Every being is pleasure seeking , that is the nature of consciousness . Looking for happiness and pleasure is the constitution of the soul.
Everyone in material life is struggling hard with conditioned minds and conditioned senses trying to avoid difficulties and are always rooting for pleasure either personally , communally , or nationally. The problem is that even if some pleasurable situation comes about , it’s fleeting and generally leads to more frustration.
The theolgical and philosophical and I might add scientific problem is how can the consciousness be in a state where it can experience what it craves for , after all why should it or anyone settle for less , are we to really assume that we don’t deserve happiness and blissful lives ? look at little children , they certainly don’t think like that , they are full of expectations , and that’s healthy good living.
Throughout the 8,400,000 species of life , all of whom are pleasure seeking , there is an evolutionary consciousness experience taking place , the human condition is in the middle range , higher insights and culture of consciousness takes place in middle planetary systems and further still in the higher planetary regions , further still are the beginnings of the spiritual planets ultimately leading to the very centre and perfection of blissful relationships in a variegated spiritual environment .
This evolutionary process is driven by an individuals search and desires as well as cultural development.
So never mind scientific materialism and Darwinian hypothesis , the Vedas has the handle on the realities of evolutionary theory , which is fact based theory, tested and seen in nature , unlike a Darwinian hypothesis.
Srila Rupa Goswami gives the example of a man watching a play , the gentleman is so absorbed in the play that when the main hero dies , he also dies .
Yoga means a shift in identity .
Perhaps you may experience yourself being carried away by a beautiful piece of music on occasions , music is also a type of yoga .
One critically disabled person was asked how she coped with such a what appeared a limited life , she answered thst she had the freedoms of her inner life , and in her inner self takes herself to innumerable places and carries out innumerable activities. It’s a fact our life is only partially led with a body and immediate senses , the mind and intelligence are providing what some will argue as the essence, and the spiritual meditation takes that concept incalculably further .
Our immediate circumstances are very fast flowing. fleeting and limiting experiences within a set time in our current bodies that are always changing . Everyone’s differing because of differences of individual karmic synchronicities , nevertheless, no one should feel themselves limited in any way .
The instant communication spoken of in quantum physics , according to the Vedas, can be taken further , to an instant transportation and the devoted and well practiced yogi can live simultaneously in fullness both within the material worlds and the higher realms of spiritual dimensions and ultimately with Divinity along with his associates. These yogic aspects are described in the Vedas , in Bhagavad Gita krishna tells of who the best of the Yogis .
The Darwinian mechanic scientific materialism is dismissed in the Bhagavad Gita, wherein Krishna speaks of those in the lower speculative modes who consider themselves matter.
It’s always good and healthy to be grateful. By the interventions of Sri Guru , Mahaprabhu, and Nityananda, our Aprarabdha and prarabdha karma are being dissolved, and everything changes . Devotees who engage in assisting ISKCON or any Gaudia Vaisnava branches can be sure Krishna protects them all from the influences of the material world and inconveniences due to astrological or karmic influences that inevitably arrive , but these are minimised or nullified. Krishna also maintains devotees , the devotees have a lot of special things to think about and meditate on, unlike the fruitive worker who is forever thinking of money , fame , adoration , profit , and distinction . Thus, the sincere devotees are not anxious and are forever grateful to the Lord and His devotees , for their medative lives and spiritual contemplations.
This mindset can be applied to any persons who are genuinely following theological cultures and who always seek is some way or another to assist others in ways that can bring good fortune . Everyone is entitled to and able to receive good fortune, which comes along with good sense and good intelligence, and I don’t mean academics.
Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu has appeared in this world and He displays the good fortune that everyone can take , He appears for external reasons and internal reasons . Similarly the devotees have their external responsibility to assist in helping Mahāprabhu in His external mission, but they should also relish internally and understand the depths of the treasure house of Gaudia Vaisnavism , that is essential, this was taught and demonstrated by the Goswami’s of Vrndavana , and as Srila Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja would say Srila Rupa and Srila Ragganatha das Goswamis.
