Endless Cash Flow

“I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.8)

“Can I have this? Can I have that? Why not? But I want it now?” A good parent prevents their child from becoming spoiled, from being given every single item that they want. No matter how persuasive the presentation may be, no matter how intense the temper tantrum they throw, the resilient caretaker will hold firm in their vow to instill discipline and show the true value in what is procured through labor. The child can’t be blamed for their ignorance, for they don’t know any better. To them, money just comes on its own. When you go to the store, your mother or father just whips out a credit card or a wad of cash and pays for whatever they need. There is no concept of affordability or the fact that something can’t be bought because the money required must be allocated for something else. The children following this mindset can be likened to the materialists who believe that the elements of nature just appear on their own and are thus meant to be continually exploited. Just as the spoiled child is in for a rude awakening in adult life, the ignorant human being not apprised of the highest scientific truths of spirituality is in for a world of hurt.

Does not the latter condition apply to pretty much everyone? And, what is the difference really between acknowledging God and ignoring Him? Are we going to hell just because we fail to profess allegiance? The punishment actually comes not from a vengeful Lord looking to punish those who forget Him. Rather, the inflicted pain is sourced directly in the misuse of the materials provided. Just as a fire can do great things when used properly and cause tremendous harm when not, the gross collection of material elements can do wonders for the spirit soul transmigrating through different bodies. On the other hand, when used improperly, the same elements can cause continued nescience and a renewed sentence to life in temporary realms.

So we’re basically saying that matter is neither good nor bad? Yes. Neither extreme is absolutely beneficial or detrimental. Adopting a favorable view towards matter for the purpose of exploitation is based on the ignorant mindset adopted at the time of birth; the animalistic tendencies to eat, sleep, mate and defend without restriction. When this sort of lifestyle proves to be too painful, the opposite extreme of full renunciation is taken. Yet even this is painful, for through it the penchant for activity is unnaturally checked.

“The senses are so strong and impetuous, O Arjuna, that they forcibly carry away the mind even of a man of discrimination who is endeavoring to control them.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.60)

So what can we do? How do we learn the right way to use the elements around us? The child eager for gifts is taught the value of money so that they eventually learn to curb their desires. Moreover, getting everything you want right away is not good for controlling the senses. For starters, getting what you want doesn’t actually equate to happiness. Our impulse may tell us to eat the entire pizza pie placed in front of us, but if we do so, pretty soon we’ll have a stomach ache. Despite the numerous studies conducted about how to prevent disease through avoiding and accepting certain foods, the key to healthy living is actually regulation. Just follow regular habits based on moderation, leave your body enough room to breathe without difficulty, and you will avoid so many ailments. Just think of how many problems are caused by straining the body, pushing it to the limits of action and thought. Too much stress at work results in painful conditions, as do excessive travel and exercise. Eat more than you need to and you will cause an imbalance in the body that will bring negative consequences.

Through control over sense gratification, eventually the same person that kept asking for things from the parents reflects back on their past behavior with regret. “I can’t believe I wanted all of those things. They seem so useless now. I’m glad my parents instilled some discipline in me and had the courage to say ‘No’.” At the heart of the conversion is maturity in thought, which comes through both education and the practice of regulation. Without this maturation, the same spoiled child will have difficulty dealing with the rigors of the real world, where there is not an endless cash flow available from the parents. When money has to be earned, the necessary restrictions on spending are automatically imposed on the earner, even if they weren’t expecting them.

In the larger picture, if we continue to operate under the mindset that the material elements around us just happened to appear on their own, without the hand of an intelligent creator, we will have a difficult time succeeding in the mission of life. And what exactly is that mission? As the soul is eternal, it must have an eternal occupation. To perform the duties in that occupation, an eternal home is required. The supreme destination is referred to as sugati, or auspicious home. The sugati is attained only by the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. People in the past have earned it by performing wonderful devotional service directly for the benefit of the Supreme Person during His various descents to earth. This is the information given to us by the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India.

“Shri Rama personally gave liberation [sugati] to Shabari, the vulture Jatayu and those who performed wonderful devotional service, whereas the holy name has liberated countless wretches; a fact well-established in the Vedas, which sing of its glories.” (Dohavali, 32)

While steadfast devotion personally offered to the Lord has resulted in attainment of the supreme destination, which is akin to gaining liberation, for a few notable personalities, the chanting of the holy names has liberated countless people, even the lowest wretches in society. The holy name is non-different from the Supreme Person it addresses. The only reason we have distinctions between God and His names is that we are unaware of their equality. Which names should be chanted? The Vedas provide countless names, which each reference specific qualities or pastimes. The names Krishna and Rama are considered the best, as they can be recited by anyone looking to evolve from the ignorant mindset adopted at the time of birth. These names are best chanted together in the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.

Chant this mantra, having full faith in its ability to take you to the sugati. Why is the supreme destination better than the present one? Anything created must be destroyed. When there is birth, there has to be death. If there is acceptance, there must be rejection. These are the rules of the temporary realm, which means that everything in it must eventually end in misery. A miserable place cannot be the natural home for something that is permanent, something which does not ever get destroyed. The soul always carries the properties of eternality, knowledge and bliss. In a substandard destination, ignorance takes over and the mind considers the objects around it to be useful only for its own pleasure. No thought is given to God and His amazing abilities. The difficulty in perfecting consciousness is so strong that even if the Lord is acknowledged, His influence is taken to be for the benefit of further exploitation. This is similar to if the child would think that their parents go to work simply to give them the stuff they ask for. “My dad works hard at the office so he can buy me whatever toys I want.”

Surely the parents will provide gifts to the child every now and then, but the home, clothing and food are provided to maintain life, to help the child mature to the point that they can become independent. The material elements serve a similar purpose, except the independence relates to freedom from nescience. The human birth represents the best opportunity for the conditioned soul to fully develop consciousness. In pure God consciousness, everything is used to perform divine service. The holy name is the best tool to further this end because it carries the least restrictions. One needn’t even start out with the desire for renunciation, proper education, or purification of consciousness. Just chant the holy name with faith, in the company of other wonderful servants, and see how rapidly you make progress from within.

“Though engaged in all kinds of activities, My devotee, under My protection, reaches the eternal and imperishable abode by My grace.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 18.56)

What is the difference between an adult materialist and an adult devotee? Don’t devotees go to work, eat food and enjoy leisurely activities? In this sense how are they any different? The key distinction is with consciousness. Whatever thoughts are on our mind at the time of death determine where our next destination will be. Those servants who were personally liberated by the Lord thought of Him while quitting their body. It was difficult for them not to, for God was standing right in front of them. In the case of the vulture Jatayu, Lord Rama, the avatara of the Supreme Personality of Godhead appearing in the Treta Yuga, was holding him in His arms. If God is on the mind at the time of exiting the body, the next destination is the Lord’s home, a place where no one ever has to leave.

Chanting the holy name, which is a cornerstone practice in the discipline of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is meant to further the aim of reaching God’s kingdom. On the flip side, by thinking that the material elements just appeared from random collisions, the continuing mindset will be one focused on exploitation. Not only is this detrimental towards attaining the proper destination in the future, it also leads to misery in the immediate aftermath. Even if one doesn’t want to believe the statements about reincarnation so nicely presented by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gita, the Song of God, they can see the harmful effects of a materially conditioned consciousness in their own lives. Indeed, every ailment, mental or physical, is related to the forgetfulness of God. The “world peace” that is so desperately wanted can only come about when the nature around us is understood for what it is. If we think that everything is “Mine”, and other people harbor the same mentality, how can there not be constant conflict?

