is God everywhere?
What is our destination after death?
Real
intelligence
Why doesn`t everyone surrender to
Krishna?
Why
8,400,000 species of life?
How come we have forgotten Krishna?
Why
is everything going wrong in the World?
Why do only some people
understand about Krishna?
Transcendental
Sound?
Why do the Lords servants
come to this mundane world?
Has God
really created all this?
Strange dreams, past memories?
What causes material bondage?
Is
there no happiness in this world?
Charity?
Does anyone know anything?
Why do people blame God for
their miseries?
About Lord Siva
Why is the creation made?
Why should we surrender unto Krsna and go back to His kingdom?
On Karma |
Eternal time is the witness of all our
actions, good and bad, and thus resultant reactions are destined by Him. It is no use
saying that we do not know why and for what we are suffering. We may forget the misdeed
for which we may suffer at this present moment, but we must remember that Paramatma is our
constant companion, and therefore He knows everything, past, present and future. And
because the Paramatma feature of Lord Krsna destines all actions and reactions, He is the
supreme controller also. Without His sanction not a blade of grass can move. The living
beings are given as much freedom as they deserve, and misuse of that freedom is the cause
of suffering. The devotees of the Lord do not misuse their freedom, and therefore they are
the good sons of the Lord .
If one has any desire to go to
the moon, the sun, or any other planet, one can attain the desired destination by
following specific Vedic principles recommended for that purpose. These are vividly
described in the fruitive activities portion of the Vedas, technically known as
darsa-paurnamasi, which recommends a specific worship of demigods situated on different
heavenly planets. Similarly, one can attain the Pita planets by performing a specific
yajna. Similarly, one can go to many ghostly planets and become a Yaksa, Raksa or Pisaca.
Pisaca worship is called "black arts" or "black magic." There are many
men who practice this black art, and they think that it is spiritualism, but such
activities are completely materialistic. Similarly, a pure devotee, who worships the
Supreme Personality of Godhead only, achieves the planets of Vaikuntha and Krsnaloka
without a doubt. It is very easy to understand through this important verse that if by
simply worshiping the demigods one can achieve the heavenly planets, or by worshiping the
Pitas achieve the Pita planets, or by practicing the black arts achieve the ghostly
planets, why can the pure devotee not achieve the planet of Krsna or Visnu? Unfortunately
many people have no information of these sublime planets where Krsna and Visnu live, and
because they do not know of them they fall down. Even the impersonalists fall down from
the brahmajyoti. This Krsna consciousness movement is therefore distributing sublime
information to the entire human society to the effect that simply by chanting the Hare
Krsna mantra one can become perfect in this life and go back home, back to Godhead.
According to Vedic literature, it is enjoined that
charity should be given to the brahmanas. This practice is still followed, although not
very nicely in terms of the Vedic injunction. But still the injunction is that charity
should be given to the brahmanas. Why? Because they are engaged in higher cultivation of
spiritual knowledge
There are also many impersonalists who deride temple
worship. They say that since God is everywhere, why should one restrict himself to temple
worship? But if God is everywhere, is He not in the temple or in the Deity? Although the
personalist and the impersonalist will fight with one another perpetually, a perfect
devotee in Krsna consciousness knows that although Krsna is the Supreme Personality, He is
all-pervading, as is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita. Although His personal abode is
Goloka Vrndavana and He is always staying there, still, by His different manifestations of
energy and by His plenary expansion, He is present everywhere in all parts of the material
and spiritual creations.
An intelligent person can detect the awkward position of material existence and
thus begin to inquire as to what he is, why he is subjected to different kinds of
miseries, and how to get rid of all miseries, and thus, by good association, an advanced
intelligent person can turn towards the better life of self-realization. It is advised,
therefore, that an intelligent person associate with the great sages and saints who are on
the path of salvation. By such association, one can receive instructions which are able to
slacken the conditioned soul's attachment for matter, and thus the intelligent man
gradually gets rid of the illusion of matter and false ego and is promoted to the real
life of eternity, knowledge and bliss.
