The meaning of the word “Krishna” is all-attractive.

kṛṣir bhū-vācakaḥ śabdo
ṇaś ca nirvṛti-vācakaḥ
tayor aikyaṁ paraṁ brahma
kṛṣṇa ity abhidhīyate
The word “kṛṣ” is the attractive feature of the Lord’s existence, and “ṇa” means spiritual pleasure. When the verb “kṛṣ” is added to the affix “ṇa,” it becomes “Kṛṣṇa,” which indicates the Absolute Truth. CC Madhya 9.30

How can then one not be attracted to Krishna? HH Radhanatha Maharaja says that it is natural for a living entity to get attracted to Krishna. All beauty, all wealth, all fame, all knowledge, and all attributes in their fullest sense rest solely in Him.

Furthermore, Krishna is waiting for us, from time immemorial. He is desperately seeking the moment to turn our face toward Him. He is playing his flute only to attract us.

But unfortunately, we don’t care for His attraction. Instead of hearing His flute song, we wish to hear songs of our accolades in this world, songs of our glorious deeds, of our romantic rendezvous, and even of “our” heartbreaks and difficulties – all centered around us. Forgetting Krishna, we endeavor to give our heart to the things and people of this world.

Do we possess a natural attraction for Krishna or do we need to develop it?

We all possess a natural attraction for the “all-attractive.”

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ’sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya
Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens. CC Madhya 22.107

Just on the sight of Mahaprabhu, the animals in the Jharikhanda forest went into ecstasy. The tigers, elephants and deers started dancing in ecstasy. Tigers and deers embraced and kissed one another. That was the effect of their natural attraction for Krishna which was aroused by Krishna Himself in the form Mahaprabhu.

The same attraction for Krishna is dormant within all of our hearts. That attraction needs to be kindled by the process of devotional service, beginning with sravanam.

What kind of attraction Krishna possesses?

The name Rama signifies the following:

vaidagdhya-sāra-sarvasvaṁ mūrti-līlādhidaivatam
śrī-rādhāṁ ramayan nityaṁ rāma ity abhidhīyate
“Krishna is also known as Rama because the joys of conjugal love are the essence of His being, He is the presiding deity of loving pastimes, and He brings the highest pleasure to Srimati Radharani.”

Hearing about Krishna, one doesn’t like to hear anything else. His glorification provides the greatest satisfaction to all one’s senses. Taking His shelter, one doesn’t find the need to approach anyone else. Knowing his qualities, one can never leave Him. What to speak of leaving Him, He awards such a person His own abode.

kaḥ paṇḍitas tvad aparaṁ śaraṇaṁ samīyād
bhakta-priyād ṛta-giraḥ suhṛdaḥ kṛta-jñāt
sarvān dadāti suhṛdo bhajato ‘bhikāmān
ātmānam apy upacayāpacayau na yasya
What learned person would approach anyone but You for shelter, when You are the affectionate, grateful and truthful well-wisher of Your devotees? To those who worship You in sincere friendship You reward everything they desire, even Your own self, yet You never increase or diminish. SB 10.48.26

Why am I not Attracted?

If we feel the need to hear something else apart from Krishna Katha and His Holy Name, we haven’t heard even once. If we feel attraction to someone else other than Krishna, we have never once seen his beauty.

This is confirmed in the following description:
“An intelligent person who has understood the Supreme Lord in association with pure devotees and has become freed from bad, materialistic association can never avoid hearing the glories of the Lord, even though he has heard them only once. SB 1.10.11

If Krishna possesses extremely attractive attributes and still we don’t feel any attraction toward Him or His Holy Names, it is only due to misfortune. Mahaprabhu talks about that misfortune.

sarva-śakti nāme dilā kariyā vibhāga
āmāra durdaiva,—nāme nāhi anurāga
You have invested Your full potencies in each individual holy name, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attachment for chanting Your holy names. CC Antya 20.19

Chanting the Holy Name – An Effort to Rekindle the Lost Attraction

When we invest our time, our effort, our consciousness in chanting the Holy Name of Krishna, we awaken our lost love. The attraction for Krishna becomes awakened, and one becomes totally satisfied in relishing the loving mellows.

Haridas Thakura didn’t need anything apart from the Holy Name. Rupa Goswami desired a million ears and a million mouths to hear and chant the Holy Names.

When a devotee develops true attraction for Krishna, Krishna becomes the be-all and end-all of his life. His thoughts, words, mind, and action, all flow in one direction – towards the unlimited ocean of Krishna’s love.

Gopis didn’t care for the time when Krishna played His flute for them. They simply heard the flute song and ran towards Krishna in the darkness of midnight. The light of Krishna’s love and attraction was shining so deeply in their hearts that it pervaded the entire forest.

This thought is beautifully expressed in Kunti Maharani’s prayer which we can keep as the heart-beat of our devotion:

tvayi me ‘nanya-viṣayā
matir madhu-pate ‘sakṛt
ratim udvahatād addhā
gaṅgevaugham udanvati
O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn unto You without being diverted to anyone else. SB 1.8.42