Many times, you’ll hear someone say ,” I can identify with that “
But who or what should we identify with ? Our childhood, our youth , our middle age , or old age ? Or how about our political leanings ? Which political movement suits us ? left leaning, right leaning, or centre ground ? Persons are forever changing who or what they identify with . Sometimes someone is our friend sometimes the same person becomes our enemy , sometimes someone is very attractive as a partner to us , and a short time later we reject them , and find someone else . The Vedas indicate that the minds business is forever accepting and rejecting the sense objects . This world of ever fluctuating duality has to be understood , and the real observer should learn to advance the consciousness to a state beyond the duality of material life . When we examine the disturbances of dualities , we begin to realise such states occur because of excess and our own selfish motivations , we , at that point can climb higher in consciousness and begin to contribute real happiness to others , without selfish calculations . Ultimately, it is undertaking sacrifice as the utmost principle in contributing happiness centred on Divinity that the Vedas point us all to , no more local or provincial interests , but the satisfaction of Krishna . Such actions are like watering a tree , necessarily all the leaves are satisfied. Sacrificing for the sake of others without considering my own feelings is an elevated state . You’ll be pleased to hear such a sacrifice becomes very rewarding as the universal material and spiritual energies work in such a way that nothing goes in vain .
The Vedas encourages us to dive deeper into states of consciousness and explore a different sorts of happiness , a happier state of mind , beyond sense satisfaction that even animals can easily obtain . The Vedas encourages us to consider whether we are boy , a girl , young , old , black , white , rich, poor, intelligent, or not so , or are we just an observer of such external conditions that are thrown upon us? And are we becoming overly affected , because of selfishness and misunderstanding who we are .
Let’s see what Sastra say .
nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir nāpi vaiśyo na śūdro nāhaṁ varṇī na ca gṛha-patir no vanastho yatir vā kintu prodyan-nikhila-paramānanda-pūrnāmṛtābdher gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ
Translation
“ ‘I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya or a śūdra. Nor am I a brahmacārī, a householder, a vānaprastha or a sannyāsī. I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the maintainer of the gopīs. He is like an ocean of nectar, and He is the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He is always existing with brilliance.’ ”
This verse , with Vedic terms for our different social positions and stages of life , offers an insight into the permanent identity of a soul in a specific relationship with Divinity , This may be a little esoteric for many to understand, but the principle is given , you are not the body , not the changing mind , not a deteriating and frustrated intelligence , but something beyond material calculations , and this super subjective realm is understood by sacrifice, and the ultimate sacrifice is one of pure service to Divinity , in a cooperative spirit , with others who have similar goals.
The Vedas delineate many other permanent relationships that have nothing to do with atoms , elements, or compounds or an ethereal ever-changing mind and intelligence.
The original consciousness belongs in a permanent identity, which is ever new and ever enthusiastic to exchange love and as the song goes
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There’s a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby
Maybe your fairy tale child hood imaginings have something to them
Unless one understands the conclusions of Bhagavad Gita, which is “Man mana bhava mad bhakto “ “Think of me and become my devotee.” These are the words of Krishna.
How to think of Krishna ? Absorbed in the topmost levels of pure love in deep meditation is demonstrated by Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu in his absorption of the mood of Srimati Radharani , damsels of Vraj and their young assistants the Manjaris. This truth of the life that Mahāprabhu experienced was taught the Goswamis of Vrndavana , headed by Srila Rupa Ragganatha, and they and their followers record and delineate everything in their writings . One may miss out on the essence of Mahaprabhu’ purposes for appearing and get caught up in the many peripheral aspects of a progressive path of spiritual life , things that Mahāprabhu recognised in his conversation with Ramananda Roy , but kept saying ” this is good but is there more “or ” that is also good but is there more”
Everything of this conversation is in the Caitanya Caratamrita and Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has translated it to English along with explanations to all the peripherals and the essence of Bhakti yoga
The very deepest states of a mind and its working are stemming from deep impressions grom long long ago previous lives and not easily given up . Our everyday day and recently accumulated impressions fluctuate much more regularly in the consciousness but are intertwined with the long-lasting events caused by either good or bad previous interaction.
These deeper states of the mind are called Prarabdha karmas . As before said they are connected to either previous spiritual searching or deeper cultural aspects connected to consciousness development or they can be troublesome reactions and attachments to self-centred ignorance in all its forms that cause reactions , ie. previous negativity we have inflicted on others .
The Gaudia Vaisnava movement under the direction of Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His leading followers Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Ragganatha das Goswami have given remedies to remove both types of Karma in all subtle forms that lead to either gross attachments to the material world or the striving for impersonal liberation . They have replaced it with Suddha Satva pure Krishna consciousness free from all types of karma and all types of jnana as well as the desire for mystic powers.
By engaging positively in Bhakti Yoga one removes recently produced karmic synchronicities and by engaging in deep Bhajan of Chanting the Holy names and crucially studying and reading the books of the Rasika acaryas , their descriptions of Radha Krishna Nitya Lila will throughly remove much deeper previous karmic impressions even though extremely deeply situated within the most negative and conditioned mind .
The regular Hindu followers do not understand these prarabdha and aprarabdha aspects of karmic reactions that Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu movement is eradicating , and that is the full glory of teachings and the unique benedictions offered . That is the potency and magnanimity of Mahaprabhu and His special mercy , which is causeless and offered to one and all
Absolute truth , according to the Vedas , is unlimited , as we all know the limited can only know something of the unlimited , its undeniable, and a self-evident truth we as humans are limited . Limited minds , limited senses , limited intellectual capacities . Yet an atheistic scientific materialism follower , with their obvious limited capacities convince themselves in a very unscientific way , that their limited experiences are the sum total of life , although at least some add the phrase ” as we know it ” . But who knows it ? Why assume everyone knows in the same way ?
There are numerous ways to talk about and to research topics . The Vedas indicates someone who doesn’t accept an absolute truth has at their disposal an unlimited array of discussions having objectively veiwed a particular topic and then applied subjective speculations that can continue ruminating on and on within a seemingly endless process . IF someone comes up with a truely original idea , they are considered scientific geniuses. Such is the power of the illusory energies that cover an absolute truth , the Vedas say . So either way , whether a theological or an atheistic discussion, plenty can be said and thought of . The greatest of all trancendental intellectualism, which brings one to the point of discarding all mundane intellectualism , and replaces it for something far greater is what the Vedas call Rasa . An artistry of ever new exchanges of pure love with unlimited ranges of emotions that pure consciousness beyond the limits of matter are able to experience in connection with God , Divinity, or Krishna the Vedas say . The unlimited speculations of the material energies can be experienced within cyclic movement of the fourteen planetary systems of our material universe. , seven higher , seven lower , and the earthly plane situated mid way .
Bertrand Russell and others are quite wrong when they say someone who accepts absolute truth limits themselves , the truth of the matter is quite different . Unlimited discussions can be had based on the unlimited nature of the unlimited . Atheists can have unlimited discussions within the relatively unlimited but limited material energies that cause perceptions of the unlimited to become limited , covering the potential of a pure consciousness and causing even more extreme forms of limitedness .
Albert Einstein found it very difficult to accept that what one part of the universe was doing could affect another part billions of miles away simultaneously , spooky action at a distance he called it .
But in the Vedic understanding of the universe all energies are emanating from one conscious source, that Krishna is directly and indirectly conscious of all living beings , and also situated in every atom simultaneously is recorded , another Vedic term is the all prevading Brahman energies . Just as you know what one part of your body does and how it affects other parts , so the great incalculable expansions of the universal form of Divinity are His conscious energies. He is equally conscious of the workings of the classical , atomic quantum , and ethereal planes along with their various actions and reactions , the repercussions which ripple throughout the universe, as the endless possibilities of karmic synchronicities play out . This Vedic reality is defined as the brahman , the oneness, and the innumerable differences that occur in all things , at all times and in all places throughout not just this universe but many many thousands of others.
