Hidden Struggles: Unmasking The Untold Challenges Of Existence

Despite romantic ideas to the contrary, our time in the womb is not pleasant. But even there a fortunate soul may seek the shelter of Lord Krishna.

by Tanay Shah

A MONG THE EXTENSIVE teachings of Lord Krishna’s  avatar Kapiladeva in the Third Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam is a detailed description of a soul within the womb of a human mother. The soul is there as a result of its own deeds, controlled by an unerring system that operates under the guidance of the Supreme Lord.

The womb will be the soul’s home for ten lunar months, and the stay is far from pleasant. The unborn child, sustained by the mother’s nourishment, faces an undesirable environment that includes worms that cause intense agony. The fetus also endures discomfort from the mother’s consumption of various foods. Despite these challenges, the child, with limited consciousness, must endure everything for the sake of survival. If an adult were subjected to such conditions, completely constricted, survival would be impossible even for a few seconds. By the arrangement of nature under Krishna’s supervision, the fetus is able to survive. 

Unfortunately, we forget these hardships that we ourselves have repeatedly faced. Pursuing all types of temporary enjoyments in life, we neglect pursuing liberation from the cycle of birth and death, a goal that can be achieved only by developing pure love for God. How unfortunate is our civilization, where these crucial matters remain undiscussed.

Repentance Leads To Spiritual Realization

Lord Kapiladeva says that the fetus begins to feel hunger and thirst at five months and is conscious enough at that time to experience the terrible suffering within the womb. In fact, the suffering is so intense that the child goes in and out of consciousness. Deprived of freedom of movement and enduring constant torture, the child awakens to more developed consciousness after seven months.

Up to this point in the narration, Lord Kapiladeva has described a soul who after its previous life suffered in hell before entering the womb. Now, as explained by Vaishnava commentator Visvanatha Chakravarti, Lord Kapila will describe a fortunate child in the womb – that is, one who practiced devotional service in its previous human life. This child, who prays to the Lord, could not be the child who recently suffered in hell, because anyone who begins the process of devotional service will not be sent to hell after death.

Amidst his distressing situation in the womb, the devotee fetus may beseech the all-merciful Lord, acknowledging that his predicament is the consequence of his own misdeeds. The devotee knows that he can be relieved from his torture only by Krishna’s mercy. With a repentant heart, he completely surrenders to the Lord and offers respectful obeisances at His lotus feet.

The prayer of the child exemplifies how we can progress spiritually and ultimately realize God. True realization of God occurs only when we repent our misdeeds. Only when we are embarrassed and tired of trying to lord over this material world can we sincerely approach the Supreme Lord. When, with a genuinely remorseful heart, we thus approach Krishna, He is ever willing to reveal Himself to us.

The Key To Attract The Lord’s Mercy

In his prayer, the devotee in the womb speaks of forgetting the Lord and undergoing endless hardships in life. He asks for the Lord’s mercy so that he can give up forgetfulness and attain eternal happiness by turning toward the Lord.

Finding liberation from life’s constant struggles is possible only through the mercy of the Lord. But how can we make ourselves open to that mercy? The key is in having a strong genuine desire to break free from the material world and turn toward God. When the yearning for spiritual growth becomes deep and sincere, the Lord within our hearts provides a clear direction: “Surrender unto Me.”

For those seeking material satisfaction or control over the material world, the Lord allows indulgence in such pursuits. However, when one becomes frustrated with material domination and genuinely desires liberation, the Lord mercifully imparts the understanding that surrendering unto Him is the path to freedom.

Being Grateful And Careful

Lord Kapila describes: Fallen into a pool of blood, stool and urine within the abdomen of his mother, his own body scorched by the mother’s gastric fire, the embodied soul, anxious to get out, counts his months and prays, “O my Lord, when shall I, a wretched soul, be released from this confinement? My dear Lord, by Your causeless mercy I am awakened to consciousness, although I am only ten months old. For this causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the friend of all fallen souls, there is no way to express my gratitude but to pray with folded hands.” (Bhagavatam 3.31.17–18)

Krishna’s eagerness to lead us to eternal happiness is immeasurable, and while we can never fully repay Him for His blessings, our only response is to express gratitude and pray with folded hands.

