Excerpt From the lecture by HH Sacinananda Maharaj
Victory on the inner Battlefield 7
My dear devotees, Lord will also do something to save you. You just have to learn to turn to Him. We will hear now how a person in great inner conflict turned to the Lord and how the Lord saved him from his inner conflict.
First of all - What is inner conflict? What does it mean when you are a divided soul? What does it mean to be in this stage of spirituality that you cannot act full heartedly. When you cannot act properly on the spiritual platform you have the inability to act. You just don't know what to do.
I was doing an experiment with 20 devotees during the Summer camp. Few times I mentioned about my two neighbors - dogs - who were also crying in front of our dog.I mentioned we have to help these dogs they are dying. There are some animals who give them great pain.I remember we stood with 15-20 devotees before these crying dogs who really searched for our shelter and help. Mother had run away- didnt care for her children. Now we have to take care. But know one felt in the heart the impulse to help them although they had heard many lectures about compassion. Today two devotees found in their heart the impulse to help and bathed them- so that the dogs can be healthy and free from these terrible animals.Aren't we often like the devotees who did'nt do anything. We know we should act but we just cannot.
This is a symptom of the Divided self.
If you want to become a full hearted devotee on the spiritual platform you must know how to act properly , need to become free from ignorance and illusion, you must have feelings of love to overcome your depression and Indecision. Finally you must be able to overcome your isolation from God. Whenever you cannot act on the spiritual platform, depressed, isolated you know you are on the material platform.
Now Krishna personally is dedicated to save His devotees from these 4 symptoms and we will see how. But first I would like to introduce the person who he helped- Arjuna- the hero of our session today.
.................................
On the day of the battle requests his charioteer to take the chariot in the middle of the battle. Maybe Arjuna wanted to see the strength of the enemy. Then he could decide details on strategy. But as he is in the middle of the battlefield, he breaks down. On the other side he sees - he sees his brothers the kauravas, his teachers, etc. He developed all the symptoms of a nervous breakdown. Limbs of the body quivering, my mouth is drying up, my whole body is trembling, hair is standing on end , skin is burning like fore, bow has slipped from his hand, unable to stand here any longer, mind is reeling, I ill go into forest, I will meditate
Keshava I also want to fight- these are rascals they will destroyed the whole kingdom, I am getting crazy, Please help.
It was much worse than what we heard. He had a breakdown- he was the strongest person of his time. He became divided by the minute- one side said- I shall run to the Himalayas and the other side- maybe I should fight. "should I stay or should I go"
Have you ever been in two boats with one foot in one and the other in the other?
I was once with one foot on one piece of ice and the other on the other- finally I fell into the icy cold water and fell sick because the pieces were drifting in opposite directions. It is not healthy for you to have these two sides in you fighting or drifting apart. But for Krishna this was no problem. In the midst of the dilemma he looked at Arjuna and started to smile. No problem. Because He thought, my devotee will soon be in Yoga with Me. He will with my plan then he will be united inside. The whole BG is just instruction manual about yoga- it means to bring yourself together. Each chapter is called something yoga.
Why are we sometimes so divided - like a devotee and a non devotee at the same time? why do we have sometimes difficulties in our spiritual life? We are not practicing yoga with Krishna- we are not in yoga with Krishna. Conflict or the divided self can bring you closer to practice yoga..
Let me now go quickly how Krishna solved Arjuna's first problem-
inability to act properly through Karma Yoga.
Krishna said -- karman yeva adhikaratas te........
Arjuna you have a right to perfomr your dharma but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Do what is right appropriate for your situation even if it i little faulty. Dont be attached to the outcome. This works even for you. The moment you find out what is your dharma- do what is proper- do not be concerned if people like you or do not like you, do not think abt the outcome0- successful or not successful. If you learn to find your dharma and do your activities according to your dharma- the whole universe will run into a gallop to help you.
Arjuna had another problem- I am overcome by illusion- Krishna destroyed it by telling him how he is an eternal soul Arjuna, Many births you and me have taken- I can remember my birth and appearances but you have forgotten- he gave him a new insight. If you want to change a person- you have to give them a way to act properly and give them a new insight. And you have to save his depression and indecision. How do you cure depression and indecision.
Jaya Gopal what do you do against depression and indecision?
