Hare Krishna,
Some confusion are created within me with the below two statements:
1. God helps those who help themselves.
2. Surrendering completely unto lotus feet of the Lord like Gopa's.
I am unable to understand if these two statements are contradictory or both lead the same action at any stages of bhakti. Need You devotees mercy to remove this confusion.
- Hari bol !! Jai Bhakt Prahlad ki Jai !!
Replies
Hare Krishna,
Thank you very much for these en-lighting piece of information for a beginner like this me. I got this valuable information - " its just when we choose bad then we are away from goodness by not following goodness and Krishna and when we choose to be with Krishna we choose good... do work by choosing goodness by following goodness or by surrendering to Krishna."
Hari bol !! Jai Bhakt Prahlad ki Jai !!
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
"GOd helps those who help themselves" is not from the scriptures. Surrender to God is from the scriptures.
Secondly, let us look at GIta - Arjuna surrendered to Krsna, doesnt mean he didnt fight the war. Surrender doesn't mean fold your hands and sit, now God will come and do everything. Surrender means doing whatever is the prescribed duty, with the consciousness that I am not the doer, God is the doer, I am just an instrument in the hands of God. Because God is the doer, the credit for the work done should go to God, not to me.
Arjuna was a grihasta, ksatriya before the Gita gyaan and he remained both even after the Gita gyaan. What changed was his internal constitution. His consciousness. Even after surrender, he still had to do his prescribed duty of fighting the war and killing friends, family and kinsmen.
So these two statements mentioned by you are not contradictory. One has to surrender (its a journey, not an event) and at the same time, one has to endeavour as if everything depends on one, without attachment to the results of the endeavour, and with the consciousness that I am not the doer.
I hope I have been able to explain. PLs ask if you have further queries.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Ok mataji. Today for the first time I got some glimpse of the meaning of Surrender. One major confusion of my mind is cleared with your beautiful conclusive answer. Please accept my humble obeisances _/\_ .
- Hare Krishna !! Jai Bhakt Prahlad ki Jai !!