82: Choose Wisely

CHAPTER 18, TEXT 63: Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.

When I am facing a big decision in life, I sit down and make a Pros and Cons list for each possible decision. 

After all, no decision is free of "Cons" - there are costs and concerns for every decision we make, no matter how obvious and wonderful that decision may seem. 

In Arjuna's case, he has two clear options:

Fight?

Or don't fight? 

And throughout the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna and Arjuna have been supplying Pros and Cons for each side. Overwhelmingly, one decision is outweighing the other: 

Fight. 

Even though Krishna has directly instructed Arjuna to fight (2.38), still, Krishna respects and honors the free will of Arjuna, and that his friend must be given the space to surrender to his own decision, heart and soul. Prabhupad writes, "Before surrendering, one is free to deliberate on this subject as far as the intelligence goes; that is the best way to accept the instruction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Prabhupad often condemns "blind following". He insists that one should apply one's intelligence to consider the guru's and God's instructions. 

Using one's intelligence - which is the capacity to make distinctions - is the cleanest way to access that divine function of the soul, free will. Using intelligence is the "best way" to accept instruction. 

Krishna even emphasizes "Deliberate on this fully." 

Once we deliberate, we make a decision. In a way, making a decision is a kind of surrender. Even the word "decision" contains the Latin root "cis" or "cid" which means "to cut." When we make a decision, like a surgeon we are cutting off the other possibilities. It is difficult to reverse or repair a cut, just like it's hard to reverse or repair a decision. This means that we are surrendering to one decision over another and living with the consequences of that decision, for better or worse. 

Ultimately, some decisions lead us to the highest destiny of the soul - to love and be loved. Prabhupad writes, "Surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in the best interest of the living entities. It is not for the interest of the Supreme." Cutting off all other possibilities to enjoy the drama and pleasure of this material world and deciding to turn toward God is in our highest interest. 

The "Pros" far outweigh the "Cons."

Far. 

But Krishna never forces anyone to turn to Him. After all, how authentic would our love be if our hearts were forced? Prabhupad notes, "Here the words yathecchasi tathā kuru – “As you like, you may act” – indicate that God does not interfere with the little independence of the living entity." Prabhupad uses the phrase "little independence" which seems almost laughable, because the soul is so tiny and God is so big, but God never interferes with that spark of free will. 

Krishna always allows us to make our own decisions. 

Always. 

He has delivered the entire Bhagavad-gita to His friend Arjuna in the mood of presenting truth. He does not harp on his friend, berate him, preach to him, or in any way force him to believe anything. Ultimately, He is speaking in this way to me, who is reading the Gita thousands of years later. He has been speaking in this way to the millions and billions of souls who have heard and studied the Gita throughout history. 

Here are the Pros and Cons, Krishna seems to say. Come up with your own Pros and Cons, based on what I've shared. Deliberate on this fully. Since you are making your own choice, you shall also live with all the consequences of that choice. 

Choose wisely. 

Full purport here: https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/18/63/

78: Distinguishing Reality From Illusion

CHAPTER 18, TEXT 32: That understanding which considers irreligion to be religion and religion to be irreligion, under the spell of illusion and darkness, and strives always in the wrong direction, O Pārtha, is in the mode of ignorance.

Based on this verse of the Gita, Prabhupad offers three ways that intelligence works in the opposite way that it should:

1) "It accepts religions which are not actually religions and rejects actual religion." 

The word "religion" in 2020 has taken on such heavy baggage, with connotations of "patriarchy," "oppression," "judgement," and being "fake," and "outdated." Thus religion is rejected on a wholesale level. 

But religion is simply a practical path for the soul to engage with spirit.

If one does not follow an established religion of the world, the soul still craves a practical way to evolve and connect to the divine. So then what do human beings do who crave to connect with God but are not engaged in a legitimate religion? 

They invent their own. 

Jeff Brown, a popular "grounded spiritualist," has written a "Humanifesto" to state his beliefs, what he strives to do for humanity, and the labels of the people who follow his particular brand of spirituality ("enrealment activists" or "Souldiers") and the things that they do. This "Humanifesto" is replete with invented words such as "gender-ation," "enrealment," and "womanifestation." In this way he is inventing a system of spirituality, and he is at the helm. 

Brown does not cite a single authority or a single source of inspiration for his own journey. In fact, he rejects them all. He writes, "[I endeavor to] liberate the species from the idea that those who came before have all the answers we seek. They don’t. We are a species in-process, endlessly evolving" (https://jeffbrown.co/humanifesto/) Note that he writes that "he" endeavors to liberate the species - he does. As in, he believes that by his own endeavors he can actually liberate human beings from the concept that those who came before us (any authorities, sages, saints, or self-realized beings) have  answers or truth that the soul is searching for. This directly counters the teachings of the Gita that if one wants to learn the truth, one must approach a spiritual master, render service, and inquire submissively (4.34). Basically, Jeff Brown and those who follow Jeff Brown reject the paths of genuine religions and invent their own religions and ideas based on subjective, personal experiences. This is considering "religion to be irreligion and irreligion to be religion." 

As a note, there is a grain of truth to Brown's statement that human beings are endlessly evolving, and that the soul is full of knowledge by nature. In fact, great souls emphasize that the soul is eternally full of knowledge (chit). So Brown is speaking of some truth, but it's a half-truth - it's not complete. In the purport to the Sri Isopanishad, Mantra 12, Prabhupad condemns spiritual leaders who present half-truths to the population. He writes, "If such foolish men have any knowledge at all, it is more dangerous in their hands than ignorance itself." This means that the general populace resonates with the grain of truth presented, but because it is couched within ignorance, ultimately even intelligent, thoughtful people can be lead astray. 

This approach leads to Prabhupad's second point of intelligence in the mode of ignorance: 

2) "Men in ignorance understand a great soul to be a common man and accept a common man as a great soul." 

Jeff Brown, although putting forth himself as a man who endeavors to "liberate," "awaken," and "remind humanity," he is simply an ordinary man. He may have some interesting ideas, but ultimately his ideas have little substance because they are not based upon the foundation of tried and tested knowledge, truth, and realization of great souls or the scripture. In fact, he rejects all of these things, calling the great souls common men or women. He does not accept or acknowledge that there are great souls or scripture who have more knowledge, understanding, or realization than him. He puts forth himself - in so many words - as a great soul (his website states that he has been featured on CBS, NPR, and Good Morning America), and he has a following who believe him to be a great soul. 

But in fact, Brown is a common man. 

Thus, he considers great souls to be common men, and he is a common man who is considered to be a great soul (or considers himself to be a great soul), which is intelligence in the mode of ignorance. 

And the final point that Prabhupad makes in this purport is that:

3) "They think truth to be untruth and accept untruth as truth." 

Brown states in his "Humanifesto" - essentially, his own created scripture: "Simply put, an absolute state of enlightenment does not exist—enrealment does. And it’s a relative process, changing form as we change form. We are form, and we are here to in-form our humanness." Brown is declaring that absolute enlightenment does not exist. This goes directly against the truth as stated in the major scriptures of the world and the teachings of the great souls that liberation from this material world is possible and real. For example, Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gita that "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" (8.15). Krishna says that these yogis in devotion "never" return to this temporary world - thus absolute enlightenment exists. So Brown is stating truth to be untruth.

Brown posits that enlightenment is a "relative process, changing form as we change form." But enlightenment, according to the Gita,  is a specific state of the soul in connection with God and all other souls - this is not relative. The soul - the unchanging, eternal soul - does not change form.  

Brown then invents his own word, enrealment, to describe a kind of relative process of how we are the form of our bodies and we "in-form" our humanness.

???

Honestly, I'm bewildered by Brown's philosophy. 

I have no intention of figuring it out, either. I see that he's posing an untruth as truth, which is intelligence in the mode of ignorance, where "intelligence is working the opposite way that it should."  

While certainly Brown's endeavors to uplift himself and humanity contain sparks of sincerity and striving for truth, his striving is upside down and flipped around. He insists that 2 + 2 = 5. He insists on creating his own path. But Prabhupad writes that "In all activities they simply take the wrong path; therefore their intelligence is in the mode of ignorance." Brown is taking the wrong path. If he was even to read this post, he would probably reject what I've written and declare that his path is the right path, everything is relative after all. 

I've done my best to base my analysis on the ancient words of the Bhagavad-gita and the words of Bhaktivedanta Swami, a man who is within an unbroken lineage of great souls who are handing down spiritual knowledge and realization. While I may be a fool, clouded by my own pride at times in my writing and thoughts, I trust at least that the great souls can help me distinguish reality from illusion, to help strengthen my intelligence to be in the mode of goodness. 

While I can see some small kernels of truth here and there in Brown's "Humanifesto" (which, again, can be more dangerous than pure ignorance) I can say with confidence that his approach to wisdom and transformation is intelligence in the mode of  ignorance. Jeff Brown is not a "grounded spiritualist" in any way. After all, what and who is he grounded in? 

Full purport here: https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/18/32/

66: Reality Always Wins

CHAPTER 15, TEXT 5: Those who are free from false prestige, illusion and false association, who understand the eternal, who are done with material lust, who are freed from the dualities of happiness and distress, and who, unbewildered, know how to surrender unto the Supreme Person attain to that eternal kingdom.

Scientists are the usual go-to people to find out the data, the facts, the reality of this world. Scientists break down the functions of the body, calculate the patterns of weather, and discover new ways to combine elements. They rely on cold hard facts to conduct experiments, and they use the scientific method to ensure that their process is legitimate. 

Scientists are who we, as a human society, rely upon to make sense of the world. 

