Hare Krsna,

One of the beautiful things of studying Srimad Bhagavatam regularly and scrutinizingly, especially in the association of like-minded devotees and under the guidance of our experienced teachers, is that it inspires me to revisit some of the fundamental concepts of Krsna consciousness philosophy from time to time. This lesson provided one such instance where I had to question my understanding about the nature of gross and subtle bodies. We have been studying this topic throughout Lord Kapiladeva’s teachings to Mother Devahuti and surprisingly the doubt did not arise in my mind until now.

This lesson has been an eye-opener especially when I got to the section where it is mentioned that we do not need to engage the mind artificially after a certain point. Secondly, when it is mentioned that samadhi is the highest stage of meditation, it is a shocker to hear Srila Prabhupada’s statement that “meditation, which is an action of the mind, is not the perfect stage of samādhi, or absorption.” He also says that “In the beginning the mind is employed in attracting the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but in the higher stages there is no question of using the mind.” (SB 3.28.34 Purport)

This naturally begged the question: if we have no use of the mind in the higher stages, how do devotees in the spiritual world (such as the gopis) always remain absorbed in remembering Krsna? Isn’t this not a function of the mind? Then I remembered something. The mind is part of the subtle body; we have both gross and subtle body. Once we become liberated and give up our material body to attain our eternal spiritual form, we relinquish both our gross and subtle bodies. This means we also give up the mind, intelligence, and false ego. If we do not have the mind in the spiritual form, how do we constantly think about Krsna and have our desires? This really left me bewildered. Eventually I had to place my doubt to our dear teacher – HG Dhruva Maharaja prabhu. He responded immediately and put all the doubts to rest.

In essence, Dhruva prabhu’s response is that we also have our senses, mind, intelligence, ego, feelings, and desires in our spiritual form. Just like the senses we have in our material bodies; we have the same senses in our spiritual body. The only difference is that the soul’s senses, intelligence, mind, ego, feelings, and desires are pure and transcendental and fully awakened in relation to Krsna. Spiritual bodies are eternal and full of knowledge and complete happiness. Free of the limitations of matter, simply by their will they can achieve, acquire, or do almost anything. He said that our material body is only a covering on our spiritual body. The natural spiritual impulses are filtered through contaminated consciousness, false ego, intelligence, and mind……then manifest as if generated from the material subtle material elements. The spiritual impulses flow through subtle material energy and only appear as if generated from one’s mind and intelligence.

He also gave the example of Krsna having His own senses, desires, and thoughts. This led me to another chain of dangerous thought. If my earlier misconception of jivas having no sense in the spiritual world is true, then this principle should also apply to Krsna. After all, jivas are qualitatively same as Krsna but quantitatively different. Then I realized that depriving Krsna of any sense would have been a major Mayavada fallacy. Mayavadis attribute Krsna having no senses; they think He is Nirguna. Suddenly the inner Paramatma made me remember a famous beautiful verse of Sri Brahma Samhita 5.32 which stopped by erroneous thought from going further:

aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti
paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti
ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose transcendental form is full of bliss, truth, substantiality and is thus full of the most dazzling splendor. Each of the limbs of that transcendental figure possesses in Himself, the full-fledged functions of all the organs, and eternally sees, maintains and manifests the infinite universes, both spiritual and mundane.”

The essence of this verse is that Krsna also has senses like us, but His senses are completely spiritual. He performs all varieties of divine spiritual functions with every one of His limbs.

Therefore, the takeaway for me from this great topic is that we have to purify our material senses to revive the covered spiritual senses. And for this we need to engage the mind constantly in the process.

“The mind is used to purify the senses, but when the senses are purified by meditation, there is no need to sit in a particular place and try to meditate upon the form of the Lord. One becomes so habituated that he automatically engages in the personal service of the Lord.” (SB 3.28.34 Purport)

When the mind is thus completely freed from all material contamination and detached from material objectives, it is just like the flame of a lamp. At that time the mind is actually dovetailed with that of the Supreme Lord and is experienced as one with Him because it is freed from the interactive flow of the material qualities. (SB 3.28.35)

Thus situated in the highest transcendental stage, the mind ceases from all material reaction and becomes situated in its own glory, transcendental to all material conceptions of happiness and distress. At that time the yogī realizes the truth of his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He discovers that pleasure and pain as well as their interactions, which he attributed to his own self, are actually due to the false ego, which is a product of ignorance. (SB 3.28.36)

“When the devotee’s mind is purified and he understands that his mind has to be dovetailed with the desires of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has attained the perfectional, transcendental stage, which is beyond the perception of material distress and happiness…When the mind is dovetailed to act according to the desire of the Lord, one has attained the transcendental stage.” (SB 3.28.36 Purport)

Therefore, we have to engage in chanting the holy name of the Lord using our mind and tongue. Ceto-darpana-marjanam. By chanting the holy name, we will be able to purify our gross and subtle senses and become fully free from contaminated consciousness.

Thank you, Dhruva Maharaja prabhu, for your help in enhancing my understanding.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

Since it is strongly recommended that our meditation should start with the lotus feet of the Lord, I would like to stick to the lotus feet for my forum meditation (considering my neophyte status).

CC Madhya 8.252:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “What should all living entities constantly remember?”

Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “The chief objects of remembrance are always the Lord’s holy name, qualities and pastimes.”

There are many forms of meditation and meditation techniques. But in the conversation above, Sri Ramananda Raya indicates that the chief meditation is to fix one’s mind on the beautiful lotus feet of the Lord. It is said that Krsna’s lotus feet are the perfect object of meditation because they remove all fear, remove ignorance, sever attachment to material life, gives liberation, and fulfills the desires of the devotees.

SB 3.28.21 Purport: If a yogī looks upon the marks of the Lord’s sole and on the blazing brilliance of His nails, then he can be freed from the darkness of ignorance in material existence. This liberation is not achieved by mental speculation, but by seeing the light emanating from the lustrous toenails of the Lord. In other words, one has to fix his mind first on the lotus feet of the Lord if he wants to be freed from the darkness of ignorance in material existence.

In all scriptures we find that meditation on the lotus feet of the Lord is the only way for purification from all material contamination and attain pure devotional service. We find immense glorification of the Lord’s lotus feet in all the scriptures. And when the scriptures and acharyas tell us to surrender to God, we are asked to surrender at the Lord’s lotus feet because the Lord protects and blesses everyone by His lotus feet. That’s why scriptures/acharyas generally do not instruct us to take shelter at His hand or face. In the case of humans, people in general use their feet to kick or stamp others, whereas the Lord’s lotus feet are glorified as the only place to go for shelter from all troubles in this world. What to speak of ordinary living entities, even Lord Siva became more auspicious and important by accepting the Ganges water on his head. (Radha-Govinda Meditation Techniques)

SB 3.28.22: The blessed Lord Śiva becomes all the more blessed by bearing on his head the holy waters of the Ganges, which has its source in the water that washed the Lord’s lotus feet. The Lord’s feet act like thunderbolts hurled to shatter the mountain of sin stored in the mind of the meditating devotee. One should therefore meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord for a long time.

One thing that I find really perplexing is that one will not be able to fix his mind on the Lord’s lotus feet if one does not have a pure heart and a peaceful mind. On the contrary, it is said the purity of heart and mind is not without meditation on the lotus feet of the Lord. So it is a paradox. It is kind of a chicken and egg story; what came first? When our mind is filled with material desires, lust, anger and greed on account of its association with the material energy from time immemorial, it is just impossible to fix the mind on the lotus feet of the Lord. However, that purity of heart and a peaceful mind is attained only by meditating on His lotus feet.

SB 3.28.22 Purport: The mind of the conditioned soul, on account of its association with the material energy from time immemorial, contains heaps of dirt in the form of desires to lord it over material nature. This dirt is like a mountain, but a mountain can be shattered when hit by a thunderbolt. Meditating on the lotus feet of the Lord acts like a thunderbolt on the mountain of dirt in the mind of the yogī. If a yogī wants to shatter the mountain of dirt in his mind, he should concentrate on the lotus feet of the Lord and not imagine something void or impersonal. Because the dirt has accumulated like a solid mountain, one must meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord for quite a long time.

The true mission in life is to cross the ocean of nescience, of repeated birth and death. SB 10.2.30 says, “O lotus-eyed Lord, by concentrating one’s meditation on Your lotus feet, which are the reservoir of all existence, and by accepting those lotus feet as the boat by which to cross the ocean of nescience, one follows in the footsteps of mahājanas [great saints, sages and devotees]. By this simple process, one can cross the ocean of nescience as easily as one steps over the hoofprint of a calf.”

“For one who has accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murāri, the enemy of the demon Mura, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoofprint. His goal is paraṁ padam, or Vaikuṇṭha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step.” (Bhāg. 10.14.58)

Therefore, it is important that chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord must go in conjunction with the meditation on the Lord’s lotus feet. By chanting Krsna’s holy names, one attains both peace and purity. We can take shelter of His lotus feet by chanting His holy names. It takes humility and surrender to do so. The Lord’s lotus feet are the perfect shelter because they protect the devotees from the dangers of material life. When Akrura was going to Vraja and saw the lotus footprints of the Lord, he got down from his chariot and began to roll in the dust and pray to these footprints. Similarly, if we take shelter of Krsna’s lotus feet and meditate on Them, then naturally we will attain Krsna’s shelter.

After studying this lesson, it is my personal sankalpa to practice meditation on Krsna’s beautiful lotus feet, especially while chanting the holy name. I keep the picture of the sole of Krsna’s lotus feet with its various symbols in front of me during my japa. I thank our teachers for sharing the picture in the lesson post. I especially suffer from immense fear about everything. That fear can be mitigated only by fixing my mind and taking shelter of Krsna’s lotus feet.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

In Bhakti-Rasamrta Sindhu (BRS 1.2.4), Srila Rupa Goswami has summarized the whole essence of Krsna consciousness in the following verse –

Yena kena prakarena manah Krsna nivesayet

“Somehow or other just engage your mind in Krsna.”

Also, in Padma Purana there is a famous verse,

smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇurvismartavyo na jātucitsarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syuretayor eva kiṅkarāḥ

“‘Kṛṣṇa is the origin of Lord Viṣṇu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the śāstras should be the servants of these two principles.’”