Karma continues for he who does not know about God and His abilities to create the wonderful nature around us. On the other side, the mature living entity keenly aware of the differences between spirit and matter knows how to tailor their behavior just perfectly so that they can remain fixed in divine trance, or samadhi, even while performing their daily routine. The ultimate reservoir of pleasure is the Supreme Lord, who is thus known as Krishna. He is all-attractive, giving sweetness to anyone who interacts with Him in the proper mood. The discipline of bhakti-yoga, with its do’s and don’ts, is meant to purify our consciousness so that we can fully appreciate our spiritual counterpart, our eternal life partner, who also happens to be the source of the abundant resources present before us.

In Closing:

Ignorant child thinks parents have endless cash flow,

To provide for their needs, supply of toys to grow.

Think that the credit cards in stores work like magic,

To harbor this attitude as adult is tragic.

Mature adult not knowing God thinks the same way,

That material nature came through randomness’ sway.

Understand who is God and what He provides,

Learn how the soul through time always survives.

From knowledge follow the proper behavior,

Look to Shri Krishna as your only savior.

Work for Him to find supreme destination,

Abandon your drive for sense gratification.

Know that elements given by God for pleasure to feel,

To appreciate His beauty, blessed fate to seal.

Youthful Exuberance

“Without training or education, one can automatically participate in bhakti-yoga. Even a small child can clap at kirtana. Therefore Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has proclaimed bhakti-yoga the only system practical for this age.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Path of Perfection, Ch 7)

One of the wonderful things about being a kid is that you just don’t know any better half the time. This is the reason children are viewed as being innocent, non-threatening. Random people will go up to young children they have never met before and make smiley faces and strange noises at them, knowing that the children will not find this behavior odd in the slightest. Yet, when that same youngster grows up, others will look the other way when they come, not wanting to make eye contact. “Keep to yourself” is the motto when living the fast-paced life in a crammed city. The exuberance in children does, however, bring the ability for caretakers to put talents to good use, to direct energy along the proper channels. When pointed in the direction of the reservoir of all energy, the enthusiasm of the child can pay large dividends in the future.

How does a child go from playing the entire day to sitting inside of a classroom and taking instruction for several hours at a stretch? For starters, the youngster may not know what school is or for how long they will be enrolled. Just imagine as an adult enrolling in a degree program that won’t complete until twelve years. Obviously, not many people would voluntarily attend, for the task would seem too daunting. Yet this is precisely what children face as they enter school, and since they don’t know what twelve years means, they aren’t as hesitant to start.

Educating their children is a good idea for the parents because it ensures that their children will be ready for adulthood, capable of earning for themselves. During the period of childlike innocence, the human being is both willing and sometimes even enthusiastic to do things adults dread. Something as simple as going outside to pick up the mail every day is eagerly anticipated, and to the adult having the children so excited to do something they’d rather not do is refreshing. “Ah, the simple days; when you’re excited to do things you try to avoid later on in life.”

Ask a child to help you around the kitchen, and they are more than happy to pitch in, for this allows them to imitate the behavior of the adults, the authority figures. “Oh, if only I could be old enough to do adult things right now. I hate that I have to go to sleep before everyone else and miss out on all the fun.” Give the children adult tasks, and they will take it as a sign of you passing something important over to them.

For adults, not only are regular chores dreaded, but so is anything particularly serious. Nothing is more grave than spirituality, issues pertaining to the soul and what happens to it after death. Why worry about such topics that are so difficult to comprehend when you can enjoy your life right now? Why worry about death if it’s going to happen regardless? This has been the age old issue facing mankind, the hesitancy to take the plunge into spiritual life. Others that are immersed in worship of God are seen as fanatics or sentimentalists trying to fill a void in their lives.

Genuine spirituality, however, is more of a science than just a discipline based on sentiment. In spirituality there are law codes, rules and regulations that, when followed, bring about a palatable future condition, just as with every other aspect of life. The principle behind the schooling given to children illustrates this. The parent genuinely understands the need for providing an education to their child. This assertion within the mind can be thought of as a regulative principle, a law to guide behavior. Even in the opposite mentality, which calls for rebelling against every single authority figure and their laws, there is an edict created. If one person says to read a specific book and another says to avoid reading it, both people are actually making assertions. If I listen to the person who says to not listen to anyone, I’m essentially following their recommendation on how to live my life, i.e. I’m following a regulative principle.

A bona fide system of spirituality is one which passes on regulative practices that are applicable in every time period and for every single person. In this respect, no system can be more inclusive than bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. At the heart of bhakti is attaching one’s loving sentiments to the proper recipient. Since in every other area of life our offering of service is checked to some degree, we can take it to mean that the objects of our service have defects. For instance, once your child grows up into an adult, how can you continue to love them? It’s difficult once they become self-sufficient to continue to be able to give them a helping hand. The same holds true with our friends and paramours, for exactly how much can we really do for somebody else without them getting annoyed and asking us to stop?

With the Supreme Lord, however, there is never a need to stop offering service. Lest we think we must live in a church or stare at a picture all day, the most potent method of worship involves sound vibrations and their production. Since God has everything, what can we really offer Him anyway? Time is the most important thing available to sacrifice, so by regularly reciting the sacred formula, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, the offering of love can flow without obstruction.

In the beginning, this chanting routine is a chore, as how many of us are accustomed to repeating the same sequence of words over and over again for hours at a time? Plus, spiritual life has the air of seriousness to it, so delving into something so important is difficult in the beginning. To make things easier, teachers can take advantage of the youthful exuberance found in children. If a child is so anxious to run outside and pick up the mail, just imagine how happy they’ll be to regularly recite the names of the Lord, which are so powerful that they are non-different from Him. God is the most attractive person, so He is addressed by the Sanskrit word “Krishna”. There is also tremendous pleasure received through the Lord’s association; hence He is also addressed as “Rama”.

Isn’t this forcing something upon children against their will? Shouldn’t the childhood years be spent in enjoyment, for such happiness will not be present when the pressures of adulthood start to kick in? Since education is already an imposition, however, why not give a spiritual awakening as well? The habits formed during childhood stay with the person throughout their life. This is visibly evident in the behavior of spoiled children turned adults. If you give a child whatever they want, whenever they want it, they will have a very difficult time adjusting to adulthood. They will expect everything to be handed to them, and when this doesn’t happen, they won’t know what to do.

Why the recitation of the maha-mantra specifically over other religious practices? Chanting is an isolated practice that maintains a deep and unique connection between the individual and their object of service. In other chores assigned to children, the enthusiasm for the task may wane over time, as the tangible benefits don’t last very long. With chanting, the individual transcends even the need for praying for material rewards, which is the tendency for every human being to do. Repeating the holy names of the Lord through a routine keeps the sound vibrations of the beloved Almighty within the consciousness.

It is this consciousness that we are really trying to change, not only in children, but in every single person. The human form of body is the most auspicious because of the potential it carries for development of consciousness. The other forms of life don’t have this potential. The dog may be more than enthusiastic to fetch the ball thrown by its owner, but if you try to get it to chant the holy names of the Lord, it will not be able to. On the other hand, the enthusiastic child will take their chore of chanting as an early admittance into adulthood, especially if the adult is already following such practices. Just imagine if we chanted the maha-mantra every day and our children saw and asked if they could follow. “I don’t know, this is a very important activity, reserved for adults, are you sure you can handle it?” The child will take this as a challenge, as a way to prove to the adults that they can handle important tasks.

