Post by Ldd on Mar 25, 2021 7:01:16 GMT -6
Chapter 17. The Self
Self realization is very common on people’s mind. The quest to know who we are is suppose to distinguish human from animal. The process and ideas differ across the world.
In Hinduism the self is called the Jiva or atma, atma has become alma in latin. Much of it is described in the first chapters of the Gita. The nature of it, its attributes, how it operates and changes from bodies, how it enjoys the fruits of karma and suffers. It actually does not enjoys or suffers but under illusion it thinks that is the case.
Its size is microscopic, a thousand percent the tip of a hair, meaning it has no actual material substance. It does not die nor change, nothing can affect it, is invisible. You can know it’s present due to birth, growth, changes, death, if those signs are present, a jiva is within that body.
Other attributes are: it is beginningless, it has the potency to be conscious or unconscious, and it is shakti – energy of whom? Of god. These things are written in Gita chapter 2. But even though jiva is shakti, it was not created, but existed always. Thus it’s said to be beginningless just as shaktiman (god) is. Its’ nature is to be a servant of sri Krishna. (Jiva swaroop hoy Krishna nitya dasa.) Yet it is marginal, one yet different from him. Krishna nitya dasa is the most natural position for the jiva to attain, not wandering in this world or ‘merging’ into the brahman.
When did the jiva come to this world to recycle in bodies? Eternally. We need to know there two kinds of jiva: nitya siddha: eternally perfected, and nitya baddha: eternally bound. The ones recycling in this world belong to the last class, eternal bound in samsara. From time immemorial these jiva have turned their face toward maya and therefore are bound here.
The jiva did not fall from god’s planet as people believe as it is said “one who enters the Vaikuntha never falls back to this world” (Bhagawat Sandarbha) Neither did the jiva fall from the brahman which is attributeless.
God has three energies : swaroop, maya and tatastha. Swaroop is his inner energy, maya is external and tatastha is marginal. What does tathastha mean? It means it can exist in the maya or in the swaroop energy, it can swing toward any of them. But swaroop and maya do not touch each other.
The nitya baddha jiva belongs to this swinging energy or shakti and that is why it can eventually become an attendant of god in the Vaikuntha, or it can continue to rotate here in this world.
The nitya siddha jiva dwells in the Vaikuntha and sometimes comes to this world to make leela with the lord only if he wants. They do not visit on their own.
In the Paramatma Sandharbha, sri Jiva Goswami has enunciated more on the jiva using references from a vaishnava of the Ramanuja line and Padma purana. You see the jiva is actually part of paramatma or under his shelter. Both have always existed side by side from immemorial time. Paramatma is the witness and enabler, and jiva experiences the bodily situation while residing in the body. Jiva is called the knower of the ksetrajna (field.)
When Krishna says the jiva is my eternal parts – that is true, but he is speaking about his expansions: Narayan and Paramatma – not himself directly. His attributes are a bit different from the jiva. Both are spiritual – brahma. But one is master and one is dependent. One cannot come under illusion, and one can. The jiva that comes under illusion it thinks itself independent. But in actuality it is dependent and does not understand. Even it’s actions in this world depends on karma and the bodies it get is due to the mercy of god. But surrendering to god : it’s strictly by gods grace alone that one comes to that point, not by individual efforts. The Sri Rangam acharyas were the first to preach the surrender doctrine, surrender being the highest treasure of the soul. Once we become his servant we remain there without making any effort on our own. This is considered fortunate for the soul.
As long as the souls makes its own endeavours for protection, the lord remains indifferent, but he only takes control of the soul who surrenders. The souls possesses kartrtwa, (agency) jnartrtwa (intelligence) but the most important quality is sesatwa (servitorship to the lord.) Dependence and subservience are it’s true nature.
Parantantrya means dependence – the property to be used as the master likes, like a servitor, and bhogyata means for god’s enjoyment. These are the two highest qualities of the soul. These are devoid of self purpose and only enhances the enjoyment of the sesi (god) they shine forth. It ends egoism, possessiveness etc. When such a soul surrenders to god, it is god who makes the soul realize the unworthiness of the body and sense pleasures, and even at the time the lord becomes subservient to such a devotee. The devotee makes no effort on his own.
