“Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not more important than they?“
From Animal Consciousness to Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
God realization is not possible for animals or for persons who are almost animals, or for animals in the shape of human beings. Contemporary civilization is by in large an assembly of animals because, as stated before, it operates on the basis of the animal propensities. The birds and beasts arise early in the morning and busy themselves trying to find food and sex and trying to defend themselves; at night they look for shelter, and in the morning they fly to a tree to find nuts and fruits. Similarly, in New York City, great hordes of people travel from one island to another by ferry boat or wait for subways in order to go to the office for the purpose of finding food. How is this an advancement over animal life? Although the ferry and subway are always crowded, and many people have to travel forty or fifty miles for bread, the birds are free to fly from one tree to another. (More…)
They are simply, I mean to say, engrossed with animal propensities—eating, sleeping, mating, and defending—as if these are the problems. These are no problems. We have created these problems. Eating is no problem. The animals, they do not endeavor for doing some work for eating. Eating is already there. The birds, beasts are eating. Similarly, human body, eating is there.
For example, we are, these forty heads, we are traveling. So eating is already there. Before our coming, our Padubhai (?) has arranged for our eating. So why should we think for eating? So, but actually that is the fact. There is no problem of eating. They have created this problem. God has given enough food. In America they throw away foodstuff in the ocean. You see. This is nonsense. Because they have no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they do not know that these food grains belong to Kṛṣṇa. He has sent. So instead of throwing in the ocean, it should be dispatched to the countries where there is scarcity. There cannot be any scarcity. Pūrṇam idam [Īśopaniṣad, Invocation]. Everything created by God is sufficiently pūrṇam. Pūrṇāt pūrṇam. It is… There is arrangement of raining; there is arrangement of producing. We simply, so-called rascals, so-called politicians, they have created all this trouble for their political ambition. Just like our politicians created the Pakistan and Hindustan. So all the foodstuff is there in Pakistan. Rice is in East Bengal and wheat is in East Pakistan. So this Hindustan is in shortage, in short of wheat and rice. So this is the creation of the politicians. By God’s arrangement everything is complete. Therefore you have to change the whole consciousness of the people if you want to be happy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (More…)
Real civilization is not concerned simply with man’s animal needs but with enabling man to understand his relationship with God, the supreme father. One may learn about his relationship with God by any process-through Christianity, through the Vedic literatures or through the Koran—but in any case it must be learned. The purpose of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not to make Christians into Hindus or Hindus into Christians but to inform everyone that the duty of a human being is to understand his relationship with God. One must learn this, otherwise he is simply wasting his time by engaging in animalistic propensities. We must all try to love Kṛṣṇa or God. If one has a process, he should practice it, or he can come and learn this process. One should not begrudge the selection of one process over another. Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam/ nīcād apy uttamāṁ vidyāṁ strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api (Nīti-darpaṇa 1.16). Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that one must catch what is right from any source. If there is a glass of poison with some nectar in it, he says, one should take out the nectar and leave the poison. In the same way, if one finds gold in a filthy place, he should take it. similarly, although according to the Vedic system of education one must be given instruction by intellectual persons like brāhmaṇas, if someone lower on the social scale has learned the truth, one should accept him as a teacher and learn from him. One should not think that just because one is lowly born he should not be accepted as a teacher. (More…)
In the execution of material dharma, or religion performed for material gain, people generally go to a church or a temple and pray, “God, give us our daily bread.” Actually, this need not be asked for, for bread is already provided for everyone. Even the birds and beasts get their bread without having to go to church to ask God for it. Similarly, our bread is also provided, whether we go to church or not. That is not a problem, for no one is dying in the streets of starvation, nor do we find a bird, beast, or even an ant dying of starvation. Food is there, and one need not bother about it. If the brain should he taxed, it should be taxed for Kṛṣṇa or God. This is the proper utilization of time. There is no scarcity of bread in the Kingdom of God. (More…)
One should try to attain that which cannot be attained by traveling all over the universe. What is that? Pure devotion for the Lord.
The Value Of One
Matthew 10:26 “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
Matthew 10:29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
“I know all things and I see all things, Child. I know your life from the beginning to the end and everything in between. I created you for My honor and glory; to be a representation of Me in the earth in your lifetime. You are Mine. Do not worry about the future, but place your trust in Me for I am your future. I am the Beginning and the End of all things. Life in Me is what brings contentment into your life. Life apart from Me is void and empty.”
“Look unto Me and I will show you great and mighty things. But trust Me in knowing those things; that I know what is best for all of My children. Trust Me with those that you love that I will do what is best for them. I have their best interests at heart. Do not fear that I will not care for them. Do I not care for all of My creation? I care for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. Are not My children of more value than them? I will care for My own, Child. Do not worry that I will not be a good parent. Do not fear for their future. I am in control and I will do what’s best for them. Place them now into My hands and rest in peace knowing that I am watching over them.”
Father, I thank You for setting my heart at peace this morning. You know my heart and You see everything within it. Thank You for being My Father and for assuring Me that You will care for my loved ones. I place my brother into Your hands today as he undergoes surgery. You know what is best for Him and I trust you to care for him. I pray, Father, for those who may be anxious this morning for their loved ones. I ask You to give them peace in their hearts in knowing that You are caring for the ones that they love as well. Help us to rest in You, Father. As we cast our cares on You, Lord, give us the peace that passes all understanding. Thank You, Father, for Your love for each one of us. And thank You for loving us and bringing salvation into our lives that we might have our life in You.
ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno hy asvatantra iva dvija
sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ
“The devotees are always in My heart, and I am always in the heart of the devotees.
The devotee does not know anything beyond Me, and I also cannot forget the devotee.
There is a very intimate relationship between Me and the pure devotees.
Pure devotees in full knowledge are never out of spiritual touch,
and therefore they are very much dear to Me.” (SB 9.4.57)
Speak Your Mind