“Devotional service is very simple, and anyone can adopt it. Let one remain what he is; he need only install the Deity of the Supreme Lord in his house. The Deity may be Radha-Krishna or Lakshmi-Narayana (there are many other forms of the Lord). In this way a brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya or shudra can worship the Deity with the results of his honest labor.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.20.9 Purport)

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“What about this idea of self-esteem? I believe it is one of the critical components to instruction in the standardized systems, such as public schools, private institutions, home academies, and the like. The idea is that children need to feel a sense of self-worth. They should think enough of themselves to have the confidence to work.

“They should not be belittled, bullied, put down, or shamed. At least if they are not deserving, if they have done nothing wrong. I believe this is one of the benefits to working, as well. Whether large or small, whether earning a high salary or barely scraping by, there is something to be said for an honest day spent working.

“I bring this up because the teachings from bhakti-yoga seem to go in the opposite direction. You are not the doer. Material nature must first cooperate. If you think too much of yourself, that is a manifestation of ahankara. This is actually a false sense of identity, dwelling only on the temporary.

“There is the teaching from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to remain humbler than a blade of grass, more tolerant than the tree, and so forth. More forgiving than the earth. That last teaching might emanate from somewhere else, but you get my drift.

“If we belittle ourselves too much, how can we take pride in our work? If pride is a bad thing, then will that not inhibit expressions of love towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead? How do we resolve the contradictory tendencies?”

It is indeed a contradiction, indicative of one of the primary dualities in life. As soon as a person takes birth, the hourglass gets turned over. The sands of time start falling. The amount of sand is different for each person. The hourglass is not necessarily set at the same capacity.

There are so many factors involved. Karma for the individual. Karma for other individuals. The influence of a network of actions and consequences. Competing forces, the mistakes of others, inauspicious conditions, ill omens, the bad alignment of the stars.

As soon as there is birth, there is death. This is a guarantee. No one can prevent the onset of destiny. We are essentially helpless to this cruel reality of life. As much enthusiasm as we may have for an endeavor, we must also acknowledge the truth of imminent and total loss.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्
ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च
तस्माद् अपरिहार्ये ऽर्थे
न त्वं शोचितुम् अर्हसि

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur
dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ‘rthe
na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi

“For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.27)

If we are to die, does this mean we should not live? If we will lose everything, does that make accumulating possessions a futile effort? If we are bound to be separated from loved ones, should we completely shun the ideas of friendship, family, community, and civic responsibility?

As it is possible to live with vitality, with vibrancy, with enthusiasm, all while maintaining an eye on the larger picture that involves the afterlife, so we can proceed with vim, vigor, interest, and discernment in devotional life, while remaining humble at the same time.

The easiest way to resolve the two apparently conflicting tendencies is to have full faith and trust in the spiritual guide. The original guru is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose direct words of instruction can be found in sacred texts like Ramayana, Mahabharata, and many Puranas.

The spiritual guide for the individual is the most recent link in the chain of teachers who are connected to the Supreme Lord. We take full confidence from that connection, from knowing that there is someone who is offering assistance.

I may not be proud of my own accomplishments, but I cannot fathom the greatness to the work that others accomplish in their service to Bhagavan. To contemplate the deeds and heroism of Shri Hanuman, for instance, requires repeated consideration, where we cannot reach an end to the glories.

As His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada recommends, we can live a simple life by installing a deity within our home and following a systematic mechanism of worship. We can remain humble but active at the same time.

We can present basic or elaborate offerings before the deity. We can repeat sacred formulas such as the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. We can honor the sacrifice and dedication of the servants who worked before us, who passed down this wonderful tradition that is full and complete, purna, in its ability to rescue us from the dark ocean of material miseries.

In Closing:

Glorification never complete,
The offerings daily to repeat.

After receiving guru’s call,
For deity in home to install.

Humbly to path staying true,
But confident and assertive too.

Since understanding the perfection,
Of knowledge and gurus collection.

Categories: questions

Tags: god, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, pride, religion, self-esteem