Best use of bad bargain !

 

We live in the material world and are always under the influence of things going around us and get distracted by the latest advancement of science and the comforts it brings with it. But still we are not happy. The anxieties level are going high and are so are the medical bills. The 4 major problems of material existence, birth, disease, old age and death are eye opener and for time immemorial have been talked and warned about in revealed scriptures like vedata sutra, Bhagvad Gita and Srimad Bhagvatam. Even in purport of Shloka 11 it states that, “The whole point here is that even Hiranyakasipu, the most powerful of materialistic could not become deathless by various plans. What, then can be accomplished by tiny Hiranyakasipus of today, whose plans are thwarted from moment to moment?”

Quoting again, “Sri Ishopanishada instructs us not to make one sided attempt to win the struggle of existence.” Therefore there is a tug of war going between the so called shiny material knowledge of advanced scientific discoveries and vedic knowledge which says, “to become happy in life and attain permanent blissful life after leaving this material body, one must study sacred literature and obtain transcendental knowledge, by which one goes back to Godhead.” {purport of isho mantra 11}

So to sought such confusion the saints like Srila Prabhupada gave a spiritual process, which when followed can bring the dynamic balance between the 2 sides of coin and can help us to progress further. According to Srila Prabhupada as stated in purport of mantra 11, “This doesn't mean that all activities for maintenance of body should be stopped. The culture of spiritual knowledge necessitates the help of body and mind, therefore maintenance of the body and mind is required if we are to reach our goal. The normal temperature should be maintained at 98.6 degrees, and the great sages and saints of India have attempted to do this by a balanced program of spiritual and material knowledge.”

The balance created by this process gradually take us to the ultimate goal of human life that is going back to Godhead. It works in following 3 pointed ways.

1. Formula of Learning= Experiences + Education

2. Best Use of Bad Bargain- From Apara dharma to para dharma

3. Finally, Kaitava Dharma- one pointed devotional service to the lord.

   So the first comes Learning. Our experiences in this material world, our failed endeavours,our broken hearts and bones, and many more such kind of conditioning keep us sober. But still the charms of material world keeps us afloat searching for the most flashed up hope of having happily ever after. Hence making our all experiences go in vein. But Srila Prabhupada Process add education from scriptures to our experiences so that the learning stay engraved deep inside us.

   I quote, “The miseries of material world serve to indirect remind us of incompatibility with dead matter. Intelligent living entities generally take note of these reminders and engage themselves in culture of vidya, transcendental knowledge.”

   Again from the purport, “ Sense enjoyment is diseased material condition must be restricted as far as possible. Unrestricted sense enjoyment in this bodily condition is path of ignorance and death. The activities of the material senses are perverted reflection of activities of original, spiritual senses. In his diseased condition, the spirit soul engages in material activities under material covering. Real sense enjoyment is possible only when disease of materialism is removed. In our pure spiritual form, free from all material contaminations, real enjoyment of senses is possible. A patient must regain his health before he can truly enjoy sense pleasure again. Thus the aim of human life should not be to enjoy perverted sense enjoyment but to cure the material disease. Aggravation of the material disease is no sign of knowledge but a sign of avidya, ignorance.”

   So when this learning comes that this world is dukhalaya ashashvatam, the never ending well of miseries from our experiences, the faith in scriptures increases and we can strictly chalk out the path to follow in our life. So the scriptural knowledge give us the vision and goal of life and the material knowledge give us the sources to walk that way.

   Example- Same was seen in the life of Srila Prabhupada Western disciple, who lived their life whimsically making their own rules and regulations. The hippies, as they were called, had only one motto in life, sense gratification and for this they had perverted ways to do so. Whether it was smoking weeds, having drugs and roofies, unrestricted sex, etc, they surpassed all moral restrains. But still after being so rebellious they felt unhappy and still had feelings like something missing in their lives. They were not satisfied. The iron was hot and receptive and it is than when the Scriptural Knowledge imparted to them by Srila Prabhupada made them see the missing link. And Lo and behold, there lives were completely transformed. They were scientist, artists and some were having their regular jobs too, but after being convinced of the process of Krsna Consciousness, they used all their material knowledge in raising their consciousness towards spirituality to find ultimate bliss. They conducted various pandal programmes for Srila Prabhupada, like bombay panadal program, using their American skills. So without giving up their material knowledge, they used it to advertise Krsna consciousness at every nook and corner of the world. This is yukta vairagya principle taught by Srila Prabhupada. Hence bringing a perfect balance between the material knowledge and spiritual knowledge.

Second pointer is Best Use of bad bargain. We know from the fact that body have it's limitation in enjoying the material world. The duration, intensity, variety and extent we can enjoy our senses are far far limited than the duration, intensity, variety and extent in which they can cause us trouble and pain. For example, if the tongue can relish various food items and give us pleasure but at same time if the tongue accidentality comes between the sharp tooth while eating, not only the pleasure of most palatable dish will vanish away but it will cause the pain in far greater intensity and severity as compared to pleasure it was giving. Hence proved the body is a bad bargain.

So if we misuse this body just being obsessed with sense gratification than it will lead to worst use of bag bargain. And we lose the only chance that this human body provides to get out of circle of birth and death. This is misuse of human intelligence for diseased sense gratification. Hence Srila Prabhupada have given us the system which we can understand the higher purpose of life but still maintaining ourselves materially, the Apara Dharma. The regulated way of living, Dharma, artha, kama and moksha. By this one not only focus on the process of sense gratification in the form of artha and kama but also make us think about the final liberation, that is moksha. This is the gradual process to raise one's consciousness from the sense gratification to para dharma, towards liberation, love of godhead.

So by practising aparadharma one can navigate his journey through material world. And by practising para dharma one attains eternity and make his life successful by returning back to godhead.

Even the purport states it, “ Human activities diseased by a tendency towards sense gratification have been regulated in the vedas under principles of salvation. The system employs religion, economic development, sense gratification and salvation, but at present moment people have no interest in religion or salvation. They have only one aim in life- sense gratification- and in order to achieve this end they make plans for economic development. Misguided men think that religion should be maintained because it contributes to economic development, which is required for sense gratification. Thus in order to grantee further sense gratification after death, in heaven, there is some system of religious observance. But this is not the purpose of religion. The path of religion is actually meant for self realization and economic development is required just to maintain the body in a sound, healthy condition. A man should lead a healthy life with sound mind just to realize vidya, true knowledge, which is the aim of human life. This life is not meant for working like an ass or for culturing avidya for sense gratification.”

Example- Living in this material world in the cut throat competition, requires lots of survival measures. For me, setting up my private practice as a Homoeopathic doctor too required the same. So it's been 12 years I have been practising and gave a lot of time to my practice, which meant sitting extra time in clinic and opening the clinic on public holidays. I thought I was committed to my work and my patients took advantage of it by waltzing in on their own sweet will, not appreciating the meaning of the appointment time. Last year lockdown, when the shutters were forcibly shut, I utilized my time reading Srimad Bhagvatam. My much fancied book and have been in my to- do list from years now. And than as an Indra's thunder bolt, it hit me, what was I actually missing up in my life. The way I was living was completely a mess according to the spiritual standards expected from human form of life as explained by Srila Prabhupada in his purports. Post this enlightenment, I took the conscious decision to rescheduled my clinic timings and started taking off from my work. This gives me a perfect dynamic balance between my work life and my reading prabhupada books and my decision to take up the course of Bhakti shastri. Moreover, as an icing on the cake, my patients too have started appreciating the literal meaning of the word appointment means. Therefore as my personal experience, Srila Prabhupada system really works. It not only brought in me job satisfaction but also the much needed bliss, which I think every soul longs for. It's still a long way to go but so far, as the doctor's lingo, prognosis seems good.

Now, finally coming to the ultimate goal of human life, The kaitava Dharma. Anything short of pure devotional services can neither satisfy Krsna nor the soul. Therefore the process given by Sirla Prabhupada gradually raises one to the Kaitava Dharma, bringing forward the glories of Bhakti. Karma abuse senses for material purpose. It comes natural to us but it's binding. Jnana rejects senses for either material or spiritual purpose. It's not binding but very laborious and unnatural for us. Where as it's only Bhakti which uses material senses for spiritual purpose. It's natural and liberating.

Srila Prabhupada says, “ The path of vidya is most perfectly presented in Srimad Bhagvatam, which directs a human being to utilize his life to inquire about Absolute truth. The absolute truth is realized step by step as Brahman, parmatma and finally Bhagvan, the personality of Godhead. Therefore all classes of man are encouraged to learn art of devotional services to the lord. “

He further states that, “The culture of vidya is summerized in Srimad Bhagvatam 1.2.14 as

tasmad ekena manasa, bhagvan satvatam patih

srotavyah kirtitavyas ca, dhyeyah pujyas ca nityada

Therefore, with one pointed attention one should constantly hear about, glorify, remember and worship the personality of godhead, who is the protector of devotees.

Unless religion, economic development and sense gratification aim towards the attainment of devotional service to the lord, they are simply different form of nescience, as isho indicate in this mantra.”

example- To finally reach this kaitava dharma, Srila Prabhupada stressed on re-establishing the Varna- ashram and because of it many congregational devotees living as grasthas were able to tap their spiritual potential even while keeping their jobs and social commitments. The Gurukul system of education set up in Mayapur and Vrindavaan are again examples of using apara dharma, slowly and gradually progressing to the Kaitav Dharam. Students in these gurukul are exposed to both material and spiritual knowledge and are taught the ultimate goal of life. They are taught to be dhira and than they can rightly chose for them the path of their life.

Even the projects like govardhan eco village that encourage farm community with the basic idea of simple living and high thinking is also an outstanding vision of Srila Prabhupada to train people gradually progressing towards the love of godhead. It gives an opportunity to people to give away their material conditioning and come for simple life in their varnprastha ashrama. Such social arrangements are conducive for spiritual advancement where para dharma could be practised.

Hence we can see the process given by Srila Prabhupada bring such a harmonious balance between the material and spiritual knowledge.