Is a devotee’s suffering caused by Krishna, not karma?

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Is a Devotee’s Suffering Caused by Krishna or Karma?

Hare Krishna.

This is a question that arises when reflecting on a verse from the Tenth Canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, where it is said that when Krishna especially favors someone, He may take away all their material assets so that they have no shelter but Him. This was Krishna’s answer to Yudhishthira Maharaj when asked about the Pandavas’ immense tribulations.

However, this principle needs to be carefully understood.

Avoiding Two Extremes

Let’s first examine two extremes of misunderstanding:

1. “Krishna causes suffering to His devotees.”
   Some may fear that by becoming a devotee, they will attract more suffering from Krishna. But this is not what the scriptures teach. Distressed souls who turn to Krishna are often relieved, not afflicted further. Krishna doesn’t enjoy causing suffering, nor is He arbitrary.
2. “Our suffering is purely due to karma, and Krishna has nothing to do with it.”
   On the opposite end, thinking that Krishna is completely indifferent and merely lets karma run its course also fails to capture the personal nature of His relationship with devotees.

From Cause to Purpose

Rather than becoming overly fixated on the cause (Was it karma? Was it Krishna?), it’s more fruitful to focus on the purpose:

Where is this suffering taking me?

Consider Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s curse to die in seven days:

• Was it because of his thirst and hunger?
• Was it his mistake in garlanding a sage?
• Was it Kali-yuga’s influence?
• Was it the impetuousness of Śṛṅgi, the sage’s son?

The causes are many and complex. But Parīkṣit Maharaj did not obsess over the cause—he saw the purpose:

“This is the Lord’s arrangement to help me detach from the world and attach to Him.”

A Metaphor: Doctor and Patient

Think of Krishna like a compassionate doctor:

• The disease (our karmic conditioning) may require painful treatments.
• The treatment may cause temporary pain.
• But the intention is not to inflict suffering, but to heal us.

If the doctor is also our parent or well-wisher, then even if the treatment is painful, we accept it more easily—knowing it’s given with love and for our ultimate well-being.

Krishna as Pain-Minimizer, Not Pain-Causer

Still, if the idea of Krishna causing suffering is difficult emotionally or psychologically, especially if we’ve experienced misused discipline in the name of care, we can take a different but equally valid perspective:

Suffering is due to karma, and Krishna is minimizing it.

That’s why in our tradition:

• Durga Devi, not Krishna, is shown wielding the trident of material miseries.
• Krishna is portrayed as the protector and deliverer, not the inflictor.

Another Metaphor: The Protective Glove

Imagine:

• A teacher is about to punish a child.
• The mother, seeing this, slips a thick glove onto the child’s hand.
• The blow lands—but the pain is cushioned.

In this metaphor:

• The teacher is material nature (Durga Devi).
• The mother is Krishna.
• The glove is Krishna consciousness.

The suffering may not disappear entirely, but its impact is greatly reduced. That’s what Krishna does—He buffers the effects of karma for His devotees.

Practical Takeaway

So whether we see Krishna as the one causing suffering for a higher purpose, or as the one minimizing suffering due to karma, the essential point is:

Krishna is our shelter. He is with us in our pain. He wants to take us closer to Him.

If thinking that Krishna is orchestrating the pain helps us feel closer to Him, then accept that understanding.
If that’s difficult, see Him as the healer and protector, sheltering us through the trials of karma.

The Final Focus: Becoming Krishna Conscious

The goal is not to find the perfect causal explanation, but to maintain the perfect connection—with Krishna.

So we ask ourselves:

• Is this understanding helping me feel closer to Krishna?
• Is it helping me take shelter of Him with deeper devotion?

Whichever answer helps your heart move toward Krishna, hold on to that.

Hare Krishna.