Our sensuous nerves are quite ineligible to associate with the Truth. The appearance of things – of devotion and truth – often deceives us. The external features – the morphological and ontological phases of things – are sometimes found to be detrimental to our cause when we desire to come in touch with the Absolute. We have the facility of the last ten thousand years of experience to guide us. We can judge and discern the best method to adopt instead of indulging in the way the people are transacting their business right and left.
Our senses reciprocate with the objects of phenomena. Super-sensuous objects are simply neglected. The eternal representations, the eternal manifestations and the eternal aspects are fully neglected. We aspire for the fullest advantage from contact with all desirable things. In our present life, we find that we are troubled by many distressful, treacherous agents that only lead us to satisfy our senses. This non-absolute propaganda should cease. Whatever we do, we should be sure to not be diffident or indolent in offering service to the Absolute.
The word “absolute” is explained in different ways. We have experience of non-absolutes and undesirable objects of this phenomenal plane. The nature of our mind is found to be non-absolute. The mind’s discernment is solely for the purpose of the senses. But the Absolute is described as One Who has reserved the right to remain unexposed to human senses. Human senses can mix – rather reciprocate – with phenomenal objects. If the Absolute were a phenomenal object, we would lord it over Him. But that is not the case. We are to position ourselves as His servitors. We should not think that we are enjoyers and that He is the predominated object of our enjoyment. He is never so.
We are obliged to pass through undesirable situations. We need to get rid of all these things. Our inner impulse should be to have access to that region where all objects offer us the special opportunity of having association with the Absolute. Our purpose should be to associate with the Fullness, with the Eternity, with the Purity, with the Best of desirables, and not to mix with the temporary things and their variously delusive natures. We must not have a crippled idea of Godhead but must wait for the transcendental message to come to us in full. We will then have the opportunity to associate with Him. We must set apart some time to make progress towards investigating Transcendence.
There are three types of thought by three classes of people: First, the karmīs, the fruit-seekers, think they should work for the gratification of their senses. Second, the jñānīs, the impersonalists, wish to merge with the Absolute in order to be rid of all troubles, but they always fail in the end. Third are the devotees, who have a different determination.
We are very small. If some overwhelming influence comes upon us, we are troubled. So we should take recourse to the Absolute Infinity. We should not act like shooting stars by flying away from Him, rather we should go back to our original place. There, the manifest nature is present eternally, but here, phenomenal objects last for a few days, only. We must therefore have some eternal determination and aim for guidance. We can ignore all these influences of nature, and all influences of transient scientific discoveries, if we associate our mind exclusively with the Whole.
There are many concealed, hidden things, not yet revealed to us. These are to be received through aural reception. We must allow our auditory nerves to be stimulated by sound waves from the transcendental messenger, so that we can make progress towards Transcendence.
Adapted from The Gaudiya Volume 17 Number 5 – Part 2
by the Rays of The Harmonist team
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