<p>“When you are gracious to me, what need is there for any other virtue? When you are u nfavourable to me, of what avail is any other virtue?” asks poet Lilasuka in his Krishnakarnamruta, highlighting the importance and supremacy of divine grace. He further drives home the point through a telling example. When the bridegroom is deeply attached to the bride, it does not matter whether the bride’s cheeks and forehead are decorated or not.<br /><br />When the bridegroom is indifferent towards the bride, again it makes no difference whether the bride is decked up or not, since whatever way she appears, the bridegroom is cold towards her. So with divine grace. It is only this grace that matters, everything else is inconsequential.<br /><br />Lilasuka further says that this divine grace is the result of performing many meritorious acts in previous births, of having helped deserving people, of having served elders with respect and compassion. This divine grace is what destroys the forest of repeated births and confers the highest good on men. Even the goddess of wealth waits upon those bestowed with this grace, says the poet. To the evil doers, the Lord appears like a terrible ogre, out to destroy them, while to the virtuous and the yogis, he takes the form upon which they contemplate.<br /><br />On contemplation, Lilasuka says constant immersion of the mind in divine and noble thou-ghts aids in expulsion of undesirable qualities like greed, lust, anger, passion, arrogance and ignorance. This is a slow process by which the mind is purified and attains to divine state. It is not only for yogis, but even ordinary mortals could greatly benefit from this mental conditioning and discipline. Those constantly abiding in this mental equi-poise radiate an effulgence and calm that permeates the surroundings.<br /><br />Lilasuka says that the human mind is always hankering after diverse worldly objects and is therefore restless and agitated. Engaging the mind in such uplifting pursuits confers great benefits. In this poem extolling the glories of the child Lord Krishna, the music emanating from the flute played upon by Krishna esoterically conveys that this enchanting music is the call of the divine to men to embark on virtuous lives. The poet gives a rapturous description of nature whe-re clouds bring abundant rains, the earth sprouts shoots that sustain humanity, flowers blo-om in all glory and even anima-ls run about in sheer joy while cows produce copious milk.<br /><br />The message here is that it is the divine power that controls everything. “Place your unquestioning trust in this power and rest in peace,” says the poet, declaring that he prostrates himself completely, with all his eight limbs touching the ground and prays earnestly for only one thing - “may all my devotion be concentrated on him. In this continuous flow of life, that is the one memorable moment when I can drink deep of that radiant form”.<br /></p>
<p>“When you are gracious to me, what need is there for any other virtue? When you are u nfavourable to me, of what avail is any other virtue?” asks poet Lilasuka in his Krishnakarnamruta, highlighting the importance and supremacy of divine grace. He further drives home the point through a telling example. When the bridegroom is deeply attached to the bride, it does not matter whether the bride’s cheeks and forehead are decorated or not.<br /><br />When the bridegroom is indifferent towards the bride, again it makes no difference whether the bride is decked up or not, since whatever way she appears, the bridegroom is cold towards her. So with divine grace. It is only this grace that matters, everything else is inconsequential.<br /><br />Lilasuka further says that this divine grace is the result of performing many meritorious acts in previous births, of having helped deserving people, of having served elders with respect and compassion. This divine grace is what destroys the forest of repeated births and confers the highest good on men. Even the goddess of wealth waits upon those bestowed with this grace, says the poet. To the evil doers, the Lord appears like a terrible ogre, out to destroy them, while to the virtuous and the yogis, he takes the form upon which they contemplate.<br /><br />On contemplation, Lilasuka says constant immersion of the mind in divine and noble thou-ghts aids in expulsion of undesirable qualities like greed, lust, anger, passion, arrogance and ignorance. This is a slow process by which the mind is purified and attains to divine state. It is not only for yogis, but even ordinary mortals could greatly benefit from this mental conditioning and discipline. Those constantly abiding in this mental equi-poise radiate an effulgence and calm that permeates the surroundings.<br /><br />Lilasuka says that the human mind is always hankering after diverse worldly objects and is therefore restless and agitated. Engaging the mind in such uplifting pursuits confers great benefits. In this poem extolling the glories of the child Lord Krishna, the music emanating from the flute played upon by Krishna esoterically conveys that this enchanting music is the call of the divine to men to embark on virtuous lives. The poet gives a rapturous description of nature whe-re clouds bring abundant rains, the earth sprouts shoots that sustain humanity, flowers blo-om in all glory and even anima-ls run about in sheer joy while cows produce copious milk.<br /><br />The message here is that it is the divine power that controls everything. “Place your unquestioning trust in this power and rest in peace,” says the poet, declaring that he prostrates himself completely, with all his eight limbs touching the ground and prays earnestly for only one thing - “may all my devotion be concentrated on him. In this continuous flow of life, that is the one memorable moment when I can drink deep of that radiant form”.<br /></p>
