“In the childhood form, wearing nice jewelry and clothing, He plays in the dirt and His limbs become full of dust. With child-like speech, Rama plays with all the brothers and children.” (Dohavali, 117)

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bāla bibhū।sana basana bara dhūri dhūsarita aṃga |
bālakeli raghubara karata bāla bandhu saba sanga ||

The swan-like person looks for the good in others. When they meet someone new, they overlook the bad qualities. After all, which one of us is perfect? Who among us hasn’t lied at some time? Who hasn’t made a costly mistake, one to regret later on?

The saintly person is like a swan in this way, which can separate milk from a mixture of water and milk. The saint understands that each person derives their strength from the same source. Prahlada Maharaja, the wise son of a king, once tried to explain this…

“How can that female swan who is accustomed to sporting with the king of swans amidst lotus flowers ever cast her eyes on a water-crow that stays amidst bunches of grass?” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 56.20)

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The lotus flower is the symbol of purity. It has this unique ability to remain untouched in spite of contact with something that is otherwise contaminated. The lotus flower floats atop the water, which may have dirt and other rubbish things inside. The dirty side is attractive to the crows, and the lotus flowers to the swans.

Sita Devi, the princess of Videha, once used this comparison to describe why she could never be with the King of Lanka. She compared herself to the swan swimming amongst the most beautiful lotus flowers with the king of swans, represented by her husband, Shri…

“Modern scientists have stopped their brainwork by discovering the theory of uncertainty, but factually for a living being there cannot be any brain activity which is not checked by time and space limitations. A living entity is called anu, an atomic particle of the supreme soul, and therefore his brain is also atomic. It cannot accommodate unlimited knowledge. This does not mean, however, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, has a limited brain.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.24.42 Purport)

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Friend1: The body is like a holding cell.

Friend2: As in a temporary place for the spirit soul to reside?

Friend1: More than that. It limits what the soul can do.

Friend2: How can you say that? Look at the amazing things human beings have been able to do. Flying into outer space. Creating the smartphone. Wireless communication. Not to mention achievements in…

“The one who is pure, having an eternal form of bliss and knowledge, who is the standard bearer of the solar dynasty – Shri Rama performed amazing activities in a human form, celebrating which creates a bridge to easily cross over the ocean of birth and death.” (Dohavali, 116)

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suddha saccidānandamaya kanda bhānukula ketu |
carita karata nara anuharata saṃs।rti sāgara setu ||

Shri Rama is known for His bridge. Since He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan, the physical object used for transportation could have appeared at will. Just as Bhagavan is sometimes prakata, or appearing before the eyes, and sometimes aprakata, or apparently invisible, any collection of material elements can appear and disappear according to His will. Those elements are part of His energy to begin with.

The Rama setu was built by dedicated and loyal servants. Some…

“Modern scientists have stopped their brainwork by discovering the theory of uncertainty, but factually for a living being there cannot be any brain activity which is not checked by time and space limitations. A living entity is called anu, an atomic particle of the supreme soul, and therefore his brain is also atomic. It cannot accommodate unlimited knowledge. This does not mean, however, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, has a limited brain.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.24.42 Purport)

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“Body my holding cell.” The individual spirit soul is amazing. Though infinitesimally small in size, it lights up, so to speak, bodies large and small. Both the tiny ant and the large elephant have the same animating force within. That spark is so potent that the moment its presence is absent, the previously capable body starts to decay. The change is immediate, and…

“The whole universe is maintained by the integrating power of the Supreme Lord, who is known in that capacity by the name Sankarshana. The material scientists may have discovered the law of gravity, which maintains the integration of objects within the material energy, yet the master of all integration can create devastation by the disintegrating blazing fire emanating from His mouth.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.24.35 Purport)

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The sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, the oceans, the mountains, the rivers, the hills, the valleys, the sand, the forests, the trees – so much variety and nuance to the material creation. Including the population of creatures inhabiting the different areas, intelligence is all around.

Nowhere do we have evidence of intelligence resulting from nothing. At the same time, it is difficult to imagine a single person responsible for such amazing variety, which has…

“I am faithfully engaged in the service of Rama, who is a lion among men [nrisimham], has a broad chest and powerful arms, who treads the earth like a lion and who is like a lion in prowess.” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 47.35)

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Life giving you trouble lately? The pack mentality striking against you, when deep down you know they are wrong? Need some courage in dealing with belligerent people, who can be found in the oddest of places, like the doctor’s office, the supermarket, or even the car dealership? Let the occasion of Rama Navami lift you up.

As since time immemorial the downtrodden, the distressed, and the helpless have put their faith in God, so the Vedas describe Him in many ways that point to His amazing strength. Since His transcendental attributes, gunas, are beyond comprehension…

“The threefold miseries are (1) those miseries which arise from the mind and body, (2) those miseries inflicted by other living beings, and (3) those miseries arising from natural catastrophes over which one has no control.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.1.2 Purport)

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Read enough Vedic literature and certain patterns start to emerge. Similar phrasing. The same terminology referenced by a host of sources. As lists are always a good way to get creativity in writing started, so many kinds of enumerations are provided for understanding the world around us.

Indeed, there is a common reference to “three worlds.” Those are upper, middle and lower. The middle is where we sit at present. It has both misery and joy, heartache and elation. The dualities fit between the bookends of two events contrary in nature: birth and death.

At birth the individual spirit soul enters…

“In the Shrimad-Bhagavatam it is said that anyone who hears the story of the Syamantaka jewel or describes it or simply remembers it will be free from all kinds of defamation and the reactions of all impious activities and thus will attain the highest perfectional condition of peace.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 2)

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One of the many points made in favor of bhakti-yoga is the position above duality; an elevation of sorts. The material world is full of flaws, starting with the issue of limitations. Time and space are beyond the scope of understanding for the human mind, which means that even the smartest person in the world is held back in their potential. While the infant starts at a point of full dependence, there is the expectation that some sort of independence will be reached later on…

“When the devotees are put into difficulty, they have an opportunity to recollect the Lord with rapt attention. So Draupadi was thinking of Lord Krishna in that dangerous position, and the all-pervading Lord could at once know the dangerous position of His devotees. He therefore came there on the scene and asked Draupadi to give whatever food she might have in her stock.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.15.11 Purport)

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One of the four pillars of sinful life, gambling can take down any person, even someone who is typically sober-minded. Maharaja Yudhishthira got tricked into wagering with the wicked Duryodhana and his clan. The result was not pretty. The leader of the Pandavas, Yudhishthira basically lost everything. He and his four brothers had to live in exile, in the forest, for twelve years. The thirteenth would have to be spent incognito, and if they…