Hare KrishnaKrishna said in the Gita (9.29)I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.The firsr statement indicates Lord krishna looks equally upon all but in second statement , it seems lord krishna take favour of devotees.These two statements are contradictry to each other.Please clarify my doubt.
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Government is impartial towards all of its citizens. But however who obeys the laws of government are allowed to live freely in the country. Others are put in jail. Law abiding citizens are very dear to the government. Does it mean that government is partial to citizens put in jail. It is the citizens mistake of not obeying the law to be put in jail. Government is still impartial towards all citizens
University is impartial towards all students. However those students who are obedient – studying well, maintaining attendance are given a pass and degree. Other students are given fail. Those obedient students are very dear to university. University is still impartial towards all students - those who study and those who are mischievous.
Similarly Krishna is impartial towards all living entities. However his devotees are very special to him. This doesn’t mean that others are not favored by Krishna. Like a government favors law abiding citizens at the same time is impartial towards all citizens , as the university favors obedient students at the same time is impartial towards all students , similarly for Krishna devotees are special and simultaneously Krishna is impartial towards all living entities.
Consider this - On a highway there are two roads. In one road speed limit is 50kmph. In another it is 80kmph. Anybody can choose any road. No discrimination. So one who wants to go faster to Krsna will choose 80kmph road. One who is not aware he may choose slower. Being on slower road if one says - how come in the other road 80 is allowed in mine only 50, it would be an illogical argument. Smart ppl on slow lane would immediately switch to fast lane, it is allowed - hence no discrimination. But just because u r in slow lane expecting all roads to have same speed limit is silly.
Similarly - Krsna says I envy no one, nor I am I partial. I am equal to all. This means anyone can serve Krsna and become friends with Him, Krsna will accept the service and their friendship. (see patram pushpam just few verses earlier).
Then Krsna says - whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.
This simply how Krsna reciprocates with his devotees, which is His most supreme opulence and leela
Conclusion is - Become Krsna's friend, serve Krsna and experience His reciprocation(Bliss) or other option Ignore Krsna and take only material facilities like prisoners are given in jail. But being in Jail, taking jail food don't envy the sonpapadi that Krsna shares with His devotees, that is the worst attitude.
09.29: Krishna is impartially partial - by Chaitanya Charan dasJANUARY 18, 2012
The Bhagavad-gita (9.29) states two paradoxical features of Krishna’s nature:
He is equal to all and does not consider anyone to be an object of aversion or affection.
For those who worship him with devotion, he offers himself to them and they offer themselves to him.
These two features suggest that Krishna is both partial and impartial. How can that be? The key to understand Krishna is to remember that he is not just an impersonal principle, but a sentient person. Being a person, Krishna is neither neutral, nor partial; he is reciprocal. When we try to avoid Krishna, he reciprocates by not interfering in our lives and lets us stay under the supervision of the impartial law of karma. When we try to love Krishna, he reciprocates by showering his love on us and intervening to take special care of us.
If Krishna exhibited a stone-like neutrality towards all, there would be hardly any possibility to develop a relationship with him. How many people can sing songs about their love for a stone? If Krishna had not been reciprocal, love for him would have remained mostly an abstract intellectual conception. It is Krishna’s reciprocity that makes his personality emotionally tangible and eminently lovable. It is Krishna’s reciprocity that makes love for him real.
As Krishna is reciprocal, he is indeed partial to his devotees. But as he is universally reciprocal, he allows anyone to become his devotee and thereby benefit from his partiality.
Thus, Krishna is impartially partial: he impartially opens the doors to partiality for everyone.
SB 7.1.25— Because of the bodily conception of life, the conditioned soul thinks that when the body is annihilated the living being is annihilated. Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the supreme controller, the Supersoul of all living entities. Because He has no material body, He has no false conception of “I and mine.” It is therefore incorrect to think that He feels pleasure or pain when blasphemed or offered prayers. This is impossible for Him. Thus He has no enemy and no friend. When He chastises the demons it is for their good, and when He accepts the prayers of the devotees it is for their good. He is affected neither by prayers nor by blasphemy.
SB 7.1.26— Therefore by enmity or by devotional service, by fear, by affection or by lusty desire — by all of these or any one of them — if a conditioned soul somehow or other concentrates his mind upon the Lord, the result is the same, for the Lord, because of His blissful position, is never affected by enmity or friendship.