The human form is esteemed as the highest among living beings, providing developed consciousness to break free from the cycle of birth and death. Unlike animals focused on bodily comforts, humans, through divine grace, possess heightened awareness, allowing reflection on their unique position and realization of their eternal identity.

As human beings, each of us is capable of controlling the senses and the mind, which offer the opportunity to reach the ultimate goal. Challenges arise when an undisciplined mind and uncontrolled senses divert us from this purpose. Therefore the key lies in using the human body wisely and responsibly, recognizing the blessings received, cultivating gratitude, and exercising care in our actions.

Desirable Difficulties

Expressing his desperate plea, the devotee in the womb says, “Therefore, my Lord, although I am living in a terrible condition, I do not wish to depart from my mother’s abdomen to fall again into the blind well of materialistic life. Your external energy, called deva-maya, at once captures the newly born child, and immediately false identification, which is the beginning of the cycle of continual birth and death, begins.” (Bhagavatam 3.31.20)

Within the womb, the child experiences a precarious existence, but there is a silver lining if he discovers a sense of pure consciousness regarding his relationship with the Supreme Lord. However, upon birth, maya’s powerful influence traps the newborn into identifying the self with the body, leading to a false ego that declares, “I am this body.” This illusion strengthens as the child becomes entangled in bodily relationships, forgetting his true spiritual identity.

We learn from Srimad-Bhagavatam that Sukadeva Gosvami, recognizing this potential entanglement, astonishingly stayed within the womb for sixteen years, cultivating transcendental knowledge. Upon emerging, he left home to avoid maya’s influence.

Sometimes it is essential to recognize that life’s difficulties, while undoubtedly challenging, can be desirable. These challenges serve as a catalyst for understanding the deeper purpose of life and what one truly needs to seek beyond the temporary entanglements of material existence.

Clear Consciousness, Your Best Friend

The devotee fetus persists in prayer: “Therefore, without being agitated any more, I shall deliver myself from the darkness of nescience with the help of my friend, clear consciousness. Simply by keeping the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu in my mind, I shall be saved from entering into the wombs of many mothers for repeated birth and death.” (Bhagavatam 3.31.21)

The most effective approach to overcome the challenges of life is to cultivate God consciousness. The child in the womb has prayed that it is far better to stay in the darkness of the womb and be absorbed in spiritual thoughts than to come out and again become a victim of the illusory energy. Actually, the Lord’s illusory energy affects one both inside and outside the womb, but the trick is that one should remain God conscious, and then the effect of horrible conditions cannot act unfavorably upon us.

The Bhagavad-gita explains how one’s intelligence can be a friend or an enemy. The same idea is repeated here. Those absorbed in the personal service of Krishna and constantly conscious of Him are on the path of self-realization and liberation. Without being unnecessarily agitated, if we take to the process of devotional service and always chant the Lord’s names, then the cycle of birth and death can be stopped for good.

It might be questioned how a child can be fully Krishna conscious within the womb of the mother, amidst such unfavorable conditions where one doesn’t even have any tools for practicing devotion. However, the truth is that there’s no need for any special arrangements to worship the Lord. Cultivating God consciousness doesn’t require material preparations. It can be practiced anywhere and everywhere, as long as one constantly thinks of Krishna. Even within the mother’s womb, one can chant the holy names of the Lord. Whether we’re sleeping, working, confined in the womb, or moving freely outside it, our spiritual consciousness remains unrestricted in any situation.

Pushed Out Of The Womb

In Lord Kapila’s description, as the child praises the Lord within the womb, the birthing wind pushes him out, causing a difficult and breathless delivery, accompanied by memory loss. The newborn, covered in filth, loses spiritual knowledge and succumbs to the influence of maya.

