When Bhakti Charu Maharaj went to the US to serve Krishna, why was he not protected?

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When Bhakti Charu Maharaj Went to the US to Serve Krishna, Why Was He Not Protected?

When His Holiness Bhakti Charu Maharaj came to America during the pandemic to serve Krishna and Srila Prabhupada’s mission, he unfortunately contracted an infection and departed from this world due to complications arising from it. This naturally raises a painful question: Why was he not protected?

To address this, we need to understand that the same incident can be viewed from different levels, and each level offers its own lessons.

1. Devotional Vision vs Philosophical Judgment

Bhakti is not merely about being philosophically precise—it is more about being devotionally aligned. What does this mean?

Sometimes, a senior and exalted devotee may fall seriously ill or pass away from a terrible disease, like cancer or COVID-19. At such times, we might be tempted to think, “This person is a pure devotee—how could they suffer like this? Did they do some terrible karma to deserve this?”

But this is an entirely inappropriate way to look at the situation. The principle of karma is meant to guide our own actions, not to judge or blame others.

When Draupadi was dishonored, no one said, “Oh, this must be due to her past karma.” When Sita was abducted, no one blamed her for it. Rather, these were seen as grave injustices that needed to be corrected. Similarly, when a devotee falls ill, our role is not to speculate on their karma, but to adopt a service attitude: “Krishna is giving me an opportunity to serve this exalted devotee—let me serve to the best of my capacity.”

This is buddhi-yoga—seeing with spiritual intelligence that enhances our devotion.

2. Maharaj’s Heroic Spirit of Service

Maharaj went to America at great personal risk, during a global pandemic, because he wanted to serve Srila Prabhupada’s mission. In a video message, Maharaj himself said that he wanted to be like a warrior on the front lines.

That spirit of selfless service is heroic. We can—and should—appreciate his dauntless commitment, even though his departure was a painful loss for all of us. However, this does not mean that everyone has to follow the exact same model.

Each devotee has a unique relationship with Krishna and a unique inspiration. What Maharaj did was glorious, but not necessarily prescriptive for all.

3. Understanding Krishna’s Protection

Just because we are devotees, we cannot demand that Krishna insulate us from the laws of material nature. For example, if a person with diabetes eats a lot of sweet prasadam on Janmashtami and then falls sick, they cannot say, “Krishna, I was honoring your prasadam—why didn’t you protect me?” Krishna has given us intelligence, and we are expected to use it.

In the Bible, there’s a story where the devil tempts Jesus to jump off a mountain to prove that God will protect him. Jesus replies, “God will protect me if I’m pushed, but I will not jump to force Him to serve me.” In the same way, we don’t recklessly put ourselves in harm’s way and expect Krishna to act as our servant.

Thus, during Janmashtami celebrations in pandemic times, many temples limited gatherings and followed precautions. This was not a lack of faith—it was a responsible exercise of faith.

4. Spiritual Success vs Material Outcome

Sometimes, even when we serve sincerely, things may not go well materially. But that doesn’t mean our service has failed spiritually.

Consider Jatayu: When Sita was being abducted by Ravana, she asked Jatayu not to fight—just to inform Rama. But Jatayu fought anyway. He was old and weakened, and Ravana overpowered him. Was Jatayu’s action wrong? No. His intent was pure, and his service was glorious. Yet, materially, he lost. Spiritually, he won.

Likewise, Abhimanyu entered the Chakravyuha knowing he couldn’t come out. The Pandavas didn’t know that Jayadratha would block them. Was it a mistake? Perhaps strategically. But was it wrong? No. His sacrifice was heroic.

Yudhishthir learned from this and adjusted the next day—he sent Satyaki and then Bhima as backup to support Arjuna. So, even if an action is taken with the right intent, if the outcome isn’t favorable, we recalibrate, not condemn.

5. Intent, Action, and Consequence

In spiritual life, actions are judged not just by their consequence (results), but also by intent and content (what was done).

• Intent: Was the motive pure?
• Content: Was the action reasonable based on the information and circumstances?
• Consequence: What happened as a result?

Sometimes, the consequence at the material level may not be favorable, but Krishna sees the heart. A sincere attempt made with the desire to serve Him is always spiritually successful.

6. Final Reflections

As devotees, we must not assume immunity from material challenges just because we are engaged in spiritual service. Krishna’s protection is ultimately spiritual, not necessarily material. He protects our bhakti, our devotional consciousness—not always our body.

Therefore, while mourning the loss of great souls like Bhakti Charu Maharaj, we can also be inspired by their example, honor their spirit of service, and learn to serve more responsibly—acknowledging the laws of material nature while aspiring for transcendence.

Thank you very much.
Hare Krishna.