And the reward for such encouragement? There comes a point in adulthood where memories from childhood are evoked and the past experiences longed for. “If only I could have fun doing those same things again.” Just imagine if the chanting routine were part of those childhood memories; a person could then go back in time every day by worshiping their beloved Lord. There could be no greater gift to give to our dependents than these memories. In adulthood it is very difficult to be encouraged to do anything new, for as they say, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” But if the old dog already keeps the names of Krishna and Rama on their tongue, the same stubbornness will be there, except it will be beneficial. The old devotee accustomed to his regulative principles will be very difficult to move off of the devotional path. Therefore simply through his behavior he serves as a role model for others.

Connecting with Krishna is never without reward, even when done without full knowledge of the beauty of bhakti-yoga and its supreme standing over all other types of religiosity. Indeed, every system of maintenance that is bona fide is meant to bring one eventually to the platform of bhakti. After all, what condition could be better than remaining firmly tied to the sweet and beautiful Krishna within the consciousness at every second? Shouldn’t every single practice we undertake be aimed at achieving this goal? By using the enthusiasm found within children to perform even routine work for their benefit, the playroom that was previously filled with toys and youngsters running about will one day be transformed into a spiritual asylum, a place where talks of Krishna continue and glorification of His names, forms and pastimes permeates the air.

In the childhood years, there is cajoling and persuading to be allowed to do adult activities. “Dad, can I go out and get the mail today? Mom, can I help you with cooking dinner tonight?” Now, just imagine if after being exposed to krishna-bhakti, devotion to the Personality of Godhead, the requests turn into, “Dad, can I sing that Krishna song with you? Mom, can I offer the arati tonight?” Adhering to spiritual life and taking it as the most important priority can be very difficult, but the path is made easier when others are around who are following it. What’s more, if the people engaged in bhakti-yoga are enthusiastic about it, the benefits to the onlookers are augmented.

Add to the equation that if the people enthusiastically dedicated to serving Krishna are, according to the standard definition, not naturally prone towards accepting devotional life, the sight of their devotion is awe-inspiring and totally humbling. As an example, seeing a yacht or a giant cruise boat sailing across the ocean isn’t very noteworthy. After all, such ships are made to travel through water comfortably, without any problems. If, however, a small boat is seen traversing the same difficult waters, the appreciation of the onlookers is increased. “Look at that person; they are manning the boat all by themselves. They’re taking a great risk by using that small boat, but what else do they have? They have their dedication and perseverance. If they can ride in a small boat to reach the other side of the ocean, who am I to complain about my problems in life?”

Now, just imagine if you saw an even smaller boat travelling across the ocean.  Not only is this boat smaller, it is holding a gigantic bar made of iron. For starters, the sight would be considered an illusion, for how could a boat like that float with such a heavy weight on board? Indeed, the iron bars are used to make anchors, which, when dropped to the surface underneath the water, ensure that the boat doesn’t move. All of a sudden this boat is now traveling with the heaviest anchor as one of the passengers. This amazing sight is similar to what we see when young children are fully engaged in bhakti-yoga and mad after God. The sight is inspiring and humbling at the same time. The young devoted child doesn’t know about imminent death, reincarnation, the heartache resulting from broken relationships, or the monotony of repeating days. Rather, they simply love Krishna and chanting His names. If they can follow bhakti with such enthusiasm, then surely the instructing adult can as well. In this way the child becomes the father of man, inspiring him to reach new heights.

In Closing:

Children given to always play,

Follow that behavior for whole day.

For parents routine tasks are a chore,

But kids like adult work, don’t find them a bore.

Therefore give to them the routine of chanting,

With Krishna’s names seeds of devotion planting.

Nothing special in seeing travelling cruise or large boat.

But amazing for small vessel carrying heavy iron to float.

Watching other devotees helps in spiritual progression,

Difficult is material life and the goal of liberation.

Through practice in bhakti, child becomes father of man,

Teaches him that reach Krishna’s realm he can.

Preyas and Shreyas

“According to Vedic civilization, a human being must be God conscious. He should understand what God is, what this material world is, who he is, and what their interrelationships are. This is called shreyas, or ultimately auspicious activity.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 9.42 Purport)

An ultimate goal, a supreme benefit which trumps all others, is a concept overlooked by philosophers who expound theories other than complete and full surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In order for a benediction to be considered superior, the duration of its existence must be longer than that of any other benefit and the reward itself must also provide greater bliss than any other type of enjoyment. Immediate satisfaction is referred to as preyas in Sanskrit, and the ultimate goal is referred to as shreyas. Only the philosophers following the line of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, touch on shreyas because bhakti is the only discipline which speaks to the eternal nature of the soul, an intrinsic property that the individual is never divorced from.

“Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” (Lord Krishna speaking to Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.12)

While it may be difficult to comprehend, we are all eternal beings. We existed in the past, we exist currently, and we will exist in the future. This information is kindly provided to us in the Bhagavad-gita, the scripture of scriptures, the concise and complete treatise on Vedic philosophy and the science of self-realization. Religion is indeed a science, or at least it is intended to be. Spirituality is assumed to be a matter of faith, and while there is certainly belief required in a bona fide system of self-realization, the differences between matter and spirit are wholly capable of being logically deduced and scientifically observed. At the time of birth, a spiritual spark is injected into the tiniest of bodies. This autonomous entity, the soul, which is bursting with potential for activity, then serves as the catalyst for growth and development, ultimately leading to the exit from the womb of the mother. The growth doesn’t stop there, as the newborn slowly turns into a child, then an adolescent, and then hopefully an adult. The outer covering of the spiritual spark constantly changes, but the impetus for action does not. The spirit soul within the body retains its properties at all times, even after death. At the end of life, the soul exits the body and immediately transfers to another one. The previous body is then left to rot and decay.

The skeptic will say, “What proof do you have that the soul doesn’t die with the body? Can you prove that the soul existed in a body previous to its current one?” Aside from the visual proof of the current body – a form which completely changes from the time of youth to the time of adulthood, with the identity of the individual remaining intact throughout – there is obvious evidence gathered from the nature of matter and its workings. No amount of chemicals can create a life on their own. The body parts, including the hair and nails, are dull and lifeless without the spirit soul within. Proof of this is seen when these appendages and external coverings are separated from the internal spark. They immediately decay and become useless. Therefore we can’t conclude that matter and chemicals are the be all and end all.

“That knowledge by which a different type of living entity is seen to be dwelling in different bodies is knowledge in the mode of passion.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 18.21)

Understanding these facts is quite difficult, especially due to the cloud of nescience that surrounds the individual soul at the time of birth. Deluded by ignorance brought on by material contact, the individual has the tendency to concoct their own philosophies which take immediate gratification as the end goal of all activity. Such philosophies aren’t surprising to see because it is the nature of the soul to be blissful. Happiness, love, and independence are characteristics of spirit, traits which can never be removed from the individual. In the conditioned state, these tendencies are misdirected, or at least governed by a misguided notion. Yet even without any reference to spirituality, we can conclude that a philosophy which only seeks immediate satisfaction, or preyas, is an inferior one.

