A crash course on how to approach the Lord with the right attitude
Lessons about the right mindset in approaching the Lord.
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When we approach anyone, even a close friend, there is always some process to be observed. We can’t just enter someone’s house and put our feet on the table without being invited. Krsna is our closest friend, but still, He is the Supreme Lord, and a certain process should be observed. The main ingredient is our devotion to Him, but devotion is also expressed in the right attitude and actions.
When King Nābhi performed a sacrifice, desiring to obtain a perfect son, the Lord quickly reciprocated, appearing personally in the sacrificial arena. The prayers of the brāhmanas in this episode teach us a lot of lessons about the right mindset in approaching the Lord. Here is a summary of their teachings:
The simple fact that the Lord has a form is already quite a difficult philosophical point to understand. Māyāvādis are incapable of understanding the transcendental form of the Lord, and thus they conclude that the Lord has no form, no potencies, and no activities. This is the result of trying to understand the transcendental with one’s limited brain. Contradictory as it may seem, the more one speculates about the form of the Lord, the more one becomes propense to conclude He has no form, because the existence of a transcendental form that reconciles all contradictory attributes will never fit one’s limited intellect. Even when the Lord appears in front of us, our eyes are not a reliable way of understanding His glories. Brahmā could see Krsna with His eyes, but he saw a mere cowherd boy and decided to play a trick. Indra saw Him as an enemy and attacked Vṛndāvana for seven days, while Duryodhana tried to arrest Kṛṣṇa even after seeing His universal form, thinking He was an ordinary magician. The proper process of understanding the form of the Lord is by accepting the description given in the Vedic literature.
However, after understanding the greatness of the Supreme Lord, one might conclude that He is unapproachable, which is false. Although the Lord is so great, He can be satisfied with a small offering of tulasī leaves and water, or even leaves, twigs, and newly grown grass. The point is not the size of the offering, but the devotion. The offering serves as a vehicle that the devotee uses to express his devotion.
Neophytes often have great faith in rituals, thinking that such rituals have the power of evoking the Lord or securing His blessings, which is of course not true. There is another side, however. Even though the Lord is satisfied by devotion, we should not be negligent, since negligence is precisely a sign of a lack of devotion. If one is situated on a platform of love of Godhead, there is no need to make complicated offerings; just a few tulasi leaves and water will be perfectly satisfying to the Lord. However, if one is not situated in devotion, one can gradually develop it by offering whatever one has best, according to the rules and regulations. A rich man shouldn’t be a miser, thinking that since the Lord asks for just a few leaves and water in the Gītā, he should offer just that, and use all the rest of his wealth for his personal gratification. Similarly, if one is worshiping the deity, one should not be negligent.
It is said that one who is on a platform of spontaneous devotion has no need to follow rules and regulations, but this is because on such a platform, one has no material desires and automatically uses all his time to serve the Lord. When we are not situated in this platform, however, it is the opposite: unless we make a conscious effort, our time is automatically wasted in sleep and activities for sense gratification. Therefore, as long as we are not in a platform of pure and spontaneous devotion, we should keep ourselves busy, serving and performing worship according to the rules and regulations. We should not discard the rules prematurely, judging ourselves perfect; otherwise, we risk becoming sahajiyās.
Another point is our eagerness to see and serve the Lord. Sahajiyās often think that they have captured the Lord, or that they are already situated on a platform of pure devotion. In this way, they take the company of the Lord as something ordinary and spiritual practice as casual. Why would someone strive for something he thinks he already has?
This is, however, not the mood cultivated by our ācāryas. The six Gosvāmīs were always in the mood of searching for the Lord and trying to attract His mercy. Similarly, the gopis are always anxious for the company of the Lord, never presuming they have captured Him. When we cultivate this mood, we value the association of the Lord, understanding that this is the most valuable and rare opportunity. We feel ecstasy in the smallest gesture of reciprocation, and value every opportunity to see the Lord and His pure devotees and to perform any small service.
Another point is that all the spiritual practice we perform during our lives is tested at the time of death. Often, we think of death as something peaceful, but this is just something invented to make others feel better. Death is always painful and difficult, a precarious position, as phrased by Prabhupāda. Even if we practice during our lives, there is always the possibility that we may forget the Lord at the final moment due to acute suffering or mental confusion. This is thus another situation in which we should not take things for granted or think that our own strength is enough. Rather, we should see ourselves as dependent on the mercy of the Lord and always pray for Him to help us at this crucial moment.
What about approaching the Lord with material desires? Is this also valid? Early in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, it is established that even if one has material desires, one should worship the Lord (akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā, mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ). The Lord is the ultimate bestower of all benedictions, and the only one who can give anything eternal; therefore, there is no need to worship anyone except Him.
However, as Lord Kapila explains in his teachings, worshiping the Lord and asking for material benedictions is a symptom that our devotional service is still contaminated by the material modes. Even asking for liberation is a result of the influence of the mode of goodness. A pure devotee simply asks to be constantly engaged in loving devotional service, understanding that this is the greatest benediction.
The Lord, however, has an interesting policy: when He grants a benediction, He does it in such a way that one doesn’t have to ask for another material benediction again. In other words, He arranges for the devotee to attain the satisfaction of whatever material desires one may have, so he or she can become fixed in his practice and attain perfection. We saw this at work in the case of Dhruva Maharaja and in other examples. Still, an intelligent devotee skips this whole process and asks directly for the ultimate goal of life.
In summary, one who is not on a platform of devotional service is advised to approach the Lord, even if to ask for material blessings, but a devotee who is already progressing in the devotional path is advised to aim for the goal of life.
Material desires come from the influence of the material energy. Pure devotional service passes through becoming free from material desires, which means attaining the platform of liberation, becoming free from material influence. How can we do that? One has to worship great devotees, who are the bearers of the mercy of the Lord. For that, we should associate with them and be attentive to the opportunity of offering any form of service, small as it may seem. Pure devotees have no desire to enjoy the material world, and by taking shelter in such a pure devotee, we gradually attain his qualities.
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