Author: Purushottam Nitai Das

Why not ‘Why’?

Purushottam Nitai Das October 9, 2012

  • How should I increase my fortune?
  • How should I pass the exam?
  • How to impress my boss?
  • How the earth moves around the sun?
  • How beautiful the weather is today.

The list is endless. Throughout the day and throughout our lives we are either busy understanding as “How things work in this world” and “How can it be utilized to fulfill the mundane requirements of our life”. 

Do we ever bother to ask ‘Why’?

  • Why should I earn money?
  • Why am I working?
  • Why someone in this world is born rich and someone as poor?
  • Why earth moves round this sun?
  • Why do we grow old?
  • Why do we die?
  • Why relationship of this world is so fragile and temporary?
  • Why our life is temporary and not permanent in this world?

Unless we try to seek answers to these questions we will fail to do any justice to ourselves. Such inquiry is called Athato brahma – jijnasa. Let us not utilize our human intelligence in solving the problems of ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithun – eating, sleeping, defending and mating.  Animals can do it better than us and that too without much struggle.

Let us utilize our human intelligence for some meaningful purpose. So let us begin by asking “Why” first and then seek answer for “How”. For e.g. let us inquire, “Why everything in this world is temporary?” Once we find answer to this question then we should ask “How to transfer ourselves from this temporary realm to the eternal world?”

 

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Don’t live but -> Leave

Purushottam Nitai Das October 5, 2012
He seemed to be perplexed and in anxiety. He was looking out of the window confusedand was very carefully reading all the station names. When I enquired about the reason for his restlessness he said – “I am new to Kolkata. I have to reach this particular address at around 10 a.m. And I am not aware as how to reach there.” Other passengers in the metro -train were bit relaxed, not in much anxiety.

Like the passenger in the metro we are also uncertain about our destination. So, we too keep on searching different means to live peacefully and blissfully.

We are in constant predicament because we are alien to this world.  Once we come to this world we struggle even for our basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter. We are here in constant anxiety and are always fearful because we are unaware about our future.   We do not belong to this world. This is not our original home. We are not meant to “live” in this world but we should immediately “leave” this world. 

“Leaving” does not mean committing suicide. It means changing our consciousness.  When our consciousness is fixed in Krishna then fear, anxiety, grief, lamentation, hankering and restlessness withers away. Srila Prabahupada says, “The world is miserable for the materially infected person, but for a devotee the entire world is as good as Vaikuntha, or the spiritual sky.” Abhayam, fearlessness, is possible only when we take the shelter of Krishna.

 We enjoy unlimitedly in the spiritual world, our original home, but struggle for survival when we come to this world. So let us “leave” this world by “living” in harmony with Krishna’s wishes because he is our best well – wisher.

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Dare to dry the ocean

Purushottam Nitai Das October 4, 2012

The sparrow challenged the ocean, “Return my eggs else I will dry you”. Hearing this ocean started laughing. The ocean had stolen the eggs of the sparrow and the little bird wanted her eggs badly. She was determined to get it back. And so with her tiny little peek she took a few drops of water from the ocean and threw it on the surface. She did it again and again. Everyone was amused; the ocean could not control his laughter. But nothing deterred the sparrow. She continued with her endeavour without thinking about success or failure. News spread everywhere about the resolve of an insignificant creature to dry the gigantic ocean. Finally her efforts attracted the attention of Garuda, the king of the birds and the carrier of Lord Vishnu. Garuda threatened the ocean and said, “Return her eggs immediately or else I will completely dry you now.” Seeing the huge size of Garuda, ocean became frightened and within no time retuned back the eggs of the bird.

Most of the time we get discouraged thinking that this is an impossible task for me to accomplish. We accept defeat even before giving a try. This material world is like a big ocean and we are like tiny little sparrows. We do not have the capacity to cross this ocean on our own. But if we decide to cross over this ocean of material existence and if we show our sincerity by regularly chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare” then success is guaranteed.  Our determination and sincerity will please the Lord as the efforts of the sparrow pleased Garuda.

 Srila Prabhupada explains, “If anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.”

So, let us take a vow to dry the ocean of material existence and show our efforts by practicing devotional life with utmost sincerity keeping complete faith in our endeavour.

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Formula to work 24hrs a day

Purushottam Nitai Das September 30, 2012

We generally begin a work with great enthusiasm but soon the enthusiasm wanes. Boredom and monotony penetrates. We fret and often regret that why did we take this task. And most often we complete the task unwillingly. We are not physically so much drained out than mentally. However Bhagavad – gita gives us a technique which can help us to perform a particular task with great enthusiasm and energy. And one can even work for 24hrs a day without even getting tired.

