“Since Krishna is the cause of all causes, He is worshiped by all kinds of sages and saints by observance of the regulative principles. When there is a necessity for meditation, great personalities meditate on the transcendental form of Krishna within the heart. In this way the minds of great personalities are always engaged in Krishna.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 32)
A devotee will do whatever is necessary to maintain their connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna. The bond to the master of the transcendental world is the source of all pleasure, so any deviation from the purified thought processes or any temporary disconnection in the most important link will lead to trouble. If the electricity should go out in our home for a few hours, the resultant situation borders on an emergency, where great panic and havoc ensue. In a similar manner, for the bhakta, if there is any loss of signal as it relates to the spiritually stimulating sound vibrations and thoughts and mental images pertaining to the Supreme Lord, His countless non-different forms, or His eternal associates, the forces of illusion known as maya take hold and lead the otherwise focused mind astray into a situation of constant tumult, despair and panic. To this end, a true yogi, one who understands that the unmanifest aspect of the Supreme Lord and the localized form residing within the heart are both non-different from the original Personality of Godhead, will always take whatever steps are necessary, including meditation, to keep their consciousness purified.
The present yuga-dharma is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. In the Vedic tradition there are thousands of mantras, but the one considered the most effective at purifying consciousness in the present age is the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. There are certainly other mantras, but this specific sequence of words best encapsulates the most powerful names of the Divine which speak to His all-attractive nature and His ability to provide supreme transcendental pleasure. Some will argue that both Krishna and Rama refer to the Personality of Godhead in His form as Krishna, while others will say that these two words address the two most notable incarnations of the Supreme Lord Vishnu. In either viewpoint the conclusion can be considered valid because the name of the Lord is absolute. If one person chooses to worship God in His Vishnu form in lieu of the Rama and Krishna forms there is no loss in benefit. The key is to remain connected to the holy name in a bond of love and affection, as that is the method recommended in the authorized Vedic texts like the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Mahabharata.
When chanting is not an option, i.e. when there is no opportunity to explicitly recite the sacred mantras on beads or together with friends, then other methods that fall under the umbrella of the sublime engagement of devotional service can take precedent. One of the more popular quasi-spiritual activities of the modern age is meditation. When not on the highest platform of consciousness the individual will suffer chronic distress, wherein seeds of desire result in frustration when defeat and loss occur. When the tumultuous situations lead to repeated pains that become more and more acute, the frustrated individual may take shelter of the meditation process to remove stress. “I just want to be more at peace. I think meditation will help me, but I don’t know how to practice it.” As described in the Vedas, which serve as the origin for all bona fide methods of religion, meditation can be of two varieties, smaranam and dhyana. Smaranam is basic remembrance while dhyana is a key aspect of mystic yoga that involves stern concentration. In reality there is no difference between the two practices when they are focused on the proper entity.
If we meditate on nothingness, there is no bliss derived, and neither is there an exchange of emotion, as an object can only be classified as such if it has names, forms, attributes and qualities. Meditating on a void can possibly keep us from performing sinful activities, or those actions which lead to further distress, but aside from the basic retraction in movement, both physical and mental, there is no tangible benefit derived. Once the meditation breaks, the performer is again cast into the ocean of ignorance, where they must fend off the tempting forces of envy, pride, greed and lust. Moreover, other conditioned souls already find themselves swimming in this ocean, so there is stiff competition for temporary gains and rewards, none of which come close to securing eternal felicity, which is indeed the only fruit that brings a permanent elimination to distress.
“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.15)
Dhyana, which is a more standardized form of meditation, must also focus on something tangible. The meditational yogis typically focus their minds on the Supersoul residing within the heart. According to the Bhagavad-gita, the most popular, concise and complete treatise on Vedic philosophy to ever be expounded, the Supreme Lord, who is originally a personality, kindly expands Himself as the Supersoul to reside within the hearts of every living being. Since this form is not manifested to the conditioned eye, it is often described as nirguna, or that form of the Lord not having attributes. But since the Supersoul, or Paramatma, is a non-different expansion of God, it most certainly has features. When the yogi practices dhyana without knowledge of the Supersoul’s qualitative makeup, the practice isn’t much different than simple meditation on void.
Therefore the key ingredient in proper meditation is to know who and what we are focusing our mind on. The primary source of distress in conditioned life is the frustration resulting from repeated attempts at sense gratification. The Supreme Lord is the Truth, and anything not directly relating to Him, i.e. anything that is not Truth, is known as maya, or illusion. One who breaks the link between the individual consciousness and the Supreme Consciousness thus becomes a victim to maya. The chanting of the holy name is the most advocated process for spiritual salvation, which automatically brings palatable conditions in other areas of life, because it leads to a shift in consciousness. Meditation in the form of yoga is certainly nice, but once the explicit concentration practices are completed, the mind continues to work and will inevitably focus again on objects of maya. The chanting process is sublime because it keeps one always in yoga, thereby allowing for a peaceful condition in all types of situations. Moreover, the name of the Lord automatically evokes thoughts and memories of His forms, qualities and pastimes. No other feature, including the impersonal aspect known as Brahman, can bring about such images to the mind simply through invocation.
There is inward meditation, wherein one either remembers someone or something or performs dhyana on the Supreme Spirit, but there is also outward meditation. This involves worshiping the visually manifested form of the Lord, which is described as saguna, or “with attributes”. Irrespective of the viewpoint of the conditioned soul, God’s position as a divine entity possessing spiritually enriched attributes of an incomprehensible magnitude never changes. Just as we sometimes say that the sun is not out on a particular day when it is cloudy, the conditioned entities unable to perceive of Krishna’s presence in every aspect of life describe the unmanifest form of the Lord as nirguna. But this doesn’t mean that God has somehow lost His attributes. The saguna forms are typically the deity representations, wherein wood and stone are crafted into figures that match the transcendental features of the Lord as described by the great Vedic seers who got to personally witness Krishna’s innumerable, pleasurable pastimes enacted on this earth many times in the past.
