Taking Shelter at Every Step

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,

Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev!

It is an accepted fact and the experience of every one without exception that any activity in this material world is always a source of perplexity and anxiety. However materially well equipped we may be, however an expert manager we may be, however powerful we may be, we are forced to meet situations which makes us completely confused and perplexed. What we should do in these situations is very wonderfully shown by Arjuna in Srimad Bhagavad Gita 2.7. He approaches Lord Krishna, the spiritual master of the universe (Jagat guru) and prays before Him very humbly

kaarpanya-doshopahata-svabhaavah
prcchaami tvaam dharma-sammudha-cetaah
yac chreyah syaan niscitam bruhi tan me
sishyas te 'ham shaadhi maam tvaam prapannam

"Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of miserly weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me for certain what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me."

HG Devakinandan prabhuji, during the Vyasa puja celebration of our beloved spiritual master H H Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj in Rajkot insisted that this is the prayer we have to offer our beloved Gurudev every day, and in every step we take in our life. When we approach Maharaj in this proper mood accepting the two things:

a) I am confused about my duty
b) I have lost all composure because of miserly weakness,

Maharaj is there for us to give us the proper guidance and this has been assured by our beloved Gurudev personally.

Many times we make the mistake that we may get guidance for one situation and then when an almost similar situation arises, we thinking ourselves as intelligent enough, try to apply the same solution without getting the guidance from the spiritual master. But that will not work. It is imperative that we approach the spiritual master in every step. This is very wonderfully shown in the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam. In the Seventh canto, we find that when Hiranyakasipu was terrorizing the universe the demigods and sages prayed to the Supreme Lord for relief from Hiranyakashipu's rule. In response to their prayers the Lord replies in Srimad Bhagavatam 7.4.26

jnaatam etasya dauraatmyam / daiteyaapasadasya yat
tasya shaantim karishyaami / kaalam taavat pratikshata

"I know all about the activities of Hiranyakashipu and shall surely stop them very soon. Please wait patiently until that time."

When the elephant Gajendra called out for the Lord, this very Lord who is asking the demigods to wait patiently for the right time, was so anxious to rescue Gajendra immediately that He rejected the sandals offered by the military commander, literally dragged Garuda being unsatisfied with Garuda's speed (actually nothing can be compared to the speed of Garuda) and this made the devotees offer obeisances not to the Lord but to the swift departure and speed of the Lord (bhagavatas tvaraayai namah). This is inconceivable for us. The Lord has so many purposes to be accomplished by a single activity and before speaking the above verse asking the demigods to wait for the time, the Lord assures all good fortune to them bhadram astu vah) and hence it is imperative that we follow the Lord's instructions for our own good fortune. In the eight canto, we see that the demigods, having been cursed by Durvasa Muni, were defeated in battle by the asuras. When the demigods were deprived of their heavenly kingdom, they offered prayers to the Lord and the Lord replies in SB 8.6.19:

yaata daanava-daiteyais / taavat sandhir vidhiyataam
kaalenaanugrhitais tair / yaavad vo bhava aatmanah

"As long as you are not flourishing, you should make a truce with the demons and asuras, who are now being favored by time."

It is again really amazing to see that the Lord is advising the demigods to make truce with the enemies and saying that the demons are favored by time and advocates the demigods to be peaceful and patient and not to be anxious and agitated. But here again just before saying this, the Lord assures that His instructions will bring good fortune to them (shreyo vah syaat). The demigods implicitly followed these instructions and the results are there for us to see that they were ultimately blessed with the nectar. The Lord orchestrates the events in such a way that we are blessed with the gift of maturity and refinement in the course of following the instructions. In the eight canto, 15th chapter again we see that Bali Maharaj after performing the Vishvajit yajna becomes very powerful and he attacked the outskirts of Indra's kingdom. When Indra saw Bali Maharaj's prowess, he went to his own spiritual master, Brhaspati, told him about Bali's strength, and inquired about his duty. Thus we see that in these situations of perplexity, Indra approaches his spiritual master and he does not take any decision on his own based on any of his previous experiences. Brhaspati informed the demigods that because Bali had been endowed with extraordinary power by the brahmanas, the demigods could not fight with him. Their only hope was to gain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In SB 8.15.30, the spiritual master advises

tasmaan nilayam utsrjya / yuyam sarve tri-vishtapam
yaata kaalam pratikshanto / yatah shatror viparyayah

"Therefore, waiting until the situation of your enemies is reversed, you should all leave this heavenly planet and go elsewhere, where you will not be seen."

Here we find that the advice of the spiritual master, who is a bonafide representative of the Lord, is in line with the instructions of the Lord as is seen from the previous instances. Indra immediately accepted these instructions and followed them, ultimately resulting in getting back his kingdom. Devaki prabhuji was explaining how in many instances, Maharaj just patiently and peacefully waited for the time for the solutions to come for the problems, always having the faith that Krishna will sort out the problems at the right time. Let us always remember what Srila Prabhupada says in his purport to BG 2.7, "By nature's own way the complete system of material activities is a source of perplexity for everyone. In every step there is perplexity, and therefore it behooves one to approach a bona fide spiritual master who can give one proper guidance for executing the purpose of life."

Thank you very much
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev
Krpana Vatsala Krishna das
Chennai. 

Please chant 

"Jai Shree Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda Sri Advaita Gadadhara Srivas Aadi Gour Bhakta Vrinda" once before beginning chanting Hare Krishna

And then chant 

"हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे || 

हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ||" 

"Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare ||

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare ||"

108 times

this is one mala....pls go on chanting as many mala as u want and be happy... 

Chant Hare Krishna

And your life will be sublime!