Krishna The Person

“Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.65)

Question: “When Krishna says to surrender unto Him, is He referring to His sach-chid-ananda vigraha or to the embodied being who appeared on this earth and then left, or are they both the same?”

Answer: Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has a body full of bliss and knowledge. It is also eternal in its existence. In some popular spiritual traditions the concept of salvation occurs through surrender unto the son of the Supreme Lord or to one of the Lord’s representatives. While the Vedas have a similar tradition set up through the proxy of the guru, or spiritual master, the features of the original personality are still described to some detail. Since He is the creator of both the material and spiritual energies, the Supreme Lord is free to make appearances in whichever land He chooses. He already resides within each of us as the Supersoul, though without practice in yoga we have no way of realizing the presence of this kind expansion of Supreme Spirit. For Shri Krishna, the origin of life and matter, there is no difference between body and spirit, therefore when He advises surrender He always refers to Himself alone.

The Bhagavad-gita is Krishna’s song, and it is unique in the information it provides. Rather than accept spirituality as a matter of inheritance from family tradition or some faith that one can easily give up, the principles of a bona fide religious system can be dissected as a science, a discipline with truths that can be piled on top of one another to reach a final flawless conclusion. One who follows Krishna’s teachings may be outwardly tagged as a Hindu or Vaishnava, but to the people who are in the know, these designations bear no meaning. The foremost identification for every single person is the same, regardless of which spiritual tradition they follow. Aham brahmasmi, which means “I am a spirit soul”, applies to even the dog. Because the same quality of spirit pervades the material space there can be no such thing as sectarianism when discussing the science of self-realization.

Why does the “self” need to be realized? It is in this area that religion takes on its true value. We all have the same identity, but the majority of the conditioned souls are not aware of it. What obviously follows an incorrect identification are activities that one is not meant to take up. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending are the primary engagements of the animals who don’t know how to speak or determine what their future fate will be. The human beings follow similar behavior, but they are given intelligence to transcend the base animal instincts, to find higher truths. Knowledge brings power, so one who understands that they are spirit at the core can reach the most suitable destination.

The identification as spirit is important because otherwise identities are taken from changing bodies. The best way to think of the difference is to put on a specific type of shirt one day and then base your identity off of that shirt for the rest of your life. Obviously this wouldn’t be wise behavior because the shirt worn can change at any time. Similarly, identifying off of race, gender or nationality is silly because these designations can change in the future, and we didn’t even get to pick them prior to our birth. Does one really think that a person born in a particular land has different inherent qualities from the person appearing on this earth in another land?

The similarities amongst human beings can be understood even in the absence of a pursuit in spiritual life, but with the limited knowledge-gathering capabilities of the human being due to the constraints of time and space, the proper realization of the self and how it transcends even the human species cannot be understood without outside help. True enlightenment requires explicit instruction followed by dedicated practice. The Bhagavad-gita serves both of these purposes, and it was nicely presented at just the right moment, when a capable warrior was unclear about the proper course of action to follow.

From the Gita comes the knowledge of the self and its position with respect to matter. In this work Krishna right away reveals that the soul continually exists, both before birth and after death. The different outer coverings are due to karma, which is the system that manages fairness based on actions taken. The bodies assumed do not represent one’s real identity, as spirit transcends every temporary change. Because there is no reason for attachment to the body, one should follow the prescribed regulations of spiritual life, or dharma, in order to keep the soul in a better position.

And what position is that? From knowledge of our identity comes a constitutional position. In addition to being eternal, the soul is knowledgeable and blissful. Strange to think that’s the case when we see so much strife around us, duplicity coupled with avarice and selfishness. Yet the root cause of even unwanted behavior is this desire for ananda, or bliss. The true form of happiness can be found when the soul is placed into situations that are conducive to realization of the self. The soul is tied to a higher spirit soul, who is, not surprisingly, the Supreme Lord, the person the majority of the world refers to as God.

Krishna is that same God, the original form of Godhead. He is both the instructor and the object of worship. The soul derives the most pleasure from being in His company, either personally or through consciousness. This is where things can get a little tricky, especially if you are unfortunate enough to be led astray by a misguided commentator of the Gita. Thus far we have seen that the living beings accept bodies and reject them through reincarnation fueled by karma. The soul is the identifiable aspect within every form of body, from the tiny ant all the way up to the denizens of heaven. Then this surely must mean that Krishna Himself followed the same tact while roaming the earth five thousand years ago? The person delivering the Gita must have had a body that did not belong to Him, for the spirit soul inside was His identity. If His spirit departed with Him at the end of life, how does one connect with Him today?

“Unintelligent men, who know Me not, think that I have assumed this form and personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is changeless and supreme.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.24)

Just from reading the Gita with sincerity and honesty, the confusion is cleared up immediately. In addition to describing the position of the soul, the differences between the material and spiritual energies, and God’s position as being superior to both of them, Krishna makes it a point to deride those who think that He accepts bodies like the subordinate living entities. Being supreme has a meaning. With the higher position come unique abilities. Krishna specifically says that anyone who thinks He has assumed His form is a fool; that they do not know His true nature, which is changeless.

How can Krishna be changeless if He appeared on earth in Vrindavana in the form of a small child and then disappeared later on in the body of an adult? The fact that Krishna has a spiritual body that never changes must be accepted on faith in the beginning. This shouldn’t be that difficult to do, as we accept so many apparently unbelievable pieces of information on faith already. Through the benefits that come from following Krishna’s words, the sum collection of which is included in the vast Vedic literature, the truth of the Lord’s position is revealed.

The key is to study the Bhagavad-gita from someone who is familiar with both Krishna and His many teachings. The Gita represents Krishna’s direct instructions, but this does not mean that Vedic instruction is limited to just Krishna’s words. Rather, through every one of His activities the Lord reveals His true nature, how He finds pleasure, and what the ideal position of the living entity is. The entire Vedic culture is aimed at bringing a permanent connection between the living entities and the Supreme Lord. Therefore when we encounter such bogus commentaries as Krishna not suggesting that one surrender unto Him but rather to the “Krishna” inside all of us, we should understand that the commentator has their own personal motive to further and that they have not properly studied sacred texts like the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Puranas. Moreover, they haven’t even understood the entire Gita, for Krishna reveals that He does not have a material form and that worship of Him can continue in any place and at any time.

If Krishna could only be worshiped through the association of His personal self, the sach-chid-ananda vigraha, then there would be no such thing as deity worship or the chanting of the holy names. In the Uddhava-gita, which is a collection of teachings Krishna presented to His dear friend Uddhava just before departing for the spiritual sky, there is a brief description of deity worship, its purpose, and how to perform it. Therefore Krishna Himself set up a system where He could be worshiped in His absence. In addition, the gopis of Vrindavana, Krishna’s childhood female friends, spent most of their time on earth worshiping Krishna when He wasn’t in their personal company. Yoga is the connection of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul. Krishna’s expansion residing within the heart of every living being is not different from the Krishna that was on the battlefield of Kurukshetra giving instructions to Arjuna.

The argument of Krishna being an embodied living entity does not hold any water either, for He was worshiped prior to His appearance in Vrindavana and continues to be honored long after His time on earth. The Shrimad Bhagavatam and other bhakti shastras state that there isn’t even a difference between Krishna and His names. Just by reciting, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, one can surrender unto Krishna in the same way that Arjuna did. If Krishna were an embodied being, He would not have been superior to Arjuna, and thus there would have been no purpose to the teachings of the Gita. If Krishna is a being who undergoes birth and death just like us, then there is no difference between Him and us. If we are the same as God, what need is there for spirituality? What need is there to read the Bhagavad-gita?

Another common opposing argument posited is that Krishna is simply the guru to Arjuna and that the “me” in the surrender shloka in the Bhagavad-gita refers to the guru, who is self-realized. To be frank, this argument is complete nonsense and not supported anywhere in the Vedic literature. Arjuna was fighting a war against the opposing side which counted his guru as one of its members. If Krishna were telling Arjuna to surrender unto the guru, Arjuna easily could have gone over to the other side and told Dronacharya that he wasn’t going to fight with him. If the guru is the prime object of worship, one would think that Krishna would reveal how one becomes that object, how a person can become God. Yet this information is absent not only from the Gita, but from any authorized literature describing the glories of God.

The guru is still very important. He is the teacher following the principles espoused by Krishna in the Gita. He acts as the Lord’s representative on earth, giving information to those souls who are sincerely interested in connecting with God, living their life in such a way as to remain in constant yoga. The bona fide guru will never claim to be God, however. Krishna had many direct representatives who spent time in His company while on earth. They would never dare claim to be equal to the Lord. They always thought of Krishna, but this didn’t turn them into Krishna. The guru is treated on the same level as Krishna because of their important role, but never do they become God. In fact, no one can become the Supreme Controller, for it is a singular post that never has a vacancy.

Krishna has many personal expansions as well that can be surrendered to. A personal expansion is not the same as having offspring or sending a representative. Just as an identical candle can be lit from the original, Krishna is non-different from His expansions, which include even the Supersoul residing within the heart. Therefore the offer of surrender is available to every single person, regardless of their religious persuasion. Rather than just leave everyone to focus on an abstract concept of God, Krishna descends to earth, provides sublime wisdom and enacts wonderful pastimes to give the bewildered souls an idea of what is in store for them if they should follow the bona fide principles of religion. Krishna’s association is the reward for the surrendered souls, and since nothing can beat this gift, there is no higher engagement than bhakti-yoga directed at sharanagati, which brings the bliss of liberation.

In Closing:

“Always think of Me and do all your work for Me,

This line is proper, happy you will be.”

Statements like this quite simple to understand,

On their own merits tall do they stand.

Yet to the bogus commentator meaning is missed,

With alternate agenda, Krishna’s words do they twist.

Krishna told Arjuna that unto Him he should surrender,

Offer for us too, if service to Krishna we render.

Lord is all-pervading, He is not like us who are embodied,

Can worship Him by dedicating every thought, word and deed.

Yoga Under Duress

“If one is engaged in the advancement of spiritual knowledge, there will be so many insults and much dishonor from others. This is expected because material nature is so constituted. Even a boy like Prahlada, who, only five years old, was engaged in the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, was endangered when his father became antagonistic to his devotion.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 13.8-12 Purport)

Question: “How do I concentrate on devotional activities when I have so many pressures to maintain a family?”

Answer: In a particular episode of the famous American television sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, a doctor on the show compares the mind to a donkey. He says that there is only so much weight you can put on the mind before it decides to just sit down and stop moving. Though the analogy is meant to be humorous, it has merit. If we are bearing an excruciatingly large weight on our shoulders, how are we supposed to concentrate on anything else? For the fruitive worker entangled in so many responsibilities, the panacea of a life devoted to spirituality seems far, far away. But as was seen with one particular devotee a long time back, even under the most trying circumstances, if there is sincerity of purpose, the beneficiary of that service will make sure that the devotion can not only continue, but flourish.

The first instruction of the Vedas to aspiring transcendentalists is aham brahmasmi, which means “I am Brahman.” “You are not the body, don’t you see? The body is just temporary, like a lump of clay that can be molded and shaped at any second. In the larger scheme, the all-devouring agent for change known as time is responsible for the shifts, but this doesn’t mean that you are completely helpless with respect to your body’s transformation. Your actions have an influence on the rate of the change and its nature, but nevertheless, throughout the passage of time you are still pure spirit. Detach from the bodily influence and remain spiritually aware. Brahman is bliss. Brahman is truth. Brahman is eternal life.”

These truths are well and good to learn about when you are sober and able to concentrate on hearing and understanding the complex information, but what if you don’t have the time to study Brahman? For the adult family man living in the modern world, the average day is filled with pressures. Though time is continuous and days are only slices taken from that timeline for analytical purposes, let’s start with the morning period to see just how many pressures the family man faces and how they increase in number throughout the day. The first pressure relates to waking up at a certain time. In the winter months this is most difficult, for as soon as you emerge from underneath the warm covers, you are welcomed with colder air. As the sleeping man is in a vulnerable condition, with the vitality of the living spirit having rested for the previous eight or so hours, the sudden burst of cold is rather uncomfortable. As over time the difference in climatic conditions comes to be expected, the waking man knows what he will face should he arise, so just getting out of bed becomes a chore.

