In the past, I have previously written many articles regarding spiritual life. What I have previously written has been an introduction to see the difference between material and spiritual life. So, now I’m gonna take it up a notch.
In the past, I have previously written many articles regarding spiritual life. What I have previously written has been an introduction to see the difference between material and spiritual life. So, now I’m gonna take it up a notch.
One of the main aspects is understanding that everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. That being so, one should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong.
Vedic knowledge is infallible because it comes down through the perfect disciplic succession of spiritual masters, beginning with the Lord Himself. Since He spoke the first word of the Absolute Truth, the source of this knowledge is transcendental. The words spoken by Him are called ‘apauruseya’, which indicates they are not delivered by any mundane person.
A living being living in this mundane world has four defects: (1) he is certain to commit mistakes; (2) he is subject to illusion; (3) he has a propensity to cheat others; and (4) his senses are imperfect. No one with these four imperfections can deliver perfect knowledge.
This knowledge was originally imparted by the Lord to the first created living being who then disseminated to his sons and disciples, who handed it down through history.
Since God is all-perfect, there is no possibility of His being subjected to the laws of material nature, which He controls. But, both the living entities and inanimate objects are controlled by the laws of nature and ultimately by God’s potency.
In the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita As-It-Is (7.4-5), ‘para’ and ‘apara’ are discussed. The elements of nature –earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego – all belonging to God’s inferior, material energy (apara), whereas the living being, the organic energy, is His superior energy (para). Both of these energies are the property of the Supreme Lord.
Because the Supreme Lord is the complete person, He has complete and perfect intelligence to adjust everything by means of His different potencies. He is often compared to a fire, and everything organic and inorganic is compared to the heat and light of that fire. Just as fire distributes energy in the form of heat and light, He displays His energy in different ways. He thus remains the ultimate controller, sustainer and dictator of everything and is full of inconceivable opulence, power, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation.
That being the fact, one should therefore be intelligent enough to know that except for Him no one is a proprietor of anything and that is why one should accept only those things that are set aside by Him as our quota. That being said, we should be satisfied with those things He has kindly set aside for us, and we should always consider to whom those things we possess actually belong.
Where you live is made of earth, stone, iron, cement and so many other material things that we cannot produce. We can only bring these building materials together and transform them into different shapes by our labor. But, a laborer cannot claim to be a proprietor of a thing just because he worked hard to put it together.
The human race should not quarrel over material possessions. They should be satisfied with whatever privileges are given to him by His mercy. How can there be peace if the communists, or capitalists or any other party claims proprietorship over the resources of nature, which are entirely the Lord’s property?
Capitalists cannot curb the communists simply by political maneuvering, nor can the communists defeat the capitalists simply by fighting for stolen bread. If they do not recognize the proprietorship of the Lord, all the property they claim to be their own is stolen. That being the case, they will be liable to punishment by the laws of nature.
Human beings are not meant to quarrel like cats and dogs. Cats and dogs can kill other animals for food without incurring karma. But, if a man kills an animal for the satisfaction of his uncontrolled taste buds, he is responsible for breaking the laws of nature and must be punished.
The standard of life for human beings cannot be applied to animals. Despite what the animals eat, none of them transgress the laws of nature, which have been ordained by the will of the Lord. Human life alone is a life of responsibility. Therefore, only human life is subjected to karmic reactions. When you kill anything you pay the price.
In the Bhagavat-gita As-It Is (9.26), the Lord clearly states that He accepts only vegetarian foods. Therefore, a human being should not only become a strict vegetarian but should also become a devotee of the Lord and offer Him what he eats. By offering his plant-based foods to Him he is freed of the karmic reactions manifested in the killing of the plant-based foods.
Only those who act in this way can properly discharge the duties of human life. Those who do not offer their food to Him eat nothing but sin and subject themselves to various types of distress, which are the results of sin (Bhagavat-gita As-It-Is (3.13).
The root of sin is deliberate disobedience of the laws of nature through disregarding the proprietorship of the Lord. Disobeying the laws of nature or the order of the Lord brings ruin to a human being. Therefore, one who is sober, who knows the laws of nature, and who is not influenced by unnecessary attachment or aversion is sure to be recognized by the Lord and become eligible to go back to his eternal home in the spiritual world.
Bear in mind, there are 8,400,000 forms of life on earth. The only form that can bear karma is the human form. So, the choice is, do you want to go up or down and wait until you can attain a human form and start over again?
In the past, we have all been in lower forms. Through transgression we have obtained the human form. The human form is a blessing as it gives us the choice of going down to the lower forms again or eventually obtaining residence again in the spiritual world. Unfortunately, that only happens when we abide by His laws.
To connect with Him, one can chant His various names like Gopala Govinda Rama Madana Mohana. As long as you can hear you saying it, it’s good.
One thing to realize is that while we have to be in the world, we do not have to be of the world. That means that while we do everything that our neighbor does, we are always trying to develop a pleasing relationship with God.
