“Everything that is manifested within this cosmic world is but the energy of the Supreme Lord. As fire emanating from one place diffuses its illumination and heat all around, so the Lord, although situated in one place in the spiritual world, manifests His different energies everywhere. Indeed, the whole cosmic creation is composed of different manifestations of His energy.” (Vishnu Purana, 1.22.52)

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एक-देश-स्थितस्याग्नेर्
ज्योत्स्ना विस्तारिणी यथा
परस्य ब्रह्मणः शक्तिस्
तथेदम् अखिलं जगत्

eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner
jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā
parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis
tathedam akhilaṁ jagat

“What should be the ideal approach in dealing with others? I am speaking in terms of our stance, our disposition. To give you an example, if we encounter a lion, a bear, or a tiger, there is apprehension. We are careful in our movements. It is not that we either love or hate the animal opposite us. We are simply aware of their nature, of their tendencies. It would be foolish to proceed without caution.

“Take the same principle and apply it to dealings with our fellow man. What should we assume is their nature? Are they kind, loving, open-minded, and forgiving? Or are they mean, cruel-hearted, tense, and bigoted? Should we assume that they hate us, that they are looking to exploit, that they live to cheat others? Or should we think they are saintly in nature, that they have simply been led astray.

“I ask because you have that infamous ruse hatched by Ravana and his advisor, Maricha, as described in the Ramayana history. They took advantage of the charitable nature the goddess of fortune, Sita Devi, has towards the brahmana community. She welcomed the person she thought was a mendicant to her ashrama, in the forest of Dandaka.

“Actually, if we really contemplated the matter, we would have to sit down in awe. We would be overwhelmed at the task of trying to accurately appreciate the mercy of the daughter of King Janaka. She loves saintly people so much. She is in a position to help them, and she is liberal in the assistance that she offers.

“So liberal, in fact, that the generosity extends to the worst cheaters. Ravana took the false guise of a parivrajaka mendicant. He did this on purpose. He wanted the guard to be down. He wanted to give the appearance of nonviolence, when he had the worst underlying intentions.

“How can we avoid being fooled by the Ravana-types of the world? Acting carefully, if we are not as generous, even with people dressed in devotional garb, appears to be the safer course. At the same time, who wants to live like a miser, kripana, and assume the worst in people? Do you understand the dilemma?”

इयं बृसी ब्राह्मण काममास्यतामिदं च पाद्यं प्रतिगृह्यतामिति
इदं च सिद्धं वनजातमुत्तमं त्वदर्थमव्यग्रमिहोपभुज्यताम्

iyaṃ bṛsī brāhmaṇa kāmamāsyatāmidaṃ ca pādyaṃ pratigṛhyatāmiti
idaṃ ca siddhaṃ vanajātamuttamaṃ tvadarthamavyagramihopabhujyatām

“O brahmana, be seated at your comfort on this kusha mat. Please accept this water for washing your feet. Ready for you is this food which is the best grown in the forest. Without hesitation, please eat.” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana in the guise of an ascetic, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 46.35)

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu reveals that the actual form, svarupa, of the living being is servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Shri Krishna, among many other names.

“One’s real dharma, or occupational duty, is explained by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Jivera ‘svarupa’ haya-krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’: [Cc. Madhya 20.108] every living being is an eternal servant of Krishna. That is one’s real occupational duty.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.51 Purport)

This svarupa is fixed; meaning it does not change. The body, the external configuration, the visual presented to others, always changes. It takes the wise man, pandita, to notice the equality shared amongst the different external coverings.

विद्या-विनय-सम्पन्ने
ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि
शुनि चैव श्व-पाके च
पण्डिताः सम-दर्शिनः

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.18)

We learn from the Upanishads that the living beings are like perched on the branch of a tree. They are constantly indulging various desires. They enjoy a specific fruit. They hanker after it. They suffer or enjoy the results of that choice. This enjoying and suffering continues for birth after birth.

There is another bird on the same tree. It is always there; the position is fixed. This bird simply witnesses. It does not indulge. It also does not interfere in the decisions of the first bird. We are all like the first bird and God is that second, neutrally situated bird.

This means that every living being must be good. They must be Divine in nature. Shri Krishna confirms that they are the superior particle in this world. They mistakenly associate with the inferior prakriti due to ignorance. Genuine knowledge, which is wisdom, is for correcting the mistake.

अपरेयम् इतस् त्व् अन्यां
प्रकृतिं विद्धि मे पराम्
जीव-भूतां महा-बाहो
ययेदं धार्यते जगत्

apareyam itas tv anyāṁ
prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām
jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho
yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat

“Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.5)

Armed with such knowledge, we can choose either direction. We can be extremely liberal, in the manner of Nityananda Prabhu. We can also be skeptical of everyone. The approach of saintly people is to always see the spiritual spark inside, to understand that God is also there as Paramatma. They thus offer respects to every living being, without expecting honor in return. They may alter their behavior according to the time and the circumstance, but the higher viewpoint will never change. Like sparks emanating from an original fire, this entire universe is like the body of Lord Vishnu.

In Closing:

From single source point led,
Largest fire spread.

One way Vishnu to understand,
That presence everywhere to land.

Body of His universe whole,
Accompanying each and every soul.

Such that Divine inside every being,
Only the pandita this way seeing.

Categories: questions

Tags: dailyprompt, life, poem, poems, poetry