Krishna is all-loving and all-powerful, why does He permit suffering—especially that of innocent beings? Is it solely due to karma, or is there a divine purpose behind adversity that transcends our understanding?
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Hare Krishna,
It is nice to see new people answering in the forum. I wish all of them participated and in this way we can have a good association of devotees online.
I am glad to to read the replies given by both the prabhu ji's .......both have answered the question perfectly well.
I also want to add another angle to reply to this question.
One time Sri Narayan bhagwan and Sri Narad muni both dressed up in disguise as brahminas ....... went to a wealthy seth ji's house.
Narad muni ji asked the Seth ji.. "my Friend and myself are very hungry and we have no money and no place to stay tonight ...we are very tired and we need some food and can we please..take a rest in the big Varenda in front of your house.. we wont disturb you and we just need some little food it will suffice our hunger tonight.. please help"
The Seth ji replied harshly .. go away from here bhikaari log ( poor people) like you are not entertained here.. every now and then.... people keep coming from no where and keep seeking shelter and food and saying so.. he almost shooed them away.. Narad muni ji was angered at this and was about to curse the Seth ji ......... but Sri Narayan stopped him and said I want to bestow this Seth ji with lots of wealth. Narad muni was like.. how can you even give him a boon to be rich when the person is shooing away You my Lord.. Even though we are both dressed in the form a brahminas... the man is ruthlessly asking us to leave . .. to that Sri Narayan didn't say anything and smiled and said Lets now go to that hut.. and ask the inmates there........ if they can provide us some food and shelter for the night.
They now came in front a small hut and there they saw this old lady who was liting a lamp in her hut and she came out and saw these two brahmins and she inquired what do they want. Narad muni said we are tired oh mother., .. can we take some rest and can you please provide some food as we both are travellers and both very tired and hungry....... The old woman said.. I don't have much to offer ...... all I have is a cow and I just now milked the cow and got the milk from the cow. I can only offer you some portion of milk which... I kept in for myself we can three of us share as the cow gave us sufficient milk. And she shared the milk with the strangers and that night Narad muni and Narayana slept outside on the courtyard of the old lady and got up early in the morning and taking permission from the lady and thanking her left from the home.. Then Narayan Bhagwan immediately said " let the cow be dead" and Lo... as soon as they came out of the house.. the cow died.
Narad muni ji was like again had a doubt. .. Why why did YOU do this to that old woman. She was so nice to us.. she shared us whatever she had .. Bhagwan aapne aisa kyon kiya us vridhh mataji ke saath?
Bhagwan replied.. Narada.. This lady has no more attachments left .. her only son died.. her husband died and all that she had was the cow.. I removed that attachement also so that She can be freed from all the attachements ..and she can come back to ME.
Narad muni felt very happy listening to Lord. Narad muni still was in doubt. now he asked but Lord why did you give a boon to that Seth ji ( landlord) .. Bhagwan replied ..I wanted the person to forget ME totally by drowning in the wealth and happiness he will be deviated from the main purpose of life and stay in this viscious cycle for many more life times...
Now Narad muni got convinced that Narayan jo bhi karte hai sabka kuch na kuch parmaarth hota hi hai.
Lord has purpose for everything that is done ..
Everything is happening as per the bigger plan.
We simply don't understand the bigger picture so we see the dukha or suffering we start to blame. .. others.. or circumstances or blame God for this.
But we should know every karma which you are suffering for or enjoying has a some higher purpose.
When we suffer to rectify our past deeds.. We clear that karma backlog..
Let us say you hurt someone in the past life.. for that karma you might be suffering today of some sickness or some misfortune.. We don't know why we are exactly suffering .. we simply blame God for it.
But you see.. we keep burning our old sins by the means of suffering and a It is well known fact that devotees suffer more. :-) thats true and it is one way nice also. Krishna wants to rectify for the bad karma that we did and make us suffer to burn off the sins faster and finish our karma bandhanas and make us free from all sorts of attachements .. so the bigger purpose is not know by us.. But one thing is devotees ( innocent people) are getting closer to Krishna.. KUNTI devi cried that Oh Keshav.. give me more suffering so that YOU are going to be with us when we are suffering... She said She preferred being in the state of suffering rather then being away from Krishna when.. Krishna was leaving Hastinapura and going after the war...
We also use up our good karma by enjoying when we are not suffering/
and whatever bhakti that we do is AKARMIC and has no ( positive or negative karmic balance) and so the karma get neutralized.
When we suffer in pain we are infact burning off our sins.
Because we have to repay for the things that we have done.
But the Devotee ( innocent beings) suffer.. comparitively less.
