“For as long as there is not devotion to Shri Rama and the release of material desires, which are like an abode of grief, the living being should not expect to find welfare and peace of mind, even in a dream.” (Dohavali, 131)

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तब लगि कुसल न जीव कहुँ सपनेहुँ मन बिश्राम।
जब लगि भजत न राम कहुँ सोकधाम तजि काम ॥

taba lagi kusala na jīva kahu~ sapanehu~ mana biśrāma।
jaba lagi bhajata na rāma kahu~ sokadhāma taji kāma ॥

Goswami Tulsidas provides a remedy for life’s greatest problems. There are two simple changes to implement. Then everything will be different. Otherwise, even if a person thinks they can find a panacea during the state of dreaming, they will be sadly disappointed.

The hypothesis is that during the time of sleep, I can escape from my reality. That reality could involve torture, moroseness, sadness, hopelessness, despair, and general malaise. I am struggling from morning until night.

There is one responsibility after another. No matter which decision I take, I am on the receiving end of criticism. Even when I decide to not act, to be without thoughts, words, and deeds, I still get yelled at. I am escaping responsibility in my decision for inaction, and so the principles from Bhagavad-gita come to mind.

कर्मण्य् अकर्म यः पश्येद्
अकर्मणि च कर्म यः
स बुद्धिमान् मनुष्येषु
स युक्तः कृत्स्न-कर्म-कृत्

karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed
akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu
sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt

“One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.18)

There is a shining light. There is hope at the end. Perhaps there is a way to find a way out. That escape is the nighttime. I can sleep my way to peace and tranquility. No one can bother me during that time. I can create my own reality. The body will relax, since the living being takes shelter of the subtle aspects: mind, intelligence, and false ego.

The issue is that the dreams during nighttime are a reflection of the daily struggles. My sadness tends to increase. I feel suffering and loss at a level I have never experienced while awake. It seems that my poor habits in eating and movement, my attachment to intoxicants, and my constant fear of the future work together to create a hellish experience during the nighttime.

The first problem is material desire itself. This is known as kama. Goswami Tulsidas compares this situation to an abode of grief, shokadhama. The entire experience is miserable. Whether the outcomes fall on the favorable side or the unfavorable, the long-term result is the same.

The recommendation is to abandon material desire. Give up kama. Ignore it. Do not assign it top priority in interest. Do not indulge something which yields only grief. Go the way of the saintly person; be wise by interaction with sadhu, shastra, and guru. Make an intelligent decision.

If there is a question of what can remain, of what else is left to do, of what will drive a person to work on a particular day, there is a solution. Be devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Become one of His trusted partners, aligned with His interests.

This way of life is known as bhakti-yoga. If we are reluctant to accept such a savior, if we are hesitant to offer everything to someone in so isolated a manner, we should know that there are benefits on the other side. We can finally reach peace and tranquility. That which even the dreams failed to provide, will exist and persist for an extended period of time.

There is nothing lost in the attempt. We can at least give it a try. We can compare the results, to see whether we are still living in shokadhama. Saintly people experience something different. The more connected they remain, the more they feel as if they are always residing in a sacred place, tirtha.

They feel alive precisely because they never get tired of serving the Supreme Lord, who is known as Rama. They never run out of glories to describe. They never feel an urge to find a conclusion, a finish line, because the life of bhakti is itself invigorating, everlasting, and inexhaustible, just like the person on the receiving end of the prayers, efforts, and sacrifice.

In Closing:

My spouse terrible and mean,
The worst you’ve ever seen.

Work my days to spoil,
In misery to toil.

Hope that finally in a dream,
But not even there to be seen.

Only when kama tossing aside,
And aligning on Rama’s side.

Categories: dohavali 121-160

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