A Footprint Of Exploitive Desire Creating A Burden For Mother Earth And Her Children
From a Hollywood mogul exploiting an actress, to one nation's war machine pillaging a weaker state, our earth-bound, conditioned ego's propensity to lord over the world and exploit it's inhabitants is embarrassingly all too common. Our conditioning is fierce not easily shed, without a more pleasing alternative.
Some may propose that survival of the fittest is natural law as seen in the animal kingdom - but animals only kill to survive and don't take more than they need, whereas humans can be much worse as seen regularly throughout history and continuously on the nightly news.
But human potential, free from excessive ego and ignorance has much more to offer. How, one may ask? By understanding the inter-connectedness of all life and the divine Source from which everything and everyone manifests. That is one's pure, spiritual ego state - liberated by wisdom and realization, freed from conditional ignorance. Ignorant desire seeds misery. Purified desire yields spiritual fruits which satisfy universally. Desire cannot be artificially stopped, but can be perfected by loving intention.
Willingly choosing the culture of loving stewardship of earth, plus equally respecting all of her residents, takes on the form of acts of loving service to the Supreme Lord, just as watering the roots of a tree, satisfies all the leaves and branches.
Recognizing the creator of matter and spirit and knowing who controls both, is said to be the essence of knowledge.
Humans may be mini-creators, but we did not even create our own individual body, what to speak of a planet or universe. Rather it was the energy of our mother and father combined that created this earth-suit with a shelf-life that we now wear.
In same way, the spiritual energy of the Supreme Source animated the material energy of mother nature's cosmic womb, giving life to the universe, and each spark of spirit housed in individual bodies which pervade creation.
Recognizing and lovingly serving this self-evident universal truth, separates humans from animals, and actually re-unites all life through a higher vision of spiritual truth and reality.
As with anything worthwhile, realizing and engaging in such liberating action and service requires knowledge, determination and practice. but we have the time - eternity if we need it, to get it right. Hopefully we will collectively wise up sooner than later, and re-enter into the timeless spiritual loving reality from which we originally came and even in this life, approach God within and without.
Some may propose that survival of the fittest is natural law as seen in the animal kingdom - but animals only kill to survive and don't take more than they need, whereas humans can be much worse as seen regularly throughout history and continuously on the nightly news.
But human potential, free from excessive ego and ignorance has much more to offer. How, one may ask? By understanding the inter-connectedness of all life and the divine Source from which everything and everyone manifests. That is one's pure, spiritual ego state - liberated by wisdom and realization, freed from conditional ignorance. Ignorant desire seeds misery. Purified desire yields spiritual fruits which satisfy universally. Desire cannot be artificially stopped, but can be perfected by loving intention.
Willingly choosing the culture of loving stewardship of earth, plus equally respecting all of her residents, takes on the form of acts of loving service to the Supreme Lord, just as watering the roots of a tree, satisfies all the leaves and branches.
Recognizing the creator of matter and spirit and knowing who controls both, is said to be the essence of knowledge.
Humans may be mini-creators, but we did not even create our own individual body, what to speak of a planet or universe. Rather it was the energy of our mother and father combined that created this earth-suit with a shelf-life that we now wear.
In same way, the spiritual energy of the Supreme Source animated the material energy of mother nature's cosmic womb, giving life to the universe, and each spark of spirit housed in individual bodies which pervade creation.
Recognizing and lovingly serving this self-evident universal truth, separates humans from animals, and actually re-unites all life through a higher vision of spiritual truth and reality.
As with anything worthwhile, realizing and engaging in such liberating action and service requires knowledge, determination and practice. but we have the time - eternity if we need it, to get it right. Hopefully we will collectively wise up sooner than later, and re-enter into the timeless spiritual loving reality from which we originally came and even in this life, approach God within and without.
BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE
"Watch out, you might get what you're after
Cool babies, strange but not a stranger
I'm an ordinary guy
Burning down the house..."
"Watch out, you might get what you're after
Cool babies, strange but not a stranger
I'm an ordinary guy
Burning down the house..."
Who's The Enemy?
Out of fear or ignorance we may project an external agent as a great threat to our existence, when actually the wrath manifested outwardly towards others is usually seeded by lust for passionate personal desires, woefully unfulfilled. Passion usually means act now - then think later of the cost vs benefit scale - which normally plays out on the downside in the long run.
