Asking Questions is Ok

[theist]

I found many good points in this article that I wish to apply to my own life. I highlighted only a couple. I hope others find something here that is useful in journey back to Krsna consciousness.

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Asking Questions is Ok

Dogmatic belief makes us no better Muslims.

By arguing that are ‘required’ (to follow dogma) we ultimately stifle healthy, natural individuality and counterproductively weaken the ummah.

If you have faith that your religion is the perfect religion, then you should also have faith that there exists a good answer to any question you may have. Dogmatic belief makes us no better as Muslims.

 

“Brother, don’t drink water standing up. It is unIslamic to do so. Please follow the example of the Prophet and sit down to drink the water.”

 

I watched in bewilderment as one brother told this to another at an Islamic function last Ramadan. Though the advice was well-intentioned, I had to wonder to myself: Why is it unIslamic to drink water standing up? Why would God command us not to do that?

 

The answer supposedly lies in the Sunna. God has commanded us to follow the example of the Prophet, who, although only human, is the single best example of a Muslim to have lived on this earth. By following his example in worshipping God and conducting our relations with others we are more likely to stay on the straight path of a just and pious life.

 

This all makes sense, since the Prophet’s life offers many examples of how we should lead our lives; how we should give and relate to the poor; how we should treat our companions and elders; and how we should handle potential conflicts and adversity (in a level-headed, rational way).

 

But wait … how does following things like his preferences in beverage consumption make me a better Muslim?

 

If, for example, we found proof that the Prophet sometimes snorted when he laughed, walked in a certain manner, or chewed his food 27 times before swallowing, would we follow in these too? Would doing any of these things make us better Muslims or bring us closer to God?

 

In fact, one is led to wonder that if the Prophet had lived in times similar to ours, and we learned that he liked basketball better than football and had a weakness for junior mints, would we blindly follow such things in the belief that they would help us to become better Muslims? Would it suddenly become “Islamic” to prefer Coke to Pepsi just because the Prophet did?

 

The point here is not to be facetious, nor is it meant to be inflammatory, blasphemous, or in any

Would it suddenly become “Islamic” to prefer Coke to Pepsi just because we found out that the Prophet did?

The point here is not to be facetious, nor is it meant to be inflammatory, blasphemous, or in any way offensive or disrespectful. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and there’s certainly nothing inherently wrong with imitating even the mundane aspects of the Prophet’s life if you so choose.

 

But at the same time, we have to keep our mind on the big-picture here: What did the Prophet intend for the ummah? And what do we believe is the spirit and essence of Islam? Is it to create a flourishing, diverse community of pious individuals who are bound together by their belief in the tenets of Islam and the teachings of its prophets? Or is it to create an army of mindless, non-thinking storm trooper zombies whose belief is blind and who walk, talk, look, and act the exact same like a bunch of numbskull robots?

 

Let’s try to leave aside for just a second the detailed, technical terminology and definitions that we’ve all heard thrown in rapid-fire at us before: “Who narrated it? Fard or Mustahib? Let me check the rule.” Too often we get bogged down in details and terminology and end up missing out on the big picture. Too often we forget common sense completely as we focus on literal interpretations and rituals, resulting in our practice degenerating into a dogmatic Islam that does injustice to the depth and beauty of the religion.

 

For me, personally, I do not believe that we are ‘required’ to copy the beverage consumption preferences of the Prophet, nor any of his other personal idiosyncrasies that are only natural human differences and of no particular religious significance. Sure, we can if we want; but we must realize that by arguing that are ‘required’ to we ultimately stifle healthy, natural individuality and counterproductively weaken the ummah.

 

After all, we’ve all heard that nagging little voice in the back of our heads that seems to invariably appear when someone tells us some of the things we are ‘required’ to do: “huh??… but that doesn’t make sense!”

 

The result of much of this line of dogmatic (or almost Wahhabist) practice is that we often lose out on our best minds. We’ve all noticed it before at some point: why is it that so many of the Muslims who achieve worldly success (in politics, medicine, etc) often seem to drift from the ummah?

