“A
reflection of the sun in a mirror or on water appears to be the sun but
is not. Similarly, the material world is but a reflection of the
spiritual world. Although it appears to be factual, it is not; it is
only a temporary reflection, whereas the spiritual world is a factual
reality. The material world, with its gross and subtle forms, is merely a
reflection of the spiritual world.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya
Charitamrita, Adi 7.118 Purport)
When
lacking God consciousness, though one may see variety around them
everything is actually a reflection of the same nature. All aspects of
the manifest world are reflections of a different aspect of the inverted
tree. The image of the inverted tree is found in the water, and as this
is a reflection of a real tree, the analogy is used to describe the
land that we presently inhabit. In the reflected land there is actually
variety and nuance, but unless the consciousness is dovetailed with the
Supreme Consciousness, it is not possible for one to see this.
“The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.” (Bhagavad-gita, 15.1)
When
true God consciousness is lacking, the desires of the individual can be
grouped into three categories. True God consciousness is where the
individual actually thinks about the Supreme and in turn uses that
thought process to guide all of their actions. They do not concoct a
form of God that suits their whims. They do not have a desire to
dominate, kill, or belittle others, with the justification that
everything they do is somehow sanctioned by God. In true God
consciousness, the thinking of the Lord comes first, and His desires are
fulfilled through work. In all other versions of thought, the personal
desires come first, which then drive activity.
There
is the desire for bhukti. This is basic enjoyment. One person can’t
wait to eat pizza for dinner. Another person can’t wait to go out to the
nightclub to get intoxicated from a heavy night of consuming adult
beverages. Another person can’t wait for their new tablet computer to
arrive, so that they can spend hours playing with it. Another person
can’t wait to go on a cruise ship for a vacation. They will get away
from it all, eat whatever they want, and see beautiful, exotic
destinations.
There
is the desire for mukti. This is the release from material life.
Smaller scale versions of this desire are seen in basic renunciation.
Mukti can be thought of as the opposite of bhukti. One person has had so
much to drink that they swear off alcohol forever. Another person
doesn’t want to eat so much anymore, as they are gaining weight. Another
person has a garage sale to get rid of all of their junk that they’ve
accumulated over many years. Another person wants to retreat to a place
of solitude, where they don’t have to do anything and no one will bother
them.
There is the desire
for siddhi. This is the goal of the real yogis, not the ones who only do
various exercises for the sake of bodily health. When there is a
siddhi, one can do amazing things. They can become lighter than air.
They can become heavier than a mountain. They can move to different
places at the speed of the mind. It is difficult to imagine such things,
but they are possible through meditational yoga practiced properly.
In
whichever category one belongs, the reflections look the same since the
destination is more or less identical. In bhukti, the future
destination is continued material enjoyment. There is no lasting
satisfaction from this kind of enjoyment. If there were, there would be
no such things as diet and exercise regimens. There would be no such
thing as divorce. In a marriage one should ideally have no problem
getting the carnal enjoyment one craves. In mukti, the future
destination is the same. Release from troubles can only make one happy
for so long. Eventually they will want a taste of enjoyment again. The
same goes for siddhi, as with a mystic ability one will need an area in
which to use it. It’s wonderful if someone gives me a gift card worth
hundreds of dollars, but the gift doesn’t mean anything until I spend
the money on something.
With
the spiritual consciousness, the reflections start to look different.
The review of the three categories of desires is one example of this.
These categories were not conjured up by anyone who was driven by them.
Rather, they were revealed to enlightened beings, who understand the
origin of matter and spirit. The root of the tree is the Supreme Lord,
and the material creation descends from that tree. The tree is inverted
because a temporary land full of branches and leaves that more or less
look the same would never be considered superior to the root area. The
downward growth means that the further and further you get away from the
root, the worse off you’ll be.
In
the material land, one actually thinks that spiritual life is dull and
boring, that it is a lifestyle where all reflections look the same. In
fact, the opposite is the case. The person in the spiritual
consciousness knows that all creatures are spirit souls at the core.
They know the purpose to the creation and how it represents an inverted
tree. Most importantly, they know how to get back to the root. Though in
physical distance the journey may be too great for a single man to
conquer, one can reach there through using the mind. The mind helps to
forge the consciousness, and that link in consciousness is known as real
yoga.
Bhakti-yoga
is the linking to the Supreme Consciousness in a mood of love. It is
the culmination of all other kinds of yoga. Without bhakti, yoga is not
complete. Unlike other kinds of yoga, bhakti is not expensive or
difficult to practice. God is the most benevolent saint because His
association is available to one and all, regardless of the gifts of
nature they may or may not possess. The essential items in life are
relatively inexpensive and abundantly available. Those things we don’t
really need are more expensive. Bhakti-yoga is an essential item that
can be practiced through something as simple as the chanting of the holy
names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”
The highest knowledge is found in a very concise work known as the
Bhagavad-gita, which reaches the conclusion of bhakti-yoga through a
systematic explanation of the origin of the universe and the mission of
the human being within it. Thanks to the efforts of His Divine Grace A.
C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his disciples, this work is widely
available today in so many different languages. This work gives one the
root of the tree, whose association allows one to see the spiritual
component in everything, which in turn gives rise to the endless variety
made possible by the most creative brain of God.
In Closing:
Today pizza pie I’ll eat,
Or friend at nightclub to meet.
In trance to take my yoga seat,
Or in renunciation no more to eat.
All such reflections look the same,
Since Supreme’s company not to gain.
Root at the top in the inverted tree,
Reach it and spiritual component see.
