Three Reasons For The Restriction On Gambling

“Maharaja Parikshit, just after receiving the news of his death within seven days, at once retired from family life and shifted himself to the sacred bank of the Yamuna River.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.19.6 Purport)

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You wish it weren’t the case. It would be great if every person were to sit down in respectful attention, ready to hear and absorb the information, like the ideal disciple that was Parikshit Maharaja. He was on the verge of death, though everything was fine with the body. He decided to forego food and drink to align with the kind of sacrifice taking place, yajna, related to the hearing process.

Atma-tattva is comprehensive and thorough, and yet offers profound and meaningful truths at the beginning of the learning process, as well. Unfortunately, anytime there is a mention of religion or what seems to be religious activity, the outsider to the process, being on the receiving end, has a tendency to focus on the restrictions:

“What are you guys allowed to eat? Do you have anything equivalent with Christmas? You know, something where you get gifts from your parents and stuff? Are you allowed to watch television?”

In this light, there is the restriction on gambling voiced by acharyas like His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Not merely to punish a person as a condemned sinner, to ruin their life of fun, every rule and regulation has a purpose dovetailed with realization of the spiritual side of an existence.

1. Lack of honesty

The corresponding entity in spiritual life is known as the Absolute Truth, among other things. He is the one entity always beyond duality. He is favorable, anukula, for everyone. It is not like He only shines His mercy on a certain group of people, leaving others born in a different part of the world in the dark. He is similar to the sun in this regard, except the sun is part of the material world which features duality.

In understanding the Absolute Truth, it is helpful to be honest yourself. Gambling robs a person of honesty because there is no success there without some lack of candor. In a card game, it is best to not let others know the hand you have been dealt. There is something known as a “Poker Face” for a reason.

In playing sports, the competitors do not reveal their strategy to the opponents. Doing so would hurt the chances of success. For a person looking to go beyond the temporary, it is best to remain as honest as possible.

2. Risk

You work so hard to achieve something. The Sanskrit word is artha. Hopefully there is profit on the other side of work; otherwise no one would do anything. The fruits of activity, karma-phala, should be protected to some degree.

Gambling introduces a risk. Visit a casino and you would be surprised at how quickly money evaporates. In a matter of minutes at the blackjack table you have lost everything in your pocket. This means that the work from the previous week was for nothing.

In the gambling-like environment that is the buy-and-sell fury on the stock market, the value of your portfolio could diminish overnight. There is nothing to guarantee a positive return, though in the long term view of twenty to thirty years the market as a whole tends to increase in value at a higher rate than do fixed income investments.

3. Agitating the mind

This is the most important reason an aspiring seeker of the truth should avoid gambling. As Prahlada Maharaja taught to his friends, there is a limited amount of time to study spiritual matters. This is because of the time that gets used up during childhood, adulthood, and the sleeping hours.

Every remaining moment should be utilized for bringing mangala, auspiciousness. I should not waste time agitating my mind on meaningless endeavors. In gambling, there is always uneasiness and uncertainty, even with success. I purchase a stock whose value skyrockets in a matter of days. I should be happy, but I need to consider when to get out. If I sell now, I don’t want to miss out on potential gains in the future. But if I don’t sell today, the value may dip and I lose my gains.

A more auspicious condition is for the mind to focus on the transcendental sound vibration of the holy name: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Listen attentively to Hari-katha, the way Parikshit Maharaja did. In the daily grind of insanity, try to give the mind a rest by associating with higher topics of interest. That will bring a benefit both in the short term and the afterlife.

In Closing:

With stock position to hesitate,
Gambling unnecessarily to agitate.

Whereas in better time spent,
Instead to worry of loss went.

Prahlada describing limited view,
Since childhood, work and sleep too.

Ideal example of Parikshit hearing,
Obstacles to auspiciousness clearing.

If You Argue That Everything Is One Then Why Not Worship Krishna

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.9)

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जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यम्
एवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर् जन्म
नैति माम् एति सो ऽर्जुन

janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ‘rjuna

Friend1: I am going to present to you a problem that occurs with me every now and then. I think it is important to bring up because my situation is not isolated.

Friend2: You mean this could happen to other people?

Friend1: I know that it does. It is the reason why I think it is an important topic to study more in-depth.

Friend2: Okay.