 

While, as some may contend, it may be in part because their worldly success serves as a ‘corrupting’ force wherein they begin to wrongly emphasize the dunya (world) over deen (religion), I submit that much of it is also because as we open our minds and become better educated we find it hard to swallow some of the sometimes very odd things we’ve been taught to blindly believe are “Islamic”.

 

The key to escaping this trap is that we must always remember that there’s nothing wrong with asking questions. We need to assert our right to be open-minded and to think freely. And while the far-right, conservative types will invariably accuse such open-mindedness of somehow being ‘less Muslim’, we must also remember that this is always a favorite trick of conservatives just about anywhere: to imply that such open-mindedness is treacherous, and that anything short of dogmatic belief is a betrayal of the cause. (A good example is the way that the Bush administration and its allies smugly question the patriotism of any Americans who oppose or even simply question the policies in Afghanistan, Iraq, the so-called War on Terror, or generally anything to do with the neoconservative, far-right view of the world.)

 

Whether they know it or not, and whether they admit it or not, the question-stifling conservatives who fashion themselves as protectors of the religion in fact insult it by implying that there are holes to be found in Islam that we would rather not find; that somehow our religion is imperfect.

We should resist the urge to believe that questions are wrong and blind belief is the ideal. In accordance with the Islamic principle of itijihad(intellectual endeavor), we should strive to constantly reinterpret and examine the central, timeless principles of Islam in response to our constantly changing cultural environment.

 

We should furthermore not allow those who to a Wahhabist-like, literalist version of Islam to reduce our beloved Quran—a glorious work of almost magical beauty that is simply unmatched in human history—to just a big fat rule book, a drab tutorial guide of sorts: “Rules in life for dummies.”

 

The Quran, far from being a big fat rule book, contains timeless principles behind the ‘rules’ that need to be understood, appreciated, and constantly reapplied. After all, while it is indeed true that there is always necessarily an element of pure, blind faith in the central monotheistic belief of an all-powerful God that one cannot see or feel, that doesn’t mean that the principles he has commanded us to follow don’t make any sense.

 

We must therefore look to properly understand many of the ‘rules’ that we have been taught to follow. Many (or in fact most) are founded on good, solid and sensible reasoning. We don’t eat pork because the pig is a filthy animal (it eats its own feces, has a high concentration of tape worms, etc); we avoid alcohol because such mind-altering substances impair our judgement and thus our ability to see right from wrong; we pray regularly because it keeps a close link between ourselves and God and keeps us constantly mindful of him (one definition of taqwa); and we follow the example of the Prophet in worshipping God, giving to the poor, and treating our fellow human beings with respect and humanity because he is the final messenger of God who not only delivers but also helps us interpret the message.

 

In turn, we will find that this intellectual endeavor will make our beliefs intrinsically more sincere, and indeed significantly improve our ability to teach non-Muslims about the beauty and sensibility that underlies Islam.

 

And as for drinking water? We can do it sitting down. Or standing up. In fact, we can do it however we like.

 

I think that God leaves that one up to us.

Tariq F.

 

 

 

http://www.naseeb.com/naseebvibes/prose-detail.php?aid=1383

[theist]

 

If you have faith that your religion is the perfect religion, then you should also have faith that there exists a good answer to any question you may have. Dogmatic belief makes us no better as Muslims(or Vaisnavas).

 

 

If at some unconscious level we are afraid to scrutinize our own scriptures and beliefs for fear that what we hold to be truth will be proven false is that really faith?

 

Is there a climate of fear of being labeled a mental speculator and of being ostracized that keeps questions from being asked so as not to disturb the 'comfort zone' thta blind belief offers?

 

Well I have come to accept that there is such fear in the minds of too many myself included. I believe such fear to be the enemy of Krsna Consciousness cleverly masked as Krishna Consciousness itself. Uprooting such fear within ourselves and within the Vaisnava community is very important.

 

No need to fear questioning the SB from any possible angle. Some of that which I took as truth may be proven false but that is a good thing.

 

When the dust settles the unrivaled Absolute Truth that is the essence of SB will still be standing, shining and much easier to see by us having the dust of false belief cleared from before our eyes.

