Gita key verses course 25 – Does God hear our prayers? Gita 7.19

So today, we are discussing the 7th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, specifically the topic of prayer. Does God hear our prayers? And when our prayers go unanswered, what can we do? I’ll discuss this based on verse 7.19 of the Bhagavad Gita. Before we get to that verse, let’s quickly review where we are in our discussion so far.

In the previous two sessions, we discussed how Krishna, in the 7th chapter, begins giving a more affirming understanding of God. To connect with Krishna, we don’t necessarily need to detach ourselves from the world, but we can attach ourselves to Krishna, and we can do that through the world as well. By “through the world,” I mean that we can look at the world and see God in it. In that connection, we discussed in the second-to-last session how science approaches the world, and in the previous session, we looked at how even sexuality can be incorporated into the Gita’s vision of spirituality.

Today, we will continue that theme and examine how people approach God, often with different conceptions, and what happens when our prayers are not answered. This is a continuation of the same theme because the underlying idea is that most people, including us, approach God because something in our life is wrong and we want it to be fixed. To some extent, this is a material conception with which we approach God. So, let’s explore this further today.

Krishna says that after many lifetimes, some people become full of knowledge, surrender to Him, and understand that He is everything. Such great souls are extremely rare. The underlying idea Krishna is expressing is that those who surrender to Him realize that He is everything. Verse 7.19 is the culmination of a four-verse sequence starting from verse 7.16, where Krishna talks about how people approach Him for different purposes. We will use these verses as a starting point for our discussion on how we can perceive God in different ways when we approach Him in prayer.

I’ll discuss understanding the purpose of prayer, how our vision of God changes, and how we evolve in our understanding of God’s help. Some of the points in this class I may have mentioned briefly earlier, but here they will be more specifically focused on prayer.

Prayer is almost like a universal language of humanity. Across the world, different people in different situations, including tribals or aborigines, may have different ways of trying to appease the unknown. Some may perform dances, others might engage in voodoo worship, or whatever rituals they follow. Most of these are done with a material conception. What does that material conception mean? It means we pray so that we can get God to change something that we cannot change. For example, if there is a drought or a famine in a particular place, certain rituals or forms of prayer might be done to ask God to end the drought. In modern times, during cricket matches in India, people may pray so that India wins the match. The idea is to get God to change something that we cannot change.

However, there is also a separate, deeper spiritual understanding of prayer. That understanding is to connect with God and, in doing so, change ourselves. The purpose of praying is to connect with God. We see this in our bhakti tradition, where many prayers are offered with no request at all. Consider the Brahma Samhita prayers, often recited in our temples: “Govindam adipurusham tamaham bhajami” – “I worship Lord Govinda, the original person.” The idea here is that we simply adore and worship, seeing prayer as a means to connect with Him and become absorbed in Him. This is the primary purpose of prayer, with nothing beyond that.

So, we also see this in the teachings of Prahlad, where he mentions that there are nine ways of connecting with Krishna, and one of them is prayer. Let’s explore how one moves from a material conception to a spiritual conception, and whether the material conception is wrong. We’ll look at these things a little later.

Basically, let me explain: I may have a problem, and I need it fixed. Yes, we do need to be fixed, but among our needs, there are material needs, which are like painkillers, and spiritual needs, which are like curative medicines. Earlier, we discussed what we live with and what we live for. In a similar way, our material needs and resources are like what we live with—they are important but they are painkillers. Spiritual needs, on the other hand, are like the curative medicine. When we have a divine purpose to live for and connect with the divine, with Krishna, it provides us with a sublime satisfaction that takes us beyond any other agitation we may have.

This is a diagram we have discussed earlier. Let’s look at this pattern with specific examples. Suppose someone is sick and they don’t have a painkiller or any medicine—then they will be miserable. That’s the bottom left quadrant, which we’ll call the first quadrant. Now, suppose someone is in pain, and the main thing they think about is how to become free from that pain. They don’t think too much about what the disease is or what the cure for it is, they just want relief from the pain.

Now, why are material needs compared to painkillers? For example, we all have certain needs like breathing, hunger, and thirst. Hunger can be unbearably painful, and thirst can be unbearably painful. It is important to have food, water, and other basic needs. But think about it: after we get food, what happens? People who are starving are unhappy, but are people who are well-fed truly happy? Not necessarily. Once the need is taken care of, it’s like a painkiller—when the pain is numbed, we need another dose soon after.

