The EXTERNAL reasons for Lord’s appearance
“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O
descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that
time I descend Myself.” – Bhagavad Gita (4.7)
On the one hand we say this material world is a miserable place and
now we declare God appears in a human-like spiritual form in this
world. Why would God want to come to this terrible world?
Although this material world is beset with problems and misery, God is
not affected by it. He comes out of His free choice and leaves without
being contaminated by the world. He comes for our welfare; to attract
our hearts to His divine, transcendental form and qualities.
A governor may visit a state prison, but he isn’t a prisoner in the
jail; he can come and go when he likes; it’s his kindness upon the
inmates that he visits them. Likewise God too visits this material
world for the welfare of the living entities; He isn’t bound or
affected by the world.
An instructive anecdote says it better:
The emperor Akbar mocked at his minister Birbal, “How could your God
Krishna come to this miserable material world; why would He come,
doesn’t He have better things to do?” The minister remained silent,
and humbly asked for some time to reveal the reason for God’s
appearance in this world.
A few days later the emperor accompanied by his youngest son, a few
guards and Birbal sailed on a boat across the river. As the boat
reached the middle of the river, Birbal in jest, playing with the
little boy, pushed him into the river. While the splash alarmed all,
in an instant, the Emperor jumped in to save the child. The guards
helped and soon the child and the king were safely back in the boat.
As the emperor composed himself, Birbal asked the monarch, “why did
you personally jump into the river; there were guards whom you could
have instructed to save your child?” The king roared back, “What do
you mean, he’s my child and I had to save him” Birbal smiled, “Oh
king, Krishna too loves all of us; although He needn’t come to this
world, as a loving parent, He feels obliged to personally save us.”
There are also three external reasons for His appearance: firstly, it
was time for his descent. He appears in each age to deliver the fallen
souls. The Bhagavad Gita confirms the Lord’s appearance in each time
cycle (4.7-8)
Secondly, who else can teach the religious practise for this age
better than He Himself? The scriptures reveal the spiritual practise
for this age to be sankirtana- congregational chanting of Hare Krishna
maha mantra. To educate the Kali Yuga beings on the process of
Sankirtana, the Lord descended and performed the practise- He taught
by His own example.
Thirdly, one of the Lord’s most confidential associates, Advaita
Acharya had vowed to bring down the Lord to deliver the fallen souls
of this age. Advaita’s compassion for the suffering people of this age
melted the Lord’s heart. His loud prayers and crying for the Lord to
descend, penetrated the layers of material existence and reached the
Lord’s own abode. Moved by his sincere appeal, Krishna came down to
the material world.
To be continued…