 

[AncientMariner]

The one question I have had that I would like to question about the Vedic scriptures is this and I am in no way advocating meat-eating but I read in Prabhupada's books that meat-eating is allowed in times of emergency. Isn't the Kali-yuga one big vedic emergency and if so then why is meat-eating dissallowed in the Kali-yuga? The reason I ask the question again is not to advocate or encourage meat-eating but most of my friends and relatives are meat-eaters and I am wondering if they are going to reincarnate as animals as a result of their meat-eating even though most of them do believe in God. I have tried and tried for years to convince them meat-eating is disgusting but its an exercise in futility.

[theist]

This is the way I see it. In an emergency where there is no food to sustain your life it can be justified.

 

But in kali-yuga a big part of the emergency situation is directly caused by animal slaughter itself so that can't be seen as a justification for more slaughter.

 

Also I have found that my argument is stronger by emphasizing the need to stop slaughtering animals than eating the meat from such slaughter.

 

With Christians I point out that God's original plan in Genesis called for mankind to live on a vegan diet. I ask them if they can picture slaughterhouses in Eden and then I let it go at that.

 

The Lord will decide their fate. Just encourage them to seek the ways and will of God as we should and let Supersoul take it from there. Can't convince by force.

[Guest guest]

is slaughterhouse support allowed in any circumstance, even in kali yuga. The emergent situation described means you are perhaps eating slugs and grubs, termites, etc. Maybe a squirrel now and then if you can throw a good rock, maybe a fish you trap in a good stream. Even then, there is only body maintenance considered, not enjoyment in any degree. After all, the large animals are finding foodstuff that sustains their lives, and humans should be able to do the same without killing deer or other creatures of more advanced consciousness. Deer eat berries and barks, and humans can sustain themselves in the same way. Cows eat grass, so can humans.

 

So, there may be slight concession, but never approval. haribol, ys, mahaksadasa

[AncientMariner]

I have heard it said many times that you can't take direct shelter of Krishna and Krishna doesn't accept such direct service and that anyone who calls themselves a devotee of Krishna is not actually a devotee but I just read in "The Quest for Enlightenment" the following quote:

 

"The Krsna consciousness yoga system is the means to increase your attachment for Krsna. Therefore it is said here, mayy asakta-manah partha-"gradually increasing one's attachment for Me." Krsna says one should practice this yoga system by taking shelter of Him. You can take shelter directly of Krsna, or you can take shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Krsna. That is the meaning of mad-asraya. That is the system of parampara, disciple succession. Whether you increase your attachment for Krsna or for a devotee of Krsna, it is the same."

 

What do you make of this quote as it almost seems to contradict with things I have heard previously about direct service to Krishna and all this stuff about skipping over the parampara and all that? Apparently from this quote its not even possible to skip over the parampara because service to Krishna is the same thing as service to his representative unless I am reading it wrong.

[theist]

Ask yourself who is speaking in that quote. Then ask Krsna, who you are eternally connected to, to please guide your faith to the proper source.

 

Was Prabhupada speaking in that quote? Then perhaps you have your answer already.

 

Be careful who you hear from. Many people make the mistake of believing something because a "temple devotee" said it. Don't be one of those. Take most of that with a grain of salt. No need to argue the point but just take it from Prabhupada.

 

Those same people will tell you now that Prabhupada is no longer a "living spiritual master" you have to approach Srila Prabhupada through them.

 

Krsna may very well lead you to a physically embodied guru and reveal Himself to you in that form. Just make sure you are being lead by Krsna.

 

Of course you can approach Krsna directly at any moment right in the privacy of your own heart.

 

That can also be said to be following the instructions of any and all gurus because that is what they all instruct to do, surrender to Krsna within your heart.

 

Read carefully the quote at the bottom of this post as well as the quote you offered above. Don't let others cloud the clarity of those statements.

[vijay]

Interesting conversation, I looked through veda base about approaching krishna directly, the bulk of these recomend we go through guru as in this age of kali we are conditioned but guru seems to tell us to develop attachment for krishna so i guess its direct and indirect.