If we imbibe the principles of yogah karmasu kausalam (Bhagavad – gita 2.50) then we will get the ability to work enthusiastically 24hrs a day.  Karmasu means activities and kausalam means expert service. If we sincerely want to perform any task by keeping Krishna in the centre then Krishna will awards us sufficient intelligence to perform the work expertly and will give extra enthusiasm to accomplish it.  The six goswamis of Vrindavan who were deputed by Lord Caitanaya Mahaprabhu to propagate Krishna Consciousness slept only for 2 hours a day. They were so engrossed in Krishna Conscious activities that they considered sleep & food to be a disturbing distraction.

Mundane material activities may seem to be attractive in the beginning but becomes tasteless after some time. For example when we take up a new job then we have great hope and expectations from it but soon we get bored. But if we take up a job as our prescribed duty and do it for the pleasure of Krishna then we can do the work with lots of enthusiasm. The life of Bhaktivinoda Thakur is a guiding light for entire humanity. Bhaktivinoda Thakur was a great Vaisnava saint whose center of life was Krishna. He was a householder and worked as a magistrate. He performed his prescribed duties with utmost sincerity that everyone was pleased with him. He was able to do so because he always kept Krishna in the centre. He wrote hundreds of books, poems and songs which is still a source of inspiration for millions of Krishna devotees all over the world.

Spiritual life is so sublime that people neither get bored nor fatigued. They only get inspiration to work more and more.

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Suffering like a fish out of water

Purushottam Nitai Das September 28, 2012

Every one of us wants to be happy. In fact every moment we strive hard to achieve happiness but most often we find that in spite of achieving all what we had desired to achieve we still remain unhappy. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha i.e. eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. We being parts and parcel of the Lord we also have desire for eternity, bliss and knowledge. Every jiva be it in Svargloka, brahmaloka, bhuvarloka etc. wants to be happy. The level of happiness which one enjoys in the heavenly planets is far greater than what we enjoy on earth. On earth also there is difference in the level of enjoyment which one may experience in a western country than in India.

 In spite of striving hard to achieve happiness people never get the bliss which they dream, they never feel inner satisfaction, inner fulfillment and inner joy. Why is it so? Suppose we take a fish out of water and put it in a golden jar then will the fish be happy? Definitely ‘No’. Fish is happy only in water and not out of water. Similarly we are spiritual beings and we will be happy only when we get connected to Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and return back to our original home which is the spiritual world.

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The goal of my life is to lead an UnHappy life?

Purushottam Nitai Das September 26, 2012

Have you met anyone in this world who wants to fail in an exam, or want to lose his job or want to meet with an accident?  Do we find anyone who boldly declares that “The goal of my life is to lead an UnHappy life”.

Have you ever wondered why everyone wants or struggles to be happy?  From a beggar on the street to a business magnate, everyone makes plan to ensure a happy and fulfilling life. Even small babies who do not know anything about “Being Happy” or “Being UnHappy” want to be happy.

What is the source of this desire?

Srila Prabhupada comments, “The living entities, like the Lord, are full of consciousness, and they are after happiness.”  Being happy is our natural state & this is why we always seek pleasure. And we seek pleasure because as a soul we are sac-cid-änanda i.e. eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. Radhanath Swami explains, “In the Brahma-sutra it is said ananda–mayo ‘bhyasat, which means the inherent
nature of every living being is we are seeking pleasure”.

All of us want to be happy but unfortunately we do not know how to be happy. Since we are souls so we are spirit not matter. Therefore our quest for happiness should also be spiritual not material. Also real happiness is that which is unlimited, uninterrupted and uncontaminated. 

Krishna is the original source of such unlimited pleasure. And if we want to bathe in this reservoir of pleasure then we will have to get connected to Krishna.  If we take shelter of Govinda (one who gives pleasure to the senses) then we are guaranteed of unlimited and uninterrupted bliss.

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Give spiritual sense to Senses

Purushottam Nitai Das September 25, 2012

We are completely subjugated by of our senses. Our senses drag us in different directions and like a faithful servant we follow them.  Srila Prabhupada compares the material senses to a serpent. One cannot keep friendship with a venomous snake because it can kill us any time.  Similarly we should never keep friendship with our senses because it can cheat us and degrade us at any time. It is very difficult to control senses. Although we may succeed in controlling it for sometime but soon we get victimized by it. Senses always seek pleasure. Eyes wants to see beautiful objects, tongue want to taste something delicious, ear wants to hear something sweet, nose wants to smell something nice and skin wants to feel pleasure. We are under the control of our senses at each and every moment.

Subjugating senses is very difficult but not impossible.  Sri Caitanaya Mahaprabhu has given us a very practical but powerful solution. He asks us to subjugate our senses by spiritualizing it. Seeing the deities purify our eyes, taking prasadam offered to Krishna purifies our tongue, hearing the glories of the Lord purify our ears, smelling the flowers offered to Lord purifies our nose and offering obeisances to Lord purifies our skin.

This is the only way to control our senses. Once our senses get spiritualized we will get attached and attracted to the spiritual way of life. Once we start spiritualizing our senses by adopting the above means and utilize our mind in remembering Krishna by chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra then our whole life will get purified. And we will experience great bliss.

