The Puzzle of Pastimes
God-realized Saints are beyond Vedic rules, as God acts through them. For spiritual growth follow their instructions, not actions.
Why Saints Are Not Bound by Karma
A soul (jiva) that has successfully transitioned from the realm of Maya into the divine realm of God is a God-realized Saint.
Upon God-realization, a saint is forever liberated from the bondage of Maya and they are not expected to follow the rules prescribed by the Vedas. The primary purpose of Vedic rules is to guide ordinary souls and create an environment conducive to devotion; however, the Saint has already reached the destination.
ब्रह्मवित् श्रुतिमूर्ध्नि
brahmavit śrutimūrdhni
"The Vedas are subservient to the saints. Saints have the right to place their feet on the head of the Vedas."
The Graduation Analogy
Think of a student in school. They must strictly abide by school rules regarding uniforms, attendance, homework, exams. However, once the student graduates, they are no longer bound by the school's regulation.
Similarly, a Saint, having completely surrendered their mind to God, is no longer the "doer" of actions (Akarta). The involvement of the material mind is necessary for performing any Karma (action that bears fruit). When the Saint's mind is surrendered to God, it is God Himself acts through the Saint. Consequently, Saints do not bear the fruits of their actions.
The Paradox: Duties vs. Rule-Breaking
History is full of examples of Saints who appeared to perform material duties, and others who seemed to break all the rules. To the material eye, this is a puzzle.
1. Saints who performed Material Duties These God-realized Saints appeared to be deeply engaged in worldly actions:
- Arjuna: Fulfilled his duty on the battlefield of Mahabharata by killing thousands in the army of evil loving Kauravas, yet incurred no sin.
- Prahlad: A great devotee who performed the last rites for his father, the demon Hiranyakashipu.
- The Gopis: The milk-maidens of Braj, the highest class of devotees, continued to perform all their household chores while their minds were saturated with thoughts of Shri Krishna.
- Prahlad, and Dhruv: Ruled their respective kingdoms for thousands of years with judicial precision.
2. Saints who violated Vedic Rules Conversely, some Saints acted in direct contradiction to social and Vedic norms:
- Jagadguru Shankaracharya: As a Sanyasi (renunciate), he was forbidden from performing fire rituals, yet he performed the last rites (cremation) for his mother.
- Rishabh Dev: A great Paramhansa, he wandered with unkempt hair and a body covered in filth, forsaking all material and Vedic duties, while his mind remained fixed on God.
In the eyes of the world, some performed "good" actions and others "bad." But in the eyes of God, they performed no action at all (akarta). Their minds were constantly immersed in remembrance of Divine God. God was the governor of their minds, acting through them either to benefit devotees or to set an ideal.
As Shri Krishna declares in the Gita:
न मे पार्थास्ति कर्तव्यं त्रिषु लोकेषु किञ्चन । नानावाप्तमवाप्तव्यं वर्त एव च कर्मणि ॥ na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ triṣu lokeṣu kiñcana | nānāvāptamavāptavyaṁ varta eva ca karmaṇi || (Gita 3.22)
"Arjun, there is nothing in the three worlds that I am prescribed to do, nor is there anything I wish to attain; yet, I engage Myself in action! Because I wish to set an example."
The Path of Obedience: Instructions vs. Imitation
God and His Saints perform actions for two types of beneficiaries:
- Yogarurukshu (योगारुरुक्षु): Seekers of God-realization e.g., Shri Ram's disciplined pastimes and Shri Krishna's pastimes in Dwarika.
- Yogaroodh (योगरूढ़): God-realized souls e.g., Shri Krishna's loving pastimes in Braj.
