“The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are surrendered to Me, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss enlightening one another and conversing about Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.9)

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मच्-चित्ता मद्-गत-प्राणा
बोधयन्तः परस्परम्
कथयन्तश् च मां नित्यं
तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च

mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā
bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ
tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca

1. What is the occasion?

“Oh, you are inviting us to your house tonight? I think we can make it. Just what occasion is it, though? I don’t think I saw anything on my calendar. Did something bad happen recently in your family? Are we mourning the loss of a loved one? Are we supposed to follow some vow at this time of the year?”

2. What are you looking to get out of it?

“What is the purpose of this worship? What are we supposed to receive? You know, how people worship in order for their children to do well in school. Maybe to bless the new vehicle which was recently purchased. We want to go to heaven in the afterlife. Something along those lines.”

3. What do we need to bring?

“What do you want us to bring with us? Nothing? That makes no sense. There has to be some sacrifice made. Don’t tell me that our mere presence will be enough to satisfy matters. I do not want to show up there and be the only person without something to offer. That will make us look bad.”

4. How should we prepare?

“Is there some advanced preparation that needs to be done? Sort of how patients are not supposed to eat before surgery. Are we supposed to fast for a certain amount of time? Is there something we need to wear? What is the dress code?”

5. When can we expect to see the benefit?

“Alright, so how long after this can we expect to see some results? Is this one of those things we need to do for a few weeks? I’m assuming since you are inviting people to this then there must be a collective benefit available.”

…

यत् करोषि यद् अश्नासि
यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत्
यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय
तत् कुरुष्व मद्-अर्पणम्

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

Herein lies the difficulty in presenting the timeless culture of sanatana-dharma, with the specific implementation of devotional service, bhakti-yoga, done in the external sense. There are offerings made. People wave incense sticks. They fold hands in a reverential manner. They sing simple songs, which might only reference holy names, such as: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In the mature stages, this whole routine continues without purpose. There is nothing to be gained, in terms of a business exchange. It is as basic as waking up in the morning, doing routine cleaning, putting on clothes, travelling to the office, eating on schedule, and returning home to sleep. That is the routine for the student or officegoer, and no one would question the purpose. Repeated for long enough a time, there likely is no longer a conscious awareness of the different steps throughout a given day.

Dharma is the essential characteristic of the living being. If we see someone worshiping a statue or painting depicting the distinguishable features of the Almighty, in offering prayers and obeisances to what is known as the saguna form, we should understand that this is simply a manifestation of scientific properties. In the manner that we see a hammer struck against nails into a wooden board, a keyboard pressed to communicate written messages, and a vehicle driven to transport passengers, so the living being is meant for worshiping God.

This is the reason for their existence. This is what aligns with their true nature, above and beyond the temporary guna and karma associated with a human birth. One person is good at manual labor, while another knows how to think and collect thoughts into something known as a philosophy. One person is stout and strong, while another is mild and meek. They are the same on the inside, however.

Every person can use their temporary qualities associated with a material body to flourish in dharma. It is not necessary to wait until the afterlife or to demand some benefit in the immediate term. Someone who follows a bhakti-yoga routine does so because it makes them happy. We can justify the behavior to others by mentioning the benefits of meditation. There is concentration. There is focus. There is also elevation through the automatic removal of unwanted behaviors, such as meat-eating, gambling, intoxication, and illicit sex.

But these benefits are not the ultimate purpose. In the same way that parents aim to give happiness and pleasure to their children, that friends sacrifice for each other in a spirit of giving, so the devotee is always looking to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is all-attractive. They try their best to follow the recommendation given to Arjuna, to make everything an offering.

सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां
यतन्तश् च दृढ-व्रताः
नमस्यन्तश् च मां भक्त्या
नित्य-युक्ता उपासते

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ
yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā
nitya-yuktā upāsate

“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.14)

In Closing:

All obeisances paid,
Through recommendation made.

That everything as offering to give,
For way in happiness to live.

Manifested in worship regularly done,
At heart with expectations none.

That this benefit or that to receive,
Only on how Supreme Lord to please.

Categories: the five

Tags: bhakti, dailyprompt, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, yoga