Three Examples Of Krishna’s Causeless Mercy

“The devotees of the Lord do not bother about the impersonal Brahman conception of God; their faith and devotion bring them to surrender immediately unto the Supreme Lord, and out of the causeless mercy of Krishna, they can understand Krishna. No one else can understand Him.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 10.2 Purport)

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He doesn’t have to do anything. He is not obligated to help, since the decision was made a long time ago. An obvious indication of that choice is the behavior at present. Forgetfulness. Lack of interest. Not a care in the world. Focus only on enjoying the senses, building stature, and indulgence in this aspect and that.

The constitutional position is different. The living entity belongs firmly fixed in spiritual life. This is what they are best suited for; it is the occupation matching the qualities within, dharma. The kids go to the playground to pretend to enjoy like adults, but the good parents won’t leave them there forever. The little ones don’t know any better, after all.

In the same way, despite the forgetfulness caused by our choice, the Supreme Lord shows His causeless mercy in many ways, all designed to help us get back on track.

1. Largest person in the world and yet appears in the deity

There is the Sanskrit word Adhokshaja. This refers to a person whose features cannot be measured by blunt instruments. The routine visits to the pediatrician really aren’t necessary unless an obvious illness is present. One of the justifications is the measurement of height and weight. This is a way to gauge progress, i.e. to see if the body is growing at an acceptable rate.

With the Supreme Lord these features cannot be measured. He is larger than the largest. He is more than the greatest number we can conceive. This planet is enormous, but the universe more so. God is more than a multitude of universes combined.

From His causeless mercy He appears in the deity. Not based on speculation or imagination, the figure consisting of material elements is authorized through the system of parampara. The proper procedures taken during construction and subsequent worship make the statue or picture fit for receiving focused thoughts and prayers; the deity is the ideal object of meditation.

This is causeless mercy, since God doesn’t have to do this. He helps us to understand what transcendental features are. The depiction is accurate since God is all-attractive. Hence one of His many names is Krishna.

2. Most complicated subject matter and yet can be worshiped by a small child

We wouldn’t allow a novice to operate a commercial airplane. We wouldn’t put an adolescent behind the wheel of heavy machinery at a construction site. The expensive vase in the home should be protected from toddlers, who don’t yet understand the value.

In the same way, Vedanta philosophy is not meant for just any person. Though the human being has the birthright, with their increased potential for intelligence, there has to be both interest and sobriety of thought. The teacher is not in the business of wasting time. The student must be serious to learn what is translated as “the end of knowledge.”

Scholars have studied Him since the beginning of time, and there is yet to be complete information about Him. This is because His glories continue to increase. Despite being the most complicated subject matter, the Supreme Lord can be worshiped by a small child. That is to say no person is shut out completely.

We may think that the child is simply imitating devotional activities, that they are in the beginning phases of something hopefully to mature later on. In fact, the child is eligible to worship perfectly. Assimilation of esoteric knowledge is not a strict requirement. Consciousness is what matters most, and due to Krishna’s causeless mercy that consciousness can be purified during any stage of life.

3. Lives far away in Vaikuntha and yet can appear in a matter of seconds

The secret here is the holy name. Chanting properly brings the Supreme Lord to the immediate vicinity through the power of sound: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Yet He is known to live far away, in the spiritual realm called Vaikuntha. This place cannot be located on a map. Radar detection will not pick up the location. It is a different realm, after all. There are similar elements around, but they are of a different nature.

Though the material world is like the shadow copy, a perverted reflection, any place can become spiritualized through Krishna’s presence. He is already around us and also within. It just takes the combination of a little desire and His causeless mercy to make the transformation.

In Closing:

By choice this birth to get,

In land of forgetfulness set.

Lord showing causeless mercy still,

Appearing for pages with glories to fill.

In the deity worship for all and one,

From Vaikuntha immediately can come.

Contradictions in many ways so,

But even a small child can know.