The Final Adjustment

“But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.22)

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अनन्याश् चिन्तयन्तो मां
ये जनाः पर्युपासते
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां
योग-क्षेमं वहाम्य् अहम्

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ
ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham

Last night was rough. You kept tossing and turning. You first tried the smaller pillow, the one that contours to the shape of the object pressing it, without much resistance. Then you switched to the larger pillow, which resembles a rock. You tried with the blanket on. Then you took it off. Back at it with the blanket, but this time covering from head to toe. That wasn’t a good idea. You felt suffocated. Perhaps turning the temperature of the room down a bit. Then it became too chilly. The heat went back on.

Last week was rough. The powers that be dictated a return to office. You have to travel for upwards of an hour only to sit in a cubicle and talk to people scattered across the country. You could have done the same from the comfort of your own home, you think. You first try leaving a little later in the morning, to bypass traffic concerns. The problem is that you are too tired to do any work upon reaching your desk. Then, you try leaving a little earlier. That benefit gets erased by the endless meetings in the morning hours. One person after another is asking for favors. You are getting bombarded with tasks that other people should be handling. You feel as if you are working from morning until night.

Last year was rough. Your growing family started to become too large for the tiny space you were living in. You decided to buy a house, for the first time. You also got a new job, with an increase in salary. You thought you would be happier. Instead, it is like something is always broken. You are always either attending to an issue or looking for someone to visit the house and do the work for you. You have to decide whether it makes more sense economically to replace the appliance or have it repaired. You tried to find something better, only to be constantly struggling.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that the entire life experience flows in this direction, from birth until death, and even beyond. It is the reason for the desperate push to expand civilization to other planets. As if the earth is getting too small or there is not enough to do, people want to live on the moon or on Mars.

The solution can be found in a single series of Sanskrit words, found in an ancient text, which remains as vibrant as ever. The solution is a promise. You see, if you are always devoted to a single person, then the need for adjustment vanishes. The happiness is accounted for. How does this take place? The devotion in question has accompanying thoughts. Those thoughts are of the most attractive person, whose vision is beautiful, whose words are full of timeless wisdom, and whose deeds can play out in the theater of the mind, day after day. Happiness ultimately rests in the mind, and if the mind is always thinking of this one person, without deviation, then happiness is taken care of.

“The mind is so strong and obstinate that it sometimes overcomes the intelligence, although mind is supposed to be subservient to the intelligence. For a man in the practical world who has to fight so many opposing elements, it is certainly very difficult to control the mind. Artificially, one may establish a mental equilibrium toward both friend and enemy, but ultimately no worldly man can do so, for this is more difficult than controlling the raging wind.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 6.34 Purport)

The promise covers two other components, as well. We will not have to worry about maintaining what we have. So much of our adjustment involves holding on to stuff. The person in question offers the assurance that everything will remain. Whatever is needed to continue in the devotion will be accounted for. In addition, whatever is missing will be supplied.

As an example, if my desire is to constantly express my devotion through words, I will get the opportunity. Even if I have never been known for literary output before. Even if I don’t know exactly what to say or how to say it. Even if I am afraid of the endeavor, in the potential for failure. Even if I am too embarrassed to show others my work. The object of devotion will help. The resulting output will be so amazing that no other rational explanation exists. It must be the person with the promise who arrived on the scene and left vital ingredients to be used in the devotion to him, which will now continue without interruption.

In Closing:

So worthless am I,
That afraid even to try.

What possibly can I do?
Ashamed and embarrassed too.

But Gita the assurance giving,
That everything necessary for living.

Supplied by the highest of all,
Protector of devotion to call.