S.B. Keshava Swami's Blog: Tattva | S.B. Keshava Swami, page 3

Rama, Ayodhya and “just another temple?”

“Another temple?” someone resignedly said to me recently, referring to the historic and much-awaited opening of the Rama Temple in Ayodhya. They felt there were other, more pressing concerns that should be prioritized above a multibillion-dollar religious edifice. They may not be alone in that opinion since India is home to nearly 700,000 temples already. His query, unceremonious as it may sound, does deserve some thought and enlightened response. 

Lord Rama, the ancient Vedic canon tells us, is maryada-purusottama – “the Supreme Person who is exemplary in every way.” We all need role models, inspirations and guiding lights in our life, and who can provide that better than God Himself? In the Ramayana’s beautiful passages of prose and poetry, we hear of Rama as the saintly son, the ideal husband and the righteous ruler. Divinity appears in the world to remind us that the content of our character and the depth of our devotion is what really defines the quality of our life. It was Einstein who said, “everything that can be counted doesn’t always count, and that which can’t be counted often counts for more.”

The temple in Ayodhya stands as a beacon and reminder of the most treasured values underpinning human existence: selflessness, tolerance, sacrifice, determination, truthfulness and humility to name but a few. When we live and breathe these values, our lives and the world around us, become beautiful in all ways. Through charming stories and wisdom-filled dialogues, the Ramayana teaches us how to manage conflict, forge deeper relationships, lead with integrity, sacrifice when necessary, and incorporate spiritual sensitivity in all acts and words. In any civilized society, along with social, economic and political development, a side-by-side proliferation of spiritual wisdom is indispensable. Otherwise, as Martin Luther King highlighted, we end with “guided missiles, and misguided men.” 

The temple is known as mandir – “a place where the mind becomes steady.” That speaks volumes to a world in which mental health problems, indiscriminate violence, territorial clashes and relationship breakdowns ever-increasingly spiral out of control. Temples, and the worshippers who attend them, are charged with the responsibility to be part of the solution. The purification of consciousness, awakening of devotion and experience of Divine connection should empower genuine temple-goers to re-enter the world as transformed individuals and agents of positive change. Science makes things better, but spirituality should make people better. 

Ironically, religions are often accused of being the instigators behind the problems they’re apparently meant to solve. Many people now regard religion, and the structures that surround them, to be irrelevant, unhelpful and even harmful in tangibly improving our existence. The temple in Ayodhya stands to change that opinion. It’s an opportunity to showcase how temples are not simply places of religious ritual, but centers of spiritual education and character transformation. The microcosm of Ayodhya and its grand new temple, has the potential to have a global impact in uplifting the collective consciousness of the world, ushering in greater unity, humanity and connectivity. 

Any sacred space where people congregate to genuinely connect with Divinity, whether a temple, mosque, church, synagogue, gurudwara, or the like, should be honored as a landmark of success. Some see the temple opening as a political victory and others as an emblem of national pride. Some see Lord Rama’s temple as an economic God-send, and others as an architectural breakthrough. Beyond all such considerations, let us remember that the most significant celebration is that Lord Rama’s temple in Ayodhya has the potential to breathe genuine spirituality back into a world which is suffocating from rampant materialism.

 

Flowing through Life

I remember having a dot-to-dot drawing book as a kid. It was kind of exciting to see all these seemingly haphazard dots eventually join up to produce a masterpiece…or at least something coherent. Nowadays I’ve grown out of that, but it feels like my life is a living dot-to-dot drawing book! When I come to Vrindavana new dots of opportunity seem to pop-up on the canvas of life, and often I’m not quite sure how they fit into the bigger picture. How do we know when something is a genuine call to adventure? Do we ignore these dots of opportunity, or trust that they are ushering us into something bigger and better? Where do we find the clarity and conviction to make hard decisions?

Experience tells us that ‘higher callings’ carry some classic signs. When dots of opportunity appear out of their own will without being forced or manufactured then we may want to pay more attention. Often, a genuine call to adventure will repeatedly make itself known in a variety of ways and sometimes via unexpected channels. When those unique and puzzling opportunities surface, trusted guides who are ready to tell you whatever is required will help you frame them. Then, you just have to sit with the calling, not prematurely judging, accepting or rejecting. Give it time without forcing an answer. Sure enough, things begin to settle in the consciousness one way or the other. Most important is the detached and fearless mindset. In that state, a sincere prayer to the Divine goes a long way in sealing the deal. 

In some circles “going with the flow” is looked down upon. That worldview tells us to take charge of our life and make things happen, not allowing external forces to dictate our destiny. Not wrong, yet there is a higher dimensional flow of providence that we have the opportunity to synchronise with, carrying us to unknown spaces beyond our imagination. Today I sat by the Yamuna River and made a prayer to enter that Divine flow state. Vrindavana is known as “Vraja,” which literally means “to move.” Those who embody the spirit of Vrindavana are the most dynamic souls in creation, fearless, flexible and fully available in response to the Divine call. The Yamuna reminded me that we should flow like water, effortlessly, gracefully and resolutely moving past everything towards the highest aspiration. This is how spiritual people live. They’re not just going through life, they’re flowing through life, confident that a benevolent hand is orchestrating a Divine flow to speed up the progress towards perfection.

Divine Interactions

Question: What was your first profound experience in spirituality?

It’s hard to convey a profound experience because that’s a very internal thing. I will, however, share some anecdotes on my spiritual journey that really stood out for me.

The first time I read the Bhagavad-gita was profound, but not for the reasons you may imagine. I opened the book in great anticipation that many mysteries would now unfold before my eyes. After a few pages of reading, however, I closed the book because practically everything was incomprehensible to me. Interestingly, I was still super inspired because something within me had grasped the fact that I had contacted profound wisdom, but it would only be accessible through the help of established teachers. The knowledge and words seemed to be touching another part of my existence beyond the mind and intellect. It was the first time I had read something and been inspired without even understanding it!

Another profound experience was the first time I danced while chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. I tend to be quite introverted, reserved, shy and generally very quiet. In kirtan (congregational chanting) I usually stayed in the back, observed others, keeping a distance from the dancing, which to me was out of my comfort zone. In one particular event, however, I remember how I almost instantaneously lost that inhibition and started dancing. That was profound because nothing in my life had previously impelled me to ‘go beyond my mind’ in that way and transcend my self-consciousness. I knew this was something powerful.

Japa, mantra meditation on beads, has also been very uplifting for me. Though I won’t testify to divine encounters and mystical visions of God, there have been numerous times in chanting when I felt completely in the moment – a sense of absolute liberation from the past or future. For something so seemingly simple to capture my mind and lock me into the moment so profoundly, amazed and astounded me.

Another beautiful experience in my life was going to Vrindavana, the sacred village where Krishna was present generations ago. It’s said that when we visit such places, we are actually returning to our eternal home, the place where we feel most natural and comfortable. In Vrindavana, I found myself most happy in a ‘normal way!’ Usually, happiness comes from an achievement, a unique experience, an unexpected fortune or a break from the norm. In Vrindavana, however, I felt a different type of happiness which was based on complete simplicity and spiritual connection, such that external conditions seemed inconsequential.

Like this, over the years, there have been numerous other experiences. I’m not claiming them all to be deeply spiritual in nature, but definitely indicators for me of a different reality. Krishna Consciousness is like an ocean and once you dive in, you start encountering more and more. You remain an eternal student, waiting for the next revelation of Divinity.

Excerpt from “Tattva2: Old Words Open New Worlds”, available on: books.keshavaswami.com/tattva2

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Head and Heart

There's two ways you can get blinded. Firstly, when there's no light at all and secondly when there is too much light! Have you ever tried looking into the sun? Everything ends up blurry! There is something to learn from this. If you don't have any wisdom in your life you are blinded, but if you have an overload of information without contextualising, digesting and applying, you may remain blinded. If you don't embed that information in a deep space within your consciousness, you can actually drown in it.

That's exactly why I emphasise ‘wisdom that breathes’ – we are not here just to be repositories of information, where we memorise lots of facts and figures and stories, accounts and passages of scripture. We have to deeply absorb that wisdom, observe it playing out around us, apply it in our lives and the way we function. We have to let that wisdom touch our heart and transform our consciousness. We have to see Divinity speaking to us through that wisdom.

When we interact with wisdom in that way then we’ll never be overloaded and it will always feel nourishing to the heart. The purpose of studying this deep wisdom is not to know God, but rather to love God. We are not in the business of trying to know the entirety of Divinity, but we're in the business of trying to become captured in heart, mind and soul in a beautiful relationship with Divinity. Wisdom must be couched within a very reflective, sincere spiritual heart that tries to bring it alive. Otherwise, it can just feel very intellectual and dry and make you proud and insensitive. Knowledge can be misused and misapplied.

Our monastery is known as Bhaktivedanta Manor. When new people come, I ask them: “are you a person of the head or the heart?” They all give different answers. I tell them that bhakti means devotion (or the heart) and vedanta means knowledge (of the head) – so the Bhaktivedanta Manor is where the head and heart meet.

