Which Direction?

Tirisilex · July 1, 2006

Is there a specific direction I should be facing while chanting and meditating? I was going to put a picture of Krishna on my wall and it faces east.. I ask because someone told me I needed to face north when doing The Narayana Kavacha Shield... so this made me wonder if I should do that with all my practice??

Jugg · July 1, 2006

Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fourth Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam~~

My dear King, of the nine doors, five led toward the eastern side, one led toward the northern side, one led toward the southern side, and two led toward the western side. I shall try to give the names of these different doors.

PURPORT

Of the seven doors on the surface--namely the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and one mouth--five look forward, and these are described as the doors facing the eastern side. Since looking forward means seeing the sun, these are described as the eastern gates, for the sun rises in the east. The gate on the northern side and the gate on the southern side represent the two ears, and the two gates facing the western side represent the rectum and the genitals. All the doors and gates are described below.

The two gates named Khadyota and Avirmukhi were situated facing the eastern side, but they were constructed in one place. Through those two gates the King used to go to the city of Vibhrajita accompanied by a friend whose name was Dyuman.

PURPORT

The two names Khadyota and Avirmukhi mean "glowworm" and "torchlight." This indicates that of the two eyes, the left eye is less powerful in its ability to see. Although both eyes are constructed in one place, one is stronger than the other in the power to see. The king, or the living entity, uses these two gates to see things properly, but he cannot see unless accompanied by a friend whose name is Dyuman. This friend is the sun. Although the two eyes are situated in one place, they have no power to see without the sunlight. Vibhrajitam janapadam. If one wants to see something very clearly (vibhrajitam), he must see it with two eyes and the assistance of his friend the sunlight. Within this body everyone is a king because he uses his different gates according to his own will. Although he is very much proud of his power to see or hear, he is nonetheless dependent on the assistance of nature.

Similarly in the east there were two sets of gates named Nalini and Nalini, and these were also constructed in one place. Through these gates the King, accompanied by a friend named Avadhuta, used to go to the city of Saurabha.

PURPORT

The two gates named Nalini and Nalini are the two nostrils. The living entity enjoys these two gates with the help of different avadhutas, or airs, which constitute the breathing process. Through these gates the living entity goes to the town of Saurabha, or aroma. In other words, the nostrils, with the help of their friend the air, enjoy various aromas in the material world. Nalini and Nalini are the pipes of the nostrils, through which one inhales and exhales, enjoying the aroma of sense pleasure.

The fifth gate situated on the eastern side was named Mukhya, or the chief. Through this gate, accompanied by his friends named Rasajna and Vipana, he used to visit two places named Bahudana and Apana.

PURPORT

The mouth is here described as the chief or the most important gate. The mouth is a very important entrance because one has two functions to conduct with the mouth. One function is eating, and the other is speaking. Our eating is done with the friend Rasajna, the tongue, which can taste so many different types of foods. The tongue is also used for speaking, and it can speak of either material sense enjoyment or Vedic knowledge. Of course, here material sense enjoyment is stressed. Therefore the word rasajna is used.

The southern gate of the city was known as Pitrhu, and through that gate King Puranjana used to visit the city named Daksina-pancala, accompanied by his friend Srutadhara.

PURPORT

The right ear is used for karma-kandiya, or fruitive activities. As long as one is attached to the enjoyment of material resources, he hears from the right ear and uses the five senses to elevate himself to the higher planetary systems like Pitrloka. Consequently, the right ear is here described as the Pitrhu gate.

On the northern side was the gate named Devahu. Through that gate, King Puranjana used to go with his friend Srutadhara to the place known as Uttara-pancala.

