When a bad thing happens does optimism mean seeing it as the best thing that could have happened?
Answer Podcast
Transcript
This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
When bad things happen in life, is it optimistic to think that in that situation that is the best thing? If we can think like that and if that enhances our devotion to Krishna, that is fine. But we don’t have to agonize over trying to think like that. That means, let’s say I acted in a particular way and somebody else acted in that particular way and a small problem became very big.
Now, to just try to imagine this was the best thing. I can’t in my mind say, no, this was the worst thing. So many other things could have happened.
Why did this have to happen like this? So, you know, we don’t… Now we can in a philosophical sense say that whatever happens is for our best. But at that particular point, it is very difficult to see the hand of Krishna in the problem. If we can, it’s wonderful.
But sometimes we might just… it’s better to see this problem as a problem and see Krishna separately as a shelter from the problem. To see Krishna in the problem requires a very advanced stage. So Parikshit Maharaj, he saw all that this curse has happened and he said that this Krishna is coming in my life as this snake bird.
So that is a very advanced stage. But initially he learned, you know, why did I do like this? It was a big mistake on my part. So it depends on what we are capable of cooking.
Sometimes the problem may be so hurting for us that to see Krishna’s hand in the problem may be very difficult. At least what we can see is Krishna’s hand guiding us through the problem. Krishna’s hand sheltering us amidst the problem.
And then over a period of time we were able to see Krishna’s hand in the problem also. Now although that was a bad thing that happened, but it was the best thing in that situation. So the important thing is not to limit our mind to… or not to force our mind to think in a particular way only.
That I have to see this also as good. It is not so easy at times. The important thing is I have to think about Krishna.
I can think of Krishna in the problem, well and good, great. Can’t think of Krishna in the problem? Let me think of Krishna as guiding me through the problem. Is the answer good? Thank you.