Sharanagati

How to see Krishna, how to see God? The following verse tells us something about this:

“Raso ’ham apsu kaunteya – O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.”[1]

Isn’t it easy to see Krishna always? His message is always there. A good message for the whole universe is for example the sun – every morning it just comes, bringing the good news that light is stronger than darkness. Still we think: “I cannot see God! Better stick to reality. Be more realistic, please! Sun is just like a sky phenomenon, moving according to the rules of gravitation – there is nothing mystical behind.” Which is in one sense true. But our universe functions under different rules. Our sun is not only some atomic bomb in the sky – no, this is the eye of Krishna. Just like the moon; you know the moon comes during the night. Usually not during the day; in a very few occasions it comes during the day, but then it has no effect. And this moon is very strange in character – sometimes putting on weight, other times losing weigh; sometimes small, sometimes big; but it definitely has vеry huge effect. Even the ocean moves when the full moon comes. It says: “Ah, I cannot control myself, I just spill over my limits.” You can explain this also by physics, but that is very dry. And when the ocean comes due to full moon, this is very wet. The moon has always been a symbol of mysticism; and also an inspirer of arts. This is the other eye of Krishna.

We also must have these two features: one in light, one in a different light. Just like one of my friends told me that fire has two aspects. Fire is usually bright; yet sometimes, in a poetic way, fire can be dark. Just to blow your mind! But if you have this sun nature – seeing reality in light, giving light, giving wisdom; and if you have this other feature of mystical, internal, hidden moon nature – then you combine both.

In Krishna both sides are combined. During the day He is very realistic, behaves like a good cowherd. But during the night, especially in a full-moon night, He starts to behave in a different way – not so obvious, not so open. His ways could not be understood – how He invites the jivas to dance during the full-moon night. So both sides are there in Krishna. And this is already beauty, and this is already artistic explanation. It is not a demonstration of the physical law of gravitation or I don’t know what – no, this is beauty and love. This is the Krishna conception of Godhead.