Home Comfort

Part Three

Normally, in this world we are men of action, men who exploit the environment and nature in order to gather energy. There is always an attempt to collect more and more energy to use at our command and to save something so it may be utilised in the time of necessity. In general, that is the very nature of those who live here. And if any hindrance comes in that attempt, it is considered that those circumstances are very bad because they oppose the object of life here, which is to collect more energy. However, to remind us about the importance of the inner wealth, we are advised that the outer nature cannot do as much harm to us as our internal nature can do in its apathy to collect more wealth for the inner existence, the man within. We are to be mindful of this point: what comes from outside is not so important, it all comes and goes. Even the body, which is at present the centre of our thoughts, will vanish; therefore, what is the necessity of collecting so much energy in connection with this body? Awaken from within your soul the proper man within you. Try to find him, and try to collect help for him. This campaign is possible only with the connection of the sadhu, the saint.

We shall be losers on any day when we do not meet with a saint and do not hear any discussion about the inner meaning and substance of life. Be conscious of this. In all respects, anyhow, be mindful of your own person. Look after your own interest by finding your own self. Be unmindful towards the external world and circumstances and dive deep into the reality, your inner wealth. Find your inner self and the inner world within where your inner self lives. Try to find that home. Back to God, back to home. Utilise your energy only for going home, and not for wandering in the land of others, the land of death. Try to avoid the land of death at any cost, and always try to find out the eternal soil. You are to find out that you are a member of that soil. Try to understand what is your home, and why that is your home. What does home comfort mean? It means it is the natural place which is our birthright. We have to face the fact that we are not at home. But if there is some hankering within us to search for home, then we are fortunate.

Our necessity is to find how that inner thirst can be quenched. Our feeling should be, “The world is here and I am here, but I am unsatisfied. How can my inner self be satisfied?” We are in want, so by what process can this want be removed? At present we have this fleshy body, but to know anything and everything about the body—about the bones, nervous system, blood, etc.—is all unnecessary. To know about the composition of the blood, etc. is just unnecessary detail. Our enquiry should be regulated in this way, “Who am I, and why am I troubled? I do not know how to rid myself of these problems.” This is the general question we are to be concerned with. “Athato brahma-jijnasa. From where have I come? How am I living, and what is my future?” These are the main questions that should concern us, and we must concentrate the whole of our energy to find the solution. This does not only apply to just one person—myself—but this is the concern of all creation.

To seek the source of everything is the nature of proper enquiry, but to enquire after this and that and so many hundreds of things is simply a waste of energy. The sastric (scriptural) enquiry has been couched in such a way, “From where have I come? What sustains me? What is my future? Why am I uneasy, and how can I acquire my inner fulfilment?” All enquiry should follow this standard way, otherwise there is some disease of enquiry—it won’t be proper enquiry because more and more curiosity may arise without end. We must learn how to question, how to enquire, and in that way our energy will have some value without being wasted.

Enquiry is bona fide when it is directed towards how to fulfil the real goal. So, we are to save our energy and direct it in the proper channel. This is Kali-yuga—the age of quarrel—and our real and only helpful necessity in life is the company of the established saints and the Holy Name of Krishna (sadhu-sange krsna-nama). Otherwise, deviating from that, we may be misguided at any and every step.

sadhu-sange krsna-nama ei matra chai
samsara jinite ara kona vastu nai

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gave this as the substance of all advice. There is nothing more useful than this to help us get out of undesirability. He says that to chant Krsna-nama without the association of sadhus means that it will be very difficult for us to proceed. Therefore, in one word, the solution is in sadhu-sanga. We are to secure the company of a standard realised soul, then everything will fall into place, and the king of sadhus is the guru. Gurudev is the king of good men who can give guidance. For one to be a guru, one must be able to guide others satisfactorily, otherwise whom can we believe and trust to our utmost understanding, and to whom can we fully submit and surrender? The guru is where our enquiry will be fulfilled to its utmost necessity. From him higher direction will come from above, from a more and more elevated spheres of love. We are to connect with that high and subtlemost wave, then we will be more benefitted. This is the general idea.

On the whole, we are to try to always remain at the disposal of the higher agency, at the disposal of the higher thinkers of higher provinces. In that way we shall come in connection with higher and most subtle layers of life. There are different waves of different types and interests, of different loss and gain, but our aim should be to connect with the highest.

