(Click to enlarge painting of Krishna and the cowherd boys)
"Kṛṣṇa is ready to associate with you in any way you like. Somebody likes Kṛṣṇa as friend, somebody likes Kṛṣṇa as husband, somebody likes Kṛṣṇa as paramour. So Kṛṣṇa is ready. Somebody likes Kṛṣṇa as son. So any way, Kṛṣṇa is ready. We have got these five relations in this material world. There is no other relation. And there are other relationship also. Kṛṣṇa also ready to accept... If you want Kṛṣṇa as enemy, yes, Kṛṣṇa is ready; He'll kill you. But that is also good for you. If you want to fight with Kṛṣṇa, yes, Kṛṣṇa is ready. Everything. Akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. He can associate with you in any rasa, humor, you like. Kṛṣṇa is ready. Ready means that is natural. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so the part and parcel must remain with Kṛṣṇa.
So you have to remain with Kṛṣṇa in some relationship. Here our relationship is through this external energy, māyā. The relationship is there. Although we have tried to give up our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa has not given up. Kṛṣṇa is always with you. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He is within your heart. Why? Just to give you association. Now we are rebelled. You want to do something independently. Kṛṣṇa also has agreed, 'All right. You do independently. But it is not possible for you to live independently. That is not possible. So I'll give you sanction for independent living.' Just see how Kṛṣṇa is friend. You cannot live independently. That is not possible. Because you are aṁśa. Aṁśa means part and parcel. Just like this finger. Finger is finger so long he's with the body; otherwise who cares his finger? Suppose a finger is cut and thrown in the street. Who cares for it? The finger is important so long it is with the body. Similarly, we are always with Kṛṣṇa, indirectly or directly. But here Arjuna sees sākṣāt, directly. But we are forced to accept Kṛṣṇa indirectly, māyā. Arjuna is māyāṁ vyudasya. He has no intervention by māyā. And we have got intervention by māyā. Therefore we cannot see Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is always there. Kṛṣṇa is always there.
īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni...
(BG 18.61)
This rascal, he wants to wander within this material world in different capacities. Sometime he's demigod, sometime he's dog, sometime he's tree, sometime he's fish, sometime he is president, sometime he's a nonsense. In this way, in different ways, he is suffering in this material world, and Kṛṣṇa is with him, trying to get him back. And whenever there is opportunity, He's asking, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66): 'You rascal, why you are suffering in this way? You give up all this nonsense business. You simply surrender to Me.' That is Kṛṣṇa's ambition, that 'This rascal is suffering, so better give him good instruction.'
Therefore Kṛṣṇa's coming. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). 'These rascals have forgotten. All right, let Me go and convince them, try to bring them back.' Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes: tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). Those who are sādhu, devotees, they became immediately relieved by getting Kṛṣṇa. And those who are rascal, they had to be killed. But that killing is also good for them. Just like father—to some son he gives directly rasagullā, and to other son, slaps. But father is father. Either slapping or giving rasagullā, he's father. Similarly, we should not be sorry when the father gives slaps, and we should not be over jubilant when father gives his rasagullā. Any condition. That is devotion. A devotee is never disturbed when the father gives slap or the master gives slap. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). So any way, Kṛṣṇa is always ready to help me and to give me knowledge and to understand. Where is the difficulty? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. There is not at all difficulty. Simply because we do not take advice of Kṛṣṇa, we are suffering. This is the difficulty. This is the only difficulty. Where is the difficulty? No difficulty. Simply, if you simply think of Kṛṣṇa, you become advanced. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ (BG 18.65). Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). There is no expenditure, no loss. The gain is great. Simply if you think of Kṛṣṇa: man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Where is the difficulty?
But we are so rascal that we do not take advice of Kṛṣṇa. We manufacture our own ways; the suffering goes on. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti (BG 7.14). This is māyā. He's thinking that he'll make his own plan and be happy. That will never be possible. The only plan you have to accept—what is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). That is the only plan. You have to get yourself relieved from all other engagements. Simply engage yourself... Not immediately. First of all, you must ready: 'Kṛṣṇa, from this day, I am now ready. Whatever You'll say, I'll do.' That's... Immediately you become liberated. Liberated. How liberated? Liberation is achieved after so many years' tapasya? No. Immediately, as soon as you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. How? Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). If you are sincerely surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, immediately."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Vrindavan, September 20, 1976)
.
.