In this regard, the teachings of both Lord Kapiladeva and Lord Caitanya are the same because the ultimate goal is one – to always fix the mind on Krsna. Only the process to attain the goal is different according to time, place, and circumstances. Lord Kapiladeva’s instructions to Mother Devahuti were practical and possible during Satya-yuga. What is possible then is not possible now. What to speak of now? It was not even possible 5000 years ago. Five thousand years ago, Arjuna had much better facilities than we do now, yet he refused to accept the system of dhyana-yoga recommended by Lord Krsna. Arjuna said:

BG 6.33-34: O Madhusūdana, the system of yoga which You have summarized appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady. The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind.

If the environment was not conducive 5000 years ago for yogic practice, things are harder now. The present age is characterized by a bitter struggle for existence.

SB 1.1.10: “O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.” (SB 1.1.10)

With such a disturbed mine, it is almost impossible to perform astanga-yoga in the present age. It is difficult to master correct asanas, regulate breathing, withdraw the senses from material objects, and so on.

The ultimate stage of astanga-yoga is samadhi. Samadhi is the state of the mind’s being virtually absorbed in the Lord. Performing the eight-limbed astanga-yoga is liking taking stairs to the top of the building (samadhi). Lord Caitanya is so kind that He has given us an elevator to reach the top. That elevator is the constant chanting of the Holy Name of the Lord and thus fixing the mind on the Lord.

SB 3.28.11 purport — “For every item in the yoga system there is a parallel activity in bhakti-yoga, but the practice of bhakti-yoga is easier for this age. What was introduced by Lord Caitanya is not a new interpretation. Bhakti-yoga is a feasible process that begins with chanting and hearing. Bhakti-yoga and other yogas have as their ultimate goal the same Personality of Godhead, but one is practical, and the others are difficult.”

Even five thousand years ago, Lord Krsna confirmed to Arjuna that of the two processes (astanga-yoga and bhakti-yoga), the path of bhakti-yoga is better and one can reach the highest platform by this process.

BG 6.47: And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself and renders transcendental loving service to Me – he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.

Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport, “The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in bhakti yoga…If one is fortunate enough to come to the point of bhakti-yoga, it is to be understood that he has surpassed all other yogas.”

SB 3.28.18 purport — “One has to fix his mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly. When one is accustomed to thinking of one of the innumerable forms of the Lord — Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, Rāma, Nārāyaṇa, etc. — he has reached the perfection of yoga. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā: a person who has developed pure love for the Lord, and whose eyes are smeared with the ointment of transcendental loving exchange, always sees within his heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The devotees especially see the Lord in the beautiful blackish form of Śyāmasundara. That is the perfection of yoga.”

BG 6.47 Purport: The ideal yogī concentrates his attention on Kṛṣṇa, who is called Śyāmasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud, whose lotuslike face is as effulgent as the sun, whose dress is brilliant with jewels, and whose body is flower-garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahma-jyotir. He incarnates in different forms such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He descends like a human being, as the son of mother Yaśodā, and He is known as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda and Vāsudeva. He is the perfect child, husband, friend and master, and He is full with all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogī.

Therefore, it is a matter of great comfort that the eight-limbed astanga-yoga and the nine-limbed bhakti-yoga (Sravan, kirtanam, visno smaranam, etc.) are one and the same thing. The process of meditating on the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within oneself and the process of chanting the glories and pastimes of the Lord are the same. The only difference is that hearing and fixing the mind on the pastimes of the Lord through the chanting of the Holy Name is easier than visualizing the form of the Lord within one’s heart.

It is said that whatever purpose is served by a small well of water is naturally served in all respects by a large lake (BG 2.46). Similarly whatever purpose is served by the practice of astanga-yoga taught by Lord Kapiladeva is easily served by the process of chanting the Holy Name of the Lord taught by Lord Caitanya.

Let us therefore chant the Holy Name of the Lord with full relish, attention, and detachment because is the yuga-dharma of this age.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

Hearing Lord Kapila’s various yoga practices in SB 3.28 sounds overwhelming and makes me quite discouraged. Hearing Him speak about concentrating the mind, performing prescribed duties, being satisfied with gain achieved by the grace of the Lord, being frugal in eating, living a secluded life, practicing nonviolence and truthfulness, abstaining from sex life, performing austerity, being clean, studying the Vedas and worshiping the Lord are just too many mountains to climb. As such, I am struggling with chanting attentively and following the four regulative principles while performing my so-called material duties. This itself is too much austerity for me. As if this is not enough, Lord Kapila continues to recommend more yoga practices and austerity. Looks like I can never make it to attaining perfection.

Srila Prabhupada’s statement is also a bit confusing. On one hand, he recommends us to go back to Godhead and not struggling in this material world. On the other hand, he says, “A mixed devotee engages in devotional service for the spiritual benefit of being eternally engaged in the transcendental abode of the Lord in full bliss and knowledge.” (SB 3.27.27 Purport) Is desiring to go back to Godhead and serve Krsna doesn’t fall under pure devotional service? I am confused.

