Depend Completely on Krishna
As Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was traveling from Navadweep Dham to Jagannath Puri, He turned to His devotees, led by Lord Nityananda Prabhu, and asked, “Have you brought anything with you for our maintenance? Any food? Any money?” The devotees replied, “My Lord, we have not brought anything without your permission. Whatever we do must have your blessings. We have brought nothing.”
Lord Chaitanya was very pleased with this response. He said, “In this way, we will learn to completely depend on Krishna, for ultimately, everything is provided by His will. It is not because of our material arrangements.” He elaborated further, “Consider food—even the poorest person somehow manages to get food to eat if it is Krishna’s will. However, if it is not His will, even the wealthiest prince, despite being surrounded by luxury and opulence, may not be able to eat. Sometimes, a prince, though surrounded by riches, might lose his appetite due to distress or insult. Or he might suffer from an illness that prevents him from eating or even drinking water. If it is not Krishna’s will, despite all our efforts, we won’t be able to eat even a morsel of food.”
Lord Chaitanya continued, “Everything ultimately depends on the will of Krishna. But in today’s society, we have become so dependent on artificial means that we have forgotten that Krishna is the source of all sustenance. If it does not rain, we will all starve, whether rich or poor. If the sun does not shine, we will all perish in an instant, no matter who we are. We are maintained by God every moment. To recognize that and be grateful to Krishna for it is Krishna Consciousness. This is the nature of the soul and the source of true happiness.”
Lesson: This passage teaches us the importance of recognizing Krishna as the ultimate provider and sustainer in our lives. It encourages us to develop complete dependence on Krishna, understanding that everything we have comes from His divine will.
Prayer: “O Krishna, please help me to always remember that You are the source of everything in my life. Grant me the wisdom to depend on You completely, knowing that my true happiness lies in recognizing Your divine hand in all that I receive.”
Ramchandra Kant’s Devotion Towards Lord Chaitanya
As Lord Chaitanya continued His journey, He arrived in a village called Chaturbhog. The governor of this village, Ramchandra Kant, was a wealthy man who enjoyed his riches for self-gratification, but at the same time, he was a sincere devotee of the Lord. When the Lord sees a person with a sincere heart, He helps that person overcome material attachments.
When Ramchandra Kant saw Lord Chaitanya, he immediately offered his respectful obeisance at His lotus feet. Meanwhile, Lord Chaitanya was overwhelmed with the desire to see Lord Jagannath in Puri. He was weeping and crying, saying, “Oh Jagannath, when will that moment be mine when I surrender my life to You and see Your beautiful form?”
In the mood of a humble servant, Ramchandra Kant asked, “My Lord, can I help you in any way?” Lord Chaitanya responded, “Who are you?” Typically, when someone in a high position is asked this, they boast about their achievements, education, and wealth. But Ramchandra Kant, despite being a powerful governor, replied humbly, “My Lord, I am a very fallen soul. I am the servant of Your servants.” This is our true and eternal identity—the servant of the servant of the Lord.
Pleased with his humility, the Lord then asked, “How can I serve You?” Lord Chaitanya expressed His desire to go to Jagannath Puri. Ramchandra Kant replied, “I will help you, but it is very difficult. The roads are filled with enemies, armies, and traps. The king has placed soldiers with spears and tridents throughout the roads. Anyone traveling these roads is taxed, arrested, imprisoned, beaten, exploited, and robbed. It is very dangerous, but I am willing to risk my life to guide You through a secret passageway that will safely take You to Puri.”
Ramchandra Kant then quietly escorted the Lord, risking his life for His service. They arrived at a place where they needed to cross the River Ganges. Ramchandra Kant said, “Once you cross this Ganges, you will be in a safe area, but it is still a long way.” He placed Lord Chaitanya on a boat, and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in reciprocation for his willingness to risk everything in the Lord’s service, embraced him. By that embrace, Ramchandra Kant was freed from all material attachments and became completely perfect in the love of God—the ultimate liberation.
Lesson: This story exemplifies the value of humility and the rewards of serving the Lord selflessly, even at great personal risk. It shows that true liberation and detachment from material life are achieved through pleasing the Lord and serving Him with a pure heart.
Prayer: “O Lord Chaitanya, please help me to serve You with humility and selflessness. May I always be willing to risk everything to please You, and in doing so, may I be freed from all material attachments.”
Never Leave the Holy Names in Any Situation in Life
When they boarded the ferry, Lord Chaitanya instructed Mukunda to start kirtan. Mukunda began chanting the holy names of the Lord:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
However, the boatman became very disturbed and said, “Stop chanting! Do not chant!” Mukunda stopped chanting, and the boatman explained, “On the banks of this river, there are man-eating tigers. If we disturb them or wake them, they will come and eat us. In the water, there are man-eating crocodiles all around. If we attract their attention, they will come and devour us. Not only that, but the jungle is full of thieves and dacoits. If we alert them in any way, they will rob us, beat us, and definitely kill us. So when we are on the boat, we must remain absolutely silent.”
The devotees fell silent, but then Lord Chaitanya said, “Wherever My devotees sincerely follow My order by chanting the holy names of Krishna, the Sudarshan Chakra of the Lord is there in front of them, above them, and on both sides to protect them. You must have faith in this. Chant the holy names loudly.”
Mukunda and all the devotees, emboldened by the Lord’s instruction, began chanting loudly:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