But we come to the question does the soul have independent means. The answer is no, never fully, it is always dependent on god. But he has knowledge, desire and can make effort, and is limited after that. But the Lord is indifferent to whatever choice the soul makes, although he gives full cooperation in the matter. He fully respects the soul’s effort.
So the soul is not independent at any point, it’s only due to its’ bahirmukha (face turned away from God) it has been placed into this ‘maya’ illusion.
The soul has been eternally making it’s own effort to be comfortable in this world, and to achieve things: and hardly notices the contribution of Bhagavan. Once it begins to acknowledge that, it can come to the point of surrender. But due to the length of time (forever) of endeavouring on his own, it’s very rare for him to surrender and give God the credit. Our society does not encourage it. In schools and gurukulas they teach people atheism and self endeavour, that’s where the sri Rangam acharyas change the course of thoughts.
Even today, people are not yet convinced. They may accept the idea of God, and his creation, but maintain their own universe of family, money, friends and keep god as a weekend hobby – they do not surrender to him and he does not interfere – they remain rotating in the wheel of birth and death. Most souls are so conditioned to it they think it’s fine, some people imagine what they would like to be in the next life, but it does not really work like that, you become what you deserve in the next, which could be lower. People are mainly minding cats and dogs – they could go to that body just as Jada Bharat did when he became attached to a deer. If they become attached to pets they may take such a body.
It’s solely due to eternal conditioning that the soul does not surrender. What is surrender? That’s explained in Gita: Sri Krishna says surrender to a guru and he will give you everything, become my bhakta. One surrenders to a bhakta guru become initiated and gets trained up in the science of devotion all this is explained in our scriptures.
There are some who doubt this, and do not receive the benefit. They go around pretending to serve Krishna on their own, but they reach nowhere due to this disobedient mentality. They offer food to Krishna without observing due process. They cook in dirty dishes, and put the food before a picture of him without tulsi leaf, and imagine it has become accepted. They do not bathe before cooking and after using the toilet. Their minds are full of materialism and worry. This kind of offerings is not accepted because that soul did not surrender and train to do things properly.
One might think that Krishna is loving and will overlook all this, but again, due to bahirmukha the soul had been left to wander in this world, and until he changes from that disobedience, Krishna remains indifferent to whatever he tries to do. Although if there some sincerity that person’s eyes may open some day, nothing remains in a permanent state.
For this reason rituals and rites are not the way to serve God. Only chanting is. Ideally one should get initiated and offer one’s food, but until that happens one should not proudly think that my food has been accepted by God and is prasad, one should simply keep chanting Hari naam, and things will get better in time.
So we have said that the jiva’s swaroop is Krishna nitya dasa, but we can see his is not actively dasa, or has never acted in that capacity. He has always been own-way. The explanation is in spite of all this, it’s what he was best made for. Just like salt was made to complement food, it does do any good on its own, it’s harmful. This is meant by nitya dasa or nature dasa. It doesn’t mean the soul was eternally serving, but that he is eternal and his best function is to be dasa. Salt does no good to anyone on its own.
We had said that the soul possesses jnantwa, will, desires, and agency. When one surrenders to Krishna do these things become passive and inactive as happens in yoga, which simply stills the mind and stops karma temporarily ? No, when a surrendered soul achieves sesatwa, he uses those potencies to serve, they do not become inactive. He continues to act, but as a dasa. Now he becomes eternal nitya dasa like Hanuman the best example of dasa. But Hanuman is nitya siddha – eternal associate of god, he is not monkey or nitya baddha like us.
So it starts with surrender for us, it is called prappati. It is a bit different from bhakti-yoga which entails sacrifice, worship sadhana etc which may have errors. Surrender is nirapaksopaya – it needs nothing else and is a one time event.
But does that mean that god demands surrender ? No, but it is the best position for the soul. God gives them the liberating sastras as well as the binding ones which attaches them to this world. The soul becomes attached to sastra like this of nice choices. But the almighty Lord gives glimpses of salvation forever for those who become tired of worldly delights. The merciful lord lets the child play with mud to learn, but he is always watchful.
The souls who act independent without sastra recommendations do not fare well. Some Westerners do not even have faith in their Bible, and only care about money without any concern about those who get destroyed in the process of making money. East and West alike there are people like this, they go straight to the snake pits of hell, below earth.
