The Hare Krishna Movement

This morning as I was waking up, I was reminded that just yesterday, America and Israel declared war on Iran.

As much as I would like not to meditate on politics, it almost seems unavoidable, because it affects us all.

People are suffering, and starving and dying everyday in places like Ukraine, Gaza, Venezuela, Iran, and not to mention thousands of other places in the world.

It is too easy to just look away, and write it off as Karma.

As a devotee, I try to see this world through the lens of the Vedas, particularly the Bhagavad-gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam.

And I was thinking how different we all are, but connected as well; brothers and sisters, parents and children, friends and neighbors. All connected like drops of water in the ocean, or sparks from the same fire.

I went to the seventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, entitled “Knowledge of the Absolute”, in hopes of a better understanding of world events.

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ
prapadyante narādhamāḥ
māyayāpahṛta-jñānā
āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ

na—not; mām—unto Me; duṣkṛtinaḥ—miscreants; mūḍhāḥ—foolish; prapadyante—surrender; narādhamāḥ—lowest among mankind; māyayā—by the illusory energy; apahṛta—stolen by illusion; jñānāḥ—knowledge; asuram—demonic; bhāvam—nature; āśritāḥ—accepting.

TRANSLATION

Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me. (Bg. 7.15)

PURPORT