Constant Engagement of Our Senses for Krishna

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Mathajis,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

In Bhagavad Gita verse 8.5, Lord Krishna declares to Arjuna

anta-kaale ca maam eva / smaran muktvaa kalevaram
yah prayaati sa mad-bhaavam / yaati naasty atra samshayah

"And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt."

We might wonder what will happen if we remember something else. Lord clarifies our doubts in next verse as follows

yam yam vaapi smaran bhaavam / tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya / sadaa tad-bhaava-bhaavita h

"Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail."

There is a proverb that whatever we make as habit since we are in the cradle, will continue till our grave. So it is important that we practise bhakti right from childhood. In his powerful purport to verse 8.5, Srila Prabhupada very nicely elaborates on the importance of smaran. He says -"Remembrance of Krishna is not possible for the impure soul who has not practised Krishna consciousness in devotional service. Therefore one should practise Krishna consciousness from the very beginning of life. If one wants to achieve success at the end of his life, the process of remembering Krishna is essential. Therefore one should constantly, incessantly chant the maha-mantra

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Lord Caitanya has advised that one be as tolerant as a tree (taror iva sahishnunaa). There may be so many impediments for a person who is chanting Hare Krishna. Nonetheless, tolerating all these impediments, one should continue to chant the Mahamantra so that at the end of one's life one can have the full benefit of Krishna consciousness. "

We have heard from many senior devotees how our beloved Gurudev, HDG Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj used to ask them to recite Gita and shlokas even at 2 am in the morning. There are days when Gurudev landed in Abudhabi in the middle of night. Devotees would think that Gurudev will be taking rest until mangala-arathi at 4am. But despite the tiring air-travel, his ripe age and health conditions, Gurudev will extend himself and would ask devotees to recite shlokas. Our minds will trick us and tell that it is time to sleep - but Gurudev being our kind well-wisher wanted us always to be alert as he knows the truth that death can come to us any time. For Yamaraj it doesn't matter whether it is day or night, whether we are fresh/tired, healthy/sick. As soon as our time is up, he comes to take us away. Few days ago we heard about the transcendental journey of H G Aindra Prabhu from Bhuloka Vrindavan to Goloka Vrindavan. Since he had served Srila Prabhupada, Shri Shri Radha Shyamsundar and Holy Names so wonderfully throughout his life, even when he was scorched by fire during his last moments, Prabhuji was offering his dandavats to his beloved Gaur-Nitai deities and had left the world in that position itself.

We never know in what form death will arrive for us. Whether it is going to be sudden heart-attack, prolonged illness, accident or anything worser. Whether we would die in the morning or evening or when we are alone or when people are around us. We simply don't have any clue. Only the sadhana and service that we do throughout the life counts a lot for our consciousness at the end of our life.

In this regard I came across a short story about a soldier and a horse. The soldier took utmost pains to care for the horse. As long as the war lasted, he looked upon the horse as his fellow-helper in all emergencies and fed him carefully with hay and corn. But when the war was over, he only allowed him to eat chaff and made him carry heavy loads of wood and ill-treated him. War was again proclaimed. Then the soldier put on the horse, its military trapplings and mounted being clad in his heavy coat. The horse fell down straight-away owing to the weight, as it was no longer able to bear the burden and said to his master - "You must now go to the war on foot - for you have transformed me from a horse to an ass. How can you expect that I can again turn in a moment from an ass to a horse ?"

Our senses are like the horse in the hands of the soldier. Like the soldier, when there is some danger, we behave like a very good child of the Lord and pray very sincerely. But the moment the danger vanishes, we just relax and hardly care to nourish our senses spiritually. So in that situation, when danger/death strikes suddenly how will it be possible to remember the Lord ? Gurudev always recommends that - "To prevent any of the senses from losing its normal capacity, we must keep them in constant use - specifically in use for Krishna". He would also say, "The more we use our senses in Krishna's service, the longer they will function properly. Because Krishna sees that we are using the senses given by Him for what they are meant to be used, He will prolong their lifespan."

I pray to Gurudev and Krishna that I understand this reality and engage my senses constantly in Their service.

Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Sudarshana devi dasi.

Chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna

Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama

Hare Hare

and be happy.