Helping The Little Guy

“Exploitation of the weaker living being by the stronger is the natural law of existence; there is always an attempt to devour the weak in different kingdoms of living beings. There is no possibility of checking this tendency by any artificial means under material conditions; it can be checked only by awakening the spiritual sense of the human being by practice of spiritual regulations.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.13.47 Purport)

The Same As Me

“Whenever we see any living entity we should think, ‘Here is a spirit soul.’ Anyone who can understand such a spiritual vision of life is pandita.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Raja-vidya, Ch 8 )

Our treatment of others is directly influenced by how we identify them. If the person standing next to us is considered an enemy, we will not be forthcoming with our thoughts and emotions. When interacting with a salesperson or someone who is only interested in separating us from our money, we will be hesitant to buy what they are selling, even if it’s just advice. On the flip side, if the neighboring person is identified as a friend, someone with a common interest, we will be friendlier towards them and more open in our dealings. For the learned person, there is no such thing as the duality of like and dislike. When this mindset is applied to the vision, every life form is taken to be equal, a spirit soul just like everyone else. This proper identification can prove to be most beneficial for all parties involved.

How do we know that everyone is equal? One way is to do a study of every single life form on earth and notice how they go through growth, development, and decay cycles. We could also research how human beings and animals both eat, sleep, mate and defend, and how they have consciousness. But outward perception is limited by time and space. Our time within a specific body is not infinite; our residence is not fixed. Even the dwelling we occupy, the body, goes through so many cycles of creation and destruction. The body we had as a child is completely different from the body we have as adults. We know for a fact that once we become very old, our body will again be completely different. Yet our identity remains the same throughout, so we can deduce that whatever it is that identifies us must not be tied to the form that constantly changes.

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

We can hopefully deduce all of this information from outward study, which is limited, or we can accept supreme knowledge from the proper authority sources. There is no better place to go for right information than the Vedas, whose most concise and complete scripture is the Bhagavad-gita. In this wonderful work, which is set on a battlefield many thousands of years ago, a bewildered soldier has a discussion with his friend, cousin and charioteer prior to the commencement of hostilities. You see the soldier doesn’t want to fight, because there are friends and family members on the opposing side. Understanding that they too are life forms, he doesn’t want to cause them any harm, especially for something as insignificant as the right to rule over a kingdom.

Rather than rely solely on his identifications formed through sense perception, this soldier had the good sense to take instruction from a more reliable source. He was open to being convinced otherwise should the arguments move him so. He asked his charioteer, who was known to be the well-wisher of every living entity and also the greatest authority figure on knowledge, to settle his doubts about what should be done. This wonderful chariot driver, whose name was Krishna, started off His discourse with a bang, an unexpected jolt of sublime wisdom delivered without hesitation. Immediately He informed the warrior, Arjuna, that the soul is the identifiable aspect within the body. Just as the soul flows with the bodily changes from the time of youth all the way up until old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at the time of death. One who is dhira, or sober, is not bewildered by such changes.

This point raised by Krishna is very important to understand. The constant shifts in the manifested world can certainly delude our consciousness. Arjuna himself was taken off the righteous path duly assigned his class because of identifications he was making with respect to the body. He was thinking that his friends and family on the other side would lose their identities if killed in a fair fight, one that their side had actually instigated. Arjuna was fighting for the Pandavas, who were the rightful heirs to a massive kingdom. The opposing side, the Kauravas, had unjustly usurped this authority and driven the Pandavas out. If Arjuna did not stand up and fight, which was his occupational duty as a warrior to do, then who would ever stand up for justice?

Krishna then informed Arjuna that the pandita, or wise man, views everyone equally. This vision doesn’t just apply to human beings. Whether looking at a cow, dog, learned sage, fighter, laborer, or even a small child, the pandita sees the same essence of life within. As such, their vision is the most inclusive, as it does not discriminate based on outward features. The advantage of having this vision, which is the most accurate, is that one can realize that everyone else is in the same boat of suffering. If we create designations such as “friend” and “enemy” based on perceived differences in outward features, we fail to understand the purpose behind man’s association with material nature.

Is there not a difference between a friend and an enemy? Were not the members of the opposing army Arjuna’s enemies? Should he have treated them the same as he did the members of his own army? The equal vision of the pandita is meant to act as a starting point. Our initial identification, which should also be the most inclusive in scope, influences our initial impulses, or our behavior towards others. If I see another living entity and identify them first as being a spirit soul, my subsequent thoughts can follow along these lines. “Oh, here is another spirit soul trapped in an ever-changing body. Their original home, as well as mine, is in a place that is permanent, non-changing, blissful and conducive to knowledge. These properties are beneficial to me as well as to them, for we are both spirit souls. Since I realize that we are both equal, it is my duty to try to instill the same vision of equality in them and help them ascend back to our natural home.”

