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The test is within our hand. If during mangala-arati we feel laziness, that means I'm not yet spiritually advanced. And if one feels enthused, "Now it is time for mangala-arati, let me stand up, let me do this," then it is spiritual

Expressions researched:
"the test is within our hand. If during mangala-arati we feel laziness, that means I'm not yet spiritually advanced. And if one feels enthused"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The test is within our hand. If during maṅgala-ārati we feel laziness, that means I'm not yet spiritually advanced. And if one feels enthused, "Now it is time for maṅgala-ārati, let me stand up, let me do this," then it is spiritual. Anyone can test. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti means spiritual. So as soon as you are touched with the Supreme Spirit, viraktir anyatra syāt, no more enjoyment in this material world.

Lecture on BG 2.21-22 -- London, August 26, 1973:

If you desire anything else except the service of the Lord, then māyā will give you inducement, "Why not enjoy this?" Therefore Yāmunācārya says,

yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde
nava-nava-rasa-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt
tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne
bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca

"Yad-avadhi, since the time, mama cetaḥ, I have engaged my life and soul, my consciousness, in the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa..." This verse is given by Yāmunācārya. He was a great king, and kings, they are generally licentious, but he became later on a saintly devotee. So his personal experience, he is saying, that "Since I have engaged my mind in the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde..." Nava-nava. And service, spiritual service means every moment new. It is not hackneyed. Those who are spiritually realized, they will find to serve Kṛṣṇa means new enlightenment, new enlightenment. Nava-nava-rasa-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt. Here, in this material world, you enjoy. It becomes hackneyed. Punaḥ punaś carvita; therefore you are disappointed. But if you engage yourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, you'll find new and new encouragement. That is spiritual. If you find it hackneyed, then you must know that you are not yet serving spiritually, you are serving materially. Formality, stereotype. But if you feel new and new energy, then you know that you are serving spiritually. This is the test. Your enthusiasm will increase, not decrease.

So the test is within our hand. If during maṅgala-ārati we feel laziness, that means I'm not yet spiritually advanced. And if one feels enthused, "Now it is time for maṅgala-ārati, let me stand up, let me do this," then it is spiritual. Anyone can test. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti means spiritual. So as soon as you are touched with the Supreme Spirit, viraktir anyatra syāt, no more enjoyment in this material world. So Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa is also sitting within the heart, and I am also sitting within the heart, just like two friends on the same bar. This is also described in the Upaniṣad. Samāne vṛkṣe puruṣo nimagnaḥ. They are sitting, equally, on the same level. Nimagnaḥ. The bird is eating the fruit of the tree, or the jīva soul, the living entity, he is making his fruitive action. Kṣetra-jña. These are all described. Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). The owner and the occupier. I am the occupier of this body, and the owner is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa's another name is Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa. So He is actually owner of my hand and leg and eyes, everything, all my senses. I am simply occupier. I'm not owner. That we have forgotten. Just like if you are in a rented apartment, you are occupier. You are given the license to occupy the room. You are not owner. But if you think that you are owner, that is, stena eva sa ucyate (BG 3.12), immediately he becomes wrongly guided.

So take it, this body or the country or the nation or the world or the universe, nothing belongs to you. The owner is Kṛṣṇa. The owner is sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the owner." So mistake is that we do not know the owner, and we are, although we have occupied, improperly using our occupation. That is material condition. Improper. Otherwise, the direction is there, the director is sitting there. He's always helping you. But the disease is that we are claiming to be owner and want to act according to my whims, and that is material condition. My business is to work for the owner, not for me. Therefore, that is my position. Kṛṣṇa has created me, not creation, but along with Kṛṣṇa we are all there. But we are eternal servants. Just like along with this body, the finger is also born. The finger is not differently born. When I was born, my fingers were born. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa was there, Kṛṣṇa was never born. Then we are also never born. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Very simple philosophy. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is born, then I am born. If Kṛṣṇa is not born, then I'm, I am not born. Kṛṣṇa is aja, so we are also aja. Ajam avyayam Kṛṣṇa is imperishable, immutable. We are also immutable, because we are part and parcel of God. So why the part and parcels are there? Why my hand is there? Because I require it. I require the assistance of my hand, I require the assistance of my finger. It is necessary. The rascals say, "Why God created us?" Rascal, it is necessary. Because He is God, He wants your service. Just like big man, he keeps so many servants. If some rascal inquires, "Why you are keeping so many servants?" And "Because I am big man, I want!" Simple philosophy. Similarly, if God is the supreme authority, then He must have so many assistants. Otherwise, how He will manage?

So whole universe is being managed by God's assistant, according to the Brahmā, the most powerful assistant. Tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ (SB 1.1.1). In the Brahmā's heart also, tene brahma hṛdā, hṛdā, again hṛdā. Because Brahmā was alone, so what to do? Brahmā was perplexed. But Kṛṣṇa gave instruction, "You do, you create this universe like this." Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, "I give intelligence." So everything is there. Everything is there, Kṛṣṇa is always with you. If you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then Kṛṣṇa is ready to give you all instruction. "Yes, yena mām upayānti te." He gives instruction, "Yes, you do like this. Then you will finished, your, this material business, and after giving up this body, you'll come to Me." But if you want to continue this material existence, then vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22), you have to accept one body; and when it is no more usable, then you have to give up this body and accept another body. This is continuation of material existence. But if you want to end it, if you are actually disgusted with this kind of business, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19), take birth once, again die, again take. But we are so shameless and so rubbish that we are not very much disgusted with this business. We want to continue, and therefore Kṛṣṇa is also ready: "All right, you continue." That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, yantrārūḍhāni māyayā.

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
(BG 18.61)

Very clear.

Page Title:The test is within our hand. If during mangala-arati we feel laziness, that means I'm not yet spiritually advanced. And if one feels enthused, "Now it is time for mangala-arati, let me stand up, let me do this," then it is spiritual
Compiler:Krsnadas
Created:27 of Jun, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1