 

I believe we should look at all quotes wholisticly try and reconcile them understanding the spirit of things then make a decision on what we should do. Else its a cheating game

 

Anyway

 

sb 1.9.22

 

conscious of this sweetness of transcendental humor, and therefore he likes to address the Lord as Vijaya-Sakhe, Partha-Sakhe, etc., exactly like Nanda-nandana or Yasoda-nandana. The best way to establish our relation in transcendental sweetness is to approach Him through His recognized devotees. One should not try to establish the relation directly; there must be a via medium which is transparent and competent to lead us to the right path.

 

HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 

 

Here srila prabhupada says approach the current link

sb 2.9.7

As already stated, Brahma is the original spiritual master for the universe, and since he was initiated by the Lord Himself, the message of Srimad-Bhagavatam is coming down by disciplic succession, and in order to receive the real message of Srimad-Bhagavatam one should approach the current link, or spiritual master, in the chain of disciplic succession. After being initiated by the proper spiritual master in that chain of succession, one should engage himself in the discharge of tapasya in the execution of devotional service. One should not, however, think himself on the level of Brahma to be initiated directly by the Lord from inside because in the present age no one can be accepted to be as pure as Brahma. The post of Brahma to officiate in the creation of the universe is offered to the most pure living being, and unless one is so qualified one cannot expect to be treated like Brahmaji directly. But one can have the same facility through unalloyed devotees of the Lord, through scriptural instructions (as revealed in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam especially), and also through the bona fide spiritual master available to the sincere soul. The Lord Himself appears as the spiritual master to a person who is sincere in heart about serving the Lord. Therefore the bona fide spiritual master who happens to meet the sincere devotee should be accepted as the most confidential and beloved representative of the Lord. If a person is posted under the guidance of such a bona fide spiritual master, it may be accepted without any doubt that the desiring person has achieved the grace of the Lord.

 

HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 

NOD 12

In the Adi Purana there is the following statement by Lord Krsna Himself, addressed to Arjuna: "My dear Partha, one who claims to be My devotee is not so. Only a person who claims to be the devotee of My devotee is actually My devotee." No one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. One must approach Him through His pure devotees. Therefore, in the system of Vaisnava activities, the first duty is to accept a devotee as spiritual master and then to render service unto him.

Sri Rupa Gosvami affirms that all the quotations given in the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu from different scriptures are accepted by the great acaryas and devotees of the Lord.

 

 

HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 

.. uktah. In all the sastras, guru is accepted as Krsna. Saksad-dharitvena. Saksad means directly. Just like you offer your devotion, respects, to guru. So that respect is offered to Krsna. Guru also does not think himself that he is Krsna, but he collects the devotional services of the disciples to offer to Krsna. This is the process. We cannot approach Krsna directly. We should approach through guru. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam. That is the injunction of the sastra, that one should approach the guru who can transfer the service from the disciple to the Supreme Person. So... Therefore the first offering is guru, vande gurun. Then guru creates many devotees. Guru's business is to canvass on behalf of Supreme Lord. That is guru's ...

 

HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

[theist]

So what to do? Either the quotes cancel themselves out or as vijay suggested they be reconciled.

 

Just to add another twist to the mix I would add that I don't believe anyone approachs Krsna purely from a lone position. That soul can always be found to have taken aid from an enlightened jiva in some form either in this birth or a past one. No man is an island. Ever since Brahma received and disseminated transcendental knowledge into the universe it has spread throughout. Otherwise this capsule of universal elements would have remained completely dark and void of spiritual light.

 

Plus figure in all the saktyavesa avatars Krsna has sent to illuminate this place with their presence and transcendental knowledge.

 

I don't accept that ANY soul approaches the Lord without some touch of inspiration from one or more of His devotees.

 

Like most spiritual realities this one doesn't fit neatly into my conditioned mind which is always demanding nicely ordered concepts fit for easy filing. So perhaps the problem lies with the inability of my conditioned mind to house all these so-called and apparently contradictory statements.

[vijay]

Maybe its a case for simple for the simple complicated for the complicated, may be the answer is under our noses we just fail to grasp. It could be as simple direct attachment to krsna gives guru, then guru gives krsna, , i read in one of the letters that when we approach krsna we approach his compassionate side, and this is radharani, this is what bishma did on his bed of arrows i cant remeber what canto. I guess its like maths or any other science on the surface we may see contradictions but the deeper we get we can see how it fits together.

 

By the way the thanks for the discussion we had on milk a while back, I am now asking devotees to pray harder when offering milk and pray for the cows specifically when drinking it thinking of what the mother has been through to give it to us, hopefully this will motivate devotees to naturally give it up or inspire to help protect cows by krsnas grace, I have been doing this naturally for a while due to probably guilt and now find my self drinking milk may be once a week, rather than everyday.

 

[theist]

That is a very expert approach to the milk issue. Of course I never thought of it. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Who could argue with that advice?

 

Nice to hear you have cut way back like that. Let's hope many others follow that example.

 

I figure if we just keep chipping away at our hearts Krsna will bless us with a full understanding of these issues in due course as long as we show Him we have the desire to understand.

 

Haribol

[vijay]

What is your view on organic milk? Is it a better alternative as the cows are treated much better or the same as in the end they are killed?

[theist]

It is probably less injurious to health as they don't use hormones and pesticides on the cows but they still send them for slaughter when their production falls off. The males calves still get used as veal etc.

 

So since cow protection is our main focus with health a secondary consideration milk from unprotected cows still doesn't pass the test.

[vijay]

If we settle for the organic market, we wont help in creating a cow protected milk market.

 

[krsna]

 

 

(Athato Brahama Jijnasa)

 

 

 

Delhi, Wednesday 20th April, 1960

 

Edited and Founded

 

Under direct order of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhakti-Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada

 

By Goswami Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta

 

A small child walking with his father goes on enquiring constantly. He asks his father so many odd things, and the father has to satisfy him with proper answers. When I was a young father in my householder-life, I was overflooded with hundreds of questions from the then second son, who was my constant companion. One day it so happened that a bridegroom party was passing our tram car and the four year old boy, as usual enquired what was the big procession. He was given all the possible answers to his thousand and one question regarding the marriage party and at last the question came from him whether his own father was married ! This queer question gave rise to loud laughter from all the elderly gentlemen present there but the boy was astounded as to why we were laughing. Anyway the boy was somehow satisfied by the married father. And the lesson from this incidence is that a human being, as he is a rational animal, is born to make enquiries and questions. The greater the number of questions, the greater is the advancement of knowledge and science. The whole material civilization is based on this originally volume of questions by the man asking from the elderly persons. The elderly persons give away the proper answers to the questions of the youngsters and thus the progress of civilization is made one step after another. And the highest intelligent man makes enquiries in what is next after death. Less intelligent persons make less enquiries but in the case of higher intelligence the questionairs are still higher and lower.

 

 

 

Maharaja Parikshit, the great Emperor of the whole World was accidentally cursed by a Brahmin to meet death within seven days and that being bitten by a serpent. The cursing Brahmin was a boy only and yet he was so powerful but still without knowing the importance of the great King the boy foolishly cursed him to meet death within seven days. The incidence was later on lamented by the boy's father whom the King had offended. When the king was informed of the unfortunate occurance, he at once left his palatial home and went to the bank of the Ganges near his capital for being prepared for the impending death. And because he was a great king almost all the sages and learned scholars assembled there where the king was fasting prior to leaving his mortal body. At last Sukhdev Goswami the youngest contemporary saint also arrived on the spot and he was unanimously accepted for the chair of the meeting even though his great father was also present in that meeting. The king respectfully offered him relevant questions in the matter of his passing away from the mortal world which was to take place on the seventh day thence forward. The great king as the worthy descendant of the devotee Pandavas made the following relevant enquiries from the great sage Sukhdeva. He asked 'My dear Sir, You are the greatest of the great transcendentalists and therefore I beg to ask you submissively about my duties at this moment. I am just on the verge of my death and as such what should be done by me at this critical hour. Please let me know my Lord also what shall I worship or whom shall I remember now. A great sage like you does not stay at the house of a householder more than necessity and it is my good fortune that you have kindly come here at the time of my death. Please therefore give me your direction at this critical hour and oblige."