Friend1: Let me preface this by saying that I do not advertise myself as a great devotee. I am not trying to be “more religious than you,” though someone may get that impression; out of my control. The situation to which I am referring occurs when I have returned from a sat-sanga program.

Friend2: Explain what that is.

Friend1: Take the two words of Sanskrit origin. Sat is truth or people who are associated with the truth.

Friend2: What kind of truth?

Friend1: Absolute. The opposite is asat; the temporary. The recommendation is asat-tyaga and sat-sanga. Sanga is a meeting, an association. Sat-sanga in general conversation refers to a club or assembled gathering of people interested in spiritual life.

Friend2: And so you happen to go to these.

Friend1: I try to attend on a regular basis. Just from a single meeting I am energized for the rest of the week. When I return home or run into someone after the fact, they end up finding out where I was.

Friend2: I see what you mean by not wanting to advertise. You are not necessarily preaching to these people.

Friend1: And sometimes they get defensive. They feel the need to explain how religious they are. Many of them will say something to the effect of:

“Oh, that’s fine if you want to visit temples, but it’s not necessary. You have to realize from within. The Absolute Truth is everywhere. I am God and so are you. You have to see the oneness. Then you won’t feel compelled to make such visits. You can contemplate in any manner that you like.”

Friend2: There is a lot of truth to that, of course. God is within the deity at the temple. There is no doubt about this, as someone can confirm through consulting authorized sacred texts like Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam. At the same time, He is never limited in choice of residence. He is not confined to a single place. He is just as much present outside of the temple as He is inside.

Friend1: I understand the philosophical basis to the truth, but these people are challenging me for no reason. I have a feeling they don’t contemplate the Absolute Truth at all. They are just making excuses. I think their view is kind of atheistic.

Friend2: Your inclination is likely correct. One thing to ask is that if they think that God is everywhere, why not in the temple, also? Why don’t they chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare?

Friend1: Exactly. They view bhakti as some kind of inferior process. It is beneath them to bow in front of a deity. They think that is reserved for less intelligent people.

Friend2: This is known as the last snare of maya. The illusory energy pervading this world first tricks me into associating with the temporary body and seeking satisfaction of the senses. After frustration in that endeavor, the last trick is to get me to think that I am God and that I have renounced the world.

Friend1: How do we handle these situations? Should we ask them to join us in worship?

Friend2: You can try, but I have a feeling that the real reason they avoid bhakti is because they know that God is a person. They don’t want to worship in the true sense. They are challengers; that is why they stay away. They don’t really believe in their oneness argument, because if they did they would behave differently.

Friend1: That is my feeling, as well.

Friend2: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada warns to always be afraid of maya. She can strike at any moment, creating doubt over something that was previously understood properly. In addition, there is generally no harm in sat-sanga. Sacrifice a little time. Hear, dance, and eat some sanctified food. Giving up a little time yields an abundance of benefit in return.

In Closing:

Abundance in return,
And very quickly to earn.

By sacrificing some time,
To shed this illusion of mine.

Whether different or exactly the same,
No harm in chanting of holy name.

If in oneness really to believe,
Then why not in deity to perceive?

Three Ways To Incorporate Children Into Bhakti

“On the plea of disturbance of the bodily air and metabolism, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu acted as if crazy. Thus in His school He began to explain the grammar of verbs through Krishna consciousness. Explaining everything in grammar in relationship to Krishna, the Lord induced His students to refrain from worldly education, for it is better to become Krishna conscious and in this way attain the highest perfectional platform of education.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi 17.7 Purport)

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“You have probably heard these issues voiced before, and I may have come across them myself, but right now one situation directly applies to me. Therefore, I need some help. I absolutely enjoy the bhakti process. Chanting the maha-mantra is not an issue for me. I love attending programs which can be summarized as chanting, dancing and feasting.

“The thing is, I also have a small child. I want to spend time with them. I don’t want to use devotional service as an excuse to avoid my responsibility as a parent. I think I have read His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada once advised that child worship is more important than deity worship. I understand exactly what he means, but I was wondering if there is a way to combine the two. I want to incorporate bhakti into my child’s life.”

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu behaved similarly in this regard. At a young age He was engaged in the occupation of schoolteacher. As the Supreme Lord Himself appearing as the golden avatara, He could not very well settle for speaking on mundane topics rooted in duality.