Goswami Tulsidas, a Rama devotee who spent twenty-four hours a day engaged in bhakti-yoga without even knowing it, mentions in his poetry that while meditating on the unmanifested aspect of Supreme Truth is certainly beneficial and so is focusing the mind on the deity representation, or saguna, chanting is the true gem of spiritual practice. The opinion of the bhaktas is that any aspect of devotional service performed in the Kali Yuga, the present age, can bring about perfection in consciousness, but reciting the name of Hari, harinama, is, in addition to being the most effective spiritual practice, the most relishable activity. Not only is chanting the most effective tool at changing consciousness for the better, but it also can be practiced in the most number of unique situations. For meditational yoga, which can involve dhyana, to be practiced perfectly, a secluded atmosphere and a steady sitting posture are required, with all outside thoughts prohibited from entering into the mind. Since it is constantly overflowing with desires, the mind is the most formidable force for the aspiring transcendentalist to overcome. Therefore dhyana is not very easy to practice, especially in today’s circumstances where life is very busy and many external noise elements are present.
Worship of the deity is similarly difficult today because one must have a murti or picture of the Lord in front of them to focus their attention on. The deity, though made of wood or stone, is non-different from the Lord because it has been authorized as a worshipable object by the spiritual masters of the Vedic line. Indeed, Lord Krishna Himself summarizes the efficacy of deity worship in the eleventh canto of the Shrimad Bhagavatam. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada very nicely describes how worshiping the archa-vigraha works by comparing the practice to the dropping off of letters in the mail. The mailbox is just an ordinary box made up of the same elements that are used in the construction of any other type of enclosure. But we can’t just drop our mail off in any old box and expect it to reach the proper destination. The mailbox has been authorized by the higher authorities to accept letters and packages, which, when accompanied by the proper postage, can be delivered to the intended target. In a similar manner, the deity is the authorized form of worship even though it is made of seemingly material elements. When the worshiper is purified at heart and offers their obeisances in a kind and loving way, the sentiments are transferred directly to the Supreme Lord.
But the worshipable statues and pictures found in temples and homes of devotees are not available everywhere, especially if one has to work all day at a particular office. This makes even the outward type of meditation difficult to practice perfectly in this age. Therefore Tulsidas kindly shares his revelation that he derives the most wonderful spiritual taste from chanting the holy names of his beloved Rama. Chanting Krishna and Rama can go on within the mind even while falling asleep. Generally the time of laying to rest at night is filled with concerns of the next day’s priorities and laments over events of the current day that didn’t end well. But if while falling asleep recitation of the names of the Lord continues over and over again within the mind, thoughts can immediately be transferred to the spiritual sky, where Krishna and His various liberated associates enjoy activities, transcendentally stimulating conversations and exchanges of emotions. Through simple chanting, one can fly faster than the speed of light to a far, far away universe.
Though regularly hearing and producing the sound vibration representations of the Supreme Lord is most effective at purifying consciousness, the devotee will not ignore the other aspects of devotional service if needed. The person who best illustrates the resourcefulness of the dedicated soul is Sita Devi, the wife of Lord Rama. Many thousands of years ago, Shri Hari, out of His desire to exercise His sportive tendencies, appeared on earth in the guise of a seemingly ordinary warrior having extraordinary capabilities. The wonder of the form of the avatara, or incarnation, captivates the hearts and minds of everyone, including the non-devotees. Krishna’s avataras are so popular and celebrated for their activities that even the non-believers, those who take gross matter to be paramount in importance, become enamored and pay close attention. Sita Devi, the princess of Videha and wife of Lord Rama, got to personally associate with her husband a great deal, offering Him service, reciting His name and giving Him tremendous satisfaction in the process. But due to the nature of events as they were ordained by the divine forces, Sita had to be separated from Rama on several occasions. The first period of separation was by no means a peaceful or pleasant one. Forced to live in the ashoka garden in the kingdom of a Rakshasa named Ravana, Sita was not sure whether she would ever see Rama again.
Sita is described as being like Rama’s shadow, for that was how Maharaja Janaka, her father, advised her to behave when she was given away to Rama during the couple’s marriage ceremony. Sita wholeheartedly lived up to this request by always following her husband, even when He was exiled to the forest for fourteen years. It is indeed a wonder how she was able to remain in her body while being apart from Rama for so long after being taken away by Ravana. Just as a fish cannot survive when taken out of water, Sita can never live without being in Rama’s company. Yet she kept herself alive by always meditating on the Supreme Lord and His limitless transcendental qualities. Sita’s situation was quite an unpleasant one, for she was harassed by female ogres all day and night, wicked servants who tried to mentally torture her into submitting to Ravana’s advances.
In Sita’s situation there was no opportunity for deity worship or the dhyana of meditational yoga. Nevertheless, she was able to maintain a steady link in consciousness to the king of the spiritual world by remembering Rama’s form, activities and the time she spent in His company. When the devotee is in trouble, they will always make use of whatever tools are available to keep the link with God active. To the outsider, it may appear that Sita was engaged in meditation on nirguna or the practice of dhyana-yoga, but in actuality her behavior was in pure bhakti, or transcendental love. Exalted figures like Sita Devi are incapable of any behavior outside the scope of bhakti. In the transcendental realm all actions are considered purified because their intended beneficiary is the Supreme Loveable Object, the sweet and blissful Personality of Godhead. As such, the steady mental focus of the devotee is much different than the meditation performed by anyone outside the realm of devotional life. If we follow Sita’s nice formula for always keeping our connection with the spiritual world intact, we will never fall victim to the influences of the material world, which constantly work to divert our attention elsewhere.
