A common space for harmonic peacemakers

V: 14

Chapter 5, Verse 14

"Do not say,
'God gave us this delusion.'
You dream that you are the doer.
You dream that action is done.
It is your ignorance.
Wisdom becomes darkened
By its absence,
And this leads you astray."

Sri Krishna Prem:

The Self dwells blissfully within, neither acting nor causing to act. Serene in itself, it is untouched by the good and evil deeds of others and constitutes an abode in which adepts find their refuge, unharmed by the tides of strife, and yet in no selfish isolation, for they are one with all things."

Srila Prabhupada:

The temporary body or material dwelling place which you obtain is the cause of varieties of activities and their resultant reactions. Living in such a conditional atmosphere, you suffer the results of the activities of the body by identifying yourself in ignorance with the body. It is ignorance acquired from time immemorial that is the cause of bodily suffering and distress. You are in the midst of the material ocean, struggling for existence. The waves of the ocean are tossing you, and you have no control over them. Your best response is to get out of the water through transcendental Krishna consciousness. That will save you from all the strife."

[The Gopis (milkmaids who make their living selling fresh cow's milk) are head-over-heels in love with Govinda (Krishna) the cowherd boy. One day they are bathing in the Yamuna River, chatting away amongst themselves about the intoxicating beauty of their Beloved. In the meantime, Govinda, in his mischievous way, sneaks up on them and removes their clothes from the riverbank. He hangs the clothes on the branches of a nearby tree and then climbs the tree himself. When the Gopis finish their bath, they see Govinda in the tree with their clothes hanging beneath him. They hesitate.

What is the meaning?

Govinda is God (transcendental consciousness).
The Gopis are Jiva (individual consciousness).
The water is Maya (illusion).

As long as Jiva identifies with the ego inside its bag of skin, it will be unable to emerge from the illusion, even though it knows that God is near. The snares of ego-consciousness stand in our way of truth. When the clothes of ego are discarded voluntarily, everything becomes one.

After hesitating momentarily, the Gopis show their true colors and come out of the water. Govinda returns their clothes and praises them for their devotion. He promises to sport with them that very night. True to his word, while the Moon smears the sky a brilliant yellow-orange, Govinda breathes into his flute, producing such a breathtaking symphony that the hearts of the Gopis melt into his.]