In this way, our material existence is like a disease condition, and our material needs are like painkillers. We keep needing them again and again. Of course, we need them, but they are not the primary focus. Now, if someone takes only painkillers, this means their material needs are fulfilled, but their spiritual needs—connection with Krishna—are not. In such a case, they might be comfortable or happy for a time, but not for long.

On the other hand, if our spiritual needs are fulfilled, and we are connected with Krishna and absorbed in Him, but our material needs are not completely fulfilled, it is not easy, but it is bearable. We may get some glimpses of this, say, when we fast on certain holy days. Normally, we think we can’t fast, but on those days, we fast and realize it’s not that impossible. We discover that it is bearable, but not sustainable. Sustainability happens when both our material and spiritual needs are taken care of.

One vision of prayer is that it provides for our material needs, acting like a painkiller. If we consider Krishna like a doctor, then no doctor wants their patient to be in pain. But the doctor doesn’t just want the pain to be covered up; the doctor wants the pain to be cured. Therefore, a balanced approach involves taking care of both material and spiritual needs. A proper doctor would give both painkilling medication and curative medication. That’s the balance.

Sometimes, in certain phases, if one of these is not present, it is far better that the painkilling medicine is not there because at least the cure is going on. So, what happens to us? We often have a limited conception of prayer. The idea is that if God doesn’t fulfill the particular thing I want, then what’s the use of worshiping Him? Let’s explore this further.

Now, let’s talk about our material and spiritual needs. What exactly do we mean by spiritual needs? For that, we need to evolve in our vision of God. God is not just the fulfiller of our desires; He is the fulfillment of our desires. God’s greatest blessing is that whatever we get from Him is no match for God Himself. This was the point discussed in this particular verse. Evolved spiritual seekers understand this. It might take many lifetimes to realize this, but once they do, they understand that God is everything. If I have Krishna, I don’t need anything else. Whatever attractiveness might exist in the world, all of that is present in Krishna.

So, this is about the four levels at which we might approach God: fear, desire, duty, and love. At the first and second levels, it’s a material conception, at the level of beauty, it’s a transitional conception, and love is the highest level. Let’s look at these quickly.

Most world religions function at the level of fear, meaning that if I don’t worship God, He may punish me, so let me pacify Him by worshiping Him. This is better than atheism, but it is based on a very negative conception of God as a stern judge or a punisher.

Fear is the level at which many religions are criticized for inducing fear in people about some hell in a future life, or fear of other consequences. Some argue that religion manipulates through fear. Fear can be a very dangerous tool for power, and it can be easily abused. This is not a healthy or sustainable way of relating to God. In fact, many cults, when they try to control their members, create a lot of fear about the afterlife and dehumanize and demonize anyone who doesn’t belong to the cult. There is fear of God, and fear of everything that isn’t connected with God in the way prescribed by that particular religion or group.

Now, when we talk about these levels, it’s important to understand that they are not confined to any particular religion. Fear-based approaches to God exist in Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, and even in tribal groups. In some ways, this might be better than atheism because at least it includes some conception of God. Fear also takes different forms. For example, consider the fear of law. Should ordinary citizens be afraid of the police? Ideally, the police shouldn’t be violent or act like terrorists, but there should be an understanding that if I do something wrong, I will be punished. For instance, people often break traffic rules with impunity in India, but when they go to the US, UK, or Australia, they follow the traffic rules carefully. Why? Because they fear they can’t just bribe their way out of trouble. Fear, in this case, is a tool for order and discipline.

In the Bible, it is said that “the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,” but that is only the beginning. If fear is all that’s present in our religion, then how can we have a meaningful relationship with God?

The next level is the level of desire. This is what we discussed earlier, where most people approach God because they have many desires. They think, “If I can’t get these things, maybe if I pray to God, He will give them to me.” This conception of God is more positive, not as a cosmic punisher, but as a source of fulfilling desires. The problem with this conception is that it’s utilitarian. If God doesn’t fulfill my desires, then what’s the use of worshiping Him? And if God fulfills my desires, then what’s the need to worship Him after that? It becomes a transactional relationship, which is very utilitarian.