SB 7.1.27— Nārada Muni continued: By devotional service one cannot achieve such intense absorption in thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one can through enmity toward Him. That is my opinion.
SB 7.1.28-29— A grassworm confined in a hole of a wall by a bee always thinks of the bee in fear and enmity and later becomes a bee simply because of such remembrance. Similarly, if the conditioned souls somehow or other think of Kṛṣṇa, who is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, they will become free from their sins. Whether thinking of Him as their worshipable Lord or an enemy, because of constantly thinking of Him they will regain their spiritual bodies.
SB 7.1.30— Many, many persons have attained liberation simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa with great attention and giving up sinful activities. This great attention may be due to lusty desires, inimical feelings, fear, affection or devotional service. I shall now explain how one receives Kṛṣṇa’s mercy simply by concentrating one’s mind upon Him.
SB 7.1.31— My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, the gopīs by their lusty desires, Kaṁsa by his fear, Śiśupāla and other kings by envy, the Yadus by their familial relationship with Kṛṣṇa, you Pāṇḍavas by your great affection for Kṛṣṇa, and we, the general devotees, by our devotional service, have obtained the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.
SB 7.1.32— Somehow or other, one must consider the form of Kṛṣṇa very seriously. Then, by one of the five different processes mentioned above, one can return home, back to Godhead. Atheists like King Vena, however, being unable to think of Kṛṣṇa’s form in any of these five ways, cannot attain salvation. Therefore, one must somehow think of Kṛṣṇa, whether in a friendly way or inimically.
Being partial implies being favorable to one party and be unfavorable to another person. This partiality creates a division. There is no discrimination done when it comes to laws of nature and other decrees. For example - Sun rises for everyone, not just devotees. Good luck and bad luck is there for everyone, it does not bend for devotees.
In another context, let's say if person A and person B both are trying to love Krsna. The lord will reciprocate as per their eagerness to reach out to him. He would never favour one over the other just because he likes someone and doesn't like someone. He is omniscient(always available) to anyone who wants to be with him. Son God has enough capacity to respond and give his attention to as many people in existence. It's up to us whether we want to benefit from his offer by following his instructions.
That is a nice question, generally these statements appear contradictory but try to understand them from different aspect.
I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all.. because these is nothing exist apart from Krishna, Krishna is complete the whole universe is in Bhagavan and Bhagavan is also in the whole universe. Because there is no difference between the energy and the energetic, it is true that the activities of His maya Shakti will also be seen as His own work. Yet one cannot attribute the defect of partiality to Him, because the results a Jiva receives for his actions are in accordance with his own karma.
Bg 4.11 — As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.
SB 6.17.22 — The Supreme Personality of Godhead is equally disposed toward all living entities. Therefore no one is very dear to Him, and no one is a great enemy for Him; no one is His friend, and no one is His relative. Being unattached to the material world, He has no affection for so-called happiness or hatred for so-called distress. The two terms happiness and distress are relative. Since the Lord is always happy, for Him there is no question of distress.
SB 6.17.23 — Although the Supreme Lord is unattached to our happiness and distress according to karma, and although no one is His enemy or favorite, He creates pious and impious activities through the agency of His material potency. Thus for the continuation of the materialistic way of life He creates happiness and distress, good fortune and bad, bondage and liberation, birth and death.
SB 8.5.22 — For the Supreme Personality of Godhead there is no one to be killed, no one to be protected, no one to be neglected and no one to be worshiped. Nonetheless, for the sake of creation, maintenance and annihilation according to time, He accepts different forms as incarnations either in the mode of goodness, the mode of passion or the mode of ignorance.
But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.
Bg 4.11 — As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.
Bhaktas are very attached to Lord, similarly Lord is very attached to his devotee's practically speaking other having no dealings with lord, so lord is neutral for them. Lord is maintaining both devotee's and non-devotee's but devotee's are attached to lord and same way lord is attached to devotees. Hence Lord is equal like rain but some trees give good fruits and some gives bad that is not the defect of rain. That is their nature.
SB 10.86.59: bhagavān bhakta-bhaktimān
Thus the Personality of Godhead, who is devoted to His own devotees.
SB 8.16.14 — O son of Marīci, because you are a great personality you are equal toward all the demons and demigods, who are born either from your body or from your mind and who possess one or another of the three qualities — sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa or tamo-guṇa. But although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, is equal toward all living entities, He is especially favorable to the devotees.
