power of repetition

Verse 2.25: It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable and immutable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.

For the past few verses now we have been hearing over and over again the descriptions of the soul and the truth that we are not this body but the eternal spirit soul. One could question, "Why the need to keep repeating this over and over again?! Can't we move on to something new?"

This is exactly my mentality. I always need something new and shiny to occupy my attention and hearing something repeatedly is often quite challenging for me.

The thing is, there is great power in repetition. It is only by hearing something over and over again that it actually sinks in. Think about it. How did you learn the alphabet? It was only by saying and writing the letters over ad nauseum that it became natural. Now, when your eyes take in the written word, you don't stop to think how you put together words and phrases, it's become natural.

Similarly, the beginning of bhakti yoga also starts of with it's own alphabet. The basics. Those a, b, c's are that we are spirit souls that are currently existing in a particular body. That body is temporary and limited, whereas the soul is eternal. If we don't realize this, even theoretically, then everything else we may know and hear becomes superfluous. This is the starting point and from there we can build and advance. That's why Krsna is spending so much time educating Arjuna (and us!) about the intricacies, characteristics and importance of the soul.

It's amazing if you think about it! Even basic principles that we take for granted and practice in everyday life originated from God! We all are constantly exposed to repetition, just think TV commercials. It's nothing new. Now, it's about applying it to spiritual life!

In fact, the cardinal rules of giving a speech/presentation is all about repetition: Tell your audience what you're going to tell them. Tell them. Then tell them what you told them.

Krsna, gets all the credit, since he originated the concept. So the next time you are going through a Vedic text, or even your homework, just remember: if something is being repeated over and over again there is a reason behind it. It's of great value and importance.

the right prescription

Verse 2.24: This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same.

I'd like to find someone who actually welcomes change in their life. The material world, due to being temporary, is full of change, but very few embrace it. Here, we find out why. The soul itself is unchangeable. Cue lightbulb popping over head....it all makes sense now!

If we delve a little deeper as to why most of us resist change, there are many reasons such as fear of the unknown, lack of control, and perhaps most commonly, the fear that something will be taken away.

Just ask any professional athlete. What are the top two things that they fear the most? My guess would be injury and age. Both result in changes in the body which they have no control over and can affect their performance.

Every single one of us fears change to some degree. We cannot forecast the outcome most of the time and hence we are left with a huge question mark. In the world we live in, where control is the name of the game, this goes against everything we are inculcated with. Yet, change is inevitable. So how does one deal with it?

The bhakti texts prompt one to examine how and where this change affects us the most. We view change through the lens of the senses and the body. So really, it's a matter of changing the lens by which we view the world.

Recently, I had to get my eyes examined. Anyone who goes to the eye doctor will tell you how you're plopped into a chair and subjected to a battery of tests. One of those tests is viewing a series of lines with letters that become smaller and smaller as you read down the page. If you do require a new prescription, oftentimes the doctor will ask you to read a line and then switch a lens and ask you whether "Lens A" or "Lens B" was better.

Krsna is acting as our eye doctor here. He is educating us on how we can view, not only the world, but change as well. We can view it from the perspective of the body and the senses or we can view it through the perspective of the soul. The soul is unchanging but our experiences are every changing. So what does that mean? It means that we (the soul) are undergoing an experience. Instead of getting caught up in that experience we can chose to rise above it or wallow in it.

For those who would like to rise above it, Krsna will give us the magic formula. Just like the eye doctor figures out the prescription for your glasses/contacts so that you can see better, similarly Krsna will give us the proper glasses that are outfitted with the lenses of bhakti. Right now, we are simply sitting in the chair being educated about our condition and given options as to which lens we want to view the world. It's our choice, which one's we want to choose.

the best teacher

Verse 2.23: The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.

Knowledge of both the material and spiritual are given in different ways throughout the Gita. Knowledge is given in a way direct way (i.e. we are not this body but the spirit soul), it is given in extremely detailed ways (as we will come to see) and here we are seeing knowledge given to us in another way - through negation.

As spiritual beings who have undergone lifetimes of experiences, it can be very difficult to understand subject matters that cannot be explained through the material senses. So what does Krsna do? In order to help us understand what the soul is, Krsna is putting it in context of the material senses. That is, he is describing the existence of the spiritual by explaining what it is not.

We all have experience of this. Sometimes when we are trying to explain a concept or object to someone, we define it by "what it is not." That is, if we cannot express what it is, then we express it in a way that describes what it isn't.