One time a brahmin who could read his horoscope saw that today his life was going to end..he came to know some accident would happen and he is surely going to die...so he prepared everything ready.. he kept himself locked indoors ...and he tired to see that no way death can come to him that day..
another layman who was also propheised by some astrologer that he is going to die that day.. didn't do any preperations to avert the death but tried to simply praise Lord and said whatever destined is going to happen to me.. But Lord I know you are all powerful.. and you have power to even change what is in my horoscope .. I have firm faith in you. I have no doubt that you are going to save me at any cost.
Now.. the brahmin who tried to sit at home ..to prevent accident his house roof fell on his head and died.
The layman who was also having a death in his chart had got in an accident and was almost dead.. was saved by inches and was dragged down.. by an animal and got severe bruises but life was saved.
The suffering was there ( as per karma) but devotee's firm faith in Lord averted even the danger of death. Innocent beings who are totally dependent on the mercy of Lord have no fear from even death.
Suffering can be temporary and it will cease off .. as per one's karma .. PRARABDHA one has to suffer but the suffering also is reduced because of the mercy of LORD.
Destiny also can be changed by Krishna.
Remember Krishna brought Solar eclipse out of nowhere in the middle of the Mahabharata yudh and made Jayadrath feel that the evening has approched and sooner than he thought so ... the eclipse was gone and Krishna ordered Arjuna to release the arrow and kill Jayadrath. If Krishna wants anything can happen to change the present condition.
What I want to say is what you are seeing as a suffering maybe....... you had to suffer more.. but you as a devotee ( innocent being) are suffeirng the least out of mercy of Lord.
Maybe death or more could have happened if you were not even a devotee who knows.. in what ways Lord is helping us.
We just have to have firm faith that Krishna is there to protect us all the time.. even Karma also can become Akarma if Krishna is on our side.
If Krishna is not there then even slight pin prick can cause death.
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna, Mataji.
Your wisdom and the way you explained the katha of Narayan Bhagwan brought me so much peace and clarity. I believe every line you wrote is true that stayed with me:
"Narayan jo bhi karte hai sabka kuch na kuch parmaarth hota hi hai."
"Let us say you hurt someone in the past life... for that karma you might be suffering today... We don’t know why we are exactly suffering... we simply blame God for it."
"If Krishna is not there then even a slight pin prick can cause death."
These words made me realize how small my understanding is compared to Krishna’s infinite plan. The story of the Seth ji and the old lady, Kunti Devi’s prayer, and the brahmin’s horoscope - each example you shared showed me that suffering is never without purpose. It’s either clearing our karmas, detaching us from illusions, or drawing us closer to Him.
What moved me most was your reminder that devotees suffer less because of His mercy - that even in pain, He shields us from far worse. It made me reflect: how many times has Krishna already saved me without my even knowing?
Thank you for taking the time to answer with such compassion and depth. You didn’t just reply; you lifted a weight off my heart and reaffirmed my faith. Your words felt like Krishna himself is indicating something.
Please keep blessing seekers like me with your guidance. May Mahaprabhu shower you with endless divine love for the light you share. Hari Hari.
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
Suffering in this world is not random; it is the result of karma, the law of action and reaction. Srila Prabhupada explains in his purports:
The material world is a place of suffering and impermanence. As Krishna Himself says in the Bhagavad-gita (8.15):
Ādhyātmika Tāpa (suffering from body and mind)
Ādhibhautika Tāpa (suffering caused by other living beings)
Ādhidaivika Tāpa (suffering from natural disasters)
Srila Prabhupada explains that these miseries are a result of Mahāmāyā, Krishna's external energy, and are meant for the purification of the soul. He says:
In this material world, we are here because we desire to enjoy separately from Krishna. Krishna, as Paramātmā, resides within everyone's heart and facilitates our desires. Srila Prabhupada writes:
However, this world is designed to give suffering after sense gratification, so that the soul ultimately asks, "Why am I suffering?" Srila Prabhupada states:
In the end, suffering pushes the soul to seek liberation through devotional service. Srila Prabhupada assures us:
Thus, suffering is not a sign of Krishna's cruelty, but a way for the soul to awaken to its true nature and find eternal peace in Krishna’s service.
Your Servant
Vaibhav
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji,
Please accept my humble obeisances. Thank you for answering me with the referances from scriptures and records. Hari Hari.
Hare Krsna
Why does Krsna permit suffering—especially that of innocent beings?
The only innocent beings in material creation are pure devotees of Sri Krsna or those who are fully liberated by a bonafide yoga process.
Pure devotees of Sri Krsna consider non-remembrance of Sri Krsna as suffering. Others suffer due to their own past Karma.
Hare Krsna