“O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.15)

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यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ ।
समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥

yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete
puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha
sama-duḥkha-sukhaṁ dhīraṁ
so ’mṛtatvāya kalpate

“I recently read from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada about the Vaishnava being able to live anywhere. Something about sitting down anywhere, under any conditions, and remaining happy. That is a cool ability, no doubt. I will not argue with the advantage that affords.

“At the same time, what is so wrong with needing certain things in order to be happy? Sort of like the riders that rock stars are famous for, in asking certain conditions to be met at a concert venue for their appearance to go smoothly, some people need things around them in order to feel sane.

“We praise these great acharyas for living the renounced life, for sleeping underneath trees, for barely eating, for having no possessions, and so forth. Okay, that is great for them, but what if I don’t want to do that? What is wrong with being attached to family and friends?

“Should I artificially give stuff up, just to torture myself? I don’t see how I am any worse of a person for wanting to watch a little television at night, for instance. If I want to call up my friend to talk when I am feeling lonely. If I take joy in the milestones that my child reaches. Do you get what I am saying?”

It is simply the way of human society to praise those who make sacrifices. Taking the selfish person on the one side and the renounced person on the other, there is a marked difference in treatment. The one who buys fancy cars, is always partying, who needs a large house, and must travel in luxury elicits envy more than anything.

The one who gives their time for others, sacrificing their own comforts, travelling from place to place, not demanding anything from anyone else – they tend to get respect. It is human nature to flow in that direction. I appreciate what others can do that I am not as capable of, especially if it is something I wish I could be doing.

The scientific explanation is that attachments lead to rebirth. Plain and simple. No extended explanation necessary. It is like someone who stays stuck in the dream, not wanting to wake up. Someone who wants to stay in the mood of the film they just watched. A child who wants to stay in the sand, to play day after day.

At some point we have to grow up. Spiritual life is like finally growing up after many lifetimes spent in ignorance. Spiritual life as a discipline begins with knowledge and renunciation. The two work together, hand-in-hand. The knowledge I receive makes me reassess my interests. Through renunciation I am better able to accept knowledge, which descends from a chain of teachers.

कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य
य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन्
इन्द्रियार्थान् विमूढात्मा
मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते

karmendriyāṇi saṁyamya
ya āste manasā smaran
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā
mithyācāraḥ sa ucyate

“One who restrains the senses and organs of action, but whose mind dwells on sense objects, certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.6)

If I have a choice in the matter, wouldn’t I want a way of life that creates the ability to be happy anywhere? Wouldn’t it be better to be free of an addiction? Isn’t it beneficial to remain in a peaceful state, no matter what else is going on around me?

At the end of the day, spiritual life is for feeling pleasure. It should bring ananda. It should make me happy. It should be a decision that I do not regret later on. Rather, saintly people think that whenever they finally did decide to become serious about the true purpose of the human birth, so much time had already been wasted.

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)

The poor person is suffering. The rich person is suffering. The man experiences a decent amount of happiness. The same for the woman. These things fluctuate, like the changing of seasons, but spiritual life is for finding a higher taste. That taste is not far in proximity. The source of pleasure, Rama, is already within me.

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते
निराहारस्य देहिनः
रस-वर्जं रसो ऽप्य् अस्य
परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते

viṣayā vinivartante
nirāhārasya dehinaḥ
rasa-varjaṁ raso ‘py asya
paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate

“The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.59)

I merely require a change in consciousness. That is why bhakti-yoga translates well to the concept known as Krishna consciousness. A person in Krishna consciousness, the Vaishnava, can be happy in any situation precisely because they are always connected to the Supreme Consciousness, which never leaves them.

In Closing:

Advantage in that way,
That in any place can stay.

Through renunciation proceeded,
Where extravagance not needed.

Because keeping always in mind,
The one in whom ananda to find.

Consciousness shifted from teaching,
To a higher taste reaching.

Categories: questions

Tags: bhagavad-gita, hare krishna, hinduism, poem, poems, poetry