Bhagavad-gita FATE Exhibit (transcript)

Setting the Stage

5000 years ago, at an ancient battlefield near what is now New Delhi, India, armies representing kingdoms from all over the world assembled for the greatest trial of arms in history. A family dispute over the throne had developed into a world-wide conflict between righteousness and tyranny.

Here between opposing armies, with friends and relatives on both sides, seeing brothers armed against brothers, the saintly Arjuna discloses his anguish to his intimate friend, who has assumed the role of Arjuna's chariot driver.

Arjuna: "Oh Krishna, seeing my friends and relatives present on both sides and ready to lay down their lives, my whole body is trembling, my mind is reeling. It would be better for the enemy to kill me, unarmed and unresisting, than for me to fight with them."

Krishna: "Oh Arjuna, give up such petty weakness of heart and arise, oh protector of the righteous."

Arjuna: "How can I fight these men? I prefer to live by begging than at the cost of their lives. Even though they are avaricious, I shall not fight!"

"Now I have lost all composure because of weakness. Now I surrender unto You, as your disciple. Please instruct me."

Krishna: "While speaking saintly words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are truly wise lament neither for the living nor the dead. Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings. Nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. The soul is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval."

Narrator: "And thus, Krishna begins to explain the first instruction of the Bhagavad-gita: that the perishable body and the eternal soul are not the same.


Changing Bodies

Who are you? First, look at yourself. Look at your hands. Go ahead, have a good look. Are you your hand? Are you your face? Are you your body? Are you your mind?

Are you the center of the universe? Or merely a tiny, insignificant creature in a remote corner of creation? These questions have challenged mankind's greatest thinkers since the dawn of civilization.

We are surrounded by material elements. These are the same elements that make up the bodies of all living creatures. And then there is mind, intelligence and ego. And beyond all that, consciousness. This is not material; it is the soul.

By nature's invincible laws, each soul passes through progressively higher species of life, until it inhabits a human form.

The soul cannot be measured with any scientific instrument. Yet, this minute non-material entity, the soul, is so powerful, that it unceasingly activates each body throughout its entire lifetime. This tiny little spark of life thus moves from one body to another. This is called reincarnation.

It is not difficult to understand. Even in our own life we live in different bodies. Medical science has demonstrated that all of our cells are replaced every seven years, including even the brain.

On the battlefield, Krishna tells Arjuna:

"As the embodied soul continually passes in this body from childhood to youth to old age, the soul likewise passes into another body at death. ... The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change."

And there you are, the soul with a human body, and the chance to break through the cycle of birth and death.


The Precarious Condition of the Embodied Soul

Here we see the precarious condition of the embodied soul. The Bhagavad-gita gives us this illustration to help us understand in more detail the relationship between the body and the soul.

The horses are the senses: sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. The reigns are the mind. The driver is the intelligence, and the passenger is the soul. In most cases, the soul does not control the intelligence, which in turn becomes bewildered and cannot firmly guide the mind. The mind, like the slackened reigns, does not control the senses, which become wild. This is happening to us every day, when the senses are irresistibly drawn to the sense objects. Thus the soul is forced into dangerous and unpredictable states of consciousness.


Choices on the Path of Life

Man can control his destiny. As a spiritual being, he can choose, by the expression of his free will, his path of life.

If he chooses to descend the staircase in pursuit of temporary and flickering objects of the senses, external forces take control of him, and his free will becomes severely restricted. He comes under the law of karma. Karma is the subtle but stringent law of action and reaction which operates even in the realm of consciousness. Under that law, the consciousness of one on the downward path degenerates to become like that of an animal. Such a person reincarnates after death into lower than human life forms. This is the result of misuse of free will.

The upward path begins with the acceptance of spiritual guidance, and leads to the ultimate liberation of the soul from the bodily concept of life. Such a person perceives his pure soul and its relationship with God.


