If a disease limits our bhakti, should we see it as our past karma or as Krishna’s mercy?

Podcast:

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.

Summary

When a severe illness limits our physical capacity for devotional service, it is easy to question our purpose and wonder whether our suffering stems from past karma or divine will. Here is how a devotee can navigate this challenging phase with faith and spiritual resilience.

• Bhakti is Uninterrupted (Apratihata): While physical situations or health issues may restrict specific practices like visiting a temple or preaching, the inner spirit of devotion itself can never be stopped.

• Focus on Available Practices: Adapt your routine by engaging in what is currently possible—such as chanting at home, attending online classes, or practicing Manas Pooja (mental service) within your capacity.

• Krishna is Bhava Grahi: The Lord looks at the sincerity of your intention rather than external grandeur; He lovingly accepts whatever service you can offer according to your strength.

• Distinguish Cause from Purpose: While some illnesses stem from physical stress or lifestyle factors, unexplainable suffering should not be overly analyzed through the lens of past karma.

• Recognize Krishna’s Constant Mercy: Regardless of the root cause, every situation is ultimately arranged by Krishna to draw you closer to Him and deepen your spiritual surrender.

• Pray and Seek Guidance: Humbly surrender to Krishna, consult supportive devotees, and ask for guidance on how best to serve Him from your current circumstances.

Full Transcription

Thank you.
If we are suffering from some severe disease because of which our spiritual life gets affected and also that we are not able to ourselves, our devotees are not, if our family members are not devotees, we can somehow do our chanting but no other sadhana. We can’t visit temple, we can’t do any seva, any preaching. So, what is the point in just increasing, just continuing to live on if we can’t do service? Isn’t it just prolonging life? Also, is it that should we see such a disease as our past karma or is it somehow the Lord’s mercy? The answer is divided in three broad parts.
First is about our connection with Krishna. Second is that how we see the distress in our life and third is what we can do about it. So, bhakti in principle is apratihata, it is uninterrupted.
That means that no material situation can stop the practice of bhakti itself but it can certainly stop, material situation can stop or interfere with particular practices of bhakti. That means based on our material situation we may sometimes not be able to say go to a temple. Say somebody gets a fracture and they are on bed rest.
If somebody gets a throat infection and they can’t they can’t speak loudly and if they have to give a class, they can’t give that class. If somebody is trying to distribute books and they get some backache, then they may not be able to lift the book bags. So, there are situations where certain forms of bhakti may become impossible.
But that does not mean bhakti itself has become impossible. Understanding this difference is crucial for our spiritual growth. That just because some forms of bhakti are not possible doesn’t mean bhakti itself is not possible.
So, having understood and accepted that point, another point we can understand is that for each one of us, so we need to find out in our situation what form of bhakti is still possible for us and what form of bhakti is not possible and then reorient our life accordingly. So that we can continue the practice of bhakti at some level. And we need to know that Krishna is bhava grahi.
If He sees the intention within us and He sees us acting according to our capacity, then He is pleased. He accepts our devotional intention with appreciation. That is point one.
So, if we can chant at home, if we can attend classes online virtually, even do some hearing, know that sometimes we will be restricted in some forms of bhakti. But that does not mean that bhakti itself is restricted. That’s why we also have the concept of Manas Pooja, where each one of us can serve Krishna with our mind also.
Second thing is, as far as the cause, why something like this might happen. In general, the cause is difficult to determine. There could be many levels and layers of causes also.
So, if we can, we try to find out the cause as per our intelligence. If somebody gets, say, a heart attack, then they can look at whether, you know, they were eating unhealthy food or maybe they had brought too much stress in their life. And then they can try to avoid or decrease that kind of situation as much as is practically possible.
Now, apart from that, sometimes we just can’t find the cause. So, in medicine also sometimes people who are perfectly healthy get some diseases. Doctors try to find a cause, but even if they can’t find a cause, they focus on the cure.
So, for all of us, when problems come in our life, out of humility, a devotee may think that, oh, I must have done some terrible karma in my past life, because of which I have got this problem. And it’s fine to think like that. Others should never pile on that devotee by saying, you know, you really missed a big devotee.
What terrible karma must you have done to have got this kind of suffering? That is never an accepted way of looking at things. Other devotees should be thinking, this is an opportunity for us to serve this devotee, do Vaishnava seva by assisting this devotee in the time of need. And then, after that, as far as that devotee is concerned, even if we think that it is because of our karma, you know, it is not that when it is our karma, that means Krishna’s mercy is no longer there in that situation.
Krishna’s mercy is there in every situation. Even situations that come because of our own mistakes, Krishna’s mercy is still there. So, mercy may come in different forms.
Situation, we see that rather than focusing on the cause, we focus on the purpose that we understand that the purpose of everything ultimately is to draw us closer to Krishna. And therefore, we strive to act in a way that through that situation, we find a way to move closer to Krishna. And once we find that way, we can be positively situated.
So, sometimes thinking that this is my past karma and therefore, I should be careful, I should become more responsible in how I act in the future, that can be uncool for our bhakti. If we are able to consciously perceive some things which we had done wrong and which we could do better now. But in some situations, it will be difficult to perceive what we had done in the past and what exactly we could have done better.
So, in those situations, do not get into that zone of past karma. See that whatever be the specific cause this has happened, it is ultimately arranged by Krishna to bring us closer to him. And we focus on that principle of trying to move closer to him.
And with that in mind, when we function, we will find that Krishna will draw us closer to him, that through all situations, we will keep moving closer and closer to Krishna. So, have faith that whatever be the situation we are going through, Krishna is with us. Krishna is by our side, helping us face that situation, helping us to act in ways by which through that situation, we will come closer to him.
And sometimes we may consult devotees to understand exactly in that particular situation, what could be favorable? What could we do in that situation by which we could come closer to Krishna? And in this way, we can keep ourselves always positively disposed in our connection toward Krishna, in our journey toward Krishna. So, don’t get caught in the past about why this particular thing happened. Know that ultimately, whether it is our mistake or not our mistake, Krishna’s plan is always acting in our life.
And we just need to cooperate. We just need to act in a way. Ask Krishna, Krishna, how would you like me to serve you in this situation? I just can’t understand why this is happening.
Just can’t understand what you would like me to do. But I am here as your servant. Please guide me.
Consult devotees, pray in the heart and do what we can. And as long as we keep doing what we can, Krishna will increasingly guide us, empower us to do what we can’t. So, things that might have been seemed impossible for us, might over time become more possible for us as we keep acting.
That is how we keep moving closer to Krishna through all situations.