Long story short, there is no way I can achieve perfection in devotional service by my own endeavors. I am so materially conditioned and struggling to stay steady in bhakti. The only way I can achieve perfection is by the causeless mercy of Krsna. I need to do my part while at the same time must pray to Krsna for help. What is impossible with His mercy? By Krsna’s mercy, little Dhruva Maharaja attained perfection within six months. By His mercy, Gajendra was released from the jaws of the crocodile and became delivered. By His mercy, Mother Yasoda could bind Krsna after great endeavor. She kept trying again and again but each time the rope fell short by two fingers. Finally Krsna, seeing His mother becoming tired and exhausted, decided to be bound and come under her loving control. By Krsna’s mercy, Arjuna and the Pandavas were victorious in the battlefield of Kuruksetra against the Kauravas even though the latter had a greater army and more skilled warriors like Bhismadeva, Duryodhana, Karna, etc. If these great souls had to rely on Krsna’s mercy, what can an insignificant jiva like me accomplish by myself? I must therefore completely surrender to Krsna and pray for His mercy. Krsna promises in BG 9.22, “But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have.”

In fact, one of the six limbs of surrender to Krsna(saranagati) is to be firmly convinced that Krsna will give us protection. No one else can actually give one protection, and being firmly convinced of this is called faith. Krsna is merciful to His devotees and gives them all protection from the dangers found on the path of devotional service. “The Lord helps the devotee to achieve Kṛṣṇa consciousness by yoga, and when he becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious the Lord protects him from falling down to a miserable conditioned life.” (BG 9.22 Purport)

The best way achieve Krsna’s mercy is to follow the instructions of our acaryas and distributing Krsna consciousness to others. Our goal as devotees is to achieve Krsna prema, to join Krsna’s pastimes in Goloka Vrindavana. However, this is normally a very high and difficult goal. In the Brhad Bhagavatamrta, we get the information that even extraordinarily exalted devotees like Narada and Uddhava aspire to join Krsna’s pastimes there. The only real way for us is through the mercy of Lord Caitanya, who is easily satisfied when someone spreads Krsna consciousness.

“One should endeavor for that which is never obtained by wandering up and down the universe as a result of the reactions of karma. What is that? One should endeavor to become Krsna conscious. If one tries to spread Krsna consciousness all over the world, he should be understood to be performing the best welfare activity. The Lord is automatically very pleased with him. If the Lord is pleased with him, what is left for him to achieve? If one has been recognized by the Lord, even if he does not ask the Lord for anything, the Lord, who is within everyone, supplies him whatever he wants. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22]). Again, as stated here, tapyante loka-tapena sadhavah prayaso janah. The best welfare activity is raising people to the platform of Krsna consciousness, since the conditioned souls are suffering only for want of Krsna consciousness.” (SB 8.7.44 purport)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

It is conclusively established in the scriptures that one can get liberation from the bondage of material nature ONLY by performing pure devotional service unto the Supreme Lord.

BG 7.14: This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

On a side note, I could not fully understand from the conversation of Mother Devahuti and Lord Kapiladeva whether complete release from the material nature is possible for the spirit soul. What I understood is that complete release is not possible because both material nature and the spirit soul are two different potencies of the Supreme Lord. The spirit soul is the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord, and matter is the external potency of the Lord. The two eternal potencies have somehow or other been combined, and therefore it is difficult to separate one from the other.

What struck me from their conversation is the usage of the words ‘seriously’ and ‘strongly’.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One can get liberation by seriously discharging devotional service unto Me and thereby hearing for a long time about Me or from Me. By thus executing one’s prescribed duties, there will be no reaction, and one will be freed from the contamination of matter. This devotional service has to be performed strongly in perfect knowledge and with transcendental vision. One must be strongly renounced and must engage in austerity and perform mystic yoga in order to be firmly fixed in self-absorption. (SB 3.27.21-22)

This shows that getting release from the material bondage is not easy. It is possible only by SERIOUS, STRONG, and STEADY engagement in devotional service. Lord Kapiladeva says that we must continue to hear about Krsna or from Krsna for ‘a long time’.

As conditioned souls living in Kali, we are restless to achieve immediate results. We want everything quickly and instantly. We want instant food, instant heating/cooling system, instant customer service, instant ordering and returning policy, etc. We carry this material conditioning to spiritual realm and expect immediate results. We perform bhakti for a few years and start doubting the process if we think we haven’t made much progress in bhakti. I have heard devotees complain, ‘I have been chanting for so many years but why am I not advancing?’ The answer lies in Lord Kapiladeva’s teachings. It is important to ask ourselves from time to time, “Am I performing bhakti seriously and strongly? Am I chanting without any offenses? Am I able to put my mind, action, and words in remembering Lord Krsna’s lotus feet?”

Bhakti is a relatively simple process as compared to jnana-yoga, astanga-yoga, and so on. What is difficult is to continue our bhakti for a prolonged period of time without observing symptoms of progress. It’s like being in-flight for a long time and not reaching anywhere. But the fact is we are travelling closer to our destination every minute. This is why Srila Rupa Goswami says in Nectar of Instruction Verse 3:

“There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service: (1) being enthusiastic, (2) endeavoring with confidence, (3) being patient, (4) acting according to regulative principles [such as śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam – hearing, chanting and remembering Kṛṣṇa], (5) abandoning the association of nondevotees, and (6) following in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas. These six principles undoubtedly assure the complete success of pure devotional service.”

He mentions being enthusiastic, being confident and being patient. All three are important. It is important to always stay enthusiastic. Enthusiasm means action, but action for whom? The answer is that one should always act for Kṛṣṇa – kṛṣṇārthākhila-ceṣṭā (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu). Secondly, one should be confident and patient. The successful execution of Kṛṣṇa conscious activities requires both patience and confidence. A newly married girl naturally expects offspring from her husband, but she cannot expect to have them immediately after marriage. Of course, as soon as she is married she can attempt to get a child, but she must surrender to her husband, confident that her child will develop and be born in due time. Similarly, in devotional service surrender means that one has to become confident. The devotee thinks, avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa: “Kṛṣṇa will surely protect me and give me help for the successful execution of devotional service.” This is called confidence. (NOI 3 Purport)

“Since all the devotees of the Lord are under the protection of His supreme potency, they should not deviate from the path of devotional service and take to the path of the karmī, jñānī or yogī. This is called utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, enthusiastically executing the regulative activities of devotional service with patience and confidence. In this way one can advance in devotional service without hindrance.” (NOI 3 Purport)

At a personal life, I have extremely confident about the process and promise of bhakti. What I am struggling with is complete absorption in the Supreme Lord. I am trying to be aware of the diktats of my mind and try to bring it back to Krsna whenever it deviates. This applies while chanting, reading, and performing services at home or temple. I think small steps like this will make a difference. I am not yet at a stage where I am able to fix my mind on Krsna 24 hours a day. Hopefully with patience and enthusiasm, I will get there some day. Therefore, I do not expect perfection in one lifetime. Considering my limited capability and late start to bhakti, I am determined to continue this process for many lifetimes. It is hard to erase countless lifetimes of material conditioning in one lifetime. This is why I like Lord Kapiladeva mentioning ‘hearing for a long time about Me or from Me.’ It is important to remain fixed in devotional service. Remaining fixed on the transcendental platform is liberation from material entanglement.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

Studying Srimad Bhagavatam regularly removes our misconceptions about lot of things. I used to have some misunderstanding about the concept of liberation. I used to think that liberation is possible only when one is free from this material world. As long as one is in this material world, one is considered conditioned. Of course, this principle does not apply to liberated souls who come to this material world to execute Lord’s mission. For example, our dear Srila Prabhupada is eternally liberated. My misconception rose from the scriptural view that jivas are either eternally conditioned or eternally liberated (nitya-baddha and nitya-mukta). Therefore, for a conditioned jiva to transcend the conditioned stage, he has to transcend this material world first. The analogy is a prisoner in a prison. As long as he is inside the prison serving his sentence, he cannot be considered liberated. Only when he completes his sentence and is released from prison does he become liberated. I thought the same principle applied to material conditioning and liberation.

This lesson teaches us that one can attain liberation even while being in his so-called material body and within this material world. Liberation basically (at least in the beginning) means change in consciousness. As long as one thinks he is the enjoyer due to false ego, he is considered conditioned. But when one comes to the realization that he is an eternal servant of Krsna and acts in that consciousness, he is considered liberated.

The question is, how does a liberated soul think, feel, and act? The answer is given in SB 3.27.11. A liberation soul realizes the Supersoul to be – (a) transcendental, (b) manifest as a reflection even in the false ego, (c) the cause of prakrti, (d) pervading into everything, (e) one without a second, (f) absolute, and (g) the eyes of the illusory energy. This means a pure devotee (and a liberated soul) sees the presence of the Supreme Lord as a reflection in everything material manifested. He does not see anything but Krsna, and in everything he sees that the energy of Krsna is acting. This means he is no longer under the illusion of false ego but thinks that he is a spirit soul – part and parcel of Krsna. When one is reflected through the material contamination of the body and mind in false identification, he is in the conditional state, but when he is reflected in the pure stage, he is called liberated. (SB 3.27.13 Purport).

Next question is how does one become liberated? As our teachers posted in the forum post, the yogic process outlined by Lord Krsna to Arjuna is not possible in this age. It is said that in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed. (SB 1.1.10). Due to a troublesome and restless mind, it is not at all possible to perform the eight-fold mystic yoga process to attain liberation. Nor does one have a long-life span to achieve yogic perfection in this age.

Considering the miserable condition of the conditioned soul, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, whose appearance day would be celebrated in a few days, advented in this age of Kali Yuga to bestow what no incarnation has ever bestowed before. He has given us nama-sankirtana (chanting of the Holy Name) by which we can achieve all perfection – even in this lifetime. Not only do we achieve liberation but also, we achieve Krsna-prema. What could be more glorious and higher than this? If we sincerely follow the teachings of Mahaprabhu, we will attain the goal of becoming a liberated soul. For this, we have to sincerely engage in the nine types of devotional service beginning from hearing, chanting, remembering, etc.

