How Two People Spent The Last Twenty Minutes

“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.34)

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मन्-मना भव मद्-भक्तो
मद्-याजी मां नमस्कुरु
माम् एवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवम्
आत्मानं मत्-परायणः

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam
ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

1. Scrolling on their phone

“You want to know what I was doing for the last twenty minutes? That is an odd number to settle upon. Well, technically it is an even number, but I meant odd in the sense of strange. Well, if you must know, I was scrolling on my phone. No, it was not a planned activity. I was waiting for something else to resolve. There is downtime in this job. It is likely the same for everyone else.

“How do I feel? I am pretty upset, if you must know. I watched a few mindless videos of people doing crazy things. Obviously, it is for the attention. Then you get the typical complaining about this politician, that influencer, and the latest result to some sporting competition. I keep scrolling because the information is not important. I am waiting for something, but I am not sure what exactly. I also feel that if I spend too much time on a particular video or post, then I will be missing out on something better. It creates this needless anxiety.”

2. Meditating on the holy name

“You want to know what I was doing for the last twenty minutes? Well, if you must know, I was meditating. At least I was trying to concentrate. I have accepted the formula of the maha-mantra. It is a series of Sanskrit words strung together. Ironically, the formal implementation of this meditation involves a set of beads strung together. You repeat the mantra on each bead, going around in the circle. The mantra goes like this: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

“The experience was pretty good. It takes some time getting accustomed to the cadence. I am not one to speak for extended periods of time. I could pass an entire day in silence without issue, if the need ever arose. The potency is in the name itself. This is what we have been taught. We are repeating different names for God. We are not asking for anything specifically. We are not looking for a return on investment. We are just thankful for everything that He does. We want to move closer to Him. The Sanskrit word is upasana, which also refers to worship. This meditation doubles for worship. It is part of the general way of living known as bhakti-yoga.”

…

Of the two individuals described above, who is more likely to regret their experience? Who will feel that they wasted their time? Who will consider regrouping in order to perhaps find a better way to pass the time in the future? Who will feel that they got nothing out of the twenty minutes?

We don’t have to guess, as so many people today feel that they have become addicted to their smartphones. They are being led around by a small electronic device. They panic the moment it leaves their sight. If they don’t know where their phone is, it is like they have lost a vital aspect to their existence. It would be like the refrigerator in the kitchen going out. Or a giant snowstorm hitting the area, causing all the roads to close. No one can go in or out. Everyone is stuck. Though the individual is trapped in the endless consumption of content from their phone, they only panic when they lose the association. It is like they only feel safe when trapped.

Meanwhile, the person in meditation hardly ever regrets the time they spent. If anything, they lament not being able to continue for a longer period of time. Life got in the way. Responsibilities. Travel to and from work. Adjustments for living with others, such as spouse and children. They are desperate to return to that meditation, as soon as possible, but the conditions have to be right.

नेहाभिक्रम-नाशो ऽस्ति
प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते
स्व्-अल्पम् अप्य् अस्य धर्मस्य
त्रायते महतो भयात्

nehābhikrama-nāśo ‘sti
pratyavāyo na vidyate
sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya
trāyate mahato bhayāt

“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.40)

Shri Krishna confirms that there is nothing to lose in the endeavor. The connection resulting from the meditation can provide a barrier to block fear. This makes sense considering the potency in the object of connection. This kind of meditation focuses on a specific person, who has a form, who has attributes, and who can be identified. This is not meditation on a void. This is not a way to simply relinquish interest that has otherwise turned into a burden. The visible nivritti of withdrawing from harmful activities, anartha, has pravritti at the foundation. There is a positive and active movement towards something better.

In the situations outside of meditation, there is the vulnerability to illusion. Not only the interaction with something that lacks substance, but the further sinking into a pit of hopelessness, despair, and sadness. We regret the association and also have a more difficult time digging our way out. Meanwhile, through meditation, we will likely review the time spent as positive in nature. The experience is progressive instead of regressive. As we move further along, we might proceed in our worship routine, through offering items before Krishna and appreciating the mercy that is returned. The esteemed Uddhava has identified such interaction as a way to overcome the potency of the illusory energy known as maya.

त्वयोपभुक्तस्रग्गन्धवासोऽलङ्कारचर्चिता:
उच्छिष्टभोजिनो दासास्तव मायां जयेमहि

tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha-
vāso-’laṅkāra-carcitāḥ
ucchiṣṭa-bhojino dāsās
tava māyāṁ jayema hi

“My dear Lord, the garlands, scented substances, garments, ornaments and other such things that have been offered to You may later be used by Your servants. By partaking of these things and eating the remnants of food You have left, we will be able to conquer the illusory energy.” (Uddhava, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 11.6.46)

In Closing:

Despite efforts tried and done,
That potency difficult to overcome.

Uddhava with solution giving,
That with offering spirit living.

Garments, flowers, and food making,
With devotion towards Krishna taking.

Returned invigorated and blessed,
Passed the time this way best.