PURPORT

The two ears are situated on the northern side and the southern side. The ear on the southern side is very strong and is always anxious to hear about sense enjoyment. The ear on the northern side, however, is used for taking initiation from the spiritual master and for gaining promotion to the spiritual sky. The right ear, or the ear on the southern side, is called Pitrhu, which indicates that it is used for attaining the higher planetary systems known as Pitrloka, but the left ear, which is known as Devahu, is utilized for hearing about even higher planetary systems, such as Maharloka, Tapoloka and Brahmaloka--or yet even higher planets, situated in the spiritual universe, where one becomes more inclined to be permanently situated. This is explained in Bhagavad-gita (9.25):

"Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me."

One who is interested in being happy on this planet as well as after death generally wants to be elevated to the Pitrlokas. Such a person can use the right ear for hearing Vedic instructions. However, one who is interested in going to Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, the Vaikuntha planets or Krsnaloka may take initiation from the spiritual master in order to be elevated to such lokas.

On the western side was a gate named Asuri. Through that gate King Puranjana used to go to the city of Gramaka, accompanied by his friend Durmada.

PURPORT

The gate on the western side of the city was known as Asuri because it was especially meant for the asuras. The word asura refers to those who are interested in sense gratification, specifically in sex life, to which they are overly attracted. Thus Puranjana, the living entity, enjoys himself to his greatest satisfaction by means of the genitals. Consequently he used to go to the place known as Gramaka. Material sense gratification is also called gramya, and the place where sex life is indulged in to a great extent is called Gramaka. When going to Gramaka, Puranjana used to be accompanied by his friend Durmada. The word visaya refers to the four bodily necessities of life--eating, sleeping, mating and defending. The word durmadena may be analyzed in this way: dur means dusta, or "sinful," and mada means "madness." Every living entity who is in contact with material nature is called mada, or mad. It is said:

pisaci paile yena mati-cchanna haya

maya-grasta jivera haya se bhava udaya

(Prema-vivarta)

When a person is haunted, he becomes practically insane. When one is in an insane condition, he speaks all kinds of nonsense. Thus to become engaged in sense gratification, one has to accept a friend who is durmada, or badly affected by the material disease.

The words asuri nama pascad dvah are significant in another sense. The sunrise is first visible from the eastern side--the Bay of Bengal--and gradually it progresses toward the west. It is practically experienced that people in the West are more addicted to sense gratification. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself has certified: pascimera loka saba mudha anacara (Cc. Adi 10.89). The more one goes to the western side, the more he will find people disinterested in spiritual life. He will find them behaving against the Vedic standards. Because of this, people living in the West are more addicted to sense gratification. In this Bhagavatam it is confirmed: asuri nama pascad dvah. In other words, the population on the western side is interested in an asuric civilization, that is, a materialistic way of life. Lord Caitanya consequently wanted this Krsna consciousness movement to be preached on the western side of the world so that people addicted to sense gratification might be benefited by His teachings.

Another gate on the western side was known as Nirrti. Puranjana used to go through this gate to the place known as Vaisasa, accompanied by his friend Lubdhaka.

PURPORT

This is a reference to the rectum. The rectum is supposed to be situated on the western side of the eyes, nose and ears. This gate is especially meant for death. When an ordinary living entity abandons his present body, he passes through the rectum. It is therefore painful. When one is called by nature to evacuate, one also experiences pain. The friend of the living entity who accompanies him through this gate is named Lubdhaka, which means "greed." Due to our greed, we eat unnecessarily, and such gluttony causes pain at the time of evacuation. The conclusion is that the living entity feels well if he evacuates properly. This gate is known as Nirrti, or the painful gate.

Of the many inhabitants of this city, there are two persons named Nirvak and Pesaskrt. Although King Puranjana was the ruler of citizens who possessed eyes, he unfortunately used to associate with these blind men. Accompanied by them, he used to go here and there and perform various activities.

PURPORT

This is a reference to the arms and legs of the living entity. The two legs do not speak, and they are blind. If a person simply trusts his legs to take him walking, he is likely to fall into a hole or bump into something. Thus led by the blind legs, one's life may be placed in jeopardy.