Excerpt from “Tattva2: Old Words Open New Worlds”, available on: books.keshavaswami.com/tattva2

Thanks for reading Tattva | S.B. Keshava Swami! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

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Stress Out

With regards to stress, a quick flick through some Sanskrit verses of the Bhagavad-gita immediately reveal three common reasons why our consciousness diverges into this uncomfortable emotional state:

Regulation – Gita insights (Chapter 6, Verse 17) reveal that regulated habits of eating, sleeping, work and recreation counteract all physical and mental pain. An imbalanced lifestyle blinds us from knowing our limits, drawing us into dangerous territory that we can’t navigate. Pushing beyond one’s comfort zone and venturing into the unknown is admirable, but too much irregularity will begin ‘bending’ and eventually end-up ‘breaking’ you. Be dynamic and daring, but maintain your balance and strength through regulation.

Expectation – Gita insights (Chapter 2, Verse 47) remind us to perform our duty, but simultaneously remain detached from the results. All said and done, we are not the controller. When we formulate ambitious hopes on what we’ll achieve and how we’ll be seen, we carry a burden of expectation that is unsustainable. It’s commendable to have plans and aspirations and it’s healthy to strive hard for them, but once we’ve tried our best, we must step back, disconnect and remain detached. When ‘plans’ turn into ‘expectations’ we set ourselves up for misery.

Competition – Gita insights (Chapter 3, Verse 35) guide us to perform our own dharma (inner calling) instead of someone else’s. Being ourselves is more productive, joyful and sustainable. Unfortunately, we tend to measure our worth by comparing ourselves with others. We forget that we’re on our own path, with our own obstacle course and our own unique calling. Comparison clouds our original thinking and blocks our distinctive contribution. As Albert Einstein said: “Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

Overcoming stress, then, is quite simple: maintain your regulation, alter your expectation and drop the competition. Sometimes it pays to look back, in order to look forward.

Excerpt from “Tattva2: Old Words Open New Worlds”, available on: books.keshavaswami.com/tattva2

Thanks for reading Tattva | S.B. Keshava Swami! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

The Waiting Game

The start is often the hardest. Once the momentum builds the magic manifests, but taking those first steps requires significant energy. Thus, we’re victimised by procrastination and fall into the chronic tendency to keep putting things off. To overcome it, we must first understand where it stems from.

It could be a motivation problem. Only when our ‘why’ is deep enough, will our motivation to act be strong enough. When something has captured our imagination and ignited our enthusiasm, it generates a fire of desire that impels us out of the blocks. They say the best alarm clock in the world is purpose.

For others, it may be a confidence problem. Even if we are motivated by something, we procrastinate when we lack the confidence and faith that we can achieve the goal. We have to believe it’s possible. Due to fear of failure and embarrassment, many fail to even start the journey. Sometimes we can be our own self-destructive enemy.

Procrastination can also be connected to the environment. It’s difficult to swim against the current and most people will just decide to give up. When the atmosphere around us is unsupportive and the people are sceptical, disempowering and negative, it can erode away our determination.

Yet, even when we have the motivation, confidence and the right environment, if we are victimised by a lack of planning, coordination and organisation, that can also imprison us in procrastination. Often times we just don’t know where to start, or we can’t see how the defined activities will lead us to the goal. I personally keep a diary, plan my steps with short-term tasks and consciously integrate them into a long-term plan. Failing to plan means planning to fail.

Excerpt from “Tattva2: Old Words Open New Worlds”, available on: books.keshavaswami.com/tattva2

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Desire Management

Oscar Wilde once said, “I can resist everything except temptation!” It is the great art of life – don’t give up what you want most, for what feels good now. But, as we’ve all experienced, in the heat of the moment we often make the wrong decisions. The opportunity for instant gratification captures our mind and the urge within seems too powerful to tolerate. We know it would be a mistake, but we don’t have the inner strength to say “no.”

I often say that overcoming temptation will COST you:

Conviction – be convinced of the great thing you are trying to achieve and why it requires a certain discipline and self-restraint. Intelligence and clarity create immunity and inner strength. Here we are focusing on the intellectual level. 

Openness – regardless of success or failure, be open with a friend and seek their advice, support, guidance and feedback. Honesty will grow your character and integrity. This fortifies us on the relationship level. 

Safety – avoid provoking situations, people and mindsets that may compromise your principles. Don’t fight battles that you don’t need to. Strength comes from reorganising ourselves on the practical level. 

