where have all the saintly persons gone?

Verse 1.36: Sin will overcome us if we slay such aggressors. Therefore it is not proper for us to kill the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and our friends. What should we gain, O Kṛṣṇa, husband of the goddess of fortune, and how could we be happy by killing our own kinsmen?

Where has society's morality gone? That's the question I'd like to begin with today. More so than ever the news is inundated with all kinds of disturbing events taking place all across the world. Where have all the saintly persons gone?

When I mean saintly, I speak according to the definition given in the Gita. A saintly person is one who is virtuous and who treats others with respect and compassion because they see that everything is a spark of God's opulence. By this definition, it is not a quality that is relegated to just a chosen few but actually a quality that all of us should practice.

Such attributes and characteristics do not just appear magically. They must be practiced. In fact, this actually reminds me of one of my favourite verses in the Gita. I know I'm skipping ahead, but consider this a little extra for today! ;) In Chapter 17, Verse 16, Krsna says, "And satisfaction, simplicity, gravity, self-control and purification of one's existence are the austerities of the mind."

I remember exactly where I was and how I felt when I was taught the full import of this verse. I was in Mayapur, India and was sitting in a room with about twenty bhakti practitioners from all over the world. I remember how the teacher emphasized the word austerity in this verse and a light bulb went off in my head. Austerity in this verse means to practice. Austerity implies some level of difficulty and the requirement of great mental determination in order to be successful.

Shocking isn't it? Take just the first quality that is mentioned in 17.16- satisfaction. It means that we need to practice satisfaction, what to speak of simplicity, gravity, self-control etc... This is just mind-boggling to the Western way of thinking, where satisfaction is something you either buy or something that happens at/to you, not something that you actually practice.

Similarly, saintliness is also a quality that must be practiced. But the question can be raised here. How can one practice a quality? Well...it's actually pretty simple. Anyone remember what was mentioned yesterday as being the most important principle of bhakti? Always remember Krsna and never forget him. If we are aspiring to be in this consciousness then we realize that every living entity (please note - not just restricted to humans!) we interact with is also very dear to Krsna and every situation we face is due to the results of our past action.

Hence, we see opportunities to practice qualities like tolerance, patience, detachment, compassion, paying respects to others...all the qualities that make one saintly.

Bhakti teaches us to view things from a different perspective, that of "What can I learn from this moment?" This fuels and can give impetus to our determination to act properly.

It is also important to note that aspiring bhakti yogis don't just practice good qualities to become a good person since that can easily lead one into the trap of becoming proud. "Just see what a great person I am. I'm so patient and tolerant!" :P

No. They see this cultivation of good qualities as being helpful in their practice of bhakti yoga. It's easy to be a nice person, it's harder to see the practice of good qualities as a stepping stone to advancement in bhakti.

The goal of bhakti is not just to be a good person who exemplifies saintliness. The goal of bhakti is to uncover and fan our hidden love for God. How one can do this is coming up in the Gita, so stay tuned!

imagine this

Verse 1.28: Arjuna said: My dear Kṛṣṇa, seeing my friends and relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I feel the limbs of my body quivering and my mouth drying up.

Imagine that someone had wronged you your entire life. They always laughed when you fell, insulted you behind your back, went out of their way to make your life miserable and tried to harm those you cared about and were responsible for. Finally, imagine that although they were totally unqualified to be a leader, they assumed such a position through cheating and trickery.

Imagine that despite all your efforts to make peace, they rebuff you again and again. They want a fight and will stand for nothing less. Now the kicker - think about how you would feel if that person was a close family member.

This is the position Arjuna is finding himself in. As a leader and administrator he needs to protect those who are being exploited and that has led him here; to this moment.

As an advanced bhakti yogi who is naturally soft-hearted, what does he think of at this moment? He's not thinking about all the abominable and cruel things that have been done to his loved ones and dependents. No. Instead he is overcome with compassion for those who have wronged him.

This is the great quality of an advanced bhakti practitioner. Such a person can see all perspectives, not only his/her personal one.

Try remembering Arjuna expressing his compassion the next time you feel insulted or wronged by someone. You might find yourself reacting differently than you normally would.

recognize compassion

Verse 1.12: Then Bhīṣma, the great valiant grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, the grandfather of the fighters, blew his conchshell very loudly, making a sound like the roar of a lion, giving Duryodhana joy.

The hearts of those who are filled with compassion always want to bring joy to others. As aspiring bhakti yogis, it is not only important to be compassionate to others but to recognize compassion in our own lives.

Oftentimes we get so caught up in our troubles and thoughts that we fail to recognize when we are are the recipient of compassion. This can pose a challenge since often it is only when we feel the compassion of others on us that it inspires us to become compassionate towards others. In this way we can ultimately "pay it forward."

I was a recipient of compassion today and it gladdened my heart. It was a cold day and after a tiring day of work I was walking to the bus stop. As I walked the stretch, I could see in the distance the bus I hoped to get on. The challenge I faced was that my stop was not only across the street but also on the opposite side which meant I was at the mercy of two traffic lights and the bus driver!

Luckily the light was in my favour and as I walked across the street and looked at the opposite corner where the bus was waiting, I kept wondering, "Will the bus driver wait for me?" As soon as the light turned, I hurried across and to my surprise the bus driver just waited patiently with the door open until I got on. "Thank you so much," I said with great gratitude as I plonked down on the nearest seat, after nearly wiping out on the slippery floor.

The greatest compassion we can give is to help others revive their dormant bhakti. However recognizing the little things, like the kindness and compassion of a stranger, will ensure that we always feel that too are the recipient of the Lord's grace.

So take up the challenge! Everyday reflect on a moment when you were the recipient of compassion. You'll find that the Lord is always sending some your way; you just need to wake up and see it!