To satisfy both the innate desire and the outstanding responsibility, He used to teach Sanskrit grammar through the medium of Krishna. He would explain everything as a connection to the Supreme Lord. The children thought He was a madman, but the effort did not go to waste.

1. Take letters of the alphabet

A classic that is sure to keep the children engaged. Applicable to any era, even one full of backlit screens and games played on the television. A basic set of blocks, with numbers and letters. Early on the child can stack them. Pick them up and transfer them to a different place. Then return them to the original destination.

Sometime later, the parent can use the letters to explain the Supreme Lord. For instance, the block with the letter K can be used to sound out the name of the Supreme Lord that means all-attractive. “R” is for Rama. “L” could represent the goddess of fortune, Lakshmi Devi. In fact, a single letter could serve as impetus to list many names for the Almighty, as He is full of transcendental features. He also engages in eternal pastimes in this universe and others.

2. Take numbers

The blocks have letters on one side, and numbers on the other. A single number can represent something significant about God. For instance, with the block that has a 4 digit imprinted on it:

“This is the number of sons born to King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. They were all incarnations of Vishnu, but Shri Rama is considered the full expansion. He is God Himself, and the younger brothers are like Him, but in a different role. They follow, anuja, and Rama leads, agraja.”

3. Dance to sankirtana

The television is there. No way now to close Pandora’s box. Might as well face reality. If something is going to be playing, take advantage by seeing and hearing sankirtana. This congregational chanting of the holy names can lift any person out of illusion: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

If the child gets bored listening to you explain Vedic concepts in relation to numbers and letters, then set aside some time to dance together to the music. Everyone will be happy in the process. Responsibilities and advancement towards liberation do not have to be at odds. Though the interests seem to be contradictory, when dovetailed with Shri Krishna they merge together.

In Closing:

Though interests diverging,
With Shri Krishna converging.

So that young child taught,
By toy blocks bought.

And of God learning,
Through lila’s pages turning.

Television even auspicious where,
Child raised with devotion and care.

Why Are You Not Excited About The Future Of Technology

“To know exactly the permanency of spiritual existence, one must voluntarily practice possessing less or only the minimum to maintain one's material existence without difficulty. One should not create artificial needs. That will help one be satisfied with the minimum. Artificial needs of life are activities of the senses. The modern advancement of civilization is based on these activities of the senses, or, in other words, it is a civilization of sense gratification. Perfect civilization is the civilization of atma, or the soul proper.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.7.18 Purport)

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Friend1: Do you ever run into people who are excited about the future of technology?

Friend2: What exactly about the future? As in, what new devices and gadgets will be invented?

Friend1: Exactly. No one could have imagined the smartphone. Though I know certain entrepreneurs long ago envisioned the idea of having so many books available to you in the palm of your hand.

Friend2: They probably didn’t see the devaluation of what a book means.

Friend1: Not sure I follow.

Friend2: Well, previously you had to take the effort to publish physical copies. That meant some financial burden. With that risk there had to be some reward, i.e. people to buy the books. That automatically increases the quality of the content.

Friend1: I never thought of it that way.

Friend2: It is how nature works. The rising and setting of the sun forces us to finish work in a certain duration of time. The deadline imposed by the manager at the office serves as impetus to get started. The fear of losing your job enables you to arise out of bed and get ready for a day spent outside.

Friend1: How does that relate to books again?

Friend2: If it is easier to publish, you won’t have as many forces at play checking and validating the content. I am sure you have noticed the degradation of media. Some of the headlines today are downright childish; they wouldn’t pass in an elementary school class on journalism. But since it is easier to publish through the digital medium, the quality of the content is not as important.

Friend1: That is interesting. Anyway, with technology in general, shouldn’t we be excited about the future?

Friend2: What is going to happen? Have you solved birth and death? That is the real question. Is there an end to suffering?

Friend1: You don’t think it is beneficial to be able to contact someone easily when in an emergency situation? How about being able to order food without getting up? A world of content available at your fingertips. Advances in medical treatment. The list is endless.

Friend2: You and I surely take advantage of those things, but have the real issues of life been addressed? That is something to be excited over. How can I better serve the Supreme Lord? Will I be able to focus on Him throughout the day? Will I receive more opportunities for service?

Friend1: It seems to me that scientific advancements wouldn’t really impact that.

