Experience (2/2)

Article: Experience (2/2)

by Srila Bhakti Rakshak Sridhar Maharaj

Student: The Puranas say that there are 8,400,000 species of life. Are they only ideas?

Sridhara Maharaja: All ideas. Consciousness is always in the primary position. Yet these ideas are real, because they are also originally present in the spiritual reality Vrndavana. Nothing is eliminated in our conception of reality; everything is harmonious. Everything has its proper position nothing is to be eliminated. The only thing necessary is harmony.

Only our outlook, our angle of vision, needs to be changed. But in order to have that kind of vision, we must give up being self-centered. Both exploitation and renunciation must be given up. These two things cause this hallucination. Everything has its contribution to the service of the supreme center, and if we can understand that, we become free from this relative world.

The material world is a reflection of the spiritual world. There is undesirability here. From Brahma, who holds the highest position in this universe, to the lowest creature (abrahma bhuvanal lokah), everyone is prone to misconception. On the other hand, everything in Vrndavana contributes towards the pastimes of Radha-Govinda lila.

Everything in Vrndavana is Krsna conscious; every tree, creeper, and shrub. How can they be useless or ordinary shrubs and creepers? Uddhava is the greatest devotee of Krsna and he aspires to take birth as a creeper or a shrub in Vrndavana. What then, is the value of the shrubs and creepers of Vrndavana! Should we think that Uddhava s aspiration is imaginary or theoretical, with no practical value?

Everything in Vrndavana is necessary for the pastimes of Radha-Govinda. Everything in the spiritual environment has its indirect value. This is called santa-rasa, or passive mellow. It may be understood in this way: if a man does not harm anybody, even a fly or a mosquito, that does not mean that he is paralyzed or diseased; he is simply in a passive mood. So in Vrndavana, service may be rendered in a passive mood. The Yamuna river, the trees the birds, and the insects, are absorbed in rendering service in a passive mood.

How this is so can be understood by the analogy of a drama. In a drama in the theater, an actor may play the part of a dead man. As his body is being carried, he can t say anything; he can t move. That does not mean that he is dead. Similarly, a devotee in santa-rasa may assume a passive role as a creeper, a shrub, or a tree in Vrndavana, in order to enhance the drama of Radha-Govinda lila.

A devotee may also accept the role of a servant. He may be a king, but for the satisfaction of the Lord, he may play the part of a sweeper. While one is playing the part of a sweeper, he may perform his role so nicely that the men standing by applaud in appreciation. So the mood of servitude is also a contribution to the service of Krsna.

Another example of santa rasa is Radha-kunda. Radha-kunda, the bathing place of Srimati Radharani, where Krsna enacts his pastimes of conjugal love, is considered to be the highest place

in Vrndavana. The gods and devotees all praise Radha-kunda. Should we think it to be an ordinary body of water? Rather, how exalted is the position of Radha-kunda.

Then there is Govardhana Hill. That is also a kind of pose. Apparently it is a hill, but Govardhana is worshiped as Krsna Himself. He also appears as a stone, as salagram; he appears in the form of the Deities.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu prays, O Lord, please consider me as the dust of your holy feet. (vibhinnamsa jiva) Foot-dust is generally inanimate. But when Caitanya Mahaprabhu prays, Consider me foot-dust, the dust he speaks of is not matter; it is a unit of consciousness filled with knowledge and love. The dust of the Lord s lotus feet is the emblem of knowledge and ecstasy.

In the spiritual realm, existence and knowledge is presupposed. But more than that, the souls there are points of divine love in Vrndavana and Navadvipa. And with the wholesale conversion of the souls of this world, everywhere we will find the kingdom of God. Krsna s kingdom, Mahaprabhu s kingdom exists; we have only lost the proper angle of vision by which to see it. We must once again acquire that vision. At present we are in the midst of enemies, but if our angle of vision is changed, we shall think, No, I am in the midst of friends.

And that angle of vision is so broad that one who sees in that way becomes fearless. When Jada Bharata was captured by dacoits and taken to the deity of Kali to be sacrificed, his angle of vision was so spacious that he did not care for anything. He thought, Whatever is happening is the Lord s will. He is the proprietor and witness of all. He sees everything. Everything is his will, and I have nothing to do with the outcome. With this idea, wherever Jaëa Bharata was taken, he went without resistance.

