Guardiões da Devoção
Faith Is Our Real Wealth
by Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Maharaja
Why does our consciousness come down and cannot have a higher conception of higher spiritual existence, but our attention is drawn to some material thing? We think some medicine, or some intoxication can help us. When I cannot raise my consciousness to the fine and higher conscious substance, then we come to seek help in the material world. “These substances will help me.” It is suicidal.
We cannot manage to have a connection directly with the higher conscious substance then we come to seek some means in the lower.
“With the help of that I will make advancement towards the finer consciousness. The matter will help me to understand, to acquire consciousness.” We are thus faithless in the agents of that Absolute Truth, the Vaisnavas. It is due to vaishnava-aparadha, losing faith in the conscious agents of the Supreme, that we go to the material substance, “Help me!” I lose faith in the spiritual agency and the long and the short is this – we seek shelter in a material thing and we lose our faith in the higher agency. We can’t see their Grace.
So, that is the underlying position of an intoxication monger. No faith in the higher agent, that which is spiritual which is soul in character, but more aspiration to get help from the lower substance. The scientific conception is also like that, degrading. Degrading, losing faith in the spiritual efficacy, their grace or their position, we come below standard. No faith. We cannot put faith in the devotee, the scripture, or the acharya. Disappointed we go to seek help from some atom of matter, “That will give me everything.”
abhyarthitas tada tasmai stanani kalaye dadau
dhyutam panam striyah suna yatradharmas catur vidhah
punas ca yacamanaya jata-rupam adat prabhuh
tato ‘nrtam madam kamam rajo vairam ca pancamamCharm for the material world, dhyutam to get money very cheaply, not in the ordinary constitutional way, but by a cheating process, this is dhyutam. Panam is also like that intoxication. That is earned by black marketing, panam. The energy I can collect in an ordinary sense, I am not satisfied with that but in some black way I want to amass some energy by panam. This is the meaning of Panam. I want to get energy by unfair means. Striyah, that is raso vai sah. He is the center of all ecstasy, but we go to collect that experience of ecstasy in a very cheap way from material things. Suna is also a cheap way to develop the body. The flesh, mamsa, can be more easily utilized for the flesh in me that other vegetables.
So it is all very easy, not in a regular and proper way to preserve oneself, but in a cheapway, by cheating, we want to agrandize ourselves.
Gold is such a substance that if one can get control over gold, he can have control over all material prosperity, the dollar, the pound, the rupee, rice, everything. If I can possess gold, I can easily get everything. This is cheating. With a small thing like gold, jata-rupam I can control the entire food chain. I can control all the necessities of the human beings. Cheap marketing, not a regular life, but in a cheating process. By these five cheating processes we can become great, so they must be given up. We must be plain, simple and truthful and live here as a bonafide and sincere member, where we are. You are put in the jail don’t try any other black things to help yourself, but sincerely give your labour as it is ruled and you will be free very soon.
When you are a criminal be a good criminal then you will be able to acquire freedom. Already you are a criminal and in the prison you are cheating others. So, lead a simple life. Do not incur any further debt, but try to pay the debt you have already incurred. With this process you will be free very soon. Not by any artificial process, but if you adopt a sincere and simple process not by diplomacy or any other thing. Simply, “I am the greatest criminal. Oh my Lord, please forgive me. Take me out. Please be gracious over me.” This is the way to adopt, not any artificial means.
It is only our love for artificial things that has brought us here. In the highest ideal there is no place for diplomacy, cheating or any of these things. This is the fashion of this mayic world of misconception. To acquire anything too easily means to deceive others, but you cannot deceive God. Simply go to Him and pray that, “I am a culprit. I am so and so. Forgive me and accept me.” This is a plain, simple way. Your knowledge also cannot help you, it is jnana-sunya-bhakti, pure surrender, wholesale surrender. Don’t use any reason there. Don’t go to plead for your own cause. Complete surrender. Don’t plead in favour of yourself, rather if you have to plead, plead to the Lord that you are the most heinious. That will be more effective. This is the way.
Love Divine. It is against the conception of the ontology of love that a particular material atom may give love, prema, heart’s feelings. The heart can be purchased by a chemical, by using medicine I can get God?” Use this medicine and God will come to please and serve you. I am super-super God and I am giving this medicine.” Never! The simple way is ‘love for love.’ Give yourself and you will get Him. It is simple and pure. Surrender to the High and the High will come down to welcome you.
sarva-dharman parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucaHow comprehensive, reasonable and natural this is. “Give up everything, all engagements, and come to Me freely. I am ready to accept you anytime, at any moment. Accept that all obligation to any other thing is stopped and come to Me. I shall welcome and embrace you. All obligations are stopped. Whatsoever obligations you incur or think to possess in this world are discontinued. Only My obligation remains. Your obligation to Me is absolute and these others are all relative and temporary. They are artificial and concocted. Your obligation to Me is wholesale, pure and clear. Try to realize that.”