“I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.13)

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गाम् आविश्य च भूतानि
धारयाम्य् अहम् ओजसा
पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः
सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः

gām āviśya ca bhūtāni
dhārayāmy aham ojasā
puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ
somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ

1. The succulent fruits and vegetables

“It came with the property. I guess the tree has been there for years. At the appropriate time, we can expect a massive yield. We don’t have to do much as far as maintenance. As long as the rest of nature upholds its end of the bargain, we will enjoy.

“I am speaking of the apple tree in the backyard. There are so many apples in a given season that we end up storing for the future. The neighbors have taught us the canning process. It is a lot of fun, if you ask me.”

2. The wonderful heat and light of the sun

“I am always appreciative. I never curse at it, even during the scorching heat of summer. This is because I know the dreadful condition caused by a lack of its presence.

“The sun is the greatest gift to mankind. It changes my mood for the better. I can sit outside, relax, and forget about the troubles at work. It is a great disinfecting agent, and it assists in maintaining good health. We are so lucky to have the sun.”

3. The beauty of nature

“Can anything be more beautiful than nature? Where we live, there are four distinct seasons. Even when there is supposedly a lack of life, I see beauty. The snow covering the trees without leaves. The cold wind blowing outside creates a wonderful contrast with the home heated on the inside.

“Some of these historic sites are just too amazing to believe. Who could ever dream up a large canyon, with so much space on the way down? The ocean waves hitting the shore creates a soothing and relaxing sound. I marvel at the waterfall. If you ask me, nature is more enjoyable than anything we can find on television.”

…

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that anyone can see that there is a friend behind such gifts. These objects were not placed in a random way. There is intelligence to both the gifts and their utilization.

We can use a video game as an example to see the same principle in action. In an adventure-style title, there might be various items sprinkled throughout the open-world. The character has to find these items. Sometimes, there is fortuitous placement. You find the silver arrow right before facing the final boss. You discover the raft necessary for crossing the water to reach the next underworld destination.

You get other gifts, such as continuation without loss of progress. If you fail at a certain attempt, you get to start over from the same place. The player understands that these are facets of the design, that someone had to intentionally help the player in their quest.

The person helping us in our quest for perfection of living is Shri Krishna. He is behind these wonderful gifts. He did not leave us to fend for ourselves, totally. In every direction we turn, we find indications of His presence, His kindness, and His compassion.

A reasonable person will accept these conclusions. They will be inquisitive to learn more about this well-wishing friend. Where does He live? What does He look like? Just what is the extent of His abilities?

मन्-मना भव मद्-भक्तो
मद्-याजी मां नमस्कुरु
माम् एवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवम्
आत्मानं मत्-परायणः

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam
ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.34)

Will He support us in the future? Has He been around in the past? What can we do to repay the kindness? How do we uphold our end of the friendship?

In Closing:

Despite obstacles faced,
Items strategically placed.

So that the player to assist,
Not from challenge to desist.

With Shri Krishna the same,
In quest for ultimate gain.

That friends with gifts everywhere around,
Meant for again His shelter found.

Categories: the three

Tags: food, god, hare krishna, nature, poem, poems, poetry, space