This is taken from an article I wrote on Facebook…
Suka deva
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In history, we find many political battles or nations fighting for one reason or another , the fighting between the left and the right , between capitalism and communism etc etc .
But the Vedic cultures identify varieties of people living in varieties of ways , according to their predisposed natures . The Vedas recognise the different outlook’s of people and although all men are equal , same time due to karmic states and varieties of mentalities , everyone has to be accommodated , facilitated and helped along to lead progressive and happy lives . Numerous types of faiths and numerous goals are inevitable and discussed by Krishna in His Bhagavad Gita. There was no question of dictatorships but rather structures with varieties of laws and justice systems with different expectations from different types of persons.
Ultimately, for societies to knit together properly, it takes very broad thinkers with detailed and all incorporating types of intelligence ,not unthinking fanatics . One thing that was always in place in Vedic Cultures was the head . Societies were taken like a body, head , arms , belly, and legs . Societies must have the most thoughtful and intelligent people leading them . The Vedas tell us about the different types of intelligences that will be functioning in social administrations and recommend the most suitable types for the social , scientific , philosophical , economic, and spiritual education . Each of which is applied in a myriad of ways in prescribed ways , one glove does not fit all .
In the vedas part are designated as the puranas , 18 puranas , six for people in goodness , six for people in passion six for people in ignorance . Krishna tells us in Bhagavad Gita of the different types of persons and faiths and how they are best administered to .
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The words of Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja.
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It’s crucial to understand the importance of the legitimate and clearly qualified intelligensia in society and also understand what is actually meant by the intelligentsia . In Vedic circles, the greatest of the intelligentsia were realised in the philosophy of consciousness , they know its source , its various entanglements, and the theroputic methods to be employed so as to bring the best out of every human who possesses consciousness as well as to protect all creatures who also unknowingly possess it , in the sense animals are not philosophical .
Along with this best of the intelligentsia , there were a variety of scholars in very many different disciplines that played a supportive role to the philosophical leaders who ultimately guided society and the whole social systems and networks thereof .
Unfortunately, when the intelligentsia are silenced , sidelined, or minimised, the results are chaos throughout the social systems , systematic education along with beneficial cultures and traditions become lost and replaced with artificial living , AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada called modern living , whose goal is to satisfy the bodily senses or titilate any mental concoction” a society of sophisticated animals .”
The animalistic consciousness becomes so prominent that the artificial intelligensia tells us all our distant relatives are apes , that we originate from soup and that survive of the fittest should be the motto for life, thus we live in a society run by hogs , dogs , camels and asses , the Srimad Bhagavatam , the summary of the Vedas , tell us .
The environment is in trouble , the animals and all creatures are losing their homes , wars are raging , people are displaced without homes , countries or livelihoods , its time for people to wake up and look for and understand who are the real intelligensia and listen to what they say , and the Vedas clearly have the answers
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A great and important philosophical question posed by Vrajanatha in Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur’s Jiva Dharma, the occupation of the soul .
We are manifest from Lord Balarama, the first expansion of Krishna, and because the soul is part of Him , and Krishna always been , so have we . Within Krishna are unlimited expansions , and unlimited capacity . , thus the simultaneous one and difference of the living beings and God can be looked at in this way . Jiva Goswami also says that Krishna makes the impossible possible by manifesting totally separate entities with free will .
We also have to understand the expression , “ time immemorial ,” we can not fathom its beginnings .
When Balarama brings forth the ” dormant ” Jivas , it is because He wants to increase Krishna’s pleasure. We are not dead stones or downloads of Balarama , but have free will to choose to love and give pleasure. The more we use our free will for its intended purpose , the more freedom we can experience , spiritually and even materially . On our being “manifest ” , just as a good father tells us how to properly conduct life for our greatest benefits , similarly Balarama , our original father , does the same , guidance in numerous ways are in place, unbeknown to most , Balarama bh His examples brings freedom of expression , love and attractions , spontaneously , the living beings reveal their individual consciousness by their own attractions . Love is always voluntary and can never be forced but needs learning at times . The complete and full existence of Divinity is only ever understood by unadulterated love. Indeed , Sanatana Goswami has shown in his literatures in the pastime of Gopa Kumar , that when Gopa finally returned to a spiritual world, the Lord was waiting and embraced him saying “where have you been I have missed you and have been waiting ?” Such is the Love of the Supreme Father of all Krishna.
It’s indicted , by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur , the jiva enters a tatasta state , which is understood as the impersonal Brahman energies, for those Jivas are not so inclined to share their consciousness in loving exchanges with Divinity . They remain in an impersonal bliss , but for want of activity and relationships, they come to the material planes , ultimately , the material energies refine their activity and they learn to love , and learn that Krishna or God is “Rasaraja” the king of exchanges of love . Its this relationship that the inner desires of every soul is hankering for . This leaving the impersonal spiritual light and beginning material activities is began by a ” transporational” glance , the living being is injected into matter from Maha Sankarsana to Maha Visnu, who glances the beings into matter .
