10.08: Knowledge about Krishna is not for pooling, but for pulling

Our times are characterized by an infatuation for information. Those with the ability to commandeer uncommon bits and bytes of information on the spur of the moment often leave others wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

Such infatuation may grip even us spiritual seekers, enslaving us to the temptation of showing off our knowledge about Krishna. This exhibitionist urge may well become the driving motivation of our scriptural study, thereby making us miss the actual purpose of such study.

Gita wisdom is unambiguous about the purpose of acquiring knowledge about Krishna. The Bhagavad-gita (10.8) clearly declares that those who know Krishna as the ultimate source and sustainer of everything become wholeheartedly devoted to him. This indicates that knowledge about Krishna is meant to pull our heart to Krishna, to inspire us to love him. When we come to know how beautiful and lovable Krishna is – and how eager he is to reciprocate love with us, how can our heart not be moved to love him?

Sadly however, when we approach knowledge about Krishna with an information-hunting agenda, then the information gets pooled in our head, but doesn’t exert any pull on our heart. Our heart being already filled with love for worldly admiration has little, if any, space left for loving Krishna. Consequently, despite our brandishing esoteric information about Krishna, our heart remains unfulfilled, thirsty, lonely and parched of love.

All of us have the power to amend or avert this unfortunate state of affairs. If we cherish the correct purpose while acquiring knowledge about Krishna, then that knowledge will come alive in our heart, pull us towards Krishna and eventually grant us the ultimate fulfillment.