Understanding Karma vs Karma Yoga (With Examples)

Certainly! You might have come across the term ‘Karma’ while browsing social media, or perhaps you’ve heard or used it when witnessing someone facing life’s challenges. Many online resources offer explanations of what Karma and Karma Yoga mean, each presenting different viewpoints. Then how can we attain the perfect information regarding this? The perfect truth can only be known from the Supreme Person, Lord Krishna Himself. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna expounds on the meaning of Karma, its types and Karma Yoga.

In this article, we will delve deeper into these concepts, drawing insights from the teachings of world-renowned yoga spiritual master Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa & the author of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Jagad Guru is a disciple of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami who comes in the disciplic succession known as the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya.

What is Karma?

“Karma” is a Sanskrit word that means “action.” It refers to everything we do in our daily lives, whether good or bad—it’s all considered karma. Interestingly, every action we take sows a seed that will eventually grow into consequences for our future. If we do something positive or good for others, it usually leads to a favourable outcome. On the flip side, if our actions bring suffering to others, we will face difficulties or challenges.

As said by the Lord Jesus Christ in The Holy Bible:

“As you sow, so shall you reap”.

In a nutshell, the idea of karma teaches us that our actions shape our future experiences.

According to the Bhagavad Gita, there are three types of karma.

Karma – Fruitive Actions
Vikarma – Forbidden Actions
Akarma or Karma Yoga – Actions without Fruitive Reactions

Karma – Fruitive Actions:

Karma, or fruitive actions, involves performing actions with an intent to enjoy the outcome. It is also regarded as good karma. Individuals engage in pious activities or good karma, intending to enjoy the resulting benefits personally.

A woman giving food to a homeless beggar man sitting outdoors in the city.

For instance, consider someone who opens an organization to help people in need or feed the needy. If this act is performed with the desire for recognition, honour in society, or to get medals from the government, it is categorized as a fruitive action. The performer of such acts will experience heavenly delights after departing from the earthly realm, enjoying the fruits of their pious actions for a specific duration until their accumulated good karma is exhausted.

Heavenly planets, described in scriptures like Srimad Bhagav a tam, are depicted as realms abundant in material pleasures. In contrast to Earth, these planets offer greater material enjoyment and lesser material suffering. This perspective underscores the notion that engaging in welfare actions can lead to enjoyable outcomes not only in the present life but also in the future and realms beyond.

Vikarma – Forbidden Actions:

Vikarma, also known as Forbidden Actions or Bad Karma, includes actions that not only harm others but also bring negative consequences to the person doing them. These consequences can be so serious that the person will suffer in hellish realms. For example, if someone makes others suffer in this life, they will experience similar suffering in this life and even after death. It means they’ll go through a difficult time in a hellish dimension until they’ve paid for all their wrongdoings.

The thief threatened them with a knife, and the young woman was scared and screaming while arrested by a bandit.

Activities like stealing, plundering others’ properties, or killing a living entity for personal gain are considered bad karma. These actions cause significant suffering to the victims, and the wrongdoers will have to face legal consequences from the state administration. Even if they escape the state laws, the laws of nature, which are strict and unavoidable, will catch up with them. No one can avoid the consequences set by the laws of material nature. Individuals engaged in bad karma will experience suffering in hellish realms until they’ve balanced out their accumulated negative karma. These hellish planets are described in the ancient scripture – Srimad Bhagavatam, particularly in Canto 5, Chapter 26.

Whether we realize it or not, the outcomes of our actions, especially those causing pain to others, will eventually catch up with us. It’s like planting seeds of suffering that grow into thorns we must endure. Even if human laws don’t punish such actions, the laws of nature will undoubtedly hold us responsible. Therefore, it’s crucial to be mindful of our actions and their potential impact on others to avoid the pitfalls of Vikarma.

Before we come to know about “Akarma”, let us see how both Karma and Vikarma play a significant role in our lives.

Karma Guides the Eternal Cycle of Birth & Death

As we’ve explored the concepts of both good and bad karma, it might seem logical to always strive for pious actions. However, according to the wisdom of yoga, it recommends avoiding both good and bad karma because both contribute to reincarnation, which is the leading cause of suffering for all living entities. Consider good karma as credit and bad karma as debt. Each person accumulates a specific amount of debt or credit based on their actions in life.

More details about Karma & Reincarnation can be found in this enlightening video by Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda.

Regardless of whether we perform good or bad karma, reactions accumulated from those are inevitable. We undergo various kinds of material pleasures and pains as per our actions. But these pains and pleasures only pertain to our material bodies. Our true identity is we are spirit souls residing inside these material bodies. Due to illusion, we identify ourselves with our bodies. In the present condition, we are inhabiting a body, undergoing specific pains and pleasures based on our past actions. This body, which we are presently using, feels pain and pleasure, but it’s essential to understand that we, the spirit soul, are distinct from it.

Position of Spirit Soul in the Material World

In the material world, the spirit soul is covered by two layers. The outer layer is the gross material body, comprised of five elements—Earth, water, air, fire, and sky. This body holds the five senses, through which the spirit soul experiences material pleasures and pains. Inside the gross material body, there’s a subtle body, which comprises the mind, false ego, and intelligence. The gross body acts as a tool for the spirit soul to engage in material sense gratification, while all desires and emotions are contained within the subtle material body.

The living being inhabiting the subtle body develops various desires for material enjoyment. However, the spirit soul isn’t alone in the subtle body. An expansion of the Supreme Person, known as Paramatma or Lord in the heart, resides alongside the spirit soul, constantly observing him. Picture two birds on a tree branch: one is experiencing the fruits of its past actions (Jiva Atma), and the other is simply watching (Paramatma).

The bird on the left is captivated by the fruits of the tree, while the friendly bird on the right acts as witness and waits for His friend to turn to Him.

Image Courtesy: https://asitis.com/

When someone dies, the soul departs from the gross material body but remains inside the subtle material body. Even after death, the person’s desires persist, which are observed by Paramatma. Subsequently, based on the individual’s karma and desires, Paramatma provides another material body to the spirit soul to fulfill its desires. This process perpetuates the cycle of birth and death.

Relation Between Karma & Material Bodies

The way karmic reactions work is that both supposed good and bad karma leads to the individuals taking on another material body. As long as stored karmic reactions are waiting, a person needs a material body for those reactions to experience. Whether the outcomes are positive or negative, a person needs a physical form (material body) to experience the results of their actions. Without a material body, the spirit soul cannot undergo karmic reactions.