With this vision a fraternal attitude is immediately adopted. As mentioned before, the soul is the object of identification within any form of life. The outward features are there to be delusional, to result in the formation of factions, castes and prejudices for those who are unaware of their real identity. From the same conversation between Arjuna and Krishna, we learn that the soul’s natural home is in the spiritual world, a transcendental realm situated far above our current one. Based on the desires for contact with changing matter, the soul is granted a body and residence in the perishable realm. When the specific form decays and runs its course of usefulness, a new form is granted. The differences in outward forms are the result of the desires of the conditioned soul and the reactions to the work he performs. Just as when we let go of an object from our hands it will fall to the ground, every single action undertaken under a false identification brings a commensurate reaction.

“Arjuna saw in that universal form unlimited mouths and unlimited eyes. It was all wondrous. The form was decorated with divine, dazzling ornaments and arrayed in many garbs. He was garlanded gloriously, and there were many scents smeared over His body. All was magnificent, all-expanding, unlimited. This was seen by Arjuna.” (Bhagavad-gita, 11.10-11)

Krishna also tells Arjuna that the spirit soul who has the proper identification then understands the ultimate mission in life, that of serving God. Finally, Krishna reveals the most hidden secret, the piece of information that will help rescue the fallen souls and enable them to quickly attain a proper vision. You see the person Arjuna was accepting instruction from was none other than the Supreme Personality Himself, the origin of all spirit and life. Krishna supported His claim of divinity by showing off His universal form, the virata-rupa, to Arjuna. So awe-inspiring was this vision that Arjuna could not look at it for too long. He preferred interacting with Krishna in His two-armed form.

Understanding that Krishna is God, or at least acknowledging that God is a merciful personality who is the object of worship, is the most important objective because it provides the person who has adopted the proper identifying system an end-goal, a purpose to their activities following a purified vision. Because everyone is equal in the spiritual sense, the ultimate destination, or ideal home, is the same for everyone. Therefore the first thing that results from acquiring the equal vision is a desire to help every living entity, irrespective of their outward appearance, reach their ideal destination, the spiritual sky where Lord Krishna and His multitude of non-different forms reside. The formula for returning to this land is quite simple. Krishna declared to Arjuna that anyone who thinks of Him at the time of death will immediately return to His land and never have to endure reincarnation again.

So what did Arjuna do with his newly acquired information, knowledge which he took from the most authorized source? Did he go up to the opposing fighters and apprise them of their real identities and their need for going back to the spiritual land? As a member of the fighting class, Arjuna’s duty was to protect the principles of religion, which in this case called for the Pandavas to rule over the disputed kingdom. The equal vision is just the starting point, and based on the qualities of the target individual, different courses of action can be taken. For instance, we know that a tiger is a spirit soul, one who is intimately tied to God, but this doesn’t mean that we should go up to one and pet it. A tiger is a ferocious animal that lives off killing others. It has no capacity to understand spiritual instruction, nor should such an attempt to teach even be made.

The equal vision, understanding that everyone else is in the same boat that I am in, brings strong feelings of compassion and kindness. But the effects of material nature should not be forgotten. The ants, trees, animals and other non-human species can be understood to be where they are because of past karma. At the same time, just because they are in a species incapable of accepting spiritual instruction and acting on it doesn’t mean that we should consider them to be inferior to us or worthy of punishment. We don’t kill our dogs and cats because they are less intelligent; so just because a cow’s flesh might be tasty doesn’t mean we should unnecessarily kill them. The cow is a mother with children just like many human beings are, so why should we systematically go on a killing spree to eat beef, especially when so many other varieties of food are available to the human being?

The material qualities continue to act on all embodied living beings, but this doesn’t preclude the person with an equal vision from instructing those willing to learn about spiritual matters. It was Arjuna’s duty to fight, as the time and circumstance did not call for spiritual instruction being imparted to the opposing side, who were all spirit souls just like Arjuna. The equal vision makes it much easier to abide by our prescribed duties borne of our order. If we are suited for performing labor, running a business, administering a community, protecting the innocent, or teaching others about the highest knowledge, we should perform our duties while simultaneously maintaining the equal vision.

With respect to the most important instruction found in the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna, a discourse which is famously chronicled in the book called the Bhagavad-gita, the way to think of Krishna constantly is to take to devotional service, or bhakti-yoga. Just as the spirit soul is the identifiable aspect within every form of life, the engagement of divine love, or bhakti, is the foremost occupational duty, or dharma, for spirit. While the body types assumed have commensurate occupational duties as they relate to material activities, the penchant for loving God never leaves the soul. In every form of life there is the desire to serve God, but only with a developed consciousness can that service be acted upon fully. Thus we see that the true benefit of acquiring the equal vision of the pandita is the ability to apprise others of the essence of divine love and the benefits that come from practicing it.

