The King of Kings

“The material defects of mistakes, illusions, cheating and sensory inefficiency do not exist in the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Lord Chaitanya, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi-lila 7.107)

Comment: What kind of God is Lord Rama if He betrayed His wife Sita by sending her to live in Valmiki’s ashrama?

Response: Lord Rama, the incarnation of God in the Treta Yuga, did indeed renounce His wife towards the end of His time on earth. The couple had ruled over Ayodhya as king and queen for many many years prior to Sita Devi being sent to live in the hermitage of Maharishi Valmiki, Rama’s great devotee and official biographer. Actions speak louder than words, and this act of the Rama’s may seem to be wrong on the surface, but we should understand that the Lord is incapable of committing mistakes.

When examining the Lord’s life and pastimes, we shouldn’t cherry pick certain incidents, while ignoring others. Rama was on earth for a long time and performed many heroic deeds, so we should study all His pastimes before we have the nerve to pass judgment. Beginning from the time prior to His advent and continuing through His last days on earth, the Lord was completely dedicating to serving the needs of His devotees. In fact, Lord Vishnu decided to come to earth in human form only at the behest of the demigods who were terrified of the Rakshasa demon Ravana. God is great and completely self-satisfied, so He has no need to do anything, but in order to please His votaries, He comes to earth from time to time to give them protection and reinstitute the principles of dharma or religiosity. Born in the line of pious kings known as the Ikshvakus, Rama was intent on maintaining the prestigious family traditions. His father was the very well respected Maharaja Dashratha of Ayodhya. Dashratha was often addressed as the “Lord of Earth”, for his fame and prowess was known throughout. In order to maintain the good name of His father, Lord Rama agreed to live in exile from the kingdom for a period of fourteen years. Dashratha had previously promised his youngest wife Kaikeyi any two boons of her choosing, so he couldn’t renege when Kaikeyi asked for Rama to be banished. The Lord was the eldest son of the king, and next in line for the throne. He easily could have thrown a hissy-fit, refusing to accept His father’s words, but He didn’t. He voluntarily accepted a renounced order of life simply to honor the good name of His father and His ancestors.

Lord Rama’s wife Sita, the most chaste and beautiful woman to ever have lived, insisted on accompanying the Lord for the duration of the exile period. Rama wanted very much to protect His wife from the dangers lurking in the woods, but she was up to the challenge, not wanting to live without her husband. Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana also insisted on following Him, for he was ever attached to his elder brother. In this way, Rama allowed both of them to accompany Him simply to satisfy them and not Himself. Later on, after Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, the Lord enlisted the help of the Vanara king Sugriva. Sugriva had lost his kingdom due to a dispute with his brother Vali. Lord Rama helped Sugriva regain his throne by killing Vali while the two brothers were engaged in battle. For a kshatriya, one belonging to the warrior caste, such an action was against the proper code of conduct. An enemy shouldn’t be attacked while engaged in battle with another. Yet Rama was more than willing to break this rule so that His dependent, Sugriva, could prosper. Once again, the Lord was acting in the interest of His devotees and not Himself.

After successfully defeating Ravana and reclaiming His wife, Lord Rama lived happily as the king of Ayodhya for thousands of years alongside Sita. However, one day one of the citizens had a gripe with Rama over the fact that He took Sita back after she had lived in the house of another, that being Ravana. According to the rules of propriety, such an act was prohibited. Upon hearing this, the Lord decided to send Sita to live with Valmiki Muni in the forest. This was in no way a slight on Sita, for she was a perfect devotee and wife. Ravana was never able to touch her, for she proved her purity through a fire ordeal. However, the Lord wanted to protect the good name of His father and His ancestors, so that is why He chose the course that He did. Rama wanted to set a good example for His fellow citizens. Unlike politicians of today who feel they are above the law, kings of the past wanted to be very pious. If they set a good example, then the rest of the citizens would follow and society would be peaceful.

The true fact of the matter is that devotees can never be separated from God. As long as one constantly has the Lord on their mind, thinking about Him, praying to Him, and singing His glories, then they are always with the Lord.

“…he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider verily to dwell in Me. Being engaged in My transcendental service, he attains Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.18)

When Lord Krishna personally came to earth some five thousand years ago, He also had to leave His closest consort, Shrimati Radharani. Though He grew up in Vrindavana with all the other cowherd boys and girls, His duties later in life forced Him to go to Mathura and subsequently to Dvaraka, where He played the role of a king. Radharani was forced to live in separation from the Lord, but we should understand that the two are always together. God and His immediate expansions Radha, Sita, Lakshmi, etc. are always with Him and that is why they are referred to as eternal consorts. Even Lord Chaitanya renounced His wife at a very young age to take to the sannyasa order of life so that He could preach the original Hare Krishna movement throughout India. Though renounced by her husband, Vishnupriya had her mind always fixed on the lotus feet of Shri Krishna Chaitanya and in this way they were never truly separated.

