Facing Life’s Dangers

Srimad Bhagavatam informs us that there is a danger at every moment in this life, “padam padam yad vipadam”. Lord Krishna advises us in Bhagavad Gita that this world is a place of misery and our happiness is temporary, “dukhalayam asasvatam”.

One may say that they are happy to which the Lord says that “Time” (Kala) is his energy and the energy called Time destroys everything. It is only a matter of time one loses things he thinks he possesses.

One may argue that he is powerful, wealthy, famous, and knowledgeable which he has acquired through birth, hard work, or Yogic practice (penance) to which the Lord explains that the residents of this world are subject to miseries and even the highest realm of Lord Brahma is not excluded from it.

The Lord is merciful (karunamayi) and he wants us to realize the truth about the circumstances we live in and he provides us solutions to overcome those circumstances.

King Yudhishthira says that he finds it amazing that people see others dying and going through miseries but subconsciously convince themselves they are an exception. The question arises why we tend to think like that. Lord Krishna explains that the soul (Atma) under the influence of the illusory energy (Maya) fully engages in daily activities with the expectation of results and becomes attached, and completely forgets that he is living under an illusion of happiness. Such souls seek shelter from various Gods to fulfill their desires and forget to discriminate true happiness from illusory happiness. The results of their worship are also temporary. The Lord says that he instills faith in such worship so that the soul is pleased.

After traversing through millions of lifetimes, the soul through the help of a Guru and the scriptures realizes that it is impossible to find permanent happiness in this world. The state of permanent happiness is the essence of the soul (sat-cit-ananda). When such understanding is developed, then he switches from “padam padam” to “param padam” i.e. "busy at every moment" to "living to attain the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord". This doesn’t mean giving up worldly activities but rather changing one’s consciousness through scriptural knowledge and spiritual practice.

Lord Krishna concludes in Bhagavad Gita (18.58) that the realized soul will overcome all obstacles and difficulties in life by being in consciousness of him and ultimately reaches his abode through his grace.

Srimad Bhagavatam informs us that coming to such a state of realization is challenging like crossing an ocean. One can get swayed away anytime by the waves of Maya. However, one who takes shelter of Lord Hari, who is the Super Soul (Paramatma), finds that the same ocean becomes small like a calf’s foot-print (tiny).

How do we take shelter of the Super Soul?

• Develop humility

• Develop compassion towards all living beings

• Focus on perfecting the work rather than the outcome

• Request Lord Hari to be your mentor

• Read scriptures about how Lord Hari provided shelter to other devotees

• Chant his names

• Try to develop a love for God

We tend to make mistakes and we may not be able to perfect our spiritual practice. Lord Krishna says that even if someone commits an abominable action under the influence of illusory energy, as long as he has taken the shelter of him, he will uplift him.

Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam are meant to wake up the sleeping soul who is living under an illusion. When a Guru sees that the soul is ready to wake up and the soul wants more than the satisfaction of desires, then the Guru points the soul towards these magnanimous scriptures. These scriptures are the words of the Super Soul directly and the essence of the Vedas.

Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhwacharya, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and several other saints relished this wisdom and have encouraged their disciples to walk the path of knowledge with the help of these scriptures. It is an ever-lasting wisdom that stood the test of time.