“To accomplish this great task, the proper time for me to enter the city of Lanka is at night in a form which is not visible but still capable of meeting the target.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.35)
The above referenced quote is from the 
Lord Rama was no ordinary prince however. He is an eternally existing, divine incarnation of the Supreme Lord in the spiritual sky. Thus after Ravana had fled, Rama was more than capable of finding Sita and punishing her captor. Just as a good parent will allow their children to offer kind service to them, the Supreme Lord gives an opportunity to the love-starved pious entities, those souls who have been unwillingly sitting on the bench of spiritual life for too long, to offer their most heartfelt service. The eager 
Prior to infiltrating the enemy city, Hanuman took some time to ponder over potential issues and concerns relating to his mission. One who acts without consideration to time and circumstance certainly isn’t very intelligent. Hanuman was wholly capable of destroying the Rakshasa forces and bringing back Sita all by himself, but that wasn’t the mission assigned. Moreover, from the outside the city looked quite formidable, as it was well-guarded and opulently ornamented. Just as one can be taken aback by viewing the grandeur and beauty of an ancient palace or landmark site, Hanuman was awestruck with the opulence of Lanka. He initially thought that there was no chance for success in the mission, but he carried on anyway, taking his fears and doubts to be of secondary concern.
From the above referenced passage we see that Hanuman wants to enter the city at night, in a form that is invisible to the enemy. At the same time, he needs to survey the situation, searching all corners for Sita’s whereabouts. Hanuman was carrying out one of the most important missions in history, yet he had no false pride whatsoever. He didn’t care if not even a single person were to see him carrying out Rama’s orders. Hanuman wasn’t concerned with what others thought of him; whether they took him to be a monkey, a human being, or celestial figure was all the same to him. As a pure devotee of God, Hanuman is naturally beautiful. His entire body is beaming with spiritual energy. Just as love takes over the thoughts and desires of one who bears strong affection for their significant other, the spiritual energy, which is pure and unmatched in potency, completely permeates Hanuman’s body due to his unbreakable link in consciousness with Rama. Normally there is a difference between body and spirit for the living entities in the material world, with the body viewed as an inhibiting force, an instrument that further clouds the sincere soul into ignorance. The spirit soul, due to its inherent properties, is blissful, knowledgeable and eternal. These properties are inherited from its superior spiritual counterpart, the Supreme Soul, God residing in the imperishable sky.
Hanuman, though possessing a spiritual body, still wasn’t overly concerned with his outward appearance. The end-goal was to find Sita without raising a stir in Lanka. He didn’t want anyone bothering him in his performance of 
Just as Sita’s spirits were uplifted by seeing Hanuman, so our thoughts and desires can be purified by always remembering and seeing the beautiful form of the most enchanting, pious, courageous, thoughtful and perseverant Vanara the world has ever known. Whether in a tiny form, such as the one used to enter Lanka, or in a large body, such as the one assumed to cross the ocean and carry a giant mountain containing medicinal herbs for Lakshmana’s rescue during the final battle with Ravana, Hanuman is always beautiful. Anyone who remembers his example and his firm faith and determination towards meeting Rama’s interests will never fall prey to the body consciousness adopted by the animal species and the human beings at the time of birth. The spirit soul is what counts; it forms the basis of identity. When this spiritual spark is always engaged in devotional service through the regular chanting of the holy names of the Lord, “
“While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.62)
Shri Rama, the beautiful, sweet, kind and knowledgeable incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, accurately notes that for the mature human being there is no other fear than its impending death. He compares this predicament with the disposition faced by the ripened fruit, which after it has reached full maturity, has nothing left to do but fall. A fruit starts off as a seed, a tiny autonomous entity that has no substantial visible covering. Through constant nourishment and care from external sources, the seed eventually develops an outer dress, culminating with the formation of a full grown fruit. But once maturation is reached, there is nothing left for the fruit to do except fall, which signals its death, i.e. the time when it is eligible to be eaten by others. Though we don’t generally equate a fruit with a living entity, bananas, apples, pears, etc. most certainly have the essence of life inside of them; otherwise they would not be able to grow. All forms of life, irrespective of their body type, large or small, are spirit souls, direct emanations from the Supreme Lord, who is known as the Supreme Energetic. The properties of the spiritual sparks expanding from the original fire of energy do not ever change, irrespective of perceptible growth and decay cycles.
In the sports world the rules of the various games are put into place to be implemented fairly and evenly. Nevertheless, the full breadth of possible outcomes often times goes ignored. To take a simple example, in the National Football League, the highest professional rank of American football, there is a regular season currently consisting of sixteen games. Each team plays their games in the season, and the teams with the best records then move on to the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament to decide the season’s champion. The NFL has two conferences consisting of sixteen teams each, which are divided into four separate divisions of four teams each. The teams with the best record in their respective divisions make it to the playoffs and get the highest seeds in the tournament bracket. Then the next two teams with the best records make it to the playoffs as the lowest seeds. Having a higher seed means that you get to host the respective playoff round matchup at your home stadium. In the 2010 season, the Seattle Seahawks franchise won their division despite having lost more games than they won. In the first round of the playoffs they played a team, the Saints, who had a better record, one almost good enough to qualify for the number one seed in the conference. But since another team ended up winning their division, the Saints, the defending champions of the NFL, had to settle for a wild card berth, where they played at the Seahawks in the first round.
In the more expansive game of life, the possibilities of every outcome, good or bad, are present. Death can happen at any moment, for even one who is supposedly safely residing within the womb of the mother can be killed through the abortion process. On the other side of the equation, one who regularly takes to smoking, drinking and eating fatty foods can live to a very old age. Unlike with ordinary games and sports leagues, the rules governing the workings of nature cannot be changed. Nor do they need to be. Simply operating within the established guidelines can provide unmatched happiness and bliss. The first step is to acquire knowledge, becoming familiar with that proper set of information that will allow the individual to see clearly.