Answers from audience -Prasadam , Chant Hare Krishna - does it work? Think about this.I say to myself that I will not be like this anymore - associate with devotees, pray like anything
Saving his depression and indecision
There is one cure against depression found out by the American scientists- they wanted to find out who are the happy people and they found it - it was those people who help others-Why? because when you have feelings of love in your heart depression runs away. You must somehow develop love in your heart to cure depression. It is said in psychology- that if you want to cure depression and all this- you must have altered feelings of love- and Krishna evoked these feelings in Arjuna. The best is when you serve Krishna with love, your sadness and depression will go. Altered feelings of love are necessary to change indecision also. When we are in Jagannath Puri a year ago, Lord Jagannath would come out of the temple at 7am cool morning. It was 11 o clock- very hot sun, humid and the wet air was boiling the skin. People started to fall down on the ground. People sprayed cold water to revive the people. It was really dramatic, the tar started to melt. I was asking the police when is Lord Jagannath coming- the police chief said " why do you ask, He comes at His won time" Finally Lord Jagannath appeared -on His throne- I saw one devotee praying in the hot sun- another devotee came like this to cool him down- but the praying devotee continued to pray even if it was very hot. Finally he did the essential point of Bhakti yoga - totally upset he took the fan from the otehr devotee- he went to Lord Jagannath with so much love with the fan. I was standing next to the devotee- as then the Lord might see me. If you are far away from the devotee Krishna does not look at you. I saw a stream of mercy coming from Jagannath to the devotee who was fanned by him. Krishna trains Arjuna in this loving service of devotion and in this way he alters his love and brings him out of his depression.
Feeling Isolated
Most of us suffer from this divided self as Arjuna is also showing by feeling isloated- we feel we cant do it- we have no help. Krishna helps also with isolation- He promises His devotee a constant stream of support. tesam satata yuktam bhajatam priti purvakam......yena mam upayanti te. Those who are constantly serving Me with love, I give them full support and understanding by which they can come to Me. The result of Krishna's help in the BG is empowerment. Arjuna at the end of BG was asked by Krishna - what will you do now?
And he exploded with enthusiasm. My dear Krishna infallible one- my illusion is gone, free from illusion- I have regained my memory by Your mercy- Altered feelings- I am now firm and free from doubt. He feel there is support for him.I have no doubt anymore, I can make it. You are there for Me. And Finally I am prepared to act according to Your instructions. Yoga bring the soul together. When you are in pieces and you can't act determinedly and properly with blissful art in your spiritual life- you need some more Yoga.
What is yoga and how it helps you to come together - is best explained by the English word Yoke- comes form the Sanskrit word Yoga.
Two Ox are brought together by a piece of wood that holds them together.English dictionary says - overarchingly powerful element that creates union between two entities. So Yoga is a powerful process which creates unity between You and the Powerful Lord. Only in this union with God - feeling His closeness will you be able to be stregthened sufficently to say no to your lower self. Bhakti Yoga creates the union of love. when it comes into your heart then you can cure your divided self.
In the BG is an instruction manual on this yoga. It works. I request you at the end of my seminar to become students of the BG with one new element to your studies- try to apply what you study- especially one powerful yoga practice from the BG it is from the 15th chapter of Purushottam yoga - it gives you 7 powerful practices that you can learn in a relatively shrt time- in the asscoation of KRishna because He talks about this.
7 powerful practices from BG chapter 15
nirman moha jita sanga dosha adhyatma........
Sit before your mind and watch it.
Take shelter in Yoga which will bring the two elements in you together and then you will become really determined.
SP said if I had 18 disciples who were together and determined I could do so much. Krishna waits for you to come together. He waits for all of us and by practicing this wonderful process of Krishna Consciousness together it will happen.
Victory on the inner Battlefield 7
My dear devotees, Lord will also do something to save you. You just have to learn to turn to Him. We will hear now how a person in great inner conflict turned to the Lord and how the Lord saved him from his inner conflict.
I was doing an experiment with 20 devotees during the Summer camp. Few times I mentioned about my two neighbors - dogs - who were also crying in front of our dog.I mentioned we have to help these dogs they are dying. There are some animals who give them great pain.I remember we stood with 15-20 devotees before these crying dogs who really searched for our shelter and help. Mother had run away- didnt care for her children. Now we have to take care. But know one felt in the heart the impulse to help them although they had heard many lectures about compassion. Today two devotees found in their heart the impulse to help and bathed them- so that the dogs can be healthy and free from these terrible animals.Aren't we often like the devotees who did'nt do anything. We know we should act but we just cannot.
