Why do I write? I write because Srila Prabhupada expressly advised his disciples to do so. Why? One reason is that writing is a natural reflection of one's inner realization. Any fool can be considered spiritually advanced until he opens his mouth or, even more irreversibly, when he puts pen to paper. In any case, writing is a natural manifestation of any devotee who has genuine vijnana or wisdom. It is impossible to be silent when Krsna speaks through you. The reason for my blog and other writings is to share my thoughts and experience with my friends and students who participate in my Sat Sangs. Younger devotees are inquisitive and I try to provide some ideas to help them become independently thoughtful and competent in knowledge and action.
The material world is full of problems. Spiritual progress and material needs can go along peacefully side by side like the two parallel lines of a railway track. But not always. Sometimes there are disturbances and that should not be surprising. Thus, Krsna many times advises in Bhagavad-gita to be equal in all circumstances, in honor and dishonor, success or failure and so on (Bg 14.24, 16.3, 17.18, 2.38). Why does He advise us this way? Because the nature of the material world is that there will be dishonor, there will be lack of acceptance due to envious people and, of course, our old bad habits and karma coming from many, many previous lives will tap us on our shoulder until we have fully dealt with them. Material existence is padam padam hi vipadam na tesam (Bhag. 10.14.58), dangerous at every step. Notwithstanding the dangerous nature of this material jungle, because we are living in it, an important prerequisite to progress is to appreciate that Krsna’s plan is behind all things and thus there is no need be unnecessarily critical nor approving. In fact, mindless approval and visceral criticism are counterproductive. Each and every living entity is unique, there are no two alike and each one has the potential to offer unique love and pleasure to Krsna. Since there are unlimited living entities it is logical to see this as one way that Krsna enjoys unlimitedly. Because of this inclination to enjoy, every living entity is very dear to the Lord who is sitting in the heart waiting for that unique and as yet undiscovered loving reciprocation, raso vai sah (Taittiriya Up 2.7.1), He is all love and love is all to Him. The devotees who have begun the process of uniquely loving Krsna are personally nurtured by Him to come to newer and newer levels of loving exchanges. He specifically and personally takes care of them in proportion to their willingness to be trained, ye yatha mam prapadyante (Bg 4.11). Even if a devotee, due to past habits, makes some mistakes, we must know that Krsna Himself will take care of him or her in a better way then we can imagine or judge. Also, although we may not like what a devotee is doing, or his or her actions may be contrary to accepted morality, nonetheless Krsna may be satisfied with that devotion, api cet suduracaro (Bg 9.30). After all, who is in control?
5 comments:
Very nice understandings. Understanding is vijnana. Anyone can quote scriptures, even a parrot. But only someone who has lived and experienced and struggled to integrate that knowledge, and who realizes its value, has something really valuable to share with others.
Thanks. I was listening the other day to a class in which Prabhupada gave the example of the parrot. He said Just like parrot, he chants also, "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna." But when the cat catches the neck, "Kanh! Kanh! Kanh!" No more Krsna. No more Krsna. So artificial practice will not help us. Then "Khan, khan." Anyhow Jauvana, shows you must be Prabhupada conscious to remember the parrot...
I don't remember hearing that class, but i'm happy to know Prabhupada used that example. Actually, we (Prabhupada disciples) did not hear Prabhupada properly during his manifest lila. And we certainly didn't properly understand his deeper mood. That is another significant reason how Iskcon got so off track. That was 35-40 years ago, when Prabhupada could keep the ship going towards Krishna by his own spiritual energy. Since then, the ship has gone way off, and is now in an orbit heading to some planet of pratishta in the material universe.
The good ship ISKCON, with its crew and passengers, was sailing quite safely under the expert captain Srila Prabhupada. No one can argue with the fact that he knew how to avoid all dangers and resolve all difficulties. Then the captain leaves and some of his senior officers take over command. Unfortunately, even though given ample leeway by the crew, they steer the ship into dangerous waters again and again thus showing clearly their incompetence and inexperience. The rest of the crew, their godbrothers, naturally begin to question their captaincy but any complaint is dealt by summarily forcing the complainant to walk the plank. Inevitably 99% of the godbrothers are overboard. Of course, not all were made to walk the plank; some jumped in desperation, others out of sheer disgust and still others out of their own independent madness. However, until this injustice is fully addressed by the GBC, it must be clearly and loudly broadcast that the majority were directly or indirectly forced. Now we have a situation where most original crewmembers are at sea and struggling very, very hard to stay afloat in maya’s surging waves of shark infested waters. And what do the officers of the deck do? They point to the floaters and tell what’s left of the crew and to the naïve passengers, “Just see how those godbrothers are unable to stay afloat. They are all in maya.” This is the present situation.
brilliant and hilarious commentary on my "ship" analogy. Yes, we Walked the Plank: as the leaders turned Iskcon into a pirate ship!
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