Since the spirit soul is not material, but due to the fact we can only relate with what is material, this explanation through negation is being utilized. That's not to say that Krsna hasn't tried to explain what the soul is in a detailed way. As a reminder, in previous verses, Krsna explained that the soul (by the symptom of consciousness) pervades the entire body, is eternal and is infinitesimally small.

Here, however, more detail is being given. The soul cannot be cut to pieces, be burned, be moistened by water nor withered by the wind. All the material elements cannot effect the soul. That's how powerful and protected the spirit soul is.

God is the perfect teacher. He knows the advancement and level of his students and thus teaches accordingly. We are so lucky to have a Lord who loves us so much!

shopping around

Verse 2.22: As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.

Do you like shopping? I do. I especially like shopping for new clothes. There's something about purchasing a new garment because of the way it feels, the way it hangs, the colour, style and/or design. I think one of the ideas that marketers promote is the notion that new clothes represent the "new" you. Since you are constantly changing, your clothes should reflect that as well.

Similarly, that's what happens when we give up one body and take on another one. One could say that as you're going through this lifetime in your current body, you are (for most) unconsciously shopping around for your next body. How so? All the desires that one accumulates have an impact on the thoughts that circulate throughout one's mind. Ever notice that? At least that's the case for me. As soon as I want something, really want something, I can't think of anything else. It totally occupies my thoughts and think of ways to satisfy my desire to acquire it.

So all the thoughts and desires that one cultivates throughout one's lifetime sets the stage to "purchase" the next body once this one has run it's course. In shopping for material clothes, we go through the same process. Although the time frame for choosing an item maybe mere seconds, there are certain motivations or inclinations that push us to purchase the item.

This means that we need to become more aware! If we can actually have an impact on the type of body we can receive in our next life, we need to become aware of our desires. As aspiring bhakti yogis, however, the goal is different. The bhakti yogi would prefer to make this life, in this body, their last. Why so? Because the soul is eternal. Continuing the cycle of taking on different temporary bodies will never give the soul satisfaction irregardless of how strong, beautiful or intelligent that body maybe.

The goal of the bhakti yogi is to quit shopping! Just like the time may come when you look at your closet and feel, "This is ridiculous. I have way too many clothes!" Similarly, the bhakti yogi thinks "Doesn't matter if I get another body if I'm still going to be subject birth, disease, old age and death. I want out!"

That's what the Bhagavad-gita is all about. It's for those who may have never considered, are curious about or have decided - enough shopping!

utility is the principle

Verse 2.21: O Pārtha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn and immutable kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?

The principle of utility is being highlighted in today's verse. If someone fully understands something, it is only then that they can utilize it to it's full extent.

In this case, when one fully understands that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn, and immutable, it is then that spiritual life can begin. It's as though everything falls into place for the bhakti practitioner and all the questions and confusions that may arise due to misidentification with the body just washes away.

Everything has a purpose and whether an aspiring spiritualist or not, we all experience it in our lives. Why else do people feel like they are "meant to do" something? The bhakti texts speak about this in fact. They state that one contributes effectively to society when one works according to their nature and inclinations. The sad truth remains, however, that nowadays very few are encouraged to actually contribute to the world by honing and utilizing their talents and skills. Instead, security and money are the goal. So even if one is operating in the consciousness that "I am this body", they cannot be satisfied by trying to do something that we are not inclined towards. It's like fitting a square peg in a round hole.

Interesting, isn't it? This is the depth of the bhakti texts. Although ultimately they are there to help us develop our dormant love for God, they simultaneously provides us with information on how to function effectively in the material world. They tell us how to usefully engage our given body and mind. If you think about it, it makes perfects sense. Although we are not of this world, we are currently residing here. If we are not guided as to how to operate in the material world properly, then we will not only be unsuccessful materially but also spiritually!

For those who want to take it a step further, the bhakti texts then introduce the fundamental truth that we are not this body but actually the spirit soul. That knowledge is one of the keys to advancement in spiritual life. From there, one can now utilize the body in a way that serves the soul's actual purpose. So one has choices. One can learn how to utilize the body effectively for the sake of the body (which is temporary and subject to birth, disease, old age and death) or one can learn how to utilize it for the sake of the soul (which is eternal).

So in this way the body can be utilized either to gratify the senses or in devotion. So what does that mean? This is where bhakti is so practical. The practice of bhakti is not about negation but one of proper engagement. Those very senses which we use as a means to satisfy ourselves can instead be used in service of God. By our hands we can offer items in gratitude, by our lips and tongue we can glorify him, by our legs we can visit places of pilgrimage and so on and so forth.

