Taking Shelter of Krishna in Difficult Situations

From HH Radhanath SWami's SB class at Radha Gopinath Mandir 2/21/2015


As long as we depend upon mateial condns we do not take shelter of Krishna.

Airplane, about to crash, 30k feet above sea level.Cannot do anything.

Totally helpless- such a state what do you do- first thing- why are you doing this to me- natural. but then you realize that if Krishna is doing this to me then krishna must be there for me and then with all your body, mind and words you give yourself to Krishna and then in that state you actually take shelter - Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare .......

if the plane crashes you go back to Krishna;s abode- journey home in the fast lane - if plane lands safely u will never forget it. You will definetly think- for the rest of your life- the most spiritual I have ever been on an airplane never felt so close to God. Yudhishthira took shelter - He is askign the question to be like us but he is also responding to show us what to do ?

Even Jesus cried " Why have you forsaken me" but this was in ecstascy of separation and not out of bewilderment. YM also asked why these troubles but what we see is how he took this and took shelter. Arjuna was bewilderd- I am not going to fight- becmae overcome by the circumstance then creid dropped gandiva and said please instruct me- Arjuna is playing our role and in certain cases Duryodhana is playing our role- dark parts of envy etc in our hearts we can picture those in Duryodhana - we read about Duryidhana we are disgusted with him and we see the end result.
When we see the Yudhishthira in our hearts, we take shelter of him and not of Duryidhana like qualities?

Phase of complain is very long?
What is important is we know what we want to do- we want to take shelter- if it is taking more time then it means we need that much more purificxation and we are aware of that- it humbles us. Children do not like medicine- take the medicine- satsang, sadhana, seva it doesnt matter how long but take the medicine. IF we have faith that comes by hearing in the association of people who have faith we will continue to take shelter however long it takes. That is our sincereity Krishna knows just what we need.

Hare Krishna.

When the pleasure of love interferes with the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the devotee becomes angry toward such ecstasy

CC Ādi 4.197 — There is another natural symptom of the gopīs’ love that shows it to be without a trace of lust.

CC Ādi 4.198 — The love of the gopīs nourishes the sweetness of Lord Kṛṣṇa. That sweetness in turn increases their love, for they are greatly satisfied.

CC Ādi 4.199 — The happiness of the abode of love is in the happiness of the object of that love. This is not a relationship of desire for personal gratification.

CC Ādi 4.200-201 — Whenever there is unselfish love, that is its style. The reservoir of love derives pleasure when the lovable object is pleased. When the pleasure of love interferes with the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the devotee becomes angry toward such ecstasy.

CC Ādi 4.202 — “Śrī Dāruka did not relish his ecstatic feelings of love, for they caused his limbs to become stunned and thus obstructed his service of fanning Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

CC Ādi 4.203 — “The lotus-eyed Rādhārāṇī powerfully condemned the ecstatic love that caused a flow of tears that hindered Her sight of Govinda.”

 

When due to devotional service we get some material comforts  do I relish in them or do I put them aside seeing them to be a distraction in my service?

Gopis dedicated their bodies and everything else they possesed to Krsna

CC Ādi 4.181 — Now, whatever affection we see the gopīs show for their own bodies, know it for certain to be only for the sake of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

CC Ādi 4.182 — [The gopīs think:] “I have offered this body to Lord Kṛṣṇa. He is its owner, and it brings Him enjoyment.

CC Ādi 4.183 — “Kṛṣṇa finds joy in seeing and touching this body.” It is for this reason that they cleanse and decorate their bodies.

CC Ādi 4.184 — “O Arjuna, there are no greater receptacles of deep love for Me than the gopīs, who cleanse and decorate their bodies because they consider them Mine.”

 

At our level, we can consider using our bodies totally in Krishna's service and in sharing Lord Caitanya's movement with others. Taking care of our health, cleanliness, exercise  etc because it is Krishna's body so it can be used in His service for His pleasure.

 

Sicne this body is meant for Krishna's pleasure sleeping too much, relaxing too much, wasting time on electronic gadgets and using the body for sense gratification is inappropriate. 

Renunciation does not mean renunciation of duties in relation to the body and mind

From the purport to CC Ādi 4.170

The author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta advises everyone to give up all engagements of sense gratification and, like the gopīs, dovetail oneself entirely with the will of the Supreme Lord. That is the ultimate instruction of Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. We should be prepared to do anything and everything to please the Lord, even at the risk of violating the Vedic principles or ethical laws. That is the standard of love of Godhead. Such activities in pure love of Godhead are as spotless as white linen that has been completely washed. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura warns us in this connection that we should not mistakenly think that the idea of giving up everything implies the renunciation of duties necessary in relation to the body and mind. Even such duties are not sense gratification if they are undertaken in a spirit of service to Kṛṣṇa.