Now a question arises: If the Lord is sitting in the hearts of nondevotees, why
are they not moved to become devotees? It may be answered that the stubborn nondevotees
are like the barren land or alkaline field, where no agricultural activities can be
successful. As part and parcel of the Lord, every individual living entity has a minute
quantity of independence, and by misuse of this minute independence, the nondevotees
commit offense after offense, to both the Lord and His pure devotees engaged in missionary
work. As a result of such acts, they become as barren as an alkaline field, where there is
no strength to produce.
In this material world there are 8,400,000 species of life. As spirit souls,
they are all transcendental to this material world. Why, then, do they exhibit themselves
in different stages of life? The answer is given here: they are under the spell of the
three modes of material nature. Because they were created by the material energy, their
bodies are made of the material elements. Covered by the material body, the spiritual
identity is lost, and therefore the word mumuhe is used here, indicating that they have
forgotten their own spiritual identity. This forgetfulness of spiritual identity is
present in the jivas, or souls, who are conditioned, being subject to be covered by the
energy of material nature. Jnana-guhaya is another word used. Guha means
"covering." Because the knowledge of the minute conditioned souls is covered,
they are exhibited in so many species of life.
Now the next question automatically made will be why the Lord influences the
living entity to such consciousness and forgetfulness. The answer is that the Lord clearly
wishes that every living entity be in his pure consciousness as a part and parcel of the
Lord and thus be engaged in the loving service of the Lord as he is constitutionally made;
but because the living entity is partially independent also, he may not be willing to
serve the Lord, but may try to become as independent as the Lord is. All the nondevotee
living entities are desirous of becoming equally as powerful as the Lord, although they
are not fit to become so. The living entities are illusioned by the will of the Lord
because they wanted to become like Him. Like a person who thinks of becoming a king
without possessing the necessary qualification, when the living entity desires to become
the Lord Himself, he is put in a condition of dreaming that he is a king. Therefore the
first sinful will of the living entity is to become the Lord, and the consequent will of
the Lord is that the living entity forget his factual life and thus dream of the land of
utopia where he may become one like the Lord. The child cries to have the moon from the
mother, and the mother gives the child a mirror to satisfy the crying and disturbing child
with the reflection of the moon. Similarly, the crying child of the Lord is given over to
the reflection, the material world, to lord it over as karmi and to give this up in
frustration to become one with the Lord. Both these stages are dreaming illusions only.
There is no necessity of tracing out the history of when the living entity desired this.
But the fact is that as soon as he desired it, he was put under the control of atma-maya
by the direction of the Lord. Therefore the living entity in his material condition is
dreaming falsely that this is "mine" and this is "I." The dream is
that the conditioned soul thinks of his material body as "I" or falsely thinks
that he is the Lord and that everything in connection with that material body is
"mine." Thus only in dream does the misconception of "I" and
"mine" persist life after life. This continues life after life, as long as the
living entity is not purely conscious of his identity as the subordinate part and parcel
of the Lord. In his pure consciousness, however, there is no such misconceived dream, and
in that pure conscious state the living entity does not forget that he is never the Lord,
but that he is eternally the servitor of the Lord in transcendental love.
The human beings on earth are situated at the beginning of the intermediate
worlds, but living beings like Brahma and his contemporaries live in the upper worlds, of
which the topmost is Satyaloka. In Satyaloka the inhabitants are fully cognizant of Vedic
wisdom, and thus the mystic cloud of material energy is cleared. Therefore they are known
as the Vedas personified. Such persons, being fully aware of knowledge both mundane and
transcendental, have no interest in either the mundane or transcendental worlds. They are
practically desireless devotees. In the mundane world they have nothing to achieve, and in
the transcendental world they are full in themselves. Then why do they come to the mundane
world? They descend on different planets as messiahs by the order of the Lord to deliver
the fallen souls. On the earth they come down and do good to the people of the world in
different circumstances under different climatic influences. They have nothing to do in
this world save and except reclaim the fallen souls rotting in material existence, deluded
by material energy.
