Talk:The True Bhakta Rejects Happiness if that makes him Forget the Īshvara

By Vishal Agarwal

In the Gita, Krishna repeatedly states that his devotee directs his heart and mind towards Him and regards Him alone as the Supreme. The true Bhakta rejects anything that detracts from the Lord’s constant remembrance. The Bhakta Yogī embraces suffering because he believes it will destroy the fruit of his evil Karm, hastening his journey to the lotus feet of the Bhagavan. A prayer in the Mahābhārata reads-

Father, I desire Moksha. Therefore, may I become one with you and not be reborn in this world again. When I am dying, may my intellect constantly dwell on you. May I always remain devoted to you and may I always seek refuge in you. May I constantly remember you. Due to evil karm that I have committed in my past lives, many various kinds of illness torment my body and different sorrows afflict me so that I get freed of the fruit of all my evil karm. Bhagavan, I have remembered you so that I am not reborn. Therefore, I request again that the fruit of all my past karm gets exhausted, and may I not owe a debt to anyone. Whatever karm I have done in my previous lives, may their fruit take the form of various diseases and dwell in my body because I want to shake off all my karmic debts and attain the supreme abode of Vishnu. Mahābhārata (Southern recension) 12.209

'Story: Queen Kunti Sees Krishna For The Last Time

Kunti’s words: “Bhagavān, if hardships and sorrows bring Your blessed vision to us, then may we always be beset with them.” Bhāgavata Purāṇa 1.8.24

Krishna spent a few days with his friend Arjuna and then departed towards Dwaraka. Queen Kunti knew that this was the last time that she would be seeing her beloved nephew Shri Krishna, An avatar of Bhagavan Shri Vishnu. She became very sad and said, “Now that our bad times are gone I am scared that you will never see us again. In the past, we had to face one difficulty after another. But whenever we were in trouble, you appeared immediately to help us. May we keep facing all kinds of difficulties in our life in the future too, so that I am forced to remember you every moment, and you are forced to appear in front of us to take away our sorrows! What is the use of that happiness which makes us forget our Bhagavān!” Krishna was moved by the devotion of Kunti.

Sūrdās Asks Krishna to Restore his Blindness

One day the blind saint Sūrdās fell into a well. He sang out to Krishna for help. Miraculously, a couple appeared soon and pulled him out of the well. Surdas realized that the couple were none other than Radha and Krishna. Moved by the devotion of Surdas, Radha comes back to see Surdas, who immediately catches her feet to get her blessings. Radha was able to get away, but in the process, her ankles fell off. She asked Surdas to return them, but he insisted, “How do I know they are yours because I cannot see.”

Radha restored his vision, and at once, he saw none other than Bhagawan Krishna and Radha in front of him. Krishna requested Surdas to ask for some boons because He was very pleased with the devotion of the saint. But Surdas asked for only one thing – “Please make me blind again. I have seen my Īshvara with my own eyes. And now I do not wish to see anything else.” Krishna insisted that this would be unfair to Surdas. He could keep his vision and also ask for something else. But Surdas insisted – “No, please make me blind again. But give me the boon that I always remain devoted to you as your servant.”

Bhakta Kumbhandās Bhakta Kumbhan Dās (1499-1583 CE) was born as a Kshatriya in the village of Jamunavata near Mathura and earned his living through farming. Sant Vallabhacharya (1479-1531 CE) had installed the image of Shrīnāth Jī and commanded Kumbhan Dās to serve the image daily and not have any food before having worshipped the Bhagavan. Kumbhan Dās would compose a beautiful hymn in the Īshvara's service every day before eating even a single morsel of food. One day, Raja Mansingh, the favorite officer and brother-in-law of Emperor Akbar heard Kumbhan Dās sing a hymn that he had composed for the Īshvara and was so mesmerized that he offered the entire village of Jamunavata to the Bhakta in charity. But Kumbhan Dās declined the gift, preferring to live in poverty.

One day, a visitor to the temple heard a verse of the Bhakta being sung and then sang the same in front of Akbar. The Emperor was extremely pleased and sent a palanquin to bring Kumbhan Dās with honor to the royal court and sing in front of the Emperor. Kumbhan Dās did not want to leave the service of the Īshvara, but considering the royal command, he decided to pay a visit. But when he reached the royal court, he sang-

Bhaktan Kau Kaha Sikari Kaam. Aavat Jaat Panhaiyan Tootin, Visar Gayo Harinaam. Jaakau Mukh Dekhai Dukh Laagai, Taakau Karan Pari Paranaam. Kumbhandas Laal Giradhar Bin, Yah Sab Jhoothau Dham.

What concern do the devotees have with the royal palaces? (Here the word used is ‘Seekari’ of Akbar’s Royal Palace at Fatehpur Seekari). Going to any royal place is a mere waste of time for the devotees, rather it is an act of defamation; moreover one forgets the name of Shri Hari. Further, while meeting with them, One needs to bow to those, whose glimpses and association, make one sinful. Shri Kumbhandas Ji says that without my Shri Krishna, who is the upholder of Sri Giriraj Ji, everything else is fallacious.

The Sant had seven sons but when asked, he said, ‘I have only one-and-half sons. My son Chaturbhujdās is fully devoted to Krishna and experiences the bliss of Bhakti. My second son Krishnadas tends to the cows and takes Darshana of the Īshvara’s image but has not experienced the bliss of Bhakti. Therefore, he is half son. My Other children are dead because they do not serve the Īshvara.”

Krishnadas lost his life one day while defending the cows of the temple from an attack by a lion. Kumbhan Dās said, “I am thankful that my son’s life became meaningful through the sacrifice of his body in defending the cows of Shrī Nāth Jī.”