Avoid distractions using intelligence directed towards transcendence
Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.
Hare Krishna. So, today morning, the discussion in the Srimad Bhagavatam is about the characteristics of the exalted devotee. So, such descriptions in the Bhagavatam are actually both descriptive and prescriptive.
Descriptive means they tell us how an exalted devotee conducts oneself. And prescriptive means that by ourselves trying to conduct in similar ways according to our capacity, we can also progress towards these exalted states of consciousness. In the previous verses, we are talking about how a pure devotee does not go about showing one's devotion to the world.
The pure devotee focuses on just being absorbed in Krishna and acting like an innocent person. Almost like a child, balavat. So, it's said that we should be childlike, not childish.
Childlike, it implies innocence. Whereas, childish refers to irresponsibility or immaturity, frivolousness, instability. So, we want to have the innocence of a child, not the frivolity of a child.
So, the innocence basically refers that in the heart there are no ulterior motives. Whereas, just because a pure devotee is innocent does not mean the devotee is undiscerning. That is, in our hearts there are multiple desires that are there and sometimes we have one desire but we act in some other way.
Because we don't want that desire to be known or that motive to be known. So, this can be diplomacy or it can be duplicity. It is diplomacy when our intent is not to hurt or harm others, but our intent is to get things done in as non-offensive a way as possible.
So, sometimes speaking something may hurt someone and we can avoid that and we can still get our things done and that is simply being diplomatic. But if our objective is to get our own things fulfilled, even if it hurts others, then that is duplicity. So, the difference between duplicity and diplomacy is primarily in intention.
Where one is wanting to avoid hurting others and get things done or one wants to just get one's own things done without having to bear the consequences even when one is hurting others. So, a devotee is innocent in the sense that the intention is pure. But just because a devotee is pure, it doesn't mean that the outer world is pure.
The outer world is filled with temptations and distractions. And the devotee has to be discerning in order to stay focused on the goal of life. So, here with respect to the Vedic literature, which are the guidebook for us, there also we can have distractions connected with the Vedic literature also.
So, one distraction could be one could focus more on the karmakanda section of the Vedic literature. Where the focus is on getting what are the results in this world. We study the Vedas to have a better life in the material world.
Or we can go into the realm of hyper-intellectuality where we just reason and logic and argumentation we use to try to prove how we are right and others are wrong. So, basically we interact with the world through our karmendriyas and jnanendriyas. The jnanendriyas, the knowledge acquiring senses, we take in information from the world.
Through the karmendriyas, we act in the world. So, the karmakanda section of the Vedas is about what actions can be done in the world so that we can get results here in the world. So, those who are attracted to the karmakanda section, the force of their karmendriyas is very strong and they want to do things and see results over here.
Whereas, those who are attracted to the jnanakanda section of the Vedic scriptures, their jnanendriyas are very strong. They feel that this world is anyway a place of misery. Why get entangled in it? But still, the desire for transcendence is not so strong.
So, then one uses one's knowledge acquiring faculty to try to reason and argue and to prove one's intellectual superiority over others. And of course, the third could be that one feels the whole Vedas are irrelevant and just rejects all of them. So, these three broad ways in which we may wrongly approach the Vedas is described over here.
And this, today we may not have people doing karmakanda rituals so much. But broadly speaking, these three attitudes we can see even in the world. One is that we want tangible results over here.
Otherwise, we don't care about the results. We just argue and prove I am right and you are wrong. A third is we just reject everything.
The Vedas are said to be kalpataru and Krishna himself is kalpataru. He is a desire-fulfilling tree. And similarly, we can say at one level, when we come to Krishna's movement, Krishna's movement is also like a kalpataru.
So, here also, when we come, our purpose is important. This term here, vedavadrataha, those who study the Vedas and argue ways from the Vedas, simply that the results of the Vedas are for, are meant for material fruits. This is mentioned in 2.42 and 43 in the Bhagavad Gita.
Where Krishna says, He starts with this. He says that such people think that getting the results in this world is the ultimate purpose of the Vedas. And Krishna uses a striking word, So, atma is a soul.
Kam is worldly desire. So, kamatmana means that their desire or their essence or their soul is nothing but kam. Their whole being, the word atma is sometimes used in a literal sense to refer to the soul.
Sometimes the atma is used also in a metaphorical sense to refer to the essence of our being. We may say, put your heart and soul in this service. That doesn't mean we literally take our heart out and take our soul out and put it in the service.
It simply means that we invest all our emotion, all our being into the service. So, Krishna uses this word atma in a non-literal sense. Mostly he uses a literal sense.
Where he says that the soul cannot be destroyed. But sometimes Krishna uses the word atma in a non-literal sense also. Krishna says that the atheists, their world view is soul destroying.
That this world view destroys the soul. In 16.9, a few verses later, in 16.21 Krishna says, There are three gates to hell, lust, anger and greed. These three destroy the soul.
So, here clearly the soul's destruction is not being talked in a literal sense. It's in a non-literal sense to indicate the spiritual potential, the spiritual inclination, the spiritual prospects. They are destroyed by either the atheistic world view or by indiscriminate indulgence in lust, anger, greed.
So, kamaatmanah, Krishna uses the word over here. What it means is that their atma, their essence is simply their kama. They have worldly desires and fulfilling the worldly desires, that is what they consider the essence of their life.
And before this, this is 2.42-43, before 2.41 Krishna says, don't become destroyed. Vyavasayaatmika buddhi ekeha kurnandana bahu shakha hinandasya buddhaya vyavasayinam That be one-pointed if you want to grow spiritually. So, these same distractions or same categories of distractions can come to us even when we come to Krishna's movement.