A simple example that supports this claim is the lifestyle of the child. As is well understood, small children usually have no desire to work, go to school, or act responsibly. They simply want to play all day. They want their toys and they want them now. This is the typical example of preyas, wherein immediate satisfaction is desired. If such satisfaction isn’t received, the child will cry. Now, will a good parent encourage such behavior for any extended period of time? Will they allow the pursuit of immediate satisfaction to continue uninterrupted? A good parent surely will not. Eventually the child will be enrolled in school and strict limits on behavior will be imposed. This isn’t done to thwart the blissful nature of the child, but rather, to ensure their future happiness. A parent knows that simply playing all day is not good for the child, for in adulthood they will have to be educated enough to hold down a steady job.

The concern for the future well-being is the first indication of shreyas, or an ultimate goal. In order to secure shreyas, some sort of penance is required, along with adherence to sacrifice, or regulated activity. Without such practices, the ultimate goal is very difficult to come by. One may argue that the philosophies posited by the gross materialists and pseudo-spiritualists do indeed deal with shreyas. For instance, those who practice gymnastics yoga aim to help the body achieve a future condition of good health and flexibility. The advocates of life in the mode of passion, wherein a person finds a particular material interest and dedicates themselves to it, also seem to be seeking a future goal, one of a heightened level of sense gratification.

The Vedic seers, those who have attained true shreyas, understand that such philosophies actually seek preyas, or short-term goals, with the reason being that the time allotted for the enjoyment of the perceived ultimate goal in these activities is still very small in the grand scheme of things. One’s historical perspective begins from the day they were born. We tend to think that the first time we saw a television, automobile, or computer was the first time those particular objects existed. In reality, material life has been going on long before we took birth. In the big picture, our time on earth is miniscule.

The ultimate objectives of a happy and peaceful family life and increased sense gratification through acquisition of material objects are seen as preyas because the body ultimately has to be discarded. We are all bound to die at some point, so true shreyas can only deal with the future plight of the soul. This is where bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, comes into play. Just as the soul is eternal, so is its ideal companion. Though the eternal well-wishing friend is addressed by different names by different people, He is indeed the most attractive, blissful, and pleasure-giving entity. This makes sense because if the soul is going to spend eternity with someone, the complementary entity must be one who can provide the greatest pleasure. In romantic affairs, the concept of a soul mate applies to a significant other who sparks an interest in the heart and provides bliss, excitement, and satisfaction. The Supreme Companion, that one person who gives the soul the greatest satisfaction, proves to be the most sublime lover.

In the Vedic tradition, this original personality is known as Krishna. He is also known as Vishnu, Rama, Narasimha, Chaitanya, and thousands of other names which describe His limitless transcendental forms, each of which, including the original of Krishna, provides transcendental bliss to the conditioned soul seeking the ultimate goal in life. So how do we associate with Krishna? This is the million dollar question. Just as the goals of achieving a good education, landing a decent job, and maintaining a steady family life require some sacrifice and adherence to penance, shreyas in respect to association with Krishna requires a similar level of dedication.

“After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 8.15)

The key to associating with Krishna is having the right consciousness. A person’s activities drive their mindset, which then forms their consciousness. At the time of death, this consciousness is measured by the higher authorities, who in turn decide where the soul will end up next. When thoughts and desires are fixed on the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna, immediate ascension to the spiritual realm is granted. Not only does the soul ascend to a planetary system that it never has to exit, but it also gets to remain in Krishna’s association forever.

Consciousness is the key to happiness, as it can provide bliss and pleasure to a person while they are still in their present body. Unlike other philosophies which promise a utopian ideal in the future, wherein there is no anger, resentment, hatred, frustration, etc., the discipline of devotional service, or Krishna consciousness, actually delivers all the promised benefits. With other systems, there is certainly a benefit achieved, but the results aren’t everlasting. For example, we can acquire all the wealth in the world and own hundreds of lavish homes, but the mind will still be at work. Frustration is the result of unmet desires. Defeat in the area of sense gratification then leads to anger, resentment, hatred, and the loss of rationality. Such a condition cannot be considered favorable by any fair estimation, therefore the philosophy which led to it must also be considered defective.

Krishna consciousness is superior because it has no relation to material objects or personal relationships. Rather, it deals entirely with the state of the mind and attaining a level of consciousness which leads to satisfaction. In order for the mind to be satisfied, desire must be controlled. Reining in the thoughts and wants of the flickering mind is only possible by taking to bhakti, the quintessential act of which is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. Chanting alone is enough to purify one’s consciousness.

Rival philosophers and spiritualists will argue that chanting by itself is not enough, for it does nothing to increase one’s knowledge or level of renunciation. Though such an argument seems like it has merit, one must understand what the purpose is of knowledge and renunciation. Just as the educated student eventually uses their acquired knowledge for their benefit, the knowledge and renunciation achieved in the spiritual field similarly must lead to something. That tangible result is the perfect state of mind: God consciousness. But if one simply chants Hare Krishna all the time and maintains a simple lifestyle, they are essentially achieving the perfect state of consciousness without any extraneous endeavor towards knowledge or renunciation. Knowledge must have a goal, for simply having an education is useless. One may have a law or medical degree, but if they are not steadily practicing, their high education really has no value. In a similar manner, knowledge of spiritual matters must lead to a shift in consciousness; otherwise the information acquired is not put to good use.

Any activity of bhakti-yoga, be it chanting, hearing, worshiping, or remembering, automatically has retraction built into it. If one is regularly hearing from the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita in all sincerity, they aren’t eating meat, drinking alcohol, or engaging in illicit sex. On the other side, if a person is refraining from sinful activities, but hearing about sense gratification or even simply sitting in an empty room, their consciousness remains an open target for attack by the forces of ignorance driven by the illusory energy known as maya.

Bhakti-yoga is the only discipline which brings about real shreyas. Consciousness is the key to happiness, and any discipline which serves to purify the mind by fixing it on the form and name of the Supreme Lord must be considered a bona fide religion. Such a system is so powerful that the benefits are seen very quickly, even before a person leaves their present body. Short-term goals are certainly nice, but if we’re seeking a more permanent pleasurable condition, we need look no further than to the lotus feet of the all-blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Worshipable Body

“Childhood age, childish dress, movements by the child, sweet words spoken by the child, nice smiling and various forms of childish play are considered provocations for increasing the parental love for Krishna.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 43)

Though a human being goes through many changes in the course of their lifetime, their individuality remains the same throughout. The intelligence level certainly can increase with time, as can a person’s penchant for sinful activity. Nevertheless, the individual is the same, so there is no reason to treat a person any differently based on their age. In fact, there are growing movements and social causes which seek to stop the practice of discrimination based on a person’s age. Though an individual remains the same, it is undoubtedly true that the childhood form is the most conducive for receiving love. By the same token, the same can be said of the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna. From the devotee’s perspective, Krishna’s childhood form is the best when it comes to the offering of love and affection.

Is there a difference in the offering of love to a child versus an adult? Let us do a quick comparison of how we treat the two forms. When a child is first born, there is much attention given to it. The child is helpless after all, so it makes sense that the elders will want to do whatever they can to provide protection to the child, taking care of its every need. Many people go above and beyond this. For example, it’s quite common for adults to make childish sounds and funny faces in front of an infant. “Goo goo, gah gah” and other such strange noises are commonly voiced by the adult when in the presence of a child. Moreover, loving feelings easily flow in this exchange. Even if the child isn’t ours, but only a nephew, grandson, or child of a friend, we can still form a deep attachment. In this way, we see that love is very easy to give to another person if they are in a youthful body.

