When we take or get blessings from someone, what actually happens?

Anwser Podcast

Transcription:

Duration: 2 mins

Transcribed by: Bhaktin Raji Nachiappan

Question: When we take or get blessings from someone, what actually happens?
Answer: There are material and spiritual perspectives to this. At a material level, we can say that it is good culture to seek blessings. However, from spiritual perspective it is not just about culture.

In the past, the brahmanas would sometimes curse which could have serious effects. Similarly, when they gave blessings, those also had effects. In today’s world, the material powers of such kind are not accessible to people. Therefore, when people curse, bad things do not happen immediately. Similarly, when they bless, good things also do not happen immediately.

At a spiritual level, if a great soul blesses someone, then it is actually Krishna who is manifesting his blessing through them. Such souls have purity and bhakti by which they are connected with Krishna. If a devotee is pleased and blesses us, then through that devotee’s prayerful good wishes Krishna’s mercy comes to us.

An argument could be made that Krishna’s mercy can come to us from anywhere. Yes, this is true, but if we are not qualified or receptive, the mercy may not come. If a devotee, however, is pleased then though that devotee the mercy comes to us. Ultimately everything comes from Krishna. When we please a devotee, then we open a channel for the mercy to come to us.

The Guruvashtakam prayers mentions, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado: by the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krishna. The bhagavat-prasad (mercy of the Lord) comes to us through spiritual master’s mercy. This principle can apply to other Vaishnavas as well.

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