Why Krishna allows His surrendered devotees suffer from Karma?
Three similar doubts from three devotees:
(1)
Hare Krishna, prabhu…dandabat pranam…having a question. All things are happening due to karma reaction…when a great devotee pass through bad situation ,why krsna not help him in bad situation. When someone want to be a devotee…why Krishna not help him…pls prabhu explain it..if krsna not help his devotee then what is the benefit to stay in bhakti life
(2)
“Hare Krishna prabhuji.. but sometimes why you dont get what u deserved even after praying a lot and when even others prayed for the same cause. this happened with someone I know for same thing for almost 3 times instead of ressurement from all sides.. now the person feels My God only is not by myside that’s the reason it keeps slipping down.. honestly the person did japas and prayers irrespective of ill health..but now he/she is so hurt and says if it’s in ur fate it comes prayer doesn’t help!!!!!! Is it true!!? How do I console the person?”
(3)
“Hare Krsna prabhu ji. i am a sincere devote of Krishna. But, my classmates are always trying to kill my image coz i study well. why Krsna permits others to insult his devotees? Why didn’t he punish them immediately? I doubt whether Krsna really comes when devotee is in distress”
REPLY:
This is the devotion with expectation.
There is no doubt that a devotee is depending on Krishna for all his day to day needs also. Whom else he will ask when he is suffering? Therefore, nothing wrong in asking Krishna for a painless life.
But, it is not necessary to ask. He knows which is good for you. Therefore, though Krishna permits us praying for happy life, we should not follow Spiritual path for getting material benefits.
(Why Krishna gives more problems to His devotees, but helping many non devotees? READ HERE!)
If Krishna can give you painless eternal life in His kingdom itself if you do not desire for any benefits for yourself, then, why should we pray to Him to clear your pains? If you just bear them patiently considering them as the merciful clearance of karma by Krishna, Krishna will give Himself to you.
If you sincerely perform your Krishna Conscious practices AS A SERVICE and FOR PLEASING KRISHNA and without material expectations, Krishna will take care of your actual needs directly. Though you perform selfless service to Krishna, He starts to take care of your material needs also.
However, you should not expect that Krishna should give you the same thing that you choose to have. Krishna will give you only those things that will not disturb your Krishna Conscious practices. You must believe that Krishna will definitely protect you and offer you the necessary things whenever He decides.
Of course, praying for our needs is also allowed in devotion. But, who are we to decide which one is beneficial for us? How do you say that this one is deserved by me and this one is not deserved by me?
(How Being connected to Krishna Protects us all the time? READ HERE!)
We have imperfect senses that have limited capacity. We can remember what we did in our age 15. But, can we remember what we did in our previous bodies? Lord says to Arjuna that He alone remembers all our past births.
So, whatever benefits given by Lord for you is perfect and most deserved by you. let me give some examples:
(1) If I had married and deserted an innocent girl in my previous birth, how can I expect the Lord to give a wife or husband for me instantly in this birth? I will be sent out by my husband/ wife in this birth. I deserve that. Because, I did so in my previous birth.
(2) If I had separated many families by making tricks in my previous birth, how can I expect that my family will be peaceful in this birth? It will be separated by someone though I am innocent in this birth. I deserve that. Because, I did so in my previous birth.
(How Krishna records the karma of more than 800 crores of people? READ HERE!)
(3) If I had cheated many by borrowing and not returning their money in my previous birth, how can I expect that my money will be safe in a govt bank? I will invest in a bogus finance company and lose my money in my present birth. Because, I did so in my previous birth.
(4) If I had loved many girls and escaped without marrying them, how can I expect that my lover will marry me definitely? She will cheat me definitely though I sincerely love her. How can I blame Lord for my love failures? Because, I did so in my previous birth.
So, only the Lord knows what we deserve. We can not expect the Lord to give what we want and when we want.
In the case of devatas/ demigods, we may get what we want from them. But, they will not take responsibility for the serious reactions after that. If we had cheated our wife in our previous life, we may get a wife if we pray to some demigods/ devatas. But, they will not take responsibility if we lose our wife as per our karma.
(How Devotional Service or Bhakti relieves from karma & material distress? READ HERE!)
Whereas, if we pray to Krishna with that karma, Lord will not give wife. Because, He knows that she will leave us. If we beg the Lord for wife, He may give, but, He will also give us strength to bear if she leaves us. In case we involve in devotion seriously without attachment, Lord will forgive our karma and help us retain our wife.
This is the difference between the boons given by Lord and demigods. Lord will never give something that will bring us down. If we compel, he gives along with solutions.
Lord is softening/ clearing your karma effects stage by stage. Till this process is over, it is delayed. So, if you patiently wait , one day you will realize the full mercy of Lord.
So, trust Krishna. He will do only good things for us.
(Why Krishna makes devotees suffer against His assurance in Gita 18.66? READ HERE!)
