“Prahlada Maharaja replied: Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Krishna are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.30)

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श्रीप्रह्राद उवाच
मतिर्न कृष्णे परत: स्वतो वा
मिथोऽभिपद्येत गृहव्रतानाम् ।
अदान्तगोभिर्विशतां तमिस्रं
पुन: पुनश्चर्वितचर्वणानाम् ॥

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā
mitho ’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām
adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ
punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām

We take the hypothetical situation of an elderly person passing along something important to the next generation. They say that the entire earth is to be bequeathed. Sort of like the inheritance which is the largest in size, the playing field upon which to act is as far as the mind can conceive.

The generation inheriting the earth has some issues, though. They do not feel blessed. They have studied past history. They are familiar with different styles of living, varieties in interests, and also how everything ended up. They are skeptical of what they are receiving. In other words, their excitement does not match the level of enthusiasm from those who are offering the gift.

1. People have already tried to amass power

“How could this world be worth having? Just see how many people have tried to amass power. You have the great wars throughout history. We still study them. I am not entirely sure why, though.

“You had one king who was power hungry. They invaded a foreign country. They took over. Then they repeated the same with a neighboring power. They went through this entire struggle to become an indomitable force, but where did they end up? Dead. Gone. Where are they now? How powerful are they?”

2. People have already tried to become wealthy

“How could this world be worth having? You want me to become wealthy? You want me to earn a lot of money? What is that going to do for me?

“People already eat. They sleep. If I become wealthy, I will eat the same amount. I might sleep on a fancier mattress, but that doesn’t mean much in the long run. Moreover, after the wealthy person passes, there is usually this intense struggle over the inheritance. Brothers and sisters take each other to court. The disputes are endless.”

3. People have already tried to become famous

“How could this world be worth having? I don’t want to become famous. If I am known to many people, what is that going to do for me? These other people are just as flawed. They are equally as fallible. They are trying to impress me as much as I am trying to win their favor. Does anyone really benefit?”

4. People were already beautiful

“How could this world be worth having? I have seen pictures from the past. That person who is old and frail right now used to be young and beautiful. They were very attractive. There is nothing that can be done to bring back that youthful form.

“If I am in my youth now, the same transformation will take place. The entire package will be replaced. Therefore, why should I care about how I look? What good is it going to do me, in the long run?”

5. People already enjoyed at a level beyond comprehension

“How could this world be worth having? I can enjoy to the level of a king. I can spend my days partying, drinking and dancing. I can live without a care in the world.

“People have already tried that route. They enjoyed for a long time. Where are they now? What good did it do them? How did their life end up any different from the person who was more responsible, who worked hard and sacrificed everything for others?”

…

Prahlada Maharaja describes this concept as chewing the chewed. This is before even touching upon the past experiences, involving prior generations. From the very beginning there is repetition with regards to indulgence.

This is the foundation of material life. Take as much out of matter as can possibly be extracted. There is not much there to begin with, since the individual is spirit soul. Without knowledge of this soul, however, there is no other choice.

We see the repeating pattern in addiction to intoxicants. The afflicted person has a general understanding of the negative nature to the interaction. When they are suffering the consequences, they swear off the behavior moving forward. They vow to never again take action that leads to the problems.

Of course, this is much easier said than done. They again try to extract taste out of that which was already chewed and left aside. If not intoxicants, then any other kind of material enjoyment. Eating, sleeping, mating, or defending.

Does that mean there is no hope? Is the earth which someone inherits without any value? Is life merely a prison sentence? Do we just sit around and wait until our number is called? Do we lament in hopeless despair until the time of death?

If those too addicted to materialistic life have trouble seeing the truth, then it would make sense that loosening the attachment would be to our benefit. If we stop chewing the chewed, perhaps we will have attachment to Krishna, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Saintly people already travel down this road. They are not hopeless while roaming the earth. They are not in perpetual despair. They are always blissful, because the person to whom they are connected, in yoga, is complete bliss.

राज-विद्या राज-गुह्यं
पवित्रम् इदम् उत्तमम्
प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं
सु-सुखं कर्तुम् अव्ययम्

rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ
su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam

“This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.2)

The connection is blissful, as is the knowledge which helps to create that connection. A person can inherit the used up world and feel hopeless, but someone who accepts transcendental knowledge gains the potential to utilize every aspect of an existence for the service of the Supreme Lord.

This way of living involves a change in consciousness. In Krishna consciousness, a person sees everything as connected to Krishna, the Supreme Lord. In this way, the taste is never fully removed. As an example, I use the gift of bright sunshine today to remember the potency of the Almighty. The sun is the maker of the day, dina-kara, and within that day I happily serve Krishna by remembering, by hearing, and by chanting: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

When the sun repeats the same, when it creates another day, I have not run out of opportunity. The taste is not removed. Rather, I can repeat everything from the prior engagement and feel even more bliss. This is the meaning to spiritual. It is ever-increasing, without limits, in such a way that even the material world ceases to be a dry and barren wasteland. It turns into a fertile, transcendental playing field, upon which the source of everything always plays, with His dear associates close by.

In Closing:

Transformed to most fertile ground,
Where hearing always that sound.

Of Krishna and His flute,
Transcendental the outside to mute.

With associates close to His side,
In that vision to reside.

Day after day repeating,
Time never that endeavor defeating.

Categories: the five

Tags: god, hare krishna, hinduism, poem, poems, poetry, religion