. Similarly, in order to understand who God is and what His nature is, we have to accept the information given in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. There is no question of experimenting. Once we become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we will realize God and His nature. We can come to understand, "Yes, there is God and a spiritual kingdom, and I have to go there. Indeed, I must prepare myself to go there."

The word ''vyakta'' means "manifest." This material universe that we are seeing (or partially seeing) before us is manifest. At least at night we can see that stars are twinkling and that there are innumerable planets. But beyond this ''vyakta'' is another nature, called ''avyakta'', which is unmanifest. That is the spiritual nature, which is ''sanātana'', eternal. This material nature has a beginning and an end, but that spiritual nature has neither beginning nor end. This material sky is within the covering of the ''mahat-tattva'', matter. This matter is like a cloud. When there is a storm, it appears that the entire sky is covered with clouds, but actually only an insignificant part of the sky is covered. Because we are very minute, if just a few hundred miles are covered, it appears that the entire sky is covered. As soon as a wind comes and blows the clouds away, we can see the sky once again. Like the clouds, this ''mahat-tattva'' covering has a beginning and an end. Similarly, the material body, being a part of material nature, has a beginning and an end. The body is born, grows, stays for some time, leaves some by-products, dwindles, and then vanishes. Whatever material manifestation we see undergoes these six basic transformations. Whatever exists within material nature will ultimately be vanquished. But herein Kṛṣṇa is telling us that beyond this vanishing, cloudlike material nature, there is a superior nature, which is ''sanātana'', eternal. ''Yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati''. When this material manifestation is annihilated, that spiritual sky remains. This is called ''avyakto 'vyaktāt''.

In the Second Canto of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']], we find a description of the spiritual sky and the people who live there. Its nature and features are also discussed. From this Second Canto we understand that there are spiritual airplanes in the spiritual sky, and that the living entities there - who are all liberated - travel like lightning on those planes throughout the spiritual sky. This material world is simply an imitation; whatever we see here is simply a shadow of what exists there. The material world is like a cinema, wherein we see but an imitation or a shadow of the real thing that is existing. This material world is only a shadow. As stated in [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.1.1|1.1.1]]), ''yatra tri-sargo 'mṛṣā'': "This illusory material world is a combination of matter." In store windows we often see mannequins, but no sane man thinks that these mannequins are real. He can see that they are imitations. Similarly, whatever we see here may be beautiful, just as a mannequin may be beautiful, but it is simply an imitation of the real beauty found in the spiritual world. As Śrīdhara Svāmī says, ''yat satyatayā mithya-sargo 'pi satyavat pratiyate'': the spiritual world is real, and this unreal material manifestation only appears to be real. We must understand that reality will never be vanquished and that in essence reality means eternality. Therefore material pleasure, which is temporary, is not actual; real pleasure exists in Kṛṣṇa. Consequently, those who are after the reality don't participate in this shadow pleasure.

Thus when everything in the material world is annihilated, that spiritual nature remains eternally, and it is the purpose of human life to reach that spiritual sky. Unfortunately, people are not aware of the reality of the spiritual sky. According to [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 7.5.31|7.5.31]]), ''na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum'': people do not know their self-interest. They do not know that human life is meant for understanding spiritual reality and preparing oneself to be transferred to that reality. No one can remain here in this material world. All Vedic literatures instruct us in this way. ''Tamasi mā jyotir gama'': "Don't remain in this darkness. Go to the light." According to the Fifteenth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 15.6|15.6]]),

:''na tad bhāsayate sūryo''
:''na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ''
:''yad gatvā na nivartante''
:''tad dhāma paramaṁ mama''

"That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world."

This material world is dark by nature, and we are artificially illuminating it with electric lights, fire, and so on. In any case, its nature is dark, but the spiritual nature is full of light. When the sun is present, there is no darkness; similarly, every planet in the spiritual sky is self-luminous. Therefore there is no darkness, nor is there need of sun, moon, or electricity. The word ''sūryo'' means "sun," ''śaśāṅko'' means "moon," and ''pāvakaḥ'' means "fire" or "electricity." So these are not required in the spiritual sky for illumination. And again, Kṛṣṇa herein says, ''yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama'': "That is My supreme abode, and one who reaches it never returns to this material world." This is stated throughout [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. Again, in this Eighth Chapter ([[BG 8.21|BG 8.21]]),

:''avyakto 'kṣara ity uktas''
:''tam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim''
:''yaṁ prāpya na nivartante''
:''tad dhāma paramaṁ mama''

"That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode."

Again, the word ''avyakta'', meaning "unmanifest," is used. The word ''akṣara'' means "that which is never annihilated," or "that which is infallible." This means that since the supreme abode is eternal, it is not subject to the six transformations mentioned previously.

Because we are presently covered by a dress of material senses, we cannot see the spiritual world, and the spiritual nature is inconceivable for us. Yet we can feel that there is something spiritual present. Even a man completely ignorant of the spiritual nature can somehow feel its presence. One need only analyze his body silently: "What am I? Am I this finger? Am I this body? Am I this hair? No, I am not this, and I am not that. I am something other than this body. I am something beyond this body. What is that? That is the spiritual." In this way, we can feel or sense the presence of spirituality within this matter. We can sense the absence of spirit when a body is dead. If we witness someone dying, we can sense that something is leaving the body. Although we do not have the eyes to see it, that something is spirit. Its presence in the body is explained in the very beginning of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 2.17|2.17]]):

:''avināśi tu tad viddhi''
:''yena sarvam idaṁ tatam''
:''vināśam avyayasyāsya''
:''na kaścit kartum arhati''

"Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul."

Spiritual existence is eternal, whereas the body is not. It is said that the spiritual atmosphere is ''avyakta'', unmanifest. How, then, can it be manifest for us? Making the unmanifest manifest is this very process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to ([[CC Madhya 17.136|CC ''Madhya'' 17.136]], ''Padma Purāṇa''):

:''ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi''
:''na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ''
:''sevonmukhe hi jihvādau''
:''svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ''

"No one can understand Kṛṣṇa as He is by the blunt material senses. But He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased with them for their transcendental loving service unto Him."

In this verse, the word ''indriyaiḥ'' means "the senses." We have five senses for gathering knowledge (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin), and five senses for working (voice, hands, legs, genitals, and anus). These ten senses are under the control of the mind. It is stated in this verse that with these dull material senses, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa's name, form, and so forth. Why is this? Kṛṣṇa is completely spiritual, and He is also absolute. Therefore His name, form, qualities, and paraphernalia are also spiritual. Due to material conditioning, or material bondage, we cannot presently understand what is spiritual, but this ignorance can be removed by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. If a man is sleeping, he can be awakened by sound vibration. You can call him, "Come on, it's time to get up!" Although the person is unconscious, hearing is so prominent that even a sleeping man can be awakened by sound vibration. Similarly, overpowered by this material conditioning, our spiritual consciousness is presently sleeping, but it can be revived by this transcendental vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. As stated before, Hare refers to the energy of the Lord, and ''Kṛṣṇa'' and ''Rāma'' refer to the Lord Himself. Therefore, when we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, we are praying, "O Lord, O energy of the Lord, please accept me." We have no other prayer than "Please accept me." Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us that we should simply cry and pray that the Lord accept us. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself prayed ([[CC Antya 20.32|CC ''Antya'' 20.32, ''Śikṣāṣṭaka'' 5]]):

:''ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ''
:''patitaṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau''
:''kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-''
:''sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya''

"O Kṛṣṇa, son of Nanda, somehow or other I have fallen into this ocean of nescience and ignorance. Please pick me up and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet."

If a man has fallen into the ocean, his only hope for survival is that someone comes to pick him up. He only has to be lifted one inch above the water in order to feel immediate relief. Similarly, as soon as we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are lifted up, and we feel immediate relief.

We cannot doubt that the transcendental is there. [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] is being spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself; therefore we should not doubt His word. The only problem is feeling and understanding what He is telling us. That understanding must be developed gradually, and that knowledge will be revealed by the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. By this simple process, we can come to understand the spiritual kingdom, the self, the material world, God, the nature of our conditioning, liberation from material bondage, and everything else. This is called ''ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam'' ([[CC Antya 20.12|CC ''Antya'' 20.12]]), cleaning the dusty mirror of the impure mind.

Whatever the case, we must have faith in the word of Kṛṣṇa. When we purchase a ticket on Pan American or Air India, we have faith that that company will take us to our destination. Faith is created because the company is authorized. Our faith should not be blind; therefore we should accept that which is recognized. [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] has been recognized as authorized scripture in India for thousands of years, and even outside India there are many scholars, religionists, and philosophers who have accepted [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] as authoritative. It is said that even such a great scientist as Albert Einstein was reading [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] regularly. So we should not doubt [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]'s authenticity.

Therefore when Lord Kṛṣṇa says that there is a supreme abode and that we can go there, we should have faith that such an abode exists. Many philosophers think that the spiritual abode is impersonal or void. Impersonalists like the Śaṅkarites and Buddhists generally speak of the void or emptiness, but [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] does not disappoint us in this way. The philosophy of voidism has simply created atheism, because it is the nature of the living entity to want enjoyment. As soon as he thinks that his future is void, he will try to enjoy the variegatedness of this material life. Thus impersonalism leads to armchair philosophical discussions and attachment to material enjoyment. We may enjoy speculating, but no real spiritual benefit can be derived from such speculation.

''Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca'' ([[SB 11.2.42|SB 11.2.42]]). Once we have developed the devotional spirit, we will become immediately detached from all kinds of material enjoyment. As soon as a hungry man eats, he feels immediate satisfaction and says, "No, I don't want any more. I am satisfied." This satisfaction is a characteristic of the Kṛṣṇa conscious man ([[BG 18.54|BG 18.54]]):

:''brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā''
:''na śocati na kāṅkṣati''
:''samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu''
:''mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām''

"One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me."

As soon as one is spiritually realized, he feels full satisfaction and no longer hankers after flickering material enjoyment. As stated in the Second Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 2.59|2.59]]),

:''viṣayā vinivartante''
:''nirāhārasya dehinaḥ''
:''rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya''
:''paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate''

"The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness."

A doctor may tell a diseased man, "Don't eat this. Don't eat that. Don't have sex. Don't. Don't." In this way, a diseased man is forced to accept so many "don'ts," but inside he is thinking, "Oh, if I can just get these things, I'll be happy." The desires remain inside. However, when one is established in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is so strong inside that he doesn't experience the desire. Although he's not impotent, he doesn't want sex. He can marry thrice, but still be detached. ''Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate''. When something superior is acquired, one naturally gives up all inferior things. That which is superior is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and atheism and impersonalism cannot give us this. He is attained only by unalloyed devotion ([[BG 8.22|BG 8.22]]):

:''puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha''
:''bhaktyā labhyas tv ananyayā''
:''yasyāntaḥ-sthāni bhūtāni''
:''yena sarvam idaṁ tatam''

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than all, is attained by unalloyed devotion. Although He is present in His abode, He is all-pervading, and everything is situated within Him."

The words ''puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ'' indicate the supreme person who is greater than all others. This is not a void speaking, but a person who has all the characteristics of personality in full. Just as we are talking face to face, when we reach the supreme abode we can talk to God face to face. We can play with Him, eat with Him, and everything else. This state is not acquired by mental speculation but by transcendental loving service (''bhaktyā labhyaḥ''). The words ''tv ananyayā'' indicate that this ''bhakti'' must be without adulteration. It must be unalloyed.

Although the Supreme Personality is a person and is present in His abode in the spiritual sky, He is so widespread that everything is within Him. He is both inside and outside. Although God is everywhere, He still has His kingdom, His abode. The sun may pervade the universe with its sunshine, yet the sun itself is a separate entity.

In His supreme abode, the Supreme Lord has no rival. Wherever we may be, we find a predominating personality. In the United States, the predominating personality is the President. However, when the next election comes, the President will have so many rivals, but in the spiritual sky the Supreme Lord has no rival. Those who want to become rivals are placed in this material world, under the conditions of material nature. In the spiritual sky there is no rivalry, and all the inhabitants therein are liberated souls. From [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] we receive information that their bodily features resemble gods. In some of the spiritual planets, God manifests a two-armed form, and in others He manifests a four-armed form. The living entities of those planets have corresponding features, and one cannot distinguish who is God and who is not. This is called ''sārūpya-mukti'' liberation, wherein one has the same features as the Lord. There are five kinds of liberation: ''sāyujya'', ''sārūpya'', ''sālokya'', ''sārṣṭi'', and ''sāmīpya''. ''Sāyujya-mukti'' means merging into God's impersonal effulgence, the ''brahma-jyotir''. We have discussed this, and have concluded that the attempt to merge and lose individuality is not desirable and is very risky. ''Sārūpya-mukti'' means attaining a body exactly like God's. ''Sālokya-mukti'' means living on the same planet with God. ''Sārṣṭi-mukti'' means having the opulence of God. For instance, God is very powerful, and we can become powerful like Him. That is called ''sārṣṭi''. ''Sāmīpya-mukti'' means always remaining with God as one of His associates. For instance, Arjuna is always with Kṛṣṇa as His friend, and this is called ''sāmīpya-mukti''. We can attain any one of these five types of liberation, but out of these five, ''sāyujya-mukti'', merging into the ''brahma-jyotir'', is rejected by Vaiṣṇava philosophy. According to the Vaiṣṇava philosophy, we worship God as He is and retain our separate identity eternally in order to serve Him. According to the Māyāvāda philosophy, impersonalism, one tries to lose his individual identity and merge into the existence of the Supreme. That, however, is a suicidal policy and is not recommended by Kṛṣṇa in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']].

This has also been rejected by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who advocated worship in separation. As stated before, the pure devotee does not even want liberation; he simply asks to remain Kṛṣṇa's devotee birth after birth. This is Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's prayer, and the words "birth after birth" indicate that there is no liberation. This means that the devotee doesn't care whether he is liberated or not. He simply wants to engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to serve the Supreme Lord. Always wanting to engage in God's transcendental loving service is the symptom of pure devotion. Of course, wherever a devotee is, he remains in the spiritual kingdom, even though in the material body. On his part, he does not demand any of the five types of liberation, nor anything for his personal superiority or comfort. But in order to associate with God in the spiritual planets, one must become His pure devotee.

For those who are not pure devotees, Lord Kṛṣṇa explains at what times one should leave the body in order to attain liberation ([[BG 8.23|BG 8.23]]):

:''yatra kāle tv anāvṛttim''
:''āvṛttiṁ caiva yoginaḥ''
:''prayātā yānti taṁ kālaṁ''
:''vakṣyāmi bharatarṣabha''

"O best of the Bhāratas, I shall now explain to you the different times at which, passing away from this world, one does or does not come back."

In India, unlike in the West, it is common for astrologers to make minute calculations of the astronomical situation at the moment of one's birth. Indeed, a person's horoscope is read not only when he is born but also when he dies, in order to determine what his situation will be in the next life. All this can be determined by astrological calculation. In this verse, Lord Kṛṣṇa is accepting those astrological principles, confirming that if one leaves his body at a particular time, he may attain liberation. If one dies at one moment, he may be liberated, or if he dies at another moment, he may have to return to the material world. It is all a question of "chance," but that chance someway or other is what one has. For the devotee, however, there is no question of chance. Whatever the astrological situation, the devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is guaranteed liberation. For others, there are chances that if they leave their body at a particular moment, they may attain liberation and enter the spiritual kingdom, or they may be reborn. ([[BG 8.24|BG 8.24]]),

:''agnir jyotir ahaḥ śuklaḥ''
:''ṣaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam''
:''tatra prayātā gacchanti''
:''brahma brahma-vido janāḥ''

"Those who know the Supreme Brahman pass away from the world during the influence of the fiery god, in the light, at an auspicious moment, during the fortnight of the moon and the six months when the sun travels in the north."

As we all know, the sun's movements are different: six months it is north of the equator, and six months it is south. The sun is also moving, according to Vedic calculations, and from [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] we are informed that the sun is situated at the center of the universe. Just as all the planets are moving, the sun is also moving at a speed calculated to be sixteen thousand miles per second. If a person dies when the sun is in the northern hemisphere, he can attain liberation. That is not only the verdict of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], but also of other scriptures. ([[BG 8.25|BG 8.25]]),

:''dhūmo rātris tathā kṛṣṇaḥ''
:''ṣaṇ-māsā dakṣiṇāyanam''
:''tatra cāndramasaṁ jyotir''
:''yogī prāpya nivartate''

"The mystic who passes away from this world during the smoke, the night, the moonless fortnight, or in the six months when the sun passes to the south, or who reaches the moon planet, again comes back."

No one can say when he is going to die, and in that sense the moment of one's death is accidental. However, for a devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no question of "accidents." ([[BG 8.26|BG 8.26]]),

:''śukla-kṛṣṇe gatī hy ete''
:''jagataḥ śāśvate mate''
:''ekayā yāty anāvṛttim''
:''anyayāvartate punaḥ''

"According to the ''Vedas'', there are two ways of passing from this world - one in light and one in darkness. When one passes in light, he does not come back; but when one passes in darkness, he returns."

The same description of departure and return is quoted by Ācārya Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa from the ''Chāndogya Upaniṣad''. In such a way, those who are fruitive laborers and philosophical speculators from time immemorial are constantly going and coming. Actually they do not attain ultimate salvation, for they do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa. ([[BG 8.27|BG 8.27]]),

:''naite sṛtī pārtha jānan''
:''yogī muhyati kaścana''
:''tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu''
:''yoga-yukto bhavārjuna''

"The devotees who know these two paths, O Arjuna, are never bewildered. Therefore be always fixed in devotion."

Herein the Lord confirms that there is no "chance" for one who practices ''bhakti-yoga''. His destination is certain. Whether he dies when the sun is in the northern or southern hemisphere is of no importance. As we have already stated, if one thinks of Kṛṣṇa at the time of death, he will at once be transferred to Kṛṣṇa's abode. Therefore Kṛṣṇa tells Arjuna to always remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is possible through the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. Since Kṛṣṇa and His spiritual kingdom are nondifferent, being absolute, Kṛṣṇa and His sound vibration are the same. Simply by vibrating Kṛṣṇa's name, we can enjoy Kṛṣṇa's association. If we are walking down the street chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is also going with us. If we walk down the street and look up at the sky, we may see that the sun or the moon is accompanying us. I can recall about fifty years ago, when I was a householder, my second son, who was about four years old at the time, was walking with me down the street, and he suddenly asked me, "Father, why is the moon going with us?"

If a material object like the moon has the power to accompany us, we can surely understand that the Supreme Lord, who is all-powerful, can always remain with us. Being omnipotent, He can always keep us company, provided that we are also qualified to keep His company. Pure devotees are always merged in the thought of Kṛṣṇa and are always remembering that Kṛṣṇa is with them. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has confirmed the absolute nature of Kṛṣṇa in His ([[CC Antya 20.16|CC ''Antya'' 20.16, ''Śikṣāṣṭaka'' 2]]):

:''nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis''
:''tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ''
:''etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi''
:''durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ''

"My Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Your holy name there is all good fortune for the living entity, and therefore You have many names, such as Kṛṣṇa and Govinda, by which You expand Yourself. You have invested all Your potencies in those names, and there are no hard-and-fast rules for remembering them. My dear Lord, although You bestow such mercy upon the fallen, conditioned souls by liberally teaching Your holy names, I am so unfortunate that I commit offenses while chanting the holy name, and therefore I do not achieve attachment for chanting."

We may take the effort to spend a great deal of money and attempt to build or establish a temple for Kṛṣṇa, but if we do so we must observe many rules and regulations and see properly to the temple's management. But herein it is confirmed that simply by chanting, any man can have the benefit of keeping company with Kṛṣṇa. Just as Arjuna is deriving benefit by being in the same chariot with Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, we can also benefit by associating with Kṛṣṇa through the chanting of His holy names - Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This ''mahā-mantra'' is not my personal concoction but is authorized by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is considered to be not only an authority but the incarnation of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. It was Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu who said, "O Lord, You are so kind to the people of this material world that You expand Yourself in Your holy name so that they can associate with You."

