Compassion, Camaraderie, Service

Compassion is for someone suffering or someone who is in a disadvantageous situation. Camaraderie is amongst those who are in similar situations or amongst equals. And service is to someone considered superior or respect worthy, or to some higher authority or ideal.

Compassion and camaraderie are very noble qualities indeed. They are high virtues exhibited by those who can empathize with others, and want to make someone else’s life a little better. But interestingly, neither of these two is service in the sense service is defined above.

Compassion and camaraderie typically don’t need one to consider the recipient as a superior; in fact they are typically done in the mood of helping out a needy person when one is in a superior or equivalent position.

This explains why helping the needy and doing activities together in groups is so popular, while serving superiors is not. Serving needs obedience, it needs one to compromise on one’s own preferences, it needs accepting someone else’s control on one’s life; in short it accepting someone or something else as superior to oneself.

The Hallmark of Perfect Spirituality

Spiritual life starts with Sadhana - regulated practices under the guidance of an authentic spiritual teacher for purifying the mind and increasing our attachment to the Supreme. In it's maturity, spiritual life goes beyond regulations into the realm of constant spontaneous engagement. Regulation is required to deliberately engage the mind in spiritual ways when the mind is not completely spiritualised. But when the mind is fully attached to the supreme, it never wanders into non-spiritual or anti-spiritual thoughts.

Ironically, the spiritually perfect people never shun their regulations thinking that they have gone beyond them and become perfect. This is because spiritual perfection is symptomised by extreme humility where one thinks oneself as the most incompetent spiritualist.

Being humble, the true spiritualist has eternal gratitude for the spiritual master and continues to follow the regulations laid down by him, never thinking that he can ever go beyond them. This also sets the proper example for others.

On the other hand, an imperfect spiritualist falls prey to his mind and ego's desires to become perfect and starts thinking that he has become perfect. So he artificially leaves spiritual regulations and starts living by the dictations of the mind thinking himself to be beyond regulations. This causes other immature people to shun regulations as well and lead an arbitrary lifestyle falsely thinking that it is spiritual.

The most fundamental and essential regulation of spiritual life is to chant the Holy Names of God under the guidance of an authentic spiritual teacher. By garnering all our humility, we should take time out, sit at one place, and daily chant the Holy Names on a rosary (chanting beads) a fixed minimum number of times. During chanting, we should not let our mind wander to anything else. Taking exclusive time out daily for chanting and chanting specifically on beads sitting at one place as instructed by the spiritual teacher are expressions of desire to become a humble servant of the Holy Name. Our spiritual advancement and sustenance depends almost wholly on our sincerity and humility in chanting the Holy Names.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

In this world, spiritual perfection is not about being regulation-less. The mark of a true spiritualist is that he not only follows spiritual practices sincerely, but also dedicates his life to the spiritual upliftment of all others. This spontaneous intense compassion for others, in the specific form of teaching spiritual life to others or setting the perfect example of humility, merely as an instrument of the spiritual teacher and God, is the hallmark of a perfect spiritualist.

There is only one Religion

There is only one religion - to love God.

Different denominations like Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, etc. and even denominations within these denominations present this one religion in different ways and to different degrees. Since people of this world are more or less selfishly (materially) inclined, every denomination presents its teachings considering the material conditioning of the people it is talking to. What's more, new denominations arise when new ways of materialism get mixed with existing denominations.

The fight among various denominations is always about these material differences. These fights are incited either by proponents who are lost to the fact that love of God is the true definition of religion, or by vested interests who want to leverage the differences to grab power.

Some denominations, being fed up by religious fighting, preach morality, good conduct, etc. without reference to God. Such denominations go under the name of religion, but they do not really represent the true definition of religion - to love God.

Everyone has the right to choose the denomination he or she wants to follow. One should carefully consider all denominations available and choose the one that most powerfully and practically teaches one to love God and to spiritualize all aspects of life. One should also encourage others to do such introspection. At the same time, one should be caring and kind to those who have not yet awakened to the highest spiritual aspect of life. Hopefully good examples of sincere spiritualists will inspire them to take to true religion.

It is important for the leaders of the society to follow the highest degree of religion personally while protecting and encouraging those who are on the lower (or more materialistic) levels of religion. Once the general public sees spiritually elevated and compassionate leaders, it will also get inclined to follow religion for its true purpose - to love God.

Contentment, Compassion, and the God Connection

True spirituality teaches one how to live a dutiful life of contentment and true compassion.

Contentment comes from sincere service to God and all living beings. True compassion is to engage a living being in the service of the Lord so that that living being can find contentment.

Contentment is the foundation of real happiness and since the Lord is eternal, contentment in His service leads to everlasting happiness. Contentment does not mean passivity; it means to be happy with one's sincere efforts to serve, knowing well that the results are not determined by one's efforts alone.

Compassion without connection to God is incomplete and one-sided, and hence it's ineffectual in the ultimate analysis. Godless material well-being alone cannot lead to contentment and happiness, nor can it naturally lead to spiritual sentiments. On the other hand, spirituality does not preclude material well-being at all; in fact most material activities, including compassion in terms of material well-being, can be spiritualized easily. Spiritualized welfare activities are in fact spiritual activities of true compassion since they use material situations to connect people to God; such service leads to contentment and happiness for both the servers and the served.

