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    Flying Like An Arrow
    Flying Like An Arrow
    Flying Like An Arrow
    Ebook232 pages3 hours

    Flying Like An Arrow

    By Krishna's Mercy

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    About this ebook

    "Flying Like An Arrow" is a collection of essays describing bhakti-yoga, the science of self-realization, and Krishna consciousness based off select verses from sacred Vedic texts like Bhagavad-gita, Ramayana, Chaitanya Charitamrita, and others.  Estimated length of 206 pages.

     

    "Then, like a naracha arrow released from a bowstring, he flew quickly towards the garden of trees, which was surrounded by mango trees and had hundreds of creepers intertwined." (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 14.4)

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKrishna's Mercy
    Release dateDec 7, 2023
    ISBN9798223234227
    Flying Like An Arrow
    Author

    Krishna's Mercy

    Krishna’s Mercy is a nonprofit organization established to serve Lord Krishna. Our primary activity is to serve Lord Krishna with our thoughts, words and deeds as much as we can. Though He may be referred to by different names such as Jesus, Allah, or Krishna, God is one. Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as mentioned in the ancient Vedic texts of India. Mankind can attribute all of its suffering due to forgetfulness of his relationship to God. We are all constitutionally spirit souls, but from time immemorial we are associating ourselves with our physical bodies in this material world. Thus the soul has been transmigrating from one body to another through the laws of karma. This human form of life is our opportunity to break out of this cycle of birth and death and return to our original home, with Krishna, or God.

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      Book preview

      Flying Like An Arrow - Krishna's Mercy

      Krishna’s Mercy

      ––––––––

      Flying Like An Arrow

      Daily articles from May 2012

      Copyright Krishna’s Mercy 2023

      www.krishnasmercy.com

      Contents

      Working and Thinking

      A Late Beginner

      Deliverance of Ahalya

      Narasimha Chaturdashi 2012

      Body Mind Intelligence

      Mischief Maker

      A Welcoming King

      Helping The Little Guy

      Flying Like An Arrow

      When No One Is Looking

      More Than Brahma-Sukha

      Saving This Life

      Time To Wake Up

      Crying Babies

      Renouncing Renunciation

      Understanding Context

      A Shower of Flowers

      Notice God

      Gems On Earth

      Symbol of Sacrifice

      A Mountain of Flowers

      Umbrella of Protection

      Endless Happiness

      The Best Use of Time

      Spring Personified

      Emergency Stockpiles

      Eliminating The Primary Fear

      Who You Represent

      Laying The Groundwork

      Keeping The Eyes Peeled

      Breaking the Barrier

      Working and Thinking

      Having reflected for a moment and entered the Ashoka garden mentally, the highly powerful Hanuman jumped off of the ramparts of that palace. (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 14.1)

      sa muhūrtam iva dhyatvā manasā ca adhigamya tām |

      avapluto mahā tejāḥ prākāram tasya veśmanaḥ ||

      Should I stay put or should I work? Should I study things as they are or should I apply myself to a particular activity and learn through practical application? In the realm of spirituality, both paths can lead to the same destination, provided the intent is correct. Study alone coupled with renunciation can bring one to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as can work without attachment, with the results dedicated to the same person. In Hanuman’s travels through Lanka, we get an idea of how both processes can be effective.

      Only the ignorant speak of karma-yoga and devotional service as being different from the analytical study of the material world [sankhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both. (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.4)

      Sankhya is the analytical study of the material world with respect to matter and spirit. This is a difficult philosophy to grasp at first because you have to go beyond what you see in your immediate vicinity. At the time of birth the discovery process starts. Take a look at the way infants behave and you’ll see that they’re constantly looking at new things and assessing what can be done with them. Can I crawl through this space? What if I place this object in my mouth? What happens when I cry for help?

      They are mesmerized by the images shown on the television and they enjoy hearing different kinds of music. The discovery process turns formal once education starts, and throughout that maturation process the individual may think that they have figured everything out only to learn something new shortly thereafter. Through a particular experience they can maybe better predict how something will pan out for them going forward. No way I’m doing that again. I don’t want the same thing to happen.

      Sankhya philosophy goes beyond the standard discovery process by dissecting the material elements and what causes action in the first place. Therefore, to understand this higher philosophy one must consult authorized information, knowledge first to be accepted on faith. This shouldn’t be that difficult for us to do, as we’re accustomed to accepting knowledge this way. What did we know about the alphabet, grammar, or math at the beginning? These things were told to us by teachers in school, and if we challenged them right away we wouldn’t have learned anything. We accepted the information on faith, applied the principles, and then saw for ourselves the validity to them.