These fears are actually well founded to some extent and indicative of a progressive level of consciousness. Certainly it is better to fear the loss of important aspects of life than to be ignorant of their temporary nature. Those who understand that they are Brahman, or part of the Absolute Truth, can take the necessary steps to transcend these fears, taking the comings and goings of material life to be on the same level as the rising and setting of the sun. The sun is the most splendorous object, a direct manifestation of the Supreme Lord’s kind mercy. The sun is not only beautiful to behold, but it is the giver of life. The heat and light provided by the fiery star in the sky are unmatched in potency, thus it is a very good sign whenever we can directly perceive of the sun’s presence. But is the sun setting at night any cause of fear? Is there any reason to be worried that life will end at night or that we will be forever without sunlight? Obviously these fears are not present in those who have wisely ascertained that the sun will simply rise again the next morning.
If Brahman is Truth, why are there even temporary changes? Why is there birth, and why is there impending death? Brahman is one aspect of Truth, but there is an even more powerful spiritual entity: Parabrahman. Brahman can be thought of as the giant light of spiritual energy that emanates from the transcendental and inconceivably large body of Parabrahman. Similar to how the sun exudes sunshine, the Supreme Truth, whose glories are well established in the Vedas and the Puranas, radiates brilliance in spiritual energy which is known as Brahman. The individual spiritual entities roaming the phenomenal world are sparks of Brahman. Thus there is a similarity in quality between Brahman and Parabrahman, but at the same time there is always a difference.
Only one who behaves according to the simultaneous oneness and difference philosophy will be able to properly understand the workings of nature. Only one who knows that Krishna, or God, is the Supreme Object of Pleasure can take the necessary steps to remain always connected with Him. Brahman has tremendous potency, but when the tendency is to act against the interests of Parabrahman, the natural properties of knowledge, bliss and eternality are covered up by material elements, which work to delude the knowledgeable entities into assuming a fearful mindset. Only when the individual acts against the interests of the Supreme Lord as stipulated by the eternal law codes known as dharma is there a fear of losing objects which have no relation to the soul. The potency of Brahman is intended for the pleasure of Krishna, who, as the best friend of every living entity, subsequently provides unmatched happiness to those offering Him kind service. God’s worthiness of being worshiped is not based simply off of His superiority in the area of providing benefits. Rather, His worshipable status is acquired through His unique ability to enjoy at the highest level, a trait which He eternally exudes. Irrespective of the workings of Brahman, the mercy of the Supreme Lord and His open offer of a blissful, eternal life always remain on the table.
Lord Chaitanya stressed that for the people of this age the most important and effective way to remove the cloud of nescience brought on by material contact is to regularly chant, “
“All the Rakshasas, who have extraordinary energy, great prowess and also much strength, must be deceived by me while I look for Janaki.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.34)
The movie The Shawshank Redemption has a sort of cult-like following, with many fans watching the film over and over again to repeatedly delight at the ending. The appeal of the film comes from the fact that the main character has to struggle through the worst kind of adversity, being imprisoned for a crime he never committed. After being sent to jail, rather than sulk and bemoan his plight, he subsequently takes action to remedy the situation. The steps he follows remain hidden from everyone, including his closest friends. The lesson taken away is that if you want something badly enough, you have to go after it. Even if there are impediments put in the way, the worker has to be resourceful enough to know how to get past them. The end-goal is to achieve success and nothing more. Performing one’s activities in the open is surely the easier option, but if the notoriety and attention get in the way of achieving the final objective, then the behavior certainly isn’t ideal.
As the enjoyer of sacrifice, Shri Rama was the beneficiary of the noble behavior exhibited by Hanuman. The Vanara’s cunningness, acute sense of timing, scholarship, and dexterity in battle were all used to meet Rama’s objectives. Along the same lines, Shri Krishna Chaitanya, the preacher incarnation of the Lord, has instituted a sacrifice that can be initiated by all the people of this age. This religious ritual is quite easy to perform, and just like Hanuman’s activities, its intended beneficiary is Yajneshvara. The sankirtana-yajna, which consists of chanting, “
A simple example that illustrates the occasional need for secrecy and deceit can be seen with 
Not surprisingly, Hanuman would come out successful. He would deceive the Rakshasas, find Sita, and then openly battle many of the demons on his way out of Lanka and back to Rama. Shri Rama, the Supreme Lord, accompanied by Lakshmana and a host of Vanaras would march to Lanka, defeat Ravana and rescue Sita. Hanuman, using his superior intelligence and strategic initiative, played no small role in this triumph. The Supreme Lord and His wife wholly acknowledged Hanuman’s integral contribution to the ultimate victory by granting him several benedictions. Of all the praises and commendations given to Hanuman, the one he cherishes the most is the ability to always think of the Supreme Lord and His family. Though Hanuman took part in several missions, his service to the Lord didn’t cease upon successful completion of them. Rather, his transcendental love for Rama only increases with each passing day. In a similar manner, if we remain committed to the principles of bhakti-yoga, which correspond to our natural loving propensity, something which is intrinsically part of the spirit soul’s makeup, we will slowly ascend the ladder of spiritual bliss. At the top stand the Supreme Lord and His spiritual kingdom. Upon reentry into this imperishable land, which is inhabited by the sweet, ever-blissful Bhagavan and His transcendental associates, one never has to return to the mundane world, a place where duality, duplicity and deceit are regularly employed towards furthering all of the wrong objectives.
“The intelligence of the individual soul is exhibited like fire in wood. Although fire is always fire, it is exhibited in a size proportionate to the size of the wood. Similarly, although the individual soul is qualitatively one with the Supreme Lord, he exhibits himself according to the limitations of his present body.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 32)
The soul within the body is considered the knower of activities, and the elements of the phenomenal world, which take on different temporary forms, are known as the field of activities. These concepts are important to understand because they provide a high-level overview of the different potential activities that can be undertaken. Since we are only conscious of our own actions performed while encapsulated in an outer covering known as the gross body, our viewpoint tends to be narrow-minded, where we think the world revolves around us. In reality, every other living entity is in a similar predicament, forced to endure similar struggles, highs and lows, ups and downs, etc. One who can understand the basic workings of activity can take the necessary steps to remove themselves from nescience and thereby bring the torchlight of knowledge found within the soul to the forefront.
On a higher level, the urges of the senses can be thought of as constant itches which, when acted upon, lead to only short term relief, while bringing harmful effects in the long run. As an example, meat eating brings the temporary satisfaction of the tongue, but the future fortunes of the soul are hurt from the negative karma accumulated. Since nature is only fair, unnecessary violence must bring punishment in the future for both the perpetrator and the accomplice alike. 
With one entity, however, the internal potency for action can never be limited. The Supreme Lord, the entity from whom all of our identities emanate and thus who we remain eternally linked to, never has His freedom checked. In any form, even one that is considered unmanifest from the angle of vision of the conditioned being, the Supreme Entity remains fully ablaze with spiritual potency. Evidence of this is seen in the Personality of Godhead’s sportive exploits performed during His innumerable descents to the material world. For an individual trapped in the body of a small child, there is essentially no burning capability to the fire-like spirit soul. As such, there are limited abilities in walking, talking and moving. But the Supreme Lord as a small child killed a dastardly female witch who tried to feed Him poison through her breast. He killed many other such nefarious characters, demons who were feared by all the residents of the neighboring towns.
Those who take to the proper engagements, which are of the constitutional nature, actually acquire all the abilities of the celestial figures without any extra endeavor. Since the sincere souls are engaged in the most sublime activity, that of 
Since Bhagavan is indescribably brilliant, He must have many names, with one of them being Krishna. Since the word Krishna means “all-attractive”, it is a most appropriate name for the Supreme Lord. Bhagavan also has forms, pastimes and qualities which are exhibited during the Lord’s kind descents to the phenomenal world. Bhagavan always retains His supreme standing, irrespective of one’s angle of vision. Whether an individual refers to Bhagavan as Krishna, Brahman, Paramatma, God, death, or even some appellation which was conjured up at a certain time due to a specific circumstance, the Supreme Lord’s position remains unchanged. Whether He is worshiped through His unmanifested, invisible form, which is often referred to as nirguna, or in His non-different expansions and personal forms full of identifiable attributes, which are referred to as saguna, His immeasurable potency does not ever suffer diminution.
When one takes devotional service as their life and soul, the limitations imposed by the field of activity are virtually eliminated. When freedom is allowed to ring perpetually through the most pleasurable activities of divine love, there are no exceptions to the capabilities of the soul. Proof of this concept has been witnessed on many occasions, where great 
“In my present form I will not be able to enter the city of the Rakshasas, which is protected by cruel and powerful Rakshasas.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.33)
Are there circumstances where even kindness is the wrong way to go? Philosophers and spiritual leaders who speak in platitudes about the virtues of good behavior will garner respect from the attentive audience. This is certainly understandable, as one who is dishonest, mean, stingy and overly critical of others will not go far in life. According to the Vedas, the purpose of the human form of body is to separate oneself from the animal community in terms of consciousness. Since an animal lacks a high level of intelligence, its consciousness focuses entirely on sense demands: i.e. eating, sleeping, mating and defending. In the human life, the spirit soul, the essence of existence, the individual functioning unit within every living being, has the ability to transcend the animal instincts and take to acquiring the highest type of knowledge.
Regardless of the activity undertaken and the level of intelligence of the performer, the ultimate goal always remains the same: the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. Does God want us to do anything specific for Him? As the Supreme Being, isn’t He above making demands? The Lord is typically neutrally disposed towards His sons and daughters residing in the material world. Among those who want to forget Bhagavan and His all-blissful nature, there is really no difference in estimations of character. One person may believe they are virtuous and adherent to piety, while another takes pride in being a rebel, but at the end of the day there is no difference between either entity because they are both lacking God consciousness. The Supreme Lord has three distinct properties that are of relevance to the individual souls residing on the material planets. The first property is that He is the original proprietor of everything. He owns every piece of land and every object of opulence in this world. Even the food that grows from the ground is His. Our material bodies, which include hands, legs, arms and a face, are also Krishna’s property.
One famous supreme lover of God is Shri 
In the above referenced passage from the 
In the same way that Hanuman had to mask his true form while entering Lanka, the devotee sometimes has to pretend to be taking part in fruitive activity, giving the appearance of being an ordinary worker who is disinterested in spiritual matters. Though Hanuman sometimes took to different forms, neither his objectives nor his consciousness ever changed. He used whatever form he was in to carry out Shri Rama’s business. In the same way, the pure devotee adjusts their behavior to match the specific situation, keeping the end-goal of luring others to God consciousness in mind. Because of his kind dedication and bravery, not only was Hanuman eventually successful in his mission, but he also forever endeared himself to Sita, Rama and Lakshmana. By remembering the wonderful Shri Hanuman, his resourcefulness and dedication to the service of Rama, and his benevolent nature towards all of humanity, we can make great strides in our progression towards the param dhama, the supreme abode in the spiritual sky, a place where everyone lives by the best policy, that of always loving God.
“Once the Lord desired to go early in the morning with all His cowherd boy friends to the forest, where they were to assemble together and take lunch. As soon as He got up from bed, He blew a buffalo horn and called all His friends together. Keeping the calves before them, they started for the forest." (Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 12)
Activity driven by the mode of passion eventually leads to a neutral state. The quintessential example is fruitive activity done simply for the benefit of the ego, such as sports. Even something as simple as a video game can illustrate the same principle. If we were to fire up the latest baseball simulation console game and finish an entire season, where would we end up? Even if we were to win the championship in the pretend game, does that leave us any better off? One may argue that at least the time spent playing was safe and stimulating to the mind, thus it couldn’t be considered harmful. But there is a timer attached to our stint here in this perceptible world, so the aim should be to make the best use of our time. Activity in passion, which can involve any venture seeking a fruitive gain, is considered in the mode of neutrality because it leaves the performer in the same state from where they started. Even something as basic as cooking an elaborate meal, though required for sustenance of the body, when performed for sense gratification is considered in the mode of passion because after the meal is eaten, the individual is right back in the same position. Hunger will surely return, and the same activities will need to be adopted again.
