By Kesava Krsna Dasa
Perfect Imperfections
We can get a wrong idea of what perfection is in Bhakti. We might think that a guru has to be word perfect, action perfect – everything perfect. What type of perfection though? If we expect a mechanised, robotic perfection where every strand of hair remains untangled and every tilt of the head is an encyclopaedic event, and base our faith on these alone, we’ll miss the point. Perfection can be found in imperfection.
If a pure devotee offers Krishna a banana skin instead of a banana because his love for the Lord made him unaware of what he was offering, Krishna will accept that. If another poverty stricken devotee possesses some ‘unofferable’ chipped rice, but has love for Krishna, Krishna will more than happily accept it. Devotional love makes imperfect things perfect.
We might especially impose our idea of perfection in the spiritual world. We might expect that every strand of hair really does remain untangled and every bodily movement perfect. Again, what type of perfection are we expecting? Not our neophyte ones. There, when Srimati Radharani wakes up in the morning, Her hair is tangled. This gives a gopi a chance to serve Her by combing Her hair. What a perfect tangle!!!!
Sometimes Sri Radha might forget her belt and leave it behind somewhere. She’ll ask someone like Rati Manjari (Srila Raghunatha Dasa Goswami) to go and fetch it. What perfect ‘forgetfulness’ this is!!!! She might misplace Her anklets which enable someone like Syamananda Pandit to find them. In the mornings, Yashoda Mata might ask some gopis to paint some artistic designs on Krishna’s face. During this painting there might be an ‘error’ which has to be corrected by rubbing it off and starting again. What perfect art this is!!!!
For me personally, if Srila Prabhupada had made any mistakes anywhere, at any time, he is still my perfect siksa spiritual master. His sincerity and dedication for Krishna overrides everything else. Everything becomes perfect by serving the Lord with love. This is why we, on a practical level should simply be who we are. To serve Krishna from our honest position will be more of a talent in Krishna’s eyes than those we offer from a position of being who we are not.
Immature devotees see imperfection in others all the time. Their faith depends on it. This is why it is important for senior devotees to be excellent visual examples for younger devotees. Increased association of mature devotees can help to increase faith to an extent that one will realise that all devotees are perfect, in a way, by dint of chanting Hare Krishna and service in Bhakti. Such faith will eventually see perfection in imperfection, as Krishna does.
The Petal’s Edge
Devotees are fond of using the term, “Razor’s edge”. It is a strong, cutting reminder to be careful on the Bhakti path. What if a devotee is very sincere and careful, but accidently falls or commits a mistake? Would that still earn a razor-sharp reaction? Is there not a difference between being careless and careful? Shouldn’t the reaction to both be different? The term “Razor’s edge” was used by Srila Prabhupada a number of times to describe spiritual life. For example:
“Ksura means sharpened razor. If you are careful, you cleanse very nicely. If you are not careful, immediately blood. So the spiritual life is like that. As soon as you become little inattentive, immediately Maya captures, “Yes, come on”. Then everything failure.” (Bombay, September 19th 1973)
In statements like these Srila Prabhupada gives ultimatum-like warnings. To be “inattentive” or the opposite of “careful”, careless, is a common symptom of immature behaviour. These “Razor sharp” admonitions are meant for beginners in Krishna consciousness. Needless to say, it applies to all devotees, experienced as well. But experienced devotees will generally be careful in spiritual life. Their hearts have softened and faith is firm. Surely, another level of cautionary awareness and reaction must accrue.
Why does Krishna say that His devotees “never perish” in Bhagavad-gita chapter nine? Krishna likes His sincere devotees very much. Sometimes sincere devotees may get caught off-balance on this Razor sometimes. But then, for a softened heart of a sincere devotee the path of Bhakti also must be petal-soft. Or not? Why so much reference to pure love, lotus flowers, spiritual emotion and other ‘yielding’ qualities otherwise? Devotees yield to Krishna and Krishna yields to His devotees.
If Krishna yields to His devotees, will He treat them with Razor harshness if they are sincere and careful, but accidently fall? Krishna makes it clear that He protects such devotees. On this level devotees tread the path of Bhakti on a lotus petal’s edge. If they fall, Krishna’s lotus hands will cushion the impact of a fall. The term Petal-edge is more suitable for the sincere and careful. Even if there are some rough times as Sri Prahlada and Namacarya Srila Haridasa Thakur went through, they did not feel them, but experienced the comfort of total absorption on the Lotus-like Lord.
Feel The Purport
We often make Krishna consciousness much more complicated than it should be. We might even think uneducated, illiterate versions of Bhakti will be unattractive for the educated. Uneducated and illiterate people can be simplistic and easily swayed by populism. In numbers, they can resort to unconventional means of protest if their rights are hindered. A generalised perception is that culture and societal integration is not one of their strong charms. But if such people become Krishna conscious…?
When an illiterate individual holds a Bhagavad-gita and tries to read it because his spiritual master instructed him to do so, that had some appeal for Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Even though the individual could not make head or tail of any written words, he was somehow reading Bhagavad-gita, for real. He simply cried at the kindness of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna who serves His devotee Arjuna in so many ways. He was feeling something profound, over and above the written words. Following the orders of a spiritual master can enable this.
Depending on our depth of faith, we can feel our way in Krishna consciousness. If this sounds sentimental, then we can quote Srila Prabhupada who mentioned how we can feel the purport of our devotional activities in a lecture given in Vrindavan, India, November 4, 1976. Srila Prabhupada is verbalising what Lord Chaitanya said to the individual and echoing His deeper sentiments with endearing aplomb:
“You are reading Bhagavad-gita. It is not about literacy or education or knowing grammar and putting forth a jugglery of words. That is not reading. If one feels the purport of Bhagavad-gita, that is reading Bhagavad-gita.”
We could extend this “feel” to every other of our devotional activities. To “feel” when we offer obeisances. To “feel” when we recite prayers. To “feel” when we chant japa. To “feel” in whatever we do. This “feel” can be aroused if we have gratitude. Such “feel” can be prolonged if we maintain a position of dependence on the spiritual master and the Lord. This dependence can create the “feel” in ‘impossible situations. Ultimately this is what Krishna consciousness is all about. Are we able to “feel” the difference?
Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa – GRS