Shri Krishna, Our Real Father

(Hamara Vastavik Pita)

(Speech delivered by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji on Father’s Day in Mussoorie, 2009)

All souls are brothers

(Sab jeev bhai bhai govinde radhe)

And their father is one – Shri Krishna

(Sab ka pita hai ek, krishna beta dai)

(Verse 3.1 Taittiriya Upanishad)

In the Taittiriya Upanishad of the Vedas, Varun’s son, Bhrigu, asked his God-realised father.  “Who is this God, or Brahman or Paramatma? I hear his name a lot. And I hear he is everyone’s father. How is this?”   So Varun answered, “From whom all beings emanate, by whom all beings are maintained, and into whom all beings are absorbed.  He is called Bhagavan, or Brahma or God. 

This question was asked in the beginning of the Vedanta,  “Athato brahm jigyasa.”   (The first sutra of the first pada of the first chapter).  Ved Vyas was asked, “What is this Brahman, Guru Ji?” He asked Shankarcharya. He wrote in the next sutra – “Janmadyasya yatah”  By whom all creation is born, preserved and dissolved.  

Shankaracharya expounded on this sutra. Keep in mind that Ved Vyas wrote the Vedanta.  Shankaracharya’s Guru was Govindacharya, whose Guru was Gaudpadacharya, whose Guru was Shukhdev Paramhans and his Guru was Ved Vyas.  He wrote the 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata, the Vedanta, the Gita and many other scriptures.  

Shankaracharya explained the meaning of this sutra 2500 years ago. He is the first Jagadguru of the Kali Yuga.  (Verse – Shankara Bhashya) – All the mobile and immobile beings of this world and even all insentient  things have one father – God, Shri Krishna. Ved Vyas composed the Bhagavatam at the very end.  There, he wrote in the very first shloka, “I am about to describe the pastimes of that Shri Krishna  (Bhagwatam 1.1.1),  from whom all the souls of this world are born, by whom they are preserved, and into whom they merge, that Shri Krishna, who is the Father of all”  

The Padma Puran says, “There are two types of sentient beings.”  Sentient – meaning things that move, see, hear, smell, taste, think, know for example, humans, animals, birds, even trees are sentient.  They are two types of  mobile and immobile sentient beings. So there are sentient souls, and then there is the Atma.  The word, ‘Atma’ is used for souls as well as for God. The Vedas say,  (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.4.5).  ‘Atma’ is used for God in many places.

So the Padma Purana says all souls are sentient and then the ‘Atma’ is supremely sentient.  All are souls – even Brahma and all the celestials.  That is, other than Krishna, all are souls.  The difference is some are svansha and some are vibbhinansha.  Some are his own forms,  They are God, like Brahma.  And some are under Maya, countless in number.  

So in this way, God is everyone’s father.  All the scriptures declare this with one voice.  Understand this with an example.  Waves keep rising out of the ocean.  One wave rises, another rises, they meet.  One falls down, the other goes further, and then also falls down.  Millions of waves rise and fall like this in the ocean.  

This example was given by Shankaracharya – (Verse Shatpadi) – O Shri Krishna, we are both sentient and yet, there is a difference between us. ”What is this difference?”  The wave is born from the ocean.  Not the ocean from the waves. We are born from You.  You are not born from us.  This is the difference. So all the waves are brothers.  And they all have the same father – the ocean. They all rose from the ocean; they are all made of the ocean. And they all merge back into the ocean.

Those whom you call your father, mother or child in the world,  they are all your brothers.  Countless times has your father become your son, your brother, your wife, your husband.  Since eternity, every soul has made every relation with every other soul.  What kind of mother or father is that?  They are parents of the body.  Not of the soul. Let’s say a father dies. Generally, fathers love their children.  So where will he be reborn?  To his son or his grandson. He will become their child. 

(Bhagwatam 3.32.20) – Where one is attached, there one will be born. So this parent-child relationship which we accept in the world, we accept this out of gratitude.  This is my body’s father.  He nurtured me, educated me.  I am indebted to him.  Hence, we have a duty towards our father, mother, spouse, etc.  But these are physical duties.  Not relationships.  

Souls themselves have begun to call each other mother and father in the world. One soul, becomes the father of another, one soul the mother of another..  Look – no one calls the body their mother or father. You say they do.  Ok, if you really accept the body to be mother or father, then after death, how can the son harm the dead body?  The son hits the father’s head during cremation.  Is that good manners? To hit one’s father?  He breaks his head.  It’s a ritual called kapal-kriya.  No, he only breaks the body.  The soul has departed. So the soul is the real relative.  

The body is just temporary and short-lived.  Like when we travel in a train.  When one’s station arrives, he gets off, The son may get off first. The father says, “How can you leave before me?” The son says, “My station has arrived.” Father says, “How is that possible?” You can’t use the logic that the father should be going first here. 

All have different sanskars from  past lives. By which God has already decided, “This human body is being given to you for so many days or for so many hours.  Attain God now!  Or this life will be snatched away from you.  You will reap the fruits of all your actions of this life. You can’t fight or bribe anyone. Such actions may save you in the world.  But they won’t save you in God’s kingdom.” 

So in this way, everyone’s father is only God, Shri Krishna.  And to celebrate Father’s Day means to aspire to attain Him alone.  And the most important personality in helping you attain God is the Guru.  Hence, both God and Guru are taken to be our real Father.  Always remember this philosophy when celebrating Father’s Day. 

*A brief introduction of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj*

(Known by His devotees as Shri Maharaj Ji)

The original title of Jagadguruttam (Greatest Spiritual Teacher of the World) was bestowed upon Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on January 14, 1957, by Kashi Vidvat Parishad (a council of 500 greatest scholars saints of India). He composed divine texts like Prem Ras Madira, Prem Ras Siddhant, and Radha Govind Geet to lead us on the right path of devotion. He also gave priceless monuments as gifts to the world which include Bhakti Mandir located in Bhakti Dham, Mangarh, Prem Mandir located in Vrindavan Dham, and Kirti Mandir located in Barsana Dham. Shri Maharaj Ji also built hospitals for the impoverished, the Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Vrindavan, Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Barsana, and another one in Pratapgarh. All three help millions of underprivileged to gain free access to medical care. His Kindergarten, School, and College for impoverished girls Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education is located in Kunda and provides completely free education.