Bhakti Lessons from MaharishiGarg (RS ShriKrishna)

Originally posted by: lola610

In fact, as mentioned in the Dashrath-Kaikeyi thread we've got running concurrently (oh wowww what a coincidence 😉), our mythos contain so many examples of events/actions that are vinaashkaari at the surface, but lead to mangalkaari results somewhere down the road.

Yes Lola. It is really a great coincidence that we have naturally found the harmony between the two parallel topics going on in the forum. That's just wonderful.

Might be valuable though, to discuss that after subscribing to that Drashta Bhaav, how does one continue to participate in the events of daily life and particularly, how does one stand up against injustice if he doesn't perceive it as injustice?Basically, how can one be detached and compassionate all at once? 😉

Great question Lola. Brilliant!!!👏 What I think is that one can still play part as an active instrument in that destiny without ego knowing one's role fully well why he is born (Like Valmiki) and so far as daily routine reactions against injustice are concerned, I would say that one can still follow drashta bhaav and also can exercise that worldly action with compassion. If you look at Vashisth or Garg talking to Keikei or Kans, former has opposed the latter when the latter is acting ignorantly. Despite knowing that the person himself/herself is not doing that but the destiny is getting the work from their nature (like Keikei had the nature of material greed potentially in her from young age but very dormant), the wise & knowledgeable can still trigger or alarm then not to play under destiny's hands. He (Vashisth) acts compassionately in a sense here for Keikei's soul to make her realize what she was doing then rather than she realizing it after doing. Here Vashisth knows the importance of Ram's exile for the mankind. He also knows that Keikei is not going to listen to him at that time. But his active role and statement uttered has to have definitely some role to play in Keikei's memory to make her realize her guilt later along with so many harsh statements of Bharat. And that way, if at all it can't save Keikei from falling then, it can have positive role to uplift her in future still. The sage here is acting compassionately or with pity for her spiritual downfall - if at all somebody has to be the instrument for God's plans through a negative role, why are you doing it and not anybody else? Why have you got such rajas nature as your pet which allows Saraswati Ma to find you only as the right tool to fulfill those plans and to make you suffer due to your nature easy victim of the plan to suffer later? Why haven't you developed your nature such that you are chosen positively as a part of plan of destiny rather than negatively? Keikei! You are doing this but this is not going to give you the pain. So stop here. And whenever Vashisth interfered actively in worldly happenings, either to talk to Keikei or to Dashrath, the destiny's plans were not going to be affected. Ravan's death wouldn't have changed had Sita been wearing royal dress or simple dress. Ram had already left when he tried to console Dashrath and advised him to react patiently. And in both cases he knew about the future failure of his effort looking from outside (rather than impact on Keikei's or Dashrath's mind deep inside for their future not visible to us). Very much like Shri Krishna going for peace visit to Hastinapur, knowing about the sure failure but had the impact of showing to the world that Pandavas were willing for the peace and the war should only be the last option. While scolding Kans about the manners, Gargaachaarya is active to teach him such lesson where the destiny's plan wouldn't have been affected even if Kans had learnt those formal manners. Just tried to give possible explanation but can't be sure obviously because the question is such. I hope I haven't complicated.

On a somewhat unrelated note, how can we fit into this drashta bhaav, the statement he makes about keeping the facts about Kans's true lineage a secret to protect Ugrasen's glory? Does it fall under the same category as what he tells Vasuji later - that first I told you keep baby Balram a secret because I was worried for their safety, but now, having seen the Supreme Lord himself in your son that egotistical protectiveness of the Protector has totally vanished? Is this something that he said out of the uncertainty that existed before seeing Shri Krishna, but if asked later about Kans's lineage he wouldn't say it again? Or is this concern he expresses for Ugrasen and Bhoj vansh's honor somewhat different, and somehow fits into drashta bhaav either way?

Very very tough to judge really just like the previous paragraph. But I think you also have answered alternatively the previous paragraph through this paragraph. It could possibly be the case where due to human nature (or to rightly play with or enjoy human body), these sages used to come back to the worldly level of actions in the forced cases of reacting somewhat to the situations. They had the drashtabhaav in their stable knowledge of their intellect and conscience behind but they acted like humans while acting still because of the nature of reacting. [Has it ever happened with you watching a movie which you have already watched to momentarily expect the change in the climax when you are involved in it? We would pray & say to Pooja (Renuka Shahane) inside the television "Hey! Watch out for the next step dear bhabhi. Don't make any hurry to pick up the phone". "Tuffy! Don't go towards Prem with that necklace; Rajesh is over there".] And yet, through conscious serious exercise and expertise of yoga, they could concentrate on the situation with drashtabhav also. Like immediately after saying Keikei or Dashrath; Vashisth would know that what he did was not going to be fruitful immediately & Sitaji was not going to like to dress royal anyhow and what Keikei was doing was not actually her fault because her then sparked active nature was forcing her to do that. Frequent switching over from spiritual state to worldly level of consciousness and vice versa. Those sages must have such abilities. Even I am forced to interpret it that way for Ramji when he cries and shows ignorance about the future happenings or lack of advance awareness about events occurred. Having a drashtabhav I think possibly would mean that you should have that just after acting rather than exactly while acting or it possibly would mean to be a targeted exercise for achieving that state of mind gradually more & more consistently every moment so as to reduce your purposeful actions gradually to achieve samaadhi state of purnakaam yogi rather than having that state of mind all the time (which could possibly the state only when one attains moksha). Again this is very debatable but highly deep spiritually to enjoy.

As far as Lomharshan's upcoming suffering, it may have been pichhle karmon ka chakkar but I prefer to think of it as another sacred soul like VasuDevaki who was used as a lesson for the rest of us - there's no better way to convey the message about bearing temporary vinaashkaari consequences for the sake of eternally mangalkaari ones than taking on some suffering himself. This interpretation is bolstered by his imprisonment scene itself; how calmly he accepts it tells us that he was a cut above ordinary too.

Very nice value addition by you Lola regarding the justification of Lomharshan's sufferings by relating his soul with VasuDevaki's soul. Yes. The wish of almighty is always for the welfare of everyone. Whatever happens happens for good and God's justice is always correct. But people interpret welfare with reference to material welfare - Bhautik kalyan - well being on Prithvilok with the present body. But the actual welfare is the spiritual welfare - well being of soul - which demands purification of body, mind & intellect through austerities or penances or sacrifices. And if that doesn't come voluntarily, the devotee has to undergo it compulsorily to pass the test for purification. And that is the time to demonstrate faith & patience.