So much of the Gita, though, emphasizes that human society cannot distinguish reality from illusion. This verse of the Gita uses the words "false", "illusion", and "being free" and "unbewildered" multiple times. Material scientists are minimized as a source for understanding reality; if we want to understand reality, we must approach a spiritual teacher, we must approach scripture to understand what is false and how to be free. 

A basic principle of reality that human beings cannot seem to grasp is that we will all die. All of us. Every single one of us. Believing that we shall live forever, we build a life thinking it will last forever and thus feel a sense of pride in self, family, and country. Prabhupad writes, "Pride is due to illusion, for although one comes here, stays for a brief time and then goes away, he has the foolish notion that he is the lord of the world." The phrase here "lord of the world" is significant - even men and women who are leaders of great countries or have vast amounts of wealth will die one day and be forgotten in the sands of time. What to speak of all of us non-royal, non-wealthy, non-talented little people down here - you know, 99.999% of the world. We will all just vanish into thin air when death claims us. BUT STILL - even us little people believe we are lords of the world. 

Even us. 

This is illusion. 

But because we believe we're lords of the world, "[T]hus [we] makes all things complicated, and [we are] always in trouble. The whole world moves under this impression." For example, modern human society invents complicated machines to speed up the process of doing laundry, cooking, and transportation. But then we create so many other problems, namely air pollution, landfills, and waterway contamination. In this way we're always in trouble - one material solution creates a hundred problems. 

Ultimately, "People are considering the land, this earth, to belong to human society, and they have divided the land under the false impression that they are the proprietors. One has to get out of this false notion that human society is the proprietor of this world." Prabhupad says the word "false" twice here - false means that the understanding is incorrect and not based on reality. In this world we operate under this principle, that human society is the pinnacle of existence, and that we own all the land and animals and plants on the planet. But how is that? How do humans have the absolute say? Prabhupad asserts that we must "get out" of this false notion. We are not the proprietors of anyone. 

Prabhupad writes that "One has to cultivate knowledge of what is actually his own and what is actually not his own." So then what IS our own? Do I even own anything? Honestly, after reading this verse and purport, I'm not even sure. Is it possible for a spirit soul to own anything? Well, I guess I own my choices. That's the only reality I can be sure of. 

"When one has an understanding of things as they are, he becomes free from all dual conceptions such as happiness and distress, pleasure and pain." The goal of scientists is to solve the world's problems, to increase happiness and decrease distress, to increase pleasure and decrease pain. But the goal of the transcendentalist is to rise above these dualities, understanding that they will ebb and flow like the tide for eternity. This is reality. 

Full purport here: https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/15/5/

46: Thanks For Asking, Arjuna

CHAPTER 10, TEXT 17: O Kṛṣṇa, O supreme mystic, how shall I constantly think of You, and how shall I know You? In what various forms are You to be remembered, O Supreme Personality of Godhead?

I don't know about you, but for me, sometimes God seems very, very

very

far away. 

Like, beyond my comprehension, beyond my capacity of belief, beyond everything. 

In fact, Krishna even mentions in the ninth chapter of the Gita that, yes, he IS covered by His yogamaya potency, so thus only surrendered souls can see Him. He IS beyond our comprehension and belief and everything!

I don't know about you, but for me, I'm not a surrendered soul, and I'm not going to be a surrendered soul any time soon (let's be real). So I guess I can kiss goodbye any hope of seeing God...?

Not so fast.

This verse where Arjuna is addressing Krishna is so beautiful because he asks, "How shall I know You?" Although in truth HE is a surrendered soul and HE can experience God, Arjuna is speaking out on behalf of all of us (aka: the non-surrendered souls). Prabhupad writes, "The superior devotee is concerned not only for his own understanding but for the understanding of all mankind." Arjuna knows that the whole world, all of mankind, is listening to this deep and intimate conversation between him and Krishna. And by asking this question he is asking on behalf of all of us who are burning to know: "How shall I know You?"

How shall we know God, the one who is considered Achintya (inconceivable)? This seems impossible. 

Arjuna also knows, though, that "The common man who has no love for Kṛṣṇa cannot always think of Kṛṣṇa; therefore he has to think materially." True, love is transcendent and can cross barriers of time and space and open the heart and soul. But the fact is that most of us do not love God and we're not always thinking of Him in order to open our hearts and souls. Arjuna knows this. He  knows that  the common man is just  not in that space of pure love and devotion. 

We need to think materially. 

Let me see it to believe it. 

In this regard, Prabhupad emphasizes that Arjuna understands the materialist. He writes, "Because materialists cannot understand Kṛṣṇa spiritually, they are advised to concentrate the mind on physical things and try to see how Kṛṣṇa is manifested by physical representations." When I read this, first of all I felt a jolt of recognition - yes, I am that materialist! I cannot understand Krishna spiritually, as I am certainly not always thinking of  Him. Second of all, I felt a jolt of appreciation - thank you for giving me a way to see Krishna! I need to be able to experience Krishna with my eyes and hands and ears. I need to be able to marvel, to gasp, to absorb God through the senses of my body. 

