Complacency Kills by Bhakta Antony

My dear friend HG Antony Prabhu, who is a marine captain, sent me this article he wrote.

By Bhakta Antony Alexander

I was inspired to write this after an exchange of letters and later reading Partha-sarathi’s post (Battlefield Bhajans VI, May 25, 2008). In it he talks about hitting the 90 day mark before redeploying home. It reminded me of the phrase that is spray painted on many of the walls, barriers and bunkers here at my base camp. Simple and plain: Complacency Kills!

This statement has a very special meaning to the men and women serving in the Armed Forces in Iraq. Many are here on their third, fourth and some even fifth combat deployment since March 2003. They have vivid and deeply entrenched memories and scars about how chaotic and violent this place was. While the volume of conflict has lowered, the deadly nature of this service has not. In fact, it has become as Partha states, the “most dangerous time.” We are often reminded that just because the number of casualties has gone down, it doesn’t mean that the enemy has stopped trying to kill us.

Men and women in a combat environment get killed by complacency because they longer carry out the continuing actions they were charged with, with the same degree of dedication and vigilance as before. One has mistaken the lull in kinetic activity to mean that a threat no longer exists.

Yet, this simple phrase has an appropriate meaning to the devotees of Krishna Consciousness. Part of our devotional service involves engaging our mind and senses in the cultivation of spiritual knowledge. This cultivation is not a one day process or a weekend seminar. It is “making the most of a bad bargain” and diligently carrying out our duties in a consistent matter with dedication and enthusiasm. In this space and time of Kali-Yuga, the threat of illusion always exists. The threat of birth, death, old age and disease always exist.

Time does not wait for us to get ready or be prepared. There is no pre-season or work-up or try-out period to life. If this loaned body is to serve its proper function, it must be engaged in the authorized devotional service of The Lord, and this is not done once a year, or just during the Holy-days or the auspicious months. It is not reserved for when the weight of Kali-Yuga’s challenges threatens to subdue us or when we finally make it to the temple. Devotional service must be the ringing in our ears, our inhalation and exhalation, the blinking of our eyes and the beating of our hearts.

Biding time relying on hopes and dreams alone will not advance us spiritually nor bring us any closer to Godhead. Allowing dust to settle on our devotional service or becoming complacent because the threat is low, health is good, a donation has been made or verse has been read, slowly atrophies our spirit-soul because it is not being “exercised”.

Devotional service through Krishna Consciousness is not a labor but it does require discipline. It is a blessing to have evolved to this stage to even have the opportunity to reestablish a loving relationship with the Lord. If we can take the time to buckle seat-belts or lock the doors of our homes, then we can perform the necessary actions to help safeguard our spiritual life. We can do this by not being complacent and continuing to take action chanting, hearing, remembering, worshipping, studying, and working in the way of Sri Krishna.

tasmād ekena manasā

bhagavān sātvatāḿ patiḥ

śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca

dhyeyaḥ pūjyaś ca nityadā

“Therefore, with one-pointed attention one should constantly hear about, glorify, remember and worship the Personality of Godhead, who is the protector of devotees.”

-Śrīimad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.14)

30 May 2008, Al-Anbar Province, Iraq