Sometimes we look for utilitarian results. What is this practically helping me? And sometimes because of this we may get too caught in worldly things. And instead of pursuing Krishna, we may just get distracted towards getting results in this world.
And wherever results come in this world, then we think, yes, this is great, this is successful. So, the other distraction could be that we just reject all results in this world and we simply argue based on the logic. This is right, this is wrong, that is wrong, that is wrong.
And when we do this also, in both cases, we are getting distracted from Krishna. Vedaisya sarvair aamiyya vedhyo. The purpose of all the Vedas is to know Krishna.
The purpose of the Krishna consciousness movement is to become conscious of Krishna. So, we do want to make practical contributions in this world. We do want to use our intellectual faculty in the service of Krishna.
But both of these, if done excessively, can distract us in two different ways. So, we may get too caught in material religiosity if we focus too much on results in this world. Or we may get caught too much in dry argumentation because of our over-emphasis on Jnana.
And sometimes being frustrated with all this, we just reject the whole thing. Just forget it. I don't want to have any part with this.
So, Vita, Raga, Bhaya, Krodha. So, in 4.10 in the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says if you want to take shelter of him, you have to become free from these things. Vita, Raga.
Raga is attachment. We want results in this world. Bhaya means we are just too afraid of this world.
I don't want anything to do with this world. Krodha means there is just anger at everything which has gone wrong. And one just becomes disassociated from everything worldly.
And other worldly. One just lives a frustrated life. So, Raga, Bhaya, Krodha.
This is similar to what is being talked about over here. That one either is attached to worldly results, one gets attached simply to dry argumentation or one becomes averse to everything spiritual and just stays apathetic. So, when we come to Krishna's movement, it is important for us to keep the purpose in mind.
Our purpose is to serve Krishna and our purpose is to attain Krishna. And this is our ultimate purpose. But this purpose can sometimes seem so far away that how do we practically proceed towards our purpose? Devotion is frequently more a direction than a destination.
When we want to grow devotionally, is it that at one particular point, I have become, I have attained pure devotion and that's all. No, even pure devotees are still practicing bhakti. So, especially for us who are sadhakas, if we think of devotion just as a destination, then we may feel, oh, I am so far away, when will I get there? We just become disheartened.
But if we see devotion also as a direction, that, okay, in this situation, what would be a devotional response? And conversely, what would be a non-devotional response? What can be an anti-devotional response? So, we cannot immediately become pure devotees. And if we focus on pure devotion, which is the destination for us ultimately, that may seem so far away that that destination becomes almost disconnected with our practical action in this world. Nominally, our goal is to be pure devotees.
But practically, we just act almost like materialistic people. We may be doing the external activities of a sadhaka, but our overall consciousness and the rest of our life apart from sadhana, just becomes as materialistic, as calculative, as self-centered, as sometimes that of materialistic people. Because the ultimate goal is so far away, we feel, okay, that is there, but practically, I just do what I want to do.
So, we have, if you see in our spiritual life, broadly four things. There is the siddhanta, that is the philosophy. The sadhana, which is our spiritual practice.
The seva, which is our service. And then there is the sadhachara, that is the proper conduct. So, frequently, we emphasize siddhanta and sadhana quite a bit.
We have to do our japa, we have to worship the deities, and we have to have the proper understanding. This philosophy is wrong, that philosophy is wrong. So, siddhanta and sadhana, we give a good amount of emphasis.
And yes, as devotees, we also want to do some service. So, we keep doing seva also. But from the world's perspective, the world doesn't care how many rounds we chant.
The world doesn't care much about sadhana. The world doesn't care much about our siddhanta. What is our philosophy? How many shlokas we know? How clearly we can differentiate between this philosophy and that philosophy? The world doesn't even care how many services we are doing.
What the world is going to see is, how is our behavior? How is our achara? Now, sadhachara at one level will come by following four regulatory principles. But there is also a broad, there is humility, there is tolerance, there is sensitivity, there is courtesy. Srila Prabhupada, when he was asked, how do we know you are followers? How do we know you are disciples? Prabhupada said, they are perfect gentlemen.
They are perfect gentlemen. He didn't say gentlemen and ladies. He didn't say that they chant sixteen rounds, which obviously they are meant to do.
That they worship the deities, they do all those things. Because he was talking to an outsider, that person is not going to appreciate these things. So, the conduct has to be proper so that people can appreciate, oh, these devotees are nice people.
We don't want to be just nice people. We also want to be wise people who share wisdom with others. But unless people see us as basically good, they will not even open their minds and hearts to hear Krishna's message.
And so, sadhachara in terms of proper conduct is important. But when we have that ultimate goal in mind, yes, I want to become a pure devotee. But practically what do I do from it? My conduct has to become more and more sattvic, more and more in the mode of goodness and then more and more towards transcendence.
And not just in terms of the sadhana I do or the shastra I study, which is very important. But all that has to translate into a more gentlemanly behavior, more dignified, more cultured, more sattvic behavior overall. So, when we become distracted in our spiritual life, we end up, we will not reject the ultimate goal of Krishna Bhakti.
But the practical steps that we need to take to move towards that ultimate goal, those practical steps, we start neglecting them. Sometimes we will become very argumentative. And this is, sometimes devotees start arguing, this is the right thing, that is the right thing.
I saw, I was in my airport for the ILS, one devotee sent me their presentation, which they were going to give here. They showed that there was, how there are fights between devotees sometimes. So, there was a picture of two warriors and both of them were fighting.
And they had their choppers, axes, and they are hitting each other. But on the choppers, both the choppers are on Prabhupada's side. Prabhupada said, Thak! So, people may just take Prabhupada's quotes and use that to fight with each other.
Now, yes, we do want to protect our siddhanta. But sometimes this can itself consume so much of the energy that we get distracted from the practice of bhakti. So, this argumentation is not necessarily useless.
Yes, we want to protect the siddhanta. But sometimes the intensity of this becomes so much that we become distracted from devotion. Because whatever we get into, usually it consumes our emotions, it consumes our consciousness.
And if we are caught too much in arguing and debating and fighting, then that consumes our energy so much that we have very little energy, very little consciousness left for moving closer to Krishna, for focusing on Krishna. And the process of bhakti in such situations can become very superficial in our practice. Now, when we have the ultimate goal of Krishna bhakti, we all need some immediate service, some intermediate goals which will help us move towards pure devotion to Krishna.
So, having a service which keeps us practically engaged, that helps us moving towards the ultimate goal. Otherwise, our mind is so cunning that the mind can distract us anywhere and everywhere. So, the mind can distract us.
The world itself is filled with so many distractions. Our mind itself is filled with so many past impressions which can distract us. And even when we come to Krishna's movement, therein also we can find many distractions.
So, the nature of the mind is that it will get distracted. It's like if we are driving a car, by default, if we don't just keep making sure that the steering wheel is on track, it will go off course. If we don't do the movement, it will go off course.
So, our mind tends to get distracted even while practicing Krishna bhakti to everything other than Krishna. And this we can see especially while we are chanting. Now, when we are chanting, what happens is, the tongue is uttering the holy name, the mind is muttering its own stories and the soul is thinking which to hear.
So, sometimes the soul hears the holy name, but most of the time the soul is hearing what the mind is saying. This person did like this and that happened like that and why is this like this, why is that like that. And usually the mind wanders.
But when we have some activity which requires our conscious attention, say if we are driving through a crowded street or we are walking through a crowded group of people, then the immediate attention of the consciousness is needed. But when we are chanting, although of course chanting requires the attention of Krishna, but there is no immediate consequence that comes if we are inattentive. So, what happens is, the mind gets habituated, it says, you do your chanting, I will do my wandering.
And the time of chanting may end up becoming the time when our mind wanders more than all other times. Because the mind doesn't feel the need for any immediate concentration. Why? Because there is no immediate consequence of lack of concentration.
If I am driving a car, if I am walking in a crowded road, if I am not concentrating, I will bump into someone, I will meet with an accident. So, the mind usually does not see long term. When it sees there is no consequence of distraction over here, it will get distracted.
So, similarly, what happens in chanting, also happens in our broad spiritual life. In spiritual life, our goal of Krishna Bhakti and attaining pure love for Krishna, it's so far away that even if we get a little distracted, no consequence seems to be coming. So, we may be in the practice of Krishna Bhakti, but if we don't get the consequences, things are going on.
But although we may still be getting distracted, in this direction, that direction, in the Chaitanya Charita Amrit, the example is given that the Bhakti Lata beach, when it grows, along with that many weeds also come. And sometimes the weeds may look very similar to the creeper of devotion also. So, the water that we may give, whether it is watering the Bhakti Lata beach, the creeper of devotion or the weeds, it may be very difficult to discern that.
So, this distraction is something which both internally, because of the mind's distracted nature, and circumstantially, because of the complicated world that we live in, this distraction is unavoidable. The last characteristic of Kali Yuga that is described in the first Kandashtami Bhagavatam, Kalavya Upadrutaha. Upadrutaha means the mind is disturbed.
Disturbed basically means, what about this, what about this, what about that, what about that? It just goes, keeps wandering here, there and everywhere. So, generally, how do we avoid this distraction? If there is an external situation which requires concentration, as I said, if we are driving through a crowded place, then we are forced to concentrate. But in our practice of Bhakti, quite often, because there is no external compulsion, which requires us to be attentive, be focused.
Say, in chanting, or in terms of the long-term practice of our spiritual life, or the long-term goal of attaining Krishna Prema. So, the mind tends to get distracted. And that's why, what is needed is strong intellectual conviction.
evam buddhe param buddhva samsthavya atmanam atmana With our intelligence, we situate ourselves in the spiritual platform. In fact, more specific wording is, evam buddhe, with the intelligence, param buddhva, knowing oneself to be transcendental, samsthavya atmanam atmana This is 3.43 in the Bhagavad Gita. Samsthavya, situate.
Here, the first atma refers to the mind, second atma refers to the soul. Situate the mind at the level of the soul. Situate the mind at the spiritual level.
So, the intellectual conviction about what is life's ultimate purpose, that is extremely important. And Shri Prabhupada's books have this singular virtue, among many other virtues, that they constantly remind us of life's ultimate purpose. That whichever purport we read, whichever section we read, Prabhupada does give us a lot of wisdom about the particular pastime, the particular analysis.
But Prabhupada doesn't get caught in technicalities. He comes back to the central purpose. How we can avoid distractions, be they in the form of the temptations of the world, or there may be intellectual distractions in terms of misconceptions.
And how we can focus on Krishna. So, when we study scripture, when we hear and nourish our intelligence, then the intelligence alone cannot resist the mind. But the intelligence is necessary, at least to know that the mind needs to be resisted.
By intelligence alone, we can't resist the mind. But we need intelligence to know that the mind needs to be resisted. Otherwise, wherever the mind is going, we just go along with it.
So, intelligence directed towards transcendence. That is what is required to focus the mind. We know with our intelligence that yes, the mind is going to be distracted.
But what is my purpose? My purpose is to connect with Krishna, to focus on Krishna. So, what does intelligence directed towards transcendence mean practically speaking? It can be broadly speaking two things. A sense of purpose and a sense of urgency.
A sense of purpose means, what am I doing? Ultimately, we want to develop love for Krishna. And practically, what is the service that I am doing? So, if we don't have a purpose, I come to the temple to take darshan, I come to the temple to associate with devotees, and this is wonderful. But we all need some practical contribution that we can make to Krishna's mission.
That is what will connect us with Krishna in a tangible way. So that, Rupa Goswami talks about different kinds of dhyana on the Lord. There is Rupa dhyana, there is Nama dhyana, Leela dhyana and Seva dhyana.
Meditation on the form of the Lord. Meditation on the name of the Lord. Meditation on the pastimes of the Lord.
And meditation on the service of the Lord. Now, among these four, in our present sadhaka stage, it is very difficult to do the first three for a very long time. We can come and take darshan of the Lord, but how long can we do that? We can chant the holy names, but how long can we do that? We can hear the pastimes, but again, how long can we do it? We can't have that taste for a very long time.
If we have, it's extremely fortunate, but it's rare. So, the way in which we can meditate on the Lord in a sustainable way is through service. Seva dhyana.
So, if we have some tangible service to Krishna, then that service enables us to have a purpose. A purpose, okay, this is what I am meant to do for Krishna. It is… Now, we all have services.
Once I was giving a class and talking about how chanting in a mood of… We chant, praying to Krishna, Krishna, please engage me in your service. So, one devotee asked a question, he says, No, I am afraid to chant. I said, why? He said, I already have so much service.
If I pray to Krishna, please engage me in your service, He will give me more service. How will I manage? Actually, when we pray to Krishna, please engage me in your service, it is more we are praying for the inspiration to serve. For the conviction to serve.
It is not necessary that the quantity of our service has to increase. If it can, that's wonderful. But sometimes we have enough services, but our mind is not in the service.
What we need is that inspiration, that conviction to serve. So, by our chanting, we pray to Krishna, Krishna, please engage me in your service. So, we have to take up that purpose of serving Krishna.
So, generally, if we have a purpose, then our mind does not have the idle time to get distracted. So, if we have a purpose, I have come here, I am going to do this, and this, and this. So, then, one of the favorite distractions of the mind, especially when the mind is boosted by the intelligence, or by a misappropriated intelligence, is fault finding.
When we become a little spiritually advanced, or we think we have become spiritually advanced, we have been around for a long time, and then, we start saying, this is wrong, that is wrong, that is wrong, that is wrong. And, especially when the mind doesn't have much to do, then, in the condition stage, if we are very materially attached, then, the sensual desires become the primary distraction of the mind. We are constantly thinking of sense gratification.
But, if we practice bhakti for some time, then, the gross sensory desires do not distract us so forcefully. But, that doesn't mean that the mind becomes peacefully attracted to Krishna. So, at the karma level, the distraction, the default distraction of the mind is towards sense objects and worldly desires.
But, when the mind becomes a little more contaminated by jnana instead of karma, then, the distraction becomes fault finding. I know, this is wrong, that is wrong, that is wrong. And, that, the sensual desires can distract us from Krishna, and fault finding can also distract us from Krishna.
And, that's why, in the Bhagavad Gita, it says, one of the characteristics of the godly, Krishna says, those of the divine nature is aversion to fault finding. That's what Prabhupada translates as apahishunam. Because, the conditioned mind thinks that it is a sign of cleverness to find faults.
I can find fault here, I can find fault here, I can find here, therefore, I am so clever. So clever. And, now, of course, in some situations, finding fault may also be a service.
Say, I have, two of my services are writing and editing. And, actually, writing and editing require two distinct modes of thinking. When you are writing, you have to be more creative.
Okay, I can write this, I can write that, I can write that. And, in editing, you have to be more critical. This doesn't make sense.
This doesn't flow from here to here. This point is not adequately substantiated. Now, what happens is, if I become too much in the editing mode, I can't write anything.
Because, whatever I write, I find fault. This is not good, this is not good, this is not good, this is not good. So, if we go too much into the fault finding mode, that fault finding can go towards others, where we criticize others and discourage others.
Or, it can go towards ourselves also. And, we may just criticize ourselves and dishearten ourselves. So, it's almost like, when a particular service requires that we see whether it is of the right quality or not, and then we evaluate it from merit, then, as a service, we can look at faults.
But, if that becomes our default mentality, then it can become a big distraction from the path of Krishna Bhakti. So, the arguments that happen quite often is because, they can be because we want to preserve the Siddhanta, but they can also be because our mind has got conditioned to the fault finding mentality. And, anya nindadi shunya, that is one characteristic of the pure devotee that Rupa Goswami also describes.
So, when we are focused on trying to serve Krishna, yes, if something is wrong somewhere, we can consciously make a decision. Is this a battle I want to fight? Do I have the adhikar? Do I have the authority? Okay, this seems to be wrong to me. Do I need to correct it? Do I have the position to correct it? Not just a position in terms of external administrative position, but internal disposition also is important.
Now, what is my attitude? What is my intention? Is it to prove this person wrong? Is it to help this person come closer to Krishna? And, there is, otherwise the arguments that go on, the nature of the mind is that when it becomes very strong, it misappropriates the intelligence. And, then it uses the intelligence to justify its conceptions. And, when two intelligences discuss, there can be some discussion and resolution.
But, when two minds discuss, there is simply argumentation and just confrontation gets escalated. The result is animosity, the result is aversion, the result is hate speech. So, now, when two minds are discussing, it's not that the intelligence is not present.
But, the intelligence is subordinated to the mind. So, it is said that a person convinced against his will is of the same opinion still. So, we argue and convince, but it doesn't work.
So, we have to see if it's my adhikar to correct over here. If it's not, then just move onwards towards Krishna. That sense of purpose, what is my service? That sense of purpose, if it is there, it protects us from getting distracted either by sensual desires or by the fault-finding mentality.
