My Calling as a Man

I am a man in a woman's world. I know this to be true in many ways from the philosophical to current socio-political facts, and yet I do not feel this to be something I resent or would fight against. The acceptance of this fact heralds the move towards achieving true purpose in life as a man.

After all, If I become a man the world (the divine mother herself, manifest as our habitable environment ) will view as valuable and useful, then so too will women ( the microcosm of the divine mother). The greater the value I can provide her, the higher I can climb the dominance hierarchy of competence and move closer and closer to its very pinnacle, God.Sri Krsna, according to the Bhagavata, is the pinnacle of Godhead and is selected by infinite Saktis as their suitable counterpart, and Krsna selects them as suitable recipients of his grace. This is the Vaishnava depiction of Godheads eternal relationship with his energies, he has provided infinite value to infinite Shaktis (depicted as young girls in their transition to womanhood). Sri Krsna is depicted as exhibiting the highest standard of competence in politics, economics, arts, romance, chivalry, strength, intelligence, beauty, humour, etc, Therefore, Sri Krsna sits comfortably at the top of every imaginable dominance hierarchy.

What does this really mean? Should I try to act in such a way that women accept me? Should I seek to pander to their immediate feelings? Should I try to imitate Krsna in his dalliance with unlimited shaktis?  Or should I endeavour to make myself absolutely indispensable to the wellbeing of women, specifically the woman who has selected me? I think the latter is, of course, the correct answer.I should as a man stand bravely to the face the responsibility of taking care of a woman who wishes to voluntarily provide me with children, a proper and beautiful home, companionship, and love.

Every man who would take up this responsibility must see it as an absolute value lest he becomes negligent or even resentful of the needs of women and children. If a man slips into resenting his wife and children, he slips into something akin to the deep dark well of material existence, hell.Therefore, I believe I must see this responsibility as endowed and ordered by God himself, demanding I rise up and take care of this world, women, and their needs to the very highest standard possible. This is the message of Karma yoga spoken by Krsna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra which helped Arjuna become motivated to perform his duty, knowing that it was the desire of Krsna.

However, I must not, under any circumstance,  accommodate the immediate desires or opinions of women, no matter how compassionately orientated, well intended, or sensually rewarding they may be, if the cost is the divergence from the truth.I must be aligned with truth to be beneficial to anyone, especially my wife, the woman who sees me as truly valuable to her. If I were to diverge from this, I would surely lead her to ruin and ultimately be rejected by her, and cast into suffering and nihilism.The Heros of the Mahabharat and the Ramayana,  are the proper representations of ideal men. Men who protected and provided for women correctly. I wish to embody that ideal in principle and action, and thereby attain the perfection of man's existence,  the grace of Krsna and acceptance into the identity of his Sakti.

This is what it means, to me, to be a man.

Jai Nitai