Of the senses that are working, the hands and legs are very important, but they have no eyes to see. This means that in the hands and legs there are no holes. In the head there are many holes--two eyes, two nostrils, two ears and one mouth--but lower down, in the arms and legs, there are no holes. Consequently, the arms and legs have been described as andha, blind. Although the living entity has many holes in his body, he nonetheless has to work with his hands and arms. Although the living entity is the master of many other senses, when he has to go somewhere, do something or touch something, he has to use his blind legs and hands.

Sometimes he used to go to his private home with one of his chief servants [the mind], who was named Visucina. At that time, illusion, satisfaction and happiness used to be produced from his wife and children.

PURPORT

According to the Vedic conclusion, one's self is situated within the heart. As stated in Vedic language, hrdy ayam atma pratisthitah: the self is situated within the heart. In the material condition, however, the spirit soul is covered by the material qualities--namely goodness, passion and darkness--and within the heart these three qualities react. For instance, when one is in goodness, he feels happiness; when one is in passion, he feels satisfaction through material enjoyment; and when one is in darkness, he feels bewilderment. All these activities are of the mind, and they function on the platform of thinking, feeling and willing.

When the living entity is encircled by wife, children and home, he acts on the mental plane. Sometimes he is very happy, sometimes he is very much satisfied, sometimes he is not satisfied, and sometimes he is bewildered. Bewilderment is called moha, illusion. Illusioned by society, friendship and love, the living entity thinks that his so-called society, friendship and love, nationality, community, etc. will give him protection. He does not know that after death he will be thrown into the hands of a very strong material nature that will force him to accept a certain type of body according to his present work. This body may not even be a human body. Thus the living entity's feeling of security in this life in the midst of society, wife and friendship is nothing but illusion. All living entities encaged in various material bodies are illusioned by the present activities of material enjoyment. They forget their real business, which is to go back home, back to Godhead.

Everyone who is not in Krsna consciousness must be considered to be in illusion. One's so-called feelings of happiness and satisfaction resulting from material things are also illusions. Factually neither society, friendship, love nor anything else can save one from the onslaught of the external energy, which is symptomized by birth, death, old age and disease. To get even one living entity out of the illusory condition is very difficult; therefore Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.14): "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it." Therefore, unless one surrenders completely at the lotus feet of Krsna, he cannot get out of the entanglement of the three modes of material nature.

Being thus entangled in different types of mental concoction and engaged in fruitive activities, King Puranjana came completely under the control of material intelligence and was thus cheated. Indeed, he used to fulfill all the desires of his wife, the Queen.

PURPORT

When a living entity is in such bewilderment that he is under the control of his wife, or material intelligence, he has to satisfy the intelligence of his so-called wife and act exactly according to her dictates. Various sastras advise that for material convenience one should keep his wife always satisfied by giving her ornaments and by following her instructions. In this way there will be no trouble in family life. Therefore for one's own social benefit, one is advised to keep his wife satisfied. In this way, when one becomes the servant of his wife, he must act according to the desires of his wife. Thus one becomes more and more entangled. In Bengal it is said that if one becomes an obedient servant of his wife, he loses all reputation. However, the difficulty is that unless one becomes a most obedient servant of his wife, family life becomes disturbed. In the Western countries this disturbance gives rise to the divorce law, and in Eastern countries like India there is separation. Now this disturbance is confirmed by the new introduction of the divorce law in India. Within the heart, the mind is acting, thinking, feeling and willing, and falling under the control of one's wife is the same as falling under the control of material intelligence. Thus one begets children by his wife and becomes entangled in so many activities under the control of mental concoctions.

