Mind over Body

When the mind is disturbed, nothing can give you happiness. The mind has more effect on a human being than the body. Even if you are sick, if you are in good state of mind, you can be happy. – Radhanath Swami

 

We have seen devotees, whose bodies were the total end, suffering miserable diseases; right here in this temple room Stoka Krishna Prabhu was brought when he was in his last days – for Pushpa Abhishekh

Radhanath Swami with Stoka krishna

was it? – and he couldn’t walk. He was emaciated; cancer was in every part of his body, but he was smiling, blissful and so happy to see the deities. Because his mind was happy, he was happy.
But even if your body is in perfect physical condition, like Kamsa, but if your mind is in anxiety, you are totally miserable. Krishna tells in Gita that the mind is the best friend for one who controls it, and the mind is the worst enemy for one who cannot control it. Real peace is peace of mind.

That famous story in Calcutta… During World War II, the Japanese Air Force was bombing Calcutta. The bombs were dropping all over and the air raids were blasting; and there were microphones calling out, the military, “Everybody go to the Air-Raids shelter.” People were going down, underground, to escape the bombs. Bombs were really dropping, and explosions, fire. Srila Prabhupada was cooking puris. People ran – he was a Grihasta then – “Abhay, Abhay. The bombs are dropping. Come underground.” Prabhupada smiled. He said, “I am cooking Puris for Krishna.” He was not afraid; he was not disturbed. He said, “If Krishna wants to come in the form of these bombs, I will have nice Prasad for him.” Ultimately, Krishna tells us, “I am death personified.” The devotee sees Krishna in everything; the devotee sees Krishna everywhere. And when you are Krishna Conscious, ‘bhajahu re mana Sri-nanda-nandana abhaya-caranaaravinda re,’ this is the Prayer of Govinda Das, one of the famous and favorite prayers of our whole Gaudiya Sampradaya, and Srila Prabhupada especially would love to sing this prayer. He is praying to his mind, “My dear mind, please worship the feet of Sri Nandanandana, because if you do, you become abhaya-caranaaravinda re.”

By taking shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krishna, you become fearless. When you are fearless, you are happy in every situation, whatever may happen in this world by uncertainties: aadhyaatmika, aadi-daivika, aadibhautika, miseries caused by one’s own body, miseries caused by other people – whether they intentionally do it or not – miseries caused by natural disturbances.– Radhanath Swami

There is just so much out of our control, so much that could happen to loved ones, or loved ones could do to us – willingly or unwillingly – that could cause such chaos in our life, our own health, what to speak of the environment!

But if we understand the eternal nature of the soul, and understand that Krishna is suhrdam sarva-bhutaanaam – he is the benefactor and best friend of everyone – and then when we take shelter of Krishna, we are happy, because we have Krishna. Then we are fearless, because everything else is a detail if we have Krishna. We deal with the details; it’s our duty, our Dharma. But beyond that, all is Sanatan Dharma, our relationship with Krishna. – Radhanath Swami