THE
HIGHER TASTE Vol: 2, Issue: 2
Labour pains of a
Barren woman
O nce, a very little boy of two years, sitting naked in
Appetizer
his mother's lap, put his arms around her neck and
said with love and affection, "O my dear mother, I
want a very beautiful wife. She should be very golden in
complexion, with curly black hairs and beautiful eyes. She
should not be stronger than me; otherwise she'll be able to
chastise me. Also, I want to have two sons and one daughter
very soon after our marriage. Quickly Mother, you should
arrange for a very beautiful lady."
The boy's mother began to laugh. "Yes, I'll certainly search
everywhere for such wife for you, but first you must
become fatter and stronger. Then, I'll very quickly arrange
your marriage."
This story indicates a phenomena which is spreading
Main Course
everywhere among so-called devotees nowadays. They
don't want to chant many rounds, nor do they make an
effort to develop a devotional mood towards Krishna. They
don't want to remember Krishna, and enter into a deep
understanding of devotional philosophy. They cannot
chant all day & all night like Srila Haridasa Thakura. In
fact, they cannot even chant one round of the Hare Krishna
mantra with their minds absorbed in Krishna. They've
many requirements for the body and for those things which
relate to the body-such as name, fame, and fortune. They're
full of lusty and other worldly desires and they still claim to
be God's associate!
In last two years, we saw many such cases where someone
is claiming to be "Radha, the eternal consort of Supreme
Lord Krishna" or "Wife of Lord Krishna and sharing their
bed with Idols of Krishna" or "sakhis of Lord Krishna"
Some gurus were found exploiting young girls in the name
of initiating them, a lady got married to Bhagwad-Gita and
the list follows!!!
Who are these people? Are they believers of God or
against Him?
Vaishnavas, devotees of Lord Krishna, use the term
"prakrita sahajiya" to refer to persons who imitate the signs
of prema, pure love of God, while still addicted to the low-
class pleasures of illicit sex and intoxication. These people
imagine that they feel the divine emotions of Krishna and
His dearest devotee, Srimati Radhika. Yet they don't
understand that before we can savor the pleasure shared by
Radha and Krishna, we must rid ourselves of lustful
desires for sensual pleasure.
The word 'sahaja' means 'easy.' A prakrta-sahajiya wants
the bliss of spiritual life without the struggle to attain it.
And the word 'prakrta' means 'materialistic.' Because the
sahajiyas forgo the standard disciplines of bhakti-yoga, the
divine love they apparently show never gets beyond
material lust. The prakrta-sahajiyas mistake lust–the
disease of the soul-for us to give up meat-eating, illicit sex,
gambling, and intoxication and to chant the Hare Krishna
maha-mantra. This gradually readies us for raga-marga,
the path of natural attraction to Krishna, reserved for
highly advanced devotees.
THE
HIGHER TASTE …for those who want to stay HIGH forever!!!
Dessert
The prakrta-sahajiya, however, go easy on the scriptural
regulations. They stay attached to materialistic enjoyment
of the senses but at the same time they expect to
immediately jump into Goloka-Vrindavana and serve
Krishna better than Srimati Radhika. But this sense
enjoyment blinds them, and therefore their ideas of
Krishna, Krishna's devotees, Krishna's service, and love of
Krishna are but a faulty creation of their lower nature.
Every living entity has an eternal relationship with Lord Sri
Krishna in the spiritual world. By the process of devotional
service, one can revive that svarupa (eternal constitutional
position) in this very lifetime. Now one may ask that if a
person realizes that his svarupa is that of a gopi in the
spiritual world, then what is the trouble if he behaves like
one? He is only carrying out his eternal service to the Lord.
Isn't he?
Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness, tells that
the position of gopis is exceedingly pure and worshipable.
Just by external imitation of their dressing style or behavior
we cannot rise to their exalted position. Only by rendering
devotional service unto the Supreme Lord and thereby
purifying our heart by the causeless mercy of the Lord can
we realize our eternal constitutional position. This is
possible only by chanting the holy names of the Lord,
hearing about Him from the Holy Scriptures, and rendering
humble menial service under the instructions of a spiritual
master coming in a bonafide disciplic succession. The
relationship between the Lord and self-realised devotee is
very intimate and confidential based purely on the platform
of soul. Just as a chaste lady does not exhibit her charms to
any other man except her husband, similarly a pure devote
does not reveal his/her heartfelt devotional emotions to
anyone except Lord Krishna. Such a devotee while
fulfilling his material responsibilities to the best of his
abilities relishes his intimate relationship with Krishna
within the core of his heart.
Vol.: 2, Issue: 2
The sahajiyas act directly in contrast in connection to this.
Although their minds cannot concentrate on Krishna's
pastimes, they want siddha-deha (eternal constitutional
position)-as if it is a rasagulla. If someone has money he
can easily purchase two, three or four rasagullas. Similarly,
these so-called devotees think that they can attain their
svarupa just as easily as one buys a rasagulla. Srila
Prabhupada writes in Chaitanya Charitamrita (Madhya
8.204-205) – "Sahajiyas who cannot actually understand
the pastimes of Radha and Krishna manufacture their own
life-styles without referring to authority. They believe that
the material body, which is fit to be eaten by jackals and
dogs, is enjoyable for Krishna. Consequently they
artificially decorate the material body to attract Krishna,
thinking themselves as sakhis. But Krishna is never
attracted by the artificial grooming of the material body. As
far as Srimati Radharani and Her gopis are concerned, their
bodies, homes, dresses, ornaments, endeavors and
activities are all spiritual. All of these are meant to satisfy
the spiritual senses of Krishna."
Srila Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji Maharaja, a great
Vaishnava acharya, would call the activities of such people
"labour-pains of a barren woman". On account of
intolerable pain of child-birth, the mother cries out aloud.
By seeing her condition if a barren woman also starts
screaming loudly, will such screams result in a child-birth?
The love expressed by sahajiyas is like the labour-pains of
a barren woman which, however loudly they may shout
will never culminate in the birth of Krishna-prema.
In summary, Prakrta-sahajiyas are stubborn sense
enjoyers. They may've talents for singing, dancing, acting,
speaking, joking, and seducing women and men. They may
try to pass off these talents as spiritual accomplishments.
And they may dress as Krishna conscious devotees. But in
fact they can't see the difference between offensive and
pure chanting of the holy name. They take worldly service
to be devotional service, lust to be love, and illusion to be
spirituality.
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THE
ISKCON YOUTH FOURM
HIGHER TASTE
An IYF - Delhi Publication
ISKCON DELHI
Dedicated with Love to You, Our Dear Readers, and
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acharya: International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Magazine Committee:
Director: Mohan Rupa Das; Author & Editor: Nandagopal Jivan Das;
E-coordinator: Avyanga Das; Design: Ajay Negi