When the Queen drank liquor, King Puranjana also engaged in drinking. When the Queen dined, he used to dine with her, and when she chewed, King Puranjana used to chew along with her. When the Queen sang, he also sang. Similarly, when the Queen cried, he also cried, and when the Queen laughed, he also laughed. When the Queen talked loosely, he also talked loosely, and when the Queen walked, the King walked behind her. When the Queen would stand still, the King would also stand still, and when the Queen would lie down in bed, he would also follow and lie down with her. When the Queen sat, he would also sit, and when the Queen heard something, he would follow her to hear the same thing. When the Queen saw something, the King would also look at it, and when the Queen smelled something, the King would follow her to smell the same thing. When the Queen touched something, the King would also touch it, and when the dear Queen was lamenting, the poor King also had to follow her in lamentation. In the same way, when the Queen felt enjoyment, he also enjoyed, and when the Queen was satisfied, the King also felt satisfaction.

PURPORT

The mind is the place where the self is situated, and the mind is conducted by the intelligence. The living entity, situated within the heart, follows the intelligence. The intelligence is herein depicted as the Queen, and the soul, under mental control, follows the material intelligence just as the King follows his wife. The conclusion is that material intelligence is the cause of bondage for the living entity. The point is that one has to take to spiritual intelligence to come out of this entanglement.

In the life of Maharaja Ambarisa, we find that the great Maharaja first engaged his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna. In this way his intelligence became purified. Maharaja Ambarisa also used his other senses in the service of the Lord. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity in the temple nicely decorated with flowers. He engaged his sense of smell by smelling the flowers, and he engaged his legs by walking to the temple. His hands were engaged in cleansing the temple, and his ears were engaged in hearing about Krsna. His tongue was engaged in two ways: in speaking about Krsna and in tasting prasada offered to the Deity. Materialistic persons, who are under the full control of material intelligence, cannot perform all these activities. Thus, consciously or unconsciously, they become entangled by the dictations of material intelligence. This fact is summarized in the following verse.

In this way, King Puranjana was captivated by his nice wife and was thus cheated. Indeed, he became cheated in his whole existence in the material world. Even against that poor foolish King's desire, he remained under the control of his wife, just like a pet animal that dances according to the order of its master.

PURPORT

The word vipralabdhah is very significant in this verse. Vi means "specifically," and pralabdha means "obtained." Just to satisfy his desires, the King got the Queen, and thus he became cheated by material existence. Although he was not willing to do so, he remained a pet animal under the control of material intelligence. Just as a pet monkey dances according to the desires of its master, the King danced according to the desires of the Queen. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.2) it is said, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh: if one associates with a saintly person, a devotee, one's path of liberation becomes clear. But if one associates with a woman or with a person who is too much addicted to a woman, his path of bondage becomes completely clear.

On the whole, for spiritual advancement, one must give up the company of women. This is what is meant by the order of sannyasa, the renounced order. Before taking sannyasa, or completely renouncing the material world, one has to practice avoiding illicit sex. Sex life, licit or illicit, is practically the same, but through illicit sex one becomes more and more captivated. By regulating one's sex life there is a chance that one may eventually be able to renounce sex or renounce the association of women. If this can be done, advancement in spiritual life comes very easily.

How one becomes captivated by the association of one's dear wife is explained in this chapter by Narada Muni. Attraction for one's wife means attraction for the material qualities. One who is attracted by the material quality of darkness is in the lowest stage of life, whereas one who is attracted by the material quality of goodness is in a better position. Sometimes we see that when a person is on the platform of material goodness, he is attracted more or less by the cultivation of knowledge. This is, of course, a better position, for knowledge gives one the preference to accept devotional service. Unless one comes to the platform of knowledge, the brahma-bhuta stage, one cannot advance in devotional service. As Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (18.54):

"One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. 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."

The platform of knowledge is advantageous because it is a means by which one may come to the stage of devotional service. However, if one takes to devotional service directly, knowledge is revealed without separate endeavor. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.7):

Devotional service automatically reveals actual knowledge of our material existence. One who is sufficiently intelligent immediately attains the stage of renunciation of so-called society, family and love as well as other things. As long as we are attached to society, family and love of the material world, there is no question of knowledge. Nor is there a question of devotional service. By directly taking to devotional service, however, one becomes filled with knowledge and renunciation. In this way one's life becomes successfUl.:>