Sunday, January 09, 2011

The Secret Love Of Godhead

According to the authorized Vedas, the top most "knowledge" available is considered to be "confidential" and the "secret of all secrets".  It says in the ninth chapter second verse of Bhagavad-gita, rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram idam uttamam, "this knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed."(Bhagavad-gita 9.2) But, is it not a contradiction that it is considered confidential, secret, and exclusive; yet this knowledge is publicly available in practically any part of the world just by reading the Bhagavad-gita?

Krishna says in chapter 13 of the Gita, iti kṣetraṁ tathā jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ coktaṁ samāsataḥ mad-bhakta etad vijñāya mad-bhāvāyopapadyate "Thus the field of activities [the body], knowledge, and the knowable have been summarily described by Me. Only My devotees can understand this thoroughly and thus attain to My nature." This is a principle of confidentiality and this same principle is seen in all walks of life and in any social structure; business, pleasure, family, politics etc. Supposing you run into the bureaucratic red tape of State Government and cant get what you need done. But if you befriended the head man, "The Governor", and you gained his "confidence" he can help you. He can make a few calls, he give you "the keys" to the State. By any loving, reciprocal, confidential relationship all is possible. This principle is the basis of even the Mafia. The Mafia works on love and trust. As soon as the trust is broken, then you are out. You are dead. When all "confidence" is reached then all secrets are revealed. But when all confidence is broken then nothing will work, chaos begins.

Confidence is gained only by service to another. A boy meets a girl and he offers her a flower. She is impressed by his devotion. A politician serves the country. The country reciprocates by election. Service to another is unavoidable. It is a universal law. Man serves his wife, wife her husband. A man serves dog, dog serves man. Worker serves the employer, the employer serves his girlfriend. The School Master serves the teachers and the students serve the teacher and the teacher serves the students and the teacher also serves the School Master so on.

The Bhagavad-gita says bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram

"One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."(BG18.55)

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is never understood by mental speculation, erudite scholarship, or even practicing spiritual Godly rituals. In other words one can read this knowledge and still not understand its meaning even if he has material intelligence. The secrets will not be revealed. That is why it is confidential. The Supreme Lord  is only understood by devotional service. Those who are envious can not understand this confidential knowledge. Lord Kapiladeva says in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, naitat khalāyopadiśen nāvinītāya karhicit na stabdhāya "This instruction is not meant for the envious, for the agnostics or for persons who are unclean in their behavior. Nor is it for hypocrites or for persons who are proud of material possessions." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.32.39) 

Enviousness is the bases of all fighting; the Hindus are fighting the Muslims, North Koreans against the South, Democracy against Communism; they are all fighting because everyone is trying to Lord it over the material nature, they are trying to lord it over others, and they are envious of the Supreme Lord who is the actual controller of all material nature and who directs the wanderings of all living beings. 

Therefore it is recommended to give up envy and become humble and in this way one can begin devotional service. Lord Caitanya Maha Prabhu, says  tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā [Cc. adi 17.31]. “One should think of oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others, in such a state of mind one can chant the Holy Names constantly." By chanting the Maha Mantra "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare" one is chanting "Oh Lord please engage me in your devotional service". 

When this mantra is chanted an immediate transmission takes place. It is like the radio waves when the radio is turned on, the signal is transmitting from the tower. Chanting is like turning on the two way radio of transcendental communication with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Krishna. And the more one chants, the stronger the connection gets and the more this confidential knowledge becomes revealed.