Friend2: Nothing from the material world can; though we should always look for situations that are favorable to the advancement of the consciousness. The two Sanskrit words: ahaituki and apratihata.

Friend1: Unmotivated and uninterrupted.

Friend2: This means that you could be living in the stone ages or on a station set up in space – the conditions are not important. Real progress is understanding the spirit inside and how every living being is equal at the defining level. The human birth is itself an achievement of evolution, but there is one step remaining: liberation.

In Closing:

Human birth to gain,
But one step to remain.

Liberation towards attracting,
But illusory progress distracting.

Creating artificial need,
And not the soul to feed.

Excited for opportunities more,
When Shri Krishna’s pleasure for.

Two Problems With Proving God Through Empirical Evidence

“Again and again the day comes, and this host of beings is active; and again the night falls, O Partha, and they are helplessly dissolved.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.19)

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भूत-ग्रामः स एवायं
भूत्वा भूत्वा प्रलीयते
रात्र्य्-आगमे ऽवशः पार्थ
प्रभवत्य् अहर्-आगमे

bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ
bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate
rātry-āgame ‘vaśaḥ pārtha
prabhavaty ahar-āgame

The issue is constant. Take any point in the vast timeline of creation and you will find the argument occurring, ready to be debated by both sides. The same will continue in the future, as the one side never seems to be satisfied.

In their futile pursuit to turn the temporary into permanent, the great roadblock that is genuine religion upsets them to the point of raising an objection:

“Listen, man, I respect what you’re doing and stuff. Everyone has to accept some philosophy in life. Cool that you are into God and all that, but for me I just can’t believe. I need to be able to see in order to remove doubt. I need proof; you know, empirical evidence. Once I get that I might be willing to join you.

“I tend to side more with science. Observation and experiment. Advancing the human condition. See how much progress has already been made. Only more awaits. I am excited to see what they discover. Aren’t you?”

1. There is no perfect validation of the beginning of time

The dividing line seems to be the understanding of the beginning. What was there before everything? We know there was a before since that is the natural course of events. Cause and effect. Action and reaction.

I am here today because of actions taken by people in the past. The crops in the field arrive because of nature. The combination of fertile ground, rain and sunlight allows for life to continue. At the same time, all the seeds necessary for food already exist within the earth, in the same way that all the stars are in space.

जथा भूमि सब बीजमय नखत निवास अकास |
राम नाम सब धरममय जानत तुलसीदास ||

jathā bhūmi saba bījamaya nakhata nivāsa akāsa |
rāma nāma saba dharamamaya jānata tulasīdāsa ||

“Just as within the earth is found every kind of seed and within the sky live all the stars, Tulsidas knows that Shri Rama’s holy name is the reservoir of all dharma.” (Dohavali, 29)

The exact details on the belief of creation are not so important; the general idea is that someone outside of the human mortal scope created everything. The nonbelievers have their own speculation. They insist that chemicals just collided randomly. Or perhaps everything was already there; no intelligence to the design of this amazing universe, which has intelligence built into every facet.

One issue with insisting on empirical evidence is that no one can properly validate the beginning of time. Say, for instance, archival footage existed of the creation. Video showing the stars, planets, rivers, oceans, trees, and the like manifesting. This would have to be considered empirical evidence.

The flaw is that no one can actually prove that this is the beginning. What was going on prior? There had to be a past to the past. A beginning to the beginning. A cause of all causes. The questions remain with any type of physical, visible, perceptible evidence provided.

2. There is no amount of time sufficient for establishing an infinite existence

Now take the other side. Moving forward. The future. Time has three sections: beginning, middle and end. If I can’t get evidence of the creation, at least show me God. Prove to me that He exists. Present Him before me.

Say that He does appear. He is standing in front of me. My first question will be to prove an infinite existence:

“If you are truly the Almighty that so many people worship and believe in, prove that you never die. I am standing by. I am waiting. If you can give evidence then I will become a believer.”

One hundred years. A thousand. The end of the creation, where no one else is around. These durations of time might start to remove my skepticism, but infinity remains. A person can live for a billion years and still not be immortal, such as with the Lord Brahma described in the Vedas.

…

All hope is not lost. Empirical evidence along the lines of basic science may not be available, but there is something called vijnana. This is the Sanskrit word to describe practical realization. More than memorizing mathematical formulas, vijnana is the ability to apply the principles when required.