Top section: On the left, a boy is dancing before the Deities of Radha-Krsna. The result of such devotional consciousness is shown on the right, where he is dancing with Krsna as a playmate in the Lord’s spiritual abode. Second section: On the left, a man is offering charity to a brahmana; on the right, he has taken the body of a demigod and is enjoying heavenly delights. Third section: A man is eating meat and other abominable foods; in his next life he is seen in the body of a hog who eats anything and everything. Bottom section: A man is approaching a woman with lust. This bestial consciousness carries him to a dog’s body.

Image Courtesy: https://asitis.com/

Those aiming to come out of the cycle of karma – want to avoid being reborn. They wish to skip the experiences linked to both good and bad actions. While many try to accumulate good karma, a wise person seeks freedom from all kinds of karmic reactions. This is because our material bodies inherently bring both pain and pleasure. As spirit souls, we crave eternal spiritual happiness. The joy we get from satisfying our senses doesn’t truly satisfy our souls. Since we are essentially spiritual beings, we need spiritual happiness to be really happy. However, currently, we are in these material bodies and get involved in various activities, regardless of their moral nature.

So, what is the right path to get out of this cycle of karma?

Inactivity Is Not Feasible

Some people might believe that if we stop doing everything and sit without taking any actions, we won’t face any consequences, and we can break free from the cycle of karma. However, the notion of stopping all activities to avoid karma and escape reincarnation is not practical or feasible.

Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita:

Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from
reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.

All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of
the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing
something, not even for a moment.
Bhagavad Gita : 3.4 – 5

In these verses, Lord Krishna emphasizes that refraining from work or renouncing action alone is not a practical solution for escaping karmic reactions. The soul’s nature is inherently active, and complete inactivity is impossible as long as the soul resides within the body. The soul is perpetually active, and even a momentary cessation of activity is unattainable.

Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, in his commentary on these verses, clarifies:

“It is not a question of embodied life, but it is the nature of the soul to
be always active. Without the presence of the spirit soul, the material body
cannot move. The body is only a dead vehicle to be worked by the spirit
soul, which is always active and cannot stop even for a moment.”

By nature, the spirit soul is active, and this perpetual activeness is intrinsic to the soul. As long as we exist in these physical bodies within the material world, we will inevitably keep performing actions. The question arises: If we can’t stop ourselves from doing actions, how can we truly break free from the cycle of karmic reactions? Here comes the 3rd type of Karma – “Akarma”.

Akarma or Karma Yoga – Actions without Fruitive Reactions

There is a way to break free from the cycle of karma and attain a state where there are no reactions to our actions. This is known as Akarma or Actions without Fruitive Reactions. If someone performs all their actions without a desire for personal pleasure but as an offering to the Supreme Person or God, they become free from all reactions to their actions. This practice is also referred to as ‘Karma Yoga‘.

‘Karma’ means action, and ‘Yoga’ means connection with God. Therefore, Karma Yoga means performing actions in connection with God. It is the only way to escape the cycle of karmic reactions. When a person does his duty out of love for the Supreme Lord and doesn’t desire to enjoy the results of his actions, that is called action in God Consciousness. In this approach, the person acknowledges that God is the ultimate enjoyer of everything. As a result, they carry out their responsibilities without attachment to the outcomes, dedicating whatever results they achieve to God. Through this process, one breaks free from the cycle of karmic reactions and situates oneself in the transcendental loving service to God.

While engaged in their prescribed duties, these four representatives of the four social orders (varnas) are thinking of Lord Krsna and offering Him the results of their work.

Image Courtesy: https://asitis.com/

In this regard, Lord Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita:

The wise, engaged in devotional service, take refuge in the Lord, and free themselves from the cycle of birth and death by renouncing the fruits of action in the material world. In this way they can attain that state beyond all miseries.
Bhagavad Gita 2.51

Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami writes in his commentary on this verse:

“Owing to ignorance, one does not know that this material world is a miserable place where there are dangers at every step. Out of ignorance only, less intelligent persons try to adjust to the situation by fruitive activities, thinking that resultant actions will make them happy. They do not know that no kind of material body anywhere within the universe can give life without miseries. The miseries of life, namely birth, death, old age and diseases, are present everywhere within the material world. But one who understands his real constitutional position as the eternal servitor of the Lord, and thus knows the position of the Personality of Godhead, engages himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Consequently he becomes qualified to enter into the Vaikuntha planets, where there is neither material, miserable life, nor the influence of time and death.”

In another verse of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna further explains how one can attain freedom from karmic reactions even while continuing to work in this material world.

Work done as a sacrifice for Vishnu has to be performed, otherwise work
binds one to this material world. Therefore, 0 son of Kunti, perform your
prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always
remain unattached and free from bondage.
Bhagavad Gita 3.9

So, one who works for the pleasure of God is never bound by the material laws, and he transcends the cycle of karmic reactions as a result, attains liberation from material bondage.

Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should
act as a matter of duty; for by working without attachment, one attains
the Supreme.
Bhagavad Gita 3.19

Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami writes in his purports of this verse:

“A person, therefore, acting for Krishna, or in Krishna consciousness, under proper guidance and without attachment to the result of the work, is certainly making progress toward the supreme goal of life.”

One can get guidance on working for God without attachment from a bonafide spiritual master coming in a line of disciplic succession. If you want to know how to find a spiritual master, you can watch this video of Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa. In this video, Jagad Guru clearly explains the characteristics of a bona-fide guru and how to find such a person.

If you have any further questions please ask in the comments. We will try to answer in future posts or in the comment section.

Thank you for your time!

Dharma And Sanatana Dharma

Dharma in the material world refers to the temporary religious systems or social and occupational duties of service for the embodied living being. They are created by God and meant to elevate one gradually to the position of one’s eternal dharma. This system of varnashrama-dharma is categorized in four occupational classes:

Sudra/Worker class/Conditioned by the mode of ignorance
Vaisya/Mercantile class/Conditioned by the modes of ignorance and passion
Kshatriya/Administrator or warrior class/Conditioned by the mode of passion
Brahmana/Intelligent class/Conditioned by the mode of goodness

And four social divisions:

Brahmacari/Student
Grhastha/Householder
Vanaprastha/Retired
Sannyasa/Renounced

The conception of four castes and four orders of life, as planned by the Lord Himself (Bg. 4.13) is to accelerate transcendental qualities of the individual person so that he may gradually realize his spiritual identification and thus act accordingly to get free from material bondage or conditional life.

