Virtual reality games
I was reading the book about Srila Prabhuapada in the UK, when I found one small hint that made me think about my path to Krishna.
Prabhupada asked a question to a devotee, and the devotee started answering:” I think…” Prabhupada answered surprised:” You think? You don’t know? ” Yes Prabhupada would always say what he knew. And we say what we think is true, we keep on speculating. That is also that idea of being simple minded, not complicating things, not overthinking, then we are placing ourselves as the most important things in our lives. I guess the problem is here. I constantly think of myself, what to do to be super I? Ok, that is a problem that I kind of not know who I am. I am not this body. Kul. I have this body. I know how to look after the body in terms of keeping it healthy. The body is useful, I can do the service. What is the service?
Pritivitaj jata nagar adi gram. Sarvatra prachar haibe mor Nam: “In every town and village, My name will be sung by all creatures.”
prithivite ache yata nagaradi grama/ sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama
So what is the difficulty?
I am not this body; I have this body to use for the service. I am conditioned through that body and I have to use it according to the conditioning, but not allowing to be overwhelmed by this. Like some people have worse conditions, for example physically but they still do the best of the bad bargain and use the body for service. There is also the mind, which is a part of my material baggage. I should not get overwhelmed by that but use it in service, which means it will become my friend. The problem with the body is clear. With the mind it is all the rubbish that goes on inside. The mind is creating a story to keep us trapped in the virtual reality of thoughts, feeling and desires that are in reality foreign to us. Our real thoughts, feelings and desires are connected to Krishna. If something is not connected to K, it is false, Maya, that which is not. Hridayananda was explaining that it is our strategy for lording-it-over. We try to disconnect things from Krishna. But the real dharma- the essence of everything that exists is that it is a part of Krishna. Otherwise we are not seeing the reality of things. And the problem is that we are not seeing the reality! It does not mean that the world is false, it is real but we don’t see it the way it is. It is as if someone has a problem with his eyes, and he doesn’t see colors, or clear shapes. It doesn’t mean that there are no colors or shapes are not clear. Ceto darpana marjanam. We can’t see our face in the mirror because it is covered with dust. If that all makes sense, why not to trust Krishna when he says that Harinama Sankirtana is the most powerful mirror cleanser? Give it a try. I am imagining Caitanya with harinam sankirtana spray in TV propaganda, presenting how it removes all the dust.
The process given to us by Prabhupada, is kind of a make believe game. In the beginning of the third chapter Krishna explains the gradual path of self realization- self realization meaning coming to see the reality, to actually see our true self and all the rest the way they are; getting rid of the eye disease. But Prabhupada simplified it, as he knew we are very impatient. He promised that by following the rules of the game we will wake up in the spiritual world, back home, seeing our face again. Like waking up from a dream when we are in a strange place, we have forgotten the way back home, we see that our face is not our true face. The game is about pretending that we are in the spiritual world. Try to see everything in relation with Krishna. To get really into it, it is all like this very advanced virtual games, you have to believe it is reality. But this is the most advanced game ever because it will gradually transport you from one reality to another. At the starting point of the game you actually think in a reverse way. The world you are in-material, you take as real, and your character as your true self. You think: I am here in this room, and I am playing a game. But the further you get, the more bonus points you collect, you will start understanding that the game is actual reality and the character you are discovering is your real self. That is amazing! This is real adventure!
I really appreciate the people who invented modern computer games to allow me to understand the reality. Krishna is everything. Vasudeva sarvam iti. He gave people the ability to invent those games.
But this is only the first step: to understand the rules of the game. There are also some impediments, some evil guys that attack and you have to kill them. By killing them you get bonus points, gain skills, can choose an arm or shield, or a helmet that will allow you to defeat other enemies. Another clever point: the enemies are inside you! The enemy has already penetrated your city. And he took over the most strategic points: your Mind and Intelligence. The control points. The enemies are Kama- Lust, Lobha-Greed and Krodha-Anger. They also have power to make you believe that they are part of You! You think they belong to you, you think you are lusty, greedy or angry. But the key to winning the game is to understand that they are enemies that came from outside! The mind can be the worst enemy but also the best friend, as said in the Bhagavad Gita.
It is always a fight. That is why Krishna gives the most confidential knowledge to Arjuna on the battlefield. He explains the rules of the game and the final prize.
Prabhuapada repeats the instruction in the middle of Kali-Yuga West:
”This process is so simple. Just chant Hare Krishna and be happy. If you chant sixteen rounds and follow the four regulative principles then at the end of this life you will go back home, back to Godhead”.
And the game is over.
