Filip Misic, 24 July 2017
Hare Krishna. I recently had prayed to Krishna for a materialistic desire. Long story short, I went on a train journey and I didnt have a certain document needed to verify that I am a student, which would give me a small discount for the ticket. So I prayed to Krishna that the conductor wouldn’t ask for the document just like the conductor did the previous time I traveled.
It turned out that what I prayed for did not come true. I am now very confused and I feel betrayed by Krishna. Isn’t Krishna supposed to be merciful, especially to those who serve and love him. Why is it then that he couldn’t fulfill a minor desire even though I trusted him. Could someone please give me an explanation?
Hare Krishna
Sincerely,
Filip
Naresh Poondla, 24 July 2017
Hare Krishna. Lord krishna is testing your devotion towards him. Some people will not pray to Lord Krishna if something does not happen as expected. So, don’t lose hope and keep on praying to Krishna. He is very merciful. Lord krishna is also teaching you how to handle such situations.
Hare Krishna
Naresh
Filip Misic, 24 July 2017
Thank you. Hare Krishna.
Sincerely,
Filip Misic
Manoj Tripathi, 24 July 2017
Hare Krishna,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Maybe some advanced devotee can give a better answer to this question, for example, HG Mahabhagavat Prabhu.
However, as I have heard from senior devotees, a devotee sees even a misery as a blessing from Krishna.
Actually, everything that happens with us is a blessing from Krishna as He is “suhrdam sarva bhutanam”.
There is a little story that I read in this connection:
A bird was building a nest in a place which was in the reach of cats and dogs. When a devotee saw this, out of mercy, he removed the grass from there so that the bird goes somewhere else to build her nest. However, the bird came again with some grass at the same spot. The devotee again removed the grass from there. Ultimately the bird went away from there searching for another place.
The bird may not be knowing the intention of the devotee or the reason why “such a bad thing” was happening to her. But it was for her ultimate welfare (the material examples to explain spiritual reality are always limited, so assume that saving her eggs and herself are analogous to saving the soul).
Devotees know this fact, and consider everything to be the mercy of Krishna.
So, please have faith in Krishna and know that this was for your and everyone else’s ultimate welfare.
Please forgive me (and correct me) if anything I wrote is not according to Shastras and in guru-parampara.
Hare Krishna.
Manoj Tripathi
Filip Misic, 25 July 2017
What a beautiful example. Thank you.
Hare Krishna
Sundar Gopal Das, 25 July 2017
Hare Krishna,
Dear Filip,
Pls accept my pranam.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga.
First of all I would like to appreciate your honesty to ask such nice question with the simplicity of your heart.
Also would like to thank for the nice answers by Manoj Prabhu and Naresh Prabhu.
Though i am just a practicing struggling neophyte devotee, I would like to humbly attempt to add some additional points to the answer of the question.
- From your question it seems that you have been spared previously in similar situation. But not the second time. Have you pondered over it?
- Krishna is the all cognizant Supreme Personality of Godhead. He knows perfectly all our in and out situations, even infinitely better than us. That’s why His disposal of some of our proposals are actually for our ultimate benifit only which we realize later.
- On the subject line you have written “Prayers not answered”. Is it true?? Or you actually mean “Prayers are not answered as per my desire or expectations”. Please think over it. What should be our prayer?? Is Krishna suppose to response according to our desire?? By this don’t we mean that Krishna’s response should be dependent on our expectations?? Then how come Krishna is independent?? Please think over this.
- Practicing Krishna consciousness doesn’t mean we should be irresponsible towards discharging our occupational duties. Krishna never approves such concept. He sung the Bhagavad Gita just to engage Arjun to his administrative duty with proper Krishna consciousness. So as a student you should carry the relevant documents along with you to get necessary student discount while traveling by train. A devotee means one should be perfect gentleman and his or her behavior and dealings with everyone should be exemplary. This is a real preaching of Krishna consciousness.
- Lastly, one should not desire any thing material from Krishna. Let me give an example: Suppose you want to collect donation for celebrating Rathayatra in your local Iskcon temple. And you got an opportunity to approach say, Bill Gates and now you ask him : “sir kindly give a 100/ donation for our Rathayatra celebration.” How would Bill Gates feel?? Bill Gates is capable to donate the entire expenses of the Rathayatra. Similarly, Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He can bestow the highest gift i.e. deliver you from the vicious cycle of birth and death and transfer you to our original sweet home full of eternal bliss and knowledge free from all sorts of sufferings. Just think yourself, is it justified to pray for such petty trivial things from Krishna. As Krishna loves you and everyone of us He can take care ( again remember in His own way ) of such things without even praying to Him. But again it is always good to pray to Krishna only. Because in due course He will enlighten you from within.