 

 

 

The great sage, thus being pleasingly asked by the king answered his questions authoritatively as he was not only a great transcendental scholar also he was well equipped with the qualities of God as he was the worthy son of Vadrayana or Vyasdeva. He said:--

 

 

 

"My Dear King, your enquiry is very much relevant and it is also beneficial for all the people all the time. It is relevant because such enquiries are the top most of all other enquiries on account of being confirmed by the teaching of the Vedanta Darshan. It is atmabit sammta, i.e., those who are liberated soul with full knowledge of spiritual identity -- do put forward such relevant enquiries in order to elucidate further informations in the matter of Transcendence."

 

 

 

"Srimad Bhagwatam" is the natural commentation of the great Vedanta or Sarirak Sutra compiled by Srila Vyasadeva. The topmost Vedic literatures with nucleus of basic enquiries on the transcendental subject of spiritual knowledge -- is the Vedanta Sutra. Srila Vyasdeva compiled this great treatise but still he was not satisfied in his mind. He happened to meet at that time Sri Narada his spiritual master who advised him to describe the identity of the personality of Godhead and upon this advice only he meditated on the principle of Bhakti Yoga which showed him distinctly what is the Absolute and what is the relativity or Maya. On perfect realisation of these facts only he compiled the great narration of the beautiful Srimad Bhagwatam which begins from the practical and comtemporary historical facts in the life of Maharaj Parikshit.

 

 

 

The Vednata Sutra begins with the key enquiry in transcendence. It is said there as "Athato Brahman Jinansa" i.e. one should now enquire about Brahman -- or the Transcendence.

 

 

 

So long a man is in the full vigour of life he forgets the naked truth of death which he has to meet and still the foolishman does not make any relevant enquiry in the real problems of life. Every one thinks he will never die although he sees in every second the evidences of death before his eyes. Animality and humanity is distinguished here. An animal like a goat does not understand about his immminent death although just before it another brother goat is being slaughtered. It will stand peacefully just before it being allured by a bunch of green grass offered to it for awaiting the next chance of being slaughtered at the same place. The animal has no sense of this impending death. But a human being if he sees that his fellow brother is being killed by an enemy either he fights to save his brother or he quits the place, if possible, to save his own life. That is the difference between a man and a goat.

 

 

 

An intelligent man knows that death is born along with his own birth. He knows that he is dying every second and the final touch will be given as soon as his term of life is finished. He therefore prepares himself for the next life or liberation fom the diseases of repeated birth and death.

 

 

 

Foolish man does not know that this human form of life is obtained -- after a series of birth and death in the past by the law of nature. He does not know that a living entity is an eternal being and he has no birth and death. Birth, death, old age and diseases are external impositions on a living entity on account of his contact with the material nature. It is due to his forgetfulness of eternal godly nature or being qualitatively one with the Absolute Whole.

 

 

 

Human-life is the opportunity to know this eternal fact or truth of life and as such the Vedanta Sutra advises in the very beginning that because we have got this valuable form of human life it is our duty to enquire, now, what is Brahman or the Absolute truth.

 

 

 

A man who is not intelligent enough does not enquire about this transcendental life but he enquires on many irrelevant matters which does not concern to his eternal existence of life. From the very beginning of his life he enquires from his mother, father, teacher, professors, books and so many other sources but has no right type of informations about his real life.

 

 

 

Parikshit Maharaj was given a warning notice, as mentioned before of his meeting death within seven days and he at once left his palace to prepare himself for the next stage. The king had at least seven days at his disposal for being prepared for the incidence. But so far we are concerned, we know at least death is as sure as anything but we have no information of the fixed-date. I do not know whether I am going to meet death in the next moment. Even a great man like Mahatma Gandhi could not calculate that he was going to meet with death in the next five minutes neither his great associates also could guess about his impending death and still all these gentlemen of repute pose to hold themselves as the great leaders of the people.

 

 

 

This ignorance of death and life distinguishes an animal from a man. A man in the real sense of the term enquires about himself or what he is. Where form he has come in to this life and where he is going after death. Why he is put under the troubles of threefold miseries although he does not want them. He goes on enquring so many things on his life beginning from his childhood but he never enquires about the real fact of life. This is animalism. There is no difference between a man and an animal so far the four principles of animal life is concerned. A living being exists by eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. Except the human being no other life is meant for relevant enquiries in the fact of eternal life, or about the transcendence. Human life is therefore meant for making research in the matter of eternal life and the Vedanta Sutra advises him to so now or never. If he therefore fails to enquire relevantly in the matters of life now, he is sure to go back to the kingdom of the animals again by the laws of nature. The foolish man therefore even if he appears to be advanced in the material science i.e. in the matters of eating, sleeping, fearing and mating etc., he cannot get rid of the cruel hands of death by the law of nature. The law of nature is working under three modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance. Those who are living under the conditions of goodness are being promoted to the highest status of life (spiritually). Those who are living under the conditions of passion are being stationed in the same place (Materially). But those who are living under the conditions of ignorance are sure to be degraded into the lower species of life.

 

 

 

The modern set up of human civilization is a risky one; because there is no education in the matter of relevant enquiries in the principles of life. Like animals only they do not know how they are going to be slaughtered by the laws of nature. They are satisfied with a bunch of green grass or so called jolly life like the waiting goat in the slaughter house. In such a condition of human life, we are just trying to make an humble attempt to save the human being by propaganda of Back to Godhead. This propaganda is not fictitious. If there is any reality at all this propaganda of Back to Godhead is the beginning of that era-of-reality.

 

According to Shri Sukhdeva Goswami, the real fact is that a Grihamedi or a person who has just tied up himself, like the would be slaughtered goat, in the business of family, society, community, nation, or humanity at large in respect of the animal necessities life namely eating, sleeping, fearing and mating problems and without any knowledge in the transcendence -- is as good as an animal. He might have enquired in the matter of physical, political, economical, cultural, educational or similar other material matters which is temporarily concerned with the material life but if he had had no enquiries in the matter of principles of life transcendental, he should be taken as the blind man going to fall down in the ditch while running ahead driven by the uncontrolled senses. That is the description of a Grihamedi. But contrary to this there is another word called by the name Grihastha.

 

 

 

A Grhastha Ashram or the shelter of life in the family encirclement is as good as that of a Sannyasi. The important point is that about the relevant enquiries made by the person. A Sannyasi may be a bogus person if he is not interested in the matters of relevant enquiries. And a Grihastha or a householder may be a bonafide person if he is inclined to make such relevant enquiries. But the Grihamedi is simply interested in the matters of animal necessities of life. The Grihamedi's life is full of calamities by the laws of nature, while the life of the Grihastha is full of happiness. In the modern set up of human civilzation, the Grihamedis are passing on as the Grihasthas. We should therefore know who is what. A Grihamedi's life is full of vices because he dos not know how to live a family lfe. He does not know that there is a power beyond his control who looks and controls his activities and he has no conception of his future life. He is blind to see his future and has no aptitude for making the relevant enquiries. His only qualification is being tied up by the shackles of attachment in the false things which he has contacted in his temporary existence.

 

 

 

Such Grihamedis waste valuable time at night by sleeping or in the engagements of different varieties of sex urge. Such sex urges are satisfied by visiting the cinema shows, attending clubs and gambling houses where women and drinking are indulged in lavishly. And during the day time the valuable life is wasted in accumulating mass of money, or if there is sufficient money to spend, the time is wasted in the matters of adjusting the comforts of family members. The standard of family life and personal needs increases with the increase of monetary income and there is no limit of satiation. There is no limit of standard life and the limit of expenses. There is therefore an unlimited competition in the field of so called economic development and therefore there is no peace in any society of the human world. Every body is perplexed with the same questions of earning and spending although at the end one has to depend on the mercy of mother nature. When there is scarcity in production or there is disturbance from higher godly agents, the poor planmaking politicians accuses the cruel nature but carefully avoids to study the laws of nature as how and by whom she is controlled. In the Bhagwat Geeta the answer is that the laws of nature is controlled by the Absolute Personality of Godhead. God is alone the controller of nature and the natural laws. Sometimes they pick up a fragment of the law of nature but never care to know the maker of these laws. Most of them do not believe in the existence of an Absolute Person like God Who controls the laws of nature and they simply stick to the principles of interaction of different elements without any reference to the direction which makes such interaction possible at all. They have no relevant questions or answers in this regard. But the Vedanta Sutra answers the question of Brahman in the next Sutra asserting that the Supreme Brahman as He, from whom every thing is generated and he is a person in the last issue.