It's our choice. We can continue in our vain attempts to satisfy the body through the senses or use our body in the service of satisfying God, which will naturally make us happy. This goes to show, that despite the fact the body is temporary, it is so useful! It is the vehicle by which we can show our devotion to Krsna.

designations

Verse 2.20: For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.

Ever wonder where we come from? Have you ever wondered what prompts you to ask that question? It's interesting how even our questions are subject to our experiences and identifications. Srila Prabhupada, the translator of the Bhagavad-gita as it is, very succinctly brings to light an important point in the purport to this verse. That is: Under the impression of the body, we seek the history of birth, etc., of the soul.

Puts a lot of things into perspective if we take the time to unpackage this statement. Our identification with the body effects us on so many different levels. It's not that we simply identify ourselves as "human". That's just the start of our assigning designations to our bodies. From there we start identifying ourselves as male/female, with country, race, religion etc... All of these things that we associate ourselves turn into identities. And like Prabhupada says, due to the fact that we associate the body with birth and death we bring in that same type of thinking when it comes to the soul. That is why Krsna is taking so much time to convince us that the soul is totally different than the body. It is not subject to birth, death, disease and old age like the body.

Let's get back to the concept of identifications. What did you answer the last time someone asked you what you did? Most people immediately throw out titles like student, professional, doctor, mom and so forth. Does anyone ever actually think to answer: "I'm trying to purify my heart so that I can re-establish my loving relationship with God and realize that I am actually the soul?" As an aspiring bhakti yogi or one is trying to love God, that is what we are actually doing! We may be a professional or a student or whatever, but that is not who we are actually are. What we do should be a direct reflection of who we really are.

It is true that we may have duties to perform and roles to fulfill but those titles don't represent the soul. They represent the body, circumstances and environments that we are in right now and are subject to change. This is not to minimize their importance, as we should fulfill them all to the best of our ability. In fact, the advanced bhakti yogi fulfills their roles as mother, father, provider, friend, citizen etc., expertly. However, the point is that we should not be so caught up in identifying with these designations alone that we lose sight of the fact that we are actually spiritual beings that are undergoing a material experience.

That is why the bhakti texts state that designations serve as obstacles in trying to realize we are the soul. It is very important to remember the context. No where do the bhakti texts recommend that one should detach themselves and give up everything. In fact, it is frowned upon as artificial renunciation. Practical realization that one is actually the soul will only serve to enhance relationships with others since such a person will be able to see all living entities as equal and worthy of the greatest respect.

However, coming back to the fact that many of us do identify ourselves with various material designations, the fact that we are conditioned to "accept truth" with our senses makes it even more challenging when we look in the mirror. We don't see the soul, but the body! If we can get over that fact and realize that it is the soul that causes the body to function, then we have all these other designations to trip us up. How so? Due to the fact that these identifications prompt various desires.

When a desire arises, what does a living entity do? They start making a plan as to how to fulfill that desire and so the endless cycle of planning and desiring continues. In fact, it is said that if we even have a pinch of material desire to execute our plan to fulfill that desire, we will have to accept another body. However, if instead we engage in devotional service (acting in the consciousness that everything is Krsna's and everything I do is an offering to Krsna), that begins the process of purifying our desires. Simply by acting in this consciousness, the process of bhakti starts to work.

Just yesterday, a friend of mine was relating an experience to me. She got cable TV in her house and was saying that she tried flipping through various channels trying to find something to watch but just felt uninterested and bored. Instead, she chose to spend that time glorifying God by chanting his names. She was expressing how peaceful and focused she felt afterwards. Simply by choosing to engage in one of the nine potent forms of devotional service (one of which is chanting), she automatically experienced practical experience of how God reciprocates with one who chooses to spend time with him.

This is how potent the process of bhakti is. Sometimes it may seem almost impossible to attain God consciousness with all the distractions that surround us. Hence the bhakti texts serve as a guide to make us aware of these impediments. Ultimately though it all boils down to love. God wants us to love him. All we need to do is: always try to remember him and never forget him.

a requested verse on forbearance

Recently I posted up beautiful verse from one of the most amazing bhakti texts we are fortunate to have, the Srimad Bhagavatam. One of my friends liked the verse so much that she asked me to write about it. I eagerly took the opportunity since the Bhagavatam has always been there for me like a trusted and loyal friend and deserves to be honoured and recognized for being so invaluable.

