Chapter 12 - Chaitanya Charan Das, Bhagavad Gita ISKCON: Recent Episodes
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Devotion is characterized more by the protection of morality than by the protection of orthodoxy.
All theistic traditions worldwide are associated with certain ritual practices that become a core part of their orthodoxy. The particular ways in which specific rituals are performed often serve as essential means for preserving continuity and spirituality within a tradition. Thus, the details matter—as they say, the devil resides in the details, and the divine may also be served through them.
Simultaneously, while preserving these details, it is equally important that the organizational structures of theistic traditions, often embodied by some form of organized religion, do not become so preoccupied with orthodoxy that they neglect, or even deride, morality and basic human decency. For example, if a neophyte practitioner performs a ritual, etiquette, or practice incorrectly, it would be natural for the tradition to correct such an error. However, if this correction is carried out with a self-righteous, condescending, or judgmental attitude, it may alienate and even antagonize many potential and present practitioners.
People often come to a spiritual tradition seeking a sense of belonging and community. If they feel constantly judged and demeaned over trivialities and technicalities, they may well decide they do not want to be part of such a tradition. Those focused on preserving orthodoxy might dismiss such considerations as mundane and declare that people who leave for such reasons lack the sincerity to follow their time-honored path. Yet, Krishna himself does not relegate such issues to mere pragmatic concerns. In fact, the Bhagavad-gita (12.13–20) offers a list of qualities that endear a devotee to him. Strikingly, none of these qualities are about religious orthodoxy, ritual precision, or adherence to codes of conduct or etiquette. Instead, they center on basic human behavior and morality. For example, Krishna describes the soul dear to him as non-envious, a friend to all, compassionate, and composed (12.15), avoiding actions that would disturb or be disturbed by others.
Overall, the list emphasizes traits often associated with morality, humanity, or decency, and Krishna’s inclusion of them underscores their importance. These qualities should not be viewed as tactics to attract potential converts through “love bombing”—showering newcomers with affection to overwhelm them until their emotions make the decision for them to join. Rather, Krishna promotes cultivating these qualities in a transcendental and genuine way, which both attracts and pleases him.
While the purpose of theistic traditions certainly extends beyond merely upholding morality, decency, or humanity, ultimately, it aims to awaken spirituality, equipping individuals with the resources to be restored to their rightful place and purpose within the divine order that characterizes existence.
Summary:
- Orthodoxy, in the sense of adherence to a set of practices, rituals, and etiquettes, fosters a sense of continuity with the past and spirituality within a tradition.
- However, such traditions should not allow the preservation of orthodoxy to override the preservation of morality, decency, and humanity.
- In ensuring practitioners conform to expected norms, leaders in traditions should avoid becoming judgmental or condescending, which may alienate or antagonize non-practitioners or potential practitioners.
- The basic behavioral qualities comprising morality, humanity, and decency endear one to Krishna, emphasizing that good behavior is not merely a tactic to attract new people but an essential aspect of character, fostering true spiritual growth.
Think it over:
- Why is orthodoxy important for theistic traditions?
- When may emphasis on such orthodoxy become counterproductive?
- How does the Bhagavad Gita convey that morality, humanity, decency shouldn’t be sidelined for orthodoxy.
12.15 He by whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.
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The Bhagavad-gita (12.8) states that those whose mind and intelligence are absorbed in Krishna live in Krishna already. The emphasis is that Krishna is not someone they will attain in the future—they are already with Krishna.
On one level, we all understand that Krishna is not far away from us; he is with us, within us, as the Supersoul. It is because the spiritual faculties of our soul have been deadened by prolonged disease that we can’t even feel the presence of the One who is the Supreme Presence.
When we sit down to meditate, we are trying to devote that time both exclusively and intensively to sense that divine presence of Krishna. The more we speak and hear Krishna’s holy names, trying to attune our consciousness to his presence, the more we awaken our soul from its spiritual slumber.
However, when we start meditating, we are still in a spiritually inert state. Therefore, it’s easy to forget that Krishna is present right now with us; instead, we tend to treat him as someone we may encounter in the future — in a future that often feels far from us, sometimes forebodingly far from us. The more we think of Krishna as someone we might encounter in the future, the more apathetic or unenthusiastic we may become in our efforts to connect with him during our meditation.
Thankfully, Gita wisdom through verses such as this (12.8) reminds us that if we just attune our consciousness, we can perceive that he is here with us. Based on such verses, if we can accept as an axiomatic truth that he is present right now, even though we don’t feel his presence, then that acceptance becomes our pathway for accelerated perception of transcendence. We learn to see meditation as an opportunity to realize the presence of the One who is always present. And as we strive to dive into meditation, with the intelligence that values the Lord as the supreme valuable, and with the mind that desires the Lord as the supreme desirable, then our soul awakens, even if for a few precious moments.
During those moments, it is as if we briefly wake from a dream — and we realize that where we are is very different from where we normally think we are. We are not in a world of matter that is bereft of spirit and bankrupt of the Divine. We are in a world that is enveloped, energized, and enriched by that Divine Presence.
Krishna is present in the present, not a present to be attained in the future — this tremendous, mysterious, joyous realization is the rich fruit of meditation, a fruit that beckons us through every moment that we try to invest in meditating on Krishna.
Summary:
- Because our spiritual faculties are deadened by prolonged disease, we cannot sense Krishna’s presence now, and thus we treat Him as if He is someone to be encountered in the future.
- Nonetheless, Krishna is present in the present as an invisible reality that envelops, energizes, and enriches the visible reality, and also exists within it.
- The more we long to be in the Divine presence, accepting axiomatically that the Divine is present in the present, the more meditation will become a potent opportunity for us to be ushered into that mysterious, tremendous, joyous Divine presence.
Think it over:
- What’s wrong with the idea that God is someone we will encounter in the future?
- Have you ever experienced a divine presence during your meditation or at any other time?
- How can we feel Krishna’s presence in the present?
12.8 Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.
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We need to be kind to ourselves because we are parts of God and God wants us to be kind to all His parts, including us. Sometimes when we are trying to improve ourselves and are failing: we can become very hard and harsh with ourselves, condemning us for our laziness or our foolishness or in general for our conditionings. At such times, we need to be kind to ourselves because we are not just our conditionings, we are souls who are parts of God – and to be God-conscious means to respect all the parts of God, including us who are also precious parts of God. By being kind to ourselves, we are being conscious of Krishna.
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12.13: One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress – such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.
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We are happy to see some people go and we are happy to see that some people never go. In our lives, we often have a social circle that is filled with many different kinds of people and some people are such that we get used to them although we are never comfortable with them. And when they go, that is a change but we welcome that change. But there are other people who are a part of our life and who we want to be a part of our life – and such people are the people with whom we need to form deep bonds while they are around us so that even if they are far away, those bonds can continue and we can still have the warmth of their friendship.
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12.15 He by whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.
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What people find surprising tells us not just about the surprise but also about the people. When we interact with people, we often want to know more about who they are and what makes them tick. And when things are going on normally, then we do not really get to know much about those people. But when something out of the normal happens or even if something happens that those people consider is out of the normal, then that is an opportunity to better understand those people. If they find something surprising, then that helps us to understand what kind of background they have come from, what kind of predictability they have expected and thereby we can get a deeper insight into those people.
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12.15 He by whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.
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There are two kinds of people: people who never disappoint and people who never fail to disappoint. There are some people who always stay true to their word and they come to our help as per their promises – even if it is difficult for us and even if we are in great difficulty. Such people are capable of being the best of friends and allies. And there are other people who never fail to disappoint. That means that no matter how many promises they make and how many times they make those promises, when the need comes, they are missing in action. Such people are best discounted from our friend circle.
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12.15 He by whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.
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How we respond to bad news reflects not just how bad the news is but also how bad our view of the world is. Whenever some bad news comes: some people just go off on a mental spiral downward; where they become pessimistic, cynical, desperate – and while the news might be bad, their reaction reveals that their own basic view of the world is itself bad. If any news can just set us off, then that means we haven’t found some stable foundation for our own lives. And that is the real bad news.
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12.17 One who neither rejoices nor grieves, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things – such a devotee is very dear to Me.
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To be unhappy on seeing others’ happiness reveals a pathology of our own mind. When someone is happy, especially when somebody is happy in a relationship whereby they have replaced us with that person, it is natural that we may feel unhappy about it. However, rather than resenting that person – either the person who has replaced us with someone else or the person who has replaced us – we need to focus on ourselves and try to see what it is inside us that makes us truly valuable. And when we find our core spirituality that is a part of our divinity, being parts of the divine, that is where we can find a core that is never replaced. And therein lies true inner security.
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12.15 He by whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.
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To be unsettled is unhealthy when we are living a life of values and purposes. But it is healthy when we are settling for complacency and lethargy. We all feel unsettled at times, and how we respond to such feelings depends on the state of our life overall. If we are living a life of value and purpose, and are just not making tangible progress because progress requires time, then we need to neglect that feeling of being unsettled and keep pushing onwards. But if we are living a life of complacency or lethargy or apathy, then that feeling of being unsettled can prompt us towards changing our life and making our life better.
Watch this content at: Feeling unsettled: Good or bad?
12.17 One who neither rejoices nor grieves, who neither laments nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious things – such a devotee is very dear to Me.
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Don’t cut people because they are slack. Cut people some slack. Whenever someone doesn’t live up to our expectations, it is natural that we become annoyed or even irritated with them. And if we find that they are slack in doing their responsibilities, we may get angry with them and cut them down with harsh words.
However, that can demoralize them so much that they may just quit. Instead, it is far better that we cut them some slack. None of us is perfect, and we all will stumble and fall at times. It is important that if we truly care, that means we don’t try to hold everyone accountable for every small thing. Rather than keeping track of every single wrong, we cut people some slack and thus give them space to grow.
(Inspired by Bhagavad-Gita 12.14)
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Love means to give others what they need, not what they deserve or even what they desire. When we try to show our affection to others, we may go wrong in two ways. If we consider a pendulum, one is we may start pandering to them and giving them whatever they desire. This will spoil them or even harm them.
On the other hand, we might go to the other extreme and give them what they deserve. If they have been hurtful, if they have been resentful, then we may withhold even necessary and beneficial things for them out of our own angry emotions. But if we are truly loving, then we will focus on what they need and try to provide that to them. That is what Krishna recommends as compassion in Bhagavad-Gita 12.12.
(Inspired by Bhagavad-Gita 12.12)
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We may think of fanatics to be scary-looking monstrous people who self-righteously destroy anyone who opposes them. While that is indeed fanaticism in activity there is also fanaticism in mentality. And that may be something which may be present even in our own hearts, although we may never be fanatical in our activity in terms of being violent or destructive.
What is this fanatical mentality? It is the belief that what works for me is the only thing that can ever work for anyone else. And therefore if somebody is doing something different from what I am doing, they are wrong — not just wrong but wrong-headed. They are evil for doing that wrong thing; they are misleading others and therefore they need to be destroyed.
(Inspired by Bhagavad-gita 12.13)
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Might we be fanatics?
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When someone behaves outrageously and triggers within us strong emotions such as revengefulness or resentfulness, it is essential that we find a balance between expressing those emotions unfiltered and suppressing them unheard. If we just express our emotions, we will burn the other person. If we just repress our emotions, we will burn ourselves — if not immediately, then eventually.
The balance lies in processing such emotions objectively. Even though our emotions tend to distort our perceptions, we can still achieve a less biased, if not unbiased, assessment of the situation if we pause and process. For such processing, it is best if we have someone with whom we can air our grievances, fears, and resentments. It’s good if that person is a mature listener who patiently hears our side of the story. It’s better still if they can also expertly reflect our emotions and help us more clearly understand our concerns. It’s best if they can thoughtfully reframe the situation and gently help us refine our emotions.