There are nine qualifications for all human beings: l) not to become angry, 2) not to lie, 3) to equally distribute wealth, 4) to forgive, 5) to beget children only by one’s legitimate wife, 6) to be pure in mind and hygienic in body. 7) not to be inimical toward anyone, 8) to be simple, and 9) to support servants or subordinates. One cannot be called a civilized person without acquiring the above-mentioned preliminary qualities.

Besides these, the brahmanas or the intelligent men, the administrative men, the mercantile community, and the laborer class must acquire special qualities in terms of occupational duties mentioned in all the Vedic scriptures.

This system of service or work is based on a person’s natural tendencies and qualities and is not a caste system that incorrectly places a person in an occupation based on the family they were born into. The system of occupational duties recognizes the type of service that each person is best suited for according to the mode of material nature acting on him, making it possible for society to work together towards the ultimate goal of life based on scientific spiritual principles of religion created by God. The ultimate goal of life is to become fully conscious of God and to be reinstated as the eternal loving servant of God.

Sense gratification, economic development, religiosity, and liberation are paths in the progression of human life and can be referred to as aspects of regulated religious life. Real religion always offers God realization as the ultimate end.

Any person correctly engaged in his occupational duties and faithfully discharging those duties to please the Supreme Lord, can achieve perfection. The world is a place of work and men of all four classes working together can create a society of harmony, prosperity, and peace. When the essence of this system is lost, the resulting society looks like the world today, devoid of religious principles, full of chaos, inequality, hypocrisy, class struggle, and social injustice, with no clear direction towards realization of the Supreme Lord.

The worker or laborer class serves the other three classes by their physical labor and are, in return, provided the necessities of life as compensation.

The mercantile class of men are attracted to business, farming, banking, production, and marketing, to make a good profit and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

The administrative/warrior class of men find fulfillment in politics, public works, law enforcement, military, and sports, for power, fame, leadership, and martial domination.

The intelligent class of men desire to be engaged on the mental platform of science, philosophy, religion, education, and spiritual enlightenment, and are meant to guide society as the head of society.

The essence and goal of worldly dharma is to satisfy the Supreme Lord in the service of one’s life and work. By pleasing the Lord by working with determination and sincerity and always offering that work to Him, society is peaceful and prosperous, order is maintained, and one is elevated towards God realization and the position of Sanatana-dharma.

The fools mock the humanlike form of Lord Krsna, but the devotee offers his obeisances. Behind Krsna are Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and the entire cosmic manifestation-all working under Krsna’s direction.

Sanatana-dharma is the eternal occupation of the eternal living being, the eternal activity that can never be changed or taken away. It can be described as an integral part of the living being such as heat to fire or liquidity to water. The sanatana-dharma of the living being is service and is manifested imperfectly on the material platform as temporary service and perfectly as eternal service to the Supreme Eternal Person in the spiritual dimension.

Sanatana-dharma has neither beginning nor end, unlike sectarian religions of the world. Dharma refers to that which is constantly existing. That which is constantly existing within the eternal living being is the rendering of service. Service is the essential part of all living beings, his eternal quality, his eternal religion, his life itself.

This eternal occupation or function of every living being can only be fulfilled and perfected in relationship with the Supreme Living Being in the loving mood of service. The perfection of service is eternal pure loving devotional service to the Supreme Person, the only occupation of the living being. Every living being exists and was created for this service that bestows perfect unending happiness.

I can render this eternal loving service when I am either:

Within a material body
I am in my original spiritual form where there is no distinction or duality between myself and my spiritual body.

I follow the rules and regulations of dharma within this world as I practice relating to and serving God. Sanatana-dharma and sadhana-bhakti both include the service of hearing, chanting, remembering, serving, worshipping, praying, obeying, maintaining friendship, and surrendering everything to the Supreme Lord. Sadhana-bhakti is practicing these eternal activities in the material world which gradually elevates me to the perfection of these activities. I continue these activities eternally, serving Krishna in full loving devotion (sanatana-dharma).

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About Author:

Sahadeva Das is an initiated disciple of Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa who comes in a long line of bona fide yoga spiritual masters. Sahadeva Das considers it his great fortune in life to have heard and learned from a self-realized soul and is humbly attempting to pass on what he has received. 

Exploring Meditation From a Different Perspective

“Meditation” is a term that everyone is familiar with. Videos, articles, and content are abundant on the internet about meditation and its incredible benefits. These resources often inspire us to start meditating immediately. However, many people give up at the beginning because they find meditation to be complicated. It requires patience, perseverance, and a lot of practice, which is challenging for everyone.

But let’s delve into a different perspective on meditation.

Whether knowingly or unknowingly, we all engage in meditation…

Everyone meditates on something, even if they are unaware of it. Let’s consider some examples.

If we observe our daily lives closely, we will find that a mother meditates on her child, constantly concerned about their well-being.

Businesspeople often meditate on money, while politicians meditate on power. Youngsters may meditate upon romantic interests, and intellectuals ponder books. Brokers constantly think about stocks and so on…

Therefore, everyone meditates on something.

Meditation refers to what the mind or consciousness is focused upon. Many believe that sitting down with crossed legs and closed eyes is spiritual meditation. However, if a person sits with closed eyes but thinks about money or worldly matters, it does not necessarily constitute spiritual meditation.

Furthermore, some believe natural meditation entails emptying the mind of all material forms, thoughts, problems, and concerns. While this perspective holds some truth, it is not the entirety of actual or spiritual meditation. When individuals have nothing else to focus on, they attempt to clear their minds by fixating on sound vibrations. They aim to push away all other thoughts and blank their minds. However, this is also not true meditation.

So, what is actual meditation?

To engage in actual meditation, we must first understand our true identity. Without this understanding, we may attempt to meditate but ultimately fail to attain spiritual realization.

Our true identity is that of spirit souls embodied in temporary material bodies composed of gross and subtle material elements. The five gross elements are earth, water, fire, air, and ether, while the three subtle elements are mind, false ego, and intelligence.

As spirit souls, also known as Atma, we are eternal beings who never take birth or die. We change bodies according to our desires and past karmic reactions. The Bhagavad-Gita beautifully describes the true identity of the living entity as stated by the Supreme Lord:

For the soul, there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying, and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:20

The conditioned spirit soul is seen changing bodies from childhood to youth to old age to death and then into the womb of another mother. Above, a man is changing garments, and below, the soul is changing bodies.

In our current state, we exist in a material world where everything is temporary. Our lives are plagued by suffering due to the inevitable cycle of birth, aging, illness, and death. We will endure these challenges as long as we remain within this material realm, which is rife with hardships. We are an integral part of the Supreme Lord, and our true nature is spiritual. No matter how much we indulge in worldly pleasures or lead a life of luxury, we can never find lasting satisfaction in these material pursuits.

Our inner yearning can only be fulfilled through spiritual nourishment. This craving prompts us to cultivate a connection with the Supreme Lord because we share in His eternal nature as parts of God. We belong to the realm of the eternal spiritual world.

The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they struggle very hard with the six senses, including the mind.
Bhagavad Gita 15:7

When we understand this reality and develop a loving relationship with God, we eliminate the material miseries and enter into the kingdom of God, which is eternal & spiritually blissful. After attaining that kingdom, we don’t return to these miserable conditions of the material world.

Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains. That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode.
Bhagavad Gita 8:20 – 21

But the question is, how can we re-establish our connection with God?

In the Vedas, it is said that the process of Bhakti Yoga, or devotional service, is the only way to develop our relationship with God. Bhakti Yoga means keeping one’s consciousness on the Supreme Personality of the Godhead in a good way. An atheist also remembers God but is in a denial state. “There’s no God. God doesn’t exist”; this is how he remembers God, but this is not spiritual meditation.

When we keep our consciousness upon God, His beauty, His power, His glory, His words, His pastimes, His transcendental form & His Holy Names, that is called actual meditation.

Above, a devotee is engaged in various devotional activities for the Deities. Below, a Sankhya-yogi engages in the analytical study of matter and spirit. After some time, he realizes the Lord within his heart, and then he engages in devotional service.

When we meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we gradually realize our real identity and relationship with Him. Then after leaving our body, we return to Him to His eternal Kingdom and remain engaged in His loving devotional service eternally.

But How Can We Meditate on God When We Can’t See Him?

We can chant and hear sacred mantras and meditate on them. The sacred mantras or the Holy Names of God are non-different from God. God has unlimited names; each name is as spiritually potent as Himself. If we attentively chant and hear the Names of God, then we are doing actual meditation.

A sacred mantra, or Transcendental Sound, comprises various names or descriptions of the Supreme Soul. A Mantra cannot be made up, nor is it composed of mundane words specific to a particular religion or region of the world. It originates in the spiritual realm and descends to the material platform without losing potency, having been handed down orally for countless centuries via a chain of bonafide spiritual masters.

So, when we focus on the Holy Names of the Supreme Lord, our mind and heart gradually get cleansed from all material contaminations, and we progressively experience transcendental bliss.

Mantra Meditation

There are mainly three types of mantra meditation.

Mantra Meditation with Yoga Breathing
Japa Meditation
Kirtan

Mantra Meditation with Yoga Breathing

We feel an ever-deepening inner calm and contentment via the straightforward mantra meditation practice. The mind and nervous system are calmed by slowing down the breath and concentrating on the mantra. This helps us feel relaxed and improves our health in many ways – primarily since so many diseases are caused or aggravated by chronic stress.

You can sit or lie down at your convenience during this process. Then you have to focus on your breathing. Gradually your breathing pace will become slower. Then you chant a mantra in your mind with each inhale and exhale.

You can watch this guided mantra mediation video and apply it.

When you do Mantra Meditation with Yoga Breathing, the added awareness of your breath can help keep the mind anchored on the mantra. When you can focus more closely on the mantra, let it enter the core of your being, and chant from your heart, your meditation becomes much more powerful and effective. You begin to experience deep happiness and joy from repeating the mantra sincerely.

Spiritual love exists within the heart of each of us, but it is covered over, much like a diamond is covered with mud and dirt. The mantra meditation process cleanses that dirt and mud off the diamond of spiritual love.
Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa

Mantra Japa Meditation

Japa meditation, also referred to as Japa Yoga, involves the repetitive chanting of a mantra using beads. This practice is employed in various religious traditions. When we chant the names of God, we engage not only our lips, ears, and mind but also our sense of touch through the use of beads.

The effectiveness of the mantra amplifies when we engage multiple senses in its practice. As humans, we naturally have a tendency to touch and feel things. In Japa Yoga, we channel this inclination towards a spiritual endeavour.

During Japa meditation, as you roll your fingers on each bead, you simultaneously chant the sacred mantras or the names of God. It is crucial to maintain attentive focus and listen to each syllable as you chant the mantra.

To commence your japa meditation practice, I invite you to watch this video in which Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa chants the Mahamantra. Prepare your beads, start playing the video, and engage in chanting for a dedicated period of 10 minutes.

Through regular practice of Japa Meditation, you will gradually witness a decrease in cognitive burdens and insecurities. Moreover, you will experience the blossoming of spiritual happiness and inner peace within your heart.

Kirtan

In this era, the easiest and most impactful meditation technique is Kirtan, also known as Congregational Chanting. It is accessible to everyone and offers tremendous benefits.

Kirtan, often referred to as music meditation, combines elements such as playing musical instruments, singing, chanting, and dancing. However, it can be practiced with or without instruments and in various musical styles. Whether you choose to practice alone, in a small group, or in a large gathering, you have the freedom to chant loudly or softly, dance or remain seated. Kirtan typically follows a call and response format, where one person leads the chanting of a mantra, and others join in unison, repeating the mantra in response.

Kirtan is a deep reservoir of all-satisfying waters that allows you to experience inner peace and spiritual happiness. The more you drink from this reservoir, your heart will be filled with spiritual love and comfort.
Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa

You can watch this video where world-renowned yoga spiritual master Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa sheds light on Kirtan or congregational chanting.

The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating

You have the option to employ any of the meditation techniques elucidated in this article. Each of these methods holds equal potential to transport you to the realm of spirituality. Regardless of your age, occupation, or social status—be it a student, parent, businessperson, or retiree—we all require a sanctuary from the demands of modern life, stress, anxiety, loneliness, emptiness, and personal challenges.

Much like how people of diverse backgrounds can appreciate a breathtaking sunset, irrespective of their age, income, or profession, similarly, we can all engage in and derive the benefits of yoga meditation.

From the perspective of yoga, a mantra is the sound incarnation of the Supreme Soul, which has the power to reawaken our spiritual love. By resting our heart and mind in this transcendental sound vibration, we make direct contact with the Supreme Soul.
Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa

Nature, happiness and woman with a raincoat, smile and wellness standing in an outdoor park. Peace, calm.

By incorporating yoga meditation into your life, you can encounter ever-deepening inner peace and joy, gain profound insights, realize your true self-worth, and comprehend the profound and meaningful purpose of your existence.

Mantra meditation stands as the simplest and most sublime approach to revive our dormant connection with the Supreme Lord. Anyone and everyone can attain a state of spontaneous love for God and transform their life into a meditation on God.

Thank you for reading.

This article is inspired by the teachings of world-renowned yoga spiritual master Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa.

Creation of the Material Dimension

All energies emanate from the Supreme Person and everything animate and inanimate is owned and controlled by Him. Three energies compose all that exists within the material and spiritual dimensions. Material scientists refer to two of these energies: matter (the material dimension or the inferior energy of the Lord) and anti-matter (the spiritual dimension or the superior energy of the Lord). The third energy is the eternal living being, referred to as marginal energy, because the living being can exist within the material dimension encased in a material body or in the spiritual dimension in his original eternal form composed completely of spiritual energy.

The building blocks of all gross material objects within the material dimension consist of singular or combinations of five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether or space. Mind, intelligence, and false ego are subtle material elements or energies that also cover the embodied living being. All animate material objects within the material dimension are animated by the eternal living being within.

Other examples of subtle material energies: the illusory energy, desire, attachment, lust, the four material defects (imperfect senses, propensity to cheat, propensity to be illusioned, making mistakes), etc., further cover the living being within the material dimension.

Maha Vishnu and the billions of massive universes coming from His body.

The material dimension of innumerable planets within innumerable universes regularly undergoes creation and then dissolution. At dissolution, the entire energy composing the material dimension is withdrawn within the Supreme Person, to be released when creation again takes place. The entire material dimension is an insignificant emanation of the Lord’s inferior energy and is controlled and destroyed by His energy called kala or time.

The purpose for creation of the material dimension is to allow freedom of choice to the eternal living being to live apart from God outside of His kingdom if he so desires. Each living being within the spiritual dimension experiences full happiness in his relationship with the Supreme Person and in his relationships with all other fellow living beings there. How is it possible that living beings in the perfection of existence could possibly desire something else?

Freedom to love and serve God is not forced upon the living being, nor is that freedom to choose an imperfection. Actual loving service and devotion for the Supreme Lord must be completely free from any doubt or tinge of indecision. If one feels the slightest desire to not serve, then immediately that desire is fulfilled by birth and incarceration in the prison of the material dimension. Now, I can falsely “do what I want.”

It is like a child playing nicely in a group of other kids who then wants to do something else and will disrupt the whole group to try to get his way. So, he leaves to go do his thing, and he realizes it is not so fun without everyone else. The material dimension is set up so that the living being realizes that he has left his actual happiness and then wants to return.

In this material dimension, the envious living being can attempt to be the controller, the owner, the enjoyer, competing with all other beings who want to take God’s position of being the Supreme Enjoyer, the Supreme Controller, the Supreme Protector, the Supreme Lover, the Supreme Master, etc.

The wayward and rebellious living beings have unlimited desires to try to fulfill and must struggle so hard just to maintain the material body, family, friends, occupation, security, and well-being. At the same time, weighed down by karmic reaction, suffering caused by other living beings, natural disturbances, mental dilemmas, and so many other problems, one’s body ages as one faces death on the horizon. Once again, eternal time exacts its toll.

I am an eternal living being who has freely made the sad decision to leave behind all that is good, all that is eternal, all that is fulfilling, and all that is perfect. My rehabilitation takes place in the dimension created for that purpose, the perfectly created illusory, temporary, dark dungeon of material existence with no escape possible until I turn to my Supreme Friend and ask for release.

Within the material dimension, I am covered by ignorance that blocks any recollection of my eternal existence, ignorance that makes me believe I can find happiness here, ignorance that masks the suffering of temporary life in a temporary body, ignorance that I am the cause of all my suffering, ignorance that cheats me from understanding why the material dimension exists, and ignorance that hides all other truth from me. I have amnesia caused by ignorance and I do not even know who I am or why I am here.

I am perpetually trapped within this place of repeated birth and death and may believe I have a “good” life, but death is always lurking, waiting to take it all away. Anxiety shadows me throughout my travels, from the upper planetary systems to the lower, as I rotate on the wheel of birth and death, always interrupting my quest for pleasure and peace.

As I grow weary of repeated failures life after life, if I am fortunate, I come in contact with transcendental sound and knowledge which is the lifeline to pull me from the ocean of material suffering. My intelligence becomes purified, and I realize that I am an eternal person imprisoned in a temporary decaying dimension of time, of birth, disease, old age, and death.

The transcendental process of Sadhana Bhakti becomes my parole from this dark collection of material universes and my complete freedom comes with the perfection of Bhakti Yoga.

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Immunity from Birth & Death

Spiritual emancipation begins with self-realization: Who am I? Why do I exist? What is my purpose? Why am I controlled by forces outside of me? Why do I suffer? Why is my happiness fleeting and temporary? Why do I have to struggle for existence? Why do I face death?

Why do I ignore all these questions or fail to find honest answers?

Death always finds every living being regardless of their social position, level of intelligence, power, wealth, determination, or species. Every event, emotion, relationship, fear, activity…experienced between birth and death is seen and known.

What is seen at death and after? Are there answers that are absolute and unchangeable across time, regardless of changing civilizations, religions, and philosophies?

The sun rises and sets, unchanging and constant.

Absolute knowledge is unchanging and constant, now, a million years in the past, a million years in the future, in every universe and planet, in all circumstances and for every unique living being.

Natural and Spiritual laws can be ignored, defied, and broken, but never defeated as the resulting reactions are invincible and always carried out.

Wars, hurricanes, earthquakes, famine, disease, and all calamities and sufferings are examples of resultant reactions from breaking these infallible laws which govern the material dimension.

The opposite is also true: prosperity, peace, beneficial and regulated climate, abundance, happiness, are examples of resultant reactions of knowing and following the natural and spiritual laws that govern the universe.