Equal Vision of the Sages

Ordinarily, we see all around us many diverse forms of life. However, a person on the spiritual path sees the soul, not the body, as the real self of every living being. The soul, which is by nature full of bliss and knowledge, is an emanation from the supreme soul, present along with the soul. The supreme soul becomes visible to the eyes of a sage. This higher perception was exemplified and taught by all seers of the truth such as Moses, Buddha, Christ, and Mohammed.

The sage who thus is freed from physical repulsion and attraction, sees all living beings with equal vision and becomes a genuine lover of the universe.

Who is that supreme soul who is within all creatures as the in-dwelling guide, witness, maintainer, and ultimate friend? Who is that who is situated within all things, and yet everything resides in Him?


Krishna's Transcendental Manifestations

The localized expansion of the supreme soul is a spiritual reflection of Krishna. In His original form, Krishna resides eternally in His own transcendental realm called Goloka. He assumes varieties of spiritually perfect forms and appears in the physical universe to curb the rise of materialism and tyranny, which obstruct the spiritual progress of humanity. He does this in many different ways, which are always good and just.

Matsya appears at the time of the great inundation.

Kurma, who prevented the demonic rulers from gaining dangerous powers.

Varaha challenged the vicious giant Hiranyaksha.

Narasimha annihilated Hiranyakashipu, the great oppressor of the innocent.

Vamana, who saved the world from the despot Bali.

Parashurama, the warrior priest who drove out the brutal martial class.

Rama, exemplifying a perfect monarch, who sacrificed His own happiness to uphold the principles of righteousness.

Krishna appeared Himself to display His unsurpassed, celebrated pastimes of love with His devotees.

Buddha, the royal prince who renounced His kingdom and taught religious principles in the form of non-violence.

Kalki, still to come, will herald the change of universal time.



God's Universal Form

Arjuna: "My dear Krishna, I know you dwell in the heart of every living being as the Supersoul, and that You manifest Yourself in many different incarnations. Though I see You here before me, I wish to know how You pervade this entire cosmic manifestation. If you think that I am able to behold this truth, kindly reveal it to me."

Krishna: "My dear Arjuna, you cannot see this universal self with your present eyes. Therefore, I now give you divine eyes."

"Behold My mystic opulences, which no one has ever seen or heard before. You will see that everything is contained within Me."

Arjuna: "Oh Krishna, I see within You all living beings. I see Brahma sitting on the divine lotus. I see Shiva, many sages, celestial serpents. I see many forms, bellies, mouths, eyes expanded without limit.

You are inexhaustible. You are the origin, without beginning, middle or end. You are spread throughout the sky, the planets, and all space between.

Oh universal Lord, I am losing my equilibrium. Seeing your radiant colors fill the sky and beholding Your eyes and mouths, I am afraid.

I see all life flowing from you, and rushing back with great speed into Your divine form. Covering the entire universe with your immeasurable rays, scorching the world, You are manifest.

Oh Lord of Lords, please tell me who you are in this fierce form. Please be gracious to me. I desire to know your purpose."

Krishna: "Time I am, the mighty destiny. I have come to change all things."

"Oh Arjuna, behold My mystic plan. Through My own wisdom and love the souls of this world ever journey towards their supreme destination, Me, who am the reservoir of all pleasure.

Arjuna: "Oh unbounded power, You are the father of this complete cosmic manifestation. No one can be greater than You, or equal to You. Although I am glad that You have shown me this form, yet fear disturbs me. Please bestow Your grace on me. Reveal again Your original form, oh abode of the universe!"

Krishna: "Let this horrible feature be finished. With a peaceful mind, you can now see My original form which is so dear to you."

"Oh Arjuna, only by undivided devotion can I be known as I am. Thus you can see me directly, sitting before you. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of understanding Me."


Ocean of Birth and Death

Imagine yourself adrift in the midst of the vast ocean. Even if you were the world's greatest swimmer, you would eventually drown, unless someone came to your rescue.

The material world is compared to a vast ocean, an ocean of birth and death. Souls trapped in this world cannot free themselves from the continuing cycle of birth and death. But they can be freed by the process of yoga.

Yoga means union with the supreme. This is the stage beyond all anxieties. Thus, the soul perfectly linked with the supreme soul through devotion is at once rescued from repeated birth and death by the mercy of Krishna.


Lord Chaitanya's Sankirtan Festival

According to Bhagavad-gita, Krishna descends in many forms and places. Here in Bengal, in the latter part of the 15th century, Krishna descended in the form of Lord Chaitanya. By His personal example, He delivered the essence of Bhagavad-gita, loving devotional service to God, or Bhakti-yoga, the most practical means of achieving self-realization in the present age. He inaugurated the Sankirtan Movement, chanting the Holy Names of Krishna.

Wherever Lord Chaitanya led His sankirtan festival, spontaneous love of God and profound spiritual knowledge blossomed in the hearts of the people. But Sri Chaitanya's compassionate concern for humanity was not limited to India. Thus, He made it easy for everyone to break through the cycle of birth and death, causing the ocean of love of God to overflow throughout the world, and now reach the shores of America.


Goloka - the Spiritual Realm

In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna promises that whoever perfectly and constantly meditates on Him, will ultimately come to Him. This is the highest evolution of the liberated soul: direct relationship with Krishna in His own planet.

This is Goloka, the spiritual realm. Here, in Krishna's abode, all water is nectar, every word is a song, and every step a dance.

Far from formless, the spiritual world is the origin of all form, emanating from the supreme form, Krishna. All forms here are eternal, fully conscious, and blissful.

Krishna is the original form, and the human form is the reflection of that form.

Here, standing on the bank of the Jamuna River with the exquisitely beautiful Radha at His side, Krishna smiles and plays His enchanting flute. He appears as the central attractive figure enjoying varieties of divine loving exchange with the whole spiritual world.

Every entity in the spiritual world, regardless of its particular form, enjoys full loving reciprocation with Krishna.

When the devotees, peacocks, swans, and all other living beings hear the sound of Krishna's transcendental flute, they swoon in ecstasy, and tears of love fall from their eyes.

All souls are potentially capable of reaching this state of love of God, and Krishna promises to help those who long for it. Those souls who follow the path of Bhakti yoga, devotional meditation, will at last evolve their original spiritual bodies.

All of us are parts of the supreme soul, Krishna, who is everlastingly beckoning us to return to His eternal abode.

Krishna's Wishlist

Sri Krishna expresses what He wants Arjuna to do, and all other parts and parcels of Him (like me), in the verses of His transcendental song, the Bhagavad-gita.

"Krishna consciousness is acting according to Krishna's order."  (Bhagavad-gita, 18.73 purport)

I'm starting to collect a list of Krishna's wishes so I can try to fulfill them.

Krishna's Wishlist

4:34: "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."

18.65: "Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage to Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend."

Purport by Srila Prabhupada: "The most confidential part of knowledge is that one should become a pure devotee of Krishna and always think of Him and act for Him. One should not become an official meditator. Life should be so molded that one will always have the chance to think of Krishna. One should act in such a way that all his daily activities are in connection with Krishna. He should arrange his life in such a way that throughout the twenty-four hours he cannot but think of Krishna. And the Lord's promise is that anyone who is in such pure Krishna consciousness will certainly return to the abode of Krishna, where he will be engaged in the association of Krishna face to face. .. Everyone who follows the path of Arjuna can become a dear friend to Krishna and obtain the same perfection as Arjuna. .. Concentration of the mind on the form of Krishna constitutes the most confidential part of knowledge."

18:66: "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me."

