Human Life is not for working hard like animals - Part2

[Guest guest]

A human being should not work hard like dogs and hogs for sense

gratification. Human life is especially meant for the revival of our

relationship with the Supreme Lord, and to this end all kinds of austerities

and penances should be accepted. By austere activities, one’s heart can be

cleansed of material contamination, and as a result one can be situated on

the spiritual platform. To attain this perfection, one has to take shelter

of a devotee and serve him. Then the door of liberation will be open.

 

Those who are materially attached to women and sense gratification gradually

become entangled in material consciousness and suffer the miseries of birth,

old age, disease and death. Those who are engaged in the general welfare of

all and who are not attached to children and family are called mahatmas.

Those who are engaged in sense gratification, who act piously or impiously,

cannot understand the purpose of the soul. Therefore they should approach a

highly elevated devotee and accept him as a spiritual master. By his

association, one will be able to understand the purpose of life.

 

Under the instructions of such a spiritual master, one can attain devotional

service to the Lord, detachment from material things, and tolerance of

material misery and distress. One can then see all living entities equally,

and one becomes very eager to know about transcendental subject matters.

 

Endeavoring persistently for the satisfaction of Krishna, one becomes

detached from wife, children and home. He is not interested in wasting time.

In this way one becomes self-realized. A person advanced in spiritual

knowledge does not engage anyone in material activity. And one who cannot

deliver another person by instructing him in devotional service should not

become a spiritual master, father, mother, demigod or husband.

 

In the conditioned state, under the influence of maya, the materialist is

thinking so many nonsense things, " I belong to this family, I belong to this

nation, I belong to this community, this is my business, " he simply forgets

Krishna consciousness. All other business, he will remember, but when he is

requested to become Krishna conscious, to understand Krishna, he doesn't

like it. Except Krishna consciousness, he will take all responsibility and

work hard for that purpose.

 

To get to our original, spiritual position we must perform tapasya. Tapasya

means to revive our original normal life of Krishna consciousness. This

tapasya is not possible by the cats and dogs or animals. Tapasya is meant

for the human being.

 

Why is a man given a better chance to live than pigs or other animals? Why

is a highly posted government officer given better facilities for a

comfortable life than an ordinary clerk? The answer is very simple: the

important officer has to discharge duties of a more responsible nature than

those of an ordinary clerk. Similarly, the human being has to discharge

higher duties than the animals, who are always busy with filling their

hungry stomachs. But by the laws of nature, the modern animalistic standard

of civilization has only increased the problems of filling the stomach. When

we approach some of these polished animals for spiritual life, they say that

they only want to work for the satisfaction of their stomachs and that there

is no necessity of inquiring about the Godhead. Yet despite their eagerness

to work hard, there is always the question of unemployment and so many other

impediments incurred by the laws of nature. Despite this, they still

denounce the necessity of acknowledging the Godhead.

 

There are four classes of men—the karmis, the jnanis, the yogis, and the

bhaktas—and each achieves a different goal. The karmis work for some

material profit. For example, in the city, many people work hard day and

night, and their purpose is to get some money. Thus, they are fruitive

workers, or karmis. A jnani is a person who thinks, “Why am I working so

hard? The birds, bees, elephants, and other creatures have no profession,

yet they are also eating. So why should I unnecessarily work so hard?

Rather, let me try to solve the problems of life—birth, death, old age, and

disease.” Jnanis try to become immortal. They think that if they merge into

God’s existence, then they will become immune to birth, death, old age, and

disease. And yogis try to acquire some mystic power to exhibit a wonderful

show. For instance, a yogi can become very small: if you put him into a

locked room, he can come out through any little space. By showing this kind

of magic, the yogi is immediately accepted as a very wonderful man. Of

course, modern yogis simply show some gymnastics—they have no real power.

But a real yogi has some power, which is not spiritual but material. So the

yogi wants mystic power, the jnani wants salvation from the miseries of

life, and the karmi wants material profit. But the bhakta—the

devotee—doesn’t want anything for himself. He simply wants to serve God out

of love, just as a mother serves her child. There is no question of profit

in a mother’s service to her child. Out of pure affection and love, she

cares for him.

 

So our Krishna consciousness movement is teaching people that " You have no

other business than to work for Krishna. That's all. " This is Krishna

business. This is called Krishna consciousness business. That is called the

highest perfection.

 

" Why I am working so hard day and night for simply for sense gratification,

for satisfying the tongue, to fulfill the belly, and satisfy the genital?

This is my business and the same thing is being done by the dogs and hogs? "

 

.... To Be Continued

--

Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram