We feel frustrated when things go wrong. While such
frustrations are unavoidable for everyone, they become accentuated to the level
of hopeless frustrations for those who hold a materialistic conception of life.
Such materialists may find some way ahead through life’s
routine frustrations, but sooner or later life will force upon them
frustrations that bring their life-journey to dead ends – unalterable,
inescapable, imminent dead ends. For example, what can they do if they are
diagnosed with a terminal disease? Not much, except watch helplessly as the
body, which they have treasured as the be-all and the end-all of their
existence, wastes away on its doomed journey to death.
Devotion redefines death as not a hopeless dead end, but as
a doorway to move closer to Krishna, provided we raise our consciousness.
The Bhagavad-gita’s spiritual insight that we are eternal,
indestructible souls helps us understand that our existence is not limited to
our bodily lifespan. We realize that we don’t have to limit the scope of our
activities to the body, but can expand it to the spiritual level and include
activities of devotional service to Krishna. Devotion by expanding our
conception of life protects us from hopeless frustration. It redefines death as
not a hopeless dead end, but as a doorway to move closer to Krishna, provided
we raise our consciousness. The Bhagavad-gita (02.15) declares that those who
stay equipoised amidst life’s ups and downs become eligible to attain life
eternal.
As devotee-seekers, we will still face frustration due to
the body, because the body is by nature temporary. Nonetheless, we can find
some way to serve Krishna, for such service doesn’t depend on anything, even
the body. Even if our body falls apart and goes to the verge of death, we can
still serve him just by remembering him. Of course, to remember him then, we
need to cultivate a healthy attachment to him by serving him enthusiastically
and sincerely with whatever facilities we have now.
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