Can You Feel The Nearness Of My Hand

“For one who worships Me, giving up all his activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, who has fixed his mind upon Me, O son of Pritha, for him I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 12.6-7)

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ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि
मयि सन्न्यस्य मत्-पराः
अनन्येनैव योगेन
मां ध्यायन्त उपासते
तेषाम् अहं समुद्धर्ता
मृत्यु-संसार-सागरात्
भवामि न चिरात् पार्थ
मय्य् आवेशित-चेतसाम्

ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi
mayi sannyasya mat-parāḥ
ananyenaiva yogena
māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate
teṣām ahaṁ samuddhartā
mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt
bhavāmi na cirāt pārtha
mayy āveśita-cetasām

“One of the horrible things about this pandemic has been the prohibition on religious gatherings. I never viewed myself as a churchgoer. Rather, I was meeting with like-minded individuals. Sadhu-sanga. Association with people who were on the sat side, in terms of the Sanskrit word.

“Sat refers to reality. Sat is the essence of life. Sat is eternal, the undying force that animates the entire collective and also the localized fragments. In other words, sat is what powers the universe and it is the cause of life in the individual.

“Sat extends to those who are associated with the eternal way of living, sanatana-dharma. The recommendation is to stay with the eternal, sat-sanga, and renounce the temporary, asat-tyaga. I have taken this recommendation to heart. I consider it to be more than a rule that some religious person has handed down.

“I understand the underlying purpose. Every rule and regulation descends for our benefit. It is not some way for a person to wield power and authority, to mimic the autocrats of recent history, who have killed so many dissenters and driven millions into poverty, unnecessarily.

“I crave sadhu-sanga. I need it, but what am I supposed to do? Recently, I saw people worshiping God the person in His most merciful incarnation, the archa-vigraha, but wearing masks. It is just so ridiculous to me. Shastra has accounted for everything, and somehow the Vedic seers didn’t realize that people might be contagious? Not to mention that so many experts in science and medicine say that wearing the mask in this way is useless.

“We can work from home. We can stay inside and watch television. We can order delivery for meals. But how do I get the association of devotees? How am I supposed to worship properly, when I am all alone?”

If a person can successfully carry out their work at the day-job through audio and video connections, then why would there be barriers in meeting the best friend, the well-wisher to the entire population? Why would it be impossible to see Him, when we can already see others who may be physically separated from us by many miles?

In Bhagavad-gita, Shri Krishna explains that He is the swift deliverer for the surrendered souls. This is neither hyperbole nor a mere theoretical exposition. The Supreme Lord will literally come to me and offer rescue. If He is able to arrive, it means that He is able to be reached.

He can hear my prayers. He notices when I chant the holy names with love and attention: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Though I may be separated from others, I am not apart from the Supersoul.

This expansion of the Divine is within the heart. It has always been there, is standing by today, and will never leave me in the future. Sadhu, shastra and guru remind me of this close proximity and teach me how to stay connected. That connection is yoga, and if I look close enough I will see that no matter the world’s situation, I will always have the opportunity for being rescued from the cycle of birth and death.

In Closing:

Better the health official knows,
So now the temples closed.

Others worshiping with mask,
How descended to madness so fast?

That sadhu-sanga far away,
And forced in isolation to stay?

But Krishna at any time to rescue me,
Noticing most my devotion to see.

Three Ways To Honor The Expert Actor

“Being beyond the range of limited sense perception [adhokshaja], You are the eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding energy. You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor dressed as a player is not recognized.” (Queen Kunti speaking to Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.8.19)

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माया-जवनिकाच्छन्नम्
अज्ञाधोक्षजम् अव्ययम्
न लक्ष्यसे मूढ-दृशा
नटो नाट्यधरो यथा

māyā-javanikācchannam
ajñādhokṣajam avyayam
na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā
naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā

Kunti Devi, the mother of the Pandava brothers, describes the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be adhokshaja. There is no way to use instruments to measure the different features to the person who is beyond birth and death and who forever lacks a distinction between body and spirit.

Find that bathroom scale. Locate that measuring tape in the kitchen drawer. Reset the stopwatch, keeping it in hand. Be prepared to view through the telescope, as the object of interest travels far into the distant.

Shri Krishna is beyond any measurements such devices can bring. We may see His deity form in the temple and assume that He has a certain weight and height, but this is merely a manifestation of His causeless mercy. God is bigger than the entire universe, and He is also smaller than the smallest unit of understanding, the atom.

Probably His most amazing ability is fooling the population into thinking that He doesn’t exist. The comparison is to an actor. From studying the different levels of appreciation, we see how even the atheist can be considered one of the greatest worshipers of the Supreme Lord.

1. Appreciating the presentation

“What a beautiful presentation. The lighting was perfect. The background music, the location, the shots from the camera – absolutely magnificent. The director did a terrific job. The story was rock-solid, also. Never was I bored while seated in the theater.

“Let’s not overlook the actors. Casting understood the lead role. It was just the man for the job. I have seen many of his previous films, and his reputation is surely deserved. Bravo. I would be willing to sit down for another showing in the future.”

2. Eliciting emotion during the showing

“I think that movie changed my life. Emotionally, I went to places I never thought I could. I really took a deep look at myself and how I’ve been living. My priorities must change. That final scene really got to me. I had to hide my emotions; though really there was no need. The people seated around me were shedding tears.”

3. Believing the actor is actually the person they portray

“I saw the strangest thing while walking the streets of the big city today. You know that picture we saw a few weeks ago, the really good one? Well, I spotted the hero sitting down to eat at a restaurant. It was outdoor seating, so people were passing by and giving compliments. I guess he is so famous now that he gets recognized wherever he goes.

“Then there was this one person who was really emotional. They were obviously a great admirer. Yet they kept referring to the actor by their character’s name. They asked questions relating to the plotline of the movie. It was as if they didn’t understand that the depiction on screen was fictional, that there were actors hired to play different roles.”

…

In these situations, the actor would have to be flattered the most by the last category. If I can give such a riveting performance that members of the audience completely forget that I am an actor, though they should have known otherwise, then I must be really good at what I do.

Shri Krishna can act so well that sometimes the staunchest atheists fail to recognize Him during an in-person meeting. They see evidence of His existence in every sphere of the world, during every second of the day, yet they are so fooled by the illusion of maya that they insist He does not exist.

ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते
तांस् तथैव भजाम्य् अहम्
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते
मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante
tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

“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)

While a nonbeliever gives tremendous honor in this way, indirectly, they remain far from Him in terms of association. The devotees appreciate both sides, how Krishna can fool through maya and how He can rescue and give transcendental pleasure through His features and pastimes. This latter category is the better of the two, but as Krishna confirms in the Bhagavad-gita, every person follows Him in one way or another.

In Closing:

A response not to expect,
That fictional nature to reject.

And actor as person to believe,
Highest honor this way received.

Supreme Lord in similar way,
Where atheists against to say.

Despite evidence before them best,
Believers in higher standing blessed.

Three Non-Conformists Who Stood Up To The Mob

“Prahlada Maharaja said: My dear King, the source of my strength, of which you are asking, is also the source of yours. Indeed, the original source of all kinds of strength is one. He is not only your strength or mine, but the only strength for everyone. Without Him, no one can get any strength. Whether moving or not moving, superior or inferior, everyone, including Lord Brahma, is controlled by the strength of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.8.7)

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श्री-प्रह्राद उवाच
न केवलं मे भवतश् च राजन्
स वै बलं बलिनां चापरेषाम्
परे ’वरे ’मी स्थिर-जङ्गमा ये
ब्रह्मादयो येन वशं प्रणीताः

śrī-prahrāda uvāca
na kevalaṁ me bhavataś ca rājan
sa vai balaṁ balināṁ cāpareṣām
pare ’vare ’mī sthira-jaṅgamā ye
brahmādayo yena vaśaṁ praṇītāḥ

“Are there no independent thinkers left? Is everyone bought and paid for, kept within the back pocket of one or more controlling entities? Is open and honest dialogue and debate completely prohibited? How are people supposed to learn? If my views from childhood and youth were never challenged, I would not have matured as a person. My intelligence would have remained in an immature state.

