“To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.10)

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तेषां सतत-युक्तानां
भजतां प्रीति-पूर्वकम्
ददामि बुद्धि-योगं तं
येन माम् उपयान्ति ते

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te

1. Clear skies

“I am so sick of this. I want these clouds to go away. Immediately. I am raising my fist and showing it to the people above. They better listen to me. This has gone on for long enough.”

2. A bright sun

“What kind of hellish place do we live in? Why did people ever decide to settle here? The weather is always bad. I mean throughout the year. Right now, we are in one of those spells of darkness. Big surprise. No one is really sure when the sun will come out. I want to see it right now. I do not want to travel to some other place. At this very moment, despite the dark night otherwise taking hold, I want to witness the splendor of the magnificent sun.”

3. Low humidity

“I am tired of waiting. Why is it like this? You can’t even turn on the air conditioner. The temperature is not high enough to warrant cold air. We simply need the humidity removed. This has been going on for weeks. This is the worst place in the world to live. I want better conditions and I want them now.”

4. A nose that doesn’t run

“I thought allergy season was two months ago? What is going on? Why am I sneezing throughout the day? I am not ready to keep taking medication, one day after the next. The side effects are too much to tolerate. I don’t like being fatigued throughout the day. My condition needs to change, and soon. I want to be healed.”

5. A body full of energy

“With all the new energy drinks flooding the market, there might be a bigger problem that we have not realized. Why is everyone so tired? These drinks are only there because they sell. Why are people buying them? Perhaps we need to be doing something else. Anyway, I am too tired to provide an explanation right now. I need some more energy first.”

…

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that in this context it is foolish to insist upon a vision of the Almighty. As if the Supreme Personality of Godhead is merely hiding behind a curtain somewhere. We simply have to choose the correct prize, like with that popular television game show from several decades back.

Perhaps we can approach a holy person. They can work their magic. They can muster up the strength. They can slap us in our third eye. You know, that internal one that yogis are always talking about. They can point us in the right direction. After all, they must see God all the time. Why else would they live the way they do? Why would they be so dedicated to this path? Why would they turn away the chance to earn money, to enjoy with others, to mix with the crowds at big events, and to celebrate all that life has to offer? They must have the secret, and they should be ready to share it with us when we insist.

The process is not that simple. We have to wait until the morning to see the sun. We cannot force a higher authority to accommodate our impetuousness. Just because we demand does not mean someone else has to fulfil. We foolishly compare spiritual life to business, where there are customers and merchants.

As explained in Bhagavad-gita, there has to be some kind of loving exchange, priti. There must be a lack of envy. I must be ready to worship the Supreme Lord, whether I think I can see Him or not. I know that He exists because I exist. I know that there is a universe. Since there is a universe, there is a source. That source is one way to know God. He is both the beginning and the end. He is also without a beginning and without an end, anadi and ananta.

अहम् आत्मा गुडाकेश
सर्व-भूताशय-स्थितः
अहम् आदिश् च मध्यं च
भूतानाम् अन्त एव च

aham ātmā guḍākeśa
sarva-bhūtāśaya-sthitaḥ
aham ādiś ca madhyaṁ ca
bhūtānām anta eva ca

“I am the Self, O Gudakesha, seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.20)

With loving ecstasy, with steadiness in worship, with allegiance to the process, I will eventually find a way. The Supreme Lord provides the understanding necessary to reach Him. This is a kindness that cannot be properly appreciated or repaid. It is causeless mercy which I do not feel I deserve but am happy to accept.

In Closing:

Never this mercy to expect,
But grateful to accept.

That somehow the way showing,
Despite only darkness knowing.

And forever to insist,
Demands too easy to resist.

But from a path steady and true,
Knowledge and vision of Him too.

Categories: the five

Tags: dailyprompt, life, poem, poems, poetry, religion, yoga