Relationship with Supreme Lord Sree Krishna

Where there is darkness there is the possibility of light. But where there is light there can be no darkness. Similarly where Krishna is present, the world and its worldly desires are absent. But where there are desires, The Lord will not come. Therefore when we perform Sadhana (spiritual practice), gradually it brings us to a level where our knots with the world are untied. Sadhana is prescribed in many ways. One way being to chant or meditate on a mantra. However, the mantra should come from a bonafide authority; and there are certain prescribed regulations which may be difficult. The best sadhana is therefore to serve and surrender to the Vaishnavas. We must therefore understand our relation with Krishna and try to perform the activities which will help us to develop a strong relation with The Supreme. The application for the devotee is to keep Krishna in the center.  One must understand, that it is impossible to first cut off all attachments to the world and then attempt to get attached to Krishna. When we develop inclination towards the Lord by serving him, detachment from this world will come naturally and “sambandh” (the relationship) with the supreme will manifest. 

The material world is designed to make the jiva suffer even if we put our best efforts. What is the usefulness of the things which have appeared in our life until now? Or what is the benefit of anything that has been lost or that has disappeared from our life ? This can be understood only by the one who has surrendered to Krishna. Generally, when we get something desirable we become ecstatic and the moment we lose it we become miserable. It is similar to a lion in a zoo, trapped in boundaries, with limited food and limited free will. He may think that he is a king but he is still suffering. Therefore, as long as the conception of bodily identification exists, there will be no relief. Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita mentions “Krishna Mantra Hai Tai Hai Sansar Mochan”. Only the one who understands his real identity can be saved from the miseries of this material world and this can be understood only by taking shelter in the lotus feet of The Lord and chanting of The Holy Name.

The Lord has empowered all his names equally. Since, The Lord is most merciful He does not insist on a particular name to be chanted. Just as some devotees are attached to Radha Govinda, some to Radha Raman or to Radha Gopinath. If there are two living entities, it may not be absolute that they will reach the same place at the same time. The jivas have different desires, and according to these different desires, the action taken to fulfill that desire may be different from person to another person. Similarly what we feel or experience or realize ultimately may also be different. A devotee should surrender to Krishna and realize that true happiness lies only in lotus feet of Guru Vaishnavas and nowhere else. And this is what The Lord is teaching us in different ways. Maha-Maya, the external potency of The Lord, is also teaching us this through the three modes (goodness, passion, and ignorance) of material nature. Maha-Maya shakes the jivas continuously, encouraging them to introspect and understand the futility of this material world, to make us realize that things we desire or crave, do not belong to us and when we depart, we will not be able to carry anything with us, as we are spiritual entities. It is only through the arrangement of The Supreme Lord that we are bestowed with the opportunity to surrender to The Holy Name, is thus free from all material bondages.