From a discourse with Pt. Gyandeo Persad, Spiritual Leader, SWAHA Sukh Shanti Bhakti Mandali
In the Bhagwad Gita, (Chapter 10, verse 12), in his invocation to Shree Krishna, Arjuna says, “Oh Lord, you are the Supreme Divinity, the Supreme Divine Personality, Supreme Purifier, the Eternal God, the Primal Being, the Unborn; the greatest sages like Narad, Asit, Devala and Vyaasa proclaim this. O Lord, we pray to you.”
Always Remember Him
In the Bhagwad Gita, Shree Krishna revealed many pearls of wisdom. Let us consider some that we should practise, such as Chapter 9, verse 14, where he urges that we should always sing His glories and praises and remember Him.
He states, “Constantly chanting My names and glories and striving for My realisation, and bowing again and again to Me, those devotees of firm resolve, ever united with Me through meditation, worship Me with single-minded devotion.”
Worship Him and Reach Him
In Chapter 9, verses 23-25, he says, “Those devotees who, endowed with faith, worship other gods (with some interested motive), worship Me alone, though, with a mistaken approach. For I am the enjoyer and the Lord of all sacrifices, but they do not know Me in reality as the Supreme Deity. They fall again to earth and live again and again. Those who worship the gods, will go to the gods; those who are votaries of the mane, reach the mane; those who adore spirits, reach the spirits and those who worship Me, come to Me alone. This is why my devotees are no longer subject to birth and death.”
We are all worshipping God in our own way, whatever our religion. Shree Krishna says that when we have the right knowledge, we will understand that He is the manifestation of the Supreme Purusha, the Supreme Divinity. Then, we will not be subjected to rebirth. By worshipping other deities, devotees’ desires are fulfilled, and they are reborn according to their karmas. However, for those who worship Shree Krishna and also consider Him as their Supreme Deity, there is no need for rebirth. In this cycle of samsaara (worldly existence), we are reborn to reap the fruit of our past karmas. If we wish to be liberated from this cycle of birth and death, then we must worship Bhagwan Shree Krishna.
Forms of Worship
How do we worship Shree Krishna? He says that there are many paths that lead ultimately to Him, including those who worship only through kirtan and bhajan (devotional singing). This, He says, is the simplest path in the quest for God, the path of bhakti (devotion).
“There is none other than You, the Supreme Lord of the universe,” Arjuna says to Shree Krishna. We know that there is nothing else but Him so we must sing kirtan and listen to the glories of Shree Krishna. We must dedicate our lives to Him, accept Him and practise worshipping Him. When there are difficulties in life, we must turn to the Supreme Lord. He will lead us to the path of liberation, and we will attain the Supreme Divinity. While there is life and breath, we must pray to that Supreme Lord.