The lord teaches in sastra : abhichara – harmlesnessnes, sacrifice like jyothistoma to go to heaven, atmabhog- the contemplation of atma, then paramatma meditation, then bhakti yoga, all these is to remove the spirit of independence. Bhakti-yoga was promoted to help establish faith in the soul’s swaroop of dasa, that nature is meant for Gods enjoyment.
So He gives sastra to help people’s faith evolve from zero- nastika to astika and forward.
We are saying that surrender is the last point, this is also in Gita, but the conditioned soul does not want to hear it, thus gradual evolution is a solution. Meanwhile a soul can see shows about the pastimes of Krishna – ahh well some people say too much fighting, or not too much interest, and they are attached to other kinds of internet videos and shows. I’m not saying exactly that those will bind you to maya, although it may happen as one gets attached and out of control. But it may also be helpful in your evolution. For instance it may distract you from some period of sorrow, it may help bring out valuable qualities, you may be able to learn something uplifting. It all depends on the motive and circumstances. One should not watch shows that are demoralizing – those are degrading. Think of using anything good as a medicine and gradual assistant, as you walk up the path to bhakti and surrender, because you need to be qualified with nice attributes like dharma etc, and you can still see some of those things in shows. You must always be armed with knowledge and discrimination to start with. If you have base animal qualities only you cannot advance nicely but only become uplifted by chanting, so please avoid shows and sights that encourage immoral behavior
Even the animal sacrifice that people do are for nastika people are for those who are faithless. These are not within Vedas, but they may help people have faith in a God, I know it’s horrible.
There are kamya (for those who want worldly pleasures) mumuksu (moksha geared) then bhakti practices to help the soul upwards. By trial and experience the soul matures till it is ready for the final step. But the soul who does not turn to god improves, or the one who becomes fully degraded still gets a chance at the end of creation, when god comes a Kalki, destroys everyone and gives them a chance to take birth in Satya-yug compared to the period of Eden when there are no sins, people are like lotuses, there are no disturbances and diseases, life lasts for 100,000 years, things are easy and beautiful.
There is no lust and lavisciousness, procreation occurs by mere glance. Human bodies are thirty six feet tall and attractive, it’s said. Everything is bigger. No one owns land, they share the land equally, the earth produces food without people having to plant. The soul is always cared for and never left alone to die off. What more could one ask for?
The soul flourishes in the krita period of Satya-yug and gets a chance to focus on Paramatma – the indwelling lord, without any problems, and becomes liberated from samsara, he easily goes to vaikuntha back to the creator, for everyone endeavours for this in this period. The merciful God puts the soul in this wonderful place. In Satya-yug which lasts 1,728,000 years, god comes at least five times in the forms of Matsya, Kurma, varaha, Nrshimha and Vamana to save the world. Why does he protect the world and save the Vedas? So that the souls could live comfortably even though they are bahirmukha, the all merciful God maintains the world. He is the maintaining aspect of god. Brahma is the creator and Shiva is the destroyer. All three are one energy performing different roles.
Do the same souls from Satya-yug take birth in Treta yug, the following age? It is not certain if every single one of them go back to Vaikuntha. Souls pervade every inch of the universes in various forms, even microscopic and I’m sure they are given the chance of a human birth along the way. This is the period of no sin. The four legs of dharma – austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truth were present.
Sin begins to enter in Treta due to the raja guna entering. The more sin become prevalent people are troubled by distress. For instance we are now in Kali-yug. People are very small, disease ridden, short lifespan, not peaceful, all are sudra, everything is small, including cows, the leaders are robbing the people. But exactly how did Treta become sinful?
The symbolic bull of dharma lost one of its leg in Treta, that of tapa – austerity, people endeavouring for god. The avatars of Vamana, Parashuram and Rama came in Treta, and you could see from reading Ramayan that people were possessed by envy. In the Treta, ksatriya became powerful. As Treta proceeded, vaishya and sudra served the upper castes who were doing their jobs and penances, but jealousy grew.
Whevever the yuga changed one of the bull’s leg went away, so that in Kali-yug only one leg keeps standing, or 25 percent of dharma. But in Satya-yug it was a hundred percent four legs: truth, mercy, cleanliness and austerity. People behaved like brahmana. In Kali all are considered sudra.
The yugas also reflect the trigunas – goodness, passion and ignorance which is said to be the controlling force behind all material nature and nothing can be done about the yugas, they have to be lived through.