Although the ''mahā-mantra'' is in the Sanskrit language and many people do not know its meaning, it is still so attractive that people participate when it is chanted publicly. When chanting the ''mahā-mantra'', we are completely safe, even in this most dangerous position. We should always be aware that in this material world, we are always in a dangerous position. [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] confirms: ''padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām'' ([[SB 10.14.58|SB 10.14.58]]). In this world, there is danger at every step. The devotees of the Lord, however, are not meant to remain in this miserable, dangerous place. Therefore we should take care to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness while in this human form. Then our happiness is assured.
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PoP 1 Yoga as Action

2022-02-17T11:23:49Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:Path of Perfection]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=The Path of Perfection]] '''[[The Path of Perfection]]'''</div>
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In the [[BG 6|Sixth]] and [[BG 8|Eighth]] Chapters of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, explains that the eightfold ''yoga'' system is a means to control the mind and senses. This method, however, is very difficult for people to perform, especially in this age of Kali, an age characterized by ignorance and chaos.

Although this eightfold ''yoga'' system is particularly recommended in the Sixth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], the Lord emphasizes that the process of ''karma-yoga'', action in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is superior. In this world, everyone acts to maintain his family, and everyone is working with a view to some self-interest, or personal sense gratification, be it concentrated or extended. But to act perfectly is to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and this means acting detached from the fruits of labor.

It is our duty to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because we are constitutionally parts and parcels of the Supreme. The parts of the body work for the satisfaction of the entire body, not for the individual parts. The goal is the satisfaction of the complete whole. Similarly, the living entity should act for the satisfaction of the supreme whole, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and not for his own personal satisfaction. One who can do this is the perfect ''sannyāsī'' and the perfect ''yogī''. In the first verse of the Sixth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], the chapter dealing with ''sāṅkhya-yoga'', Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa states ([[BG 6.1]]):

:''anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ''
:''kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ''
:''sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca''
:''na niragnir na cākriyaḥ''

"One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life, and he is the true mystic, not he who lights no fire and performs no work."

Sometimes ''sannyāsīs'' (renunciates) incorrectly think that they have become liberated from all material engagements and therefore no longer have to perform ''agni-hotra yajñas'', or fire sacrifices. This is a mistake. Certain ''yajñas'' (sacrifices) have to be performed by everyone for purification. Since ''sannyāsīs'' are not traditionally required to perform ''yajñas'', they sometimes think that they can attain liberation by ceasing to perform the ritualistic ''yajñas'', but actually, unless one comes to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no question of liberation. Those ''sannyāsīs'' who cease to perform ''yajñas'' are in fact acting out of self-interest, because their goal is to become one with the impersonal Brahman. That is the ultimate goal of the impersonalists (Māyāvādīs), who have one major goal or demand: to become one with the supreme impersonal Being. The devotees have no such demands. They are simply satisfied in serving Kṛṣṇa for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. They do not want anything in return. That is the characteristic of pure devotion.

It was Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu who expressed this devotional attitude so succinctly ([[CC Antya 20.29|CC ''Antya'' 20.29, ''Śikṣāṣṭaka'' 4]]):

:''na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ''
:''kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye''
:''mama janmani janmanīśvare''
:''bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi''

"O Almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor to enjoy beautiful women. Nor do I want any number of followers. What I want is only the causeless mercy of Your devotional service in my life, birth after birth."

In essence, this is the ''bhakti-yoga'' system. There are many examples of the pure devotional attitude. Once Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva told Prahlāda Mahārāja, "My dear boy, you have suffered so much for Me. Whatever you want, ask for it." Being a pure devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja refused to ask for anything. He said, "My dear Master, I am not carrying out mercantile business with You. I will not accept any remuneration for my service." This is the pure devotional attitude.

''Yogīs'' and ''jñānīs'' are demanding to become one with the Supreme because they have such bitter experience suffering the material pangs. They want to become one with the Lord because they are suffering in separation. A pure devotee, however, does not experience this. Although separate from the Lord, he fully enjoys the service of the Lord in separation. The desire to become one with the impersonal Brahman, or to merge with God, is certainly greater than any material desire, but this is not without self-interest. Similarly, the mystic ''yogī'' who practices the ''yoga'' system with half-open eyes, ceasing all material activities, desires some satisfaction for his personal self. Such ''yogīs'' are desirous of material power, and that is their conception of the perfection of ''yoga''. Actually, this is not the perfection of ''yoga'', but a materialistic process.

If one practices the regulative principles of ''yoga'', he can attain eight kinds of perfection. He can become lighter than a cotton swab. He can become heavier than a great stone. He can immediately get whatever he likes. Sometimes he can even create a planet. Although rare, such powerful ''yogīs'' actually exist. Viśvāmitra ''Yogī'' wanted to beget a man from a palm tree. He was thinking, "Why should a man have to live so many months within the womb of his mother? Why can't he be produced just like a fruit?" Thinking like this, Viśvāmitra ''Yogī'' produced men like coconuts. Sometimes ''yogīs'' are so powerful, they can perform such acts, but these are all material powers. Ultimately such ''yogīs'' are vanquished, because they cannot retain these material powers indefinitely. ''Bhakti-yogīs'' are not interested in such powers.

The ''bhakti-yogī'', acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, works for the satisfaction of the whole without self-interest. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not desire self-satisfaction. Rather, his criterion of success is the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa; therefore he is considered the perfect ''sannyāsī'' and the perfect ''yogi''.

A pure devotee does not even want salvation. The salvationists want to be saved from rebirth, and the voidists also want to put an end to all material life. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, however, requested only devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, birth after birth; in other words, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was prepared to endure material miseries in one body after another. What, then, was Caitanya Mahāprabhu's desire? He wanted to engage in God's service, and nothing more, for that is the real perfection of ''yoga''.

Whether in the spiritual sky or the material sky, the individual spirit soul is constitutionally the same. It is said that he is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of a hair. This means that our position is that of a small particle. But spirit can expand. Just as we develop a material body in the material world, we develop a spiritual body in the spiritual world. In the material world, expansion takes place in contact with matter. In the spiritual world, this expansion is spiritual.

Actually, the first lesson of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] is, "I am spirit soul. I am different from this body." I am a living force, but this material body is not a living force. It is dull matter, and it is activated only because spiritual force is present. In the spiritual world, everything is living force; there is no dead matter. There, the body is totally spiritual. One may compare the spirit soul with oil and the body with water. When oil is in water, there is a distinction, and that distinction always remains. In the spiritual sky, there is no question of oil being placed in water. There everything is spirit.

The impersonalists do not want to develop a body. They simply want to remain spiritual particles, and that is their idea of happiness. But we ''bhakti-yogīs'' (Vaiṣṇavas) want to serve Kṛṣṇa, and therefore we require hands, legs, and all the other bodily parts. Indeed, we are given these bodies in order to serve Kṛṣṇa. Just as we develop a material body in our mother's womb, we can similarly develop a spiritual body in the spiritual world.

The spiritual body is developed through the practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This material body is spiritualized by this ''bhakti-yoga'' process. If you place an iron within fire, the iron becomes so hot that it also becomes fiery. When the iron is red hot, it acquires all the qualities of fire. If you touch something with that iron, that iron will act as fire. Similarly, although this body is material, it can become spiritualized through Kṛṣṇa consciousness and act as spirit. Although copper is just a metal, as soon as it comes in contact with electricity, it becomes electrified, and if you touch it, you will receive an electric shock.

As soon as your body is spiritualized, material activity ceases. Material activity means acting for sense gratification. As you become spiritualized, material demands dwindle until they become nil. How is this possible? In order for an iron to act as fire, it must remain constantly in contact with fire. In order for the material body to become spiritualized, one must remain constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When this material body is fully engaged in spiritual activities, it becomes spiritual.

According to the Vedic system, the body of a high personality, a ''sannyāsī'', is not burned but buried, because a ''sannyāsī's'' body is considered spiritual, having ceased to engage in material activities. If everyone in this world engages fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and ceases to work for sense gratification, this entire world will immediately become spiritual. Therefore it is necessary to learn how to work for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. This requires a little time to understand. If something is used for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, it is spiritual. Since we are using microphones, typewriters, etc., in order to talk and write about Kṛṣṇa, they become spiritualized. What is the difference between ''prasāda'' and ordinary food? Some people may say, "What is this ''prasāda''? We are eating the same food. Why do you call it ''prasāda''?" It is ''prasāda'' because it has been offered for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction and has thus become spiritualized.

In a higher sense, there is no matter at all. Everything is spiritual. Because Kṛṣṇa is spiritual and matter is one of the energies of Kṛṣṇa, matter is also spiritual. Kṛṣṇa is totally spiritual, and spirit comes from spirit. However, because the living entities are misusing this energy - that is, using it for something other than Kṛṣṇa's purposes - it becomes materialized, and so we call it matter. The purpose of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to respiritualize this energy. It is our purpose to respiritualize the whole world, socially and politically. Of course, this may not be possible, but it is our ideal. At least if we individually take up this respiritualization process, our lives become perfect.

In [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] (9.22) Kṛṣṇa says that He provides for His devotees by giving them what they lack and preserving what they have. People are very fond of saying that God helps those who help themselves, but they do not understand that helping yourself means putting yourself under Kṛṣṇa's protection. If one thinks, "Oh, I can help myself. I can protect myself," one is thinking foolishly. As long as my finger is attached to my body, it is useful, and I may spend thousands of dollars to preserve it. But if this finger is cut off, it is useless and is thrown away. Similarly, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and helping ourselves means putting ourselves in our proper position as His parts and parcels. Otherwise we are only fit to be cast away. The finger can help itself only when situated properly on the hand and working on behalf of the entire body. If the finger thinks, "I will separate myself from this body and simply help myself," that finger will be cast away and will die. As soon as we think, "I shall live independently of Kṛṣṇa," that is our spiritual death, and as soon as we engage in Kṛṣṇa's service, as His part and parcel, that is our spiritual life. Therefore, helping oneself means knowing one's actual position and working accordingly. It is not possible to help oneself without knowing one's position.

Service means activity, for when we serve someone, we are acting. When we serve Kṛṣṇa, we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or cooking, or cleansing the temple, or distributing books about Kṛṣṇa, or writing about Him, or shopping for foodstuff to offer Him. There are so many ways to serve. Helping Kṛṣṇa means acting for Him, not sitting down in one place and artificially meditating. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means activity. Whatever assets we have should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa. That is the process of ''bhakti-yoga''. Kṛṣṇa has given us a mind, and we must utilize this mind to think of Kṛṣṇa. We have been given these hands, and we must use them to wash the temple or cook for Kṛṣṇa. We have been given these legs, and we should use them to go to the temple of Kṛṣṇa. We have been given a nose, and we should use it to smell the flowers that have been offered to Kṛṣṇa. Through the process of ''bhakti-yoga'', we engage all these senses in the service of Kṛṣṇa, and in this way the senses are spiritualized.

In [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] , Arjuna was refusing to act, and Kṛṣṇa was inspiring him to engage in activity. The entire [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] is an inspiration to work, to engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to act on Kṛṣṇa's behalf. Kṛṣṇa never tells Arjuna, "My dear friend Arjuna, don't concern yourself with this war. Just sit down and meditate upon Me." This is not the message of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. We are not to refrain from all activity, but only from those activities that impede our consciousness of Kṛṣṇa. Meditation means stopping all nonsensical activity. Those who are advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are constantly working for Kṛṣṇa.

A mother tells only her bad child to sit down and do nothing. If a child can do nothing but disturb his mother, the mother says, "My dear child, just sit down here and keep quiet." But if the child can work nicely, the mother says, "My dear child, will you please help me do this? Will you go over there and do that?" Sitting still in one place is just for those who do not know how to work sensibly. As long as the child sits in one place, he does not raise havoc. Sitting still means negating nonsense; it is not positive activity. In negation, there is no life. Positive activities constitute life, and positive activity is the message of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']]. Spiritual life is not "Don't do this." Spiritual life is "Do this!" In order to act properly, there are certain things that one must know not to do; therefore certain activities are forbidden. The whole [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], however, is "do." Kṛṣṇa says, "Fight for Me." At the beginning of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], when Arjuna told Kṛṣṇa, "I will not fight," Śrī Kṛṣṇa said ([[BG 2.2|BG 2.2]]):

:''kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ''
:''viṣame samupasthitam''
:''anārya juṣṭam asvargyaṁ''
:''akīrti-karam arjuna''

"My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you? They are not at all befitting a man who knows the progressive values of life. They lead not to higher planets, but to infamy."

Kṛṣṇa directly tells Arjuna that he is speaking like a non-Āryan - that is, like one who does not know the spiritual values of life. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not mean sitting down idly.

Kṛṣṇa Himself does not sit down idly. All His pastimes are filled with activity. When we go to the spiritual world, we will see that Kṛṣṇa is always engaged in dancing, eating, and enjoying. He does not sit down to meditate. Is there any account of the ''gopīs'' meditating? Did Caitanya Mahāprabhu sit down to meditate? No, He was always dancing and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. The spirit soul is naturally active. How can we sit down silently and do nothing? It is not possible. Therefore, after Śrī Kṛṣṇa outlined the ''sāṅkhya-yoga'' system in the Sixth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], Arjuna frankly said ([[BG 6.33|BG 6.33]]):

:''yo 'yaṁ yogas tvayā proktaḥ''
:''sāmyena madhusūdana''
:''etasyāhaṁ na paśyāmi''
:''cañcalatvāt sthitiṁ sthirām''

"O Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa), the system of ''yoga'' which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady."

Although Arjuna was highly elevated and was Kṛṣṇa's intimate friend, he immediately refused to take up this ''sāṅkhya-yoga'' system. In essence, he said, "It is not possible for me." How could it have been possible? Arjuna was a warrior, a householder, and he wanted a kingdom. What time did he have for meditation? He flatly refused to practice this type of meditational ''yoga'', saying that the mind is as difficult to control as the wind ([[BG 6.34|BG 6.34]]). That is a fact. It is not possible to control the mind artificially; therefore we must engage the mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then it is controlled. If Arjuna found this process more difficult than controlling the wind, then what of us? After all, Arjuna was not an ordinary man. He was personally talking with the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and he proclaimed the mind to be like a great wind. How can we control the wind? We can control the mind only by fixing it on Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. That is the perfection of meditation.

No one really wants to sit down and meditate. Why should we? We're meant for positive activity, for recreation, for pleasure. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, our recreation is dancing and chanting, and when we get tired, we take ''prasāda''. Is dancing difficult? Is chanting difficult? We don't charge anything to dance in the temple. If you go to a ballroom, you have to pay to enter, but we do not charge. It is natural to enjoy music and dancing and palatable foods. These are our recreations, and this is our method of meditation. So this ''yoga'' system is not at all laborious. It is simply recreation, ''susukham''. It is stated in the Ninth Chapter of [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] (9.2) that this ''yoga'' is ''susukham'' - very happy. "It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed." It is natural, automatic, and spontaneous. It is our real life in the spiritual world.

In Vaikuṇṭha, the spiritual world, there is no anxiety. Vaikuṇṭha means "freedom from anxiety," and in Vaikuṇṭha the liberated souls are always dancing, chanting, and taking ''prasāda''. There are no factories, hard work, or technical institutions. There is no need for these artificial things. In ''Vedānta-sūtra'' it is stated, ''ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt'': (''Vedānta-sūtra'' 1.1.12) God is ''ānandamaya'', full of bliss and pleasure. Since we are part and parcel of God, we also possess these same qualities. So the goal of our ''yoga'' process is to join with the supreme ''ānandamaya'', Śrī Kṛṣṇa, to join His dance party. Then we will be actually happy.

On this earth we are trying to be happy artificially and are therefore frustrated. Once we are situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we will revive our original position and become simply joyful. Since our actual nature is ''ānandamaya'', blissful, we are always searching for happiness. In the cities we are inundated with advertisements. Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and dance halls are always announcing, "Come on, here is ''ānanda''. Here is pleasure." That is because everyone is searching for ''ānanda'', pleasure. Our society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also announcing, "Here is ''ānanda''," but our standard of pleasure is very different. In any case, the goal - pleasure - is the same.

Most people are hunting for pleasure on the gross material platform. The more advanced search for pleasure in speculation, philosophy, poetry, or art. The ''bhakti-yogī'', however, searches for pleasure on the transcendental platform, and that is his only business. Why are people working so hard all day? They are thinking, "Tonight I shall enjoy. Tonight I will associate with this girl or with my wife." Thus people are going to so much trouble to acquire a little pleasure. Pleasure is the ultimate goal, but unfortunately, under illusion, people do not know where real pleasure is to be found. Real pleasure exists eternally in the transcendental form of Kṛṣṇa.

Perhaps you have seen pictures of Kṛṣṇa, and if so, you have noticed that Kṛṣṇa is always jolly. If you join His society, you will also become jolly. Have you ever seen pictures of Kṛṣṇa working with a machine? Have you ever seen pictures of Kṛṣṇa smoking? No, He is by nature full of pleasure, and if you unfold yourself in that way, you will also find pleasure. Pleasure cannot be found artificially (Bs. 5.37):

:''ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis''
:''tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ''
:''goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto''
:''govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi''

"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, residing in His own realm, Goloka, with Rādhā, resembling His own spiritual figure, the embodiment of the ecstatic potency possessed of the sixty-four artistic activities, in the company of Her confidantes (''sakhīs''), embodiments of the extensions of Her bodily form, permeated and vitalized by His ever-blissful spiritual ''rasa''."

The word ''rasa'' means "taste," or "mellow." We enjoy sweets or candy because of their taste. Everyone is trying to enjoy some taste, and we want to enjoy sex because there is some taste there. That is called ''ādi'' taste. Material tastes are different because they are tasted and quickly finished. Material tastes last only a few minutes. You may take a piece of candy, taste it, and say, "Oh, that is very nice," but you have to taste another in order to continue the enjoyment. Material taste is not unlimited, but real taste is without end. Spiritual taste cannot be forgotten; it goes on increasing. ''Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam''. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "This taste is always increasing." Spiritual taste is like the ocean in the sense that it is very great. The Pacific Ocean is always tossing, but it is not increasing. By God's order, the ocean does not extend beyond its limit, and if it extends, there is havoc. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that there is another ocean, an ocean of transcendental bliss, an ocean that is always increasing. ''Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ/ sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam''. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, our pleasure potency increases more and more.

One who has realized Śrī Kṛṣṇa is always living in Vṛndāvana, Vaikuṇṭha. Although a devotee may seem to be living in some place far from Vṛndāvana, he is always living in Vṛndāvana, because he knows that Kṛṣṇa is present everywhere, even within the atom. The Supreme Lord is bigger than the biggest and smaller than the smallest. Once we are fully realized and established in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we never lose sight of Kṛṣṇa, and our bliss is always increasing. This is the true ''yoga'' system, ''bhakti-yoga'', as expounded by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself in [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']].
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<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=The Path of Perfection]] '''[[The Path of Perfection]]'''</div>
<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=PoP Introduction]] '''[[PoP Introduction|Introduction]] - [[PoP 2 Mastering the Mind and Senses|2. Mastering the Mind and Senses]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=PoP 2 Mastering the Mind and Senses]]</div>

SC 22 The Glories Of the Holy Name

2022-02-14T12:04:45Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S22]]
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(Then Yamarāja, considering himself and his servants offenders, spoke as follows, begging pardon from the Lord:) "O my Lord, my servants have surely committed a great offense by arresting a Vaiṣṇava such as Ajāmila. O Nārāyaṇa, O supreme and oldest person, please forgive us. Because of our ignorance, we failed to recognize Ajāmila as a servant of Your Lordship, and thus we have certainly committed a great offense. Therefore with folded hands we beg Your pardon. My Lord, since You are supremely merciful and are always full of good qualities, please pardon us. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You."

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear king, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the ''saṅkīrtana'' movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously.

One who constantly hears and chants the holy name of the Lord and hears and chants about His activities can very easily attain the platform of pure devotional service, which can cleanse the dirt from one's heart. One cannot achieve such purification merely by observing vows and performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.

Devotees who always lick the honey from the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa do not care at all for material activities, which are performed under the three modes of nature and which bring only misery. Indeed, devotees never give up the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa to return to material activities. Others, however, who are addicted to Vedic rituals because they have neglected the service of the Lord's lotus feet and are enchanted by lusty desires, sometimes perform acts of atonement. Nevertheless, being incompletely purified, they return to sinful activities again and again.

