Bhāgavatam talks about only two kinds of people who are totally happy in this world. First, the lowest of fools, and seond, a person fully absorbed in transcendence.
yaś ca mūḍhatamo loke
yaś ca buddheḥ paraṁ gataḥ
tāv ubhau sukham edhete
kliśyaty antarito janaḥ
“Both the lowest of fools and he who is transcendental to all intelligence enjoy happiness, whereas persons between them suffer the material pangs.” (SB 7.15.18)
A saint has a past – A pure devotee’s past may not be very pure. Nonetheless, by his ardent spiritual practice, he transforms himself.
A sinner has a future – He may be enjoying at present, but he is sure to reap the reactions of his nefarious deeds.
What about a sādhaka?
A practitioner has to face all three – past, present, and future – impressions of the past, illusion of the present, and uncertainty about the future!
Past Impressions:
Sometimes, it becomes challenging for a sādhaka to deal with past memories. They have to face two aspects of the past — śoka (lamentation) and shocks (negative impressions).
Śoka
When I was small, I once threw a tantrum before my father because I didn’t have good chappals to go to a relative’s place. Although my father could afford to buy me a new pair, he told me a story. Once, there was a man who was similarly lamenting that he had no shoes, until he saw another man who had no legs. At once, he became grateful for what he had, rather than crying for what he didn’t.
Many times, we lament for things not worthy of lamentation. And we fail to see the good opportunities that lie ahead.
The Pāṇḍavas had no reason to be happy. They faced crises one after another. Not even a short span of good days for them. Yet, they saw every opportunity to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. Their happiness lay not in their own comforts, but in pleasing Kṛṣṇa in every circumstance.
The best remedy for giving up lamentation is to look for what we have received rather than what we haven’t. Anyways, as they say, life is not a bed of roses.
Shocks
We may have experiences of different sets and different degrees of shocks in life, like material desires, temptations, emotional trauma, and so many things.
Sometimes, the past becomes so overwhelming for a sādhaka that he gets carried away. We may even fall into the same temptations we had boldly rejected years back.
Shocks are not abnormal. But how we respond to those shocks determines our sincerity. And vice versa is also true. To the degree we are sincere, we can handle the shocks that come our way in the midst of practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness has the power to erase the negative impressions of even the gravest mistakes or nefarious acts we may have committed.
Present Illusion:
Along with past and future, a sādhaka may also be illusioned about what to do in the present! Many times, devotees have this question — what should I read and hear? How should I practice so that anarthas don’t overwhelm me?
Days and days pass by without making any tangible improvement in our chanting. Weeks may slip out of our hands without reading even a single page of Prabhupada’s books. Rather than hearing about spiritual subject matters, we may be consumed with material things.
How then will we not be trapped by illusion?
Future Uncertainty:
Along with past and present, a sadhaka also faces the problem of future uncertainty.
When I came new to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I used to say, in eight years, I’ll become a pure devotee. Two years for each – fear, desire, duty, and finally love. Now, after fifteen years of practicing (I’m not even sure if I could call it proper practice), I feel there is still a long, long way to go.
Many times, sādhakas become hopeless when they don’t see results coming from their practice.
Often, we carry a fantasy expectation in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One swing of a magic wand, and lo and behold, all anarthas are gone! When that doesn’t happen, we may feel something is wrong with the process.
Or we may wonder – Will I be able to make it in this very lifetime?
What should a sādhaka do amidst these three?
A sadhaka must be firmly rooted to the foundational principles given by our acaryas. Ups and downs are a part of devotional service, but we must not make them the norm. For instance, out of 30 days in a month, if we are enthusiastic for only 2-3 days, if daily, our chanting is going to late nights, and yet we do not make any efforts to improve – that is a clear sign we are not serious enough. And we may further justify our lackadaisical attitude saying – What can we do Prabhuji, the cycle doesn’t end!
We only have to take the responsibility for our sadhana, our absorption and our protection in devotional service. No one else can do that for us. Devotees may help and assist, but if we only desire to drift in grey zones, who can help us? Not even Krishna!
PAST:
For the past – we must forget our soka, and start lamenting about spiritual things. Narottama Dasa Thakura says,
gorā pahuṅ nā bhajiyā mainu
prema-ratana-dhana helāya hārāinu
O Lord Gaura! I have never engaged myself in Your worship. Thus I am robbed of the jewel of divine love by my own negligence.
With regard to shocks, we must remain grounded and get back again, to fight with maya.
PRESENT:
To maintain our day-to-day Krishna Consciousness effectively, we can make a daily plan, and try to execute it to the best of our ability. Then, the mind has less chances to be illusioned.
FUTURE:
And for the future, we must always be assured that protection is guaranteed for Krishna’s devotees. Our master is efficient to take care of us completely. He is witnessing our every action, and He will come Himself, or send someone in times of our need, provided we sincerely call out for Him.
He appeared for Gajendra. He also appeared for Draupadi. Lord is known to be affectionate to His devotees. Without this affection, His character is incomplete.
Therefore, without bothering about uncertainties, we must go boldly ahead on this path.
As is said,
yān āsthāya naro rājan
na pramādyeta karhicit
dhāvan nimīlya vā netre
na skhalen na pated iha
O King, one who accepts this process of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead will never blunder on his path in this world. Even while running with eyes closed, he will never trip or fall. SB 11.2.35