I don’t know how far it is helpful to answer your question. Devotees may correct me if i am wrong in my attempt.
Thanking you,
With regards,
Sundar Gopal Das.
Sacinandana Das, 25 July 2017
Hare Krishna Bhakta Filip,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Gurudev and Srimati Gurumata ji.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
It was your mistake, you should have carried your documents. We should not bother Krishna for our material desires. He is not our servant. Infact we are His servant. He is not our order supplier. There is a story. One lady was going through a forest with a log of wood and suddenly it fell down and she said oh God please help me. God came and she asked please put this wood back on my head. God put it up and left. What a waste. She could have asked for better things. Similarly we should ask God to engage us in His service.
We have betrayed Him but He is so merciful that He is with us from million and billions of lifetimes in our heart.Do you have any friend who will go with you in jail for 20 years? God does everything for our own good.
your servant,
Sacinandana Das.
Filip Misic, 25 July 2017
This was very helpful indeed. Thank you.
Hare Krishna
Nuria K, 25 July 2017
Hare Krishna!
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
Hari bol,
thank you Bhakta Filip for sharing your story … I am also thinking the same like you … but the fact is that Krsna always listening us. Krsna consciousness is a science and He is like the sun and the moon, even if you cannot see them they are still there.
One example is if we think of the moon phases, for example in the waxing moon the leaves of the plants are growing, but when there is a waning moon something else is growing in another direction, and it is the roots of the plants.
Sincerely,
Nuria
Nashvin, 25 July 2017
Dear Filip,
Hare Krishna!
Co-incidentally, I was just reading this yesterday, which can apply to your situation:
https://www.vedabase.com/en/kb/88
“Lord Viṣṇu is very considerate. Whenever a devotee wants something from Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu first considers whether such a benediction will ultimately be good for the devotee. Lord Viṣṇu never bestows any benediction which will ultimately prove disastrous to the devotee. By His transcendental nature, He is always merciful; therefore, before giving any benediction, He considers whether it will prove beneficial for the devotee. Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always merciful, even when it appears that He has killed a demon, or even when He apparently becomes angry toward a devotee, His actions are always auspicious. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is therefore known as all-good. Whatever He does is good.”
your servant,
Nashvin
Brhadnath dasa, 25 July 2017
Hare Krishna Bhakta Filip,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.All glories to Srila Gurudev and Srimati Gurumata ji.
Similar type of question was asked during a class at Sri Vrindavan dham by H.H. Dheer Damodar swami. Maharaja gave an example of two devotees walking through a forest and faced with a bear. One of them was able to climb a tree and offered his help to the other. But the other was too overtaken by the fear to grab the helping hand. He cried for Krishna and the bear went in other direction. The question , who did the right act ? After listening to different answers, Maharaja concluded that the person climbing the tree did the right. Because, we should always remember Krishna, but not call for His help every now and then. If Krishna has given us some quality and capability then better to use the same. This discussion took place a long time back and I have just shared it from my noting. So asking for Krishna`s help for such a petty thing is just lack of experience that may come with the association of devotees.
your servant ,
brhadnath das
Filip Misic, 26 July 2017
Thank you. Hare Krishna.
Thunduparambil Jayaprasad, 30 July 2017
Hare krishna
Dear brother, You cannot understand by small acts, he is ever merciful for devotees like Kuchela, Bali Maharaja, Parikshit Maharaj etc. If your desires are sincere and takes you to the right path it will be fulfilled. Since you want a discount without card is not an honest desire if you you have money to pay full . Lastly krishna will not interfere to redeem your karmas , but he will give enough strength to withstand suffering brought by the karma which helps you to elevate your consciousness to a higher level.
Sincerely,
Thunduparambil
Filip Misic, 30 July 2017
Thank you. Hare krishna
Sincerely,
Filip
Mahabhagavat Das SDA, 31 July 2017
Dear Filip and all other devotees who participated by reading, answering, or acting as a well-wishing friend silently,
Hare Krishna!
I am very enlivened by this Q&A session, to know that we have such wonderful devotees in our sda_students group.
Dear Filip, your experience has turned into a blessing not only for yourself but for all of us! How fortunate we are to be in your association dear Filip!
May I request each of you who participated to consider participating at least once? By discussing spiritual subject matters in a positive and respectful manner, we are contributing to becoming the solution to the world’s problems, the breath of fresh air, the surgeon’s merciful scalpel, the soothing balm to the problems of the world.
Any place where topics concerning Krishna are concerned becomes a place of pilgrimage for saints of the entire Universe.
Please could you help by personally participating enthusiastically?
your servant,
Mahabhagavat Das
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