Five Cartesian Products Of Attachments For the Mind

“In the tender age of childhood, when everyone is bewildered, one passes ten years. Similarly, in boyhood, engaged in sporting and playing, one passes another ten years. In this way, twenty years are wasted. Similarly, in old age, when one is an invalid, unable to perform even material activities, one passes another twenty years wastefully.” (Prahlada Maharaja, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.6.7)

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मुग्धस्य बाल्ये कैशोरे
क्रीडतो याति विंशतिः
जरया ग्रस्त-देहस्य
यात्य् अकल्पस्य विंशतिः

mugdhasya bālye kaiśore
krīḍato yāti viṁśatiḥ
jarayā grasta-dehasya
yāty akalpasya viṁśatiḥ

1. Number of work days times the tasks to complete

“I stumbled upon this by accident the other day. There is a specific folder I maintain on my local machine which has all of the work items that I am responsible for.

“It turns out that I have worked on thousands of items over the past few years. Where did the time go? I didn’t think it was at such a volume. No one on my team even comes close to matching that performance. I guess if you take each of the many issues that arise at the office, the numbers add up quickly.”

2. Number of seasons in a show times the episode count

“This show was on the air for over twenty seasons. In each season there are around twenty-two episodes. Each episode is about an hour in length. Think of how much fun I will have.

“I might not get through the entire series in a single year. It will take me forever to get through this. By the time I reach the end, I will have forgotten the earlier seasons. I can then re-watch everything and the content will feel like it is brand new.”

3. Number of spouses times the preparation for marriage

“With my first ex-spouse, we did not prepare much for the wedding. I had to buy a ring, of course. There was a story behind our initial meeting. The courtship took some time, as well.

“With the next two spouses, the complexity increased. I thought I was being more careful. I took some time to review, to make sure I was not repeating past mistakes. Everything seemed like it was great. We thought we would live happily ever after. Sadly, that did not happen.”

4. Number of election cycles times the number of open seats

“They get me every time. I invest so much effort in following a particular election cycle. I watch all of the televised debates. I hear the classic stump speech so often that I have the lines memorized. Then I watch with great anticipation on election night, as the returns come in.

“The thing is, as soon as we know the winner, the soap opera continues. We are on to the next election cycle. No chance to breathe. We either focus on the leader of the nation or the many seats in the legislature. I have been into this story for decades now. I can’t seem to give it up.”

5. Number of weekend days times the number of years lived

“I want to have fun on the weekends. In childhood, I fondly remember going downstairs in the morning and watching cartoons. It was such a relief to not have to wake up early, for going to school. I wished the weekends would last forever.

“In adulthood, I try to find outlets for relaxation. I like going places. I like a change of scene. I plan out the weekends well in advance. There are so many things I would like to do.”

…

Prahlada Maharaja gives a detailed analysis of how easy it is to spend away the precious time in the human form of life. From boyhood, to youth, to old age, there are interests galore. There is no shortage of outcomes upon which to dwell.

There is never enough money. The children always require oversight. Since you, as the adult, know better, how can you leave them alone, entirely? They are dependents, after all. With each child, there is the potential for the attention to dwell on one outcome after another, for many years.

This review is necessary because the actual purpose of the human form of life is spiritual realization. As His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada repeatedly explains, this is what separates the humans from the animals.

The dog cannot ask about its future. It cannot trace out prior history. It does not consult a diary record to relive a past experience. It cannot take action about the end of life, shifting and configuring upon where the subsequent birth will land.

The human being can voluntarily impose austerity, cleanliness, honesty, and compassion. These are the four pillars of dharma. This is the baseline upon which a culture can be considered a genuine religion. In the absence of these four qualities, you have only sentiment.

The many attachments serve as distractions. They are diversions from the primary interest. This is not to say that a person should neglect eating or sleeping. They should not behave callously towards dependents or abandon work entirely.

Rather, cognizance of the vulnerability to attachment helps to realign priorities. Spiritual life should be the most important thing to me. I have to make this birth the last one. I don’t know exactly how many previous rodeos there have been, how many times the wheel of samsara spun.

बहूनां जन्मनाम् अन्ते
ज्ञानवान् मां प्रपद्यते
वासुदेवः सर्वम् इति
स महात्मा सु-दुर्लभः

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.19)

Whether it was only one past life or one thousand, I am here today. Right now I can make a difference. I can make it my goal to shift the consciousness towards the transcendental realm. Such a soul is rare, who knows in truth the spiritual nature and its source. Reaching this point may be the culmination of many lifetimes, but there is no reason to spoil the chance.

While I spend so much time in basic maintenance, I can find ways to shift interest. I can hear about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the external cause for Prahlada being a prodigy-like son, who was expert in bhagavata culture right from birth. He heard directly from Narada Muni while in the womb.

I can chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This is the best expression for dharma in the present period of time, yuga. I can make a routine of this chanting and hearing.

यं यं वापि स्मरन् भावं
त्यजत्य् अन्ते कलेवरम्
तं तम् एवैति कौन्तेय
सदा तद्-भाव-भावितः

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.6)

I can create my own version of cartesian products of attachment, but which are transcendental in nature. Each day is another opportunity to remember Hari, during morning, daytime, and evening. Each month has its significant days of remembrance, known as utsavas. I can fill up the remaining time in such transcendental bliss that I never even dream of returning to the many attachments in illusion, which were only bringing me down.

In Closing:

Only bringing me down,
Never happiness found.

Like attachments intentionally to choose,
For awareness of time to lose.

But not hopelessly condemned,
In transcendental bliss to spend.

Devotional activities through,
Hari dedicated to.