The Art of Begging – how humility, sincerity and devotion open the heart of Krishna
“O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one’s own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.”
– Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.13)
Yesterday, I heard a class by His Holiness Radhanath Swami, given at Barsana in 2008, and I found some points striking and thought-provoking. Below, I am sharing what I understood and “digested” from that class.
When we come to a holy place like Barsana, where Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī has performed her pastimes, we should come in the mood of seeking blessings — not only from the devotees who are with us and whom we can see, meet, or interact with, but also from the devotees who are unseen. They too are present, encouraging us and giving us strength to overcome obstacles.
Kṛṣṇa is known as bhāvagrāhī — one who accepts the essence of our feelings. He is always searching for love, not impressed by any external possessions or designations. He does not see whether we are high or low. What He looks for is affection and love in the heart. A sincere devotee, on the other hand, is known as sāragrāhī — one who seeks the essence in everything. The essence of all things is bhakti, devotion. Therefore, whatever a devotee does, the underlying purpose is to please Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. In this mood, we approach the Lord and His intimate associates: with affection and devotion, aspiring only to please Them.
In both Kṛṣṇa-līlā and Lord Caitanya’s pastimes we find striking examples that highlight the importance of pleasing devotees and approaching the Lord through His devotees.
At Surabhi-kuṇḍa in Govardhan, we learn that Indra received forgiveness from Kṛṣṇa only when he approached Him through Surabhi, the Lord’s dear devotee. When Surabhi petitioned Kṛṣṇa on Indra’s behalf, Indra was redeemed. Likewise, in Caitanya Bhāgavata, there is the story of a milk-drinking brāhmaṇa who longed to witness the Lord’s dancing. He understood that without the blessings of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura — in whose house these pastimes were revealed — he could not attain the Lord’s mercy. Therefore, the simple-hearted brāhmaṇa repeatedly begged for Śrīvāsa’s compassion.
Initially, Śrīvāsa refused, citing the Lord’s strict instruction that no one outside His chosen associates could witness the dancing. But seeing the young man’s sincerity — subsisting only on milk and sometimes a few fruits — Śrīvāsa was moved and allowed him to secretly watch. In the midst of the kīrtana, however, the Lord suddenly stopped and demanded to know if there was an intruder in the house, for He no longer felt His usual ecstasy. Humbly, Śrīvāsa confessed and pleaded that the brāhmaṇa was sincere and austere. The Lord roared that He could not be purchased by austerity alone, citing Gajendra, Hanumān, and the gopīs as examples of those who attained His mercy not by penance but by wholehearted devotion. The young brāhmaṇa, heartbroken, walked out in gratitude and repentance. Seeing his sincerity in action, the Lord softened, called him back, and bestowed His mercy upon him.
The scriptures repeatedly teach us that humility and sincerity in service are the keys to attracting the Lord’s mercy. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura instructed that we should not desire to see God, but rather serve Him in such a way that He desires to see us. And the only thing that makes Him turn toward us is devotion.
Kṛṣṇa Himself declares in the Bhagavad-gītā:
“One can understand Me as I am, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.” (Bhagavad-gītā 18.55)
But how do we develop that devotion? Devotional service already resides within our hearts, yet it remains inaccessible until revealed by grace. To access that grace, we must long for it, aspire for it, beg for it, and remain focused on receiving it.
As the Bhagavad-gītā (2.41) explains:
“Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched.”
Sadly, due to our past conditioning, the restless mind and senses drag us into selfishness, making us think we are the enjoyer. But true Kṛṣṇa consciousness means cultivating the opposite mood — that of a servant. This mood grows as we absorb ourselves in striving for the Lord’s grace, begging for it again and again.
During japa, therefore, we beg:
“My dear Kṛṣṇa, my dear mother Hārā, please engage me in Your transcendental service.”
We experience beggars in our lives. If a beggar is demanding money, pushing, or harassing us for alms, we feel disgusted. We may give him something, but only to get rid of him. We do not feel any real love or compassion for him. Similarly, if we chant ritualistically, or in a demanding and selfish mood, we do not receive Kṛṣṇa’s love. Kṛṣṇa is not moved by such petitions. But when a beggar is sincere, desperate, and helpless, our heart is touched, and we want to help him. Likewise, when we pray sincerely, depending completely on Kṛṣṇa for His benediction, He surely reciprocates.
Gajendra, Draupadī, our Six Goswāmīs, and Śrīla Prabhupāda were all in this mood of prayer and desperation. Śrīla Prabhupāda signed his prayer, “Your insignificant beggar.” He was begging for the power to give bhakti to the world. Because Prabhupāda took the role of an insignificant beggar before Kṛṣṇa, his begging — his prayer — is our only qualification to become devotees.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wrote only eight verses. In these verses, He is simply begging for prema.
“When will my eyes be filled with tears?
When will my throat choke up and my hair stand on end as I chant Your holy names?”
If we think, “I am a great orator, I am a great devotee, I am better than others,” and we beg with that consciousness, we do not really want bhakti. Just as we cannot properly digest food unless we are truly hungry, we cannot receive devotion unless we sincerely yearn for it. Kṛṣṇa is bhāvagrāhī — He accepts the essence. He sees our intention, our affection.
Śrīla Prabhupāda begged for devotion, and as a result, we have been given devotion. The greatest souls always see themselves as humbler than a blade of grass. Every single one of them, without exception, is offering themselves in this mood. How far are we from that? Still, we must sincerely strive to act in that way. We must pray; we must beg to become that.
If we lack love, we must beg for that love. If we are unable to beg for Kṛṣṇa’s love, then we must beg for the ability to beg for that love. And if even that is beyond us, we must beg to be able to beg to be able to beg for that love. Somehow or other, we must seek Kṛṣṇa’s love. That is bhakti-yoga.
St Igantius of Loyola offered a beautiful prayer, ““Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will… all is Yours; dispose of it wholly according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace, that is enough for me.”
His Holiness Radhanath Swami gives an interesting perspective on this principle of begging. He explains that if we are serious in spiritual life, we cannot simply beg from Kṛṣṇa directly. While chanting the holy names, we certainly beg from Him. But for Kṛṣṇa to take us seriously, we must also beg from every devotee — from the Vaiṣṇavas we live with, from our spiritual teachers, and from the previous ācāryas.
When we cultivate this mood, we begin to understand the spirit of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī as She petitions Lalitā-sakhī:
“In the absence of Kṛṣṇa, I cannot sustain my life. My soul belongs only to Him. My mind exists only for His pleasure. And when this soul leaves this body and my body falls to the ground, let every element of my being eternally serve Kṛṣṇa.”
- “The earth element of my body — let it merge with the dust of Vṛndāvana, so that Kṛṣṇa may trample upon me and I may give soft pleasure to His lotus feet.
- The water element of my body — let it merge into the kuṇḍas and lakes of Vṛndāvana, so that when Kṛṣṇa bathes, He may be refreshed forever.
- The fire element of my body — let it become light, so that when Kṛṣṇa beholds His beautiful, all-attractive form in the mirror, He may enjoy that sight.
- The air element of my body — let it merge into the breeze of the cāmara fan, so that I may offer Kṛṣṇa a cooling wind.
- The ether element of my body — let it merge into the space of Vṛndāvana, to make room for Kṛṣṇa, His gopas, and His gopīs to enjoy Their wonderful pastimes.”
This is Her meditation.
Everything for Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure.
This is Vṛndāvana.
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
– Lao Tzu
