My thoughts on Spiritual Life

It’s interesting to see so many misconceptions about Spiritual Life.

Sometimes, spiritual life is considered to be an activity that is to be taken up by people who are retired, old and have nothing else to do. It is perceived as a nice hobby, where people can sit back and speculate; give their own interpretations about life and god – an Armchair philosophy. Some times, people comment on ones taking up spiritual life with sympathy and say things like “Oh, it looks like he had gone through so many hardships and difficulties in life that he got vexed up and took up spirituality.”At times, we hear this from elders and parents – “Don’t become so serious about spirituality; this is not the time for you to think about it. This is the time for you to enjoy life, earn – name, fame reputation and money.”Sometimes, people who take up spirituality themselves are mistaken about it that, they have nothing to do with this world and they are going to be alone, live in seclusion, give up their responsibilities, job and spend life doing nothing. Some people consider the ones who are spiritually inclined to be individuals with low self esteem or lack self confidence. “They don’t believe in themselves”, they critics say, “They want something to hold on to and that’s how God was created”. Then, there are others who say that, just believe in something and you will be alright… What these people don’t understand is that Spirituality is such a dynamic, adventurous, ever fresh, blissful activity where, the devotee perceives unlimited happiness. Spirituality is not just for people who are failures in life but, they form a part or section of the whole group.As Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita,7.16 – catur-vidha bhajante mam janah sukrtino ‘rjuna arto jijnasur artharthi jnani ca bharatarsabha., Four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me–the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute. We have so many examples of highly successful, materially wealthy persons have becomes devotees or surrendered to God because, they are – Sukritinah..have some pious credits by which they took devotional service and surrendered to God. Weather one is rich or poor, failure or successful, young or old have to go through four miserys of life, the Birth, death, old age and disease. Again, Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita 8.16 says,ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāh;punar āvartino ’rjuna;mām upetya tu kaunteya;punar janma na vidyate
So to sum up, one practicing a spiritual life is never lazy, never take things for granted, never gives up his duties and responsibilities in an untimely manner, never looses his drive or passion for doing things in a better way or at work because, he believes in doing his best, truthful, tolerant and so on.. Welcome to the world of spirituality.
Long time ago, I saw a movie where the hero is a lazy fellow and basically wants to escape working hard and getting up early to go to work, be accountable at job etc. He somehow marries a daughter of a wealthy man, hoping to become a successor to the riches the man had. But, to his utter dismay, the girl wants to lead a simple life and does not want to take any help or money from her rich parents. One day the Hero happens to see group of Sanyasis / renunciants in orange dress being invited by a rich man. He notices that they are all being fed sumptuously with all different items and sweets etc.He immediately makes up his mind and decides give up his family life, wife and become a Monk. He goes to that ashram and requests the head Monk for permission to become a Sanyasi / renunciant and takes up orange dress. Just when he was daydreaming about all the sweets and food that he is going to get, he was harshly woken up from his sleep and was asked to work in the vegetable farm of the ashram. After a tiring morning of work, he was served a simple meal of dhal and chapati and was asked to get back to work. And, the life goes on…Slowly, the Hero realises that life in the ashram is after all not so easy. Finally, realises his mistake and gives up the orange dress and goes back to his wife and family life. Thankfully, his wife allows him to comeback and after that he lives happily, content with what ever he has.  
Here is a further excerpt from Srila Prabhupad’s lecture,
“Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu also. He never asked anybody to change his position. He simply recommended that you associate with pure devotees and hear from him. That’s all. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never asked anybody that Sometimes this Krishna consciousness is misunderstood to be inertia, and one with such a misunderstanding often withdraws to a secluded place to become fully Krishna conscious by chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna Sometimes the so-called devotees of Krishna… In Vndāvana you’ll find that they are keeping themself in a secluded place and supposed to be chanting Hare Krishna. But practically it has been seen that by such artificial way of becoming Krishna consciousness, it does not make anyone advanced. I have seen practically. They are living in a secluded place,chanting Hare Krishna, but practically, when he comes out, he’s smoking. You see. He cannot give up even smoking, and what to speak of this material world? You see? That is artificial. This is not recommended. First of all you become mature, then secluded place. Otherwise there is no secluded place. Maya is everywhere. Maya will dictate, “Oh, you are so tired. Why don’t you come out and smoke a cigarette?” Yes. And he thinks he’s advancing, the nonsense is advancing. No. Phalena paricīyate. By the result one has to be judged how far he has advanced. Similarly, there are so many persons, they are meditating. What meditating, nonsense?
What is their character? If you challenge their character, nonsense. So these sort of things will not help. Come practically forward. Just like our students, going door to door, chanting Hare Krishna. And people are taking advantage of it, they are hearing. So this process is beneficial to the public. Even a small child who joins here, he also claps, tries to clap. So this Krishna consciousness movement is not to remain in a secluded place to get cheap advertisement, “Oh that man is meditating.” No.
Go, practically work. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he practically worked. So there is practical work. No question of going into a secluded place. We should remain in the congested city and preach this Krishna consciousness movement without being affected by this contamination of city life. That is perfection. They shall not be contaminated, touched by the contamination of the city life, but still, they will go on with Krishna consciousness. That is perfection.”

Please let me know your thoughts about spiritual life and some of the interesting comments you heard.

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