“Our dear friend Yashoda, your son sometimes comes to our houses before the milking of the cows and releases the calves, and when the master of the house becomes angry, your son merely smiles. Sometimes He devises some process by which He steals palatable curd, butter and milk, which He then eats and drinks. When the monkeys assemble, He divides it with them, and when the monkeys have their bellies so full that they won’t take more, He breaks the pots. Sometimes, if He gets no opportunity to steal butter or milk from a house, He will be angry at the householders, and for His revenge He will agitate the small children by pinching them. Then, when the children begin crying, Krishna will go away.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.8.29)

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वत्सान् मुञ्चन् क्‍वचिदसमये क्रोशसञ्जातहास:
स्तेयं स्वाद्वत्त्यथ दधिपय: कल्पितै: स्तेययोगै:
मर्कान् भोक्ष्यन् विभजति स चेन्नात्ति भाण्डं भिन्नत्ति
द्रव्यालाभे सगृहकुपितो यात्युपक्रोश्य तोकान्

vatsān muñcan kvacid asamaye krośa-sañjāta-hāsaḥ
steyaṁ svādv atty atha dadhi-payaḥ kalpitaiḥ steya-yogaiḥ
markān bhokṣyan vibhajati sa cen nātti bhāṇḍaṁ bhinnatti
dravyālābhe sagṛha-kupito yāty upakrośya tokān

In this hypothetical situation, we are beyond the stage of doubt. We do not insist on authenticity to prove that there is a grand coordinator. We have resolved the question about how a seed can be so precisely configured so as to produce a fruit-bearing plant in the future. That the seed knows the precise quantity of ingredients to extract from nature, at precisely the right moment, stopping at the exact point of maturity, without any external or visible programming. In other words, the seed was born with the ability to reproduce, and that to precise specification, never deviating from the expected outcome.

We believe in God, and now someone is available who can offer God to us. They can show us. We might have to do some work along the way. We do not simply sit idly and demand service like from an employee at a restaurant or hotel. In this case, the person offering God is saintly. People identify them as a sadhu. Since the gift the sadhu is giving encompasses the entire creation and more, there are different versions available, suited to our desires and corresponding with our angle of vision.

1. An order supplier

“He created this universe, after all. He is like the original fire, from which countless sparks emanate. This is the greatest fire, carrying the greatest intensity. This means that the distribution of the sparks is at the widest range imaginable. This is one way to understand how God accomplishes omnipresence, as those sparks are still Him to an extent. He is neither diminished nor divided through such expansion.

“Since He has the greatest intensity, He can deliver anything that you want. Whenever you want it. Without extra effort. This world represents but a spark of His splendor. We cannot accurately measure any of His features. That is why He is known as Adhokshaja. Go ahead and ask anything from Him that you want.”

यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा
तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोऽशसम्भवम्

yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ
śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tat tad evāvagaccha tvaṁ
mama tejo-’ṁśa-sambhavam

“Know that all beautiful, glorious, and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.41)

2. An Almighty presence

“Do not worry. God will take care of everything. He is watching over the entire creation. There is not a single space which lacks His presence. Everywhere are His eyes. He is Supersoul. He is Paramatma to the atma. In this expansion, which is known as Narayana, the beautiful four-handed Almighty observes what takes place. His oversight means more than anything else. Rest assured that the proper outcomes will manifest in due course.”

अवश्यं लभते जन्तुः फलं पापस्य कर्मणः
घोरं पर्यागते काले द्रुमाः पुष्पमिवार्तवम्

avaśyaṃ labhate jantuḥ phalaṃ pāpasya karmaṇaḥ
ghoraṃ paryāgate kāle drumāḥ puṣpamivārtavam

“Just as a tree starts to blossom during the proper season, so the doer of sinful deeds inevitably reaps the horrible fruit of their actions at the appropriate time.” (Lord Rama speaking to Khara, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 29.8)

3. A punisher of the wicked

“I give to you the vision of Narasimha. He chases after the demons, who scurry away like rats. They are suddenly too afraid for confrontation. They had no issue previously, when they were attacking an innocent five-year old child. Now, they happen to respect the awe-inspiring figure in front of them, whose vision is amazing, adbhuta. That figure appeared seemingly out of nowhere, emerging from the pillar sarcastically struck by the leader of the Daityas, Hiranyakashipu.

“You, too, can keep Narasimha in mind. Know that He is the punisher of the wicked. He does not tolerate interference of devotional practices. Especially if the devotee is otherwise helpless, if they have no other recourse, Narasimha will protect. Rest assured by keeping that husband of Lakshmi within your mind.”

4. A teacher

“You may think that I am wise. Within our society, people show respect. They approach to touch my feet, to receive blessings. The truth is that I am only speaking what I have learned from my own teacher. This passing of the torch, so to speak, is known as parampara. The origin of that transfer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is therefore the greatest teacher.

“You can connect with Him as the rescuer of Arjuna. He is the lead character in the historical narrative kindly preserved in the recorded sound that is Bhagavad-gita. If you are ever in doubt, you can connect with God in that vision. He is the teacher of Arjuna, but also the guru of the entire universe.”

5. A constant companion

This version automatically incorporates all other angles of vision. In other cases, there may be something we are looking to extract. There is a specific dilemma that needs to be resolved. There is an issue plaguing us. There is resolution we are desperate to reach.

चतुर्-विधा भजन्ते मां
जनाः सुकृतिनो ऽर्जुन
आर्तो जिज्ञासुर् अर्थार्थी
ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
janāḥ sukṛtino ‘rjuna
ārto jijñāsur arthārthī
jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

“O best among the Bharatas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me – the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.16)

If there is any defect to be detected in these other visions, it is that the connection is based on conditions. Once the conditions change, it is not guaranteed that the connection will remain. The wise characterize this kind of devotional service, bhakti-yoga, as impure.

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)

God as a constant companion is the benediction from following pure devotional service. We simply think of Him; always. We are not limited to a single visual. Even worshipers of God as Krishna might branch out in their contemplation. For instance, one person always remembers Krishna as Gopala, who steals butter from the homes of the neighbors. Another person meditates on Krishna as the king of Dvaraka, who respectfully receives the brahmana carrying the letter of urgent attention from a princess named Rukmini.

“I can understand that the marriage of Rukmini with Shishupala has been arranged by her elder brother in a spirit of animosity toward Me; so I am determined to give a good lesson to all of these princes. Just as fire is extracted and utilized after manipulating ordinary wood, similarly, after dealing with these demoniac princes, I shall bring forth Rukmini, like fire, from their midst.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 52)

Whatever vision we choose, through it we can maintain constant association. God can be our eternal companion, delivered through the culture instilled by the spiritual guide. For this gift, there is no proper repayment. It is like a debt we feel can never go away, and so instead we try our best to pass forward the same benediction to others, in the best way we can.

In Closing:

Given this devotional way,
Now massive debt to repay.

The spiritual guide blessing,
The root of problem addressing.

That God in fullest version true,
A constant companion who.

Like in Gokula where butter taking,
Or savior of Rukmini making.

Categories: the five

Tags: dailyprompt, god, hare krishna, hinduism, religion, rukmini