I'm not a surrendered soul, but I hope that by appreciating God through His material splendor, I can become surrendered. 

Thank you, Arjuna, for speaking up for me and everyone else on this planet. Thank you for asking a question to your beloved Lord that will allow me to know Him. 

Full purport here: https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/10/17/

44: All Souls Are Created Equal

CHAPTER 9, TEXT 32: O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth – women, vaiśyas [merchants] and śūdras [workers] – can attain the supreme destination.

Let's be honest. If the CEO of any company made this statement today (substituting out "Me" for God, of course), he or she would probably be fired and his or her career and standing in society would come crashing down in smoldering ruins. 

Why? 

Krishna states here that women, merchants, and workers are of lower birth. 

This implies that men and, let's say, world leaders, are of a higher birth. 

Note the term "birth", which implies that if someone is born a certain way, there is nothing that can be done about it - no amount of surgeries or education degrees or work experience can change the manner in which one is born. A woman is a woman. A worker is a worker. One could argue that this kind of reasoning breeds discrimination and permits persecution and abuse in the name of religion. 

This verse (and others) are often cited as quite controversial, verses and commentaries that sometimes break people's faith in the Bhagavad-gita, the path of bhakti, and maybe even spiritual life. 

Americans hold equality of all to be a very sacred principle, and this Gita verse seems to violate that principle. Within a founding document of the United States of America, Thomas Jefferson penned these famous words in the Declaration of Independence, "All men are created equal." I am certainly a benefactor of America's pursuit of equality - as a woman living in 2020, I could literally do anything and everything I truly wanted to do, including go to college, buy land, or even become the President. What's more, America has inspired many other countries of the world to pursue equality for all. 

Of course, Jefferson is now criticized as a white man of privilege who had slaves and excluded women from this famous statement. On a material level, Jefferson (and most of the other founding fathers) was a hypocrite. 

So now we still have a problem - even people who espouse liberty, equality, and justice for all don't actually live those principles. 

Let's return to the drawing board then, and see where we have gone amiss in our interpretation of this Gita verse. Here is the problem: the phrase "lower birth" is all that is focused on. The truth is that this verse is stating something closer to what Jefferson himself meant in the deepest way: we are all truly created equal. 

No material designation, whether that is a body or an occupation, can keep us from our divine nature and our divine purpose in this world. Prabhupad writes, "It is clearly declared here by the Supreme Lord that in devotional service there is no distinction between the lower and higher classes of people." All that would be focused on if the CEO made this statement would be that he had classified women and workers as a lower birth, but not the essence of the verse, which is that anyone can participate in spiritual life, regardless of birth and class. 

The bigger thing to accept, then, is that there *are* classes of men and women in this world. This is the reality. There have always been classes in society, there always will be classes in society. This is just the nature of the material world. Prabhupad continues, "In the material conception of life there are such divisions, but for a person engaged in transcendental devotional service to the Lord there are not." This distinction is crucial. If we are engaged in transcendental service, these divisions become irrelevant. But if one switches into a material conception of life, then yes, suddenly these distinctions and classes of birth become important, almost overpowering. 

For example, men and women have separate competitions in the Olympics. This is understandable, considering the obvious physiological differences between a man's body and a woman's body.

But - men and women also have separate competitions for chess. 

Chess? 

How can this be? 

Being good at chess is a strong indicator of a high IQ (thechessworld.com), so if there is a separate championship for women, this means that on average, even the intellects of men outperform the intellects of women. This is simply the reality. Being stronger and also more intelligent is a sign of a "higher birth." 

But Krishna is saying here that none of those considerations of lower and higher birth matter when it comes to love and devotion.  

Prabhupad emphasizes, "[D]evotional service and the guidance of a pure devotee are so strong that there is no discrimination between the lower and higher classes of men; anyone can take to it." This is true equality. We all hunger to be treated as equals in life and in love. This is why the founding fathers laid down equality as a principle for the United States to be built upon - our soul hungers to be recognized for who we are, not just for some material condition. But the Declaration of Independence is a material document. 

The Gita is spiritual document. Contrary to how this verse is misinterpreted, the Gita is meant to lift us out of these cages of designations that trap us into discrimination, hatred, and persecution. Krishna is saying here that actually, none of these designations matter when there is love and devotion to God.  

More important than the reality that there are higher and lower births in this world is the reality that we are all spirit souls and all spirit souls are equal. When I operate from that level, I see the truth that I am just as eligible as any man, as any world leader, as anyone more beautiful or more intelligent or wealthier than me. I am a spirit soul, capable of offering my love and my heart to God with purity and devotion. That is within my power, that is within the power of every human being on this planet, that is an inalienable right within each and every one of us. No one can take away the right to love. I believe that this divine truth is what the founding fathers of America were aiming for when they wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. This is the truth that God himself is emphasizing in the Gita. 

So I'll just accept right now that as a woman, according to the Gita, I've been born into a "lower birth." 

Yep. Last I checked, I still love myself. I'm just accepting the reality of my birth. 

Being born a woman does not stop me from learning to love. I am a spirit soul, capable of opening my heart to God and attaining the "highest perfection of life." 

I trust that that is the message of the Gita, that is the message of Srila Prabhupad, that is the message of any genuine spiritual path. 

Full purport here: https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/9/32/

30: Be Sincere

CHAPTER 6, TEXT 33: 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.

In Chapter 6 entitled Dhyana Yoga, Krishna is instructing Arjuna to follow a very stringent system of yoga practice to purify the body and mind. Go to the forest, sit upon a firm yet soft mat, gaze at the tip of the nose with eyes half-open, and control the mind until it becomes like a "lamp in a windless place" (6.29).

One would imagine that as an obedient disciple to God Himself, Arjuna would be nodding his agreement to all of these instructions. Even if he did have misgivings, Arjuna would never object to instructions given by the guru.

Right?

Not quite.

Krishna has presented a system of mysticism to achieve perfection, but it is "rejected by Arjuna out of a feeling of inability."

Cue inner sigh of relief.

The yoga of mystic meditation and mind control seems interesting, and the past few dozen verses have certainly made valid points about the importance of self-control and recognizing the divine within others and within oneself. That said, Arjuna does not mince words - he declares that the system "appears impractical and unendurable."  In fact, Arjuna is a warrior and already highly self-disciplined; he also "had much better facilities than we do now, yet he refused to accept this system of yoga... Of course it may be possible for some very few, rare men, but for the people in general it is an impossible proposal."

Arjuna's rejection of Dhyana Yoga demonstrates two things. The first is that above all, The Bhagavad-gita is a practical scripture; this wisdom is meant to be applied by the common man in every age, every place, and every culture. The Gita is not meant for a few, rare men. The Gita is meant for the people in general, and people need practices that are accessible and meaningful. The Gita is meant for you and for me, today, here and now.

The second thing that Arjuna's rejection of Dhyana Yoga demonstrates is how a disciple should engage in dialogue with the teacher. Arjuna uses his intelligence and is respectfully, unflinchingly honest. What kind of disciple would Arjuna be if he just nodded his head and "accepted" everything that Krishna was telling him to do, but in his heart he felt doubtful and incapable? Arjuna speaks up about his concerns. Thus he is showing us how to conduct ourselves on the spiritual path - Do not blindly follow, but also do not blindly reject.

Use your intelligence.

Use your heart.

Be practical.

Ultimately, be sincere.

Full purport by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad here: https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/6/33/

22: Open Heart Surgery

CHAPTER 4, TEXT 34: Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

My husband works at a hospital as a chaplain, or a spiritual caregiver; the other day, he mentioned how one of the patients he has been visiting for a year and a half, Paul (pseudonym), received news that he will be receiving a heart transplant. Finally.

Paul was on the road to death but is now being given the opportunity to leave the hospital to continue living his life as a wonderful husband and father of two boys.

When I heard this, several thoughts passed through my mind: 1) someone had just died unexpectedly - someone young - who had been willing to donate their organs, 2) that person's heart was going to be cut out of his/her chest, 3) Paul's current heart was going to be cut out of his chest, 4) the other person's heart was going to be placed in Paul's chest. This sounds rather gory and graphic, but really, think about it. An old heart for a new heart.

And then my mind went to 5) who is the person who would complete this surgery?

???

A heart transplant surgery seems to be the equivalent of a modern miracle, and I have not the slightest idea how one would even begin to go about such a task. What I know for sure, though, is that the surgeon who will perform this "miracle" has studied for years and years and years and has practiced medicine in a residency with other advanced surgeons for years and years and years.

Similarly, spiritual life is a complex science that requires daily, challenging application.

How does one respond to the sudden loss of a loved one?

How does one respond to betrayal?

Humiliation?

Failure?

How does one respond to crisis? Hardship? Suffering?

Being able to respond with integrity in each of these situations is as complex and intense as conducting heart surgery. If mastery of a material science, such as medicine, requires years and years of study and supervised practice, why would mastery of spiritual life be any different?

Srila Prabhupad writes in his purport to this verse that mental speculation, dry arguments, independent study of books of knowledge, and/or manufacturing one's own process do not lead to spiritual realization or progress. Imagine if a surgeon simply studied books of medicine, or theorized about the function of the heart, or maybe even invented his own heart surgery transplant procedure - this would be ludicrous! Dangerous! Similarly, spiritual life is meant to be be studied and practiced under the supervision of those who know much more than we do. Spiritual life is meant to come from an authorized source with an authorized practice.