Within this approach, deception can also arise. For example, if people think that all they need is to have their desires fulfilled, they might end up worshiping someone who claims to be God, but is actually just a magician who does tricks for them. This is a very naive understanding of God. When the conception of God is primarily based on desire, the problem is that people might think that if they can get their desires fulfilled from some other source, there is no need for God.

For instance, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, give us our daily bread.” This is a good prayer at one level, as people are going to God and praying to Him. But a rabbi might say that this shows a love for bread, not for God, because the primary interest is in getting bread from God. If that bread can be obtained by some other means, then what is the need to go to God? This is the level of desire, a utilitarian concept.

Krishna talks about four categories of people who come to Him, and we can place them in these categories we are discussing. He says there are people who are inquisitive, people who are in distress, and people who are seekers of well-being. Those in distress or seeking well-being generally fall into the categories of fear or desire. Even those who are inquisitive are often still seeking information, driven by desire, and are not beyond personal interest.

The next level, beauty, is a steadier conception of God. This level represents a more mature understanding of one’s relationship with God. If we consider a child-parent relationship, should a child have some fear of the parents? Yes, there should be some discipline and fear, but fear shouldn’t be the sole basis of the relationship. Similarly, with desire—if a child only relates to the parent to get things, such as money or gifts, then that is not a very pleasant relationship. A child who calls the parent only when they need something is not nurturing a healthy relationship.

The level of beauty, then, involves a more balanced and mature understanding of God. We recognize that we have so many things we need for our existence, and they are provided for us without our making any effort. We may think that we work hard and earn money to get our food, but no matter how hard we work or how much money we make, if nature doesn’t provide the basic ingredients for our food, we will get nothing. We can’t create air or sunlight, or many of the foundational necessities for our living. God has already provided us with so much through nature.

The Gift of Nature and the Importance of Gratitude

Imagine if we had to pay a bill to nature for everything it provides. A science magazine once suggested that if we had to pay the sun for the energy it gives, just a week’s worth of electricity in one state, like Oklahoma, would cost more than the entire annual budget of the world. This illustrates the immense abundance provided by nature and by God. Everything we receive is a gift, and our relationship with God should be rooted in gratitude for what has already been given, not in craving for what we don’t have.

Often, the word “duty” has a negative connotation, as it can become burdensome over time. The highest level, however, is one based on love. At this level, we approach God because He is so lovable. We realize that it is Krishna, the all-attractive form of God, whom we desire to pray to. At this level, we seek no material gain, yet God reciprocates our devotion. This pure love satisfies the heart because the heart longs for love above all else.

Pure Devotion: The Example of Prahlad Maharaj

Prahlad Maharaj is an example of someone who had pure love for God. He was the son of the emperor of the world and had everything anyone could desire. Yet, despite his material prosperity, he wanted something more—devotion to God. He was willing to give up everything for that devotion. In his prayers, there is no material request; instead, there is loving reciprocation and complete absorption in God.

Three Levels of Devotion

Devotion can be categorized into three levels:

1. Circumstantial Devotion: This is devotion driven by fear or desire. For example, someone might pray to God when they are in trouble, asking for help out of desperation.
2. Intelligence-Driven Devotion: This type of devotion is rooted in intelligence and understanding. It involves recognizing God’s greatness and wanting a personal relationship with Him. Even if one doesn’t yet have that connection, their devotion is sincere and driven by a desire to develop it.
3. Transcendental Devotion: This is the highest level of devotion, based purely on love. It is characterized by selfless devotion to God without any material expectation.

Understanding God’s Responses to Our Prayers

As we grow in our understanding of God, we also evolve in our understanding of how God answers our prayers. To illustrate, consider the relationship between a parent and child. A child might want a toy from their parent, but the parent’s love for the child is not dependent on whether the toy is given. If the child reduces the parent’s love to the gift of a toy, they miss the greater love the parent has for them.

Similarly, when we pray to God, it’s important not to reduce our understanding of His love to simply whether or not our material desires are fulfilled. The issues we face, like career setbacks or health problems, may seem serious, but from the eternal perspective, they are temporary. While it’s natural to feel concerned about them, we must also recognize that God’s love for us goes beyond these temporary struggles.

Limited Resources, Unlimited Desires

In the material world, we live in a situation where resources are limited, but needs are unlimited. A good example of this can be seen in the Second World War, where both German and British soldiers prayed for protection, yet casualties occurred on both sides. Similarly, if we look at a situation like a cricket match between India and Pakistan, children in both countries may pray for their team to win. However, only one team can win, and this highlights the reality that not all desires can be fulfilled.

God is unlimited, but the material world is limited. While God may sometimes intervene and perform miracles, He does not typically alter the natural course of events. Thus, there are times when our prayers may not result in the outcomes we expect. Understanding this is key to deepening our relationship with God.

God’s Protection: A Divine Example

In scriptural examples, such as the story of Parikshit Maharaj in the Bhagavatam, we see that God’s protection transcends the material world. Even before Parikshit was born, the Lord protected him in the womb. This demonstrates that God’s intervention is not bound by material circumstances. He is capable of performing miracles to protect His devotees, and this is a glorious example of God’s love and care for His devotees.

Parikshit Maharaj: Protection Beyond the Physical

Parikshit Maharaj began his life as a child in the womb, protected by divine intervention. However, as he grew older, he was cursed to die within seven days. The Bhagavatam recounts his life, beginning with his protection and ending with his death. Initially, his protection was physical—protected from dangers in the material world. But later, when he was cursed, protection came in a different form.

When a snake came to bite him, Parikshit Maharaj’s body was attacked, but his consciousness was no longer attached to it. Instead, he had become absorbed in Krishna by hearing the Bhagavatam. This absorption in Krishna’s presence became his ultimate protection. The snake bit his body, but his consciousness was focused on Krishna, which shielded him spiritually. This illustrates that the greatest protection comes from being absorbed in Krishna, not merely in physical safety.

Absorption in Krishna: The True Protection

Lord Kapila in the Bhagavatam teaches that those who take shelter in Krishna and become absorbed in hearing His pastimes are shielded from worldly troubles. They are not disturbed by life’s difficulties because their consciousness is rooted in Krishna, transcending the material world. Absorption in Krishna is the highest form of protection.

Miraculous Interventions: Protection Beyond the Physical

Throughout religious traditions, there are stories of miraculous interventions. For example, Lord Nrsimhadeva protected His devotee Prahlad Maharaj from countless attempts on his life, such as being thrown into fire or hurled off a mountain. Similarly, in the Bible, Moses parted the sea to protect the Israelites from the Egyptian soldiers, showcasing that God can suspend the natural laws to protect His devotees.

These examples, while miraculous, are often seen as temporary physical interventions. However, they highlight the divine protection that transcends the material realm. God’s protection is not limited to physical well-being; His true protection is spiritual.

Understanding Protection: Material vs. Spiritual

Sometimes, we may experience distress in life—whether through serious accidents, illness, or loss. We might wonder why God isn’t protecting us, especially when other devotees seem to have miraculous protection. However, protection doesn’t always mean physical safety. Sometimes, God’s protection is spiritual, shielding us from negative consequences and elevating our consciousness, even amidst difficulties.

For example, some devotees may pass away in peaceful settings, surrounded by others chanting the holy names, while others may suffer tragic accidents. Does this mean one is protected and the other is not? Not necessarily. Protection can manifest in many forms. While physical protection is important, it’s not the ultimate form of protection.

The Story of Prahlad Maharaj

The story of Prahlad Maharaj is a perfect example of spiritual protection. Despite being subjected to brutal treatment by his father, Prahlad remained absorbed in Krishna. His devotion was so deep that, even though he faced great physical danger, he was spiritually untouched. His ultimate protection came from being fully absorbed in Krishna’s love.

Absorption in Krishna: The Key to Spiritual Protection

When we understand that Krishna is all-attractive and the source of all desires, we can become absorbed in Him. This absorption is the greatest form of connection with God and brings us spiritual protection.

When we pray to Krishna, we should not view prayer merely as a means to get something. Sometimes our prayers will be answered in the way we expect, and sometimes they won’t. However, if we see prayer as a means to connect with Krishna, it will always work. Prayer will lift the burdens we face, not by necessarily removing our problems, but by elevating our consciousness above them.

The Power of Prayer: Shifting Our Focus

Often, the real problem isn’t the situation itself, but how we obsess over it. The more we focus on our problems, the larger they seem to grow in our minds. It’s not that the problem becomes bigger, but that our consciousness becomes consumed by it.

In prayer, we must shift our focus away from the problem and turn towards Krishna. When we focus on Krishna, we are reminded of His greatness, and this makes the problems in our life seem smaller and more manageable. Prayer connects us to Krishna and lifts us above our problems.

Release or Relief?

There are two types of relief that prayer brings:

1. Release from the Problem: In some cases, the problem will be resolved entirely, and the difficulty will vanish.
2. Relief Amidst the Problem: In other cases, the problem may persist, but our consciousness rises above it. The problem remains, but it no longer burdens us as it did before.

This can be likened to entering an air-conditioned room after being in a hot environment. If you stand at the door, expecting the entire room to cool instantly, you will be disappointed. However, if you enter and let the cool air surround you, you’ll find relief. Similarly, when we turn to Krishna, we experience a gradual shift in our consciousness that offers both relief and, sometimes, release from the problems we face.

Prayer: A Path to Spiritual Connection

In the world, we often face a mix of challenges and distress. When we pray to Krishna for relief from these challenges, sometimes our problems are resolved quickly, but other times, they might not be removed immediately. However, the act of prayer doesn’t necessarily change the external circumstances right away. Instead, it opens the door to a deeper spiritual experience—allowing our consciousness to enter a space of peace, like stepping into an air-conditioned room. This room represents the place where our consciousness can be absorbed in Krishna.

When we approach prayer in this way—not just asking for material changes but seeking to deepen our connection with Krishna—we will find that prayer always works. It brings us strength and helps us connect to Krishna, offering a spiritual protection that transcends material solutions.

Should We Pray for Specific Problems?

This raises the question: if we face particular issues, such as health problems, relationship challenges, or career instability, should we pray to God for these things? Some might argue that God already knows our needs, so why pray? While it’s true that God knows everything, prayer is not just about conveying our needs. It’s an expression of our relationship with God. Just like in a parent-child relationship, saying “I love you” deepens the bond. Similarly, expressing our concerns to Krishna helps deepen our connection with Him.

When we are burdened by something in our heart, it can be hard to focus on Krishna alone. By praying about our problems, we unburden our hearts and create space for Krishna in our consciousness. Even if our focus is initially on the problem, we can use it as a starting point to pray for Krishna’s guidance.

A Story of Devotion: Guru Maharaj

Consider the story of Guru Maharaj, who was deeply insulted and felt devastated. He wanted to sit on his father’s lap, but his stepmother refused, declaring that only children born through her could do so. Feeling humiliated, Guru Maharaj vowed to not only sit on his father’s lap but to sit on a throne greater than hers. Desperate, his mother advised him to worship Vishnu, and under the guidance of Nadanmuni, he meditated and performed austerities to gain Krishna’s blessing.

When he finally had a vision of Vishnu, he became spiritually enriched and realized that, having attained Krishna’s presence, he no longer desired anything else. His prayer transformed from asking for material desires to pure devotion.

This story demonstrates that while we may start praying for material desires, prayer can purify our heart and elevate our devotion to a higher level. Initially, Guru Maharaj sought Krishna for material reasons, but through his devotion, he transcended those desires.

The Evolution of Devotion

For us, it’s important to recognize that it’s not wrong to pray for relief from our troubles. Prayer may not always bring an immediate solution to our material problems, but it connects us with Krishna. The key is to remember that we are gradually working toward a pure devotion, but we must first start by connecting with Krishna, even if our motivations are initially material.

Through association with devotees—those who are motivated by transcendental love for Krishna—we can elevate our consciousness. Devotional practices, even if circumstantial at first, will eventually purify our hearts and deepen our connection with Krishna.

The Best Prayer: Service to Krishna

When Srila Prabhupada was asked about the best prayer to offer, he replied: “Please engage me in Your service.” Our eternal relationship with Krishna is one of service. Prayer, in its purest form, should be an expression of our desire to serve Krishna. Even if nothing external changes, offering our consciousness to Krishna through prayer is an act of service. When we pray with this attitude, we align ourselves with Krishna’s will, and the burden of our problems decreases.

