You Are Calling Me Home

“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

Is it not the general tendency to ask? To at least look up to the heavens, to see if there is anything that can be done. After all, there are many things which are beyond our control. The approaching storm. The upcoming medical procedure for our loved one. The decision from the potential employer, on whether or not we will land the position. The outcome of the election, involving millions of votes cast, to decide the future fate of the nation.

Bhagavad-gita is kind enough to offer categories. In analyzing the people who initially approach God, if we were to organize their justifications, their reasonings, the initial sparks, into bins, we would get four in number. The “distressed” is one of those categories, and it covers a range of issues including mental, physical, and emotional distresses.

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)

His Divine Grace Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura recommends a different approach. Rather than trying to see God, to gain His attention, to have a formal meeting in which we can reveal our requests, we should work in ways that God will see us. Get Him to notice our behavior, our character, our values, and our priorities.

This is tricky in a sense, considering the antaryami property. This Sanskrit word refers to someone who is all-pervading as a witness. The truth is not based on speculation. There is supporting information from the Upanishads, which depict two birds sitting on a tree. The two birds are friends, except only one is aware of the other. The one bird is making decisions to enjoy various aspects of the tree, noticing the fruits that blossom, while the other bird simply witnesses. The witnessing bird is actually wishing well to the enjoying bird, but the enjoying bird is unaware of what is good and what is not.

“The Vedas, like the Mundaka Upanishad, as well as the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, compare the soul and the Supersoul to two friendly birds sitting on the same tree. One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird (Krishna) is simply watching His friend. Of these two birds—although they are the same in quality—one is captivated by the fruits of the material tree, while the other is simply witnessing the activities of His friend. Krishna is the witnessing bird, and Arjuna is the eating bird.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 2.22 Purport)

Goswami Tulsidas repeatedly reminds himself that auspiciousness is through remembering the Supreme Lord. This remembrance, which is a kind of meditation, dhyana, will bring the most auspiciousness. It will do the most good for the individual.

राम बाम दिसि जानकी लखन दाहिनी ओर
ध्यान सकल कल्यानमय सुरतरु तुलसी तोर

rāma bāma disi jānakī lakhana dāhinī ora
dhyāna sakala kalyānamaya surataru tulasī tora

“Meditating on Shri Rama, who has Janaki to His left and Lakshmana to His right, brings all auspiciousness and is your wish-fulfilling tree, O Tulsi.” (Dohavali, 1)

The same recommendation is there in Bhagavad-gita. Shri Krishna recommends remembering. The disciple, who is like the enjoying bird referenced previously, is Arjuna. He also happens to be in distress. In that specific situation, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna approaches Krishna. He wants something in return.

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)

There is the initial approach, where we might want something. There is the other end of the spectrum, where we work in ways to get the attention of the Almighty. There is also another angle of vision to consider. When working for the satisfaction of that Almighty Being, when asking nothing in return, we get help from that object of worship.

तेषाम् एवानुकम्पार्थम्
अहम् अज्ञान-जं तमः
नाशयाम्य् आत्म-भाव-स्थो
ज्ञान-दीपेन भास्वता

teṣām evānukampārtham
aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ
nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho
jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

“Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.11)

In other words, if my desire is to be with God, He will help me. We see this play out in the manifest lila of Shri Krishna, particularly in the sacred land of Gokula-Vrindavana. As a young cowherd boy, the foster son to Yashoda and her husband, Nanda, Krishna is known to take the calves out to the pasturing grounds. If they should happen to scatter about, wandering off too far, Krishna simply climbs to the top of Govardhana Hill and plays His flute. Krishna essentially calls those calves back home.

For the mothers of the community, Krishna goes one step further. Rather than specifically send out a signal, in the manner of a phone call or an audible message, Krishna intrudes. He assumes the role of the greatest thief, all while in the visual of an innocent and adorable child.

The mothers know exactly what is happening. Krishna has their attention. They see the mischief that He is up to. These mothers, who are cowherd women, then take their complaints to the person in charge. They read off the rap sheet to Yashoda. They recount everything Krishna has done, in a manner impressive to even the topmost yogi, who spends their entire existence in dhyana on the lotus feet of the origin of the entire universe.

The mothers complain, but they are not really upset. They kind of enjoy the disturbance. They are pleased with the trouble that Krishna causes. After all, their very existence is for His pleasure. He rewards their devotion with intrusion. He calls them home, to the place which is most pleasing to the mind.

In Closing:

No more wandering to find,
Place most pleasing to the mind.

In devotion a higher plane,
Where assistance to gain.

Like attention of mothers holding,
By intrusions for butter unfolding.

Later on to beloved mother to complain,
But deep down so grateful He came.