After hearing from the mouth of their master about the extraordinary glories of the Lord and His name, fame, and attributes, the Yamadūtas were struck with wonder. Since then, as soon as they see a devotee, they fear him and dare not look at him again.

When the great sage Agastya was residing in the Malaya Hills and worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I approached him, and he explained to me this confidential history. ([[SB 6.3.30|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.30-35]])

=====Yamarāja Prays for Pardon=====
Lord Yamarāja took upon himself the responsibility for the offense committed by his servants. If the servant of an establishment makes a mistake, the establishment takes responsibility for it. Although Yamarāja is above offenses, his servants, practically with his permission, went to arrest Ajāmila, which was a great offense. The ''nyāya-śāstra'' confirms, ''bhṛtyāparādhe svāmīno daṇḍah'': "If a servant makes an offense, the master is punishable." Taking this seriously, Yamarāja, along with his servants, prayed with folded hands to be excused by the Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa.

=====Achieving Perfection=====
We should note that although Ajāmila chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa imperfectly, he was delivered from all sinful reactions. The chanting of the holy name is so auspicious that it can free everyone from the reactions of sinful activities. However, as we have mentioned several times before, no one should conclude that he may continue to sin with the intention of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa to neutralize the reactions. Rather, one should be very careful to remain free from all sins and never think of counteracting sinful activities by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra'', for this is another offense. If by chance a devotee accidentally performs some sinful activity, the Lord will excuse him, but one should not intentionally perform sinful acts.

One may very easily practice chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord and thus become ecstatic in spiritual life. The ''Padma Purāṇa'' states,

:''nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ''
:''nāmāny eva haranty agham''
:''aviśrānti-prayuktāni''
:''tāny evārtha-karāṇi ca''
Even if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra'' offensively, one can nullify these offenses by continuously chanting without deviation. One who becomes accustomed to this practice will always remain in a pure transcendental position, untouchable by sinful reactions.

A devotee's duty is to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra''. One may sometimes chant with offenses and sometimes without offenses, but if one seriously adopts this process, he will achieve perfection, which cannot be achieved through Vedic ritualistic ceremonies of atonement. Persons who are attached to the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies but do not believe in devotional service, who advise atonement but do not appreciate the chanting of the Lord's holy name, fail to achieve the highest perfection. Devotees, therefore, being completely detached from material enjoyment, never give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness for Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. Those who are attached to Vedic ritualistic ceremonies because of lusty desires are subjected to the tribulations of material existence again and again.

Since this incident, the Yamadūtas have given up the dangerous behavior of approaching devotees. For the Yamadūtas, a devotee is dangerous.

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SC 21 Confidential Knowledge

2022-02-14T11:47:42Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S21]]
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<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=SC 20 Under One Master]] '''[[SC 20 Under One Master|20. Under One Master]] - [[SC 22 The Glories Of the Holy Name|22. The Glories Of the Holy Name]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=SC 22 The Glories Of the Holy Name]]</div>
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Yamarāja continued: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is self-sufficient and fully independent. He is the master of everyone and everything, including the illusory energy. He has His form, qualities, and features, and similarly His order-carriers, the Viṣṇudūtas, or Vaiṣṇavas, who are very beautiful, possess bodily features and transcendental qualities almost like His. They always wander within this world with full independence.

"The Viṣṇudūtas are worshiped even by the demigods and are very rarely seen. They protect the devotees of the Lord from the hands of enemies, from envious persons, and even from my jurisdiction, as well as from natural disturbances.

"The real religious principle is enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ''ṛṣis'' who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain this principle, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the demons, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas, or Cāraṇas.

"Lord Brahmā, Bhagavān Nārada, Lord Śiva, the four Kumāras, Lord Kapila (the son of Devahūti), Svāyambhuva Manu, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Janaka Mahārāja, Grandfather Bhīṣma, Bali Mahārāja, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and I myself know the real religious principle. My dear servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as ''bhāgavata-dharma'', or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated, and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.

"Devotional service, beginning with the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is the ultimate religious principle for the living entity in human society.

"My dear servants, who are as good as my sons, just see how glorious is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord! The greatly sinful Ajāmila chanted only to call his son, not knowing that he was chanting the Lord's holy name. Nevertheless, by chanting the holy name of the Lord he remembered Nārāyaṇa, and thus he was immediately saved from the ropes of death.

"Therefore it should be understood that one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting His qualities and activities. This is the only process recommended for relief from sinful reactions. Even if a person chants the holy name of the Lord with improper pronunciation, he will achieve relief from material bondage if he chants without offenses. Ajāmila, for example, was extremely sinful, but while dying he merely chanted the holy name, and although calling his son, he achieved complete liberation because he remembered the name of Nārāyaṇa.

"Because they are bewildered by the Supreme Lord's illusory energy, Yājñavalkya, Jaimini, and other compilers of the religious scriptures cannot know the confidential religious system of the twelve ''mahājanas''. They cannot understand the transcendental value of performing devotional service or chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra''. Because their minds are attracted to the ritualistic ceremonies mentioned in the ''Vedas'' - especially the ''Yajur Veda'', ''Sāma Veda'', and ''Ṛg Veda'' - their intelligence has become dull. Thus they are busy collecting the ingredients for ritualistic ceremonies that yield only temporary benefits, such as elevation to Svargaloka for material happiness. They are not attracted to the ''saṅkīrtana'' movement; instead, they are interested in religiosity, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation.

"Considering all these points, therefore, intelligent men decide to solve all problems by adopting the devotional service of chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is situated in everyone's heart and who is a mine of all auspicious qualities. Such persons are not within my jurisdiction for punishment. Generally they never commit sinful activities, but even if by mistake or because of bewilderment or illusion they sometimes commit sinful acts, they are protected from sinful reactions because they always chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra''.

"My dear servants, please do not approach such devotees, for they have fully surrendered to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are equal to everyone, and their narrations are sung by the demigods and the inhabitants of Siddhaloka. Please do not even go near them. They are always protected by the club of the Supreme Lord, and therefore Lord Brahmā and I and even the time factor are not competent to chastise them.

" ''Paramahaṁsas'' are exalted persons who have no taste for material enjoyment and who drink the honey of the Lord's lotus feet. My dear servants, bring to me for punishment only persons who are averse to the taste of that honey, who do not associate with ''paramahaṁsas'', and who are attached to family life and worldly enjoyment, which form the path to hell.

"My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do not use their tongues to chant the holy name and qualities of Kṛṣṇa, whose hearts do not remember the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa even once, and whose heads do not bow down even once before Lord Kṛṣṇa. Send me those who do not perform their duties toward Viṣṇu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such fools and rascals." ([[SB 6.3.17|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.17-29]])

=====The Protectors=====
Yamarāja was describing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, but the order-carriers of Yamarāja were very eager to know about the Viṣṇudūtas, who had defeated them in their encounter with Ajāmila. Yamarāja therefore stated that the Viṣṇudūtas resemble the Supreme Personality of Godhead in their bodily features, transcendental qualities, and nature. In other words, the Viṣṇudūtas, or Vaiṣṇavas, are almost as qualified as the Supreme Lord. Yamarāja informed the Yamadūtas that the Viṣṇudūtas are no less powerful than Lord Viṣṇu. Since Viṣṇu is above Yamarāja, the Viṣṇudūtas are above the Yamadūtas. Persons protected by the Viṣṇudūtas, therefore, cannot be touched by the Yamadūtas.

Yamarāja has described the qualities of the Viṣṇudūtas to convince his own servants not to be envious of them. Yamarāja warned the Yamadūtas that the Viṣṇudūtas are worshiped with respectful obeisances by the demigods and are always very alert to protect the devotees of the Lord from the hands of enemies, from natural disturbances, and from all dangerous conditions in this material world. Sometimes the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness society are afraid of the impending danger of world war and ask what would happen to them if a war should occur. In all kinds of danger they should be confident of their protection by the Viṣṇudūtas or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as Kṛṣṇa Himself confirms in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 9.31|9.31]]): ''kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati''. "O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes."

Material danger is not meant for devotees. This is also confirmed in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 10.14.58|10.14.58]]): ''padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām''. In this material world there are dangers at every step, but they are not meant for devotees who have fully surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord. The pure devotees of Lord Viṣṇu may rest assured that the Lord will protect them, and as long as they are in this material world they should fully engage in devotional service by preaching the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Kṛṣṇa, namely chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and the other aspects of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

=====Direct Connection with Kṛṣṇa=====
When challenged by the Viṣṇudūtas to describe the principles of religion, the Yamadūtas had said, ''veda-praṇihito dharmaḥ'': "The Vedic literature defines religious principles." They did not know, however, that the Vedic literature contains ritualistic ceremonies that are not transcendental but are meant to keep peace and order among materialistic persons in the material world. Real religious principles are ''nistraiguṇya'', above the three modes of material nature, or transcendental. The Yamadūtas did not know these transcendental religious principles, and therefore when prevented from arresting Ajāmila, they were surprised.

Materialistic persons who attach all their faith to the Vedic rituals are described in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 2.42|2.42]]), wherein Kṛṣṇa says, ''veda-vāda-ratāḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ'': "The supposed followers of the ''Vedas'' say that there is nothing beyond the Vedic ceremonies." Indeed, there is a group of men in India who are very fond of the Vedic rituals, not understanding the meaning of these rituals, which are intended to elevate one gradually to the transcendental platform of knowing Kṛṣṇa (''vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ'' ([[BG 15.15|BG 15.15]])). Those who do not know this principle but who simply attach their faith to the Vedic rituals are called ''veda-vāda-ratāḥ''.

Herein it is stated that the real religious principle is that which is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Kṛṣṇa states that principle in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 18.66|18.66]]): ''sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja''. "Give up all other duties and surrender unto Me." That is the real religious principle everyone should follow. Even though one follows the Vedic scriptures, one may not know this transcendental principle, for it is not known to everyone. To say nothing of human beings, even the demigods in the upper planetary systems are unaware of it. This transcendental religious principle must be understood from the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly or from His special representative, as stated in these verses.

In the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] Lord Kṛṣṇa refers to ''bhāgavata-dharma'' as the most confidential religious principle (''sarva-guhyatamam, guhyād guhyataram''). Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, "Because you are My very dear friend, I am explaining to you the most confidential religion." ''Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja'': ([[BG 18.66|BG 18.66]]) "Give up all other duties and surrender unto Me." One may ask, If this principle is very rarely understood, what is the use of it? In answer, Yamarāja states herein that this religious principle is understandable if one follows the ''paramparā'' system of Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, the four Kumāras, and the other standard authorities. There are four lines of disciplic succession: one from Lord Brahmā, one from Lord Śiva, one from Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, and one from the Kumāras. The disciplic succession from Lord Brahmā is called the Brahma-sampradāya, the succession from Lord Śiva (Śambhu) is called the Rudra-sampradāya, the one from the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmījī, is called the Śrī-sampradāya, and the one from the Kumāras is called the Kumāra-sampradāya. One must take shelter of one of these four ''sampradāyas'' in order to understand the most confidential religious system. In the ''Padma Purāṇa'' it is said, ''sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantras te niṣphalā matāḥ'': if one does not follow the four recognized disciplic successions, his ''mantra'', or initiation, is useless.

At present there are many ''apasampradāyas'', or un-bona fide ''sampradāyas'', which have no link to authorities like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, the Kumāras, or Lakṣmī. People are misguided by such sampradāyas. The śāstras say that being initiated into such a sampradāya is a waste of time, for it will never enable one to understand real religious principles and surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Real religious principles are ''bhāgavata-dharma'', the principles described in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] itself or in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], the preliminary study of the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Bhāgavatam'']]. What are these principles? The [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.1.2|1.1.2]]) says, ''dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra'': "In the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] there are no cheating religious systems." In other words, everything in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Bhāgavatam'']] is directly connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.2.6|1.2.6]]) further says, ''sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje'': "The supreme religion is that which teaches its followers how to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the reach of experimental knowledge." Such a religious system begins with ''tan-nāma-grahaṇa'', chanting the holy name of the Lord. After chanting the holy name and dancing in ecstasy, one gradually sees the transcendental form of the Lord, the qualities of the Lord, and the pastimes of the Lord. In this way one fully understands the situation of the Personality of Godhead.

One can come to this understanding of the Lord, however, only by executing devotional service. As Kṛṣṇa states in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 18.55|18.55]]), ''bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ'': "One can understand Me as I am only by devotional service." If a person is fortunate enough to understand the Supreme Lord in this way, the result is that after giving up his material body he no longer has to take birth in this material world (''tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti'' ([[BG 4.9|BG 4.9]])). Instead, he returns home, back to Godhead. That is the ultimate perfection. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 8.15|8.15]]):

:''mām upetya punar janma''
:''duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam''
:''nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ''
:''saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ''
"After attaining Me, the great souls, who are ''yogīs'' in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection."

=====Evidence in Support of Chanting the Holy Name=====
There is no need to conduct research into the significance of the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra''. The history of Ajāmila is sufficient proof of the power of the Lord's holy name and the exalted position of a person who chants the holy name incessantly. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised,

:''harer nāma harer nāma''
:''harer nāmaiva kevalam''
:''kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva''
:''nāsty eva gatir anyathā''
:([[CC Adi 17.21|CC ''Adi'' 17.21]])
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." (''Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa'' 3.8.126) In this age, almost no one can perform all the difficult ritualistic ceremonies for becoming liberated. Therefore all the ''śāstras'' and all the ''ācāryas'' have recommended that in this age one simply chant the holy name. That will bring one all perfection.

In the assembly of Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī's father, Haridāsa Ṭhākura confirmed that simply by chanting the Lord's holy name a person is liberated, even if he does not chant completely inoffensively. ''Smārta-brāhmaṇas'' and Māyāvādīs do not believe that one can achieve liberation in this way, but the truth of Haridāsa Ṭhākura's statement is supported by many quotations from the Vedic literature.

In the passage of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] under discussion, for example, Yamarāja says, "It should be understood that one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting His qualities and activities. This is the only process recommended for relief from sinful reactions." In his commentary on this verse, Śrīdhara Svāmī gives the following quotation: ''sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan bhaktyā duḥkha-grāmād vimucyate''. "If one continually chants the holy name of the Lord with great devotion morning and evening, one will become free from all material miseries." Another quotation confirms that a person can achieve liberation if he hears the holy name of the Lord continually, every day, with great respect: ''anudinam idam ādareṇa śṛṇvan''. Another quotation says,

:''śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ dhyānaṁ''
:''harer adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ''
:''janma-karma-guṇānāṁ ca''
:''tad-arthe 'khila-ceṣṭitam''
"One should always chant and hear about the wonderful activities of the Lord, one should meditate upon these activities, and one should endeavor to please the Lord." ([[SB 11.3.27|[[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] 11.3.27]]) Śrīdhara Svāmī also gives the following quote from the ''Purāṇas'': ''pāpa-kṣayaś ca bhavati smaratāṁ tam ahar-niśam''. "One can become free from all sinful reactions simply by remembering the lotus feet of the Lord day and night." Finally, he quotes from the chapter of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] under discussion ([[SB 6.3.31|6.3.31]]):

:''tasmāt saṅkīrtanaṁ viṣṇor''
:''jagan-maṅgalam aṁhasām''
:''mahatām api kauravya''
:''viddhy aikāntika-niṣkṛtam''
"The chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the ''saṅkīrtana'' movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe."

All these quotations prove that one who constantly engages in chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord, along with descriptions of His fame, form, and activities, is liberated. As stated wonderfully in verse 24, ''etāvatālam agha-nirharaṇāya puṁsām'': ([[SB 6.3.24|SB 6.3.24]]) simply by uttering the name of the Lord, one is freed from all sinful reactions.

The word ''alam'' in this verse indicates that simply uttering the holy name of the Lord is sufficient. There is no need of any other process. Even if a person chants imperfectly, he becomes free from all sinful reactions.

The liberation of Ajāmila proves this power of chanting the holy name. When Ajāmila chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, he did not precisely remember the Supreme Lord; instead, he remembered his own son. At the time of death, Ajāmila certainly was not very clean; indeed, he was famous as a great sinner. Furthermore, one's physiological condition is completely disturbed at the time of death, and in such an awkward condition it would certainly have been very difficult for Ajāmila to have chanted clearly. Nevertheless, Ajāmila achieved liberation simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. Therefore, what is to be said of those who are not sinful like Ajāmila? It is to be concluded that with a strong vow one should chant the holy name of the Lord - Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare - for thus by the grace of Kṛṣṇa one will certainly be delivered from the clutches of ''māyā''.

The chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra'' is recommended even for persons who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenselessly. Then, by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa without offenses, one increases his love for Kṛṣṇa. As stated by Lord Caitanya, ''premā pum-artho mahān'': one's main concern should be to increase one's attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to increase one's love for Him.

Since one may easily achieve the highest success by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one may ask why there are so many Vedic ritualistic ceremonies and why people are attracted to them. Yamarāja answers this question in the passage of [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] under discussion. Unfortunately, unintelligent people are bewildered by the grandeur of Vedic ''yajñas'', and thus they want to see gorgeous sacrifices performed. They want Vedic ''mantras'' chanted and huge amounts of money spent for such ceremonies. Sometimes we have to observe the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies to please such unintelligent men. In 1975, when we established a large Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple in Vṛndāvana, we were obliged to have Vedic ceremonies performed by ''brāhmaṇas'' because the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, especially the ''smārta-brāhmaṇas'', would not accept Europeans and Americans as bona fide ''brāhmaṇas''. Thus we had to engage ''brāhmaṇas'' to perform costly ''yajñas''. As these ''yajñas'' were being performed, the members of our Society performed ''saṅkīrtana'' loudly with ''mṛdaṅgas'', and I considered the ''saṅkīrtana'' more important than the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. The ceremonies and the ''saṅkīrtana'' were going on simultaneously. The ceremonies were meant for persons interested in Vedic rituals for elevation to heavenly planets (''jaḍī-kṛta-matir madhu-puṣpitāyām''), whereas the ''saṅkīrtana'' was meant for pure devotees interested in pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We would simply have performed ''saṅkīrtana'', but then the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana would not have taken the installation ceremony seriously. As explained here, the Vedic performances are meant for those whose intelligence has been dulled by the flowery words of the ''Vedas'', which describe sacrifices intended to elevate one to the higher planets.

Especially in this age, ''saṅkīrtana'' alone is sufficient. If the members of our temples in the different parts of the world simply continue ''saṅkīrtana'' before the Deity, especially before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they will remain perfect. There is no need of any other performances. Nevertheless, to keep oneself clean in habits and mind, Deity worship and other regulative principles are required. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says that although ''saṅkīrtana'' is sufficient for the perfection of life, worship of the Deity in the temple must continue so that the devotees may stay clean and pure. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura therefore recommended that one follow both processes simultaneously. We strictly follow his principle of performing Deity worship and ''saṅkīrtana'' along parallel lines. This we should continue.

=====The Jurisdiction of Yamarāja=====
In this regard, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura quotes the following verse from the prayers of Lord Brahmā ([[SB 10.14.29|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.29]]):

:''athāpī te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-''
:''prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi''
:''jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno''
:''na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan''
The purport is that even though one is a very learned scholar of the Vedic ''śāstras'', he may be completely unaware of the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His name, fame, qualities, and so forth, whereas one who is not a great scholar can understand the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he somehow or other becomes a pure devotee of the Lord by engaging in devotional service. Therefore in verse 26 Yamarāja says, ''evaṁ vimṛśya sudhiyo bhagavati'': those who engage in the loving service of the Lord become ''sudhiyaḥ'', intelligent, but this is not so of a Vedic scholar who does not understand Kṛṣṇa's name, fame, and qualities. A pure devotee is one whose intelligence is clear; he is truly thoughtful, because he engages in the service of the Lord - not as a matter of show but with love, with his mind, words, and body. Nondevotees may make a show of religion, but it is not very effective, because although they ostentatiously attend a temple or church, they are thinking of something else. Such persons are neglecting their religious duty and are punishable by Yamarāja. But a devotee who commits sinful acts unwillingly or accidentally, because of his former habits, is excused. That is the value of the ''saṅkīrtana'' movement.

In effect, Yamarāja warned his servants, "My dear servants, henceforward you must stop disturbing the devotees. The devotees who have surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord and who constantly chant His holy name are praised by the demigods and the residents of Siddhaloka. Those devotees are so respectable and exalted that Lord Viṣṇu personally protects them with the club in His hand. If you approach such devotees, He will kill you with that club. What to speak of you, if even Lord Brahmā or I were to punish them, Lord Viṣṇu would punish us. Therefore do not disturb the devotees any further."

[[File:A Second Chance-Court of Yamaraja.jpg|thumb|400px|right|alt=A Second Chance-Court of Yamaraja|link=|<div class="center">'''The Court of Yamaraja'''</div>]]
After warning the Yamadūtas in this way, Yamarāja then indicates who is to be brought before him. He specifically advises the Yamadūtas to bring to him materialistic persons attached to household life merely for sex. As stated in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 7.4.45|7.9.45]]), ''yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham'': people are attached to household life only for sex pleasure, which is very insignificant. They are always harassed in many ways by their material engagements for making money to maintain their families, and their only happiness is that after working very hard all day, at night they sleep and indulge in sex. Yamarāja specifically advises his servants to bring these persons to him for punishment and not to bring the devotees, who always lick the honey from the lotus feet of the Lord, who are equal to everyone, and who try to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness out of sympathy for all living entities. Devotees are not liable to be punished by Yamarāja, but persons who have no information of Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be protected by their material life of so-called family enjoyment. The [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 2.1.4|2.1.4]]) says,

:''dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv''
:''ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api''
:''teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ''
:''paśyann api na paśyati''
Materialistic persons complacently believe that their nations, communities, or families can protect them, unaware that all such fallible soldiers will be destroyed in due course of time.

In conclusion, one should try to associate with persons who engage in devotional service twenty-four hours a day. Then one can come to know the purpose of human life, which is to please Lord Viṣṇu. ''Varṇāśrama-dharma'' is also meant for that purpose. As stated in the ''Viṣṇu Purāṇa'' (3.8.9):

:''varṇāśramācāravatā''
:''puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān''
:''viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā''
:''nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam''
:([[CC Madhya 8.58|CC ''Madhya'' 8.58]])
Human society is meant to follow strictly the ''varṇāśrama-dharma'', which divides society into four social divisions (''brāhmaṇa'', ''kṣatriya'', ''vaiśya'', and ''śūdra'') and four spiritual divisions (''brahmacarya'', ''gṛhastha'', ''vānaprastha'', and ''sannyāsa''). ''Varṇāśrama-dharma'' easily brings one nearer to Lord Viṣṇu, who is the only true objective in human society. ''Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum'': ([[SB 7.5.31|SB 7.5.31]]) unfortunately, however, people do not know that their self-interest is to return home, back to Godhead, or to approach Lord Viṣṇu. ''Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ'': instead, they are simply bewildered by Kṛṣṇa's external, illusory energy. Every human being is expected to perform duties meant for approaching Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore Yamarāja advises the Yamadūtas to bring him only those persons who have forgotten their duties toward Viṣṇu. One who does not chant the holy name of Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, who does not bow down to the Deity of the Lord, and who does not remember His lotus feet is punishable by Yamarāja. In summary, all ''avaiṣṇavas'', persons unconcerned with Lord Viṣṇu, are punishable by Yamarāja.

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SC 20 Under One Master

2022-02-13T15:25:06Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S20]]
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Yamarāja said, "My dear servants, you have accepted me as the Supreme, but factually I am not. Above me, and above all the other demigods, including Indra and Candra, is the one supreme master and controller. The partial manifestations of His personality are Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva, who are in charge of the creation, maintenance, and annihilation of this universe. He is like the two threads that form the length and breadth of a woven cloth.

"Just as the driver of a bullock cart ties ropes through the nostrils of his bulls to control them, the Supreme Personality of Godhead binds all men with the ropes of His words in the Vedas, which set forth the names and activities of the distinct orders of human society (''brāhmaṇa'', ''kṣatriya'', ''vaiśya'', and ''śūdra''). In fear, the members of these orders all worship the Supreme Lord by offering Him presentations according to their respective activities.

"I, Yamarāja; Indra, the King of heaven; Nirṛti; Varuṇa, the god of the waters; Candra, the moon-god; Agni, the fire-god; Lord Śiva; Pavana, the god of the air; Lord Brahmā; Sūrya, the sun-god; Viśvāsu; the eight Vasus; the Sādhyas; the Maruts; the Rudras; the Siddhas; and Marīci and the other great ''ṛṣis'' engaged in maintaining the departmental affairs of the universe, as well as the best of the demigods headed by Bṛhaspati and the great sages headed by Bhṛgu, are all certainly freed from the influence of the two base material modes of nature, namely passion and ignorance. Nevertheless, although we are in the mode of goodness, we cannot understand the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What, then, is to be said of others, who under illusion merely speculate to know God?

"As the different limbs of the body cannot see the eyes, so the living entities cannot see the Supreme Lord, who is situated as the Supersoul in everyone's heart. Not by the senses, by the mind, by the life air, by thoughts within the heart, or by the vibration of words can the living entities ascertain the real situation of the Supreme Lord." ([[SB 6.3.12|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.12-16]])

=====One Supreme Controller=====
The Yamadūtas suspected that there was a ruler even above Yamarāja. To eradicate their doubts, Yamarāja immediately replied, "Yes, there is one supreme controller above everything." Yamarāja is in charge of some of the moving living entities, namely the human beings, but the animals, who also move, are not under his control. Only human beings have consciousness of right and wrong, and among them only those who perform sinful activities come under the control of Yamarāja. Therefore although Yamarāja is a controller, he is only a departmental controller of a few living entities. There are other demigods who control many other departments, but above them all is one supreme controller, Kṛṣṇa. ''Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ'': (Bs. 5.1) the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. Others, who control their own departments in the affairs of the universe, are insignificant in comparison to Kṛṣṇa, the supreme controller. As Kṛṣṇa says in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 7.7|7.7]]), ''mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya'': "My dear Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), no one is superior to Me." Therefore Yamarāja immediately cleared away the doubts of his assistants, the Yamadūtas, by confirming that there is a supreme controller above all others.

In this material world, everyone is controlled by the laws of nature, regardless of who he is. Whether one is a human being, a demigod, an animal, a tree, or a plant, one is controlled by the laws of nature, and behind this natural control is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 9.10|9.10]]): ''mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram''. "The material nature is working under My direction and producing all moving and nonmoving beings." Thus the natural machine works under Kṛṣṇa's control.

=====Under the Control of Varṇa and Āśrama=====
Apart from other living entities, a living being in the human form of body is meant to be controlled by the Vedic injunctions in terms of the divisions of ''varṇa'' and ''āśrama'', the social and spiritual classes. Otherwise he cannot escape punishment by Yamarāja. The point is that every human being is expected to elevate himself to the position of a ''brāhmaṇa'', the most intelligent man, and then one must transcend that position to become a Vaiṣṇava. This is the perfection of life. The ''brāhmaṇas'', ''kṣatriyas'', ''vaiśyas'', and ''śūdras'' can elevate themselves by worshiping the Lord according to their activities (''sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ''). The divisions of ''varṇa'' and ''āśrama'' are necessary to insure the proper execution of duties and peaceful existence for everyone, but everyone is directed to worship the Supreme Lord, who is all-pervading (''yena sarvam idaṁ tatam''). If one thus follows the Vedic injunctions by worshiping the Supreme Lord according to one's ability, his life will be perfect. The [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.2.13|1.2.13]]) confirms this:

:''ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭha''
:''varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ''
:''svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya''
:''saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam''
"O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging one's prescribed duties (''dharma'') according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead." The ''varṇāśrama'' institution offers the perfect process for making one eligible to return home, back to Godhead, because the aim of every ''varṇa'' and ''āśrama'' is to please the Lord. One can please the Lord under the direction of a bona fide spiritual master, and then one's life is perfect. The Supreme Lord is worshipable, and everyone worships Him directly or indirectly. Those who worship Him directly get the results of liberation quickly, whereas the liberation of those who serve Him indirectly is delayed.

The words ''nāmabhir vāci'' in verse 13 (''nāmabhih'' - by different names; ''vāci'' - to the Vedic language) are very important. In the ''varṇāśrama'' institution, there are different names - ''brāhmaṇa'', ''kṣatriya'', ''vaiśya'', ''śūdra'', ''brahmacārī'', ''gṛhastha'', ''vānaprastha'', and ''sannyāsī''. The ''vāk'', or Vedic injunctions, give directions for all these divisions. Everyone is expected to offer obeisances to the Supreme Lord and perform duties as indicated in the ''Vedas''.

=====Controlled by Three Modes of Nature=====
Men and other living entities within this cosmic manifestation are controlled by the three modes of nature. For the living entities controlled by the base qualities of nature - passion and ignorance - there is no possibility of understanding God. Even those in the mode of goodness, like the many demigods and great ''ṛṣis'' described in these verses, cannot understand the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], only one who is situated in devotional service to the Lord, and who is thus transcendental to all material qualities, can understand Him (''bhaktyā mām abhijānāti'' ([[BG 18.55|BG 18.55]])).

Ordinary philosophers can never know the Lord. The great devotee Bhīṣmadeva confirms this in the following statement to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira ([[SB 1.9.16|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.9.16]]):

:''na hy asya karhicid rājan''
:''pumān veda vidhitsitam''
:''yad-vijijñāsayā yuktā''
:''muhyanti kavayo 'pi hi''
"O king, no one can know the plan of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Even though great philosophers inquire exhaustively, they are bewildered." No one, therefore, can understand God by speculative knowledge. Indeed, by speculation one will be bewildered.

=====Directed by the Supersoul=====
Although the different parts of the body do not have the power to see the eyes, the eyes direct the movements of the body's different parts. The legs move forward because the eyes see what is in front of them, and the hand touches because the eyes see touchable entities. Similarly, every living being acts according to the direction of the Supersoul, who is situated within the heart. The Lord Himself confirms this in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] (15.15): ''sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca''. "I am sitting in everyone's heart and giving directions for remembrance, knowledge, and forgetfulness." Elsewhere in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 18.61|18.61]]) it is stated, ''īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati'': "The Supreme Lord, as the Supersoul, is situated in the heart." The living entity cannot do anything without the sanction of the Supersoul. The Supersoul is acting at every moment, but the living entity cannot understand the form and activities of the Supersoul by manipulating his senses. The example of the eyes and the bodily limbs is very appropriate. If the limbs could see, they could walk forward without the help of the eyes; but that is impossible. Although one cannot see the Supersoul in one's heart through sensual activities, His direction is necessary.

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SC 19 Erasing All Doubts

2022-02-13T14:56:30Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S19]]
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King Parīkṣit said, "O my lord, O Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Yamarāja is the controller of all living entities in terms of their religious and irreligious activities, but his order had been foiled. When his servants, the Yamadūtas, informed him of their defeat by the Viṣṇudūtas, what did he reply?

"O great sage, never before has it been heard anywhere that an order from Yamarāja has been baffled. Therefore I think that people will have doubts about this that no one but you can eradicate. Since that is my firm conviction, kindly explain the reasons for these events."

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied: My dear king, when the order-carriers of Yamarāja were baffled and defeated by the order-carriers of Viṣṇu, they approached their master, the controller of Saṁyamanī-purī and master of sinful persons, to tell him of this incident.

The Yamadūtas said, "Our dear lord, how many controllers are there in this material world? How many causes are responsible for manifesting the various results of activities performed under the three modes of material nature?

"If in this universe there are many judges who disagree about punishment and reward, their contradictory actions will neutralize one another, and no one will be punished or rewarded. Otherwise, if their contradictory acts fail to neutralize one another, everyone will have to be both punished and rewarded. Since there are many different karmīs, or fruitive workers, there may be different judges to give them justice, but just as one central emperor controls different departmental rulers, there must be one supreme controller to guide all the judges.

"The supreme judge must be one, not many. It was our understanding that you are that supreme judge and that you have jurisdiction even over the demigods. Our impression was that you are the master of all living entities, the supreme authority who discriminates between the pious and impious activities of all human beings.

"But now we see that the punishment ordained under your authority is no longer effective, since your order has been transgressed by four wonderful and perfect persons. We were bringing the most sinful Ajāmila toward the hellish planets, following your order, when those beautiful persons from Siddhaloka forcibly cut the knots of the ropes with which we were arresting him. As soon as the sinful Ajāmila uttered the name Nārāyaṇa, these four beautiful men immediately arrived and reassured him, saying, 'Do not fear. Do not fear.' We wish to know about them from your lordship. If you think we are able to understand them, kindly describe who they are."

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus having been questioned, Lord Yamarāja was very pleased with his order-carriers because of hearing from them the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. He remembered the lotus feet of the Lord and began to reply. ([[SB 6.3.1|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.1-11]])

=====Who's in Charge?=====
Mahārāja Parīkṣit became astonished and asked Śukadeva Gosvāmī, "How is it possible for anyone to surpass the order of Yamarāja?" Nobody can supersede a warrant issued by the police magistrate. Similarly, Yamarāja is the chief of the universal "police," and he acts on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Yamarāja's business is to arrest all the criminal living entities and subject them to punishment in his region, Yamaloka. Sinful persons are taken there and put into various hellish conditions. The case of Ajāmila, however, is exceptional. The Yamadūtas were ordered to arrest him and bring him to the court of Yamarāja, but the Viṣṇudūtas released him from their grasp.

The Viṣṇudūtas' interference with the Yamadūtas was apparently unlawful, but just as Lord Viṣṇu can do anything, His messengers can likewise nullify any order in the material world. That is the power of the Supreme Lord. In the material world no one has the authority or power to check the orders of Yamarāja, but the Viṣṇudūtas acted under the higher authority of the Supreme Lord.

When the Yamadūtas returned to Yamaloka, they immediately went to Yamarāja and asked, "How is it that we were checked from carrying out our duty? My dear lord, how many controllers are there? Are you the only controller, or are there many other controllers?" Less intelligent men think that a particular demigod, such as Indra, Sūrya, or Candra, is supreme. This is like thinking the policeman on the street is all-powerful within the state. There are so many police constables controlling the crowd in the street, but only foolish persons do not understand that above the constables are many higher officers, all the way up to the police commissioner, the governor of the state, and the president. The Yamadūtas simply carried out the orders of Yamarāja, thinking him to be the supreme controller, and this was the first incident in which they were stopped from executing his orders.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that the Yamadūtas were so disappointed that it was almost with anger that they asked Yamarāja whether there were many masters other than him. Furthermore, because the Yamadūtas had been defeated and their master could not protect them, they were inclined to say that there was no need to serve such a master. If a servant cannot carry out the orders of his master without being defeated, what is the use of serving such a powerless master?

Because the Yamadūtas had been stopped, they doubted whether Yamarāja actually had the power to punish the sinful. Although they had gone to arrest Ajāmila, following Yamarāja's order, they found themselves unsuccessful because of the order of some higher authority. Therefore they were unsure of whether there were many authorities or only one. If there were many authorities who gave different judgments, which could be contradictory, a person might be wrongly punished or wrongly rewarded, or he might be neither punished nor rewarded. According to our experience in the material world, a person punished in one court may appeal to another. Thus the same man may be either punished or rewarded according to different judgments. However, in the law of nature or the court of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there cannot be such contradictory judgments. The judges and their judgments must be perfect and free from contradictions.

Actually, the position of Yamarāja was very awkward in the case of Ajāmila because according to everything they had been taught by Yamarāja, the Yamadūtas were right in attempting to arrest Ajāmila, but the Viṣṇudūtas had baffled them. Although Yamarāja, under these circumstances, was accused by both the Viṣṇudūtas and the Yamadūtas, he is perfect in administering justice because he is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore he will explain what his real position is and how everyone is controlled by the supreme controller, the Personality of Godhead.

In this world there must be measures for controlling the living entities. ''Śāstra'', or scripture, is meant for controlling civilized men. From this word comes the word ''śiṣya'', meaning disciple, or one who voluntarily accepts the control or guidance of the spiritual master. Those who are not gentle must be controlled by ''astra'', or weapons. The police force needs guns and clubs to control the thieves and rogues of society.

The Yamadūtas inquired from their master whether there are different departments of justice for different types of men. In the material world a person is contaminated by some combination of the three qualities of nature - goodness, passion, and ignorance - and he conducts his activities accordingly. Symptoms of one chiefly under the influence of the mode of ignorance are laziness, excessive sleeping, and uncleanliness. The main symptom of one chiefly under the influence of the mode of passion is a strong desire to exploit material nature and other living entities for one's own sense enjoyment. And the chief symptom of one under the influence of the mode of goodness is knowing things as they are. To such a person, everything is revealed in its proper way.

The Yamadūtas suggested, "There may be many controllers of people in the different modes of nature, but who is the chief controller, and how are his actions carried out? As far as we know, you are the controller of everyone." In governmental management there may be departmental officials to give justice to different persons, but the law must be one, and that central law must control everyone. The Yamadūtas could not imagine that two judges would give two different verdicts in the same case, and therefore they wanted to know who the supreme judge is. The Yamadūtas were certain that Ajāmila was a most sinful man, but although Yamarāja wanted to punish him, the Viṣṇudūtas excused him. This was a puzzling situation that the Yamadūtas wanted Yamarāja to clarify. The Yamadūtas had thought that Yamarāja was the only person in charge of administering justice. They were fully confident that no one could counteract his judgments, but now, to their surprise, his order had been violated by the four wonderful persons from Siddhaloka. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura suggests that the Yamadūtas may have said to Yamarāja, "We think that your absolute power of controlling is finished, because four very wonderful personalities checked us from executing our duty, which you gave us."

Viśvanātha Cakravartī also remarks that the Yamadūtas may have wanted to bring the Viṣṇudūtas before Yamarāja. If Yamarāja could then have punished the Viṣṇudūtas, the Yamadūtas would have been satisfied. Otherwise, they desired to commit suicide. Before pursuing either course, however, they wanted to know about the Viṣṇudūtas from Yamarāja, who is also omniscient.

=====Submissive Inquiry=====
The Yamadūtas said, "We wish to learn from you what are the actual facts regarding this incident. If you think that we shall be able to understand, please enlighten us." This is the way of inquiring submissively from superiors. Not challenging. We shall always find that Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Arjuna, and anyone else executing this process of spiritual enlightenment inquires with humble submission and a mood of service. Merely because we put a question to our superior does not mean that he is obliged to answer us. Sometimes he may refuse if we are not able to comprehend the answer. We cannot demand. Inquiry, submission, and service are the way to knowledge. Whenever Mahārāja Parīkṣit questioned Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he said very submissively, "If you think that I shall be able to understand, please answer this question."

Before Yamarāja replied to the Yamadūtas, he first remembered the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Just as the subordinate puts the question to his superior with a submissive attitude, similarly, the superior is not proud, boasting, "Yes, I can answer your question!" He remembers the lotus feet of the Lord and prays, "Whatever You help me to speak, I'll answer." As long as the teacher is not proud and the disciple is not disobedient, puffed up, or impudent, they can exchange spiritual questions and answers. One should not inquire in a challenging mood, and the one who answers should remember the lotus feet of the Lord so that the right answer will be given.

Yamarāja was very pleased with his servants because they had chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa in his dominion. Yamarāja has to deal with men who are all sinful and who can hardly understand Nārāyaṇa. Consequently, when his order-carriers uttered the name of Nārāyaṇa, he was extremely pleased, for he is also a Vaiṣṇava.

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<div style="float:right">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=SC 18 Pilgrim with a Purpose]] '''[[SC 18 Pilgrim with a Purpose|18. Pilgrim with a Purpose]] - [[SC 20 Under One Master|20. Under One Master]]''' [[File:Go-next.png|link=SC 20 Under One Master]]</div>
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SC 18 Pilgrim with a Purpose

2022-02-13T14:26:09Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S18]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience]] '''[[A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|A Second Chance]]'''</div>
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Ajāmila continued: "I am a shameless cheater who has killed his brahminical culture. Indeed, I am sin personified. What am I in comparison to the all-auspicious chanting of the holy name of Lord Nārāyaṇa?