Well-known examples are His friendly relationship with Ambarisa Maharaja and His indifference toward Durvasa and others who were envious. It is a fact that Krsna is equal to all, but what is more important is that He favours His bhaktas. Of all His qualities, this particular quality is a special ornament.
One may question here that if Kṛṣṇa is equal to everyone and no one is His special friend, then why does He take a special interest in the devotees who are always engaged in His transcendental service? But this is not discrimination; it is natural. Any man in this material world may be very charitably disposed, yet he has a special interest in his own children. The Lord claims that every living entity – in whatever form – is His son, and so He provides everyone with a generous supply of the necessities of life. He is just like a cloud which pours rain all over, regardless of whether it falls on rock or land or water. But for His devotees, He gives specific attention. Such devotees are mentioned here: they are always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and therefore they are always transcendentally situated in Kṛṣṇa. The very phrase “Kṛṣṇa consciousness” suggests that those who are in such consciousness are living transcendentalists, situated in Him. The Lord says here distinctly, mayi te: “They are in Me.” Naturally, as a result, the Lord is also in them. This is reciprocal. This also explains the words ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: “Whoever surrenders unto Me, proportionately I take care of him.” This transcendental reciprocation exists because both the Lord and the devotee are conscious. When a diamond is set in a golden ring, it looks very nice. The gold is glorified, and at the same time the diamond is glorified. The Lord and the living entity eternally glitter, and when a living entity becomes inclined to the service of the Supreme Lord he looks like gold. The Lord is a diamond, and so this combination is very nice. Living entities in a pure state are called devotees. The Supreme Lord becomes the devotee of His devotees. If a reciprocal relationship is not present between the devotee and the Lord, then there is no personalist philosophy. In the impersonal philosophy there is no reciprocation between the Supreme and the living entity, but in the personalist philosophy there is.
The example is often given that the Lord is like a desire tree, and whatever one wants from this desire tree, the Lord supplies. But here the explanation is more complete. The Lord is here stated to be partial to the devotees. This is the manifestation of the Lord’s special mercy to the devotees. The Lord’s reciprocation should not be considered to be under the law of karma. It belongs to the transcendental situation in which the Lord and His devotees function. Devotional service to the Lord is not an activity of this material world; it is part of the spiritual world, where eternity, bliss and knowledge predominate.
Hare krishna...These contradictory issues arise when we try to interpret and understand bhagavat gita on our own...we need a bonafide spiritual master to guide us regarding spiritual matters...If i ask you to understand quantum mechanics on our own...you will face lots of difficulty in understanding things...you need a bonafide and a genuine expert in quantum mechanics...please ask these apparent contradictory questions to a bonafide guru...you can also ask HIS HOLINESS SANKARSHAN DAS ADHIKARY on www.backtohome.com and www.ultimateselfrealization.com
if you do not ask a bonafide spiritual master...you will naturally not be satisfied with any kind of mentally speculative answers...and you will be disappointed...hence i request you to study the shastras carefully step by step...in the order which is recommended by srila prabhupada, the Founder acharya of iskcon...
1. all the small books of srila prabhupada
2. bhagavat gita
3. srimad bhagavatam
4. Chaitanya charitamrta..
also i humbly request you to make a good notes of what ever you study...it will be very much helpful to you.
by following these simple steps...you also need to chant the hare krishna mahamantra and try to follow the four regulative principles...its compulsory...otherwise ...we cannot understand lord krishna's activities, statements etc...we should never make our own opinion on God's statements...
is the link which will be helpful in studying the books of srila prabhupada...
can't we understand lord krishna's statements without chanting, without following the four regulative principles, without taking guidance from a bonafide spiritual master ?
Answer : Strictly no as per the scriptures...lord krishna declares these aspects in the bhagavat gita...
My humble explanation : To trace the path of a small sub atomic particle like electron, many careful experiments are designed with lots of conditions like pressure, temperature...etc...
this arrangement is for a small particle like electron....what to speak of God, who is infinite....we need to be properly qualified...following the four regulative principles...chanting his holy name...
i humbly request you to understand the things in a proper way...I feel unqualified to answer your good question...A bonafide guru is the best person to give answer...here on IDT also...there are wonderful devotees who can provide you the proper answer...i am just unqualified to answer you...
your wellwisher always...
