Five Roles Krishna Assumed For The Benefit Of The Pandavas

“This dhira-prashanta trait of Krishna was exhibited in His dealings with the Pandavas. On account of the Pandavas' faithful devotion to the Lord, He agreed to become their charioteer, their advisor, their friend, their messenger and sometimes their bodyguard. Such is an example of the result of devotional service towards Vishnu.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 23)

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The Sanskrit word Bhagavan refers to someone who is fortunate in an unlimited way. Nothing is lacking, either. In sports we see that certain players are better suited for certain roles. One is fast and agile, while another is intelligent and strong. Rare it is to find someone who can do everything.

That is limited to the realm of sports competition, but imagine someone who is not lacking any feature. They can give a dissertation on the highest philosophy at one moment and build a motorcycle from parts the next. Not surprisingly, the word Bhagavan really only applies to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the same word is used for others, it is because they are His devotees and have received some of the same ability from the original source.

It is still a difficult task to try to understand Bhagavan. Leaders in the chain of disciplic succession have attempted to explain Bhagavan to others, and one such resulting work is the Bhakti-Rasamritasindhu by Shrila Rupa Gosvami. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has translated and commented on this work in English, with the resulting title The Nectar of Devotion.

That book lists many qualities of Bhagavan, who is known as Krishna due to His all-attractive nature. Bhagavan is beyond a concept; He is a real person, with feelings, thoughts, deeds and names. This makes the task of explaining Him a little easier, as there are identifiable qualities.

One of those qualities is described as dhira-prashanta in Sanskrit. Krishna is forbearing, peaceful and obliging. The best example given for proof of this quality is Krishna’s dealing with the Pandavas, the five sons of King Pandu who were the central characters to the great history known as the Mahabharata. As He is so obliging to His devotees, Krishna assumed different roles for the benefit of those brothers.

1. Charioteer

This was for the final war, to settle the dispute once and for all. The kingdom centralized in the city of Hastinapura rightfully belonged to Pandu’s sons. The sons of Dhritarashtra, Pandu’s brother, took it over illegally. The Pandavas didn’t want to go to war; it was a last resort.

There were a good number of people on both sides, and so Krishna stayed mostly out of the conflict. He agreed to be the charioteer for Arjuna, which on the surface seemed like a trivial role. Arjuna would be leading the fight for the Pandavas. His arrows would determine success or failure.

This was a very kind act on the part of Krishna because it would serve as the basis for the subsequent Bhagavad-gita discussion. The highest wisdom known in the world, safely passed on to worthy disciples since the beginning of time, was discussed on a battlefield of all places, right before the greatest war in history. The charioteer did more in that discussion to influence the outcome than the millions of fighters would afterwards combined.

2. Advisor

Statecraft is not a simple business. There are many nuances. Sometimes you have to lie. You say one thing in order to gauge a reaction. Maybe there is another plan you are implementing, so you want to keep the public distracted. Never let your enemy know what your next move is. And enemies there surely are, otherwise there would be no reason to have government in the first place.

Who better to advise the Pandavas than the Supreme Lord Himself? One of His many opulences is intelligence. That benevolent advisor would sometimes show up uninvited, like the time the Pandavas were at risk of the wrath of Durvasa Muni. They were living in the forest at the time, and the leader of the opposition party intentionally sent Durvasa Muni to visit them.

The Pandavas could properly host guests using this amazing bowl known as the Akshaya Patra. There was a rule, though. Once the wife Draupadi had finished eating, the bowl would stop producing food; the meal was complete. This was the predicament when Durvasa Muni, known for his anger, paid a visit, bringing along many of his friends.

In His advisory role, Krishna happened to appear on the spot. He asked Draupadi to see the bowl. There was one grain of food left in it, and so Krishna ate it. He was satisfied since the offering came from devotees, and through His satisfaction Durvasa and the accompanying sages suddenly felt too full to eat. Instead of returning from bathing, they simply left the scene, as it is considered offensive to refuse the hospitality of a host.

3. Friend

Arjuna references this relationship in the Bhagavad-gita. The two were related as cousins, but they were great friends, also. Friends are made amongst equals, so for such a relationship to exist with Krishna, God must agree to hide some of His opulences. Otherwise, who can be equal to Him?

When Arjuna learned in truth on the battlefield that Krishna is the Supreme Lord, He apologized for previously having behaved in a friendly manner. There was no reason to do so, but the awe-inspiring vision of the virata-rupa, the universal form, has this effect.

4. Messenger

Right before the war, Krishna made one last attempt at peace. He went to visit Duryodhana, the leader of the Kurus, to see if conflict could be avoided. The Pandavas did not accompany Krishna. Dhritarashtra’s son was so foolish that he tried to bind Krishna. This went against protocol and was also impossible. In response, Krishna showed a version of the universal form, mockingly asking Duryodhana to try to bind it.

5. Bodyguard

Since the Pandavas were favored by Krishna, they won the war. Not many people remained in the aftermath. There was tremendous bloodshed. One of the people on the Kuru side who survived was Ashvatthama. He was the son of the guru of the Pandavas. A bad character, the fiend tried to kill the Pandavas while they were sleeping one night, but ended up decapitating the five sons of Draupadi instead. This called for the death sentence as proper punishment, but Draupadi was too forgiving. She spared Ashvatthama.

Keeping true to his nature, Ashvatthama later released an amazing weapon known as the Brahmashtra. It was headed straight for the womb of Uttara, who carried the future of the Pandava family. In this instance Krishna acted as bodyguard by entering Uttara’s womb and counteracting the weapon. That child was none other than Parikshit, who would go on to become a lifelong devotee, receiving the great fortune of seeing and being protected by God while within the womb.

In Closing:

Fiery weapon ready for damage soon,

Parikshit protected by Krishna in the womb.

Another time role of messenger to find,

Who foolish Duryodhana tried to bind.

Potential disaster when Durvasa came,

Averted when taking from bowl a single grain.

Pandava family favoring in this way,

Lord on side of bhaktas to stay.

If Devotees Are Protected Then Why Do Tragedies Sometimes Occur

“The promise of Krishna that His devotees are never vanquished had also previously been admitted by Indra when he was defeated in the Govardhana-lila. When Krishna stopped the villagers of Braja (Vrindavana) from worshiping Indra, Indra became angry and therefore inundated Vrindavana with continuous rain. Krishna, however, protected all of the citizens and animals of Vrindavana by lifting Govardhana Hill, which served as an umbrella.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 21)

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Friend1: I think every religion has some sort of promise for protection.

Friend2: Insurance?

Friend1: The basic one is being saved from going to hell. Get on our list. Attend this gathering on a regular basis. Confess your sins. Proclaim your love for the savior.

Friend2: Then you won’t suffer eternal damnation.

Friend1: Yeah. I mean, you have to admit, it’s a good way to increase attendance.

Friend2: Sure. I mean, do you want to suffer forever?

Friend1: Absolutely not. Of course, there are holes in the argument.

Friend2: Such as what happens if a person never reaches the stage of maturity where they can make the decision. What happens to them?

Friend1: Exactly. They never got the chance. I mean the whole thing is silly. If there is love around everywhere else, why isn’t it the same in the relationship with the Almighty? Shouldn’t He be loved?

Friend2: And how can love be the result of fear, of trying to avoid punishment? They make God out to be something like a ruthless dictator, from one of those communist countries.

Friend1: Well, promises are found elsewhere, too. You and I both know the one from the Bhagavad-gita, where Krishna says to surrender to Him and be delivered from sinful reaction.

Friend2: Yes, but that has a specific meaning. It’s not signing a piece of paper and then going and doing whatever. Follow Him means serve Him. Then you won’t suffer any negative reactions you might get from skipping other stuff. Remember, there is the other promise, as well. His devotees never perish. Krishna tells Arjuna to make the proclamation.

Friend1: I was getting to that. There are many examples to prove the concept. You have Prahlada Maharaja.

Friend2: He was just five years old. He was being forced into materialistic pursuits by the father, King Hiranyakashipu. Prahlada was threatened with real damnation, in the present, for not following the father. Krishna protected the child. God wouldn’t let the belligerent father interfere with devotion.

Friend1: There is also Govardhana Puja. I think that corresponds nicely with the promise about abandoning all varieties of religion, dharma.

Friend2: Precisely. The people of the town were accustomed to worshiping Indra, the king of heaven. This was dharma, but more of a business relationship. They worshiped and he bestowed sufficient rainfall in return.

Friend1: By skipping the worship one year, you would think the reaction would be lack of rainfall. The exact opposite happened.

Friend2: Indra got angry. He behaved in the way of the fake God conjured up by the fear-mongers, who imagine the Almighty to be petty and jealous. Indra was ready to wipe away everyone in Vrindavana, through the devastation of rainfall.

Friend1: Krishna was there, however. It was His idea to worship Govardhana Hill in the first place, and that hill then turned into the world’s largest umbrella.

Friend2: As you said, a real life example of being protected from all negative reactions. You can’t get a better example than that.

Friend1: Here is a question, though. I’m not arguing here, but I know that people might wonder.

Friend2: Okay. Go ahead.

Friend1: Sometimes devotees are seen to meet with tragedy. For example, a person living in Vrindavana now, travelling to Govardhana Hill to do some service has the misfortune of being in an automobile accident.

Friend2: That is terrible, no doubt. It happens, too.

Friend1: Right, so one might say that the devotee is supposed to never perish. There shouldn’t be any negative consequences due to abandoning other varieties of religion.

Friend2: Those are great questions. We can look deeper into the example of Arjuna. He continued forward in a war. It’s not like there wasn’t tragedy ahead. Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu was killed in the subsequent fight. He was attacked unfairly, and Arjuna was heartbroken as a result.

Friend1: That’s true. So many other people died, too. The leader of the Pandavas, Yudhishthira was distraught even after victory.

Friend2: Bhishma was a great devotee. He quit his body on the battlefield, after being filled with arrows shot by the opposition. We know that Prahlada Maharaja is no longer a king living on earth. The acharyas of the past have moved on. They are always close by through their preserved instructions and teachings, but physically they are not here. Does that mean they have perished?

Friend1: You tell me.

Friend2: The idea is that the devotion will continue. In whatever situation of living the person gets in the next life, they will be able to maintain the connection to Krishna. That is why it is said that devotees don’t fear going to hell, if they have to. They will always see Krishna standing, smiling, holding His flute and looking amazing, ready to bestow His mercy emanating from His wonderful bodily complexion that resembles the dark raincloud.

In Closing:

Futility of material existence knowing,

So abandoning, to holy place going.

There in devotional consciousness living,

Expected that sinful reactions forgiving.

But how then suddenly tragedy to meet,

Protected not those at Krishna’s feet?

Idea that bhakti life maintaining,

Lord their progress sustaining.

Four Ways Krishna Is Seen In Vrindavana

“Regarding His moral principles, it is stated in the Shrimad-Bhagavatam that Krishna is ruling over Vrindavana as death personified to the thieves, as pleasing bliss to the pious, as the most beautiful Cupid to the young girls and as the most munificent personality to the poor men.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 21)

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The less intelligent would tell you that Shri Krishna is not very moral. Their best evidence is a painting, which depicts a series of pairs consisting of a young girl and Krishna dancing under the brightest moon of the year, Sharada Purnima. How can such a scene represent morality? Isn’t it against religious principles to associate with others in this way, to give in to the urges of illicit sex?

As Krishna Himself explains in the Bhagavad-gita, every person is rewarded accordingly in their dealings with Him. Every person is indeed interacting with Him, in some form. The indirect interaction is through the consciousness of maya, or illusion. Taking that which is not to be everything that is, the person is rewarded through continued forgetfulness of their constitutional position. That forgetfulness is facilitated by Krishna Himself, who is the source of both maya and Brahman [reality].

“All of them - as they surrender unto Me - I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pritha.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.11)

The interactions in the sacred land of Vrindavana provide an even clearer picture. In that place are found a variety of living entities, in different circumstances and situations, and Krishna does not deal with each of them in the exact same way. Regardless, every interaction is proper, proving that only Shri Krishna is the epitome of morality and virtue.

