Are you ready to choose Krishna in all circumstances?

Let us honestly ask ourselves, “If given an option to choose between Krishna and His material energy, what are we going to choose?” Are we going to select Krishna, or are we going to opt for His energy so that we can enjoy disproportionately in this world?

Krishna has given us the free will to exercise our choice. He never interferes with our free will. But the Supreme Lord always tests us to check if you and I really love Him or if we love to live without Him.

For example, before the start of the Mahabharata war, Krishna gave both Arjuna and Duryodhana the opportunity to exercise their free will. Both had to choose either Krishna or Krishna’s Narayani Sena (army). Before they expressed their desire, Krishna also made it clear that He would not be fighting during the war, but His powerful army, the Narayani Sena, would be fighting.

Arjuna had made up his mind, and Duryodhana was also not confused. Arjuna, without any hesitation, chose Krishna, and Duryodhana was jubilant because he got the mighty Narayani Sena. In the end, both were happy because they got what they wanted.

Like Arjuna and Duryodhana, in our life too, you and I get opportunities to exercise our free will. Whether we choose Krishna or Krishna’s material energy shows what our heart longs for.

Krishna Knows the Real Desire of Our Heart

Most of us are still addicted to material life. We just want to live and enjoy without Krishna. Even when we approach Krishna, we mostly ask Him to satisfy our material desires. We never desire to satisfy Krishna’s desire. Krishna is the Supreme Lord; He resides in everyone’s heart, so He knows what is there in our heart.

Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati — “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna.” (Bhagavad-gītā 18.61)

We can fool the world, but not Krishna. We can show the world that we are great devotees of the Lord, but the Lord knows what kind of devotees we are.

Caitanya-caritāmṛta tells the story of Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa, who chanted the holy name of Lord Rama twenty-four hours a day. Seeing his devotion to Lord Rama, Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami was impressed. But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was not. The Lord could understand that he was chanting the name of Lord Rama not because he had love for Rama, but because he wanted to become Lord Rama.

“Within his heart, Rāmadāsa Viśvāsa was an impersonalist who desired to merge into the existence of the Lord, and he was very proud of his learning. Since Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the omniscient Supreme Personality of Godhead, He can understand the heart of everyone, and thus He knew all these things.” Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 13.110

The Supreme Lord does not see how we behave externally, but He sees what is there in our heart.

Material Desires Never Bring Lasting Happiness

We nurture material desires or the desire to enjoy like the Lord or become like the Lord because we think they will give us happiness.

But if we turn the pages of history, or even if we reflect upon our own life, we will see that all material desires ultimately become the cause of great suffering. Material desires can never satisfy us because we are spiritual and not material.

Krishna comes to remind us of this again and again. In the Bhagavad-gītā, He repeatedly tells us that we are not the material body, mind, or senses, but pure spirit souls. As souls, we are eternal and are meant to live in peace and bliss. This is possible only when we shun the desire to enjoy this temporary world and turn towards Krishna.

Those who do so never regret it, but those who foolishly think that they can be happy without Krishna voluntarily choose a life of stress, anxiety, and suffering.

Duryodhana chose the mighty Narayani Sena, thinking that it would help him win the war. But without Krishna, victory is phantasmagoria, just as without the sun, quelling darkness is impossible.

Duryodhana ultimately lost the war and his dignity. And whoever was on his side also met the same destiny. In fact, in this world everyone is always defeated.

When We Choose Krishna, Victory Is Guaranteed

Only the Lord is always victorious, and those who are with Him never face defeat. Arjuna was on Krishna’s side, so he too tasted victory.

In the last verse of the Bhagavad-gītā, Sanjaya confirms that those who are on the side of Krishna attain all success and get everything in life.

“Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.” Bhagavad-gītā 18.78

Such a wonderful future awaits us. The only thing we have to do is always choose Krishna in all situations and circumstances. At present, it may look difficult because we are still addicted to material life. Spiritual life does not attract us; it seems boring and unnatural.

We experience this because we have been disconnected from Krishna for several lifetimes. But if we connect with Krishna, then we will begin seeing how pleasurable spiritual life is. We read in the scriptures about the devotees of the Lord who were always in bliss. Even today, we see devotees who have been practising devotion to Krishna for several decades and who enjoy every moment of their lives.

Experiencing the Joy of Choosing Krishna Every Day

We need to put in some endeavour, and Krishna’s love will begin blossoming in our hearts. According to our dedication and commitment, we will experience joy and contentment in our hearts.

For example, if we sit before the Lord in the temple and chant sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, which takes around two hours, then after finishing our chanting, we feel great happiness. But suppose we spend two hours watching movies or YouTube videos. In that case, we do not feel that joy; in fact, most of the time we feel frustrated afterwards.

This is why it is said that material life appears to be nectar in the beginning but becomes poisonous in the end, whereas spiritual life may appear poisonous in the beginning but is nectar in the end.

If we continue choosing Krishna and practising Krishna consciousness, then we will gradually start experiencing pleasure in devotional service too.

But that is not true for material activities. No matter how much we try to seek happiness from material things, we will not get it. Duryodhana, after getting the Narayani Sena, thought he would be victorious and become happy, but the result was just the opposite.

So, let us be like Arjuna and always choose Krishna—victory and happiness are guaranteed.

Whenever we get to choose in our life, let us always choose Krishna.

Three Reflections

• Krishna always tests us to check if we really love him or we love to live without him.
• Only the Lord is always victorious and those who are with him too never face defeat; Arjuna was on the side of Krishna, so he too tasted victory.
• Let us be like Arjuna and choose always Krishna – victory and happiness is guaranteed.

Ask Yourself

• Given an option to attend a program in the temple or watch a movie or a cricket match or a soccer match what do I choose?

Apply this Teaching

• Once in every week go to temple and chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra in front of the Lord with full absorption.