As finding such a person is not easy, we may be tempted to take a shortcut by merging the processes of processing and expressing — that is, we may seek out the very person whose behavior triggered us. While it’s helpful to eventually talk with them after we have processed our emotions, it’s unhelpful, even harmful, to talk with them for processing those emotions. Why unhelpful? Because they are likely to be too involved in the situation to act as objective listeners — and even if they are objective, our own feelings about them are likely to be too volatile for us to accept that their responses are objective. While listening to us, if they begin defending themselves or challenging our perceptions or judging our emotions, we may feel further triggered. Such triggering can happen even if their points are valid, let alone if their points are invalid. Indeed, expecting them to help us process our emotions is like expecting the matchstick that triggered the fire to help extinguish it.
In rare cases, if that person is extraordinarily mature or our relationship with them is incredibly robust, they might be able to assist us partially in processing our emotions — just as sometimes a large burnt matchstick might aid in beating down a fire. Nonetheless, in the overall analysis, the risk in such situations far outweighs the rewards. It’s prudent to turn to someone else for aid in processing our emotions. That way, we can effectively abide by the Bhagavad-gita (12.15) guideline: don’t disturb others and don’t be disturbed by others.
Summary:
If we expect the person who triggered strong emotions in us to help us process those emotions, we are expecting the matchstick that started a fire to help extinguish that fire.
Think it over:
- Why do we need to process our emotions?
- What is expected of the person who can help us in that process?
- What’s wrong with expecting that role to be played by the person who triggered those emotions within us?
12.15: He by whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.
Audio explanation of the article is here: https://gitadaily.substack.com/p/surviving-the-earthquake-drowning
To know more about this verse, please click on the image
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The differences between them arise from differing priorities. Fanatics value certainty above all things, whereas spiritualists value curiosity above all things. Let’s see how these different psychologies play out. Fanatics fixate on proving: The entire edifice of their faith is based on the foundation that they have certain knowledge received from an infallible divine source. [...]
Let’s explore what differentiates the two so that we can detect and reject any fanatical tendencies that may be lurking in our heart. Approach to issues: Fanatics tend to have a hot head. When confronted with people who hold differing or opposing opinions, fanatics don’t consider that they themselves might not have all the facts [...]
Suppose we have mistreated others grievously in the past. We may resolve to never forgive ourselves as a way to make up for those actions. However, what does making up for our misdeeds require? Externally, offering apologies and reparations. And internally changing our mental impressions, which are the impellers of our various actions. When we [...]
The above question may confront practicing spiritualists, given that we live in a professional world that is largely materialistic. In dealing with this mismatch of values, our reactions may veer to two extremes: secretive or descriptive. Secretive: Fearing that people may disapprove or deride or even demonize our practices, we may decide to hide those [...]
Self-discipline can seem to be a constant struggle between our far-sighted intentions and our short-sighted emotions. We may morosely ponder: “Will the struggle ever end?” It will, Gita wisdom assures us — especially if we complement our practice of self-discipline with appropriate processes for inner transformation. Among such processes, the Bhagavad-gita recommends bhakti-yoga as the [...]
In the Bhagavad-gita’s twelfth chapter, Krishna’s list of qualities of devotees (12.13-20) don’t include any descriptions of devotional ecstasy. Far from it, the list stresses the regulation of emotion, as when recommending equanimity amid dualities (12.18). Why is that? Because of both devotion’s essential nature & Arjuna’s particular devotional service. Devotion’s central feature: Many people [...]
In the Bhagavad-gita’s twelfth chapter (12.07), Krishna declares that he personally delivers from the ocean of material existence those who devotedly fix their minds on him. In this verse, Krishna’s specific usage of ‘not after a long time (na chirat)’ suggests that this deliverance can refer to Krishna’s interventions in the immediate future: in the [...]
Some people think of God as demanding, but Krishna’s self-revelation in the Bhagavad-gita shows him to be a very understanding God. A demanding God expects, even insists, that we meet some predefined moral and spiritual standard, or we will be rejected, even condemned to hell. In contrast, Krishna is an understanding God who accepts us [...]
