Ujjwal Kumar OBA 5

Submitted By: Ujjwal Kumar
OBA-5
Question 1:
Describe in your own words, practical ways, and the benefits therein, of
applying the isavasya principle in:
● Society in general
● ISKCON
● Your own life
Give reference to Sri Isopanisad Mantras 1-3 and purports in your response.
(Personal/ Preaching Application)
Introduction:
Krishna is the Ultimate creator and controller so everything animate or
inanimate within the universe is controlled and owned by God. He is the proprietor
of everything. Only the Lord is the true proprietor and creator of everything.
We should accept only those things which are in our quota – be satisfied with it and
do not encroach in other’s property or quota thinking well to whom it belongs.
Society in General The whole human society is under the influence of lust, anger
and greed. Each and every one want to collect as much as possible to live
comfortably. It is very common to see a strong person taking advantage of a
weaker one.
Even all the ism i.e. - socialism, altruism, nationalism, communism can
accommodate if everyone understands everything belongs to God. World politics

will be different if leaders accept everything as Lord’s property and consider
themselves as a custodian meant to take care of things on a temporary basis.
Examples from Society:
Fighting for false proprietorship:
Instead of understanding and accepting supreme proprietorship some
of the so called developed countries like UK, France and Argentina are
making false claims over the frozen continent of Antarctica. The Israel/
Palestine conflict is a source of insecurity for the Middle East and for the
world at large. “The modern way of living is nothing but living passionately
devoid of any civilization, in reality it is only a soul killing civilization which
has an increased problem of hungry stomach.
Human form of life is not just meant to solve economic problems on a tottering
platform ".(Isopanisad -3 purport).
Fighting for Social status:
Social conflict in the society in order to retain power and exploit
groups with less power. Like Clashes between Dalit group and Hindu
organization in Bhima Koregaon Pune. “Today a Godless civilization
directed toward the so-called advancement of education is more dangerous
than civilization in which the masses of people are less educated.”
(Isopanisad Mantra 9)
Economic Problem:
People are fighting for basic necessities of life not because there is not
sufficient things but because people are encroaching on other property. Once

people understand what their quota is then there is no economic problem in
the society.
Isavasyam idamsarvam- everything is owned by isa, the Supreme
Controller. Tena tyaktena bhunjitha- you may enjoy what is allotted to you
by him. Ma graghah kasyasvid dhanam – but do not encroach upon other’s
property
“Human being are meant not simply for solving economic problems
on a tottering platform but for solving all the problems of material life into
which we have been placed by law of nature.” (Isopanisad Mantra 3)
But if one understand the principle of Isavasya that everything belong
to God. He is the ultimate enjoyer and controller then it will remove a lot of
suffering and anxiety from the society. By applying this simple principle the
people in the society will live harmoniously to create a God conscious
society and there will be more peace and prosperity in the world.
ISKCON
Lord is the proprietor of everything:
So far the ISKCON community has opened 850 temples, hundreds of
schools, restaurants and farms all around the world. Funds collected by
ISKCON are treated as Krishna’s lakshmi and used to support the
community as a whole and to promote the Isavasya principle. There is no

quarrel in spite of there being so many temples worldwide and differences in
lifestyle, country and upbringing.
Free Prasad distribution:
ISKCON is sponsoring a project to liberally distribute pure vegetarian
meals (prasadam) throughout the world as instructed by Srila Prabhupad to
his disciples “No one within ten miles of temple should go hungry". Food
for life is active in sixty countries and serves up to 2million free meals every
day.
Giving true Vidya:
It was Srila Prabhupad's vision to open gurukul so that children from
very early age understand that everything belongs to God. Previously in
gurukul students eat only when invited by a spiritual master. If the guru
neglects to call him he will fast. He was trained to see Guru's property and
not think of eating without permission. Thus from the outset they were
trained to see everything as the property of Guru and Krishna. Your own life
Engaging children in Krishna Consciousness: We should give Krishna
Conscious environment to our children from the beginning of their life. So
they can see from the beginning that Krishna is the proprietor of everything
and everything belongs to Krishna. Whatever we buy we should first offer to
the Lord. This way we should teach our children.
Srila Prabhupad said “A child is a rare gift given by Krishna, but at
the same time a great responsibility; every parent has the responsibility to
see that his child grows up in Krishna Consciousness.” Letter to
Hamsaduta Vrindawan 15 August 1967.

