Devotee of Krishna's Devotee

Sometimes people wonder why we offer so much respect to the devotees. They inquire, "Isn't simply offering respect to God sufficient?" Of course, the perfection of our existence to become completely absorbed in glorifying Krishna or God 24 hours daily by our every thought, word, and deed in all times, places, and circumstances. So why do we also glorify, respect, and even worship the Lord's devotees? The answer is quite simple. Krishna has instructed us to do this. Being a devotee of Krishna or God is on His terms, not our terms. When we surrender ourselves unto the Lord we become completely submissive to doing whatever he tells us to do.

And He has very clearly instructed us in the Adi Purana in the following instruction that He gave to Arjuna:

ye me bhakta-janah partha
na me bhaktas ca te janah
mad-bhaktanam ca ye bhaktas
te me bhakta-tama matah

"Those who are My direct devotees are actually not My devotees, but those who are the devotees of My devotee are factually My devotees."

So when we worship the Lord directly, our worship is not very much appreciated, but when we worship Him through the via medium of worshipping His devotees, our worship is then accepted.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Businessman in the Kali Yuga

First off all I want to thank you for the darshan when you where in Lithuania. I think that inspired me to do my practices. I now chant japa, and that has become my life's anchor - the only settled thing in my situation. I would be very grateful if you would answer a few questions.

1. I'm amazed that bhakti yoga is so similar to Christianity. Could it be that those two spiritual traditions had the same historical root?

2. There is a saying: the karma law is fair-good deeds makes good results, bad deeds - disasters, diseases and so on. When Narada Muni's mother was bit by a snake and died, he accepted it as the special mercy of Krishna. (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.6.10) Was this event induced by Narada Muni's bad karma? Or is it that every event-even the worst ones-are good for the spiritual evolution of man? Does God in this way induce us to take to the path of salvation?

3. God created man to be similar to God and gave him free will. Man never stops to seek happiness in the material world, but chastened by the law of karma man finally understands that there is a pathway to eternal happiness. So why did God gave man free will?

4. If we can't find fulfillment in this material world through economic development, scientific research, and if even Ayurvedic products and spiritual journeys, etc have no future, is there another choice? Maybe natural farms or product swapping? How should a business man behave in this age?

With respect,

Gytis

Answer: Do Business for Krishna

The bhakti yoga system taught by Lord Sri Krishna and taught by Lord Jesus Christ are the same system. In fact Jesus spent time in India before returning to Israel to introduce his pure bhakti movement. The basic principles are the same although the details sometimes vary according to time, place, and circumstance.

On a higher level, everything that happens to us both as a result of our good and bad karma is for our ultimate good to help us return back to home, back to Godhead.

If there were no free will, we would just be robots. Nobody takes pleasure in associating with robots. Therefore Krishna gives us the free will to either love Him or leave Him. Now it is up to us to decide whether we want to maintain our so-called independence or give it up and return to Him in His transcendental all-blissful eternal abode.

The perfect formula for a Krishna conscious businessman is given by Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita:

yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam

"Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform -- do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me."
--Bhagavad-gita 9.27

So you may adopt whatever means of business is practical for making a profit in your country. Earn as much profit as possible for pushing forward this Krishna consciousness movement for the deliverance of the suffering souls of this planet. In this way one's business activities will be creating a bright future for you and for the entire human society.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari