We may sometimes ask ourselves, rather we should regularly ask ourselves, how are we doing in our spiritual life? Is our consciousness changing and developing? Is our love for Krishna growing? Are we becoming less affected by our life, our karma, and the world in general? Are we developing a strong sense of who we are that lives within our body?
Prabhupada suggests we take test. In the purport to verses 8-12 in Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 13 he writes – “As for actual advancement in spiritual science, one should have a test to see how far he is progressing.” He invites us to judge ourselves by the 20 items listed in these verses.
Before taking the test, read the verses and purport as they are filed with insights to help us answer as honestly as we can. It’s just between us and Krishna or if we are brave, we can do it as an exercise with others. It’s a great guide to our inner journey – a journey more important than anything else we will work for in our life.
Turn the 20 items into questions by prefacing each with “How am I doing with…? We can use numbers between 1 – 10, or mark ourselves good, not so good, or terrible. Don’t be too hard on yourself, but not too easy either! Acknowledging where we are is the best way to get where we want to go. Good luck!
1. Humility
2. Pridelessness
3. Nonviolence
4. Tolerance
5. Simplicity
6. Approaching a bona fide spiritual master
7. Cleanliness
8. Steadiness
9. Self-control
10. Renunciation of the objects of sense gratification
11. Absence of false ego
12. Perception of the evil of birth, death, old age & disease
13. Detachment
14. Freedom from the entanglement with children, partner, home, and the rest (if these people and things do not support your spiritual advancement)
15. Even-mindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events
16. Constant and unalloyed devotion to Me
17. Aspiring to live in a solitary place
18. Detachment from the general mass of people
19. Accepting the importance of Self-realization
20. Philosophical search for the Absolute Truth
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