Yes, this is a problem, but how am I a part of the solution? The service which I am given, let me do that service well. And, at least here, I will be doing something positive. And, the second is that there is a sense of urgency that is required.
Because bhakti can seem to be such a long-term goal, pure devotion, we don't know how much longer it will take for us. So, often that sense of urgency gets lost. That I want to do something, and I want to do something soon.
There is a difference between urgency and hastiness. In urgency means we do what we are doing, we give it our due attention, but we have that focus. I complete this and move here.
Hastiness means just running from one thing to another to another to another without doing anything properly. So, this sense of purpose and urgency can protect us from the distractedness of the mind. And, thereby, whether it is the worldly pleasures or the intellectual superiority which may distract us, we can avoid that.
And, the third thing of just rejecting everything. Somebody may reject the Vedas, somebody may reject Krishna's movement. Oh, there is so much, this is wrong here, that is wrong there, that is wrong there.
What is the use of all this? But, if we understand that, actually, if I want to move towards Krishna, the path towards Krishna is there for me. Now, there are so many other things which you just go on, because this is the nature of the material world, and even Krishna's movement is in the material world. So, if we reject, because we feel this is this problem, that problem, that problem, then we are letting small problems blind us to the big problem.
I'll conclude with one last point. Prabhupada writes in the Seventh Canto, Parpot, that we have to always keep our mind and intelligence healthy and stout to distinguish the goal of life from a life full of problems. To distinguish the goal of life from a life full of problems.
That means, in our own body-mind, in our family, in our community, there are so many things that are wrong. And, we being finite, we cannot set everything right. So, we have to understand what is the purpose of my life.
And, if this problem is there, this problem is there, this problem is there, okay, I will not get distracted by that. I'll focus on what is the purpose of my life. And, if that purposefulness is there, then even amidst problems, we can avoid distraction.
Which problem to tolerate, which problem to mitigate, which problem to just move away from, that is something which can practically be decided if our focus is clear. So, by studying Shri Prabhupada's books, by understanding the scriptural conclusion of moving straight towards Krishna without getting distracted, we can distinguish the goal of life from a life full of problems. And, not let the small problems, this is wrong here, that is wrong there, that is wrong there, we don't let that distract us from the bigger problem of disconnection with Krishna, of alienation from Krishna, of forgetfulness of Krishna.
Nothing in this world is worth coming between us and Krishna. Nothing. No person, no situation, no circumstance, it's so important that it should be allowed to come between us and Krishna.
So, if we have that clear, Krishna is my ultimate goal. And, no matter how many problems are there, Krishna is still there in my heart. And, Krishna still loves me.
Krishna wants me to come back to him, that's why he is present in my heart. If we fix that vision on Krishna primarily, then Krishna will guide us to see what is favorable for Krishna Bhakti even in our situation. If our vision is not on Krishna, then we will see all the things that are unfavorable and we will get disheartened.
We have a distracted mind, we have anger, we have greed, we have so many weaknesses internally and externally. But, our biggest weakness is our unwillingness to believe that Krishna loves us, even now. That Krishna loves us even now, Krishna is our well-wisher and benefactor even now.
If somehow, by the hearing of scripture, we can get this faith, that Krishna is my well-wisher, Krishna is my benefactor, that this situation was done by this person, this has happened like this, that has happened like that. Beyond all this, there is the circumstantial which may be unfavorable, but beyond the circumstantial is the transcendental. There may be hundred things which are wrong, but ultimately the one right thing is that Krishna loves me, Krishna is present in my heart, Krishna wants to guide me to come back to him.
So, if we can just develop that faith, then that will give us the conviction to connect with Krishna. And when we have that conviction to connect with Krishna, Krishna will give us the intelligence to find our way ahead. Yes, this is unfavorable, this is unfavorable, but this is favorable, this is good, I can do this, I can move onwards towards Krishna.
Just as the Ganga finds a way to move towards the ocean, similarly, we will find the way for our consciousness to keep moving towards Krishna. Without letting obstacles, obstructions or distractions come between us and Krishna. So, I will summarize.
I spoke about avoiding distractions in spiritual life. With respect to the Vedas, the distraction created by the karma indriyas, in those for whom the karma sense of doing things in the world is strongest, they get caught in the religiosity which gives worldly results. For those whose jnana indriyas are very strong, they get into intellectual world too much.
And they argue, this is this, this is this. But in both cases, they miss the ultimate goal, which is Krishna. And third distraction can be that one just gets confused or alienated and rejects the whole Vedas.
So, what applies to the Vedas can apply to Krishna himself and to Krishna's movement also. We can get distracted because our mind itself is distractible. The world, it's filled with distractions.
And because Krishna's movement is existing in this world, it is also filled with distractions. Just as a car when driving, if the steering wheel we lose control, by default, it will go off track. So, like that, we know that by default, we will tend to go off track.
So, the way we go off track frequently is that we don't reject the ultimate goal of pure devotion, but our practical actions don't reflect or don't… are not in a way that pursues that ultimate goal. We may do the sadhana, the siddhanta, the seva, but the sadhachar doesn't remain. And thus, our practical actions militate against the growth of our devotion.
Actually, Prabhupada wanted his followers to be perfect gentlemen. So, sometimes we may have to be diplomatic, but we don't have to be duplicitous. So, our intention is not to manipulate others.
It's just to minimize the hurting of others. That pure devotee is childlike, but not childish. Being internally, pure intention to serve Krishna, but externally discerning to avoid distractions.