The purpose of prayer is not simply to ask God to change our external circumstances. At the material level, prayer may start as a request to change something, but at the spiritual level, prayer connects us to Krishna. As we deepen our devotion, our prayers become less about asking for specific material outcomes and more about establishing a relationship with Krishna.

Like a patient going to a doctor, we may seek relief, but if we reject treatment just because it doesn’t meet our expectations, we are sabotaging ourselves. Prayer is like the doctor’s treatment—it might not always give us what we expect, but it always works in ways that help us grow spiritually.

Ultimately, prayer is a tool for spiritual evolution. It brings us closer to Krishna, and as we grow in our devotion, our problems become less overwhelming. Prayer may not always change our material circumstances, but it transforms our consciousness, and that, in itself, is the greatest blessing.

The Balance Between Material and Spiritual Needs

When both our material and spiritual needs are unfulfilled, life becomes unbearable. If our material needs are met but our spiritual needs are neglected, it’s like taking a painkiller—it may relieve temporary discomfort, but it’s unsustainable in the long run. On the other hand, if our material needs are unmet but our spiritual needs are fulfilled, it becomes bearable. This is the situation where we might pray to Krishna for something, and it doesn’t happen immediately, but through prayer, we are at least connecting with Krishna. This connection itself is uplifting, providing relief even if the material issue persists.

What Are Spiritual Needs?

In this context, spiritual needs refer to our deeper connection with Krishna. We often approach God not only to fulfill material desires but also to deepen our understanding of Him. We talked about the four levels at which we approach God—desire, duty, and love. Additionally, devotion progresses in three stages: circumstantial, intentional, and transcendental. These stages reflect the evolution of our relationship with God, from seeking help for material needs to serving Krishna with pure love.

What Happens When Our Prayers Are Not Answered?

When our prayers go unanswered, we might wonder why. The scriptures describe God’s intervention in various ways—sometimes in miraculous forms, but often in subtle ways that may not align with our expectations. If we reduce our relationship with God to simply fulfilling our desires, it’s like a child seeing a parent’s love only in the toys they are given. A deeper relationship with Krishna is about more than material fulfillment; it’s about spiritual connection.

Relief Amid Problems: The Role of Prayer

Even if we don’t get an immediate resolution to our problems, prayer can still bring relief. The problems we face might feel like a blazing heat, but prayer can offer relief, like entering an air-conditioned room. When we pray, we connect with Krishna, and that connection helps to alleviate the inner distress, even if the external situation remains unchanged.

Praying for Material Needs: The Story of Dhruva

We can look to the story of Dhruva to understand how material prayers can be answered. Dhruva prayed to Krishna for a kingdom greater than his father’s, and through his devotion, he ultimately achieved his material desire while also attaining spiritual realization. This demonstrates that material prayers, when offered with devotion, can lead to spiritual growth.

The Importance of Association

When we are in the association of devotees, we learn the proper attitude toward prayer and develop a continuous relationship with Krishna. By praying to serve Krishna, we position ourselves auspiciously for spiritual growth. True prayer is not about getting God to fulfill our desires but about deepening our connection with Him.

Absorbing Ourselves in Krishna Through Work

One common question is: How can we absorb ourselves in Krishna when we have to engage in work? The key is to approach our work with the understanding that it is an offering to Krishna. Before starting, remind yourself that the work is for Krishna. After completing the task, express gratitude to Krishna for giving you the ability to serve through that work. Even during the work, recognize that your abilities are gifts from Krishna.

This approach can be applied to any task, as long as we reorient our lives with Krishna as the ultimate purpose. For example, Arjuna, during the battle of Kurukshetra, didn’t chant Krishna’s name while fighting, but his purpose was to serve Krishna through his actions in the war. Similarly, we don’t have to constantly chant while working, but if we remember that our work is meant for Krishna, it can be done as an offering.

The Role of Distress in Devotion: The Example of Prahlad

The distress that Prahlad Maharaj faced was due to his devotion to Krishna, and it set an example for others. Devotees may face suffering, not because they’ve done something wrong but because Krishna has a higher plan. Prahlad himself acknowledged that his suffering was part of Krishna’s plan to teach others the principles of pure devotion. Sometimes, suffering comes upon us even when we haven’t done anything to deserve it, and through it, we learn how to maintain our devotion despite challenges.