Go Back to Home With Our Free Self-Realization Course
Replies
Hare Krishna
Government is impartial towards all of its citizens. But however who obeys the laws of government are allowed to live freely in the country. Others are put in jail. Law abiding citizens are very dear to the government. Does it mean that government is partial to citizens put in jail. It is the citizens mistake of not obeying the law to be put in jail. Government is still impartial towards all citizens
University is impartial towards all students. However those students who are obedient – studying well, maintaining attendance are given a pass and degree. Other students are given fail. Those obedient students are very dear to university. University is still impartial towards all students - those who study and those who are mischievous.
Similarly Krishna is impartial towards all living entities. However his devotees are very special to him. This doesn’t mean that others are not favored by Krishna. Like a government favors law abiding citizens at the same time is impartial towards all citizens , as the university favors obedient students at the same time is impartial towards all students , similarly for Krishna devotees are special and simultaneously Krishna is impartial towards all living entities.
Haribol,
S.Balaji.
Hare Krsna
It appears contradictory, but it is not.
Consider this - On a highway there are two roads. In one road speed limit is 50kmph. In another it is 80kmph. Anybody can choose any road. No discrimination. So one who wants to go faster to Krsna will choose 80kmph road. One who is not aware he may choose slower. Being on slower road if one says - how come in the other road 80 is allowed in mine only 50, it would be an illogical argument. Smart ppl on slow lane would immediately switch to fast lane, it is allowed - hence no discrimination. But just because u r in slow lane expecting all roads to have same speed limit is silly.
Similarly - Krsna says I envy no one, nor I am I partial. I am equal to all. This means anyone can serve Krsna and become friends with Him, Krsna will accept the service and their friendship. (see patram pushpam just few verses earlier).
Then Krsna says - whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.
This simply how Krsna reciprocates with his devotees, which is His most supreme opulence and leela
Conclusion is - Become Krsna's friend, serve Krsna and experience His reciprocation(Bliss) or other option Ignore Krsna and take only material facilities like prisoners are given in jail. But being in Jail, taking jail food don't envy the sonpapadi that Krsna shares with His devotees, that is the worst attitude.
Hare Krsna
YS
09.29: Krishna is impartially partial - by Chaitanya Charan dasJANUARY 18, 2012
The Bhagavad-gita (9.29) states two paradoxical features of Krishna’s nature:
These two features suggest that Krishna is both partial and impartial. How can that be? The key to understand Krishna is to remember that he is not just an impersonal principle, but a sentient person. Being a person, Krishna is neither neutral, nor partial; he is reciprocal. When we try to avoid Krishna, he reciprocates by not interfering in our lives and lets us stay under the supervision of the impartial law of karma. When we try to love Krishna, he reciprocates by showering his love on us and intervening to take special care of us.
If Krishna exhibited a stone-like neutrality towards all, there would be hardly any possibility to develop a relationship with him. How many people can sing songs about their love for a stone? If Krishna had not been reciprocal, love for him would have remained mostly an abstract intellectual conception. It is Krishna’s reciprocity that makes his personality emotionally tangible and eminently lovable. It is Krishna’s reciprocity that makes love for him real.
As Krishna is reciprocal, he is indeed partial to his devotees. But as he is universally reciprocal, he allows anyone to become his devotee and thereby benefit from his partiality.
Thus, Krishna is impartially partial: he impartially opens the doors to partiality for everyone.
Source: http://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2012/01/krishna-is-impartially...
Hare Krsna.
Being partial implies being favorable to one party and be unfavorable to another person. This partiality creates a division. There is no discrimination done when it comes to laws of nature and other decrees. For example - Sun rises for everyone, not just devotees. Good luck and bad luck is there for everyone, it does not bend for devotees.
In another context, let's say if person A and person B both are trying to love Krsna. The lord will reciprocate as per their eagerness to reach out to him. He would never favour one over the other just because he likes someone and doesn't like someone. He is omniscient(always available) to anyone who wants to be with him. Son God has enough capacity to respond and give his attention to as many people in existence. It's up to us whether we want to benefit from his offer by following his instructions.
Hare Krishna,
That is a nice question, generally these statements appear contradictory but try to understand them from different aspect.
I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all.. because these is nothing exist apart from Krishna, Krishna is complete the whole universe is in Bhagavan and Bhagavan is also in the whole universe. Because there is no difference between the energy and the energetic, it is true that the activities of His maya Shakti will
also be seen as His own work. Yet one cannot attribute the defect of partiality to Him, because the results a Jiva receives for his actions are in accordance with his own karma.
