The difference between the first and third stage is that in the first stage, when he lets go it was his mind that dragged the chariot of his life, but now when he releases control, it’s God who has taken charge. The difference in these two approaches is the inner aspiration: his desire has changed from wanting to be an enjoyer in this world to wanting to be a servant of God and His devotees. Until the soul makes this conscious choice to be a servant, he is relentlessly pummelled by the indefatigable material energy. We all surrender – either to the mind or to God. In between we show our sincerity by struggling to control the mind. As we realize the formidable challenge ahead of us, we humbly call out to God, in deep realization of our puny existence and His magnificent omnipotence.

Reflections from a case study from Shrimad Bhagavatam

The crocodile’s invincible jaws have got me. But the bigger tragedy is that I am unaware of its vicious grip even though it’s terrible gaping maw inflicts continuous pain, with brief moments of relief that I take as pleasure. In times of mental clarity, I realize I can’t get out of this deadly trap unless I call out to the Lord in utter surrender.

Thousands of years ago in a higher world an elephant king named Gajendra was captured by a crocodile in a lake. The elephant was sporting with his many wives when unexpectedly a crocodile grabbed his leg in its jaws. Gajendra tried to escape, but water is home for aquatic predators, and for Gajendra it was a foreign environment. He struggled, and even his wives and children tried pulling him away. But the crocodile just wouldn’t let go. Exasperated, Gajendra’s family left him to navigate the crisis alone.

This incident is narrated in Shrimad Bhagavatam, a scripture that describes life, the world, and relationships from a dimension different from the reality we commonly perceive with our limited senses. The explanations of the cosmos by modern science and Shrimad Bhagavatam vary because they view the universe from a different scale of perception. For example, I may see a gray powder, but you may view it under a microscope and discover that it’s white and black granules. What exactly is it? Although the two views differ, each is correct according to the perspective.

Shrimad Bhagavatam describes the universe from a scale of observation different from that of modern science, and in its stated purpose and scheme of things there are special planets with extraordinary creatures and animals. For example, the animals talk and pray, and they experience life differently than animals do here on earth. Yet even in the twenty-first century the principles that emerge from their stories, including Gajendra’s struggle, which lasted for centuries, have a universal appeal and deliver lessons to a spiritual aspirant.

To be continued…