What Does It Mean When Krishna Takes Away a Desire?

Sometimes, when we pray to Krishna for something, it may seem like He fulfills our desire only to take it away shortly after. This could be a sign that the material desire was not truly beneficial for our spiritual growth. Krishna may remove the desire to guide us toward a deeper connection with Him, helping us detach from material things and focus on spiritual fulfillment instead. It’s important to trust that Krishna’s decisions are always in our best interest, even when they don’t align with our expectations.

In summary, prayer is not just about seeking material fulfillment; it is about developing a deeper, spiritual relationship with Krishna. Even if our material desires are not fulfilled, prayer can provide relief and strengthen our connection with God. Through prayer, we can move from circumstantial devotion to intentional and transcendental devotion, allowing us to navigate life’s challenges with a sense of purpose and peace.

Understanding the Role of Krishna’s Arrangement and Karma

When something happens in our lives, we can view it in three ways:

1. It comes due to our past karma.
2. It comes by Krishna’s arrangement.
3. It comes through Krishna’s arrangement acting through our past and present karma.

The key is to always maintain a mood of serving the Lord. If we are given particular resources, we should use them to serve Krishna. If we don’t have those resources, we continue to serve Krishna in whatever way we can. When Krishna provides something, we recognize that it’s given so that we can use it in His service. When Krishna takes it away, we understand that He now desires us to serve without those things.

The Case of Chitraketu Maharaj

An example of this is Chitraketu Maharaj. He desperately wanted a child, and after performing rituals, he finally had a son. However, his son was taken away shortly after birth. This taught him that nothing, apart from Krishna, can truly satisfy us. Desiring anything more than Krishna is not beneficial. Chitraketu’s attachment to having a son as an heir, even though it was for service to Krishna, was a lesson in realizing that what Krishna wants is what we must accept.

If we approach life with a relationship centered on serving Krishna, we can more easily accept the arrival and departure of material things. Whether we have or lack material resources, the goal is to always be focused on serving Krishna.

The Dynamics of Karma and Prayer

Karma is not a simple or static concept. While we carry the reactions of past lives, how we act in this life also matters. Karma is dynamic—it’s not like a fixed path where we simply face the inevitable consequences of past actions. Instead, we also have the opportunity to act in ways that influence our current and future circumstances.

Praying to Krishna is part of this process. We may not fully understand how prayer interacts with our karma, but prayer is a tool that helps us connect with Krishna. We should not view prayer simply as a way to change our material circumstances, but as a way to deepen our connection with Krishna. Through prayer, we can learn to use material circumstances as an impetus to serve Krishna.

Is Prayer Meaningless in the Face of Karma?

Some might ask, “What’s the use of praying to Krishna if everything is determined by karma?” One way to view this is through the example of a sports player. In a long career, players often face wrong decisions, where they are given out unfairly or not given out when they should be. Over time, the total number of “wrong” decisions evens out. Similarly, even if we can’t change all our karma, prayer can still help us navigate it more gracefully. If we face 10 problems and prayer helps reduce it to 9 or 8, that’s still a benefit.

The key takeaway is that prayer helps to soften the burden of karma, even if it doesn’t eliminate it entirely. It’s not about avoiding all suffering but finding spiritual relief through our relationship with Krishna.

Balancing Material and Spiritual Needs

Sometimes devotees enter spiritual practice with high expectations, thinking their material needs will be fulfilled automatically. For example, someone may join an ashram expecting their material desires to be taken care of, but then they feel disillusioned when those desires remain unmet. The solution lies in realistic understanding: Bhakti is not a quick fix for material problems, but a path to spiritual fulfillment.

Practical education is important to help devotees understand the balance between material and spiritual needs. Bhakti is not about rejecting the material world entirely, but about seeing everything as an opportunity to serve Krishna. While spiritual growth might not immediately resolve material problems, it provides a deeper perspective on how to navigate them.

