Bhakthi Shastri -04 OBA 3

Submitted by: Dhanya Surjithlal

NOVEMBER 4, 2023
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Hare Krishna!

Jai Srila Prabhupad!!

SELECT ONE MANTRA OR A PARAGRAPH WHICH CAN DEVELOP KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS WITHIN YOU FROM…
ISOPANISHAD SECTION 2 (MANTRAS 4-8). ALSO, WRITE PRACTICAL WAYS TO DO SO.

From the Mantras 4-8 I have selected mantra 7 which has really inspired me and understand the importance of
applying Krishna Consciousness to our lives.

yasmin sarvāṇi bhūtāny

ātmaivābhūd vijānataḥ

tatra ko mohaḥ kaḥ śoka

ekatvam anupaśyataḥ

“One who always sees all living entities as spiritual sparks, in quality one with the Lord, becomes a true knower
of things. What, then, can be illusion or anxiety for him?”

INTRODUCTION:

The mahā-bhāgavata, the great devotee, sees oneness in the sense that he sees everything as the energy of the
Supreme Lord. Since there is no difference between the energy and the energetic, there is the sense of oneness.
Although from the analytical point of view heat and light are different from fire, there is no meaning to the word
“fire” without heat and light. In synthesis, therefore, heat, light and fire are the same. In this mantra the words
ekatvam anupaśyataḥ indicate that one should see the unity of all living entities from the viewpoint of the
revealed scriptures. The individual sparks of the supreme whole (the Lord) possess almost eighty percent of the
known qualities of the whole, but they are not quantitatively equal to the Supreme Lord. These qualities are
present in minute quantity, for the living entity is but a minute part and parcel of the supreme whole. To use
another example, the quantity of salt present in a drop is never comparable to the quantity of salt present in the
complete ocean, but the salt present in the drop is qualitatively equal in chemical composition to all the salt
present in the ocean. If the individual living being were equal to the Supreme Lord both qualitatively and
quantitatively, there would be no question of his being under the influence of the material energy. Therefore

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ekatvam does not mean that a living being is equal in all respects to the Supreme Lord. It does, however,
indicate that in a broader sense there is one interest, just as in a family the interest of all members is one, or in a
nation the national interest is one, although there are many different individual citizens. Since the living entities
are all members of the same supreme family, their interest and that of the Supreme Being are not different.
Every living being is the son of the Supreme Being. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.5), all living creatures
throughout the universe – including birds, reptiles, ants, aquatics, trees and so on – are emanations of the
marginal potency of the Supreme Lord. Therefore all of them belong to the family of the Supreme Being. There
is no clash of interest.

A godless civilization, such as that sponsored by the modern politicians, is always full of anxieties because it may
be crushed at any moment. That is the law of nature. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14), no one but those
who surrender at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord can surpass the stringent laws of nature. Thus if we wish to
get rid of all sorts of illusion and anxiety and create unity out of all diverse interests, we must bring Krishna
Consciousness into all our activities.

This mantra emphasizes the importance of seeing all living entities as spiritual sparks and recognizing their
oneness with the Lord. By doing so, one can become a true knower of things and be free from illusion and
anxiety and this state is the true Krishna conscious state of mind.

Here are some practical ways to develop Krishna consciousness:

Sarvam Krishnarpanam astu: This means “everything is an offering to Lord Krishna”. It is a way of expressing
devotion and surrender to the supreme personality of Godhead, who is the source of all existence. A person in
Krishna consciousness is not distracted by material desires or attachments, but rather focuses on serving and
pleasing Krishna in every action. By doing so we will be freed from the reactions of karma. Mantra 7 inspires us
to utilize everything for Krishna Consciousness and attains purification with in ourselves.