"I am such a sinful person, but since I have now gotten this opportunity, I must completely control my mind, life, and senses and always engage in devotional service so that I may not fall again into the deep darkness and ignorance of material life.

"Because of identifying oneself with the body, one is subjected to desires for sense gratification, and thus one performs many kinds of pious and impious acts. This is what constitutes material bondage. Now I shall disentangle myself from my material bondage, which has been caused by the Supreme Lord's illusory energy in the form of a woman. Being a most fallen soul, I was victimized by the illusory energy and have become like a dancing dog led around by a woman's hand. Now I shall give up all lusty desires and free myself from this illusion. I shall become a merciful, well-wishing friend to all living entities and always absorb myself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

"Simply because I chanted the holy name of the Lord in the association of devotees, my heart is now becoming purified. Therefore I shall not fall victim again to the false lures of material sense gratification. Now that I have become fixed in the Absolute Truth, I shall no longer identify myself with the body. I shall give up the false conceptions of 'I' and 'mine' and fix my mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa."

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Because of a moment's association with devotees - the Viṣṇudūtas - Ajāmila detached himself from the material conception of life with determination. Thus free from all material attraction, he immediately started for Hardwar. There he took shelter at a Viṣṇu temple, where he executed the process of bhakti-yoga. He controlled his senses and fully applied his mind in the service of the Lord. Thus Ajāmila fully engaged in devotional service, and in this way he detached his mind from the process of sense gratification and became fully absorbed in thinking of the form of the Lord.

When his intelligence and mind were fixed upon the form of the Lord, Ajāmila once again saw before him four celestial persons. He could understand that they were those he had seen previously, and thus he offered them his obeisances by bowing down before them.

Upon seeing the Viṣṇudūtas, Ajāmila gave up his material body at Hardwar on the bank of the Ganges. He regained his original, spiritual body - one appropriate for an associate of the Lord. Accompanied by the order-carriers of Lord Viṣṇu, he then boarded an airplane made of gold. Passing through the airways, he went directly to the abode of Lord Viṣṇu, the husband of the goddess of fortune.

Because of bad association, Ajāmila had given up all brahminical culture and religious principles. Becoming most fallen, he had stolen, drunk liquor, and performed other abominable acts. He had even kept a prostitute. Thus he had been destined to be carried away to hell by the order-carriers of Yamarāja. But he was immediately rescued simply by a glimpse of the chanting of the holy name Nārāyaṇa.

Therefore one who desires freedom from material bondage should adopt the process of chanting and glorifying the name, fame, form, and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, at whose feet all the holy places stand. One cannot derive this benefit from other methods, such as pious atonement, speculative knowledge, or meditation in mystic yoga, because even after following such methods a person will take to fruitive activities again, unable to control his mind, which is contaminated by the base qualities of nature, namely passion and ignorance.

Because this very confidential historical narration has the potency to vanquish all sinful reactions, a person who hears or describes it with faith and devotion is no longer doomed to hellish life, regardless of his having a material body and regardless of how sinful he may have been. Indeed, the Yamadūtas do not approach him even to see him. After giving up his body, he returns home, back to Godhead, where he is very respectfully received and worshiped.

While suffering at the time of death, Ajāmila chanted the holy name of the Lord, and although the chanting was directed toward his son, he nevertheless returned home, back to Godhead. Therefore if a person faithfully and inoffensively chants the holy name of the Lord, what doubt is there that he will return to Godhead? ([[SB 6.2.34|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.2.34-49]])

=====Determination=====
The holy name of God is all-auspicious. Therefore for one who constantly practices chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, there cannot be any inauspiciousness. Just by chanting, one is put into an auspicious condition of life perpetually.

Those engaged in broadcasting the holy name through the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should always consider what their position was before they came and what it is now. They had fallen into abominable lives as meat-eaters, drunkards, and woman-hunters, performing all kinds of sinful activities, but now they have been given the opportunity to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra''. Therefore they should always appreciate this opportunity. By the grace of the Lord we are opening many branches, and the members of this movement should use this good fortune to chant the holy name of the Lord and serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. They must be conscious of the difference between their present conditions and their past conditions and should always be very careful not to fall from the most exalted life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Every devotee of Kṛṣṇa should have this determination. Devotees have been elevated to an exalted position by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, and if they remember that this is a great opportunity and pray to Kṛṣṇa that they will not fall again, their lives will be successful.

Being fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, Ajāmila settled the debts he had accrued due to his sinful activities, and he was filled with determination to continue chanting the holy name of the Lord, Nārāyaṇa: "If I continue chanting the holy name of the Lord," he thought, "I will always be engaged in the highest welfare activities for the benefit of all living entities, and I shall be very peaceful." Because he was now purified of all sinful reactions, Ajāmila realized that Kṛṣṇa was dictating from within his heart that his duty was to become every living entity's well-wisher.

=====Everyone's Friend=====
The devotees of the Lord are very kind. They preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the welfare of the general public, and thus they are friends to all living entities. Others cannot be the well-wishers of all. The politicians, for example, engage in so-called service of their countrymen, but they are not the true friends of everyone in the land, because although they may serve the interests of their fellow men, they do not look after the interests of the animals. In this way they discriminate. A devotee is a friend to every living entity, whether man, animal, insect, or plant. A devotee is not willing to kill even an ant, but a nondevotee will mercilessly send animals to the slaughterhouse and in the same breath declare himself the friend of everyone.

Kṛṣṇa, God, is the best friend of every living entity. He is equal to everyone. He is not only the friend of the residents of Vṛndāvana - the ''gopīs'', His parents, the cowherd men and boys, the cows - but He is everyone's friend, because everyone is part and parcel of Him. So Kṛṣṇa loves everyone unlimitedly. And Kṛṣṇa's devotees inherit the superexcellent loving qualities of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are truly the friends of everyone.

The ''karmīs'', fruitive workers, perform sinful acts for their personal interest, killing innocent animals and becoming puffed up with their material opulence. ''Jñānīs'', those in search of liberation through knowledge of Brahman, are also interested only in themselves. But ''bhaktas'', or devotees, are interested in the well-being of everyone. A devotee is especially merciful to the fallen, conditioned souls. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the personification of ''bhakti'', loving devotion to God, teaching all of us how to become devotees. He is therefore called ''patita-pāvana'', or the one who delivers the fallen, conditioned souls. Anyone following in His footsteps is also ''patita-pāvana''. Ajāmila was now in this same mood, and thus he thought, "Now I shall be able to become the friend of all living entities and become peaceful."

This should be the standard of determination for all Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa should free himself from the clutches of ''māyā'', and he should also be compassionate to all others suffering in those clutches. The activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are meant not only for oneself but for others also. This is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who is interested only in his own salvation is not as advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness as one who feels compassion for others and who therefore propagates Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Such an advanced devotee will never fall down, for Kṛṣṇa will give him special protection. That is the sum and substance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Everyone is like a plaything in the hands of the illusory energy and is acting as she dictates. One should come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness to release oneself and others from this bondage.

=====Association with Devotees=====
These verses lucidly explain how a living entity is victimized by his material conditioning. The beginning of illusion is to misidentify oneself as the body. Therefore the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] begins with the spiritual instruction that one is not the body but the spirit soul within the body. One can always remain conscious of this fact only if one remains pure by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mahā-mantra'', and staying in the association of devotees. This is the secret of success. Therefore we stress that one should chant the holy name of the Lord and keep oneself free from the contaminations of this material world, especially the contaminations of lusty desires for illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. With determination one should vow to follow these principles and thus be saved from the miserable condition of material existence.

The first necessity is to become freed from the bodily conception of life. Ajāmila was immediately freed from the illusory bodily conception of life by hearing the conversation between the Viṣṇudūtas and the Yamadūtas. The proof is that right after this incident he left his wife and children and went straight to Hardwar for further advancement in spiritual life. It is mentioned here that he took shelter in a temple of Viṣṇu and executed the process of devotional service. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has established temples all over the world for this very purpose. There is no need to travel to Hardwar. Anyone can take shelter of the temple nearest him, engage in the devotional service of the Lord, and thus achieve the highest success in life by becoming absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

If one worships the Deity of Kṛṣṇa in the temple, one's mind will naturally be absorbed in thought of the Lord and His form. There is no distinction between the form of the Lord and the Lord Himself. Therefore ''bhakti-yoga'' is the easiest system of ''yoga''. ''Yogīs'' try to concentrate their minds upon the form of the Supersoul, Viṣṇu, within the heart, but this same objective is easily achieved when one's mind is absorbed in thinking of the Deity in the temple. In every temple there is a transcendental form of the Lord, and one may easily think of this form. By seeing the Lord during the formal worship ceremony, or ''ārati'', by sacrificing one's money, time, and energy for the worship of the Deity, and by constantly thinking of the form of the Deity, one becomes a first-class ''yogī''. This is the best process of yoga, as confirmed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 6.47|6.47]]):

:''yoginām api sarveṣāṁ''
:''mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā''
:''śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ''
:''sa me yuktatamo mataḥ''
"Of all ''yogīs'', the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving serve to Me - he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all." So the first-class ''yogī'' is he who controls his senses and detaches himself from material activities by always thinking of the form of the Lord.

=====Back to Godhead=====
[[File:A Second Chance-Deliverance of Ajamila.jpg|thumb|400px|right|alt=A Second Chance - Deliverance of Ajamila|link=|<div class="center">'''Deliverance of Ajamila'''</div>]]
The Viṣṇudūtas who had rescued Ajāmila came before him again when his mind was firmly fixed upon the form of the Lord. They had gone away for some time to give Ajāmila a chance to become firmly fixed in meditation upon the Lord. Now that his devotion had matured, they returned to take him back to Godhead. Understanding that the same Viṣṇudūtas had returned, Ajāmila offered them his obeisances by bowing down before them.

Ajāmila was now ready to return home, back to Godhead, and thus he gave up his material body and regained his original, spiritual body. As the Lord says in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 4.9|4.9]]):

:''janma karma ca me divyam''
:''evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ''
:''tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma''
:''naiti mām eti so 'rjuna''
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." The result of perfection in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that after giving up one's material body, one is immediately transferred to the spiritual world in one's original, spiritual body to become an associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Some devotees go to Vaikuṇṭha to become associates of Lord Viṣṇu, and others go to Goloka Vṛndāvana to become associates of Kṛṣṇa.

Spiritual airplanes from the spiritual planets, like the one that came for Ajāmila, can take one back home, back to Godhead, in a second. The speed of such a spiritual airplane can only be imagined. Spirit is finer than the mind, and everyone has experience of how swiftly the mind travels from one place to another. Therefore one can imagine the swiftness of the spiritual form by comparing it to the speed of the mind. In less than even a moment, a perfect devotee can return home, back to Godhead, immediately after giving up his material body.

Such perfection is not available to anyone but devotees of the Lord. It has been seen that even after achieving so-called perfection, many ''karmīs'', ''jñānīs'', and ''yogīs'' become attached to material activities again. Many so-called ''svāmīs'' and ''yogīs'' give up material activities as false (''jagan mithyā''), but after some time they nevertheless resume material activities by opening hospitals and schools or performing other activities for the benefit of the public. Sometimes they participate in politics, although still falsely declaring themselves ''sannyāsīs'', members of the renounced order. All these activities are illusory aspects of the material world.

If one actually desires to get out of the material world, he must take to devotional service, which begins with ''śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ'': ([[SB 7.5.23|SB 7.5.23]]) chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has actually proved this. In the Western countries, many young boys and girls who had been addicted to drugs and who had other bad habits, which they could not give up, abandoned all those propensities and very seriously engaged in chanting the glories of the Lord as soon as they joined the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. In other words, this process is the perfect method of atonement for actions performed in the modes of passion and ignorance. The [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.2.19|1.2.19]]) confirms this:

:''tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ''
:''kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye''
:''ceta etair anāviddhaṁ''
:''sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati''
As a result of acting under the modes of passion and ignorance, one becomes increasingly lusty and greedy, but when one takes to the process of chanting and hearing about Kṛṣṇa, one comes to the platform of goodness and becomes happy. As he advances in devotional service, all his doubts are completely eradicated (''bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ''). Thus the knot of his desire for fruitive activities is cut to pieces.

At the time of death one is certainly bewildered because his bodily functions are disordered. At that time, even one who throughout his life has practiced chanting the holy name of the Lord may not be able to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra'' very distinctly. Nevertheless, such a person receives all the benefits of chanting the holy name. While the body is fit, therefore, why should we not chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly? If a person does so, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be able to properly chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. In conclusion, one who chants the holy name of the Lord constantly is guaranteed to return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt.

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SC 10 The Next Life: It's Up to Us

2022-02-11T12:21:52Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S10]]
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The Yamadūtas continued: "O best of the demigods, we can see three different varieties of life, which are due to the contamination of the three modes of nature. The living entities are thus known as peaceful, restless, and foolish; as happy, unhappy, or in-between; or as religious, irreligious, and semireligious. We can deduce that in the next life these three kinds of material nature will similarly act. Just as springtime in the present indicates the nature of springtimes in the past and future, so this life of happiness, distress, or a mixture of both gives evidence concerning the religious and irreligious activities of one's past and future lives.

"The omnipotent Yamarāja is as good as Lord Brahmā, for while situated in his own abode and in everyone's heart like the Paramātmā, he mentally obstording to the body manifested in his dreams and accepts it to be himself, so one identifies with his present body, which he acquired because of his past religious or irreligious actions, and is unable to know his past or future lives." ([[SB 6.1.46|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.46-49]])

=====Breaking Free of Past, Present, and Future Karma=====
Here the Yamadūtas point out that the actions and reactions of the three modes of material nature are visible in this life. For example, some people are very happy, some are very distressed, and some are in mixed happiness and distress. This is the result of past association with the modes of material nature - goodness, passion, and ignorance. Since these varieties are visible in this life, we may assume that the living entities, according to their association with the different modes of material nature, will be happy, distressed, or between the two in their next lives also. Therefore the best policy is to disassociate oneself from the three modes of material nature and be always transcendental to their contamination. This is possible only when one fully engages in the devotional service of the Lord, as Kṛṣṇa confirms in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 14.26|14.26]]):

:''māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa''
:''bhakti-yogena sevate''
:''sa guṇān samatītyaitān''
:''brahma-bhūyāya kalpate''
"One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman." Unless one is fully absorbed in the service of the Lord, one will be subjected to the contamination of the three modes of material nature and must therefore experience distress or mixed happiness and distress, depending on the severity of one's sinful activities.

=====Changing Bodies=====
The Supreme Lord has appointed Yamarāja to decide the proper punishment for those who perform sinful activities. Thus at death each being is awarded a particular body in a particular place, according to his work. As Lord Kapila explains in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 3.31.1|3.31.1]]),

:''karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa''
:''jantur dehopapattaye''
:''striyāḥ praviṣta udaraṁ''
:''puṁso retaḥ-kaṇāśrayaḥ''
"Under the supervision of the Supreme Lord and according to the result of his work, the living entity, the soul, is made to enter the womb of a woman through the particle of male semen to assume a particular type of body."

We are changing our bodies every day, at every moment. It is called "growth," but actually it is a change of body. Growing means leaving the old body and accepting a new body. After some years we can see that a child has grown to boyhood, then to youth. That means he has changed his body. Similarly, when we find that the body is no longer inhabitable, we have to give it up and accept another body, just as we have to give up our clothes when they become old and worn.

This change is executed under the supervision of higher authorities (''daiva-netreṇa''). According to one's religious and irreligious acts, one has to accept a particular type of body in a particular position and suffer. Our sufferings are classified as ''ādhibhautika'', ''ādhyātmika'', and ''ādhidaivika''. ''Ādhyātmika'' miseries are those caused by our own bodies and minds, ''ādhibhautika'' miseries are those inflicted by other living entities, and ''ādhidaivika'' miseries are those which are inflicted by higher authorities (''devas'') and which are completely beyond our control - such as earthquake, drought, flood, and famine. We cannot adjust these situations. In the same way, after death superior authorities will offer us a certain type of body, and we cannot say, "Oh no, sir, I do not want this body." We have to accept it.

=====Minute Independence=====
Due to repeated birth and death in so many material bodies, we have all forgotten that we are part and parcel of God, that we have an intimate relationship with Him, and that somehow or other we have fallen into this material world. It is very difficult to exactly pinpoint the origin of this forgetfulness. But even though we have forgotten Him since time immemorial, Kṛṣṇa is so merciful that to remind us of our spiritual identity and our oneness with Him as His parts, He comes personally and teaches us what we have forgotten. And when He departs He leaves behind the scripture, especially the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], where He requests, ''sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja'': "Please give up all your nonsense and surrender unto Me. I shall give you all protection." ([[BG 18.66|Bhagavad-gītā 18.66]])

Kṛṣṇa is the father of all living entities. He is not happy that all these souls in the material world are rotting like hogs. Therefore He sends His representatives. In the case of Lord Jesus Christ, Kṛṣṇa sent His son. Lord Jesus claimed to be the son of God. Everyone is a son of God, but this son was an especially favorite son, and he was sent to a particular place to reclaim the conditioned souls back home, back to Godhead.

But if the conditioned souls insist on staying here, what can Kṛṣṇa or His servant do? They allow us to go on with our materialistic activities, because the first condition for getting out of the material prison house is that we must desire to get out. When we finally become disgusted with our predicament, we pray, "My dear Lord, I have served lust, anger, and greed for so long, but they are still unsatisfied, and now I have become disgusted with serving them. Now, my dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, my intelligence is awakened, and I have come to You. Please engage me in Your service."

The living entity is the marginal energy (''tataṣṭha-śakti'') of the Lord, which means he can choose to be controlled by Kṛṣṇa's inferior, material energy or His superior, spiritual energy. We devotees have chosen to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In other words, we have agreed to surrender to Kṛṣṇa and submit to the protection of His internal, spiritual energy. Surrender to Kṛṣṇa begins with chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mantra'': Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. The word ''Hare'' indicates the devotional energy of Kṛṣṇa, ''Kṛṣṇa'' means "the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead," and ''Rāma'' means "the Supreme Enjoyer."

But there are many who will not come, because they do not agree to come under the control of Kṛṣṇa's spiritual energy. But Kṛṣṇa does not interfere. He says, "You may remain in the material world or come to Me - whatever you like." We have been given minute independence and the intelligence to discriminate between what to do and what not to do.

=====Wake Up!=====
The ear is the most important organ for learning what is to be done and what is not to be done for our ultimate benefit. We must hear from the superior authority. At night we sleep peacefully, unaware that someone might be coming to chop off our head. However, our sense of hearing is acute, even in the sleeping state. If someone cries out, "Wake up! Wake up! Someone is coming to kill you!" we can be saved. Similarly, we are sleeping under the influence of material nature. We seem to be awake and acting, but ''prakṛti'' (material nature) is doing the acting - not us. We are being forced to act according to our association with the different modes of material nature. Although we are in the sleeping condition, our ear does not sleep, and it helps us to rise out of ignorance. If we hear from the right person - the spiritual master - and from the Vedic scriptures, we can awaken to our original, constitutional position as eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa. The first prescription is ''śravaṇaṁ'', hearing about Kṛṣṇa. If we simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, we will automatically wake up. The injunction of the ''Vedas'' is ''uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata'': "Wake up! Get up! Understand the great benediction you have in this human form of life. Now utilize it and get free from the clutches of the material modes of nature." In the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 7.14|7.14]]) Kṛṣṇa explains how to do this:

:''daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī''
:''mama māyā duratyayā''
:''mām eva ye prapadyante''
:''māyām etāṁ taranti te''
"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered to Me can easily cross beyond it." Surrender to Kṛṣṇa and be Kṛṣṇa conscious. In the human form of life, that is our only business.

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SC 9 Punishment

2022-02-11T12:00:35Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S09]]
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The Yamadūtas continued, "The supreme cause of all causes, Nārāyaṇa, is situated in His abode in the spiritual world, but still He controls the entire cosmic manifestation according to the modes of material nature - goodness, passion, and ignorance. In this way all living entities are awarded different qualities, different names (such as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśya), different duties according to the varṇāśrama institution, and different forms. Thus Nārāyaṇa is the cause of the entire cosmic manifestation.

