Nearness to Kṛṣṇa - Approaching the Supreme Lord
The highest aspiration of a spiritual practitioner is to achieve the intimate association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that drawing near to Lord Kṛṣṇa requires pure devotion, causeless mercy, and an exclusive attachment that rejects all other forms of liberation.
The Mercy of Approaching the Lord
The journey from material conditioning to spiritual perfection is marked by a gradual approach to the Supreme. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that it is only through the continuous practice of devotional service and the causeless mercy of the Lord that a soul can draw nearer to Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet.
- The conditioned soul thus gets into touch with devotional service to Lord Krsna, and in this way he can approach nearer and nearer to the Lord.
- Akrura continued, "I can thus understand that when a person becomes eligible to be delivered from the path of repeated birth, death, it is only by Your causeless mercy that he comes nearer to Your lotus feet and becomes attached to Your devotional service."
- Brahma said, "One should engage himself in Your devotional service even in his worldly activities, and one should always keep himself near You (Krsna) by the process of hearing and chanting Your transcendental glories."
- It is better for you to go home, simply talk about Me (Krsna) and think of Me, and by this process of constantly remembering Me and chanting My names you will surely be elevated to the spiritual platform. There is no need to stand near Me. Please go back home.
The Exclusivity of Pure Devotion
True love for the Supreme Lord is fiercely exclusive. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that a pure devotee is so profoundly attached to the original, sweet form of Kṛṣṇa that they will completely reject the facility to live near the Lord if it involves associating with a majestic Viṣṇu expansion.
- A pure devotee of Krsna who loves Him exclusively will flatly refuse to accept any sort of liberation, such as equality of form, opulence or abode and the opulence of living near the Lord.
- If Lord Krsna gives up this original form and assumes another Visnu form, nearness to Him cannot invoke the ecstatic mood of the gopis.
- In this way, when everyone else was properly seated, the five brothers (The Pandavas) took their seats near Lord Krsna.
- O tulasi! O malati! O yuthi, madhavi and mallika! Krsna is very dear to you; therefore He must have come near you.
Intimate Pastimes and Ecstatic Emotions
The physical proximity of the Lord during His earthly pastimes evokes an ocean of transcendental emotion. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights how Kṛṣṇa's nearness naturally produces symptoms of ecstatic love, manifesting as playful laughter, deep affection, and overwhelming, joyful shyness among His intimate associates.
- Thousands of hands splashed water, and the gopis saw Krsna with thousands of eyes. With thousands of legs they came near Him, and they kissed Him with thousands of faces. Thousands of bodies embraced Him.
- Krsna said, "Kindly forbid Her from this devious policy of putting Her face near Mine." When Krsna was speaking like this, the friends of Radharani could not check their laughter. This is an instance of ecstasy in conjugal love.
- As Krsna came nearer, they pushed their sons forward to embrace Him. Others were trying, out of shyness, not to shed tears, but they still could not keep the tears from gliding down. This is an instance of concealment caused by shyness.
- When Mother Yasoda was addressing Krsna in that way, a girl friend who was nearby began to smile with a puffed nose and squinting eyes. This is an instance of avahasita smiling.
Protection, Empowerment, and Illusion
The nearness of the Lord has drastically different effects depending on one's consciousness. For the surrendered devotee, Kṛṣṇa's proximity grants invincible strength and intimate protection, while for the envious demon, the Lord's nearness is merely a frustrating, elusive illusion leading to destruction.
- Because He (Krsna) was near me (Arjuna), it was possible for me to conquer with great dexterity the powerful King of heaven, Indradeva, along with his demigod associates and thus enable the fire-god to devastate the Khandava Forest.
- When Krsna saw Kubja hesitating to come before Him, He immediately caught hold of her hand, which was decorated with bangles. With great affection, He dragged her near Him and made her sit by His side.
- Krsna said, "Let us have our lunch in this spot because it is already late and we are feeling hungry. Let the calves remain near us, and drink water from the Yamuna. While we engage in our lunch-taking, the calves may engage in eating the soft grasses."
- Kalayavana began running very fast, thinking, "Now I am nearer; I will capture Him," but he could not. Krsna led him far away and entered the cave of a hill.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully illustrates that the perfection of the living entity's existence is measured by their nearness to Kṛṣṇa. The conditioned soul, wandering aimlessly in material illusion, can only bridge the infinite gap between themselves and the Supreme Lord through the continuous practice of devotional service and the reception of Kṛṣṇa's causeless mercy. For the most elevated pure devotees, this nearness is an exclusive, fiercely guarded treasure; they seek only the original, sweet form of Kṛṣṇa and flatly reject any liberation that would distance them from His intimate association. The physical and emotional proximity of the Lord acts as a catalyst for the highest echelons of spiritual ecstasy, manifesting as the bashful joy of the gopīs, the loving hesitation of Kubjā, and the unparalleled empowerment of Arjuna. Conversely, to the envious demons, Kṛṣṇa's nearness is nothing more than a tantalizing mirage, leading them to their ultimate demise. Ultimately, drawing near to Kṛṣṇa is not merely a change in physical location, but a profound transformation of consciousness, where the soul is permanently sheltered by the boundless affection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
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 Nearness to Krsna. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.