Krishna is one of the most widely revered and popular gods in Hinduism. He is known by many names, including Govinda, Mukunda, Madhusudhana and Vasudeva. Krishna is often depicted as a young cowherd boy playing the flute, or as a youthful prince giving philosophical guidance. He is the speaker of the Bhagavad Gita, a key Hindu scripture.
Devotion to Krishna is centered around the desire for spiritual connection and bliss. Krishna devotees strive to develop a deep, loving relationship with him. A key aspect of Krishna bhakti (devotion) is the belief that he personally reciprocates devotional sentiments and approaches devotees according to their mindset. An eternal companion, comforter and protector, Krishna is seen as someone who understands and guides. For this reason, many Krishna bhaktas (devotees) pray to him to fulfill their wishes and bless them in various ways.
How is Krishna perceived as a wish-fulfilling deity?
There are different perspectives on Krishna’s role in fulfilling wishes:
– For some, Krishna is seen as the Supreme Being, the source of all manifestations and capable of granting any desire. His divine powers allow him to alter reality to bless devotees. However, he fulfills wishes according to his wisdom and timing, not necessarily instantly.
– Others see Krishna as a personalized deity who reciprocates devotional moods. Through his all-attractive nature and affection for devotees, Krishna agrees to fulfill their wishes just to please them, even if those desires are material or egoistic.
– Another view is that Krishna guides devotees to transcend selfish desires for sense gratification. By worshipping Krishna, devotees understand that their real wish should be for pure love of God rather than temporary enjoyments. Krishna helps devotees realize this wish.
– Some think Krishna does not directly fulfill wishes himself, but engages his energies or deputed gods to satisfy devotees’ desires if they are aligned with dharma (duty) and spiritual welfare. Prayers to Krishna are really to the Absolute Truth within Krishna.
So in summary, Krishna is seen as wish-fulfilling due to his divine position, love for devotees, and ability to inspire the right desires. However, perspectives differ on how he grants wishes.
What kinds of wishes do devotees make to Krishna?
Devotees approach Krishna with a wide range of wishes, from basic material requests to profound spiritual yearnings:
– Help with practical problems related to health, relationships, finances and other mundane but important matters.
– Relief from suffering and difficulties caused by circumstances or karma (past actions).
– Guidance in making wise decisions and progressing positively in career, relationships, etc.
– Blessings for family such as the birth of a child, marriage of a daughter, or well-being of loved ones.
– Success in competitive pursuits like exams, job applications, business deals, elections and performances.
– Improvement in skills and talents like musical abilities, athletic performance, artistic talent.
– Spiritual wishes like detachment from worldliness, pure love for God, divine grace and the ability to inspire others spiritually.
– Intimate requests like wanting Krishna’s direct presence and visions of his divine form.
– Selfless wishes like world peace, relief for the suffering of others and the upliftment of society.
So in essence, Krishna devotees approach him for both worldly matters and spiritual growth, relying on his compassion and grace.
What kind of attitude do devotees have when asking Krishna to fulfill wishes?
When making requests to Krishna, devotees exhibit a range of attitudes:
– A loving, childlike longing for his care and grace. They make wishes in a close, intimate mood, like a child approaching a caring parent.
– Cautious humility, acknowledging their unworthiness for Krishna’s favor due to human imperfections and limitations.
– An attitude of total surrender, giving up ego and desire. They pray for Krishna to bless them however he knows best.
– Deep gratitude, thinking of Krishna as the ultimate giver and maintainer. Devotees offer thanks in advance for his arranging what’s best for them.
– Firm faith that he hears their prayers and will surely respond at the right time and in the best way.
– Hopefulness combined with patience. Devotees pray optimistically but don’t demand instant results.
– A commercial attitude where favors are requested along with a promise of offerings or service to Krishna in return.
– A nirguna mindset focused on worshipping Krishna’s universal aspect beyond human traits. Wishes are made to the Divine within Krishna.
– Viewing Krishna as a friend or lover, wishing to please him with love-filled requests rather than demanding results.
So in different ways, devotees convey humility, faith, patience and submission when approaching Krishna, seeing him as all-compassionate and all-powerful.
How does Krishna respond to devotional wishes?
Scriptural accounts describe that Krishna may respond to devotional wishes in diverse ways:
– He directly fulfills them, orchestrating events miraculously. For example, saving Draupadi from disrobing by making her sari endless.
– He blesses devotees in a disguised or unexpected manner. He granted Kunti’s wish for Krishna to remain with the Pandavas by creating misunderstanding between him and the Kauravas.
– Krishna neutralizes negative circumstances or teachings causing distress to devotees, as he did by lifting Govardhana hill to stop Indra’s torrents.