At other times, passion can be used in the service of justice where wrath is needed to protect and serve; the rarity where wrath serves for the greater good.
At other times, passion can be used in the service of justice where wrath is needed to protect and serve; the rarity where wrath serves for the greater good.
Sri Krishna Instructing Arjuna
Arjuna said: O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?
The Blessed Lord said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this world." Bhagavad-Gita 3.36-37
Purport
"When a living entity comes in contact with the material creation, his eternal love for Kṛṣṇa is transformed into lust, in association with the mode of passion. Or, in other words, the sense of love of God becomes transformed into lust, as milk in contact with sour tamarind is transformed into yogurt. Then again, when lust is unsatisfied, it turns into wrath; wrath is transformed into illusion, and illusion continues the material existence. Therefore, lust is the greatest enemy of the living entity, and it is lust only which induces the pure living entity to remain entangled in the material world."
Purport
"When a living entity comes in contact with the material creation, his eternal love for Kṛṣṇa is transformed into lust, in association with the mode of passion. Or, in other words, the sense of love of God becomes transformed into lust, as milk in contact with sour tamarind is transformed into yogurt. Then again, when lust is unsatisfied, it turns into wrath; wrath is transformed into illusion, and illusion continues the material existence. Therefore, lust is the greatest enemy of the living entity, and it is lust only which induces the pure living entity to remain entangled in the material world."
Where Is the Enemy?
"As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, similarly, the living entity is covered by different degrees of this lust.
Thus, a man's pure consciousness is covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.
The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust, which veils the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him.
Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bhāratas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization.
The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.
Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to material senses, mind and intelligence, one should control the lower self by the higher self and thus—by spiritual strength—conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust.
Bg 3.38-43
The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.
Bg 2.59
Thus, a man's pure consciousness is covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.
The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust, which veils the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him.
Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bhāratas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization.
The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.
Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to material senses, mind and intelligence, one should control the lower self by the higher self and thus—by spiritual strength—conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust.
Bg 3.38-43
The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.
Bg 2.59
The Blame Game?
When observing the current state of humanity and our bloody history, sometimes people wonder - if there is a God, how could He let this happen?
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead expanded Himself into many for His ever-increasing spiritual bliss, and the living entities are parts and parcels of this spiritual bliss. They also have partial independence, but by misuse of their independence, when the service attitude is transformed into the propensity for sense enjoyment, they come under the sway of lust. This material creation is created by the Lord to give a facility to the conditioned souls to fulfill these lustful propensities, and when they are completely baffled by prolonged lustful activities, the living entities begin to inquire about their real position.
This inquiry is the beginning of the Vedānta-sūtras, wherein it is said, athāto brahma-jijñāsā: one should inquire into the Supreme. And the Supreme is defined in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as janmādy asya yato ’nvayād itarataś ca, or, “The origin of everything is the Supreme Brahman.” Therefore the origin of lust is also in the Supreme. If, therefore, lust is transformed into love for the Supreme, or transformed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness – or, in other words, desiring everything for Kṛṣṇa – then both lust and wrath can be spiritualized. Hanumān, the great servitor of Lord Rāma, exhibited his wrath by burning the golden city of Rāvaṇa, but by doing so he became the greatest devotee of the Lord..."
Bg 3.37 Purport AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead expanded Himself into many for His ever-increasing spiritual bliss, and the living entities are parts and parcels of this spiritual bliss. They also have partial independence, but by misuse of their independence, when the service attitude is transformed into the propensity for sense enjoyment, they come under the sway of lust. This material creation is created by the Lord to give a facility to the conditioned souls to fulfill these lustful propensities, and when they are completely baffled by prolonged lustful activities, the living entities begin to inquire about their real position.
This inquiry is the beginning of the Vedānta-sūtras, wherein it is said, athāto brahma-jijñāsā: one should inquire into the Supreme. And the Supreme is defined in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as janmādy asya yato ’nvayād itarataś ca, or, “The origin of everything is the Supreme Brahman.” Therefore the origin of lust is also in the Supreme. If, therefore, lust is transformed into love for the Supreme, or transformed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness – or, in other words, desiring everything for Kṛṣṇa – then both lust and wrath can be spiritualized. Hanumān, the great servitor of Lord Rāma, exhibited his wrath by burning the golden city of Rāvaṇa, but by doing so he became the greatest devotee of the Lord..."
