Yesterday, a devotee asked me a generic question which I myself might have answered many times.
The question was something like, “How can everyone get satisfied simply by serving Krishna?”
I gave simple answer, but I was struck by the depth of the wisdom our sastras provide.
When there are wars going on in the world, can simply serving Krishna help?
When there are attacks on devotees, can simply serving Krishna help?
When there are so many people not having food in their plates, can simply serving Krishna help?
The answer to this can be given at multiple levels, but here we will focus on the import of the question.
Bhakti doesn’t mean to be aloof, or indifferent to the problems that people are suffering from. Rather, bhakti means to take strength from the all powerful, all merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead for everything that is happening in the world.
Simply serving Krishna is the simplest solution to solve all problems of life.
SERVING KRISHNA: The PRIME Solution
SB 4.31.14 states,
yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena
tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ
prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ
tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā
“By giving water to the root of a tree one satisfies its branches, twigs and leaves, and by supplying food to the stomach one satisfies all the senses of the body. Similarly, by engaging in the transcendental service of the Supreme Lord one automatically satisfies all the demigods and all other living entities.”
When Draupadi was in a fix how to feed 60,000 disciples who had come with Durvasa Muni, she simply remembered Krishna. Krishna simply ate a morcel of rice stuck in the “Akshay Patra.” And Durvasa Muni along with all the sages found their bellies totally filled, having no space even for some air.
When Arjuna was puzzled in how to counteract the brahmastra of Ashwatthama, he simply prayed to Krishna. And Krishna gave him the solution. When Ashwatthama had released multiple brahmastras, one to kill the child in Uttara’s womb, and other to kill all the Pandavas, Krishna Himself counteracted both the brahmastras. One by entering the womb of Uttara, and the other by His sudarsana cakra.
Pleasing and serving Krishna is THE solution to all problems, whether it be social, economic, political or spiritual. And how we serve Krishna in all these circumstances is extremely important. Following are a few ways in which we can serve, depending on the time, place and situation.
HOW to SERVE KRISHNA?
Serving Krishna by Praying for Others:
Sometimes, prayer is the only solution for a problem. Can with go with a gun and start killing all terrorists? We can, and we also may be killed in the process. But, does Krishna want that? Or does he want us to get out of this world by keeping our consciousness on Him?
Prabhupada’s spiritual master could have opened a military training center and sent the recruits for fighting. But, when some greatly influential people had come to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, he said to them, “These men are very skinny and weak, not at all suitable for war.”
Srila Saraswati Thakura was very clear in preaching to Prabhupada also the urgency of Krishna Consciousness, even more than the struggle for independence.
We need to definitely do the needful, but, we must understand our boundaries. We have given many lifetimes to our family, friends, society and nation. We need to save this life to give to Krishna.
Therefore, sometimes, the best solution could be to pray to Krishna for the welfare of all. Prahlada Maharaja prays in SB 5.18.9,
svasty astu viśvasya khalaḥ prasīdatāṁ
dhyāyantu bhūtāni śivaṁ mitho dhiyā
manaś ca bhadraṁ bhajatād adhokṣaje
āveśyatāṁ no matir apy ahaitukī
May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other’s welfare. Therefore let us all engage in the service of the supreme transcendence, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and always remain absorbed in thought of Him.
Serving Krishna by Fighting:
Sometimes, the best solution may be to fight. Arjuna’s reluctance to fight in the battlefield was displeasing to Krishna. Krishna didn’t want Arjuna to be a mere spectator, rather He wanted Arjuna to fight the kill the enemy. Arjuna fought simply for Krishna’s pleasure.
Serving Krishna by Not Fighting:
Indra was causing disruption to Prthu Maharaja’s hundredth horse sacrifice multiple number of times. Prthu Maharaja got a bit angry and desired to stop the nefarious activities of Indra by making Indra enter sacrificial fire through the mantras invoked by brahmanas. Brahmaji disapproved of this act and requested Prthu to stop the sacrifice itself. By not fighting, Prthu earned the greatest favor of both Brahma and the Supreme Lord. Lord Vishnu personally benedicted him with His darshan, even though he didn’t complete the sacrifice. He pleased Krishna by not engaging in fighting.
Now, the next question that needs to be answered is:
How to understand how to serve Krishna?
By taking guidance from guru, sadhu and sastra.
Bhakti done on one’s own whims is not pleasing to Krishna. Rather, bhakti done in accordance with the instructions given by spiritual master and the scriptures pleases Krishna. Actions done under the dictates of our mind and senses is not bhakti. Bhakti means having the right sentiments, and not be sentimental.
Also, we must have faith on Krishna’s omnipotence and His omnipresence. Krishna is not blind to the activities happening in this world. Krishna is not turning a deaf ear and a blind eye to the difficulties that are being faced by devotees. Rather, his protection may not be always comprehensible to our limited intelligence.
Krishna May or May not Protect the Material Body:
Many a times, we expect miracles to happen in our life. And sometimes, we rely on miracles to substantiate our faith in Krishna. After all, Prahlada Maharaja was saved by Nrsimhadeva on all occasions. Why shouldn’t it happen with everyone?
Krishna’s protection may or may not be there always for the material body. For Krishna who is all spiritual, what difference does it make if the material body is there or not? Therefore, Krishna promises protection on the spiritual level – kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati.
Krishna May or May not Solve every Problem:
Krishna has not created this material world for solving problems. Rather, He has created this world to make us understand that the problems in this world can never be totally solved. And the ultimate solace lies in taking His shelter. Therefore, Krishna may not even bother to solve each and every problem in this material world. Krishna ultimately wants us to come to Him. That is the greatest reality beyond all the temporalities of this world.
When we are convinced of Krishna’s protection on the spiritual level, and of the purpose of Krishna’s creation, we are not affected by the changes that happen in the material world. Krishna is eternally playing His flute, calling all of us to His eternal abode. No material situation can change this reality. Therefore, we must be focused in executing our Krishna Consciousness in the midst of inevitable realities of the material world.
