By Visvakarma Dasa
In this current lock-down in the province of Ontario, the Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in new rules for what are considered to be essential and non-essential items that people can purchase. In an attempt to curtail the spread of this highly contagious and in some cases deadly virus. Are the restrictions a blessing in disguise? Many of the prohibited items listed like cinemas, restaurants and sporting events are considered unnecessary. When a person realizes that the purpose of life is God realization and not sense gratification, that we are eternal spirit souls, then renunciation of these superfluous items is a true blessing in disguise.
One of my acquaintances went to the store yesterday because the belt to hold up his pants had broken after many years of use. When he brought the new belt to the cashier, he was told that they couldn’t sell it to him because it was considered a non-essential item, according to government rules of business conduct. Yet he purchases alcohol at the beer store, as an essential item? To get drunk. But he couldn’t buy a new belt to hold up his pants. Where is the logic in this?
Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health official, said taking liquor stores and cannabis stores off the list of essential services and shutting them down, could cause more harm than good.
For more than 40 years, Mitch Bourbonniere, a community outreach worker, has been working with those who are impacted by mental health and addiction. He says those unintended consequences can be physical, emotional and psychological withdrawals, and it could be life-threatening.
“Addiction has no demographic. Anyone and everyone can be afflicted by addiction in the wrong circumstance,” he said.
Addiction is an illness, he said, that causes intense suffering usually brought on by trauma. If the stores are closed, people are most likely to turn to more dangerous substances.
“Whether it is home brew, whether it is crack, whether it is meth, prescription drugs, anything they can get their hands on, if they can’t get a safe, viable, government-run product,”
Bourbonniere also says closing stores opens the door for organized crime to take over the sales.
“People are absolutely going to get desperate and go to organized crime, they are going to go to the street, they are going to go to gangs,” said Bourbonniere. This shows how confused and bewildered people are becoming in these very difficult days.
This is insane and reveals how the government is rationalizing their decisions to guide its citizens. They are right in a way, and very wrong in another, as the degradation of the human being continues with their ongoing support. Satisfying addictions to intoxication can only make things worse for the mental, physical and spiritual condition of the Canadian people.
Know this for certain, we cannot find happiness in this material world based on intoxication. Everyone knows that boozers are losers.
In the spiritual quest of human beings, non-essential items are encouraged to be renounced, because the purpose of life is to become detached from such non-essential items and live a simple life and to focus on the process of self-realization for preparation of death. Everyone will eventually die. No one is exempt. The more we accumulate the more we become attached to these ephemeral objects. The more we remain attached to the mental concoction of imagination in the mind, the more deluded about the real meaning of life we become. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
This misdirected, modern civilization, promotes the unnecessary collection of items in their pursuit of mundane happiness. The bigger the car, the bigger the house, the bigger the bank balance, the more we become deluded by a false ego conception of life, that I am this body and that I am the enjoyer of all I own. The I, me and mine syndrome is on the lips of all humans. This false ego conception of life must be removed from the mirror of our minds, in order to find real happiness.
It’s like the blind leading the blind.
Srila Bhaktivedanta Pranhupada explains, “From history we can see that there were many powerful empires on the surface of the globe that were constructed with great pain and great perseverance, but in due course of time they have all been destroyed.
Still the foolish materialists cannot understand that they are simply wasting time in producing material necessities, which are destined to be vanquished in due course of time. This waste of energy is due to the ignorance of the mass of people, who do not know that they are eternal and that they have an eternal engagement also to serve God.
They do not know that this span of life in a particular type of body is but a flash in their eternal journey. Not knowing this fact, they take the small flash of life to be everything, and they waste time in improving economic conditions.”
From the Krishna conscious perspective sport events, cinemas, and mundane special events like music concerts are a waste of time for those who want to get out of this material world of birth and death.
Krishna explains in his famous book, the Bhagavad Gita, that the non-permanent appearance of happiness and distress, heat and cold are like the appearance and disappearance of the summer and winter seasons. Krishna tells his friend Arjuna, dear Arjuna, they arise only due to mundane sense perception and one should learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.
Anyone who is interested in becoming God consciousness should read A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita translation and English purports to become truly enlightened in the science of self-realization. By his example, he alone demonstrated the qualities of a pure devotee of Krishna. A Krishna conscious devotee teaches by example not precept.
The most precise understanding of this great book can be found ONLY in the translation done by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. His translation is called the Bhagavad Gita As-It-Is. Let’s discuss why it is unique?
