Going Through Hell for Krishna

This material world is a hellish place. It is the land of birth, death, old age, and disease. And since we are currently serving Krishna here in this material world it is natural that we will be exposed to these fourfold miseries. This is why Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita that we have to be tolerant of the dualities of pain and pleasure experienced within this material world.

For example, in my own experience, I have suffered for the last forty-five years from an injury to my ears which occurred when I was over-exposed to the sound of loud rifle fire when I was a teenager taking military training in high school. Because of this my hearing is impaired and my ears are easily hurt by any loud sounds. Even though I often wear ear plugs as a protection, it is still not always sufficient to protect my ears, and I sometimes suffer from earaches and increased deafness.

So what to do? I could stay in one place in a quiet atmosphere and be freed from so many material miseries stemming from my damaged ears and the other complications of traveling. But by the grace of Srila Prabhupada, so many devotees all over the world are enlivened and enthused when I come to their countries and preach to them. Especially my disciples all over the world are greatly encouraged by my personal presence. And when I am able to serve the devotees and my disciples in this way it gives me great transcendental happiness, which far more than compensates for the hell I go through while traveling. Therefore because it for Krishna's service I tolerate this hell. It is well worth it because in this way I can experience the ultimate pleasure of spreading the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world. This proves that Krishna consciousness is indeed the real higher taste.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Sri Sri Radha Krishna--the Lords of Vrindavana

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Why Does God Choose to Exist?

Continuing the previous question, about God's omnipotency: Why does God choose to exist? And why does He emanate the universes and worlds? He could simply not exist, and nothing else would exist.

Thank you,

Catalina

Answer: For His Own Sweet Pleasure

God chooses to exist for His own sweet pleasure.

That being accepted, one may then wonder that since He is atmarama or self-enjoyer why does He expand from Himself the material and spiritual worlds filled up with innumerable living beings? Of course, He is not obliged to do so. He could just remain alone. But because His nature is to enjoy, He chooses to expand His enjoyment unlimitedly by expanding from Himself innumerable living beings so that He can enjoy loving relationships with each and every one of them. This is why we have to love Krishna. It is only way that we can fulfill the purpose of our existence and thus become satisfied and happy.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari