The Supreme Protection of God's Rescuing
The material world is a place of constant danger, but for a surrendered soul, there is no cause for fear. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally committed to rescuing His devotees from all perilous conditions, proving time and again that He is the only true shelter in the universe.
The Ultimate Shelter
When faced with the insurmountable distresses of material existence, one must know where to turn for true safety. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that it is foolish to approach demigods for protection, because only the Supreme Personality of Godhead possesses the supreme power to deliver a soul from the deepest dangers.
- It is only the Supreme Personality of Godhead who can rescue one from the dangers of material existence. Therefore an intelligent person, to get free from this dangerous existence, approaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not any demigod.
- That most ancient person, the Personality of Godhead, will alone come to our rescue. What purpose can we serve on His behalf by deliberating on the subject?
Rescuing the Devotees
The Lord's heart is incredibly soft for His devotees, and He will go to any length to protect them. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights profound historical examples, such as Lord Rāmacandra annihilating an entire dynasty to rescue Sītādevī, and the Lord's immediate intervention to save Gajendra the elephant.
- Although the King of the elephants, Gajendra, was put in danger, this was a chance for him to remember his previous devotional activities so that he could immediately be rescued by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Sitadevi was kidnapped. Ramacandra is the Supreme Lord; He could have married many thousands of Sita. But as the dutiful husband, to rescue one wife He killed the whole family of Ravana. This is protection.
- Lord Ramacandra could have produced hundreds and thousands of Sitas from His pleasure energy, but just to show the duty of a faithful husband, He not only rescued Sita from the hands of Ravana but also killed Ravana and all the members of his family.
- She (Devaki) prayed - I request You (Visnu) to save me from the cruel hands of the son of Ugrasena, Kamsa. I am praying to Your Lordship to please rescue me from this fearful condition because You are always ready to give protection to Your servitors.
Saving the Earth Planet
The supreme power of the Lord is not limited to individuals; He can rescue entire planetary systems. Śrīla Prabhupāda vividly recounts the glorious pastime of Lord Varāha, who took the form of a gigantic boar to dive into the cosmic ocean and rescue the earth planet from the demon Hiraṇyākṣa.
- The asura Hiranyaksa had dislocated the earth from its orbit and thrown it beneath the waters of the Garbhodaka Ocean. Then the Lord, in the shape of the original boar, rescued the earth.
- Before entering the water to rescue the earth, Lord Boar flew in the sky, slashing His tail, His hard hairs quivering. His very glance was luminous, and He scattered the clouds in the sky with His hooves and His glittering white tusks.
- The Lord was therefore pleased when such Vedic mantras were chanted, and to encourage His pure devotees, He roared once more and entered the water to rescue the submerged earth.
- My dear Lord, in this way You once protected me by rescuing me from the water, and consequently Your name has been famous as Dharadhara - He who holds the planet earth.
Chanting for Protection
Because the Lord's name is non-different from the Lord Himself, chanting is the ultimate form of protection. Śrīla Prabhupāda advises that since we can be immediately rescued by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is the fundamental duty of every intelligent person to constantly chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
- It is imperative, therefore (because we can be immediately rescued by the Supreme Personality of Godhead), that all devotees in Krsna consciousness practice chanting some mantra.
- Dhruva Maharaja was the lost child of Queen Suniti, but during his absence she always meditated upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is able to rescue His devotee from all dangers.
Conclusion
The supreme assurance for anyone walking the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the absolute protective nature of the Lord. The histories of Lord Rāmacandra, Lord Varāha, and the deliverance of Gajendra provide undeniable proof that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never indifferent to the suffering of His devotees. Whether the danger comes from a formidable demon, a treacherous ocean, or the subtle illusions of material nature, the Lord's rescuing power is instantaneous and absolute. By taking shelter of the holy names and depending fully on His causeless mercy, a pure devotee remains perfectly safe, knowing that the Supreme Lord will always come to their rescue.
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 God's Rescuing. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.