The reason why I love the Bhagavatam so much is that it explains philosophy through stories. For someone who doesn't like to be told what to do (i.e. me!), this is such an effective teaching tool. Instead of saying "Do this," the reader gets to hear about great personalities who faced the consequences of making certain choices (whether they be positive or challenging) This way, if the aspiring bhakti wants to, (remember, we always have free choice!) they can learn from someone else's experience and benefit greatly. In essence, they won't have to realize things the hard way!

The verse I posted was this one: The devotees of the Lord are so forbearing that even though they are defamed, cheated, cursed, disturbed, neglected or even killed, they are never inclined to avenge themselves. Srimad Bhagavatam 1.18.48

There are so many things that could be said about this verse, but you know what? One can only speak/write according to one's realization. I am in NO position to say anything on this verse from the application perspective since I can only hope to aspire to become like this one day. One thing I can do, however, is give the back-story to this verse so that I can remember and honour a very great bhakti yogi - King Pariksit.

The story of his birth, in fact, is so incredible that I'm tempted to start there, but we'll save that for another day. Once, King Pariksit was out in the forest hunting. After a long day and feeling incredibly fatigued, he and his entourage started searching for water. In his quest to relieve his thirst the King happened upon the hermitage of a well-known sage called Samika. There the sage, along with many others, were sitting in deep meditation.

The king, who was incredibly thirsty, approached the sage and requested for some water. He was met with silence. I think everyone can relate to this, right? You've had a long day at work, waited for your bus for an hour, trudged through a blizzard and all you want when you get home is a glass of water and as you're taking off your shoes you ask a family member to get you a glass and you're totally ignored. Well this is how the King felt. In fact, he felt extremely insulted as the sage didn't even get up to properly welcome him or offer him a seat. Instead, the King felt that he was being ignored. Feeling insulted and angry, the King picked up a dead snake and lay it on the sage's shoulders and left.

Returning to his palace, the King being greatly pious and a sincere bhakti yogi, started contemplating his actions. Just like we often get confused and start pondering our actions after doing something rash, the King too started wondering if the sage actually had been in meditation or had simply been ignoring him. This is the consequence of anger. It robs us of our intelligence.

During this time, the son of the sage Samika heard about what had happened to his father. He, although young in age, had great power. He could not tolerate this dishonour done to his father and out of anger, cursed the King saying " On the seventh day from today a snake-bird will bite the most wretched one of that dynasty [King Pariksit] because of his having broken the laws of etiquette by insulting my father." He returned to the hermitage where he saw his father and out of grief started crying.

The sage slowly came out of his meditation hearing his son's cries and when he saw the snake lying around his neck, casually brushed it aside and asked his son what was causing his distress. This reaction by the sage is so telling. He did not ask why the snake was around his neck, but casually brushed it away as though nothing had happened.

When the sage found out what his son had done, he started to lament. The sage said, "The Emperor Pariksit is a pious king. He is highly celebrated and is a first-class devotee of the Personality of Godhead. He is a saint amongst royalty, and he has performed many horse sacrifices. When such a king is tired and fatigued, being stricken with hunger and thirst, he does not at all deserve to be cursed." The sage predicted, "Due to the termination of the monarchical regimes and the plundering of the people's wealth by rogues and thieves, there will be great social disruptions. People will be killed and injured, and animals and women will be stolen. And for all these sins we shall be responsible."

The sage knew that due to his piety the King actually had the ability to counter-curse his son and somehow save himself from his fate. However, the sage also knew that the King would never do such a thing since he was a first-class bhakti yogi who would never use such power for his personal benefit.

This is where this verse comes in. These are the words spoken by the great sage Samika in glorification of King Pariksit. Just see. Normally it is the sages who are glorified, but here a sage is glorifying a King. This is the power of bhakti yoga. Anyone can become exemplary and a great lover of God despite one's station.

As for King Pariksit, can you imagine being in such a position? You are condemned to death actually have the power to do something about it, but you choose not to? Instead, you accept your fate as being deserving of the action that you performed. In fact, what does Pariksit do after hearing of the curse? He abandons everything, goes to the forest and seeks out a bona fide spiritual master who teaches him the purpose of life. The Srimad Bhagavatam that we now hold in our hands are the words that were spoken to King Pariksit in his quest to know the highest purpose of life.

So, how does this apply to us? Well if you're like me, just hearing these stories over and over again is so helpful. One day, by constantly hearing and remembering such exemplary acts, we can pray that it will sink in and we can actually implement this lesson at a time when we are tested. The situation may come in the form of someone speaking ill of us, when we are neglected or even if we are cheated etc... Instead of becoming upset and looking to avenge the wrong that has been done to us, we'll remember King Pariksit and patiently endure. We'll choose forbearance.