The pandita, understanding the true nature of spirit, regularly chants the holy names found in the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, and induces others to take up the same chanting process. Unlike occupational duties tied to the specific body type assumed by the soul, bhakti is not reserved for any specific species. Even a young child can chant Hare Krishna and come into contact with the Lord. When we apply the equal vision to the surrounding world and understand that every other living entity is the same as us, we can understand that their ideal home is in the spiritual land where Krishna resides, a place where the glories of Godhead are sung on a regular basis and the flawed identifications borne of material contact are completely absent.

The vision of the pandita starts with the proper identification. “Here is a spirit soul. Here is a person who is intimately tied to Krishna’s service.” Even if we see that another’s body type precludes them from understanding their true nature and the beauty of divine love, we can still maintain our devotional attitude and keep our service going. Arjuna was a member of the warrior caste temporarily deluded by attachments formed off of false identifications, but when he needed help, the original spiritual master, Shri Krishna, was there to properly guide him. The confidential knowledge of the Gita was revealed to Arjuna not because he was a learned scholar or a recognized pandita. He was Krishna’s friend who harbored no ill-will towards the Lord. Similarly, those who are pure hearted and non-envious of God can understand the sublime instructions of the Gita, the transcendental sound vibrations emanating from the lotus mouths of the panidtas ever engaged in devotional service, and the need for returning back home, back to Godhead. The equal vision acquired through hearing from authorized sources allows us to properly identify all forms of life and also speak to those who are interested about the meaning of life and the purpose to our existence. With this clarity in vision and purpose, much of the hesitation that so debilitates us goes away, allowing for life to continue peacefully, with the consciousness focused on that wonderful teacher who so kindly took to instructing Arjuna and the world on that fateful day on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

No Labels

“Such [material] distinctions are visible in the lives of everyone, even the animals, but those who are pure devotees are freed from these false distinctions. Since these distinctions are absent in Your devotees, they cannot possibly be present in You.” (King Yudhishthira praising Krishna, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 19)

“Because you were so nice to me, I’m going to put in a prayer to your God.” Statements in jest like these indicate the prevalence of the mindset which thinks in terms of “my God” and “my religion”, which is especially common amongst those who are unaware of the intrinsic properties of spirit and the undying nature of the divine energy, the sole impetus for all seen and unseen action. But those whose eyes have been trained by steady practice in the one discipline that seeks universal truths and worships a leader who is equally disposed towards all forms of life transcend all labels and false identifications. Therefore they become the ideal welfare workers, the most benevolent teachers who can bring anyone out of the doldrums of chaos, despair, tumult, heartache and the like. The beautiful properties of these knowers of the truth are actually inherited from their master, an entity who is Himself free of ties to any specific organization, geographic location, or language tradition. Indeed, due to His magnanimous nature, this Supreme Person is worthy of worship from every single entity.

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion-at that time I descend Myself.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.7)

Not surprisingly, the person we speak of is God. In the Vedic tradition, He is known as Krishna, or one who is all-attractive. He kindly descends to earth whenever there are disturbances in the discharge of law codes, or dharma. The skeptic will argue that Krishna is simply a specific region’s theistic leader, an object of worship established off of sentiment and a tradition rooted in mythology. But if we get past all the prejudices rooted in ignorance, we’ll see that the truths espoused by the bluish divine figure found in the Bhagavad-gita surpass those contained in any other book, spiritual or otherwise. Moreover, Krishna’s universal candidacy for friendship and worship is substantiated by the tangible results achieved by those who follow His instructions, the most important of which calls for one to simply surrender unto God and be delivered from all sinful reaction.

Surrender doesn’t only involve a formal ritual or an allegiance of faith. Nor does it require that one don a specific dress and be addressed by a particular name. Perfunctory rules and regulations can help in the surrendering process, but the real benefit of turning one’s life and emotions over to Krishna is the altering of consciousness. True allegiance and dedication to God can be observed through outward symptoms, which indicate a drastic shift in the thought processes. When one remains below the full surrender platform, the loving emotions deeply ingrained within the soul get directed to other areas and objects. The nature of the surrender is the same except there is a drastic divergence in the quality of the objects of worship and the results that follow.