Atheists and other asuras love to find fault with Lord Krishna, Rama, and other forms of God, for they themselves are reprobates by nature and view God as a threat to their sinful way of life. Though Krishna and His devotees don’t bother them at all, these atheists still take any opportunity they can get to try to tear down the established principles and traditions of dharma as enjoined in the shashtras. These demons have always been around, for in the past they took the forms of Ravana, Shishupala, Kamsa, etc. It’s up to the devotees of the Lord to stand up to these demons of today by cutting their words with our sharp logic and reason. We don’t need any fancy weaponry, for our devotion and love for God is enough to defeat this enemy. Lakshmana dedicated his whole life to serving and protecting his brother, and we should follow in His footsteps. Lord Rama is our king forever and ever, and we will always love Him and His wife Sita.

The Inconceivable

“Just like Krishna is lifting the hill, then what is the difficulty for God to lift a hill if He is all-powerful? But as soon as they read it, that Krishna is lifting hill, they will take it as mythology. So when God shows that "I am God," that is mythology, and they imagine God. That is rascaldom. When God comes and shows His godly power, they take it as myth, mythology. And they imagine God according to your definition. Is that sanity?” (Shrila Prabhupada)

Comment: The scriptures shouldn’t be interpreted literally but should be looked at more for their inner meaning and symbolism.

Response: The Vedas, Mahabharata, and Puranas are all retellings of historical events that took place on this planet and others. Not only past events are covered, but even events that have yet to occur are discussed in detail in these wonderful books, such as the Bhavishya and Kalki Puranas. Since these books contain direct quotations from conversations between great personalities, demigods, and even God Himself, they must be taken literally. We shouldn’t try to imagine the true meaning behind someone’s quote, or even think that these events didn’t take place.

Conversations are conversations. When we talk with our friends in person, on the phone, or through email, they are exchanges of ideas and comments. Very simply put, what we say is what we say. We may go back and not like some of the things we have said, but it doesn’t mean that we didn’t say them. In the same way, the Vedic literatures have conversations between God and His associates, and also conversations between spiritual masters and their disciples. These conversations were specifically chronicled in written form for the benefit of current and future generations of man. The science of self-realization described in the original Vedas and the Vedanta-sutras can appear to be very complicated to many, for it has various aphorisms and postulates that neophytes will have trouble understanding. For this reason, the Puranas, Ramayana, and other great works contain those same teachings but told in the form of stories and conversations.

There are many instances described in the Vedic texts that may seem extraordinary to us. Lord Rama killing 14,000 Rakshasa demons all by Himself, Lord Krishna as a small child lifting a hill with just one finger, Gandhari giving birth to 100 sons…all these seem extraordinary to the common man, for we can’t fathom someone doing these things. God is great. This is the belief of people of all faiths. Yet the Vedas go one step further by trying to describe just how great He is. Of course, God’s greatness is inconceivable. His is described as paramam or Supreme because He possesses six opulences in full and simultaneously. We don’t know any single person who is the wealthiest, most beautiful, most famous, the strongest, the most knowledgeable, and the greatest renunciate at the same time. Yet Krishna possesses all of these attributes, and for this reason He is God. Just because we don’t know anyone capable of performing these great feats, we shouldn’t think that these incidents are merely fabrications of someone’s mind. These sages who composed the Vedic literature were all perfect souls. Having surrendered everything for the service of Krishna, they were given the divine vision to see all these things happen and then be able to write about them. The great Maharishi Valmiki described the events of the Ramayana before they even occurred.

If we think that these incidents are just mythology, then we lose our ability to understand God. In actuality, we can never truly understand God for His is beyond our comprehension. However, through faithfully studying the scriptures under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, we can start to understand Him to some extent. The Lord and His spiritual master must be approached in a humble manner. We all at some point in our life have prayed to God for something. “Please God give me this, give me that, make sure my family is healthy, etc.” The understanding that God is great is something inside of us, part of our core. If we challenge Him, or start thinking that His scriptures are mere mythology, then we are cheating God. We may cheat our friends, coworkers, or enemies and be able to get away with it, but cheating God never pays. He knows and sees all, so if we cheat Him, we are only cheating ourselves. The Bhagavad-gita is probably the most famous Vedic literature, detailing the conversation that took place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra between Lord Krishna and Arjuna some five thousand years ago. There are many high scholars and philosophers who have commented on the Bhagavad-gita, all with the purpose of advancing their own opinions. Many of them have postulated that the events of the Gita actually never happened and that we should study it simply for its symbolism. The ultimate conclusion of the Gita is that people should surrender unto Krishna or God and become His devotee. The flowery language that precedes that is all meaningless unless one comes to the proper conclusion as stated by the Lord Himself. Those who extract any other meaning from the Gita are only cheating God. He has given us such a nice book for us to learn from, so we shouldn’t dishonor Him by making false conclusions.

The Vedic literature should be heard from devotees, otherwise we become prone to believing some of these false theories put forward by mental speculators and pseudo-yogis. Shukadevi Goswami, Vyasadeva, Narada Muni, etc. are all great devotees who presented these works in a mood of devotion. The various quotes and teachings found in the Vedas should also be understood in the proper context. One can pull out quotes to buttress their positions, but these statements should be understood with the full context presented at the same time. For example, there are many conversations in the Vedas where women are criticized for having various shortcomings. However, these faults don’t exist in people who are great devotees, be they men or women. The material world is full of dualities, so any mundane argument will naturally have a counterargument. There may be different teachings presented due to time and circumstance and the ability of the people at the time to grasp Vedic wisdom, but the end goal is always the same. The purpose of the Vedas is to present everything in relation to Krishna, who is the Supreme Absolute Truth. Since He is completely spiritual, mundane dualities don’t exist when discussing topics relating to Him.

It is natural that occasionally certain statements in the Vedas will rub us the wrong away. However, just because we might not agree with them at the time, doesn’t mean that the Vedas are at fault. When we were younger, our parents prohibited us from taking part in many activities. These rules and regulations angered us very much and we thought our parents were in the wrong for imposing such restrictions. However, as we got older, we not only realized that our parents were correct, but we started imposing the same rules on our children. In the same way, the Vedas represent perfect knowledge. The rules and regulations prescribed are those coming down from God Himself, so they cannot be faulty. We may disagree with them, but that is our problem, not God’s. If Krishna or one of His associates say something, we must accept it as fact.

The great founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, summarized all of the Vedic teachings in his numerous books and recorded lectures. One simply needs to consult his teachings in order to gain a firm grasp on the Vedic tenets. Since he was a pure devotee, his explanations and commentaries are perfect. We may not agree with everything in the beginning, but if we continue reading and stay connected with Prabhupada, then we will become perfect devotees.

The Humble Genius

“The grammatical word jugglers cannot bewilder a devotee who engages in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Simply addressing the energy of the Supreme Lord as Hare and the Lord Himself as Krishna very soon situates the Lord within the heart of the devotee. By thus addressing Radha and Krishna, one directly engages in His Lordship’s service.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita Adi-lila 7.73 Purport)

The formulaic cable television shows now regularly feature debates between so-called experts in various fields. With the debates usually dealing with issues of politics and public policy, these guests attempt to make clever arguments in favor of their position, trying to sound very erudite in the process. Most of these experts are in fact lawyers by trade, chosen to be on television more for their speaking ability than their actual knowledge of the field they are discussing.

We have all been to parties and other social gatherings where we have encountered the resident “expert”. This person has an opinion about everything and can’t stop talking. They are thoroughly convinced of their ideas but they are more or less blowing hot air. When we hear someone who isn’t an expert discussing issues that we know a lot about, we get insulted very easily. “Who does this person think he is? He is speaking nonsense. He has no idea what such and such really involves.” Whether it involves sports, news, or issues relating to our occupation, we all have intimate knowledge of the things that we are passionate about.

According to Vedic philosophy, true knowledge involves the theoretical and the practical, referred to as jnana and vijnana in Sanskrit. Theoretical knowledge forms the foundation, but it is through practical experience that we truly begin to understand something. The same way that many people pretend to be experts in various subjects, many people pretend to be experts in matters of religion. They have all these dreamed up ideas, but they don’t practice any sort of service to God. They develop their own ideas of God and what happens to us after we die. This sort of mental speculation will always lead us down the wrong path since our material minds aren’t capable of understanding God on our own. Simply being able to speak well doesn’t make one an expert either. The Mayavadis are very expert at using word jugglery to argue their position that God is impersonal and that we are all God. They quote from the Vedanta-sutras and use high class words in their arguments, but their knowledge is nevertheless useless since they fail to recognize Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

To truly understand God, we have to take instruction from a real expert in the field, a bona fide spiritual master. A spiritual master, or guru, is one whose only passion is Krishna and who devotes his whole life to Him. He has learned theoretical knowledge through studying the Vedas and by following the instructions from his own spiritual master, and he has acquired practical knowledge through practicing the principles of devotional service. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna, God Himself, instructs His dear friend Arjuna to seek out a spiritual master.

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Lord Krishna, BG 4.34)

The key is to enquire submissively. If we are hostile towards our spiritual master, then we will never learn anything. We encounter these situations often when engaging in friendly talks with others. If we state a strongly held belief or opinion, many people question us or take the opposite position simply as a way of starting an argument. This is called playing devil’s advocate, which Wikipedia defines as:

"In common parlance, a devil’s advocate is someone who takes a position he or she disagrees with for the sake of argument. This process can be used to test the quality of the original argument and identify weaknesses in its structure."

Taking this sort of approach with a spiritual master isn’t a good idea. A devotee of Krishna is very kind by nature and readily willing to impart instruction to those who sincerely seek it. However, if a guru notes a tone of hostility in a person, they will not be likely to continue instructing them. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t pose questions to our guru, but these questions shouldn’t be in a challenging spirit. Questions should be relevant to the topics being discussed and they should be asked with the intention of furthering one’s knowledge of the Vedas. The Puranas, Mahabharata, and Ramayana all have great examples of how one should conduct themselves in front of a spiritual master. In the Bhagavata Purana, known as the Shrimad Bhagavatam, Maharaja Parikshit, a great king descending from the Pandava family, takes instruction from Shukadeva Goswami. In a very submissive manner, asking questions very nicely, Parikshit shows us that if we respect our spiritual master, then he will reward us with the highest knowledge. The Bhagavatam details the life and pastimes of Lord Krishna when He descended to earth. It was due to Parikshit’s inquisitiveness and service to Shukadeva Goswami that we are able to benefit from such stories today.

In the Ramacharitamanasa, an incident is described where Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Krishna, visits the hermitage of Maharishi Valmiki in the forest. Along with His wife Sita and younger brother Lakshmana, the Lord was wandering through the forest serving an exile period ordered by His father. Now Rama was God Himself, yet when He saw Valmiki, the Lord immediately prostrated Himself before the great sage and asked him very nicely where He and His family could go and set up a cottage. Valmiki was very pleased with Rama, for he knew His divinity. Instead of telling them where to set up camp, Valmiki gave a beautiful description on the qualities of a devotee, stating that Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana should always live in the hearts of such people. If the the Lord Himself submits to a spiritual master, then we should also follow suit.

Knowledge of Krishna and the Vedas has been passed down from time immemorial through the guru-disciple relationship. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna explains that He first imparted spiritual knowledge to the sun god at the beginning of creation, and that same knowledge was then passed down through the chain of disciplic succession, or the parampara system. Periodically this chain gets broken and Krishna Himself comes to reinstitute it.

Lord Krishna is the original guru, but He Himself has told us to take instruction from a spiritual master, so we should heed His advice. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the spiritual master for this age. Though we cannot personally approach him, he left behind a wealth of knowledge in his books and recorded lectures. One can find answers to all of life’s questions by steadily reading and rereading these wonderful books. Following the instructions of the spiritual master, we can become the greatest experts in the most important science, the science of devotional service.

Never Too Late

“…from any stage of life, or from the time of understanding its urgency, one can begin regulating the senses in Krishna consciousness, devotional service of the Lord, and turn the lust into love of Godhead—the highest perfectional stage of human life.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 3.41 Purport)

Drug addiction is a major problem not only in America, but throughout the world. Intoxication is a means of escaping the senses and feeling a false sense of bliss. This feeling is short-lived as the thrill wares off pretty quickly. People are then led to trying other forms of intoxication, each being more and more dangerous.

Drugs like crack, cocaine, marijuana, and even nicotine are all very addictive and have very dangerous side effects. Users become accustomed to the temporary sense pleasure derived by taking such drugs, and thus they become addicts. Drug addiction is a byproduct of the mode of ignorance. The material world is governed by three gunas or qualities: goodness, passion, and ignorance. Acts of charity and piety fall under the goodness category, fruitive activity is considered in the mode of passion, and abominable acts that are not conducive to one’s spiritual health are considered to be in the mode of ignorance.

“…Such a man appears to be always dejected, and is addicted to intoxicants and sleeping. These are the symptoms of a person conditioned by the mode of ignorance.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 14.8 Purport)

First-time drug users may start out in the mode of passion, but their habit gradually leads them to the mode of ignorance. Most people in the world are living in the mode of passion. Almost everyone is concerned with earning money and seeking sense gratification. We have a craving for something and then we take actions to try to satisfy that craving. However, if those cravings and desires are not controlled, they can lead to feelings of lust. Drug addicts are lusty for their drugs and that lust leads to anger and eventually to bewilderment.

“While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita 2.62)

People will do anything to get their drugs, even if it includes lying or stealing. Through our own experiences, we know that some of the most skilled liars we have met in life are people who are addicted to drugs. They appear to be very nice and complimentary, but it is all a façade. Accustomed to lying, cheating, and stealing to get their drugs, dishonesty and deceit become their way of life. Their lust is at such a height that they become experts in performing all unrighteous activities.

Devotees of Lord Krishna, on the other hand, are addicted to chanting His glories. Through constantly being associated with God and His bona fide representative, the spiritual master, they naturally become free of all bad habits. The work of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada proved this fact. The founder of the modern day Hare Krishna Movement, Prabhupada came to America in 1965 to teach the true message of the Vedas to the Western world. Though Americans were slow to catch on at first, eventually his movement would steadily gain in popularity, especially amongst the youth. Many of these young boys and girls were former hippies, addicted to dropping acid and smoking marijuana. Prabhupada not only got them to kick their drug habits, but he turned them into bona fide brahmanas or priests. Instead of sleeping through the day, his disciples were trained to wake up very early in the morning, to take a bath and to perform managala arati and chanting of the Holy name. They not only gave up their drug habits, but all other forms of intoxication as well. The four pillars of sinful life are meat eating, intoxication, gambling, and illicit sex. Prabhupada’s disciples gave up all these habits, and along with their regulated chanting routine, they became first class citizens.

Herein lies the power of the pure devotee of Krishna. Through their example and their dedication to the Lord, they are able to reform anyone. They view every living entity equally, not believing that only certain people are worthy of receiving God’s message. The great Narada Muni has also reformed many a great individual. Maharishi Valmiki in his youth was a dacoit by trade, but he gave up that life at the instruction of Narada. He not only gave up his sinful ways, but he turned to glorifying the Lord by composing a poem about Him known as the Ramayana, which become famous throughout the world. This is the grace of the spiritual master. They don’t simply ask their disciple to refrain from harmful activities. They instruct them on how to make their lives perfect by taking up the process of devotional service. We may ask someone to stop smoking or drinking, but if after quitting they are still bound in the mode of passion, then we really haven’t done anything worthwhile for them. Simply giving people do’s and don’ts may be a good thing, but it is not the answer to the real problems of life, namely birth, old age, disease, and death. Charity and benevolence are very nice, but the highest form of charity is to freely distribute love of Godhead. People must be given a higher cause to serve. According to the great acharyas, that cause is the taking up of devotional service to Lord Krishna.

Devotees become expert in telling the truth, in having compassion, and in praising others. These are all righteous qualities that are acquired automatically and without any effort. Simply by connecting with God, one becomes a first class person. Instead of the lust that arises from drug addiction, attachment to God causes spontaneous love to appear in one’s heart. Instead of turning to drugs or other intoxicants to satisfy our senses, let us all become addicted to viewing the divine form of the Lord. His name, form, and pastimes are so beautiful that we will continue to be enchanted by them day after day.

Mega Memory

“Formerly, before Vyasadeva, say, five thousand years ago, before that time there was no need of written literature. People were so sharp in their memory that whatever they would hear from the spiritual master they would remember for life. The memory was so sharp. But in this age—it is called Kali Yuga—we are reducing our bodily strength, our memory…” (Shrila Prabhupada, Lecture, 790902.VP.NV)

According to the shastras, or Vedic scriptures, the earth doesn’t come into being just once, but rather is created and destroyed in repeating cycles. Each creation exists for a fixed time period, which is divided into four ages known as Yugas. The four Yugas are Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali.

Satya Yuga is the first time period beginning at creation. Satya means “truth” so the people living in this age are known for being strictly dedicated to dharma. Dharma means occupational duty or religion, and people abide by it at almost a one hundred percent level in the Satya Yuga. Which each successive Yuga, dharma diminishes in strength by one quarter, thus causing a rise in irreligion. We are currently living in the last Yuga, known as Kali. Kali Yuga is famous for the widespread presence of adharma, or activity which is against the scriptural injunctions. Dharma exists only at one fourth its original strength in the Kali Yuga.

In the classic Vedic system, society is to be managed according to varnashrama dharma. There are four varnas, or societal divisions based on a people’s qualities. The brahmanas are the religious class of people, who are viewed as the highest class members of society. Kshatriyas serve as the warriors and administrators, providing protection to the other three classes of society. Vaishyas are the merchants and businessmen who are entrusted with cow protection, farming, and general economic development. The shudras are the last group, and since they receive no formal training from a spiritual master, their duty is to serve the other three varnas. Shudras are traditionally those of the laborer class. Just as there are four varnas, there are also four ashramas, or stages in one’s life. The first ashrama is known as brahmacharya and it is the time period when one is living a life of complete celibacy and taking instruction from a spiritual master. After completing one’s training under a guru, one then enters the grihastha ashrama, which is married householder life. Then after twenty five years, one retires from family life and enters the vanaprastha ashrama. Finally, the last stage of life is known as sannyasa, where one completely renounces all family attachments and material possessions and lives completely at the mercy of God.

In the Kali Yuga, this system is virtually nonexistent. Shudras are praised and held in high regard, while brahmanas are vilified. The most sinful among us serve as our exalted leaders, preaching irreligion as a way of life. We see evidence of this everywhere today, especially with the widespread practices of animal slaughter and abortion. One of the most harmful side effects of Kali Yuga is the overall loss of intelligence and brain power in people. Though we may think that the overall life expectancy is rising, in actuality in previous Yugas the average duration of life was much greater than it is today. This is all a result of overindulgence in sense gratification. When one is constantly hankering after satisfying the needs of the stomach and the genitals, intelligence will be clouded. One is left no time to contemplate the real problems of life, which are birth, old age, disease, and death. When people’s lives revolve around eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, then naturally their intelligence will suffer.

One need only look to the advent of the teleprompter to see a glaring example of how the brainpower of man has rapidly declined. Used by everyone from politicians to television reporters, the teleprompter is a device that provides an electronic visual of the text of a speech given by a speaker. With a teleprompter, one isn’t required to commit a speech to memory. One need only focus their attention on the device while making a speech, for the prompter will scroll through the text at the speaker’s pace, guaranteeing that the speaker will never forget what to say next. Teleprompters are positioned in such a way that the audience usually can’t tell that the speaker is using it. For speeches that are delivered to television audiences, the prompter is usually aligned with the television camera, so the speaker can read the text of the speech while pretending to look directly at the audience watching on their televisions at home.

There is nothing necessarily wrong with teleprompters, since they allow for the smooth delivery of speeches. However, what has happened is that speakers have become lazy as a result of using them. One doesn’t even have to be familiar with the subjects they are talking about since they can just read whatever is put in front of them. As recently as twenty years ago, speakers at least had to memorize the speeches they gave, thus allowing the subject matter to be retained in their minds where it could be processed and pondered over. Today, many speakers, including the President of the United States, have committed embarrassing blunders such as reading the wrong speech or talking out of order due to malfunctions with the teleprompters. There are many world leaders who are great at delivering speeches, but when asked questions on policy in interviews, they stutter and stammer due to lack of knowledge on the subjects they are being questioned on.

In previous Yugas, people’s brains were so sharp that they could memorize millions of Sanskrit verses after only hearing them once. The great Maharishi Valmiki committed the entire Ramayana to memory and would recite it perfectly to others. He even taught it to Lord Rama’s two sons, Lava and Kusha, who would regularly recite it in front of gathered assemblies in their father’s kingdom. Vyasadeva, Lord Krishna’s literary incarnation, authored eighteen Puranas, the Vedanta-sutras, and the Mahabharata all from memory. The Mahabharata itself is probably the longest book ever written so it is amazing to think that one man could commit that entire work to memory. But it wasn’t only Vyasadeva, for he had many disciples who also became expert orators. The Shrimad Bhagavatam, also known as the Bhagavata Purana, was recited by Shukadeva Goswami, Vyasadeva’s son. These people were all exalted brahmanas, who had dedicated their lives to serving Krishna, or God. Their intelligence was top notch as a result. These sages didn’t limit themselves to just memorization, for they had a deep understanding of the topics and stories they would recite.

There is no denying that Kali Yuga is in full force, with its effects seen everywhere. Obviously it is not possible for people to commit such great works to memory anymore. Luckily for us, all hope is not lost. In this age, all the wisdom of the Vedas has been summarized into one short phrase, the maha-mantra:

“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”

Krishna and Rama are names of God, and Hare is His energy. There is no knowledge or truth higher than God. Committing this mantra to memory and regularly reciting it in the presence of others will make us the greatest of orators.

Better Than a Superhero

 “O Sita, there is none who can defeat your husband. There is not the least doubt in this. Worshipful madam, the celestials, animals, birds, and others…there is none among them who can withstand Rama, who equals the lord of celestials, Indra, in warfare. In fact there is none who can do away with Rama in battle.” (Lakshmana speaking to Sita Devi, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, Sec 45)

The latest Batman movie to be released, The Dark Night, set records for box office attendance. Based on the fictional superhero character of the same name, previous Batman movies also enjoyed similar successes with movie goers. The Star Wars and Lord of the Rings movies were so popular that they spawned multiple sequels. The Spiderman movies are another popular series. It seems the best way to ensure a box office hit these days is to come out with a fantasy movie involving one or more superheroes.

The Star Wars movies hold their own unique place in our culture. The first movie, released in 1976, was so popular that people eagerly anticipated the five movies that followed over the next thirty plus years. Fans would camp out in movie theater parking lots just so they could be the first ones to see the new movies. Others would dress up as their favorite characters as a sign of loyalty and adoration. Fans would go back to the theaters to see the same movie two and three times. They just couldn’t get enough.

The popularity of these and other movies involving superheroes shows our natural affinity towards strength and courage. We like to see the good guys win. We understand that we are mere mortals and have limited abilities, so we are drawn to those who can rise above the limitations of ordinary human beings. Superheroes have extraordinary powers that enable them to defeat enemies of immense strength. Movies like Spiderman, Superman, and Batman show ordinary people doing extraordinary things through their special powers. The heroes struggle through adversity, but never give up, and always win in the end. We see evil all around us in our daily lives and we feel helpless in stopping it. Superheroes give us hope that maybe someone is out there who can protect us and give us peace of mind.

Though these stories are very nice and uplifting, they are nonetheless fictional. They were drawn up by the imagination of writers and comic book creators. Once the movie ends, we go back to our normal lives, where superheroes don’t exist. All hope is not lost however.

Many thousands of years ago, there was a great demon by the name of Ravana who was wreaking havoc throughout the world. He had performed many great austerities in order to please the demigods and they rewarded him with special powers. According to the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, the demigods are elevated living entities who manage the affairs of the material world. They are not God, but they have been deputed by Him to handle different departments relating to karmic activity, similar to the way a President will have a variety of Cabinet secretaries handling specific areas of government. The demigods grant benedictions to pretty much anyone who pleases them to their satisfaction. In Ravana’s case, He was given ten heads and granted the boon that no demigod, celestial being, or animal could defeat him. Lost in the jubilation of his new found powers, Ravana forgot to ask to be immune from human beings. Ravana belonged to the Rakshasa race, people who lived off eating flesh and drinking wine. He was an enemy to devotees of God and he persecuted them every chance he could get. Ravana steadily rose to power as a result of the boons he received. The demigods were all afraid of him, as were the great sages, or brahmanas, living in the forests.

Lord Vishnu, God Himself, was informed of the situation by the demigods. To relieve their stressful situation and give protection to the sages, He decided to incarnate on earth as a human being in the form of Lord Rama. He appeared as an ordinary human being, who was the kindest, nicest, most courageous, and the most dedicated to dharma, or righteousness, of all people. He had no desire to please Himself in any way. He was completely dedicated to those who were dependent on Him. The name Rama actually means “one who gives pleasure”. At the request of His father, the king of Ayodhya, and step-mother, the Lord spent fourteen years as an exile from His kingdom. His wife Sita and younger brother Lakshmana insisted on accompanying Him to the forest, for they didn’t want the Lord to suffer alone. God actually never suffers, but since He was playing the role of a human being, He agreed to put Himself into stressful situations for the benefit of others. One day while they were living in the forest, a demon by the name of Marica appeared in front of their cottage in the guise of a deer. Sita was very much enamored by the deer and requested Rama to catch it for her, with its life in tact if possible. The Lord chased the demon a long way, finally piercing it with an arrow. As Marica gave up his life, he revealed his original Rakshasa form, and cried out for help in the voice of Rama. Sita, hearing this and getting worried, told Lakshmana to see if Rama was alright. In response, Lakshmana, in the above referenced quote, reminded her that Rama was unconquerable in battle and that the sound must have been an illusion. Nevertheless, as events played out, Lakshmana would end up leaving Sita’s side to go check on His brother, which gave Ravana the opportunity to kidnap Sita and take her to his palace.

Already an exile ranging the forest, now the Lord had to deal with the abduction of His most beautiful and chaste wife. Rama persevered and with the help of the Vanaras, monkey-like people dwelling in the forest, He was able to defeat Ravana in battle and rescue Sita, proving Lakshmana’s words to be true.

We needn’t look to movies or comic books to find a superhero. Lord Rama is the ultimate protector, with powers greater than those of any fictional character. God comes to this earth from time to time specifically so we can have someone to look up to and worship. In times of trouble, we need only turn to Him, as He is the most powerful and most courageous. The lessons from Lord Rama’s story are timeless. The Star Wars movies depicted material advancement in the modes of warfare. Even with advanced weaponry, Darth Vader’s empire was defeated by the powers of good, represented by the Jedis. Similarly, Ravana’s great powers achieved through great boons were no match for Rama’s army, consisting of monkeys hurling rocks and trees. The monkeys, headed by Rama’s greatest devotee Hanuman, were fighting for the good guys, with God on their side, so their victory was guaranteed. Ravana’s demon army cast many illusory spells and used trickery as their weapons. Lord Rama and His brother Lakshmana used simple bows and arrows to defeat them. That is the power of God. He can turn a simple arrow into something more powerful than the strongest nuclear weapon.

God is eternal and so are His various forms. Lord Rama’s activities are still celebrated to this day in India and throughout the world. We are eternally indebted to Maharishi Valmiki and Goswami Tulsidas for giving us the story of the Lord in such great detail. We should all read the Valmiki Ramayana or Ramacharitamanasa at least once in our lives. The story is so wonderful and moving, that we’ll never get tired of reading it. Though the actual events occurred many thousands of years ago, through the power of His holy name, Lord Rama is still with us, helping us fight the Ravanas of today. Let us always remember the Lord, chant His name, and offer Him our prayers. By so doing, our lives will become perfect.

Ramayana of Tulsidas

 

Title: Shri Ramacharitamanasa

ISBN: 8120804430

Author: Goswami Tulsidas, translated by R.C. Prasad

Versions: Print

Synopsis: This is probably the greatest book ever written. The Ramacharitamanasa, or the “Holy Lake of the Acts of Rama”, is the biography of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Krishna, written by Goswami Tulsidas several hundred years ago. The original story of Lord Rama was written by Maharishi Valmiki during the Lord’s time on earth. Tulsidas’ version is similar in spirit, but more of a devotional work and doesn’t contain as much detail as Valmiki’s. Considered an incarnation of Valmiki, Tulsidas wrote the Ramacharitamanasa in a dialect of Hindi so as to make it more accessible to the people of His time. The writing is beautiful and one who reads this book with firm faith will be a devotee of Lord Rama forever. Already a staple in the homes of most Hindus living in India, this version, translated into English, gives everyone a chance to enjoy the wonderful pastimes of the Lord, His wife Sita, His brother Lakshmana, and His devotee Hanuman.

Ramayana of Valmiki

 

Title: Ramayana of Valmiki

ISBN: 817110156X

Author: Maharishi Valmiki, translated by M.N. Dutt

Versions: Print

Synopsis: This is the original story of Lord Rama, the incarnation of Lord Krishna who appeared on earth during the Treta Yuga. A somewhat lengthy work, this wonderful poem written by Valmiki is a very detailed biography of Lord Rama and the events surrounding His life. We’re not sure if the translator of this specific version is a devotee, and there appear to be many typos, which is quite typical of works produced by Parimal Publications. However, the original content is so wonderful since it contains direct quotations from God and His associates that it definitely makes the book worth reading.

The Spiritual Master

“O Rama, there is no one more fortunate on this earth than You since you have Vishwamitra as Your spiritual master.”

Sage Shatananda speaking to Lord Rama (Valmiki Ramayana, Balakanda)

In this material world, the spiritual master is our link to God. God isn’t always directly physically present on this earth, so it is through the spiritual master that we can understand Him.

