Here is a world news article, on the Israel-Palestine conflict, written by Bhakta Maxim for the 18th edition of the Matchless Gift Magazine.
In a land sacred to over a third of the global population, a conflict rages, tearing apart communities, sowing seeds of hatred and causing death too numerous to count. A struggle that has spanned generations, continues to inflict suffering on countless souls. Yet, from the perspective of Krishna Consciousness, this earthly battle over territory reveals a profound misunderstanding of our true spiritual nature and purpose.
The ongoing Israeli-Arab conflict has been one of the most painful and long-lasting struggles in the modern world. It revolves around territorial disputes, national identity, and religious convictions. At its core, both sides claim divine justification for their fight over control of the ‘Holy Land’, citing their religious texts and God’s will as justification for their claim. However, from the perspective of the Hare Krishna movement, this struggle over land is deeply misguided and misaligned with true spiritual principles.
As devotees of Lord Krishna, we recognize that attachment to material possessions, including land, is a source of great illusion and suffering. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna teaches:
“A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries”. (5.29)
This teaching reminds us that true peace and fulfillment cannot be found in controlling earthly domains, but in cultivating our relationship with Krishna. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada elaborated on this point:
"We are not this body. We are spirit-soul, part and parcel of Krishna. Our real business is to serve Krishna."
From this perspective, we can see that both Israelis and Arabs, in their fervent struggle for land, are mistakenly identifying with their temporary material bodies and nationalities, rather than their eternal spiritual nature.
Lord Krishna advises:
"For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain" (BG 2.20).
This verse again reminds us that our true identity is not tied to material bodies or the physical land we occupy. Our attachment to worldly possessions - including land - is futile and illusory, for our true nature is spiritual.
When seen through this lens, the Israeli-Arab conflict, and most other conflicts for that matter, are revealed as childish, yet horrendously painful, squabbles centered around illusory conceptions of identity. Both sides seek control over a patch of earth, but from the Vedic perspective, as Shrila Prabhupada explains: “Ownership of land is a fallacy because the actual proprietor of everything is God."
Both Israelis and Arabs claim to fight for God and what they believe is His will. However, Shrila Prabhupada warns of the dangers of misappropriating religion for worldly purposes. He states, "Religion is not meant for opposing others, but for understanding God and realizing the relationship between the soul and the Supreme Being."
This universal love of God extends to all beings, regardless of their faith or nationality. The idea that Krishna would sanction violence against His own creation for the sake of earthly borders is a grave misinterpretation of spiritual truth. Srila Prabhupada often emphasized the unity of all living beings under God's love: "Krishna claims everyone to be His son. He says, aham bija-pradah pita: 'I am the seed-giving father of all living entities.' (Bhagavad Gita 14.4) Therefore we are all brothers, and Krishna is the supreme father."
This points to a higher truth, the Absolute Truth, that God desires unity and harmony, not division & violence. In fighting wars over land, the fighter overlooks this fundamental principle of God-consciousness. True religious practice involves serving God through love for all living entities. In Krishna Consciousness, we find that false ego and material attachments are the root cause of conflicts and suffering. Srila Prabhupada explains that "All material activities are tinged with selfish desires, and that is the basis of conflict in this world." When individuals or nations claim that their violent actions are justified by divine will, they are often driven by material ego and wilful misinterpretations of religious texts. Fighting in the name of God for political or territorial gain is a form of spiritual violence and a misunderstanding of God’s true nature.
Krishna clearly defines His desires:
"One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal both in happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotional service with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreement with Me - he is very dear to Me." (BG 12.13-14).
This verse demonstrates that qualities such as compassion, humility, and renunciation of material possessiveness are central to a life devoted to God. If both sides of the conflict embraced these values, they would see that war and violence are the antithesis of true devotion. The resolution to this conflict lies not in military might or political maneuvering, but in a collective spiritual awakening. By recognizing our shared identity as eternal servants of Krishna, we can transcend the artificial divisions that fuel this conflict.
The Vedic scriptures offer a blueprint for peaceful coexistence:
"One who sees the Supersoul accompanying the individual soul in all bodies, and who understands that neither the soul nor the Supersoul within the destructible body is ever destroyed, actually sees." (Bhagavad Gita 13.28)
Both Israelis and Arabs need to turn to the real purpose of religion: love of God and love for all His creations. Shrila Prabhupada encourages us to "chant the holy names of God, live simply, and practice love and kindness toward all." This is the foundation of peace.
However futile our contribution is to this conflict, as followers of Lord Krishna, we call upon all parties involved in the Israeli-Arab conflict to look beyond the temporary designations of nationality and religion. Instead, we urge them to recognize their shared spiritual essence and the futility of fighting over land that ultimately belongs to no one but God. In the words of Shrila Prabhupada: "We are preaching this Krishna consciousness movement to bring about actual peace in the world. Unless there is Krishna consciousness, there cannot be peace."
Let us work together to create a world where the sound of bombs is replaced by the melodious chanting of the Holy Names, where borders give way to bridges of understanding, and where the love of God unites all in harmony. This is the true fulfillment of the Divine Will - a world of peace, compassion, and devotion to the Supreme Lord.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
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