The reason living entities have come to this material world is the deep-rooted desire to show off. Showing off has been a perpetual disease of the conditioned soul. It is the hallmark of anyone who seeks position, prestige, and followers. It is this very desire for display and validation that brought us here, and it is this desire that keeps us here.
For innumerable lifetimes we have been trying to continue the same showmanship, yet without any real success. People show off for countless things, as the saying goes, even a beggar is proud of his penny. Sometimes, even by being humble, we may want to show off.
And when a person becomes boastful or prideful, he or she loses everything in spiritual life.
My spiritual master often says that the only reason we remain in this material world is because we want to take credit for the things we have not done and which we have done, and we want to blame others for the wrong things we have done. Wanting to appear good, we sometimes hide behind a mask of superiority. And hidden behind that mask, we may continue our show our false greatness.
Show off Leading to Show off
Romaharṣaṇa Sūta is a classic example of someone who wanted to show off his learning. Lord Balarāma immediately ended his show forever.
Keśava Kāshmīri, desiring to prove himself the greatest scholar, came to Navadvīpa to display his erudition. Little Nimai, with childlike innocence, effortlessly defeated him and ended his showmanship.
There was one Muktākeśī Gopī who was extremely proud of her unmatched charm. Once, while taking darśana of Lord Viṭṭhala, she placed her delicate hands on His lotus feet. Yet His feet pressed down, leaving the imprint of her fingers, showing that His lotus feet were softer than her hands. In this way, the Lord dissolved her pride, hinting her to stop her show off!
Bāṇāsura wanted to show off his thousand arms and exhibit his prowess by finding a worthy opponent. His desire for show off ended when Krishna cut off 998 arms, sparing only two, that too on the request of Lord Śiva.
Show off to Krishna!
A person who becomes humble, simple, and truthful in his dealings naturally pleases Krishna. This is the kind of show off Krishna likes.
Another show-off that Krishna gets pleased by is to show forth our anarthas when we approach Krishna. Have our acaryas not done the same in their Vaishnava songs?
If we openly show Krishna our true state, our impurities, our weaknesses – will He let them stay? Certainly not. He will remove them.
When we come before Him without masks, Krishna also unmasks Himself. This is the essence of ye yathā māṁ prapadyante — as we approach Krishna, He reveals Himself accordingly.
Krishna’s Show Off
When the show-off tendency wanes in a practicing devotee, Krishna becomes pleased to reveal Himself. This is the turning point – when the practitioner stops performing for the world and starts living to please Krishna.
And when we stop our show, Krishna begins His show. Once Krishna begins to reveal Himself, that revelation becomes perpetual — like an endless divine Netflix series.
Śrīla Prabhupāda was once asked, “What is the spiritual world like?” He replied, “It is an ocean of LSD!” Similarly, for one who gives up the tendency to impress others, spiritual life becomes Krishna’s nonstop divine show. Such a devotee remains constantly absorbed in Krishna’s channel because Krishna has deeply attracted and charmed his heart.