“By the practice of Krsna consciousness, however, one engages in nine types of devotional service to the Lord. The first and foremost of such devotional engagements is hearing about Krsna. This is a very powerful transcendental method for purging the mind of all misgivings….This is practical because by hearing about Krsna one becomes automatically attached to the Supreme Spirit. This attachment is called paresanubhuti spiritual satisfaction. It is just like the feeling of satisfaction a hungry man has for every morsel of food he eats. Similarly, by discharge of devotional service, one feels transcendental satisfaction as the mind becomes detached from material objectives. It is something like curing a disease by expert treatment and appropriate diet. Hearing of the transcendental activities of Lord Krsna is therefore expert treatment for the mad mind, and eating the foodstuff offered to Krsna is the appropriate diet for the suffering patient. This treatment is the process of Krsna consciousness.” (BG 6.35-36 Purport)

īhā yasya harer dāsye | karmaṇā manasā girā | nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu |jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate

“A person acting in the service of Kṛṣṇa with his body, mind and words is a liberated person even in the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities.” (BRS 1.2.187)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

So far, we have learned that all the material elements have originated from the Lord’s external energy and entangle the soul (jiva) who wishes to enjoy independent of the Lord. Lord Kapiladev explained the manifestation and the characteristics of the material elements such as earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, ego, senses, sense objects and so on. By knowing these, one is freed from the influence of material modes, cut the knot of temporary attachments, and attain to self-realization.

SB 3.26.72: Therefore, through devotion, detachment and advancement in spiritual knowledge acquired through concentrated devotional service, one should contemplate that Supersoul as present in this very body although simultaneously apart from it.

The jiva is spiritual in nature, yet he experiences material conditions due to his association with sense objects for material enjoyment. Thinking himself to be the doer in false ego the spiritual jiva binds himself to existence in the material world. The solution to this incompatible predicament of the spiritual soul is to gradually control the material mind though bhakti.

This means that we have to get out of our consciousness in false ego that we are the enjoyer which is a result of contemplation on sense enjoyment. This state of consciousness (that we are the enjoyer) is so ingrained within us since time immemorial that it needs a major ‘transcendental surgery’ to get out of this state. Bhakti-yoga (devotional service) is that transcendental surgery. The gravity of the situation does not become apparent until we engage in devotional service to the Supreme Lord.

“It is therefore recommended in this verse that one engage very seriously in the devotional service of the Lord. This means that one should not think that he is the proprietor, benefactor, friend, or enjoyer. He should always be cognizant that the real enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; that is the basic principle of bhakti-yoga. One must be firmly convinced of these three principles: one should always think that Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor, Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer and Kṛṣṇa is the friend. Not only should he understand these principles himself, but he should try to convince others and propagate Kṛṣṇa consciousness.” (SB 3.17.5 Purport)

Therefore, Lord Kapiladeva recommends that one has to become faithful by practicing the controlling process of the yoga system and must elevate himself to the platform of unalloyed devotional service by chanting and hearing about Him. (SB 3.17.6)

I have been engaged in this chanting and hearing process for quite a few years now. The transformation I see in myself is that my faith in the power of devotional service to get me out of material consciousness gets stronger day by day. I realize that I have been given the various gross and subtle senses not for my enjoyment but for the enjoyment of the Supreme Lord. In this material world, we live under a big illusion that enjoyment means happiness. Quite to the contrary, material enjoyment actually brings misery even though we do not realize it at first. On the other hand, in bhakti we are taught that service to the Lord with devotion, detachment and transcendental knowledge is the key to real and eternal happiness. Of course it is still not very easy to engage my mind to the Lord 100%. My mind is very turbulent and restless. Therefore, I have been trying to chant the Holy Name by fixing my mind on each mantra to bring my mind under control. Even when I hear any lectures, I try to hear attentively. I am trying to build up my attention span gradually from 5 mins to 10 mins, and up. I do not have to perform strict yoga asanas like yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, etc., which are beyond my capability. I am taking shelter of the Holy Name to achieve the same.

“The practice of yoga by physical exercise is not the ultimate goal; the real end is to concentrate and to control the mind and train oneself to be situated in faithful devotional service.”  (SB 3.27.6 Purport)

Thus, we can remain undisturbed by material elements even though living in this material world by the process of devotional service. Unless one is completely faithful to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engages himself in the process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, there is no possibility for liberation. (SB 3.27.6 Purport)

By intense bhakti, the influence of maya over the jiva can be removed. Maya cannot bewilder an enlightened soul who has fixed one’s mind in Lord Krsna.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

While considering what to write for this forum topic, I was trying to meditate on the difference between the sankhya philosophy and bhakti yoga philosophy. My research led me to couple of wonderful sections in the 5^th chapter of The Bhagavad Gita. Verses 4-5 states:

“Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical study of the material world [Sāṅkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both. One who knows that the position reached by means of analytical study can also be attained by devotional service, and who therefore sees analytical study and devotional service to be on the same level, sees things as they are.”

Srila Prabhupada provides a perfect summary in BG 5.4: “The aim of the analytical study of the material world is to find the soul of existence. The soul of the material world is Viṣṇu, or the Supersoul. Devotional service to the Lord entails service to the Supersoul. One process is to find the root of the tree, and the other is to water the root. The real student of Sāṅkhya philosophy finds the root of the material world, Viṣṇu, and then, in perfect knowledge, engages himself in the service of the Lord. Therefore, in essence, there is no difference between the two because the aim of both is Viṣṇu. Those who do not know the ultimate end say that the purposes of Sāṅkhya and karma-yoga are not the same, but one who is learned knows the unifying aim in these different processes.”

