What is the difference between animal and human?
There are four commong things that everyone does. Those are sleeping, eating, mating, and defending. These are common to animals and humans.
The main difference between animals and humans is intelligence. Humans have intelligence, but animals do not have that much intelligence. What are we doing with that intelligence to be differentiated from animals. We are writing computer programs with that intelligence, which animals cannot do. Is it the differentiation? For what purpose are we writing that computer programs? To earn money. We are using that intelligence to earn money, and by that we sleep in 10 storied building, eat in five star hotels, defend with latest guns. Animals also do the same things, but not in a polished way. But, the basic things are same. If we advance a little bit, we help others. Animals also help others. Few animals help humans also.
As long as we are doing these basic things (sleeping, eating, mating, and defending) we are animals only. Only, if we do something beyond this, then only we become human beings.
What is that thing which animal cannot do?
Everyone in this world is suffering. Few people are suffering very less, and few are suffering very high. But, suffering is there. Even if we can skip many sufferings, four sufferings are common to everyone.
Those are birth, death, oldage, and disease. So many do not know that birth is a suffering. Just imagine, if you have been put in a room, which is exactly sufficient to your body, and if you eat your own stool, how would be that situation? Is it good? No one wants death, but everyone will die, if not today, tomorrow, or after few days. But, everyone has to die.
We should think about these sufferings, and try to stop these things.
Scientists are doing so many things to stop death. But, what is happening? According to bhagavatham, 100,000 years back people used to live 1000 years. even 500 years back, people used to live 100 years. Now, it is great to live for 70 years. The life time is gradually decreasing. It is not increasing. In future, it may decrease even more. The reason is, they are going in the wrong direction. Every invention has so much effect to the world, and is reducing the life time of people.
What is the proof that god exists?
Have you seen atoms? No. still, everyone believes atoms. Very very very few people MIGHT have seen atoms. But, everyone in this world believes that atoms exist. Why do you believe that? Because, everyone believe that. So, we also believe it. Is it the correct reason for belief? No. Never.
We can see atoms. How?
If we do big big researches in big big universities, then we may get chance to experiments about atoms, and can see atoms.
If you are an illetarate in an ordinary village in a poor country, how many years do you take to do a Ph.D. in chemistry in MIT, or Stanford? Generally 20 years. Even for brilliant in USA in a big family takes atleast 15 years. Even then he has to study hard in big big schools, and colleges.
Now one question.
How many years did you spend like that for spiritual knowledge. If you don't spend even half of that time, what is the right do you have to say that god does not exist?
To see the atoms, initially, you belive blindly that atoms exist, and study all the theories related to that. Only while doing Ph.D., or Post Doctorate, you will actually get scientific proof that atoms exist. But, till then you blindly believe that it exists. Same thing holds even for spiritual knowledge. Initially, you have to blindly believe that god exists. But, later on you can directly see the god.
First thing that we have to know in spiritual advancement is, "we are not the body. We are soul".
We existed before this birth, we will exist after death. Before this birth, we might be a human, or an animal. After death, depending upon the activities in our present life, we will get corresponding life. If we are very sinful, we may goto hell, or may become animal. If we do good activities, we may get human life, or go to heaven.
But, whatever may be the case, we still suffer by the four sufferings, birth, death, old age, and disease. Even if we goto Brahma Loka, we will suffer by these four.
This human life is very rare opportunity to skip these sufferings. If we miss this opportunity, then the life is just a waste.
How to skip these sufferings?
There are two worlds. One is spiritual world, another one is material world. The world in which we live is material world. Spiritual world is the world of god. Material world is just opposite to the spiritual world. Material world is the world of miseries. Spiritual world is the world of happiness, where there is no birth, death, oldage, and disease. There is no suffering at all in spiritual world. If we go to spiritual world, then we will never suffer again. Those who go to spiritual world will never come to this material world.
I am living fine. Why do I need to go to spiritual world?
At present life, we have all comforts. But, what is the guarantee that in the next life also, we will be happy like this. In Bhagavadgita, krishna told that we have to do yagnas for our daily food. But, no one is doing yagnas. But, still we are getting food. How? Because we did all these things in our previous lives. We are enjoying fruits of those activities. If we don't do anything now, then we definitely have to suffer in our next life. Many people think that if we do good activities, our sins would be cancelled. But, it is not so. If we do good activities, we will enjoy the fruits of that, and we suffer because of the sins. We will enjoy both good activities, and bad activities. We have done so many bad activities in our life knowlingly, or unknowingly. We will suffer because of the sins. If we thieve Rs.X from someone, it is not that in our next (or that next) life, we will also lose Rs.X. It includes so many things like compound interest, the value of the money at that time, value of that money to the owner etc. If we include everything, it may become 1,000X or 10,000X in our next life. Similarly, if we kill (or eat) an animal, we would be killed (or eaten) many times. And we have to suffer in all those lifes. It is very difficult to skip sufferings in this material world. We may skip in one or two life times. But, we cannot skip always. Think about two or three lifes from now. Not just this life time.