A vital question arises: Which actions should we mimic? The Bhagavat Purana warns:
ईश्वराणां वचः सत्यं तथैवाचरितं क्वचित । तेषां यत्स्ववचोयुक्तं बुद्धिमांस्तत समाचरेत्॥
īśvarāṇāṁ vacaḥ satyaṁ tathaivācaritaṁ kvacit. teṣāṁ yatsvavacoyuktaṁ buddhimāṁstat samācaret (Bhagavatam 10.13.32)
""The words of divine personalities are always true. However, a wise person should follow only those actions that align with their specific instructions."
Vedas also advise the same:
यान्यस्माॅ्सुचरितानि तान्येवत्वयोपास्यानि नो इतराणि ॥ yānyasmāaisucarītāni tānyevatvayopāsyāni no itarāṇi
"Mimic good actions only. Ignore the others".
The "Poison Test"
To understand why we must not blindly mimic every action, consider the Samudra Manthan (Churning of the Ocean). When the lethal Halahal poison emerged, Lord Shiva drank it to save the brahmanda. He retained that poison in His throat, turning it blue and earning him the name Nilakantha (नीलकण्ठ, The Blue-Throated One).
If a human were to consume even a drop of arsenic out of "imitation," it would be fatal. We can admire the lila, but we must follow the instruction.
The Danger of Judgment
Some don't mimic them instead they try to rationalize the reason of performance of a particular lila. Know that attempting to comprehend divine lila with a material intellect is as misguided as trying to see with the nose. In the material world the action would be futile, but when such a misguided attempt is made it leads to spiritual downfall. Several great personalities faltered here:
- Goddess Parvati: Doubted Lord Ram's divinity when she saw Him wailing for Mother Sita. She thought, "If He is God, why doesn't He know where She is?"
- King Parikshit: Doubted the character of the Gopis and was reprimanded by Shukdev Paramhans and didn't get to learn about Maharaas.
- Garuda: Doubted Lord Ram's power when He allowed Himself to be ensnared by snakes.
As Lord Brahma explains:
नाहं न यूयं यदृतां गतिं विदुर्न वामदेवः किमुता परे सुराः । तन्मायया मोहितबुद्धयस्त्विगदं विनिर्मितं चात्मसमं प्रचक्षमहे ॥ nāhan na yūyaṁ yadr̥tāṁ gatiṁ vidurna vāmadevaḥ kimutā pare surāḥ | tanmāyayā mohitabuddhayastvigadaṁ vinirmitaṁ cātmasamaṁ pracakṣamahe || (Bhagavatam 2.6.36)
"O Narad! Neither I, nor you, nor even Lord Shankar can analyze His mysterious pastimes. How, then, can other celestial devi-devata understand Him?"
And the Ramcharitmanas states:
नारद शिव विरंचि सनकादि । जे मुनि नायक आतमवादि । तेउ न जानहिं मरम तुम्हारा । और तुमहिं को जानन हारा ॥ nārada śiva virañci sanakādi . je muni nāyaka ātamavādi . teu na jānahiṁ marama tumhārā . aura tumahiṁ ko jānana hārā ||
"Even Lord Shiva, and great sages like Narad, and Sanak cannot understand Your mystery. Who else is capable of knowing You?"
Conclusion
Lilas (pastimes) are for enjoying are meant for enjoying and increasing our love, not for analyzing or imitating. As Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj wisely advises:
सिद्ध भक्त आचरण, गोविंद राधे । अनुकरणीय नहिं होते बता दे ॥
गुरू आदेश ते ही , गोविंद राधे । अधिकार युक्त आचरण बता दे ॥
siddha bhakta ācaraṇa, goviṁda rādhe . anukaraṇīya nahiṁ hote batā de || gurū ādeśa te hī , goviṁda rādhe . adhikāra yukta ācaraṇa batā de || (Radha Govind Geet)
"One must not imitate the actions of an accomplished devotee (Saint). One must perform actions only in accordance with the instructions of their Guru."
The divine realm cannot be understood through logic alone; follow the direct commands of a realized Guru to reach your goal safely and swiftly.
Further Reading and References
- Related Concepts:
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