Let me give a story about this:
A brahmana did penances to Krishna for long time. He is a selfless devotee, but he needed a single boon from Krishna, ie, a son for him, as he has not been blessed with a child for 10 years.
Krishna appeared in front of Him and asked: “What is your desire, tell me”.
The brahmana replied: “I have been serving you since my childhood, but, I have not been blessed with a child”
Krishna replied: “I am aware of your need. I will never disappoint my devotees. But, as you have the karma of dying if you get a son, I am postponing giving a son for you. If I bless you a son now, you will die soon. So, I will lose a devotee like you. I like to receive your service for more days. So, I had decided to give you a child after 20 years. Because, you will serve me for 20 more years. If you like to come to me now itself, I am ready to give you a son immediately. It is your choice. I care the welfare of my every devotee”
Hearing these words, that brahmana fell on the Lotus feet of the Lord and said: “Krishna! If I will die if I get a son, I do not need a son at all, because, I like to serve you throughout my life. Please, give me an opportunity to serve you for long period. That itself is my fortune. I have understood that you will always do Good for your devotees. Thank you very much”
(HOW TO AVOID KARMA WHILE WORKING! 10 PRACTICAL EXAMPLES! READ HERE!)
Krishna replied: “Then, I give you a long and full life without a child.
Now, the brahmana stopped longing for a son.
So, believing that Krishna will take care of your needs at right time and right way, continue your devotional service selflesly.
DON’T DOUBT KRISHNA:
Krishna is giving all the basic needs even for atheists. But, He will be very close to His TRUE devotees who trust Him totally. He will not maintain that closeness if we have even a trace of doubt on Him.
Krishna sometimes comes instantly; Sometimes late. But, there will be some reasons for His actions. He will come to the rescue of His devotees at right time. You should not order Him to come immediately.
The Lord will never bear any insult to His devotees and He will never allow the devotee go down! He says in Bhagavad Gita (9-31): “My devotee never perishes”
(FREE WILL GIVEN TO US BY KRISHNA: Its meaning and its use when we are unable to act free! READ HERE!)
Another Story:
Let us read another TRUE story to show how Krishna protects His devotees! Let me tell you a story of Lila Lord Sri Jagannath (Krishna Himself) of Puri today!
Once there was a tailor in Puri. He used to stitch very well & was very popular! One day the sultan of Puri gave him a silk cloth & asked him to stitch the same! The tailor stitched the silk cloth very beautifully! Once, Lord Jagannath wanted to recognise the dedication of that tailor! He came to the tailor as an ordinary man!
Lord Jagannath asked him to give Him the Silk cloth that he had made for Jagannath! The tailor said “No” as it was made for the Lord & Sultan will punish him! But, Jagannath assured him to give the sultan some other cloth & he will take care of the Sultan! Seeing the grand appearance of the man (Lord), the tailor obliged & gave the cloth to him! Lord left happily! Next day, the Sultan came to the tailor and found that the cloth was not there!
The sultan ordered his workmen to cut the head of the tailor tomorrow! The tailor prayed the Lord to save him! That night, when the sultan was sleeping, Lord Jagannath came and started to kick the Sultan’s chest telling, “Are you punishing my devotee? How dare you are? He gave that cloth only to me!”.
Unable to bear the kicks of the Lord, the sultan rushed to the tailor midnight, fell on his legs and begged his pardon!
So, till Krishna gives your genuine requirements, you have to be patient. though you allow 1% of doubt on Him, He will not come to you.
He does not expect anything from you because all are His properties. All He expects from you is – FAITH….100% unshakeable FAITH. Even in serious distress. Even when we face repeated failures. You have to take that Lord is making you matured and karma-free.
So, develop 100% faith on Lord. Accept what and when He blesses something to you and be sincere in His devotion.
(Daughter or Son – who is responsible to protect the parents to avoid karma? READ HERE!)
WHY MORE PROBLEMS FOR DEVOTEES COMPARED TO OTHERS?
The problems come when you become a devotee of Lord and start chanting. True. Until you clean your house, all the dust are static. But, when you start cleaning the dusts the dusts starts to spread throughout the room. Similarly, when you chant Hare Krishna and involve seriously in devotional practices, all the material dusts come out of your heart and thus you are stage by stage purified. So, you feel that problems are more when you involve in devotion. It is not wrong. Only when such problems come, your athma will be cleansed. So, feel happy that your devotional practices cleanse you. Don’t worry.
Lord never gives problems to his devotees without reasons. By giving problems to devotees, He makes His devotees get purified from past karma earlier and hence come to Him earlier.
So, if you face more problems, be happy that Lord is fastening your going back to Him. If you escape from such problems, you will have to take birth again to face them.
So, if the devotees suffer from Karma, all for good. Believe that and be relieved.
Hope you are clear about why Krishna allows His surrendered devotees suffer from Karma.
(Karma & Fate : How Krishna writes Our Karma (Fate) in every birth? READ HERE!)