May all social workers, who really want to do all-round good to all, provide the God-connection to all whom they serve.

Bhakti Is Not A Fad; Fad Is Not Eternal

Many of those who can’t appreciate unalloyed Bhakti and its certain outcome of going back to the eternal spiritual world discourage practicing devotees in many ways. One of them is to say, every time a devotee is glorifying the process of unalloyed Bhakti, that Bhakti is just one of the fads that the practitioner is presently going through. By trying to undermine the sublime position of Bhakti, these detractors try to bring Bhakti to the platform any of the innumerable mundane activities like watching movies or playing games which people tend to develop temporary fads of.

But, just how preposterous is this attempt of pulling down the most sublime eternal truth to the platform of insignificance! Are the serious seasoned spiritualists so dumb that they can’t distinguish between the eternal and the temporary? Isn’t the whole point of spiritual practices to attain an eternal spiritual position giving up the temporary ones of this material world?

The practicing devotees whose faith is yet a bit malleable must take heart in this contemplation. Bhakti is not something of this world. It is, in fact, the means to transcend this world of temporary fixations. It is the eternal constitutional (i.e. natural) activity of the eternal soul. The soul is eternal, and needs something to keep it eternally interested. And that activity is Bhakti.

It is the duty of all devotees to strongly refute such uninformed claims regarding Bhakti. Due to such off-hand careless remarks by so-called learned misguiders, many innocent people can remain bereft of their natural right to eternal happiness with Krishna in the spiritual world. How unfortunate is that? A devotee’s heart goes out for the suffering souls and thus he can’t tolerate when people get diverted from their real benefit to running after unreal expectations of happiness in this material world.

The preaching movement is so difficult. Its like a surgery performed without the sanction of the patient. Most in the material world are averse to Bhakti because they don’t know that their true self-interest lies therein. But as devotees of the Lord, it’s our duty and an expression of love for Krishna and all the suffering souls to preach boldly despite the odds.

All Glories to the Unlimited Vaishnavas! Ananta Koti Vaishnava Vrinda Ki Jai!!

Anonymous – The Saviors and The Saved! (Book Distribution Nectar)

(H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu on one of his book distribution stalls)

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February 17, 2008.

Hare Krishna!

Yesterday was a very special day. I have realized that the more one is engaged in distributing Lord Chaitanya’s and Srila Prabhupada’s causeless mercy, the more one’s every day, every moment, starts becoming special. Every day becomes a festival in which the occasion is that at least one more living entity has now got access to Lord Chaitanya’s divine unparalleled munificence. And thus, yesterday was a multi-occasion festival – because multiple living entities got His mercy. In the form of His Divine Grace Srila Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s books.

My grandmother (dad’s mom) has recently started reading the Marathi Krishna Book everyday. She reads at least one chapter everyday. A couple of days ago, my mom’s parents had visited us and my grandmother (dad’s mom) ‘preached’ my other grandmother how the Krishna Book is so nice! And so my other grandmother also started reading it. And she seemed to like it too. I noticed that. Then later I noticed that even my grandfather was reading it and seemed to like it. So, while my mom’s parents were leaving, I humbly gifted that Marathi Krishna Book to them. They very gladly accepted it. Jai! But that’s not all. The next day (yesterday) my grandmother (dad’s mom) asked, “Where is the Krishna Book? I have just read Lord Brahma’s Prayers to the Lord. The next chapter is about the deliverance of Dhenukasura”. She was missing the book! I promised to get her a replacement. When at night I gifted her another Krishna Book, she was very happy! Jai Srila Prabhupada!

In the evening I went to the temple (Sri Sri Radha Kunjabihari Temple, ISKCON Pune) and bought the Marathi Krishna Book for my grandmother. While I was about to leave the temple to join H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu for his book distribution stall, I was fortunate enough to meet two devotees who glorified H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu. They told me that he recently received an award from the hands of H. G. Vijay Prabhu for his book distribution exploits. H. G. Radheshyam Prabhu (Temple President) heartily glorified H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu by singling him out as the only person in Pune so actively distributing Prabhupada’s books. He informed everyone present that H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu was in Los Angeles for 18 years and perhaps that’s the secret of his love for book distribution, which according to Srila Prabhupada is the shortcut to Krishna! I was very happy to hear the glorification of H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu who has very mercifully accepted me as one of his counselees.