Emerging from bed is the start of the day. Now you have to do your routine in the bathroom, change clothes, preferably eat something, and make it out the door within a short amount of time so that you can arrive at work on time. In some cases, there may be the added step of checking email. If something went wrong overnight at work, you’ll have to fix it before you leave the house. Fixing the problem will only make you later, and thus cause you to get behind on the day’s work.

Then there is the pressure of the travel. If you take mass transit, you want to make the train or bus that you prefer to take. The public transportation vehicle must arrive on time as well; otherwise the delicate balance of time management is thrown off. For the person who drives to work, you just hope that there is no traffic on the roads. By the way, since you’re taking an automobile to work every day, you are now responsible for its maintenance. This means always keeping in mind how much gasoline is in the car and whether or not you need to bring the vehicle in for servicing. The service centers are typically only open during the weekdays, those days where you have the aforementioned morning pressures relating to work. Should the car require maintenance, you have to rearrange your schedule and hope that the repairs don’t cost too much.

If you do arrive at work on time, other kinds of pressures only begin. The difficulty of the job is what enables you to earn a living off of what you do. As in the modern age most of society doesn’t live off of farming, income is earned by being of some value to an organization that sells a good or service to others. As the profit/loss game is volatile, there is no telling whether or not the company will survive going forward. It is funny to think that those who farm for a living are now considered poor and stuck in a “third world” life, while the society filled with daily pressures and uncertainty is considered advanced.

If you manage to work your eight hours, which is actually a lot of time, you now want to get home and relax. Your work day is over, but you know that you’ll have to repeat it again the next day. This actually introduces a new pressure, one which is again based on time. You have a limited window for enjoyment, so you want to make sure that nothing gets in the way of that. Ah, but the responsibilities at home never go away, even if you leave for your job. The spouse at home may want you to pick up something after you leave work. There are so many errands to run and things to do that you’re fortunate if you can ever just travel straight home.

The family members at home may not live the same life that you do. All the work you put in, all the pressure you deal with, is for their benefit, and yet they just keep asking for things. They want money for this and that, and they want to make sure that you’re always there. This adds another pressure. If somehow you were unable to provide for them, what would they do? In this way your focus shifts towards defense, protecting what you have now, though your present lifestyle is filled with constant pressure. Rather than look for a way out of the hectic struggle, you think of ways to maintain it, thus taxing your brain constantly. Even going to bed at night is stressful, for you know that if you don’t fall asleep at a specific time, you will have difficulty waking up and preparing for work in the morning.

With such stress on the mind, how is one supposed to learn about Brahman and realize that they are not spirit? Where does the devotional aspect of life fit into all of this? The stressed worker is one scenario, but what about the person suffering from a debilitating disease? Sure, we are not our body, but tell that to someone dying of cancer. If my body is filled with pain, how am I not supposed to think about it? Fortunately, there is one method of spiritual practice that can be implemented under any condition. Success through this avenue is not dependent on extenuating circumstances, though peace of mind is always helpful.

“One who is not in transcendental consciousness can have neither a controlled mind nor steady intelligence, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace?” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.66)

How can any person find happiness without peace? This cogent rhetorical question is posed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita, the most concise and complete treatise on spirituality known in the world. It is the only book that need be read, for within it are pearls of wisdom that form the most valuable necklace of knowledge. From the Gita we learn that knowing Brahman is just the beginning. As pure spirit, we have a constitutional position, one where we are intimately tied to the Supreme Spirit, who is none other than Shri Krishna.

Studying Brahman, practicing austerity, performing sacrifices and giving in charity are meant to culminate in Krishna consciousness. Bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is the set of activities that seek that divine consciousness right from the start. In other methods, one first starts with fruitive activity, mental speculation, or meditation and then hopefully reaches the platform of devotion to God. With bhakti-yoga, the transcendentalist immediately touches Krishna, and though their behavior may be tainted in the beginning, simply through the sincere desire to connect with Krishna, success is assured, even under trying circumstances.

There are many historical examples to show evidence of the fact, but likely the most cherished and remembered is the story of Prahlada Maharaja. The family man has a ton of pressure to deal with, but imagine if your father kept harassing you, trying to kill you day after day. As an adult, maybe this wouldn’t be so difficult, but what if you were just five years old and your father the most feared king in the world? This is precisely what Prahlada Maharaja faced, who, as a five year old boy, was stubborn in his insistence on practicing bhakti. On the other hand, his father, Hiranyakashipu, was against any type of devotional practice. He was warm to the idea of his son getting an education, but only on those topics that would allow him to follow in the father’s footsteps. The ruthless king wanted Prahlada to be just as feared, to carry on the tradition of power and strength. Thus Prahlada was sent to school to learn the art of administration.

Yet the boy had no interest in these topics. He only wanted to hear about devotion to Vishnu, which is another name for God. The father would ask the son what he learned in school, and to his chagrin Prahlada would only speak of Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu hated this so much that he finally decided Prahlada had to be killed. One slight problem though. Prahlada was unbreakable. Throwing him in a pit of snakes, setting him on fire, tossing him off the cliff of a mountain, and even attacking him with deadly weapons could not kill him. Throughout these attacks, Prahlada just remembered Vishnu, vishno-smaranam.

“Prahlada Maharaja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Vishnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words) — these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.23-24)

From the interactions between the famous father-and-son pair we get the definition of bhakti-yoga. Divine love can consist of nine different activities, with the most important being hearing and chanting. From hearing about Krishna one gets the seed of the creeper of devotion implanted within them. Through continuous hearing that seed can start to grow. With chanting one can make sure that the connection to God remains intact. Just by regularly chanting, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, all that one desires in spiritual life will arrive in the palm of the hand. No other method need be attempted. No austerity, penance, meditation, study, or sacrifice can bring the same benefit as that which comes through dedication in chanting.

From this sacred sequence of words, which is known as the maha-mantra, we get the solution to the problem of how to find spiritual life while supporting a family. Surely there are many pressures facing the dedicated worker supporting so many dependents, but if there is a sincere desire to connect with Krishna, the Lord will provide the necessary help. In spite of so many responsibilities, if one can make the chanting of the holy names a priority that is attended to each day, God will take care of the rest.

The routine recommended by the Vaishnava acharyas, those who follow in the mood of devotion of Prahlada Maharaja, is that one chant the maha-mantra for sixteen rounds a day on a set of japa beads. This will take quite a bit of time each day, even after one becomes familiar with the pronunciation of the words and gains some speed in their chanting. At the same time, this recommendation doesn’t mean that one who only chants a single round each day isn’t spiritually benefitted. Rather, just one pure recitation of the holy name of Krishna is enough to bring immeasurable pious credits. The struggling worker can find time to chant at least one round per day. If a steady routine is made to support that dedication, then additional rounds can slowly be added on.

With Prahlada Maharaja there was full sincerity, and since he was only five years old what could he really do to influence his circumstances? Vishnu finally arrived on the scene as Narasimhadeva and took care of Hiranyakashipu. This means that for the sincere devotee, whatever impediments are there will be taken away. Prahlada didn’t give up being a king and then move to the forest. Instead, he lived within his environment and still remained always connected with Krishna. While waking up in the morning, driving to work, or even taking care of our tasks each day, there is nothing to stop vishno-smaranam. That remembrance of God is best strengthened through regular chanting, which is our ticket out of the hectic world lacking any semblance of peace.

In Closing:

Constant requests from family member each,

Leave constant pressures, peace out of reach.

Mind like donkey facing steady attack,

Can only handle so much load on back.

But devotion to flourish in any circumstance,

Every second to chant holy names brings chance.

Prahlada of his conditions had no control,

Yet to memory of Vishnu did he hold.

Krishna takes care of those who are sincere,

Through bhakti practice to God become dear.

During Chanting

“While chanting and dancing or hearing the holy name of the Lord, one automatically remembers the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and because there is no difference between the holy name and Krishna, the chanter is immediately linked with Krishna.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 7.83 Purport)

Question: “What should I concentrate my mind on during chanting?”

Answer: The path of self-realization most recommended for the people of the present age is the chanting of the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.” Lord Chaitanya, in trying to convey the importance of this method and its superiority over all other means of self-realization, often quoted a verse from the Vedic scriptures that declares that in this age of Kali there is no other way besides chanting the holy names to find salvation. The “no other way” is stated three times for emphasis. While the need for chanting may not be fully understood in the beginning, many people do take up the process anyway, thinking it worthy enough to try. But after getting a set of japa beads and sitting down to chant, what should be done next? How do we know that we’re chanting properly? What is the best way to make this style of meditation fruitful?

Meditation is the antithesis of work. With physical activity there is some task that needs to be performed. The effects of work done with attachment are long lasting, because even during periods of rest the mind remains fixed on obligations and what it has to do next. This explains why the nap produces some of the best sleep imaginable. The nap, which is an impromptu respite that can take place at any time of the day and for any length of time, is free of pressures that are encountered in practically every endeavor. When we go to sleep at night, there is pressure to wake up at a certain time the next morning. If we lie there in bed for a few hours while falling asleep, the tension will only mount. “If I don’t fall asleep right now, I’m going to wake up tired and the rest of my day will be ruined.”

With an ideal nap there is no pressure to fall asleep or even wake up at a certain time; hence the relaxation. In this sense meditation is similar to taking a nap, except the person remains awake and tries to block out negative thoughts, concerns over what needs to be done in the future and lamentations over what just transpired. Since chanting silently to oneself, which is the process known as japa, can be considered meditation, the person reciting the mantras expects some kind of difference, some kind of change. Meditation should be different from our daily activities, no? Otherwise, what is the point to chanting? Isn’t concentration on a sequence of words supposed to have a positive influence?

While meditation can be done for different reasons, such as for the removal of distress or achieving a peaceful state of mind, the tradition of japa, especially in the realm of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, has a singular purpose. A person’s active propensity is just a reflection of the soul’s inherent characteristics, especially its tendency to love. When the clouds fill up the sky during the daytime, natural light does not completely vanish. We know that the sun is shining brightly but that the clouds are partially blocking its rays. Similarly, the soul trapped in a material body still retains its active propensity to serve, but since the nescience formed through association with gross matter acts as an inhibiting force, that service gets directed to every area except the proper one.

How does one decipher what the proper outlet for service should be? How can anyone know this with certainty? In the beginning, we have to accept this information from authority, as it is passed down from the spiritual masters of the Vedic tradition, who have Lord Krishna as their original teacher. Krishna is God, the same person the entire world worships, honors, loves, scorns, tries to forget about, or vehemently denies the existence of. Not just a folk hero specific to a region in India, Krishna is Bhagavan. He is the wisest, strongest, most beautiful, smartest, most famous and most renounced. These are the opulences necessary to be labeled as God. Since Krishna has these features in full supply, He is worthy of our worship.

The soul’s essential characteristic, its dharma, is to love God with full faith and confidence. In the constitutional state, the love is offered without motivation and without interruption. This stands in stark contrast to the pattern of behavior we are familiar with. Motivation must be there, otherwise what would drive sincerity? Interruption must also be present, otherwise how will we know when to stop? Since we have no way to grapple with the paradoxical combination of an absence of both motivation and interruption, even bhakti-yoga is adopted in the beginning with a purpose. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna states that four different types of devotees approach Him.

“O best among the Bharatas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.16)

There are the desirers of wealth, the inquisitive, the distressed, and those who are knowledgeable. The knowledgeable are considered the best of the four because they are already situated in a position of intelligence. If a smart person takes to worshiping God, they have the best opportunity for remaining committed to the task and eventually following it with steady devotion. Nevertheless, the initial motivation isn’t that important, especially if the processes adopted are effective. Chanting is the most recommended process of service to God because it can lead to lasting benefits for the most number of people. Moreover, other methods of spirituality are not only more selective in their list of eligible candidates, but the benefits achieved are also narrow in scope.

