Suffering is an undeniable reality of the human condition, as the daily news of death and disease and destruction demonstrate. And these are just the newsworthy incidences of suffering. Far more numerous are the everyday irritations, frustrations and devastations that, despite being spirit-sapping, are too commonplace to be considered news-unworthy.
Yet, despite suffering’s pervasiveness, we have a deep-rooted conviction that happiness is our right. Driven by this conviction, we vigorously endeavor to remove suffering.
But we set ourselves for frustration if we restrict such endeavors to the material level of reality. Why? Because, though misery has many specific causes that we endeavor to tackle, underlying all such causes is the common cause: the temporariness of material things – and temporariness is the defining characteristic of material things.
Gita wisdom helps make our endeavors for countering suffering more productive. It offers the empowering insight that the human condition doesn’t define us. That is, our defining identity is not as human beings but as spiritual beings. And the Gita (02.23) indicates that the spiritual being, the soul, is indestructible. Moreover, the soul has access to an indestructible source of happiness: spiritual love for Krishna, the reservoir of all happiness.
The happiness that we are convinced is our right becomes accessible to us at the spiritual level when we learn to love Krishna by practicing bhakti-yoga. The more we infuse our life with bhakti, the more we experience non-material illumination and satisfaction. The illumination enables us to act calmly and intelligently so that we don’t unnecessarily complicate and aggravate material situations, thereby minimizing the many specific causes of misery. And the satisfaction enables us to tolerate and transcend unavoidable material miseries. Ultimately, devotion takes us beyond the suffering that defines the human condition to the everlasting happiness that defines our spiritual nature.
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As usual, very well written prabhu ji. This is something which is must share with loved ones.
Hari bol !!
Thank you once again for the illuminated example.
I’m travelling at the moment and an American said in conversation to me we are not meant to be happy in life. This was the exact time you sent this message.
He is right from a material level (as in your message) but missing the spirtual dimension.
Best wishes
Jai Shri Krishna