      In the same way, to learn about the real nature of things, one must consult a set of information that is flawless. Sankhya philosophy is purported to be without defects because it comes from the Supreme Lord. The greatest expounder on sankhya is the original Personality Himself in His incarnation as Kapiladeva. His discussion on sankhya is found in the Shrimad Bhagavatam, but there is also a review provided by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita.

      Lord Krishna made an analytical description of the soul just to bring Arjuna to the point of buddhi-yoga, or bhakti-yoga. Therefore, Lord Krishna’s sankhya and Lord Kapila’s sankhya, as described in the Bhagavatam; are one and the same. They are all bhakti-yoga.  (Shrila Prabhupada, Bg. 2.39 Purport)

      As a quick overview, there are five gross elements and three subtle elements. Earth, water, fire, air and ether make up the gross coverings of the living entities, and mind, intelligence and ego are the subtle coverings. Finer than even the ego is the atma, or soul. The soul is impossible to see with our conditioned eyes, for we are capable of mistaking a rope for a snake. How then can we understand that the person we’re looking at in the mirror is really spirit and not matter?

      Through enough mental effort coupled with exposure to the philosophy, we can learn to remember that the bodies of the living entities always change. We look in the mirror and see ourselves today, but if we should take a picture right now and then look at it ten years later, we’ll wonder, Wow, look at me. Who was that person? I wonder what he was thinking back then. But of course you are the same person, just in a different outward manifestation. Nothing has happened to you except outward changes brought on by the influence of time.

      Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.  (Lord Krishna, Bg. 3.4)

      Studying philosophy does not involve outside work. It is a mental exercise, so through a style of renunciation you find enlightenment. The other option is to work. Forget about the philosophical approach if that’s not your cup of tea. Instead, do work without attachment to the result. Follow your duty and then give up the rewards for a higher purpose. But one must know what work to do and what work to avoid. This valuable information is provided by the Vedas, which give prescribed duties to every type of person based on their inherent characteristics. The teachers of the Vedic science help to explain the ins and outs, and the devoted soul then implements the procedures. In the process they gradually increase their awareness of the self, the spirit soul.

      So which path is better? Which one is more dangerous? When the end-goal is the lotus feet of the origin of both sankhya-yoga and karma-yoga, there is no difference. We can see an example of this from Shri Hanuman. While in Lanka, he stopped for a brief moment to ponder over things, to figure out what was what. Though he wasn’t explicitly involved in study of sankhya, his brief halt from action showed a dedication to mental effort. He was working to please the Supreme Lord Rama, God’s incarnation as a warrior prince, so he had to decide what to do.

      What did his thinking lead to? What was Hanuman thinking about? Rama had tasked Hanuman with finding the princess of Videha, Sita Devi. She was Rama’s wife and had gone missing while the couple was in the forest of Dandaka. Through many trials and tribulations, Hanuman eventually learned that Sita was staying on an island called Lanka. It was ruled over by the king of ogres, Ravana, who had taken her there against her will. Hanuman made it to Lanka by leaping across the massive ocean, and then he searched through the city and its many palaces while masking his natural monkey form.

      The time for contemplation arrived after Hanuman exhausted his efforts. He conducted a very thorough and intense search for Sita, but he had yet to find her. He decided then to think things over, to contemplate what was ahead of him and what should be the best course of action. Notice that the thoughts had a purpose with relation to action. That is the whole point to mental effort after all. The vibrant spirit soul is provided a body which has limbs that give capability in movement. Just because in the ignorant state the hands and legs lead us to misery doesn’t mean that they are useless.

      Hanuman spent time in thought, but in the end he decided on a course of action. In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, we see him taking his first step, leaping from the outside walls of Ravana’s palace. Hanuman decided to enter an adjacent grove of Ashoka trees, a place he had yet to search. He first mentally entered the area to predict what conditions he would face. After the mental journey, he was ready to make the physical entry.

      In either condition, thinking or doing, Hanuman’s goal was the same: to please Rama. Therefore in both situations he was in complete yoga, or connection with the divine. He would go on to succeed and please Sita and Rama so much that they still love and think of him to this day. Sometimes Hanuman is flying through the air and sometimes he is chanting the glories of Sita and Rama to himself in a secluded area, but never does he deviate from God consciousness.

      So what should we do? Sit down and study or work for the Supreme Lord? Through the holy names, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, we can do both. By applying oneself in study of the Bhagavad-gita, Shrimad Bhagavatam, Ramayana and other sacred Vedic texts, one can achieve the same results as from working without attachment, sacrificing the fruits of action to the Supreme Lord and His interests. Similarly, by applying oneself to work in devotion, there is no need for explicit study. When the ultimate goal is to connect with the Supreme Lord, faithful indulgence in any one of His paths kindly bestowed upon the living entities travelling through a cycle of birth and death will lead to the same auspicious destination.

      In Closing:

      Should I work hard or should I sit and study?

      I want to gain knowledge, but for action I’m ready.

      Know that sankhya and karma in yoga are the same,

      Bring connection with Krishna, life’s ultimate gain.

      Can trust the words of Krishna found in the Gita,

      Or follow Hanuman’s journey to find Sita.

      In tough times, spent periods in deep contemplation,

      But then acted again, to please Rama his motivation.

      In either case, to Supreme Lord there was connection,

      Chant holy names so in work or thought achieve perfection.

      A Late Beginner

      When love of God deteriorates into lust, it is very difficult to return to the normal condition. Nonetheless, Krishna consciousness is so powerful that even a late beginner can become a lover of God by following the regulative principles of devotional service. (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 3.41 Purport)

      You show up to the class late. Everyone else already heard the instruction for the day. Teams have broken out to work on the exercises assigned, so you really have no idea what is going on. You approach the teacher to see if you can join in, but they tell you that it’s too late. You should have been here on time. I don’t even know what team to place you in. You’ll be lost. You’ll be as valuable to any team by just sitting on the sidelines and watching what they are doing. The critical components necessary for carrying forward in a particular discipline indicate that the education must start from a beginning point. In the human being’s progression in consciousness, the proper restraints in the beginning of life are necessary; otherwise the tendency towards activities driven by illusion will strengthen. Nevertheless, the constitutional engagement is so strong that the latecomers can still save themselves, learning what they need to in order to find the right condition.

      Is there something specific to be learned for the constitutional engagement to be successfully found? The Bhagavad-gita sums up the basic plight of the living entity. Through some sort of delusion the mature human mind thinks that one particular loss will greatly affect them when it actually won’t. From that fear there is hesitation over the proper course, a nagging itch to deviate from the righteous path in hopes that the future outcome can be affected. Of course there is nothing wrong with trying to find a positive condition, but when one knows what they have to do and then doesn’t do it based on the thought that they can control events that are out of their control, they fall from the righteous path.

      What is the big deal in falling off of the train of righteousness? Piety exists for a reason. Honesty, cleanliness, austerity and mercy provide benefits to the living entity who practices them. Typically, we’d view these characteristics as benefitting others. If we are truthful in our dealings, others can rely on us. If we are clean both inside and out, others will want to associate with us. Through austerity, others can have ample resources to use to sustain the vital force within their body. Through mercy, we offer compassion to our fellow man, forgiving his mistakes and at the same time protecting his right to live.

      But these principles are more helpful to the individual who practices them. They are the beginning steps in the purification of consciousness, which is the birthright of every living entity. The human species is the most auspicious because it carries the highest potential for achieving that goal. In a purified consciousness you can get through pretty much any situation. A righteously situated consciousness is similar to having no feelings at all through numbness, except the immunity is real and beneficial versus fake and harmful.

      As an example, an alcoholic gets drunk to temporarily escape the influence of the senses. In the inebriated state, one is less likely to suppress their emotions. A negative reaction, either physical or emotional, may not have an immediate effect either. On the surface this appears to be a good thing. Get drunk so that you won’t feel the pain, so that you can survive through a tough situation. But in reality, the inebriation only presents a false sense of escape, as the crash back down to reality will be hard. Moreover, the next time there is a reach towards intoxication, the effect won’t be as strong, and you’ll need more consumption to find a state devoid of feeling.

      With a properly situated consciousness, you get the benefit of immunity from the reactions to work along with the added bonus of knowing how to act righteously. If you have the choice to act in the right way or the wrong way, and you don’t really care either way because your mind is fixed on the Absolute Truth, the better option is to act the right way. With this path, at least others get an example to follow, and at the same time the responsibility for the results gets shifted to someone else.

      The lessons of the Bhagavad-gita prove this fact. The hesitant warrior Arjuna was taught about the meaning of life and how the soul is transcendental to matter. Reincarnation is like a machine that operates at every second, and it is especially noticed at the time of death, when the entire body is replaced in favor of another one. To lament over one’s personal bodily condition or the condition of others is not very wise. Arjuna was wrong to avoid fighting out of fear for the welfare of the fighters on the opposing side.

      The Supreme Person [Bhagavan] said: My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you? They are not at all befitting a man who knows the progressive values of life. They do not lead to higher planets, but to infamy.  (Bhagavad-gita, 2.2)

      Through the discussion on Vedanta presented by Arjuna’s teacher, Lord Krishna, the warrior was able to become immune to the influence of profit

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