How can benefits be judged for completeness? Whichever methods can extract the natural qualities of the soul the best would have to be considered superior. Think of a pile of gold covered with dust. We have several different ways to clear the dust off. Some ways work better than others, but the one that can fully remove the dust and allow the gold to shine in all its glory would have to be considered the best.

In the realm of spirituality, bhakti-yoga is that superior method, allowing the golden spirit soul to transcend the effects of the dust-like material existence. In bhakti’s arsenal of tools, the chanting of the holy names is the most effective. It must be stressed that the specific names recited are very important. The effectiveness is not so much in the process, but in the beneficiary. The holy name is non-different from God. Since He has unlimited qualities and performs so many wonderful activities, He has thousands of names assigned to Him in the Vedic tradition. Of these names, Krishna and Rama are considered the best. “Krishna” is the most complete address because it describes God as being all-attractive. “Rama” says that the Lord acts as the supreme benefactor by giving transcendental pleasure to His devotees.

Chanting the maha-mantra is more than just meditation, for it is part of loving God. Bhakti is divine love, so in order for love to shine while we recite a specific name, we have to hear it. Thus the secret to success in chanting is hearing the names you are reciting. Chanting the maha-mantra does not have any hard and fast rules. This stands in stark contrast to other Vedic rituals and their component mantras. If during a formal sacrifice, or yajna, the brahmana doesn’t say every syllable in a specific mantra perfectly, the effort will be a waste. Whether the sacrifice is for bringing auspiciousness to a home, curing a disease, or asking for general prosperity, the mantras must be recited by a qualified brahmana, or priest, and enunciated perfectly, irrespective of how complex the Sanskrit words might be.

Chanting Hare Krishna is an act of love, so how can the parent in this case, Lord Krishna, not recognize a sincere effort? Material opulence, peace of mind, alleviation from distress, and other rewards tied to a temporary existence are just nice side effects of chanting. The primary aim is to remove the dust covering the individual’s natural brilliance. A golden soul is one who constantly thinks about Krishna, loves Him, loves His devotees, and never remains satisfied in their own devotional efforts.

While chanting the maha-mantra doesn’t have any specific rules, the effectiveness of the process is increased when offenses are removed. There are nine general offenses listed, with one of them being “inattentiveness”. This is the issue many people deal with, for how can we curb the restless mind? Even Arjuna, while talking to Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, compared controlling the mind to trying to control the wind. Just try to sit down for a second and not think. It’s impossible.

“For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krishna, and to subdue it is, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind.” (Arjuna, Bg. 6.34)

Each devotee has their own realizations on how to chant perfectly, but the key component to success is hearing the words that are recited. From hearing the holy name the mind merges into pleasant thoughts about Krishna. If the mind should wander off again, just bring it back by hearing the names recited. Unlike with other types of meditation, there is no state of maturity that one is trying to reach. Rather, as more time is spent in bhakti, attachment to God will increase. More attachment leads to more eagerness to serve, and thus an increased desire to chant. Talk to someone who chants the maha-mantra for sixteen rounds daily on a set of japa beads for years on end, and they will tell you that nothing can get them to stop their routine. Not even millions of dollars thrown their way will coax them into giving up the practice for even a single day.

This level of dedication can only come from steady practice in chanting and also a focus on hearing. The secret in chanting is that the conditioned soul remains active while simultaneously taking in Vedic wisdom through the ear. The holy name carries with it Krishna’s pastimes, forms and qualities. The mind takes pleasure in hearing about activities, so when this tendency is matched with someone whose pastimes are the most sublime, there can only be lasting benefits. Remaining active is important, because without a steady engagement, the tendency towards lethargy will increase. If we are tired, how will we remain eager to serve? On the other hand, if we are active, regularly using the tongue to produce incarnations of the Supreme Lord, the eagerness for hearing will increase all the more. With increased hearing there is a greater chance of awakening from our slumber and finding the comfortable arms of the spiritual world, where Shri Krishna’s smiling face can be seen every day and the sounds of His wonderful flute can mesmerize us at every second.

For those who are hesitant to follow a formula that seems specific to a foreign tradition, just do a quick review of the different methods of maintenance promoted around the world and see if they lead to the same position of pure love for God. Chanting is never imposed on anyone, and neither is love for God. In a realm where misery is rampant, the absence of God consciousness must be the norm. As soon as the face is turned away from the smiling image of Shyamasundara, Shri Krishna having a dark complexion like a raincloud, the shelter of the material energy is used. This only brings an illusory protection, as no one can fully prevent the loss of body, injury, pain and suffering except the Supreme Lord.

Even if there is trouble concentrating during chanting, the process shouldn’t be interrupted. We don’t follow bhakti to get blanket amnesty from sinful behavior, but this doesn’t mean that setbacks should deter us in our pursuit. A failing grade on a test doesn’t necessarily mean we are going to flunk the course. The mind’s roaming away from Krishna consciousness during chanting shouldn’t stop one from continuing to recite the holy names. Slow and steady wins the race, so only those who can tolerate the bumps and bruises on the road to the imperishable spiritual sky will reach their intended destination.

A Sight for Sore Eyes

“Whenever one develops faith in Me—in My form as the Deity or in other bona fide manifestations—one should worship Me in that form. I certainly exist both within all created beings and also separately in My original form, since I am the Supreme Soul of all.” (Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 11.27.48)

Question: “Is worship of idols prohibited in the Vedas?”

Answer: The concept of worshiping a deity as a means of achieving salvation for the soul is certainly a unique and often misunderstood aspect of the most prominent spiritual tradition of India, the Vedas. As the ancient law codes provided by the Supreme Lord Himself, the Vedas provide many roadmaps towards ultimate success, with a commonality shared amongst all the different processes. Turning one’s back on material life to attain spiritual enlightenment and the sublime life that follows requires a shift in consciousness. The gross elements that surround a soul at any given time will ultimately be discarded, but consciousness carries from one body to another. One whose mind is completely fixed on the Personality of Godhead at the time of death will immediately go to the transcendental realm and never have to deal with material nature again. Indeed, whatever consciousness we have while quitting the body acts as the determinant of our future fortunes. As such, the process of deity worship, wherein a statue or picture representation of the Supreme Lord’s transcendental features is erected, observed, honored and adored, proves to be extremely beneficial. Dare we say that any spiritual tradition that lacks this potent weapon capable of attacking the negative influences of material nature will be substandard in its effectiveness? The deity is the visible manifestation of the Lord’s ever available benevolence and mercy. During His many visits to this world, the Lord Himself not only practiced deity worship, but He also recommended it to others. Anyone who says otherwise and tries to use the Vedas as the authority for their misinformed statements should be understood to be the greatest fool and cheater.

Let’s first review the logical basis for worshiping a deity. Indeed, it is the emphatic dogmatic insistence of many followers around the world that the outward offering of obeisances to anyone, including a statue representation of the Absolute Truth, should be avoided at all costs. But at the same time, the central component of any religious practice is worship. Who could argue this fact? Allegiance to political leaders, actors, actresses, sports figures, and even family members is held strong through keeping pictures and posters within the home. The wallpaper on the computer desktop provides an indication of who or what the owner of the device assigns top priority status to in their mind. Any dedicated attention given to another entity is a form of worship. The nexus of the different varieties of worship is consciousness, the thoughts of the mind. We can say that we worship a certain individual, but if we never think about them in any way, the professions are just empty words. For instance, if we say that we are a fan of a particular athlete, and we never watch them play or even follow their ups and downs, to what value is our allegiance? Support must involve some type of worship, which starts with contemplation.

At least according to those who are spiritually inclined, God is supposed to be that one person we should always think about no matter what. Visiting church once a week or praying a few times a day are certainly wonderful habits, but the point of emphasis is still on the altering of consciousness. To this end, how can the benefits of deity worship ever be denied? The Supreme Lord has a transcendental form; otherwise He would be inferior to the living entities occupying the phenomenal world. With that form comes a penchant for activity, a desire to perform pastimes. Denying the sportive tendencies of the Supreme Lord is another foolish tactic employed by those who have no understanding of the blissful aspect of Truth. Every living entity is seeking ananda, or bliss, and this desire is derived from the eternal bliss that is found in full in the Personality of Godhead, who, not surprisingly, is addressed as Krishna in His original form. Only God can be the most attractive person who is never disturbed under any circumstance.

Since there is no benefit to worshiping a mentally concocted form representing the Truth, we must hear of the Lord’s features from authority figures, those whose spiritual lineage descends from Krishna. Just as any accompanying branch or twig is ultimately connected to the original tree, the bona fide spiritual teachers have some sort of link to the Original Person. As such, they can present to us tangible information of what the Lord looks like, what behaviors He takes to, and what pleases Him. Indeed, from authorized teachings we also find out that Krishna is not God’s only form, as He kindly expands into multitudes of non-different personalities which are equally as worthy of worship and similarly appealing to those looking for a higher taste in their activities. When the deity representations are crafted off of authorized explanations, and if they match one of the non-different expansions of the Absolute Truth, then surely worship of them would be beneficial. Any other type of idolatry is equivalent to the worship of any ordinary figure, so such practices are not only unauthorized, but they also lead to inferior results.

“Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.20)

Since spirit is the opposite of matter, which is the temporary manifestation of a separated energy emerging from the original Energetic, worship of Supreme Spirit is completely different than any other display of reverence. When the desires of the individual are to feed the hungry senses, which are always starving for attention, the mind gets deluded into giving entities not on an equal footing with the Supreme Lord top priority. Attention is not only paid to ordinary human beings, but also to some elevated personalities, who are known as demigods. Deity representations of the divine heavenly figures can also be crafted, honored and worshiped, but the results only lead to a continuation of material life. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita, the Song of God spoken by Krishna Himself, that worshipers of the devas, or demigods, go to the planets of the devas, while devotees of Krishna go to the eternal land in the spiritual sky. Even the home of the demigods goes through cycles of creation and destruction, so nothing permanent is achieved by worshiping an inhabitant of the heavenly realm. Not all gods are the same, as no embodied being, one that is forced to accept a temporary material body, even one that remains in its form for millions of years, can be considered equal to the Supreme Personality.

As a medium of communication, words can transfer information and also bring great pleasure. When read on a page, words that describe some appealing subject matter bring joy and bliss to the reader. Sound vibrations have a similar stimulating effect, as a pleasant song can alter the mood within the mind and bring the attentive listener back to a previous time. Pictures also can evoke pleasurable feelings and allow for extended contemplation on a particular person or subject. If all such aspects of the material creation can have beneficial effects, how can we not derive tremendous transcendental satisfaction from worshiping a deity? Why would the Lord deny us that benefit, especially knowing that we are already prone to worshiping man and the demigods? The claims made against the validity of deity worship don’t pass the smell test in any way. Matter is considered maya, or that which is not personally God, only for as long as it is not used to purify consciousness. God is the creator of matter, so why should He prohibit us from utilizing material elements to gain an understanding of the pastimes that continue uninterrupted in the spiritual world?

It is one thing for the uninformed outsider to rail against the deity worship tradition of the Vedas, but it is even more appalling, and humorous at the same time, to see deity worship attacked by those who cite the Vedas as the authority for their skewed viewpoint. The Vedas are originally a collection of songs that praise the Absolute Truth. Any book or poem that reaches the same conclusion as the original Vedas – that of Krishna being the only object worthy of worship and undivided affection – is considered Vedic literature. The Vedas are non-different from Krishna since they sing His names and describe His glories. As such, whatever Vedic texts say and whatever Krishna speaks personally are completely in accord with each other. To say that the Vedas prohibit deity worship is to say that the original law codes for mankind deny the validity of worshiping Krishna; a claim which, by definition, is a contradiction. The Vedas are Krishna, so they can never speak anything against any practice which aims to further one’s Krishna consciousness.

The worst offenders are those who dare to claim that Krishna Himself prohibits deity worship through His teachings. This is an even more foolish viewpoint because it is well known that Shri Krishna appeared on earth during the Dvapara Yuga, a time period that saw a preponderance of temple worship. During that time there were many grand temples across the world which held regular worship of Lord Vishnu, who is Krishna’s four-handed expansion in charge of the majority of the aspects of creation. Krishna Himself worshiped deities, so what sane man will say that the Lord prohibits such behavior? These erroneous viewpoints come about through a narrow study of Vedic literature which focuses on versions of the Bhagavad-gita that are translated and commented on by someone who is not a devotee of the Lord. The Bhagavad-gita is one small chapter in an enormously large work known as the Mahabharata. Nevertheless, we can’t just pick up the Mahabharata and understand all the underlying purports and deep meanings behind the different accounts of historical incidents contained within. Such information has to be learned from someone who has dedicated their life to serving the Lord and understanding Him.

“The devotee should more fully establish My Deity by solidly constructing a temple, along with beautiful gardens. These gardens should be set aside to provide flowers for the regular daily worship, special Deity processions and holiday observances.” (Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 11.27.50)

In addition to the instructions He provided on the battlefield of Kurukshetra to Arjuna, just prior to His return to the spiritual world Krishna imparted Vedic wisdom to His dear friend Uddhava. In this talk, which is found in the eleventh canto of the Shrimad Bhagavatam and which is also known as the Uddhava-gita, an entire section is dedicated to deity worship and how it should be performed. One who only reads the Bhagavad-gita without following the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, an acharya belonging to an unbroken line of spiritual teachers descending from Krishna, will not understand the different verses properly, no matter how many times they are read. Indeed, even the information presented by Krishna in the Uddhava-gita about deity worship is very basic and only touches on the essentials. The practice of visiting temples and worshiping the deity was commonly known to all sincere followers of Vedic traditions in the Dvapara Yuga, so these concepts didn’t need to be expanded upon in great detail. In more recent times, the kind and merciful followers of Lord Chaitanya have very elaborately described what goes into deity worship and how to perform it properly. Shrila Sanatana Goswami especially took the time to explain these concepts by writing the handbook for devotional service known as the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which includes countless references to Vedic scriptures to support the guidelines and recommendations for behavior contained within.

Deity worship has been around since the beginning of creation, even long before Krishna in His original form appeared on this earth. During the Treta Yuga when His incarnation of Lord Rama roamed the earth, there was a brahmana living in the kingdom of Ayodhya who had to see his beloved Rama every day before eating. A brahmana is a member of the priestly class, so he spends all his time involved in religious affairs. Since He was the king of Ayodhya, Rama especially took care of the brahmanas in the community. But since the Lord had administrative affairs to tend to, sometimes He had to go away on business, leaving the devoted brahmana bereft of the nectar of the Divine vision for certain extended periods of time. Rather than break his vow, the brahmana simply didn’t eat on days when he couldn’t see Rama. When the Lord later found out about this, He felt greatly distressed, as He was causing one of His devotees to suffer unnecessarily. Rama then told His younger brother Lakshmana to go to the brahmana’s home and install a set of Sita-Rama deities. Indeed, this set of deities had existed in the royal family, the Ikshvakus, since even before Rama’s appearance on earth. Thenceforth, the brahmana simply viewed that statue of his beloved Rama, which was paired with the Lord’s wife, Sita Devi, every day and took this vision to be as good as viewing the Lord personally.

This one incident illustrates the magic and potency of deity worship. The archa-vigraha, the worshipable representation of the Supreme Lord in the material world, is meant to evoke the spiritual consciousness within the mind, an arousal which then leads to a consciousness that can guide all activities properly. Therefore the worshipable form erected must be authorized and cannot be just any collection of wood and stone. The ordinary statue is an idol, but when the figure is authorized and fully empowered through its connection to the Supreme Lord, it turns into a deity.  The Supreme Lord is certainly everywhere, but understanding His personal presence is very difficult, especially for the material eyes that are prone to worshiping anything that is not Krishna. It also doesn’t help matters when bogus spiritual leaders try to use the Vedas as justification for their denial of devotional practices, which have deity worship as a cornerstone. Indeed, one must wonder what the motives are behind such a nefarious and dangerous viewpoint. Since deity worship is so effective and authorized, there can be no other reason for the willful neglect and erroneous teachings presented by the enemies of bhakti besides jealousy and hatred for the Supreme Lord.

A non-devotee who studies the Vedas will never capture a complete understanding, as the first condition prevents the second. By following an authorized acharya, one who understands the Bhagavad-gita and presents it as it is, there will be little chance of becoming a victim to the jealous practices of the miscreants. The deity is the sight for the vision that has become sore through many lifetimes on earth. Bringing spiritual life to the otherwise dull and mundane material existence, the deity can help transport us back to the spiritual land, where the personal presence of Supreme Spirit can be felt and enjoyed at every single moment.

A False Choice

“One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every act is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker whose fruitive action is burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.19)

Question: “How do I find the right balance between material life and spiritual life?”

Answer: Picking up the random book on Hinduism or dharma, the items discussed within typically cover the illusory aspect of this world and how pains and pleasures always come and go. The wise can block out these unwanted extremes by steady practice of meditational yoga, systematic worship of a divine figure, or through fruitive work with the results sacrificed to a higher cause. Presented with this introduction, those contemplating a dive into spiritual life may start to worry that a too rapid an elimination of pains, pleasures, and highs and lows will result in the basic obligations of family life not being met. But for one who follows the bhakti process, the religion of love and the pinnacle of all spiritual practice, there is no question of too much renunciation or giving up necessary activities. Indeed, even Lord Krishna, who is Himself the beneficiary of bhakti, declares that every soul has a penchant for work, so repression itself cannot accomplish anything. For those following the highest form of spirituality, every second of every day is spent engaged in the Lord’s service, as the mind works under the control of the purified consciousness. This is not a hostile takeover by any means, as the mind assumes its true value when focused on the proper object, that entity who is capable of bringing about the highest bliss.

The fears pertaining to a disturbance in family life are certainly well founded. After all, if, as a family man, I were to play sports every night or go out to bars and nightclubs, surely the quality of life at home with the family would suffer. Not only would there be financial loss from the money spent on outside endeavors, but there would also be less time spent with the spouse and kids. Activities under the umbrella of spirituality have the aura of being even more dangerous towards strong attachments, as one who understands that they are spirit soul and not their body may decide to forgo every responsibility in life altogether. The renounced order in the varnashrama-dharma system, the prescribed divisions of society and life stages put forward by the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, is known as sannyasa. Since time immemorial it has been every parent’s great fear that their child would renounce the world at a young age and take to the life of a mendicant, wherein they would voluntarily restrict themselves from having any association with money, women, or fruitive activity. Lord Chaitanya, a divine preacher and spiritual master appearing in India some five hundred years ago, had to deal with similar issues with His parents. Shri Gauranga’s older brother Vishvarupa had taken sannyasa at a young age, so the parents were afraid that their beloved Nimai would soon follow suit. As a precautionary measure, they even took Lord Chaitanya out of school for a few years, fearing that if He became too wise, He would see the futility in worldly life and the benefit to renouncing every aspect of family. Despite their best efforts, their son would eventually take sannyasa at the age of twenty-four, but He would make the best use of renunciation by actively changing the world for the better through the introduction of the sankirtana movement.

Though the fears of the parents are quite understandable, they are not justified in the case of those students taking to the bhakti school, especially as it relates to the worries of the children maintaining their livelihoods and level of enjoyment. The tradition commonly known as Hinduism is understood to be the path of spirituality having several different options for success. The paths are described by the different terms of yoga: jnana, karma, hatha and bhakti. The uninformed belief is that one can just choose any of these paths and practice them perfectly to become self-realized. But this viewpoint is not accurate in the least bit. It is humorous to see reviews made of the poems written by Goswami Tulsidas, a dear devotee of Lord Rama and Shri Hanuman, with the commentators declaring that all the different paths of Hinduism are equally as beneficial and that Tulsidas just happened to choose bhakti as his preferred method of worship. This fact couldn’t be further from the truth. All other forms of yoga, though legitimate in their own right, can only lead up to bhakti, whereas bhakti automatically brings the results of all the other systems combined.

To understand the distinctions, familiarity with the properties of the soul is required. In schools of thought not tied to bhakti, the entire external world is taken to be maya, which can mean “false”. Maya is that which is not, so when applied to the phenomenal world, it references the fact that everything that is visually perceptible, and any knowledge that is acquired through the senses, must be considered the opposite of Truth. The Supreme Absolute Truth is the more accurate description for God, as it speaks to His infallible nature and indisputable, fixed position. But in reality, maya is not false, only temporary. It may be a matter of semantics, but we can think of the workings of nature in terms of the effects of a dream. During the dreaming state, we imagine ourselves in various situations, some pleasant and some not so nice. Surely the situations and our behavior enacted during these dreams are fake, as they have no reality whatsoever. Yet the pains and pleasure felt are real, as we can wake up in a cold sweat and have our heart rates rapidly increase.

Since the world around us is constantly changing, the outside settings can be compared to a dream. Yet the pains and pleasures are real, as are the manifestations. They come into creation, exist for some time, and then eventually get destroyed. Since the material elements, which exist eternally due to their inherent link to the Supreme Lord as His external energy, are temporarily manifest before us, they don’t need to be rejected outright. When the objects of this world are used to further cloud the intelligence of the pure soul into thinking that he is the ultimate enjoyer and original proprietor, then surely the effects of maya are in full force. God is God; His position never changes. Not only did He create everything, but He is the only entity that enjoys to the fullest degree. Since God is every single life form’s best friend, His enjoyment automatically leads to the pleasure of His associates, those who are intimately linked with Him in consciousness.

Those engaged strictly in fruitive activity take the objects of the world and use them for their personal betterment. But there is actually no benefit at all, for as long as there is intimate association with maya, the soul cannot return to the spiritual world, its natural home. At the core, the soul is a lover of God. Based on this predominant characteristic, there is only one constitutional activity: divine love, or bhakti. The terms “bhakti” and “yoga” are merely products of the phenomenal world, as identifiers are required to distinguish constitutional activities from conditioned ones. In the spiritual world everyone is a lover of God, whose original form is that of the all-pleasing and all-attractive Lord Krishna. Krishna is the Supreme Being for everyone and not simply a sectarian figure. Devotion to Him is ingrained in the soul’s makeup. Divine love does not need to be followed through blind sentiment or unjustified faith. Rather, by understanding the makeup of the soul, the supremacy of bhakti can be easily acknowledged. Yet bhakti is so powerful that anyone who takes to it even half-heartedly will gradually acquire all the knowledge they need. Simply by chanting, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, the soul deluded into a false ownership mentality by the effects of maya will slowly but surely realize its constitutional position as servant of the Lord. Service to Krishna, when practiced properly, follows sharanagati, or complete surrender.

It was this sharanagati that Tulsidas firmly believed in. The pure bhakta, or devotee, doesn’t even know what the term bhakti is or how to describe it. There is no accurate way to compare divine love to any activity of the mundane world, but the closest match may be the behavior of the devoted mother towards her child. A good mother loves her child throughout his or her life, irrespective of the outward changes. Even if the child is in his or her thirties, the mother will still view them as a tiny infant. This is actually an advanced vision, one which comes close to accurately identifying the properties of the soul as being unchanging. Whether in the body of a child or an adult, the makeup of individual spirit never changes. Reincarnation is merely the complete changing of bodies, the discarding of one set of clothes in favor of a new one. The good mother, wanting only to please and protect her child, will take whatever steps are necessary to be an effective parent. She is not conscious at all about the skills required for parenting or the rules and regulations. Her pure love guides all her activities. In this heightened mood of service there is tremendous bliss derived from simply having a legitimate object of worship. Moreover, there is little or no tangible return sought, as a good mother is one who can raise a child that eventually no longer requires her aid. Thus parenting proves to be the most thankless of tasks, yet one that is accepted with enthusiasm and excitement nonetheless.

