Fwd: How to Overcome our Weakness and Distress

November 22, 2008

Hare Krsna O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation. GITA 2:15 Anyone who is steady in his determination for the advanced stage of spiritual realization and can equally tolerate the onslaughts of distress and happiness is certainly a person eligible for liberation. In the varnasrama institution, the fourth stage of life, namely the renounced order (sannyasa), is a painstaking situation. But one who is serious about making his life perfect surely adopts the sannyasa order of life in spite of all difficulties. The difficulties usually arise from having to sever family relationships, to give up the connection of wife and children. But if anyone is able to tolerate such difficulties,

surely his path to spiritual realization is complete. Similarly, in Arjuna's discharge of duties as a ksatriya, he is advised to persevere, even if it is difficult to fight with his family members or similarly beloved persons. Lord Caitanya took sannyasa at the age of twenty-four, and His dependents, young wife as well as old mother, had no one else to look after them. Yet for a higher cause He took sannyasa and was steady in the discharge of higher duties. That is the way of achieving liberation from material bondage. The intent that you have of not getting entangled in worldly enjoyments is a very a precious and rare expression or feeling. To detach from the world and to awaken the relationship with the Supreme Consciousness (God) - is true humanity.In reality, we cannot attach with the world through a relationship, and our relationship with God (Supreme Consciousness) can never be

broken. To become one with the world and to become separated from God is absolutely impossible. We do not have that power to be separated from God. And even though God is all powerful, He does not have that power to separate from us. The truth is that we do not have a relationship with the world and we have a relationship withGod. That which is not, separate from it and that which is, awaken it - this is our main work.As long as objects don't come in front of our eyes, till that time we are a firm that we will not be entangled in worldly enjoyments - if you have achieved this, then too, it is a moment of great joy ! Having no desire for worldly enjoyments is quite a high state, it is not an ordinary thing. If you have even the slightest desire to leave the world and attain God, then the fruit (outcome) of this will not be temporary, rather it will only be an eternal fruit leading to benediction.

"Swalpamapyasya dharmasya traate mahato bhayaat," (Gita 2:40). Even the acquisition of millions and trillions of rupees ($), then too it is nothing compared to this. Even if you become the ruler of the three worlds, then too it does not have the least bit of honor, because these are all temporary.When an object comes in front of us and we become moved and disturbed - why is this our state ? We think over and over again and then leave it aside, this has become our weakness, our bad habit. We listen to satsang, we read books, we contemplate on this that now onwards, we follow the spiritual path, but then once again we leave it. Even ordinary things we hold on to and later leave. This habit itself is making us weak. If you had the habit, that once you leave a particular point or view, you leave it for good; if you hold on to some point, then hold on to it forever, then you

would not be in this troublesome condition. Forgive me, and please do not be offended; but this definitely is a pathetic condition. With every work you think over what is to be done, but then you do not remain firm on that thought, that aim. There are not that many bad qualities in things (objects), or in accumulating them, as there are in our bad habits. As long as there is no determination in you, till that time your involvement in any field, will not result in progress. By spoiling your habits, you are incurring great losses. If you become firm in any one point, then you will be immensely benefited. God is mine, then what ever happens, only God ismine. This world is not mine, and then it is absolutely not mine. There is a nice verse in this connection in Srimad-Bhagavatam: tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam harer bhajann

apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi yatra kva vabhadram abhud amusya kim ko vartha apto 'bhajatam sva-dharmatah "If someone gives up self-gratificatory pursuits and works in Krsna consciousness and then falls down on account of not completing his work, what loss is there on his part? And, what can one gain if one performs his material activities perfectly?" (Bhag. 1.5.17) Or, as the Christians say, "What profiteth a man if he gain the whole world yet suffers the loss of his eternal soul?" Material activities and their results end with the body. But work in Krsna consciousness carries a person again to Krsna consciousness, even after the loss of the body. At least one is sure to have a chance in the next life of being born again as a human being, either in the family of a great

cultured brahmana or in a rich aristocratic family that will give one a further chance for elevation. That is the unique quality of work done in Krsna consciousness.