“I ask these questions out of frustration. I see one public figure after another forced to repudiate their previous comments on a particular issue. Their original statements were harmless. If they happened to offend someone, so what? Deal with it. Stick to your guns. Don’t give in to the mob.

“The saddest part is that the spiritual leaders are not immune to the controversy. I see them on television saying things that I know they don’t believe. They want to maintain their reputation. Don’t risk giving up the comfortable lifestyle supported by well-wishers and followers. It is like they are making a hostage video. Shouldn’t a brahmana be independent?”

As shastra and the acharya teach, the material world is a dangerous place. At every step, which equates to every moment, there is the potential for complete destruction. The force of change does not have to be an obvious one, such as disease or physical violence.

The means can be ostracization. Shame. Disrepute. The entire society turning their back on you. Everything you worked for cast aside in a moment. Yet from history we get strength from those who didn’t back down. They knew the truth, and they were not about to be convinced otherwise out of fear or threat of lethal force.

1. Haridasa Thakura

His crime to society was chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. These names are not sectarian. They are beautiful words of Sanskrit origin that describe the person who is the origin of everyone and everything. The more people that chant these names with the proper sentiment, with a loving service attitude, the higher the benefit to society at large.

Haridasa Thakura was born in a Muslim family, and so to deviate from the inherited plan in any way was sacrilege. In his case there was the utmost pressure from the government. Change your ways or have the love for Krishna literally beaten out of you.

Haridasa did not make a hostage statement. He did not renounce the devotional practices. He accepted the punishment, but since his devotion was so pure nothing could hurt him. The Supreme Lord protected, in the way He has done for so many others. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has declared Haridasa to be the foremost leader in chanting the holy names, nama-acharya.

2. Vibhishana

Another incompatibility due to birth, Vibhishana stood out in the community of Rakshasas in Lanka. He was not like the others. He was on the path of dharma since entering the world. He understood virtue and pious behavior. He could spot right and wrong, and he was not afraid to speak up if someone dear to him had gone astray.

Ravana was the king of Lanka, and he had committed the worst crime in stealing someone else’s wife, all in secret. He then held that woman in Lanka against her will, trying to force her to join his side, when she vehemently protested and wanted only one thing: to reunite with her husband.

Vibhishana advised to change course. Return Sita Devi to her husband Rama. The prince of Ayodhya would forgive the mistake. No one else would suffer. No penalty. Vibhishana knew the kind and forgiving nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Unfortunately, such compassion was not within his own brother. Ravana soundly rejected the idea. Any sort of favoritism towards Rama would not be tolerated in the kingdom. Vibhishana had no choice but to leave. He would not bow to the pressure. He would not change his outlook simply because everyone else was following a path destined for destruction.

3. Prahlada Maharaja

His is one of the most amazing stories. Prahlada was only five-years old when he noticed that he wasn’t like the other Daityas in the community. He leaned towards the side of the suras, who were considered the mortal enemies to the Daityas. Hiranyakashipu was the leader of the bad guys, so to speak, and he happened to be Prahlada’s father.

The son would not change his ways, so in addition to the peer pressure already applied there would be lethal force. Prahlada was a bad disease that needed to be eliminated right away. He was a helpless child, so there shouldn’t have been much resistance; so thought the father.

The mob of royal attendants could not succeed in the work assigned to them. Neither could they change Prahlada’s mind nor could they kill him. Prahlada informed the father that they both shared the same source of strength. Vishnu was the reason Hiranyakashipu could rise to power, and it was the same Vishnu protecting Prahlada.

Hiranyakashipu refused to believe, never to acknowledge the supremacy of a higher force. Vishnu then kindly illustrated the theoretical principle Prahlada had just presented. Vishnu showed a physical form, one that was so powerful that it effortlessly tore Hiranyakashipu in half.

In Closing:

Despite with lethal force to warn,
Haridasa not to conform,

Neither for Vibhishana the brother,
Siding with leader another.

Teachers trying Prahlada to sway,
But budging not from Vishnu’s way.

Mob their best attempt attacking,
But Supreme the devotion backing.

Curing The Disease Of Distinctions

“Relations of the soul, established in relation with the Supreme Soul, are factual relations. When Kuntidevi wanted to cut off the family relation, she meant to cut off the relation of the skin. The skin relation is the cause of material bondage, but the relation of the soul is the cause of freedom. This relation of the soul to the soul can be established by the via medium of the relation with the Supersoul. Seeing in the darkness is not seeing. But seeing by the light of the sun means to see the sun and everything else which was unseen in the darkness. That is the way of devotional service.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.8.42 Purport)

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“A lot of this is based on my personal experience, so bear with me. I am getting the feeling that we are moving backwards as a society. In many areas I am noticing things that I never saw before. The people behaving the new way think they are progressing, but they are actually regressing.

“I will give you a few examples. I have eaten out at restaurants my entire life. Pizza, Mexican food, Chinese food, American chain restaurants – you name it. I never once cared about the ethnicity of the people working there. I never noticed their skin color or what language they spoke.

“Lately, these restaurants are highlighting how immigrants work there. They put some political statement on the receipt. It strikes me as odd, since almost everyone who has come to this country is originally an immigrant. Who cares, then? Why should I take notice of where you are originally from? We are all living here right now. You are really no different than me.

“There are new holidays on the calendar, celebrating things no one has ever heard of. It’s like they want you to first notice what someone looks like and then treat them accordingly. I know that it should be the other way around. That is why I say there is regression. Am I wrong? What can be done?”

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada refers to this as an unofficial “skin disease.” It won’t show up in a medical journal or be incorporated in the training of a physician, but the affliction hits practically every person since the time of birth.

I mistakenly base my identity off of bodily attributes. I make the same judgments with others. I have affection for family, immediate and extended, based on skin relation. This issue comes up both in Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita.

Kunti Devi asks to be devoted to the Supreme Lord instead of to other people. Shrila Prabhupada describes this is a soul relationship. The individual connected to the Supreme. Jiva linked with Paramatma. This is the real meaning of yoga. A union of souls. A spark of the Divine, amsha, returning to the source of the spiritual energy, Vishnu.

Arjuna had so much affection for family that he was reluctant to proceed in a war. The timing wasn’t ideal, either. The decision was reached long before to commence hostilities, that the cause was right. Everyone was assembled on the battlefield, ready to go.

Arjuna got the worst case of cold feet, but he knew something was faulty with his decision-making. Fortunately, Shri Krishna was there in both instances to fix the “skin disease.” The link to Him automatically clears up any confusion a person may have with the world around them.

As I am linked to Krishna, the Supreme Lord who is also in the heart of every living entity, I am also linked to everyone else. This extends beyond the human species. If I give attention to a specific race of people on one day and cut the throat of a cow on the next, I am not very intelligent. I have not really learned anything.

The more distinctions I make, the less intelligent I am. Genuine spiritual life means spiritual education, simultaneously. In approaching God, I should also learn who I am and what others are. I should know where I fit in the grand scheme of things.

If society appears to be progressing, it means there is less of a connection with God. It means that any semblance of spiritual life is for personal profit only, viewing God as an order supplier. If we humbly approach Vishnu and seek His pleasure instead of our own, every misgiving and misunderstanding will eventually be cleared.

In Closing:

Eventually misunderstanding to clear,
When to Vishnu coming near.

Of the soul identity to learn,
And with proper eye to discern.

That everyone the same as me,
Since identity of soul to be.

So that distinctions reducing,
And intelligence producing.

Say Hello To My Imaginary Friend

“Neither the demigods nor any exalted personalities were there helping Rama, for He acted alone. You should not entertain any doubt on this matter. Indeed, Rama shot feathered arrows, plated with gold, which turned into five-headed serpents that devoured all the Rakshasas. The Rakshasas were oppressed with fear, and wherever they went and wherever they turned, they saw Rama in front of them. In this way, O spotless one, have your Rakshasas been destroyed in the forest of Janasthana by Rama.” (Akampana speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 31.18-19)

