Is only facing more problems make one a devotee of Krishna?
A Girl devotee asked like this requesting anonymity:
“I have noticed that all devotees of Krishna have been seriously hurt and that leads them towards god. Please say smthing abt this.. and pls don’t disclose my identity.. thnk u shree Radhey.”
REPLY:
It is not true that only facing more problems make one a devotee of Krishna in all cases.
Problems are one of the reasons, but they alone are not the reasons as said by Krishna Himself in Bhagavad Gita.
Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (7.16) clearly:
“O best among the Bharatas, four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me — the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.”
(FOUR KINDS OF NEOPHYTE DEVOTEES WHO WORSHIP KRISHNA! READ HERE!)
SRILA PRABHUPADA WRITES IN HIS PURPORT:
“Unlike the miscreants, these are adherents of the regulative principles of the scriptures, and they are called sukrtinah, or those who obey the rules and regulations of scriptures, the moral and social laws, and are, more or less, devoted to the Supreme Lord.
Out of these there are four classes of men — those who are sometimes distressed, those who are in need of money, those who are sometimes inquisitive, and those who are sometimes searching after knowledge of the Absolute Truth.
These persons come to the Supreme Lord for devotional service under different conditions. These are not pure devotees, because they have some aspiration to fulfill in exchange for devotional service. Pure devotional service is without aspiration and without desire for material profit. The Bhakti-rasa-mrta-sindhu (1.1.11) defines pure devotion thus:
anya-bhila-sita–s’u-nyam
jña-na-karma-dy-ana-vrtam
a-nuku-lyena krsna-nu-
s’i-lanam bhaktir uttama-
[Madhya 19.167]
(I stopped chanting because of severe problems I face in life. What to do? READ HERE!)
“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Krsna favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.”
(Now, Srila Prabhupada continues how these four kinds of devotees can attain the stage of Pure devotional Service. Let us continue)
When these four kinds of persons come to the Supreme Lord for devotional service and are completely purified by the association of a pure devotee, they also become pure devotees.
As far as the miscreants are concerned, for them devotional service is very difficult because their lives are selfish, irregular and without spiritual goals. But even some of them, by chance, when they come in contact with a pure devotee, also become pure devotees.
Those who are always busy with fruitive activities come to the Lord in material distress and at that time associate with pure devotees and become, in their distress, devotees of the Lord.
Those who are simply frustrated also come sometimes to associate with the pure devotees and become inquisitive to know about God.
(How to get mental peace in spite of problems in kaliyuga? READ HERE!)
Similarly, when the dry philosophers are frustrated in every field of knowledge, they sometimes want to learn of God, and they come to the Supreme Lord to render devotional service and thus transcend knowledge of the impersonal Brahman and the localized Paramatma and come to the personal conception of Godhead by the grace of the Supreme Lord or His pure devotee.
On the whole, when the distressed, the inquisitive, the seekers of knowledge, and those who are in need of money are free from all material desires, and when they fully understand that material remuneration has nothing to do with spiritual improvement, they become pure devotees.
As long as such a purified stage is not attained, devotees in transcendental service to the Lord are tainted with fruitive activities, the search for mundane knowledge, etc. So one has to transcend all this before one can come to the stage of pure devotional service.”
(The Purport ends here)
Thus, Problems make one a devotee in many cases, but there are other three cases too. there are four reasons for the people to come to Krishna. Not only the distress as mentioned by you.
(Is immediate relief from Problems Possible for devotees of Krishna? READ HERE!)
Of course almost all the people have distress in life. However, some may have wealth and supporting persons to tackle the difficulties. For example, if a rich person faces a heart attack, his prayer to the God NEED NOT BE that much strong. Because, he feels that he can get great treatment using his wealth in good hospitals. He may not have realized that though doctors treat them, only the God cures.
But, if a poor or middle class person faces a heart attack (distress), his prayers to God will be strong because, his PRIDE and EGO will be less compared to the majority of rich persons. So, those distressed people remember Krishna easily and strongly.
Other 3 cases have been explained by the HDG Srila Prabhupada – (i) the desirer of wealth who worship the Lord expecting to become rich, (ii) the inquisitive, ie, the persons interested to enquire everything and (iii) he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute. So, let me not repeat.
However, these four types of devotees are expecting something from Krishna in exchange for their devotion. So, these four types of devotees are not pure devotees. However, the fourth type of devotees who are searching for knowledge of the Absolute is considered as the best by Lord among the four as they can be moulded as pure devotees easily. In fact, all these four can be moulded as Pure devotees if they associate with a pure devotee. This is the fact.
(Is Changing religion to come out of all problems right? READ HERE!)
Such Pure devotion, ie, loving Krishna without any expectations, is the recommended one. That is why I am repeatedly telling in our posts to love Krishna without any expectations.
So, expecting from Krishna is not wrong because we are depending on Krishna only for everything. However, it is a particular level of devotion, but not an offense at all.
Just we need to keep trying for pure devotion. Then, we will flourish in life. If we dedicate ourselves to Krishna, then, Krishna will take care of our maintenance as said by Himself in Bhagavad Gita (9-22):
“But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have”.
Hope you are clear about whether facing more problems make one a devotee of Krishna.
(How Chanting protects us from material problems? READ HERE!)