FAILING TO KNOW KRISHNA

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Failing to have enough faith in Lord Krishna, or in getting to know Him, is not quite the same as you might find in some other faiths or religions wherein they say you will go to eternal hell if you are a non-believer, or you are an infidel worthy of death, or whatever. But failing to investigate Him and realize what is our final destination is considered a waste of this particular life. Lord Krishna Himself explains:

“One may be well versed in all the transcendental literature of the Vedas, but if he fails to be acquainted with the Supreme, then it must be concluded that all of his education is like the burden of a beast or like one’s keeping a cow without milking capacity.” (Bhag.11.11.18)

“Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me.” (Bg.9.25)

In this way we can begin to see the futility of following some materialistic path or a secondary spiritual method without the process for reaching an understanding of Lord Krishna. “Among all the eternal, conscious beings, there is One who supplies the needs of everyone else. The wise who worship Him in His abode attain everlasting peace. Others cannot.” (Katha Upanishad 2.2.13)

In this way, a person is allowed to proceed through life in the way he or she wants. Lord Krishna allows each person to develop in their own way, and to continue wandering throughout the universe and through various activities until they begin to wonder about the purpose of life, or become ready for a deep spiritual path. Materialistic activities are not the way to find everlasting peace, and most of us need to discover that for ourselves. However, a person cannot be helped until he or she is ready. So, until then, they may be offered the spiritual knowledge they need, but they must decide for themselves how much of it they wish to utilize. Just as when Sri Krishna spoke the whole Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, at the end of it He asked Arjuna what he wished to do. He had to make up his own mind. He was not forced to do anything. In the same way, we can only offer this knowledge for the benefit of humanity, and they can decide what they wish to do, or how long they wish to continue their existence in the material worlds.

“They are truly ignorant who, while imprisoned within the ceaseless flow of this world’s material qualities, fail to know You, the Supreme Soul of all that be, as their ultimate, sublime destination. Because of their ignorance, the entanglement of material work forces such souls to wander in the cycle of birth and death.” (Bhag.10.85.15)

Therefore, regardless of what else we do, we should recognize how advantageous it is to add the process of engaging in devotional service to Lord Krishna in this lifetime. We may not even be able to become perfect at it, but it nonetheless accelerates our spiritual development. Otherwise, regardless of what else we have accomplished materially, our life remains incomplete. “Caught in the grip of ignorance, self-proclaimed experts consider themselves learned authorities. They wander about this world befooled, like the blind leading the blind.” (Katha Upanishad 1.2.5)

It is only through this spiritual education that we can understand our real identity and transcendental nature beyond the body and all material activities. Without that, we remain ignorant of our true potential and the final shelter that is awaiting us in the spiritual domain.

Then Srila Prabhupada said, 'Yes, I can see God.'
One of the things that struck me the most about Srila Prabhupada when he visited the Mexico City temple

for the first time, and the first time I saw him personally and got initiated by him, in June 1972, was during the engagement at the University (UNAM) of Mexico City. You can imagine the setting; at this time there is a lot of convulsion and desire for change in the entire Status Quo from the youth in Mexico. Recently, back in 1968, the government had repressed the students sending the army and killing many students. So, many were skeptics, communists or leftists, rebellious, and of course, many seekers, so before this audience Srila Prabhupada spoke. At the end of the lecture there were questions and answers; one student asked: "Do you see God?", then, there was an absolute silence, everybody was expectant of the answer. You may know many philosophers and great personalities in history, but you cannot imagine of asking someone can you see God?

Do you imagine asking Plato, Socrates, Lenin, Marx or anyone whether they can see God? I don't know of anyone been asked this question with absolute seriousness. So everybody present, students, professors and devotees alike were concentrated in only one thing, Srila Prabhupada's answer. Then, with paused voice and that security and certainity of his, Srila Prabhupada answered: "If I say yes, would you believe it?". The student answered, "Yes." Then Srila Prabhupada said, "Yes, I can see God." He paused -- who else could say "Yes, I can see God"? -- then he added, "And you can see Him too," he quoted, "Premanjana churita bhakti vilocanena..." from Brahma-samhita, and explained on basis of this verse that for one who develops love of Godhead by practicing devotional service, his eyes anointed with the salve of love can see the Supreme Lord. Everybody was very happy with the answer. In the presence of Srila Prabhupada you knew that was truth, there was no doubt, and that was the impact to all the audience. There were even applauses.

Just to be in the presence of the pure devotee all sins fly away, that is the statement of Srila Bhaktivinode, and we all practically lived it.

Nandanandana das

                                                          - On the way to Krishna - 
                                           by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada