When we utilize the power of faith, reversals will become opportunities to grow up instead of causes to give up. “I have failed yet again. Maybe I should just give up.” Life’s inevitable reversals sometimes fill us with such defeatist thoughts. At such times, Gita wisdom can free us by pointing out that we are labouring under unnecessarily narrow definitions of success and failure. When things work according to our plans, we consider that to be success; when things don’t work according to our plans, we consider that to be failure. When our plans fail repeatedly, we often get frustrated and dejected, and start thinking of giving up. Gita wisdom broadens our definitions of success and failure by underscoring that we are spiritual beings and that our ultimate success is to attain eternal life by growing up spiritually. Spiritual growth essentially means growth in our faith that Krishna is our greatest well-wisher and that he is benevolently overseeing the world, as the Bhagavad-gita (9.10) asserts. Faith grows by both human choice and divine grace. When we are about to give up due to material failures, we have a special opportunity to grow in faith by exerting our human choice and thereby attracting divine grace. Let’s see how. Amidst reversals, all of us can make the choice of putting faith in Krishna by not getting disheartened and by continuing to serve him as well as our capacities and circumstances allow. When we thus persevere with faith, we will in due course of time discover that Krishna has arranged things for our ultimate good in a way far better than our best plans. This inconceivable arrangement and our realization of that arrangement comprise the divine grace that further boosts our faith and accelerates our spiritual growth. Bhagavad Gita Chapter 09 Text 10 mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram hetunānena kaunteya jagad viparivartate “Lord Krishna Said: This material nature, which is one of My energies, is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.” It is clearly stated here that the Supreme Lord, although aloof from all the activities of the material world, remains the supreme director. The Supreme Lord is the supreme will and the background of this material manifestation, but the management is being conducted by material nature. Kṛṣṇa also states in Bhagavad-gītā that of all the living entities in different forms and species, I am the Father. The father gives seeds to the womb of the mother for the child, and similarly the Supreme Lord by His mere glance injects all the living entities into the womb of material nature, and they come out in their different forms and species, according to their last desires and activities. All these living entities, although born under the glance of the Supreme Lord, still take their different bodies according to their past deeds and desires. So the Lord is not directly attached to this material creation. He simply glances over material nature; material nature is thus activated, and everything is created immediately. Because He glances over material nature, there is undoubtedly activity on the part of the Supreme Lord, but He has nothing to do with the manifestation of the material world directly. This example is given in the smṛti: when there is a fragrant flower before someone, the fragrance is touched by the smelling power of the person, yet the smelling and the flower are detached from one another. There is a similar connection between the material world and the Supreme Personality of Godhead; actually He has nothing to do with this material world, but He creates by His glance and ordains. In summary, material nature, without the superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cannot do anything. Yet the Supreme Personality is detached from all material activities. Please accept my humble obeisances All glories to Srila Gurudeva ... All glories to Srila Prabhupada ... Always think of the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna and you will find no difficulties in executing the tasks allotted to you by Krishna. Chant these names with love and you will feel the ecstasy: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare ... Hare Krishna ... Jay Jagannath .. . https://facebook/groups/harekrishnaharerama/
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 17:52:03 +0000
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