The Real World

Sometimes I hear people refer to the "real world " meaning the world of harsh realities . In other words they are saying that an ideal world doesnt exist - better just to face up to the less than perfect one, which they believe is all there is. Not everyone agrees with that point of view however. In Bhagavad-gita , Sri Krishna tells us about that eternal spiritual universe , Vaikuntha , the place of no anxiety , where the residents experience a thrill at every moment and are tasting full nectar at every step in their ecstatic loving relationship with Radha and Krishna , in the topmost planet Goloka Vrindavana .These are not simply flowery words but authentic descriptions validated by self-realized souls , eternal residents of that eternal region who kindly descend to this mortal plane to enlighten us - to give us light, to dissipate the darkness of ignorance. So their revealing descriptions of that real world are so wonderful, so beautiful ,so perfect, so attractive and, most wonderfully ,just by hearing these supermundane descriptions with faith from them ,we become eligible to enter that Divine Realm. Here is one such description given by Shrila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami . " I worship these cows , the daughters of Surabhi , who are always eager to engage Vrajendra-nandana (Krishna ) , Balarama, Sridama and the other cowherd boys in the joyful , daily festival of taking them out to graze and milking them.Worshiped by Krishna and all the sakhas (friends ) , they cover the boys and themselves with a mist of sparkling snow-like dust raised by their hooves as , filled with love, they roam around the dense forests, high mountains and river banks of Vraja . " His Divine Grace Shrila Sridhar Maharaj uses the term "Reality the Beautiful " to describe that region and its residents, who are blessed with " infinite wisdom and total satisfaction." So I have some faith in the truth of these descriptions. Shrila Prabhupada calls it our "normal, happy condition of life. " So its normal to be happy. If I look around here seeing all the unhappy statistics of this unhappy world , we are definitely not in the normal condition of life. Nevertheless I am encouraged and grateful for the example and instructions of my most compassionate spiritual masters who are leading us home , back to Godhead, to the Real World. May I be engaged in their eternal loving service.Hare Krishna