The modern day advancements, though laudable for their unique ability to carry out important tasks, actually represent a neutral state as compared to the ones enjoyed by inhabitants of times past. How can a world filled with iPods, high definition television, cellular telephones, and the internet be considered on the same level as the rural lifestyle of the days of yore? The accurate barometer is level of enjoyment, something which is not dependent on any outward feature of the phenomenal world. Happiness is simply a state of mind, for you could take one person who is extremely wealthy and find that they are miserable and take another person who lives a completely renounced life and learn that they are always satisfied within the mind. These aren’t mere anomalies but rather factual case studies that highlight the driving force to happiness: consciousness. Anger and frustration are the results of unmet desires, and equanimity results from the ability to take enjoyment out of any situation. Even if one has all the latest technological amenities available to them, there will always be a desire for more. If that want is not met in a satisfactory amount of time, there will be frustration. On the other hand, one who is not wholly attached to any new device that comes out will miss out on the utility of the newly introduced functions, but at the same time, they will not be hankering for any features to be fixed or for the latest updates to be released. Therefore, their frame of mind will be more positive.
While modern amenities are surely nice, there are obvious nuisances to deal with. For instance, owning an automobile is useful, but one must regularly fill it up with gasoline and make sure that the insurance coverage on the vehicle is valid. Thus simply by purchasing a car, two new attachments are created, obligations which can be the cause of great frustration and anxiety. Since the agriculture sector represents around three percent of the workforce in America, one must take up service to another proprietor in order to earn a living and put food on the table. Hence one’s family life is not stable in the least bit, as there are monthly issues concerning profitability and job loss. Economics is driven strictly by passion, so there will always be fluctuations in the buying and selling habits of the general public. Just as the waves of the ocean incessantly pound the sands of the shore, the desires of the consumer will constantly pull him in every which direction, thus leading to highs and lows in the profits of the companies that employ the majority of the workers in the nation.
Now let’s compare the high-tech lifestyle to the seemingly primitive rural way of life. If one simply owns a plot of land and takes care of a few cows, immediately the economic problems are solved. Not only is there food on the table, but any surplus in production can be sold or traded for goods of necessity. In addition, there is ample space on a farm for children to play and friends and family to stay. As such, there is no concern for childcare or babysitters. Children also can be given constructive work to perform, such as managing the different aspects of the farm, during the daytime. Since there is full stability in terms of occupation, land can remain within the same family for generations, thus eliminating the need for hankering over mortgage payments and rent. Friends and family all live very close to one another, so there is no need to drive very long distances and risk accidents by taking to the roads. An automobile may even be completely unnecessary, as there is no requirement to travel far to meet the necessities of the body. Since everyone is living in a community with a shared love and fraternal spirit, the neighbors essentially become extended family. This is actually the case in many villages in India, where the residents of the community are all seen as belonging to one big family. Therefore there is already a built in support system, one that lessens the blow felt from tragedy and sudden hardship. Instead of begging the government for food, money, clothing and medical care, one can simply look to their neighbor, who will be more than willing to help out. Indeed, if the situations should reverse at some point in the future, the same destitute person will help out the neighbor who previously saved them from hardship.
While living in the mode of goodness sounds nice in theory, we also have tangible examples from days past of the sublime life that relies on simple living and high thinking. Around five thousand years ago, the Supreme Absolute Truth, the spiritual sun from which all powerful individual sparks emanate, descended to earth in the guise of a seemingly ordinary human being named Krishna. The Supreme Lord can never associate with material elements, but to heighten the enjoyment felt by those who have surpassed the mode of goodness and taken to full God consciousness, Krishna gives the appearance of an ordinary entity. If He were to show off His divine capabilities at every second, what impetus would there be for the offering of sincere love and affection from the individuals so desperately craving a legitimate object of worship?
Not only does this comparison underscore the importance of cow protection, but it also reveals the secret to economic prosperity. The farm community is run by the mercantile class, or the vaishyas as defined by the varnashrama-dharma system. When a producer is allowed to produce, while at the same time prohibited from violating contracts and forcing others into parting with their property, there will always be a very large output of goods and services. Adding cows, the kindest of animals, to the mix brings an abundance of food products made from the milk and butter freely provided. In Vrindavana during Krishna’s time, the women would tend to the household affairs during the day while at the same time producing foodstuffs from the milk given by the cows. The cowherd women, the 
Krishna and His childhood mates were tasked with tending to the young calves, so they would go out to the pasturing grounds regularly. Given their lunch boxes by their parents, the children would sit down and eat together, play various games, and have an overall jolly time. The simple lifestyle was certainly more conducive to this type of enjoyment, but the real source of the pleasure was the association of Shri Krishna, who was everyone’s best friend. Anytime there was danger, Krishna protected the cowherd boys and the other residents of Vrindavana. Wherever there is God in the material realm, there are bound to be enemies, those who are envious of the Supreme Lord’s unwavering position as the ultimate authority figure. Yet with Krishna present, the nefarious characters, who were all very powerful, that came to Vrindavana could not even make a dent into the pristine happiness always felt by the residents. Krishna’s exploits were so wonderful and pleasurable that the elderly women, especially Krishna’s foster mother Yashoda, would sing of them on a regular basis. In this way their minds were totally connected with God at all times of the day.