 

 

 

Foolish Grihamedi does not only know the temporary nature of a particular type of body obtained by him but also he does not see the actual position of things which are happening before him in the daily affairs of his life. He sees before him that his father dies, his mother dies, or a relative or neighbour dies and yet he does not make the relevant enquiries whether the existing members will go or they will not die at all. Sometimes he thinks and knows that all members will die today or the day after and so also he will die. He knows that the whole family show or for the matter of that the whole show of community society or nationality and all such temporary things are temporary bubbles in the air without any permanent value and yet he is mad after this temporary arrangements only without any relevant enquiry. He has no knowledge as to where he has to go after his death. He works very hard for the temporary arrangement of the family, society or nationality but never makes any arrangement either for himself or for others who will pass this present phase of life.

 

 

 

In a public vehicle like the Railway carriage we meet and sit down together with some unknown friends and become pratically members of the same vehicle for a short time. But in due course every one of us separate never to meet again in life. Similarly in the long sojourn of life we get a temporary sitting accomodation in the so called family, country or society etc., but when the time is up we unwillingly separate from one another never to meet again. There are so many relevant questions and enquiries in this regard of temporary arrangements of life or meeting our friends in the temporary arrangements but no body of the Grihamedi class of men does enquire in the permanent nature of things. We are all busy in making permanent plans in various degrees of leadership without knowing the permanent nature of things as they are. Sripad Samkaryacharya who specially made propaganda work to remove this ignorance of the society and advocated for culture of spiritual knowledge at large in the matter of all pervading impersonal Brahman said in despair as follows:-- "The boys are engaged in playful things, the youngsters are engaged in the so called love affairs with girls and the old is seriously thoughtful for adjusting a baffled struggle in life. But alas no body is prepared to enquire relevantly in the science of Brahman."

 

 

 

Shri Sukhdeva Goswami who asked for direction by the Maharaja Parikshit; advised the king as follows in response to his relevant inquiries.

 

 

 

"Oh the descendent of Bharata, it is the duty of the mortal men to enquire, hear glorify and meditate upon the Personality of Godhead who is the most attractive Person on account of His fulness of opulance etc. He is called Hari because He alone can undo the conditional existence of a living being. If we at all want to be free from the conditional existence we must make relevant enquiries about the Absolute Truth so that He may be pleased to bestow upon us perfect freedom of life."

 

 

 

Shri Sukhdeva Goswami has particularly used four words in this connection in respect of the Absolute Personality of Godhead. The Absolute Person is called Parama Brahma in distinction with other persons who are also qualitatively one with him. The Absolute Personality of Godhead is addressed as Sarbatma or all pervading. No body is aloof from Him but not all of them have the realisation. The Personality of Godhead by His plenary representation reside in everyone's heart as Paramatma or Super Soul along with all the individual souls. Therefore every individual soul has intimate relation with Him and forgetfulness of this intimate relation with Him -- which exists eternally, is the cause of an immemorial conditional life. But because He is Bhagwan or the Supreme Personality, He can at once reciprocate the responsive call of a devotee. Not only that but also because He is the Perfect Person His beauty and opulance, Fame, Strength, Knowledge etc. are all unlimited source of transcendental bliss for the individual soul. The individual soul becomes attracted by all these different opulances imperfectly represented by other conditional souls. And therefore the individual soul is not satisfied by such imperfect respresentation and perpetually seeks for the perfect one. The Personality of Godhead's beauty has no comparison so also are His knowledge and renunciation. And above all He is the Iswara or the Supreme Controller. We are at present being controlled by the police action of the great King. The police action is imposed upon us on account of our disobedience of law. But because He is Hari, He is able to cause disappearance of all our conditional life by giving us full freedom in spiritual existence. It is therefore the duty of every man to make relevant enquries about Him and thus go Back to Godhead.