The essence of the Bhagavad Gita, is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the Absolute Truth. That is possible only through the guidance of His pure devotee. Krishna from within the heart of such a devotee reveals the transcendental science, and such a devotee is eager to share that knowledge to everyone. For the non-devotee class of peoples, it is impossible to understand Krishna without the guidance and direction given by Bhaktivedanta Swami.
It is very rare for a pure devotee like him to take birth on this planet and in this universe but, by Krishna’s mercy we have been blessed by his personal presence.
Bhaktivednats Swami, in the introduction of his translation of the Bhagavad Gita, explains why he has presented another version of the Gita, considering there are hundreds of versions already in the marketplace of so-called transcendental literature.
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami explains, “recently an American lady asked me to recommend an English translation of Bhagavad-gita. Of course in America there are so many editions of Bhagavad-gita available in English, but as far as I have seen, not only in America but also in India, none of them can be strictly said to be authoritative because in almost every one of them the commentator has expressed his own opinions without touching the spirit of Bhagavad-gita as it is.
The spirit of Bhagavad-gita is mentioned in Bhagavad-gita itself. It is just like this: if we want to take a particular medicine, then we have to follow the directions written on the label. We cannot take the medicine according to our own whim or the direction of a friend. It must be taken according to the directions on the label or the directions given by a physician. Similarly, Bhagavad-gītā should be taken or accepted as it is directed by the speaker himself.
The speaker of Bhagavad-gita is Lord Śrī Krsna. He is mentioned on every page of Bhagavad-gitaas the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. Of course the word “Bhagavan” sometimes refers to any powerful person or any powerful demigod, and certainly here Bhagavan designates Lord Śrī Krsna as a great personality, but at the same time we should know that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as is confirmed by all great ācāryas (spiritual masters) like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka Svāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and many other authorities of Vedic knowledge in India. The Lord Himself also establishes Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the Bhagavad-gītā, and He is accepted as such in the Brahma–saṁhitā and all the Purāṇas, especially the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, known as the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam). Therefore, we should take Bhagavad-gītā as it is directed by the Personality of Godhead Himself.
It is only by the association of a pure devotee that one can become Krishna consciousness. His association especially in His teachings is the highest success of human life. It is said that even the demigods in the higher planets of the universe are lining up to take birth on this planet to get his association and this opportunity to gain spiritual emancipation from the repeated cycle of birth and death in one short lifetime of 60 or 70 years.
In terms of speech, we should be careful to speak only what is essential. What is the essential, you might ask? The speech which is essential, is speech in relation to Krishna and the process of Krishna consciousness, because IT IS eternal subject matter. Those subjects which involve the pursuit of mundane sense pleasures, in the end, are meaningless. When one is about to die, one’s thoughts are not on the topics they spent their energy on; they are simply fearing what is happening to me.
Recently I got news from one of my friends, that his lawyer went to the hospital and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. In thirteen days, he passed away from this world and everything he had worked for, was lost. My friend told me he had set up a recording for him to hear the chanting of Hare Krishna. All the things he had focused on had in daily life as a lawyer had value while lying on his deathbed. Life in the human body is very fragile and at any moment we can die.
Mundane subject matter, the focus of the modern western person, is not essential at the time of death. Mundane sound vibration is also called noise pollution, and for example can be found most dramatically in what has been coined by Donald Trump as fake news. People that fill their minds with fake news become more and more bewildered and unhappy by this mundane garbage, sound vibration.
Any intelligent person would not want to hear such noise pollution while on their deathbed. The question arises, why make such daily noise pollution your diet of information when it is simply based on mental speculation. There is a saying, garbage in garbage out.
A person must utilize their valuable time in hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which Bhaktivendanta Swami has left for us before his departure from this earthly plane in 1977.
The spiritual master appears in two forms, His personal form and his transcendental form in the manner of spiritual enlightenment through his books, letters and recorded lectures called Vani, which is associated through transcendental sound. Hereasons ill that thinks a pure devotee dies, he lives on in the material world by his sound incarnation.
Bhaktivedanta Swami states, (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.30.2, Purport)
“A devotee has no other ambition than to serve Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was started to engage people twenty-four hours daily in the service of the Lord and in His glorification. The students in this institution engage in the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness from five in the morning to ten at night. They actually have no opportunity to waste their time unnecessarily by discussing politics, sociology and current events. These will go their own way. A devotee is concerned only with serving Kṛṣṇa positively and seriously.”
