Home Comfort - Part Three

Normally in this world we are men of action, men who exploit the environment and nature in order to gather energy. Always there is the attempt to collect more and more energy to use at our command, and to save something so it may be utilised in the time of necessity. In general, that is the very nature of those who live here. And if any hindrance will come in that attempt then it is considered that those circumstances are very bad because they oppose the object of life here, which is to collect more energy. However, to remind us about the importance of the inner wealth we are advised that the outer nature cannot do as much harm to us as our internal nature can do in its apathy to collect more wealth for the inner existence: the man within. We are to be mindful of this point: what comes from outside is not so important – it all comes and goes. Even the body which is at present the centre of our thoughts will vanish, therefore what is the necessity of collecting so much energy in connection with this body? Awaken from within your soul the proper man within you. Try to find him and try to collect help for him. This campaign is possible only with the connection of the sādhu, the saint. 

We shall be the loser on any day in which we do not meet with a saint, and hear any discussion about the inner meaning and substance of life. Be conscious of this. In all respects and anyhow, be mindful of your own person. Look after your own interest by finding your own self. Be unmindful towards the external world and circumstances and dive deep into the reality, your inner wealth. Find your inner self and the inner world within where your inner self is living. Try to find that home. Back to God, back to home. Utilise your energy only for going home, and not for wandering into the land of others: the land of death. Try to avoid the land of death at any cost, and always try to find out the eternal soil. You are to find out that you are a member of that soil. Try to understand what is your home, and why that is your home. What does home comfort mean? It means it is the natural place which is our birth-right. We have to face the fact that we are not at home. But if there is some hankering within us to search for that, we are fortunate. 

Our necessity is to find how that inner thirst can be quenched. Our feeling should be: “The world is here and I am here, but I am unsatisfied. How can my inner self be satisfied.” We are in want, therefore by what process can this want be removed? For the present we have this fleshy body, but to know anything and everything about the body – about the bones, nervous system, blood, etc.–is all unnecessary. To know about the composition of the blood, etc. is just unnecessary detail. Our enquiry should be regulated in this way: “Who am I, and why am I troubled? I do not know how to rid myself of these problems.” This is the general question and we are to be concerned with that.

“Athāto brahma-jijñāsā – from where have I come? How am I living, and what is my future?” These are the main questions that should concern us, and we must concentrate the whole of our energy to find the solution. This does not only apply to just one person – myself – but this is the concern of all creation.

To seek the source of every thing is the nature of proper enquiry, but to enquire after this and that and so many hundreds of things is simply a waste of energy. The śāstric (Scriptural) enquiry has been couched in such a way: “From where have I come? What sustains me? What is my future? Why am I uneasy, and how can I acquire my inner fulfilment?” All enquiry should follow this standard way, otherwise there is some disease of enquiry: it won’t be proper enquiry. More and more curiosity may arise without end, therefore we must learn how to question, how to enquire, and in that way our energy will have some value and won’t be wasted.

Enquiry is bona fide when it is directed towards how to fulfil the real goal, therefore we are to save our energy and regulate it in the proper channel. This is Kali-yuga–the age of quarrel–and our real and only helpful necessity in life is the company of the established saints and the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa – sādhu-saṅge kṛṣṇa-nāma. Otherwise, deviating from that, we may be misguided at any and every step.

Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu gave this as the substance of all advice, and there is nothing more useful than this to help us get out of undesirability. He says that to chant Kṛṣṇa-nām, but without the association of the sādhus also means that it will be very difficult for us to proceed. Therefore in one word the solution is in sādhu-saṅga. We are to secure the company of a standard realised soul, then everything will fall into place, and the king of the sādhus is the Guru. Gurudeva is the king of the the good-men who can give guidance. For one to be Guru it means that he can guide us satisfactorily, otherwise whom can we believe and trust to our utmost under standing, and to whom can we fully submit and surrender? The Guru is where our enquiry will be fulfilled to its utmost necessity. From him higher direction will come from above, from a more and more elevated sphere of love. We are to connect with that high and subtlemost wave and we will be more benefitted. This is the general idea.

On the whole, we are to try to always be at the disposal of the higher agency, at the disposal of the higher thinkers of the higher provinces. In that way we shall come in connection with the higher and most subtle layer of life. There are different waves of different types and interests, and of different loss and gain, but to connect with the highest should be our aim. 

We are to see that the charm of this life is finished. Already we have had good experience that this is all stale. After all, wherever there are the four enemies, janma, mṛtyu, jarā, vyādhi – birth, death, old age, and disease, there cannot be any real happiness. Wherever there is death there cannot be any happiness. In such a plane we are always under the threat of death, so there is no charm: all charm is completely finished. Therefore, with eagerness we must make enquiry as to where we shall be able to live. We must select a higher plane where we can really live.

In Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, “The place from which there is no returning to this deathly plane is My supreme abode.”

He instructs Arjjuna, “A permanent position is only possible in My plane. All occupations in this plane, even that of a king, are all just as in a dream. So if you want to get out of this dreaming life and enter into reality then raise yourself to the standard of finding the plane of reality, however subtle it may be, for that cannot be devoured by death. Collect your energy to build up something permanent. At present you are investing your energy in something that is going to be demolished at the next moment – a foolish attempt.”

“Note that you are your own friend. But you are your own enemy also. You are your own enemy if you don’t take good care of your own development for your real progress. But you can be your own friend, and none can give as much help to you as you, yourself, can do.”

“If at all you can have any self-control then collect your energy from going astray and direct it to the proper channel where you can really thrive, and then you will be your real friend. However, if you allow yourself to be led by the various senses of lower nature which are always trying to move in the land of exploitation, reaction, and suffering then you are your own enemy. Consider all these things.”

“Consider and consider deeply, then take the right step as to what to do.” The human life is very valuable. You have the power of discrimination, but that will be denied you if, compelled by the reactionary wave, you have to go into the body of a tree, a beast, or wherever. Can you say for certain that in your next life you will not be degraded into an animal body? What guaran tee is there that you won’t be?

It is not that all action and all progress takes place only in the realm of death. Progress is not limited just to darkness and ignorance, but if you really participate in positive progress you will be able to feel what real progress is. Hṛdayeṇābhyanujñāto–you will feel and conceive the progress with your inner approval, your heart’s approval. It is not that some bogus hope has been given and you will be taken into a foreign land to be murdered, tortured, mistreated, etc. There is no question of that. 

This famous śloka of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam explains that when you eat something, your belly will give witness. It will say, “Yes I am eating.” Hunger will be satisfied, the body nourished, and there will be the fulfilment of having been fed. The body will be nourished and will gain strength, and, along with all this, will be your own inner approval of having eaten. Further more there will be no longer any feeling of necessity to eat more and more. Similarly in spiritual life so many symptoms will come to give proof of your progress.

We now have a human body, and this is the most valuable time for us, but it is being lost due to misapplication. Our most valuable energy is being lost through misappropriation. Uttiṣṭhataḥ jāgrataḥ prapyo varān nibodhataḥ – so, awake, arise, and engage yourself not only for you, but address others also to engage in this campaign, and that in turn will give you further help in a particular way.

The main thing is that under the guidance of a higher agent we should engage ourselves in devotional activities and have a busy programme so there may not be any spare time to go on with any trifling mundane matters. Such a busy programme in the association of the devotees will be very helpful for us.