So what happens when the child grows older? Do we treat them any differently? Surely we do. A child is helpless and ignorant of the ways of the world. An adult, on the other hand, is tasked with greater responsibilities. Upon becoming adults and parents, the same children are now put in charge, and they have to provide for the protection of their dependents. Thus through the aging process, the same child now takes on a completely different form, and as a result, others treat them differently. But has the person inside really changed? Is it not the same loveable child but in a different body? If the individual hasn’t changed, why should we not offer the same level of love and affection?

The reason is that the childhood form is the one most conducive to the offering of worship and love. An adult is viewed to be less innocent, thus they don’t require the same level of attention. Also, if we were to treat an adult the same way that we treat an infant, surely the adult would scoff at our behavior. “Why are you talking to me in that weird voice? Why are you hugging and kissing me?” This dichotomy is better illustrated when dealing with the children of friends and even strangers. Let’s say for example that we’re in a public place like a post office. We’re waiting in line, minding our own business, when the lady in front of us is called to the counter with her two small children. These kids are carefree and not overly concerned with postage rates, shipping methods, and the strict rules and regulations that go with standing in line. In fact, they are so happy that they’ll gladly go up to strangers and talk to them. How do we react in these situations? Most of us will kindly smile back at the children, maybe play with them or ask a few innocent questions.

Now let’s extend this hypothetical situation out several years into the future. Again, we are on the same line at the post office, and the same children walk in. This time, however, they are full grown adults. Will we smile when we look at them? Will they willingly walk up to strangers and start waiving their hands? Obviously this isn’t likely to happen because now that they are adults, inhibitions take over. They aren’t as innocent, so they also start to view others with a little more scrutiny.

In reality though, there should be no difference between the two situations. The parties involved are the same; the only difference lies in the type of body occupied by the living entities. When occupying the body of a small child, a form viewed to be more innocent and accepting of love from others, a person is treated differently than when they occupy the body of an adult. Therefore we can conclude that the childhood form of a human being is the most conducive for the offering of love and affection by others.

This tiny detail can help us a great deal in spiritual life. Scientists, theologians, and great scholars since time immemorial have pondered the meaning of life. Why are we put on this earth? Why is there even an earth? The Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, provide the best answers to these questions. The Vedas state that this perishable universe was created by a supreme entity in order to allow subordinate entities the chance to play and imitate the superior’s powers of creation, maintenance, and destruction. Though this perishable universe constantly goes through changes, it remains in existence for as long as the desire for imitation by the subordinate entities remains.

Bearing these facts in mind, the meaning of life becomes obvious: to shed one’s desire to imitate this supreme entity. The subordinate entities take on the forms of human beings, animals, plants, etc. Any form of life is considered subordinate to this supreme entity. This supreme entity goes by many names, the most well-known of which is "God”. The Vedas give a much more specific name for God. He is known as Lord Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna is Bhagavan, one who possesses all auspicious attributes to the fullest degree and at the same time. The subordinate entities, the jiva souls, are similar to Bhagavan in quality, but vastly inferior in quantitative powers. When the jivas desire to imitate the superior, the superior kindly creates a temporary replica of His home. Since this realm is only a replica, a shadow if you will, it only manifests for a set period of time, and is thus inferior in nature to the original.

Simply put, the aim of human life is to return to the original spiritual realm, the place where Krishna lives. Returning to this place is actually quite easy; one merely has to have a sincere desire to go there. If the formula for success is so simple, why are we currently living here instead of in Krishna’s world? The answer is that while the path for returning to the imperishable universe is quite straightforward, hardly anyone has the desire to return. This temporary world has an illusory aspect which fools the subordinate entities into thinking that this land is their permanent home. Obviously if someone feels at home in one place, they are not likely to want to move. Therefore, in order to achieve the ultimate objective in life, one must come to the understanding that one’s real home is in the spiritual world.

How do we come to this understanding? While there are various methods for success, the most effective one is known as bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. This discipline involves dovetailing all of one’s activities with spiritual interests. To practice bhakti-yoga, we have to always be Krishna conscious, performing all of our activities for Krishna’s benefit. This requires a subtle shift in consciousness, for all of us are currently body conscious. We think in terms of “I” and “Mine”, when in reality, Krishna is the owner of everything. Devotional service is the highest spiritual discipline, the most pure and sublime of engagements.

In order to dedicate our activities to Krishna, we have to know who He is. Luckily for us, the Lord personally appeared on this earth some five thousand years ago and enacted many wonderful pastimes. While He roamed the earth for over one hundred years, His most cherished pastimes took place in Vrindavana during His childhood years. How can God be a child? While Krishna is the original form of God, He is still kind enough to expand Himself into an unlimited number of other forms. As many waves as there are in an ocean is how many incarnations there are of Krishna. The incarnations are nice because they allow every person to be attracted to God in some way. The incarnations, known as avataras, also speak to the time and circumstances of society. For example, many millions of years ago, mankind may not have been able to offer service to Krishna directly. Therefore the Lord was kind enough to appear in His fish incarnation of Matsya. Similarly, in another time society was best able to offer service to God in His half-man/half-lion Narasimha avatara.

Since Krishna is God’s original form, He is considered the most attractive. This means that more people will be able to offer their worship to Him than any other form. Ironically enough, even the personality of Krishna has many forms. During His time on earth, the Lord’s body appeared to go through subtle changes, from infancy to childhood, from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood to adulthood, etc. Though the body appeared to be changing, all of these forms are eternal and spiritual. This means that if we worship Krishna of a specific age, that worship can continue forever.

It shouldn’t surprise us that Krishna’s most worshipable form is the one He assumed as a child [bala]. In India, the local shops are filled with pictures of Krishna during this time in His life. In Vrindavana, during His childhood, Krishna performed so many wonderful activities which gave pleasure to all the inhabitants of the town. Mother Yashoda and Nanda Maharaja, Krishna’s foster parents, especially took great pleasure in interacting with this form. Mother Yashoda kindly offered Krishna her breast-milk in addition to dressing Him on a daily basis. As the perfect mother, Yashoda used to cook for Krishna, talk to Him, lay Him down on His bed, call Him home to eat, and offer wonderful prayers around His body while asking for God’s protection.

When seeing pictures of Krishna during this age, one will notice how wonderfully dressed the Lord is. He has beautiful earrings, a nice gem on His chest, a flower garland around His neck, a peacock feather in His hair, ointment [kajal] around His eyes, and armlets around His wrists. The young Krishna was the primary object of worship for all the inhabitants of Vrindavana; therefore they made sure that He was always beautifully dressed. Since Krishna is so naturally attractive, He actually enhanced the beauty of His ornaments. Normally such accessories are meant to augment the appearance of the person wearing them, but with Krishna it was the other way around.

The Lord also spoke very nice words to His parents and other elderly family members and neighbors. Though His words were sometimes broken, the parents didn’t mind at all. They couldn’t believe that they had such a wonderful child. For a devotee, simply thinking of Baby Krishna speaking is enough to give transcendental pleasure for a lifetime. The Lord was also a great prankster, with His most famous naughty activities involving stealing butter and yogurt from the neighbors. Vrindavana was a farm community, so there were plenty of cows around, along with butter and yogurt. Krishna especially loved to sneak into the rooms where this butter was stashed. He and His young friends would devise various plans to make their way into these locked rooms, take the butter, and then feed it to the monkeys. Krishna would be caught regularly, but the elders actually derived great pleasure by seeing this activity of the Lord, even if they would sometimes feign outrage.