We are all subject to the 7-fold miseries of life. These miseries are listed as birth, death, disease, old age, along with the miseries caused by one’s own body and mind, from other living entities and material nature in the form of natural disasters like in this current time a global flu epidemic. There are no actual solutions the World Health Organization can provide for these problems except preventative programs like a global vaccination campaign along with wearing a mask and washing your hands.
Especially here in Canada we have so much facility for sense gratification, but this will not solve the problems of life. The citizens are allowed to drink and smoke as an essential item when in fact it is totally non-essential especially considering the purpose of human life.
Here is an excerpt from a morning walk with Bhaktivedanta Swami and his disciples in Bombay India on November 11, 1975.
“Ordinarily destiny cannot be checked. Therefore, instead of wasting your time for changing your economic condition or material destiny, you employ this energy for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That cannot be checked. So many men we can see are working so hard, does it mean that everyone has to become Mr. Henry Ford or John D. Rockefeller?
Why can’t they, even though everyone is trying their best to earn a vast fortune like them?
Mr. Ford was to become a rich man, his destiny was there, so he became a rich man. But does it mean that another man who has worked so hard like Ford, he has become rich like a Ford?
You cannot change your destiny simply by working hard like an ass or a dog. No. But if you utilize your energy for improving your Kṛṣṇa consciousness that is the best use of your valuable time.
Lord Chaitanya the Supreme Lord appeared 500 years ago in India, actually he started in Bengal. The people that live there today still experience the presence of his transcendental appearance. During his short stay of 47 years on this earthly plane, he came with the perfect method of use of time the chanting of the holy names of God in the form of the Hare Krishna mantra and the study of Srimad Bhagavatam the ripened fruit of all Vedic Teachings. The Hare Krishna mantra is also known as the great chant for deliverance, due to the non-dual spiritual aspects of God’s holy names. There is no difference between the name and form of God’s names, so when chanted by the inquisitive student great spiritual benefit is experienced.
Everything in the material world of sound, is dual. For example, you may be very thirsty and call for water. Jailer, please bring me some water, but unless the substance of water is brought to you, you cannot satisfy your need for water.
Lord Chaitanya taught us that when you chant the names, then Krishna is there dancing on the tip of your tongue. Through daily practice the sincere seeker of the Absolute Truth will eventually understand how this is so. Practice makes perfect, especially in this example of chanting Hare Krishna the great chant for deliverance. The proof of the pudding is in the tasting, and the proof of the chanting is its daily practice.
A serious student must chant a minimum of 16 rounds of japa mala. Japa mala beads are made from tulsi wood preferably. There are 108 beads on the string. There are 16 names of Krishna in the maha mantra. 16 names of Krishna times 108 beads equal 1728 names per round. Bhaktivedanta gave a concession to his disciples to chant a minimum 16 rounds per day without fail. That is a total of 27,648 names of Krishna per day. This will begin the effective process of cleansing the mind of all material desires and contamination. In order to enter into the kingdom of God one must practice this chanting of japa mala on a daily basis. If one by circumstances can’t finish their daily quota then the rounds missed on the previous day can be added on to the next day’s chanting program.
Again, this modern-day pandemic has cancelled all non-essential activities and now people don’t know what to do with their time. Mental illness and dc violence are dramatically on the rise. People are being forced, or have been forced to renounce the mundane sense gratification they are habituated to and now their lives are empty and lost. This is what happens in a demoniac Godless society.
This is not real renunciation. Real renunciation is described by Bhaktivedanta Swami in his teachings to us. He gives the example of electricity. The expert electrician can use that energy to create either heat or cold depending on the need. In the same way the material world can either degrade us or elevate us by how is used. For example, with the use of one’s hard-earned money, one can buy a fancy mobile home and travel around the country trying to enjoy mundane sense gratification. For a sincere devotee he understands this is a complete waste of money. If the devotee decides, let me engage in spreading the glories of Krishna, then that use of wealth is properly engaged. If a person is spending money for mundane sense gratification, they are living a life of illusion, and it is a complete waste of money and time.
Here is some insight on how real renunciation of worldly possessions should be handled as found in the pastimes of Lord Chaitanya.
Srila Rupa Gosvami was the younger brother of Sanatana Gosvami and when they retired from their government service, they brought with him all their wealth. This means that they brought with hundreds of thousands of rupees accumulated by the labor of. Before leaving home, they divided their wealth as follows: fifty percent for the service of the Lord and His devotees, twenty-five percent for relatives and twenty-five percent for their personal needs in case of emergency. In this way they set an example for all of us on how to renounce the false accumulation of wealth.
