“The activities or desires that relatively help a soul attain his constitutional position are called piety. The opposite are called sin. Since devotional service to Krishna is one’s constitutional position, when one cultivates this service, then nescience, which is the root cause of relative situations in the form of sin and piety, is gradually fried and abolished.” (Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Shri Krishna Samhita, 10.2 Purport)

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“The entire basis for following religion is this belief that you are doing the right thing. As opposed to following the wrong track, wasting your life away, squandering the opportunity for eternal living, you follow religion out of a sense of obligation.

“There is likely fear involved, as well. Be a good person. Honesty. Cleanliness. Compassion. Austerity. Fear over the wrath inflicted upon those who willfully disobey. Those who fail to heed the warnings. Those who ignore the instruction given to them. Those who brazenly attack the firmly established system of morals and ethics.

“That is the foundation of religion, as it is generally practiced. The specific religion adopted is not that important for this discussion. The thing is, when transitioning to the bhakti-yoga philosophy, there is the concept of karma-free. If you dig into the internals, you see that there is an equivalence between piety and sin.

“Basically, good and bad are on the same level when following bhakti. I am not entirely sure how that works. How can up be the same as down? How can right and wrong be identical? Are we not supposed to follow piety? Is that not the example set by the numerous avataras appearing in this world, particularly Shri Rama?”

This particular teaching does not contradict with the spirit of dharma, as it is generally adopted. Everything works together, in that there is acknowledgment of the variety found within living entities. Not every person has the same inclination, level of intelligence, or desire to meet a specific end. Nevertheless, every approach made in genuine religion has reciprocation on the other side.

ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते
तांस् तथैव भजाम्य् अहम्
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते
मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante
tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

“All of them – as they surrender unto Me – I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pritha.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.11)

To understand how piety and sin can be placed on the same level, consider the situation of life in prison. If that is too dire a subject to contemplate, we take the more common experience of student life. To many children, going to school is indeed like being sent to prison.

Waking up early. Walking to the bus stop, whether it is cold outside or raining. Sitting with other students, who may or may not be friendly. Enduring a long day in classrooms, taking tests, working on assignments, and interacting with others, who are similarly forced into the situation.

Let us imagine that in this situation there are ways to improve the standing. The benefits are confined to the prison-like environment of the school. If you get good marks, you might be rewarded with a better seat in the lunchroom. Perhaps you get a few more minutes of play during the recess period. Maybe an extra slice of pizza when there is a school-wide function.

On the other side, there are ways to be punished. For misbehavior, truancy, failing to show respect to administrators, and the like, you get sent to detention. You are stuck in a room with other delinquents. You miss out on any leisure activities. You are separated from your friends. You have the stigma of bad behavior broadcast to the entire community.

In this situation, the wise person would likely opt for the benefits. They would rather be rewarded for good behavior. They try to avoid punishment. They do not seek demotion. They are trying to improve the standing, as much as possible.

At the end of the day, there is still life within the prison. One student perhaps enjoys the time a little bit more. Another student maybe has to suffer. There is still no escape. Both students still arrive at the same time, day after day.

This is one way to understand karma and the different choices in activity. Pious activity is punya, which has accompanying benefits, known as sukriti. Sinful activity is papa, and there is commensurate punishment. As Shri Krishna explains, even those who enjoy in the heavenly region, svarga-loka, eventually have to leave. This is after their pious credits expire. It is like spending everything in your wallet; depleting the bank account.

Bhakti-yoga is for escaping the life in prison. The material world is that prison-like place. The illusion of maya keeps knowledge of any other kind of living far away. That is to say, for as long as I am under the influence of maya, I will think that the only way to improve my life is to find a better cell within the prison.

Rather, the human life is for escaping, altogether. That is the objective associated with bhakti-yoga, which simultaneously changes the nature of living. I can be a fixed resident of the prison, for many lifetimes, but suddenly everything changes. It is like a correction takes place. The parole board finally favored us; the dream is over and we enter reality.

बिगरी जनम अनेक की सुधरै अबहीं आजु |
होहि राम को नाम जपु तुलसी तजि कुसमाजु ||

bigarī janama aneka kī sudharai abahīṃ āju |
hohi rāma ko nāma japu tulasī taji kusamāju ||

“The many past births you spoiled can be rectified right now, today, if you start chanting Shri Rama’s holy name and renounce bad association, says Tulsi.” (Dohavali, 22)

Given the two choices, the two tracks upon which we can place the train of progress, what wise person would settle for the prison? Why would a person want to be in illusion when they can be in reality? The science of self-realization is for rewarding that choice. To the person who wants to know the meaning to their existence, who wants more out of life than just a better way to run out the clock before death, the Supreme Lord offers sacred texts like Bhagavad-gita and their accompanying culture propagated through empowered representatives.

दैवी ह्य् एषा गुण-मयी
मम माया दुरत्यया
माम् एव ये प्रपद्यन्ते
मायाम् एतां तरन्ति ते

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te

“This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.14)

In Closing:

Endless hours to fit,
In that classroom to sit.

Day after day repeating,
Time my spirits defeating.

For better situation can opt,
Or the misery totally dropped.

Bhakti the permanent way,
Where in transcendence to stay.

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Tags: bhaktivinoda, birth, death, god, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, reincarnation