You and I are spirit souls, so our foremost duty is to give utmost pleasure to the soul. If we fail to do so, we will experience dissatisfaction and unhappiness.
Look around you and you will see everyone trying their best to be happy. We too crave for joy, pleasure and happiness in our life. But most often we find that in spite of achieving all what we had desired to achieve we still remain unhappy.
Let us try to see why it happens.
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 are eternal, blissful and full of knowledge.
Our soul craves happiness. But the happiness which the soul longs for is spiritual, which is possible only when we get and remain connected to the Supreme lord. But unfortunately, we think that the pleasures of this world can satisfy our soul.
So, through material positions and possessions we try to derive happiness. We try to accumulate many things here. We struggle hard for name, fame and money thinking that it will open gateway to happiness. But many people possess these, and we may also have got these but still our soul is not satisfied. Inner fulfillment and inner joy always elude us.
Why is it so? Suppose that if we take a fish out of water and put it in a golden jar then will the fish be happy? Definitely ‘Not’. Fish is happy only in water and not out of water.
Similarly, we are spiritual beings, and we will get happiness from spiritual things and not material things.
Soul is an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord
Soul becomes happy when it is strongly connected to the Supreme Lord. If not, then nothing of this entire material universe can give joy to the soul.
For example, we see that in Ayodhya everyone was so happy when Lord Rama appeared. All the residents of Ayodhya were automatically attracted to the Supreme Lord. But when Lord Rama left Ayodhya then everyone felt deep pain in their heart.
It was not that during the time of Lord Rama’s exile to the forest there was material poverty in Ayodhya. People had all material comforts because Bharat was managing the kingdom expertly. But still their heart was burning in separation.
But as soon as Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya everyone’s heart was filled with joy.
Pure devotees of the Lord understand this fact and through their example they teach us how we should not be mad for things of this world. Instead, we should always strive to serve the Lord.
Because this is the eternal purpose of life, and this gives unlimited joy. For example, we see that Bharat could have become the king of Ayodhya and would have remained so. But Bharat refused to become the king.
The only desire which he had was the desire to serve Lord Rama. We see Lakshman was constantly serving Rama and Hanuman was doing the same.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Lod, appeared in this world to reveal us our true identity. He says, “jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’” which means “It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa” Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.108-109.
So, if we are looking for eternal joy and satisfaction then we should always be serving the Supreme Lord Krishna or Lord Rama or Lord Chaitanya. This is what our soul looks for and longs for.
Three Reflections
- As spirit souls, our foremost duty is to give utmost pleasure to the soul.
- Material pleasures cannot satisfy the soul.
- Soul longs for spiritual pleasures, which is possible only when we connect to Krishna.
Ask Yourself?
- Why people having name, fame and money go into depression?
Action Item?
- Try a spiritual activity like chanting the names of Krishna or reading Krishna book and see how you feel.
