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When God is afraid – Part 6

The learned commentators explain that the ‘two fingers short’ phenomenon as an important lesson for our spiritual practices. The first finger represents our endeavor in Bhakti yoga practices, and the second finger shows Krishna’s causeless grace. We need both principles- one within our control and another, God’s mercy- to come closer to Krishna and develop our loving attraction to Him.

In contrast to Yashoda, Duryodhana also tried to arrest Krishna, but he was miserably unsuccessful. As against Yashoda’s pure love, Duryodhana was driven by envy and hatred, and Krishna remains ever elusive to people with an unfavorable mindset.

Mukunda – giver of freedom

Krishna helps souls trapped in this material world get freedom from the shackles of birth and death. Yet, He could not free Himself.

After binding Krishna, as Yashoda busied herself with household duties, Krishna crawled out of the house and got stuck in front of two giant Arjuna trees. He gently pushed the mortar, and the trees fell apart, and two luminous personalities came out free. They had been bound as tree due to a curse by Narada Muni. Although Krishna released them from the curse, He continued to remain bound. Only when His mother came, rushing in a panic to the sound of the trees falling, and when she lovingly untied the ropes, Krishna was free!

From greatness to Sweetness

Most religions present God’s greatness and teach us to fear Him. Few scriptures like the Srimad Bhagavatam offer an additional perspective of God’s sweetness that could potentially invoke loving sentiments for the Lord.

I wondered if I could ever share Krishna’s love and sweetness with Hussain. His anger reflects his own fears and insecurity. If he genuinely experienced God’s love, would he hate others so much? History has shown many examples of leaders who spread so much hatred in the name of God, and it’s because they have no experience of God’s sweetness.

Giordano Bruno- the Italian philosopher and a ‘martyr of science,’ could see his own killers as victims of fear. When the judges pronounced him guilty of heresy and declared he be burnt alive in a marketplace, after being hung naked, upside down, Bruno remained undisturbed. He calmly said, “Perhaps you declare the sentence against me with greater fear than I receive it.” Even as recently as the year 2000, the four hundredth anniversary of his execution, the Vatican made an official statement that the Church was justified in condemning him. The fear of what he stood for grips religious fanatics even centuries later!

It’s time we abandon fear of God and start to love Him. Fear that emerges from that love is healthy, as Krishna Himself taught us in the pastime of being bound by mother Yashoda’s love.

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