Beyond the good and bad results, the pain and pleasure, the birth and death, the order and chaos, the heavenly and hellish conditions, the unrelenting control of cruel time, exists a place completely devoid of all these material conditions of duality and suffering.

The only requirement to enable anyone to come to the platform of perfect understanding is a sincere desire to humbly receive this transcendental knowledge descending from that eternal place where the only law is perfect love.

The human form of life is suitable for inquiring into and understanding the science of Bhakti Yoga which breaks the bonds of material reaction and results in the perfection of existence.

Trapped on the insurmountable wheel of birth and death, no solutions are possible to be found within the speculative minds of all the intellectuals, philosophers, and “religionists”, who for all time have struggled and failed to understand Spiritual Truth as it is.

One who has seen the truth enlightens those sincere living beings who are genuine seekers of truth, releasing them from the temporary illusions of an unending cycle of birth ending in death, and mistakenly called “life”.

Anywhere and everywhere on this planet earth, among individuals, families, cities, states, countries, and societies, regardless of the species, controllers or dominators exert their power. Similarly, universal controllers manage all the forces acting on the planetary systems within the confined universe or prison of birth and death.

Every eternal living being in the material universe is imprisoned in a material cell (the body, mind, and intelligence) and is allowed to move about the prison (the material world), ironically feeling “free”, not realizing that the death sentence has been pronounced and is simply waiting to be carried out. In the penitentiary this same situation places the person on “death row”.

Nobody in their right mind desires to spend their life in prison, yet every living being is trying to enjoy their endless imprisonment in the material world by incessantly attempting to find happiness where no real happiness can be found. Surviving incarceration life after life does not equal true existence.

The solution revealed by those who are enlightened takes root in the heart of the living being when received by aural reception. This pure transmission of transcendental knowledge emanates from one who has themself received it from the pure source.

The conditions of our true and actual existence are eternality, full knowledge, and ever- increasing spiritual happiness resulting from the most intense, satisfying perfection of our loving relationship of service to the most perfectly attractive Supreme Being.

To begin and culminate this journey of uncovering one’s original identity, position, and function, the path of Bhakti Yoga stands supreme. When faithfully and sincerely followed, Bhakti Yoga transports one from enduring the suffering of material life to the world of unending and ever expanding spiritually perfect relationships.

These eternal relationships unfold like the petals of the Lotus flower, blooming with unlimited varieties of intensely pleasurable activities in the mood of servant, friend, parent, or lover with the Supreme Attractive Person.

In stark contrast, the embodied living being tastes disappointment, frustration, anxiety, and anger while trapped in illusory temporary relationships of this world. Each of these relationships, built over a lifetime, generates uncountable attachments which cause immense suffering as the living being is cruelly forced from the useless body at the time of death.

This false position of identifying oneself with a temporary body made of matter reduces the pure and eternal living being to a state of ignorance referred to as “false ego”.

As the sun rises, crosses the sky, and then sets; similarly, the living being enters the body and is born, crosses the expanse of life, and then leaves the body at death.

What then is the body? The body can be understood to be a machine made of matter, energized by the eternal living being and utilized to interact with other embodied living beings in a counterfeit attempt to imitate the activities of the spiritual dimension.

All such attempts end in complete failure because matter and material activities are temporary by nature. The living being is eternal by nature and meant to exist in the eternal spiritual world complete with all varieties of spiritual forms, relationships, and activities.

When inhabiting a material form the living being endeavors to enjoy life. Having forgotten completely his spiritual form and identity, the living being mistakes the machine made of matter (the body) as the most important person in his life (me!)

Very few persons approach the Truth with an honest desire and determination to openly receive the greatest gift of love that can be given: to be raised to the transcendental platform of eternality, complete knowledge, and perfect unending ever-expanding love and happiness in our uniquely perfect relationship with the Perfect Supreme Person. This is the true goal of life, achieved through the process of Bhakti Yoga.

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Sahadeva das is an initiated disciple of Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa who comes in a long line of bona fide yoga spiritual masters. Sahadeva das considers it his great fortune in life to have heard and learned from a self-realized soul and is humbly attempting to pass on what he has received. 

Ascending & Descending Path to Perfection

Many have struggled to ascend Mt. Everest, some have succeeded, and some have failed. They all have a strong drive to conquer Mt. Everest and some live and some die in the attempt. Training, climbing techniques, physical conditioning, desire and determination, proper equipment, are all factors of a successful ascent of the mountain peak. What are the unknown factors beyond anyone’s control which ultimately decide the climber’s fate?

Throughout the ages, man has endeavored to reach the summit of spiritual perfection in one of two methods: by the ascending or the descending process for attaining spiritual truth.

The ascending process relies on a self-centered approach that I can, and I will conquer the mountain of supreme knowledge and truth by my personal prowess. This effort mimics the climber of Mt. Everest.

The descending process is one of surrender and dependence on receiving all that I need by the mercy of God.

Ultimately, both are subject to the will of the Supreme Person. The expert climber may be defeated by bad weather, equipment failures, avalanches, sickness, etc., all of which are beyond his control and proof that there is a higher power than himself.

The highest spiritual perfection one can achieve through the ascending process is to approach the impersonal brahman. Actual entrance into the brahmajyoti requires the permission of the Supreme Lord. The success achieved by the ascending process is the lowest level of spiritual realization and is shunned by the spiritualists who desire to attain complete and perfect realization of the Supreme Person.

For eons, spiritual seekers have spent lifetimes failing to climb their way into the spiritual dimension by their own efforts. Not understanding that the Supreme Absolute is a person, they try to force themselves into his presence. God is the Supreme Person who alone decides to allow the living being to approach Him or to keep him away.

Giving up all arrogance, pride, and faith in one’s own abilities, the sincere seeker of truth, can, in full humility, approach the Supreme Lord for His help. Receiving his transcendental mercy in the form of transcendental sound, scripture, saintly persons, and the lord in the heart, one can achieve perfection by receiving God’s help descending from the spiritual dimension.

The descending process, therefore, depends on me giving up all my efforts to figure things out and to simply receive perfect guidance, knowledge, and assistance from the Supreme Friend who desires my return to the spiritual world.

Bhakti yoga is the perfect linking process to the Supreme Lord and the perfection of the descending process to achieve the goal of life. There are no material requirements to achieve the pinnacle of perfection. I only need to sincerely approach God and ask for His help, and He will respond.