Purport: ".. Anything that does not lead to the perfectional stage of Krishna consciousness should be avoided. One should be confident that in all circumstances Krishna will protect him from all difficulties. There is no need of thinking how one should keep the body and soul together. Krishna will see to that. One should always think himself helpless and should consider Krishna the only basis for his progress in life."

18:68-70: "For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear. One who studies this conversation of ours worships Me by his intelligence."

Krishna's wishlist as Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu:

Trinad api sunicena... be more humble than a blade of grass in the street, more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige (honor), and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind, chant the holy names of the Lord constantly.

Kirtaniya sadah harih... Chant Hare Krishna always, incessantly, without any other motive than to please Krishna.

Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa: wherever you go, whomever you meet, give them Lord Krishna's message.  (Cc. Madhya 7.128)

Prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama: In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard." (Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya 4.126)

Purport: .. The followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu may therefore take this movement seriously and broadcast it throughout the world, from village to village and from town to town, just as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself did." (Cc, Madhya, 25.264)

The bottom line: Take up Krishna consciousness and distribute it to everyone you meet.

Water on a Lotus Leaf

kamala dala jala, jivana tala mala... Life is tottering, like a drop of water on a lotus leaf, sings Govinda Dasa in Bhaja hu re mana.

Looking at the same picture, the materialist sees dollar signs, nano coatings, The Lotus Effect. Wonder cure to improve life in the material world. "You'll never have to clean again!" Non-stick windshields, clothing, furniture, cooking utensils.

The sage observes little drops of water, dancing precariously on a lotus leaf. Life's like that.

...bhajahu hari-pada niti re. Therefore let me always serve
the lotus feet of Lord Hari.

Cooked by Time

Lord Yamaraja, disguised as a Yaksha, once asked Maharaja Yudhisthira: ‘What is the most wonderful thing within this world?’

Maharaja Yudhisthira replied:

ahany ahani bhutani gacchantiha yamalayam
sheshah sthavaram icchanti kim ashcaryam atah param

“Hundreds and thousands of living entities meet death at every moment, but a foolish living being nonetheless thinks himself deathless and does not prepare for death. This is the most wonderful thing in this world.”

Yamaraja inquired further: Who in this world is happy?

Yudhisthira: He who is neither in debt nor exiled and who lives simply, eating simple food in his own home, is happy.

Yamaraja:  What are the tidings [news] of this world?

Yudhisthira:  The tidings are that in this world–—which is like a cauldron with the sun as its fire, days and nights as its fuel, and months and seasons as its wooden ladle—all creatures are being cooked by time.

Yamaraja: How can one find the eternal path of religion?

Yudhisthira: The eternal religious path is found only in the heart of great mystics.

Yamaraja: What makes the soul rise out of his entanglement in matter? Who keeps him company, who is his guide on that spiritual journey, and on what is he established?
 
Yudhisthira: It is knowledge of the Supreme Lord which makes the soul rise. Godly qualities are his companions, dharma is his guide, and he is established on truth.

Yamaraja: What makes one learned? How does one attain to that which is most exalted? How does one acquire a second self, and by what, O King, does one become wise?

Yudhisthira: One becomes learned by studying the Vedas. By asceticism one attains what is most exalted. Intelligence is like a second self, and serving one’s elders makes one wise.

(Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.116)

The beautiful Srimad-Bhagavatam offers the following solace: (SB 2.3.17)

ayur harati vai pumsam
udyann astam ca yann asau
tasyarte yat-kshano nita
uttama-shloka-vartaya

Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.

Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:

This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service. Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold. Human life is simply awarded to a living entity (jiva) so that he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness. A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities. The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage and personality are all identical with Him. Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door to perfection is immediately opened. In the Bhagavad-gita (2.40) the Lord has explained such contact in the following words: "Endeavors in devotional service are never baffled. Nor is there failure. A slight beginning of such activities is sufficient even to deliver a person from the great ocean of material fears." As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear of the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently. Aural realization of the transcendental messages implies total realization, just as fructification of one part of a tree implies fructification of all other parts. This realization for a moment in the association of pure devotees like Shukadeva Gosvami prepares one's complete life for eternity. And thus the sun fails to rob the pure devotee of his duration of life, inasmuch as he is constantly busy in the devotional service of the Lord, purifying his existence. Death is a symptom of the material infection of the eternal living being; only due to material infection is the eternal living entity subjected to the law of birth, death, old age and disease.