How to go to spiritual world?
In Bhagavadgita (18.66), krishna told that
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear."
If we surrender to krishna, then he will take us to spiritual world. If our aim is only to go to spiritual world, then krishna will definitely take us to spiritual world.
How to surrender?
harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
Kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the lord, chanting the holy name of the lord, chanting the holy name of the lord. There is no other way. No other way. No other way".
-- Brhan-naradiya purana 38.126
we have to chant the glories of the Lord.
Which mantra?
In kalisantarana upanishad, Narada asks Brahma for the mantra in this kaliyuga. And brahma tells the mantra which is equivalent of doing thousands of years of meditation on one leg in hot weather.
That mantra is
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
If anyone chants this mantra 1728 (16 * 108) times per day, he will surely goto spiritual world.
Is there any test for qualifying to spiritual world?
In Bhagavadgita (8.5), krishna told arjuna,
anta-kale ca mam eva smaran muktva kalevaram
yah prayati sa mad-bhavam yati nasty atra samsayah
"Who ever at the time of death, quits this body, remembering me alone, at once attains my nature. Of this there is no doubt".
If we chant 1728 times hare krishna mantra per day, then we can easily remember him at the time of death. And we can go to spiritual world, and we will never come to this material (mortal) world again.
When should we chant this mantra?
AT ANY TIME, ANY PLACE, IN ANY SITUATION. There is never a time, never a place, never a situation when this mantra should not be chanted. 24 hours a day, 365(366) days a year, we can chant this mantra. At any time, any place, in any situation.
In this life time, I am very busy. I will see this in next life.
Kaliyuga is the most degraded yuga. That's why krishna gave very good opportunity to us. That is, if we just chant 16 rounds (1728 times) per day, we can goto spiritual world. In Krita yuga, to goto spiritual world, one has to do Tapas of 100,000 years on one leg in hot air, without food, water, or even air. Can we do like that? It is almost impossible in this age. So, we should not miss the chance that krishna gave to us. Just chanting is the simplest thing that anyone can get. In bhagavatham, it is predicted that this hare krishna mantra vanishes after 9,500 years from now. After 9,500 years, we won't have this mantra, this much easy process, and this rare opportunity. Because of that, it would be very difficult to go to spiritual world.
We have 9500 years more. Why should not I try in my next life?
It is very difficult to get liberation from the planet other than earth. In the heaven, there is only happiness, and enjoyment. Because of that enjoyment, no one cares about god, and almost no one get liberation from the heaven. If we take lower planets like hell, there is only misery, and no happiness. All the sinful souls go there, and we cannot expect any devotees there. If there are no devotees, who will give this spiritual knowledge in that planets?
One day of brahma comprises 8,640,000,000 years. Krishna incarnates once in a day of brahma. That means, he incarnates once in 8,640,000,000 years. Out of those 8,640,000,000 years, 10,000 years is diamond age. Because, in this 10,000 years, we get liberation very very very easily. Because, this time is that much valuable, all the great devotees take birth at this time. There are innumerable number of souls in this universe. There are so many great devotees also. But, the population of human beings on this earth is limited. Because of that we cannot expect to get birth twice in this golden age. So, if we miss this chance now, we cannot get this chance till 8,640,000,000 years. Even after 8,640,000,000 years, what is the guarantee that you will get this chance? Why will krishna give that chance to you, when you misused this chance? So, we should complete our business of krishna consciousness in this life itself, and go to spiritual world.
Suppose if we do many bad activities, and if we live 9,500 years in hell, we will lose this chance. Even if we do good activities, if we stay in heaven for 30 years, on this earth 9,500 years would be over. Because the timings of heaven and earth are different. In any case, hoping for next life on this earth as a human being in the next 9,500 years is like hoping for an impossible thing to make it possible. So, don't miss this chance.
I will definitely chant at the age of 50 years, leave me now.
Can you give guarantee that you won't die for one day? or for one hour? or even for one minute?
No one can give any guarantee. If you lose this opportunity in this life, you won't get this chance again. So, don't take risk.
I cannot chant 1728 times. So, I don't chant at all.
No one can chant 1728 times per day on the first day itself. Many people start 108 times per day. Few people start 1 time per day. 1 time is far far better than 0 times per day. So, start with once per day. You can slowly increase. But don't forget to chant atleast once per day.
What is the final conclusion?
Forget everything, and chant
Hare Krishna Hare krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
at any time, anywhere, in any situation.
I Love to hear your Comments/Suggestions/Cribs/Questions.
Naga Satish Tiruveedula
satishnagasatish@yahoo.com
Ph: 91 - 9845635120 (you can call me absolutely at any time for your comments/Suggestions/Cribs/Questions)