The more we attempt to exploit material nature according to our whims of
enjoyment, the more we shall become entrapped by the reaction of such exploitative
attempts. If we have sufficient grains, fruits, vegetables and herbs, then what is the
necessity of running a slaughterhouse and killing poor animals? A man need not kill an
animal if he has sufficient grains and vegetables to eat. The flow of river waters
fertilizes the fields, and there is more than what we need. Minerals are produced in the
hills, and the jewels in the ocean. If the human civilization has sufficient grains,
minerals, jewels, water, milk, etc., then why should it hanker after terrible industrial
enterprises at the cost of the labor of some unfortunate men? But all these natural gifts
are dependent on the mercy of the Lord. What we need, therefore, is to be obedient to the
laws of the Lord and achieve the perfection of human life by devotional service.
It may be argued that since Krsna was present on this earth and was visible to
everyone, then why isn't He manifest to everyone now? But actually He was not manifest to
everyone. When Krsna was present there were only a few people who could understand Him to
be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the assembly of Kurus, when Sisupala spoke
against Krsna being elected president of the assembly, Bhisma supported Him and proclaimed
Him to be the Supreme God. Similarly, the Pandavas and a few others knew that He was the
Supreme, but not everyone. He was not revealed to the nondevotees and the common man.
Therefore in the Gita Krsna says that but for His pure devotees, all men consider Him to
be like themselves. He was manifest only to His devotees as the reservoir of all pleasure.
But to others, to unintelligent nondevotees, He was covered by His internal potency.
Our present senses are all made of material elements, and therefore they are
imperfect in realizing the transcendental form of Lord Visnu. He is therefore worshiped by
sound representation via the transcendental method of chanting. Anything which is beyond
the scope of experience by our imperfect senses can be realized fully by the sound
representation. A person transmitting sound from a far distant place can be factually
experienced. If this is materially possible, why not spiritually? This experience is not a
vague impersonal experience. It is actually an experience of the transcendental
Personality of Godhead, who possesses the pure form of eternity, bliss and knowledge.
By the inconceivable energy of the Lord, every creative element has its own
potencies, known as the potency of the element, potency of knowledge and potency of
different actions and reactions. By a combination of such potential energies of the Lord
there is the manifestation of creation, maintenance and annihilation in due course of time
and by different agents like Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara. Brahma creates, Visnu maintains,
and Lord Siva destroys. But all such agents and creative energies are emanations from the
Lord, and as such there is nothing except the Lord, or the one supreme source of different
diversities. The exact example is the spider and spider's web. The web is created by the
spider, and it is maintained by the spider, and as soon as the spider likes, the whole
thing is wound up within the spider. The spider is covered within the web. If an
insignificant spider is so powerful as to act according to its will, why can't the Supreme
Being act by His supreme will in the creation, maintenance and destruction of the cosmic
manifestations? By the grace of the Lord, a devotee like Brahma, or one in his chain of
disciplic succession, can understand the almighty Personality of Godhead eternally engaged
in His transcendental pastimes in the region of different energies.
In dreams we see that which was experienced during the day. But why is it that
we sometimes in our dreams see what we have never heard of or seen at any time during this
life? Here it is stated that even though such events may not be experienced in this life,
they were experienced in previous lives. According to time and circumstance, they combine
so that in dreams we see something wonderful that we have never experienced. For instance,
we may see an ocean on the peak of a mountain. Or we may see that the ocean has dried up.
These are simply combinations of different experiences in time and space. Sometimes we may
see a golden mountain, and this is due to our having experienced gold and mountains
separately. In the dream, under illusion, we combine these separate factors. In this way
we are able to see golden mountains, or stars during the day. The conclusion is that these
are all mental concoctions, although they have actually been experienced in different
circumstances. They have simply combined together in a dream.
Everyone desires to be the greatest personality in this material world. Dvesa
means "envy." When one becomes envious of Krsna, or the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, one thinks, "Why should Krsna be the all and all? I'm as good as
Krsna." These two items, desire to be the Lord and envy of the Lord, are the
beginning cause of material bondage. As long as a philosopher, salvationist or voidist has
some desire to be supreme, to be everything, or to deny the existence of God, the cause
remains, and there is no question of his liberation.
