Five Reasons Not To Be Afraid Of God

“One day when Krishna was engaged in stealing butter and yogurt in the house of Jatila, He assured His friends, ‘My dear friends, I know that this old lady is now sleeping very profoundly because she is breathing very deeply. Let us silently steal butter and yogurt without making any disturbance.’” (The Nectar Of Devotion, Ch 45)

Download this episode (right click and save)

The atheists should be afraid. They deny His existence. They speculate that this amazingly wonderful creation – featuring marvels in predictability, reliability, and even architecture embedded into every aspect, from the tiniest to the largest - came about through randomness or the lack of intelligence. They posit the theory of evolution but give no evidence as to what causes the changes. They associate completely with the temporary body, and so the ultimate goal becomes enjoying the senses, especially through illicit sex life.

Those who believe in God offer words of warning. “Be afraid of the punishment you will reap in the afterlife. You can’t just go on living like that and expect to get away with it.”

This mentality is often referred to as “God-fearing.” The God-fearing people live by the rules; whatever are passed down in their inherited faith. They understand that there is a higher power, an Almighty being. The atheists will only acknowledge when they are forced to, at the time of death. They will see God all the same, but in a terrifying form.

From studying the spiritual science that is the Vedas and progressing further along in it, the individual comes to learn that there is no reason to fear God. One time a five year old boy was the only person in the area to realize this, as even the great guardians of the heavenly region became afraid upon seeing an angry form of the Divine delivered to the best of the atheists.

1. He is all-attractive

The best of atheists was addressed this way by his son, the aforementioned five year old. Atheist here is a translation for the Sanskrit word Daitya. Hiranyakashipu was the varya, or the best, of the Daityas. His son was of the same race, but with a different mindset.

Prahlada was a devotee, and so the form of Narasimhadeva was not a cause of fear. That half-man/half-lion incarnation of God ripped through the stomach of Hiranyakashipu as punishment for the persecutions the wicked father inflicted on the innocent son, whose only crime was love and devotion to God the person.

Narasimhadeva was a terrifying form for the sinful king, and death is the way others of the asura-like mindset meet God, but in actuality the Supreme Lord is all-attractive. That is the reason for the name Krishna. This also refers to a specific manifestation, or form, of the Divine.

Indeed, every aspect of God is attractive, even the material nature. That energy is something like a shadow or replica of the real thing. It is like seeing God from behind. That portion is still part of the Divine, so some are bound to be attracted to it. The issue is that attraction to this side leads to repeated birth and death, with temporary and miserable experiences in between.

Being attracted to Krishna means being completely at peace. No more fear, as there is the security of full protection from Krishna Himself. He ensures that the devotion of the devotees continues, no matter the change in circumstances.

2. He is always with me as the Supersoul

Goswami Tulsidas says that the saguna, or personal, form of the Lord is superior to the nirguna, or impersonal. He uses the descent of Narasimhadeva as proof. The nirguna form is that which cannot be seen with our eyes. God is actually all around; He is everywhere. We know that He is in the heart of every living entity, directing everything. We are just seated as on a machine, along for the ride, thinking that we’re directing everything.

“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.61)

The nirguna form is also called Paramatma, or Supersoul. This is an expansion of God that travels with every person, for every lifetime. That means God is inside of me right now. Why should I be afraid of Him, then? He was inside Prahlada Maharaja, as well as Hiranyakashipu.

The presence of the Supersoul represents supreme kindness, but there is something held back. There isn’t interference with decisions. That is the reason Hiranyakashipu could do unspeakable things like throw his son off a cliff, send him into a pit of fire, and have him attacked with deadly weapons. The nirguna form did not intervene to save the boy.

It was the saguna form that did that. This means that the personal aspect of God is even more merciful. His presence gives further justification for not remaining fearful.

3. He is too cute when stealing butter

The Krishna form sometimes descends to this world and goes through the typical cycle of life. This is to protect the pious, punish the miscreants, and give pleasure to the devotees. The childhood form also has the same dual effect. It proves the kindness and attractiveness of God, and also gives justification to the atheist to continue in their ignorant ways.

Would you be afraid of a small child who comes into the home to steal butter? By the way, He plays innocent later on. The neighbors try to get Krishna in trouble, but then they change their minds. They can’t bear to see the cute son of mother Yashoda punished. They quite enjoy the fact that He comes to their homes, uninvited, and takes what they have stored up.

4. Look at how the gopis talk to Him

Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has declared the love of the gopis towards Krishna to be the highest form of worship. These cowherd girls, living in Vrindavana, love Krishna without motive and without interruption. They may be engaged in other tasks during the day, but their thoughts are always with Krishna.

They are anything but afraid of Him. They chastise Krishna like anything. They make fun of Him constantly. They feel they have the right since their hearts are given over to Him. And the Supreme Lord takes great pleasure in hearing such verbal abuse. He knows the root of the sentiment, and so He can only feel more indebted.

5. He forgives so many years of forgetfulness

The promise of spiritual life is available to everyone. There is the saying that all sinners have a future. No matter how low you have fallen, you can get back up. This extends to future lives. The teaching from the Bhagavad-gita is that whatever consciousness exists while quitting the body, that type of existence will be found in the subsequent birth.

By the fact that we took birth in this lifetime we can deduce that we weren’t perfectly pure in consciousness in the last lifetime. No issue. Forgiveness is there for the great length of time that we have forgotten God. If Krishna can wipe such a large slate clean through devotion, why should there be any fear?

In Closing:

Atheists brazenly against,

God-fearing towards piety bent.

But in bhakti knowing something more,

Like beautiful butter-thief to adore.

How the gopis chastising words to speak,

He forgiving sins from past lives each.

When choice for devotion earnestly made,

No cause to ever be afraid.