This is a symptom of the Divided self.
- We know we should we act but we cannot act
- ignorance and illusion
- Depression and Indecision
- Isolation.
If you want to become a full hearted devotee on the spiritual platform you must know how to act properly , need to become free from ignorance and illusion, you must have feelings of love to overcome your depression and Indecision. Finally you must be able to overcome your isolation from God. Whenever you cannot act on the spiritual platform, depressed, isolated you know you are on the material platform.
Now Krishna personally is dedicated to save His devotees from these 4 symptoms and we will see how. But first I would like to introduce the person who he helped- Arjuna- the hero of our session today.
.................................
On the day of the battle requests his charioteer to take the chariot in the middle of the battle. Maybe Arjuna wanted to see the strength of the enemy. Then he could decide details on strategy. But as he is in the middle of the battlefield, he breaks down. On the other side he sees - he sees his brothers the kauravas, his teachers, etc. He developed all the symptoms of a nervous breakdown. Limbs of the body quivering, my mouth is drying up, my whole body is trembling, hair is standing on end , skin is burning like fore, bow has slipped from his hand, unable to stand here any longer, mind is reeling, I ill go into forest, I will meditate
Keshava I also want to fight- these are rascals they will destroyed the whole kingdom, I am getting crazy, Please help.
It was much worse than what we heard. He had a breakdown- he was the strongest person of his time. He became divided by the minute- one side said- I shall run to the Himalayas and the other side- maybe I should fight. "should I stay or should I go"
Have you ever been in two boats with one foot in one and the other in the other?
I was once with one foot on one piece of ice and the other on the other- finally I fell into the icy cold water and fell sick because the pieces were drifting in opposite directions. It is not healthy for you to have these two sides in you fighting or drifting apart. But for Krishna this was no problem. In the midst of the dilemma he looked at Arjuna and started to smile. No problem. Because He thought, my devotee will soon be in Yoga with Me. He will with my plan then he will be united inside. The whole BG is just instruction manual about yoga- it means to bring yourself together. Each chapter is called something yoga.
Why are we sometimes so divided - like a devotee and a non devotee at the same time? why do we have sometimes difficulties in our spiritual life? We are not practicing yoga with Krishna- we are not in yoga with Krishna. Conflict or the divided self can bring you closer to practice yoga..
Let me now go quickly how Krishna solved Arjuna's first problem-
inability to act properly through Karma Yoga.
Krishna said -- karman yeva adhikaratas te........
Arjuna you have a right to perfomr your dharma but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Do what is right appropriate for your situation even if it i little faulty. Dont be attached to the outcome. This works even for you. The moment you find out what is your dharma- do what is proper- do not be concerned if people like you or do not like you, do not think abt the outcome0- successful or not successful. If you learn to find your dharma and do your activities according to your dharma- the whole universe will run into a gallop to help you.
Arjuna had another problem- I am overcome by illusion- Krishna destroyed it by telling him how he is an eternal soul Arjuna, Many births you and me have taken- I can remember my birth and appearances but you have forgotten- he gave him a new insight. If you want to change a person- you have to give them a way to act properly and give them a new insight. And you have to save his depression and indecision. How do you cure depression and indecision.
Jaya Gopal what do you do against depression and indecision?
Answers from audience -Prasadam , Chant Hare Krishna - does it work? Think about this.I say to myself that I will not be like this anymore - associate with devotees, pray like anything
Saving his depression and indecision
There is one cure against depression found out by the American scientists- they wanted to find out who are the happy people and they found it - it was those people who help others-Why? because when you have feelings of love in your heart depression runs away. You must somehow develop love in your heart to cure depression. It is said in psychology- that if you want to cure depression and all this- you must have altered feelings of love- and Krishna evoked these feelings in Arjuna. The best is when you serve Krishna with love, your sadness and depression will go. Altered feelings of love are necessary to change indecision also. When we are in Jagannath Puri a year ago, Lord Jagannath would come out of the temple at 7am cool morning. It was 11 o clock- very hot sun, humid and the wet air was boiling the skin. People started to fall down on the ground. People sprayed cold water to revive the people. It was really dramatic, the tar started to melt. I was asking the police when is Lord Jagannath coming- the police chief said " why do you ask, He comes at His won time" Finally Lord Jagannath appeared -on His throne- I saw one devotee praying in the hot sun- another devotee came like this to cool him down- but the praying devotee continued to pray even if it was very hot. Finally he did the essential point of Bhakti yoga - totally upset he took the fan from the otehr devotee- he went to Lord Jagannath with so much love with the fan. I was standing next to the devotee- as then the Lord might see me. If you are far away from the devotee Krishna does not look at you. I saw a stream of mercy coming from Jagannath to the devotee who was fanned by him. Krishna trains Arjuna in this loving service of devotion and in this way he alters his love and brings him out of his depression.
