Fear

(Compiled from the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

The quality of fear exists for every living entity in the material world. The four principal activities of material existence are eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. The fear element exists also in the demigods. On every planet, even in the higher planetary systems, including the moon and the sun, as well as on this earth, the same principles of animal life exist. (Purport, SB 3.17.1) We are afraid because we are thinking, “I am this body.” Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesitah syat. The question of fear comes... Just like this body. If there is some danger, why we are fearful? Because I am thinking, “I am this body.” Dvitiyabhinivesitah. I am soul, every one of us is a spirit soul. Krishna is the spirit soul. So even after the destruction of body, I do not die. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire (Bg. 2.20). But this realization we are lacking. Therefore, when there is some danger about my body, I become fearful. (Lecture, Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.12.4, Bombay, April 15, 1976)

Fear is due to worrying about the future. A person in Krishna consciousness has no fear because by his activities he is sure to go back to the spiritual sky, back home, back to Godhead. Therefore his future is very bright. Others, however, do not know what their future holds; they have no knowledge of what the next life holds. So they are therefore in constant anxiety. If we want to get free from anxiety, then the best course is to understand Krishna and be situated always in Krishna consciousness. In that way we will be free from all fear. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.37) it is stated, bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat: fear is caused by our absorption in the illusory energy. But those who are free from the illusory energy, those who are confident that they are not the material body, that they are spiritual parts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who are therefore engaged in the transcendental service of the Supreme Godhead, have nothing to fear. Their future is very bright. This fear is a condition of persons who are not in Krishna consciousness. Abhayam, fearlessness, is possible only for one in Krishna consciousness. (Purport, Bg 10.4-5)

The material existence of our present status is full of fear. Out of the four problems of material existence, namely the food problem, the shelter problem, the fear problem and the mating problem, the fear problem gives us more trouble than the others. We are always fearful due to our ignorance of the next problem. The whole material existence is full of problems, and thus the fear problem is always prominent. This is due to our association with the illusory energy of the Lord, known as maya or external energy, yet all fear is vanished as soon as there is the sound of the Lord, represented by His holy name, as it was sounded by Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the following sixteen words: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. We can take advantage of these sounds and be free from all threatening problems of material existence. (Purport, SB 1.11.3)

If the demigods are subject to fear, what of ordinary living entities? Material life is not very happy because we are always fearful of something. No one can say, “I am not afraid of anything.” Everyone is afraid of something. There is not a bird, beast, human being or living entity alive that is not afraid of something. This is because we are absorbed in the bodily conception, thinking, “I am this body.” Since everyone is thinking in this way, everyone fears bodily destruction. When there was an earthquake in Los Angeles, everyone ran out their houses screaming. Everyone was terrified, thinking, “Now death is coming!” This is material nature. There are many events in nature that cause fear. There are great cyclones and tornadoes. There is excessive heat and excessive rain. There is flood and famine and war. Yet people are thinking of being happy on this planet. (Verse 42, Teachings of Lord Kapila)

Bhih means fearfulness. One who has no fear. If he has got fear, then how he can go out of home in the jungle? That is not possible. That is another qualification for executing yoga. Not only for yoga. Any person who is trying to elevate himself in the spiritual line, he has to become fearless. Vigata-bhih. (Lecture, Bhagavad-gita 6.11-21, New York, September 7, 1966)

Hearing about and glorifying the Lord are identical with the transcendental nature of the Lord, and by so doing, one will be always in the association of the Lord. This brings freedom from all sorts of fear. (Purport, SB 2.1.5) And if you are living with Krishna, then what is your fear? Just like Arjuna, fighting with Krishna, he had no fear. Similarly, if you live with Krishna and go on with Krishna, then what is your fear? (Philosophical Discussions with John Dewey) Krishna is the killer of fear personified. Everyone is afraid of fear personified, but fear personified is afraid of Krishna. By crying out the word “Krishna,” the boys at once transcended the fearful situation. (The Stealing of the Boys and Calves by Brahma, Ch 13, Krishna) Fear personified cannot remain in the presence of Krishna. (Letter to: Balai, San Francisco 22 March, 1968) The name of Krishna is feared even by fear personified. (Purport, SB 1.1.14)

Symbolically, mother Devaki’s constant fear of Kamsa was purifying her. A pure devotee should always fear material association, and in this way all the asuras of material association will be killed, as the ñaò-garbhasuras were killed by Kamsa. It is said that from the mind, Marici appears. In other words, Marici is an incarnation of the mind. Marici has six sons: Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada and Matsarya (lust, anger, greed, illusion, madness and envy). The Supreme Personality of Godhead appears in pure devotional service. This is confirmed in the Vedas: bhaktir evainam darsayati. Only bhakti can bring one in contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared from the womb of Devaki, and therefore Devaki symbolically represents bhakti, and Kamsa symbolically represents material fear. When a pure devotee always fears material association, his real position of bhakti is manifested, and he naturally becomes uninterested in material enjoyment. When the six sons of Marici are killed by such fear and one is freed from material contamination, within the womb of bhakti the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears. (Purport, SB 10.2.8)

Of course, in India we have got many sages. They are living in the jungle, aloof from human society, without any fear, without any caring the animal or for life or fooding. How? Because he is seeing always Krishna there, so he has no fear. He has no fear. He is enjoying life there.

When Vrishasura appeared in Vrindavana as a bull, all of the gopis became greatly affected with fear. Being perturbed in that way, they began to embrace the tamala trees. This is an instance of fear caused by a ferocious animal and of the search for shelter while remembering Krishna in ecstatic love. Upon hearing the jackals crying in the forest of Vrindavana, mother Yasoda sometimes became very careful about keeping Krishna under her vigilance, fearing that Krishna might be attacked by them. This is an instance of ecstatic love for Krishna in fear caused by a tumultuous sound. This kind of fear is a little different from being actually afraid. When one is afraid of something, he can still think of past and future. But when there is this kind of ecstatic apprehension, there is no scope for such thinking. (Ch 29, The Nectar of Devotion)

Because of the presence of the Lord in the form of the transcendental vibration, the Vaikuëöha atmosphere is evoked. This atmosphere is without fear and anxiety. One living entity does not fear another. By hearing the holy names and glories of the Lord, a person executes pious activities. (Purport, SB 4.30.35)

A person may be fearful of a tiger in a dream, but another man who is awake by his side sees no tiger there. The tiger is a myth for both of them, namely the person dreaming and the person awake, because actually there is no tiger; but the man forgetful of his awakened life is fearful, whereas the man who has not forgotten his position is not at all fearful. Thus the members of the Yadu dynasty were fully awake in their service to the Lord, and therefore there was no tiger for them to be afraid of at any time. Even if there were a real tiger, the Lord was there to protect them. (Purport, SB 1.14.38) If in our sleep we dream that a tiger is coming to eat us and we chant Hare Krishna in our sleep, the Lord hears that also. (Awakening Love of God, Ch 16, Second Chance)