“What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.” - Bg 2.69
Purport:
The sage feels transcendental pleasure in the gradual advancement of spiritual culture, whereas the man in materialistic activities, being asleep to self-realization, dreams of varieties of sense pleasure, feeling sometimes happy and sometimes distressed in his sleeping condition. The introspective man is always indifferent to materialistic happiness and distress. He goes on with his self-realization activities undisturbed by material reactions.
In this verse we find that those who are on the transcendental path are often acting completely contrary to whatever contemporary wisdom prevails. Those in the medical field often advise that to stay healthy we should get eight hours rest and eat three good meals a day. However we know that as one becomes more advanced in Krishna Consciousness an otherwise healthy individual… should be able to get by less than six hours a day and in some cases even less then that!
“One should not sleep more than six hours daily. One who sleeps more than six hours out of twenty-four is certainly influenced by the mode of ignorance. A person in the mode of ignorance is lazy and prone to sleep a great deal. Such a person cannot perform yoga.“ - Bg 6.16
“Even some karmis are so absorbed in their work that they practically don't sleep at all. It is said that Napolean slept while riding his horse, and Gandhi slept while riding in a car. Generally, six hours is sufficient.” - Dialectic Spiritualism VII German Idealism, Arthur Schopenhauer [1788-1860]
An even more revealing phenomenon occurs when we compare the relationship a conditioned soul has to food to the way a sage controls his eating habits. Eating disorders is one of the biggest health threats in America today and yet a sage is happy with simple foods and generally remains undisturbed about any disruption to his eating requirements. In the Buddhist tradition monks collect their daily food in ar begging bowl and care not by what it is or how it gets all mixed together. This is not required for devotees of Krishna but it does illustrate how we should not allow our food choices rule our disposition.
“Those who are thirsty for devotional service should maintain their life by moderate eating. Those who endeavor to overeat are called gluttons. One of the qualities of devotees is mita-bhuk, eating what is necessary. By eating less, the body remains healthy and does not disturb one's devotional service. Those who have no strength to tolerate the urge of the stomach are always greedy to eat. Those who are firmly convinced that nothing can be eaten besides krsna-prasada are especially able to tolerate the urge of the belly. Restrictions like fasting on prescribed days are also models of instruction for controlling the urge of the stomach.” – Bhaktivenode Thakura, Six Qualities that Enhance Bhakti - SBL 9: Dhairya
There are many examples of how current standards of the secular world often reflect the exact opposite interpretation a Vaishnava may have for a given event. The current authority for evaluating Mental Disorders in the world today is the D.S.M. (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Therein are listed distinguishing factors of several personality disorders such as: impulsivity, notions of grandiosity, preoccupation with ritual, and perfectionism.
Srila Prabhupada had an extremely grandiose agenda for ISKCON and was known for thinking so big many of His disciples were incapable of grasping his vision.
“Let us do something which will bring a peaceful revolution to the whole human society.” - Letter, 1st April, 1974
“Let the whole United States become Vaishnavas , then everyone else in the whole world will follow. That is my real ambition.” - Letter, 28th December, 1974
In a similar way the secular world may consider Srila Prabhupada’s focus on deity worship, Tulsi puja, the repletion of mantras as a sign of something wrong. The same conclusion could be projected onto how His Divine Grace instructed us in the execution of numerous Vedic “Rituals” such as Fire Sacrifices, Julian Puja, and the Bathing of deities as a preoccupation with ritual.
Srila Prabhupadas meticulous attention to details in regards to how his books were produced, paintings were composed and mantras were chanted etc. could further be misconstrued as a very common Mood flaw called: “Perfectionism Disorder.”
Yet even the non-devotee professionals concede that the exact same characteristics which describe a very emotionally ill person also exist in the majority of high-functioning individuals! The distinguishing factor is if the eccentric behavior impairs one’s ability to function. If it does then it is considered symptomatic of a disorder. If it leads to ordinary levels of achievement they call it genius.
Therefore only the most envious, ignorant, or emotionally ill individuals would project negative interpretations on to the accomplishments of A.C.Bhaktivedana Swami.
Many people who seek pleasure predominantly from mundane sense gratification eventually discover towards the end of their life that it just doesn’t satisfy the soul. We see the results of this when we observe the elderly. Many have lost their zest for life. They have been to see Santa Clause, the beach, amusement parks, ballgames, fairgrounds, political conventions, group protests, pumpkin hay rides, prominent site seeing and all the other pleasures of life enough already. Their interest in all the phantasmagoria of this world has dwindled to null and they have finally come to implicitly understand the process of chewing the chewed (punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30])
. Some may still find a little pleasure in taking their grandchildren to such places and events, but for the most part virtually everything else they can legitimately claim; “Been there… done that.” In the end many who have not cultivated a deep spiritual life just slip back into their recliner chair to watch reruns of “I Love Lucy”and for all practical purposes are just waiting to die.
This is the significant difference between the Krishna Conscious movement and the various other forms of cheating religions. This is the reason why we should strive to wean ourselves away from following frivolous sports, too much time spent in front of the television, or mundane politics. We have a bona-fide process and the formula works if you work it.
So laziness is no spiritual advancement. You see? Very much active. Very much active. To rise early in the morning, to chant, to read, to make preparation to go for saìkértana movement, typewriting, Dictaphone, publishing magazines, books— immense duties. You see? The people may say, “Oh, they are working so hard. What is the spiritual advancement?” Because their idea is just sit down fifteen minutes and close your eyes and you become spiritual. We don’t say all this nonsense; we engage them always, twenty-four hours. If you have no business, no engagement, chant Hare Krihna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama… No relief, no relief. No laziness, no foolishness, no intoxication, no illicit sex life; otherwise how you will get energy? You have to purify yourself; then you get energy. – Audio Transcripts 1966-1977 – Vedabase, Fidelity check pending.
As devotees we are so fortunate because the opportunities to serve Krishna are endless and all of them are fully enriching and enlivening to the soul. What is even more extraordinary is that for the most part we can often have a big say in how we want to serve Krishna. Our only constraint is that it should be compliant with the Vedic scripture and it should have the blessings of our Diksha and Siksha gurus!
In a similar way the word workaholic has derived a negative connotation in contemporary society.
Workaholic: a person who is addicted to work. While the term generally implies that the person enjoys their work, it can also imply that they simply feel compelled to do it. There is no generally accepted medical definition of such a condition, although some forms of stress, impulse control disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder can be work-related.
When the average person hears about the extraordinary activities of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada they are often overwhelmed by just how much he accomplished in the last 12 years of his life. By conventional standards he wasn’t a workaholic he was a hyper-workaholic! Behavioral Scientists may use the word “Compelled” to describe Srila Prabhupada extraordinary focus. But the word “Compelled” is pejorative. Yet despite the negative connotations associated with it perhaps it is the proper word that applies to a devotee when his taste for devotional service to Krishna grows to an incomprehensible depth.
“O brahmanas, the opulence of the King was so enchanting that the denizens of heaven aspired for it. But because he was absorbed in the service of the Lord, nothing could satisfy him except the Lord's service.” - SB 1.12.6
We are all at different stages of restoring our relationship to Krishna. Some are just beginning to read about Krishnas extraordinary pastimes. Other senior devotees are so familiar with Krishna katha that they can speak eloquently about the many wonderful details of the Lords pastimes right from memory! We should keep this in mind when we observe our colleague devotees engaging at different stages of their service. New guests are sometimes barely able to get to a local temple program. Others full time devotees are so engaged behind the scenes fixing plumbing, purchasing bhoga, or tending to other demanding matters that their service eclipses the privilege of attending the temple program. From the outside the behavior appears the same, but it is not. We are all at different stages.
An extreme longing for Lord Krsna is the only means for attaining Him. Thus intense, unflinching devotional service is another symptom of a mahatma. … Such devotional service is transcendental to any mundane consideration of time, place, or circumstance. Mahatmas are always eager to render loving devotional service to the Lord. They tirelessly dedicate their lives, energy, words, intelligence, body, society -- everything -- in the service of the Lord. – Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.9: Following in the Footsteps of Self-Realized Saints
We should expect those who have no spiritual training to be confused by what they see when they observe devotees working with such fervor to serve Krishna. However it behooves us to be careful not to make the same mistake when we observe those who are committed to the mission of Lord Caitanya. None of us are likely to achieve what Srila Prabhupada did, but there are mahatmas who don’t mind remaining hidden in every yatra. They carry on despite the worst calamities, upheavals, or trying circumstances. It doesn’t matter even when they feel ill or the sun it too strong or the humidity is too great, they carry on faithfully. To call them workaholics is to not understand them. They are Bhakti-aholics and as such they deserves our respect because they are properly engaged and are pursuing the perfection of human life!
We consider our human life is very valuable, and before the next death we should prepare ourself go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our philosophy. We cannot waste a minute time before the next death comes. That is our philosophy. So why should we waste our time? - Morning Walk, June 10, 1975 Honolulu
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