Feeling Isolated
Most of us suffer from this divided self as Arjuna is also showing by feeling isloated- we feel we cant do it- we have no help. Krishna helps also with isolation- He promises His devotee a constant stream of support. tesam satata yuktam bhajatam priti purvakam......yena mam upayanti te. Those who are constantly serving Me with love, I give them full support and understanding by which they can come to Me. The result of Krishna's help in the BG is empowerment. Arjuna at the end of BG was asked by Krishna - what will you do now?
And he exploded with enthusiasm. My dear Krishna infallible one- my illusion is gone, free from illusion- I have regained my memory by Your mercy- Altered feelings- I am now firm and free from doubt. He feel there is support for him.I have no doubt anymore, I can make it. You are there for Me. And Finally I am prepared to act according to Your instructions. Yoga bring the soul together. When you are in pieces and you can't act determinedly and properly with blissful art in your spiritual life- you need some more Yoga.
What is yoga and how it helps you to come together - is best explained by the English word Yoke- comes form the Sanskrit word Yoga.
Two Ox are brought together by a piece of wood that holds them together.English dictionary says - overarchingly powerful element that creates union between two entities. So Yoga is a powerful process which creates unity between You and the Powerful Lord. Only in this union with God - feeling His closeness will you be able to be stregthened sufficently to say no to your lower self. Bhakti Yoga creates the union of love. when it comes into your heart then you can cure your divided self.
In the BG is an instruction manual on this yoga. It works. I request you at the end of my seminar to become students of the BG with one new element to your studies- try to apply what you study- especially one powerful yoga practice from the BG it is from the 15th chapter of Purushottam yoga - it gives you 7 powerful practices that you can learn in a relatively shrt time- in the asscoation of KRishna because He talks about this.
7 powerful practices from BG chapter 15
nirman moha jita sanga dosha adhyatma........
Sit before your mind and watch it.
- The next time pride comes up practice freedom from false pride- understanding it is Krishna's Lila's not my ability
- Next time you fall into illusion- meditate about how you are an eternal soul and part of Krishna.
- The third point- make it a point to not have association with materialistic people . Some of you may be a businessman or a rock and roll star - it is impractical for you to not associate with material people. BVT says to avoid false association doesn't mean you do not drive in the same boat with materialists.To practice not having false association means no heart to heart exchange then you start become influenced.
- 4th practice- understand the eternal - Today I talked with Bir Krishna Maharaj- very wonderful enlightenment Maharaj gave to me and I explained to him that sometimes I am a little impatient to see the slow advancement of devotees. He said - I also have this- but now I understand that development of KC may take many lifetimes- it is a development for the eternal soul over many stations. And when he spoke I remembered - I agree this is how I often preach- I remember my own spiritual master - with SP on his morning walk there was this one cat that would come and hang there, SP would play with it and remove it but it will hang there. One day a car had driven over teh cat and killed it. The devotees had become attached to the cat because it came everyday for one month waiting for SP and hanging on his Lotus Feet. Finally they decided to ask if there was a special reln going in. One devotee asked SP in private : Who was that cat? And SP said he is a disciple from a previous life- he did not make it, but now I have given him some extra help- that is why the disciple was so happy when hanging over the Lotus feet of the SP. The cat was saved. KC is an eternal process. We should understand this and then hen we see from this perspective that one little problem has happened is not so big in the face of eternity.
- Those who are interested to practice Purushottam Yoga it is in Bg 15.5. But the last point in this yoga is to surrender unto the Supreme Person and anyone who does this practice will attain the eternal kingdom of God.
Take shelter in Yoga which will bring the two elements in you together and then you will become really determined.
SP said if I had 18 disciples who were together and determined I could do so much. Krishna waits for you to come together. He waits for all of us and by practicing this wonderful process of Krishna Consciousness together it will happen.
