Roll number BS21205

Sri-Isopanishad Essay

Q.4 You have received a letter from a known friend in which he inquires why you did not take
advantage of your good Intelligence and pursue your career and instead choose to live simply
and dedicate the major part of your time to Krishna conscious engagement. How would you
reply to him taking into account how Sri Ishopanishad condemns materialism and how it brings
chaos in the individual and Society?
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Audience- My friend who has written this letter to me and through him this message will go to
many people who might be having the same question in mind, that why devotees with good
Pedigree and give up reputed jobs to serve humanity through preaching application of Krishna
consciousness.

Objective- Preaching application of teachings of Sri Ishopanishad. The intent is to convince my

friend that the decision taken by me to lead a simple life devoted to the activities of Krishna
consciousness is the best decision that one can take for his/her life and it is applicable to
everyone in this society.

Subject Matter- This essay will cover the following concepts from Sri Ishopanishad-
● ISAVASYA consciousness
● Benefit of working in Isavasya conception and how it leads to freedom from Karmic
reactions.
● Karmic/Vikarmic propensity (Materialism)
● Comparison of knowledge(Real Intelligence) and Nescience
● The futility of 'isms' which are void of Krishna consciousness.
● Chaos in Self and Society at Large despite Material Advancement.
Hare Krishna!

Dear friend,

Hope this letter finds you in the best of health and spirit. As you must have seen in these testing
times of Covid pandemic, many apparently- strong people have broken down emotionally and
psychologically.
I feel blessed to tell you that I am doing safe and sound both physically and mentally while trying
to make best use of the bad bargain which has locked us up in our premises. As you know in
initial days of my career,I have enjoyed all luxuries of life,but somewhere there was some link
missing,I used to find everything useless as it was a feeling of working like an ass for a piece of
carrot.I always wondered if success doesn't give happiness,then where should we find this bliss.
By God's arrangement,when I came in touch with devotees practicing Krishna Consciousness,
my questions were answered.I came to know that the Science revealed in Vedic scriptures is
eternal and unadulterated and also the importance of receiving this knowledge from authentic
sources.

This letter is an effort to convey my contentment earned through systematic study of these
scriptures and their practical implementation in my day to day life.

Hope it helps you understand the insight behind my decision to lead my life in a simple manner
engaging myself into Krishna conscious activities instead of going for a multi-dollar job. I will
give references from the Vedic scriptures, especially Sri Ishopanishad which is one of the 10
principal Upanishads(Part of Yajur Veda).

Allurements of Fortune Paying Jobs?

When we go to some reputed college we always have one common goal in mind- A high paying
job with some reputed MNC!!
But have you not experienced that many college dropouts are doing much better than the
toppers of the same college?Have you not seen that an average student from an average
college surpasses a bright student from the top ranking college in terms of job and remuneration
both.

Have you not seen many multi millionaires turning into bankrupts overnight?Have you never
seen successful entrepreneurs committing suicide?Have you not seen many famous and
affluent personalities taken shelter of intoxication to relieve themselves of the stress that comes
as a by-product of their flashy lifestyles?

This means that the so-called intelligence of someone who has aced material
education/material qualification parameters,does not always guarantee a stable and peaceful
career and personal life!

Sri ishopanishad(Mantra 1) īśāvāsyam idaḿ sarvaṁ... talks about Isavasya conception.

"Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord.
One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his
quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong."

It is seen in animals who always work in adherence to the laws of nature.For example a cow, it
only eats grass and Grain, which which has been set aside side as its Quota and does not
struggle to gather other unnecessary things.A popular saying goes as - Its Human to want
more!!
It reflects the greedy propensity of human beings. Human beings always negate the
proprietorship of the Supreme Lord and want to master everything that comes into his
experience.
This is an ongoing rat race which has no end and as Srila Prabhupada(The Founder Acharya of
ISKCON) says "no matter how successful you are in this rat race at the end of the day you will
be just a tiny rat"

In Bhagavad Gita,verse 10.8 Supreme personality of godhead Sri Kṛṣṇa says: "I am the origin of
all creation. Everything proceeds from me. The wise who know this perfectly worship me with
great faith and devotion"

Hand of a body is a complete unit as long as it is attached to the complete body but when cut
from the body that hand is of no value, it cannot even move an inch.

Success of our human body is in serving the complete whole as we are part and parcel of that
Complete whole.And being complete units of the complete whole,we are perfectly equipped with
facilities required for our maintenance and subsistence.Then what is the need to struggle
unnecessarily on the cost of mental and physical health?

