144 THE PATH OF PERFECTION ; The Path of Perfection 145
skin), and five senses for working (voice, hands, legs, genitals, We cannot doubt that the transcendental is there. Bhagavad- ,
and anus). These ten senses are under the control of the mind. It gitd is being spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Him-
_ is stated in this verse that with these dull material senses, we can- self; therefore we should not doubt His word. The only problem is
not understand Krsna’s name, form, and so forth. Why is this? feeling and understanding what He is telling us. That understand-
Krsna is completely spiritual, and He is also absolute. Therefore ing must be developed gradually, and that knowledge will be
His name, form, qualities, and paraphernalia are also spiritual. revealed by the chanting of Hare Krsna. By this simple process, we
Due to material conditioning, or material bondage, we cannot can come to understand the spiritual kingdom, the self, the ma-
presently understand what is spiritual, but this ignorance can be terial world, God, the nature of our conditioning, liberation from
removed by chanting Hare Krsna. If a man is sleeping, he can be material bondage, and everything else. This is called ceto-darpana-
awakened by sound vibration. You can call him, ‘‘Come on, it’s marjanam, cleaning the dusty mirror of the impure mind.
time to get up!’ Although the person is unconscious, hearing is so Whatever the case, we must have faith in the word of Krsna.
prominent that even a sleeping man can be awakened by sound When we purchase a ticket on Pan American or Air India, we have
vibration. Similarly, overpowered by this material conditioning, faith that that company will take us to our destination. Faith is cre-
our spiritual consciousness is presently sleeping, but it can be ated because the company is authorized. Our faith should not be
revived by this transcendental vibration of Hare Krsna, Hare blind, therefore we should accept that which is recognized.
Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Bhagavad-gita has been recognized as authorized scripture in India
Rama, Hare Hare. As stated before, Hare refers to the energy of for thousands of years, and even outside India there are many
the Lord, and Krsna and Rama refer to the Lord Himself. scholars, religionists, and philosophers who have accepted
Therefore, when we chant Hare Krsna, we are praying, ‘‘O Lord, Bhagavad-gita as authoritative. It is said that even such a great
O energy of the Lord, please accept me.’’ We have no other prayer scientist as Albert Einstein was reading Bhagavad-gita regularly.
than ‘‘Please accept me.”’ Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us So we should not doubt Bhagavad-gita’s authenticity.
that we should simply cry and pray that the Lord accept us. As Therefore when Lord Krsna says that there is a supreme abode
Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself prayed, and that we can go there, we should have faith that such an abode
| exists. Many philosophers think that the spiritual abode is imper-
| ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram sonal or void. Impersonalists like the Sankarites and Buddhists
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau generally speak of the void or emptiness, but Bhagavad-gita does
krpaya tava pada-pankaja- not disappoint us in this way. The philosophy of voidism has
sthita-dhili-sadrsam vicintaya , simply created atheism, because it is the nature of the living entity
to want enjoyment. As soon as he thinks that his future is void, he
‘**O Krsna, son of Nanda, somehow or other I have fallen into this will try to enjoy the variegatedness of this material life. Thus im-
ocean of nescience and ignorance. Please pick me up and place me personalism leads to armchair philosophical discussions and at-
as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.” If a man has fallen into the tachment to material enjoyment. We may enjoy speculating, but
ocean, his only hope for survival is that someone comes to pick no real spiritual benefit can be derived from such speculation. _
him up. He only has to be lifted one inch above the water in order Bhaktih paresdnubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (Bhdg. 1.2.42).
to feel immediate relief. Similarly, as soon as we take to Krsna Once we have developed the devotional spirit, we will become im-
consciousness, we are lifted up, and we feel immediate relief. mediately detached from all kinds of material enjoyment. As soon