1. Death personified to the thieves

If it’s a spiritual land, supposedly a replica of the same place that exists in the highest planetary system, how can there be thieves? How can there be bad guys? This is one of the distinctions between Gokula Vrindavana and Goloka Vrindavana. On the planet in the spiritual sky, bad guys cannot remain. Everyone there is a servant of Krishna through love. As soon as there is a hint of envy, the fall to the material world takes place.

Gokula is on this earth, and though the bhakti spirit thrives, impious people do arrive from time to time. When Krishna is present in the childhood form, the bad guys are the asuras sent from the neighboring town of Mathura. The king, named Kamsa, who is also Krishna’s uncle, wants the beautiful youth killed.

Of course just the opposite occurs. These asuras see incorrectly from beginning to end. At the start they think of Krishna as an ordinary child, innocent and helpless. When the interaction is finished, they see Him as cruel death. He is the one that ends up killing them, turning the tables.

2. Pleasing bliss to the pious

The opposite of the asuras are the suras. This word generally refers to the demigods, the celestials staying high above, managing different departments of the material creation. The brahmanas are often described as bhu-sura. They are the demigods on earth.

They live in the mode of goodness, which is what we typically call piety. The brahmanas stay away from sin. They live by religious principles and teach them to others. For such people Shri Krishna is pleasing bliss, ananda. He is their primary deity, after all. Krishna is known as brahmanya-devaya. Religious principles are not merely for avoiding the punishment commensurate with sin. There is a higher taste to experience. That bliss arrives through the connection with Krishna.

3. The most beautiful Cupid to the young girls

The young girls in Vrindavana are the gopis. They tend to the cows in the same way that the men do. They are like milkmaids, also. They see Krishna roaming about and their passions are stirred. More than typical amorous feelings, seeing Krishna is like having the most beautiful Cupid.

In Sanskrit Cupid is known as Madana. He is considered the most beautiful male, one who attracts others. Since Krishna’s beauty is so great that it influences Madana himself, the Supreme Lord is also known as Madana-mohana. The gopis see Madana-mohana and are immediately attracted by His beauty.

4. The most munificent personality to the poor men

Any person who connects with Krishna in a positive way will never be worse off as a result. It is simply not possible. Not that every person will become immensely wealthy, but Shri Krishna will keep an eye on the wellbeing and welfare of the devotee. This is the notable distinction with approaching Him versus other divine figures. Krishna applies discrimination to the requests made of Him.

For the poor men in Vrindavana He is the most munificent personality. Krishna is more generous than is needed. There is the well-known example of the fruit vendor. She one day came to Nanda Maharaja’s house selling fruit as usual. Krishna was the son of the king of Gokula, and so He wanted to try giving payment this time. Imitating the adults, Krishna took some rice grains in His tiny little hands, but they mostly fell to the ground by the time He reached the vendor.

She gave Him fruit anyway; such is the adorable nature of Yashoda’s delight. The vendor did not become poorer as a result of this giveaway. Rather, she found later on that the fruits in her basket were transformed into valuable jewels. The gift is not necessary, but Shri Krishna is known for such munificence.

Each interaction is proper, in a way befitting the mentality of the devotee. Since He is the most moral person, Krishna is the ideal object of worship. Whatever experiences of life have already passed, whatever desires we have, whichever way we view the world, Madana-mohana is the person to approach, as He rewards everyone accordingly.

In Closing:

Most beautiful, adorable face,

A single glance awareness to erase.

In Vrindavana gopis this way viewing,

Each time loving feelings renewing.

Like death personified to the thieves,

For poor munificent who worries relieves.

Mothers, fathers, friends and animals alike,

Though different vision, to all a delight.

