Apprehension - From Material Fear to Spiritual Ecstasy
The term "apprehension" carries multiple layers of meaning in Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings. It can refer to the cognitive act of understanding, the fearful anticipation of danger or punishment, and the transcendental anxiety experienced by pure devotees. By analyzing these different facets, we gain a comprehensive understanding of how the living entity's consciousness interacts with the world and with the Supreme Lord.
A Function of Intelligence
Śrīla Prabhupāda defines apprehension fundamentally as a characteristic of intelligence. Along with doubt, memory, and sleep, the ability to apprehend—to grasp or perceive—is a primary function of the subtle body. When this faculty is disturbed by external stimuli like thunder or ferocious animals, it manifests as a fearful state of mind.
- Doubt, misapprehension, correct apprehension, memory and sleep, as determined by their different functions, are said to be the distinct characteristics of intelligence.
- When a person becomes disturbed in his heart by seeing lightning in the sky, by seeing a ferocious animal, or by hearing a tumultuous sound, his state of mind is called apprehensive.
- In such a state of apprehension, one tries to take shelter of something which provides safety. There may be standing of the hairs on the body, trembling of the body and sometimes the committing of mistakes. And sometimes the body may become stunned.
- Bodily symptoms which express overwhelming ecstatic love: disappointment, lamentation, humility, guilt, fatigue, intoxication, pride, doubt, apprehension, intense emotion, madness, forgetfulness, disease, confusion, death, laziness, inertness.
Material Apprehension and Law
In the material world, apprehension often relates to the fear of punishment. Śrīla Prabhupāda uses the analogy of traffic laws to explain that human life is meant for restriction. Unlike animals, humans are subject to apprehension by the law if they violate established codes. Even if a criminal is not immediately caught, the "police" of material nature are waiting for the right time to apprehend the violator.
- Restriction is for human beings, not for animals. We encounter restrictions daily in our common dealings. We cannot drive a car on the left or run a red light without risking apprehension by the law.
- We cannot drive a car on the left or run a red light without risking apprehension by the law. If a dog, however, walks on the left side of the street or crosses against a red light, it is not punished because it is an animal.
- Although seen by the police, a criminal is sometimes not immediately punished; the police wait for the proper time to apprehend him.
- We should not think that the only apprehended culprit is President Nixon and that we are safe.
Apprehension in Ecstatic Love
A unique aspect of Vaiṣṇava theology is the concept of transcendental apprehension. Pure devotees, overwhelmed by love, often forget Kṛṣṇa's position as the Almighty God and fear for His safety. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this is not ignorance but a transformation of love. Whether it is Yudhiṣṭhira fearing for Kṛṣṇa in the battlefield or the pure devotees dreading a mishap, this apprehension nourishes the mellow of affection.
- Apprehension of some mishap to Krsna or to His beloved queens, as exhibited by Baladeva and Yudhisthira, has been explained. This apprehension is not exactly due to their ignorance of the inconceivable potencies of Krsna but to their intense love for Him.
- This kind of apprehension of some mishap to Krsna first of all becomes manifested as an object of lamentation, but gradually it develops into such compassionate loving ecstasy that it turns to another channel and gives transcendental pleasure.
- When out of ecstatic love friends and well-wishers of Krsna apprehend some danger for Him, that situation becomes the object of their dread.
- This is one instance of apprehending some danger to Krsna in ecstatic love for Him.
Historical Instances
The scriptures are filled with narratives where great souls experienced apprehension. Diti was apprehensive about the demons growing in her womb; Jagannātha Miśra was apprehensive about the delay in Lord Caitanya's birth; and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself felt apprehension upon hearing criticism of the behavior of His followers. These stories illustrate that apprehension is a natural emotional response in various circumstances of life.
- The virtuous lady Diti had been very apprehensive of trouble to the gods from the children in her womb, and her husband (Kasyapa) predicted the same. She brought forth twin sons (Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu) after a full one hundred years of pregnancy.
- The pregnancy (of Sacimata) approached its thirteenth month, but still there was no sign of the delivery of the child (Nimai Pandita). Thus Jagannatha Misra became greatly apprehensive.
- After hearing this criticism, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was doubtful and apprehensive. Therefore He called Govinda and instructed him as follows.
- This (the Bhagavatam describes the symptoms and deeds of the incarnations in general and counts Sri Krsna among them) made Suta Gosvami greatly apprehensive. Therefore he distinguished each incarnation by its specific symptoms.
Conclusion
While material apprehension binds the soul in fear and anxiety, spiritual apprehension liberates the soul by deepening its attachment to Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches us to transition from the fear of breaking nature's laws to the loving anxiety of serving the Supreme Lawmaker.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Apprehension. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.