Human beings may feel pride in erecting skyscrapers,breathtaking landscapes, most

complicated machinery, bridges etc, but we forget the source of all the raw materials which went
into these constructions. Until we understand that our constitutional position is to work in
harmony with the laws of nature,we will always be entangled in the law of Karma. A chain of
gold or Iron to be used to bind a prisoner is anyway a chain,a bondage. Similarly, if we say that
to lead a lavish life, taking care of our family and also contributing to the society in the form of
some charity or taxes, what is wrong in that? We are not harming anyone? Yes,there is no harm
to anyone other than ourselves. We are making arrangements to bind ourselves in chains of
Karma, even if it is a gold chain.

The people who utilise these facilities given to them on basis of their good education and career
by indulging into intoxication,gambling, meat eating and illicit sex for their sense lead life of
Ignorance and that is why we don't see peace in life of people around me,which money, fame
and great career graphs cannot buy.

My dear friend ,we get human life after wandering into 84 lakh species and this human life gives
us an opportunity to get out of this world of misery, this cycle of birth, death, old age and
disease. Human body is compared to a boat which can be used to cross over this ocean of
material existence, Vedic Scriptures and Bonafide Spiritual Masters are the expert boatman and
the facilities given to us on account of past karmic reactions,are favourable breezes to navigate
this boat. If we want to make good use of whatever best education, career, facilities has been
given to us we should employ everything in service of the Lord.In this purified state of mind,
every action performed by that person is on the basis of naishkarmya,the work which does not
bind him to the cycle of birth and death.

What is Real Intelligence?

Real intelligence is to work in Isavasya Conception.Real intelligence is to dedicate our life in
service of the Supreme as we are part and parcel of that Supreme.

Sri Ishopanishad (Mantra 9-11) explains what Real Intelligence(Vidya) is and how the mundane
education taught nowadays(Avidya),is misunderstood as Intelligence whereas it is only
Nescience,which leads to ignorance.

Material scholars think that this bookish knowledge is the ultimate knowledge. Another kind of
people are very ignorant of the existence of the supreme Lord. For them the ultimate benefit of
the facilities of the human body can be derived only by filling their hungry bellies and they don't
feel any need of self realisation.

Devotees like me who are following the science of Krishna consciousness are not against the
advancement of science but they are against the scientists and scholars who deny the
existence and the ultimate proprietorship of the Supreme Lord.

Such people are addressed as polished animals in Isopanishad,as they are using their
intelligence only in the activities which animals also do(eat,sleep,defend and mate).Godless
people when acquire respectable positions in the society and have mass following for name and
fame, are very dangerous because they not only destroy themselves but also mislead people
who follow them.

My friend,it ready worries me when I look around and see the outcomes of cut throat
competition of today's materialistic education system.Everyday newspapers are full of News of
suicide attempts, youth being dragged into drug rackets, all sorts of illicit behaviours.
Universities nowadays have become the centre of Avidya, where Godless civilizations are
propagated.Students are not taught anything about following a regulated lifestyle and to respect
their Vedic Scriptures.

My Contribution to the Society at Large?

By acquiring this Real Intelligence in association of devotees,I could understand the futility of
so-called -isms - socialism, communism, nationalism,humanitarianism void of Krishna
Consciousness.

All the isms are like a business of thieves,where they are distributing the stolen piece of bread
amongst themselves, feeling proud of their honesty in giving each one their fair share. Denial of
the authority of the Supreme Lord and posing to be the claimant of everything,Materialistic
people do charitable works,making a show of religiousness,only for the sake of fame.

In the pretext of scientific advancement, scientists have created lethal weapons which one day
will result in massacres. Because of this godless advancement, we all are sitting on a lump of
explosives,which can burst anytime.
The real contribution to the society is to preach one and all the message of Vedic scriptures like
Bhagavad Gita,Sri Ishopanishad. To teach people that this Human birth is not for sense
gratification but for self realisation which can be done at three levels-by asking who am I,who is
God and what is my relationship with God and then its practical implementation by serving the
supreme personality of godhead,by utilising all the facilities provided to us by the arrangement
of nature, in the service of the Lord.

Conclusion-

Dear friend,this is why I decided to utilise my Intelligence,my resources,my education in the

service of Lord.I have chosen not to be another rat in this rat race and prefer a simple life with
higher level of satisfaction.A life which is meant for real advancement,a life free of bondage,a
life free of chaos- Life of Self Realisation.

And you know, making Simple Living High Thinking basis of my Life,I have realised that there is
no scarcity and Nature has given us sufficient for our basic necessities.I am able to take care of
my family and also save some to contribute in Krishna Conscious activities,in my current (not
highly paid but stress free)job.

By using this material body and mind in service of the Supreme Controller and Enjoyer,by
dovetailing my interest,in his initiative,I am making the best use of the bad bargain(this ever
deteriorating, temporary body).