Bhaktas are very attached to Lord, similarly Lord is very attached to his devotee's practically speaking other having no dealings with lord, so lord is neutral for them. Lord is maintaining both devotee's and non-devotee's but devotee's are attached to lord and same way lord is attached to devotees. Hence Lord is equal like rain but some trees give good fruits and some gives bad that is not the defect of rain. That is their nature.
Dear prabhu,
below is the answer...
One may question here that if Kṛṣṇa is equal to everyone and no one is His special friend, then why does He take a special interest in the devotees who are always engaged in His transcendental service? But this is not discrimination; it is natural. Any man in this material world may be very charitably disposed, yet he has a special interest in his own children. The Lord claims that every living entity – in whatever form – is His son, and so He provides everyone with a generous supply of the necessities of life. He is just like a cloud which pours rain all over, regardless of whether it falls on rock or land or water. But for His devotees, He gives specific attention. Such devotees are mentioned here: they are always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and therefore they are always transcendentally situated in Kṛṣṇa. The very phrase “Kṛṣṇa consciousness” suggests that those who are in such consciousness are living transcendentalists, situated in Him. The Lord says here distinctly, mayi te: “They are in Me.” Naturally, as a result, the Lord is also in them. This is reciprocal. This also explains the words ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: “Whoever surrenders unto Me, proportionately I take care of him.” This transcendental reciprocation exists because both the Lord and the devotee are conscious. When a diamond is set in a golden ring, it looks very nice. The gold is glorified, and at the same time the diamond is glorified. The Lord and the living entity eternally glitter, and when a living entity becomes inclined to the service of the Supreme Lord he looks like gold. The Lord is a diamond, and so this combination is very nice. Living entities in a pure state are called devotees. The Supreme Lord becomes the devotee of His devotees. If a reciprocal relationship is not present between the devotee and the Lord, then there is no personalist philosophy. In the impersonal philosophy there is no reciprocation between the Supreme and the living entity, but in the personalist philosophy there is.
The example is often given that the Lord is like a desire tree, and whatever one wants from this desire tree, the Lord supplies. But here the explanation is more complete. The Lord is here stated to be partial to the devotees. This is the manifestation of the Lord’s special mercy to the devotees. The Lord’s reciprocation should not be considered to be under the law of karma. It belongs to the transcendental situation in which the Lord and His devotees function. Devotional service to the Lord is not an activity of this material world; it is part of the spiritual world, where eternity, bliss and knowledge predominate.
Hare krishna...These contradictory issues arise when we try to interpret and understand bhagavat gita on our own...we need a bonafide spiritual master to guide us regarding spiritual matters...If i ask you to understand quantum mechanics on our own...you will face lots of difficulty in understanding things...you need a bonafide and a genuine expert in quantum mechanics...please ask these apparent contradictory questions to a bonafide guru...you can also ask HIS HOLINESS SANKARSHAN DAS ADHIKARY on www.backtohome.com and www.ultimateselfrealization.com
if you do not ask a bonafide spiritual master...you will naturally not be satisfied with any kind of mentally speculative answers...and you will be disappointed...hence i request you to study the shastras carefully step by step...in the order which is recommended by srila prabhupada, the Founder acharya of iskcon...
1. all the small books of srila prabhupada
2. bhagavat gita
3. srimad bhagavatam
4. Chaitanya charitamrta..
also i humbly request you to make a good notes of what ever you study...it will be very much helpful to you.
by following these simple steps...you also need to chant the hare krishna mahamantra and try to follow the four regulative principles...its compulsory...otherwise ...we cannot understand lord krishna's activities, statements etc...we should never make our own opinion on God's statements...
http://www.vedabase.com/
is the link which will be helpful in studying the books of srila prabhupada...
can't we understand lord krishna's statements without chanting, without following the four regulative principles, without taking guidance from a bonafide spiritual master ?
Answer : Strictly no as per the scriptures...lord krishna declares these aspects in the bhagavat gita...
My humble explanation : To trace the path of a small sub atomic particle like electron, many careful experiments are designed with lots of conditions like pressure, temperature...etc...
this arrangement is for a small particle like electron....what to speak of God, who is infinite....we need to be properly qualified...following the four regulative principles...chanting his holy name...
www.krishna.com
www.krishna.org
www.radha.name
i humbly request you to understand the things in a proper way...I feel unqualified to answer your good question...A bonafide guru is the best person to give answer...here on IDT also...there are wonderful devotees who can provide you the proper answer...i am just unqualified to answer you...
your wellwisher always...