After the revelation of the universal form in the Bhagavad-gita’s eleventh chapter, Arjuna’s question at the start of the twelfth chapter seems like a non sequitur: “Which is better: worshiping Krishna as the personal absolute or worshiping the impersonal absolute?” (12.01). Just a few minutes earlier (about twenty-five verses earlier), the sight of the scary [...]
Devotion automatically leads to ethical growth — we may support this claim by quoting Srimad-Bhagavatam verse (05.18.12): devotees manifest all godly qualities But our claim will sooner or later be challenged by experience. We may find ourselves succumbing to unethical behavior, especially of the kind we may have been habituated to in our pre-devotional life. [...]
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Below 12.8 is12.9, practice Sadhan Bhakti to fix mind on Krishna Bg 12.9 atha cittaṁ samādhātuṁ na śaknoṣi mayi sthiram abhyāsa-yogena tato mām icchāptuṁ dhanañ-jaya Synonyms: atha — if, therefore; cittam — mind; samādhātum — to fix; na — not; śaknoṣi — you are [...]
Desires often make us do things we regret. On understanding how desires sabotage us, we may seek to become desireless. However, desirelessness is self-contradictory in conception and self-crippling in execution. Self-contradictory: Wanting to become desireless is itself a desire, making the idea of desirelessness self-contradictory. And this self-contradiction extends beyond the logical to the existential. [...]
Suppose we are locked in a prison. Suppose further that the lock doubles as a key — say, it is touch locks that if operated expertly open the doors. Similar is our situation as spiritual beings entangled in the material world. The Bhagavad-gita (13.22) states that the soul’s consciousness gets locked in matter due to [...]
When we start on our spiritual quest, we may feel that we are far away from God. How can we reach him? By seeking his grace. A tiny toddler can’t just by reaching out touch the face of her tall father who is towering above her.. But if she just stretches out her arms to [...]
Superfoods provide multiple benefits, which fall into two broad categories: increasing our energy and decreasing our vulnerability to diseases.
Let’s understand how remembrance of Krishna is the ultimate spiritual food by considering its two broad benefits:
Increasing our spiritual energy: The Bhagavad-gita (15.07) states that we all are eternal parts of the all-attractive Divinity, Krishna. When we are attracted to him, we become energized in all areas of our life and we do our best as a loving offering to him. However, presently our attraction is misdirected toward various worldly things, thereby leaving us with very little energy to connect with him. Nonetheless, if we strive to remember him as a discipline, we will become animated by desire for him, longing for him, love for him (12.09). When we cultivate his remembrance, he reciprocates by revealing more and more his attractiveness to us, thereby energizing us to move toward him, through inner devotion and outer service (10.10). And the more we become attracted to him and absorbed in him, the more we relish the supreme everlasting joy.
Decreasing our material vulnerability: During our life-journey, we are vulnerable to various worldly desires that can drag us in unwanted directions and to various worldly distresses that can befall us when we lose the things we care for. When we cultivate remembrance of Krishna, our resulting inner connection with him provides us stability and satisfaction: stability to better weather worldly distresses, and satisfaction to better withstand worldly desires. Does this mean we don’t care for things or people? No, we care for them as an integral part of our service to Krishna, but we don’t become emotionally entangled in them. Being shielded in our remembrance of Krishna, we can be concerned about them, but not disturbed by them. Thus, we go through our life-journey far more steadily, with much lesser drama or trauma (05.20).
One-sentence summary:
Remembrance of Krishna is the ultimate superfood — it increases our spiritual energy by strengthening our attraction to the eternal Divinity and decreases our material vulnerability by shielding us from worldly desires and distresses.
Think it over:
- How does remembrance of Krishna increase our spiritual energy?
- How does remembrance of Krishna decrease our material vulnerability?
- Have you ever experienced any of these benefits of remembering Krishna?
12.09: if you cannot fix your mind upon Me without deviation, then follow the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga. In this way develop a desire to attain Me.
To know more about this verse, please click on the image
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