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Only Ask – How can I serve you?

Purushottam Nitai Das September 22, 2012

Krishna takes care of all our necessities. He provides food to an insignificant ant and also to a huge elephant. But most often when we approach him we ask for several material things. We think that Krishna is not aware of our necessities. We consider Krishna to be our order supplier and demand several things from him – like good marks, high paying job, palatial bungalow, fancy car, beautiful spouse and so on.

Instead of asking something material we should pray to Krishna to give us intelligence so that we can serve him in the best possible way. Radhanath Swami explains, “Lord preserves what we have and he carries what we lack”. Krishna knows what is best for us. We should not get entangled in our materialistic way of life so much that we forget the essence of life.

Human form of life is very rare, it should be utilized only to develop love for God and return back to the spiritual world. Unfortunately we waste our entire life running behind material pleasure which is not just frustrating but also very temporary. As this human life is very rare it should be utilized only for serving Lord. If we approach Krishna with faith then he will do what is best for us. Krishna instructed Arjuna to fight with faith. Arjuna did exactly the same for Krishna’s pleasure and emerged victorious.

Similarly we should follow the instruction of Krishna with faith and always pray to him to engage us in his devotional service. 

 

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Controller of the Controllers

Purushottam Nitai Das September 19, 2012

Everyone of us nourishes a desire to control something. From a small ant to the huge elephant, from a pauper on the street to the President of a state, everyone thinks that “I am the controller”. An ant thinks, “I am the controller of the little grain of sugar”, an elephant thinks “I am the controller of the entire trees of the forest”, a pauper thinks, “I am the controller of my begging bowl” and a President thinks, “I am the controller of the entire nation”.  It’s true that we have tiny little control over certain things for a certain period of time. But those controls are also taken away by the mighty time. Where is now Alexander the Great, Napolean, Hitler, Ravana, or Auranzeb? 

Revealed scriptures explain that all the living entities are controllers of certain things but God, Krishna, is the controller of all the controllers. He is the supreme controller. Sri Brahma – samhita says,

isvarah paramah krishna

sac-cid-änanda-vigrahah

anädir ädir govindah

sarva-kärana-karanam

Translation: Krishna who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes: – Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

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Conquering the Pain

Purushottam Nitai Das March 28, 2011
A survey conducted by Sunday Times of India (March 6, 2011) threw up a surprise. Contrary to the perception that young people in India are becoming disinclined towards spirituality the survey shows that younger people are more & more becoming interested in spirituality.

A person may own a palatial bungalow, may own a fleet of cars, may possess all the latest technological masterpieces, is a renowned scholar and his coffers are brimming with the gold, silver and liquid cash but still the person may feel hollow from within.

Suppose that we take a fish out of the water & put it in an aquarium made of gold but no water in it. Will the fish be satisfied & happy just being in gold plated aquarium? The answer is ‘NO’. A fish can be happy only in water.

Similarly no matter how much comfort we provide to our body unless & until we nourish our real self we will not get the satisfaction. We need to understand that we are not this body but we are souls presently in a human body. As a soul we are sac-cid-ananda i.e. eternal, blissful & full of knowledge. The nature of the soul is to be in constant association of the Lord. So, when we endeavor to connect to the Lord we feel a sense of inner satisfaction & bliss from within. In an article published in the Reader’s Digest (‘Searching for the Divine’, Jan 2002) Prof Andrew a neurologist explains that at peak moments of prayer & meditation a person goes to a state of complete relaxation and deep satisfaction and experiences a higher reality.

The following story of a Polish girl illustrates how spirituality can help a person to tolerate a great pain.

The girl was 16 when she discovered that she has cancer & the cancer had already spread all over her body. The girl was undergoing through tremendous physical pain but fortunately she had discovered a medicine which would help her to bear the unbearable pain. She would find solace & comfort in singing the Hare Krishna kirtan (song). Slowly her condition deteriorated further & it became impossible for her to even speak. Then she requested her brother to sing the kirtan for her. Her brother who was studying in a college used to phone her and sing the kirtan for her everyday from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. It continued for 2 months. And one fateful night the girl left this world while her brother was singing the kirtan for her. Her brother was not aware of this fact. He came to know about her sister’s death only when his mother picked up the phone and informed him that his sister is no more. Her death was peaceful. (Reference: travelingmonk.com, I-never-Cry, Volume 11, Chapter 10, Oct 11, 2010).

The girl was able to withstand the tremendous physical pain because she was able to connect herself with the Supreme Lord which enabled her to experience a higher taste and a higher level of satisfaction which was beyond the body, mind & senses

Spirituality not only purifies our consciousness but also helps us to understand our real self. So, we should re-spiritualize our lives & develop a harmonious relationship with the Lord. Just like Arjuna we too should take the shelter of the Lord & perform our prescribed duties in a righteous manner.

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