Three Instances Where Krishna Provided Umbrella Insurance

“O sober Vidura, King Indra, his honor having been insulted, poured water incessantly on Vrindavana, and thus the inhabitants of Vraja, the land of cows, were greatly distressed. But the compassionate Lord Krishna saved them from danger with His pastime umbrella, the Govardhana Hill.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 3.2.33)

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Goswami Tulsidas says that even a successful effort is useless if there is no protection afterwards. Imagine working so hard to purchase a brand new car. It was something you wanted for a long time. On the first day, after making the full payment, you drive it recklessly and get into an accident. There is no insurance in this hypothetical situation.

From the total loss of the vehicle the effort that went into purchasing was nullified. For such reasons insurance policies exist. Home, auto, boat, renter’s, life - the idea is to protect those things which are valuable. There is also something called umbrella insurance. If any of the other policies fail to fully cover you in a case where you become liable for damages incurred to someone else, the umbrella policy kicks in. It’s a way to get added security.

Tulsidas says that only when there is love for Shri Rama’s lotus feet is there any real guarantee of protection. Rama is Bhagavan, God as a person. Another manifestation of the same person is Shri Krishna, the all-attractive one. From His pastimes in Vrindavana we have many instances of the amazing umbrella protection that Bhagavan provides.

1. Swallowing the forest fire

Danger can strike at any moment. It is not prejudiced. It does not consider its potential victims and then alter its course accordingly. Fire insurance is important to have, but how do you get protection in a forest?

The cowherd boys were about to be engulfed by flames. There was no other way out; they prayed to Krishna. Their dear friend had saved them many times prior, and so this was no different. He simply devoured the entire fire; it went into His mouth. Crisis averted.

2. Killing Aghasura

One translation for the Sanskrit word asura is “demon.” The word is a simple negation; it means the opposite of someone who is devoted to God. Krishna’s lila gives a crystal clear picture of levels an asura reaches as far as sinful life goes. One asura after another came to Vrindavana, with one intention. They wanted to kill Krishna. These historical incidents are also highly symbolic. The asura mentality is to deny the existence of God. If devotion should ever thrive in a particular area, the asura is not against using extreme violence to stop the practice.

The Sanskrit word agha refers to sins, and so the Aghasura demon was particularly bad. He had the aroma of sin associated with him. He came to Vrindavana and cleverly masked His form. He was a giant serpent, but made himself appear to be like a giant cave.

The cowherd boys one day travelled into that faux cave, and the toxic fumes of sin from the demon caused them to pass out. Krishna found out what was going on and travelled into the same cave, which was actually the asura’s mouth. From within He tore through that demon, killing him and saving the friends from danger. Another act with tremendous symbolism, the incident gave further proof Krishna can never be associated with sin. Rather, His presence alone can purify an area.

3. The aftermath of Govardhana Puja

A forest fire, a cave that is really a serpent’s mouth - add torrential downpour to the list. This came unexpectedly, something like right after going to church. It emanated from Indra, who is the king of the suras. You expect bad behavior from Aghasura and his ilk, but the demigods? Shouldn’t they be on Krishna’s side?

Any person living in the material world is susceptible to greed and envy, and so the only true safety comes from Krishna’s association. He gave protection this time by creating the world’s largest umbrella. He lifted the just worshiped Govardhana Hill and held it aloft for seven straight days. The rain and flood insurance wasn’t used for rebuilding what was destroyed; it protected against any damage to begin with.

Such is the potency of Bhagavan’s association. Even in the indirect way, where seemingly He is not visible in the manifest form, the same power is there. For this reason the wise souls always stay connected to Him through devotional practices like chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

In case reckless with new car to behave,

Insurance policy from liability to save.

Against fire and flood damage defending,

Umbrella for everything else extending.

Krishna, Supreme Lord providing already,

Like largest hill on finger resting steady.

And Aghasura of toxic sinful fume,

Forest fire into mouth to consume.

Three Things I Have Never Done But Know Are A Bad Idea

"This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost." (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.2)

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“Don’t waste so much time describing God, the Almighty, the Divine, Bhagavan, whatever you want to call Him. You write and write, lecture and lecture, teach and teach, but this is not how people will learn. They have to experience at the individual level. You can’t bring that experience to them. There is only one way to know something. Let the Almighty be revealed from within.”