Since contaminated love focuses attention on entities which are not worthy of the full loving potential of the soul, the results derived are checked, or at least limited in some way, thereby keeping the consciousness in a clouded state, which then leads to concepts such as “my religion” and “my God”. A truly surrendered soul, one who is armed with the highest knowledge, understands that since spirituality describes the properties of the soul and its relationship to the Supreme Lord, it cannot be sectarian in any way. The laws of gravity don’t apply differently based on the belief system of the falling person or object. Similarly, the laws of nature, which are governed by the higher authorities installed by Shri Krishna Himself, do not act differently based on a person’s geographic location or scriptural tradition.

The assigned designations that are based on all sorts of attributes only come from those who have failed to reach the platform of complete surrender. Race, ethnicity, gender and age are some of the more common points of interest around which discrimination is formed. Today, much effort is taken to eradicate the practices of labeling individuals based on their outward features and behavior, but none of the methods employed fully succeed because the true identity of the individual is never revealed. For instance, a white person may be taught to avoid discriminating against a black person, but if neither group is educated on their true identity, that of a spirit soul, they will always label themselves according to the color of their skin, which is an attribute of the body that is not constant from person to person. The spirit soul can never be destroyed, cut up, burned, dried, or altered in any way. At the time of death, the current outer covering of the soul is discarded in favor of a new one. One who is Indian in this life can very well become American or Chinese in the next life. After all, the only differences in these designations are countries of origin and attributes specific to the outer covering.

“Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 2.17)

While the tendency may be to artificially shun labels, real success is found when the only label that applies universally is adopted. Instead of the “my God” and “my religion” mindsets, one who takes their identity from the properties of their identifiable aspect, the spirit soul, will be able to maintain peace and calm knowing that they are not attached to or affected with temporary changes. Bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is the pathway that leads to accepting in earnest the only label that actually fits. Just as our identity comes from the spirit soul within, our natural engagement is to behave in accordance with the intrinsic properties of our identifiable aspect. Spirit is not only eternal, knowledgeable and blissful, but it is also naturally inclined towards service, or divine love. In the constitutional state, the loving object is properly identified as God, whose most potent incarnation pervading the material world in the current age is His name. Therefore the simplest and most effective method of bhakti, one that allows the potential for service bottled up inside the conditioned soul to be released with full vim and vigor, is the chanting of the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste] .” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 5.18)

The humble sages, those who have accepted the proper label of eternal servant of God, see all forms of life equally. They see a dog, a dog eater, a brahmana, a cow, and an elephant as being the same. The exact nature of the interaction may not be the same with each case, but the underlying vision is applied equally. The devoted soul understands that the outer covering of a living entity is simply a manifestation of Krishna’s external energy, so it is of the same nature in any form of life, as spirit souls are expansions of Krishna’s internal energy that have a marginal position, one that allows for a choice between association with Krishna or delusion under the dictates of material nature. The humble sages see with a purified vision, so they are the most respected members of society, teachers that others can learn from in their struggles through life.

The behavior and vision of the sages who have adopted the proper label reveal the terrific properties of their object of worship. If a human being can ascend to the platform where they view everyone equally, then the Supreme Lord must bear the same properties. This was the point raised by King Yudhishthira during a meeting he once had with Lord Krishna. The Supreme Lord descended to earth in His personal form during the Dvapara Yuga and took part in many diplomatic affairs involving the Pandavas, who were five sons to Krishna’s aunt, Kunti Devi. Yudhishthira was the eldest of the brothers and he was well-known for his dedication to piety and virtue. Whenever he would see Krishna, he would properly praise and worship Him. Through his behavior, Yudhishthira provided great insight about Krishna’s nature to the people of the time and to future generations as well.

Yudhishthira once properly noted that Lord Krishna is just like the sun in His equanimity. The sun touches all sorts of objects, both pure and impure, during each day when it spreads its light across the massive universe. Despite what it touches, the sun remains the same in quality, unaffected by the interaction with external objects. Lord Krishna is the same way, in that as the Supreme Lord, He has no favorites. His mercy is always open for anyone. The option to surrender and be delivered of all sinful reaction is not a promise applicable exclusively to Indians, brahmanas, the Pandavas, and men. Just as the sun’s rays are available to everyone to utilize, Krishna’s promise for protection and the sublime pleasure He provides His associates engaged in bhakti-yoga apply to all forms of life.

Both the skeptic and the honest critic at this point may raise an issue about surrender to other theistic figures. “Why just surrender to Krishna? Don’t all religions prescribe the same method of full and complete relinquishing of ego and interest?” Actually, every area of endeavor, spiritual or otherwise, inherently asks their supporters to surrender. The politician running for office asks for the surrender of time and money from the constituents, the author selling his book the same from his customers, and the paramour the sacrifice of emotion from the lover. Yet none of these worshiped entities is capable of providing full protection because they are themselves limited in their abilities. The only entities save the Supreme Lord capable of bringing about anything tangible to their dependents are the devotees and spiritual masters who dedicate their lives to teaching others about Krishna either through precept or example. But even under this scenario, the guru doesn’t take the tribute offered to him for his personal benefit. Instead, he acts as a via-medium, accepting the worship offered to him as being intended for Shri Krishna.

