The Love of Lord Krishna for His Devotees
One day, King Akbar, curious about the nature of divine love, asked his wise minister Birbal, “Why does your God behave so strangely? Doesn’t your Lord Krishna have any servants? Each time a devotee calls for help, the Lord runs Himself. Surely He can employ others to do such work?”
Birbal, with his sharp wit, decided to teach the king a valuable lesson. Knowing how much King Akbar loved his grandson, Birbal devised a plan. He asked a statue maker to create a lifelike dummy of the grandson and dress it in the same clothes as the young prince. He then instructed the guardian of the prince to carry the dummy to a lake and wait for his signal.
After some time, Birbal brought King Akbar to the lake. At Birbal’s signal, the guardian dropped the dummy into the lake. As soon as King Akbar saw what he believed was his grandson being thrown into the water, he immediately jumped into the cold lake to rescue him. He swam as fast as he could and pulled the dummy out of the water, only to realize it was just a wax doll.
Birbal then remarked, “Your Majesty, why did you jump into the lake yourself to rescue the young prince when you have so many guards and servants at your service?”
The king replied, “Oh, I have hundreds of them, but my grandson is precious to me, so I couldn’t stop myself.”
Birbal smiled and said, “Now you see, Your Majesty, that’s why Lord Krishna, who loves each of His devotees dearly, comes to their help Himself.”
King Akbar, understanding the profound lesson, smiled and agreed with Birbal.
Moral of the Story
In the Bhagavad Gita 12.6-7, Lord Krishna says:
ye tu sarvaani karmaani mayi sannyasya mat-parah
ananyenaiva yogena maam dhyaayanta upaasate
teshaam aham samuddharta mrtyu-samsaara-saagaraat
bhavaami na ciraat paartha mayy avesita-cetasaam
“But those who worship Me, giving up all their activities unto Me and being devoted to Me without deviation, engaged in devotional service and always meditating upon Me, having fixed their minds upon Me, O son of Partha, for them I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death.”
Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport that Krishna Himself becomes the deliverer of His devotees. Just as a child is completely cared for by his parents, ensuring his security, a devotee who fully surrenders to Krishna and engages in devotional service is assured of the Lord’s personal care and protection.
Krishna’s love for His devotees is so profound that He doesn’t delegate their deliverance to anyone else. Instead, He personally ensures their safety and well-being. This illustrates the intimate and personal relationship between the Lord and His devotees.
Conclusion
The story beautifully demonstrates the unconditional love and care that the Lord has for His devotees. Just as King Akbar couldn’t bear to see his beloved grandson in danger and personally jumped into the lake to save him, Lord Krishna personally intervenes to protect and deliver His devotees from the dangers and trials of material existence.
By understanding and meditating on this divine love, we can develop a deeper sense of surrender and devotion to the Lord, knowing that He is always there to protect and guide us.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
PS: I humbly request all devotees to share this moral and instructive story so that everyone can benefit from hearing about Krishna and His dear devotees.