Although he was about to be sacrificed, he was unconcerned. He thought, I am in a friendly circle. There is no danger. He was in such a plane of consciousness that no apprehension, no danger, could affect him; he thought, I am under Krsna s care. And so it is proved by Jaëa Bharata s practical example that this angle of vision is not simply philosophy or imagination. It is reality.

Krsna s divine will is in the background of everything that exists. And when one comes in connection with that paramount power, that original plane of reality, he will not have any care; he will become fearless. Mayatushtas mana santa maya santas tu manasas sarvashasa mayadisha.

And yet, in the plane of reality where Krsna is worshiped with knowledge-free devotion, j–ana- sunya bhakti, that sort of posing is there. There appears to be fear and concern, but that concern is quite different in nature from material cares. Influenced by yogamaya, the gopis and Krsna s friends want to know, Krsna is not here! Where is he?

And in this way, the gopis and cowherd boys run here and there searching for Krsna. Even the cows are concerned and stop grazing, but all this is conducted by yogamaya for the satisfaction of Krsna. Such is the nature of lila in the plane of j– ana-sunya bhakti.

We are engaged in an inner search for truth. And in the Vedas the answer to our questions, the essence of the whole revealed truth of the scriptures, can be summarized in one word om yes. What is the meaning of that yes? What you want yes, it exists. What you are searching for yes, it is there! Your inner search to live and to improve will be fulfilled: seek and ye shall find. If you examine yourself and search out your innermost need, you will find that the revealed truth says, Yes, your thirst will be quenched. You will be well-fed.

Student: In Bhagavad-gita, the Krsna says jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat: the spiritual energy is sustaining this material world. How are we to understand this?

Sridhara Maharaja: The misguided souls of this world are from tatastha loka, the marginal plane, and misguided by misconception they have come within this illusory angle of vision.

Krsna says this world is dead matter. The souls entered here and movement came. They entered into this material conception and began moving it. In that sense, they are sustaining the universe, yayedam dharyate jagat. But ultimately everything is sustained by him.

Krsna also says aham sarvasya prabhavo: Everything emanates from me. And in the Vedas it is said, yato va imani bhutani jayante. He is the origin of everything in its creation, its maintenance, and its annihilation. But here in this material world, the fallen souls as so many sparks have entered like glowworms into the dark region showing the darkness surrounding it. The jiva souls are like

glow worms in the dark night of this material world. Somehow they are carrying on in the darkness. We can barely trace them out as a meager light in the dark. They are almost completely covered by darkness, but still they can be distinguished. Spirit can know itself.

Student: Who did you say was expounding the atheist philosophy in the West?

Sridhara Maharaja: Epicurus is the greatest atheist of the West, as Carvaka Muni is in the East. According to Epicurus, with the dissolution of this physical body, nothing remains. And according to him there is no mental system; the mental system what we come across in our dreams does not have any separate existence.

But Sankara and Buddha both accept the existence of the mental system within the physical body. Transmigration of the soul is also admitted in their philosophy. But Buddha says that with the dissolution of the mental system the suksma sarira nothing remains.

Sankaracarya, on the other hand, says that the consciousness within the mental body is a reflection of Brahman and Brahman is the ultimate existence. According to him, with the dissolution of the body, nothing remains but Brahman. Sankaracarya says:

slokadhenupravaksyami yad aktam yanti kotibhih

brahmasatyam,jaganmithya jiva brahmaiva na parah

In half a verse, I am summarizing the truth that has been expressed by volumes and volumes of scripture. Within only half a verse I shall give the essence of all truths: brahma satyam, jagan mithya. Brahman, spirit, is true this world is false. And the jiva is nothing but Brahman. This is the substance of all the scriptures.

Proper knowledge is not possible under the philosophical systems of Buddha and Sankaracarya. If what they say is true that the world is false then we must ask, Why do you speak? And to whom? If everything is false, is your philosophy also imagination? We will have to ask Sankaracarya, Does your coming to this world and your endeavor to refute Buddhism and establish oneness as the ultimate truth have no meaning?

Who have you come to preach to? Why have you come to preach if this world has no reality? If this world is false, then why are you taking so much trouble to explain your philosophy? For what? Is your mission also imagination?

The first great opponent of Sankaracarya was Ramanuja. Ramanuja s refutation was very strong and based on a sound foundation. Ramanuja argued: What is the necessity for Sankaracarya to endeavor with so much energy to establish his philosophy if it is all fictitious? To say Ôthe world is false is a suicidal position. Has he come here to do nothing?

