Understanding Krishna as The Divine Father and Mother
मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु | मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे || १८ ६५ || manmanaa bhava madbhakto madyaajee maam namaskuru maame vaishyasi satyam te prati-jaane priyo’si me (SBG 18:65)
Fix your mind on Me, always think of Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice unto Me, and you shall come to Me. This is My promise to you, as you are dear to Me. (18:65)
Using the Yoga of your intellect, dedicate all your actions to Me, have Me as your highest goal, devote yourself intensely to Me and you will always be under My protection. Be fully conscious of Me all the time. (18:57)
“How I wish I were the CEO of the company I work for!”
“How I wish I had my own sports car!”
“How I wish I could buy a private jet for myself!”
Well, so what if you had a million dollars? So what if you could have all your above dreams fulfilled? What difference would it make to you and to the world? Would you stop wanting for more once you have achieved your goals? When you make your first million dollars, after a brief moment of happiness and pride due to a sense of achievement, what you would do would be to set your next goal at ten million. It will go on. That’s what normal people do.
Great achievers, in fact, set goals that they are well aware they can never achieve in their lives. It is because such goals will keep them busy, on their toes, and ever motivated.
Those who have lived lives that are full, who have rolled in money and have also seen broke days, have experienced dualities such as pain and pleasure, great ups and massive downs, grand successes and huge failures, great friends and horrible betrayers, have been fit as a fiddle and yet ill at times, or have been at the heights of power and have also been through unceremonious ousters; are the ones who can rise above all dualities, and treat equally all situations as great learning opportunities.
‘Ithaca’ is a poem written by Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy, and translated into English by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard. It is a poem that I first came across some three decades ago, at a time when I had not yet really set off on the main leg of my grand voyage through life.
Looking back now, I can relate to almost every word in the poem, which strengthens my conviction that Life is indeed the Greatest Gift. Everything and everyone in it is a great learning experience. However, attachment to any of those fleeting experiences can only stall the journey towards your ‘Ithaca’, which is where, you are destined to arrive as a complete, wise, learned, well-experienced, kind, compassionate, grateful, and responsible human being.
Understanding Krishna as The Divine Father and Mother
अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते | तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् || ९ २२ || anan-yaash-chintayanto maam ye janaaha paryu-paasate teshaam nityaabhi-yuktaanaam yoga-kshemam vahaamy–aham (SBG 9:22)
Those who worship Me with a fixed mind and constantly meditate on Me are assured that the burden of the acquisition and preservation of their needs will be carried by Me. (SBG 9:22)
I am the Supreme Goal, the Sustainer, the Bhagavan, the Witness, the Abode, the Shelter, the Friend, the Origin, the Dissolution, the Foundation, the Treasure-house and the Imperishable seed. (SBG 9:18)
Understanding Krishna as The Divine Father and Mother
पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः | वेद्यं पवित्रमोंकार ऋक्साम यजुरेव च || ९ १७ || pitaahamasya jagato maataa dhaataa pitaa-mahaha vedyam pavitram-omkaara riksaama yajureva cha (SBG 9:17)
I am the Father of this universe, the Mother, the sustainer, the Grandsire; the One to be known, the Purifier, and the Sacred Aum. I am also the Rig, Sama and the Yajur Vedas.(SBG 9:17)
Understanding Krishna as The Divine Father and Mother
उदाराः सर्व एवैते ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् | आस्थितः स हि युक्तात्मा मामेवानुत्तमां गतिम् || ७ १८ || udaaraaha sarva evaite jnaanee tvaat-maiva me matam aasthitaha sa hi yuktaatmaa maame vaan-uttamaam gatim (SBG 7:18)
While I consider every devotee to be virtuous, I regard the self-realised devotee as My own Self because his ultimate goal is attaining Me and his mind is fully focussed on Me.
Understanding Krishna as The Divine Father and Mother
तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते | प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः || ७ १७ || teshaam jnaanee nitya yukta eka bhaktir vishishyate priyo hi jnaanino’tyartha- maham sa cha mamap-priyaha (SBG 7:17)
O Arjuna, among the pious, there are four kinds who are devoted to Me. They are the distressed, those seeking knowledge, people desiring material gain, and people of wisdom.
Tavamithram Sarvada 