Purushottam Vrata Blog, Day 6

I got a nice letter from a disciple of Gadadhar Pran living in Mayapur who wanted to get in touch after hearing about me from GP. In the course of the letter he told me that he was getting up at 2 o'clock every morning and chanting three lakhs each day. It just goes to show how trivial my own efforts are. I hope that he is not adversely affected by revealing his practices. Of course, I encouraged him. How could I not be pleased that my Godbrother is inspiring a young devotee to find enthusiasm in chanting the Holy Name with attachment and enthusiasm?

But it makes me feel that my struggles to stabilize my regular daily schedule and carry out even a semblance of bhajan is somewhat futile. Anyway, it is going on.

I spent most of the day working on the GGM Br̥had-bhāgavatāmr̥ta document, which was typed up by someone else and needs editing. Actually, now that we have more people contributing texts, the editing work has increased exponentially and there are very few people qualified who are willing to do the work. So now we have thousands of pages of Bhagavatam and other texts that need to be checked and formatted to meet the GGM standards. I often complain about not having help, but I am a hard person to help. I am totally distracted. And I even get irritated when I have to do something other than what I am just now doing.

Last year at Jiva, the advanced Sanskrit class was reading Br̥had-bhāgavatāmr̥ta along with Sanatan's commentary. I would like to do it again, but it will be difficult in the ensuing year when everything will be done on Zoom. To find a time that is suitable to people in different time zones around the world is an almost impossible challenge. But it was to that end that I was cleaning up the text of the first volume.

But slowly, slowly, I am detaching myself from these other texts and orienting myself to the Prīti Sandarbha. But it is tough. Time is limited. It is easier to edit Sanskrit than to edit translated Sanskrit or to translate properly.

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My sister responded to my post on Facebook from yesterday, where I highlighted the first verse about avoiding asatsanga: "I would rather live in a cage of fire than be in the company of non-devotees. Who worship other gods, i.e., gods like Mammon. She said, "That is a little harsh isn't it?" 

My sister lives in the Catskills and there are many yogis and New Age people around there, many whom I met in a visit last year. The devotee's exclusivity does sound harsh to those who yearn for a society of love and friendship. But these people and Trumpers? I suspect they may feel the same kind of aversion. I have heard as much, and the sentiments are mirrored by those on the other side of the American cultural divide.

I made an attempt to explain as follows:

I guess it is hard to explain. It is the absorption and preoccupation with illusion and the sources of misery that grates and saps one's energy. This verse is of course hyperbole, but who has not felt something similar at some time when in the midst of those whose mindset is diametrically opposed to one's own?

Vaishnavas basically divide humanity into four groups:

(1) Those who belong to the realm of realization, in which case we mean pure love of God. Even there we have a predilection for those with the same tastes and interests as ourselves. God has many forms and reveals himself in specific ways to specific people. These are gurus and the main sources of revelation and inspiration.

(2) Other practitioners with whom we are natural friends. There are many divisions here, and of course it is never easy to be close friends with anyone or to share common goals in a complete way. But the basic advice is (a) know your own goals through association with (1) above and generally try to find those who share them (b) to seek out those who are affection, with whom you have natural affinity on a personal level, and (c) those who are more advanced and can help you to advance towards that goal.

Even here, association means usually more formal situations and not so much looking for wasting time together. That is the nature of the devotee and the more one progresses, the less one wants to waste time in mundane trivialities. We share activities like meditation, kirtan, discussion of scripture, service and such things.

(3) Those who are curious and are interested in hearing. The devotee feels charitable towards these people, who know that life in the world is one of suffering and are looking for answers. The devotee is naturally compassionate to all who suffer and believes that he can help by showing the way to the Absolute Truth of Existence, Consciousness and Joy.

(4) Those who are opposed to God and who try to undermine one's spiritual progress. These are the ones we avoid. This is not hatred, far from it, but it is a recognition that our powers are limited where those who are determinedly inimical to the kinds of goals that we hold close to our hearts. We think it is first of all important to change ourselves and become empowered in love to the degree that we can influence these people, whom we call tamasik, in the sense that they consider what is contrary to their true welfare to be good and beneficial, who identify with spiritual ignorance and consider the life of the body to be all in all.

This latter group is becoming more and more dominant in society and they are very proud of human achievements. They think that spiritual life, in particular theistic devotion, ae opposed to human progress and so they are actively inimical. They think we are stupid and backward. So such people should be avoided for anyone who seeks true peace and happiness and spiritual perfection.

Satsanga is the most important element in spiritual life. It cannot be underestimated. For the beginner and the serious committed sadhaka, there is no more important aspect that should be cultivated. LIke a crystal takes on the color of that which surrounds it, we are all affected by the company we keep.

There is a stage of enlightenment where one can actually rise above this and see the presence of God in all things. That is the goal, but those who prematurely think they have risen to that level or who go around with the "all is love" idea are in for disappointment. The path to the divine is narrow, once one has passed through the eye of the needle, one enters the transcendental realm of universal oneness, not before.

That being said, I find that as I get older, more inwardly oriented and more serious generally, I am less likely to be interested in things that distract me from my goal, from the trivial, and those who are preoccupied with the goals of life that are finite and confined to this world, "temporary pleasures that are terminated by the sundering cleaver of Time."

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In the following verse of Lalita-mādhava, Radha, even after being united with Krishna in Dwaraka, asks Him for the boon of once again having Him back in Vrindavan, which is filled with ever-sweet memories.

yā te līlā-rasa-parimalodgāri-vanyā-parītā dhanyā kṣauṇī vilasati vṛtā māthurī mādhurībhiḥ tatrāsmābhiś caṭula-paśupī-bhāva-mugdhāntarābhiḥ saṁvītas tvaṁ kalaya vadanollāsi-veṇur vihāram

Dear Krishna, the fragrance of the mellows of Your pastimes permeates the forests of the blessed land of Mathura (Vrindavan), which is surrounded by sweetness. In the congenial atmosphere of that wonderful land, enjoy Your pastimes once again, Your flute dancing on Your lips, and surrounded by us, whose hearts are always enchanted by the throbbing mood of love we had as milkmaids. (10.38)

Comment: The word caṭula (“flickering, unsteady”) indicates that the gopis wish to return not just to Vrindavan, but to the mood of parakīyā-rasa. Mugdha (“bewildered”) means that they are under the influence of Yogamaya.

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