Post date: Oct 31, 2019 2:31:30 AM
Real happiness
In Bhagavad Gita 7.4-6, it is said that we are a composition of the external and internal energies of God. The gross external energy is this gross material body, and the subtle external energy is the mind, ego and intelligence. Behind both energies—the gross external energy and the subtle external energy—is the soul, the internal energy. This body is made of earth, water, fire, air and ether. This is called gross external energy, and there is also a subtle external energy of mind, intelligence and false ego. And behind that, the soul is there.
As an analogy, I may think that simply by having a nice shirt and coat I can be happy, but is it possible? Unless you eat nicely, unless you sleep nicely, unless you have your sense gratification, will you be happy simply by putting on a costly shirt and coat? No. That is not possible. Similarly, if we want to be happy by adjustment of this external energy, gratifying our senses, that is not possible. You are spirit soul—you must have spiritual food, you must have a spiritual life, in connection with Krishna and then you can be happy. Gross matter includes high skyscraper buildings, machines, factories, nice roads, good cars, etc. Subtle matter includes nice songs, poetry, philosophy, etc. People are trying to be happy with this gross and subtle material existence. That cannot be.
Blind leading the blind
Why have people accepted this sort of materialistic civilization? Because they are led by blind leaders. Why very few are interested in Krishna consciousness? Suppose we advertise some falsehood—“If you follow this path, within six months you will become God, and you will be all-powerful.” Many people would come. This is actually one blind man leading other blind men. Suppose one blind man says, “All right, come, follow me. I shall help you crossing this busy street.” He is blind, and the followers are also blind. The result will be that they will be hit by some car or truck and they will all die.
We do not know that we are bound by the stringent laws of material nature (BG 7.14). How can we become free from this material bondage? We have to take instruction from those who are not blind, whose eyes are opened and who are liberated from this material bondage. One must take instruction from such persons, and then he will understand his self-interest. Only the Supreme Lord Krishna, or His bona fide representative spiritual master can help us who are blind. Otherwise, if one who is blind takes instruction from a blind man, it will not be possible for him to be liberated from material bondage.
What is self-interest? What is the interest of a child when he is crying? He is searching after the mother. Anyone who knows this immediately brings the child to its mother—“Take care of your child; he is crying.” The mother takes him, and the child is immediately happy. The child cannot express what he wants, so he simply cries. But one who knows what he is crying for help him, and the child becomes happy. Similarly, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa (BG 15.7), the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we are actually crying for Kṛṣṇa. But these false leaders, these blind leaders who do not know, are giving stone instead of bread.
c) Purpose of creation
All the material activities of the cosmic manifestation are going on just to bring the rebellious souls back to Godhead. That is the situation. Māyā’s stringent laws are there. Why? What is the purpose of the police force or the military force? The purpose is to keep the citizens obedient to the state. If a citizen is disobedient to the state law, he is immediately put into police custody. Similarly, anyone who has rebelled against the superiority of God is put under the stringent laws of material nature, and he must suffer. That is the position. Therefore, his self-interest is to seek out the Supreme Personality of Godhead (SB 7.5.31) and surrender unto Him. That will make him happy. Otherwise, if he simply tries to accept material things and become happy, that is not possible.
d) Enjoy this life and the next!
Prahlāda Mahārāja gives a hint as to how one can seek out the path of Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He says that we have created so many unnecessary things and become entangled by them. In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that we should desire to get out of this unnecessary trouble and to be free from the problems which are created. Why people engage in fighting, doing abominable things in society? Why is this happening? Because they have lost their interest in Viṣṇu, God. Therefore, they are thinking, “You are my enemy; I am your enemy,” and they fight like cats and dogs. But as soon as we come to the Viṣṇu understanding, the Kṛṣṇa understanding, these advanced cities, these advanced civilizations, can be maintained very nicely. You’ll be happy, you’ll eat nicely, dance nicely, live nicely and go back home, back to Godhead. Enjoy this life and the next life. That is our request.
Everyone should take the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement seriously and try to understand it seriously. It is authorized on the Vedic principle; it is not something manufactured or unauthorized. It gives an opportunity for people to understand their real interest: Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa.
e) Purifying our existence
We have to purify the propensity of material sense gratification (SB 5.5.1). That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For Kṛṣṇa consciousness we have to be purified. What is that purification? We cannot enjoy anything directly, so we have to enjoy through Kṛṣṇa. For example, we take prasādam. The nice prasādam, the foodstuff that is prepared, is not taken directly—we take it through Kṛṣṇa. First of all, we offer to Kṛṣṇa, and then we take it.
The eating process is the same, but if you eat directly then you become materialistically encumbered. If you offer to Kṛṣṇa, however, and then take it, then you become freed from all contamination of material life. That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā 3.13. Devotees take prasādam after offering it to Kṛṣṇa. That is called sacrifice. Whatever you offer to Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu is called sacrifice. Whatever we do here, within this material world, is some sort of sinful activity, even if we do not know it. Killing is sinful activity, even if we do not kill willingly. When you walk down the street you are killing many animals. Whenever you drink water, you are also killing. Below a water pot there are many ants and microbes that are being killed. Whenever you light a fire, there are many small microbes that also burn in the fire. When you grind spices with a mortar and pestle, many small microbes are killed.
We are responsible for this. Willingly or unwillingly, we are becoming entangled in many sinful activities. Therefore, Bhagavad-gītā 3.13 says that if you take the remnants of foodstuff after offering sacrifice, you become freed from all contamination. Otherwise, one who cooks to eat personally without offering to Kṛṣṇa is simply eating sinful reactions.
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