He has come to correct us and free us from error, but there must be errors. Error or misconception has reality; otherwise, what is the necessity of spending so much energy refuting so many propositions? Maya exists. Maya is eternal. The individual soul is eternal, and maya is also eternal.

The basis of material existence is the possibility of the tatastha jiva committing a mistake and developing misconception. The soul is anu cetana, atomic consciousness. And as atomic units of consciousness, our freedom is not perfect. Our defective freedom is the cause of this illusion. The soul must have freedom.

Before a crime is committed, the possibility of committing a crime is present in the ordinary peace-loving subject. The possibility of disease is there, so hospitals, medicine, and special diets are all necessary. In the same way, the possibility for misconception is there in the soul because we are weak and limited.

Maya the world of measurement is unnecessary for the Absolute, but necessary for those in the relative position. When there is only one self-interest, maya is not necessary. But where there is division, differentiation, and distribution when there are many ideas of self-interest maya is necessary.

Within the world of misconception, maya is the law of the land. The law helps the law-abiding, and the law punishes the law-breaking. The law is the same for everyone; and that same law means

protection for the good and suppression for the bad. Law means to divide rights. One and the same law provides for protection of the good and punishment of the bad. The svarupa-sakti, the Lord s internal energy, helps the good, and the maya-sakti punishes the bad.

Sakti, or energy, serves the purpose of the Lord, and therefore necessarily has two aspects, paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam: to chastise the wicked and reward the good. When the Lord himself appears, his purpose has two aspects: one for the good, another for the bad. He also comes here with that combined purpose. So although he is one, we see these two aspects of his character.

The conception that the unity of the absolute is not a stale, nondifferentiated thing is a theory that was propounded by Ramanuja. This is called visistadvaita-vada, oneness with difference.

The philosophy of Sankaracarya, on the other hand, is known as kevaladvaita-vada, exclusive oneness. Ramanuja accepts that the Absolute Truth is one, but according to him, it is a differentiated oneness. He does not accept nondifferentiated oneness. That it is one, he has no doubt. But that one is characterized by specification and differentiation. This is similar to the panentheism of Hegel.

Student: According to what you are saying, matter is also conscious because it is coming from the Lord who is the Supreme Consciousness. In the beginning, when we first differentiate between matter and spirit, we learn that matter is dead and the living entities manipulate it but when we develop a higher realization will we see that matter is also living?

Sridhara Maharaja: Yes, and that is known as santa-rasa. In a higher stage of realization we can detect consciousness everywhere: within glass, stone, earth, wood in all the innumerable shapes and colors in which matter may appear.

We are always in the midst of consciousness. Consciousness is all-pervading, but is situated in different gradations of conception. The gradation of conception may differ, but it is all consciousness, all eternal: pasu buddhi tanturajanam harisyeti, pasu buddhi. We must try to reinstate ourselves in our own plane of reality. There, without the help of this mortal element, we can live happily. That transcendental plane is not a nondifferentiated world. It is not that there you have no individuality.

If a nondifferentiated mass of consciousness can be admitted, then why should we not admit the existence of a system of consciousness? Ramanuja says that it is a system, Sankaracarya says there is only a nondifferentiated mass of light-consciousness. Ramanuja disagrees. He says that a differentiated light-mass of consciousness is the basis of reality. It is not undifferentiated or nondistinguishable.

And Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that the basis of reality is acintya bhedabheda, inconceivable bipolarity. Everywhere there is something common and something different. Whatever opposing points you may discuss will have something common, and something different. Nothing is quite the same as anything else.

And above all, the infinite is not within your fist. It is inconceivable. The unified and differentiated character of reality is inconceivable; its secret is in the hand of the Supreme. It does not depend upon your whim. Still, that differentiated character of the Absolute will be seen differently according to the subjective relationship we have with him.