Those without knowledge of the spirit soul are mad after materialistic
activities, and they perform all kinds of sinful activities simply for sense
gratification. According to Rsabhadeva, such activities are inauspicious because they
force one to accept an abominable body in the next life. Everyone can experience that
although we try to keep the body in a comfortable position, it is always giving pain and
is subjected to the threefold miseries. Otherwise, why are there so many hospitals,
welfare boards and insurance establishments? Actually, in this world there is no
happiness. People are simply engaged trying to counteract unhappiness. Foolish people
accept unhappiness as happiness; therefore the King of the Yavanas decided to attack such
foolish people imperceptibly by old age, disease, and ultimately death. Of course, after
death there must be birth; therefore Yavana-raja thought it wise to kill all the karmis
through the agency of Kalakanya and thus try to make them aware that materialistic
advancement is not actually advancement. Every living entity is a spiritual being, and
consequently without spiritual advancement the human form of life is ruined.
The living entity is ignorant of his origin. He does not know why this material
world was created, why others are working in this material world and what the ultimate
source of this manifestation ... in this material world. No philosopher, scientist or
politician actually knows wherefrom we have come, why we are here struggling so hard for
existence and where we will go. Generally people ... (name)... because she does not know
from where she has come. Nor does she know why she is present in that place. She frankly
says that she does not know anything ... big leaders, but they do not know wherefrom they
have come, nor do they know why they are busy within this material world to obtain a
position of so-called happiness..
Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the original cause of all
causes, He is not responsible for anyone's material sufferings or enjoyment. There is no
such partiality on the part of the Supreme Lord. The less intelligent accuse the Supreme
Lord of being partial and claim that this is why one enjoys in this material world and
another suffers. But this verse specifically says that there is no such partiality on the
part of the Supreme Lord. Living entities, however, are never independent. As soon as they
declare their independence of the supreme controller, they are immediately put into this
material world to try their luck freely, as far as possible. When the material world is
created for such misguided living entities, they create their own karma, fruitive
activities, and take advantage of the time element, and thereby they create their own
fortune or misfortune. Everyone is created, everyone is maintained, and everyone is
ultimately killed. As far as these three things are concerned, the Lord is equal to
everyone; it is according to one's karma that one suffers and enjoys. The living entity's
higher or lower position, his suffering and enjoying, are due to his own karma. The exact
word used in this connection is anisah, which means "dependent on their own
karma." The example is given that the government gives everyone the facilities for
governmental action and management, but by one's own choice one creates a situation which
obliges him to exist under different types of consciousness. The example given in this
verse is that when the wind blows, particles of dust float in the air. Gradually lightning
occurs, and then torrents of rain follow, and thus the rainy season creates a situation of
varieties in the forest. God is very kind--He gives everyone an equal chance--but by the
resultant actions of one's own karma one suffers or enjoys this material world.
The devotees must always know that Lord Visnu is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead and that Lord Siva is His devotee. A devotee should be offered respect on the
level of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and sometimes even more respect. Indeed, Lord
Rama, the Personality of Godhead Himself, sometimes worshiped Lord Siva. If a devotee is
worshiped by the Lord, why should a devotee not be worshiped by other devotees on the same
level with the Lord? This is the conclusion. From this verse it appears that Lord Siva
blesses the asuras simply for the sake of formality. Actually he loves one who is devoted
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Why is the creation made? Since the Lord is the Supreme Personality of Godhead
for all living entities, He created this material manifestation for those living entities
who want to enjoy or lord it over material nature. As the Supreme Godhead, He arranges to
fulfill their various desires. It is confirmed also in the Vedas, eko bahunam yo vidadhati
kaman: the supreme one supplies the necessities of the many living entities. There is no
limit to the demands of the different kinds of living entities, and the supreme one, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, alone maintains them and supplies them by His
inconceivable energy.
By the influence of maya the conditioned soul becomes so affectionate towards
his particular type of body that if he is offered, "Give up this body, and
immediately you will have a king's body," he will not agree. This attachment strongly
affects all conditioned living entities. Lord Krsna is personally canvassing, "Give
up everything in this material world. Come to Me, and I shall give you all
protection," but we are not agreeable. We think, "We are quite all right. Why
should we surrender unto Krsna and go back to His kingdom?" This is called illusion,
or maya. Everyone is satisfied with his standard of living, however abominable it may be.
Srila Prabhupadas books are available from The
International Society for Krishna Consciousness