8 On the Way to Krgna

So how can we, as sons of God, assert our person-
ality and individuality and at the same time deny
them to our Father, the Supreme Lord?

Atindriyam means that we have to transcend
these material senses before we can appreciate real
happiness. Ramante yogino ’nante satyananda-cid-
atmani: the yogis who are aspiring after spiritual life
are also tasting enjoyment by focusing on the
Supersoul within. If there is no pleasure, if there is
no enjoyment, then what is the point of going to so
much trouble to control the senses? What kind of
pleasure are the yogis relishing if they are taking so
much trouble? That pleasure is ananta—endless. How
is this? The spirit soul is eternal, and the Supreme
Lord is eternal; therefore reciprocation of their lov-
ing exchanges is eternal. One who is actually intelli-
gent will refrain from the flickering sensual enjoy-
ment of this material body and fix his enjoyment in
spiritual life. His participation in spiritual life with
the Supreme Lord is called rasa-Ila.

We have often heard of Krsna’s rasa-lila with the
cowherd girls in Vrndavana. That is not like ordinary
exchanges that take place between these material
bodies. Rather it is an exchange of feelings through
spiritual bodies. One has to be somewhat intelligent
to understand this, for a foolish man, who cannot
understand what real happiness is, seeks happiness in
this material world. In India there is the story of a
man who did not know what sugarcane was and was
told that it was very sweet to chew. “Oh, what does
it look like?” he asked. *It looks just like a bamboo
rod,” someone said. So the foolish man began to
