“Tulsi knows, has heard, and has understood that Shri Rama is an ocean of mercy because He made jewels and gold expensive, while keeping the most important things like water and grains inexpensive.” (Dohavali, 149)

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तुलसी जाने सुनि समुझि कृपासिंधु रघुराज।
महँगे मनि कंचन किए सौंधे जग जल नाज ॥

tulasī jāne suni samujhi kṛpāsiṃdhu raghurāja
maha~ge mani kaṃcana kie sauṃdhe jaga jala nāja

“I understand the purpose of the Vedas. I understand their place in this crazy world, the one in which we do not remain for long. Well, at least in terms of a single stay. If we are in maya, we get to take birth repeatedly.

“Again and again, for as long as the rivalry continues. As long as we wish to enjoy independently, thinking we can ascend to the heights of influence and power, we take birth in various species. Everything is due to karma; action and reaction.

पुरुषः प्रकृति-स्थो हि
भुङ्क्ते प्रकृति-जान् गुणान्
कारणं गुण-सङ्गो ऽस्य
सद्-असद्-योनि-जन्मसु

puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi
bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān
kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ‘sya
sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

“The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil amongst various species.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 13.22)

“The issue I see is that people are not always interested in what they view as religious advice. This recommendation to abandon all varieties of religion and simply surrender to the Almighty, that resembles fanaticism. They may not be ready to immerse themselves in such a discipline, which requires reading books, chanting mantras, listening to sages, and the like.

“Do the Vedas provide any sort of advice of the secular kind? You know how people are starting up these coaching businesses nowadays. They do not have to be an expert in any particular field. They put out a few quotes. Some useful tips. I am not sure how useful they are, but the posts tend to be popular.

“Can someone become a ‘life coach’ from reading Bhagavad-gita, for example? Can we help people suffering from insomnia, depression, lack of motivation, obesity, lethargy, and the like? Do the authors of such literature take that side into consideration, that people are looking for information not necessarily tied to worship and devotion?”

Right out of the gates, there is a stumbling block with the premise. The advice in question tends to fall within duality. For instance, there is the old saying to go to bed early. It facilitates rising early in the next morning, and by following such a routine a person is likely to see improvements in health, wealth, and wisdom.

This recommendation is worthwhile, but understand that the opposite can also hold true. Depending on the conditions in which a person lives, it might be detrimental to fall asleep early. If they have to work security after a nighttime public event. If they are tasked with providing transportation overnight. If they need to sleep a little later and wake up a little later. Then the opposite of that sagacious and time-honored advice would hold true.

Moreover, there is a question of value. In an honest assessment, what kind of value should we place on so-called secular advice? What is to be gained? Is it in scarce supply? Is the world full of spiritual guides and lacking teachers in areas of science, technology, language, health, and medicine? Is there not sufficient secular material available already?

Rather, glorifications and descriptions of the Almighty, our relationship with Him, and the means for reconnecting with Him automatically include relevant advice for what might be deemed the “smaller” issues. From a single historical narrative such as the Ramayana, we come across so many common situations in life, and we also see the different ways that people approach them.

A single couplet of poetry can guide practically all of our decisions in life. For example, Goswami Tulsidas notices that gold and jewels are not as abundant as grains and rice. Gold and jewels are also more expensive, in the relative sense.

This is a simple observation, but when tied to knowledge of the Supreme Lord, there is a specific conclusion towards which to drift. Perhaps the gold and the jewels are not that important. Perhaps I do not need to work so hard to acquire them. Maybe the higher powers are speaking to me through this fixture of nature.

The same principle can apply to spiritual life, in general. Those methods which I actually need, which will serve me well, are not expensive. They are not difficult to find. The gold and the jewels might not necessarily be needed. I can appreciate that those methods exist, that they are there, that someone first instituted them, that others have since passed them down, but they are not necessary for my successful completion of the life experience.

Moreover, when a person works in such a way as to please the Supreme Lord, accepting and following the supposedly “non-secular” advice, they get help from within. They determine how to navigate the difficulties of life, without necessarily being instructed in an explicit manner.

तेषाम् एवानुकम्पार्थम्
अहम् अज्ञान-जं तमः
नाशयाम्य् आत्म-भाव-स्थो
ज्ञान-दीपेन भास्वता

teṣām evānukampārtham
aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ
nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho
jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

“Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.11)

Their work also merges into transcendence. Since they dovetail everything with devotional service, that advice which appeared to be secular in nature turns transcendental. It is utilized for a higher purpose. To the people writing down, remembering, and commenting on Vedic literature in an authorized way, that is the only purpose.

गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः
यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते

gata-saṅgasya muktasya
jñānāvasthita-cetasaḥ
yajñāyācarataḥ karma
samagraṁ pravilīyate

“The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.23)

In Closing:

As first priority make,
Valuable lessons take.

That yoga the primary goal,
Liberation the objective sole.

Following in that path when,
Advice receiving then.

How into transcendence to merge,
Instruction with destination to converge.

Categories: dohavali 121-160, questions

Tags: advice, counselling, god, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, religion