Whatever understanding I have of God is sufficient for me to approach Him through sincere communication of any type, silently within my mind, out loud, by writing, etc. He is present everywhere and in my heart. He always knows my thoughts, desires, secrets, and is the witness of all my activities.

He is my best friend and eternal well-wisher Who arranges my life, and places opportunities before me, to progress on the path of self-realization and God-realization according to my sincerity and determination.

If my efforts for self-realization and God-realization fall under the category of the ascending process, then I am simply in the illusion that I am powerful enough to approach God and come into His presence. This attitude is simply material arrogance and blocks my entrance into the spiritual dimension.

The living being who cultivates spiritual humility by the purifying process of Bhakti Yoga, will realize that he is completely powerless to approach the Absolute Truth on his own. In this consciousness one can then receive spiritual knowledge, understanding, and remembrance to develop attraction and then love for God. God alone decides, if and when, to fully reveal Himself to the sincere and humble seeker.

This is the descending spiritual process which is a process of surrender to the Supreme Person and the reception of His mercy, grace, and love.

By this descending process only, I return to my original position as the loving eternal associate of the Supreme Person.

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Freedom from Birth & Death

The birth of a child is a celebration, a welcoming of a newcomer into a family. But with every birth must come death. We all know this to be true, although we prefer not to think about it. However, we may not be aware that every death is followed by a birth. The Bhagavad-Gita describes this truth:

For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:27

Who is the one, referred to here, whose birth and death is certain? The answer is the living being, or spirit soul. The soul itself does not actually die, so the birth and death being described are only the birth and death of the body.

For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying, and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:20 

Even though I experience the birth and death of the body I am in, I never die, and I am never born. I am the living being within the body. My body is born, but I existed before that birth. In fact, there has never been a time when I did not exist. I came into the body at conception, and I will leave it at death. I am eternal and always a person, whether or not I am in a material body.

As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:22

This cycle of repeated birth, death and reincarnation, is recognized in many traditions and is understood as being a painful experience, not something to celebrate.

The soul changes bodies as a person changes garments.

Can I become free from the cycle of birth and death? According to Vedic literature, this is not only possible but is the goal of human life. Indeed, it is only while I am in a human body that I can inquire into these subjects and can learn how to end the cycle of birth and death.

What happens when I am freed from having to accept and give up material bodies? Some people think that if I don’t have a material body, then I must be some kind of formless spirit. Their idea is that there is no form, variety, or activity in the spiritual world. But, according to the Vedas, this is not the case.

The spiritual world is not void, and I have an eternal spiritual form, even though I am currently unaware of it. I am meant to live in the spiritual world experiencing spiritual activities, spiritual happiness, spiritual emotions, and spiritual relationships.

There is a practice called Bhakti Yoga which is the most effective and efficient means of ending the cycle of birth and death. The Vedas are full of histories of people who became self-realized and free from birth and death by following the path of Bhakti Yoga.

That is the way of the spiritual and godly life, after attaining which a man is not bewildered. Being so situated, even at the hour of death, one can enter into the kingdom of God.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:72

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Are You Prepared for Death? 

Picture this. You have not been feeling well for the past month, and you decide to go for a check-up. Your doctor tells you that you have a fast-moving fatal blood cancer, and you only have a month to live. How would you feel? Would you be in shock or denial, or angry? At any time, any one of us could get bad news from a doctor, telling us that we have only a short time to live. 

Most likely your mind would be racing as you’re overcome with fear and grief, for yourself, for your family, and for everything you stand to lose. “Why me?” you might ask. “This cannot be happening.” Panic and lamentation would set in as you lose all composure and realize, “I am not prepared for death.” 

Do any of us know what happens after death or how to prepare for the inevitable end that awaits us? 

For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:20

Nowhere else will you find such a clear explanation of death as in the yoga scripture, the Bhagavad Gita. While death is a reality, we will all face, we are not taught what it actually is and how to prepare for it. However, with proper knowledge and preparation, we can avoid the pain, suffering, and fear that usually accompanies the moment of death. 

As the embodied soul continually passes in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.  
Bhagavad-Gita 2:13

When the body is no longer able to function, due to an accident, disease, old age, or some other factor, the embodied soul must leave. Those who see a dead body and grieve the death of the person they loved are misidentifying the dead body as the person who has left. But the person they loved is an eternal being and can never die. They continue to exist after they leave the body. 

The person leaving the body also suffers greatly due to the illusion that they are dying. But it is only their body that is dying. If we identify our body as ourselves, and we do not know that we are an eternal living being, death is a very fearful experience. 

As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:22 

In order to leave the body without grief and fear, we must become self-realized. And what is self-realization? It is understanding that we are an eternal living being, a spark of God, a child of God, away from our spiritual home, and temporarily within a material body. The body is not our true identity. 

It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable, immutable, and unchangeable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:25 

We are destined for rebirth in another material body unless we learn how to break free from the cycle of repeated birth and death. Liberation from this cycle is possible when we realize we are eternally connected to the Supreme Soul, in a loving relationship with Him. 

If you were told that in one week you will have to leave everything behind and move to a foreign country, with no chance of return, would you prepare? 

Moment by moment, the lifespan of your body is being reduced. Your body is going to die. Are you prepared to leave and to face what comes next? According to the yoga teachings, this life is meant for self-realization and for ending the cycle of birth and death. The practice of bhakti yoga offers a direct and practical path to self-realization – a path that is available to everyone. 

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Law Of Karma

Karma refers to action. I am always engaging in some form of mental or physical action under the rules of the law of karma:

What influences me to act?
What are the unseen results of my actions?

I always prefer and desire good results, but do I achieve them? Do I always make the right decision and act in such a way to achieve my desired goal? Do I fail and suffer even when I try so hard not to? Have I ever experienced unexpected happiness or good fortune or success which I could not see coming or explain?

I was thrown into the material world and placed within a material body when envy caused my eternal existence to be forgotten, covered by ignorance. Because of enviousness of God, I desire to become a controller and the material world is my destiny for acting out this fantasy. Each decision I make, each action I take, prolongs my stay in the illusory material dimension within a body made of matter.

Each body I am placed into is the result of my karma or actions in previous lives. This body is a reaction or result of my accumulated karma (actions). Those actions include creating attachments and desires which form my consciousness. If I act like an animal, I receive an animal body. If I use my body in higher pursuits, I may receive another human form or perhaps a demigod body in a higher planet.