We are to see that the charm of this life is finished. We have already had good experience that this is all stale. After all, wherever there are the four enemies janma, mrtyu, jara, vyadhi—birth, death, old age, and disease—there cannot be any real happiness. Wherever there is death, there cannot be any happiness. In such a plane we are always under the threat of death, so there is no charm. All charm is completely finished. Therefore, we must enquire with eagerness as to where we shall be able to live. We must select a higher plane where we can really live.

yad gatva na nivartante,
tad dhama paramam mama

(Bhagavad-gita, 15.6)

Krishna says in Srimad Bhagavad-gita, “The place from which there is no returning to this deathly plane is My supreme abode.”

abrahma-bhuvanal lokah,
punar avartino ’rjjuna
mam upetya tu kaunteya,
punar janma na vidyate

(Bhagavad-gita, 8.16)

He instructs Arjuna, “A permanent position is only possible in My plane.” All occupations in this plane, even that of a king, are all just as in a dream. So, if you want to get out of this dreaming life and enter into reality, then raise yourself to the standard of finding the plane of reality, however subtle it may be, for that cannot be devoured by death. Collect your energy to build up something permanent. At present you are investing your energy in something that is going to be demolished at the next moment—this is a foolish attempt.

uddhared atmanatmanam,
natmanam avasadayet
atmaiva hy atmano bandhur,
atmaiva ripur atmanah

(Bhagavad-gita, 6.5)

“Note that you are your own friend, and you are your own enemy also. You are your own enemy if you don’t take good care of your own development for your real progress, but you can also be your own friend—none can give you as much help as you, yourself, can do.”

bandhur atmatmanas tasya,
yenaivatmatmana jitah

(Bhagavad-gita, 6.6)

“If at all you can have any self-control, then collect your energy from going astray and direct it to the proper channel where you can really thrive—then you will be your real friend. However, if you allow yourself to be led by various senses of lower nature, which are always trying to move in the land of exploitation, reaction, and suffering, then you are your own enemy. Consider all these things.”

vimrsyaitad asesena,
yathechchhasi tatha kuru

(Bhagavad-gita, 18.63)

“Consider and consider deeply, then take the right step as to what to do.” The human life is very valuable. You have the power of discrimination, but you will be denied of it if, compelled by the reactionary wave, you have to go into the body of a tree, a beast, or wherever. Can you say for certain that in your next life you will not be degraded into an animal body? What guarantee is there that you won’t be?

It is not that all actions and all progress takes place only in the realm of death—progress is not limited to darkness and ignorance. But if you really participate in positive progress, you will be able to feel what real progress is. Hrdayenabhyanujnato—you will feel and conceive the progress with your inner approval, your heart’s approval. It is not that some bogus hope has been given and you will be taken into a foreign land to be murdered, tortured, mistreated, etc. There is no question of that.

bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir
anyatra chaisa trika eka-kalah
prapadyamanasya yathasnatah syus
tustih pustih ksud-apayo ’nu-ghasam

(Bhagavatam, 11.2.42)

This famous sloka of Srimad Bhagavatam explains that when you eat something, your belly will give witness. It will say, “Yes I am eating.” Hunger will be satisfied, the body will be nourished, and there will be fulfilment of having been fed. The body will be nourished and gain strength, and, along with all this, there will be your own inner approval of having eaten. Furthermore, there will be no longer any feeling of necessity to eat more and more. Similarly, in spiritual life, so many symptoms will come to give proof of your progress.

We have a human body now, and this is the most valuable time for us, but it is being lost due to its misapplication. Our most valuable energy is being lost through misappropriation. Uttisthatah jagratah prapyo varan nibodhatah. So, awake, arise, and engage yourself—do it not only for yourself but also approach others to engage in this campaign, and that, in turn, will give you further help in a particular way. The main thing is that under the guidance of a higher agent we should engage ourselves in devotional activities and have a busy programme so there may not be any spare time to go on with any trifling mundane matters. Such a busy programme in the association of devotees will be very helpful for us.

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CONTENTS

Foreword

(1) Part One

(2) Part Two

(3) Part Three

(4) Part Four

(5) Part Five: Sri Guru and His Grace

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