Tulsidas and other Vaishnavas on the highest platform of worship take to serving Krishna, or one of His non-different expansions, with full heart and soul, not expecting anything in return. Tulsidas compared his devotion to Lord Rama to the Chatak bird’s dedication to viewing the dark raincloud in the sky. The analogy is apt because the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His original form and Vishnu expansions has a dark blue color, almost identical to that of a cloud that is about to pour down rain. Tulsidas asserts that not only does he exclusively view this cloud all day, but he never even expects any gifts in return. It may rain or it may not, but the Chatak’s dedication knows no bounds. Since the Chatak overlooks any and all defects that may be perceptible in the cloud, the bird’s love cannot be measured to any accurate degree, as there is no limit to the loving affection.

The dedication of the Chatak best illustrates the bhakti spirit, a penchant to love found within the soul. In the phenomenal world the loving propensity gets misdirected; hence all sorts of undesirable issues result. Objects of maya are externally related to Krishna, so they are not able to provide any tangible pleasure to the worshiper. If maya is part of Krishna’s energy, why would it have such a deluding effect? The answer is that the souls who wanted to leave Krishna’s association and pretend to behave as God were allowed to do so. Since there is only one Supreme Controller, no amount of imitation can prove worthwhile. Yet due to the causeless mercy of the Supreme, the delusion is continuously supported through the effects of maya.

Another question may be raised as to why Krishna would knowingly allow any of us to be tricked by an illusory energy. The answer is that if God is the Supreme Personality in all the worlds, His powers and the behavior directed towards Him must be of all varieties. The soul, as part and parcel of Krishna, is also independent, eternal, knowledgeable and blissful. In order for free will and independence to have validity, their potential exercises must travel in both directions: in favor of Krishna and against Him. If there was only favoritism towards Krishna, there would be no truth to the fact that the individual souls have free will. The soul’s abilities are much smaller in comparison to God’s, but this discrepancy doesn’t mean that individual spiritual sparks are not free to act out their propensities.

Just as the good mother will automatically learn how to hold her young child, change its clothes, and feed it properly, one who is completely immersed in bhakti will automatically acquire the knowledge necessary to keep the internal fire of devotion lit at all times. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the modern day Hare Krishna movement, embodied this principle. During his time on earth, Shrila Prabhupada, whose only business in life was to serve Krishna and spread His glories to others, took on the roles of parent, spiritual master, teacher, businessman, cook, writer, lecturer, translator, artist, musician, accountant, and so many other important posts. He was highly skilled in each of these endeavors, though he had no attachment to any of them. Indeed, he didn’t even make a separate effort to acquire above average abilities in any of these fields. Since his predominant desire was to serve Krishna, the Lord, who is the ability in man, paurusham, ensured that Prabhupada had all the skills and knowledge necessary to carry out his service.

Other types of yoga do not bear such properties. One may take to fruitive activity and purify themselves by giving up the results to worthwhile causes, but this doesn’t automatically lead to the highest platform of pure bhakti. Renunciation of results surely can help the sincere soul elevate to the transcendental plane of consciousness, but success is not guaranteed. Similarly, through the yoga system that leads to the acquisition of theoretical knowledge of the nature of this world and the properties of spirit, one can ascend to a higher level of thought. Yet familiarity with esoteric information is not enough. There must be constant activity for the soul. One may have a medical degree from a respected university, but unless they are regularly practicing and treating patients, their knowledge essentially goes to waste. A general has no special status unless he has a mission to command. Similarly, the knowledge the soul is naturally beaming with must have a target to shine on in order for the intelligence to be worthwhile. In the absence of a steady engagement, no perfection in life, be it material opulence, the mastery of a mystic ability, or knowledge of the Absolute, can provide any tangible benefit, at least as it pertains to the current lifetime. One who is pious and well positioned by the time of death certainly gets to continue their efforts in the next life, but bhakti provides benefits immediately.

“Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he [the person in full knowledge] performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.20)

The issue of finding a balance between material and spiritual life presents a false choice because only one who is not practicing bhakti thinks along these lines. The initial concern is understandable for those who aren’t familiar with the practices of the ancient art of the religion of love, but those who are sincere servants of Krishna firmly understand that in the realm of bhakti, every minute of every day brings another opportunity to please the Supreme Lord. The dry renunciates may reject the world as false, and the fruitive workers may accept everything for their own enjoyment, but the bhakta uses everything at their disposal to ensure that the intoxicating smile on the sweet face of Shyamasundara never vanishes.

The differences in viewpoint pertaining to material nature are nicely illustrated in the behaviors resulting from the purchase or receipt of a laptop computer, or other high-end device. The impersonalist mental speculator, one who is studying the esoteric information pertaining to body, mind, soul and matter, will look at the laptop as an object of maya, something that will lead to false enjoyment and misery. Thus the object must be shunned outright. The fruitive worker, taking the objects of the world to be the source of ultimate enjoyment, will eagerly get to work on the laptop and use it for activities such as chatting with friends, watching movies, and maybe even scouring internet sites for pornography. Without leading to a higher shift in consciousness, none of these activities bring any tangible benefit, and they surely can cause the further clouding of the natural intelligence possessed by the individual.

The bhakta, however, will see the laptop as an opportunity to serve Krishna. “I can connect this to the internet and talk about Krishna with millions of people. I can view pictures of the Lord, download lectures about Him, and learn how to cook food for Him that later turns into prasadam.” In this way the laptop and its components take on their true value. The matter that went into the computer’s construction belongs to Krishna’s external energy. These elements can only be considered maya as long as they are inhibiting towards one’s drive to perfection in consciousness. If the objects of this world are used to further the cause of bhakti, pleasing Krishna, there is no question of maya, or illusion.

“Dear Krishna, we are always busy in our family affairs. We therefore request that You remain within our hearts as the rising sun, and that will be Your greatest benediction.” (Gopis speaking to Lord Krishna, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 27)

The proper use of the laptop is one example, but there are many more that illustrate the bhakti mindset. Indeed, the most pure bhaktas, those entities we are advised to model our behavior after, were themselves firmly ensconced in material life, or at least they appeared to be so to the outside observer. These grand yogis, the gopis of Vrindavana, were family women, but because of their pure love for Krishna, they were not entangled in any work. There was no question of balancing spiritual life with material life, as their entire consciousness was steadily focused on Krishna’s sweet, transcendental form and the beautiful sounds that emanated from His flute. From the worldly perspective, the gopis were mothers and cowherd girls. In modern terms, they could be considered the first “working women”. Though they were dependent on their husbands for protection, they were completely independent in their dealings. Freedom doesn’t mean forgoing responsibilities and the proper standards of conduct. Rather, independence is a frame of mind, one where the consciousness is not inhibited by external demands. The gopis, exercising their free will, chose to adhere to their family duties at all times, while remaining ever fixed on the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna, who had been kind enough to live in their town of Vrindavana for many years.

The gopis’ daily chores consisted of tending to children, taking care of cows, churning butter, going to the neighboring town of Mathura to sell yogurt, butter and cream, and taking care of the household, which included seeing to the satisfaction of their husbands. They were working all day and night, tirelessly and without any direct compensation. From the perspective of one who is not well versed in bhakti, it would appear that the gopis were one hundred percent engaged in material life. Save for the few visits to local temples and the service offered to the brahmanas, the gopis had no hint of spirituality in their lives. But in fact, just the opposite situation was present. The gopis had not a hint of material contamination; they were always thinking of Krishna. They are deemed the greatest lovers of God, as they are always attempting to elevate others to the platform of Krishna consciousness through their recommendations made to Krishna. The gopi in whom the qualities of bhakti are found at the highest levels is Shrimati Radharani, Krishna’s eternal consort. She is so kind that if she sees us taking to bhakti sincerely, she will recommend to Krishna that a new candidate for receiving His favor has emerged. Such kindness cannot be found anywhere in this world; as it is the exclusive property of Radha, Krishna, and those liberated souls who always aim to please Them.

Bhakti is not simply a method of self-realization; it is religion. All other rules, regulations, codes of dharma, dresses, fasting days, etc. are all meant to lead to elevation to the platform of bhakti. In this day and age, it is better to take to devotional service right away, even if it is not practiced at the most advanced level in the beginning. By regularly chanting Hare Krishna and associating with devotees, the spiritual consciousness will gradually be awakened. In bhakti, there is no question of balance, as the highest level of intelligence is found very quickly. Family life and concerns for one’s friends and neighbors are automatically taken care of, as the ultimate objective becomes the service of the Lord. The bhakta accepts everything that is favorable towards the purification of consciousness and rejects anything that is unfavorable. The lifestyle of Krishna consciousness is open to any person, of any age, and at any stage in their life. It is not true that liberation, or the release from the cycle of birth and death, can only be granted to sannyasis, those in the renounced order. Krishna’s mercy is available to everyone, but we must make the choice to accept it. Since the spiritual consciousness only brings tangible benefits, there is no reason to not at least take the first steps by chanting the Lord’s names. Even if there is a perceived fear of imbalance between material and spiritual life, one should at least include some spirituality in their daily affairs. Something as simple as chanting Hare Krishna sixteen rounds a day on a set of japa beads is enough to form a minimum regimen. The rest of the day can be spent in material life, though by following this chanting routine along with abstention from meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex life, the individual will slowly but surely realize that Krishna is in everything and that every minute of every day, irrespective of the engagement one is immersed in, can bring tremendous bliss through tapping into the purified consciousness.

Comings And Goings

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.9)

Question: “There are several prevailing opinions regarding Krishna’s departure from the material world. Can you shed light on the issue?”

Answer: Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, periodically appears and disappears on this earth. This isn’t to say that He is a magician performing illusory acts to entertain the individual souls, but rather, He is never capable of taking birth or dying. The same actually holds true with the individual spirit souls as well, as the concepts of birth and death are created from the conditioned angle of vision. When one’s mindset is purified, i.e. when they regain their natural consciousness, they see things as they are instead of as they are not. In the conditioned state, the individual is clouded by ignorance borne of the illusory energy known as maya. We have no control over the circumstances of our birth, yet we somehow lament over death. If we’re going to feel sad, why not lament over birth, something just as uncontrollable as our death? Krishna’s appearances on earth, both in the personal form and those of His various avataras, are certainly well celebrated and marveled over. Yet the same is not true for His disappearances, His subsequent departures to the spiritual world. Shri Krishna’s return to the spiritual world is especially a topic of controversy, for the non-devotees and gross materialists love to use this event as proof that Krishna is not a divine figure and certainly not the original form of Godhead. From basic analysis of the descriptions of this event, we can see that the Lord’s ascension to the spiritual sky certainly wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for Him, nor was it an indication of any sign of fallibility. Rather, Krishna’s ascension to the spiritual sky was just another sign of His causeless mercy shown towards every living entity.

God is one; He cannot be the exclusive property of any set of individuals. The concept of a Supreme Lord implies that no one can be above Him. Since it is impossible for anyone to successfully challenge the Lord’s supremacy, it means that God is the fountainhead, the original source of everything. Therefore, all forms of life, regardless of their outward dress, can trace their lineage back to the original Divine Being. In the Vedic tradition, details pertaining to the Lord’s appearances, activities, and transcendental forms are provided. Since there are innumerable forms, there is often confusion as to which is the original and which isn’t. The sacred and flawless Vedic texts declare the fountainhead to be an entity who has a transcendental, eternal, and blissful body.  Since this entity is all-attractive, He is known as Krishna, whose immediate expansion, or other non-different form, of Lord Narayana is also often taken as the original. Even the Ramayana, the epic poem detailing the transcendental activities of Lord Rama, doesn’t contradict this fact. Rama is no different from Narayana, so the ultimate conclusion of who is the original form of Godhead remains the same. Since there is no difference between Narayana and Krishna, we can use the two names interchangeably and thus consider the two forms to be the same.