Chapter Eighteen Dharma
Self realization is very common on people’s mind. The quest to know who we are is suppose to distinguish human from animal. The process and ideas differ across the world.
In Hinduism the self is called the Jiva or atma, atma has become alma in latin. Much of it is described in the first chapters of the Gita. The nature of it, its attributes, how it operates and changes from bodies, how it enjoys the fruits of karma and suffers. It actually does not enjoys or suffers but under illusion it thinks that is the case.
Its size is microscopic, a thousand percent the tip of a hair, meaning it has no actual material substance. It does not die nor change, nothing can affect it, is invisible. You can know it’s present due to birth, growth, changes, death, if those signs are present, a jiva is within that body.
Other attributes are: it is beginningless, it has the potency to be conscious or unconscious, and it is shakti – energy of whom? Of god. These things are written in Gita chapter 2. But even though jiva is shakti, it was not created, but existed always. Thus it’s said to be beginningless just as shaktiman (god) is. Its’ nature is to be a servant of sri Krishna. (Jiva swaroop hoy Krishna nitya dasa.) Yet it is marginal, one yet different from him. Krishna nitya dasa is the most natural position for the jiva to attain, not wandering in this world or ‘merging’ into the brahman.
When did the jiva come to this world to recycle in bodies? Eternally. We need to know there two kinds of jiva: nitya siddha: eternally perfected, and nitya baddha: eternally bound. The ones recycling in this world belong to the last class, eternal bound in samsara. From time immemorial these jiva have turned their face toward maya and therefore are bound here.
The jiva did not fall from god’s planet as people believe as it is said “one who enters the Vaikuntha never falls back to this world” (Bhagawat Sandarbha) Neither did the jiva fall from the brahman which is attributeless.
God has three energies : swaroop, maya and tatastha. Swaroop is his inner energy, maya is external and tatastha is marginal. What does tathastha mean? It means it can exist in the maya or in the swaroop energy, it can swing toward any of them. But swaroop and maya do not touch each other.
The nitya baddha jiva belongs to this swinging energy or shakti and that is why it can eventually become an attendant of god in the Vaikuntha, or it can continue to rotate here in this world.
The nitya siddha jiva dwells in the Vaikuntha and sometimes comes to this world to make leela with the lord only if he wants. They do not visit on their own.
In the Paramatma Sandharbha, sri Jiva Goswami has enunciated more on the jiva using references from a vaishnava of the Ramanuja line and Padma purana. You see the jiva is actually part of paramatma or under his shelter. Both have always existed side by side from immemorial time. Paramatma is the witness and enabler, and jiva experiences the bodily situation while residing in the body. Jiva is called the knower of the ksetrajna (field.)
When Krishna says the jiva is my eternal parts – that is true, but he is speaking about his expansions: Narayan and Paramatma – not himself directly. His attributes are a bit different from the jiva. Both are spiritual – brahma. But one is master and one is dependent. One cannot come under illusion, and one can. The jiva that comes under illusion it thinks itself independent. But in actuality it is dependent and does not understand. Even it’s actions in this world depends on karma and the bodies it get is due to the mercy of god. But surrendering to god : it’s strictly by gods grace alone that one comes to that point, not by individual efforts. The Sri Rangam acharyas were the first to preach the surrender doctrine, surrender being the highest treasure of the soul. Once we become his servant we remain there without making any effort on our own. This is considered fortunate for the soul.
As long as the souls makes its own endeavours for protection, the lord remains indifferent, but he only takes control of the soul who surrenders. The souls possesses kartrtwa, (agency) jnartrtwa (intelligence) but the most important quality is sesatwa (servitorship to the lord.) Dependence and subservience are it’s true nature.
Parantantrya means dependence – the property to be used as the master likes, like a servitor, and bhogyata means for god’s enjoyment. These are the two highest qualities of the soul. These are devoid of self purpose and only enhances the enjoyment of the sesi (god) they shine forth. It ends egoism, possessiveness etc. When such a soul surrenders to god, it is god who makes the soul realize the unworthiness of the body and sense pleasures, and even at the time the lord becomes subservient to such a devotee. The devotee makes no effort on his own.
But we come to the question does the soul have independent means. The answer is no, never fully, it is always dependent on god. But he has knowledge, desire and can make effort, and is limited after that. But the Lord is indifferent to whatever choice the soul makes, although he gives full cooperation in the matter. He fully respects the soul’s effort.