An example of this is found in Srimad-Bhagavatam (S.B.10.43.17.)

mallanamasanirnrnamnara-varahstrinamsmaromurtinam gopanamsva-janosatamksiti-bhujamsastasva-pitrohsisuh mrtyur bhoja-pater viraë avidusam tattvam param yoginam vrsninam para-devateti vidito rangam gatah sagrajah

When Lord Krsna, accompanied by Baladeva, entered Kamsa s wrestling arena, He appeared to the spectators in different ways. Everyone viewed him according to their own relationship (rasa) with him. To the wrestlers he appeared as a lightening bolt. To the people in general he appeared as the most beautiful personality. To the ladies, he appeared to be the most attractive young man, Cupid personified, and thus increased their lust. The cowherd men looked upon Krsna as their own

kinsman coming from the same village of Vrndavana. The kings who were present there saw him as the most powerful ruler. His parents Nanda and Yasoda saw him as their most beloved child. Kamsa, the king of the Bhoja dynasty, saw him as death personified. The worldly-minded saw him as the Universal Form; the unintelligent saw him as incapable, and to the yogis, he appeared to be the Supersoul. To the members of the Vrsni dynasty, he appeared to be their most celebrated descendant.

When Krsna entered the arena, everyone saw him in their own way. In this way we can understand how he satisfies everyone. When Yasoda sees him, she says, My boy! But the gopis see a grown- up not a child. His friends see him as one of their playmates. Krsna satisfies everyone. Even the animals in Vrndavana become ecstatic when they come in connection with Krsna.

barhapiëam nata-vara-vapuh karnayoh karnikaram bibhrad vasah kanaka-kapisam vaijayantim ca malam randhranvenoradhara-sudhayapurayangopa-vrndair vrndaranyam sva-pada-ramanam pravisad-gita-kirtih SB 10.21.5

While the gopi s were describing the sweet vibration of Krsna s flute, they also remembered their pastimes with him; thus their minds became enchanted, and they were unable to describe completely the beautiful vibrations. While discussing the transcendental vibration, they remembered also how Krsna dressed, decorated with a peacock feather on his head, just like a dancing actor, and with blue flowers pushed over his ear.

His garment glowed yellow-gold, and he was garlanded with a vaijayanti garland made of tulasi, kunda, mandara, parijata, and lotus flowers. Dressed in such an attractive way, Krsna filled up the holes of his flute with the nectar emanating from his lips. So they remembered him, entering the forest of Vrndavana, whose soil experiences the pleasure of consorthood upon being embraced by the touch of Krsna s lotus feet.

Krsna consciousness means full-fledged theism, up to consorthood. All conceptions of fulfillment are found there in their purest and most desirable position. This material world, however, is only a shadow, a black imitation of reality. Full-fledged theism means Krsna consciousness. In the full- fledged conception of theism, the infinite embraces the whole of the finite. It comes down to completely embrace and welcome the finite.

This kind of full-fledged theism is found in Vrndavana. There, one negligent part of the finite may find the bliss of the embrace of the whole of the infinite. In Vrndavana, not a corner of the finite is left unfulfilled; every particle of sand and every creeper is well-represented there, with complete personality in the loving pastimes of Sri Krsna.

Here in this material world, however, a particle of sand is nothing; it is ignored. But there, everything is well-attended. In Vrndavana there is no ignorance. No interest of anything is ignored there; everything is harmonized, and therefore the conception of Vrndavana in Krsna consciousness is the highest conception of full-fledged theism. Srimad-Bhagavatam says, Whenever he sets his lotus feet within Vrndavana, the Earth personified says, ÔMy fate is fulfilled, I have achieved my highest fortune.

In Vrndavana, the earth, the very dust, feels the pleasure of the highest type of conjugal love merely by the touch of his lotus feet. Wherever Krsna puts his footsteps, the Earth s joy knows no bounds. By his touch, the Earth feels the most intense type of ecstasy.

In Vrndavana, Krsna is madhurya, sweetness personified. He is ananda, ecstasy personified. And Krsna responds to our own inner demands in every way. The Supreme Center has the peculiar capacity of responding to all our needs and satisfying the thirst of all existence. According to their capacity, rank, and dignity Krsna distributes to all souls the juice from the candy sea of transcendental mellow, yo yam sraddha sa eva sah.

One can taste the sugar-candy sweetness of the Absolute, according to one s capacity, just as sugar candy is tasted in different ways. For a normal tongue sugar candy is very sweet, but if there is a boil on the tongue even sugar candy is bitter.

When a man is working, his manager will see him as a worker; his child will see him as a father, and his wife will see him as a husband. His servant will see him as master. Dogs and other animals will view him in another way. The same person will be seen differently according to the relationship between seer and seen. Similarly, Krsna appears differently to those who view him according to their respective rasa. In this way, the differentiated character of the Absolute is revealed according to the soul s subjective qualifications.

Subjective Evolution of Consciousness / The Play of the Sweet Absolute