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नैव देवा महात्मानो नात्र कार्या विचारणा।
शरा रामेण तूत्सृष्टा रुक्मपुङ्खाः पतत्रिणः।।
सर्पाः पञ्चानना भूत्वा भक्षयन्ति स्म राक्षसान्।
येन येन च गच्छन्ति राक्षसा भयकर्शिताः।
तेन तेन स्म पश्यन्ति राममेवाग्रतः स्थितम्।
इत्थं विनाशितं तेन जनस्थानं तवानघ।।

naiva devā mahātmāno nātra kāryā vicāraṇā।
śarā rāmeṇa tūtsṛṣṭā rukmapuṅkhāḥ patatriṇaḥ।।
sarpāḥ pañcānanā bhūtvā bhakṣayanti sma rākṣasān।
yena yena ca gacchanti rākṣasā bhayakarśitāḥ।
tena tena sma paśyanti rāmamevāgrataḥ sthitam।
itthaṃ vināśitaṃ tena janasthānaṃ tavānagha।।

“Deep down, I think every person believes in God. I have no factual basis for this claim; simply observation and experience. Public polling says the same, but any person can conduct a similar survey using their sphere of influence.

“In other words, ask around. See how your friends and family think. Colleagues at the office. To me, even the ones who are steadfastly against a particular kind of faith at least acknowledge the existence of a higher being. They understand, to an extent, though they may not be conscious throughout the day.

“Nevertheless, it still bothers me when I hear someone refer to God as an imaginary friend or an invisible entity. The trigger for my complaint is seeing a recently published political cartoon. It was about lockdowns and how a certain local government was banning association once it reached a certain number of people.

“But the churches could continue. So the joke was that if you have over fifty people meeting with an imaginary friend, then there is no risk of contracting a virus. What is the counterargument to that? Is there a way to get through or should we just let it go?”

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that every person sees God eventually. By God, we mean the Divine, a distinct person, someone who is above the dualities of this world like heat and cold, light and darkness, up and down, and birth and death.

What would be considered the nonbelievers, the ones who staunchly deny the existence of any intelligent creator or any Divine interference in generating the world that we live in, eventually see God. It is a face-to-face meeting, but there is nothing pleasant about the experience.

The timing of that meeting is the end. Death. Known as kala in Sanskrit, death is also time, the great debilitating agent, crushing everything in its path. I may foolishly think that a mortal being can rise to eternal prominence and fame, enjoying to the limit, but undefeated time will eventually humble them.

There is substantial evidence from shastra. The scripture that is the Ramayana of Valmiki documents an encounter between man-eating ogres and the prince of Ayodhya. The bad guys, who were of a species called Rakshasa, had been operating under the “imaginary friend” model for a long time.

They had good reason to believe in their lie. They had been harassing innocent sages living in the remote forests. The harassment was the worst kind. Attack at an unsuspecting moment, destroy a religious observance, and then eat the victims.

The Rakshasas somehow thought they would continue to get away with this scheme, that no punishment would be forthcoming. It is said that the Supreme Lord, Bhagavan, arrives in the mortal realm when there is too much of a burden. When the behavior in ignorance gets to be too much, He descends Himself to clean up the mess.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य
ग्लानिर् भवति भारत
अभ्युत्थानम् अधर्मस्य
तदात्मानं सृजाम्य् अहम्

yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion - at that time I descend Myself.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.7)

It is important to note that when the Rakshasa-like deniers see God face-to-face, they still fail to believe. They continue to resist what is true before them. To deal with the Rakshasas, Bhagavan descended as Rama, the prince of Ayodhya.

He once went to the forest of Janasthana and was attacked by fourteen thousand of these Rakshasas, who came from Lanka, where their leader was named Ravana. Rama successfully defended Himself using arrows released from His bow.

From the eyewitness testimony later given to Ravana, we learn that these arrows were something like heat-seeking missiles. They chased the target, no matter how much they tried to flee. At the last moment, the arrows showed the image of a five-headed serpent.

This was death. This was the image of God, but in a gruesome form. This was the imaginary friend suddenly becoming visible. The believers benefit from acknowledging His omnipresence from the very beginning. They bask in the sweetness of His transcendental vision, knowing that He is always close by, ready to protect and give shelter to whoever seeks it.

In Closing:

From seated in devotion steady,
Shri Rama to protect ready.

Like lesson the Rakshasas found,
Everywhere those arrows to hound.

Imaginary the Divine first thinking,
So deeply into sinful life sinking.

At the end finally to see,
Splendid in all glory is He.

