With the height of my voice I call for your attentions. Please hear my appeal… for now I shall tell you what you should do to save the most beautiful place in the world. I’m begging for help from all of you O devout Hindus, my brothers and sisters in dharma, all of you who love Bali and have joyfully pleased your selves by her charm and beauty… I don’t know if you won’t listen to what I say, would Bali stay as glorious as before? … Would the Devas stay to protect our descendants of the future and continue to bestow their blessings to them… If you won’t listen and act accordingly, then everything will be too late, "even for The Supreme Lord Vishnu to help you…"
Transformation of Consciousness
When we talk about transformation in humanity we should consider what the real meaning of transformation is. We tried so hard to take transformation to our lives. Of course it is the better one. Yes, we want a better life, happier, free of anxiety, free of sufferings, sorrow, etc. The actual transformation wasn’t take place only in physical platform. We have three dimensional or three platform of existence. The physical or mundane or external platform and mental or mind or internal platform. But the most important is the transcendental platform, the consciousness, the Chit-vastu (Living and conscious spiritual substance). The Chit-vastu is our True Self, the Atma. The material energy, called Maya, is also one of the multi energies of the Lord, since The Supreme Lord is the source of all energies, source of everything, janmadhya-asya, and we, the living entities, the individual jiva-atma are also the energy – marginal energy – of the Lord. The living entities are described as superior to material energy. When the superior energy is in contact with the inferior energy, an incompatible situation arises; but when the superior marginal energy is in contact with the superior energy, the living entity is established in his happy, normal condition. This is what we should know before talk about any “transformation”.
As taught by the Vedas, we should realize our true identity as the eternal Atma. When this Atma entrapped within illusory external energy of material nature, he became embodied or conditioned soul. He forgot his real identity and misidentifies himself with physical body. There is no way for conditioned soul to escape from this situation and he “eternally” illusioned by the material external energy. This very illusion put him into the ocean of samsara, experienced false happiness and sorrowful condition, without perpetual bliss. Though he has tried his best to make himself happy, but everything end in more sorrowful condition. This is the nature of conditioned life under illusory external energy.
So if we do want a real transformation, we should take spiritual journey to our inner self, our real self and realize our true identity as Atma. The real transformation should take on transcendental platform for getting its real meaning and value. The real transformation actually a reformation, coming back to our true identity. This is what we called Transformation of Consciousness. But if we take our present position as the starting point, then we could get two kinds of Transformation, Downward and Upward.
Downward Transformation means we get more entangled, more attached to the external illusory energy. So we kept our self under perpetual influence of this energy. That’s why we called this Downward Transformation, since we take shelter under inferior energy. Now we have to go Upward, otherwise there is no way to escape from the strong affinity with this inferior material energy. We have to deal with the superior energy, take shelter under infinite transcendental energy. Only by accepting this path we can get into Real Upward Transformation of Consciousness. Surrender and put our self under Infinite Supreme Divinity. This is the real value of Dharma, the skillful means to go “Upward” called Saranagati as indicated by Lord Krishna in the Charam-sloka of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, sarva-dharman-parityaja…
The Key To Deal With The Infinite
Surrender, service, and dedication: this is the key to deal with the infinite, Vaikuntha. Without knowledge and without much energy one can attain fulfilment. It is not necessary to have the energy to be able to move a mountain. Also to read all the scriptures in the world and put them “within our belly” will not produce any good.
A typical example was shown in the Mahabharata. Lord Krishna foretold that when the rajasuya-yajna of Maharaja Yudhistira would be finished, a particular bell there would ring automatically. In that way everyone would know that the yajna was completed. The sacrifice was held and everything was finished, but the bell did not ring. Bhima asked Krishna, “You said that the bell would ring automatically. Everything has now been finished but it is not ringing. Why not?” Krishna replied, “No. One thing is still remaining.” “What is that?” “Vaishnava-seva, the service of a Vaishnava.” Bhima was surprised: “What do you say? So many munis, rishis, Narada, Vyasadeva, and even You Yourself are all satisfied with having been well fed, yet You say that Vaishnava-seva has not been done?” “Yes.” “So where is that Vaishnava?” Krishna then indicated, “Go to the outskirts of town, and there you will find a particular Vaishnava of the lowest caste. He does not go anywhere, but he is satisfied by taking the Name of the Lord and leading a full life of devotion without any care for the world.”
