Srimad Bhagavatam – day 395
Prahlāda said to his teachers, “It is spiritual ignorance that causes the feelings ‘I am different from you’ to arise in a person. This spiritual ignorance (avidya) inherently exists within all beings, nevertheless, the moment the Lord’s grace falls upon the person, all these feelings of dualities and differences vanish”.
Swamiji explains: We have to strive to destroy this spiritual ignorance. Yet it is said that to destroy spiritual ignorance the grace of the Supreme Lord is needed. To earn the Lord’s grace, it is imperative to become a true devotee, be totally submissive to Him, surrender to Him whole-heartedly, develop noble qualities, see only good in others, and develop saintliness. The person who seeks to destroy his ignorance should relentlessly work towards this. We do not know when the Lord’s grace falls upon us. When His grace falls, all dualities and differences vanish.
We should ensure that evil thoughts do not arise in us. To ensure this, Swamiji asks you to read Bhagawatam, Ramayana or any holy texts. Select any language per your convenience and read commentaries on that subject. As you engage in good deeds, wicked thoughts disappear from the mind. Either holy scriptures or moral stories should be repeatedly read. Guru’s teachings should be read. Or start reading Bhagavad Geeta together with its meaning. Strive to understand the meaning of the Bhagavad Geeta shlokas. Listen to the stories that extol His glories or watch devotional movies or devotional serials that explain Ramayana, Mahabharata or Bhagavatam.
Presently children who are raised in the western countries watch the animated stories of Hanuman and other Gods and through this they are developing devotion. What wonder! Contrary to this, we waste our time in thinking about useless matters. Learn to pray. Those who are eligible to chant Gayatri, go ahead and do so. Learn to share your food and enjoy the resultant bliss when the beggar relishes the food. Give away your old clothes in charity. Work in temples or engage in any other social service. Volunteer for any good task. Work hard without expecting any recognition or reward. Only when this is done, ego within us begins to melt. Laziness and evil tendencies will get destroyed. Only when they are destroyed, noble qualities that lay deeply hidden within will emerge. This is a time-taking process.
Unless and until you get involved in good deeds, spiritual ignorance will put a veil around you. Freeing you from ignorance with the help of spells or magic tricks is a myth. Only through own efforts a person can exit from spiritual ignorance. Although you are aware of this truth, laziness and lack of faith in the end result prevents you from putting in stringent efforts in this right direction.
Good devotees should there strive to destroy spiritual ignorance that has enveloped them. Then the grace of the Lord will fall upon them.
Prahlāda continued, “My dear teachers, the Supreme Lord resides as the Self within. Ignorant persons who are filled with feelings such as “this is my relative” and “that is my enemy” will never ever be able to worship Him. Their mind will not allow them to sing His glories”.
Although it is true that the mind which has turned wicked will never cooperate in singing the Lord’s glories, this habit must be forcibly cultivated.
“Ignorant persons describe the non-dual Self as ‘friend’ or ‘enemy’. Even greatest Gods such as Brahma, who is an exponent in the knowledge of Vedas, gets bewildered in aspects pertaining to the Supreme Essence. It is the Supreme Lord who has made my intelligence (buddhi) different from that of yours!
My dear teachers, just as iron pieces automatically move towards a magnet, my mind, which is automatically drawn towards the Lord who holds the discus in His hands, simply melts in His presence. Perhaps you will understand better if I say that it has got spoilt on its own”. The intelligent Prahlāda stopped after saying this.
Swamiji explains: The purport of this message is simple. Mind is the cause for both devotion and wickedness. If the mind is focused upon Him, devotion sprouts. If it is drawn away from Him, devotion will be destroyed.
The teachers who heard this were angered. They felt as if their life-force was drained out totally. They disciplined Prahlāda saying, “Someone please bring a baton. This boy who has become a fire spark will damage the lineage. He will also spoil our name and reputation. Among the four methods of sāma, dāna, bheda and danda, this boy needs to be treated only with danda (punishment). This is what the scriptures declare.
This boy is like a thorny bush in this exquisite forest of sandalwood trees. If Vishnu is the axe for en-masse cutting of the sandalwood trees, this boy has become the handle for that axe”. The teacher pointed his finger towards Prahlāda and threatened him.