Five Things That Might Impress The Worldly Person

“All different varieties of atmaramas [those who take pleasure in atma, or spirit self], especially those established on the path of self-realization, though freed from all kinds of material bondage, desire to render unalloyed devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead. This means that the Lord possesses transcendental qualities and therefore can attract everyone, including liberated souls.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.7.10)

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सूत उवाच
आत्मारामाश्च मुनयो निर्ग्रन्था अप्युरुक्रमे
कुर्वन्त्यहैतुकीं भक्तिमित्थम्भूतगुणो हरि:

sūta uvāca
ātmārāmāś ca munayo
nirgranthā apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukīṁ bhaktim
ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ

1. Reading your mind

“Hold on a second. What is going on here? How did you know my name? Did one of you other people tell him? Actually, that is impossible. You have mentioned things about my life that I have never shared with others. How is this possible? You are really an amazing person. You must be special. That is why I had to journey so far, through this thick forest, to meet you.”

2. Predicting the future

“How did you know? You told me the exact moment that the tragedy would strike. With pinpoint accuracy, you even predicted that I would miraculously escape. I was the only one left unscathed. Is it that you have access to a higher realm? Are you tapped into a different frequency of thought?”

3. Living in extreme cold

“Hold on a second. Where is your home? You’re telling me you live out here, in this mountainous region, with barely any clothes? This cold is impossible to survive. There is no way. I can’t believe you have been living out here for decades. How can any human being possibly do this? You are not interested at all in returning to the regular world? What if someone offered you millions of dollars? You still wouldn’t accept it, huh? That is amazing. I am truly impressed.”

4. Eating barely anything

“Wait a second. Where do you get your food from? How do you cook your meals? You mean to say that you live off whatever you find in the wild? You never kill any animals? That is amazing. What about visits to a primary care physician? You are reaching one hundred years in age? I never would have guessed it. No one is checking your blood pressure or your A1C? The entire world practically lives at the doctor’s office, scared to death of losing their health insurance coverage. Meanwhile, you look healthier than anyone I have ever met, and you maintain yourself.”

5. Never seeking attention

“Wow, you have to be one of the most amazing people I have ever met. You are doing the impossible out here. Could I bring a documentary film crew to follow you around? Oh, you are strongly against that. I see. If I even tried you would move higher up the mountain, where people would not be able to reach. Okay, I respect that. It is just strange that you are not seeking any recognition at all. You have no interest in starting a family? No desire for prestige within society? I could never imagine doing the same.”

…

Did a monkey really leap over the ocean? Is there a god who actually has the head of an elephant? Is the universe really the result of the combination of a goddess named Parvati and an ashen-laden renunciate who goes by the name of Shiva? Is it possible to satisfy such an individual by simply pouring some water on the linga representation? A divine figure with a bluish complexion and four arms?

It is too much to accept, at least for the rational adult. Children might not know better. They are into superheroes, after all. Powers impress them. An easy way to explain God is to tell them that there is someone who is the greatest superhero, who has the most powers, and who can never be defeated. Even His closest assistants have extraordinary abilities, like changing shapes at will and carrying mountains in their hands.

The truth is that the people who are most grounded in reality, who have no other interests, who are not hankering for things or lamenting losses, who have no sadness due to rejection, dejection, or failure, are the ones who firmly believe. It is not even a question to them. If a tiny seed can produce a giant banyan tree, then why can’t God do the most amazing things? If the massive planets remain suspended in space, then obviously the person who produced those planets would have to be more powerful. Why is it a stretch to believe that the person who can speak the eternal wisdom of Bhagavad-gita and show the universal form, the virat-rupa, to close associates can also dance with young girls, steal butter from the homes of neighbors, and lift a mighty hill to protect His dearest friends from devastating rainfall?

The above hypothetical review covers situations and abilities that might impress someone who is not experienced in the ways of the spiritual science, which also covers matter. I might have previously considered each case to be impossible. Not until I saw someone myself, giving personal testimony, could I believe. Then we consider that the same individual might belong to all of the categories. That same individual is not impressed by their own feats. They don’t think they are special.

Rather, being completely liberated from material life, they take pleasure in hearing the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We can describe such a person using the Sanskrit word atmarama. There are different kinds of atmarama individuals, based on how they take pleasure in the self. Whichever avenue they follow to reach the platform of Brahman-realization, there is still a kind of gravitational pull towards Hari. This must mean that Hari is different. This must mean that the qualities, pastimes, features, and names of Hari are of a higher nature.

ब्रह्म-भूतः प्रसन्नात्मा
न शोचति न काङ्क्षति
समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु
मद्-भक्तिं लभते पराम्

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

“One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.54)

In Closing:

Whether surviving alone in the wild,
Without job, family, or child.

Not by their own feats impressed,
Despite glowingly by ordinary addressed.

Brahman platform already to reach,
But following atmarama each.

Hearing of glories their way,
In transcendental bliss to stay.