"The sun, fire, sky, air, demigods, moon, evening, day, night, directions, water, land, and the Supersoul Himself all witness the activities of the living entity. The candidates for punishment are those who are confirmed by these many witnesses to have deviated from their prescribed duties. Everyone engaged in fruitive activities is suitable to be subjected to punishment according to his sinful acts.

"O inhabitants of Vaikuṇṭha, you are sinless, but those within this material world are all fruitive workers, whether acting piously or impiously. Both kinds of action are possible for them because they are contaminated by the three modes of nature and must act accordingly. One who has accepted a material body cannot be inactive, and sinful action is inevitable for one acting under the modes of material nature. Therefore all the living entities within this material world are punishable. Thus in proportion to the extent of one's religious or irreligious actions in this life, one must enjoy or suffer the corresponding reactions of his karma in the next." ([[SB 6.1.41|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.41-45]])

=====The Cause Behind All Activities=====
The ''Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad'' (6.8) informs us,

:''na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate''
:''na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate''
:''parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate''
:''svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca''
:([[CC Madhya 13.65|CC ''Madhya'' 13.65, purport]])
Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is almighty, omnipotent. He has multifarious energies, and therefore He is able to remain in His own abode and without endeavor supervise and manipulate the entire cosmic manifestation through the interaction of the three modes of material nature - goodness, passion, and ignorance. These interactions create different forms, bodies, activities, and changes, which all occur perfectly. Because the Lord is perfect, everything works as if He were directly supervising and taking part in it.

Atheistic men, however, being covered by the three modes of material nature, cannot see that Nārāyaṇa is the supreme cause behind all activities. Lord Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 7.13|7.13]]),

:''tribhir guṇa-mayair bhāvair''
:''ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat''
:''mohitaṁ nābhijānāti''
:''mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam''
"Deluded by the three modes, the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible."

=====Compelled to Work=====
There are three energies of the Supreme Lord: the internal energy (''parā-śakti''), the marginal energy, and the external energy. The living entities belong to the marginal energy because they can come under the influence of either the internal or external energy of the Lord. By nature they also belong to the ''parā-śakti'', but when they come under the control of the material energy they are known as ''kṣetra-jña-śakti'', "knowers of the material field." In other words, the direct, internal energy of God is spiritual (''parā''), and the living entities have this same nature (''parā''), but in contact with the material energy (''kṣetra''), the living entity accepts a material body as his self and is thus forced to act, manipulating the five senses.

The Yamadūtas say that everyone with a material body must work. An ant and an elephant both have to work. The ant requires only a grain of sugar for his sustenance, whereas the elephant requires three hundred kilograms of food daily, but both must work for it. Foolish people say that the Vaiṣṇavas do not work, but the Vaiṣṇavas work for Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day. They are not idle do-nothings. While we are in this material world, we have to work, but we work for Kṛṣṇa. That is not really work, or ''karma'': it is ''dharma'', practical religion. Unless one works for Kṛṣṇa, all his labor is ''adharma'', irreligious sense gratification.

=====On the Basis of a Man's Nature=====
The real aim of life is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, and ''varṇāśrama-dharma'' is the institution of that ideal in human society. The ''varṇāśrama'' system divides society into four spiritual orders (''āśramas'') and four social classes (''varṇas''). The spiritual orders are the ''brahmacārīs'' (celibate students), the ''gṛhasthas'' (householders living under spiritual regulation), the ''vānaprasthas'' (retirees), and the ''sannyāsīs'' (renunciants). The four social orders are the ''brāhmaṇas'' (intellectuals), the ''kṣatriyas'' (warriors and administrators), the ''vaiśyas'' (farmers and businessmen), and the ''śūdras'' (manual laborers). Without the principles of ''varṇāśrama-dharma'', human society is almost animal society. Indeed, human civilization begins when human beings accept the four social and spiritual divisions of society, according to quality and work. As Kṛṣṇa says in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 4.13|4.13]]), ''cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ'': "I have created the four social divisions according to quality and work."

In this material world we associate with a particular combination of the modes of nature, and accordingly we mold our character and behavior, and by this criterion we fit into a particular social category. Today people say that there should be no more caste system, but how can they ignore the natural designation of classes in human society? There must be a class of intelligent men, the ''brāhmaṇas'', who are qualified to disseminate Vedic knowledge to the people in general. There must be a class of ''kṣatriyas'' to offer administrative rule and protection. There must be a class of merchants and farmers, the ''vaiśyas'', who trade and perform agricultural duties such as cow protection. And there must be a class of ''śūdras'', who render service to the other classes. All men fit into these four classes, each according to his ''guṇa'', or nature.

=====Prescribed Duty vs. Unlawful Action=====
Whatever our ''varṇa'' or ''āśrama'', however, the perfection of our work is to satisfy Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa. The Lord states this in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 3.9|3.9]]):

:''yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra''
:''loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ''
:''tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya''
:''mukta-saṅgaḥ samācara''
"Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O Arjuna, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage." This is the sum and substance of human life. Since we have to work, we should work for Kṛṣṇa. Then we are saved from all sinful reactions.

But if we work for our personal sense gratification, we will become entangled in the reactions, lifetime after lifetime. It is not possible for a person to get out of the clutches of repeated birth and death as long as he continues to pursue sense gratification.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ''jīvera 'svarūpa' haya-kṛṣṇera 'nitya-dāsa' '' ([[CC Madhya 20.108|''Caitanya-caritāmṛta'', ''Madhya-līlā'' 20.108]]): "The constitutional position of the living entity is that he is eternally a servant of Kṛṣṇa." If one takes that position, he is saved; otherwise not.

And how does one who accepts his position as a servant of Kṛṣṇa work? Prahlāda Mahārāja explains in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 7.5.23|7.5.23]]):

:''śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ''
:''smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam''
:''arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ''
:''sakhyam ātma-nivedanam''
"Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia, and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering these, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything to Him - these are the nine processes of pure devotional service."

In order to take up these processes seriously, one must accept the regulative principles for spiritual life: no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, and no gambling. Then one will be able to accept the injunction to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa ''mahā-mantra'' and always be engaged in the service of the Lord in one of the above nine ways. If we accept this authority, our life will be successful, both spiritually and materially. Otherwise, we will have to be satisfied with indulging in sense gratification, performing sinful activities, suffering like dogs and hogs, and enduring repeated birth, old age, disease, and death.

=====Forgetfulness=====
We accept the body as our self, thinking, "I am this body." However, we are not the body but rather the owner of the body, just as we are not our apartment but rather the owner or resident of the apartment. The soul is called ''dehī'', "one who possesses a body." When we study our body, we say, "This is my hand, this is my leg." We do not say, "I am this hand, I am this leg." Yet the illusion that we are the body persists. The body is nothing but a vehicle for the soul. Sometimes a new motorcar is wrecked in an accident, and the driver is overwhelmed with the sense of loss, forgetting that he is not the motorcar. That is the effect of ''ahaṅkāra'', false ego, or false conception of proprietorship.

Because we are covered by ignorance, we have forgotten what our previous body was. Even in this life we do not remember that we were once babies on the laps of our mothers. So many things have happened in our lifetime, but we do not remember them all. If we cannot even remember things that have happened in this life, how can we remember our last life?

A person engages in sinful activities because he does not know what he did in his past life to get his present materially conditioned body, which is subjected to the threefold miseries - those produced by his own body and mind, those caused by other living entities, and those arising from natural disasters. As stated by Lord Ṛṣabhadeva in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 5.5.4|5.5.4]]), ''nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti'': a human being who is mad after sense gratification does not hesitate to act sinfully. ''Na sādhu manye'': this is not good. ''Yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ'': because of such sinful actions, one receives another body in which to suffer as he is suffering in his present body because of his past sinful activities.

A person who does not have Vedic knowledge always acts in ignorance of what he has done in the past, what he is doing at the present, and how he will suffer in the future. He is completely in darkness. Therefore the Vedic injunction is ''tamasi mā'': "Don't remain in darkness." ''Jyotir gama'': "Try to go to the light." This light is Vedic knowledge, which one can understand when one is elevated to the mode of goodness or when one transcends the mode of goodness by engaging in devotional service to the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord.

=====Knowledge through Service=====
How service to the Lord and the spiritual master results in Vedic knowledge is described in the ''Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad'' (6.23):

:''yasya deve parā bhaktir''
:''yathā deve tathā gurau''
:''tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ''
:''prakāśante mahātmanaḥ''
"Unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master, all the imports of Vedic knowledge are automatically revealed." The ''Vedas'' enjoin, ''tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet'': (MU 1.2.12) one must approach a spiritual master who has full knowledge of the ''Vedas'' and be directed by him in order to become a devotee of the Lord. Then the knowledge of the ''Vedas'' will be revealed. When the Vedic knowledge is revealed, one need no longer remain in the darkness of material nature.

According to his association with the material modes of nature - goodness, passion, and ignorance - a living entity gets a particular type of body. The example of one who associates with the mode of goodness is a qualified ''brāhmaṇa''. Such a ''brāhmaṇa'' knows past, present, and future because he consults the Vedic literature and sees through the eyes of scripture (''śāstra-cakṣuḥ''). He can understand what his past life was, why he is in the present body, and how he can obtain liberation from the clutches of ''māyā'' and not accept another material body. This is all possible when one is situated in the mode of goodness. Generally, however, the living entities in this material world are engrossed in the modes of passion and ignorance.

One who is in the mode of ignorance cannot know what his past life was or what his next life will be; he is simply interested in his present body. Even though he has a human body, a person in the mode of ignorance and interested only in his present body is like an animal, for an animal, being covered by ignorance, thinks that the ultimate goal of life is immediate happiness - to eat and have sex. A human being must be educated to rise above this platform, to understand his past life and how he can endeavor for a better life in the future. There is even a book, called the ''Bhṛgu-saṁhitā'', which reveals information about one's past, present, and future lives according to astrological calculations. Somehow or other one must be enlightened about his past, present, and future. One who is interested only in his present body and who tries to enjoy his senses to the fullest extent is understood to be engrossed in the mode of ignorance. His future is very, very dark. Indeed, the future is always dark for one who is covered by gross ignorance. Especially in this age, human society is covered by the mode of ignorance, and therefore everyone thinks his present body to be everything, without consideration of the past or future.

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SC 8 Religion

2022-02-11T11:22:12Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S08]]
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The Yamadūtas replied, "That which is prescribed in the Vedas constitutes dharma, and the opposite of that is irreligion. The Vedas are directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, and are self-born. This we have heard from Yamarāja."([[SB 6.1.40|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.40]])

=====Hearing from Authority=====
Vedic principles are accepted as authoritative because they originate with Kṛṣṇa. Thus the ''Vedas'' carry the authority of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the same way that lawbooks carry the authority of the government.

When it comes to determining what is religion and what is irreligion, there is no such thing as "This is my opinion" or "I think it means this." Opinion is nonsense. We have to understand God by the process of ''śuśruma'', hearing from the authorized representative of God. In the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 4.1|4.1]]) Kṛṣṇa says,

:''imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ''
:''proktavān aham avyayam''
:''vivasvān manave prāha''
:''manur ikṣvākave bravīt''
"I instructed this imperishable science of ''yoga'' to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku." This is the way to understand the ''Vedas'': by hearing from the proper authority, the spiritual master.

So the Yamadūtas were claiming that the Viṣṇudūtas should not hinder them in the performance of their duty since they were acting under the order of a bona fide authority, Yamarāja. Yamarāja is one of the twelve ''mahājanas'', great personalities who are authorities in both spiritual and material affairs. He is a Vaiṣṇava, but his thankless task is to punish all the souls who perform sinful activities. Just as the superintendent of police is a responsible, faithful servant of the government, so Yamarāja is a faithful servant of Lord Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa. His task is to chastise sinful persons. If a high-court judge is required in ordinary government, why not in God's government?

There are twelve ''mahājanas'' mentioned in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']]: Lord Brahmā; Nārada Muni; Lord Śiva; the four Kumāras; Lord Kapila, the son of Devahūti; Svāyambhuva Manu; Prahlāda Mahārāja; Bhīṣmadeva; Janaka Mahārāja; Śukadeva Gosvāmī; Bali Mahārāja; and Yamarāja. These authorities know exactly who God is, and they can direct us to Him. Therefore the ''śāstras'' advise us to follow them.

Without following the ''mahājanas'', it is impossible to know God, because we cannot understand the path of religion by our mental speculation. Religious principles are enunciated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead (''dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam'' ([[SB 6.3.19|SB 6.3.19]])). Therefore real religion means to abide by the words of the Supreme Lord and His representatives. In the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 18.66|18.66]]) Kṛṣṇa says, ''mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja'': "Simply surrender unto Me." That is true religion. Anything else is irreligion. Manmade religion is not religion; it is cheating. Nowadays it has become fashionable for everyone to manufacture his own religion without reference to the authorities. One should know that ''dharma'', or religion, means the laws given to man by God. The path of ''dharma'' is strictly followed by the ''mahājanas'', and so we have to follow them. Otherwise there is no possibility of understanding what religion is or who God is.

Everyone in the material world is puzzled about what religion is. Therefore, the ''Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad'' (1.2.12) says, one should approach a ''guru'': ''tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet'' (MU 1.2.12). "If someone wants to learn the transcendental science, he has to approach a ''guru''." There are no exceptions. One cannot say, "I shall learn the transcendental science without going to a spiritual master." No. That is not possible. The Vaiṣṇava principles enjoin, ''ādau gurv-āśrayam'': the first step in understanding spiritual knowledge is to take shelter of a bona fide ''guru''. And there are three principles to observe in taking shelter of a ''guru'': ''tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā'' ([[BG 4.34|BG 4.34]]). We must surrender to the spiritual master, we must inquire from him, and we must render service to him. Then we will be able to understand real spiritual knowledge.

When Sanātana Gosvāmī approached Lord Caitanya to become His disciple, Sanātana surrendered himself and said, "My dear Lord, when I was a minister, people used to address me as a learned man, and so I accepted that I was learned and intelligent. But actually I am neither learned nor intelligent, because I do not know what I am. This is the result of my learning: I know everything except what I am and how to get out of this miserable material condition of life."

We see that modern education fails here also. The professor talks about so many things, but if we ask him what he is, he has no answer. Universities award degrees to the graduates, who think, "I am a Ph.D., a very learned man," but if we ask that Ph.D. to explain what he is and what the purpose of life is, he will refer only to his bodily designations: "I am American, I am male, etc." He can only state his identification with the body, which he is not, and therefore he is fool number one.

At first Arjuna was also thinking in terms of bodily connections: "Kṛṣṇa, how can I fight? On the other side there are my cousins, my brothers, my uncles, my nephews, and my brothers-in-law. If I kill them, their wives will become widows and be polluted, and there will be unwanted children." Arjuna was a very learned man, but he was perplexed. He said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, now I am puzzled. I am a ''kṣatriya'', and it is my duty to fight, but I am deviating from this duty because I am bewildered and cannot reason clearly. I know You can explain to me what I should do; therefore I surrender unto You as Your disciple. Please instruct me." ([[BG 2.7|Bhagavad-gītā 2.7]])

The Vedic literature advises us first of all that the ''guru'' is not a plaything. One should not think, "I must have a guru because it is fashionable, but there is no need to obey his order." That kind of guru is useless, and that kind of disciple is useless also. Accepting a ''guru'' is very serious. You must seriously find out who is a bona fide spiritual master, one who can solve the problems of your life. Only when one is serious about getting out of the blazing fire of material existence should one approach a spiritual master.

The [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 11.3.21|11.3.21]]) says,

:''tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta''
:''jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam''
:''śabde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ''
:''brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam''
One who wants the ultimate benefit in his life must surrender to a ''guru''. The ''guru'' must be well versed in the Vedic literature and know its conclusions. And not only must he be well versed in the scripture, but in his life he must have adopted the path of Vedic principles, without deviating in any way. He must be finished with all hankerings for wealth, women, and prestige, and he must be fully situated in spiritual life, completely surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. One should try to find such a personality and accept him as one's spiritual master.

So the servants of Yamarāja replied quite properly. They did not manufacture principles of religion or irreligion. Instead, they explained what they had heard from their spiritual master, Yamarāja. ''Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ'': ([[CC Madhya 17.186|CC ''Madhya'' 17.186]]) one should follow the ''mahājana'', the authorized person. Yamarāja is one of twelve authorities. Therefore the servants of Yamarāja, the Yamadūtas, replied with perfect justification when they said ''śuśruma'': "We have heard from our master, Yamarāja."

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SC 7 Authorized Discrimination

2022-02-11T10:56:12Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S07]]
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Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Being thus addressed by the messengers of Yamarāja, the servants of Vāsudeva smiled and spoke the following words in voices as deep as the sound of rumbling clouds: "If you are actually servants of Yamarāja, you must explain to us the meaning of religious principles and the symptoms of irreligion. What is the process of punishing others? Who are the actual candidates for punishment? Are all persons engaged in fruitive activities punishable, or only some of them?" ([[SB 6.1.37|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.37-39]])

=====What the Representatives of Dharma Should Know=====
The Yamadūtas protested to the Viṣṇudūtas, "You are so exalted that it is not very good for you to interfere with our business." The Yamadūtas were surprised to see that the Viṣṇudūtas, although exalted souls, were hindering the rule of Yamarāja. Similarly, the Viṣṇudūtas were also surprised that the Yamadūtas, although claiming to be servants of Yamarāja, the supreme judge of religious principles, were unaware of the principles of religion. Thus the Viṣṇudūtas smiled, thinking, "What is this nonsense they are speaking? If they are actually servants of Yamarāja, they should know that Ajāmila is not a suitable candidate for them to carry off."

The Viṣṇudūtas began to speak in grave voices: "You claim to be the representatives of Dharmarāja (Yamarāja), the superintendent of death and the maintainer of religion, and you accuse us of interfering in your business, which he has entrusted to you. Therefore would you kindly explain what is ''dharma'', or religion, and what is ''adharma'', or irreligion? If you are actually representatives of Yamarāja, then you can answer this question."

This inquiry put by the Viṣṇudūtas to the Yamadūtas is most important. A servant must know the instructions of his master. The servants of Yamarāja claimed to be carrying out his orders, and therefore the Viṣṇudūtas very intelligently asked them to explain religious and irreligious principles. A Vaiṣṇava knows these principles perfectly well because he is well acquainted with the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord says, ''sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja'': ([[BG 18.66|BG 18.66]]) "Give up all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." Therefore surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the actual principle of religion. Those who have surrendered to the demands of material nature instead of to Kṛṣṇa are all impious, regardless of their material position. Unaware of the principles of religion, they do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and therefore they are considered sinful rascals, the lowest of men, and fools bereft of all knowledge. As Kṛṣṇa says in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 7.15|7.15]]):

:''na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ''
:''prapadyante narādhamāḥ''
:''māyayāpahṛta-jñānā''
:''āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ''
"Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are the lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me."

The question posed by the Viṣṇudūtas was very suitable. One who represents someone else must fully know that person's mission. The devotees in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must therefore be fully aware of the mission of Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya and the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness; otherwise they will be considered foolish.

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, ''yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya'': ([[CC Madhya 8.128|CC ''Madhya'' 8.128]]) "One must know Kṛṣṇa - then he can become a ''guru''." Not just anyone can become a ''guru''. Thus the Viṣṇudūtas challenged the Yamadūtas: "If you are truly representatives of Dharmarāja, then you must explain what is religion and what is irreligion." That should be the criterion for determining who is actually representative of religion. It is not that everyone should be accepted as religious or as a ''guru''. Widespread ignorance has given rise to many persons calling themselves God, representing so much nonsense in the name of ''dharma''. When someone says, "I am God," or "I have become God by mystic ''yoga''," one should challenge him. In America a man claimed, "I am God, everyone is God," and thus gathered disciples. One day he was suffering from a toothache, and I asked him, "What kind of God are you that you are suffering so much from a toothache?" Only a lunatic or a cheater claims, "I am God."