So the soul is not independent at any point, it’s only due to its’ bahirmukha (face turned away from God) it has been placed into this ‘maya’ illusion.
The soul has been eternally making it’s own effort to be comfortable in this world, and to achieve things: and hardly notices the contribution of Bhagavan. Once it begins to acknowledge that, it can come to the point of surrender. But due to the length of time (forever) of endeavouring on his own, it’s very rare for him to surrender and give God the credit. Our society does not encourage it. In schools and gurukulas they teach people atheism and self endeavour, that’s where the sri Rangam acharyas change the course of thoughts.
Even today, people are not yet convinced. They may accept the idea of God, and his creation, but maintain their own universe of family, money, friends and keep god as a weekend hobby – they do not surrender to him and he does not interfere – they remain rotating in the wheel of birth and death. Most souls are so conditioned to it they think it’s fine, some people imagine what they would like to be in the next life, but it does not really work like that, you become what you deserve in the next, which could be lower. People are mainly minding cats and dogs – they could go to that body just as Jada Bharat did when he became attached to a deer. If they become attached to pets they may take such a body.
It’s solely due to eternal conditioning that the soul does not surrender. What is surrender? That’s explained in Gita: Sri Krishna says surrender to a guru and he will give you everything, become my bhakta. One surrenders to a bhakta guru become initiated and gets trained up in the science of devotion all this is explained in our scriptures.
There are some who doubt this, and do not receive the benefit. They go around pretending to serve Krishna on their own, but they reach nowhere due to this disobedient mentality. They offer food to Krishna without observing due process. They cook in dirty dishes, and put the food before a picture of him without tulsi leaf, and imagine it has become accepted. They do not bathe before cooking and after using the toilet. Their minds are full of materialism and worry. This kind of offerings is not accepted because that soul did not surrender and train to do things properly.
One might think that Krishna is loving and will overlook all this, but again, due to bahirmukha the soul had been left to wander in this world, and until he changes from that disobedience, Krishna remains indifferent to whatever he tries to do. Although if there some sincerity that person’s eyes may open some day, nothing remains in a permanent state.
For this reason rituals and rites are not the way to serve God. Only chanting is. Ideally one should get initiated and offer one’s food, but until that happens one should not proudly think that my food has been accepted by God and is prasad, one should simply keep chanting Hari naam, and things will get better in time.
So we have said that the jiva’s swaroop is Krishna nitya dasa, but we can see his is not actively dasa, or has never acted in that capacity. He has always been own-way. The explanation is in spite of all this, it’s what he was best made for. Just like salt was made to complement food, it does do any good on its own, it’s harmful. This is meant by nitya dasa or nature dasa. It doesn’t mean the soul was eternally serving, but that he is eternal and his best function is to be dasa. Salt does no good to anyone on its own.
We had said that the soul possesses jnantwa, will, desires, and agency. When one surrenders to Krishna do these things become passive and inactive as happens in yoga, which simply stills the mind and stops karma temporarily ? No, when a surrendered soul achieves sesatwa, he uses those potencies to serve, they do not become inactive. He continues to act, but as a dasa. Now he becomes eternal nitya dasa like Hanuman the best example of dasa. But Hanuman is nitya siddha – eternal associate of god, he is not monkey or nitya baddha like us.
So it starts with surrender for us, it is called prappati. It is a bit different from bhakti-yoga which entails sacrifice, worship sadhana etc which may have errors. Surrender is nirapaksopaya – it needs nothing else and is a one time event.
But does that mean that god demands surrender ? No, but it is the best position for the soul. God gives them the liberating sastras as well as the binding ones which attaches them to this world. The soul becomes attached to sastra like this of nice choices. But the almighty Lord gives glimpses of salvation forever for those who become tired of worldly delights. The merciful lord lets the child play with mud to learn, but he is always watchful.
The souls who act independent without sastra recommendations do not fare well. Some Westerners do not even have faith in their Bible, and only care about money without any concern about those who get destroyed in the process of making money. East and West alike there are people like this, they go straight to the snake pits of hell, below earth.