We think of time in terms of the daily calendar on the wall. Commonly people say I can’t believe how fast time flies. Again, the use of time is essential for getting out of the bondage of birth and death. This waste of time on non-essential sense gratification is lost forever.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam, time is described in this way. “Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes their time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead.
Here is the explanation of this verse by Bhaktivedanta Swami.
“This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service. Time and tide wait for no man. So, the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold. Human life is simply awarded to a living entity (jiva) so that he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness. A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere. A living being is constitutionally a spiritual spark of the complete whole, and his happiness can be perfectly perceived in spiritual activities. The Lord is the complete spirit whole, and His name, form, quality, pastimes, entourage and personality are all identical with Him. Once a person comes into contact with any one of the above-mentioned energies of the Lord through the proper channel of devotional service, the door to perfection is immediately opened. In the Bhagavad-gita (2.40) the Lord has explained such contact in the following words: “Endeavors in devotional service are never baffled. Nor is there failure. A slight beginning of such activities is sufficient even to deliver a person from the great ocean of material fears. As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear of the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently. Aural realization of the transcendental messages implies total realization, just as fructification of one part of a tree implies fructification of all other parts. This realization for a moment in the association of pure devotees like Sukadeva Gosvami prepares one’s complete life for eternity. And thus the sun fails to rob the pure devotee of his duration of life, inasmuch as he is constantly busy in the devotional service of the Lord, purifying his existence. Death is a symptom of the material infection of the eternal living being; only due to material infection is the eternal living entity subjected to the law of birth, death, old age and disease.”
The governments of the world in an effort to minimize the spread of the current covid-19 virus, and other variations of the flu have locked down activities of their citizens with very little logic and reason.
They have given certain guidelines to restrict the movement and behavior of its citizens from such places as sporting events, night clubs, cinemas, restaurants etc. Many people are reacting across the world to these restrictions. They are crying out for freedom. Where is the freedom for them to go out and enjoy unrestricted sense gratification? Such unrestricted freedom to enjoy their petty pleasures is a manifestation of the society’s lack of God consciousness. Such pleasures are meant for the hogs and dogs, not the human being. The purpose of human life is to become God conscious, not to enjoy unrestricted sense gratification which is the business of the less intelligent animals like dogs and hogs.
As long as people continue to kill and eat animals there will be no reduction in the number of deaths from their karmic entanglement, and there will be no reduction in the number of deaths from this current pandemic crisis. No vaccine, wearing of masks and washing of hands will save them from their eventual demise.
The problems of a modern life of sense gratification are a result of sinful activity and a complete rejection of God. There is no hope for the modern world unless there is a revolution of thoughts away from these basic human urges namely, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. These activities of the human being are simply a waste of time as previously discussed.
Time for the human being is his most valuable asset but due to illusion, people do not realize this, nor can the leaders of their governments. As stated, it’s the blind leading the blind, onwards, towards a more hellish condition and then into the disastrous afterlife of repeated birth and death being re-born into any of the 8,400,000 different species of life.
Some may disregard these facts taught in the Srimad Bhagavatam but denial of the truth by the egotistical mind is not the answer.
One must understand his plight, and strive to get out of this material world through the association of saintly persons like Bhakivedanta Swami, a pure devotee of Krishna. Through his vani association, one gets the necessary information to understand their current situation and knowledge of how to extricate themselves from this hellish material existence. It is said by the great sage, that we should know for certain there is no happiness in this material world. Material sense gratification is like chewing the already chewed, always getting the same miserable result in the end.
Is the lockdown and restriction of non-essential items a blessing in disguise? For the swarn class of men the answer is yes, but for the crow class of men the answer is no.
Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the golden avatara of Lord Krishna, God himself. By His blessing He has delivered the maha mantra and Srimad Bhagavatam as the means to rise out of this animal existence, and rise up to the transcendental plane of spiritual happiness which everyone is hankering after,
In this age of Kali people are very slow to spiritual life so He provides a very simple process of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, dancing and feasting as the means. There is no other way to liberate oneself from the illusion that non-essential things are important in the pursuit of mundane happiness. The governments of the world have failed the population but the Krsihna consciousness movement of Bhaktivedanta Swami has provided the solution, irrespective of race colour and creed. Simply take up this process and your mind and soul will be filled with transcendental bliss and happiness. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada, A.C, Bhaktivedanta Swami the missionary of hope and liberation from all distress in this dark age of Kail the iron age of quarrel, and hypocrisy. Hare Krisha Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.