Deciding to approach a teacher for guidance is a great hallmark of material AND spiritual progress, and the mood to do so is laid out here: 1) inquire submissively, and 2) render service.

Inquiry does not always mean asking questions - true inquiry means to be vulnerable and to open the heart to truth.

Rendering service to a teacher demonstrates that "yes, I am ready to receive the truth from you and put these principles into practice." Service shows sincerity.

With these two elements, submissive inquiry and sincere service, the teacher is satisfied, and when a teacher is satisfied, blessings flow. Sometimes I wonder how certain people can go through life with such resilience, blossoming and glowing with growth on the spiritual path even when faced with so many hardships. Prabhupad writes, "Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life." So, this is their secret: satisfying the spiritual teacher through inquiry and service. In fact, "Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective."  This shows that the student must be responsible for preparing his or her heart to receive the truth, like having fertile ground for the seed of devotion to unfurl.

That said, inquiry should not be combative or forceful or speculative, and service should not be rendered to just anyone. This makes the soil of the heart rocky, dry, and acidic. Inquiry needs to be humble and thoughtful, and service rendered should be carefully done within one's means. Prabhupad writes, "In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned." Striking this sincere and mature balance of inquiry and service is all a part of our own "spiritual residency."

* 

Ultimately, you could say that the spiritual path is about replacing our old and diseased and failing material heart with a fresh and healthy and vibrant spiritual heart. We are in the process of our own heart surgery - and we are the surgeons. This is what's at stake - our hearts. Our lives.

In order to undergo such a precarious transformation, we need to take shelter of knowledge that is far beyond our own understanding. We need to be guided by those whose hands are much more capable and experienced than ours.

And when the hardships come, because they will come, we can respond with that spiritual heart, the glowing, vibrant heart that is resilient beyond anything in this world.

Image by Jakobbelbin Tattoo Artist

Full purport by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad for Chapter 4, Verse 34 here: https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/4/34/

20: The Disease and The Cure

CHAPTER 4, TEXT 10: Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me – and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.

Attachment, fear, and anger - these are all experiences that keep us from truly loving another person.

We can all admit that human beings are very attached to the body, and having physical health and beauty is a baseline for enjoying anything. Think about it - can we truly enjoy a day at the beach if we're covered in itchy, weepy sores? We need physical health to enjoy. Or can we feel fully confident in ourselves on our wedding day if our face is covered in red, pus-filled acne? We need physical beauty to enjoy.

As human beings, we're very attached to enjoying through the body and maintaining the body, but paradoxically we also understand that it's "perishable, full of ignorance, and completely miserable" - we've all had the equivalent experience of weepy sores and angry acne. So while we're attached to the body, we're also repulsed by it. If this is what it means to be a person - to be embodied and miserable - then there is no way that God is a person with an actual body. In fact, we "cannot even imagine that there is a transcendental body which is imperishable, full of knowledge, and eternally blissful." It's simply beyond our imagination! Thus, the attachment to the body and the conception that God cannot be a person (with a body) prevents us from truly loving God. After all, love must be exchanged between persons.

Therein lies our problem: love must be exchanged between persons. Prabhupad writes that "the conception of retaining the personality after liberation from matter frightens [materialistic people]". When I read this, naturally I considered myself a materialistic person and I wondered, Why? Why would retaining my personality after death / in heaven / in liberation frighten me so deeply?

And I reflected - I'm afraid to love.

Love is frightening.

When love is exchanged with another person, there is every possibility that I will be torn up and destroyed. Either the other person is indifferent to me (agonizing), betrays me (heart-shattering), or simply dies (total desolation). From the perspective of fear, love looks like a lose-lose situation that only ends with pain. Thus fear keeps us from pursuing or exchanging love with each other and especially with the Lord.

As for anger keeping us from loving God, sometimes all of this consideration about attachment and fear and personhood and liberation is just too much. There are so many religions and sects and doctrines and scriptures that some people just throw their hands in the air and scream from lack of understanding and frustration. Thus, "Being embarrassed by so many theories and by contradictions of various types of philosophical speculation, [people] become disgusted or angry and foolishly conclude that there is no supreme cause and that everything is ultimately void." This seems to be the only conclusion that such frustrated people can reach - throw it all out. Throw out all of the religions and doctrines and scriptures. I'm sure we can all relate with the experience of wanting to reach a very lofty goal, but the path to get there is sometimes so difficult, or so complex, or so painful, that in disgust we blame the lofty goal and discount it as not being worth it anyway. Similarly, the most worthy, loftiest goal - to give and receive pure love - is a path fraught with so many difficulties, complexities, and pain, that sometimes it's just too much. Throw in the towel.

But all of these people, those that are mired in attachment, fear, and anger, "are in a diseased condition of life." These people are not "out there." These people are right here, these people are US. WE are diseased. Surely we can identify with experiencing attachment, fear, and anger on the spiritual path to attain the highest destiny of our soul, to love and be loved. But that goal is so lofty, so high, that often we stumble and fall into a diseased condition.

