The Possibility of Peace

One who is not connected with the Supreme [in Kṛṣṇa consciousness] can have neither transcendental intelligence nor a steady mind, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace? 2.66

This is one of my favorite verses in the Gita.

We cannot have peace if we don’t have access to transcendental intelligence or a steady mind.

In simple terms, transcendental intelligence means we make life decisions based on the understanding that we are not our bodies, but the soul within. We can know the presence of our soul by our bodily reactions. A dead body does not react to anything. The soul has left the body.

The practice of bhakti keeps us connected to soul life, even in the midst of an ocean of bodies. It also gives us a steady mind.

Who has not experienced the misery that comes from our uncontrolled mind? The doubting, fearful, negative mind? The planning, scheming, envious mind? The anxious, regretful, shame-filled mind?

The mind, connected to Krishna, becomes steady and, even more than that, a friend. A friend to us, the soul, and helps us journey out of our deeply rooted material identity.

We search for happiness and are reminded here that there cannot be any happiness without peace. We sometimes think that peace is a great nothingness, a great quiet. But real peace is a great and active love, both for and in connection with, the Supreme.