Through the descending process of knowledge transfer, I tap into the amazing jnana that is Vedic knowledge. Through the help of the spiritual master, who is linked to the cause of all causes, I can practically realize the existence of God. I will know for certain that God lives and that I can live with Him.

Nothing will be able to convince me otherwise; and it is not a blind allegiance. The full intelligence gifted the human being is utilized, and the understanding helps to bring others into the light of liberation and out of the darkness of despair caused by association with the temporary.

Shri Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita that again and again the host of beings appears and disappears from this world. The universe itself goes through the cycle, which is sometimes described as reincarnation.

The living beings do not have to participate. They are not hopeless against the forces of nature. They are, in fact, superior, and through knowledge they can realize this. The realization is superior to anything science can provide, as the eternal realm is imperishable and the real home of the spirit soul, who is part and parcel of God.

In Closing:

God before me to stand,
Over death to have command.

But how much time needed?
For into infinity proceeded.

The beginning having before,
So never with evidence sure.

Vijnana from Vedas for relief,
For realization past belief.

Four Places Where Money Talks

“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

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यत् करोषि यद् अश्नासि
यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत्
यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय
तत् कुरुष्व मद्-अर्पणम्

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

Goswami Tulsidas highlights the benevolent nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Rama, by remembering the many requests made directly to Him. The Vanara king named Sugriva needed help against a rival brother. Vibhishana was cast aside in the kingdom of Lanka. Shabari waited to be reunited with her spiritual guides in the unmanifest realm. Guha asked to take Rama across the river in his boat.

The common theme is that the people making the requests didn’t have much to offer in return. In many cases they were poor and destitute. In material dealings, the opposite tends to hold true. As the saying goes, “Money talks.”

1. Politics

Having trouble with the visa application for your foreign born spouse? Need help getting permit approval to do construction on your house? Sick of dealing with that broken traffic signal on the commute to work?

One way to get the attention of the politicians is to have money. Special interest groups emerge out of this need. While one person may not have the resources to get the attention of elected officials, if a collective forms, where each member gives some small donation, then the sum total can be used to purchase influence.

There is a reason that former members of Congress tend to get hired quickly at the lobbying firms. There is a reason the lobbying organizations set up shop in the same city as where legislation gets passed. It is not easy to run for office. Significant resources are required. If someone can help in the process, for buying television and radio advertisements, then there is the quid pro quo of favoritism in legislation after the fact.

2. Endorsements

It would be nice if the star athlete wore those particular tennis shoes because they preferred the look and feel. The reality is that there is an endorsement contract. When the time for renewal arrives, there is every chance that the star will choose a competing brand, especially if the reward for endorsing the product is higher.

The company might move to someone they feel will perform better in the future. No one is conducting business out of the goodness of their heart. There is an exchange of goods and services. Personal interests meeting in the marketplace.

3. Employment

After carefully analyzing data from a recent salary survey of professionals in a specific field in IT, it is seen that those who jump from company to company every three or so years see a significant increase in pay. If you stay where you are, you may grow comfortable and like the surroundings, but the company also takes advantage of your complacency. Another firm might be willing to pay more to get you to leave. You have something to offer them, and they are ready to compensate you for it.

4. Organized religion

A big holiday is approaching. The appearance day anniversary of the Supreme Lord in the form of Shri Krishna. The circumstances to His janma are unique, as is the nature of the event itself.

An announcement for an event celebrating the occasion at the local temple has a special section dedicated to donations. If you fork over significant cash, you can reserve a spot at the front of the line to offer worship directly to the deities. You will receive extra gifts in return as a thank you for the sacrifice.

In many established houses of worship, there is a price to pay to get a viewing of the altar. Though it may not be advertised as such, once you visit the place you will get hounded for donations at every step. You never knew that religion was such big business.

…

Shri Krishna advises to make every sacrifice an offering to Him. The idea is to use every gift of nature for honoring and remembering the Supreme Lord. While a lot of money is not required, a person is not encouraged to be a miser, either. Wealth is nothing more than a reward from the goddess of fortune, who is always serving her husband in the spiritual world of Vaikuntha.

As Tulsidas remarks, Rama is the protector of the fallen. Those who have nothing else can always rely on Him. Shri Rama does not make a judgment on external factors, on ever-changing positions. High or low, man or woman, rich or poor, intelligent or ignorant, any person can approach Him with good will and be rewarded with eternal devotion; should they so desire.