Around five thousand years ago, Narayana came to earth as Krishna. This is the information given to us by the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Mahabharata. In other texts, Krishna is taken as the original form who personally descended to earth. In either case, the original Lord of mankind made a divine appearance for the sake of annihilating miscreants and pleasing the purified souls, the devotees who have no other business than serving the Supreme Loveable Object in thoughts, words, and deeds, at all times. Krishna’s visible form was first seen in the town of Mathura. Immediately after appearing from the womb of Mother Devaki, the Lord was transferred to the neighboring town of Vrindavana, where He grew up as a child and tended to cows. In His adult years, Krishna returned to Mathura and then subsequently formed His own kingdom of Dvaraka. The most notable incident of Krishna’s adult life was His role in the Bharata War, a massive fight that saw the death of millions of valiant soldiers. Not surprisingly, the side that Krishna was on, the Pandavas, won.

Devotees usually discuss and relish the pastimes performed by Krishna in Vrindavana. From His adult years, the famous discourse given on the battlefield to Arjuna, the lead Pandava warrior, is similarly a topic of great interest. This sublime set of instructions, which was personally delivered by Krishna, forms the basis of the illustrious Bhagavad-gita, the most concise and complete exposition on Vedic philosophy. While devotees focus on Krishna’s activities and His teachings, the non-devotees and atheists like to discuss the Lord’s activities that made Him appear to be human. After all, Krishna did roam this earth in the guise of an ordinary living entity, so naturally He would perform some activities that didn’t seem to be of the divine nature. The key point to understand is that these activities gave the appearance of fallibility. The Supreme Lord is Achyuta, which means one who is infallible. Fallibility is the quality of the conditioned soul who lives under the dictates of nature. God is the creator of nature, so He is incapable of being controlled by it.

These facts are difficult to understand for the gross materialists. They live strictly off true and false concepts, wherein all conclusions are derived off of personal experience. Since the scientific community has never seen a person appear out of the womb of a mother without the prior act of conception, they take the descriptions of Krishna’s appearance found in the Shrimad Bhagavatam to be mythology, some ordinary event which was later hyped up into something it wasn’t. To substantiate their claims, the atheists will point to Krishna’s activities with the young cowherd girls of Vrindavana and His ultimate disappearance from the earth, which saw Him being shot in the foot by a hunter named Jara.

So are the atheists correct in their assessment? If not, why then would Krishna give this appearance of fallibility? The answer is that every individual soul has independence and free will. This is not something given to us by God, but rather, something we always possess. Just as God is the Supreme Controller who never assumed that title, as individual sparks emanating from the original spiritual fire, we naturally inherit the quality of freedom. The difference between God and ourselves is that the activities we can take up based off our freedom are limited. The root cause of the material creation is the misuse of the free will property. The individual spirit souls, desiring to imitate their loveable master, were given a temporary and miserable playing field. This field is temporary because it has to be created. Since it manifests at the will of the hand of Supreme Spirit, it most certainly must be destroyed at some point as well. Since there is both creation and destruction, the end result of any activity performed on such a turf is misery.

“And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.5)

If the material world is so miserable, why would Krishna create it? The desires of the individual souls are never denied. The wished-for objects of sense gratification may not always come to fruition, but the desires themselves are not thwarted. Since the individual souls wish to remain apart from Krishna, they are allowed to remain in the material world perpetually. When the Lord makes His divine appearances on earth, His aim is to take back those souls looking for liberation, the jivatmas who have had enough of the pretend life. Krishna is kind enough to enact His sweet pastimes for the satisfaction of such purified souls. By relishing these transcendental activities, one’s consciousness gradually becomes purified to the point where the ultimate enjoyer is seen as Krishna instead of the gross senses. When this purified mindset is maintained up until the time of death, release from the cycle of birth and death is granted.

Even with all of this information available to them – knowledge which mind you costs nothing to acquire – the majority of the conditioned souls will not take to Krishna consciousness. Rather, they remain steadfast in their challenge to the Lord’s authority. Obviously such an effort will be futile, for every conditioned soul is a slave to the forces of nature. Mother Nature’s most powerful agent is all-devouring death, which appears on the scene through the agent of change known as time. No conditioned entity is immune from the effects of time; thus the pursuit to surpass God in strength, stature, and level of enjoyment will eventually fail.

“I have heard Your instruction on confidential spiritual matters which You have so kindly delivered unto me, and my illusion is now dispelled.” (Arjuna speaking to Krishna, Bg. 11.1)

A gross materialist, an asura, or non-devotee, will have trouble convincing others, and even themselves, of the supremacy of their way of life dedicated to sense gratification. The truths found in the Vedas are quite logical and profound, so anyone who honestly and sincerely hears them from the right sources will be firmly convinced of the supremacy of the engagement of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. The quintessential act of bhakti is the chanting of the names of God, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. The non-devotees, not wanting to chant or take part in any activity of bhakti, hold steadfast to karma. To support their ingrained attitude, they will look for any piece of information that debunks the notion that Krishna is God. Though the classic Vedic texts such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Shrimad Bhagavatam are filled with hundreds of thousands of profound verses, the asuras will scour these pages for one tiny little quote or incident that, when taken out of context, can allay their fears of God’s existence and supremacy. This behavior is indeed sad but true, as the atheists are afraid that Krishna might actually be God, for if that were the case, it would mean that the sinful way of life is the wrong one.

Due to His kind mercy, the Supreme Lord gives the asuras all the evidence they need. The Lord first exhibits qualities of strength which are impossible for an ordinary person to believe. Not only does He appear on this earth without the act of conception, but He kills powerful demons and lifts gigantic hills with just one finger. Since the asuras can’t imagine a tiny child performing such wondrous feats, they take Krishna to be a myth. Then there are some non-devotees who accept the idea of Krishna’s appearance, but who still don’t want to devote their lives to Him. They will look to Krishna’s intimate activities with the gopis of Vrindavana as evidence of Krishna’s fallibility. “How can God dance around with young girls? This is who we are supposed to worship?” Of course, thought is never given as to why God should forbid Himself from dancing with young girls. The Supreme Lord is self-satisfied, and He is the object of dharma, or religiosity. Piety and virtue only exist to help the individual understand Krishna. The Lord has no need to abide by these rules which are intended for the conditioned souls, those whose flawed desire in life is to challenge God. In addition, the interaction with the gopis actually proves Krishna’s divine nature. As the Supreme Lord, He will grant whatever anyone wants, provided that their hearts are pure and their motives properly situated. The gopis are the greatest lovers of the Supreme Spirit, so if they desire to dance with Krishna, the Lord will most certainly accede to their request.

There is yet another class of asuras who accepts Krishna’s appearance and His activities with the gopis but still doesn’t take Him to be God. They will point to His disappearance, an incident where the Lord was shot in the foot by a hunter. Never mind the fact that the Mahabharata explicitly states that Krishna was willingly ready to return to the spiritual world and that He knew what was going to happen, the asuras will ignore any evidence that goes against their central religious belief, the notion of Krishna being fallible. These are all the workings of Krishna’s divine energy known as maya, an illusory force which clouds the intelligence of the conditioned souls who desire to remain in the material world. The workings of maya prove that the Lord is the most munificent of all devas, or gods.

The question may be raised as to why Krishna would leave the earth in such a manner, especially since it runs the risk of deluding the minds of the pure-hearted devotees. The answer is that even devotees sometimes fall victim to the influences of power, greed, resentment, and anger. But since they are pure at heart, the Lord doesn’t hold such actions against them. Rather, He takes the necessary steps to ensure that the powers they believe they possess remain intact. As an example, Narada Muni, the great saint and devotee of Narayana, once cursed the Lord to take birth on earth and become separated from His beloved wife. Narada had prayed to Vishnu to allow a beautiful princess to choose him for marriage. Narada is a sannyasi, so he has no business intimately associating with women. Bhagavan always protects His devotees, so He most certainly wasn’t going to allow Narada to fall down from his exalted position. Therefore the Lord, in a very slick way, appeared to grant Narada’s request, but in reality didn’t. When the princess chose another man for marriage, Narada realized that it was Vishnu’s fault and then subsequently cursed Him.

Of course God can never be cursed. No one is capable of telling Him what to do. But the Lord, as a great father is apt to do, plays along since the person doing the cursing doesn’t know any better. It is similar to how a parent will make wagers with their children while playing certain games. If the parent loses, they agree to the terms of the wager, even though the young child has no say so in the matter. The adult remains superior regardless of whatever action is taken. Since Narada is so kind and pure, Vishnu decided to wholeheartedly abide by his curse. Vishnu agreed to appear on earth as Lord Rama, the beloved prince of Ayodhya. He would most certainly be separated from His innocent wife Sita for an extended period of time, but the goals set out prior to His appearance were still met.

When Krishna roamed the earth, similar behavior towards the Lord was exhibited by other exalted figures. When Krishna was residing in Dvaraka, His chief queen was Rukmini Devi. The divine couple was once visited by the brahmana Durvasa Muni. The brahmanas, or priestly class, are loved by Krishna very much. In the Vedic tradition, a guest is to be received very hospitably, especially if he is a brahmana. Durvasa decided to test Krishna’s level of dedication to the brahmanas and the etiquette of hospitality by making one outrageous request after another during his visit. Yet every outlandish request he made was met by both Rukmini and Krishna. One of the requests involved spreading frumenty, or payasa paste, all over their bodies. Krishna and Rukmini agreed to do this, but the Lord neglected to spread the paste on the sole of one of His feet. Durvasa, after admitting that he was just testing the couple, granted them the boon that whichever part of the body they spread the paste on would be immune from the attacks of others. Noticing that Krishna had missed the spot on the sole of His foot, Durvasa remarked that he was disappointed in Krishna.

“There is no one in the world, except for Myself, who is capable of ridding the world of the Vrishnis. I am very well aware of this, as I am trying to bring this destruction about. By cursing Me and the Vrishnis in this way, O you of excellent vows, you have helped Me in accomplishing My task. The Vrishnis are incapable of being slain by any other entities, including human beings, devas, and Danavas. Therefore, the Yadavas will end up destroying each other.” (Krishna responding to Gandhari after she had cursed the Vrishnis, Mahabharata, Stri-parva)

After the Pandavas won the bloody Bharata War, the mother of the leading fighters for the defeated party, Gandhari, began to bewail her plight. Saddened by the death of her hundred sons, she immediately blamed Krishna. As a result of her anger, she cursed the Lord and His Vrishni dynasty to be destroyed after thirty-six years. The Lord, instead of yelling at her or laughing at her gall in imprecating this curse, kindly accepted it. He told Gandhari that He was looking for an excuse to leave this earth and put an end to the Vrishnis and that the curse had now given Him one. Sure enough, when the time came, all the Vrishnis would be destroyed due to a terrible internal quarrel. Krishna and His brother Balarama left the scene and retired to the forest. Balarama, after entering a deep meditational trance, assumed His form of Ananta Shesha Naga and returned to the spiritual sky. Krishna similarly laid down for meditation after remembering the words of Durvasa and Gandhari. At this time, a hunter named Jara came and accidentally shot Krishna in the foot. Touching the Lord’s feet, the hunter felt remorseful. Immediately after this, Krishna ascended to the spiritual world, where He was greeted by all His divine associates.

“Bewildered by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, the demon becomes envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in his own body and in the bodies of others, and blasphemes against the real religion.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 16.18)

The Mahabharata really doesn’t leave much room for doubt as it pertains to Krishna’s return to the spiritual world. Nowhere does it say that the Lord was taken by surprise or that He died like an ordinary man. He returned to the spiritual world in His transcendental body, the way that He always returns after appearing in the material world. As mentioned before, the controversy is only from the side of the asuras and gross materialists. But this disagreement will always be there. Even during Krishna’s time, there were many demons who refused to acknowledge His supremacy. Enemies such as Shishupala would make fun of the Lord for associating with the cowherd community during His childhood. These enemies thought Krishna was not fit to be a king, for it was beneath the royal order to engage in agriculture. The Shishupalas of the world will always be around, for that is the root cause of this material existence. For the devotees, Krishna’s appearances and disappearances are easy to understand. Armed with this proper understanding, the purified souls liberate themselves from the cycle of birth and death.

Vishnu and Krishna

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear on the earth very soon along with His supreme powerful potencies, and as long as He remains on the earth planet to execute His mission of annihilating the demons and establishing the devotees, the demigods should also remain there to assist Him.” (Message of Lord Vishnu to Lord Brahma and the demigods, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 1)

Question: “Why is Krishna’s incarnation considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu when Vishnu is an expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that is Krishna?”

Answer: In the Vedic tradition, the Supreme Divine Being is known as Krishna. He is described as the Supreme Personality of Godhead since there are multitudes of non-different forms of the Divine which can also be worshiped with love and devotion, with the devotee of each particular form reaping the same benefits. This isn’t to say that there are many Gods, but rather that the Supreme Lord isn’t so stingy to limit Himself to only one form. Just as there are different inherent qualities possessed by different individuals, there are different ways to offer love and devotion to the Supreme Divine Entity. Therefore this original Personality, who is known as Krishna, takes to various forms to allow the devotees to worship Him in their preferred transcendental mellow, or rasa. Ironically enough, one of Krishna’s primary expansions is so much loved and respected that He is often taken as the original form of Godhead instead of Krishna. This person is Lord Vishnu, who is also known as Narayana, the source of all men. For millions of years, only Vishnu was known as the original Personality of Godhead. In many sacred texts, Krishna is listed as one of Narayana’s primary incarnations. While there appears to be a contradiction on this issue, there actually isn’t one.

“All these incarnations of Godhead are either plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions of the purusha-avataras. But Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself [krishnas tu bhagavan svayam]. In every age He protects the world through His different features when the world is disturbed by the enemies of Indra.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.3.28)

First let’s cover the basis for Krishna being taken as the original form of Godhead. The Vedas are the ancient scriptures of India, and they literally mean “knowledge”. Originally, such transcendental information was passed through an oral tradition, with hymns and prayers memorized and verbalized in the Sanskrit language. Later on, this same information was put into written form. Since the attributes and features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unlimited, many books were written, with each one focusing on a particular aspect of the Divine. Of all the texts that were compiled, authorities consider the Shrimad Bhagavatam, or Bhagavata Purana, to be the most important. This text stands apart from other major Vedic works since it focuses almost entirely on Vishnu worship and the life and pastimes of Krishna. Other Vedic texts often deal with the four rewards of life: dharma [religiosity], artha [economic development], kama [sense gratification], and moksha [release from the cycle of birth and death], and how one can go about achieving them. While the alleviation of pains and discomforts are certainly legitimate areas of interest in spirituality, the highest truth is that the individual spirit souls are part and parcel of God. “Eternally separate and almost equal” is the concise definition. God is the Supreme Soul, and we are minute fragments emanating from Him. Due to our constitutional makeup, our natural disposition, or dharma, is to always be engaged in His service, tied to His hip through the bonds of love and devotion.

The Shrimad Bhagavatam states that Lord Vishnu, the four-armed form of the original Personality of Godhead residing in the Vaikuntha spiritual realm, is certainly God. For the benefit of mankind, He kindly descends to earth in various guises from time to time. Though these expansions, known as avataras, appear to be just like ordinary living entities, they are non-different from the original Lord. Therefore they are always completely spiritual, not tinged by the effects of material nature governed by the energy of maya. While the Bhagavatam deals extensively with Lord Vishnu, His pastimes, His attributes, and His features, Lord Krishna, who possesses two arms and an all-attractive transcendental body, is also taken to be the original form of Godhead. His home is in a spiritual land known as Goloka Vrindavana, which is similar in nature to Vaikuntha. Both Vaikuntha and Vrindavana are places where birth and death do not occur, therefore whoever lives there remains liberated from conditioned life.

Lord Chaitanya, who is taken by great authorities to be an incarnation of Krishna, appeared on earth around five hundred years ago and preached worship of Krishna to be the topmost spiritual practice. He was especially fond of the Shrimad Bhagavatam and another Vedic text known as the Brahma-samhita. This treatise was compiled by Lord Brahma, the first created being who lives for billions and billions of years. Brahma is considered a demigod, or an elevated living entity. Since he too must go through birth and death, he is not considered to be on an equal footing with Vishnu. Lord Brahma once compiled a great set of prayers in praise of Govinda, which is another name for Krishna. So simply based off the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Brahma-samhita, we can understand that Krishna is the origin of all forms of Godhead. Lord Chaitanya also discussed in great detail the differences between Krishna, Vishnu, and other avataras. These discussions are found in the Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, and anyone who is further interested in this subject matter is advised to consult this wonderful text.

“Shrimad Bhagavatam has listed the avataras, the plenary expansions of the purusha, and Lord Krishna appears among them. But the Bhagavatam further explains Lord Krishna’s specific position as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since Lord Krishna is the original Personality of Godhead, reason and argument establish that His position is always supreme.”  (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 2.86 Purport)

Lord Chaitanya inaugurated the chanting of the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, as the topmost religious practice for all the people of this age. Rama refers to Lord Rama, one of Vishnu’s most celebrated incarnations who appeared on earth many thousands of years ago in the guise of a warrior prince. Though He stressed worship of Krishna, Lord Chaitanya never stopped people from worshiping Lord Rama, for in many instances He even helped devotees of Lord Rama increase their level of attachment to the jewel of the Raghu dynasty.

There are many who take Krishna to be an incarnation of Vishnu, for this is actually mentioned in many texts, including in portions of the Shrimad Bhagavatam. In addition, probably the oldest book in the world is the Ramayana, which is a Vedic text which deals primarily with the life and pastimes of Lord Rama.  In chronological terms, Rama and other incarnations of Vishnu appeared on earth prior to Krishna. While the Vedic evidence presented by devotees of Krishna is certainly flawless and completely accurate, the claims of Vishnu being the original and Krishna being an expansion can also be justified by referencing several incidents from Vedic history.

For the Vishnu devotees, the circumstances surrounding Krishna’s advent on earth described in the Shrimad Bhagavatam point to the fact that Vishnu descended to earth as Krishna. Bhumi Devi, the presiding deity of the earth, was feeling a great burden, so she kindly approached Lord Brahma to help her. Brahma then went to visit Lord Vishnu and asked Him to appear on earth. Lord Vishnu then kindly obliged and also arranged to have Ananta Shesha Naga, the eternal servant of Vishnu, come to earth in the form of Lord Balarama. Thus Vishnu and Ananta Shesha Naga appeared on earth as Krishna and Balarama.

When Lord Krishna appeared from the womb of Mother Devaki in the prison cell of King Kamsa, He displayed His four-handed Vishnu form. This was to let His parents know that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead appearing as their son. At the time, simply showing His Krishna form wasn’t enough to convey the idea of divinity. This actually points to another area of importance which we will discuss later on.

When Krishna grew up to be an adult, while ruling as a king in Dvaraka, He spent much time with His cousins, the Pandavas. On one occasion, the Pandavas and Krishna met up with Markandeya Rishi, who was originally a great devotee of Lord Shiva, another powerful divine figure and devotee of Lord Vishnu. Markandeya Rishi explained to the Pandavas that during one particular kalpa, he had the benefit of remaining alive during the destruction of the earth. After everything was destroyed, only one person remained: Lord Narayana in the form of a young boy. Inside Narayana’s stomach, Markandeya saw the universal form consisting of all the universes, planets, stars, and living entities. After finishing his description, Markandeya told the Pandavas that the same Narayana was sitting in front of them as Krishna.

“O universal Lord, I wish to see You in Your four-armed form, with helmeted head and with club, wheel, conch and lotus flower in Your hands. I long to see You in that form.” (Arjuna speaking to Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 11.46)

On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, just prior to one of the greatest wars in history, Krishna took to instructing the leading warrior of the Pandava side, Arjuna. In this discussion, which is chronicled in the famous Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna repeatedly refers to Himself as God and as the divine entity. Yet Krishna at one point shows both the universal form and His four-armed form of Lord Narayana to Arjuna. Again, this speaks to the notion that followers of the Vedic tradition for thousands of years looked to Lord Vishnu as the original personality of Godhead. Since Krishna is non-different from Vishnu, whether one takes Him as the original in lieu of Vishnu is not really important.

This fact is reinforced by the dealings of the other primary avataras of Lord Vishnu. Lord Rama is worshiped as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by millions, and during His time on earth, He too often referred to Himself as God to His confidential associates. In the original Ramayana, the poem compiled by Maharishi Valmiki, Rama mentions that in a future Yuga He will appear on earth as Govinda, which is another name for Krishna. In this way, we see that Rama is non-different from Krishna. Additionally, many sages desired to have intimate relations with Lord Rama, but since the Lord vowed to only have one wife, Sita Devi, He agreed to meet their requests in the future when He would come to earth as Lord Krishna. Similarly, there are devotees who worship other Vishnu forms such as Lord Narasimhadeva. In fact, in the Narasimha Purana, Narasimhadeva is addressed as adim, which means that He is the original Personality of Godhead.

“Lord Narasimhadeva is here, and He is also there on the opposite side. Wherever I go, there I see Lord Narasimhadeva. He is outside and within my heart. Therefore I take shelter of Lord Narasimhadeva, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Narasimha Purana)

So how do we reconcile these differences? Is Krishna the original or is Vishnu? Lord Krishna is certainly the original Personality of Godhead simply based off the teachings of Lord Chaitanya and the statements of the Shrimad Bhagavatam, Brahma-samhita, Garga-samhita, and Brahmavaivarta Purana. Yet those who take Vishnu or any of His other non-different expansions as original are not wrong. This is because the differences of opinion only represent different angles of vision. The end-result is still the same. If there is a difference at all between Krishna and Vishnu, it lies in the sweetness of appearance. Vishnu is viewed as more opulent and thus appealing to those who wish to worship the Lord in reverence. Krishna, on the other hand, is supremely attractive, so He generally appeals to those who wish to worship the Lord more intimately. God is everything, but everything is not God. This means that we can worship anything we want, but the results of such worship will vary. Only by worshiping non-different forms of the original form of Godhead, vishnu-tattva, can we receive the benediction of eternal association with Supreme Spirit. Worship of any other entity or object will not secure such a reward. This means that only by worshiping Krishna, Vishnu, or another non-different form such as Rama, Narasimha, Chaitanya, etc., can we be released from the cycle of birth and death.

If a person takes Krishna as the original form, and neglects Vishnu worship, their spiritual progress is not hindered. In the same way, devotees of Vishnu who neglect Krishna worship also aren’t deficient in their spiritual practice. Let’s think of it this way: Say we have a person who only reads the Ramayana and nothing else. They take Shri Rama to be the only form of Godhead and no one else. They dedicate themselves to performing devotional service, chanting the Lord’s names, and viewing His deity form in the temple. Such a person will surely receive liberation in the afterlife and be spiritually fulfilled in every way. Devotees of Krishna sometimes say that Rama’s name isn’t as powerful as Krishna’s and that Shri Rama can only grant spiritual benedictions up to the point of impersonal liberation, while Lord Krishna can engage in loving association with the devotees in the mood of separation. While this sentiment surely is indicative of the great love and devotion of Krishna bhaktas, there are a few examples which speak to Rama’s complete abilities to provide any and all spiritual benedictions.

Lord Hanuman, the celebrated divine figure of the Vedic tradition, personally offered his services to Rama during the Lord’s time on earth. Hanuman actually doesn’t see God in any other form except Rama. Moreover, Hanuman worships Rama completely in separation. Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana love Hanuman so much that he could receive anything he asks for. Yet prior to Rama’s return to the spiritual world, Hanuman only asked that he be allowed to remain alive on earth for as long as Rama’ story was still being told. In this way, Hanuman is the perfect example of a devotee who worships the Lord through separation. Similarly, Goswami Tulsidas, a saint who took direct instruction from Shri Hanuman, also worshiped Rama in separation. Tulsidas often pointed to the devotion practiced by the Chatak bird towards its beloved raincloud as being the ideal example of how one should go about loving and serving God.