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 18.66)

When Krishna promises deliverance from all sinful reaction for the surrendered soul, His position of neutrality does not break in any way. As the all-pervading spiritual sun, God is always shining His mercy down on everyone. The difference with the surrendered soul is that they know how to accept the mercy and make good use of it. The distinction between a soul surrendered unto God and one wholly dedicated to a worldly object or entity is in the nature of consciousness. A sinful reaction is a negative consequence to a particular activity. We can think of these consequences as pollution, necessary punishment for activities which were otherwise intended to bring about positive results. Student loan debt is a great example of this principle. Borrowing money to pay for school brings about the favorable result of attending college and earning a degree that will hopefully further advance one’s career. The sinful reaction, or negative consequence, is the debt that is incurred, a bill that must eventually be paid off. Student loan forgiveness equates to eliminating the negative reaction to the original activity. One is delivered from their sinful reaction resulting from borrowing money to pay for college when the balance due on their loan is eliminated prior to repayment.

In the larger picture, all activities of the mundane variety, those that seek temporary sense pleasures, automatically have built-in sinful reactions, negative consequences that may go unnoticed but still bring about very unpalatable results. In any fruitive engagement, one where surrender to some object or entity of the temporary world is required, the most harmful sinful reaction is that of further separation from Krishna, the ultimate reservoir of pleasure, in consciousness. This is considered the most severe negative consequence because separation from Krishna equates to being removed from the soul’s life partner, its complementary loveable object. There can be no worse reaction to an activity than to have further separation from the only object we are meant to associate with eternally.

Krishna promises deliverance from sinful reaction, and the actual rescue doesn’t even have to be carried out by the Lord directly. Surrender is coupled with devotional service, or the engagement that does not carry any negative reaction due to the constant association one maintains with Krishna. If consciousness is always tied to the Supreme Lord, there can never be any separation from Him, i.e. the root cause of all sinful reaction gets removed. It is for this reason that King Yudhishthira, knowing all the specific codes of conduct enjoined in the shastras, takes shelter of Krishna and no one else. He understands that Krishna is equally favorable to all and that linking one’s consciousness to Him brings about only palatable results in life.

The labels adopted based on our political beliefs, our favorite activities, our countries of origin, and our religious traditions are all relinquished at the time of death. If we think of the labels in terms of adhesives attached to the body, at the time of death, the labels themselves peel off, as the body is either burned or buried. But the designation of “I am a spirit soul, an eternal servant of Krishna” does not ever go away. Indeed, this property is always present in the soul, and one who is conscious of it never has to fall victim to any flawed identification.

Fighting For One Cause

“Intelligent persons who are endeavoring for liberation from old age and death take refuge in Me in devotional service. They are actually Brahman because they entirely know everything about transcendental and fruitive activities.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.29)

Despite the noble efforts of societal leaders, individuals are naturally inclined to viewing others in terms of their relationship to a particular race, gender, nationality, or religious group. These classifications are often revealed through the practices of racism and bigotry; hence the categorization is viewed in a negative light. Yet the practice is so prevalent because grouping individuals in this way allows for similarities and natural bonds with our fellow man to be found. Similarities in distinguishing features make it easier to form friendships and feel as though there are others out there going through similar struggles. Though groupings based off bodily traits and behavior certainly do have some validity, there is one trait that every single form of life shares. When the proper vision is acquired to see this quality in everyone, society at large can work together for the highest common good, a condition which leads to peace and harmony for all.

Though the average human being puts on a new set of clothes every day and gradually progresses through the various stages of life, the grouping of individuals is not usually based on age or outward dress. Rather, distinctions are made between gender, nationality, religious affiliation, and species. In fact, the scientific discipline of biology goes into a deep study of the different kingdoms, phyla, and species of life that are known to be in existence. These groupings are created so as to make life easier to understand. If we know what a particular form of life is prone towards doing, it’s easier to react to them. As a famous children’s animated television show once said, “And knowing is half the battle”, knowledge brings confidence. If we are in the know about something, we will know what to expect and how to react in important situations.

Though there are many movements that push for equality and racial harmony, it is an undeniable fact that issues of race and gender are always part of the public’s consciousness. When filling out any official document of importance, nationality and race are usually addressed. These group distinctions allow a person to find commonalities with their fellow man and thus understand them better. Not only are groupings made off of outward features of the body, but also on occupation and interests in hobbies and so forth. If we practice medicine for a living, naturally we will have things in common with other doctors and medical practitioners. If we write computer programs for a living, it would make sense that we’d have other computer scientists as friends.

The Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, teach one very important lesson to aspiring transcendentalists. This instruction is put forth right at the beginning, before the student goes any further in their studies. Aham brahmasmi, which means “I am Brahman.”, serves as the first lesson because it helps us understand that we have something in common with every form of life, regardless of the type of body they occupy. There is only one God, but since His potency is so great, He gives off transcendental sparks that are individually autonomous. Since these sparks come from the original fire, there is a natural affinity towards association with the reservoir of energy. Yet the qualities of free-will and independence bring about choices for the sparks. The autonomous entities may not always choose to associate with their intimate life partner, the Supreme Lord. Those who choose against the reservoir of spiritual energy are allowed to take birth in a realm which has nothing to do with God, save for His presence as an impartial observer.

Since every form of life in this material world is in the same predicament and of the same quality, they are all equal. The aggregate total of all spirit makes up Brahman. In this way, every one of us is Brahman at the core, but currently we are covered by a material body which is always changing. This dress, or outer garment, causes false identifications based on race, gender, and ethnicity. These identifications are deemed flawed because they don’t speak to the nature of Brahman. Spirit is completely pure and uncontaminated. Brahman is a way to realize the Absolute Truth, or God. The best way to understand Brahman is to think of the sun and the sunshine. The sun is all-powerful and completely unique. There is nothing like it in the universe. No one can explain its workings or even come close to contaminating it. As such, God is like the sun, only more powerful and complete.

The sunshine emanates from the sun, so it can be considered non-different from the original solar body. There is no difference in the constitutional makeup between one ray of sunshine and another. Yet the sunshine is not nearly as powerful as the sun. The sunshine’s potency can also be covered up and clouded by other material elements. Though the constitutional makeup of the sunshine never changes, its autonomous nature is checked in a way by the material elements. The sun, however, is never checked. One may be able to block out the effects of the sun for a short period of time, but the sun itself remains exactly in the same position. No one is able to move it.

“The Supreme Lord said, The indestructible, transcendental living entity is called Brahman, and his eternal nature is called the self. Action pertaining to the development of these material bodies is called karma, or fruitive activities.” (Bhagavad-gita, 8.3)

The properties of the sun and the sunshine illustrate the difference between God and the living entities. The sum total of the sunshine can be thought of as Brahman. Since we are all individual sparks, part of Brahman, we are all considered equal. This includes the ants, reptiles, plants, cows, and other forms of life. When one understands this fact, they can create the most inclusive grouping of all. If we understand that everyone is Brahman, we’ll see that everyone is our brother and sister. We are all one, as we are all the same. We are all fighting for one cause, so the more people that join this fight the better.

And what exactly is that cause? As sparks emanating from the Supreme Energetic, our natural position is to be engaged in His service. Yet this engagement cannot be taken up unless and until we realize who we are. The false identifications based off class, gender, and race are related to the outer covering of the soul. This covering is constantly changing, and at the time of death, a brand new set of material elements is provided to the soul, such are the workings of the laws of karma, or fruitive activity. Upon ascending to the Brahman realization stage, a purified individual can take the necessary steps to thwart karma’s effects.

“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, Bg. 18.54)

Upon realizing Brahman, there is no more hankering or lamenting. Hankering is a result of the desire for some personal benefit, and lamentation comes from failing to achieve whatever was hankered after. Since the outer body is always changing and is subject to eventual destruction, there is no reason to hanker or lament over anything related to it. Rather, the aim of life should be to reunite with the spiritual sun, Shri Krishna. In the Vedic tradition, the one and only God is referred to by many names, each of which speaks to His innumerable transcendental attributes. For a husband, there is great joy derived from hearing his beloved call him by his name. The name is much more personal and indicative of the loving thoughts shared by the paramour. In the same way, addressing God by His different names shows signs of transcendental love directed at the Supreme Loveable Object.

Though there are many names for the Divine Personality, Krishna is considered the most inclusive. It speaks to His all-attractive nature, His position as the best friend of every living entity, and His status as the ultimate enjoyer. Though Krishna can be called directly by saying His name, there is an even better way to address both He and His supreme potency. God is the energetic and the spirit souls are His energy. When the energy is in the company of the energetic, the energy is considered liberated and in its natural habitat. There is one living entity who best exemplifies the transcendental loving spirit, the energy acting in the interests of the energetic. This person is Shrimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Lord Krishna. Both Radha and Krishna can be address by regularly chanting, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.