Bg 3.37 Purport AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Upgrading Lust To Love - A Reversal Of Fortune
In the Padma Purāṇa it is said:
ramante yogino 'nante satyānanda-cid-ātmani
iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate
"The mystics derive unlimited transcendental pleasures from the Absolute Truth, and therefore the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is also known as Rāma."
Just as "Krishna" is the name of God indicating the Supreme Lord is All-Attractive, so "Rama" is the name of God as the source of all spiritual happiness and strength.
Timeless Celestial Love
Brahma Samhita 5.56
(Prayers by Brahma, after Sri Krishna revealed Himself, during Brahma's extended meditation)
I worship that transcendental seat, known as Śvetadvīpa where as loving consorts the Laksmīs in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa as their only lover; where every tree is a transcendental purpose tree; where the soil is the purpose gem, all water is nectar, every word is a song, every gait is a dance, the flute is the favorite attendant, effulgence is full of transcendental bliss and the supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty, where numberless milk cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk; where there is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the space of half a moment. That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realized souls in this world.
ramante yogino 'nante satyānanda-cid-ātmani
iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate
"The mystics derive unlimited transcendental pleasures from the Absolute Truth, and therefore the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is also known as Rāma."
Just as "Krishna" is the name of God indicating the Supreme Lord is All-Attractive, so "Rama" is the name of God as the source of all spiritual happiness and strength.
Timeless Celestial Love
Brahma Samhita 5.56
(Prayers by Brahma, after Sri Krishna revealed Himself, during Brahma's extended meditation)
I worship that transcendental seat, known as Śvetadvīpa where as loving consorts the Laksmīs in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa as their only lover; where every tree is a transcendental purpose tree; where the soil is the purpose gem, all water is nectar, every word is a song, every gait is a dance, the flute is the favorite attendant, effulgence is full of transcendental bliss and the supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty, where numberless milk cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk; where there is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the space of half a moment. That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realized souls in this world.
Loving Service in This World and the Next
"If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit a water, I will accept it."
Bg 9.26
One can make loving offerings to the Supreme Lord from within one's mind and heart, home, church, mosque, temple.. from anywhere. God does not need our fruits, but hungers for our love.
The All-pervasive Source of the universe can reciprocate love from anywhere and everywhere it is offered.
The joyful exchange of love with the Supreme, is the eternal activity (dharma) of each willing soul, wherein one is blessed to feel the love of God unfold from within the heart, freeing one from lower modes of expression such and lust and greed which then have no purpose, being that one is already blissfully spiritually satisfied from within through divine service, by the grace of the Lord.
Below: Offering of spiritual seva (service) of kirtan, food and flowers at Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Temple in Vrindavan, India.
In this tradition, food and flowers accompanied by kirtan (devotional songs) are offered, with the priest then distributing offerings back from the altar to be received, distributed and enjoyed by the devotees who offered them, having become the sanctified mercy (prasad), of the Lord - a divine spiritual practice giving and receiving of love, with the Supreme source of love.
Bg 9.26
One can make loving offerings to the Supreme Lord from within one's mind and heart, home, church, mosque, temple.. from anywhere. God does not need our fruits, but hungers for our love.
The All-pervasive Source of the universe can reciprocate love from anywhere and everywhere it is offered.
The joyful exchange of love with the Supreme, is the eternal activity (dharma) of each willing soul, wherein one is blessed to feel the love of God unfold from within the heart, freeing one from lower modes of expression such and lust and greed which then have no purpose, being that one is already blissfully spiritually satisfied from within through divine service, by the grace of the Lord.
Below: Offering of spiritual seva (service) of kirtan, food and flowers at Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Temple in Vrindavan, India.
In this tradition, food and flowers accompanied by kirtan (devotional songs) are offered, with the priest then distributing offerings back from the altar to be received, distributed and enjoyed by the devotees who offered them, having become the sanctified mercy (prasad), of the Lord - a divine spiritual practice giving and receiving of love, with the Supreme source of love.
Whatever your spiritual tradition and practice may be, may it bring active love of God into your life!
For anyone looking to start or augment a daily spiritual practice, please chant this universal prayer-mantra asking to be engaged in the divine loving service of the Lord, and make your life sublime!
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
For anyone looking to start or augment a daily spiritual practice, please chant this universal prayer-mantra asking to be engaged in the divine loving service of the Lord, and make your life sublime!
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
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