Sharanagati

Mahaprabhu was visiting one place not far from Jagannath Puri. This place is a small village but famous for worshiping a deity of Lord Vishnu there. And Vishnu comes with all opulence, right? He is God Supreme. He comes with four hands. And just like the kid says: “Give me one, give me another”- to have in both hands – good that they do not have four hands, because then you should work harder to satisfy them. But if Lord Vishnu comes, He has all four hands and He captures the whole world and keeps the whole world’s sacred life in His four hands. Everything is covered by Him. He is a beautiful, big, black God with four hands. Marvelous worship is there. But when Mahaprabhu entered the temple, He paid respect, yet somehow He was dissatisfied. “Ah my Lord,” He said, “why are You hiding from me? Why are You showing this external, divine, four-armed form? Why do not You show me Yourself?” And that prayer was so intense, that in that moment some external hands were removed from the deity. Then the real divine Krishna form manifested. At that time Krishna said: “I cannot hide Myself.”

When God comes as a worshiper, God comes as a devotee, this is very special. When God comes as God, it is simple. Nothing special, God is God. But when God Supreme comes in a hidden form, gupta-avatar, then there is a very special reason for His appearance. If God comes in His opulence and His power then He plays the role of God. You cannot imitate that, because He is Supreme, He can do, I cannot. But when He comes as a worshiper, then you can follow. Then you can do what He is doing: pray to the deities that Their two extra hands fall off. If your prayer is strong enough, it will happen. This is the real essence of devotional life – we follow a good example. When Mahaprabhu came, when God came as a worshiper, then we can follow His example.

Very similar is the situation in Christianity. People have a vague idea about God Himself, God Father, but they have some conception of God Son. It is easier to follow someone, who is closer to us.

Just like n the “Bhagavad-gita” Arjuna said: “Show me Your divine opulence.” “All right,” said Krishna, “I will show you something. But first I will give you a divine vision to be able to perceive.“ He gave him the vision and then He showed the divine opulence. Then Arjuna was frightened. Even with the divine eyes he said: “Wow! It is a little too much for me! Slowly, slowly… Where are You, my Lord? I see only the opulence, but where are You?” Then Krishna reduced the opulence, but raised the intimacy. But only one step, He said: “All right, it is not the Universal Form, I will show you My four-armed form.” A downgrade, so to say. But even that was too much for Arjuna, he said: “That is a little better. Show me Your original form, to which I am accustomed to.” Then He reduced even more opulence, and raised more intimacy – two hands. Does it mean that He reduced opulence? No, His opulence did not diminish, it was overflowing in a different way.

So, if we achieve the divine blessings, we shall be able to perceive Him, able to perceive the spiritual bliss, able to perceive this mercy that we are discussing so many times. Do not forget, once devotees asked one master: “Where to find mercy?” He said: “It is all around. It is here. Do not you see? Do not you feel?” So, blessings will help us to achieve this divine vision.