“Maybe this world is another planet’s hell” – Aldous Huxley
Often people brace themselves for eventualities. They imagine
suffering would come in a certain way. They calculate if a tragedy
were to strike in a certain way, they’d do something to take care of
their situation. But little do we realize that if we have figured out
how we need suffering and how we’d be ready for it, then that event,
if it happens, is not really suffering.
If suffering comes the way we want, it’s not suffering; at best it’s a
challenge that we could try solving. But real suffering is waiting to
happen, if it hasn’t already struck. That’s because suffering by
definition is something that we don’t want or something we didn’t
anticipate.
Maya knows how exactly to spring surprises in our lives. If Gajendra
knew that the crocodile would attack him, would he have entered the
lake in the first place? If we consult astrologers and prepare
ourselves, do you think Maya would spare us? NO! she would figure out
another way to get to us. She knows how to give us ruthless and
persistent suffering. Therefore the only solution is shelter of
Krishna.
Why does Maya give suffering?
Srila Prabhupada says that Maya is Krishna’s agent and performs a
thankless task of testing every spiritual aspirant and helping him
become stronger in his resolve to serve God.
In the third chapter of his book, ‘Teachings of Queen Kunti’, Srila
Prabhupada writes that Maya tests us to see how firmly we are fixed in
Krishna consciousness. Since she is an agent of Krishna, she won’t
allow anyone to have the freedom to disturb Krishna. Her plan is to
see if we are actually serious or if we are simply a nuisance. Srila
Prabhupada declared emphatically in his talks that that this is Maya’s
real business.
What’s Krishna and Maya’s modus operandi?
A thief is looking to steal from a wealthy man’s house. A friend
assures him that he knows all the secrets of the rich man and helps
him enter the house at night. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the thief,
this friend- now turned traitor- also quietly informs the prosperous
merchant that a thief would come at a particular time on a certain
day, to steal his wealth.
What do you think the wealthy man would do? He’d be prepared to
receive the thief and foil his plans.
Likewise Krishna assures us that we can cross over the hurdles offered
by Maya. He gives us the method in scriptures- the regulative
principles, shelter of a bonafide guru, and many other devotional
practises. And when we show interest in taking the path seriously, He
immediately also alarms Maya that we are planning to escape her
clutches.
In one sense both Maya and Krishna are hand in gloves in this
operation. Yet, Krishna has a simple solution for us: just surrender
to Him.
To be continued…
