Jaiva Dharma thoughts

I have been hearing Jaiva Dharma by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and have found it quite thought provoking in the following manner:

1. The structure of society at the time the book is set is quite different from our devotional society at present. There are many babajis mentioned and they seem to occupy a space in society that sannyasis usually occupy nowadays.

2. The qualification of practitioners mentioned is significantly higher than what we are accustomed to. The immediately take to the practice of chanting 128 rounds and advnace very rapidly.

3. Bhaktivinoda Thakur has a different style and mood than Srila Prabhupada in my humble opinion although both are stellar

4. Bhaktivinoda Thakur speaks about the tatastha sakti as being more than just the jivas, as the origin of the jivas

5. He also uses terminology that is different to what we are accustomed to, sanskrit terms that are very interesting

Rasa

Krishna is the ultimate tasty thing. We are all looking for something interesting, something exciting, something relishable, and we look for this at every second. We are naturally selfish in that manner. But we only become fully satisfied when we taste Krishna. As we advance in spiritual life we realise that actually everything is Krishna – maya tatam idam sarvam[1]. And we realise that everything we find interesting or valuable is in fact Krishna - rte ‘rtham yat pratiyeta[2]. So instead of trying to enjoy Krishna’s energy, and connecting to Krishna in an indirect way, why not go straight to the source? And we will find that if we connect to Krishna directly our enjoyment will be much greater. Infact devotees who connect to Krishna experience so much happiness it overwhelms them, just like Daruka, who became so overwhelmed by ecstasy in serving Krishna that it disturbed his service. [3]

[1] B.g 9.4

[2] SB 2.9.34

[3] aṅga-stambhārambham uttuṅgayantaṁ
premānandaṁ dāruko nābhyanandat
kaṁsārāter vījane yena sākṣād
akṣodīyān antarāyo vyadhāyi
— Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 3.2.62

Literally, the important parts are aṅga-stambha-ārambham, “the beginning of the stunning/paralysis of the limbs”; premānandam, “the bliss of prema”; dārukaḥ na abhyanandat, “Dāruka did not welcome it”; kaṁsa-arāteḥ vījane, “in fanning the enemy of Kaṁsa [Kṛṣṇa]”; and antarāyaḥ vyadhāyi, “an obstacle was produced.”

Śrīla Prabhupāda translates it:

“Śrī Dāruka did not relish his ecstatic feelings of love, for they caused his limbs to become stunned and thus obstructed his service of fanning Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

Add meaning

Do many people live a life devoid of true meaning? I believe so. When we consider that everything we do in this world on the material platform is temporary and will be taken away from us, then the meaning to our actions is certainly diminished. We do not bring anything into this world with us, and we cannot take anything with us. So to find real meaning we have to do something that remains. As the soul is eternal, activities in relationship to the soul are also eternal.

Peace and happiness

How does one achieve supreme peace? By understanding one is beyond this world. By understanding nothing in this world can affect him. Nothing will change him; he is eternal and eternally satisfied in his relationship with God. We don’t need any material things. Brahma bhuta.

There are so many conditions to our consciousness. Such as our body, also our conditioning, the authorities we have heard from, our worldview, our mind, expectations. But we have to make our lives in line with sastra; in line with Krishna’s desires. Then we will be truly happy.

Final salvation

How can one not glorify the Supreme Lord? He is supremely attractive. He is supremely sweet. He is supreme truth. Reality is seeing him. Love is loving Him. He is divinely alluring. We call out to Him, the Supreme Male and ask him to embrace us, to engage us in his service. What else could satisfy one? We should know; we have tried many avenues of pleasure. But how many options are there? Eating, sleeping, mating and defending in different countries, different species, at different times and with different people. But what does it all mean? It is all a trap, an illusion. A mirage in the desert, a false reality projected in a dark room. A carrot strung up in front of the donkey.

The SPG

Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I offer my humble obeisances unto Him. To derive ultimate benefit from this human form of life, the living entity must connect with the Supreme. Unfortunately, the living entity is filled with material desires and with ignorance, causing him to act under the spell of the modes of material nature. How unfortunate! He travels through many species of life desiring to enjoy, but instead suffers. If somehow or other he comes in contact with devotees, he can reach the end of all his suffering. The end to his suffering comes when he falls in love with God. At that point he is no longer concerned with his suffering or enjoyment – he only wishes to please the Supreme Lord. How wonderful!

The Sublimity and Rarity of Bhakti Yoga

Yesterday we had our annual Ratha Yatra festival, and I was speaking to guests explaining the event. How does one explain Ratha Yatra? These people don’t believe in God, have never heard of Krishna, are breaking all the regulative principles…what a sublime task. I usually explained it in terms of us bringing God closer into our hearts. If only they knew…If only they knew that God is a person, that he is a young blackish boy dallying in the groves of Vrindavana. But who knows this? Even brahmanas in India do not necessarily understand Krishna. And how rare it is that this knowledge is disclosed. We take it for granted as members of ISKCON that Krishna is God, Radha is His lover etc. But this knowledge is very rare. How fortunate we are!

Perspective

Our main duty is to develop Krishna consciousness. To become more Krishna conscious. If we are conscious of Krishna we are awestruck by how wonderful he is. We realise we have no problems. We realise that there is no hope on the material platform. We realise that the soul has no issues. So what do we need? We don’t even need to feed ourselves. The only thing we should do is to be Krishna conscious.

Whenever I get involved in daily life I have to focus on that, and that means forgetting other things. Then I am in anxiety and try to do what is best for survival, but our survival is already there on a different platform. The soul has no death. So if we are established on that platform understanding the soul is eternal and perfect and we have an eternal perfect relationship with Krishna, then life is just like a game. Like playing a computer game – doesn’t really matter if the character dies, because you know you’re outside of the game.

Reality check

What is reality? Do we even ask that question? Why not? If we do we will find that the Vedic literature has a very interesting take on it. Everything is a transformation of God’s energy.

Nature healing

We live a strange life; almost half robotic. We stare at screens, tap away, press buttons and rarely go outside; quite dystopian. We suffer different mental illnesses just due to the fact that we have divorced ourselves from nature. And why? Because the world is driven by making money. Who needs motorways and aeroplanes and factories and nuclear power plants? Society was doing just fine without all of these for thousands of years. Simple living is what is needed - growing food locally in small communities where everyone knows each other and small cottage industries. The real progress is in our consciousness, not in what new ‘breakthroughs’ we can make.

Achieving the goal

Nature is not something that can be avoided. We are an intrinsic part of nature, both materially and spiritually. the problem is that the lives that we live are directly in conflict with nature. Maybe we should define what we mean by nature - the earth, the sky, the weather etc. If we live in harmony we are happier, healthier and more effective. Another problem is that we are caught in systems that trap us, and there is not much we can do to escape. So we shouldn’t be puritanical; we have to work with the constrains we find ourselves in.

What does it mwan to achieve the goal? Is the journey the destination? Is achieving things important to us? Or is our consciousness more importsnt? or a mixture of both? after all our consciousness determines our actions.

Small Steps Create Big Shifts

We may think that the world is doomed. Huge poolution, climate change, famine and all the rest. But we shouldn’t underestimate the power of indiviual action. We are all leaders in our own way. We have influence over the people in our community, however large that is.

Turn Intention Into Action

Sometimes things live in our minds. But transforming them into action can create real change. I heard a wonderful lecture where Badrinarayana Swami was talking about tipping points in society, and how societies change. It is possible. civilisations have come and gone - they don’t stay forever.

Make Room for Growth

As we take steps, we make progress, whether that is externally or at least internally. Then we may have to develop infrastructures. I experience that with my gardening business, Rama Gardening.