Brilliantly Conceived And Flawlessly Executed

“After explaining Rukminidevi's statement to Krishna, the brahmana said: ‘My dear Krishna, chief of the Yadu dynasty, I have brought this confidential message for You from Rukmini; now it is placed before You for Your consideration. After due deliberation You can act as You please, but if You want to do something, You must do it immediately. There is not much time left for action.’” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 51)

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“Man proposes, God disposes.” This is a well-known saying. Man doesn’t always get what he wants. This is one way to know that He is not God. Though he is spirit soul at the core and part of the sum collection of spirit known as Brahman, full control is nevertheless out of his reach. He must rely on the highest authority to cooperate, even for the most benign of plans. Things are a little different for the devotees, though. This was never more evident than in the desire of a princess from the kingdom of Vidarbha a long time ago.

Why wouldn’t God always come through? The answer lies in the nature of the material world. Take the example of filling a job vacancy at a company. There is the employer’s side of things. They need someone capable to fill the position. There is work to be done, and the employer is willing to pay a certain amount to get that work done.

On the other side are the applicants. If the job is attractive, it will catch the eyes of more than one candidate. Now what if each candidate prayed to the Divine for help? Their plan is to take the position and earn a salary. That is the stated objective. How is God supposed to come through on the plan for each person? Considering that every candidate is well-grounded in virtue, all-around good, and a firm believer in God, how is the conflict to be resolved?

From the spiritual science that is the Vedas we understand that the Divine doesn’t usually play a direct role in such matters. He is indeed known as the overseer and the permitter. This means that He watches without bias every action of every living entity. He accomplishes this through His expansion known as the Supersoul, which resides in the heart of every living thing. He permits the results to action to manifest, but this shouldn’t be mistaken to mean He agrees with every plan put forth.

upadraṣṭānumantā ca

bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ

paramātmeti cāpy ukto

dehe 'smin puruṣaḥ paraḥ

 

“Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 13.23)

He is by default neutral, and He allows the rules of the material nature to take care of the results to action. The work is known as karma since it has fruits that manifest at some point in the future. As we see with the job example, resources in the material world are limited. Not everyone can have their desire fulfilled. Karma is the determining factor. Sometimes help can come from higher authorities, who are elevated beings but not equal to God. They operate on a first come, first serve basis.

The princess from Vidarbha proposed a plan directly to God. She was the daughter of King Bhishmaka, and following the custom of the time the family arranged her marriage. It was set to happen with a king named Shishupala. The problem was that the princess had given her heart to someone else. Named Rukmini, she had never even seen the object of her affection. Simply from hearing about Him she knew that she could marry no other.

She could have looked to the heavens for help. She could have uttered a prayer while visiting a house of worship. Instead, she came up with a plan for how her desire could be met. She wrote a letter with her brilliantly conceived idea and had it delivered directly to the man she wanted to marry. He lived in the kingdom of Dvaraka and His name was Krishna.

Krishna is the overseer and permitter previously mentioned, except He is not just an impartial witness. He is God in the flesh, in a form that the eyes can notice. He is Absolute in nature, which means that the words that describe Him are identical to His personal form. This is how Rukmini was able to have such a firm resolve despite having never met Krishna.

Rukmini proposed the plan that Krishna should come and kidnap her on the day of the wedding to Shishupala. The ideal time would be either on the way to or on the way back from the temple of Goddess Durga. The devi is one of the aforementioned higher authorities who can grant material desires. Rukmini’s family worshiped Durga Devi in tradition, and so on the day of the wedding that would be an important part of the sequence of rituals.

Krishna agreed to the request. Rukmini made the proposal, and Krishna would flawlessly execute it. He will do anything for His devotees. Rukmini Devi is actually the goddess of fortune herself, the eternal consort of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna owns the entire universe, which means that He can give away anything included within it. Rukmini wanted association. She desired it through the relationship of marriage. As Krishna is supreme, He can grant this desire without shutting anyone else out. He can accept millions of wives if desired, which indicates that for the devotees there is no plan in devotion that He has to reject.

In Closing:

Divine will in bhakti to expect,

No desire automatically to reject.

 

Since something common at the core,

Basic association, wanting to serve more.

 

Material nature with finite resources set,

Meaning not everything each person to get.

 

Rukmini brilliant plan for marriage conceiving,

Executed by Krishna, God Himself receiving.

Just Take The Personality Out Of It

“Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.23)

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antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ

tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām

devān deva-yajo yānti

mad-bhaktā yānti mām api

Though brief in comparison to other important Vedic texts, the Bhagavad-gita still covers a wide variety of topics. Included in the discussion is the worship of divine figures. This practice is notably attached to Hinduism, though the real meaning isn’t widely known, even to the people engaging in the worship. There are many heavenly personalities with great abilities. They can offer tremendous boons to their worshipers, but there is still one Supreme Godhead. He is always worshiped by them; the benefactors have a benefactor.

In His original form of Shri Krishna that supreme benefactor speaks the Bhagavad-gita. In delivering words of wisdom to the disciple, cousin, and friend named Arjuna, at one point Krishna describes worshipers of other divine figures to be less intelligent. The Sanskrit words are alpa medhasam. The literal translation is “less brain substance.” Su medhasam describes an intelligent person.

Upon hearing this, a worshiper of a divine figure other than Krishna may take offense.

“How can you call me less intelligent? That is ridiculous. Krishna is not mean in this way. There are many gods in the Vedic tradition, and they are all equal. You can approach any one that you like. There is no insistence. All paths lead to the same destination. You are needlessly dividing people. Just because you support Krishna doesn’t mean that people who don’t are less intelligent.”

Shri Krishna even says in the Bhagavad-gita that when a person desires to worship a particular god, He gives them the necessary faith through His feature in the heart of the Supersoul. Therefore it is not surprising that there would be disagreements borne of sentiment on the issue.

A good way to make a proper assessment is to remove the personalities from the picture. In the objective analysis, just study what the worshipers ask for and what the gods are capable of giving. We can equate worshiping the different gods to going to a store. In one store there is variety in the products offered. In one aisle there is good health. Another aisle has money. In a different section altogether is increased learning, such that will bring good grades on an exam. In a secret area, which is dark and away from everything else, you can get abilities used to hurt people. Think of it like a section for people into witchcraft.

Then there is another store altogether. In this one you don’t find different aisles. There aren’t objects for you to pick and choose. All you get is increased devotion to the proprietor. You get their association guaranteed in the future, as long as you stay close by. You don’t have to physically remain in the store; just keep the proprietor in mind; be conscious of Him.

With the first store, you can keep going back, lifetime after lifetime even. With the second store, you only need to maintain the connection within the consciousness. This is known as yoga. Visiting the first store is the equivalent of worshiping the many gods of the Vedic tradition. The second store is approaching the Supreme God, Shri Krishna. He is also known through His forms of Vishnu, Rama, Narasimha, and other avataras.

Krishna is also Hari. This name means that He sometimes takes things away from devotees. You’re going to one store to get wealth, and by visiting the second store in the proper mood, you might lose everything that you own.

Without any bias for personality, we see that going to the first store isn’t the best use of time. That is because the items for purchase are all material. The animals already get everything they need to survive, and they don’t engage in any kind of worship. Why should the more intelligent human being put so much effort into getting objects of temporary value?

Moreover, by worshiping Krishna directly there is the chance for happiness in any situation. Every good quality automatically comes about through following bhakti-yoga. The price is sincerity and steadiness. You don’t have to stress yourself out to get Krishna’s favor. You just need the guidance of someone who is already devoted to Him to show you the way. The person who understands the verse from the Bhagavad-gita about alpa-medhasam can properly explain it to you. They know that the many gods are all servants, who fulfill the role of benefactors, but who have their own benefactor in Krishna.

The valuable human form of life is meant for getting out of the cycle of birth and death. This release is known as moksha, or liberation. There are different kinds of liberation, but with the highest one association of the all-attractive Supreme Lord is maintained. God the person is the best companion to keep, and the only way to get His association and maintain it is through bhakti-yoga. Even if a person has many other desires, when they approach Krishna everything sorts itself out.

In any other kind of worship, the exchanges are like a business transaction, where there is no love. Krishna assesses what is asked for. If the desired object will hinder a devotee’s further progress in the purification of consciousness, He will deny the request. This is another feature that distinguishes bhakti-yoga from the worship of other gods. From assessing the rewards themselves, we see how worship of God the person is superior.

In Closing:

For particular god having affinity,

Why insist on only one divinity?

 

From any one you can choose,

All leading to same, nothing to lose.

 

Truth from Bhagavad-gita be blessed,

Worshipers of demigods with intelligence less.

 

A sober assessment, away the personality take,

See what asked for, judge on future’s sake.

Different Ways To Communicate

“Although prayers are a part of Deity worship, they may be considered separately like the other items, such as hearing and chanting, and therefore separate statements are given herewith. The Lord has unlimited transcendental qualities and opulences, and one who feels influenced by the Lord's qualities in various activities offers prayers to the Lord. In this way he becomes successful.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.23-24 Purport)

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Let’s say that you really care about someone. The exact kind of relationship and person don’t really matter. It could be a father, mother, brother, sister, spouse, child, or even a friend. The idea is that you feel really strongly about them on the inside. You appreciate them so much. You’ve realized that they are better towards you than you could ever be towards them.

How do you let them know your appreciation? The simplest way is with words. Approach them, have them sit down, and then talk. This method may be a little awkward. It is not something typically done. It may embarrass the other person. What if you don’t know the right words to say? What if you get nervous? What if they laugh at you in response?

Another option is to write down your sentiments. This allows you to take your time, to prepare everything properly. You can edit the message so that it conveys the exact tone that you’re looking for. You can then deliver the message in a physical letter or through email. The other person can then read it whenever they are free.

What if you’re not skilled at composition? You don’t think that it’s possible for you to express everything in words. Are there other ways to communicate? Certainly there are. Sometimes it takes a simple gesture. A child really wants their father to attend a play they will be performing in at school. The father is very busy with work. He travels constantly, and he hasn’t shown up for many important events in the past.

As the play starts, the child is on the stage in the opening scene. Though focused on their lines and delivery, out of the corner of their eye they notice that someone has entered the auditorium. This person is a late arrival and they are looking for an open seat. Why, it’s the father. He made it after all. The father has not uttered a word and yet the child feels so much appreciation. They know that the father must have gone out of his way to attend. Basic attendance communicated the sentiment.

This analysis has relevance to spiritual life. The Supreme Lord has so many different features that He is impossible to fully comprehend. Some of those features are contradictory. For instance, He has no hands but He can hold the entire universe upon His shoulders effortlessly. He has no ears but He hears everything, including the tree falling in an empty forest. He has no eyes but He is the all-pervading witness. He has no legs but He is faster than the wind.

He accomplishes omnipresence through His expansion known as the Supersoul. An expansion in this case means that the resultant object is identical to God. Though it may not be visible in the same way that the Personality Himself is, the Supersoul lacks nothing in potency. This is mercy offered to the countless living entities, who all have the same Supersoul residing within them. Though He appears to be divided, the Supersoul is one. This is one way to understand unity in diversity.

sarva-bhūteṣu yenaikaṁ

bhāvam avyayam īkṣate

avibhaktaṁ vibhakteṣu

taj jñānaṁ viddhi sāttvikam

“That knowledge by which one undivided spiritual nature is seen in all existences, undivided in the divided, is knowledge in the mode of goodness.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 18.20)

Since the Supersoul rests within me, seated next to the individual soul in the heart, I don’t have far to travel to approach God. If I make advancement in the spiritual science, I come to appreciate everything that He does. Bhakti-yoga is connecting with the Divine in a mood of love and devotion. One aspect to love is sharing sentiments. How do I love God if I’m not sure how to properly address Him? What if I can’t write a wonderful prayer? What if I can’t properly convey my thoughts?

As mentioned above, a simple gesture can convey a powerful message to someone else. In the same way, through doing something as basic as reciting a mantra, the Supreme Lord can know just how you feel about Him. There are many mantras to chant, as God has so many names. These names reference His many attributes and activities.

One of the best mantras to chant, which is especially effective in this age full of distractions and stress-inducing responsibilities, is the maha-mantra. Simply chant, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,” to let the all-attractive one know how you feel. Chant with full attention, faith, love and attachment. Show your emotion through numerical strength, by chanting this mantra over and over again, day after day. From the mantra even the illiterate person can communicate with Krishna, who hears everything and most certainly appreciates the sacrifices made to honor Him.

In Closing:

Even when unsure what to say,

Sentiment still making its way.

 

Even when to write not knowing,

Heartfelt communication still flowing.

 

By holy names’ mantra done,

Addressing Supersoul existing one.

 

Through prayer obeisances paid,

Krishna appreciating sacrifices made.

Powerful Prayer

“When the black-eyed, beautiful Rukmini heard the settlement, she immediately became very morose. However, being a king's daughter, she understood political diplomacy and decided that there was no use in simply being morose. Some steps should be taken immediately. After some deliberation, she decided to send a message to Krishna, and so that she might not be deceived, she selected a qualified brahmana as her messenger.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 51)

It’s quite understandable that we would pity our condition in this world from time to time. Sometimes things get so out of hand that we just can’t help wallowing in our misfortune. During these times, even the staunchest of atheists will have an inclination towards prayer and a higher power. “O God, why did you put me in this miserable condition? What can I do? It is out of my hands; I hate my life.” In these situations, or in any situation actually, pleading for help from the Supreme Divine Entity is always the way to go. Instead of sitting idly by and allowing our condition to own us, it is better to ask for aid from the only person capable of alleviating any situation. That person is Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The root cause of our problems usually goes undetected, for that is the primary defect of the animal species. Animals perform many of the same functions as advanced human beings, except that they are limited in their intelligence gathering abilities. For example, an animal may see many of its brethren taken into the slaughterhouse right in front of it, yet when the time comes for the animal to be killed, it is completely unaware of what is going to happen. Animal life is meant for base enjoyment: eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. Human beings are advanced in that they have the potential to acquire the highest knowledge. Since this potential is difficult to realize to the fullest extent, man remains stuck on lower platforms of intelligence. What does this mean exactly? If we study the nature around us for years and years and gain an understanding about high concepts such as math, biology, chemistry, and physics, our intelligence will certainly be at a very high level. Yet this knowledge is still limiting in that it doesn’t help us go beyond the base animal activities. One living entity may be a pig while another is a PhD scholar, but the enjoyment derived from eating and sleeping is not really any different. The same principle applies to the thoughts and hopes of the individual human being. One person may live in squalor, while another is in a palatial building, but the effects of disappointment are essentially the same. Whether we lose out on a particular meal or a giant merger, the sense of worry and panic takes over equally.

The highest stage of knowledge is that which informs us of our constitutional position and the primary cause of our current condition. This cause will indeed explain the reason for all of our conditions, including the initial event of birth. Though there are various religious systems in existence today, none is more complete than that emanating from the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India. Though Vedanta, or the ultimate knowledge, can be quite complicated, the reason for our birth and the type of body we occupy can be explained simply by saying that we desired our current condition. God is one, and He has His own realm where He resides. The soul represents our identity, and it is unchanging. Any soul which desires God’s personal association is allowed to have it. By the same token, any individual who wants to live separately from God and imitate His activities of creating, maintaining, and destroying is also allowed to do so. Hence the souls that reside in the perceptible world all fall into the latter category. It shouldn’t surprise us that this sort of desire can only lead to misery; no one can perform activities in the same way that God can. Therefore, the solution to all of our problems is to change our desires from wanting to have our little problems fixed, to having our original negative condition, the cause for all our problems, remedied.

“Whether one is without desire, or is desirous of all fruitive results, or is after liberation, one should with all efforts try to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead for complete perfection, culminating in Krishna consciousness.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.3.10)

Obviously these are high concepts, and those who are entangled in the acquisition of inferior knowledge will not have the time to understand the position of the soul and its most ideal home. Yet regardless of one’s condition, their state of mind, and their level of intelligence, it is always advisable to look to Krishna for answers. The Supreme Lord is so kind that He doesn’t expect everyone to realize the highest form of knowledge right away. This means that the individual’s desires will also likely remain polluted for a long time. Instead of an immediate remedy, the Lord allows any person, with any desire, to have solutions found through devotion to Him. In this way, one is allowed to make a gradual progression in intelligence, with Krishna steadily remaining an object of worship.

For those who are on the highest platform of knowledge - those wanting an immediate stop to their imitation of Krishna - are known as bhaktas, or devotees. A devotee simply wants Krishna’s association and nothing else. This association unfolds through interactions in one of several different transcendental mellows, or rasas. While transcendental scholars have carefully analyzed and prioritized these mellows, in the grand scheme of things, there is no difference between them. If one person wants to associate with Krishna eternally as a friend, and another wants to be His sincere servant, there is no difference in their desires. After all, both individuals want Krishna’s association, a condition which automatically brings liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Yet for those who are not on the level of the devotees, the Lord still kindly lends a helping hand. These individuals generally fall into one of two classes: jnanis and karmis. The jnanis don’t necessarily believe in a personal God. The analogy given to explain the mindset of the impersonalist is to that of a giant ocean of water. The jnanis, those who take to studying the differences between spirit and matter as their primary occupation, believe that the Supreme Absolute Truth, God in a sense, is represented by a giant ocean. The living entities are then created when this ocean is divided up into separate containers of water. Therefore, the ultimate aim becomes the merging back into the ocean. When one is on the highest platform of knowledge, which can only be reached through devotion to Krishna, they see the folly in this mindset. Under the giant ocean model, the Supreme Absolute Truth would have to be flawed since He allows Himself to become divided and trapped in individual containers. If the Lord is flawed, He cannot be considered God. Additionally, the individual is taken as God under this model, which is silly in and of itself. If we are God, how did we become trapped in a miserable condition? If we are God, how are we not able to remember our previous lives?

There certainly does exist a giant reservoir of spiritual energy, with the individual souls being part and parcel of this effulgence. This impersonal energy is known as Brahman, and since we are tiny sparks emanating from Brahman, we too are blissful and full of knowledge. Yet Brahman is simply the outer energy emanating from the transcendental body of Krishna. If one remains stuck on argument, logic, and reasoning devised from strict interpretation of the words found in scripture, they will never be able to see past this glaring effulgence. There are other classes of transcendentalists who have similar conclusions, namely that of eliminating individuality and pain through the cessation of activity. Merging into Brahman, or its similar counterpart of nirvana, represents the loss of individuality. It is akin to spiritual suicide. Yet Krishna is so kind that He even grants these rewards to those who approach Him in earnest.

The karmis are those who want material opulence, i.e. enjoyment. They realize that life is difficult and full of misery, so they think that if they just adjust things in the right way, they can remove all the unwanted aspects of life and enjoy all the opulences in front of them. This is the mindset of the majority of individuals in this world, a thought process adopted immediately after the time of birth. This mindset is considered faulty because any final condition or destination which is devoid of Krishna’s association is bound to be a miserable one. Lord Krishna is not only God in the sense of control and power, but also in His abilities to provide pleasure. The dharma of the soul is loving association with its complementary spiritual entity: the Supreme Soul. This more powerful soul belongs to Krishna, thus making Him the ultimate reservoir of pleasure. Material opulence, in the form of wealth, beauty, fame, women, wine, etc., exhausts at some point, leaving the individual empty-handed and alone in the end. By exclusively pursuing material opulence, one is forced to repeat the cycle of work and enjoyment over and over again.

Yet even if we want to enjoy opulence, we are advised to approach Krishna in a humble way. He does not force anyone to change or purify their desires. Rather, He is satisfied just seeing that people think of Him and ask Him for help. The benefit to approaching Krishna over other entities is that not only will Krishna likely give us what we want, but He will purify our desires as a result. Dharma is our essential characteristic, something that never changes with time. Therefore through constant association with Krishna, we are guaranteed of eventually reawakening from our spiritual sleep and reconnecting with our long lost lover.

If we find ourselves in an unpalatable situation, which will occur many times throughout our lifetime, we should always look to Krishna instead of just lamenting our condition. If we take action by worshiping Krishna, the chances of our rescue are increased, whereas simple lamentation and self-pity will guarantee a perpetually miserable state. One great devotee, a divine figure and manifestation of the Goddess of Fortune, proved the validity of this theory during one especially troubling time in her life. Her prayers and subsequent rescue by Krishna show us that the Lord will always hear our sincere callings for His association.

The Vedic, or Hindu, system of marriage is quite unique. As mentioned before, the material world is not our natural home. Therefore the aim of any bona fide religious system is to put into place a set of guidelines and regulations which allow a person to gradually realize this fact. Since the allures of sense pleasures are strong, one requires training from the time of birth in matters of spirituality. Therefore in the Vedic tradition, every activity is meant to be regulated, especially sex. The marriage system is seen as the license for sex life, the only time in one’s life where sense demands are allowed to be acted upon, but still in a regulated manner. To that end, marriages are typically arranged by the parents when the children are relatively young. This way, a boy and girl can live peacefully and happily together, without having to worry about finding the right person who may or may not love them for a short period of time.

It shouldn’t surprise us that those who are not very intelligent, those lacking information about the ultimate conclusion of life, will find this sort of marriage system horrifying. Movies produced in India very often focus on the theme of arranged marriages, with the typical plotline involving a girl who is in love with another man but who is then forced to marry someone else by her parents. It must be said that in the classic Vedic system, this rarely occurs because men and women aren’t allowed to freely intermingle. In the modern age, the forced marriage has become a problem due to the fact that men and women meet up and spend much time together before marriage arrangements are made by parents.

Yet even in the ancient Vedic system, there were instances where the bride-to-be had already sold her heart to another man. This was the case with Rukmini Devi, an exalted princess and daughter of King Bhishmaka. Rukmini was all set to be married to a king named Shishupala, a shady character whom Rukmini had no liking for. The larger problem was the fact that Rukmini had her heart set on marrying Lord Krishna. Around five thousand years ago, the Lord personally descended to earth to enact wonderful pastimes. In His adult years, He lived as the king of a city named Dvaraka. As the Supreme Lord, Krishna was highly effulgent and resplendent, so news of His uncommon and brave activities spread throughout the world. Though Rukmini had never met Krishna, she had heard of His exploits and His devotion to the pious. Simply from hearing of Krishna’s name, form, attributes, and pastimes, she made up her mind to have Him as her husband. Krishna, unlike other non-different forms of the Lord, doesn’t lock Himself down to any codes of conduct, religion, or piety. Krishna is the original and complete Personality of Godhead, so He is actually the object of all systems of piety and virtue. Therefore Krishna can accept an unlimited number of wives, consorts, and associates.

Rukmini’s desire to have Krishna as a husband was certainly indicative of her great intelligence and devotion to the Lord. Yet there was still a problem. Her marriage was already arranged with Shishupala, and time was running out. There was nothing she could do to change the situation because her father, as a hospitable king, had already invited guests and made arrangements for the ceremony. He couldn’t go back on his word now. Instead of resigning herself to defeat, Rukmini took action. She wrote a letter to Krishna, which contained her heartfelt plea to have Him as a husband, and she gave it to a trusted brahmana. The princely order is in charge of giving protection and running government, but the brahmanas are really the brains behind the operation. A brahmana is a priest who understands the spiritual equality shared amongst all individual life forms. Moreover, the deva, or god, for the brahmanas is Krishna, who is thus known as brahmanya-devaya. Rukmini entrusted her letter to the brahmana, who subsequently went to Krishna and delivered it to Him in secret.

Not surprisingly, Krishna wholeheartedly accepted Rukmini’s desire for marriage. Rukmini was so intelligent that she not only proposed marriage, but she also outlined a plot which Krishna could follow to facilitate the new plan. During those times, kshatriyas, or those in the royal order, often married women through a kidnapping fashion, something known as the Rakshasa style of marriage. Rukmini proposed that Krishna come and take her while she and her family would be visiting the temple of Goddess Durga on the day of the wedding to Shishupala. No one would suspect any chicanery during this holy time just prior to the marriage, so it would be ideal for Krishna to perform the kidnapping then. This is precisely what would happen, as Krishna would swoop in just like Garuda, the faithful servant and bird-carrier of Lord Vishnu, and snatch Rukmini away from the onlookers, which included Shishupala and other rival kings. Krishna would fend off the attacks that followed and eventually return home safely to Dvaraka with Rukmini. The two would then be married formally and live happily ever after.

The incident of Rukmini’s marriage shows us that it is better to pray to Krishna, regardless of our desire, than to sit back and wax poetic. The Supreme Lord may or may not grant our desires for an immediate end to our distressful conditions, but if we remain fixed in consciousness on His lotus feet, He will most certainly grant us His association. This is the greatest boon of all, something which represents the most favorable condition. In this way, the world is advised to unite under one God, the Lord for everyone, Shri Krishna. Rukmini’s intelligent and heartfelt message was delivered through a trusted brahmana, but this certainly isn’t the only way to communicate with Krishna. In this age, we can unite under one God and one mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. The Lord listens attentively to this sacred chant, and He takes it as a sign that one of His fellow sons and daughters needs help; help which will arrive shortly thereafter.