In the next purport, Srila Prabhupada explains, “The real purpose of philosophical research is to find the ultimate goal of life. Since the ultimate goal of life is self-realization, there is no difference between the conclusions reached by the two processes. By Sāṅkhya philosophical research one comes to the conclusion that a living entity is not a part and parcel of the material world but of the supreme spirit whole. Consequently, the spirit soul has nothing to do with the material world; his actions must be in some relation with the Supreme. When he acts in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is actually in his constitutional position. In the first process, Sāṅkhya, one has to become detached from matter, and in the devotional yoga process one has to attach himself to the work of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Factually, both processes are the same, although superficially one process appears to involve detachment and the other process appears to involve attachment. Detachment from matter and attachment to Kṛṣṇa are one and the same. One who can see this sees things as they are.”

What we studied and learned in SB 3.26 is no different. Here also we studied that the culmination of the analytical study of the material world is finding the source of everything. By nature, material nature, five gross elements, gross senses, subtle senses, etc., are inert. They cannot be aroused to function by themselves.  Only when they are linked with the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead do they become active. In other words, only the Supersoul activates everything and everyone to function properly.

SB 3.26.71: When a man is sleeping, all his material assets — namely the vital energy, the senses for recording knowledge, the senses for working, the mind and the intelligence — cannot arouse him. He can be aroused only when the Supersoul helps him.

This means that the Sankhya philosophy systems also ultimately leads to the Supersoul – or the source of all existence. It helps us discern matter from spirit very distinctly. This helps us to become detached from matter, become attached to the Supreme Lord through the process of devotional service. It helps us develop detachment (from matter) and knowledge (in the Absolute Truth).

SB 1.2.7: By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.

Why do we need such detachment from matter? This is because, “as long as the mind is distracted towards the material, there is no possibility of concentrating one’s mind and intelligence upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His partial representation, Supersoul. In other words, one cannot concentrate one’s mind and energy upon the Supreme unless one is detached from the material world. Following detachment from the material world, one can actually attain transcendental knowledge of the Absolute Truth. As long as one is entangled in sense enjoyment, or material enjoyment, it is not possible to understand the Absolute Truth.” (SB 3.26.72 P)

In summary, the analytical study of the elements of material nature and the concentration of the mind upon the Supersoul are the sum and substance of the Sāṅkhya philosophical system. The perfection of this sāṅkhya-yoga culminates in devotional service unto the Absolute Truth. (SB 3.26.72 P)

Therefore, through devotion, detachment and advancement in spiritual knowledge acquired through concentrated devotional service, one should contemplate that Supersoul as present in this very body although simultaneously apart from it. (SB 3.26.72)

Studying this chapter carefully under the guidance of our experienced teachers and association of like-minded devotees has been a revelation in understanding the essence of Sankhya philosophy better – and that is to detach ourselves from material contamination and simply engage in devotional service to the Supreme Lord with perfect knowledge that He is the source of everything including this material nature. By viewing Sankhya philosophy from an impersonalist standpoint, we run the risk of staying under material illusion for a very long time to come thinking ourselves as products of matter. But understanding Sankhya philosophy from a personalist standpoint where the Supreme Lord is the source of everything, we can be liberated from that same material illusion.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

As we have studied so far, material consciousness is the cause of jiva’s conditional life, in which conditions are enforced upon the living entity by the material energy. Although the spirit soul does not do anything and is transcendental to such activities, he is affected by conditional life. Subsequently material nature (prakrti) is the cause of the conditioned soul’s material body and senses, and the senses’ presiding deities, the demigods (SB 3.26.7-8). The manifestation of the intricate material nature including the gross elements and senses is actually the mercy and grace of the Supreme Lord. It is His mercy because He has manifested this material world for our sense gratification and to fulfill our material desires. It is His grace because He has made this material world so miserable that, upon becoming enlightened with transcendental knowledge, we no longer want to prolong our stay in this place, and thus develop a desire for “home coming.”

As I was meditating on this topic, I realized how our desire to enjoy separately from the Lord created layers of separation between the Lord and us. Firstly, there is pradhana, then time, followed by Mahat-tattva. The material ego (ahankara) springs up from the mahat-tattva. The material ego (ahankara) is endowed predominantly with active power of three kinds: good, passionate, and ignorant. It is from these three types of material ego that the mind, the senses of perception, the organs of action, and the gross elements evolve. From the false ego in goodness, mind develops. From the false ego in passion, intelligence develops. From the false ego in ignorance, five sense objects and five gross elements develop. From egoism in ignorance, the subtle element sound is manifested, and from sound come the ethereal sky and the sense of hearing. Subsequently sound is transformed into Ether, Ether into Touch, Touch into Air, Air into Form, Form into Fire, Fire into Taste, Taste into Water, Water into Smell, and Smell into Earth. Since the cause exists in its effect as well, the characteristics of the former (e.g., Water) exist in the latter (e.g., Earth). Correspondingly the five gross senses – Ears, Skin, Eyes, Tongue, Nose – develop.

