“Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Narada, Asita, Devala, and Vyasa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.” (Bhagavad-gita, 10.12-13)

Download this episode (right click and save)

अर्जुन उवाच
परं ब्रह्म परं धाम पवित्रं परमं भवान्
पुरुषं शाश्वतं दिव्यमादिदेवमजं विभुम्
आहुस्त्वामृषय: सर्वे देवर्षिर्नारदस्तथा
असितो देवलो व्यास: स्वयं चैव ब्रवीषि मे

arjuna uvāca
paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma
pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān
puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ divyam
ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum

āhus tvām ṛṣayaḥ sarve
devarṣir nāradas tathā
asito devalo vyāsaḥ
svayaṁ caiva bravīṣi me

We have the case of a devotee who does not live amongst other saintly people. They are out in the real world, so to speak, facing detractors, supporters, friends, family, and the ambivalent. Sprinkle in some hostile enemies. This devotee maintains their allegiance to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They try their best to follow devotional service, bhakti-yoga, in a steady routine, as recommended to them by spiritual guides.

As is known to occur, there are instances of opposition. Not necessarily in the obstructive sense. There is no violence applied. There is no real attempt to thwart the continuation of the devotional flow, but there is a subtle kind of disapproval voiced within casual conversation.

“Honestly, that stuff is all make-believe. I don’t know how people would consider following any of it. Do they really think there is some god-like figure with the head of an elephant? Do they really believe he wrote down some book that is thousands and thousands of pages, in the manner of taking dictation?

“Okay, the Sanskrit text is there. I don’t really understand any of it, but that has no bearing on the reality. This must have been the product of fantasy writers. People conjuring up tales to explain the unknown. These are primitive times we are speaking of.

“I can see the appeal from the historical angle. If you want to study how people used to live, why they do certain things, how they rationalize the unexplainable around them. At the same time, the intelligent people in society are starting to explain more and more. There is really no excuse anymore for holding on to these outdated traditions, with their associated mythologies. I would think we as a society have matured beyond that nonsense.”

As His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains, if you deny my authority, I can kindly return the favor. I can say that what you believe in is mythology, that you are always promising to do this and that. You blindly accept these fairytales of species suddenly growing a new hand and chemicals randomly colliding to create amazing objects like the sun and the planets, which remain where they are, which do not fall out of the sky.

The devotee who encounters such opposition takes an honest approach. They hear out the different sides. They also take stock of the character involved. What are the people like who oppose? What are the people like who support?

For the decision to follow sanatana-dharma, to accept the principles as they are, as they have been passed down, there are many trusted authority figures. Under the judgment of the devotee, these figures have the highest character that could ever be conceived.

1. Arjuna

This celebrated bow-warrior of Mahabharata fame says that Shri Krishna is the param dhama. The son of Devaki is the highest resting place. If I were to take all of my desires, my hopes, my fears, my ambitions, my dreams, my thoughts, and my beliefs and place them in a single area, then surrendering them at the mercy of Partha-sarathi is the way to go.

Arjuna protects people against injury. He is a kshatriya. He is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of others. He is not interested in sense gratification, in rising to power, in dominating others, in artificially extending life, or in speculating as to the cause of the cosmic manifestation.

He is an honest soul who always aligns with dharma. He is so beloved in his character that Krishna agrees to drive his chariot. Arjuna will give the direction. Krishna will dutifully listen. What can be more endearing?

2. Vyasa

Any person can say anything. Any person can make a claim, either in support of dharma or in denial of it. Arjuna says that Krishna is the param dhama and the supreme pure, pavitram paramam. Arjuna can support his conclusions by the vision of the virat-rupa, which is the universal form.

In following proper etiquette, Arjuna references authority figures. He says that respected personalities such as Vyasa support the conclusion. Vyasa is actually the compiler of the Mahabharata. It is a great work, of epic length, attributed to him.

Vyasa is something like a spiritual guide by occupation. His whole life is disseminating the highest wisdom, the knowledge that transcends time, circumstance, age, gender, and any other condition rooted in duality. Vyasa thinks so much of the Supreme Lord that he does not limit his output to a single work. There is a vast library of published works in the Puranas alone. These are all glorifications of the same figure worshiped by Arjuna.

3. Narada

Even the greatest guru, Vyasa, has a teacher. Narada Muni is a travelling preacher. He goes from place to place, not staying anywhere for too long. That is the curse previously placed upon him, but it is simultaneously a glorious blessing to the world. When Vyasa needs some reassurance, when there is some doubt as to the next endeavor, in how to proceed, Narada is there to provide proper guidance.

4. Prahlada

He is the son of the Daitya king named Hiranyakashipu. We know Prahlada particularly for his time as a child of only five years. He was not interested in playing. He did not follow the route of the other children. Not that such proclivities are frowned upon or criticized, but due to the influence of the same Narada there was an unflinching dedication to Shri Hari from the time of birth.

Prahlada says that the Supreme Lord is everything, that worshiping Him is the highest interest for mankind. Prahlada remains fixed in that devotion, in spite of strong opposition. When facing threats of lethal punishment, Prahlada remains true to that allegiance. When the antagonistic father carries through on those threats, Prahlada remains aligned with Hari. After Hiranyakashipu has perished at the hands of the amazing avatara named Narasimha, Prahlada is still not afraid.

नाहं बिभेम्यजित तेऽतिभयानकास्य
जिह्वार्कनेत्रभ्रुकुटीरभसोग्रदंष्ट्रात्
आन्त्रस्रज: क्षतजकेशरशङ्कुकर्णा
न्निर्ह्रादभीतदिगिभादरिभिन्नखाग्रात्

nāhaṁ bibhemy ajita te ’tibhayānakāsya-
jihvārka-netra-bhrukuṭī-rabhasogra-daṁṣṭrāt
āntra-srajaḥ-kṣataja-keśara-śaṅku-karṇān
nirhrāda-bhīta-digibhād ari-bhin-nakhāgrāt

“My Lord, who are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun or Your frowning eyebrows. I do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines, Your mane soaked with blood, or Your high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are meant to kill Your enemies.” (Prahlada Maharaja, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.9.15)

5. The acharya

The devotee took to this way of life, bhakti-yoga, because someone brought the knowledge to them. The acharya came to them, either in person or through instruction recorded in a book or audio-visual media. The message resonated; it is shabda-brahman. It was like someone was finally telling the truth. Someone already knew the doubts that were deep within. For the doubts that could not be readily shared with the rest of the world, for lack of proper response, the acharya was already prepared to slash away with the weapon of knowledge.

तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मन:
छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत

tasmād ajñāna-sambhūtaṁ
hṛt-sthaṁ jñānāsinātmanaḥ
chittvainaṁ saṁśayaṁ yogam
ātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata

“Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yoga, O Bharata, stand and fight.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.42)

If the acharya, who lives devotional service in everything they do, recommends worshiping God the person, then there is something to that message. The devotee considers the other side, in how the world is full of lying, cheating, stealing, misappropriation, irresponsibility, exploitation, and abuse. If that side says to ignore Hari, and the humble and knowledgeable acharya says to worship Hari, the decision is easy.

In Closing:

From side Hari looking to please,
The decision made with ease.

Because others miserly so,
With envy daily to grow.

Claiming that Vedas only fake,
Mythological tales to make.

But character of authorities the test,
By their message supremely blessed.

Categories: the five

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