In this world, we have to rub shoulders daily with people devoid of devotion to God. This is normal. So instead of criticizing their lack of devotion, we can learn from them. Now you may ask what can we possibly learn from them? After all, they are devoid of good character. Actually, that is not true. In the pursuit of their selfish goals, materialistic people have a passion and drive. They work hard and practice principles of cooperation to achieve their goals. They set targets, create plans, allocate resources and have implementation strategies. All of this requires discipline. We do not have to be like them but we can learn from them – this art of discipline. There is a general criticism that spiritual life means – to give up material life. Therefore, in fear, generally speaking, people shy away from spiritual life at least in the younger phases of their life. They wait until they retire to take to spiritual life. However, this notion of giving up material life is incorrect.
Arjuna was young and strong and was ready to fight a war. It takes mental and physical strength and discipline to wage a war for eighteen days straight. Imagine fighting from sunrise to sunset (some days they fought into the wee hours of the night) continuously for eighteen days straight with heavy armor. Arjuna was a maharathi, which means he engaged in battle with many people simultaneously. If Arjuna had a slight lapse in concentration, certainly he would die. That was the condition for eighteen days. Therefore, the only way he could fight successfully was if he had the strength and discipline to fight an arduous battle. Yet he was the greatest Vaishnav there is. He is famed and glorified as the friend of the Lotus Eyed One Pundarikaksha for all of eternity in all of the universes combined. We can only conclude that Arjuna possessed the extraordinary power to excel above his peers and had the discipline to become an expert in his art of warfare. In the Mahabharat, we learn that Arjuna was the best student in the Dronacharya school of Martial Arts. Whatever lesson he learnt during the day from his teacher, he practiced it to perfection at night and the next day displayed his perfection. None of the other brothers’ excelled as him.
Non-devotees in the pursuit to exploit have a similar eagle eye for perfection and pursuit of ruthlessness. Certainly, we can learn this art from them. However, we do so with compassion and tolerance – always careful not to step on others and hurt others. We practice a higher road to the top and not use the under-hand ways normally materialistic people do. Arjuna after all the humiliation to Draupadi and his mother and brothers decided to not fight the war. Despite being humiliated multiple times, he was willing to relinquish it for a higher cause of compassion. This was his inner mood. Similarly, as practicing devotees we also learn from our spiritual masters and scriptures to practice detachment internally and practice compassion/tolerance externally. This will help to take failure in our stride and not let success to our head.
We will remain in this world but not of this world. “In this world” part we learn from non-devotees, “not of this world” part we learn from saintly people.
Indeed, this world is like a classroom, life is our teacher, and I the student.
Hare Krishna