Hearing this, the Pandavas went with a chariot to receive that man. They found him, an ordinary poor man of the lower class, and they approached him. He was perplexed: “What is this? Oh, so many important men have come to my cottage. What is the matter?” He became very much panic-stricken. Then they petitioned him with folded palms, “We have come to bring you to take some food at the place of the yajna.” What to do? He could not avoid their order.
Draupadi had to cook, so she prepared various palatable dishes. She thought, “Vaishnava-seva has not been done. So many rishis, munis, and even Lord Krishna has been fed, but Vaishnava-seva has not been done!” So with all her skill she cooked foods of various types, and the man was fed, but the bell did not ring. Bhima asked, “What is the matter? He has finished eating but the bell has not rung.” Krishna said, “There must have been some offence against Vaishnava-seva, and therefore the bell did not ring. What do you say? Do any of you have any doubt or bad conception about this man?”
The Pandavas then asked one another if any of them had thought any evil about him. At last Draupadé admitted, “I had some thought in my mind that the man is lowborn, and although I prepared so many curries with the utmost attention and skill, he mixed all the preparations together and then ate that. He does not know how to eat because he comes from a very low class, this is what I had in my mind.” Krishna explained, “There is some contempt for the Vaishnava, and therefore the bell has not rung. There is no other course than for you to go to him again, bring him, and again feed him.” So the Pandavas went and brought him back. This time all of them waited with great respect as he took prasadam, and the bell rang with every morsel.
This example has been shown to us. Those who are niskincana do not want anything, no name, no fame, or anything of the kind. They are naturally satisfied with whatever comes, and they are wholesale dedicated to the Lord. Such devotion can be found anywhere without any show of grandeur. No worldly grandeur is necessary; just richness of the heart. No knowledge, no education, no honour of a high birth, no power, and no gorgeousness. Krishna consciousness is full, so sufficient, so absolute, that just a particle of that contains everything. All grandeur, all education, and everything is there; it is of such a nature. Service, self-dedication, saranagati, surrender: that is the necessity, not valour or learning. “You fail to understand, but he is all right. He must be thought to be a sadhu, a truly honest man, and nothing else. He may have no name or fame or good presentation, or any of the qualities that attract us; none of these are necessary.” (see Bhagavad-gita 9.30)
Self-contentment does not require anything. It can stand alone. It is self-sufficient. Krishna consciousness is self-sufficient. It does not require any form of paraphernalia to establish itself; it is a self-established thing. With it there will be no need of hankering for anything, whether it be grandeur or anything else.
So what is our practical point here? For so long, let we take our condition here, in Bali. Bali was celebrated everywhere as the most beautiful island and have this Hindu-Vedic spiritual culture as the base of her people’s lives for centuries. What is the base for these arts, amazing beauties, and other cultural wonder of Bali? They are service, devotion, and loving dedications. The pure dharma of love manifested as our tradition and way of life characterized by Satyam, Sivam, Sundaram, and Santosham (truth, auspicious, beauty, and universal well being). Upward Transformation of Consciousness lead to the ultimate realization of The Supreme Absolute Truth is shining brightly in the core of the heart and its rays manifested as the rightful conducts in accordance with Universal Dharmic Law of The Divine. So these Satyatva, Sivatva, and Sundaratva were dedicated to the Divine. They are real manifestations of our Love to The Lord. But here we even find such activities of love, though totally dedicated to Parameshwaran Lord Krishna Himself, Devatas, great sages, etc. but bereft of service and loving attitude toward Vaishnavas, the pure devotee of the Lord, and then everything would become nothing!
Necessity of Transcendental Association
Today in our society we didn’t even care about the real intentions of rituals, artistic offerings such as dances, musical performances, dramas, etc. as dedications of love for The Supreme Lord, Devatas, and sages. We just thought them as means to entertain the tourists, to get more money, more Euros, more USD… We invite tourists from everywhere but we never invite even a single Sadhu to our place. Today we just held our religious ceremonies and cultural performances just for entertaining mundane persons and for some materialistic gains. Without service to the Sadhus and Vaishnavas, even if we offer everything to the Devatas, it was considered fruitless! Sadhus and Vaishnava-bhagavatas are the abode of all spiritual perfections, all Upward Transformations of Consciousness, and as Consciousness formed by association, so there will be no spiritual advancement without their pure association or Sat-sangam. There is no other hope for any Upward Transformations of humanity.