=====Officers of Law Enforcement=====
One who has the power to punish others should not punish everyone. There are innumerable living entities, most of whom are in the spiritual world and are ''nitya-mukta'', everlastingly liberated. There is no question of judging these liberated living beings. Only a small fraction of the living entities, perhaps one fourth, are in the material world. And the major portion of the living entities in the material world - 8,000,000 of the 8,400,000 forms of life - are lower than human beings. They are not punishable, for under the laws of material nature they are automatically evolving. Human beings, who are advanced in consciousness, are responsible for their actions, but not all humans are punishable. Those engaged in advanced pious activities are beyond punishment. Only those who engage in sinful activities are punishable. Therefore the Viṣṇudūtas particularly inquired about the criteria Yamarāja uses to determine who is punishable and who is not. How is one to be judged? What is the basic principle of authority? These are the questions raised by the Viṣṇudūtas.

The Yamadūtas felt that they were faultless because they were following the orders of Yamarāja, who himself is faultless. Just because a magistrate has to direct the punishment of those who transgress the law does not mean the magistrate is a criminal. He is a representative of the government. Similarly, although Yamarāja has jurisdiction over the regions of hell and deals with all sinful persons, he is a pure representative of Kṛṣṇa and simply executes the order of his master.

A police constable is supposed to know the law and whom to arrest for breaking the law. If he arrests anyone and everyone, then he himself is a criminal. He may not arrest the law-abiding citizens. Similarly, the Yamadūtas cannot take away just anyone and everyone to the court of Yamarāja. They can take only the nondevotees to be punished for their sinful acts. Yamarāja has especially cautioned the Yamadūtas not to approach Vaiṣṇavas.

However, because Ajāmila had been very sinful, the Yamadūtas could not understand why he should not be considered a criminal and be brought to Yamarāja for punishment.

=====Devotees and Demons=====
There are two classes of people in this material world: those who are servants of God, called ''devas'' or ''suras'', and those who are servants of ''māyā'' (illusion), called ''asuras''.

In the spiritual world, however, there is only one class, because the inhabitants are all servants of God. Therefore the spiritual world is called absolute. There is no disagreement in the spiritual world, as the center is Kṛṣṇa, or God, and everyone there is engaged in His service out of love, not as a paid servant. A paid servant will serve in proportion to the money he receives, but in Vaikuṇṭha there is no question of being a paid servant. Everyone is liberated, and everyone is as opulent as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but everyone is still a servant. In the material world people serve out of need, but in the spiritual world everyone serves out of love. There is no need for anything, because everything there is complete. The ''Brahma-saṁhitā'' says that in the spiritual world there are ''kalpa-vṛkṣa'', or desire trees, from which one can get anything he desires.

In the material world, service is forced upon everyone. If someone does not render service, he will starve. Even a king has to work, what to speak of the poor man. Under the direction of the Supreme Lord, the material energy makes everyone into a dancing dog. The master says, "Please dance," and the dog dances, because he knows that unless he performs, he will starve.

Whether in the material world or the spiritual world, everyone is a servant, but here people are under the impression that they are masters. The head of the family thinks, "I am the master of my wife and children." But in fact he is serving each and every member of his family. The state executive officer thinks, "I am the king" or "I am the president," but actually he is the servant of the citizens. Servitude is his position, and unless he serves the citizens according to their expectations, he will be deposed or fail to win reelection.

In the material world everyone is trying to become master of all he surveys, and thus there is competition on every level - between self-acclaimed "Gods," between heads of state, even between friends and family members. In this illusory competition to be master, everyone fails. Mahātmā Gandhi was respected as the father of India, but after all he was just a servant, and when one man didn't like his service, Gandhi was killed. Similarly, President Kennedy was a very popular president, but somebody saw some discrepancy in his service, and he was also killed. No one is really the master here. Everyone is either a servant of ''māyā'' (illusion) or a servant of God.

Everyone has to obey the government laws. Under the spell of illusion, however, the criminal thinks, "I do not accept the government laws." Yet when he is caught he is forced to obey the government laws in the prison house. He has no choice. Similarly, we are all servants of God, but the demoniac class of men (''asuras'') do not care about God and God's laws. These rascals think that there is no God, or that everyone is God, or that they themselves are God. But such "Gods" must also follow the laws of God in the form of birth, death, disease, and old age.

Only persons who are totally illusioned refuse to serve God. Instead of voluntarily rendering service to God, they are the slaves of ''māyā'', the illusory energy of God. A person who is haunted by ghosts speaks all kinds of nonsense. Similarly, when a living entity is haunted by ''māyā'', or engrossed by the illusory effects of the material nature, he also talks foolish nonsense, and the most foolish talk is to claim that he is God.

Among the two classes of men - the divine (''devas'') and the demoniac (''asuras'') - there is an ongoing struggle. The ''asuras'' are always rebelling against God, and the ''devas'' are always surrendering to God. In the story of Prahlāda Mahārāja, we see that even among family members there are ''devas'' and ''asuras''. Prahlāda Mahārāja's father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was an ''asura'', whereas Prahlāda Mahārāja was a ''deva''. Naturally a father is affectionate toward his child, but because Hiraṇyakaśipu was a demon, he became the enemy of his son. That is the nature of demons.

Of course, even a tiger has affection for her cubs, and so at first Hiraṇyakaśipu showed affection for Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was a very well mannered and attractive child at five years old. One day Hiraṇyakaśipu asked his son, "My dear boy, what is the best thing you have learned in school? Tell me."

Prahlāda Mahārāja replied, "One should sacrifice everything to realize God. This human form of life is the best opportunity we have for making spiritual progress, and it must be utilized for realizing God."

Hiraṇyakaśipu angrily inquired from his son's teachers, "Why have you taught all this nonsense to my boy?"

They fearfully answered, "Sir, we did not teach these things to this boy. He is naturally inclined toward God, so what can we do? As soon as he gets the opportunity, he begins to teach God consciousness to the other boys in the class." In the absence of his teachers, Prahlāda Mahārāja would immediately stand up on the bench and address his friends, "My dear boys, this life is not for enjoying sense gratification. It is for realizing God. Do not forget this."

Similarly, we have taken up this preaching mission because people in general are interested only in immediate sense gratification, which is not good for them. In the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 5.5.4|5.5.4]]) Lord Ṛṣabhadeva says, ''nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛnoti'': "Simply for sense gratification people are committing so many sinful activities. They are just like madmen." A madman does not know what he is doing. Materialistic persons are so much engrossed in their pursuit of sense gratification that they have become maddened and commit all kinds of sins.

Lord Ṛṣabhadeva says that the materialistic way of life is very risky. For those who indulge in sense gratification, Kṛṣṇa gives the facility, forcing them to take birth again in the material atmosphere. A monkey has very good facility for enjoying sex. In some ways a monkey is renounced: he lives naked in the forest, he eats only fruit. But his nature is that he must have at least three dozen wives for sex enjoyment. So-called renunciants who wear the cloth of a ''sādhu'' but secretly enjoy illicit sex with women are just like monkeys. This is demoniac.

Demons, or ''asuras'', do not believe in God and act according to their own whims. In the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 7.15|7.15]]), Kṛṣṇa describes them as follows:

:''na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ''
:''prapadyante narādhamāḥ''
:''māyayāpahṛta-jñānā''
:''āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ''
"Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me." Here Kṛṣṇa clearly states, ''āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāh'': because the demons have taken shelter of atheistic philosophy, they are the lowest of mankind despite their advancement of education, science, and politics. Someone might object, "How can you call an atheistic gentleman with a university degree a demon? He is so educated and highly qualified." The verdict of the ''śāstra'' is that although he appears to be very learned, his actual knowledge has been stolen away by ''māyā'' on account of his being atheistic.

Scriptural injunctions may not be very palatable; nonetheless, they are authoritative, and we have to preach the truth. We cannot play hide and seek with the problems of life. We must know our real position, and we must know what is religion and what is irreligion. Religion means action according to the orders of God, and irreligion means action that goes against the orders of God.

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SC 6 The Residents Of the Spiritual Sky

2022-02-10T09:24:30Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S06]]
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Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: When the order-carriers of Yamarāja, the son of the sun-god, were thus forbidden, they replied, "Who are you, sirs, that have the audacity to challenge the jurisdiction of Yamarāja? Whose servants are you, where have you come from, and why are you forbidding us to touch the body of Ajāmila? Are you demigods from the heavenly planets, are you sub-demigods, or are you the best of devotees? Your eyes are just like the petals of lotus flowers. Dressed in yellow silken garments, decorated with garlands of lotuses, and wearing very attractive helmets on your heads and earrings on your ears, you all appear fresh and youthful. Your four long arms are decorated with bows and quivers of arrows and with swords, clubs, conchshells, discs, and lotus flowers. Your effulgence has dissipated the darkness here with extraordinary illumination. Now, sirs, why are you obstructing us?" ([[SB 6.1.32|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.32-36]])

=====Divine Interference=====
The sins Ajāmila had committed placed him within the jurisdiction of Yamarāja, the supreme judge appointed to consider the sins of the living entities. When forbidden to touch Ajāmila, the order-carriers of Yamarāja were surprised, because within all the three worlds no one had ever before hindered them in the execution of their duty.

The Viṣṇudūtas were coming from Vaikuṇṭha, and they appeared extraordinary, each with four arms. The servants of Yamarāja immediately received them with respect. They had no idea which planet the Viṣṇudūtas had come from, so they simply suggested, "You must have come from a very exalted planet, but why are you interfering with our business? We are Yamadūtas. It is our duty to arrest every sinful man, and Ajāmila has committed misdeeds throughout his life. Now, at the end of his life, we are authorized to take him to Yamarāja, the son of Vivasvān, the sun-god, so why are you preventing us?"

The most significant word used in verse 32 is ''siddha-sattamāḥ'', which means "the best of the perfect." In the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 7.3|7.3]]) it is said, ''manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye'': out of millions of persons, one may try to become ''siddha'', perfect - or, in other words, self-realized. A self-realized person knows that he is not the body but a spiritual soul (''ahaṁ brahmāsmi''). At present almost no one is aware of this fact, but one who understands this has attained perfection and is therefore called ''siddha''. When one understands that the soul is part and parcel of the Supreme Soul and one thus engages in the devotional service of the Supreme Soul, one becomes ''siddha-sattama''. One is then eligible to live in Vaikuṇṭha or Kṛṣṇaloka. The word ''siddha-sattama'', therefore, refers to a pure devotee of the Lord.

[[File:A Second Chance-Ajamila Visnudutas Yamadutas.jpg|thumb|400px|right|alt=A Second Chance Yamadūtas|link=|<div class="center">'''The Residents Of the Spiritual Sky'''</div>]]
Since the Yamadūtas are servants of Yamarāja, who is also one of the ''siddha-sattamas'', they knew that a ''siddha-sattama'' is above the demigods and sub-demigods and, indeed, above all the living entities within this material world. The Yamadūtas therefore inquired why the Viṣṇudūtas were preventing them from carrying out the orders of such an exalted soul as Yamarāja.

It should also be noted that Ajāmila was not yet dead, for the Yamadūtas had been stopped before they could snatch the soul from his heart. Ajāmila was simply on the verge of death as the argument progressed between the Yamadūtas and the Viṣṇudūtas. The conclusion of that argument was to be a decision regarding who would claim the soul of Ajāmila.

=====Spiritual Beauty=====
The Viṣṇudūtas exactly resembled Lord Viṣṇu. The Yamadūtas had never seen them before, because the Yamadūtas stay in an atmosphere where only sinful activities are executed. Therefore they were astonished at the presence of these beautiful personalities and said, "By your bodily features you appear to be very exalted gentlemen, and you have such celestial power that you have dissipated the darkness of this material world with your effulgence. Why then should you endeavor to stop us from executing our duty?" It will be explained that the Yamadūtas, the order-carriers of Yamarāja, mistakenly considered Ajāmila sinful. They did not know that although he was sinful throughout his entire life, he was purified by constantly chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa.

The Viṣṇudūtas were so effulgent because they were residents of the spiritual world, where everyone and everything is self-effulgent. As Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 15.6|15.6]]), ''na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ'': "My abode is not illuminated by the sun, the moon, fire, or electricity." The Yamadūtas did not know where the Viṣṇudūtas had come from, but they could see that the Viṣṇudūtas were not ordinary, since they were so effulgent, they had four arms, and they were extremely beautiful.

The dress and bodily features of the residents of Vaikuṇṭha are accurately described in these verses. The residents of Vaikuṇṭha, who are decorated with garlands and yellow silken garments, have four arms holding a disc, flower, club, and conchshell. Thus they exactly resemble Lord Viṣṇu - except for one very prominent feature: the Kaustubha jewel, which the Lord wears on His chest. The residents of Vaikuṇṭha have the same bodily features as Nārāyaṇa because they have attained the liberation of ''sārūpya'', but they nevertheless act as servants. All the residents of Vaikuṇṭhaloka know perfectly well that their master is Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa, and that they are all His servants. They are all self-realized souls who are ''nitya-mukta'', everlastingly liberated. Although they could conceivably declare themselves Nārāyaṇa, they never do so; they always remain Kṛṣṇa conscious and serve the Lord faithfully. Such is the atmosphere of Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Similarly, one who learns the faithful service of Lord Kṛṣṇa through the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will always remain in Vaikuṇṭhaloka and have nothing to do with the material world.

=====Beyond the Material World=====
In our conditioned state, we cannot know about the spiritual world. But the spiritual world exists. As Lord Kṛṣṇa states in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 8.20|8.20]]), ''paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo'': "Besides this inferior, material nature there is another, superior nature." This material nature is one nature, comprised of millions and trillions of universes clustered together in one corner of the spiritual sky. We cannot even measure the sky covered by this one universe, within which there are innumerable planets; yet there are millions and trillions of universes in the entire material creation. And the entire material creation is only one fourth of existence. In other words, this whole material world is existing in one fourth of Kṛṣṇa's energy. The other three fourths comprise the spiritual sky. Unfortunate persons think that this planet is all in all, but this is frog philosophy. A frog in a well cannot understand anything beyond the well, and he measures everything in terms of his well. When he is told about the ocean, he cannot imagine it. Similarly, persons with such a frog's mentality imagine, "God is like this," or "God's kingdom is like that," or "I am God," or "There is no God." But this is all foolishness.

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SC 5 The Visnudutas To the Rescue

2022-02-10T09:11:57Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S05]]
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Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear king, the order-carriers of Viṣṇu, the Viṣṇudūtas, immediately arrived when they heard the holy name of their master from the mouth of the dying Ajāmila, who had certainly chanted without offense because he had chanted in complete anxiety. The order-carriers of Yamarāja were snatching the soul from the core of Ajāmila's heart, but with resounding voices the Viṣṇudūtas forbade them to do so. ([[SB 6.1.30|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.30-31]])

=====The Messengers Dispatched by the Lord=====
The Yamadūtas, who are the assistants of Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, had come to drag Ajāmila away. Ajāmila appealed to his youngest son, Nārāyaṇa: "Nārāyaṇa, please come here! I'm dying!" Kṛṣṇa is so kind that as soon as He heard Ajāmila chant "Nārāyaṇa!" at the time of his death, He immediately dispatched His assistants, the Viṣṇudūtas, to give Ajāmila shelter.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura remarks that the Viṣṇudūtas came because they heard Ajāmila chant the holy name of their master, Nārāyaṇa, without considering why he was chanting. While chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa, Ajāmila was actually thinking of his son, but simply because they heard Ajāmila chant the Lord's name, the Viṣṇudūtas immediately came for Ajāmila's protection. Chanting of the Lord's holy name is actually meant for His glorification. Ajāmila, however, did not glorify the Lord: he simply chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa because of his excessive attachment to his son. Nevertheless, because of his past good fortune in having rendered devotional service to Nārāyaṇa in his youth, he apparently chanted the holy name in full devotional service and without offense. Thus that chanting was sufficient to cleanse him of all sinful reactions and assure him the protection of the Viṣṇudūtas.

The name Nārāyaṇa has the full potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead - Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa. That is the secret of ''nāma-saṅkīrtana'', chanting the names of God. By chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, we make immediate contact with Kṛṣṇa Himself. The reason for this is that the Lord's name is not material: it is spiritual and absolute. Thus there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and His name.

=====Snatching the Soul=====
[[File:A Second Chance-Ajamila Visnudutas.jpg|thumb|400px|right|alt=A Second Chance Visnudutas|link=|<div class="center">'''The Viṣṇudūtas To the Rescue'''</div>]]
When the Viṣṇudūtas arrived, they spoke to the Yamadūtas with extreme gravity: "What are you doing? Stop! You cannot take this man to Yamarāja!"

A Vaiṣṇava, one who has surrendered to the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu, is always protected by Lord Viṣṇu's order-carriers. Because Ajāmila had chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, the Viṣṇudūtas not only immediately arrived on the spot but also at once ordered the Yamadūtas not to touch him. By speaking with resounding voices, the Viṣṇudūtas threatened to punish the Yamadūtas if they continued trying to snatch Ajāmila's soul from his heart. The order-carriers of Yamarāja have jurisdiction over all sinful living entities, but the messengers of Lord Viṣṇu are capable of punishing anyone, including Yamarāja, if he wrongs a Vaiṣṇava.

Modern scientists do not know where to find the soul within the body with their material instruments, but here the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] clearly explains that the soul is within the core of the heart (''hṛdaya''); it is from the heart that the Yamadūtas were trying to extract the soul of Ajāmila. The heart is part of the mechanical arrangement of the body. As the Lord says in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 18.61|18.61]]):

:''īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ''
:''hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati''
:''bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni''
:''yantrārūḍhāni māyayā''
"The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine made of the material energy." ''Yantra'' means "machine," such as an automobile. The driver of the machine of the body is the individual soul, who is also its director or proprietor, but the supreme director and proprietor is the Personality of Godhead in His form as the Supersoul.

One's body is created through the agency of ''māyā'' according to one's activities in one's past life; and according to one's activities in this life, ''māyā'' creates another body for the next life. At the appropriate time, one's next body is immediately chosen, and both the individual soul and the Supersoul transfer to that particular bodily machine. This is the process of transmigration of the soul.

During transmigration from one body to the next, the sinful soul is taken away by the order-carriers of Yamarāja and put into a particular type of hellish life in order to become accustomed to the condition in which he will live in his next body.

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SC 4 Neither Birth Nor Death

2022-02-10T09:03:16Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S04]]
<div style="float:left">[[File:Go-previous.png|link=A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience]] '''[[A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|A Second Chance]]'''</div>
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Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Ajāmila then saw three awkward persons with deformed bodily features, fierce, twisted faces, and hair standing erect on their bodies. With ropes in their hands, they had come to take him away to the abode of Yamarāja. When he saw them he was extremely bewildered, and because of attachment to his child, who was playing nearby, Ajāmila began to call him loudly by his name. Thus with tears in his eyes he somehow or other chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. ([[SB 6.1.28|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.28-29]])

=====Anxious to Save Themselves from Death=====
At the time of death people become very anxious to save themselves, especially those who have been sinful. Of course, the soul itself is not subject to death (''na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre'' ([[BG 2.20|BG 2.20]])), but leaving the present body and entering into another body is very painful. At death the living entity can no longer bear to remain in his present body - the pain is so acute. Sometimes when a person's life becomes too painful he commits suicide. But suicide is a sin punishable by the laws of ''karma''.

When Ajāmila was dying, he saw three ferocious and very frightening persons with ropes in their hands, unruly hair on their heads, and bodily hair like bristles. These assistants of Yamarāja, the Yamadūtas, had come to drag Ajāmila out of his body and take him to the court of Yamarāja. Sometimes a dying man cries out in fear when he sees the Yamadūtas. Ajāmila, too, became very fearful.

Fortunately, even though Ajāmila was referring to his son, he chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, and therefore the order-carriers of Nārāyaṇa, the Viṣṇudūtas, also immediately arrived there. Because Ajāmila was extremely afraid of the ropes of Yamarāja, he chanted the Lord's name with tearful eyes. Actually, however, he never meant to chant the holy name of Nārāyaṇa; he meant to call his son.

=====The Appearance and Disappearance of Kṛṣṇa and His Devotees=====
One may ask, "The devotees die, and the nondevotees also die. What is the difference?" It is like this: The mother cat may catch a rat and carry it in her mouth, and she also carries her kittens in her mouth. It is the same mouth, but the kittens are comfortable and safe, whereas the rat is feeling the jaws of death. Similarly, at the time of death the devotees are transferred to the spiritual realm, Vaikuṇṭha, whereas the ordinary sinful man is dragged down to the hellish regions by the Yamadūtas, the constables of Yamarāja. This was apparently to be Ajāmila's fate.

In the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 4.9|4.9]]) Kṛṣṇa says, ''janma karma ca me divyam'': "My appearance and disappearance are spiritual, transcendental; they are not ordinary." Why does Kṛṣṇa appear in this world? That He explains in the previous verse ([[BG 4.8|BG 4.8]]):

:''paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ''
:''vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām''
:''dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
:''sambhavāmi yuge yuge''
"To deliver the pious and annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I appear millennium after millennium." God's only business is to protect the faithful devotees and to kill the demoniac. Therefore we find Lord Viṣṇu pictured with His weapons, the club and ''cakra'' (disc), for protecting the devotees, and the lotus flower and conch for their benediction.

Similarly transcendental are the appearance and disappearance of Kṛṣṇa's devotees who are sent to this material world to preach the glories of the Lord. According to the principles of Vaiṣṇavism, both the appearance and the disappearance of such Vaiṣṇavas, or devotees of Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa), are all-auspicious. Therefore we hold festivals in their honor on the anniversaries of both days.

Actually, even ordinary living entities never take birth or die, what to speak of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. Sometimes atheistic men say God is dead. They do not know that even the smallest living entity does not die. So how can God be dead? Atheists are described in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] as ''mūḍhās'', or foolish rascals. They have no knowledge but pose themselves as learned men and mutter something that is good neither for them nor the public.

=====Liberation via Thinking of Kṛṣṇa=====
Because somehow or other Ajāmila became absorbed in thinking of Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa, at the time of death, he immediately became eligible for liberation, even though he had acted sinfully throughout his entire life. One can think of Kṛṣṇa in any capacity. The ''gopīs'', Kṛṣṇa's cowherd girlfriends, were absorbed in thinking of Kṛṣṇa out of what appeared to be lusty desire, Śiśupāla became absorbed in thinking of Kṛṣṇa out of anger, and Kaṁsa incessantly thought of Kṛṣṇa out of fear. Kaṁsa and Śiśupāla were demons, but because they thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead throughout their lives and at the time of death, they were granted liberation by Kṛṣṇa Himself.

Of course, it is best if one thinks of Kṛṣṇa favorably. ''Bhakti'', or devotional service, means thinking favorably of Kṛṣṇa. Śiśupāla and Kaṁsa were not devotees, because the word devotee implies someone who is favorably disposed toward Kṛṣṇa. Thinking of Kṛṣṇa in the opposite way, however, is also accepted by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that anyone who thinks of Him always, even as an enemy, becomes the greatest ''yogī'' and attains liberation. Thus the results of yogic performances and austerities were achieved even by such inimical personalities as Kaṁsa and Śiśupāla. In the impersonal Brahman effulgence (''brahma-jyotir'') we find not only the highest learned scholars (''jñānīs''), who have struggled to attain Brahman, but also those persons who constantly think of Kṛṣṇa in enmity. They also enter into that spiritual effulgence. Thus the destination achieved by the ''jñānīs'' is also achieved by the enemies of Kṛṣṇa. This, however, is not very desirable.

A living entity can remain for some time in the Brahman effulgence (''brahma-jyotir'') as a tiny shining spiritual particle. As there are many molecular particles of sunshine, similarly the living entities can live as small particles of spiritual effulgence in the ''brahma-jyotir''. But they are subject to fall down into this material creation again. By nature the living entities want varieties of sense enjoyment, but in that impersonal existence there are no varieties of enjoyment. So when they desire to enjoy, they have to come again to this material world. Therefore, if one merges into the Brahman effulgence, there is every chance of falling down.

Kṛṣṇa's devotees do not desire liberation, because their only interest is to be engaged in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, whether in the material world or in the spiritual world. Still, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, they attain liberation by being elevated to the planet of Goloka Vṛndāvana, the residence of Kṛṣṇa, where the material miseries of birth, death, old age, and disease are conspicuous by their absence. Thus a devotee's position is different from that of the impersonalists and ''jñānīs''. The devotee's position is very exalted. He also passes through the Brahman effulgence, but he is not attracted to it. He is attracted to the Vaikuṇṭha planets, especially Goloka Vṛndāvana, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead lives eternally with His associates.

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SC 3 At the Final Hour

2022-02-10T08:18:07Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S03]]
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Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Because of the child's broken language and awkward movements, old Ajāmila was very much attached to him. He always took care of the child and enjoyed his activities. When Ajāmila chewed food and ate it, he called the child to chew and eat, and when he drank he called the child to drink also. Always engaged in taking care of the child and calling his name, Nārāyaṇa, Ajāmila could not understand that his own time was now exhausted and that death was upon him.

When the time of death arrived for the foolish Ajāmila, he began thinking exclusively of his son Nārāyaṇa. ([[SB 6.1.25|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.25-27]])

=====A Child's Name=====
Here it is clearly mentioned that the child Nārāyaṇa was so young that he could not even speak or walk properly. Since the old man was very attached to the child, he enjoyed the child's activities, and because the child's name was Nārāyaṇa, the old man always chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. Although Ajāmila was referring to the small child and not to the original Nārāyaṇa, the name of Nārāyaṇa is so powerful that even by chanting his son's name he was becoming purified. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has therefore declared that if one's mind is somehow or other attracted by the holy name of Kṛṣṇa (''tasmāt kenāpy upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet'' ([[SB 7.1.32|SB 7.1.32]])), one is on the path of liberation. In India even today parents often give their children names of God, such as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, or Nārāyaṇa. Thus the parents chant the names Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, or Nārāyaṇa and get the chance to be purified.

At the time of death, Ajāmila was chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa in connection with his youngest child. Since Ajāmila was the son of a ''brāhmaṇa'', he had been accustomed to worshiping Nārāyaṇa in his youth, because in every ''brāhmaṇa's'' house there is worship of Nārāyaṇa. Therefore, although the contaminated Ajāmila was calling for his son, by concentrating his mind on the holy name of Nārāyaṇa he remembered the Nārāyaṇa he had very faithfully worshiped in his youth.

The value of remembering Nārāyaṇa at the time of death is explained in the Second Canto of the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 2.1.6|2.1.6]]):

:''etāvān sāṅkhya-yogābhyāṁ''
:''svadharma-pariniṣṭhayā''
:''janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ puṁsām''
:''ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ''
"The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by acquirement of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of one's occupational duty, is to remember Nārāyaṇa, the Personality of Godhead, at the end of life."

Somehow or other, therefore, Ajāmila consciously or unconsciously chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa at the time of death and became all-perfect.

=====Death, a Critical Time of Life=====
As mentioned above, one's mentality at the time of death is all-important. But if we become complacent and think, "Oh, death takes place - what of it?" then we cannot advance on the spiritual path. Just as the air carries fragrances, so a person's mentality at the time of death will carry him to his next life. If he has cultivated the mentality of a Vaiṣṇava, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then he will immediately be transferred to Vaikuṇṭha. But if he has cultivated the mentality of an ordinary ''karmī'', a fruitive worker, then he will have to stay in this material world to suffer the consequences of the kind of mentality he has thus created.

Suppose I am a businessman. If I simply do business up till the point of death, naturally my mentality will be business. One Calcutta businessman at the time of death asked about the management of his mill. He might have taken his next birth as a rat in his mill. This is possible. At the time of death, whatever you are thinking will carry you to your next body. Kṛṣṇa is very kind, and whatever mentality one is absorbed in at the time of death, Kṛṣṇa will provide an appropriate body: "All right, you are thinking like a rat? Become a rat." "You are thinking like a tiger? Become a tiger." "You are thinking like My devotee? Come to Me."

By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, we can mold our thoughts so that we are always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa recommends in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 6.47|6.47]]), ''yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā'': "The first-class ''yogī'' is he who always thinks of Me within his heart." The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially meant for helping the members of human society come to this state of full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then at the end of life one will simply remember Kṛṣṇa. Whatever you practice throughout your life will determine your consciousness at death. That is natural.

One who properly prepares for the time of death is really intelligent, while one who thinks he can remain at home forever and enjoy the association of his wife and children is a fool. In illusion a man thinks, "My bank balance, my nice house, and my family will protect me." But these cannot protect anyone. The [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 2.1.4|2.1.4]]) declares,

:''dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv''
:''ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api''
:''teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ''
:''paśyann api na paśyati''
"One who is mad thinks, 'My strong body, my grown-up children, my good wife, and my bank balance will save me.' " We are simply struggling in this material world like soldiers fighting on a battlefield. Our soldiers are our children, our wife, our bank balance, our countrymen, etc. The [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] warns us not to take shelter of such fallible soldiers. Even though a man has seen that his father and grandfather, who were once living, are existing no more, he does not see that likewise everyone, including himself, will be destroyed. How can he protect his son? How can his son protect him? These questions do not arise for the materialist who is simply engrossed in the animal propensities of eating, sleeping, defending, and mating.

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SC 2 In Imitation Of the Original

2022-02-10T08:05:37Z

LilamadhuriGopi:

[[Category:A Second Chance - The Story of a Near-Death Experience|S02]]
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Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear king, eighty-eight years of his life passed by while Ajāmila thus spent his time in abominable, sinful activities to maintain his family of ten sons and the prostitute. The youngest child was a baby named Nārāyaṇa, who was naturally very dear to his father and mother. ([[SB 6.1.23|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.23-24]])

=====Parental Affection=====
Ajāmila's sinfulness is shown by the fact that although he was eighty-eight years old, he had a very young child. According to Vedic culture, one should leave home as soon as he has reached fifty years of age; one should not live at home and go on producing children. Sex is allowed for twenty-five years, between the ages of twenty-five and fifty. After that one should give up the habit of sex and leave home as a ''vānaprastha'' and then properly take ''sannyāsa''. Ajāmila, however, because of his association with a prostitute, lost all brahminical culture and became most sinful, even in his so-called household life.

Ajāmila was a young man of twenty when he met the prostitute, and he begot ten children in her. When he was almost ninety years old, the time came when he was to die. At that time most of his children were grown up, so naturally the youngest child, Nārāyaṇa, became his parents' favorite, and Ajāmila was very much attached to him.

A baby's smile immediately attracts the father, mother, and relatives. When the child begins to talk, making sounds in broken language, it is very joyful for the parents. Unless this attraction is there, it is not possible to raise the child with affection. Parental affection is natural even among the animal species. In Kanpura, a monkey once came with her baby near the room where we were staying. The baby monkey entered the window through the bars, and the mother became very upset. She became mad with anxiety. Somehow or other we pushed the baby monkey out of the bars, and immediately the mother embraced the baby and took it away with her.

In human society, the affection between a mother and her child is very much eulogized, but as we see, this relationship is visible even among the animals. Therefore it is not an outstanding qualification; it is material nature's law. Unless the mother and child are affectionately connected, it is not possible for the child to grow up. Parental affection is natural and necessary, but it does not raise one to the spiritual platform.

The character of the debauchee Ajāmila was abominable, but he was still very affectionate toward his youngest child. Although Ajāmila was nearly ninety, he was still enjoying the child's playful pastimes, just as Mahārāja Nanda and Mother Yaśodā enjoyed the childhood pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

=====Spiritual Affection and Variety=====
Parental affection in this material world is a perverted reflection of parental affection in the spiritual world, where it is found in its pure, original form. Everything originates with the transcendental reality. As stated in the ''Vedānta-sūtra'' (1.1.2), ''janmādy asya yataḥ'': ([[SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]) "The Supreme Absolute Truth is that from which everything emanates." If the affection between a child and his parents did not exist in the Absolute Truth, it could not exist in the material world.

Since the Absolute Truth is the source of everything, whatever varieties we see here in this material world are simply reflections of the varieties in the spiritual world. If the Absolute Truth were without variety, then where have all these varieties come from? No, the Absolute Truth is not impersonal (''nirākāra'') or without variety (''nirviśeṣa'').

Still, some persons, called Māyāvādīs, are so disappointed and frustrated with the imperfect varieties of this material world that they imagine the spiritual world to be impersonal and without variety. These impersonalists realize that they are Brahman, or spirit, but they do not know that there are innumerable planets in the ''brahma-jyotir'', or spiritual atmosphere. They think that the ''brahma-jyotir'' itself is all-in-all. The impersonalists have no information of the Vaikuṇṭha planets, and due to their imperfect knowledge they again come down to these material planets. As said in the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 10.2.32|10.2.32]]):

:''ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas''
:''tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ''
:''āruhya-kṛcchrena paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ''
:''patanty adho 'nādṛta yuṣmad aṅghrayaḥ''
"Although impersonalists are almost liberated, still, on account of their negligence of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, their intelligence is not yet purified. Thus despite performing severe austerities to rise up to the platform of Brahman, they must fall down again to this material world."

=====Spiritual Form and Spiritual Pastimes=====
The impersonalist philosophers cannot differentiate between activities in the material world and similar activities in the spiritual world. Nor do they differentiate between the material form and God's form. They are convinced that the impersonal ''brahma-jyotir'', the spiritual effulgence emanating from the Lord's body, is the Supreme Absolute Truth. The Māyāvādīs mistakenly assume that when God appears He accepts a material body, just as we have taken this material form in the material world. That kind of thinking is impersonalism, or Māyāvāda philosophy.

God has a form, but not a material form like ours. His form is ''sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha'' (Bs. 5.1), a spiritual form full of eternity, bliss, and knowledge. Anyone who understands the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa's form achieves perfection. This Kṛṣṇa confirms in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 4.9|4.9]]):

:''janma karma ca me divyam''
:''evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ''
:''tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma''
:''naiti mām eti so 'rjuna''
"When I come, I do not accept a material body; My birth and activities are completely spiritual. And anyone who perfectly understands this is liberated." When Kṛṣṇa displayed Himself as the perfect child before Mother Yaśodā, He would break everything when she did not supply Him with butter - as if He were in need of butter! So God can display Himself exactly like an ordinary human being, yet He remains the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Impersonalists cannot know God because they see Him as an ordinary man. This is rascaldom, as Kṛṣṇa declares in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 9.11|9.11]]): ''avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ''. "Only rascals accept Me as an ordinary human being." The Māyāvādīs say, "Oh, here is a child. How can He be God?" Even Brahmā and Indra became bewildered. They thought, "How can this boy be the Supreme Lord? Let me test Him."

Sometimes a so-called incarnation of God declares, "I am God." He should be tested to determine whether or not he is actually God. The Māyāvādīs are claiming, "I am God, I am Kṛṣṇa, I am Rāma." Everyone becomes "Kṛṣṇa," everyone becomes "Rāma," yet people do not challenge their claims: "If you are Rāma, exhibit your supreme potency! Rāma constructed a bridge over the Indian Ocean. What have you done? At the age of seven, Kṛṣṇa lifted Govardhana Hill. What have you done?" When they are challenged by Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, these rascals say, "It is all fiction; it is all legend." Therefore people accept an ordinary person as Rāma or Kṛṣṇa. This nonsense is going on, and both those who declare themselves to be God and those who accept them as God will have to suffer for it. Anyone can claim to be God, and any foolish person can accept, but no one will benefit by serving a false God.

Once Lord Brahmā thought that Kṛṣṇa might also be such a false God. He observed that a mere boy in Vṛndāvana, India, was accepted as the Supreme Lord and that He was performing extraordinary activities. So Brahmā decided to make a test. He took away all of Kṛṣṇa's calves and playmates and hid them. When Brahmā returned to Vṛndāvana after one year and saw the same calves and playmates still there, he could understand that Kṛṣṇa had expanded Himself by His unlimited potency into so many calves and boys. The boys' own mothers could not detect that their sons were Kṛṣṇa's expansions, though the mothers could not explain why every evening when their boys returned home from the fields, their affection for them increased more and more. Finally, Brahmā surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, composing very nice prayers in glorification of the Lord.

Similarly, Indra became bewildered when Kṛṣṇa told His father, Nanda Mahārāja, "There is no need of performing sacrifices to Indra, because he is under the order of the Supreme Lord." Kṛṣṇa did not say to Nanda Mahārāja, "I am the Supreme Lord," but He said, "Indra is under the order of the Supreme Lord; therefore he has to supply you with water. So there is no need of performing this ''yajña'' (sacrifice) to him."

When the sacrifice to Indra was stopped, he became furious and tried to punish the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana by sending incessant torrents of rain for seven days. Vṛndāvana was nearly drowned in water - so great was the downpour. But Kṛṣṇa, a child of about seven years, immediately lifted Govardhana Hill and invited all the residents of Vṛndāvana, together with their animals, to take shelter underneath the hill. Kṛṣṇa held up the hill for seven days and nights without taking any food or rest, just to protect the residents of Vṛndāvana. Thus Indra understood that Kṛṣṇa was the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

In this way the [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] warns that if even great personalities like Brahmā and Indra can sometimes become bewildered by ''māyā'', the external manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy, then what to speak of us.

So, God sometimes displays Himself as God and sometimes as a human being, but the rascal impersonalists dismiss His pastimes as legend or mythology. Either they do not believe in the ''śāstras'' or they interpret them in their own way, using ''ardha-kukkuṭī-nyāya'' ([[CC Adi 5.176|CC ''Ādi-līlā'' 5.176]]), "the logic of half a hen." Once a man kept a hen that delivered a golden egg every day. The foolish man thought, "It is very profitable, but it is expensive to feed this hen. Better that I cut off her head and save the expense of feeding her. Then I will get the egg without any charge." The impersonalists accept the ''śāstras'' in this way. They think, "Oh, this is not good; it is inconvenient. We shall cut this portion out." When Kṛṣṇa says, "One should see Me everywhere," the rascal Māyāvādīs think it is very palatable, but when He says, "Give up everything and surrender to Me," they disagree. They accept what is convenient and reject what is not. But the ''ācāryas'' do not distort the ''śāstras'' in this way. When Kṛṣṇa spoke the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']], Arjuna said, "I accept whatever You have said."

=====The Absolute Truth Full of Knowledge=====
The ''Vedānta-sūtra'' is accepted as the supreme authority of all Vedic literature. And the ''Vedānta-sūtra'' (1.1.2) says, ''janmādy asya yataḥ'': ([[SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]) "The Absolute Truth is the original source of everything." ''Janma'' means "birth." There is no question of interpretation; the meaning is clear. Everything in this material world comes out of the Absolute Truth, just as this body comes out of the womb of our mother. ''Janmādy asya yataḥ'': "Beginning from birth up to the annihilation, everything is an emanation from the Absolute Truth." The Absolute Truth is that which is the source of everything, the reservoir of everything, and the maintainer of everything.

What are the characteristics of the original source? The [[Srimad-Bhagavatam|''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'']] ([[SB 1.1.1|1.1.1]]) says, ''janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheśv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ'': The original source of everything must be supremely cognizant of everything, both directly and indirectly. He is the supreme spirit, and He knows everything because He is perfect. We are also spirit - spiritual sparks - and as soon as a spiritual spark takes shelter in the womb of a mother, it develops a body. That means that the spiritual spark is the source of the body and all its mechanisms. Although it is by our energy that this body is produced, we do not know how our veins are created or how our bones are created. And because we do not know, we are not God. But Kṛṣṇa knows. This is the characteristic of the Absolute Truth: He knows everything. Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the [[Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)|''Bhagavad-gītā'']] ([[BG 7.26|7.26]]): "I know everything that has happened in the past, everything that is happening now, and everything that will happen in the future."

We become cognizant of the Absolute Truth by accepting knowledge from a spiritual master, but how has Kṛṣṇa become perfectly cognizant? How is Kṛṣṇa's knowledge so perfect? Because He is fully independent (''svarāṭ''). He does not have to learn anything from anyone. Some rascal may try to realize himself as God by taking knowledge from a Māyāvādī, but Kṛṣṇa is God without taking knowledge from anyone. That is God.

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