Realistic Expectations in Bhakti

Bhakti is about cultivating a deeper connection with Krishna, not about expecting material rewards. Sometimes devotees may misinterpret the teachings or expect the material world to become perfect through bhakti. However, Bhakti encourages a holistic approach that includes both spiritual practice and practical solutions to worldly problems. Srila Prabhupada, when departing, emphasized the importance of organization and intelligence in spreading Krishna Consciousness. This means providing holistic care for devotees, addressing their material needs while nurturing their spiritual growth.

Ultimately, we are learning how to balance our material and spiritual needs, and how to accept whatever Krishna arranges for us, knowing that He desires our well-being. Karma, prayer, and service all interact in ways we may not fully understand, but the key is to approach all situations with a mood of serving Krishna. Even in difficult times, the practice of bhakti helps us maintain spiritual focus and offers relief from the burdens of life.

Balancing Material and Spiritual Needs in Bhakti

In the practice of bhakti, it’s important to recognize that spiritual growth is a lifelong process. Sometimes, devotees may find that only their special spiritual needs are being met, but their material needs remain unaddressed. This is something that needs to be communicated to help devotees make arrangements for their material needs as well.

As devotees gain more experience, they also become more mature in understanding how bhakti is to be practiced. Bhakti is not just a short-term endeavor; it’s for a lifetime. While we should be serious about practicing bhakti, it’s also possible that we may live longer than we expect. Therefore, it’s essential not to neglect our health or other practical aspects of life. If we don’t take care of our body now, we may not be able to serve Krishna effectively in the future, no matter how enthusiastic we are.

Practical Example: Vajendra’s Story

Srila Prabhupada often referenced the story of Vajendra, the elephant caught by a crocodile. Vajendra struggled in the water, but if he had been on land, he could have fought the crocodile. This story illustrates that we must also recognize the practical aspects of our situation in life. We should understand how best to balance our practice of bhakti with the realities of our circumstances.

The Importance of Personal Responsibility

Blaming authorities for our challenges is a common reaction, but we must understand that our movement is still young, and both the authorities and the devotees are learning together. The locus of responsibility for our spiritual lives always rests with the individual. It’s not the responsibility of our spiritual master, the authorities, or the institution to manage our spiritual growth. Arjuna didn’t outsource his responsibility to Krishna; instead, he learned from Krishna and made his own choices.

We must approach bhakti with the understanding that while we learn from authorities, we must also use our intelligence and take personal responsibility for our spiritual journey.

Cultivating Gratitude in All Circumstances

Being grateful in all circumstances is not easy, but it is possible. Even if we can’t be grateful for every situation, we can still practice gratitude by looking beyond the situation itself. There are three key steps to cultivating gratitude:

1. Look for the good around the bad: Even in difficult situations, look for positive aspects. For example, if you’ve lost your job, instead of focusing solely on the loss, find the good around it, such as marketable skills or new opportunities.
2. Look for lessons and growth: Often, bad situations lead to personal growth or lessons that will serve us in the future. Reflect on how challenges can help you grow spiritually.
3. Look for the good that may emerge from the bad: Sometimes, difficult situations bring unexpected benefits. Reflect on how challenging times in the past may have led to better opportunities later.

By practicing these three steps, we can begin to see the good in even the most challenging circumstances, helping us maintain gratitude even when it’s difficult.

Inquisitiveness and Duty in Bhakti

In bhakti, inquisitiveness can come from different motivations. If a person is merely curious or intrigued by devotional practices without a deeper understanding, this is often a form of superficial inquisitiveness. However, if the inquisitiveness is driven by a sincere desire to connect with Krishna, it becomes more aligned with duty.

The sages who asked profound questions were motivated by duty and intelligence, seeking to understand the ultimate reality and connect with Krishna. Their inquisitiveness was purposeful, rooted in their practice of bhakti, not just for personal curiosity.

Karma and Absorption in Krishna

The difficulty we face in absorbing ourselves fully in Krishna is often due to the momentum of our past karmas. Our minds have developed patterns based on previous actions and conceptions, making it challenging to focus on Krishna. However, by practicing bhakti gradually and with intention, we can overcome these obstacles.

The key is to start with what we can do, even if it’s just a small effort, and then gradually increase our focus on Krishna. Over time, through consistent practice, we will develop greater absorption in Krishna.

Thank you very much.