English
27 April 2024
Contemplating the objects of the senses
Speaker: HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj
Hare Krsna. We should not do any task for the sake of doing. We must understand the purpose of doing it. Why to do? Where to do? How to do it? There are always some do's and don’t’s. I will speak something related to Harer namaiva kevalam (CC Madhya 6.242).
The scriptures instruct us to chant the holy name and then next is how should we chant? Attentively. We should keep asking questions like an inquisitive child.
athato brahma jijnasa (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.1)
Translation: Now one should inquire about Brahman - The absolute truth, the transcendental, spiritual nature.
These questions arise out of the desire to know the Lord. meditate on the Lord. What are the characteristics of the Lord? Can we meditate on something void or impersonal? So when we say chant attentively, we should have a clear understanding of whom we have to focus our mind on. What is the object of attention (Meditation)?
Everyone in this material world continues to contemplate on the objects of this material world. Each sense organ present in our body has an object of sense gratification to meditate on.
dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ
saṅgas teṣūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate (Bg. 2.62)
Translation: While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.
We are supposed to engage our mind in attentively thinking about the Supreme Lord. But instead, while contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them. First we meditate on the sense objects, then we try to attain it.
asau mayā hataḥ śatrur
haniṣye cāparān api
īśvaro ’ham ahaṁ bhogī
siddho ’haṁ balavān sukhī (BG 16.14)
Translation: The demoniac person thinks: “So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more. He is my enemy, and I have killed him, and my other enemies will also be killed. I am the lord of everything. I am the enjoyer. I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I shall rejoice.” In this way, such persons are deluded by ignorance.
Once its attained then the next is to enjoy it. And with that enjoyment, this soul gets more entrapped.
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ
sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ
smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśo
buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati (Bg. 2.63)
Translation: From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool.
This conditioned soul tries to fetch bliss out of these sensory objects but this Jiva is spiritual in nature. He cant be satisfied with anything gross. Thus the result is anger and frustration. And gradually this Jiva is dragged to destruction. There are three doorways to hellish planets thus he will be dragged to hell. Where was the mistake? dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ (Bg. 2.62).
Contemplating the objects of the senses, this we should chant, and chant attentively. We should contemplate on the Lord - His name , qualities, form and pastimes. They are non different from Krsna. If we contemplate on material objects, then you will get attached to them. But if you mediate on Krsna then you will develop attachment to Krsna. You will experience the bliss derived from chanting his holy name, his form, qualities and pastimes. Gradually we will develop love for Krsna.
nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya (CC Madhya 22.107)
Translation: Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.
Listening to the description of the Lord, thus we will develop love for the Lord. When we are attached to material objects we develop lust and thus we become Lusty. And when we develop attachment for Krsna, then we will become loving devotees of the Lord. Ordinarily, the result is anger and frustration out of material enjoyment. A devotee might also become angry if a person, offends a Vaishnava. But this anger is Divine not material.
For example Hanuman Ji when he went to Lanka, he ended up burning the entire Lanka out of anger. There our intelligence will get destroyed but here in this case, Krsna will award us with intelligence. Material energy of the Lord is responsible for destroying our intelligence. While on the other hand, when we serve Krsna, he is pleased and he blesses us with intelligence for how that a devotee can serve him better.
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te (Bg. 10.10)
Translation: To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
These are the two pathways. One takes us to hell and another takes us to the realm of Goloka Vrindavan. We should execute every service with Love and devotion attentively. One who performs devotional service with love and devotion without interruption, then such a person can attain me. Krsna has described a person when contemplating on the sensory objects, when can he be reaching. And if he focuses on me, what can be his destination. When might he had committed mistakes in the past. We need to learn from our mistakes and improve.
Hare Krsna.