SB 3.26.47-49: The sense whose object of perception is sound is called the auditory sense, and that whose object of perception is touch is called the tactile sense. The sense whose object of perception is form, the distinctive characteristic of fire, is the sense of sight. The sense whose object of perception is taste, the distinctive characteristic of water, is known as the sense of taste. Finally, the sense whose object of perception is odor, the distinctive characteristic of earth, is called the sense of smell. Since the cause exists in its effect as well, the characteristics of the former are observed in the latter. That is why the peculiarities of all the elements exist in the earth alone.

The important point to note is that each one of us is more than a combination of material elements. Although our body is composed of material elements, we are ultimately none of these elements. We are spiritual beings. It is the presence of soul or atma that gives apparent life to our body, senses, mind, and intelligence. Our body is practically dead because it is composed of dead matter. What keeps the body alive is the spirit soul within it. This atma is our true identity. Aham brahmasmi.

Therefore, breaking down all the barriers of separation between us and the Lord is a wise thing to do. Since the soul is intimately connected with the Supreme Lord, gratifying the senses of the Lord is our actual constitutional duty. This means somehow or other we need to connect with the Supreme Lord. In order to do so, we do not need to retrace our steps to break down each material barrier in reverse order. All we have to do is to take advantage of the sound vibration. By hearing about the Supreme Lord and by vibrating the sound of His holy name using our tongue, we can reconnect with Him. In fact, we can engage each gross senses in His service. We can use the ears to hear the spiritual sound vibration, skin to touch and feel the Lord’s paraphernalia and His Deity form, eyes to see the beautiful form of the Lord, tongue to vibrate His holy name and glories, and also to taste the remnants of food offered to Him, and nose to smell the fragrant flowers offered to Him.

Thus, if we simply hear and chant His holy name – Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare – we will be able to sever our ties with the gross elements and senses, and ultimately regain our true eternal spiritual existence.

“By thus engaging in devotional service to the Lord, great sages or devotees free themselves from the results of work in the material world. In this way they become free from the cycle of birth and death and attain the state beyond all miseries [by going back to Godhead].” (BG 2.51)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Krsna,

After studying Srila Prabhupada’s books diligently in the association of devotees, it is pretty well established that we are suffering in this material world due to our false ego. False ego means accepting this body as oneself. The identity of false ego is also quite subtle. It basically means that “I am the enjoyer of everything in this world.” Driven by “I” and “Mine”, we think that we are the lord of material nature. That the material world has been created for our enjoyment. In the previous chapter, we studied Mother Devahuti’s prayers to Kapiladeva. She prayed, “Due to my feeling of false ego, I have been engaged by Your māyā and have identified myself with the body and consequent bodily relations.” (SB 3.25.10)

Illusioned by the material nature, the living entity identifies with false ego. When the living entity is entrapped by the material body, he at once identifies with the bodily relationships, forgetting his own identity as spirit soul. This false ego associates with different modes of material nature, and thus the senses become attached to the modes of material nature.

I think it’s all a matter of consciousness and right perspective. There is false ego and there is real ego. We can never get rid of ego. We just have to remove “false” from “false ego.” When the sense of “I am” is applied to this false body it is false ego. When the sense of self is applied to reality, that is real ego. “I am this body” or “Everything in relationship to the body is mine” is called false ego, but when one is self-realized and thinks that he is an eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord, that identification is real ego. Therefore, I really like the verse from CC Madhya 20.108-109:

jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’

kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā–śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’

“It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṇa and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Kṛṣṇa has three varieties of energy.

In essence, it is not really difficult to come out of false ego. As soon as we turn to Krsna and realize that we are His eternal servants and act in that mood and spirit, we are out of our false ego.

Once we accept that we are Krsna’s dear servants and are meant to serve Him, what difference does it make whether we are in the spiritual world or in the material world? This is why pure devotees are not disturbed by material tribulations and upheavals in this material world. In the review session today, our teachers gave the example of Srila Prabhupada who, even though was in this material world, was never disturbed by the nature of this material world. His activities, mood, service, devotion to the Lord, compassion for the suffering living entities were transcendental. He would have been in any material planet and would have continued his mission with the same mood and intensity. The nature of material world would not be able to disturb him in any way.

This is why I really liked the quotes that our teachers put in the last forum post topic. It said, “A pure devotee of the Lord does not live on any planet of the material sky, nor does he feel any contact with material elements. His so-called material body does not exist, being surcharged with the spiritual current of the Lord’s identical interest, and thus he is permanently freed from all contaminations of the sum total of the mahat-tattva. He is always in the spiritual sky, which he attains by being transcendental to the sevenfold material coverings by the effect of his devotional service. The conditioned souls are within the coverings, whereas the liberated soul is far beyond the cover.” (SB 1.13.55)

This is because the pure devotee does not have a false ego and does not act on the platform of false ego. He has completely internalized that he is a dear servant of the Lord, and always act in that spirit – material world or spiritual world notwithstanding.

False ego keeps us entangled in this material world; real ego will liberate us from this material world and will place us on transcendental platform.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!