Taste – work hard to experience the ‘better life’ and solidify your resolve by feeling the benefits of your restraint. Saturate your consciousness in something more progressive, pure and uplifting. This spiritual level is the safest platform from which temptation ultimately disappears. 

Excerpt from “Tattva2: Old Words Open New Worlds”, available on books.keshavaswami.com/tattva2

Transcendental Occupation

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my humble obeisances

All glories to your divine grace

In my early years of monastic life people would often suggest I leave the ashram and get a ‘proper job.’ Sometimes it came from the sceptical and cynical, and other times from well-meaning and kind friends. I guess that’s what ‘normal’ people in this world do. For me, however, that path never resonated – to work, earn, save, spend, maintain… and then ultimately lose everything anyway. Of course, there are exemplary spiritualists who use it all for a higher purpose and make an incredible contribution to the world. I had (and continue to have) great respect for them, but personally was looking for something different. 

Baffled and confused, I often wondered about the future… what possible alternative could there be? After all, you have to do something in life. Thankfully, your divine grace miraculously entered my insignificant existence and flipped it all upside-down. You lent us a different vision, an alternative approach, an engagement to keep us busy and absorbed, morning to night. You gifted us a life of devotional service, the opportunity to engage in selfless sacrifices for the betterment of the world. You showed us how to utilise our abilities and propensities for a higher purpose than just selfish gain. You taught the world that awakening spiritual love can and should be a full-time affair. In Srimad-Bhagavatam you write:

“Once we had the opportunity to meet Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, and on first sight he requested this humble self to preach his message in the Western countries. There was no preparation for this, but somehow or other he desired it, and by his grace we are now engaged in executing his order, which has given us a transcendental occupation and has saved and liberated us from the occupation of material activities.” (SB 3.22.5 Purport)

Srila Prabhupada, you’re my boss, the business of Caitanyadeva has become my occupation, and the salary is the gradual awakening of divine love. My colleagues are the saintly, over-time is a pleasure, holidays are unnecessary, and the retirement plan is out of this world. May I be more determined and driven than the people out there chasing a million bucks. May I be ready to make more sacrifices than the city sharks who’ll “go to hell and back” to conquer the corporate ladder. May I joyfully embrace more risks than those willing to jeopardise everything to realise their greedy ambitions. The words of Srutidharma Prabhu ring in my heart: “When the alarm clock goes off, get up, dress up and show up – this is the most important work in the world.”

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur called his triple-staffed sannyasis the “living mrdangas” of Sri Caitanya. He reminded them that their dandas should perpetually give forth “music at the lotus feet of Sri Guru.” He revealed the inner aspiration to become a prema-bhiksu, a beggar of love. Unqualified and unworthy as I am, by your divine grace and the unlimited mercy of your followers, I’ve been employed in the transcendental occupation. May I honour the opportunity with body, mind and words, holding back nothing and rising to any challenge. Thank you for allowing us to be alive and active in the greatest movement on Earth.

Your small servant, S.B. Keshava Swami

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Age of Quarrel

Human relationships are riddled with quarrel and conflict. It’s a symptom of the age. But that’s not a problem per se since every disagreement is pregnant with positive and negative potential. Differences of opinion can bring enlightenment, transformation, wisdom and growth – they can also be the cause of anger, frustration, resentment and fall-out. Developing progressive responses in argumentative situations can be a liberating experience. Here are some tips:

Tolerance – the first moments of a conflict situation can determine the entire conversation. Be tolerant and patient. The art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moments. Adopting an adversarial approach erects barriers which block the meeting of hearts. 

Circumstance – beyond the perceived irrationality of actions and words, try to understand why someone is doing what they do. Then you hold the key to progress. In interpersonal relations, the golden rule is this: seek first to understand, then to be understood. To do that you have to listen with an open heart and an open mind.

Acceptance – did you ever consider that there may not be a right or wrong answer? Conflict comes from differences, but diversity is not necessarily bad. Fear of difference is fear of life itself. By accepting that we’re all individuals, we can more fully appreciate that conflict is often a case of different ‘angles of vision’ illuminating the same truth.

Importance – keep disagreements in perspective and calmly evaluate their importance. Question whether the tenacious pursuance and resolution of a conflict is absolutely necessary. Many issues can easily be dropped or ignored, but often our emotional involvement keeps us doggedly fighting till the last breath.

Transcendence – we love to prove ourselves, but the spiritual principle is to transcend right and wrong. The real aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress. If a concession of ‘defeat’ improves our relationships, helps us develop character and opens up opportunities for progressive solutions, then where is the loss?

(Excerpt from the upcoming “Tattva2: Old Words Open New Worlds”)