In Closing:

Money talking with politician,
Influence for favored position.

Athlete the shoes to endorse,
Better deal then different course.

Tulsidas of Shri Rama saying,
That different tendency displaying.

Everything as an offering done,
With no expectation to come.

Govardhana Puja 2019

“When everything was complete, Krishna assumed a great transcendental form and declared to the inhabitants of Vrindavana that He was Himself Govardhana Hill in order to convince the devotees that Govardhana Hill and Krishna Himself are identical. Then Krishna began to eat all the food offered there.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 24)

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Bhakti-yoga is not a dry or tasteless activity, reserved only for the time after the transition to statelessness. The individual can never be without individuality. They always have the service tendency, though sometimes it can be greatly suppressed or misdirected.

As the occasion of Govardhana Puja relates to Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is an ideal case study on the emotions that can be involved in the direct interaction with the person who is beyond the material world and the different concepts in duality, such as birth and death, manifest and unmanifest, and close by and far away.

1. Gratefulness

The setting is the farm community of Gokula Vrindavana. The people are simple, but also intelligent. They are not chasing after money, wealth or fame. They are satisfied with what the cows and the land produce. The animals under their care are happy and free to roam about. They are not afraid of untimely death for the purpose of satisfying the human taste buds.

The tradition in that area is to worship the god of heaven, Indra. There is a puja in his honor, and it is more or less a formality. The people are grateful for the rain arriving from up above. This is an aspect of nature that can never be controlled or replaced. No matter how much technology advances, the essential aspects of life like sunlight, rain, air, and land remain.

Nanda Maharaja leads the way. He directs the entire community. No one has an issue with the Indra-puja, except for Nanda’s son Krishna. As children are known to be, Krishna is curious as to what is going on. Why the preparations? Who is this Indra that needs to be worshiped? What happens if you don’t pay homage?

2. Envy

As He is the Supreme Lord, Krishna has the most intelligence. At a young age He gives wonderful arguments to the father. The objective is to direct the puja paraphernalia to the nearby Govardhana Hill instead. Krishna gives the justification that the cows are the most dear to the community. Since Govardhana is dear to the cows, it should be worshiped instead of Indra.

Nanda proposes conducting both worship ceremonies simultaneously, but Krishna convinces him to focus only on Govardhana Hill. What will happen if you skip Indra’s puja for one year? There should be some satisfaction from the many past performances.

Unfortunately, the ways of envy are not logical. Indra immediately forgets the past and focuses only on the present, which he considers to be the greatest insult. Envious of Krishna’s influence on the people, Indra directs the cloud of destruction, the one reserved for the end of the world, to target the Govardhana area. This would surely wipe everyone out, but revenge was primary on his mind.

3. Fear

Even in the presence of the Supreme Lord there can be fear. Not necessarily that He will attack or punish without justification; fear that something bad will occur. That is possible when the relationship is so close that a person forgets they are in the presence of the Almighty.

This fear is actually auspicious. Though the residents were afraid for their lives, they had the shelter of Shri Krishna. After Indra’s attack, Nanda’s son wisely used the just worshiped hill as an umbrella. A small child is capable of lifting a gigantic hill and holding it up in the air only if the visual of the body has no bearing on potency.

This incident proves that Krishna is not limited by the supposed form He manifests. He can eat with His eyes, run with His mind, and hear with His hands. He can rest the heaviest object on the weakest finger on the typically non-dominant hand and not feel any discomfort.

4. Forgiveness

Under common law, a person who intentionally tries to wipe innocent people out with a targeted attack of massive amounts of water would face stiff punishment. The justice system would send them away for a long time.

Shri Krishna is so kind that He forgives instantly. He would have to; otherwise no one could return to His spiritual kingdom. Every person has some flaws, defects, or past behavior over which they are not proud. Indra’s transgression happened to occur on the largest scale, but his subsequent words of contrition were enough to win the favor of the Supreme Lord.

In Closing:

Despite from envy spinning,

Indra later His favor winning.

Emotion in bhakti life to see,

Not like motionless stone to be.

Grateful for the cows and land,

Fear from lack of control to command.

Amazing but events not fictitious,

When related to Krishna auspicious.