How Do Devotees Know What To Say

“’O naughty child, now try going from here, if you can.’ Having spoken thus, she returned to her household duties.” (Vishnu Purana, 5.6.15)

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यदि शक्नोषि गच्छ त्वम् अतिचञ्चलचेष्टित
इत्य् उक्त्वा च निजं कर्म सा चकार कुटुम्बिनी

yadi śaknoṣi gaccha tvam aticañcalaceṣṭita
ity uktvā ca nijaṃ karma sā cakāra kuṭumbinī

“It is one of the memorable moments from the story that is Bhagavad-gita. There is a narrative to the interaction, though the focus tends to be on the content itself. Studying the principles. Memorizing the Sanskrit shlokas. Applying those principles to life through our experience, which is five thousand years after the fact. The front cover to a sacred book like Bhagavad-gita As It Is might depict a military conflict, but the words inside are more peaceful in nature. The details of the fight are in the much larger work holding Bhagavad-gita that is Mahabharata.

“The moment I speak of is the vision of the virat-rupa. This is a change in the dynamic. Like when those reality competition shows suddenly shift to a different location, to make the final rounds more difficult, we have the teacher Himself giving an entirely different visual. The change is by request. The student knows about this other feature the entire time. He waits until a precise moment before asking to see this other side to the individual known as Krishna.

“That Krishna is a charioteer. He is a cousin. He is a friend. He also happens to be the source of the material and spiritual worlds. The highest concept the human mind can imagine – that is Krishna. The vision displayed is both three-dimensional and moving. There is a time element involved. It is like the greatest exhibit to appear in a museum. At the same time, it is still Krishna. The individual has not changed. He is merely giving a glimpse into His amazing potencies.

“I try to place myself in the same situation. If I should happen to be so fortunate, what would I do? For starters, I would be terrified. I cannot gaze into outer space for too long, as the seemingly infinite scope is too much for me to tolerate. I also would not know what to say. Think about it for a second. If you were to meet God, in person, what would you say to Him? Let’s pretend that you are not inimical. You like God. You are grateful for everything you have in life. You want to say nice things, with praise resembling an induction into one of those prestigious halls.

“I would be tongue-tied. I would not have a clue how to respond. But Arjuna knew. He offered amazing praise. How did he do it? How did he know what to say? What were his qualifications? How do we prepare for the same, in case we ever get the opportunity?”

Arjuna could offer kind prayers because he knew. The same was seen with the celestials, in anticipation of the arrival of Krishna. They had petitioned Vishnu directly, to deal with trouble in the material world. They knew that Vishnu has their back. They knew that Vishnu is always favorable to the brahmana community and to the cows. The Sanskrit words are brahmanya-devaya. The residents of the heavenly region saw that Vishnu was descending to earth, preparing for birth through the womb of Devaki. They offered prayers to that very womb.

“Our dear Lord, You are appearing as the best of the Yadu dynasty, and we are offering our respectful humble obeisances unto Your lotus feet. Before this appearance, You also appeared as the fish incarnation, the horse incarnation, the tortoise incarnation, the swan incarnation, as King Ramachandra, as Parashurama, and as many other incarnations.” (Demigods praying to Krishna in the womb of Devaki, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Volume 1, Chapter 2)

They knew what to say because they knew Vishnu. They knew God. They are always aligned with goodness. That is the meaning to the term “sura.” The demigods, the devas, the celestials – whatever the preferred term – they try their best to stay with the Supreme Lord. The asuras are the opposite. They always go against. They would have a difficult time offering prayers since they are so inimical. They are miserly and miserable. They never appreciate what they have. They would fail to recognize the amazing opportunity that is close proximity to the Supreme Lord.

पितासि लोकस्य चराचरस्य
त्वमस्य पूज्यश्च गुरुर्गरीयान्
न त्वत्समोऽस्त्यभ्यधिक: कुतोऽन्यो
लोकत्रयेऽप्यप्रतिमप्रभाव

pitāsi lokasya carācarasya
tvam asya pūjyaś ca gurur garīyān
na tvat-samo ’sty abhyadhikaḥ kuto ’nyo
loka-traye ’py apratima-prabhāva

“You are the father of this complete cosmic manifestation, the worshipable chief, the spiritual master. No one is equal to You, nor can anyone be one with You. Within the three worlds, You are immeasurable.” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 11.43)

The battlefield of Kurukshetra embodied this very division in choice. Why was Krishna seated on Arjuna’s chariot? Why were others not approaching Krishna for guidance? Why was there an entire military gathered to go against the chariot that Krishna was steering? Why was that mass of people not eager to appear in front of the son of Devaki and say kind words?

स्वयमेवात्मनात्मानं वेत्थ त्वं पुरुषोत्तम
भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगत्पते

svayam evātmanātmānaṁ
vettha tvaṁ puruṣottama
bhūta-bhāvana bhūteśa
deva-deva jagat-pate

“Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe!” (Arjuna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.15)

Arjuna could offer kind words because he knew. He was familiar with Krishna. He also had the support of authority. Respected personalities like Vyasa and Narada felt the same way about Krishna. The people who truly know Krishna feel as if there is not enough time nor enough words to properly express the gratitude, the appreciation, the dependency, and the love for the one who is always wishing well to others.

भोक्तारं यज्ञ-तपसां
सर्व-लोक-महेश्वरम्
सुहृदं सर्व-भूतानां
ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिम् ऋच्छति

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

“The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.29)

The teachings of the acharya are for fulfilling the same purpose. The practical implementation of the devotional culture, sadhana-bhakti, is for preparing the individual for the meeting with God. The teachings might appear redundant. Why are the same principles discussed day after day? How many times can a person hear about a young Krishna stealing butter in Gokula? How much bliss is there really to extract from reviewing the taunting words of Yashoda towards a punished and bound Krishna, who thus became known as Damodara?

The response from the people who know is that there is never enough information. There is never too much interaction. The more time spent together, in connection, in yoga, the more a person will know about the Supreme Lord. The more they will be prepared to offer kind words. At the very least, they can repeat a mantra that carries the same potency as the virat-rupa itself: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Thinking about words to say,
In fortunate meeting to pray.

But consider Yashoda the mother,
Whose son the Supreme none other.

Rather taunting words to give,
As constant protector to live.

Never enough of story to hear,
Vision forever of Damodara dear.