Namaste (accept my respects) and Haribol (praise the Lord)!
Sources: (Vedic Scriptures)
Sri Isopanisad
Bhagavat-gita As-It-Is
Vedic knowledge is infallible because it comes down through the perfect disciplic succession of spiritual masters, beginning with the Lord Himself. Since He spoke the first word of the Absolute Truth, the source of this knowledge is transcendental. The words spoken by Him are called ‘apauruseya’, which indicates they are not delivered by any mundane person.
A living being living in this mundane world has four defects: (1) he is certain to commit mistakes; (2) he is subject to illusion; (3) he has a propensity to cheat others; and (4) his senses are imperfect. No one with these four imperfections can deliver perfect knowledge.
This knowledge was originally imparted by the Lord to the first created living being who then disseminated to his sons and disciples, who handed it down through history.
Since God is all-perfect, there is no possibility of His being subjected to the laws of material nature, which He controls. But, both the living entities and inanimate objects are controlled by the laws of nature and ultimately by God’s potency.
In the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita As-It-Is (7.4-5), ‘para’ and ‘apara’ are discussed. The elements of nature –earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego – all belonging to God’s inferior, material energy (apara), whereas the living being, the organic energy, is His superior energy (para). Both of these energies are the property of the Supreme Lord.
Because the Supreme Lord is the complete person, He has complete and perfect intelligence to adjust everything by means of His different potencies. He is often compared to a fire, and everything organic and inorganic is compared to the heat and light of that fire. Just as fire distributes energy in the form of heat and light, He displays His energy in different ways. He thus remains the ultimate controller, sustainer and dictator of everything and is full of inconceivable opulence, power, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation.
That being the fact, one should therefore be intelligent enough to know that except for Him no one is a proprietor of anything and that is why one should accept only those things that are set aside by Him as our quota. That being said, we should be satisfied with those things He has kindly set aside for us, and we should always consider to whom those things we possess actually belong.
Where you live is made of earth, stone, iron, cement and so many other material things that we cannot produce. We can only bring these building materials together and transform them into different shapes by our labor. But, a laborer cannot claim to be a proprietor of a thing just because he worked hard to put it together.
The human race should not quarrel over material possessions. They should be satisfied with whatever privileges are given to him by His mercy. How can there be peace if the communists, or capitalists or any other party claims proprietorship over the resources of nature, which are entirely the Lord’s property?
Capitalists cannot curb the communists simply by political maneuvering, nor can the communists defeat the capitalists simply by fighting for stolen bread. If they do not recognize the proprietorship of the Lord, all the property they claim to be their own is stolen. That being the case, they will be liable to punishment by the laws of nature.
Human beings are not meant to quarrel like cats and dogs. Cats and dogs can kill other animals for food without incurring karma. But, if a man kills an animal for the satisfaction of his uncontrolled taste buds, he is responsible for breaking the laws of nature and must be punished.
The standard of life for human beings cannot be applied to animals. Despite what the animals eat, none of them transgress the laws of nature, which have been ordained by the will of the Lord. Human life alone is a life of responsibility. Therefore, only human life is subjected to karmic reactions. When you kill anything you pay the price.
In the Bhagavat-gita As-It Is (9.26), the Lord clearly states that He accepts only vegetarian foods. Therefore, a human being should not only become a strict vegetarian but should also become a devotee of the Lord and offer Him what he eats. By offering his plant-based foods to Him he is freed of the karmic reactions manifested in the killing of the plant-based foods.
Only those who act in this way can properly discharge the duties of human life. Those who do not offer their food to Him eat nothing but sin and subject themselves to various types of distress, which are the results of sin (Bhagavat-gita As-It-Is (3.13).
The root of sin is deliberate disobedience of the laws of nature through disregarding the proprietorship of the Lord. Disobeying the laws of nature or the order of the Lord brings ruin to a human being. Therefore, one who is sober, who knows the laws of nature, and who is not influenced by unnecessary attachment or aversion is sure to be recognized by the Lord and become eligible to go back to his eternal home in the spiritual world.
Bear in mind, there are 8,400,000 forms of life on earth. The only form that can bear karma is the human form. So, the choice is, do you want to go up or down and wait until you can attain a human form and start over again?
In the past, we have all been in lower forms. Through transgression we have obtained the human form. The human form is a blessing as it gives us the choice of going down to the lower forms again or eventually obtaining residence again in the spiritual world. Unfortunately, that only happens when we abide by His laws.
To connect with Him, one can chant His various names like Gopala Govinda Rama Madana Mohana. As long as you can hear you saying it, it’s good.
One thing to realize is that while we have to be in the world, we do not have to be of the world. That means that while we do everything that our neighbor does, we are always trying to develop a pleasing relationship with God.
Namaste (accept my respects) and Haribol (praise the Lord)!
Sources: (Vedic Scriptures)
Sri Isopanisad
Bhagavat-gita As-It-Is
RSS Feed