Inquiries into the Absolute: Digest 29

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Digest 29, March 29, 2002

 

Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami Maharaja

 

Liberation

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Q.1) It is said that Krishna can award liberation, but He confers love of God

only to those who are really sincere. What is the difference?

 

Answer:

In general people consider the goal of religiousness to be economic

development, satisfying material necessities and ultimately gaining liberation

(dharma artha kama moksha). By liberation we mean ending the repeated cycles of

birth and death and absolving all actions and reactions of material life. But

Lord Caitanya taught that the ultimate goal of life reaches far beyond this

neutral sense of moksha; life's ultimate goal is to develop unalloyed love of

God. This very message, and how this is achieved is the essence of Srimad

Bhagavatam.

 

The happiness derived from this pure love of God far surpasses the happiness

derived even from liberation (c.f. Nectar of Devotion, Ch. 1). It is said that

all the happiness of this material world and that of liberation are awaiting at

the doorstep of a pure devotee, but the devotee is so absorbed in relishing

their service to Krishna that they do not care so much for liberation, nor do

they care whether they are in hell or heaven, as long as they can serve

Krishna.

 

For example, the residents of Vrindavana or the Pandavas were simply interested

in loving Krishna and pleasing Him; they did not care for their own spiritual

advancement or wellbeing. Yet by their love the Supreme Lord became completely

controlled by them, so much so that He took a subordinate position to His

devotees. This goes far beyond the conception of a person trying to gain

liberation from material clutches. Of course, one so engaged in the Lord's

service is very dear to Him, and thus automatically becomes eligible for

liberation from material miseries.

 

Even the enemies of Krishna who were personally killed by Him attained

liberation. But pure devotion is very rare to achieve because by devotional

service the Lord becomes purchased by the devotee.

 

Q.2) I read somewhere that those who achieve Sarupya, Salokya, Sarsti and

Samipya mukti are not born again, and are eternal. For each of these, please

give examples of persons who have achieved this liberation. Why is it that they

do not reach Krishna's abode in Goloka Vrindavana? I was under the impression

that the ultimate goal for each soul is to reach Krishna's abode.

 

Answer:

Sarupya mukti is to attain the same form as the Lord; the residents of

Vaikuntha planets all have a four-handed forms and features resembling the

four-handed Lord Narayana. Salokya mukti is to attain the same planet of the

Lord, Sarsti is to have similar opulences as the Lord and samipya is to gain

His personal association. Generally these liberations refer to achieving a

position in the Vaikuntha planets, but one can also reside in Goloka, as well

manifest opulences given by Krishna to assist Him in His service in some way,

etc. Thus a devotee may attain any one of the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka

Vrindavana according to his mood of devotion to the particular form of the

Personality of Godhead.

 

As far as the ultimate goal of the soul is concerned, the ultimate goal is to

achieve pure love of Godhead (as discussed in the question above) and to be

engaged in devotional service to Krishna. That is the constitutional position

of the soul - to serve Krishna. This may mean to actually be transferred to the

spiritual planets, or attain one of the above four kinds of liberation, but not

necessarily. Since devotional service is absolute, it is non-different from

Krishna's abode. Anyone who is engaged in devotional service in full Krishna

consciousness, even while in the material realm, is actually situated in the

spiritual world.

 

 

Q.3) Why do you ask people to get "mukti" (liberation) when it would be better

for them to become self-controlled and take repeated births to serve other

people by showing them the right path?

 

Answer:

Your concern for the welfare of other people is certainly very noble. A very

essential quality for a Vaishnava is to carry such compassion for others. A

Vaishnava is para-duhkha-duhkhi, he cannot bear to see others suffering.

Prahlada Maharaja exhibits this mood when he prays to Lord Nrsimadev that he

does not want liberation when so many living entities are still suffering. His

only wish was to bring them back to the shelter of the Lord's lotus feet even

if he had to remain in the material world. (Cf. Bhag. 7.9.43)

 

However, we have to understand that in order to show the right path to others

and help them, we have to know the right path ourselves and be in a position to

help them. A drowning man cannot save another drowning man; a bound man cannot

free another. And we have to know how to serve others; otherwise it may do more

harm than good. It is just like trying to perform a surgery to help someone in

need, without having undergone any medical training!

 

Real service to others is to help them become free from all material

circumstances of life and to bring them to the shelter of the Lord (as Prahlada

Maharaja prays); all other help is well intended but temporary. If one is

acting under the clutches of modes of material nature oneself and is bound by

birth and death, how can one help others become free?

 

Bearing all this in mind, it becomes important for an individual to personally

follow the instructions of scriptures under the guidance of the spiritual

master, and thus try to elevate oneself to the spiritual platform. In turn, one

can then become empowered by the Lord to help others on His behalf. As

discussed in the above questions, a devotee may also be apparently undergoing

birth and death, but he is not bound by nature's laws because he is directly

under God's protection, therefore he is in a transcendental position,

specifically enabled or empowered to help others.

 

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----- Festivals over the next week ------

Mar 29 2002, Friday Festival of Jagannatha Misra

Apr 04 2002, Thursday Appearance Sri Srivasa Pandita

 

*** NOTE: All times are for Washington D.C, USA, EST ***

For festival information for your city please go to http://www.iskcondc.org and

click on 'Calendar'

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