Hope is a Weapon
Hope is a weapon. The word weapon usually has a negative connotation, but on a positive note hope is one that instills faith and infuses life in someone to move forward. Both on our material and spiritual paths it can play a very important role.
Hope in material life has to have action else it’s just day dreaming. One must hope but one has to act towards what they hope to see happen. For example one can hope for good health, a decent paying job or other material things, but acting towards that goal and taking the appropriate steps to achieve that is also important. There are stories of holocaust victims in concentration camps where those who had hope of getting out and had a will to live survived, but those who lost hope, their immune systems starting shutting down and they died. It is part of human nature to have hope and hold on to it.
In spiritual life, specifically Bhakti Yoga, the path of love of God, initially when one takes this path they have hope that they will make it to the lotus feet of Sri Krishna on the basis of the actions performed by them. But that alone is not true. We do have to conduct actions to serve the Lord, but ultimately we should have spiritual hope to receive the Lord’s causeless mercy. Rupa Goswami describes, in the Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu, the nine symptoms of Bhava bhakti and hope is one of them. Our advancement on our path very much depends on developing this hope called asha-bandha meaning bound by hope.
When bhakti is executed on the transcendental platform of pure goodness (suddha-sattva), it is like a sun-ray of love for Krishna. At such a time, bhakti causes the heart to be softened by various tastes, and one is then situated in bhava (ecstatic emotion). There are 9 symptoms of Bhava Bhakti.
Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.3.1)
kshantir avyartha-kalatvam viraktir mana-sunyata
asa-bandhah samutkantha nama-gane sada rucih
asaktis tad-gunakhyane pritis tad-vasati-sthale
ity-adayo ‘nubhavah syur jata-bhavankure jane
This verse reveals nine symptoms which can be seen in the character of one who has achieved the stage of bhava. These symptoms are seen as an excellent criterion for determining advancement in bhakti, as opposed to other types of displays which may be easily imitated.
1) Kshanti: perseverance. Remaining tolerant and patient, even amid disturbance.
2) Avyartha-kalatvam: utilization of time. Refers to constant engagement in devotional seva (service).
3) Virakti: detachment. Completely indifference to the objects of sense gratification.
4) Mana-shunyata: absence of false prestige or pridelessness. To feel humble, free from the longing for being shown respect.
5) Asha-bandha: hope. To be always certain that Krishna will bestow His mercy on oneself.
6) Samutkanta: An intense eagerness to achieve or ardent desire for attaining one’s desired supreme object (prema).
7) Nama-gane sada ruci: Thirst arising out of affection for constantly chanting the Lord’s holy names.
8) Asaktis tad-gunakhyane: A natural attachment to describe the Lord’s most sweet qualities, pastimes and so on.
9) Pritis tad-vasati-sthale: The desire to reside in the places of the Lord’s pastimes such as Vrindavana.
On a day to day basis we are so busy being hopeful about material needs and wants that our spiritual needs and wants take a back seat. To ensure the health of our spiritual life, we must transform material hope into spiritual hope. How do we transform the material hope to spiritual hope? Material hopes, just like material things, will be destroyed one day. In time everything will be destroyed. Unfulfilled material hopes lead to dissatisfaction as they create lust and anger. One has to become detached from hoping for material things and accept life as it is. Accepting does not mean not trying for anything. One must perform their duty and actions that are necessary to live a good healthy life for the purpose of realizing the higher self. Acceptance means full surrender to the will of the Lord. By fully surrendering we stop hoping for material things.
Spiritual hope on the other hand helps us develop trust and faith in the words of the Lord. We believe that Lord Krishna is our maintainer, protector and our everything.
Rupa Goswami describes this type of hope as asha-bandha (“bound by hope”): One thinks, “Because I’m trying my best to follow the routine principles of devotional service, some way or other I will be able to approach the Lord and will certainly receive His favor. Surely I will go back to Godhead, back home.”
In the mood of asha-bandha a devotee feels, “I wasn’t born in a good family, I haven’t done good works, I have no knowledge of the Lord or love for Him, and no attraction for the processes of hearing about, chanting about, and remembering Him, which will develop that love. Yet still, I want to approach Him. And that very want upsets me because I am completely unfit to do so. In terms of justice, my case is hopeless; all I have are demerits. So, I seek my fortune in the Lord’s mercy.”
In other words, with spiritual hope the devotee says to the Lord, “I have come to You. If there is any possibility, save me.”
Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.15) states: “If one is serious about going back home, back to Godhead, he must consider the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the summum bonum and the chief aim of life.” Source
This transformation from material to spiritual happens when we have association with Guru, sadhus and pure devotees of the Lord. In the prayer Guru Vandana by Narotama Das Thakur he mentions the word asha - hope/desire twice.
guru-mukha-padma-vakya,
chittete koriya aikya,
ar na koriho mane asha
shri-guru-charane rati,
ei se uttama-gati,
je prasade pure sarva asha“My only hope is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from his lotus mouth. Attachment to his lotus feet is the perfection that fulfills all my hopes for spiritual progress.” Commenting on this verse on various occasions, Srila Prabhupada said, “If you want to make real progress, then you must be firmly faithful at the lotus feet of guru. . . . This is the instruction in the whole Vaishnava philosophy. So unless we do that, we remain mudha [rascals].” (Philadelphia, 1975) “We have to simply take instruction from guru, and if we execute that to our heart and soul, that is success. That is practical.” (Los Angeles, 1975) “If one gets [a] just guide, then that is happiness. Otherwise there is no happiness.” (Vrindavan, 1977) Source
Sri guru is that weapon of hope who comes and slashes the false ego and destroys the material hopes of mundane needs and wants. The instructions of Sri Guru should be taken as the last word which will give us spiritual hope of receiving the causeless mercy of the Lord one day!!