*Spiritual lessons from driving* 

Since last few years I had strong desire to have the bike and When I purchased brand new Jupiter scooter I was on the seventh sky. This happiness lasted until I banged onto another vehicle while driving, that accident was minute but it gave several scratches to me as well as to new bike which taught me few lessons for my healthy spiritual life. Hope these lessons will help you too!

1)Drive while your are driving- after contemplating on this mishap I realised that for fraction of seconds I had lost my focus on driving due to which I applied front brakes instead of rear thus my vehicle slipped and banged on another vehicle which was parked aside. In spiritual life also focus is most essential, one thing at one time, eg if you are chanting get involved 100% into it. (BG 2.41 and 12.13)

2)Overcome the Overconfidence- I had not fully learned the vehicle, I was unaware of proper application of front brakes but still I dared to drive on busiest street of the city and rest is the history. Similarly a neophyte may think himself to be the pure and experienced devotee and execute the task just like pure devotee does but he may get slipped away from the position. 

3)Purpose - the purpose of vehicle is to drive you or to take you to your destination earliest. So when someone rather than using it for proper purpose keeps it at home as antic piece for show off then it’s a shear waste of money. Similarly human body is also considered as a machine(18.61) which can help us to reach our goal earliest, that’s the prime purpose, and if we miss that then it’s a waste of our fortune. 

4)Company(association) matters- it’s said if you want to walk fast walk alone but if you want to walk far walk together. With whom are you walking that’s also matters a lot. If the person siting behind you is distracted or disturbed then you may also loose your focus on driving which may again lead to mishap. Similarly in spiritual life our progress depends on the association which we keep, the real sadhus will inspire us to continue our driving. Healthy association is like lubricant which strengthens the engine, the impure association will again drag us to impurity. 

5)Adulterated fuel- vehicle needs pure fuel a minute adulteration will cause serious problem in engine. Similarly our soul is for seeking pure devotion unto Sri Krishna if we mix that with karmakanda and jnankand  and other philosophies the desired effect of Krishnaprem is prolonged. We need to fill the fuel tank of our spiritual life regularly with The topics only related to Krishna that will energise our engine. 

6)Who is your guide- I had heard if you know how to do cycling you can drive your vehicle and I tried, I was successful but for very short time. After banging onto another vehicle while driving I came to know that I don’t know many things. So in spiritual life also choose your teacher learn minute details from him, don’t just hear here and there and practice but sit in front of proper guru serve, ask and then experiment.(4.34) 

7)Where is your helmet? - helmet and seatbelt helps us to protect the vital parts of body. Similarly we should be careful in wearing helmet against vaishnavninda, just close your eyes, ears and tongue wherever  and whenever blasphemy is going on that will protect the most vital part where Krishnaprem is developing gradually, that is our heart. 

8)Servicing- for the well functioning of the vehicle for the long duration servicing is mandatory similarly service to the Vaishnavas is like the servicing for the spiritual practitioner.