​How can we infer that we are advancing spiritually?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

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How do we assume that, we are progressing in spiritual life? I think it is not assuming, how do we infer, how do we infer that, we are progressing in spiritual life? In the 11th canto of the Bhagavad Gita it is said, bhakti, pareshanubhava, viraktiranyatra ca. Bhakti is a process, that gives, paraishanubhava. Isha is controller or God, par is one who is transcendental, anubhava is experience.
So, bhakti gives us experience of Krishna. And the result of that experience of Krishna is, viraktiranyatra ca. Virakti is detachment.
Detachment from other things. That means, when we experience Krishna, that experience is so fulfilling, that we stop craving for other experiences. So, Sri Prabhupada, when he was asked, how do we know we are advancing? Prabhupada gives the example, which comes in the second part of this verse.
When we eat food, how do we know that we are being nourished? Two things, we feel strong, and we don’t feel, the hunger for more food. Similarly, when Krishna enters into our consciousness, when Krishna nourishes our consciousness, then, we feel spiritually strong. Spiritually strong means, that we feel determined, inspired to serve Krishna more and more.
Spiritual strength is, in terms of our determination to serve Krishna. And, secondly, just as when we are satisfied, when we are getting good food, then we don’t crave, our hunger gets relieved. So, like that.
Similarly, when we experience Krishna, that experience is so satisfying, that we don’t crave for worldly experiences, for sensual experiences, for mundane pleasures. So, in that sense, there is an internal symptom of spiritual advancement, is that, we experience Krishna, we experience fulfillment, in the experience of Krishna. And the external symptom, is that, how do we know that somebody is actually experiencing Krishna? They are detached from other experiences.
They no longer crave for other experiences. So, if you see these two things, that, we are getting more and more satisfaction in Krishna, and we are not craving for other experiences, then we can understand that we are advancing. And in this also, we need not focus too much on desires, because desires will keep coming and going.
Even when we become advanced devotees, still, we might see some sense object, and some desire may come temporarily. Spiritual advancement should be seen, not so much in terms of change of desires, as in terms of change of values. Change of desire means that, we never get any bad desire.
But, the nature of this world is, that we will see certain things, certain memories may come up, and some wrong desires may come up. But, what is our response to those desires? The famous verse, that Shri Ramacharya, of Shri Ramacharya, Shri Prabhupada would quote, He said that, Whenever I think of sense gratification, my lips curl in distaste, and I spit at the thought. Now, Prabhupada would focus on his response, and how he would respond.
But again, the point is, that even for a great saint like Yamanacharya, the thought might come in the mind. So, desires may come, but how do we respond to those desires? That is change of values. Initially, I mean we are materialistic at that time, worldly desires, when they come in, we roll out the red carpet for them.
Now, welcome! But, when we advance, when we become serious devotees, what do we do? We, raise the red flag. This is danger. So, that change from red carpet to red flag, that is the change of value.
And, as long as, our desires may not change, I mean wrong desires may come up, but if you are not welcoming those desires, if you are not entertaining those desires, if you are resisting and rejecting those desires, then that itself is a sign of spiritual advancement.