This is one argument made against the kirtanam and shravanam processes of bhakti-yoga, where a person sings about and describes God, while another group attentively listens. The knowledge isn’t made up. It doesn’t come from the magical touch of a realized soul. It isn’t suddenly discovered.

It does descend. The original source is Achyuta, the one who never falls down. If something goes wrong in the transfer, if the chain breaks at some place, there is no need to worry. If the knowledge of that amazing science for realizing the self gets lost, the Supreme Lord Himself intervenes to start the process going again.

This descending process of knowledge gathering is the only way to know God. Of course the individual must experience the relationship themselves; no one can make another person self-realized. Still, there has to be some instruction. A person will not stumble upon the truth of the spirit soul being the source of identity, living beyond the present lifetime, on their own. Someone has to teach it to them.

The descending process additionally saves much valuable time. The benefits are seen already in so many aspects of life, particularly with those things which we avoid, where direct experience is lacking.

1. Running with scissors

Since children are generally happy and carefree, they are known to run from place to place. Something simple like reaching the elevator after exiting an office inside of a building, the children will happily run, perhaps racing to see who can get to the destination first.

Thus the warning about running with scissors becomes significant. Scissors are for cutting; hence they are a sharp object. Running is moving with increased speed. If something should go wrong, the scissors can do great damage. The accident potential is high. I know this even if I have never done it myself. It’s common sense, but so much time is saved when accepting the instruction from authority figures first.

2. Putting my hand in fire

The fire gives off heat. It is used to cook food. The warmth extends past the immediate surrounding area. I have been told not to put my hand in fire. Thus far I have heeded the advice. Do I need to actually make a test? Should I experience for myself in order to understand? This is crazy. I am not going to burn my hand intentionally. I will trust what others tell me. They know what they are talking about.

3. Jumping off a bridge

It is a long way down. For some of the larger bridges in metropolitan areas, there are no documented cases of people surviving a fall. In fact, people are known to intentionally jump off as a way to prematurely end life. It is a unique experience for sure, but not one I am willing to try. I will take the word of others that jumping off is not a good idea.

The skeptic may put forward the counterargument that others have personally experienced these things and that the knowledge is coming from them. Yet the same applies with spiritual life. Others have experienced connection with the Divine, known as yoga. They have witnessed a change in consciousness, effected through hearing and especially chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Accepting their testimony is not limited to a theoretical exercise. They have found liberation even prior to quitting the body. They did not merely wait for the afterlife to experience benefits. I want that same peace, shanti. I want that same bliss, ananda. I have yet to experience it, but I trust their judgment and wisdom, for such high character is not found anywhere else.

In Closing:

Danger with scissors to run,

Damage from accident done.

Not yet off a bridge to jump,

Authority experience to trump.

With spiritual life the only way,

Trusting first what descending to say.

Then to feel the same on my own,

Finding happiness bhakti’s alone.

Three Devotees Whose Character Was Not Tainted By Material Opulence

“Seeing the wonderful conversion of his native place, the brahmana began to think to himself, ‘How am I seeing all these changes? Does this place belong to me, or to someone else? If it is the same place where I used to live, then how has it so wonderfully changed?’” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 26)

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They say that money changes people. How can it not? One day you are eating canned food and the next you have a live-in chef cooking every meal. Previously, you were renting an apartment in a community filled with people and now you have an estate that is several acres in size, with no neighbors in sight.

Material wellbeing shouldn’t change who a person is on the inside, since everything is destined for destruction. But the power of maya is so strong that a person forgets. That which is not gets mistaken for what is, and negative consequences result.

There have been instances of this illusion taking hold while even in the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sugriva became the king of Vanaras in Kishkindha through the help of the avatara named Rama. There was no doubt about this; everyone knew, including Sugriva.

There was a future responsibility that required attention. Rama helps His devotees, but they also agree to behave a certain way. Sugriva had yet to hold up his end of the bargain, but Rama did not force. God does not compel anyone to follow devotional service. Through the help of the minister Hanuman and Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana, Sugriva awoke from his slumber of forgetfulness and resumed in the service that made him happiest.

King Satrajit was living in the same city as the Supreme Lord in the form of Krishna. Bhagavan was the king of the beautiful city known as Dvaraka. Satrajit got this gift from the sun-god called the Syamantaka jewel. It could produce endless amounts of gold each day, when worshiped properly.

Satrajit made sure not to miss the opportunity, and so he became proud. He thought he was more opulent than Krishna. When the jewel went missing sometime later, there was even a rumor going around that Krishna had stolen it. The person who owns the entire world resorting to trickery to take some meaningless jewel? That is the power of the illusory energy known as maya, which gets to work using emotions like wrath, greed and envy.

Fortunately, there have been many cases of devotees not changing at all in character. Whether high or low they were the same. Sometimes they became more renounced after receiving substantial benedictions. This is the true measure of devotion, of how much a person has linked to the Supreme Lord. When His association is fully taken advantage of, nothing can shake the character of the person serving Him.

1. Prahlada

He had the misfortune of being born in a Daitya family. This is the race of demons, the asuras, tracing their lineage back to the woman named Diti. Prahlada was to continue in the family business. His father, Hiranyakashipu, happened to be the most feared ruler in the world.

Since he heard from Narada Muni while in the womb, Prahlada was born a devotee. He is so great that he gets mention in the Bhagavad-gita, where Krishna associates with the beautiful son, who is the best of the Daityas.

“Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlada; among subduers I am time; among the beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuda, the feathered carrier of Vishnu.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.30)

Hiranyakashipu couldn’t tolerate the devotion of his son. He tried to have Prahlada killed, multiple times. The efforts failed and eventually the king found death directly at the hands of Krishna, in the amazing form of Narasimha. Prahlada went on to become king, even though he didn’t ask any benedictions from Narasimhadeva. The child who was a devotee remained one in adulthood.

2. Dhruva

Another story with a small child, but this time there was a material desire; at first, anyways. Dhruva was insulted by the step-mother, who told him that he had no right to sit on the lap of the king. He would have to take birth through her womb in order to gain that privilege.

After talking to his mother, Dhruva went to the forest to meditate. He wanted a meeting with God, to get revenge. He was so determined that the meeting eventually became a reality. A funny thing happened, though. Once his meditation was broken by Bhagavan in the form of Narayana, the initial desire vanished. He didn’t want revenge anymore.

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead continued: My dear Dhruva, I shall award you the glowing planet known as the polestar, which will continue to exist even after the dissolution at the end of the millennium. No one has ever ruled this planet, which is surrounded by all the solar systems, planets and stars. All the luminaries in the sky circumambulate this planet, just as bulls tread around a central pole for the purpose of crushing grains. Keeping the polestar to their right, all the stars inhabited by the great sages like Dharma, Agni, Kashyapa and Shukra circumambulate this planet, which continues to exist even after the dissolution of all others.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.9.20-21)

Dhruva got the benediction of becoming the planet known as the polestar. Still, he remained a pure devotee. In the future he would become the king, and again the character was not changed in the least.

3. Sudama

This was a brahmana who happened to be a childhood friend of Krishna’s during the Lord’s time on earth. They were students at the same time at the school of the guru known as Sandipani. As is not surprising for a brahmana, Sudama remained in poverty in adulthood. The highest occupational division in varnashrama is not meant for accumulating money and material power. They live simply so that they can think highly. In that renounced position they are well-situated to teach others.

Sudama’s wife was on his case, though. She knew that her husband was friends with Krishna, who was now the king of Dvaraka. She persisted so much that Sudama eventually agreed to pay his old friend a visit. Sudama brought some chipped rice as an offering, but in the end was too embarrassed to reveal it.

Krishna welcomed Sudama as if the most important personality in the world had appeared at His door. The hospitality was so heartwarming that Sudama couldn’t bring himself to ask for anything. Since God is antaryami, He witnesses everything from within. He already knew the purpose of the visit, and so when Sudama returned home the brahmana found that his old shack of a house had been transformed into a palace. This was due to Rukmini Devi, Krishna’s principal queen, who is also the goddess of fortune. Sudama became wealthy in an instant, but the change in fortune did not change his character. If anything, his devotion to Krishna increased.

In Closing:

For interest a friend today,

But tomorrow a different way.

Like Sugriva the future forgetting,

Or Satrajit with valuable jewel setting.

But others for steadiness known,

Like Dhruva the polestar to own.

Sudama’s house into a palace turned,

From pure devotion to Krishna earned.

Shouldn’t I Want My Child To Become A Guru

“Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.21)

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Friend1: I know we’ve had a variation of this discussion before, but let’s further refine the objective.

Friend2: Okay. What objective?

Friend1: For the children.

Friend2: Or the dependents in general?

Friend1: There you go. First things first. I am well aware of the teaching from Rishabhadeva that a person shouldn’t be a parent, guru or husband unless they can release their dependents from the cycle of birth and death.

Friend2: Isn’t that such a monumental statement? Thank the Supreme Lord for the Shrimad Bhagavatam. Children appear in this world through so many reasons. The parents want to enjoy. They want to share their love with another living being. They want to keep the family name alive, into the future.

Friend1: And don’t forget unwanted children.

Friend2: Yes. Those which come by accident, the result of illicit sex, which is the result of uncontrolled desire.

Friend1: So however they appear, the parents should have a specific objective. We know that one of the common concerns is over occupation in adulthood.

Friend2: Yes. Let my child become a doctor or lawyer. Let them earn a stable income, where they can support themselves. This is a source of pride. You don’t want the children to be dependents forever.

Friend1: Makes sense, and we were discussing how character was actually more important. You gave the examples of Hiranyakashipu and Ravana.

Friend2: The idea is that reversals of fortune don’t necessarily guarantee a transformation in character. If you are a bad person today, driven by material desires, identifying with the temporary body, thinking that this life is the only one, that after death everything is finished - then it doesn’t matter how much money you earn. You could become the richest person in the world, and you will still be in the same predicament.

Friend1: Exactly. The parents will think they have succeeded, but in truth the life lived is not so different from the animal. Everything is driven by the senses. Maybe the car is fancier, the bed more comfortable, and no worries over money, but the nature of enjoyment is the same.

Friend2: Think of the outcome, too. This life is a preparation for the next life. Blind ignorance is not going to change the fact. Better to face reality.

Friend1: Okay, so character is more important. I get that. What about wanting the children to become gurus?

Friend2: What’s your definition of guru? The Sanskrit word can refer to parents and guardians, as well as the common usage of spiritual master.

Friend1: I’m thinking specifically of a spiritual teacher, someone to save the world, in their own way. A guru here is someone who has the good character that we talked about, and they are teaching others to have good character, as well.

Friend2: I see. And you don’t think being a God conscious person is enough? You don’t think knowing about the cycle of birth and death, the futility of pursuing material advancement, and the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is enough?

Friend1: I’m asking you. Do you think just being God conscious is enough to have succeeded as a parent? Should we want more for our children, to reach a higher level?

Friend2: There is the verse from the Bhagavad-gita where Shri Krishna says that whatever a great man does, others follow. He sets the example. The words are shreshthas and acharati. The first means “the best” and the second refers to actions. The guru figure you are referring to is often called an acharya. This is someone who leads by example.

Friend1: Right. There you go. Acharya. Krishna confirms it. Others follow in their footsteps.

Friend2: Hold on. So a great man doesn’t necessarily have to be the acknowledged leader of a popular spiritual institution. They don’t have to be an adult, even. We referenced Hiranyakashipu before. On the other side is the son Prahlada. He had the best character, tested under the most trying circumstances. He wasn’t the leader of any sanga, but he taught nonetheless. He taught through both actions and words. He was a guru, for sure, but that is true of any pure devotee. They are a symbol of sacrifice. They are an example for others, whether one or one thousand people are following them.

In Closing:

Whether following a thousand or one,

Good from devotee’s example to come.

Like with Prahlada Maharaja seeing,

Not leader of institution being.

Though father not knowing,

Son to liberation going.

Meaning that successful was he,

Goal for all protectors should be.