Krishna’s closest associates, including His foster parents, had no clue that He was the original form of Godhead. At best, they thought that maybe He was a demigod appearing in human form. Yet their devotion to Him was fruitful nonetheless. This proves that one doesn’t necessarily have to know all about the different incarnations and expansions to achieve perfection in consciousness. There is no difference between Krishna’s body and spirit, so if we are attached to Him in thoughts, words, and deeds, even if we don’t know that He’s God, the benefit will still be the same. The issue of importance is that we worship and devote ourselves to Krishna, Vishnu, or a non-different expansion. Whether we view Krishna as the original or Vishnu doesn’t matter at the end of the day. The ultimate objective is to be God conscious at the time of death. The residents of Ayodhya all returned to the spiritual world with Lord Rama, for they would follow Him to the ends of the earth. They weren’t concerned with whether or not He was God; they simply loved Him with all their hearts. If we exhibit the same level of devotion to our specific authorized divine object of worship, we too will reap the same reward.

Shyamasundara

“Shri Krishna’s complexion is as polished as powdered eye ointment. It surpasses the beauty of a newly formed cloud and is softer than a blue lotus flower. Indeed, His complexion is so pleasing that it attracts the eyes and minds of everyone, and it is so powerful that it defies all comparison.” (Lord Chaitanya, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Antya 15.64)

Question: “Is Krishna really blue?”

Answer: It certainly seems strange that followers of the Vedic tradition would worship a God who appears bluish. After all, we’ve never encountered anyone who had this appearance in our worldly affairs. In fact, the term “black and blue” refers to the appearance of a bruise, which is a mark seen on the surface of the body after it has been hurt in some way. Yet the followers of the Vedic tradition didn’t just concoct this idea of a blue God, but rather they take it from authority that the Supreme Personality of Godhead indeed has an ever-existing, transcendental form, which is the most beautiful and most attractive in all the worlds. The highest bliss, transcendental or otherwise, can be realized by regularly drinking the sweet mellows of this divine vision.

The common misconception is that Hindus believe in many gods. There are certainly many godlike figures such as Ganesha, Shiva, Brahma, and Durga, but such personalities merely represent the height of material opulence in the mode of goodness. In essence, these divine figures, who are worthy of the highest respect and adoration from mankind, represent the Supreme Lord’s close family, His faithful servants and deputies. The Supreme Lord is singular, so He is one without a second. In many spiritual disciplines this singular divine entity is known by the name of God, but the Vedas don’t limit the Supreme Lord to only one name. Rather, He can be addressed through limitless, unique sound vibrations which each reference a specific attribute, pastime, or quality of the Lord. Since the Lord enacts so many pastimes, He takes many different forms, some visible and some not. Several of these forms kindly descend to earth from time to time, while others remain in the spiritual sky for the benefit of the eternally liberated associates. Though there are countless forms – as many as there are waves in the ocean – there is still a fountainhead, an original from which all others emanate. This original personality is Krishna.

The Sanskrit word “Krishna” has several different meanings. It can mean “dark”, or “blackish”. It can also mean “all-attractive.” Since the original Divine Entity possesses both of these attributes, Krishna is the most appropriate name for Him. The Supreme Lord is the most attractive person in existence, and attraction to Him is anything but fatal. Attraction to beautiful men and women can be damaging in the sense that it can lure a person into doing something they otherwise wouldn’t do. In this respect, enchantment can lead to loss of rationale and the taking to harmful activities. For those who associate directly with the original transcendental, all-attractive form of the Lord, there is no risk of danger because there is no illusion or detrimental enchantment. Rather, it is the essential characteristic of the spirit soul to be a lover of Krishna, so once this soul is reunited with its Divine Lovable Object, it immediately regains its infinite knowledgeable and blissful position.

“Krishna’s bodily complexion is very similar to the bluish hue of a cloud, so simply by observing a bluish cloud, Shrimati Radharani remembered Him.” (Shrila Prabhupada, The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 30)

How do we know what Krishna looks like? Just as with any other important piece of information, knowledge of Krishna is taken from authority. Those who have seen Him personally have shared their experiences with others and also written them down in books. This information has been since passed down from generation to generation. Additionally, houses of worship have been erected which depict the Lord in His various forms, performing different activities. Through consultation with such authorized information, we come to understand what Krishna looks like, what makes Him happy and what doesn’t, and moreover, what it takes to gain His association.

“The shyama color is not exactly blackish. Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura compares it to the color of the atasi flower. It is not that Lord Krishna Himself appears in a blackish color in all the Dvapara-yugas. In other Dvapara-yugas, previous to Lord Krishna’s appearance, the Supreme Lord appeared in a greenish body by His own personal expansion. This is mentioned in the Vishnu Purana, Hari-vamsha and Mahabharata.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 20.337 Purport)

While it seems strange that Krishna would be blue in color, the exact characterization of His complexion is that of a dark raincloud. The Lord is described as shyama, which can mean dark, bluish, greenish, like the color of the Tamala tree, or more simply like the dark-blue raincloud. Since Krishna is exquisitely beautiful, another one of His names is Shyamasundara. The descriptions of the Lord’s personal appearances found in sacred texts like the Shrimad Bhagavatam and Mahabharata are incredibly accurate in that the compilers of these works didn’t just create a new color on their own which could be misconstrued in the future. Rather, they carefully observed nature around them and found those things which matched Krishna’s appearance. Of all the objects they observed, nothing came closer to matching up with Krishna’s complexion than the dark raincloud.

Though we may not know anyone who possesses a bluish complexion today, we can most certainly witness the beautiful color of the cloud which is about to pour down rain. In fact, depending on the time and circumstance, one can see this cloud in the sky and immediately be reminded of Krishna. The great Vaishnava saint and poet, Goswami Tulsidas, described his mood of devotion and his ultimate conclusion in life by discussing the dark raincloud and a specific type of bird which is enamored by it. While Krishna is the original form of Godhead, His direct expansion is Lord Vishnu, who possesses a similar complexion but is more opulently dressed and possesses four hands instead of two. Vishnu then incarnates into various forms which appear on earth. Among Vishnu’s chief incarnations, probably the most celebrated is Lord Rama, the handsome and pious prince of Ayodhya who roamed the earth many thousands of years ago. Tulsidas was especially devoted to Rama, though he made no distinctions between Rama, Vishnu, and Krishna. All three have the same bodily complexion, for even Maricha, an infamous Rakshasa demon, describes in the Ramayana that Rama’s body is of the shyama complexion.

“At the time, there were not yet visible any signs of manhood on the boy’s beautiful face, which was dark-blue in complexion [shyama] and had an all-auspicious gaze. Rama had a gold chain round His neck, a small tuft of hair on His head, wore only one piece of clothing, and held a bow in His hands.” (Maricha speaking to Ravana about Rama during His youth, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 38.14)

When a person is on the highest platform of transcendental love, they lose interest in all the terms and concepts associated with the study of self-realization and religion. In this topmost stage, the pure devotee is only interested in associating with the Supreme Lord in a loving way, so there is no concern for adherence to rules of etiquette or specific terms of spiritual practice. Advanced terminology and vocabulary are difficult to comprehend for the average person, so poets often prefer using analogies and similes to explain high concepts. Tulsidas, in attempting to describe his love for Rama, makes a comprehensive comparison to the Chatak bird. Descriptions of this comparison are found in his Dohavali. In this work, Tulsidas states his desire to be just like the Chatak bird, which only drinks rain water. This bird is praised because its beak is constantly faced upwards while it stares at the dark raincloud. This cloud bears the closest resemblance to Rama [Krishna], so Tulsidas praises the bird for its level of devotion. Since the bird only drinks the water poured down from this cloud, Tulsidas states that for the bird’s benefit, it is better for it not to rain. Rather, if only a few raindrops fall every now and then, the level of love and devotion shown by the bird will remain intact. If the raincloud shows too much direct affection to the Chatak in the form of showers of rain, the bird might become lax in its devotion and start to view its lovable object as an order supplier. Pure love is practiced when there is absolutely no expectation of reciprocation.

In this way, Goswami Tulsidas informs us that the dealings between the Chatak bird and the raincloud represent the highest level of spiritual practice. Tulsidas also states that the Chatak, as the object representing a pure devotee, teaches its dependents to not turn its beak away from the raincloud even at the time of death or when the last rites are performed. This shows that Tulsidas believes that thinking of Rama at all times, even when one is about to die, is the highest religious practice. Moreover, he wanted to make sure that future generations knew exactly what his primary dharma in life was. He only wanted to look at the beautiful body of the Lord and never think of anything or anyone else. This behavior represents love in the mood of separation, a method which provides the topmost bliss to both the giver and the receiver. Shri Rama is satisfied by the devotee who is always looking at Him with loyalty, dedication, and love. The Chatak bird renounces all kith and kin and refuses to accept any other water except that which emanates from its beloved raincloud. In the same manner, the pure devotee refuses to acknowledge the existence of anything not directly related to Krishna. The devotee only humbly accepts prasadam, or the Lord’s mercy, even though there is no expectation or desire for this mercy. In the highest stage of transcendental love, the separated devotee derives the greatest pleasure simply by offering their love without motive.

“My dear friend, please tell Me what I should do. Krishna is as attractive as a wonderful cloud, and My eyes are just like chataka birds, which are dying of thirst because they do not see such a cloud.” (Lord Chaitanya, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Antya 15.65)

In order for this love to be practiced, the Supreme Lord, through His bodily complexion which is like that of the dark raincloud, must be a giver of Supreme transcendental pleasure. It is for this reason that the Vaishnavas, those who eventually disregard any and all mundane rules and regulations of religion, take to devotional service as their only engagement in life. Not only is Krishna’s appearance beautiful, but so are the transcendental sound vibrations of His various names. Just as the beautiful complexion of the raincloud brings sweet pleasure to the eyes of the Chatak bird, the names Krishna and Rama can bring the same level of pleasure to the ears of the love-starved conditioned living entities. Therefore, the highest engagement for the people of this age is to regularly chant the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, while thinking of their beloved bluish Lord through separation.

Worship of a personal God is condemned in many circles, but this restriction is certainly not authorized by the Vedas. After all, every person in this world is looking for pleasure, even the animals. If the Supreme Lord is lacking a transcendental form possessing full variegatedness, how can He please anyone? Moreover, if the form of the Personality of Godhead is denied, people will be more apt to worship those who do possess a form. This means that instead of worshiping God, man will worship dog. Actually this already happens, as people regularly bow down and serve their pets by picking up their waste deposits off of sidewalks and other public areas. And yet the bowing down to a deity form of the Supreme Lord is strictly condemned by religious leaders whose purported aim it is to bring transcendental pleasure, that which transcends the bonds of life and death, to the conditioned souls. This certainly doesn’t seem logical nor does it square with the constitutional position of the soul.

The Vedas tell us that this world is merely a shadow copy of the same realm that exists in the spiritual world. Since there is variegatedness in this world in the form of different bodies and material qualities, there certainly must be variety in the spiritual world. Otherwise, wherefrom has this variety come? If variety is absent in the spiritual world, how can it manifest in the material world? By denying the form of the Personality of Godhead and the variety of His activities and pastimes, the spiritual world is essentially deemed a place inferior to the material world. If the material world thus becomes superior, what need is there of entering the kingdom of God?

The point to religion, or a bona fide spiritual practice, is to find pleasure. Since we currently reside in a perverted copy of an original realm which is always pure, the enjoyment we experience is checked. Yet by kindly turning our heads towards the dark raincloud-like body of the Supreme Lord, the answer to all our problems can be found. Krishna is all-attractive, and anyone who associates with Him on a regular basis can attest to this fact. By taking to the worship of this bluish deity, the Raincloud of Transcendental Love will pour Its kind offerings on us all.