Are you going back into your cage?

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, March 2014, Sydney, Australia, Bhagavad-gita 4.39)

When things get diluted, it is second best – compromised. From a compromised position, we still can enter spiritual life because we can enter from any position in life. We can be compromised with the mode of ignorance and have that habit of drinking the wrong things, [imitating]“I’m trying to stop it but it is not easy.”

Yes… alright, but do service! So, we may start from a compromised position but do service because by that service, we will become free. From that compromised position with the lower modes of nature, that is compromised with unhappiness and compromised with foolish habits; it is so difficult to change now, just because we have done it for so long.

Srila Prabhupada speaks about a bird that had been kept in a cage for a very long time. Then one day, they took the cage, put it in the field and opened the door. So the bird was looking… sitting all alone in the cage… and the door is opened and then whhhooop… the bird was out! Flyyyyyying! Freeeeee in the sky!

But then, after about ten to fifteen minutes, it came back into the cage, on its own. Are we that bird? Are we going back into our cage? Just because we are so accustomed to it, are we going back to a compromised state?

“Well, it is difficult to surrender, you know. It is very difficult. It is difficult to be a servant. Of course, I know I should be, but… and I know I should give up sense enjoyment but it is SO GOOD.” The senses will drive you because the senses are not grateful. They will never be satisfied with whatever you bring. Therefore why serve the senses!? Serve Krsna! Krsna is the opposite. Krsna is very grateful for the smallest service rendered. Krsna is immensely grateful and it says that Krsna will immensely reward you very generously.