Five Ways Krishna Surprised Devaki and Vasudeva

“While Vasudeva was carrying his son Krishna in the falling rain, Lord Shesha in the shape of a serpent spread His hood over the head of Vasudeva so that he would not be hampered by the rainfall. Vasudeva came onto the bank of the Yamuna and saw that the water of the Yamuna was roaring with waves and that the whole span was full of foam. Still, in that furious feature, the river gave passage to Vasudeva to cross, just as the great Indian Ocean gave a path to Lord Rama when He was bridging over the gulf.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 3)

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The Supreme Lord will be the one to take you by surprise. The life of connection, yoga, is not dull or boring. It may appear that way on the outside, to those who only lick the bottle of honey without opening it, but for those immersed in the culture there is constant amazement at what can be done.

The hand of God is responsible for the supposed miracles. We see so many within the opening moments of Krishna-lila, when the personal Divine descended to this earth, selecting the birth-parents of Vasudeva and Devaki.

1. A talking newborn

The couple was held in a prison at the time. Against their will. Forced to live in fear and trepidation. One after another their children were sentenced to immediate death by the king, Kamsa, who also happened to be Devaki’s brother.

It was the eighth child Kamsa had his eye on. His angel of death. His doom. The end of the life. The visible image of the last moments within that lifetime. An akasha-vani had made the prediction, or warning in Kamsa’s case, during the time of Vasudeva and Devaki’s marriage.

When the eighth child arrived, it could talk. This is because the son was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Narayana. Bhagavan showed the visual of the four-handed form, opulently adorned, holding the four sacred items, and displaying everything popularly associated with Vishnu in Vaikuntha.

The parents offered their heartfelt prayers, and Krishna listened. He also spoke to them, explaining their long history of association with Him. The devotional service was not an accident. Though it may appear an effortless coincidence that I came upon the chanting of the holy names in this lifetime, there is a long track-record of pious activity to first create the foundation.

Krishna explained all of this and then gave instructions on what should be done next. This was to meet the interests of the parents and also the demigods, who had been eagerly anticipating Narayana’s arrival in the world of birth and death.

2. Prison doors opening

The parents were in prison. They had no choice but to stay there. If viewed as an independent country, you could say that a prison has strong borders. The walls and gates function in a reverse way; they keep people in. In the previous century leading communist nations built such walls. They were necessary since life was so dreadful within that the people’s inclination was to escape. The walls forced them to remain inside and suffer.

Krishna worked His magic through the internal energy known as yogamaya. The prison doors suddenly opened. The guards were fast asleep, as well. This meant that Vasudeva could escape with baby Krishna in his arms, unnoticed.

3. Seeing at night

Krishna’s advent is at midnight. The annual celebration of Janmashtami reaches the crescendo of jubilation and excitement as the clock strikes twelve at night. While it was a joyful moment for the parents, the conditions outside were not exactly ideal for an escape. The prison doors opened, but how was Vasudeva going to discern the path to travel?

Amazingly, he could see. This is because Krishna’s transcendental body is naturally effulgent. It is brighter than the energy of Brahman, which is the sum collection of spirit. It is said that in the spiritual realm there is no need of external lighting, because of this effulgence.

4. An umbrella for Krishna

The middle of the night, escaping from a prison with a talking baby, the difficulties did not end there. It was pouring rain. How was the loving father going to protect his son? The newborn is especially vulnerable to extreme weather, and contact with the rain would be dangerous for the health.

Another surprise in store. Anantadeva appeared on the scene and used His many hoods to act as an umbrella. Baby Krishna was now safe. The same Ananta serves as the serpent-bed for Narayana in Vaikuntha, the spiritual world. He would accompany Krishna during His lila by appearing as another son of Vasudeva, Balarama.

5. Safe passage across the Yamuna

Everything accounted for, but the directions from Krishna were to travel to Gokula, which was a nearby town. Vasudeva now had a rather significant obstacle: a raging Yamuna River. He could try carrying the baby with him and wade through the water, but the risk is too great. The father would be taken away by the current, and both their lives would be in danger.

