The Open Secret for Spiritual Success - Part 9

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

This is in continuation of the previous offering - "The Open Secret for Spiritual Success" wherein we were meditating on Srimad Bhagavatam verse 2.1.12. We saw in how Khatvanga Maharaj  was interested only on Krishna and not on other material benedictions. Now we shall see further.

We may wonder that when Khatvanga Maharaj knew that there is only one moment available, why did he take the trouble of coming down to earth planet? Why could he not have gone from heavenly planets itself? In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 9.9.46 Khatvanga Muni says

ye vikṣiptendriya-dhiyo devās te sva-hṛdi sthitam
na vindanti priyaṁ śaśvad ātmānaṁ kim utāpare

Even though the demigods have the advantages of being situated in the higher planetary system, their minds, senses and intelligence are agitated by material conditions. Therefore, even such elevated persons fail to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternally situated in the core of the heart. What then is to be said of others, such as human beings, who have fewer advantages?

In case of Parikshit Maharaj also we see that as soon as he heard about the brahmana's curse he renounced his kingdom, palatial house and left for the bank of Ganges to take association of the sages. Bhakti is indeed unconditional but suitable time, place and circumstances, does have a very positive impact on our consciousness. So Khatvanga Maharaj did not want to get distracted by the opulences in heavenly planets and decided to come down to the earth.

What to speak of heavenly planets, our consciousness gets disturbed and distracted even when we go to very opulent places in this material world or when we get royal treatment from others. But Krishna has kindly arranged this place to be duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. If it had been sukhālayam we will never think of leaving this place or about Krishna. Distress are indeed a great blessing in this world and that's why Kunti Maharani also prays in 1.8.25 - "I wish that all those calamities would happen again and again so that we could see You again and again, for seeing You means that we will no longer see repeated births and deaths." 

Also demigods themselves pray in Srimad Bhagavatam 5.19.28 -

yady atra naḥ svarga-sukhāvaśeṣitaṁ
sviṣṭasya sūktasya kṛtasya śobhanam
tenājanābhe smṛtimaj janma naḥ syād
varṣe harir yad-bhajatāṁ śaṁ tanoti

We are now living in the heavenly planets, undoubtedly as a result of our having performed ritualistic ceremonies, pious activities and yajñas and having studied the Vedas. However, our lives here will one day be finished. We pray that at that time, if any merit remains from our pious activities, we may again take birth in Bhārata-varṣa as human beings able to remember the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord is so kind that He personally comes to the land of Bhārata-varṣa and expands the good fortune of its people.

If demigods themselves hanker to take birth here, then no matter whatever be our situation here, we should understand how fortunate we are to be here, to have got this opportunity to make our lives successful.

Krishna willing we shall continue to meditate more on this topic in the subsequent offering.

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