Praying vs Materialistic effort

I did an experiment: I was lying down, said something like:

[Edit (2017 Feb 11): I'm now thinking: probably i was being hypocritical with the "Dear" and "Thank you", so saying "Dear" without feeling it was nasty of me.]

"Dear Krishna, I want to sleep now. I request you to please switch off that light. Thank you."

But the light of my room didn't switch off. Then I started chanting "Krishna", "Krishna", ... but the light still didn't switch off. Then I moved to the light switch and switched off its button myself and the light switched off.

I think in both the cases, the physics of switching off the light was handled by Krishna. I also think that the physics/biology of moving my body to light switch was also handled by Krishna. Can anyone please tell me that to me why materialistic effort of switching a button seemed more effective in achieving the aim compared to praying to Krishna and chanting?

[Edit (2017 Feb 11): I'm now thinking: why would God (supreme controller) handle physics/biology, like if No one's watching that what's going on inside my laptop then why would God even have anything existing inside my laptop, physics is an illusion, why would my laptop even exist when God can create sensation to me that laptop is existing.]

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  • Ur not Prahlad Maharaj that Krishna will appear....second Prahlad Maharaj would never have prayed Krishna plz switch off the life.

    No materialistic effort in life can save u from death,or repeated birth....no switch exist.

  • Significantly I would add that exclusive devotion directed towards the Head God's is not recommended for the purpose of creating fear in anyone for sharing in the association of anyone I.e. Gods man nor beast. For the Soul it'self is ultimitly imperveus to time place circumstance & incidences.
    It is however, being infatically-recommended by SrilaPrahbupoda's program because Krishna is the MostHighGod, who's appearance is very much extremely rear, thus He is encouraging us to in this instance to become opportunist, to strike now while the iron is hot, to experience a taste of and for our eternal true nature's energies to wake-up' or to reawaken the realization of the eternal possibility benefits & nasessaty of personal association with God HIMSELF.
    l.e. fanaticism is denying & or defying the truth of the value in others. This (chanting is not intended to be the opportunity to (discount) the honorable historic or heroic value or intentions in others. It is for providing a safe oasis a safe consistent resting place for our own mind and it's faculties to take rest to revitalise and rejuvenate. The value of this alone is mentioned in the Hit a by Krishna. Himself when He stated "the mind is master of the six sinces the 10 Spence objects & the 8 separated material energies." This is therefore the highest yoga as these are the results (and more) sought after by all the austeritys performed by the various Yogic disciplines. Only Krishna is all-attractive, all knowing & all auspicious. And So, we should Water the Root of all creations by devoting our meditative disciplines towards Him and His mission to re-embrace all souls through the educational process of (direct experience/perseptions) thus inspiring the(our) highly capable mind and intelligence to take Him up on this highly valuable & exclusively unique proposition and opportunity of experiencing He's personal (intimate internal energies) infinitely. We should go for it As Prabupoda once said "Why take the stairs when Krishna has prevented a lift."
    Stairs being the old ways of accomplishing spiritual/mental progress/understanding.I.e. fanatical extreme uncommon & un-natural disciplines austeritys & other discombobulating practices! RoddahHaray! Bolla bolla
  • In
    conclusion sometimes the best action is inaction, if the environment is worthy of you trust and devoted to your safety and evolution in truth. And that Krishna is all that but no one else is! End of Story!
  • What is all this accusation that our service to iskcon & Krishna is one sided,? When it is so obvious that it is reciprecal. Krishna gives us the equilibrium of body and mind as well as the karmic protections needed to accomplish the task at hand & we contribute to the effort by making the proper atattempt. Consider karma, if you will, or the elements of /within the universe. Truthfully we have no control or impairs to pervolk to co-operation of my of them in order for us to achieve anything ?,so why do they assist us? Somewhere Krishna said "the grass won't grow, The Sun wouldn't shine nor would the wind blow if not for their fear of Him! I believe quite literally that the best and most accurate description of this material energy is "the projector (God) and the perjected (the external energies mya/or us these body's including the limited mind & sinces. The point Is, that it is by karmic impatice that all things are working, & not love nor Karen. As
    God alone is love, & these planetary elements need nor owe use gross ignorant individuals anything hence we can & would be abandoned instantly, were it not their duty to serve Krishna, & not us. There is a vishnava poem- No One Knows How Much Nectar is found in the Chanting of the Holy names of Krishna-When the Holy names are chanted we then begin to attract thousands of ears, to speak, as if we were in possession of thousands of mouths, & when the sound of these names begin dancing in the court yeard of our heart they concur the activates of the mind & therefore all of our sciences become inert" this poem (a favorite of SrilaPrahbupoda's Bhaktee Ramisvar, one of my early teachers) deserves analyzing!_
    (When we surrender or submit or subject our own ego & pride/materially conditioned mind to the chanting the Holy Names of God they captur/concur the activates of the mind & all our sinces become as if' inert./I.e
    The restless activates of the mind & it's sinces have an opportunity to relax and take a rest. Yet because all the fcaltys of the mind & body are still involved in hearing speaking & remembering all aspects of our mind & heart become cleansed/purafied plus the pleaser Attraction and attractiveness of the mind are all enhanced. Combined with proper physical posture and a otherwise insignificant karmic todeLike karmic slave becomes the most attractive thing of all. Just like an all powerfull luminous God. All glory to the Chanting of the holy names of
    Haray Haray
    But none of this will occur if we ourselves,don't 1.st make our own physical efforts. With the implicit intention of getting our own egomInd out of our own karmic way. This is the beginning of the path of reciprocation with God & Self realization. Or realizing God's intentions for us. The Path of Reciprocation there for, begins with our serving the intended outcomes by 1st. Making or taking the propriety auctions whenever possible as well as refreshing or revitalizing the mind's fcaltys by not acting at regulated periods every day, under the ddirect supervishion/protection of The GodHeads, Haray Krishna & Rama by actively physically Chanting Haray Haray. Overtime he mind becomes more & more impressed with the understanding that the taste &/experience it is having has now other resource other than the rich ressavra of the infinite ocion of potential found in the unconditional acceptance & love found only in the jovial playful presence of the energies found by the karmicaly creative & progressive association of these specific three the Highest of God's the HeadGods Haray Krishna & Rama exclusively.
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  • Prabhu, please accept my humble obeisances.

