Five Reasons To Act On The Knowledge Of Krishna

“This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.2)

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राज-विद्या राज-गुह्यं
पवित्रम् इदम् उत्तमम्
प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं
सु-सुखं कर्तुम् अव्ययम्

rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ
su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada says that there is something more important than the knowledge of Krishna. As explained in Bhagavad-gita, this is the king of education, raja-vidya. It is the secret of all secrets.

How can there be something superior to the king of education? After accepting that vital knowledge, what else could there be left to do? To what other platform can a person ascend?

More important than accepting that knowledge is acting on it. Acting on raja-vidya is known as devotional service. Sanskrit terms such as bhakti-yoga, bhagavata-dharma, sanatana-dharma, and bhagavad-bhakti describe this concept.

The implementation of devotional service is for the practical realization of the knowledge. Sort of like entering the field after studying to become a doctor. Acting as lead counsel in an important trial after earning a degree to practice law. Conducting experiments in the laboratory after achieving a proper credential from an institution for higher learning.

There are justifications beyond the basic recommendation. An elevated saintly person can instruct us as to the superiority of devotional service, how it is the second and more important phase of the assimilation of transcendental knowledge, but there is also supporting evidence, found within Krishna Himself.

1. Death is not the end

Shri Krishna is so kind to provide insight into the science of the spirit soul. This is the critical piece of information lacking in the standardized education system of the modern day. If you focus on matter, then everything is fine. Enjoying the senses. Following through on passion. Helping others to alleviate bodily misalignments or deficiencies in enjoyment. But if you venture into matters which are actually important, the school might be shut down.

Krishna reveals that death is not the end. That great mystery, both in terms of its guaranteed arrival and the lack of perceivable connection after the fact. Krishna demystifies both death and the concept of reincarnation, which is nothing more than the transmigration of the soul.

देहिनो ऽस्मिन् यथा देहे
कौमारं यौवनं जरा
तथा देहान्तर-प्राप्तिर्
धीरस् तत्र न मुह्यति

dehino ‘smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

2. He reveals the secret to living

Krishna also reveals the secret to an existence. The spirit soul transcends birth and death. The temporary living arrangements do not identify the individual. They are like phases in a larger journey. They are like scenes in a theatrical production.

That spirit soul is part and parcel of Krishna. That spirit soul is like God in quality. That spirit soul is the superior energy, when juxtaposed with the material energy. The secret to living is to put the interests of the soul first.

3. He is not old

I can happily act on the knowledge of Krishna because He is not old. Time is never running out. I may not have many days left in this world, but my connection to Krishna is eternal. He is able to remember every past encounter.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि
जन्मानि तव चार्जुन
तान्य् अहं वेद सर्वाणि
न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni
janmāni tava cārjuna
tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi
na tvaṁ vettha parantapa

“The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.5)

Through the passage of time, Krishna remains nava-yauvanam. In appearance, He is like someone who has just entered the teenage years. He is neither old nor declining in ability. Since His greatness is impossible to measure with blunt instruments, He is also known as Adhokshaja.

4. He is not angry

Since Krishna is all-bliss, He is never angry. Anger is rooted in frustration. A person is frustrated if they are not able to fulfill a desire. The cars on the road won’t move. The sun hasn’t been out in a week. My spouse is constantly yelling at me. The employer refuses to give me a raise.

Krishna is satya-sankalpa. As soon as He desires something, it happens. According to His timeline, when He sees fit, it is like every potential outcome is a vow, impossible to break. This means that despite forgetting Him for so many lifetimes, He will not hold the neglect against me.

बहूनां जन्मनाम् अन्ते
ज्ञानवान् मां प्रपद्यते
वासुदेवः सर्वम् इति
स महात्मा सु-दुर्लभः

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.19)

5. He is not spiteful

Krishna easily could scold. He could admonish. He could revisit past reminders, from both Him and others, who were aligned with the saintly path. He could put a record on repeat, which sings the line, “See, I told you so.”

सर्व-धर्मान् परित्यज्य
माम् एकं शरणं व्रज
अहं त्वां सर्व-पापेभ्यो
मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.66)

Instead, the offer for complete protection is still there. Any person can surrender. They can abandon the varieties in dharma and proceed along the single path, acting on the knowledge of Krishna by serving Him without motivation and without interruption.

In Closing:

So kind and merciful is He,
That despite failures to see.

And past mistakes made,
With same promise stayed.

That surrender right now,
To be delivered how.

After highest knowledge to take,
Practical application to make.