II: 59

[Krishna Jaya]

Chapter 2, Verse 59

 

“Sense-objects fade for the abstinent,

Yet the craving for them continues,

But even the craving vanishes

For those who have experienced the truth.”

 

Sri Aurobindo:

 

“The embodied soul, having a body, has to support it by food for its normal physical action.  By abstention from food, it only removes from itself the physical contact with the objects of sense without getting rid of the inner relation which makes that contact hurtful when we over-indulge.  The person must learn how to embrace the physical contact without suffering inwardly the over-indulgent reaction.”

 

Srila Prabhupada:

 

“The process of restriction from sense enjoyment by rules and regulations is something like restricting an unwell person from certain kinds of eatables.  The patient will neither like such restrictions nor lose the hankering for the eatables.  But for one who has tasted the beauty of the Supreme Lord Krishna, in the course of advancing in Krishna consciousness, there will no longer be a hankering for material things.”

 

A friend:

 

The ‘higher taste’ concept became the focus of the psychology of detachment in ISKCON [International Society for Krishna Consciousness] for some time - maybe today too. As we hear more and more about Krishna and serve him more and more, we grow closer and closer to his divinely intoxicating presence, and naturally lose our taste for the mundane pleasures of this world. For this reason we framed Krishna Consciousness as being essentially a positive process. On the other side of the coin, however, the smiling dos were balanced by an impressive list of scowling don'ts.

 

I feel that both the positive and the negative are necessary for our spiritual development. But there is one more aspect, and that is simple experience itself. We learn by doing. Nourished by association with Krishna, and chastened by knowledge of the limitations of the material world, we go forth and experience life.  That field of experience is the soil in which the seed of our love-for-God takes root firmly. It pushes down deeper than the mind can go. Experience takes place on the soul level. As we learn from it, the soul's veil of mystery is drawn aside. This takes time. Experience deepens our thought and firmly establishes our residence at Krishna's lotus feet.”