    I am sorry if my previous comment came off as offensive. Your question is interesting and I have once had similar thoughts. As I and other devotees have said, our eternal dharma (duty) is service to God. But that's not to say we can't ask him for what we need or want.

    If I am not terribly mistaken, you are right in that Krishna turned off the light switch, using you as a tool to do it. The difference is that you acted Krishna consciously when you flipped the switch because you were thinking of Krishna, which is one of the ways we can serve Him.

    So when you asked Krishna to flip the switch, instead of doing it for you he provided the opportunity for you to do it yourself and serve Him by doing so.

    This is one way of seeing the situation. If I am wrong please correct me.

    Once again I apologize if I offended you prabhu

    Hare Krishna
    Peace and love
  • Volunteer

    Hare Krsna,
    My obeisances to all devotees, guru and Gauranga.

    The constituent position of a devotee is to serve the lord and that is our ONLY dharma.

    Even if lets say by chanting Krsna’s name the light did turn off, what would you conclude it to be? That krsna acted on your words? Krsna followed your “instructions”? Krsna put you to sleep. Krsna might even do that because He did act on Arjuna’s words, Krsna did follow Arjuna’s instructions. But just evaluate yourself, are you capable of ordering Krsna? Are you a devotee like Arjuna? Become a devotee and one day He might turn the light off for you from your ignorant thoughts.

    I went through your profile and for one question: Describe any specific service you would love to offer to Lord Krishna & His devotees?

    Your answer: I want to do what God wants me to do. If anyone can ask God that what I've written on the piece of paper kept in my drawer and then tell me the correct answer then I would do whatever the person says God is saying me to do. I'm willing to pay.

    We are not mind readers prabhu and even if we did, we don’t do it for monetary benefits. Its worth reading through what this forum is all about and why its called “ISKCON Desire Tree - Devotee Network
    Connecting Devotees Worldwide - In Service Of Srila Prabhupada"

    For a devotee, everything is service. So please take up service to Vaishnavas and guru Srila Prabhupad. Welcome to the group.

    Chant and be happy.

    Srila Prabhupada ki jai..

    Hare krsna

  • Krishna does not want to do everything for you, like some paralysed bed-ridden person who cannot flip off his own light switch in his room at night. You are perfectly capable of flipping the switch, so why would you ask Krishna to do it for you? Out of laziness?

    We do not chant so that Krishna will become our servant to do every menial task we want Him to. We chant to beg to become His servant and do what He wants.
  • Volunteer

    Chanting the Names of the Lord even once, can take away millions of lifetimes of sin.

    How does that compare to your servant switching the light on or off, for you, when you ask him to?

    • { Maharaj-ji said, “Ram's form left this world, Krishna's form left this world, but the Name stays. By reciting His Name, everything is achieved.” Shaking his head, he reiterated, “Everything is achieved.” }

      Source: "Chants of a Lifetime: Searching for a Heart of Gold" by Krishna Das.

      I think that in the above {} quote, "Maharaj-ji" is Neem Karoli Baba.

  • E-Counselor

    Hare Krsna Prabhuji,

    PAMHO.

    Krsna has provided you with the apparatus to switch on or off any switch you want. He has given you vision, hands, legs and intelligence to know when and how to do either.

    He is not an order supplier, nor a servant. He is lord and master - we are servant.

    In Hindi, we say - dene wala jab bhi deta, deta chappar phad ke - whenever He gives, He gives in a  lot of quantity. If He had to give, he would have probably ensured power failure itself.

    Strange, you prayed for switching off the light, whereas I always pray to switch on the light - the light of knowledge, of good sense, of good behaviour, the light of devotion.

    Haribol,

    YOur servant,

    Radha Rasamayi DD

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