Reincarnation is the result of karma, my actions determine my consciousness, and my consciousness determines the species I am born into.

Each and every action (karma) that I engage in, results in a good or bad reaction in my future life (karmic reaction). I am the cause of all things good or bad that I experience in my life. I have utilized my body and senses, including my mind, to initiate and carry out action. All responsibility for what happens to me is mine alone, it is not God’s fault. My actions destine my life.

I cannot claim that God has decided to make me suffer or enjoy. God is impartial and destines my actions, caused by my desires, and the results of those actions. He is simply the witness and facilitator of every action I take and the resulting reaction.

To obtain fulfillment of my desires, I must act. To act within the material world, the laws of material nature and the illusory energy of the Supreme Controller are employed to create the situation in which I can act to fulfill my desires in conjunction with the desires of all other conditioned living beings. My current action may be the reaction to a previous life’s action or the result of a new desire I created.

By using my mind’s actions of thinking, feeling, and willing, I create a vast network of desires which are fulfilled by the permission and will of the Supreme Controller who sanctions all the actions necessary to attain the goals of those desires.

The attainment of my mind’s desires involves sinful and pious activities which yield future pain or pleasure. In other words, whatever I do forces me to accept future pain or pleasure as a result. The action is called karma and the future result is karmic reaction. I have no control over karmic reactions which I am forced to suffer or enjoy. I have no desire to suffer, and yet, I suffer in so many different ways. I may desire to be wealthy, beautiful, or famous, but I am not.

The law of karma is perfect, exact, and just, administered by the infallible energy of the Supreme Lord.

Karmic reaction forms the web of material life, trapping and controlling me eternally, as I transmigrate from body to body. This cycle of birth and death continues without end and cannot be broken or defeated by material means. All materially motivated actions and reaction ends in suffering within the material dimension.

I believe I am free and independent even though I am forced to accept pain and pleasure, forced to accept birth and death, forced to be punished and rewarded by the law of karma.

The law of karma is the law of material action and the subsequent reaction within the material dimension and forces me to journey throughout the universe, turning on the infinite wheel of birth and death. There is no possibility that I can stop this wheel of samskara on my own.

The path of Bhakti-yoga pardons me from the law of karma and relieves me from all the different forces completely shackling me within the material world of duality. Bhakti -yoga is the pinnacle of yoga processes and directly links me with the spiritual, transcendental world.

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What Is a Conditioned Living Being?

All bodies of all living species within the universe have life due to the eternal living being present within that particular body. From the controlling administrators of the universe down to the smallest germ, all are eternal living beings trapped within that material body.

Life after life, the false ego, the modes of material nature, and the control of the illusory energy or Maya, relentlessly condition the living being. This conditioning forces one to accept the material body as himself. I forget my true identity as an eternal person, while temporarily incarcerated within a material body, within a material universe. 

Consider this situation. I am an eternal person from the eternal spiritual world, full of knowledge and happiness. Transgressing the singular law of spiritual love due to envy, I have been thrown into the material universe with absolute amnesia of my eternal identity and life.

I am now covered with the conditioning or ignorance that whatever body I am forced to enter I fully accept as “myself.” My underlying desire or motivation is to be lord and controller. I have been placed in the material universe to imitate the Supreme Lord and Controller who I have turned my back on.

From this point, being completely illusioned and under the control of ignorance, I accept body after body, life after life. Driven by my conditioned consciousness, I am struggling for existence and the pursuit of happiness in a place where invincible laws and energies have been enacted to perpetually defeat me.

Endlessly searching for this illusory happiness within the world of matter, I am cheated because I can only be satisfied by spiritual happiness which exists outside of the material universe. Material energy or the material world is masquerading as my original spiritual home.

I am an eternal spiritual person with a spiritual body and a spiritual home complete with loving spiritual relationships. I do not need a fake material body, fake material relationships, fake material enjoyments, and the fake carnival of material existence.

Everyone is simply being lied to and cheated, and in turn, lying to and cheating others.

If I accept a lie as the truth, not realizing it is a lie, then I have no problem passing that lie onto others. All cultures and societies within the material universe accept the underlying lie “I am this material body.” 

Covered and impelled in all activities by this untruth, the embodied living being wanders throughout the material universe from body to body, planet to planet. There was a song that defines this fruitless wandering: “I still haven’t found what I am looking for,” and another “I can’t get no satisfaction.”

“I am this material body” is the first lie covering the living being’s awareness or consciousness as he descends into the material universe. This lie is referred to as false ego and makes it possible for the living being to repeatedly cycle through the wheel of birth and death because material life seems to be the purpose of existence. It most definitely is not. 

In the condition of being dominated by false ego, the living being is also manipulated and controlled by the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord known as Maya.

Each conditioned living being is further handicapped by four defects: I make mistakes. I am illusioned. I have imperfect senses. I have a tendency to cheat. 

I am also forced to accept suffering caused by other living beings, my own mind and body, and natural disturbances and disasters. 

The path of destruction of the conditioned soul’s intelligence due to dictation of the senses and mind is portrayed.
[Image Credit: Asitis.com]

Maya presents endless, irresistible, alluring, material attachments, and seductive plans for enjoyment that promise fulfillment, satisfaction, and happiness. Attracted, attached, and bewildered, the living being is again and again betrayed and ends up lonely, frustrated, angry, and helpless against this onslaught of Maya. 

After countless lifetimes cheated by Maya, the fortunate living being will begin to question why happiness is so elusive and suffering so pervasive, and then will seek help. If he is most fortunate, he will be led to the truth which begins with the realization that I am not this material mind or body.

Dissolving the conditioning of millions of lifetimes of false ego, material habits, attachments, and the abusive illusion from Maya is only possible by sincerely embracing and following the transcendentally purifying path of Bhakti Yoga. 

On this path, I receive the mercy and the unconditional love of the Supreme Lord as soon as I open my heart to Him. The control of Maya is gradually withdrawn as I surrender to and follow the instructions of the Lord and I taste spiritual love which I have always been craving and searching for. 

Further progress dissolves the false ego and I become immune to and free from all material conditioning. Ultimately, I am given the realization of my original identity and form and am reinstated to the perfection of my eternal position of loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord. 

I have returned to the spiritual world, and whether or not I am still temporarily within a physical body, I will never again be covered by false ego and be forced to assume another material body. 

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