“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)

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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

“How can we test ourselves within the practice of sanatana-dharma? If we are in favor of an implementation, in the explicit sense. In the case where someone has taught us, after we have searched for answers to the difficult questions of life. After we have been bewildered by the repeating days, weeks, months, and years. When we have finally noticed the cycle of beginning, middle, and end with respect to seeking out different kinds of temporary enjoyments.

“In other words, when we have finally had enough and want to live life to the fullest, to the extent of meeting our actual purpose, such that the benefits extend into the afterlife. How can I tell that my work aligns with that purpose? How do I know if I am really in sanatana-dharma as opposed to only pretending, to only giving tacit support, or to only hearing the message but not following through on any of the recommendations? Is there a test to determine whether my behavior aligns with Brahman or maya, for instance?”

We can look to three words from a shloka from Bhagavad-gita. Shri Krishna describes the qualities of the mahatma. The literal translation to this Sanskrit term is “great soul.” As His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains, the mahatma cannot be manufactured. We cannot simply affix the title to someone we think is great, based on their delivery of desired objectives in the fields of politics, science, medicine, art, or entertainment.

“The mahatma cannot be manufactured by rubber-stamping an ordinary man. His symptoms are described here: a mahatma is always engaged in chanting the glories of the Supreme Lord Krishna, the Personality of Godhead. He has no other business.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 9.14 Purport)

It would stand to reason that the mahatma is also well-situated within sanatana-dharma. In the higher sense, there is no longer a distinction. For instance, we have the example of the gopis of Vrindavana. They were cowherd women whose appearance in this world coincided with the movements of the Supreme Lord in His avatara of Shri Krishna.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gives the highest endorsement for the gopis. He says that their example is the one to follow. The gopis love Krishna so much that they are not following that way of life out of necessity, out of personal desire, or out of fear of misalignment with religious principles. Rather, if the entire world should turn against them, if they should be forced to suffer in a realm known for pain and torture because of their decision, they will not mind. Krishna is still everything for them.

If we are starting out, if we want to assess our advancement, if we want to see where we are on the figurative map of progress, we can reference the term nitya-yukta upasate. Are we always engaged? This does not mean that we have to necessarily be fixed in a certain posture. We can get up from the altar area. We do not have to be constantly lying flat on the floor, in the dandavat position.

Nitya means that there is steadiness which can be measured. If we make a routine out of chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. If we follow other recommended practices on a regular basis. Our attention may only be shown once a week in the formal sense, but every bit counts.

Within our regular process, are we connecting? Are we taking what we have and using it for our attention to sanatana-dharma? Is there anything that we have which may be a distraction, which has no connection to spiritual life?

Upasate means that we are worshiping. We can worship through thinking. Kirtanam can also refer to describing. If we are telling others about the Supreme Lord, about the timeless relevance of sanatana-dharma, about the infinite nature of the individual as spirit soul and its endurance with respect to the temporarily manifest prakriti. These activities are also upasate, and if we are using everything we have in a regular way, then we align with the principle of nitya-yukta upasate.

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः
उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः

nāsato vidyate bhāvo
nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ
ubhayor api dṛṣṭo ’ntas
tv anayos tattva-darśibhiḥ

“Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent there is no endurance, and of the existent there is no cessation. This seers have concluded by studying the nature of both.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.16)

If after an honest assessment we see that there are gaps, that there are activities which are bringing us away from worship, which are actually disconnecting us from a consciousness focused on the Almighty, then those gaps can be removed. There is always room for improvement, and even this is a kind of blessing. It means that there is always more to experience in the relationship with the one who is described as nava-yauvanam. His association is always invigorating, as His appearance is always fresh and new.

In Closing:

Like renewing obstacles clearing,
Always fresh and new appearing.

Even if material consciousness to lose,
Room there to improve.

With chanting and describing more,
Upasana this existence for.

The real mahatma in this way,
Always with Supreme to stay.

Categories: questions

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