Though these events took place thousands of years ago, we can still derive great enjoyment by hearing about them from great devotees or by reading about them in the Shrimad Bhagavatam. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada did a wonderful service to humanity by composing an English version summary study of the tenth canto of the Shrimad Bhagavatam. This work, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, covers the major events of Krishna’s life, especially focusing on His childhood. It can be considered the best biography of Krishna that is out there. By associating with the Lord in His childhood form, we can offer our love and adoration to the Lord without holding back. Young Krishna is waiting for us to come back to His spiritual world, where we’ll get to play with Him for eternity.

Parenthood

“After rising early in the morning, Mother Yashoda first of all offered her breast milk to Krishna, and then she began to chant various mantras for His protection. Then she would decorate His forehead very nicely and bind His arms with protective talismans. By all of these activities, it is definitely understood that she is the emblem of all maternal affection for Krishna.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 43)

The local bookstores are filled with reading material covering a wide range of topics. One can find the latest bestsellers, biographies from the most celebrated personalities, reference guides on how to take on certain tasks for “dummies”, and even self-help books to aid with self-esteem and positive thinking. The parenthood section of the bookstore is certainly a popular one with newly expecting parents who want to prepare themselves for raising their child. Bringing a child into this world requires so much effort as it is, so parents want to make sure they do everything right and limit their mistakes. One would be surprised to find out, however, that simply by taking to devotional service to God, all of life’s questions can be answered. With a simple shift in consciousness, the preparation required to tackle any of life’s difficult tasks comes automatically. This is especially true of the task of parenthood.

Pregnancies are obviously tougher for the women who have to endure them than for the fathers. There are so many bodily changes, from one’s appetite increasing, to changes in mood, and even sickness that can lead to vomiting. While all this is going on, a brand new life is developing within the womb. This certainly can become overwhelming, especially for first-time mothers. To alleviate their pains and worries, many expecting parents take to reading guides on parenthood and pregnancy. Probably the most famous book is What To Expect When You’re Expecting. The title is clever enough to attract the eye of even the least inquisitive of minds.

Yet even if a person is extensively briefed beforehand, nothing can quite prepare a person for becoming a parent. Once the child is born, the responsibilities are greatly increased. How does one even care for a brand new child? What should be done if the child is crying? How often should the baby be fed? These sorts of issues eventually work themselves out, but it’s nice to have some information beforehand, or better yet, someone to turn to. While the experts on television and in print certainly provide great insight, no one is wiser than the parent who has already successfully raised a child. In this regard, our own parents and grandparents prove to be invaluable resources. Ponder this thought for a second: A mother who has successfully raised multiple children from infancy to adulthood automatically becomes an expert in motherhood. Through experience and on the job training, they acquire an expert’s understanding of the day-to-day workings of parenthood and how to juggle the responsibilities of satisfying the husband, children, and housework.

For followers of the Vedic tradition, the motherly wisdom that is employed in the raising of a child can actually be traced back thousands and thousands of years. One of the most famous mothers in history is Mother Yashoda, the foster-mother of Lord Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is only one God, but due to His causeless mercy, He is kind enough to appear on earth from time to time in His original form. About five thousand years ago, one such appearance took place in the transcendental city of Vrindavana. This city is considered spiritual because it is a replica of the same Vrindavana that exists in the spiritual world. God can never associate with material nature after all, so when He appears on earth, His home, family, friends, etc., are all transcendental.

What does this mean exactly? Material life equates to bondage, with a person becoming subject to the laws of nature. For example, if there is a hurricane, severe drought, scorching heat, or bitter cold, we must equally suffer. We can make different adjustments to our living conditions, but there is nothing we can do to stop these forces of nature. In this respect, we living entities are subordinate to the divine forces. God, on the other hand, is the creator of the divine nature, so He can never become subordinate to its influence. This means that when He comes to the material world, He remains transcendental and free from all defects.

Vrindavana is celebrated because that is where Krishna spent His childhood years. Playing the part of an ordinary child, Lord Krishna charmed all the residents of Vrindavana, who were mostly cowherds by trade. Krishna grew up in the home of Nanda Maharaja, the King of Vraja, and his wife Yashoda. Obviously no one can be God’s parents, but since the Lord was playing the role of a human being, He kindly accepted parents. Interestingly enough, Yashoda and Nanda were considered Krishna’s foster parents since the Lord had appeared out of the womb of Devaki, the wife of Vasudeva. Devaki and Vasudeva lived in Mathura, where they were captives of King Kamsa, Devaki’s brother. A prophecy had stipulated that Devaki’s eighth son would kill Kamsa, hence the demon decided to lock up his sister and kill each one of her children. In order to save Krishna, Vasudeva transferred Him to Vrindavana immediately after His birth.

In Vrindavana, Krishna was offered the highest form of parental love from Yashoda and Nanda. In the above referenced excerpt from The Nectar of Devotion, a summary study of Shrila Rupa Gosvwami’s Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu authored by Shrila Prabhupada, we see that Yashoda was the perfect mother in every respect. Her daily activities consisted of tending to all of Krishna’s needs, while maintaining the household at the same time. The women of Vrindavana were the original “working women”; they spent all their time engaged in some type of work for the family. When they weren’t caring for the children, they were churning butter, making yogurt, cooking preparations to be offered to God, travelling to the market to sell their surplus butter and cream, etc. Since all of their work revolved around Krishna and Krishna consciousness, they were always in yoga.

Mother Yashoda’s daily routine actually serves as a perfect guide for devotional service. One simply has to always be thinking of Krishna to achieve perfection in life. Though Krishna may not be personally present before us today, He kindly appears in His deity form. We are instructed to view the deity to be the same as the Lord. Therefore we can dress it, bathe it, and offer it nice food preparations. This is our primary business, no matter what our disposition is. We also see that Yashoda’s love for Krishna automatically made her the perfect mother. This is the result of bhakti-yoga. God is the origin of everything, so it would make sense that by taking care of Him, one would acquire the necessary knowledge to handle all of life’s ancillary issues.

Mother Yashoda’s exalted status is enhanced by the fact that she had no idea that Krishna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should also take careful note of the fact that she chanted various mantras for Krishna’s protection every day. In her mind, this was the most important activity, for she knew that by asking for Lord Vishnu’s protection, Krishna would be safe. Ironically, Vishnu is just an expansion of Krishna. In the Vedic tradition, most people are devotees of Lord Vishnu, or one of His other non-different forms such as Rama, Narasimha, Krishna, Jagannatha, etc.

From Mother Yashoda’s example, we see that the best way to take care of a child is to kindly ask for God’s protection. Not just any God either, for there are many god-like personalities who can bestow material benedictions. Also many ordinary people are elevated to god-like status due to their wealth, fame, beauty, or extraordinary abilities in material endeavors. Vishnu is not like this. Vishnu worship brings salvation to the soul and eternal association in the afterlife with the original spiritual spark, the supreme energetic transcendent Lord. While it is certainly important to make sure our children are well fed, bathed regularly, and protected from dangers, the primary aim of human life is to link the soul with Vishnu, or God.

In this day and age, the best way to take care of our children is to regularly chant the sacred maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. This mantra addresses Krishna [Vishnu] directly and in a loving way. Mother Yashoda is a shining example of the greatness of the women of the Vedic tradition, and by following her level of devotion, we can never go wrong. She is the embodiment of maternal affection for the Lord, so in this regard, she is the foremost authority on parenting. By taking up devotional service in the manner that it was practiced by the great devotees of the past, we can acquire all the knowledge essential to our tasks at hand. If we take care of Krishna, Krishna will take care of us.

My Buddy

“Shatrughna, endued with cleverness, is your helper. Sumitra’s son (Lakshmana) is well known as My best friend. We four worthy sons of that foremost of monarchs will keep him established in truth, O Bharata. Let not your mind despond.” (Lord Rama speaking to Bharata, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, Sec 107)

Children have no qualms about openly declaring their love and attachment for the people they know and love. A child will never hold back in identifying someone as their friend, or even best friend. This is a very endearing quality of a child, for it represents pure unadulterated love, something not easily acquired later on in life.

Loving relationships are different for adults. Children are the essence of innocence. Upon taking birth, they live in complete ignorance. The mother, father, and siblings are all that a young child knows. Completely dependent on the parents for everything, a child immediately forms a bond with them. Yet the parent-child relationship is different from that of a pure friendship. The parents have final say in all matters, and their duty is to direct the child in the right direction. For the relationship to work, there must be a level of respect shown to the parents by the child. Some friendly feelings can certainly exist, but in the end, the parents must be respected as the ultimate authority figures.

It is the nature of a child to want to play all day. As adults, we have to either attend school or go to the office every day to earn a living. Children live under the complete protection of their parents, so they are free to have fun all day, playing various games and so forth. Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Himself engaged in playful activities with His friends as a youth in Vrindavana. Since the parents are usually occupied in adult activities, the child looks to play with siblings or fellow friends. A child asks very little of a friend. They simply want someone who will play with them, giving them attention and love. If we spend time with children, showing them compassion, patience, and a general interest, they will really take to us. Love forms very quickly since it is in the nature of the child to love others. Children simply want to spend time with their best friends. For this reason, this type of relationship represents pure love, for the child doesn’t demand any reciprocation from the friend.

These types of friendships are harder to form in adulthood since a person gradually acquires inhibitions as they grow older. Adult friendships are limited in a way since they are checked by the requirement of support. As adults, we require support from our friends. Even if our friend doesn’t agree with certain decisions that we make, we nevertheless want them to support us. If that support goes away, so does the friendship. This dependence doesn’t exist as much in children. As adults, our primary form of companionship comes from our spouse. After a person gets married, It is quite common to see them spend less time with their friends. This makes sense because the husband or wife is there providing fulltime love and support. The companionship of the friend isn’t needed as much.

For a child, the circumstances are different. The parents are the primary companions in youth, and their duty is to serve as authority figures. Thus the other friendships formed by children end up being valued and cherished more. Children can quickly become strongly attached to a cousin, an aunt, uncle, or other relative because pure friendships are formed. In a similar manner, devotees of Krishna, or God, develop strong loving attachments to the Lord. The friendships between God and His devotees are completely pure. The relationship between Lord Rama and His younger brother Lakshmana was a perfect example of this.

From time to time, God personally appears on earth to enact pastimes and give pleasure to His devotees. One such appearance occurred during the Treta Yuga, the second time period of creation. Lord Krishna took birth as the eldest son of the king of Ayodhya, Maharaja Dashratha. The first man on earth was Manu and his son was Ikshvaku, the first king of the world. In the Vedic tradition, kings are referred to as Mahipati, meaning the lord of earth. Formerly, the entire world was governed by one king, and the planet itself was known as Bharatavarsha. Ikshvaku set the standard for chivalry and governance, and his descendents followed that same tradition. Several generations later, Dashratha was born into this dynasty. Due to the pious nature of Dashratha and the Ikshvaku family, God decided to take birth in this line. Coinciding with His appearance as Rama, God also expanded Himself into three other human forms who took birth as Dashratha’s three other sons: Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna. Rama was the eldest but all four brothers were close in age.

Right from his birth, Lakshmana had an immediate attachment for Rama. He wouldn’t eat or sleep unless Rama was with him. Sometimes it is seen that an older brother will bully the younger one, or that the younger brother will have arguments and disagreements with the older one. None of these situations existed in the relationship between Rama and Lakshmana. The glorious Lakshmana viewed Rama both as his father and best friend. There was pure love and respect right from the very beginning. At the same time, Shatrughna and Bharata were equally as close. All four brothers were completely pious and devoted to the principles of dharma, or religiosity. They all viewed Rama as their savior and most revered object of worship.

As circumstances played out later in life, Rama was forced into exile, taking His wife Sita Devi and Lakshmana with Him to the forest for fourteen years. Bharata was chosen as Dashratha’s successor, with the king eventually quitting his body due to the pain of separation from Rama. Being apprised of the circumstances, Bharata immediately set out for the forest to look for Rama. Bringing Shatrughna and other important members of the family with him, Bharata wanted to convince Rama to come back to the kingdom and serve as the new king. Bharata didn’t want to rule the kingdom while Rama was forced to suffer, so he even came up with the idea of swapping places with Lakshmana.

In response to this show of affection from Bharata, Rama conveyed the above referenced sentiments to him. The main point of His statement was that Dashratha had ordered Him to spend fourteen years in exile and that returning to the kingdom would nullify the order, thus staining Dashratha’s vaunted reputation. Unlike politicians of today, the great kshatriya kings of the past valued their word more than anything else. Rama, being the ever well-wisher of His father, didn’t want to tarnish the good name of His father and the Ikshvaku dynasty. For this reason, He told Bharata to return to the kingdom and to not worry.

Rama also openly declared that everyone knew Lakshmana was His best friend. Devotees only want to be known for one thing, their pure love for God. Unlike great scholars and famous celebrities who sometimes crave the limelight that comes with their notoriety, devotees prefer anonymity and obscurity. They want all the attention placed on God, for they view Him as the most famous, beautiful, wise, powerful, wealthy, and detached of all people. Since God possesses all these opulences in full and at the same time, He is known as Bhagavan, or one who possesses all fortunes. Devotees view Bhagavan as the only object of worship. Naturally, devotees acquire all good qualities as a result of their service, so sometimes they are also lauded and praised. In these situations, the pure devotees still only want to be known for their love for God and nothing else. This is the behavior exhibited by all the great saints, including Lord Hanuman, who is considered one of Lord Rama’ s greatest devotees.

From Rama’s statement, we can understand that Lakshmana had secured his reputation early on his youth. His only religion was that of serving Rama, and this is what he was known for. Rama, for His part, wholeheartedly acknowledged this. Lakshmana had a pure loving relationship with God. The Lord never breaks this relationship, but actually takes steps to further increase that love day by day. God is always there for His devotees, and therefore, He is their best friend.

The lesson here is that we too can be friends with God. The first step is to befriend His devotees who manifest as the spiritual master, or guru. By regularly chanting God’s names, reading His books, offering Him prayers, and following the instructions of the spiritual master, we can be in constant association with the Lord. Then we can enjoy a lifetime of happiness with our original best friend.

Crying For Krishna

“Let me take shelter of the elderly parental devotees of Lord Krishna. They are always anxious to serve Krishna and to maintain Him, and they are always so kind to Him. Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto them for being so kind to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the parent of the whole universe!” (Prayer of a devotee, The Nectar of Devotion)

Mothers have a secret weapon that they use to stop their young children from crying in public places. When out of its familiar surroundings, a child can cry nonstop, leaving the parents feeling helpless. Yet crafty mothers have figured a neat trick to pacify their children; toys. Always keeping a small toy with them (a car, ball, or other favorite children’s toy), mothers can immediately get their children to stop crying once they whip out these toys.

It is the natural inclination of all young children to play. They want to just have fun all day, living a carefree lifestyle, enjoying the protections afforded to them by their parents. When Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, advented on this earth, He too spent His childhood days having good fun with His friends. The cowherd boys of Vrindavana would regularly go out to the fields, have lunch, run around, and maybe even wrestle with each other. Mother Yashoda would call Krishna and His elder brother Balarama home to eat. After taking lunch, the boys would take a nap. This sums up the typical day of a young child. They wake up in the morning, play, eat something, take a nap, and then play some more. Even Lord Rama acted similarly in His youth. He and His three brothers, Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna would delight the elders of Ayodhya with their childhood activities. Lord Rama even once swallowed a crow, Kakabhushundi, just for fun, releasing him after showing the entire creation to him.

When children feel uncomfortable, they cry. It’s as simple as that. Since they are completely dependent on their parents for everything, they don’t know any other way of solving their problems. They can cry out of boredom, out of hunger, or due to some pain inflicted on them while playing. One of the tougher problems parents deal with today is having to take their young children out in public places. Restaurants, supermarkets, and even post offices are places adults regularly visit. Bringing children outside the home presents a challenge in that babies tend to cry quite often and that crying can be a nuisance to the other patrons. Being out in the public brings children out of their comfort zone, so they are naturally prone to crying. Parents use all sorts of methods to stop the crying, ranging from yelling at their children to carrying them in their arms. One of the most effective methods is the one known to mothers around the world. Since children love to play, mothers carry around their child’s favorite toys with them, just in case they run into sticky situations. It works like magic too. The child almost always stops crying immediately when presented with their favorite toy. In this way, they go from being bored and uncomfortable, to being occupied and content.

Similar to the concept of children crying out of boredom, we living entities are constantly crying out for God, though we are unaware of it. As we mature, we no longer require toys to keep us from crying in public places, but that doesn’t mean that we still don’t enjoy playing. Adults do play with toys, but the toys themselves have changed. Instead of spending time with miniature cars and airplanes, adults take to gambling, intoxication, video games, and watching television as a way of staying occupied.

The mind always needs to be occupied with something. By moving from one activity to another, the living entity is searching for everlasting peace. Yet nothing actually works, for material activities can only occupy our minds for so long. After a while, we get bored of them and we take to new activities to keep from “crying”. The only way to be forever happy is to become a servant of Krishna, God Himself. Many a great personality has achieved liberation by following this prescribed method. Lord Rama’s great devotee, Hanuman, spends all his time thinking about the Lord. If he’s not singing His praises, then he is off doing the Lord’s work somewhere. He goes to those places where Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana are respected. Though classified as a Vanara (monkey), Hanuman exhibits perfect behavior and is the most civilized of all people. It is through His love for God that He achieved perfection in life.

Devotional service means always keeping the mind engaged in Krishna related activities. It’s not necessary for one to simply sit in meditation all day, nullifying the effects of the senses. Instead, we can do so many things throughout the day and still keep our mind on God. Chanting is the most effective method in this current age. By regularly repeating the Maha Mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, immediately our tongue and ears are engaged in serving the Lord. We all have to eat. If we prepare and offer nice vegetarian food for the Lord, He will be greatly pleased, and our sins will be eradicated at the same time. Sometimes we’ll see a scary movie late at night and have bad dreams while we sleep. If we engage our time in taking darshana of the Lord’s deity and hearing stories about Him, then it stands to reason that we will have pleasant dreams about Him as well.

Whenever and wherever we are, we can always think about Krishna. He can deliver us from the most troublesome situations. The great devotee Prahlada Maharaja kept his mind fixed on Krishna every time his father tried to kill him, and in this way, he was always protected. By following in the path of the great devotees, we can put an end to our crying and make ourselves forever happy.

The Joys of Childhood

“In all activities just depend upon Me and work always under My protection. In such devotional service, be fully conscious of Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.57)

Most of us look back very fondly on our childhood. It was a time of care-free innocence where we didn’t worry about much. When we weren’t in school, we would spend all our time playing or having some sort of fun. We never really worried about anything.

When we become adults, we notice this same attitude reflected in the children that we meet. When out in a public setting, we always see children running around, talking to strangers, and breaking all the rules of social etiquette. For the most part, this behavior is excused by the adults because they understand the innocence of the child. Kids don’t know any better, and they mean well. They aren’t very self conscious and they view everyone as their friend.

“Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says that the actual identity of every living creature is that he is the eternal servant of God. If one thinks like that—‘I am no one else’s servant; my business is to serve God’—then he is liberated. His heart is immediately cleansed, and he is liberated. And after one has reached that, then all one’s cares and anxieties in this world are over because one knows, ‘I am a servant of God. God will give me protection. Why should I worry about anything?’ It is just like a child. A child knows that his mother and father will take care of him. He is free. If he should go to touch fire, his mother will take care of him: ‘Oh, my dear child, don’t touch.’ The mother is always looking after him. So why don’t you put your trust in God? Actually, you are under the protection of God.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Science of Self-Realization, Ch 8a)

The bliss that children feel is a result of knowing that their parents will always be there to protect them. A child doesn’t worry about how he or she will eat dinner that night or whether they will have enough money to pay the bills. Their mother and father take care of everything, so they are free to enjoy life without any worries.

Though they are just children and don’t have any understanding of the real world, adults can learn a lesson by observing their behavior. Now that we are older, we are more susceptible to be illusioned, one of the four defects of man. Man is subject to four primary defects: being easily illusioned, being prone to commit mistakes, having a propensity to cheat, and having imperfect senses. After finishing school and holding a steady job, we think ourselves the doers of everything. We gather worldly possessions and then start to worry about how we will maintain them. Living with our spouse and children can be one the more stressful stages of our life. Having children means constantly worrying about their safety and well-being. “Are my kids safe? Will I have enough money to support my family? Am I saving enough for them to be able to go to college?” On top of these worries, one has to manage the household affairs, keeping track of bills and expenditures, and making sure that the children are properly attending school and finishing their homework. It’s a life full of worry. While we should definitely be concerned with the welfare of our family, we needn’t be too worried about material affairs since God actually takes care of everything. Our constant hankering and lamenting is actually due to our forgetfulness of the relationship we have with God.

Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is our original father. He provides protection to all His devotees. It’s just a matter of us realizing that He’s there. If we recognize the fact that He’s always looking after us, it will be much easier for us to approach Him. Through the process of devotional service, we can learn to become attached to Krishna, which will result in all our fears being vanquished. In the Bhagavad-gita, the Lord Himself says that we should practice devotion and make our minds transcendentally situated.

“One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.54)

No more hankering and no more lamenting. Being fully conscious of God, our fears vanish. We return to the mindset that we had during our childhood and enjoy a blissful spiritual life. In this day and age, the best way to elevate our spiritual consciousness is to constantly chant the holy names of God, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare” It’s so simple, even a child can do it.