Aren’t both sadhana-siddha and kripa-siddha ultimately dependent on kripa?

Answer Podcast

Ultimately, isn’t everything a matter of Kripa only? When we talk about differentiating between Kripa Siddha and Sadhana Siddha, yeah, I am repeating the question.
There is Ramacharya’s story where he just washed his hands and some fish, they got the water, Mahaprasad, and they took that and they got Vaikuntha forms. They were liberated and his disciples, they said we have been serving you and still we are in the material world. So, is it that Sadhana at all matters or is it simply Kripa that matters? Yeah.
There are in different contexts, different things that are emphasized and we cannot take one particular past time or one particular quote from scripture and make that an absolute principle. So, like yesterday I gave the example, the Bhagavad Gita is focusing more on engaged Bhakti, engaging in this world because that is what is required for Krishna’s cause of establishing Dharma. That’s what Krishna wants Arjuna to do.
On the other hand, the Bhagavatam talks more about renounced Bhakti because Parikshit Maharaj at the end of his life and focuses on just wholehearted absorption in Krishna. So, the context determines quite a lot and certain past times may stress one aspect. Other past times may stress another aspect.
So, what is stressed in one particular past time, we can look at the principle of that not make that an absolute in itself. So, if we see that way we could say ultimate, it’s all mercy that it’s only by mercy that we get elevated, we get liberated. But then we see even the Acharyas themselves and their followers they have worked very hard and it is appreciated.
Prabhupada once asked that do you love all your disciples equally? And Prabhupada said yes. But if someone comes forward to take responsibility, I reciprocate. Someone come forward to take responsibility, I reciprocate.
So, that is natural. It’s like say there is a father who has a lot of property and the father has several children. The father wants to give the property to all the children but there might be some one child who is just like a loafer, just wasting money and going out here and there.
The other son may be helping the father in the business. Now, naturally, the father wants to give everything to his children. But a son who is assisting the father practically in the management of the business, management of the home, taking responsibility, naturally the father will have more affection.
So, we have to recognize that Krishna has a mission in this world also. That Krishna wants to have his message broadcast, Krishna wants to have people attracted in this world. And that requires endeavor.
So, now we see also Krishna says that those who broadcast this message, they are very dear to him. So, our endeavor is something which is pleasing to Krishna. Because when we are willing to endeavor, then we become more usable instruments in Krishna’s hands.
Because if I am not ready to endeavor, then Krishna cannot use me much. So, if I want to become a teacher or I want to become a preacher, it is Krishna has to bless me. But at the same time, I have to study scripture, I have to understand the concepts and then I can be used by Krishna.
So, we cannot just neglect the role of endeavor in pleasing Krishna and in enabling us to become instruments in his hands. And that if Krishna is pleased, naturally Krishna will reciprocate and bless us. So, in certain situations, certain pastimes are often given to highlight certain things.
So, that particular pastime of Ramacharya, just taking his Mahaprasad, fish taking his Mahaprasad and getting elevated. What that indicates is the extraordinary potency of an Acharya’s mercy. Now, the association of Acharya, the mercy of Acharya, how extraordinarily potent that is.
But yesterday also, I think day before yesterday I mentioned that we should not see the extraordinary as a substitute for the ordinary. Because like Ajamil chanted once and got liberated, therefore I will also chant once and I will expect liberation. No, we see the extraordinary not as a substitute for the ordinary process of bhakti but rather as an inspirer for practicing the ordinary process with greater devotion.
So, in some extraordinary situations, mercy can elevate and liberate. But what we see is, when we see the potency of mercy over there, we become more inspired to practice the standard process of bhakti, by which we can become, we can actually assist Krishna in his mission and Krishna will grant his mercy to us. Does it answer your question? To a good extent.
I see that