Aren’t You Embarrassed

“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.19)

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बहूनां जन्मनाम् अन्ते
ज्ञानवान् मां प्रपद्यते
वासुदेवः सर्वम् इति
स महात्मा सु-दुर्लभः

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

“Listen, I always scratched my head at the frequency of the ‘Mayavadi’ references. You know, in the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, specifically, but I also know that the foundation, if you will, is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The golden avatara particularly did not like focus or attention on the impersonal side, in the division of study typically equated with Vedanta. The leaders in the Vaishnava line focus on the personal side, which is saguna. It is also dvaita, which refers to duality.

“The reason I was always perplexed is that I never understood the appeal from the Mayavada side. As in, who would actually fall for that trick? You mean to tell me that I am God? So are you, in fact. We are all God. The objective of spiritual life is to merge into this singular energy. What does that even mean? If everyone is God, why are there parents? Why are there children? Why is there education? If I am ignorant, I am never God. If I have to take birth, it means that I am helpless to the laws of nature. I can never overcome that completely.

“Anyway, apparently I am way out of touch with the reality on the ground. You hear these testimonies of former impersonalists, in how they used to argue with the acharya. They used to pepper the saintly person with challenges. You see, these impersonalists had an affinity for their leader of choice, who preached monism. It took a while for such people to finally see the light. They eventually surrendered to the Vaishnava leader, in accepting the eternal truth of achintya-bhedabheda-tattva, which is simultaneous oneness and distinction.

“There is one thing I want to know. Are these people not embarrassed? For having been duped by spiritual leaders, in thinking that they are God. Why is it a flex that you finally surrendered after challenging the Vaishnava for so long? I think I would keep that to myself. How could you ever let yourself be fooled in such a way? I don’t want to look down upon such people, but come on! I may be in ignorance, but I never thought myself to be equal to God.”

Maya is the illusory energy. Maya is a distinct personality working at the behest of the Supreme Lord. Like an operator tasked with transporting passengers on a train from one place to another, maya works at fooling the living beings who want to be separate and distinct from the Almighty. They also want to be superior. At least they wish to make the attempt, to see how far they can go. To that end, maya fulfills their desires, but she is always subordinate to God.

They say that the first snare of maya is the illusion that I can enjoy. From the beginning of life, to acquire and acquire, to extract as much pleasure as possible, such that I will never be depleted. I will be the one to finally break the curse. All of my ancestors have departed. Everyone from the past is now gone. For some reason, I will be the exception. I will find a way.

The last snare of maya is the idea that I can merge into Divinity by renouncing the world. I no longer strive for bhoga. I am not after enjoyment. I have given everything up. I am so at peace, so independent, so above everyone else that I am surely God. I will meet with others who are like-minded, who affirm my inclination.

“The last illusion, the last snare of maya to trap the living entity, is the proposition that he is God. The living entity thinks that he is no longer a conditioned soul, but God. He is so unintelligent that he does not think that if he were God, then how could he be in doubt? That he does not consider. So that is the last snare of illusion.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 18.73 Purport)

Be it the first snare or the last, maya is still at play. There is no need to judge which one is better or worse. The guru is relentless in their message since they understand the truth. If repeatedly questioned on the matter, they will always respond with the truth. Whether the recipient chooses to accept or not is up to them. Shri Krishna confirms in Bhagavad-gita that it may take many lifetimes before someone accepts the reality, that Vasudeva is the source of everything. Such an individual is a great soul, or mahatma, and their presence is rare.

मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु
कश्चिद् यतति सिद्धये
यतताम् अपि सिद्धानां
कश्चिन् मां वेत्ति तत्त्वतः

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

“Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.3)

In Closing:

Lifetimes of coming and going,
Before truth finally knowing.

Lucky even of maya aware,
Oneness the final snare.

That somehow God am I,
Despite on teacher to rely.

Blessed to finally reach,
Krishna’s lotus feet.