“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

In the following hypothetical situation, we are scanning the television channels late at night heading into the weekend. Perhaps such a scene rarely occurs anymore, with the dreaded replacement of infinite scrolling, but in this case we happen to stumble upon various news reports. There is a reporter live at each scene, detailing the recent events. Those events share a common theme.

1. A home abandoned

“Well, we are live at the home of this family, who are in utter disbelief. I can tell you the sadness is shared across the entire community. The mother and children are seen sobbing, in total despair. They are practically inconsolable. They are not sure what to do next.

“You see, a few weeks ago the father left. Abruptly, at that. No prior warning. No obvious signs of trouble. And now, no one knows where he is. We spoke to neighbors and they said there were no indications of conflict. They spoke of the father in glowing terms, saying that he always had a smile on his face.

“For the moment, the family is not ready to move on. They hold on to the faint hope that the father will one day return, that perhaps this was all a big misunderstanding. Back to you at the news desk.”

2. A home of apathy

“Well, we are live here, onsite. As you can see behind me, this is the home in question. Authorities arrived in the early morning hours, as neighbors reported smoke emanating from one of the rooms. It seems that frozen pizza had been left too long in the microwave. No other damage was done.

“There is a cause of greater concern, however. We spoke to the residents in the home, and none of them work. They feel there is no pressing need to wake up early in the day. There is clutter woven about in this grand tapestry of needless possessions. Some of the rooms cannot be traversed; the floor is not visible.

“Many of the doors do not open fully, as there are clothes blocking the pathway. We tried to get answers for how things were paid for, but there was nothing obviously suspicious in the responses. It seems that this is just how the family lives and no one is in any rush to change things. Now back to you.”

3. A home of destitution

“Well, we are live here, at the home of this couple where the husband has just been let go from the local plant. He had worked there dutifully for decades. Now, in what seems like an all-too familiar story, he is without a job. The plant is closing down at the end of the month, and this entire community is shaken.

“This particular couple does not have much savings to rely upon. They are in the process of reaching out to family members, but they have lost contact with most of them. I spoke with the husband and he says that it has been years since he has contacted any of his brothers or sisters.

“Perhaps there will be some rescue eventually, but for now, the community remains together, uplifting each other during these difficult times. They are united in their grief, temporarily uplifted through prayer. Now back to you.”

4. A home of addiction

“Well, we are live here, at the home of the altercation. Police responded to an emergency call a few hours ago. When they arrived, they saw a woman beaten and battered. The husband was yelling and screaming. He appeared to be intoxicated.

“No further damage was done, but neighbors say that this is a regular occurrence. They were surprised to see the police actually show up. They hope something is done, as it is a dangerous situation for all parties involved. They believe there are addiction problems relating to alcohol. Now back to you.”

5. A home of abuse

“Well, we are live, with the home of the child right behind me. It was today, during an otherwise typical day at school, that one of the teachers noticed something strange. The child arrived with bruises on their arm. When asked about the cause, the child would not give a straight answer. It was early in the morning, and the bus driver had not witnessed anything suspicious on the ride to school.

“That is when the investigation started and it led everyone back to the home. It seems that the children living here are facing difficult circumstances. The parents are imposing high standards in education. They repeatedly stress the need to get the best grades, in order that the children may attend college for the purpose of becoming a doctor.

“While the children presented a brave face, they all seemed terrified. They said that the lashings occur whenever there is a blemish on the report card. If they fail to get a perfect score on an important exam. If they should ever show fondness for a different occupation.

“It is a disturbing situation, for sure, and the investigation continues. It might be that the children will have to live with extended family for the time being, until everything gets sorted out. Now back to you.”

…

In truth, these stories are but a small sampling of the perpetual misery associated with life in the material world. These are more obvious signs of disturbance, of trouble, but in fact everything relates to the mind. Someone could be living in the lap of luxury, with every need attended to in a swift manner, but still be filled with fear, dread, and depression. This is due to the influence of the mind.

उद्धरेद् आत्मनात्मानं
नात्मानम् अवसादयेत्
आत्मैव ह्य् आत्मनो बन्धुर्
आत्मैव रिपुर् आत्मनः

uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ
nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur
ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

“A man must elevate himself by his own mind, not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.5)

Goswami Tulsidas points the finger of blame at material desire. The Sanskrit word is kama. The comparison is to a house of horrors. Shokadhama. Kama creates a resting place, a residence, if you will, that is full of grief and misery.

The recommendation is to abandon kama. Set it aside. Release it. Pay no attention to whatever temporary desires manifest. Simultaneously, have devotion to Shri Rama. Always think of the welfare of the Supreme Lord. Work for His interests. Transition desire to His lotus feet. Change the nature of desire from kama to bhakti.

The two must exist simultaneously. If I maintain kama and try to worship Shri Rama, the devotion will not be steady. This is because when there are interruptions to my kama, when my shoka continues, I will blame God. After all, I am worshiping Him all of the time. Why are my miseries still there? It must be His fault.

Without bhakti we will not find happiness, even in a dream. We will have the lasting imprint of the terrible images associated with shoka. We will find one misery after another, in lifetime after lifetime. On the other side, with the proper formula, we can be ashoka, or without grief, irrespective of the conditions. This is because we are always thinking of the beloved husband of Sita and His transcendental association.

In Closing:

Those lasting images to pound,
My mind with sadness abound.

That suffering and terrible grief,
When will they find relief?

Like shoka from home to home,
Solved through one way alone.

That bhakti to Shri Rama now,
And a life without kama vow.

Categories: dohavali 121-160, the five

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