Taking something from this material world that is legitimately allotted to you by your karmic synchronicity or fate, and that’s according to your social station in life is not sinful but will be entangleing . Although thoughtful and careful consideration of our activities should never left to the realms of speculations or whimsical choices , rather soley based on the science of consciousness , i.e . how consciousness is elevated or degraded . Information about the scientific movements of the human psychological self is the science contained fully in the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Thus, in Vedic culture, whatever you naturally take or acquire that has been alloted by fate having acted according to specific duties t is perfectly fine , but it’s also recommended certain portions should be offered back to Divinity or His agents , or in charitable acts , in that way actions become less entangleing and more elevating . Although piety is elevating , we should be careful not to neglect something even greater than piety , namely developing a direct relationship to Divinity Himself , that is the perfection of our short time we spend in the current body we find ourselves in .Thus , Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, one who sees action in inaction and inaction in action is in knowledge , and everyone should unpack the mysterious nature of that statement.
Sin is defined , when someone encroaches on others’ territories or exploits other persons for selfish reasons , that will cause harm in many different ways , it can always be defined as something that goes against morality , ethics , and expected duties . It will cause all sorts of pain to the others . One should know any physical or emotional pain one inflicts will be alloted back to the perpetrator and with interest , sinful activities cause greater entanglements, all the persons involved are entangleing themselves, a future will play out with the same actors, but differently situated.
According to ones station in life and the specific duties associated with it comes different calculations of the degrees of sin and their reaction . An educated man with social responsibility , or a leader role has to pay a heavy price if he or she performs the wrong actions . The example of a state leader issuing orders for war comes to mind , if women and children are killed or the whole basis of the war is based against the natural moral and international laws , the leader and his country will pay the price as well as the people who gave him power .
Thus, it behoves everyone to understand how to carefully act in this life ,and ultimately how to raise one’s consciousness and awareness.
This great science of action reactions and the systematic universal responses are discussed fully in Bhagavad Gita.
Homelessness was a blessing in some parts of the Vedic societal systems.
For those persons preparing for leaving this world , which is obviously very entangleing for the mind and senses , with wives , children , housing , bank balance , careers , social status positioning and the like , even in older age there is no escape , as the whole process starts all over again with the grandchildren and their lives , its ever entangling . And so it was , that the Vedic cultures encouraged complete renunciation from material affairs and a leaving of homes to live wherever might be convenient , no fixed abode was favoured towards the end of life . An absorption in the spiritual dimensions was developed particularly in Gaudia Vaisnavism , which meant meditations on the eternal affairs of Krishna , Radharani , and the village life of Vraj . The Goswamis of Vrndavana , in their literature , having been instructed by Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu , have left so much to meditate on as the activities in every detail of Krishna and Radharani’s life has been revealed by them .
So leaving everything behind of materially entangleing affairs , taking up the activities of the spiritual world , because after all , at death , there is no choice, everything of our material affairs are taken away . There is no escape from death , it’s imposed upon us all . In order to prepare and to absorb thd mind in spiritual affairs , its was recommended to live a life of a beggar with no fixed abode . Because the mind and senses could then became fixed with no deviations , fixed in a spiritual realm by the constant practice of spontaneous and unmotivated devotional service through meditation and entering the pastimes of Radha Krishna with attitudes of service and friendship . After some time of fixed practice and meditation , ones spiritual position and services were revealed , even though situated supposedly in the material world.
In a life of strict renunciation , one learned to become fully dependent on Krishna, the mind and senses no longer engaged in the matters of the material world that immediately grab everyone’s attention.
This kind of life would be totally abhorrent to the western thinker , who in old age cling on to their memories and families right to the last moments of life . However preparing for the inevitable change is better than hoping against hope that a little more family pleasure might be aquired….actually the destination of the soul for those absorbed in family life is to once again return to the material world , to take up another family for those so absorbed , and thus samsara , the repeated births and deaths . Lord Krishna Himself in Bhagavad says, “Think of Me ,” I will rescue you from repeated births and deaths.
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