What is our relationship with Shri Krishna? Part 3

As explained, our relationship with Shri Krishna is not an ordinary relationship. It is a relationship with imbued Grace. It is like the relationship of a mother to her child. She always thinks of the child’s welfare. But there may be one doubt in your mind, when you are alone. Let’s resolve that also. This relationship is eternal but Maya has spoiled that relationship. So this Maya is acting like our enemy. If Maya wasn’t there, then we wouldn’t have forgotten our relationship with Shri Krishna. The souls, eternally turned away from God, have forgotten Him because of Maya. If it weren’t for Maya, we would realize our relationship and attain Him immediately.

Yesterday I gave an example of a father and son. When they discovered at an inn, “Oh he’s my father; he’s my son,” they developed instant love for each other. And fainted with joy while embracing. Here, only one party (soul) is forgetful, but the other (God) is perfectly fine. God isn’t unaware and recognizes his son, but the son doesn’t recognize his father. We blame it on Maya and get angry with it, but we shouldn’t. Nothing of God can be inauspicious.

Think of it with common sense. Maya is a power of God. How could it do anything wrong? There’s nothing ominous in God’s realm. Ok, not in God’s realm, can it still be ominous in its own realm? But Maya is God’s power! Ok, tell me this, could Maya do anything without God’s power? Could it maintain its personality? No! Maya is empowered by God. Then why do you say the power of Maya? Maya has no power of its own; it’s a power of God. If God withholds his power, Maya becomes inactive. When God resolves, Maya starts functioning. Thus, Maya isn’t a bad thing. It functions the same as a Saint. These two parties are for your welfare. One is a Saint and the other is Maya. Any mother in this world corrects her child in two ways. One is through affection, caressing, advising, soothing the child. “Son, you should study; otherwise, what will you do? Dig grass? Where will you find a job? How will you take care of your children? You’ll suffer insults everywhere.” She explains this to her child in various ways with love and affection. If the son still doesn’t listen, she says, I won’t speak to you. Go away. If he still doesn’t listen, and thinks, “She isn’t my mother, but my enemy.” Children often think like this when they get punished. Then she may slap him. The child thinks, “Why did my mother slap me?

Similarly, the Saints lovingly give us spiritual knowledge. And want to take us to Shri Krishna. They explain to us our relationship with Shri Krishna. Still, we ignore them and go towards Maya which slaps us saying, ”Why have you come to me? Go the other way.” When we get slapped, we realize partly. “My wife, son, father are all bad and selfish. Kripalu ji was right.” This realization stays for a while. Then again we turn to Maya which again gives us a tight slap. This is our pathetic condition, even after receiving slaps day and night, we remain the same.

If there was no one to slap and awaken us from our slumber, all the Saints’ work would have been in vain. They would simply give up. What else can they do? When we aren’t hungry (for God) what could a Saint do? We wouldn’t even listen to him. Someone inquires, “What is the news?” The other says, “A saint is visiting our place.” “So?” “He speaks on some deep philosophy.” “Philosophy on what?” “On God.” “When there’s no God, how can there be his philosophy? I have no time to waste.” End of the conversation.

There was a well-known prime minister. He used to say, “Don’t talk about God in front of me. All my worldly work will be ruined.” He didn’t even want to hear about God. Once, there was also a man named Ghantakarn (one who tied bells to his ears). When someone chanted God’s name, he would shake his head to sound the bells so that he wouldn’t hear God’s name. If someone doesn’t want to hear about God or accept God, what could a Saint do or teach? If we don’t listen, what could we hope to understand? When we suffer blows from Maya, only then we begin to have a little detachment and understanding of the nature of the world. That is why there is some hunger (for God) inside everyone.

The scriptures say that everyone is qualified for the path of devotion. Everyone is unhappy from the world, so he is restless and desires something Divine, whether he calls it God or not. Many atheists perform yog and say, “We don’t believe in God. We want to control our minds and attain peace.” They are so naive. “Take some sleeping pills and get that peace for some time. Is this the kind of peace you want?” So Maya isn’t our enemy but our well-wisher. It’s a power of God and it’s equal to Him. Nothing of God is less than Him but is equal to Him. We too are equal to him. There is just a veil between us. Once it’s removed, that is it!

Naradji himself says that there’s no difference between a Saint and God. God gives all He has, his power, his omniscience, and his Divine Bliss to the soul. He withholds nothing. He is so gracious. God gives the souls so much that whenever there’s a need, He’ll even accept defeat in front of a devotee. Saints never had to accept defeat in the entire history. When a Saint grants a boon for something, God may disagree saying, “This is against My law.” The devotees say, “I don’t care about your law! I have vowed this,” God then says, “Alright, whatever you say goes – I lose, you win.”