Revealing their state of consciousness and desire , the Jiva is connected either to Maha maya or Yoga maya , i.e., the spiritual or material energies , according to their free spirit . It appears our consciousness , having this free spirit, connected itself to Maha maya , we are in the material universes. Balarama , being our father , and in that sense Balarama and Krishna are one , so Balarama could detect our independence , which was not directed towards pure devotional desires , but also a desire for relationships , having remained in an brahman impersonal energy for some time . Arrangements were made because God is all knowing , and automatically through the ethereal planes within the multidimensional unlimited space time arrangements , the living beings arrive in matter , initially with relatively exalted consciousness . Mahamaya or Durga Devi has the task of providing an illusion of artificial lordship and sensual pleasures and thus temping one to enjoy a separate existence from God , further and further entanglements begin .
Some people say God knows everything , but does He know when you will turn in Love towards Him , and how you will love Him and the intensity ?
In conditioned consciousness, one is firmly in His energy, as the high court judge knows the destination of the criminal , so a harmful soul is under Gods grips , with predicable consequences , but not a pure soul . He has his full freedom and is unpredictable in love . Love in real spiritual terms is every increasing , and unpredictable , unlimited exchanges take place with the master of love Krishna , soul to soul in spiritual bodies , in full spiritual varigatedness.
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The Vedas per say is so very broad , incorporating those who relate with God in impersonal ways , as well as those who love to worship Demigods , instead of God , those who worship their forefathers and family traditions , those who sacrifice the mental and intellectual energies searching for God , those that want something material from God , ultimately all these persons offer worship in one form or another , and draw benefit from the universal order .
Krishna in His Bhagavad Gita calls these persons less intelligent because intelligence means to connect with something that can give the highest benefits for our consciousness , including love and pleasure , since we are all pleasure seeking best go to the sources of all pleasure, or as AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada wrote Krishna is the reservoir of all pleasure .
So anybody who tries to understand God in one way or another , by following different religious practices or a philosophical pursuit or who tries to better themselves in ethical , moral , and compasionate ways are all in one way or another following the Vedas , and we should give due respect.
AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada said most people are innocent in the world , the ones to look out for are the out and out demoniac persons who are ruthless in many respects , Krishna in His Bhagavad Gita speaks of the qualities of the demoniac , so that helpful to us so as to know who to be wary of , but also lookout for wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing .
So let’s celebrate that the world has many good people within it and together guard against the darker energies , but also by God’s mercy the darkness becomes light .
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The Vedas have a lot to say on this topic , material pleasure is pleasure utalising bodily sences and the mental pleasures of contemplations , i.e. acceptance or rejection within the mind of future sensual experiences. The intellectual pleasure is also of many forms, including a philosophical speculative process that also brings a degree of pleasure , the craving for knowledge, and the pride of being right about everything . Intelligence can also be creative in many ways and can express ideas or philosophy . It’s always rewarding to get other people to have deeper and new insights. A sense of control or understanding can be broadly described as material pleasure. Such expressions within the material world have a beginning, a middle, and an end , although deeper learning and impressions are carried to our next life, the Vedas indicate.
Spiritual pleasure however is based on a state of deeper consciousness , the direct consciousness of the doul , its an uncovering process , pure knowledge and natural bliss are inherently the constitution of life in real terms. That is a state beyond the sensual , mental, and intellectual platforms. These are described in spiritual categories as the pleasure of Brahman consciousness , the pleasure of Paramātma consciousness, and the pleasure of Bhagavan consciousness .
Each of the above categories need a thorough explanation but in brief , we can say understanding and experience of God’s impersonal spiritual energies , or His localised energies or His personal form the cause of all causes and the energetic source of all spiritual realms and energies.
In the Vedas the living beings are described as pleasure seeking , this is so because they originate from God who is ever expanding in His pleasure and is the master at creating it and enjoying.
God was one , it is said , He became two known as Radha Krishna , and from them both other unlimited expansions are manifest .
Srimati Radharani is the personification of Krishna’s pleasure seeking potency , and this Supreme Goddess of Fortune Radharani is the most expert in all the known and unknown arts . The 64 spiritual excellences are spontaneously exuding from Her and Her associates , unlimited and ever new playfulness and pleasures , enjoyed with spiritual senses in a spiritual forms . Krishna is forever attracted to these spiritually exquisite trancendental exhibitions of pleasures that create direct euphoric emotional experiences. The spiritual senses and emotions are non different to the soul , everything is absolute. Radharani is equally forever attracted to the super excellence of Krishna’s form qualities and pastimes. Consciousness has never had a beginning, a middle or an end , so Krishna consciousness is a realm without atoms elements compounds and ethereal minds and thus pleasure increasingly occurs with no end in site .
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Srila Bhaktisiddanta Goswami Maharaja , although fully absorbed in Radha Krishna Nitya Lila, did not take Babaji initiation , he was the great spiritual teacher and thus gave the example of being in the sannyasa Ashram. That Ashram, although the head of the Varna Ashram system , is below the Babaji, who is fully immersed in his practice of deep meditations in the land of Vraj, serving the residents there. Ultimately directed by Yoga maya , Vrnda devi and Vrsabhanu Nandini Srimati Radharani.
Srila Sridhar Swami , Prabhupada’s friend and godbrother would say we should wait in Govardhan Hill. waiting to be called to Radha Kund .
But he also said by practice and mercy particularly Lord Nityananda and Mahāprabhu’s mercy and Their devotees these matters of Radha Krishna Nitya Lila and the activities of the residents of Vrndavana will irresistibly enter the heart , and added fools rush in where angels dare to tread.
So a balanced careful approach with service attitudes always keeping this topic high above our heads , but not thinking it should not be approached , but praying to be able to approach , with a certain greed in the heart .
A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada immediately when coming to the west gave Krishna book , and some of the activities of the 10th Canto , and many of our predecessor acaryas have written extensively on these topics .
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Theological positions and access to Divinity directly or indirectly..
Throughout theological history, there’s always been a debate and different extreme positions taken in regards to who can access a direct relationship with Divinity and even if it’s at all possible .
In the teachings of the Vedas, this example is given , that a turtle swimming in the ocean, pops its head up for a breath of air , by chance at that place where the turtle surfaces a log is floating in the ocean , which has hole in it , the turtles head pops directly into that hole , such a rare chance event can be compared to the rarity of the appearance in this world of the top most pure representatives of Divinity .
The great Vedic teacher Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, says that Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu , who is considered to be Krishna Himself , is teaching by example, and is the perfect Guru in that sense , Bhaktivinod Thakur also says His direct disciples , Srila Rupa Goswami and Ragganathha das and the other four prominent Goswamis of Vrndavana spoken of by Gaudia Vaisnavas , should all be regarded as our own personal Siksa Gurus , he also says finding topmost Guru is rare , but Mahaprabhu has come to act as perfect Guru , and taught the prominent Devotees particularly Rupa Ragganatha, thus we can take it , that space time , does not get in the way of Divine connections , and full realisation of Mahaprabhu’s teaching are fully accessible via Mahaprabhu’s devotees.
The Catholic and Protestants , fight over the direct relationship with Divinity issue , as do the Muslim faith , they also fight over who is the pure representatives , family lines from original teachers or non family lines , from those who have heard and assimilated the wisdom.
Fortunately the Vedas give as the answers, The Guru, Sadhu Sastra truth , are three in one , that also means that each is an authority, but each can be checked against each other .
The other aspects of Spiritual teachers are also clear , Guru comes in many forms , and of different calibers , and each connection is valuable at a given time , but Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Goswami says , you should also follow your heart , and its also imperative to take training and render strict services or deeply respect all our Gurus who are present, once that humility has been perfected , the whole of the param para through their litratures come alive , as does the spiritual world and the residents thereof.
So we can never bypass genuine saints or neglect to honour them . By that process, all the saints become accessible and they direct us to Srimati Radharani and Lord Krishna and Their family and associates. One Diksa Guru is generally accepted , but one can have many Siksa Gurus .
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From a Vedic perspective, one might not see any benefits of our modern world with what’s clearly witnessed as increased materialism and exploitation , with wealth for the very few and poverty for the rest internationally.
Initially, the industrial revolution was hailed as a great wonder for mankind , it made claims of alleviating poverty and civilising mankind who were engrossed in nature living lives not much more further progressed than the proverbial Darwinian caveman . It has progressed to the current technological ages of fast internet communication , perhaps some good can be seen hadn’t it been tainted with original exploitative motives and methods at its heart and greed stoking conflicts, it appears to have no real sharing concepts .
Instead of sharing in the technological innovations that could well bring benefits to everyone and every country of the world , its instead hampered by fake leaders with little sense of decency and a business model of ” intoxicated greed ” . There is no foresight or even a wish to carefully balance the needs of man , all creatures, and the environments we all need for healthy good living for all beings . Thus, the whole vision has gotten of hand and is heading for disaster, and no one knows how to stop it .
Actually, there are great benefits to be had of of opening up the world where cultures are shared, and comparisons can be seen in every aspect of those education systems and cultures . Many persons currently are being fooled and exploited by a so-called intelligensia , while the real intelligensia are silenced . Sharing cultures can be highly beneficial. For instance, the perverted caste systems in India or the class systems of the English empire are now clearly seen to be bias, after all you are what you are , not which family you are born into . Mass education has helped everyone and should be in place for everyone, which promotes naturally social mobility.
So , there are benefits and downfalls of modern living , but the two can be harmonized with a balanced and fair approach .That is easily achieved when the genuine and sensitive intelligentsia direct everything . The original purpose of the Vedas is clear , matters of scientific studies , sociology , balanced economics , justice, philosophical and religious progression are essential and should always be ongoing and progressive and systematically taught .
Everyone is searching after good leadership and hankering for a just society with mature outlooks to all matters of science and religion and matters of political affairs . The Vedas have much to offer , and shortly , a new Renaissance period will begin , actually, it’s began , education of body , mind, and consciousness that everyone needs and will be satisfied with.
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