Free from Fear and anxiety: Fear and anxiety come from not knowing the future, or having concerns about the
outcome of something in the future. Because a devotee is aware that Krishna is in charge of everything, and that
not a blade of grass moves without His sanction, it allows a devotee to attain a state of mind free from anxiety
or lamentation. As one advances in Krishna Consciousness and becomes more aware of Krishna's loving hand in
life it is possible to relax and have true peace. This mantra refers to a state where a devotee sees everything
with knowledge and become true knower of everything and attains peace.

Unity in Diversity and vice versa: Unity in diversity is possible when one understands the spiritual equality of all
living beings, who are part and parcel of the same supreme soul, Krishna. A Krishna conscious person sees

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beyond the external differences of the body, mind, or culture, and respects the inherent dignity and potential of
every living entity. He or she also recognizes the diversity of the spiritual expressions and service of different
devotees, and cooperates with them for the common goal of pleasing Krishna.

Humility: Realizing our oneness in Quality with God brings detachment, subordination in quality to God brings
humility to us. In Bhagvath Gita Krishna list humility as the first item of knowledge and we cannot attain
knowledge without Humility. Srila Prabhupad writes many times that persons who have seriously taken up the
practices of Krishna consciousness don’t need to work separately at developing good qualities, all the good
qualities will come to them automatically with the mercy of Krishna.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, “A person with all good qualities is bent down with humility, like a tree full of
fruit.

Trinatapi sunichena explains that “One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree,
and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily
always chant the holy name of the Lord.”

Humility is about thinking less and less about oneself, but thinking more and more about Krishna and serving Him
by our abilities. We can develop humility by always reminding ourselves that our abilities are temporary and can
leave us anytime. By realizing this we can develop the good qualities and can see the spark of Krishna in every
living entities as mentioned in mantra 7.

Achinda beda abedha tatvam: Achintya-bhedabheda-tattva refers to the inconceivable oneness and difference
of the Supreme Person and His energies. According to this concept, Krishna is the source of everything and He
manifests Himself in various forms and energies. He is simultaneously one with and different from His creation.
His energies are also one with and different from Him. The individual souls are part of His energy, and therefore
they are qualitatively equal to Him, but quantitatively different from Him. Just as the sun is the source of heat and
light, God is the ultimate source of all energy. The sun is inseparable from its rays, and God is inseparable from
His energies. God and His energies are therefore nondifferent. At the same time, God and His energies are
distinct. The sun and its rays are one, but they're also different: we can feel the sun's light and heat while the sun
itself is millions of miles away.

So once we understand the concept and implement in our life we will be able to relate everything to Krishna.

Association of devotees: Simply by associating with a pure devotee, one becomes wonderfully advanced in
Krishna consciousness. Sadhu-sanga, or association with a devotee, means always engaging in Krishna
consciousness by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra but he whose heart is contaminated sees things differently.
Therefore by sat-sanga, or association with devotees, one becomes perfectly pure in heart

Association with devotees of Krishna is essential for developing and maintaining one’s spiritual life, as it provides
inspiration, guidance, support, and encouragement.

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By associating with devotees, one can learn the principles and practices of Krishna consciousness, develop faith
and attachment to Krishna, overcome the influence of maya, and progress on the path of love of God. Our interest
should be in favour of Krishna’s interest and hence we should always be connected to devotees to advance in our
Krishna Conscious way of living. Associating with other devotees of Krishna can help us stay motivated and
inspired on our spiritual journey.

CONCLUSION:

This mantra 7 explains the realization of true Krishna Consciousness .A jeevatma when it comes in contact with
material world it forgets about Krishna and forget to see Krishna in everything. This leads to false ownership and
troubles in the society. So one should regularly invoke its consciousness in relationship with Krishna then only he
can see oneness among Krishna’s different energies. When he lives this true knowledge he will be
compassionate with all other living beings and utilize everything in relation with Krishna. By doing so, one can
become a true knower of things and be free from illusion and anxiety and this state is the true Krishna conscious
state of mind.

Thanking You,

Your Humble Servant

Dhanya Surjithlal