Sharanagati

“O Partha, happy are the kshatriyas, to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets.”[1]

For the common fighters a battle opens the door of heaven. But for a bhakta, a devotional fighter, prema bhakti – or natural state of loving dedication – is achieved. And this is a goal beyond liberation.

By performing their duties, all the different stages of life or categories of men can achieve perfection. But heaven is not a very high achievement according to the ancient Indian vision. Because heaven is not a final destination, this is just like a holiday. This is not a final destination, you can achieve that easily. But then your term is finished and you have to return. Tea-break is over, go back to work. Because heaven belongs to the material platform, this is the top material platform: there are hellish, earth-like middle stage, and higher type of planets. But the ultimate goal is to go back home, back to Godhead – to the transcendental world, to His realm.

But how to achieve this? Let us talk about how to achieve the heavenly planets. Kshatriyas achieve that by fighting. Bramins achieve by doing sacrifice or meditation, prayers – direct spiritual activities. Vaishyas, the managers, achieve it by giving donations – by being selfless. Shudras, those who serve others – they achieve by service, by being obedient, by being reliable. Because these four classes manipulate different grades, different types of energies. The bramins take care of the spiritual energy – I mean, religious or sacred energies. The kshatriyas – or the knights, the kings – they take care of influence and power. They manipulate the worldly powers and energies. The vaishyas take care of the economic part. And the shudras take care of the physical side. But whoever performs their duty nice can achieve the spiritual destination.

There are these worldly categories and there is divine structure of society. Because devotees also have different capacities. One has the capacity to cook the prasadam. The other has the capacity to eat it. This service is more popular. But either by cooking or by eating you can achieve perfection. Whatever abilities we have, we can serve God with them.