So, I talked about how sometimes the karmendriya being very strong, we just see the things in this world and focus on that or we get caught in intellectual debates. So, the mind may get caught in sensual pleasures and distract us. The mind may, if it is a little detached from sensual pleasures, it may get caught in fault finding.
In that case, the mind misappropriates the intelligence for its purposes. So, to avoid these distractions, we need the intelligence directed towards transcendence. And that comes by scriptural study.
And that intelligence directed towards transcendence needs to give us a sense of purpose and a sense of urgency. Among nama dhyan, rupa dhyan, leela dhyan and seva dhyan. Seva dhyan is what we can do consistently.
So, if we have a service by which we are making constructive contribution, then if something else is wrong, we can decide whether this is a battle which I want to fight or not. But we won't just get caught in useless fault finding mentality. But we will make constructive contribution and thus we can find our way towards Krishna.
Sometimes the situations may appear so unfavorable that we may get disheartened and want to quit. But if we look beyond unfavorable situations to the transcendental Lord and have that faith that Krishna loves me even as I am right now. So, that, not having that faith is the greatest weakness.
And having that faith can be our greatest strength. That faith will help us to connect with Krishna. And Krishna will give us the intelligence to find a favorable way ahead even amidst unfavorable situations.
Just as the Ganga finds a way always to move towards Krishna. Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.
Any comments? Yes. Hare Krishna. Very, very wonderful class and really reminding us of how to avoid the distractions of the mind, focus the intelligence on the ultimate goal of Krishna consciousness.
I just want to thank you so much for coming and giving us such inspiring, enlivening and inspirational courses and classes. And on behalf of the whole Lachha community, we really want you to come as often as possible and next time stay longer. Thank you.
I see your appreciation as your blessings so that I can try to continue my own service to Krishna. Thank you. You mentioned about sadāchāra.
I was thinking, I'm assuming for a devotee to have good sadāchāra, it's almost like you have to be in the mode of goodness. Now, I've always had difficulty understanding that how Krishna consciousness is above the modes. But yet we are expected to come to the level of mode of goodness to actually become proper Vaishnavas.
Could you comment on how modes work as far as Krishna consciousness is concerned? So, Krishna consciousness is said to be above the modes. But then we are also said to come to the mode of goodness to become Krishna conscious. So, what is the relationship between Krishna consciousness and the modes? Ultimately, pure love for Krishna is not of the world.
So, that is transient. At the same time, while we are practicing bhakti in this world, we have a particular body and a particular mind which will function more or less according to their nature. If we see among the five Pandavas, all of them are pure devotees.
But still their dispositions are different. Relatively speaking, Yudhishthira is more pacific. Try to find a non-confrontational way.
Bhima is more confrontational. Both of them are pure devotees. Where is the difference? Their intent for both of them is to serve Krishna.
But their particular nature comes out. Of course, we can say that they are pure devotees and their bodies are transient. But overall we see them functioning like Kshatriyas.
But we could say that Yudhishthira is more of a Brahmana kind of Kshatriya. Whereas Bhima is more like a Kshatriya-Kshatriya. Very confrontational.
Both of them are serving Krishna. So, the transcendence of devotion is in that our intention becomes transcendent. But the execution of that intention will have to be done according to the body-mind that we have.
And so, my intention may be to bring people to Krishna. And for that I am distributing books. But if my body-mind are in the mode of passion, then while distributing books my main concern is who is distributing more books than me? And how can I distribute more books than them? And sometimes in the mode of ignorance, I may even try to sabotage other people's attempts at book distribution so that I can distribute books more.
So, the intention at one level is transcendent. It is to bring people to Krishna. But its execution can be affected by our modes.
So, our pure intention which we get by pure association from Shila Prabhupada, then that intention often gets affected by the mode that we presently have. So, that is why as an austerity we have to try to cultivate the mode of goodness and conduct ourselves in that mode. So, gradually as we become purified, our actions will also become affected less and less by the modes of passion and ignorance.
And in that sense our execution of the actions will also become transcendent. But even then it will be rooted through the body itself, to the body-mind. When Shila Prabhupada was in India, one traditional Hindu scholar told Prabhupada that Swami, you pronounce Sanskrit verses in a very Bengali way.
So, he was from South India, they have a particular way of pronouncing Sanskrit verses. So, Prabhupada says, I am from Bengal. So, what do you expect? So, now Prabhupada's body, Prabhupada is from spiritual world, but his body is from Bengal.
So, naturally when he is going to speak Sanskrit verses, he is going to speak in the way that body is trained to speak it. So, his pronunciation may be Bengali, but his intention is not Bengali. His intention is transcendent.
His compassion is transcendent. So, we can't just, we can't, the two extremes, one is we simplistically deny the effect of the body-mind on the execution of our Krishna Bhakti. And the other extreme is we just reduce everything, we just look at the way a person is conducting at the level of the body-mind and we say there is nothing transcendental over here.
So, the transcendental intent is there, but our body-mind will affect how that intent is expressed. And that's why if we consciously strive to come to the mode of goodness, then we will be able to develop or exhibit more Sadāchar. Suppose somebody has done some service wrong, our concern, you know, this is service for Krishna, we have to do it well, how can you do like this? That concern is transcendental.
But if I am in the mode of passion, I may just go and become verbally or physically violent, how did you do like this? That's not what a devotee is meant to do. Or I may just become so disheartened, nobody does, nobody cares for the right thing, everybody is just, everybody is careless, and we start feeling sorry for ourselves. Oh, I want to preserve the standard, but nobody cares.
And then that could very well be feeling sorry for ourselves, could very well be a reaction in the mode of ignorance. So, our concern itself that Krishna's service be done well is in the mode of goodness. But if we do not have proper, maybe transcendental, but if we do not exhibit in the mode of goodness, even that concern can alienate people.
