“My dear father, I am very respectfully and humbly inquiring. What is this arrangement? Why you are busy in making some sacrificial ceremony, what is the reason, and what is the result? For whose benefit is it and by what means will it be accomplished?” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.24.3)

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कथ्यतां मे पित: कोऽयं सम्भ्रमो व उपागत:
किं फलं कस्य वोद्देश: केन वा साध्यते मख:

kathyatāṁ me pitaḥ ko ’yaṁ
sambhramo va upāgataḥ
kiṁ phalaṁ kasya voddeśaḥ
kena vā sādhyate makhaḥ

1. What is all of this stuff?

“My dear father, what are these items you have gathered? This appears to be different from the regular observances that the family holds. I have never heard of this one before. Is it related to worshiping the Almighty?”

2. Is this a sacrificial ceremony?

“My dear father, are we conducting a yajna? What is the name of this particular one? Is there a specific interval at which it is observed? Is it recurring or only takes place one time? I would certainly like to offer assistance, if children are permitted.”

3. For what purpose is this being done?

“My dear father, there must be some purpose to this yajna. You are not known for acting without intelligence. I notice that your every action, from morning until night, has a distinct purpose. You are deliberate and you are always building upon practices. For instance, your sadhana this year seems to be greater in quantity and intensity than it was last year.”

4. What will the result be?

“My dear father, what is to be gained by this yajna? Kim phalam, as they would say in Sanskrit. What is the fruit we are looking to achieve? Is it for our own enjoyment or someone else’s? Are we looking to be gifted with overall auspiciousness or is there some other way to know that the sacrifice has been conducted successfully?”

5. What are the means by which it will be accomplished?

“My dear father, what needs to be done? Can this be conducted at home? Are more formal arrangements required? Is this something that can be taken care of in a day or two or will this extend out over many days?”

…

A son once posed such questions to his father, as per the history documented in Vedic literature. The father involved in the yajna was Nanda Maharaja, who was the leader of the Gokula community. The inquisitive son was Shri Krishna, who was adored for His effulgence, His charm, His kindness, and His overall influence on the society.

We can actually pose these questions as they pertain to any kind of dedicated activity. Even someone sleeping for an extended period of time, such as during the day, when the sun is shining bright, can be on the receiving end of such inquiry.

The key words are “kim phalam.” What is the purpose? What is to be gained? Action has consequence. There is karma and then the phalam from the karma. We plant the seed and then hope to see the fruit. The reward can manifest instantly or after many months and years. Nevertheless, there is always action as the initial cause.

अदृष्टगुणदोषाणामध्रुवाणां तु कर्मणाम्
नान्तरेण क्रियां तेषां फलमिष्टं प्रवर्तते

adṛṣṭaguṇadoṣāṇāmadhruvāṇāṃ tu karmaṇām
nāntareṇa kriyāṃ teṣāṃ phalamiṣṭaṃ pravartate

“Unseen and indefinite are the good and bad reactions of fruitive work. And without taking action, the desired fruits of such work cannot manifest.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.17)

Krishna had His own intentions in mind. His inquiry was not as innocent as it appeared. It was something like the lawyer cross-examining a witness in a courtroom. Krishna knew how to respond appropriately, based on the explanations provided by His father.

Everything that was to be accomplished through the yajna in honor of Indra, the king of heaven, could be attained by holding a ceremony in honor of the nearby Govardhana Hill. This was to be a new ceremony, taken birth and given shape in the mind of Krishna.

Because of the genesis there was no assurance from past experience. There was no track record to verify the authenticity of the proposal, the timing of the arrival of the fruits, the configuration of the mechanism, or the pleasure of the intended beneficiary.

In essence, Nanda and the community would have to take Krishna’s word for it. They would have to trust Him. They would have to believe that basic devotion, in a form of appreciation, with dedicated effort, in the time-honored tradition of sacrifice, would be worth their effort.

This actually mimics the way devotional service flows. Bhakti-yoga can be modeled on that first Govardhana Puja. The “kim phalam” question has the same answer for the repeated exercise of chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The welcoming lamps of the arati ceremony. The time spent reading sacred texts like Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavata Purana, and Ramayana. The attention to both nivritti and pravritti. The respect paid to the spiritual guide. The lack of expectation in reciprocation, particularly with respect to increased sense indulgence. These are all ways to satisfy the son of Nanda Maharaja. His eternal association is the best phalam that could ever be attained.

In Closing:

Kim phalam question asked,
When town with preparations tasked.

By young child observing,
Thought Govardhana more deserving.

So a proposal to father making,
That same attention taking.

And to that hill giving,
Fulfilled all means living.

Categories: kim phalam, the five

Tags: god, hare krishna, hinduism, karma, poem, poems, poetry, religion