Dare to Know Who You Are
In this world of ignorance of the self it takes a great act of courage to step away from the mass psychosis of bodily consciousness and seek knowledge of the actual nature of the self. Except in very rare cases, our teachers, friends, and parents discourage us from putting time and energy into the pursuit for self-knowledge, thinking that making money is more important.
But what good is all the money in the world if you don't even know who you are? It is far better to be a wise poor man than a rich fool because the wise man will live his life in such a way that he will not take birth again. The fool, on the other hand, even if he is rich, will squander his energy on useless pursuits that deepen his entanglement in the cycle of birth and death.
Of course there is no harm in becoming materially successful if we engage that success in the Lord's service. The key of success is simply engage absolutely everything we have in the Lord's service.
Please clear my query.
Hare Krishna,
Your student
Mahima
It's a fact that for a conditioned soul it is certainly impossible to control the Lord. It's also impossible for a conditioned soul to understand how someone could control the Lord. But a liberated soul who has completely surrendered himself unto the Lord can definitely conquer the Lord by his love. Do you not know the example of Mother Yasoda who was able to bind Lord Krishna around the waist with ropes in His childhood Damodar pastimes?
My spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, gives an example to help our understanding in this connection. The example is of the one of the prime ministers of the British Empire, how he has controlled by the love of grandson:
"There is a story about Prime Minister Gladstone. He was prime minister, so many people come to him. So one man came and the doorman said, 'He is now busy. Wait.' So he was waiting for one hour. Then he became impatient; he wanted to see what this gentleman is doing. So he saw that he has become a horse, and his grandchild is driving him. So why the prime minister had become a horse to take his grandchild on his back and enjoy? Is he a horse? This is out of love, enjoying. He was not wasting time. The other visitors were waiting. This is love."
In the same way if one through complete surrender, pure loving devotion. becomes an intimate associate of God, the Lord will sometimes agree to be controlled by that devotee in the intimacy of loving exchange. In the material world such things are inconceivable, but for the liberated souls in the spiritual sky such inconceivably amazing pastimes are regular daily affairs.
If you still find this incomprehensible, all I can say is that you should go back to the spiritual world so that you can experience such intimate loving dealings between the Lord and His devotees first hand. Then you will definitely be convinced.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
But what good is all the money in the world if you don't even know who you are? It is far better to be a wise poor man than a rich fool because the wise man will live his life in such a way that he will not take birth again. The fool, on the other hand, even if he is rich, will squander his energy on useless pursuits that deepen his entanglement in the cycle of birth and death.
Of course there is no harm in becoming materially successful if we engage that success in the Lord's service. The key of success is simply engage absolutely everything we have in the Lord's service.
Questions and Answers
How Can the Lord Be Controlled?...
One thing you have written has troubled me You wrote about Lord Krishna being controlled by those who love him. This troubles me because according to my understanding it's impossible to control the Supreme Lord!!Please clear my query.
Hare Krishna,
Your student
Mahima
Only by Love...
It is a good thing that you have approached the spiritual master to clear your doubt. This is the recommended system given by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. It is not that we should blindly accept things. When something is not understood, we should approach higher authorities to get the matter cleared.It's a fact that for a conditioned soul it is certainly impossible to control the Lord. It's also impossible for a conditioned soul to understand how someone could control the Lord. But a liberated soul who has completely surrendered himself unto the Lord can definitely conquer the Lord by his love. Do you not know the example of Mother Yasoda who was able to bind Lord Krishna around the waist with ropes in His childhood Damodar pastimes?
My spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, gives an example to help our understanding in this connection. The example is of the one of the prime ministers of the British Empire, how he has controlled by the love of grandson:
"There is a story about Prime Minister Gladstone. He was prime minister, so many people come to him. So one man came and the doorman said, 'He is now busy. Wait.' So he was waiting for one hour. Then he became impatient; he wanted to see what this gentleman is doing. So he saw that he has become a horse, and his grandchild is driving him. So why the prime minister had become a horse to take his grandchild on his back and enjoy? Is he a horse? This is out of love, enjoying. He was not wasting time. The other visitors were waiting. This is love."
In the same way if one through complete surrender, pure loving devotion. becomes an intimate associate of God, the Lord will sometimes agree to be controlled by that devotee in the intimacy of loving exchange. In the material world such things are inconceivable, but for the liberated souls in the spiritual sky such inconceivably amazing pastimes are regular daily affairs.
If you still find this incomprehensible, all I can say is that you should go back to the spiritual world so that you can experience such intimate loving dealings between the Lord and His devotees first hand. Then you will definitely be convinced.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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