“Then, that elephant-like monkey, standing on that mountain peak, pondered for a moment how Rama’s interests could be met.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.32)
Vanara is a Sanskrit word that means “one who is of the forest, or vana”. Generally the term is associated with a monkey, a being who is not civilized enough to reside amongst humans. Many thousands of years ago, a group of Vanaras was gifted with divine vision and strength to be used to aid the one person that all of us have a natural desire to serve. The intrinsic property of the soul is that it loves. Just as a general loses his stature and standing when he doesn’t have a mission, a lover without a corresponding object of service becomes devoid of potency. In the conditioned state, the individual soul is forgetful of who it is meant to love, so it spends all its time in perishable lands diverting its affection towards temporary objects and worldly entities. Even romantic love, which is considered the pinnacle of material enjoyment, is a product of this delusion, for it is sought out simply off attraction to an outer covering that is ever changing.
Rama’s exploits are documented in many Vedic texts, including Puranas and notable poetry, but the most complete accounts of His life are found in the lengthy 
Ravana, being completely ignorant of these facts, decided to set up a diversion which temporarily lured Rama away from Sita’s side one day in the forest. Making the most of the opportunity, Ravana forcibly took Sita back to his kingdom of Lanka and tried his best to win her over. Seeing that his advances were having no effect, Ravana decided to threaten Sita with violence, giving her a deadline by which she had to change her mind or face death. Rama, for His part, set forth a massive search for her whereabouts. This was arranged through Sugriva, whom Rama and His younger brother 
In the above referenced passage from the Ramayana, we see that Hanuman, despite his doubts, kept his mind on the task at hand. He didn’t have the luxury of telephoning back to Kishkindha and asking Sugriva and Rama what to do. He didn’t have the option of second-guessing or seeking advice from others. Success rested completely in his hands, as the most important mission had been given to him with full faith and trust. From Hanuman’s behavior, we get a glimpse into his exalted nature, and also a lesson in how one can go about achieving success in any mission. The task at hand was that of finding Sita, but more general than that, it was a mission of meeting the Lord’s interests. Even a fully capable, exalted figure like Hanuman has doubts from time to time. But the difference between Hanuman and ordinary actors is that he doesn’t let his concerns get in the way of progress. As a pure lover of God, he gives precedence to his loving propensity towards Supreme Spirit.
Though maya’s influence is strong, finding success in the mission of life is not impossible. The strongest weapon we have is our undying attachment and devotion to the Lord. The natural, yet currently dormant, loving sentiment can be awoken at any time and place by chanting “
“I pray to have the friendship of Lord Krishna and to engage in His service, and to surrender fully unto Him in love and affection, life after life. I do not want any opulence. I only desire not to forget His service. I simply wish to be associated with His pure devotees. May my mind and activities be always engaged in His service.” (Thoughts of Sudama Vipra, 
Isn’t saying that any activity besides bhakti leads to an unfavorable condition under any and all circumstances too broad a generalization? Aside from the scientific basis for Krishna consciousness, or bhakti-yoga, there are the basic issues relating to enjoyment and the need for it. When clouded by the nescience brought on by material contact, the individual spiritual fragment repeatedly gets thrown into perilous and uncomfortable situations. Because of the acute pain, the immediate desire, or what is known as preyas in Sanskrit, focuses on the alleviation of distress, i.e. removal from the unpleasant situation, which can be either physical or mental. But if we study a few examples, we’ll see that simply removing distress does not lead to any lasting happiness. Just as the waves of the ocean are sure to hit the banks of the shore at periodic intervals, the desires of the conditioned mind illusioned by sense contact are sure to creep up once the previously unendurable negative conditions are removed. Because of this steady pressure applied to the mind, the only path to permanent peace and freedom of thought comes from purifying one’s desires instead of artificially trying to squelch them.
When forced to endure such an unpleasant situation, the desires that subsequently flood the mind of the disturbed individual are easy to predict. “Why won’t this stupid car alarm just stop already? I swear, I’m this close to going out there and bashing that car to pieces. I can’t take this anymore.” When the alarm does finally stop, there is a peaceful condition. Happiness arises because there are no more annoying sounds disturbing concentration and bothering the mind. The initial favorable condition desired by the mind was met, and peace and happiness were achieved. But what about on other days when the car alarms aren’t ringing incessantly? In fact, let’s think about the day immediately following the episode with the blaring car security system. Will there be peace of mind? Will the individual think, “I’m so happy today now that the stupid alarm isn’t ringing”? Obviously not, as new thoughts will flood the mind. With new desires come new frustrations, as not all the needs and wants of the individual are met in a timely fashion. As such, the positive favorable condition desired from the previous day turned out to be one that provided flickering happiness. The car alarm stopped, but that was only one small piece of the giant puzzle. In the grander scheme of things, the absence of noise doesn’t do anything tangible for us, as it is the nature of the driving force to all activity, the spiritual spark residing within the body, to crave action and, more importantly, pleasure.
There is no arena where the temporary workings of the mind and the constant desire for immediate redress of grievances are better on display than in the news business. Print, television and internet media are full of daily short stories, which are nothing more than quick hits aimed at triggering temporary alarms in the readers. The stories intend to appeal entirely to the emotional aspect of the mind, for if one actually applied a little intelligence, they would realize that paying attention to news items which lose their importance after a day or two is not a worthwhile activity in the least bit. For instance, if someone hands us a newspaper from a week ago, we will likely toss it aside or use it to line a birdcage. Yet when the newspaper first came out, it was eagerly anticipated and widely read. Since nothing has changed as far as content goes, as the quality of the paper and the words contained within haven’t been altered in any way, we can say that the newspaper itself never had any tangible value.
Bhakti, on the other hand, works in just the opposite way. When there is a link in terms of consciousness to the Supreme Object of Pleasure, every situation, irrespective of the perceived favorability or unpleasantness, becomes the most palatable. To see evidence of this, we can look to the life of a famous brahmana, Sudama Vipra. The Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead who is always with a transcendental body, descended to earth in His personal form of 
The Supreme Lord, in His original form, is like the proprietor of the sun itself. The saguna forms, which include both the 
Though Sudama was fine with his life of poverty, his wife was a little concerned for their well being. Therefore she asked him to visit Krishna in His palace and ask for benedictions. The wife knew that Krishna is brahmanya-devaya, or the worshipable object of the brahmanas, and thus He would surely be willing to help out His dear friend from their childhood days. Sudama was a little hesitant to go, as he had nothing to bring as a gift for Krishna. Begrudgingly agreeing to take some chipped rice with him, Sudama made his way to Krishna’s palace. Immediately upon seeing His old friend, Krishna got up from His seat and welcomed Sudama with all the respect that a brahmana should be afforded. Sudama Vipra was treated like royalty. Though the brahmana could never bring himself to ask for anything from the Lord, Krishna noticed the chipped rice he was hiding and immediately snatched it. Partaking of the chipped rice and asking others, including His wife Rukmini Devi, to enjoy the same, Krishna was very pleased.
While the brahmana was walking back home, he couldn’t help but remember Krishna. All his thoughts were always focused on Bhagavan, so he was constantly in the mood of bhakti. Upon returning home, he saw that his house had been transformed into an elegant palace, and there were no longer any signs of poverty anywhere. He could understand that this was the doing of Krishna, the husband of Rukmini Devi, who is the goddess of fortune. It’s interesting to note that this newfound opulence did not affect Sudama’s behavior in the least bit. He and his wife had their distresses removed, but their dedication to Krishna never waned. In fact, the added financial security only redoubled their strength of conviction in the practice of bhakti, the undying art of transcendental love, the only worthy engagement for the individuals trapped in a mire of sense-driven activities, which bring only flickering happiness and leave tremendous pain.
“O king of the Vanaras, he who possesses all these four qualities of courage, vision, intellect and skill as you do never fails in the performance of his actions.” (Celestials praising Hanuman, 
When we speak of going back to God or Godhead, the inherent implication is that we were once in such a purified land. Though we have no memory of being there, based on the statements of authority figures, those in the know, we learn that, as spirit souls, our natural home is in the imperishable sky where the one entity who never succumbs to the influences of the temporary and miserable world reigns as king for all of eternity. That entity is known as God to most, but in the Vedic tradition He is tagged with thousands of names, each of which speaks to His different activities and features. The more descriptive names provide increased pleasure to those wise enough to invoke them, for the sound vibrations immediately bring to mind the Lord’s form and nature.
With the Supreme Lord, there is no such distinction between body and soul. He is completely spiritual; hence the term “nirguna”. The issue introduced with this property is that it becomes difficult for the individual souls, the jivatmas, to understand what God looks like and where He resides. Though the Lord is without a material form, His spiritual form is both present and inconceivable. His body is so large that one cannot even fathom its size. The reach of His hands, legs and arms is infinite, a measurement that is incomprehensible to the human mind, which is the most advanced in terms of intellect. Not only is God’s form so gigantic, but He can also become infinitesimally small, as is the case with His Supersoul expansion. Though each body type has an individual soul residing within that forms the basis of identity, there is another spiritual entity that resides right next to it within the heart. This soul belongs to God, and it is a non-different expansion coming from His original form. The Supersoul is also often referred to as the nirguna form, as it is unmanifest. The Supersoul is non-different from the original person it represents, but since it is subtle in appearance, it is difficult to perceive.
When the saguna forms, the fully potent 
Trying to remain a devotee up until the time of death is difficult enough, especially considering that taking to devotional service is itself the most troublesome task in this world. After many lifetimes on earth, the soul becomes more and more averse to divine love that is facilitated through the sublime engagement of devotional service. As a result of this disposition, inducements from others to turn the eye towards God become less and less effective. In order to truly clear our vision and find the proper path in life, we must look to those great devotees of the past; those sincere servants who persevered through all obstacles and eventually triumphed in the end. Of all such figures, none is more celebrated and honorable than Shri 
Yet his trip to Lanka wasn’t without disturbance. A giant female serpent named Surasa presented the first obstacle, followed by the efforts of a female Rakshasa named Simhikha. But these powerful forces were no match for Hanuman, so he was able to get past both impediments. In the above referenced statement, the celestials in the sky, those who were carefully observing Hanuman’s brave journey across the ocean, are praising him for his abilities. They remark that since he possessed courage, vision, intellect and skill, he would never meet defeat in any venture. Thus they weren’t surprised at his amazing feats of strength and dexterity.
Hanuman’s acute vision was displayed in several ways. He was able to ascertain the proper aerial path to Lanka. He was able to accurately identify Surasa and carefully study her various features. Since she was a giant serpent, Hanuman had to survey her entire body in order to figure out how to get past her. Lord Brahma, the first created living being, had granted her the boon that no one would be able to cross her path without first entering her mouth. Normally this would mean instant death for the traveler, so Hanuman had to think of a way to get past her without losing his life. His sharpness of vision allowed him to see things as they were. Later on, when he encountered Simhika, he didn’t know who she was at first. All of a sudden his flight progress was stopped, so Hanuman had to figure out what was going on. He realized that his shadow had been caught in the ocean, something only the demon Simhika was capable of, as Sugriva, the chief of the monkeys in Kishkindha, had previously informed him.
Not surprisingly, Hanuman would go on to enact even more wonderful pastimes, all of which were intended for the honor and glory of Shri Rama. Hanuman never does anything for himself. Though he is the most praiseworthy person in this world, he takes the greatest pleasure in hearing the glories of Sita, Rama and Lakshmana. Due in no small part to Hanuman’s selfless efforts, the mission would be successful, and Sita would eventually be rescued. As far as our mission in life goes, we too possess the four qualities of courage, vision, intellect and skill. Though we may not exhibit these attributes on anywhere near a level as that shown by Hanuman, by following his sweet example, we can learn to use whatever tools and abilities we have at our disposal towards attaining the proper goal.
