Immediate Relief, All Auspiciousness by H.H. Giriraja Swami

The Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 1, “Characteristics of Pure Devotional Service,” states, “Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress.” And Srila Prabhupada, in a talk in Vrindavan on November 3, 1972, explained, “ ‘Pure devotional service brings immediate relief from all kinds of material distress.’ There is a song of Bhaktivinoda Thakura: manasa deha geha yo kichu mora, arpilun tuya pade nanda-kisora [Saranagati]. The purport of this song is that when we surrender to Krishna, pranair arthair dhiya vaca [SB 10.22.35], we get relief from all kinds of anxieties.

“This is very simple to understand. Everyone here, in the material world, is full of anxiety. That is the nature of material existence. One after another, problems. So if somebody assures you that ‘You just depend on me; I will take charge of all your problems,’ how much relief you will feel—just imagine. If some ordinary human being says to a friend, ‘Don’t worry. I shall take charge of all your affairs. Don’t worry,’ we may doubt an ordinary man, because we know the capacity of an ordinary man. But when Krishna says, ‘I will take charge of you,’ then how much relief you should feel. Krishna is not an ordinary man. He is all-powerful, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is Yogesvara. He is the Absolute Truth. So when He assures, “I will take charge of you—aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami [Gita 18.66], assurance that ‘I shall get you liberated, delivered, from the reactions of all sinful activities . . .’ ”

Srila Prabhupada, coming to the second characteristic—“Pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness”—continued, “Actually, as long as there is material existence, the so-called suffering and enjoying are on the same level. There is no difference. But if we take to Krishna consciousness, as Krishna assures, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami, ‘I shall get you relieved, released from all kinds of sinful activities,’ that is real auspiciousness. When Krishna takes charge, He gradually educates the devotee in devotion service, buddhi-yogam, so that he may go back home, back to Godhead, Krishna. That is real auspiciousness. . . .

“So, pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness. All-auspiciousness means go back to home, back to Godhead. If we stick to pure devotional service, follow the rules and regulations, chant sixteen rounds, engage always in the service of the Lord, then the ultimate gain is tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna [Gita 4.9]”—“Upon leaving the body, he does not take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”

By giving us the scientific process of pure devotional service, Srila Prabhupada has brought us complete relief and auspiciousness.

Hare Krishna.

Yours in service to Srila Prabhupada,
Giriraj Swami