.. The ultimate end of Vedic knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, as stated in the Bhagavad-gita (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]). .. A moment passed in the association of a pure devotee by hearing and chanting the transcendental messages of the Lord is a perfect guarantee for eternal life, for returning home, back to Godhead. Mad-dhama gatva punar janma na vidyate. In other words, a devotee of the Lord is guaranteed eternal life. A devotee's old age or disease in the present life is but an impetus to such guaranteed eternal life.

Pleasing Sri Nama Prabhu

"Constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all .." (Srimad-Bhagavatam, 2.1.11)

In the purport, Srila Prabhupada elaborates on the ten offenses that should be avoided by chanters.

Three points that stood out:

- Consider all names of God as sacred. Quote: "Any nomenclature which is meant for the Supreme Lord is as holy as the others because they are all meant for the Lord. Such holy names are as powerful as the Lord, and there is no bar for anyone in any part of the creation to chant and glorify the Lord by the particular name of the Lord as it is locally understood."

- Don't commit sinful acts. Quote: "One may be a sinful man before chanting the holy name of the Lord, but after taking shelter in the holy name of the Lord and becoming immune, one should strictly restrain oneself from committing sinful acts with a hope that his method of chanting the holy name will give him protection."

- Don't use the Name in my service. Quote: "The eighth offense is to consider the holy name of the Lord and His chanting method to be equal to some material auspicious activity. There are various kinds of good works for material benefits, but the holy name and His chanting are not mere auspicious holy services. Undoubtedly the holy name is holy service, but He should never be utilized for such purposes. Since the holy name and the Lord are of one and the same identity, one should not try to bring the holy name into the service of mankind. The idea is that the Supreme Lord is the supreme enjoyer. He is no one's servant or order supplier. Similarly, since the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord, one should not try to utilize the holy name for one's personal service." (emphasis added)

http://vedabase.net/sb/2/1/11/en

Life, fame, success

LIFE


When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced.  Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice.  –Indian Saying

FAME

We should become famous as devotees of Krishna - that is real fame. –Srila Prabhupada

SUCCESS


Our measure of success should be, "How have I pleased Krishna today?" That's all. –Srila Prabhupada

Glitter like Gold

The following reminded me of the devotees on the festival tour, glittering like a gold ring engaged in service to Lord Jagannatha, who is like a shining diamond.

"The very phrase "Kṛṣṇa consciousness" suggests that those who are in such consciousness are living transcendentalists, situated in Him. The Lord says here distinctly, mayi te: "They are in Me." Naturally, as a result, the Lord is also in them. This is reciprocal. This also explains the words ye yathā māḿ prapadyante tāḿs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: "Whoever surrenders unto Me, proportionately I take care of him." This transcendental reciprocation exists because both the Lord and the devotee are conscious. When a diamond is set in a golden ring, it looks very nice. The gold is glorified, and at the same time the diamond is glorified. The Lord and the living entity eternally glitter, and when a living entity becomes inclined to the service of the Supreme Lord he looks like gold. The Lord is a diamond, and so this combination is very nice. Living entities in a pure state are called devotees. The Supreme Lord becomes the devotee of His devotees. ... Devotional service to the Lord is not an activity of this material world; it is part of the spiritual world, where eternity, bliss and knowledge predominate." --Bhagavad-gita Chapter 9, text 29

Traveling on Lord Jagannatha's festival tour is an opportunity to shine like gold and engage this soul, body, mind and senses in His blissful service.