But Krishna says that when we are freed of attachment, fear, and anger, we can attain love of God. In fact, He gives us hope by saying that "many, many persons in the past" engaged in the process of purifying their hearts to exchange love with Him. There is hope!

How do we get free of these stages of material consciousness? Srila Prabhupad writes, "One has to take complete shelter of the Lord, guided by the bona fide spiritual master, and follow the disciplines and regulative principles of devotional life." This is the path: take shelter of God and a teacher, and follow regulative principles. If we do so with sincerity, we can be safeguarded against the disease of attachment, fear, and anger and open our hearts to our highest destiny.

Full purport by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad: https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/4/10/

16: Be Exemplary

CHAPTER THREE, TEXT 21: Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.

Once, I asked my spiritual teacher if he had any instruction for me. He simply said, "Be exemplary."

Year after year, his words have rung in my head and reverberated out into my behavior. It's very confronting. 

Would I want another girl or woman to wear what I'm wearing?

Say what I'm saying? to her mother? to her student? to her husband? 

Would I want another woman to do what I'm doing? in the subway? at the temple? online? 

Post a picture that I'm posting? 

Write what I'm writing? 

How does an exemplary woman behave at work? At school? With her husband? 

Basically, the declaration is: Make my life transparent. I have nothing to hide. 

What's more, I need people to look up to, to show me the way to live a transparent life. Without their examples, I would be very lost indeed. In my mind I think of my mother, dance teacher, husband, spiritual master, professors, other teachers, and more. 

In the purport to this verse, Prabhupad writes that "People in general always require a leader who can teach the public by practical behavior" (149). Practical behavior is the key phrase here. Philosophy and words only take us so far. We all need someone who can show us the way through his or her example.

A leader is often equated with a powerful role that he or she attains, such as the CEO of Amazon or the President of the United States. In this verse, for the phrase "great man" Krishna uses the word sresthas, which is translated in the word-for-word as "respectable leader." In this sense, just being in the position of a CEO or the President is not enough for us to call him or her a "great man" - the person must be respectable.

Nevertheless, a role does carry a heavy responsibility. Prabhupad elaborates that "The king or the executive head of state, the father and the schoolteacher are all considered to be natural leaders of the innocent people in general" (149). Note that while many people may or may not have a king or even a schoolteacher to look up to, everyone has a father. For better or for worse, the example the father sets is a powerful precedent for the family and for society at large. The repercussions are great: "All such natural leaders have a great responsibility to their dependents" (149).

Would I want another father to do what I'm doing?

Would I want another mother to do what I'm doing?

Would I want another teacher to do what I'm doing?

Sometimes, it's hard to answer those questions. We simply don't know. That's why we need other people to set the example for us, those who are more powerful, loving, and wise.

So then I may ask: Who is MY role model? Who do I look up to? What would he do? What would she do? Those role models often light up a path that seems very dark. And then, once we are guided, we light the way for others. We are all meant to be leaders, to set standards that the whole world would follow. 

11: Language Reflects Consciousness

CHAPTER 2, TEXT 54: Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, what are the symptoms of one whose consciousness is thus merged in transcendence? How does he speak, and what is his language? How does he sit, and how does he walk?

This is Arjuna's first question in the Bhagavad-gita. Up to this point, Krishna has been explaining deep philosophical concepts, such as the nature of the soul and being detached from one's work in this world. And just like any time we hear a good amount of philosophy, we want to know how that philosophy is applied into everyday life, into one's everyday behavior. We don't want to be "armchair philosophers", speculating about life from our green squishy armchair in a stuffy drawing room. We want to be practical.

Arjuna is a warrior, and Arjuna is practical. He speaks for all of us. So he asks: what are the symptoms of a person in transcendence? Give me the basics: how does he speak, sit, and walk?

But we all speak, sit, and walk every day, all day. How would a person in transcendence be any different?

Srila Prabhupad emphasizes that of the three activities mentioned, one activity is the most important, which is "how the man in Krsna consciousness speaks; for speech is the most important quality of any man" (116). From this perspective, then, to speak is no longer ordinary.

Speech is power.

So often we just go through life speaking about anything and everything off the top of our minds. Complaining, chatting, cursing, explaining, and more.

We reveal our character, though, at every moment through what we choose to say or not say. Prabhupad writes that "It is said that a fool is undiscovered as long as he does not speak, and certainly a well-dressed fool cannot be identified unless he speaks, but as soon as he speaks, he reveals himself at once" (116). Walking through the streets and subways of New York City, I see many well-dressed people. If I was going off of appearances, I could consider all of these people supremely intelligent and wise. After all, there's no real way to identify a fool if he or she is dressed in a magnificent suit or a tailored dress.

In connection to Arjuna's question, though, language reflects consciousness. Peering into the minds of people to assess their consciousness is a job best left up to the psychics or psychiatrists (take your pick), and probably just a little unreliable. But if we were to listen in or engage in a conversation with any of these people on the street, we may observe their use of language to discern their level of consciousness. Most importantly, I may analyze my own use of language to discern my level of consciousness.

If language truly reflects consciousness, then it's what we say and not so much how we say it. The speech of an ideal person does not necessarily require eloquence, such as accent, pitch, and sophisticated vocabulary. The content of one's speech is far more important.

Naturally, then one may ask that if the content of our speech is the most important, what does a person in transcendence speak about?

Prabhupad writes, "The immediate symptom of a Krsna conscious man is that he speaks only of Krsna and of matters relating to Him" (116). So a well-dressed politician on the streets of New York could be speaking about very nuanced aspects of foreign policy in refined language, but he is not necessarily a person in transcendence. Using the power of speech to discuss spiritual matters and Krishna is a true symptom of someone who is rising above this world.

I have found that when I am searching for people to connect to who are on the spiritual path, I must look past the dress and the face. I need to look for a person who loves to speak from the heart about God and Krishna. In this way they may inspire within me my own desire to speak about God and search Him out with all of my heart.   

6: Blazing Fire, Cooling Rain

TEXT 7: Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.

The bushfires in Australia have blazed for months and months, burning over 17 million acres of land (cnn.com). Half a billion animals have been killed in the wildfires in Australia - it is estimated that 30% of the koala population has been wiped out (newsweek.com) and some scientists estimate that many species have been pushed to extinction (theguardian.com). Even with all of the firefighters deployed and all of the methods created by man to stop fires, the fires are unstoppable.

These kinds of fires are unprecedented in the history of the world, and seem to only hint at the kinds of calamities to come.

In this verse, Arjuna is admitting his confusion and loss of composure, overwhelmed by suffering and the anticipation of calamities to come. Prabhupad writes, "By nature's own way the complete system of material activities is a source of perplexity for everyone... They are like a forest fire that somehow blazes without being set by anyone. No one wants fire, and yet it takes place, and we become perplexed" (67). The phrase "complete system" is significant, because there is a network of material activities that are way beyond our control but affect us in painful and shocking ways. The bushfires in Australia are a result of a system of issues that are off-balance, such as unusual drought, unusually high temperatures, and high winds. In this way, "no one wants fire, and yet it takes place" - the fires have completely perplexed man.

The perplexities of this material world are never-ending. If not forest fires, a monster hurricane that destroys the coastal city of New Orleans. If not a hurricane, an earthquake that tears up the mountains of Nepal and kills thousands. If not an earthquake, a tsunami that crushes over 200,000 people in Indonesia. This network of natural disasters has always gone on and will never end in the future. That is the complete system of material activities.

What use is there pursuing wealth and health in such a dangerous place as this material world? Prabhupad writes in his purport to Verse 8 that "Economic development or supremacy over the world can be finished at any moment by the cataclysms of material nature" (70). In this way, one's home, family, and even country can be wiped out in an instant.

Recognizing this material world for what it is sets the stage for Arjuna to surrender: "Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me." This surrender to a spiritual master is described by the saint Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur as a cooling rain on the blazing fire of material existence. Indeed, these fires in Australia can only be truly stopped by rain. The spiritual master is like that - the cooling rain of his mercy and instructions are the only way to stop the fire.

Personally, I am often overwhelmed by news of natural disasters, the extent of the clear-cutting of rainforests, the massive piles of trash bags that line the streets of New York every week (where does it all GO??), short glimpses into the slaughter of billions of animals every day, the growing island of trash in the Pacific Ocean, global warming, rising sea levels, and on and on. Sometimes I lie awake at night, anxiety descending over my heart at the state of the world.

I feel so powerless.

When I turn to the Gita and read how Arjuna surrenders to Krishna in his distress, I feel a sense of cooling relief in my heart. Arjuna "sought refuge in Krsna consciousness, and that is the right path for peace and harmony" (70). This is a world where peace and harmony is designed to be impossible. Yet in our soul of souls, we all deeply yearn for that peace and harmony. To truly take responsibility for this desire, though, means to take refuge in something that transcends this material world: Krishna consciousness. And the way to experience Krishna consciousness is through the guidance of a spiritual master.

Surrendering to a spiritual master is not meant to be painful or unnatural. Surrender is meant to come from a deep and natural place in the soul, a sense of humility that descends over the heart that - hey, I need help. I am at wit's end. 

Please shower your rain of mercy upon me. 

Uplift me and protect me. 

My dear, dear teacher, please guide me. 

I need you. 

As of January 25th, 2020, rain is beginning to fall in Australia.

**

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/04/ecologists-warn-silent-death-australia-bushfires-endangered-species-extinction

https://www.newsweek.com/11-facts-about-devastating-wildfires-australia-1481495