And then people can, not even alienate people, it can alienate devotees also. Because devotees feel, you know, that they feel misunderstood, they feel criticized, they feel harshly dealt with. So, at one level, bhakti itself will lead to sadāchārā.
But at another level, we can see sadāchārā as an austerity that we need to do, so that we can practice bhakti properly. In this world, I have a tendency to be angry, and I am angry for Krishna's sake only. But then, I have to see whether the anger is producing the desired result or not.
Now, Hanuman got angry and burnt Lanka. But then the Ramayana describes when he was going back, he started lamenting, he started beating, what a fool I was! Since I just burnt all of Lanka, what if the place where Sita is staying, that is also a forest? What if that has caught fire and Sita has gone burnt? Why was I so passionate? Why did I get so reckless? Why did I become so indiscriminate? And then he heard Akash, Sita is safe, do not fear. And then he became pacified.
So, even when we are using anger in Krishna's service, we have to see whether that service, that anger is helping us do the service properly or it is having a counterproductive effect. That's why both bhakti will lead to sattva guna and transcendence. But at the same time, to do bhakti properly in this world, if we can conduct ourselves in sattva guna as an austerity, that will have more harmonious and effective results.
So, it seems like there has to be some special precaution when that takes place. What other point to make after you respond to that? So, I said that by service we can meditate on Krishna, but seva dhyan sometimes comes in the way of naam dhyan. During chanting, we start thinking about our service and we get distracted.
Well, at least that is, we could say, a devotional distraction rather than an anti-devotional. If we are getting distracted by sense objects and that sort of things, that is, we could say, a more damaging distraction. Having said that, we have to deal with the distractions as they come.
So, broadly, in every situation, something is in our control and something is not in our control. So, when we are doing our service, that is the time when we are working on the things that are in our control. That is, I have to make sure that this gets done, this is delegated properly, this is explained properly, this is done this time, this is done like this.
So, to some extent, whenever we have to do a service responsibly, that is the time when we are meant to exercise the control that we have over that situation. At the same time, so devotion has these two aspects. We have diligence for Krishna, where we take up responsibility and do what is in our control diligently.
But at the same time, devotion also has other aspects of dependence on Krishna. There are things which are not in my control and that is ultimately in Krishna's control. So, I depend on you, Krishna.
So, if we see that, yes, if we see this chanting, what is it doing practically? I have to do this situation, if I can do this, I can do that, I can do that, I can do that. Then, it works very well. So many things I couldn't do.
Then what is happening? Largely, the time of chanting is the time when we are meant to express devotion through dependence on Krishna. And the time of service is when we are meant to express our devotion through diligence for Krishna. But the nature of the mind is, it switches.
So, at the time of service, we want diligence for Krishna. I'll do this, I'll do that, I'll do that. And at the time of service, Krishna will take care.
So, Krishna will take care. So, that way the mind, even within devotion, it makes us misfire, we could say. So, if we see that, this is the time when that Lord who is the ultimate controller, whom I am praying to, whom I am connecting with, then that seva dhyan, we can see that there are things in my control which I will do.
But there is a lot beyond my control. If I can please Krishna, Krishna can take care of those things which I am so worried about right now. Or Krishna can even give me the intelligence by which I can better manage the things in my control.
So, if we can see the, not the, this chanting and our service, if we see them as fragmented. Oh, this is taking my time and I have so many things to do over here. But if we see both of them as integrated, as connecting us with Krishna.
And here, I am connecting with Krishna primarily in the mode of dependence. Then, then we can minimize the seva dhyan. We can see that what I am doing here is also going to help me there.
Even if I am not doing anything practically. Another thing is that, if a particular kind of distraction regularly distracts us, then it is good to prepare for that. That means, if I find that these are the kind of thoughts which regularly distract me, then later on, after the japa, when we are related in the mode of goodness, we think about it and maybe write down, okay, I am worried about this.
I am worried about where we will get the funds, where we will get the people, where we will get the facilities, this, this, this. And these are my worries. And then we use our intelligence, okay, what am I doing to address these worries? One, two, three.
I have done this, this, this. And this I am going to do. So, what happens? With respect to dealing with the mind, there is no set formula.
That's why Rupa Goswami says, ये न के न प्रकारे में मना कृष्ण नहीं जीवित. So, sometimes when the mind is just getting too worried about this, this, this, then maybe before we start our japa or the previous night, we just go through this, okay, these are what my concerns are, but this is what I have already done about this. And there is not much more that I can do.
So, let me now focus on Krishna. So, sometimes we can just cultivate the mood of dependence and become absorbed. But sometimes if we remind ourselves that I have been diligent in all these ways also, then that can help us to let go.
There is a power in holding on to things so that we can do them properly. But there is also a power in letting go of things. And chanting is the time when we are tapping the power of letting go.
We want to let go of things so that we can catch hold of our thoughts and then offer our thoughts to Krishna. If at the time when we are meant to offer our consciousness to Krishna, at that time we are holding on to things, then what happens is those things hold on to our consciousness and neither those things nor our consciousness goes towards Krishna. So, if we have to be diligent and if we have done whatever is diligently required and we are going to do that in future also, then you have written it down, that calms the mind down.
As an author, I find that some of the best ideas for writing I get while I am chanting. And as soon as I start, I feel maybe I should just stop chanting now and write this article or at least note down this idea. But quite often that same zeal or such a brilliant idea, when later on, even if I note it down, later on I sit down to write, it's not such a great idea.
It requires a lot of work. How can I do it later? So, what happens, the zeal, the enthusiasm that is there, it is not just because that idea is so great, but because that idea offers a rationalized way of getting distracted from chanting. That's why the mind becomes so excited about it.
Because afterwards, the mind doesn't remain that excited. I just want to write this right now. But after japa, when I sit down to write it, maybe later we can write it.
So, that enthusiasm doesn't stay. So, that's why, this idea ultimately has come from Krishna and Krishna is the source of all ideas. If the idea is important, Krishna will give it to me later also.
Sometimes an idea may be just so strong, it comes so forcefully that just trying to push it out of the mind becomes difficult. So, that time, as an exception, we may decide, okay, I'll just write down something, I'll record something on my phone and continue my japa. We don't want to make that a habit.
But again, the point is, with dealing with the mind, there is no set formula. Most often, when some thoughts come, even if they are devotional, just pushing them aside and focusing on Krishna. That's the best way to move towards Krishna.
But sometimes, something just comes so forcefully that maybe just note it down, record it somewhere, and then get out of the way and focus on Krishna. But that can also be occasionally done. So, what will work for the mind is not so predictable.
So, we have to be resourceful. Somehow, just like a baby is crying, then the mother doesn't have a set formula. Sometimes the mother may give some milk, sometimes the mother may give a toy.
Sometimes the mother may just play with the child. Sometimes the mother shouts at the child. The mother may have to do different things.
One time, a devotee sent me a YouTube video of a mother and a child. This baby was crying, crying, crying. And the mother, the relatives, everyone was trying to pacify the baby.
And the baby was not getting pacified at all. And suddenly, the mother started screaming loudly. And the baby saw the mother screaming, mouth fell open.
And just looking at the mother, the baby stopped crying. Now, that's not a recommended way. But the point I am making is, with respect to the mind, it is like a child.
Like a baby. So, we have to somehow or the other get it to Krishna. And rather than making a rigid thing, that this is what I am going to do and that is what I am not going to do.
Okay, if my service is distracting me, then how can I deal with the distraction? So that I can come back to Krishna. Did I answer your question? Thank you. Last question and then we will stop.
Swami, you mentioned in the sermon that constructive contribution is needed. So, also you mentioned the intention and execution. So, in that example of finding fault, I was just dwelling this morning and then we just hit that final mosque.
But what about Sarup Damodar? He had to be empowered to find the fault. Finding fault is not an easy job. I mean, it is bad in a sense, but his intention was so good.
So, finding fault also requires empowerment. Yeah, so finding fault also requires empowerment. Yes, all power is not necessarily good.
Our power is not automatically used for good purposes. So, yes, in some cases, finding fault can be an important service. Like some devotees, I am an editor.
So, even when we give editorial reviews, some devotees are really good at finding. Okay, this doesn't flow like this, this doesn't flow like this. Some devotees may just give some broad reviews.
So, editing means critiquing. That also requires some ability. So, yes, if one has to find fault in a way which is to detect some subtle mistakes that are there, subtle errors that are there, that requires some ability.
Definitely. Now, what am I doing with that ability? Am I using that ability to actually serve Krishna or am I just becoming attached to the ability to show everyone else that I have the ability? So, sometimes you may just find faults and that becomes the… whenever I am reading an article, every time the whole idea is to have an editorial critique of the article. So, if fault finding, which is an ability, if that becomes the default disposition, then it can become a problem.
Sometimes we may notice that, but we have the capacity not to focus on that. Okay, it is there, but let me focus on the message what it is there. So, the empowerment, fault finding can be an ability which can come from our own past karma or it can also be an empowerment that is given to us by Krishna, so that we can do a particular service.
But every gift can become a threat if it is not used properly. Wealth is there, power is there, beauty is there, they can become a threat. Similarly, fault finding tendency, if you are using it in a proper way, so proper way would mean a proper forum.
If something is wrong, I do not have to tell the whole world about what is wrong. I find out a proper forum and tell it to someone who can do something about it. Otherwise, we just spread negativity more and more and we are not a part of the solution.
So, faults are there and finding faults is also sometimes a responsibility. But then it has to be done in a way that is helpful, not harmful. And doing it in the right forum is important.
So, if we do it in a… So, for example, going back to Saru Damodar's example, when this Bengali brahmana had made a poem, that was, he wanted to submit to Lord Chaitanya. And all the other devotees appreciated that poem. But Saru Damodar said, no, there is a problem with this poem.
Now, Saru Damodar pointed that problem, but there is no description that Saru Damodar Goswami went all over Jagannath Puri telling everyone, hey, this person's poem is bad, this person's poem is bad, this person's poem is bad. All that he did was, okay, we cannot present it to Lord Chaitanya. So, he had a particular purpose.
And for that purpose, he was ready to do that. So, yes, we, if for a particular purpose, in an appropriate forum, we can express our concerns, which may involve finding some faults. But if it just is done something indiscriminately with everyone, and nowadays with social media available, internet available, it's so easy to just find faults so that the whole world can see.
Then that can create a lot of negativity. And sometimes it may not even actually be a fault. We are just thinking from our perspective it is a fault, but there is something else going on.
So, like any ability, it has, it is a double-edged sword. So, it can be used to, a sword can be used to cut an object. But a sword, if it is careless, it can cut something other than the object also.
It can cut some person, it can cut my own hand. And so, like that, we want to use the fault-finding ability to remove the weeds that are growing. But sometimes, if we find faults indiscriminately, we may so much hurt or discourage people that we may end up cutting their Bhakti Lata Biju.
Because they become so disheartened by the whole thing. I don't want to practice Bhakti. So, we have to be careful so that the sword that is used, it is used to cut the weeds, not the beech.
Thank you very much. Shri Prabhupada ki Jai. Prantharashtra Bhagatam ki Jai.
Dayaur Premanande.