In the use of our time
our life we should give priority
to the supreme cause, Krsna.
TIME … "Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds," says Lord Krsna, "and I have come here to destroy all people." (Bhagavad-gita 11.32) The powerful time factor represents the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Through time the will of the Lord is manifest.
Time is of utmost importance to all of us, because the duration of our lives is made of time. How we use our time is how we use our life.
Once while speaking to a businessman in Bombay, Srila Prabhupada quoted a verse from Canakya Pandita: "At the time of death one cannot purchase one more moment of life, even for all the riches in the world." Time is invaluable and must be invested carefully. "So we should utilize each moment for the greatest gain," Srila Prabhupada continued. "In the ledger of your life, all time engaged in Krsna consciousness is profit, while all time engaged in material activities is loss. If we want the greatest profit in life, we have to use every moment in Krsna consciousness."
What is the greatest profit? Lord Krsna says, yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah: "When one actually comes to the perfection of Krsna consciousness, he realizes there is no greater gain." (Bhagavad-gita 6.22)
In the use of our time our life we should give priority to the supreme cause, Krsna. "Things which matter most should never be at the mercy of things which matter least." (Goethe)
What could matter more than Krsna consciousness? We are suffering repeated birth, death, disease, and old age. After so many lives we have come to the rare human form, the most valuable asset to free us from the miseries of material existence. Human intelligence is especially meant to realize God and make a permanent solution to life's problems. One who fails to use this most valuable asset for the best purpose for Krsna consciousness is the greatest miser and fool.
When we plan our day, our week, and our life, we should first set aside time for the most important activities: discussing and distributing the message of Godhead in the association of pure devotees. "Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilizes the time by discussing the topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.17) If we first set aside time for the most important things, we'll take the less important things in proper perspective.
A teacher once brought a large open-mouthed jar into a room full of students. He filled the jar with rocks and asked the students, "Is the jar full?"
The students replied, "Yes."
The instructor then poured pebbles into the jar, filling the spaces between the rocks. He asked again, "Is the jar full now?"
By then the students were a little wise, so they remained silent.
The teacher then poured sand between the pebbles and asked, "Is the jar full now?"
Again the students stayed silent. The teacher then poured water up to the top. Now the jar was full.
What do we learn from this? When we put the rocks in first there is space for pebbles, after pebbles there is still space for sand, and after sand, water. If we fill our schedule with the most important activities first, with Krsna conscious activities, we'll always be able to accommodate less important activities, if we choose to. But if we fill our time first with less important activities pebbles, sand, and water there will be no place left for the most important activities, the large rocks. So let us plan our days and weeks to include time for chanting Hare Krsna, hearing Krsna's glories, and serving Krsna's devotees. Then our lives will be completely successful.
One may consider, With so many other commitments, how will I manage time for Krsna? Let us see how the great devotee king Ambarisa did it. Although he was the emperor of the world, he dedicated time to Krsna, and by the grace of the Lord his kingdom and dynasty flourished:
King Ambarisa engaged his mind on the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, his words in describing the transcendental qualities of the Lord, his hands in mopping the temple of the Lord, his ears in hearing the activities of the Lord, his eyes in seeing the form of the Lord, his body in touching the body of the devotee, his nostrils in smelling the scent of flowers offered to the Lord, his tongue in tasting the tulasi leaves offered to the Lord, his legs in traveling to places of pilgrimage and temples of the Lord, his head in offering obeisances unto the Lord, and his desires in executing the mission of the Lord. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisa engaged all his senses in devotional service and various engagements related to the Lord. In performing his prescribed duties as king, Maharaja Ambarisa always offered the results of his royal activities to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, who is the enjoyer of everything. He took advice from faithful devotees, and thus he ruled the planet earth without difficulty.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 9.4.18-21
Maharaja Ambarisa did everything without difficulty, by the grace of the Lord.
We simply need faith (sraddha):
'sraddha'-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya
"By rendering transcendental loving service to Krsna, one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. This confident, firm faith, favorable to the discharge of devotional service, is called sraddha." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 22.62)
Now by the grace of Srila Prabhupada we have come in contact with the Krsna consciousness movement and have received a chance to realize the greatest gain in life. We can hear about Prabhupada, follow his instructions, and serve his mission. Lord Krsna Himself declares, mad-bhakta-pujabhya-dhika: "Engaging in the service of My devotee is more profitable than trying to engage in My service directly." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.19.21)
So let us begin now chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, following Srila Prabhupada and his devotees.
Now … Now is the time.
Giriraja Swami serves as an ISKCON governing body commissioner for Mumbai, Mauritius, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, and several other places.
Life's Ledger
Profit and Loss Statement
PROFIT
Hearing about Krsna
Chanting about Krsna
Remembering Krsna
Serving Krsna
Worshiping Krsna
Praying to Krsna
Becoming Krsna's servant
Making friends with Krsna
Surrendering everything to Krsna
LOSS
Hearing material sounds
Chanting material sounds
Thinking about material things
Serving materialists
Worshiping materialists
Praying to materialists
Becoming the servant of materialists
Making friends with materialists
Surrendering to materialists