The lord teaches in sastra : abhichara – harmlesnessnes, sacrifice like jyothistoma to go to heaven, atmabhog- the contemplation of atma, then paramatma meditation, then bhakti yoga, all these is to remove the spirit of independence. Bhakti-yoga was promoted to help establish faith in the soul’s swaroop of dasa, that nature is meant for Gods enjoyment.
So He gives sastra to help people’s faith evolve from zero- nastika to astika and forward.
We are saying that surrender is the last point, this is also in Gita, but the conditioned soul does not want to hear it, thus gradual evolution is a solution. Meanwhile a soul can see shows about the pastimes of Krishna – ahh well some people say too much fighting, or not too much interest, and they are attached to other kinds of internet videos and shows. I’m not saying exactly that those will bind you to maya, although it may happen as one gets attached and out of control. But it may also be helpful in your evolution. For instance it may distract you from some period of sorrow, it may help bring out valuable qualities, you may be able to learn something uplifting. It all depends on the motive and circumstances. One should not watch shows that are demoralizing – those are degrading. Think of using anything good as a medicine and gradual assistant, as you walk up the path to bhakti and surrender, because you need to be qualified with nice attributes like dharma etc, and you can still see some of those things in shows. You must always be armed with knowledge and discrimination to start with. If you have base animal qualities only you cannot advance nicely but only become uplifted by chanting, so please avoid shows and sights that encourage immoral behavior
Even the animal sacrifice that people do are for nastika people are for those who are faithless. These are not within Vedas, but they may help people have faith in a God, I know it’s horrible.
There are kamya (for those who want worldly pleasures) mumuksu (moksha geared) then bhakti practices to help the soul upwards. By trial and experience the soul matures till it is ready for the final step. But the soul who does not turn to god improves, or the one who becomes fully degraded still gets a chance at the end of creation, when god comes a Kalki, destroys everyone and gives them a chance to take birth in Satya-yug compared to the period of Eden when there are no sins, people are like lotuses, there are no disturbances and diseases, life lasts for 100,000 years, things are easy and beautiful.
There is no lust and lavisciousness, procreation occurs by mere glance. Human bodies are thirty six feet tall and attractive, it’s said. Everything is bigger. No one owns land, they share the land equally, the earth produces food without people having to plant. The soul is always cared for and never left alone to die off. What more could one ask for?
The soul flourishes in the krita period of Satya-yug and gets a chance to focus on Paramatma – the indwelling lord, without any problems, and becomes liberated from samsara, he easily goes to vaikuntha back to the creator, for everyone endeavours for this in this period. The merciful God puts the soul in this wonderful place. In Satya-yug which lasts 1,728,000 years, god comes at least five times in the forms of Matsya, Kurma, varaha, Nrshimha and Vamana to save the world. Why does he protect the world and save the Vedas? So that the souls could live comfortably even though they are bahirmukha, the all merciful God maintains the world. He is the maintaining aspect of god. Brahma is the creator and Shiva is the destroyer. All three are one energy performing different roles.
Do the same souls from Satya-yug take birth in Treta yug, the following age? It is not certain if every single one of them go back to Vaikuntha. Souls pervade every inch of the universes in various forms, even microscopic and I’m sure they are given the chance of a human birth along the way. This is the period of no sin. The four legs of dharma – austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truth were present.
Sin begins to enter in Treta due to the raja guna entering. The more sin become prevalent people are troubled by distress. For instance we are now in Kali-yug. People are very small, disease ridden, short lifespan, not peaceful, all are sudra, everything is small, including cows, the leaders are robbing the people. But exactly how did Treta become sinful?
The symbolic bull of dharma lost one of its leg in Treta, that of tapa – austerity, people endeavouring for god. The avatars of Vamana, Parashuram and Rama came in Treta, and you could see from reading Ramayan that people were possessed by envy. In the Treta, ksatriya became powerful. As Treta proceeded, vaishya and sudra served the upper castes who were doing their jobs and penances, but jealousy grew.
Whevever the yuga changed one of the bull’s leg went away, so that in Kali-yug only one leg keeps standing, or 25 percent of dharma. But in Satya-yug it was a hundred percent four legs: truth, mercy, cleanliness and austerity. People behaved like brahmana. In Kali all are considered sudra.
The yugas also reflect the trigunas – goodness, passion and ignorance which is said to be the controlling force behind all material nature and nothing can be done about the yugas, they have to be lived through.
Chapter Eighteen Dharma