In all areas of life, we require a teacher. We are all born not knowing anything. After taking our first birth from our parents, we gradually were taught how to crawl, walk, talk, and even eat properly. Our parents taught us right and wrong, good and bad, and how to behave properly. In many ways, we are the reflection of our parents. Children with good parentage usually grow up to be good standing citizens. From youth to young adulthood, we attended school and were educated by our various teachers. If not for them, we would probably not grow up to be productive adults.

In different areas of work, we require training from those who are already expert in their particular fields. Aspiring doctors require training from experienced doctors. Students finishing law school require the guidance of experienced lawyers to learn the trade. So in this way, we can understand that a good teacher is required for success in any endeavor

The spiritual master, or guru, is required for anyone who is seriously seeking self-realization and understanding of God. A qualified spiritual master is one of saintly character who has completely surrendered Himself to Lord Krishna. He knows nothing else but Krishna and through his saintly character, he voluntarily teachers others about Krishna.

From our education on material subjects, we can try to understand God, but our attempts will always fail. God cannot be understood through mere mental speculation. He can only be known through the grace of one who has completely surrendered himself to God. By agreeing to serve the spiritual master humbly, we take our second and more important birth and begin our spiritual understanding.

When Lord Krishna appeared on this earth, He even accepted a spiritual master, Sandipani Muni, just to set an example for us. The Lord taught us to be very humble to saintly people, and to learn spiritual knowledge from them. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but he pretended to be subordinate in knowledge to brahmanas in order to show them proper respect.

In the Ramacharitamansa of Tulsidas, Maharishi Valmiki gives a vivid description of a devotee of the Lord. One of the points he makes is that a devotee loves his guru even more than God Himself. The reason for this is that the spiritual master teaches us about God, and without him, our lives would be meaningless. This underscores the importance of the guru. When Lord Ramachandra was a youth, he and his brother Lakshmana were trained to be the highest skilled kshatriyas, or warriors, by the sage Vishwamitra. Lord Rama was God Himself, but He also humbly submitted Himself before Vishwamitra and voluntarily accepted him as His spiritual master. Vishwamitra was so pious that he was fortunate enough to have God Himself as a disciple. Yet Vishwamitra was held in such high regard by other sages that these sages considered Rama and Lakshmana to be the fortunate ones. Such is the glory of a saint!

In the Vedas, it is said that one of the highest rewards of life is to have association with a saintly person. One doesn’t have to be born in a high class family or possess immense riches in order to make spiritual progress. One simply has to be fortunate enough to come in contact with a saintly person, and then have the good sense to humbly serve that person through taking instruction from them. Anyone who is purely devoted to Krishna is considered a saint and a spiritual master. The perfect spiritual master for this age is A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Though Shrila Prabhupada physically left this earth more than thirty years ago, we can still approach him through his books and recorded lectures. He continues to preach to this day, so we should make the most of this auspicious human form of life by reading his books and following his teachings. In this way, we please the spiritual master, and through his grace, we return back to Godhead.

 

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Maharishi Valmiki

Maharishi Valmiki is the author of the original story of Lord Ramachandra, known as the Valmiki Ramayana. He lived during the Treta Yuga and through guidance from his spiritual master, he wrote the epic Ramayana prior to Lord Rama’s advent.

The Vedas say that the highest benediction in life is to have association with a saint, or a devotee of Krishna. In his early life Valmiki’s name was Ratnakara, and he took to robbing people for a living. Through good fortune, he once met Narada Rishi and tried to attack him. Narada chanted Lord Rama’s name and convinced Ratnakara to give up his life of thievery. Following Narada’s advice, the sage chanted the name of Rama and sat in meditation for many many years, during which time his body became covered by ants. Narada Rishi returned and uncovered the sage from the anthill, informed him that his meditation was successful, and bestowed on him the name Valmiki since he was born from an anthill. Valmiki learned the story of Lord Rama from Narada and was instructed to write the story in poetry form by Lord Brahma.

Valmiki was also present during Lord Ramachandra’s time on earth. He had a hermitage in the forest and was visited by Lord Rama, His wife Sita, and His brother Lakshmana during their fourteen year exile period. Lord Rama asked Valmiki if he knew a good place where they could set up camp. Valmiki in turn gave a beautiful description of a pure devotee of the Lord and told Rama to always dwell in the heart of a devotee. The account is described in detail in Tulsidas’s Ramacharitamanasa. Later on, Valmiki also provided shelter to Sita when she was abandoned by Lord Rama. Sita’s two sons, Lava and Kusha, were born at Valmiki’s hermitage, and the sage acted as their spiritual master during their childhood.

The events of Lord Rama’s life can be found in many Vedic literatures, but the Valmiki Ramayana is the original account. It was very famous even during Lord Rama’s time. Lord Rama’s two sons, Lava and Kusha, committed the Ramayana to memory and would recite it constantly in front of gathered assemblies in Ayodhya. The epic is still being recited today to the delight of Lord Rama’s devotees.

 

Krishna’s Mercy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving the gift of Krishna.

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