Accumulating more than what we require:
Not trying to accumulate what is not necessary in life. We should use
our own quota only and not take other things by cheating, by exploiting
others, and not putting other people at risk. There is always a constant
anxiety to earn more so that one can live a peaceful life in old age but again
once we understand that Krishna has set aside one’s quota so there is no real
worry.
“One has to realize that nothing in the world belongs to any
individual person, but everything belong to the Supreme Lord.” (BG 3.30)
Avoid wasting Prasadam:
We should always eat Prasad only. Meaning offering bhoga to Lord
Sri Krishna and eating only remnants. Even try to distribute Prasad whenever
it is possible. We should not waste prasadam as it is the property of the Lord.
“Simply by liberal distribution of Prasad and sankirtana, the whole world
can become peaceful and prosperous (SB 4.12.10)”
Freedom from false ego:
Living in the harmony with extended family member and try to set
example of Good Krishna conscious life in front of them so they even start
Krishna Conscious life by seeing this. This "I am is called ego, or
identification of the self.
“I am this body" or "Everything in relation to the body is mine" is
called false ego, but when one is self-realized and thinks that he is an
eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord, that identification is real ego. (SBS
3.27.13)

God centered family:
Krishna should be the center of our home. Whatever we do, think or
perform – we should think everything belongs to Krishna and we are just
temporary custodians. “ There is no harm in becoming a family man, or
altruist, a socialist, a communist, a nationalist or a humanitarian,
provided that one executes his activities in relation with Isavasya, the God
centered conception.” (Isopanisad Mantra 2)
Once we truly understand and accept the Isavasya principle that
Krishna is Supreme proprietor we automatically become peaceful and stop
abusing our body to accumulate more and more. This principle makes one’s
life simple and thus conducive for spiritual realization. The major reasons
between fights between individuals or partners is false ego which can be
easily addressed by acknowledging one’s eternal position as a servant to the
Supreme Lord. There is no real worry or concern for conditioned souls to
ignore the practice of self-realization but to focus with all energy to use
human form of body to enquire about the supreme and come out of the
problem of birth, old age, disease and death.
Own Life:-
1. Not being greedy for material advancement.
2. Understanding everyone as part and parcel of Krishna and not being
envious of them.
3. Krishna is the bhokta and this material world is miserable so best part
is to focus on getting out of it.
4. Regularly being in contact in Bhagwad Geeta to understand and act on
a spiritual platform.

Question2:
Discuss the importance of controlling the 6 urges as described in Sri
Upadesamrta Text 1. What practical steps are you taking to control these 6
urges? Give appropriate references to sri Updesamrta Text 1, verse and
purport, in your response.
(Practical Application)
Answer:
The six urges References from text Practical application
Vaco vegam
(tolerate the
urge to speak)
● Materialistic Talks or mundane talks
not related to Krishna.
● Talks of Mayavadi,
impersonalists(croaking of frogs.)
●
If we do not speak about Kṛṣṇa
consciousness, we speak about all sorts
of nonsense.(Toad and snake).
● Engaging the speaking process in
glorifying the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
The tongue can thus glorify the name,
form, qualities and pastimes of the
Lord. The preacher of kṛṣṇa-kathā is
always beyond the clutches of death.
● Chant Hare Krishna in
whichever temple we go
(sometimes with family we have
to go to another temple).
● Don’t preach to your mother and
family rather ignore them or give
them someone else's association.
● No confidential talk with
Mayavadi, materialistic people.
● Don’t speak when angry, wait a
little bit and analyse with
reference to Bhagavad Gita.
● Daily at least 15 min of kirtan
and prescribed no. of rounds.

Mansah
krodh vegam
(the mind’s
demands and
anger)
● The restlessness or fickleness of the
mind (mano-vega) is controlled when
one can fix his mind on the lotus feet
of Kṛṣṇa.
● If one always thinks of Kṛṣṇa and how
to serve Kṛṣṇa best, one’s mind will
naturally be controlled.
● Become angry with those who
blaspheme the Lord or the devotees of
the Lord, we control our anger in
Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
● one should be ready to tolerate all
insults to one’s own self, but when
Kṛṣṇa or His pure devotee is
blasphemed, a genuine devotee
becomes angry and acts like fire
against the offenders.
● Mind is controlled by quoting
the exact same verse at that
moment.
● Regularly spending at least 7
hours a week reading and
hearing.
● Thinking about Krishna, feeling
the non- permanent nature of this
world and willing to always
serve Krishna.
● Understanding Krishna is not
responsible for your problems
but you are responsible.
● Krishna can only satisfy my
mind’s thirst by glancing his
mercy upon me.
● Lust in mind is addiction and can
only be eradicated by Lord’s
mercy and chanting of
Holyname.
Jihva vegam
(the actions of
anger)
● We all experience that the tongue
wants to eat palatable dishes.
● The devotee’s attitude is that he will
eat only when Kṛṣṇa gives him
prasāda. That is the way to control the
urge of the tongue.
● Eating at Govinda when it comes
to restaurants.
● Fasting on Ekadasi.
● Offering food before accepting it
and not eating the food prepared
by materialistic people.
● Avoiding sweets at night.
● Taking prasadam in a temple.
Udaropasth
vegam
(belly and
genitals)
● The genitals should be used to beget a
Kṛṣṇa conscious child, otherwise they
should not be used.
● Not using the phone at night.
● Sleep with proper clothes.
● Sleep early and don’t sleep

● The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement
encourages marriage not for the
satisfaction of the genitals but for the
begetting of Kṛṣṇa conscious children.
during the day.
● Taking proper rest as less sleep
makes me prone to more sexual
temptation.
● Avoid thoughts before
meditation i.e at first step
because after that it turns into
lust and we fell into it.