Question 11
QUESTIONER: WHAT IS THE TEST OF ONE'S HIGHEST DEVOTION TO KRISHNA?
As I said, there is no discipline of devotion, and there is no test for love. Love is enough unto itself; why bother about testing it? You think of testing it only when love is not there. Care for love, not for its test. Why do you need a test? You think of testing only when there is no love.
So be concerned with love. Be loving. And when there is love, it is always true love. There is nothing like false love; it is a wrong term. Love is or it is not; the question of test does not arise. There is a test for gold because there is false gold too. Love is never false; it is or it is not. And when love is, you know it the way you know when the shoe pinches. It is painful when the shoe pinches, pain is the test of the pinch. There is no other test. Do you have a test for pain? Pain is its own test; you know when it hurts and when it does not. In the same way you know it when love happens and when it does not. Watch yourself and you will have no trouble knowing whether there is love or is not. What will a test do when there is no love? Love has nothing to do with a test. So care for love, your love.
But we are afraid to turn in and watch our selves. We are afraid because we know there is no love in there. Instead we always look to others for love; we are anxious to know if they are loving toward us. Rarely one wants to know if he is loving toward others. Day in and day out couples have been quarreling over love. A wife is always complaining that her husband does not love her as much as she loves him. And a husband in his turn is complaining that his wife is not as loving to him. A son is full of resentment that his father does not love him. And a father in his turn grumbles equally. Everybody is complain ing, but no one asks if he himself is loving or not.
We are not loving; we really don't have love. We don't feel any love for living human beings who surround us from everywhere. We don't love plants and flowers that are visible everywhere. We don't love the hills and mountains and stars who are all members of the visible world. And when we don't love the seen, the tangible, how can we love that which is unseen, invisible?
Let us begin with the visible world -- the tangible. Love should begin at home. And you will find that one who loves the visible soon begins to feel the presence of the invisible that is hidden just behind. You love a rock and the rock turns into God. You love a flower, and you will come in contact with the elan vital that is throbbing inside the flower's heart. You love a person and soon the body disappears and the spirit becomes visible. Love is the alchemy which can turn the visible into the invisible, the subtle. Love is the door to the unknown, the unknowable. So just be concerned with love and don't worry about testing it.
And never ask what the highest state of love is. Love is always the highest state. When love comes, it comes at its pinnacle. There is no other state of love, it is always the highest.
There are no degrees of love -- less and more. Let us go into it more deeply. I cannot say that I love you a little. Love is never less than the whole. A little love has no meaning. Either there is love or there is not. It is meaningless to say, "Right now I love you less than I loved you before." It does not happen like that. If I love you, I love you totally or I don't love you at all. For example, if someone steals two cents and another person steals two hundred thousand dollars, you cannot say that one committed a small theft and another a big one. Of course, people who worship money will say that a theft of two hundred thousand is big and that of two cents is petty. But in reality theft is theft, whether it involves two cents or two hundred thousand dollars. There are no degrees of theft, large and small. One is as much a thief when he pockets two cents as he is when he bags two hundred thousand dollars.
Love is neither small nor big; love is simply love. There is no such thing as the highest state of love; love is the highest state. Love is always the climax; there are no short climaxes and long ones. Water becomes steam at a hundred degrees. You cannot say that it will be less steam at ninety-five or ninety degrees. No, water changes into steam only at a hundred degrees, not before. So the hundredth degree is the first and the last point of that climax when water turns into steam. Similarly love is the first and the last; love is the climax. Its alpha and omega points are the same. The first and the last rungs of love's ladder are the same. Love's journey begins and ends with the first step; one step is enough.
Since we don't know love we raise strange questions about it. I have yet to come across a person who asks a right question about love. I am reminded of a story:
Morgan, a multi-millionaire, was having a discussion with another multi-millionaire who was his rival in business. Morgan said, "There are a thousand ways of earning money, but the way of earning it honestly is only one."
His rival asked with some amazement, "What is that one way?"
Morgan said, "I knew you would ask this question, because you don't know. I was certain about your raising the question because you don't know an honest way to make money."
It is the same with love. We cannot formulate a right question about love; we never ask a right question about it. Whatever questions we raise are irrelevant, beside the point, because we don't know a thing about love. Like Morgan, I knew you would ask this wrong question. We can only ask wrong questions about love. And the irony is that one who knows love is not going to ask a question, which would be the right question, about love. The question does not arise because he knows it.
|
Next: Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 12
Energy Enhancement Enlightened Texts Krishna Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy
Chapter 10
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 1
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 1, KRISHNA WAS ESSENTIALLY A SPIRITUAL MAN, BUT HE FREELY TOOK PART IN POLITICS. AND AS A POLITICIAN HE DID NOT SHRINK FROM USING THE TRICKS OF THE TRADE. IN THE BATTLE OF THE MAHABHARAT HE GOT BISHMA KILLED BY DECEIT -- A NAKED WOMAN WAS MADE TO STAND BEFORE THAT VENERATED OLD SAGE, WHO WAS A VOWED CELIBATE. IN THE SAME WAY, DECEPTION WAS USED TO KILL DRONACHARYA, KARNA, AND DURYODHANA. THE QUESTION ARISES: SHOULD A SPIRITUAL MAN TAKE PART IN POLITICS, AND IF SO, SHOULD HE BEHAVE AS ORDINARY POLITICIANS DO? AND, WAS MAHATMA GANDHI WRONG IN LAYING STRESS ON THE PURITY OF ENDS AND MEANS? IS NOT PURITY OF MEANS IMPORTANT TO POLITICS? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 2
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 2, COULD HE NOT HAVE KILLED THEM STRAIGHTAWAY WITH WEAPONS, INSTEAD OF RESORTING TO DUBIOUS MEANS? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 3
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 3, THERE WAS A KING NAMED PONDRAK IN THE TIMES OF KRISHNA. THIS MAN HAD DECLARED KRISHNA TO BE A FAKE AND HIMSELF TO BE THE REAL KRISHNA. CAN YOU SAY IF SIMILAR THINGS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LIVES OF BUDDHA, MAHAVIRA AND OTHER ENLIGHTENED BEINGS? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 4
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 4, WHY DID JESUS CLAIM? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 5
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 5, THE LINE OF HINDU INCARNATIONS BEGINS WITH THE FISH AND CONTINUES THROUGH RAMA, KRISHNA, AND BUDDHA. EVEN THE COMING INCARNATION, TO BE KNOWN AS KALKI, IS INCLUDED IN THIS SERIES. BUT HOW IS IT THAT IN THIS LONG LINE OF INCARNATIONS KRISHNA IS SAID TO BE THE COMPLETE INCARNATION OF GOD, ALTHOUGH BUDDHA HAPPENED LONG AFTER HIM? WHY WAS BUDDHA DERIVED THIS HONOR? AND WHAT, FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF EVOLUTION, IS THE SECRET OF KRISHNA PRECEDING BUDDHA? IS IT SO BECAUSE THE MOVEMENT OF TIME IS CIRCULAR? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 6
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 6, KRISHNA PUT UP WITH NINE HUNDRED AND NINETY-NINE INVECTIVES HURLED ON HIM BY KING SHISHUPAL, BUT HE KILLED HIM WITH HIS CHAKRA -- A WHEEL-LIKE WEAPON -- WHEN THE KING FIRED HIS LAST INVECTIVE. DOES IT NOT SHOW THAT KRISHNA'S TOLERANCE IS ONLY SKIN DEEP, THAT DEEP DOWN HE WAS INTOLERANT? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 7
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 7, WOULD YOU NOT CALL KRISHNA A KIDNAPPING CHAMPION? HE NOT ONLY KIDNAPS RUKMINI AND MARRIES HER, BUT ALSO INDUCES ARJUNA TO KIDNAP HER SISTER SUBHADRA. WHAT DO YOU SAY? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 8
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 8, ONCE WHEN KRISHNA IS ON HIS WAY TO DWARKA HE MEETS KUNTA WHO REQUESTS OF HIM A GIFT OF PAIN AND SUFFERING. BUT KRISHNA ONLY LAUGHS; HE DOES NOT EVEN SAY THAT SUCH A REQUEST IS NOT RIGHT. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 9
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 9, IT ALL SOUNDS PARADOXICAL. YOU HAVE SAID MORE THAN ONCE THAT WHILE KRISHNA'S LIFE IS EXTRAORDINARY AND MIRACULOUS, LIKE A FLOWER IN BLOOM, FULL OF LAUGHTER AND PLAYFULNESS, THE LIFE OF OTHERS LIKE HIM IS MASOCHISTIC. FOR INSTANCE, NOBODY EVER SAW JESUS LAUGH. IN THIS CONTEXT HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT A DEVOTEE PRAYING FOR SUFFERING CAN HAVE A VISION OF THE KRISHNA OF YOUR CONCEPT? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 10
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 10, AS YOU TALK ABOUT GOD AND HIS DEVOTEE, AND YOU CALL KRISHNA 'BHAGWAN', THE BLESSED ONE, A QUESTION ARISES IN MY MIND IF KRISHNA IS A DEVOTEE. IF SO, WHO IS THE BLESSED ONE HE IS DEVOTED TO? AND IF HE IS NOT A DEVOTEE WHY DOES HE SING HYMNS OF PRAISE TO DEVOTION? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 11
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 11, WHAT IS THE TEST OF ONE'S HIGHEST DEVOTION TO KRISHNA? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 12
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 12, KRISHNA INSPIRES ARJUNA TO FIGHT IN THE BATTLE OF THE MAHABHARAT. BUT IT IS SAID THAT ONCE IT HAPPENS, KRISHNA HIMSELF PREPARES TO FIGHT WITH ARJUNA. WHAT IS THE MATTER? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 13
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 13, KRISHNA COULD ALSO SAY THAT SINCE BOTH OF THEM ARE HIS FRIENDS HE IS NOT GOING TO FIGHT ON ANY SIDE at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 14
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 14, YOU EXPLAINED TO US THIS SAYING OF JESUS: 'BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH' THERE IS ANOTHER SAYING OF JESUS: 'BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.' CAN YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 15
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 15, WHY SHOULD ONE THINK OF GAINING AFTER LOSING EVERYTHING? at energyenhancement.org
- Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 16
Krishna, Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy Chapter 10: Spiritualism, Religion and Politics, Question 16, WHAT YOU SAY IS POSSIBLE ONLY IN A STATE OF ENLIGHTENMENT, AND WE FIND EVERYTHING OF THAT ENLIGHTENMENT IN YOU. YOU ARE UTTERLY HUMBLE, BUT WHEN YOU COME OUT AS A RELENTLESS CRITIC, WE ARE ASSAILED BY DOUBT AND CONFUSION at energyenhancement.org
|