Did you ever wonder WHO YOU REALLY ARE and WHY YOU ARE HERE?
If your response to that question is ‘YES’ then read on.
The answer to this question had eluded sages and philosophers all over the world from time immemorial and gave rise to many religions and innumerable philosophies. Our ability to ask this question is also the fundamental differentiator between humans and animals.
It is widely believed, the goal of all religions is the same but only their paths are different. With no disrespect to any religion, this is a humble attempt to awaken the spiritual desire among the readers using the knowledge from Sanātana Dharma.
In order to keep this topic interesting, let us explore some common questions and doubts that prevent us from taking a step towards spirituality and answer them with references from the Hindu scriptures like the Bhagavad-gita and the teachings of Vaishnavas (devotees of Vishnu/Krishna).
Tip: Read the questions as if you are asking them and read the answers as if someone is replying to you.
Question: okay, but wait a second! Did you just say above that if I am not inquisitive about my existence I am no different from an animal?
Answer: As per Hitopadesha Shloka 25: ‘Eating, sleeping, defending themselves, and mating are the 4 activities that both animals and humans perform. However, Dharma is the one that differentiates a human from an animal. A human without Dharma is no different from an animal.’ So yes, if we don’t know (or at least inquire) what our Dharma is then we are no better than animals.
Question: What is Dharma? What is Sanātana Dharma exactly?
Answer: There is no single word in English language that can literally translate the Sanskrit word Dharma. The word Dharma can be understood in different meanings depending upon the context where it’s used. It can mean a religion, an occupation, a duty, or simply a way of life. Sanātana means eternal. For ease of understanding, we can say Sanātana Dharma means Eternal Religion. According to it, we are not this body but the soul that resides within it. This subject matter is so fascinating and comprehensive at the same time that we can find answers to any questions, and the solution to all challenges we face in our lives.
Question: What is the nature of the soul? How can I understand the concept of body vs soul?
Answer: Bhagavad-gītā which is the essence of Sanatana Dharma states that the soul, which resides in the area near our heart, is minute, unborn (no birth), eternal (no death), everlasting and indestructible.
Our body keeps changing from infancy to childhood to youth to middle age and to old age, but we know that it is our body. That which we intuitively know to be constant in our body throughout our life is to be understood as our soul called ātma. That is our true identity.
Just like we put on new clothes, the soul migrates to a new body by giving up the current body at the time of death. It is the body that dies, not the soul. The type of body a soul gets in the next life depends on its Karma and the level of consciousness it has at the time of leaving its current body.
Question: What is Karma and how does it work?
Answer: Karma means action/activity. It can also mean the subsequent reaction associated with every action. Remember Newton’s Third Law and the popular saying from the Bible – ‘As you sow so shall you reap.’ Good deeds beget good reactions and bad deeds bring bad reactions. Karma is the only logical explanation on why humans are not born alike, why bad things seem to happen to good people and bad people seem to have things going in their favor. Karma works in mystical ways. Sometimes you get the reactions of your good or bad deeds instantly and sometimes you get them after a long time in this and/or next lives. However, nullifying our residual Karma is possible, but only by pure devotion towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead or simply God.
Question: Wait, did you just say ‘God’? Does God really exist? Why can’t I see God?
Short Answer: Yes, for a devotee of God. For you, you should explore by yourself.
Long Answer: There are 2 ways of dealing with the question depending upon your propensity.
Category 1: You believe in the scriptures and the spiritual scholars Many sages throughout history independently realized and confirmed the existence of God and described His identity. Scriptures like Bhagavad-gītā and Srimad-Bhāgavatam mention that both His existence and divinity are scientifically provable facts. Those who follow the instructions of Krishna in the Bhagavad-gītā can see for themselves how their life improves. |
Category 2: You only trust what you perceive and won’t believe in anyone’s word Now, here is the catch. Are you qualified (or) are you at least willing to put efforts to see God? These matter because there should be a reason for God to appear before you, isn’t it? Ø Qualification matters: In general, it is illogical for a person untrained in some field of knowledge to demand that a particular fact pertaining to that field be logically demonstrated to him. For example, if someone who has no idea what a number is demands for a logical demonstration that 2 + 2 = 4, we cannot do it. Same applies to someone who is not qualified in spiritual knowledge. Ø Effort matters: Let us say you want to meet the President. Do you demand the President to appear before you (or) do you put efforts to perform work that would get the President’s visibility? Moreover, there is a possibility that in spite of all your efforts you will not get to meet the President. You can also put efforts to get in touch with any of the President’s associates which may not be as difficult as trying to reach the President directly, but could increase your chances of meeting the President with their help in the future. Similarly, if you genuinely want to know God and His identity, then you must first put efforts to become qualified by seeking help from a bona fide spiritual master who can guide you on that path. When we become qualified to see God, we will quickly realize that God is not somewhere up there, but is right next to us at every single moment throughout our life, fulfilling all our desires to the level we deserve. |
Category 3: You just don’t believe that God exists [Other way to say this: you just believe that God doesn’t exist] If someone wants to refute the existence of God irrationally, no amount of logic, practical advice, or scriptural references will be sufficient to convince them that God exists. So it will be a waste of time and energy to deal with those people. There's a funny anecdote that goes like this: A man went to a salon to get his beard shaved. During the discussion with the barber, the topic of God came up. The barber being an atheist vehemently denied the existence of God. He said that if God exists he wouldn’t allow people to have pain and suffering in this world. The man, though a believer, didn’t want to start an argument with the barber, esp. with the barber’s knife on his neck. After the job was complete, the man walked outside and came back in. He told the barber that there are no barbers in this world. The barber was taken aback and was clueless. The man pointed at a person outside with a long beard and said that if barbers existed, they wouldn’t allow people to have such long beards. The barber exclaimed that what could he do if they don’t approach him. The man walked away saying ‘Same is the case with God, my friend’. Now, what can God do if we don’t approach Him for help? |
God gave us the freewill and He will not interfere with it. Choose your category above wisely.
Question: But seriously, if there is God, why there is so much pain and suffering in this world?
Answer: This is a topic that requires extensive discussion. In brief, duality is the characteristic of this Material World (Prakriti). Pleasure-Pain, Happiness-Suffering, Good-Bad, Right-Wrong are all symptoms of this duality. God created this Material World from His own energy to fulfill our souls’ oblivious desire to experience these dualities when we became forgetful of our relationship with Him. The characteristics of this Material World are that it is miserable and everything in this world is temporary. So long as our soul resides in this Material World it has to transmigrate from one body to another by leaving each body with a misery called death and again go through the temporary ups and downs continuously in the new body. Once it gets out of this Material World, all dualities cease to exist.
Human life is the only loophole available to get out of this Material World by engaging all our senses in the service of God always.
Don’t misuse this opportunity. Don’t miss to use this opportunity.
Question: How do I connect with God? What if I try but fail to connect?
Answer: Right question finally, and valid concern.
Yoga is the process by which we can link our consciousness with the Supreme Consciousness. Yoga literally means ‘to link’. There are many systems of yoga, namely: Karma-yoga, Jñāna-yoga, Dhyāna-yoga, Rāja-yoga, Haṭha-yoga, Bhakti-yoga. Any system of yoga is an attempt to reconnect our broken relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The yoga practice which involves various physical postures and celebrated on Jun-21 as International Yoga day across the world is based on the Hatha-yoga.
The culmination of all kinds of yoga practices lies in Bhakti-yoga. Bhakti means immense love for the Lord. All other yoga processes are but means to come to the point of Bhakti in Bhakti-yoga. If one is fortunate enough to come to the point of Bhakti-yoga, it is to be understood that he/she has surpassed all the other yoga processes. The scriptures state very firmly that without Bhakti, no one can attain God. Krishna Himself says in the Bhagavad-gita that He is attained by love alone.
The word Bhakti comes from the root word ‘Bhaj’, which means ‘to serve’. So Bhakti is the desire to serve God. Nowadays, we go to the temple to pray and ask God for some material benefit. While this is not wrong, it doesn’t come under Bhakti. Bhakti is to keep one’s mind attached to God always without any material desire (unconditionally). It is to keep Krishna at the center of everything. The amazing thing with Bhakti is that you can practice it any time, in any place and under any circumstance. Even when you are about to eat food you can remember and thank God for giving you that food and pray that you become strong and healthy so that you can serve Him always.
Some people might make fun of you of being religious in this modern age, but they don’t know that your purpose in life in much higher than they could ever envision. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gītā that most of the people in this world are bewildered by māyā and being stuck in its clutches they only engage themselves in sense enjoyment. But anyone who fully surrenders onto Him is a mahātmā (great soul) and is very rare to find in this world.
We should begin this process of Bhakti by engaging all our senses in the service of the God. Then and only then we will be able to obtain His mercy and realize our true self and our relationship with Him. We can do this by hearing and chanting the Holy name of God. In fact, chanting the ‘Hari-nāma’ (name of Hari/Krishna/God), is the only prescribed path of liberation for the people in this modern age called Kali-yuga, nothing else.
Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gītā to never fear about not reaching the goal. Even if you take one step sincerely and wholeheartedly towards Him, He will take multiple steps towards you. The key is to love and serve God unconditionally.
This is what we preach and practice in our ISKCON center. Join us for the Sunday program to discuss more about Krishna Consciousness.
Meanwhile, let’s start chanting the Hare Krishna mahā-mantra
Blog post by Patita-pavana Balarama Das from ISKCON of Greater Cleveland
References:
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