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Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Consciencia y Ser VIII: Milagros...

Consciencia y Ser VIII
Iluminación, Milagros y la Versión Puránica.


Imagina la oscuridad. Nuestra escena, un grupo en una cueva. La cueva es profunda y oscura. El grupo que habita la cueva está atado e inmóvil. Nuestros habitantes, están en la oscuridad desde su nacimiento, nunca han visto la luz del día. Están prisioneros de tal modo que sólo pueden ver la pared frente a ellos.

A espaldas de los prisioneros arde un fuego, proyecta sombras en la pared de la cueva. Tras ellos los espectadores, sobre un acantilado un grupo de actores sostiene marionetas de árboles y flores hacen una especie de juego de sombras en la pared de la cueva.

Piensa en ello como una versión primitiva de televisión
Los prisioneros pasan la vida viendo las historias que representan esas sombras.


Y ya que esas sombras es todo lo que ven, nuestros amigos que habitan las cuevas piensan que las sombras son la realidad última.
Cuando hablan entre sí acerca de la realidad se refieren a esas sombras. Hablan de caballos, de árboles, y nubes, y de flores pero su único punto de referencia son las sombras.

Un día, uno de los prisioneros, “Joshua” se libera de sus ataduras.  Se da la vuelta y ve a los actores y el fuego que produce las sombras.

De pronto Joshua se confronta con la realidad. Las sombras no son reales; son creadas por actores de un espectáculo de marionetas. Son fuerzas profundas que obran más alla de lo que jamás creyó posible. Joshua entonces se ve obligado a cuestionar su sistema de 
creencias.


Está ahora más consciente que sus amigos, pues ha aprendido una lección importante acerca de la relación entre el fuego y las sombras, Ahora ve cómo las sombras de los caballos, los árboles y las nubes se producen. Entiende que la realidad es más grande de lo que previamente imaginó al contemplar las sombras.
Joshua está parcialmente “iluminado”.


Asombrado ante la verdad que conoce, regresa a sus amigos y les revela la verdad y corta sus ataduras, Si simplemente me siguen, también se “iluminarán”.  Verán el fuego que origina la luz y las sombras. Sus amigos piensan que es “irracional”. Lo que dice no tiene sentido. No puede ser verdad. No concuerda con sus ideas acerca de la razón. Asustados de que su amigo ha perdió la razón, rechazan su conocimiento y se rehúsan a cortar sus ataduras. Sus ataduras les dan seguridad en contra de las ideas salvajes del tonto de Joshua.

Finalmente, los habitantes de la cueva arrojan fuera de la cueva a Joshua y lo exilian. Expulsado de la cueva, sufre al principio: la luz lo deslumbra y lo ciega.


Está tan deslumbrado por la luz de afuera de la cueva que sólo puede mirar hacia las sombras, luego hacia los reflejos, luego al fin ve: no las sombras de las marionetas, sino los objetos reales- los árboles, las flores, cada nube que se mueve atravesando los cielos.


Joshua ve que las formas en la oscuridad de su cueva eran solamente sombras de los árboles y flores verdaderas. Ha alcanzado una etapa superior de iluminación. Y finalmente, cuando los ojos de Joshua se han ajustado completamente a la brillantez del día. Su ceguera cesa, eleva su mirada hacia los cielos y ve el sol.

Asombrado, puede ver que el sol es el origen de la luz e incluso de las flores y los árboles. Joshua ha alcanzado la etapa suprema de iluminación.

Rasgado de compasión por sus amigos prisioneros, Joshua regresa a la cueva. Apasionado con el conocimiento, les dice lo que hay afuera: Flores verdaderas, árboles de verdad, el mismísimo sol, la fuente de la iluminación, una luz más grande que la del fuego que arroja las sombras en la cueva.

“¡He visto la luz!” grita, “¡Vengan conmigo! ¡Les mostraré la luz!” Sus viejos amigos prisioneros se enfurecen y lo atacan con cuchillos. Lo conducen fuera de la cueva.


Obviamente está loco. Ellos regresan a contemplar el juego de las sombras en la pared.

La escena es de la República de Platón; aquí Sócrates presenta la más hermosa y famosa metáfora de la filosofía occidental: la alegoría de la cueva.


Esta metáfora es para ilustrar los efectos de la educación en el alma humana. La educación y la realización del ser interior mueve a los filósofos a través de distintas etapas y al final los lleva hacia la etapa superior de consciencia.

Y sin embargo, los videntes de la verdad son considerados frecuentemente como locos, como visionarios irracionales. Steve Jobs era considerado un hombre irrazonable por sus amigos quienes le ayudaron a iniciar su negocio en un garaje en Cupertino, California. 


Su idea acerca de las computadoras personales eran considerada “imposible” Y sin embargo Jobs revolucionó la industria de la música, el internet, la forma como usamos las computadoras y los teléfonos, incluso la propia forma en que nos comunicamos y conversamos.


George Bernard Shaw una vez señaló que  “el hombreas razonable se adaptan al mundo, el irracional persiste en intentar adaptar al mundo a sí mismo. Por ello, todo progreso depende de los hombres irracionales”.

Los videntes de la verdad aparentan ser hombres irracionales. El mas famoso de estos fue Jesucristo, tan irracional que arrojó fuera del Templo en Jerusalén  a los comerciantes. Los fariseos lo consideraron un fanático irracional o un tonto. Y más allá de las palabras irracionales del predicador Jesús están los milagros aún más irracionales que lo asistieron.


¿Es imposible en nuestra “era racional” pensar en esos milagros irracionales?  El milagro de la resurrección se halla en el centro de la fe cristiana. ¿Es posible creer en la resurrección?

Al final es una cuestión de fe. Sólo en los hechos de la fe podemos conocer al Supremo Dios, ya que Dios no es un objeto que podamos verificar “objetivamente”. No podemos lograr que la resurrección de Cristo o el entendimiento acerca del Dios Supremo sea el objeto de algún conocimiento codificad a través de nuestro proceso mental cognitivo. 

Sólo la fe. Nuestra experiencia interna del Dios Supremo, puede revelarnos un encuentro vivencial con Dios. Al final, la fe puede parecer irracional, pero en ocasiones únicamente a través de lo irrazonable o irracional podemos llegar a la verdad. El que Joshua saliera de la cuerva era algo “irrazonable” de acuerdo a sus compañeros prisioneros, pero en ocasiones únicamente a través del rompimiento es que podemos tener acceso a la realidad.


 La irracional resurrección de Cristo reta las ideas acerca de la realidad. Y sin embargo millones de cristianos aceptan el misterio de la resurrección de Cristo como la piedra angular de su fe.
La resurrección de Cristo es ciertamente un gran milagro. Y sin embargo, nuestra vida diaria esta llena de pequeños milagros. Cómo vivimos, respiramos, vemos y hablamos es un milagro. El cómo la semilla contiene al árbol es un milagro. El salto esencial de fe que uno ha de tomar  para llegar al entendimiento completo del ser y de Dios supremo involucra la aceptación de milagros, pues hay tantas cosas que sobrepasan nuestro entendimiento.


Y entonces, regresando a las antiguas escrituras Védicas, hallamos muchas descripciones poco usuales y fantásticas de eventos milagrosos en los Puranas. Estas descripciones son difíciles de evaluar. Tal vez consideremos que algunos de estos relatos son una hipérbole o una exageración. Sin embargo, se nos ha pedido el creer en milagros. Se nos pide aceptar que lo imposible puede pasar. El hombre común mira los eventos comunes y cuestiona “¿Por qué?” Un verdadero visionario puede mirar hacia los eventos sobrenaturales y pensar “¿Por qué no?” 

Los milagros de los puranas parecen imposibles. Toma por ejemplo la elevación de la colina de Govardhana. ¿Cómo podemos creer que un niño llamado Kṛṣṇa levantó una montaña llamada Govardhana y la puso en Su dedo? Suena milagroso y sobrenatural, pero si eso puede ajustarse entonces todo puede acomodarse. Las mentes comunes le dan más importancia a la materia que a la consciencia, pero la consciencia puede crear cualquier cosa.



Este es el núcleo milagros que tenemos que confrontar, para entender y digerir. La materia no crea consciencia. De otra forma le estaríamos atribuyendo poderes sobrenaturales a las piedras y los fósiles. No es el hecho de que la materia crea el espíritu, todo viene de la consciencia. Así que para entender la naturaleza de la consciencia, habremos de aceptar su milagro inicial: todo viene del espíritu. Si esto es posible, entonces todo es posible.
Si podemos aceptar el milagro original “todo viene de la consciencia; la materia no produce el espíritu” entonces podemos explicarnos todos os otros milagros. Nada es imposible. Puede argumentarse que la materia es real y que pertenece al mundo de la física, en donde las cosas como la “mente o el “espíritu” no tienen substancia. Pero ¿qué pasa si vemos la materia a través del prisma del tiempo= El tiempo es un componente esencial del “espacio-tiempo” continuo, es decir es una dimensión de la física, tal como la extensión a través del peso y la altura y el ancho son dimensiones también. Sin la dimensión del tiempo, la física moderna no tiene significado. Es imposible hablar de la velocidad de una pelota de beisbol sin hacer referencia al tiempo. Así que la piedra parece real cuando la vemos a través del prisma del “aquí y el ahora”. Pero ¿qué le pasa a la piedra cuando la vemos a través del tiempo relativo?
Si nuestro marco de tiempo es calculado en minutos, la piedra es real, materia dura. Y sin embargo si nuestro marco de tiempo cambia, la relatividad de la piedra sólida también cambia. ¿Qué pasa si nuestro de observación de la piedra es de 100 millones de años? ¿Qué le sucede a la piedra? Se deshace en polvo y es soplada por el viento.
Esto no es justo, dirás. Es artificial el calcular los hechos en términos del tiempo geológico. Y sin embargo este es precisamente el lenguaje de la biología evolutiva la cual impone esas acciones a los fósiles. Pero ¿pueden los fósiles crear el espíritu?
La consciencia es el fondo de la realidad. Si podemos aceptar esta premisa, tal como lo hicieron los videntes de los Upaniṣads, entonces los eventos milagrosos mencionados en los puranas se explican a sí mismo. Todos los milagros se esclarecen a la luz de la consciencia.
Si Kṛṣṇa controla el tiempo, puede revelar el universo a Arjuna y mostrar su desarrollo de millones de años en un segundo. El Absoluto Supremo puede doblar el tiempo más rápido que la velocidad de la luz y mostrar a Arjuna la Forma Universal. Si podemos aceptar que la consciencia crea la materia, si los milagros existen, si podemos aceptar la resurrección de Cristo ¿qué dificultad hay en pensar que el Dios Supremo puede doblar las leyes de la física y revelar las cosas más allá del tiempo y espacio?
Aunque no intentemos explicar esto desde un punto de vita materialista o científico. No quiere decir que todo esto es poesía. Los observadores antiguos de los puranas, al igual que Josua en la alegoría de la cueva de Platón, como Jesucristo y su resurrección, están revelando una verdad más profunda acerca de la realidad. Tal vez no puede haber una aproximación a sus enseñanzas a través de la filosofía materialista. Sus enseñanzas no son simple poesía. Cuando estamos tratando con una realidad tan elevada no es posible hacer uso de los paradigmas materialistas como plataforma para  la observación.
Esta clase de materialismo científico fósil ha de ser rechazado por completo cuando hay acercamiento hacia la consciencia suprema, la divinidad y el Dios Supremo.
Si aceptamos que el milagro de la consciencia es el responsable de todo este universo material, hemos de seguir la senda de la fe. Podemos ver una realidad existencial más elevada a través de los ojos de la fe, a través de la devoción y la dedicación hacia el Dios supremo.
Soy un ser consciente, Uso la fuerza de mi vida para dirigir mis manos mientras tecleo estas líneas. Esto es “mente sobre materia”. Todo el transcurso de mi vida es un ejemplo de la “mente sobre la materia”, al igual que la tuya. Si el universo entero despierta como consecuencia del intercambio entre la consciencia y la material ¿qué tan difícil es dividir el Mar Rojo?  El milagro de la resurrección de Cristo es un juego de niños para el Dios Supremo. La creación del universo es una manipulación a través del big bang para la evolución de las especies es un juego de niños.
Somos como muñecos de trapo en las manos del infinito. Para crear materia, incluso toda forma material es plastilina en las manos del Dios Supremo, quien es por sí mismo y para sí mismo en el lenguaje de Hegel. Él es el autócrata espiritual.
Puede crear y  suprimir este universo, crear sus leyes e incluso cambiar y doblar las leyes de la naturaleza material, el tiempo y el espacio. Todo se muestra de acuerdo a su dulce deseo. No hay posición igual en el mundo material.
Toda la creación flota en un océano de consciencia. El mar se describe en los Puranas como un Océano Garbhodaka, o un Océano de Leche. El así llamado “Océano Causal” mencionado en los Puranas es el Océano de consciencia, de la energía consciente.
Cómo elaborar en lenguaje moderno cual es el significado de los visionarios antiguos de la verdad es un reto difícil, pero puede ser accesible a través de la inspiración divina y cono la ayuda de las almas iluminadas y la compañía de las personas santas quienes han visto la verdad. ¿Cómo fue posible que Cristo apareciera ante sus discípulos después de ser crucificado? Fue crucificado y apuñalado en el corazón con una lanza romana y su cadáver fue llevado a una cueva en la montaña y tras tres días cuando María Magdalena y Juana y María la madre de Santiago y otras mujeres que estaban con ellas lo fueron a ver. Hallaron que piedra había rodado lejos de la boca de la cueva pero el sitio estaba vacío. No hallaron sino algunos remanentes de Su vestimenta. El cuerpo de Cristo no pudo hallarse: el Señor se había ido. Y sin embargo fue visto de nevo por sus seguidores, por Pedro y otros. Con quienes partió el pan. ¿Es la historia de Cristo una mera ficción o poesía?
Todas las concepciones religiosas tienen experiencia sobrenatural. O milagrosa como fondo de su fe. Esto se debe a que los milagros son verdaderos, los milagros son la base de nuestra existencia.
Sin embargo somos adictos a la vida de negación de la experiencia sensual del así llamado “mundo material” en donde lo que concebimos como “real” es un análisis final completamente falso.  Dada la relatividad del tiempo, el sol, la luna, las estrellas, se convertirán en polvo cósmico. Y sin embargo el alma eterna continuará estando en este mundo de ilusión de los sentidos.
Pero lo que experimentamos a través de nuestros sentidos es falso, es una ilusión, una sombra temporal como el espectáculo de las sombras de marionetas de la cueva de Platón.
Estas son verdades universales. Vivir en este mundo sensorial temporal es un perseguir el falso sentido de nuestro ser verdadero el cual se halla en el mundo eterno.
Confiamos en nuestros sentidos para negar la existencia de los milagros. Pero ¿hasta dónde podemos confiar en nuestros sentidos? Consideramos que nuestros sentidos y el mundo de la experiencia aquello que podemos alcanzar a través de nuestros sentidos como la raíz y naturaleza de nuestra existencia. Y sin embargo el mundo sensorial y su realidad ha sido cuestionada por todos los grandes videntes de todas las escuelas religiosas, Cristiana, Islámica, o Budista.
En términos Hegelianos, si el Dios Supremo existe el Dios Supremo ha de ser “Por Sí mismo” y “Para Sí mimso”  Esto significa que Su dulce voluntad no halla oposición de ninguna potencia en este universo.
Cualquier cosa que Él desea de inmediato viene a Él. Él dice, “Hágase la luz” y hay luz, Él dice “Hágase el agua” y hay agua. La raíz causal es únicamente Él. Así que si hay milagros ahí, entonces ¿cuál es la dificultad de aceptar la versión del Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam cuando mencionamos la elevación de la colina de Govardhan?
Todos los milagros requieren de la voluntad del Dios Supremo en el fondo. Únicamente Su voluntad es necesaria para que cualquier milagro se haga efectivo de inmediato, incluso el desafío de las leyes de la naturaleza.
Esta es la ciencia de lo sobrenatural; Cree en Milagros. Ten fe.


Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Talk by Govinda Maharaja to devotees of Australia



Talk by Govinda Maharaja to devotees of Australia


All my dear friends, please read this wonderful talk by my Divine Master Srila Bhakti Sundar-Govinda Dev Goswami Maharaj. He is my eternal guide and my real connection with Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj my beloved and worshippable Diksha Guru. My heart's feeling is that without the loving and affectionate embrace of Srila Govinda Maharaj then I have no real claim to be a disciple of Srila Sridhar Maharaj. I don't say this is the same for everyone but for me it is intensely important and I truly believe that Srila Sridhar Maharaj would be more happy for that. 
Yesterday we observed the Festival of Remembrance with the devotees to honour his passing 3 years ago. Only with the love and association of those who love him can we continue to live in this world without him.
Our Promise
Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj address to the devotees in Australia on the last night of his visit during his first world tour.
We are going to form a society, a mission, here, but Prabhupād Saraswatī Ṭhākur cautioned us about that. It is necessary to realise and take to heart what we actually want. We need to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We did not come to make a building, a big house, a nice flower garden, or any other expensive, enjoyable thing. We did not come to this mundane world for that. “আমরা কিছু কাঠ পাথরের মিস্ত্রী হতে আসি নাই [āmra kichhu khāṭh pātharer mistrī hate āsi nāi: We have not come here to become wood and stone craftsmen].” This is Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur’s comment. We have come for this:
gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ
(Padyāvali: 74)
[“I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of the gopīs’ Lord.”]
That is our feeling. We want to spread this consciousness to everyone’s heart and make everyone this way. “সেইটি হচ্ছে গিয়ে আমাদের একান্ত কর্ত্তব্য কর্ম্ম [seiṭi hachchhe giye āmāder ekānta kartavya karma: That is our sole duty].” We are not here to make a building, or a Temple, or anything like that. We want to make everyone‘s heart a Temple. We want that Mahāprabhu’s Mission will be in everyone‘s heart. That is spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that is our duty. That is why we have come to this mundane world. “শত দুঃখ শত গঞ্জনা শত লাঞ্চনা পেলেও হরিভজন সাধন এই প্রতিজ্ঞা আজ আমাদের করার দরকার [śata duḥkha śata gañjanā śata lāñchanā peleo Hari-bhajan sādhan ei pratijñā āj āmāder karār darkār: Today we must promise we will practice devotion to the Lord even if we encounter hundreds of tribulations, insults, and abuses].” We must not leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We must never leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is the only wealth of the soul. This is our Param Gurudev’s expression. We must try to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the public for the benefit of everyone. But before we do that, we shall try to make our heart a Temple. And there we shall serve the Deity, Rādhā-Govinda. That is the main goal of our lives.
Today I am remembering another expression Śrīla Saraswatī Ṭhākur made from his heart to his devotees as tomorrow I am leaving. Immediately this expression has come to my remembrance, “You all have come to see me, and you all have much love for me. You are all cooperating with me to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness as my close associates. That is the position of you all. I may go from here, or you may go elsewhere, but all of you have promised me, ‘Yes, we shall try to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness.’ Do not forget this. That is my request.” These are Prabhupād’s words, not my words, but I am remembering them today.
I have received from you all so much love, affection, cooperation—everything. It is giving me light, and with that I can see how Mahāprabhu’s glories are spreading through the devotees throughout this mundane world. You all have these qualities, and you have promised me that you will not leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have promised in front of Mahāprabhu that you will practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But many things can happen in your life. Suddenly one very good devotee lost her chanting beads. Somehow they were stolen. I was afraid that she lost her passport and other valuables and was thinking about how she could recollect them, but she was worried about how she will get her beads back. Seeing that, my heart was very joyful. I thought, “This is the mood of a devotee. She does not think about mundane wealth or disturbances. She thinks, ‘Why did Kṛṣṇa take away my beads?’”
Kṛṣṇa’s nature is like that. Kṛṣṇa is very naughty, and Kṛṣṇa always creates some disturbances for His devotees. He wants to see that devotees do not leave their mood of devotion. Prabhupād said many disturbances may come to us. Even Haridās Ṭhākur was beaten in twenty-two market places. His only fault was that He was chanting Hari-nām. He made offence to the Kazi’s religion, and the Kazi punished him in this way. But Haridās Ṭhākur said,
khaṇḍa khaṇḍa hai deha yāya yadi prāṇa
tabu āmi vadane nā chhāḍi hari-nāma
(Śrī Chaitanya-bhāgavat: Ādi-khaṇḍa, 16.94)
“You can cut my body into many pieces and take my life, but I cannot leave Kṛṣṇa-nām.”
There are many examples in Mahāprabhu’s sampradāya of tolerating disturbances, and we see that Prabhupād Saraswatī Ṭhākur had great desire for this. Today I am remembering that when the devotees would leave Māyāpur Dhām or he would leave the devotees’ association, he would pray, “You all have promised me that you will practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Please do not forget it.” Prabhupād also strongly said, “Please do not cheat me. Please do not deceive me. That is my prayer to all the devotees.” In front of the devotees Prabhupād Saraswatī Ṭhākur gave this type of lecture in Māyāpur Dhām. Today I can remember that.
You all are living so far from India, but it is very near now.
tad dūre tad v antike
(Śrī Īśopaniṣad: 5)
[“He is far, but He is near.”]
If you keep Mahāprabhu’s Deity and the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra in your heart, then you can make your body a transcendental Temple. That is very hopeful, and I am hopeful that we can all try. It is necessary to try. I cannot say, “I am fully satisfied with all.” It is impossible, that is, it is not possible to be fully satisfied in this mundane world. But we have to try to make our business with whatever we have. That is my advice to everyone. Whether you have one hundred dollars, ten dollars, or five dollars, start your business and try to expand it. “I have some faith, some mood of devotion. It may not be a mood of full devotion, but with what I have I shall try.” We have promised this. We took dīkṣā [initiation]. That means we promised to Guru that we not will leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is very hopeful that you all are very simple-hearted Vaiṣṇavas and you have that type of quality.
There are two kinds of Vaiṣṇavas: bhāra-vāhī and sāra-grāhī [lit. ‘load-bearers’ and ‘essence-drinkers’]. One looks outwardly. He sees the rules, the regulations, and various aims and objectives. Through that, he tries to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is a bhāra-vāhī Vaiṣṇava. If there is no sense in the heart, no consciousness, then a Mission made by such devotees will only take form outwardly. You can make a big building, a nice garden, and nice quarters for others. You can do everything, but if you do not try to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everything will be spoiled. Actually, for the time being in this mundane world, we can make many things, but only a short time is in our hand, and we must try as much as possible to proceed to our destiny during that time. Mahāprabhu has spread Hari-nām-saṅkīrtan all over the world. Now the chance to continue that has come in front of us, and we are trying to do that. But it is necessary to surrender ourselves to the lotus feet of Hari-nām, Kṛṣṇa’s non-different form, as much as possible. That is my prayer.
If I can come back again, that is very good, and I have the desire to come again to associate with you all here. But if it is not possible, then that is Kṛṣṇa’s will, and you should not leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You should try to spread it from heart to heart.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a transmission from heart to heart. It is not a matter of giving dīkṣā [initiation] or any other outward formation. This mantram is actually a heart to heart transmission. I have tried as much as possible, and you should also try. That is my expectation, and it is my prayer to you all who have given me so much love, affection, and respect—everything. I shall try to worship my Guru Mahārāj with that wealth. That is my desire.
Guru Mahārāj tried very hard in his old age to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and I am not so old. I have much energy, more than Śrīla Guru Mahārāj did when he was very old. So with full energy we all will try to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is my prayer. I do not know English, but I am trying to express my heart to the devotees. Many of my godbrothers are here, many of my disciples are here, and many of my friends are here. I offer my daṇḍavat praṇam to you all. Please bless me so that I can continue my service to my Guru Mahārāj.
vāñchhā-kalpatarubhyas’ cha kṛpā-sindhubhya eva cha
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ
Jay Guru Mahārāj!
Actually, we are not finished. We will start now in a new way. The wave of birth and death is moving throughout this mundane world, and souls are taking birth and dying according to their karma. But another wave, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is also moving throughout this world by the mercy of Śrīman Mahāprabhu and the devotees. If we can offer ourselves into the wave of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we must be benefitted.

Consciousness and Self XV: Vyasa and Narada





Vyāsa was a genius of great depth and vision. He had done his best to follow the path. Yet he too felt lost. Oftentimes even the dedicated souls feel lost and abandoned.

Jesus Christ himself in the Garden of Gethsemane lamented, “O my father, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Vyāsa had written the greatest saga ever: the Mahābhārata. But would his readers understand his message?


Everyone becomes discouraged on the path.

Even the great souls need guidance.

But in our greatest moment of need, we shall find solace. As long as we feel that we know the truth we remain ignorant. As long as we feel that we have something, we have nothing. Real wealth is found in emptiness, in need. Because in the greatest moment of need, we will find our inspiration. In the greatest moment of need, a teacher will appear to help us.


The day of the guru’s appearance is celebrated as the worship of Vyāsa (Vyāsa-puja), since Vyāsa is recognized as the original guru. We are often asked, “What is guru?” or “Who is a bona fide guru?” Vyāsa is considered the original guru. By studying his life’s example, we can understand what is guru.

The symptoms of the bona fide spiritual master are stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.3.21):

तस्माद् गुरुं प्रपद्येत जिज्ञासुः श्रेय उत्तमम्
शाब्दे परे च निष्णातं ब्रह्मण्य् उपशमाश्रयम्

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

One who is searching for the Ultimate Truth must surrender to a guru who is expert in the śāstra, who knows the inner meaning of the Vedas, and who is fixed in the Absolute Truth. (Bhāg. 11.3.21)


An important guide for Vaishnavas is the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa of Sanātana Goswāmī. There we find the following:

कृपा-सिन्धुः सु-संपूर्नः सर्व- सत्त्वोपकारकः
निस्पृहः सर्वतः सिद्धः सर्व-विद्या-विशारदः 
सर्व-संशय-संछेत्ता ऽनलसो गुरुर् अहृत्य

kṛpā-sindhuḥ su-saṁpūrnaḥ sarva-sattvopakārakaḥ
nispṛhaḥ sarvataḥ siddhaḥ sarva-vidyā-viśāradaḥ 
sarva-saṁśaya-saṁchettā 'nalaso guru āḥṛtah

A true spiritual master is an ocean of mercy. He is complete and self-fulfilled. He has all good qualities; he works for the benefit of all souls, is free from lust, and has reached spiritual perfection. A real guru is alert in Kṛṣṇa’s service, well-versed in the scriptures. Because he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa he can remove all the doubts of his disciples.” (Hari-bhaktivilāsa by Sanātana Goswāmi 1.45,46 quoted from Viṣṇu-śmṛti Vacana)


A real guru who teaches by his example is called an āchārya. The word comes from Sanskrit word for right behavior, or ācār “one who knows or teaches (right) conduct”, i.e. a spiritual guide or teacher. What makes Vyāsa an achārya? And how does he teach by his example? I find these questions worthy of consideration.  Vyāsa is highly qualified, erudited in the Vedas and their conclusions. In fact, not only is Vyāsa versed in the Vedas, he wrote the Vedas. So there is no question of his qualification in terms of learning and realization. 

So Vyāsa is a finished professor in Vedic knowledge,. And yet Vyāsa himself accepts a guru. This is his  example. But how is it that the guru needs a guru?  Even the divinely inspired sometimes feel incomplete. If the guru is perfect and self-realized, how is it possible that he feels incomplete?  Is this merely humility? And then what is humility for a self-realized soul?

One who is on the path of divine love is never autonomous, for he depends on the mercy of God. No one is “perfect” in the sense of having accomplished “perfection.” For a surrendered soul perfection is defined in terms of Śaraṇāgati.  Complete perfection implies complete surrender. And surrender itself is a kind of incompleteness. A bit of a paradox. My Guru Mahārāja referred to this paradox as "Die to Live."

Surrender is a kind of sacrifice or death, where love is life. But surrender depends on the mercy of the Lord. Self-realization for a devotee is not a question of autonomy. It is not a question of sitting in a secluded place and meditating until I have realized my higher consciousness. It is a question of letting go, of sacrificing oneself through service, of surrender.  And even in surrender there is no guarantee of a result.  It is not that I follow a process to attain perfection, to achieve an objective. We do not go to Krishna to get something. Normally we think that by risking something I get something else. No risk, no gain. In the case of surrender we may risk everything. One may be entirely surrendered to Him, just as a dog is surrendered to his master. But still, the master may be capricious. We may risk everything and gain nothing. All risk, no gain. Krishna is a capricious master and his will moves in a crooked way. There is no guarantee that our surrender will result in some reward. We are fully dependent on his mercy. There is no justice system in Krishna bhakti. We depend on the mercy of God, not on an automous system of "self-realization." Realization of the "Self" implies a deeper understanding of our "Self" in relation with God. The highest relation is love. 

How can we explain Vyāsa’s despondency if he is not only versed in the Vedas, but worshipped everywhere as the original guru? If Vyāsa is perfectly fulfilled, how can he feel disappointed? If Vyāsa is the original guru, how can he feel incomplete? The Vedas are a masterwork respected everywhere as promoting the essential principles of religion.  What could possibly be lacking?  Divine love, or Krishna-bhakti was the missing element identified by Nārada.  Nārada identifies the cause of Vyāsa's despondency. While he had satisfied God by promoting the general principles of religion, he had fallen short by avoiding a more developed description of surrender and divine love.  The Bhāgavad-gita certainly mentions surrender to Kṛṣṇa. But the details of that surrender are not clear.

And Vyāsa, having avoided this discussion felt a kind of spiritual impoverishment. Even the greatest devotees feel loss, separation, abandonment, in the absence of the Lord’s mercy. It is the natural tendency of those on the path of divine love to feel spiritually impoverished and humble. This is called doinya.

As we have said, spiritual perfection does not imply autonomy or sovereignty, but divine slavery as in Hegel’s master-slave analogy. As Śrīdhara Mahārāja used to say: "Die to live: Slavery to the Absolute is the highest position of freedom." The absolute negative moiety is Śrī Rādhā. Her divine perfection is unquestionable. And yet, she feels incomplete without Kṛṣṇa. As the Golden Avatar, like a Golden Volcano of Divine Love, Chaitanya Mahāprabhu takes on the heart and halo of Śrī Rādhā, assuming her aura and mood of dedication. And yet, even in that high level of perfection he is devastated by the ecstasy of separation and declares, “I have no love for Kṛṣṇa!” This is doinya, or humility: increasing the negative tendency.

In his Śikṣāstakam, He says,
युगायितं निमेषेण चक्षुषा प्रावृषायितम् शून्यायितं जगत् सर्वं गोविन्द-विरहेण मे
yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam
śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me

"O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence."

Caitanya Mahāprabhu does not claim to be a finished professor of the Vedas. Rather, he expresses the desperation of negativity, humility. He is expressing loss and abandonment. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is perfection; and yet he expresses the intense emptiness of a devotee who feels he will never achieve the goal. This is called doinya.

This intense emptiness is necessary for a true seeker of truth interested in the path of divine love. Even such an Caitanya Mahāprabhu, God Himself, when he comes in the mood of a Vaishnava feels himself empty and humble.
As Mahāprabhu teaches:
tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
(CC Adi 17.31)(Śikṣāṣṭaka 3)
"One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." (Śikṣāṣṭaka 3)

One may speak of the “process” of surrender--as if by “following a process” we attain a certain result. But love is not a technique: it is both means and ends. Love is both the practice and the goal. And love demands humility, emptiness, desperation.

And so, desperation and despondency, a moment of need, feeling abandoned is natural for a devotee; the sense that “I will never attain the goal, I am lost.”

Vaishnavas naturally feel themselves to be the poorest of the poor. Amongst the humble, they are the most humble. They will feel they are lower than a blade of grass. That is called doinya.

And Bhaktivinoda Ṭhakura has given us a key idea by which to measure our sincerity, to understand who is a true devotee: Doinya. Humility natural, real humility.

Imitation, or a mere show of humility has no value; Proper humility can only occur when one feels this connection with the autocratic Lord, his master. The servant of an autocrat has no position, no room for ego.
Apparently negativity is a bad quality. We are taught to be assertive, aggressive, to be proud of who we are. We must think and act positively to be successful. We are not taught to consider the value of negativity, of humility.
But natural humility is true wealth. We may believe that gold and silver are wealth, or that beauty and education are wealth. We are educated to believe that power and strength and independence are wealth. But Bhagavan means “one who possesses all wealth, beauty, power, strength, knowledge, and independence.” How can one buy perfection from one who possesses everything? How can we bribe the Absolute? What kind of wealth could possibly capture the Divine Autocrat? The Divine Positive is attracted by negativity, by humility and service.
Only a real servant has such position with the master that the master becomes enslaved by service. Die to live. The Absolute Autocrat is attracted by the intense humility of the sincere servant, as in the example of Hegel’s master-slave analogy. Die to live.
God may be an absolute autocrat, by and for Himself, but he is not heartless: He is the origin of all ecstasy, anandamayo ‘bhyasat. But he is captured by the humility and service of his humble devotees. Since nothing more than service is necessary,  the question becomes how can we attain that position? How can we develop this humility, doinya, this feeling of emptiness, inner need, hankering after the Lord’s mercy? 
The greatest devotees are those who have the greatest need, not those of us who believe that  we are advanced devotees. Even following the rules and regulations, wearing the proper dress, tilak, and so on, we may become deluded by pride into thinking we have achieved the goal. And yet we may be devotees in dress only, enjoying the advantage of collecting donations from the faithful, eating well, and maintaining the holy places of pilgrimage. There are many such devotees, posing as saints. They may live comfortably, but they are missing the point. One who feels himself to be a finished professor or acharya is suffering from self-delusion.

Here, Vyāsa himself feels despondent. But if anyone has a claim to being a finished professor of the Vedas it is Veda Vyāsa. And yet he feels the need for guidance. He wants inspiration. Having completed the greatest work ever written, still he feels an inner need. Sitting on the banks of the Saraswati River, Vyāsa wants service. He wants deliverance.

When one achieves a high level of emptiness, humility, and surrender he is ready to accept the instruction of guru. In that moment of great need and inner hankering, the guru or spiritual guide may appear, just as Nārada appears to Vyāsa in his moment of need.

Vyāsa’s yearning was sincere and pure, and Nārada appeared to him to offer him service. The only price of service to the guru is this sincere yearning which is the basis of faith. When we receive the call to service, when we are challenged to serve by a higher power, we must not refuse. If we understand the value of a real connection with the spiritual guide, if we yearn for that connection, we can have it. The guru will make himself known to the sincere seeker, just as Nārada appeared before Vyāsa in his moment of despair.
So, true faith consists of this yearning for the truth, knowing that only a real connection with a sādhu can quench one’s inner thirst. And this is possible through surrender: By giving yourself, you can get the infinite.
When Vyāsa asks Nārada, “How did you come to this position?” Nārada explains that it is by the grace of the sādhus.
Nārada says, “O Muni, in the last millennium I was born as the son of a certain maidservant engaged in the service of sādhus who understood the conclusions of Vedānta. When these great devotees were living together during the four months of the rainy season, I was engaged in their personal service and they blessed me with their causeless mercy.” (S.B. 1.5.24)

Nārada explains that Vyāsa’s inner demand can be satisfied by Krishna consciousness, by performing the service of describing Krishna’s pastimes for the benefit of humankind. (SB 1.5.21)

Nārada tells Vyāsa, “talk about Krishna.”

This call for revealing the description of the Personal Godhead is reflected in the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, where he says:
yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa
Chaitanya says, “There is no other duty, if you want to do anything good for the world talk about Krishna. Try to distribute Him, who can compensate for all other alternatives. Try to distribute that central and absolute thing to help the people, the environment. No other duty will help. There can be no holier duty, as He has come in this age of Kali. The prophecy of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu is presaged in the prophecy of Nārada.
In the same way that Śrī Caitanya tells his followers, “talk about Kṛṣṇa”, Nārada is telling Vyāsa that only the discussion of Kṛṣṇa,(kṛṣṇa-kathā) only a description of the grandeur and beauty of the higher plane only a careful delineation of the pastimes of Bhagavān will mitigate the attractions of the physical world. Such descriptions are sublime. Otherwise, without such descriptions, the traditional religion and social dharma given in Mahābhārata is dry and unattractive, a place of pilgrimage for crows.

So Nārada tells Vyāsa,
न यद् वचश् चित्र-पदं हरेर् यशो जगत्-पवित्रं प्रगृणीत कर्हिचित् तद् वायसं तीर्थम् उशन्ति मानसा न यत्र हंसा निरमन्त्य् उशिक्क्षयाः
na yad vacaś citra-padaṁ harer yaśo jagat-pavitraṁ pragṛṇīta karhicit tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham uśanti mānasā na yatra haṁsā niramanty uśikkṣayāḥ
Those words which do not describe the glories of the Lord, who alone can sanctify the atmosphere of the whole universe, are considered by saintly persons to be like unto a place of pilgrimage for crows. Since the all-perfect persons are inhabitants of the transcendental abode, they do not derive any pleasure there.” (SB 1.5.10)

तद्-वाग्-विसर्गो जनताघ-विप्लवो यस्मिन् प्रति-श्लोकम् अबद्धवत्य् अपि नामान्य् अनन्तस्य यशो ऽङ्कितानि यत् शृण्वन्ति गायन्ति गृणन्ति साधवः
tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni yat śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ
“On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world's misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.” (1.5.11)
Even if Vyāsa fails to compose his words perfectly, even if he lacks poetry or meter or rhyme, his work will be successful. Even if the form of his work is lacking, even if filled with grammatical mistakes, the substance will shine through and be accepted by the honest and faithful. And even if his service is imperfect, there is no loss or diminution. Sincerity is invincible.
Now, Vyāsa may have some misgivings about promoting paramahaṁsa-dharma. After all, his Mahābhārata is a masterwork of social dharma. But Nārada admonishes him not to worry. He explains that what is gained through being perfectly engaged in mundane dharma is relative and temporary, where spiritual advancement made through diving love is permanent:
“One leaves his “dharma” to engage in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. Again, a non-devotee who follows his “dharma” gains nothing.” (tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer SB 1.5.17)
“Persons who are actually intelligent and philosophically inclined should s only for that purposeful end which is not obtainable even by wandering from the topmost planet [Brahmaloka] down to the lowest planet [Pātāla].
“As far as happiness derived from sense enjoyment is concerned, it can be obtained automatically in course of time, just as in course of time we obtain miseries even though we do not desire them.” (tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido SB 1.5.18)

Nārada continued smiling and speaking quite humbly before that great professor of the Vedas, encouraging him to write the Bhagavat:

“My dear Vyāsa, even though a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa sometimes falls down somehow or other, he certainly does not undergo material existence like others [fruitive workers, etc.] because a person who has once relished the taste of the lotus feet of the Lord can do nothing but remember that ecstasy again and again.” (na vai jano jātu kathañcanāvrajen SB 1.5.19)
Now, at this point, Vyāsa might have peppered Nārada with a million questions on how to go about writing the Bhāgavata. But Nārada trusted his disciple. He knew that Vyāsa alone had the power and the talent to write the Bhāgavata. Nārada would not interfere with the actual composition of the work. He had faith that Vyāsa was qualified to perform his service. Nārada gave divine inspiration to Vyāsa. He guided his vision. He gave Vyāsa a task which he was confident Vyāsa could complete.
He instructs Vyāsa, in all confidence, “Please, therefore, describe the almighty Lord’s activities which you have learned by your vast knowledge of the Vedas, for that will satisfy the hankerings of great learned men and at the same time mitigate the miseries of the masses of common people who are always suffering from material pangs. Indeed, there is no other way to get out of such miseries.”
(tvam apy adabhra-śruta viśrutaṁ vibhoḥ SB 1.5.40)
Vyāsa is curious about the life and origins of his gurudeva and puts some questions to him. And after satisfying his curiosity, Nārada departs, leaving his disciple to his service. “Nārada Muni bid farewell to Vyāsa, and vibrating on his vīṇā instrument, he left to wander the universe at his free will.” (SB 1.6.7)