Shortly I joined H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu on the Walking Plaza. He sets up his book distribution stall every Saturday and Sunday there. It’s a totally materialistic street full of mostly young couples walking hand in hand. Then there are young men and women who want to put up a show of being very “cool” so as to attract the opposite sex, either consciously, or sub-consciously as a result of being a part of today’s degraded (and fast degrading) culture where one’s self worth totally depends on how popular one is amongst other unprincipled people leading aimless lives who harbor similar notions about their own self worth. Long gone is the era where a man (or woman) was recognized for his/her character and not for his/her hair style and other bodily characteristics. Apart from these two categories there are people from all other walks of life too who pass by our stall. And some stop by too. And then there are those who take a book! Festival! I try to speak something about the books to those who stop by. H. G. Jai Narsimha Prabhu has instructed me how to. I just try to follow his instructions. Yesterday, we sold Bhagavad Gita to (among others) a man from Iran, a lady from Norway, and a lady from Morocco! All of them were really interested and were looking forward to reading it. I was thrilled!

Along with Jai Narsimha Prabhu, yesterday there was another devotee named Sumit. I mentioned to him how people sometimes give us a look as if to say that they are too busy doing more important things in life than reading spiritual books. But Sumit Prabhu immediately replied, “They have not yet got mercy. Even I was like them two years ago.” I suddenly adjusted my mental state from feeling proud to feeling immensely grateful. It was a blow to my false ego to accept that there is still a lot of pride there in my heart. But one has to take that such blows as the mercy of the Lord. I am very thankful to Sumit Prabhu for saving me by reminding me that whatever I am doing today in Krishna Consciousness is only because Srila Prabhupada bestowed his causeless mercy upon me through his followers and books. “Pride cometh before the fall.”

Sumit Prabhu also told me a beautiful story. His own story. He told me that two years ago he was a total atheist. Then one day some devotee handed him a book and then he started reading. Now he is a practitioner of Krishna Consciousness. He told me that after a few days he again came across that devotee who had sold him that book. Sumit Prabhu recognized him but the devotee did not recognize Sumit Prabhu. So Sumit Prabhu thought, “Boy, this person does not even know me… and look what he has done for me!” I was stunned by that statement. I got a glimpse into the selfless nature of the service of book distribution. The giver doesn’t know the one he is giving to and the receiver doesn’t know the one who is giving. Both are anonymous – the savior and the saved. This story also illustrates the power of Srila Prabhupada’s books of transforming staunch atheists into devotees! It thus reinforces our conviction that distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books is the highest act of compassion. No wonder that book distribution is so dear to Srila Prabhupada.

While we were packing up for the day at around 9pm, the person running the stall next to us (fruit juice etc.) came and offered us a glass of fruit juice each! I was further amazed and had no words to express my wonder about the inconceivable mercy of Lord Chaitanya. How it transforms hearts. Not just of the people who are directly serving Him, but also of those who just see those who are directly serving. And then another person came and very humbly asked me in Hindi, (paraphrasing the words and the mood which I could perceive) “Please give me a book that will pacify my mind and soul… that if I just read, I will feel really light…” I heard in his request a sincere plea. It sounded to me as if he was crying out for mercy. I felt that this young man was really in some misery and I was touched by the simplicity of his heart in asking for help. He had come to right place. I thought about which book I should recommend. Bhagavad Gita or the Krishna Book? No other book came to my mind. Krishna Book! Yes, that’s what I recommended to him. He said he will buy one the next day. I hope he does. I have personal experience. Krishna Book is non different from Krishna and His mercy. Just by taking sincere shelter of the Krishna Book all that is troublesome to the heart is wiped away. Just by crying out to the Lord and in that mood reading the Krishna Book can change ones life. Krishna will take charge of that soul. No doubt.

I have started realizing that Srila Prabhupada’s books are an unlimited storehouse of mercy. But to access that mercy requires helpless surrender to them. The more one is in the mood of helplessness, the more one can access the mercy of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Those books are non-different from Lord Krishna. And thus, the same logic applies. The more you are helpless, the more you are surrendered, the more you are sincerely seeking their shelter, the more they will reciprocate. I have started realizing how though this knowledge is freely available to all, it is still secret. Because this knowledge can only be accessed in proportion to the degree of surrender. We keep hearing these principles so many times, but when that little realization comes, it is so sweet… and so humbling.

Oh! Just how attractive is Krishna Consciousness? Who can fathom? I have started realizing how being a part of spreading the mission of Lord Chaitanya is the most sublime activity of all. I have got a glimpse into what it means to be compassionate. Lord Chaitanya’s instruction is : “jeevan saarthak kari, kar paropkar”. “Perfect your life and then be compassionate to others (by helping them to become perfect themselves)”. Our lives must be lived for being compassionate to others. At our stage we are ourselves so much struggling with Maya that it is difficult to even imagine that we can bestow some compassion on to others. But actually, it is possible. Just distribute Prabhupada’s books! Or do some other service. Just help the mission in some way. That is an act of the highest form of compassion, to assist the mission of Lord Chaitanya. We should always remember that we shouldn’t just focus on our own perfection, but also try to help others to perfect their life. Ours is a compassion mission. That’s why we do not go to the Himalayas and chant and read there. We live in the cities for a purpose – to distribute the compassion of Lord Chaitanya even to the most fallen.

I pray to Srila Prabhupada that my sadhana improves, that my service to his mission increases, and that somehow I can become and remain an instrument of Lord Chaitanya’s compassion in his hands.

Yours in the service of Krishna,
Abhijit.