So Maya is a power of God; hence equal to Him. That is why the scriptures tell that if one were to attain the powers of Indra, Kuber, Varun, Brahma, etc. why they are still not liberated from Maya? What is the reason? Agreed that Maya is very powerful, but they have great powers. Just having great powers isn’t enough. You need unlimited powers and only Shri Krishna has that. That’s why he says ”Only by my Grace, will Maya go away.” If Maya were less powerful than God, then someone could control it.

Great yogis and sages have all tried and lost. They acquire great psychic and yogi powers. They can take unlimited forms or fly in the sky. They can make themselves so light that they can be blown away or so heavy that even big cranes can’t lift them. They do these through their yogic powers yet can’t ever win over Maya. The Vedas say that even if one may be a gyani, a ritualist, a yogi, or have perfected many mantras; he can’t be free from Maya until he receives Shri Krishna’s Grace by surrendering to Him.

Thus, Maya is God’s power and our well-wisher. Never have aversion to it. Maya punishes us so that we can rectify our mistakes. It sometimes sends us to celestial abodes and sometimes to hellish abodes. It punishes us in various ways, saying, “Look, if you come to me, this is all that you will get. Turn towards God. He is my Lord as well as yours. Know your relationship with God. Shri Krishna is the only One to be known.

Gaurang Mahaprabhu said, “The One to be known, the ultimate knowledge, the supreme Brahm is Shri Krishna alone and no one else. The Vedas declare, “He is all-pervading, like ghee in milk and oil in sesame seed. There isn’t even an atom where He does not exist.” Our relationship with Shri Krishna is eternal, and if we add ‘only’ to it, our knowledge then becomes complete. Our relationship is with Shri Krishna only and no one else.

To apply ‘only’ we have to do something that is called abhidheya. The path that leads us to our goal is called abhidheya. You know by now, “What our objective is?” “He is Shri Krishna.” “Who is the one to be known?” “He is Shri Krishna.” “How to know and attain Shri Krishna?” That is also important to know.

Look, understand in layman terms. There is a very poor man. He begged for food, yet couldn’t satisfy his hunger. One day a Saint came to him and begged for alms from him. The beggar said, “Babaji, why are you begging from me? I myself have nothing.” The Saint said, “You have a lot, Why are you lying?” The beggar said, “You may look inside and search my hut.” Babaji said, “Just under your hut, your father had buried tons of gold!” “You have so much wealth you can buy whole districts.” Beggar could not believe. ”Babaji, why are you joking?” “I am not joking. I am telling you a fact. Just dig a little and you will find it.”

This is sambandh gyan (knowledge of the relationship) which the knower gave to the beggar. “Look at the treasure buried right beneath your hut.” Everyone walks on the ground above and the treasure is buried right below it. They search for Bliss outside while residing inside Shri Krishna, the ocean of Divine Love smiles. “Look, at these foolish people – They are searching for happiness in the world. I am residing right inside them, but they don’t even look at Me.”

We look towards everyone else. We not only keep begging from our mother, father, wife, and husband, but also from others. We aren’t aware of the treasure that is buried inside us. That is because we don’t have the knowledge of our relationship (sambandh gyan) with Shri Krishna.

Babaji said “Now that you have been told about it. ”Then start digging. You won’t get the treasure without digging. Gaurang Mahaprabhu said “Without making the effort, how will you attain the objective? You will have to ‘dig.’ You are sitting and walking over it, but that won’t help. There is a layer of soil separating it from you. Similarly, there is a veil of ignorance separating you from God. There is also a veil over the treasure.

To find that treasure, the all-knowing Guru told you “Look, the treasure is buried in your own house,” The Guru will tell you all these secrets. So your job is to first cut your veil, and then Shri Krishna will then raise his veil and reveal Himself. The only condition is that first, you raise your veil and surrender, then Shri Krishna will raise his veil and Grace you.

Complete knowledge of these three tattvas, the sambandh (relation) abhidheya (path) and prayojan (goal) is therefore absolutely essential. Our aim, objective, and goal are Divine Love. After knowing these three tattvas, a soul can then attain God-realization and attain Divine Bliss for eternity.

By Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

(Credits: Narad Bhakti Sutra)

*A brief introduction of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj*

(Known by His devotees as Shri Maharajji)

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 Maharajji 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.