The Great Sage Agasthiya, Mula Guru (Original Spiritual Preceptor) of Nusantara. He was the first Sadhu who gave us association by his instructions, mystical presence, and continual coming of his disciples and member of his spiritual lineage (Parampara)We can’t deny our need for material prosperity. Yes, we do need money or wealth… But if we just think for mundane things or how to please mundane persons, then surely this will lead us to mental degradation and Downward Transformation of Consciousness. If we, the degrade-minded persons, also associate only with our other degraded fellows, we will get more degraded, more conditioned, and more attached to worldly things. So if we really want to make Upward Transformation, then we have to find a way how to bring the most auspicious Sangam of Sadhus and Vaishnava-bhagavatas to our place.
Acharya Dharmakrithi of Suvarnadvipa, Master of Bodhicitta
Acharya Dipamkara Srijnana or Guru Atisha. A Buddhist master from Vikrampur Monastery, Bengal-India and founder of Kadampa order in Tibet, sailed to Sumatera to found his Guru Dharmakrithi of Srivijaya. When will we again have such a visit from great personages like him?We should remember how our ancestors in the past attained perfection only by serving Sadhus and act according to their pure instructions. In the past we have no tourist came just for enjoying the beauty of Bali and Nusantara. They came for pilgrimage. This very country was sacred to them. We should remember how Mulavarman of Kutai in Barhinapura (Borneo) invited the Agnihotri-brahmins from Kalinga for accepting alms. Our previous Raja won’t take money from foreign tourists, but he gave them alms of thousand cows and gold. Of course, they weren’t ordinary tourists. They were Brahmin pilgrims, Sadhus, Vaishnava-bhagavatas. How great our Kings and how noble our guests were. Then again some went to Suvarnadvipa (Sumatera). That great Buddhist Acharya of India and Tibet, Dipamkara Srijnana, went to Suvarnadvipa to learn from Acharya Dharmakrithi of Srivijaya. We should remember how Bhumisambarabuddhara (Borobudur) of Java became pilgrimage center for whole Buddhist world. How thousand of devotees came to worship Bhagavati Tara in Kalasha. Pandita Lohgawe also came later to Java from India and guided Rangarajasa to build his kingdom of Singhasari. The historical facts for religious influence of great Javanese Kingdoms of Kadiri, Singhasari and Bilvatikta (Majapahit) were well known. Many people came to Nusantara and Bali with pure and spiritual intentions. Once we were of a country with great spiritual significance and of spiritual tourism. But now, where is this?
Mandala Vajradhatu of Bhumisambarabuddhara (Borobudur)
On the past, thousands of pilgrims from all over the world pay obeisance to the lotus feet of this Bhagavan Mahavairochana Buddhadeva. But today, the tourists come to visit Him just for fun...My countrymen of same glorious ancestors, I beg you to not let your mind go and thought about how to please and serve mundane persons only to get their money. We maintain external ritual without spiritual significance just for show it to the tourists. We may perform any kind of celebration, but only for the sake of our ancestors, devatas, and beloved Supreme Lord. We have to follow our ancestors by also inviting spiritual pilgrims, and the most important, the Sadhus, Vaishnava-bhagavatas, and serve all of them. It is alright to accept any guest. That’s also our dharma to please them. But why we have to neglect and not invite the Bhagavatas?
My dear Sadhus and Vaishnava-bhagavatas, I beg you to please be merciful to us. Please come and bless us with your divine presences and association. Due of ignorance, some of us have abandoned you. But please overlook our faults, since we have no other well wisher than you. My dear dharma-brothers and sisters please come and see the beauty of our country. She has been blessed and consecrated by many Rishis from the past. Please come here not for enjoyment, but see how she will beautifully adorn your sadhana. This is the very land, where the chants of Vedic-mantras are still resounding with music and bells, and wonderful celebrations of Dharma is an everyday life. Though we have suffer some spiritual degradation, but if all of you would willingly help us, then our descendant of the future could still see The Abode of Gods on Earth, with their own eyes.
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