Appealing to Kṛṣṇa - The Cry of the Dependent Soul
In the material world, when danger strikes or desires remain unfulfilled, people naturally appeal to higher authorities. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the only true and effective authority is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By studying the various ways great devotees, demigods, and eternal associates have appealed to Lord Kṛṣṇa throughout history, a sincere practitioner learns the art of turning every distress, desire, and prayer into a pure, dependent connection with the Supreme Lord.
The Mahā-Mantra as the Ultimate Appeal
The foundation of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a demand, but a humble petition. Śrīla Prabhupāda beautifully explains that the chanting of the holy names is the most direct and necessary appeal a conditioned soul can make, begging the Lord's internal energy for rescue from the tyranny of the material senses.
- This is the process, the appealing to the potency of Krsna, "So now I am so much harassed. Kindly lift me and engage me in Your service. Hare Krsna." This is Hare Krsna. - I have served so many life the dictation of my senses, kamadi.
- He appealed to Sri Krsna with loud calls and thus made it possible for Krsna to appear.
Appeals for Protection in Times of Crisis
When all material shelters fail, the pure devotee's automatic reflex is to appeal to Kṛṣṇa. Vedic history is filled with dramatic instances where devotees faced impossible odds—from devastating fires to horrific public insults—and were saved simply by placing their desperate appeal at the lotus feet of the Lord.
- The party of Duryodhana insulted Draupadi, a great devotee of Krsna, and she appealed to the Lord as well as to all the silent observers of this unwarranted insult.
- When there was a forest fire in Vrndavana, all the cowherd men assembled together and desperately appealed to Krsna for protection. This is an instance of emotion caused by fire.
- In this way all the inhabitants of Dvaraka appealed to Lord Krsna for protection from the fiery demon who had just appeared in Dvaraka to devastate the whole city.
- The denizens of the heavenly planets appealed to the Supreme Lord to save them, for they had been conquered by the demonic king, Bali Maharaja.
Appealing for Mercy and Forgiveness
The Supreme Lord is equal to everyone, but He is exceptionally merciful to those who humbly admit their faults. Even powerful demigods who became puffed up and committed grave offenses found their only salvation by laying down their pride and appealing to Kṛṣṇa's boundless compassion.
- Indra said, "Kindly give me Your blessings so that I may not act so foolishly again. If You think, my Lord (Krsna), that the offense is very great and cannot be excused, then I appeal to You that I am Your eternal servant."
- Here in this narration we find that although Banasura was a great devotee of Lord Siva, when he faced death by Krsna, Lord Siva was not able to save him. But Lord Siva appealed to Krsna to save his devotee, and this was sanctioned by the Lord.
- Lord Krsna is the friend of all living entities. Therefore, after hearing the appeal from His sons (Samba, Pradyumna, Caru, Bhanu and Gada), He personally went to the well and easily got the great lizard out simply by extending His left hand.
- Krsna heard the appealing voices of His friends, and casting a pleasing glance over them, He began to answer. By speaking through His eyes, He impressed upon His friends that there was no cause for fear, and He assured them, "Don't worry."
The Intimate Appeals of Pure Devotees
In the higher realms of devotion, appeals are driven not by fear, but by intense love and compassion. Mother Devakī appealed to Kṛṣṇa to relieve her maternal grief, while the gopīs of Vṛndāvana made the ultimate, intimate appeal to have the Supreme Lord satisfy their pure, long-cherished desires.
- The gopis said, "We therefore appeal to You (Krsna), dear Lord of all lords: please do not kill our long-cherished desires to have You as our supreme husband."
- The gopis in the water told Krsna: "Kindly deliver our garments immediately; otherwise we shall suffer." They then began to appeal to Krsna with great submission.
- Out of compassion for her dead sons, Devaki appealed to Lord Krsna and Balarama thus: "My dear Balarama, Your very name suggests that You give all pleasure and all strength to everyone."
- She (Devaki) was more or less bewildered as to why this should be so (afraid of Kamsa, although Krsna has appeared as her son), and she appealed to the Lord to free her and Vasudeva from this fear.
Conclusion
In conclusion, appealing to Kṛṣṇa is the perfect remedy for the false independence of the conditioned soul. Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully illustrates that whether one is trapped in a burning forest, humiliated in a royal assembly, seeking forgiveness for foolish pride, or simply desiring the eternal association of the Lord, the solution is always the same: a heartfelt, dependent appeal. By constantly chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, a sincere practitioner makes the ultimate, continuous appeal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ensuring divine protection and the perfection of eternal, loving service.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Appealing to Krsna. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.