Post-birth, caregivers struggle to understand the child’s needs, resulting in inappropriate nursing. While the womb provided natural nourishment, the external environment poses challenges, with the child’s desires for specific food often misunderstood. Communication barriers lead to the child’s crying for milk but receiving bitter medicine instead, prolonging discomfort. The transition from the womb to the outer world introduces unforeseen difficulties, shaping the child’s early experiences.

Staying in a pitiable state, the helpless child lies on a bed, unable to alleviate discomfort or ward off insect bites. Struggling with the loss of spiritual wisdom under the sway of maya, amidst life’s challenges the infant forgets the spiritual knowledge contemplated in the womb. This suggests that even if we gain spiritually uplifting knowledge, we are susceptible to forgetting it under certain circumstances. We should be cautious to safeguard our spiritual consciousness. Avoiding situations unfavorable to our spiritual pursuit is crucial so that we may not forget our prime duties. Wielding the Sword of Spiritual Association

For the sake of the troublesome body, as the child grows into an adult he again engages in various actions that lead to his continuing in the cycle of birth and death. If by chance one who has not practiced bhakti associates again with unrighteous people and indulges in sensual pleasures, he finds himself back in hell, just as he was before.

In general, everyone is primarily focused on satisfying the senses, particularly the tongue. This defines material life, which revolves around seeking enjoyment, often without consideration for understanding one’s spiritual identity or the path of spiritual progress. Given this materialistic mindset, those aspiring for spiritual advancement must exercise caution in associating with such persons. Associating with materialistic people, who prioritize sensual pleasures and bodily comforts, jeopardizes one’s human form of life. It is advised, therefore, that an intelligent person should avoid such undesirable company and consistently engage with saintly persons for spiritual nourishment and growth. When one associates with saintly persons, all uncertainties about the spiritual dimensions of life are dispelled, leading to tangible progress on the path of spiritual understanding. At times, people exhibit strong adherence to a specific religious faith. They diligently attend their respective places of worship and perform their religious rituals.

However, a significant challenge arises when, despite their religious commitment, they are unable to detach themselves from the company of those who are excessively engrossed in sense enjoyment. Even if one maintains a devout image in terms of religious practices, associating with persons overly immersed in sensual pursuits can lead to dangerous results. Therefore, the caution is against allowing such associations, as they can jeopardize one’s spiritual progress and moral standing.

A Final Reflection

Having seen how life begins with struggles even before we are born, and considering the difficulties we face in our current lives and the challenges waiting for us at death, we would do well to approach life not as a burden but as a profound opportunity for transformation. In the section of the Srimad-Bhagavatam’s Eleventh Canto known as the Uddhava-gita, Lord Krishna presents a compelling picture of the human body as a rare and precious gift, similar to a meticulously crafted boat guided by an expert captain (one’s spiritual master) and propelled by divine instructions (the Vedic scriptures). Human life is a unique chance to navigate the vast ocean of material existence and emerge victorious on the other side, the spiritual world of eternal life with Krishna.

Having journeyed throughout millions of species of life, we have now arrived at the pinnacle – the human form. The crucial question is: Are we resolute in our determination to transcend the challenges of material existence? After enduring numerous lifetimes under the influence of maya and experiencing endless suffering, are we ready to dedicate this precious human life to Krishna and witness the transformative magic that unfolds?

The Lord, compassionate to His devotees, readily extends protection to those who take refuge in Him. Even when we approach Him with only minimal devotion, He becomes indebted to us and never forgets our service. Having served maya since time immemorial and reaped excruciating results, why not now serve such a magnanimous Lord and revel in His loving association in the spiritual world?

Tanay Shah, 18, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in financial management. He holds a diploma in Bhagavad-gita and a Bhakti Shastri degree. He writes articles, edits books for children and adults, and is an international yoga teacher. He lives in Mumbai.