Both God and world (family) are quite opposite to each other

[dattaswami]

Both God and world (family) are quite opposite to each other

 

Gita classifies the two paths : One is North (Devayaana) towards God and the other is South (Pitruyana) towards your family bonds. Here the words North and South are not meant in the sense of directions in space or time. They only mean that both God and world (family) are quite opposite to each other (Duramete Viparite Vishuchi – Veda). When you say that two people are opposite to each other like North and South poles, it does not mean that one person is turned towards North side and other person is turned towards South side! It only means that their attitudes are quite opposite in directions like North and South poles. Thus, the North gate means your attitude or feeling turned towards God from your family. The South gate means your attitude or feeling turned towards your family from God. God competes with your family and tries to find out your true love. Lord Krishna stole the butter from the houses of Gopikas. Some Gopikas were very happy since they are turned towards God from the family. Such Gopikas are standing before the North gate.

 

The other Gopikas who were turned towards family became angry and fought with Krishna by complaining to His mother. They are standing before the South gate. Even if you are in your house, even you have not taken bath, if you are turned towards God sacrificing your blind love to your family bonds; you are before the North gate of the Lord and reached His temple. Even if you are standing before the North gate of the temple after taking bath in the early hours with selfishness for fruits, you are actually standing in the South gate before the Lord and in fact you have not reached the temple at all. Unless, the tradition is analyzed and the real meaning is revealed, people will be carried on in the wrong direction of the devotion even though the first step that is the recognition of existence of God is attained. Then only they will climb the next step, otherwise they will sit on the first step only through out their lives.