Why should we be grateful to Krishna since He just did His duty?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna Prabhu ji, I often read in posts – you say that we underestimate the blessings of Krsna. Like – he gave us healthy body and brain, a home to live with some money, food etc etc. Basically the survival facilities.
But why exactly should we be grateful? We are sons of Most Powerful Creator, the Lord. Why should we feel grateful or so called blessed for these mere minimal facilties which is the duty of creator towards his parts and parcels?
Are we so pitiful to feel mercy on us by these basic needs fulfilment in material world? And regarding the example of those who are suffering more than us like having no health, money or home. That we should be grateful that we are not suffering like them
As if God’s only job is to give suffering indirectly by karma rules. If you are not suffering, feel grateful. It’s tyrant mentality. It’s Creator’s duty to maintain and sustain us. And We must get all happiness, enjoyments and basic needs fullfilled easily without having to think that much. Only we have to work hard for some extraordinary desires and wants. But not for these basic things.
If the Lord Won’t maintain us without taking the gratefulness, His image in the creation will itself become distorted. No one will surrender or approach him. isn’t it?”
REPLY:
This may seem to be an innocent question, but this is a wrong mindset.
This aapproach may produce graceless people everywhere.
If I support your mindset, the whole world will be filled with orphans everywhere.
(Why Krishna punishes the cheaters after giving freewill to them? READ HERE!)
How?
You have asked:
Krishna created us; So, it is His duty to protect us by giving basic needs like food, shelter and dress. He should not exp[ect gratefulness from the people. Only if the people demands and gets luxury things from Krishna, He should expect thanks from the receivers.
Wow! What a thought!
If this thought is encouraged, the world will be filled with the people who thinks like the following:
—> My parents remained happy; So, I was born and am suffering now. It is they who gave birth to me. So, it is their duty to protect us by giving basic needs of food, house and dress. I need not work and earn if I don’t want anything beyond the basic needs. Only if I need luxury, I should work on my own. So, it is the duty of my parents to protect me.
—> It is the duty of my teacher to teach me because he is earning well by teaching to me. So, why should I give him respect him and why should I hear his advices?
—> The ministers are enjoying all the benefits, earnings, fame, etc. It is the duty for a government and its ministers to do all the facilities to the people free of cost. So, why should the people pay taxes to the government? We work and earn. Why should we pay tax to the government?
(Why Krishna created Yugas that deteriorates stage by stage? READ HERE!)
—> I married only my husband; Why should I keep and serve his parents?
—> My parents did their duty to his son. Why should I reciprocate them by keeping them with much difficulties in their old age?
—> There is heavy flood and the people have lost their belongings. But, I constructed my house lifting its height safely and hence my house was not affected. I am safe. Why should I accommodate my neighbours who lost their belongings, in my house till the flood recedes?
—> It is my right to throw the wastes on road. It is the duty of the government to maintain the city clean by removing all the wwastes I throw.
The people will start to have these types of thoughts.
So, there will be no mercy, kindness, gratitude in the society. The people will be selfish. Anyone will suppress anyone and live.
So, stop thinking like this.
A person should learn to recognize the mercy shown by others.
He is providing everything even to atheists who deny Him and also speak serioualy ill about Him. Krishna does not stop giving food, shelter and dress to the atheists who defame Krishna. Krishna is that much merciful.
(Why Krishna gives failures if we are His children? READ HERE!)
If we have broad mind, we should thank Him. He will be happy. But His mercy for our basic needs re not conditional. In any condition, Krishna will give our basic needs. WATCH THE WORLD. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THIS.
Krishna does not expect anything from us including our thanks and gratitude. He has given this opportunity in this planet to practice devotion and good qualities and to come back to Him. If we go back to Krishna, we need not go to jobs, need not suffer thru diseases, birth, death, etc.
To achieve that status, we should not be selfish. We should have a broad heart to think as a society and live as a society helping each other.
If we show our gratitude to Krishna, it is for our goodness. It will make us to love Krishna more and develop prema. If we have conditions and comments like this, we can’t develop love for Krishna.
If we don’t develop love for Krishna, we can’t go back to Krishna to have an eternal life of bliss and service to Krishna.
If we don’t go back to Krishna, we can’t escape from the material pains such as birth, disease, old age and death.
So, Love Krishna. Accept His arrangements. They are perfect.
(Why Krishna sent us to material world though we are His children? READ HERE!)