Krishna demonstrates prevailing definition of success – and transcends it
Lecture Summary:
People mold their life according to their culture’s definition of success
Eg. Indian youth “Engineer or doctor”
Eg. Kings would build magnificent temples
Purification means changing our definition of success, otherwise we check and choke our spiritual progress because what we desire internally undermines what we do externally
Krishna in Vrindavana transcends prevailing definition of success and simply demonstrates reciprocation of love, whereas outside Vrindavana he demonstrates prevailing definition of success by being a peerless kshatriya
The purpose of spiritual life is to make spiritual life the purpose of our life, not to use it as a shock-absorber for our material life
Sports can be integrated into skills useful for one’s life duties
Eg. Cricket hasn’t got anything with one’s main life
But kshatriya skill exhibition such as svayamvara demonstrates their competence in skills valuable for their duties
Krishna exists in different times at the same time
Time is not just the fourth dimension in space-time continuum, but is a manifestation of Krishna that predates space
“I can’t know” is different from “I don’t know”
Contradiction is a cause of confusion, but of celebration
Purpose of Pandavas’ Rajasuya-yajna – SB: to glorify Krishna; MB – to elevate Pandu to Svarga from Yama’s abode (not Yamaloka – difference betw prison and prison warden’s home)
Lord Chaitanya demonstrates and transcends prevailing definition of success
As brahmana-grihastha – Topmost pandita – gave it up for bhakti
As sannyasi – Advaita sannyasi to bhakti
SP translates CC’s definition of success to our level – share KC with the whole world
SP told George Harrison “Use your intelligence”
SP “My devotees are perfect gentlemen”
Preaching means to be intelligible to people – focus where the devotional definition of success intersects with the prevailing definition of success
Success in bhakti – not just drop out of the world and join the temple, but also penetrate into the world and be exemplary