“But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.42)

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अथ वा बहुनैतेन
किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन
विष्टभ्याहम् इदं कृत्स्नम्
एकांशेन स्थितो जगत्

atha vā bahunaitena
kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam
ekāṁśena sthito jagat

“We speak so much on the philosophy that is the science of self-realization. It is more than merely a way to study the world around us. It is so much more than breaking down complex terms into smaller components, which can then be compared with our experiences and the experiences of others. Both from this lifetime and what has been recorded in history.

“There is so much to discuss. The transmigration of the individual, who is spirit soul. The difference between matter and spirit. The dichotomy that is purusha and prakriti. The changing of seasons. The arrival and disappearance of happiness and distress. The variety of species. The typical cycle of events and experiences from birth to death. The repeating appearances within the material world, with each iteration known as a lifetime.

“I love the philosophy. I could discuss it day after day. I never grow tired of the subject matter. This is likely due to the link to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was kind enough to instruct someone as great as Lord Brahma. When there was no one else around, when Brahma was all alone, the Supreme Lord offered assistance.

अहम् एवासम् एवाग्रे
नान्यद् यत् सद्-असत् परम्
पश्चाद् अहं यद् एतच् च
यो ऽवशिष्येत सो ऽस्म्य् अहम्

aham evāsam evāgre
nānyad yat sad-asat param
paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca
yo ‘vaśiṣyeta so ‘smy aham

“Brahma, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.9.33)

“I am wondering about the people who cannot understand the philosophy. For whatever reason, they are in a lower mode of thinking. They are focused so much on enjoying the senses. They do not have the patience to sit down and hear a lecture. They would rather interact through stories.

“What happens to such people? I know that they can be benefitted by honoring prasadam, which is the mercy of the Lord. They can be uplifted through sankirtana. They can make the chanting of the holy names their purpose in life: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

“Do such individuals have to wait for a future birth to complete their purification? Can they only be liberated when they have the intelligence necessary for understanding tattva, as explained by someone who has seen the truth? Or is it possible for them to reach a successful end within this very lifetime?”

The instruction has a purpose. It is not merely to carry some lofty ideals and impress others with a display of wisdom. If I am learning to become a physician, for instance, I should know how the human body works. I should have a basic understanding of disease and the common causes. I should know how to best prevent the onset of disease, what the various risk factors are, taking age, environment, diet, and climate into consideration.

Otherwise, the knowledge I receive is of little value. If I am not interested in learning about the human body, I will only hear these strange terms and not know what to do with them. I will be sitting in a classroom, but nothing will make sense. The interaction with the subject matter should have an accompanying purpose. There should be ways to assess whether that purpose is being met.

With the science of self-realization, the purpose is to understand the Absolute. More specifically, it is to become familiar with the intricacies of the opulences belonging to the Absolute. In other words, instead of settling for knowing that God is great, I can delve further into the subject matter to see exactly how God is great.

For instance, He is described as anadi since He has no beginning. He is also ananta since He has no end. He is both smaller than the smallest and larger than the largest. He is the strength in everyone, and yet no one is stronger than Him. He is the greatest enjoyer, and yet He is completely satisfied in the self, atmarama. He has no ears, and yet He can hear everything. He has no face, but His features are all lotus-like.

The height of opulence, as far as our experience goes, is the entire universe. What can be greater than the sum total of everything that we know? God created this universe, and so the credit goes to Him for engineering such a vast and intricate machine that appears to maintain itself.

From Bhagavad-gita we understand that this universe exists based on a small fragment of the Supreme Lord. Through His amsha [expansion], everything gets created and further maintained. Annihilation takes place at the appropriate time, but subsequent creation has its own time allotted.

The work associated with a single universe is like nothing for the Supreme Lord. He acts as though expending minimal effort. What further knowledge needs to be known? In this regard, what more can a single individual hope to understand?

If a person maintains a steady realization of this basic truth, of the single amsha pervading and maintaining the entire universe, they have reached the summit of knowledge. If they maintain a constant association in consciousness, through eating, singing, dancing, or simply contemplating, then they are on the right track. They have fulfilled the mission of the human birth.

भक्त्या माम् अभिजानाति
यावान् यश् चास्मि तत्त्वतः
ततो मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा
विशते तद्-अनन्तरम्

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ
tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā
viśate tad-anantaram

“One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.55)

Acquiring more detailed knowledge is certainly helpful, especially for the brahmana occupation. If trying to convince others of the need for expanding the horizons, for progressing beyond blind faith and dogmatic insistence, then the endlessly relevant and expansive presentation of sanatana-dharma has value. But success for the individual always ties to consciousness in devotion. The Supreme Lord can only be known by bhakti; jnana and vairagya are factors that can help but they are not an absolute requirement.

In Closing:

Little interest shown,
Rather on chanting alone.

Or within a group dancing,
Maybe at page or two glancing.

Is such person in hopeless state,
For next life only to wait?

In truth what really can we understand?
Entire universe from His amsha to land.

Categories: questions

Tags: god, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, reincarnation