– To encourage surrender, Krishna may initially seem not to reciprocate, testing devotees’ patience and conviction. But he fulfills desires at the right time.
– He removes material hankerings and gives devotees their ultimate spiritual wish, even if they initially prayed for something mundane.
– Krishna declines trivial or egoistic wishes that bind devotees to illusion. But grants wisdom and higher perception to help them overcome materialism.
– When devotees pray selflessly for others, Krishna finds ways to engage them in uplifting them, rather than just granting mundane rewards.
– For intimate devotees totally immersed in love for him, Krishna fulfills their innermost longings in wonderful ways beyond their expectations.
So in summary, Krishna responds graciously to sincere devotees – sometimes in straightforward ways and sometimes indirectly for their ultimate benefit. But he may defer or transform egotistical desires.
Krishna’s teachings on managing desires
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna gives profound teachings about dealing with desires that help explain his approach to fulfilling wishes:
– He counsels to avoid anxiously desiring specific results, but to accept what comes as his grace. Being equanimous avoids disappointment.
– Krishna advocates doing one’s natural duty without attachment to fruits of actions. Expecting certain rewards binds one to the material plane when reactions play out.
– He distinguishes between human wants for sense gratification and needs for sustenance. Wants perpetuate the cycle of karma. Needs can be accepted in moderation.
– Krishna explains how sense objects promote desires endlessly in a futile cycle. Controlling senses is key to managing desires without repression.
– Giving up egoistic desire and offering all actions to the Supreme is a path to freedom. Selfless service cultivates insight on true spiritual wishes.
– The highest wisdom is to sublimate mundane desires into the singular desire for absolute, eternal union with God. This desire for pure devotion frees one entirely from material hankerings.
So in essence, Krishna encourages managing desires skillfully as a way to attain peace of mind and spiritual evolution. He does not recommend suppressing wants, but rising above them through understanding.
Stories of Krishna fulfilling devotees’ wishes
Krishna has different loving relationships with various devotees and reciprocates accordingly. Here are some stories of him fulfilling their wishes:
– Childhood friend Sudama wished for relief from poverty. Krishna blessed him with riches when he offered Krishna humble rice flakes with love.
– Gopis of Vrindavan longed intensely for Krishna’s company. He fulfills their longing by manifesting the divine rasa dance.
– Draupadi wished for a husband to protect her. Krishna arranged her marriage to the mighty Pandavas.
– Hunchbacked Kubja yearned for Krishna’s company. He straightened her back and fulfilled her desire for his association.
– Dhruva performed austerities for Lord Vishnu’s darshan. Pleased, Krishna appeared and blessed him with a boon.
– Bhakt Prahlada tolerated much suffering but wished always to be immersed in Krishna’s devotion. Krishna stayed in his heart eternally.
– Bhakt Dhruva had desires for vengeance. Under Krishna’s guidance, he transcended these negative feelings completely.
– The sage Narada Muni traveled widely promoting Krishna’s glories, fulfilling his wish always to serve and glorify Krishna.
These examples illustrate how Krishna reciprocates personally based on the devotee’s temperament and mindset, granting both material and spiritual wishes to expand loving service to him.
Teachings to balance desire and detachment
Krishna does not recommend suppressing natural desires completely, but balancing them with detachment and higher wisdom. Some key teachings on this are:
– Use discrimination to nurture desires that aid spiritual life and minimize harmful ones entangling you to illusion.
– Direct even material ambitions to serving divine purposes. For example, desiring wealth to help the needy.
– Try to convert selfish wishes to selfless ones aligned with dharma and helping others.
– Accept ups and downs of life with equanimity as Krishna’s grace meant for your upliftment.
– Remain even-minded amidst success and failure in fulfilling desires. Stay rooted in faith in Krishna’s compassion.
– Be ready to renounce the results of action for Krishna. This reduces obsession over personal desires.
– View all people and objects of this world as Krishna’s energies. This lessens worldly attachments.
– Regular spiritual practices like chanting, study, devotional service and worship help internalize these teachings.
Thus Krishna recommends a very practical middle path, fulfilling natural desires without obsession for specific results and offering everything to him.
Conclusion
For Krishna devotees, Krishna is seen as the ultimate well-wisher who lovingly guides them in their spiritual evolution. Out of compassion, he responds to their heartfelt prayers in whatever way uplifts their consciousness. While Krishna fulfills desires in consideration of individuals’ natures, levels of detachment and stages on the path, he nudges them towards transcendence of selfish demands. Sincere spiritual efforts bring devotees to the stage where they align their wishes with Krishna’s purposes and find real happiness in this unity of will. Their selfless loving service completes the divine loving exchange. Thus, approaching Krishna for fulfillment of desires is meant to culminate in wishing only for pure devotion and surrender to him.