“O son of Pritha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth-women, vaishyas [merchants], as well as shudras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 9.32)

When the Brahman classification is adopted, a bond with our fellow man can immediately be formed and the chanting of the Lord’s names can collectively commence. Along with chanting, there are other processes such as worshiping, hearing, and remembering. When the processes are taken together, or if only one process is exclusively adopted, we get the discipline of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. We should note that nowhere in this discipline is their mention of the Hindu faith or one’s birthright, skin color, or gender. This speaks to the nature of Brahman. Brahman is neither American, nor Indian, nor Russian, nor Chinese. Brahman is not male or female. Brahman has no relation to bank balance, stature in society, or physical strength. Every form of life, anything with a soul in it, is Brahman. Krishna is Parabrahman, or the Supreme Spirit, so when Brahman dovetails all its activities with His service, there is peace and harmony. Since we are already accustomed to making designations, why not adopt the most accurate one, a classification that applies universally and brings about the highest benefit?

Hyphenation

“One who has actually realized that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated in everyone’s heart and that every living being is part of the Lord does not make any distinction between the brahmana and the shudra, the poor (daridra) and the rich (dhani). Such a person sees all living beings equally and treats them equally, without discrimination.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 9.21.7 Purport)

One of the more common complaints lodged by citizens towards their government relates to the delivery of benefits to specific groups rather than society at large. One politician is looking to help one group of voters, while another is looking to aid a completely different cross-section of people. After applying a little intelligence, the folly of this style of government is quickly revealed. Every citizen is equal in the eyes of the law. No one person should garner any favoritism over another, yet we see that just the opposite occurs. What can be done to rid the government of this practice? When will the day come when our leaders will stop hyphenating every one of us and start looking at everyone equally? While many solutions have been tried, only one works. This solution comes to us from the ancient seers of India; the great saints who spent much time pondering the truths of life, and who subsequently put such truths into written form.

To solve the issue relating to the hyphenation of citizens, we must first identify the root cause of such a mindset. Why would a politician choose to divide their citizens this way? The most obvious reason lies with vote-getting. In a democratic-style government, the leaders are elected through a popular vote. This means that winning and losing, who gets into power and who doesn’t, are determined by whoever can garner more votes. Depending on the scope of the election, the electorate can be small in size or it can be very large. Tackling a large problem directly can be a bit overwhelming at first, therefore the wise course of action is to divide the problem up into smaller portions. For example, when we are building a house, we don’t think of the finished product right away. Instead, we work on the foundation, laying the groundwork for the rest of the project. Then we handle the different components, like the columns, the electrical layout, and the divisions of the rooms. Similarly, when writing a large scale computer application, the project gets divided into different components. First the architecture is decided upon, then the different components are written. Even inside of each program, there are different modules, or units of code. You start out with something small and eventually work your way towards the finished product.

In the arena of politics, the formula for success is similar. Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill once quipped that “all politics is local”. This means that since every issue boils down to local interests, the key to success is to find grassroots support amongst various groups who are enthused about voting. Extrapolating this out even further, success in politics relates to turnout, getting your base to come out in large numbers to vote. In order for this to occur, one must identify their base. The base consists of various special interest groups; bands of citizens who have formed together for a common cause. There are special interest groups concerned about taxes, gun rights, benefits for the poor, marriage rights, etc. The key to victory in an election is to first define which of these groups make up your base and then have as many members of this base come out and support you.

Winning the election is one thing, but governing is a different ballgame. After winning an election, all the people that turned out to vote for you must be rewarded. This is where all the special interest deals and earmarks come into play. Not only do the voting groups need to be rewarded for their efforts in previous elections, but they need to be kept satisfied in order to secure their vote in a future election. Politicians love to stay in office; as long as they are in a position of power, they garner great attention, wealth, and fame.

This special interest mentality is quite off-putting to the majority of the voting public. After all, isn’t the government supposed to administer the law fairly and equally? Taxes are collected from everyone, so shouldn’t the government exist to benefit every single citizen? Yet as much as people complain, the practice of divide-and-conquer continues. Politicians decide to help the African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Asian-Americans, Union-Americans, Christian-Americans, etc., instead of just helping all Americans, all the citizens of their country.

The source of the problem is vote-getting. Politicians want to win more than anything else, so they will do whatever it takes to achieve that end, even if it means favoring certain citizens over others. So how do we solve this problem? Do we change our way of government? That could certainly help, but such a change is not necessary. So far we have only discussed one side of the issue: the politician. There is also the other side: the voter. While the politician’s flawed viewpoint is due to his or her desire to gain office, such a mindset would never be adopted were it not effective. The divide-and-conquer technique is only effective if the voters buy into the promises made by the politicians. When politicians say they are for the “little guy”, the Hispanic, the Black, the foreclosure victim, the gun-owner, the businessman, they are hoping that citizens will identify themselves as belonging to one of these groups. Thus it is the mindset of the citizen that is the root cause of the hyphenated phenomenon.

Is this identification flawed? If I am a business owner and a politician says that he’ll help me out, should I not believe him? According to the ancient scriptures of India, this mindset is most certainly flawed. The identity of the individual comes from the soul. Let’s think of it in these terms: The practice of racism is widely shunned today because it is based on discrimination. One person is prejudging the qualities of another simply based on that person’s outward dress, their skin color. A white person is thinking a black person is inferior or defective in nature, and vice versa. It’s obvious to see why such a viewpoint is frowned upon, for a person’s character is determined by what’s inside the body. Just because a person’s skin color is a certain way doesn’t mean that they are defective, inferior, or superior.

Shunning racism is certainly a good start, but the concept needs to be applied on a larger scale. Taking birth in this temporary and miserable world, the living entity falsely identifies with their outward features. Not only do people discriminate based on race, but on ethnicity, nationality, income, and geographical location as well. If there are no differences between people of the various races, there certainly aren’t differences between nationalities and occupations. One person may be a carpenter, while another is a doctor, but are they not both human beings? Since the Vedas come from God, Lord Krishna to be exact, they relate concrete information pertaining to the differences and similarities between life forms and species. Each individual life form has a spirit soul residing within. It is the presence of the soul which gives something life. Once the soul exits, the life form is considered dead. Vedic information tells us that not only do all human beings have a soul inside of them, but so do all animals, plants, beasts, and aquatics. In this regard, every form of life is constitutionally equal and should be treated as such.

“‘Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the original Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who regulates the sufferings and enjoyments due to fruitive activity. He does this for everyone—from the heavenly King Indra down to the smallest insect [indra-gopa]. That very Personality of Godhead destroys the karmic reactions of one engaged in devotional service.” (Brahma-samhita, 5.54)

So does this mean that we should treat the ants in the same way that we treat our fellow man? The short answer is “yes”, but this mindset is not easily adopted. One must first know the constitutional position of the individual soul. Only then can a person truly realize that all forms of life have a soul in them. Vedic information stipulates that there is a God, and though He may have different names, the name that best describes His all-merciful, all-attractive nature is Krishna. Lord Krishna is the origin of all souls, the island from which all other souls sailed away from at some time unknown to them. Since the natural home for the soul is with God, it is the soul’s inherent duty to always serve the Supreme Lord in a loving attitude. The set of guidelines, regulations, and prescribed activities that enable one to always maintain this link is known as dharma. Mankind is meant to always stay on the path of dharma, and thus always remain connected with Krishna. When the individual soul always remains in the company of the Supreme Soul, knowledge about the equality of all living entities is easily acquired.

Just as we saw with the tasks of building houses and computer programs, the problem of the hyphenation of the electorate can only be solved by tackling smaller problems first. In this instance, the smaller problem, that of the material “skin disease”, is actually the root problem. We can’t expect our politicians to stop looking at citizens based on their bodily features until we shed this mindset ourselves. This purification of vision can only be achieved by adhering to dharma, and more specifically, bhagavata-dharma. Dharma is the set of law codes established by God, recommended activities aimed at keeping one on the virtuous path. In this sense, dharma can vary based on its intended object of connectivity. This speaks to God’s infinite nature. Some view God as being an all-inclusive energy, while others think of Him as a man in the sky who punishes those who forget Him. In this way, dharma can be directed at different features of the Lord. Bhagavata-dharma is more specific in that it aims to keep the living entity always connected with God in His feature of Bhagavan. Krishna is Bhagavan, the original form of Godhead which is all-blissful and the source of the greatest joy to the individual soul. While bhagavata-dharma can be quite complex, its quintessential act is the chanting of the holy names of God, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste] .”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.18)

Those who take up this chanting process are aiming to connect with Bhagavan. They immediately bypass Brahman and Paramatma realization. The mentally concocted objects of worship are also soon forgotten. Bhagavata-dharma is the highest dharma, the only one worth taking up. Through this process, one begins to see every person, every living entity, as being equal. Not only do the hyphens get removed from the various groups of countrymen, but all citizens of the world are seen as equal as well. When the majority of the electorate adopts this angle of vision, the divide-and-conquer method employed by the politicians will always fail. In this age of Kali, there is no way to rid mankind of the skin disease other than through this chanting process. Chant God’s names, stay connected with Bhagavan, and you will soon see that every person around you is a spirit soul who is meant to always be in the Lord’s association. This is the perfect vision.