Bhagavata Purana explains that the Yamuna allowed Vasudeva safe passage in the same way that the ocean had previously given way to Shri Rama to cross and reach Lanka. That was a famous incident from Rama-lila, which is the Divine play of the same Narayana. Bhagavan appeared as Shri Rama in that instance, as the son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya.

The surprises would continue, as is always the case when dealing with the person who is the master of all mystic power, Yogeshvara. Kamsa in particular had many sad disappointments destined for him, with the final blow dealt by Krishna’s fist.

In Closing:

So dark it is tonight,
But prison shining bright.

The Divine Himself has come,
To help parents overcome.

Torture, pain and hell,
Locked by Kamsa in cell.

Surprises now many to await,
Loving father welcoming open gate.

Who's The One To Take Me By Surprise

“While Vasudeva was carrying his son Krishna in the falling rain, Lord Shesha in the shape of a serpent spread His hood over the head of Vasudeva so that he would not be hampered by the rainfall. Vasudeva came onto the bank of the Yamuna and saw that the water of the Yamuna was roaring with waves and that the whole span was full of foam. Still, in that furious feature, the river gave passage to Vasudeva to cross, just as the great Indian Ocean gave a path to Lord Rama when He was bridging over the gulf.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 3)

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“What would you say to the argument that religion is dull and lifeless? Sit there in a house of worship and listen to someone ramble on and on. I doubt anyone is paying attention. The smart people go to the back room, away from everyone else. There they can mingle and pass the time among friends. They still get credit for showing up, for being pious, but avoid the torture.

“What is the appeal to someone who is looking for fun? The adventure-seeker. The rock-climber. The world traveler. The person making a bucket list, items to complete prior to passing away. Why would they be drawn to information about life and death and the beyond? Why would strict rules and regulations be appealing to them?”

From the first interactions between the parents in the Mathura jail cell and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna, we see that genuine spiritual life can be exhilarating, awe-inspiring, riveting, and dangerous. It can get your pulse-racing like nothing else can.

To be clear, this was a surprise interaction. Devaki and Vasudeva never expected to have the Divine appear as their son. At that point, they were happy to have any child who survived. King Kamsa had killed the previous children born to them. He did so immediately; the latest-term abortion imaginable, conducted within plain sight.

The explanation of the acharyas is that there was strict austerity and penance in past lives. Vasudeva was someone else before and so was Devaki. This is in terms of identity within society. The identity is actually the same, just as I have not changed who I am since the time of birth, when emerging from the womb.

Shri Krishna confirms this in the Bhagavad-gita. In His sacred conversation with the bow-warrior named Arjuna, Krishna says that a person takes up devotion to Him only after sinful life has been completely exhausted. No more impurities. No more ulterior motives. No more lingering desires for sense gratification or world domination.

येषां त्व् अन्त-गतं पापं
जनानां पुण्य-कर्मणाम्
ते द्वन्द्व-मोह-निर्मुक्ता
भजन्ते मां दृढ-व्रताः

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.28)

The key words for this discussion are dridha-vratah. This is a vow of strength. In other words, determination. Devotees who interact directly with Krishna are not passersby. They are not chanting the holy names as the fashion of the day: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

As a reward for that devotion, they get one surprise after another, with each increasing their devotion. There is no limit to the bliss. Maharishi Valmiki helps us understand. The ananda is something like connected rivers flowing back into the source. The key distinction is that this source never becomes overfilled.

The devotee can accept one experience after another. They are ready. They have done the field work. There was purification at a previous time; either in past lives or in this one. This is the real purpose of the rules and regulations of spiritual life, in whichever tradition they are followed.

The end-goal is always something blissful, even if the teachers have not reached the understanding of the personal God and the eternal nature of the relationship with Him. Fortunately, we have the Vaishnava tradition, which passes forward works like Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad-gita. We see and hear from God directly; there is no doubt as to His existence. In our interactions with Him, He will continue to pleasantly surprise us, as He did with Vasudeva, who had to carry his new son across the raging Yamuna River in the middle of the night.

In Closing:

Surprise at every turn,
When Divine mercy to earn.

Never boring and stale,
Riveting is Vasudeva’s tale.

Where suddenly prison to leave,
And obstacle of river to receive.

But Krishna in arms holding,
So pleasant the adventure unfolding.