Approaching Krsna, the All-Pervading Truth 17

engaged for this purpose—for understanding the Absolute Truth.”” Then
how will my economic problem be solved? The answer is that the happi-
ness one desires from economic development will come automatically in
due course of time. Tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah (Bhdg. 1.5.18). We
are looking for happiness. Are you looking for distress? ‘‘No, sir.’’ Then
why does distress come upon you? If you are not eager for calamities and
distress, why do they come upon you? According to our karma, our life
holds some portion of happiness and some portion of distress. Therefore,
if distress comes without invitation, happiness will also come without
invitation.

We are already destined to have a certain amount of happiness and a
certain amount of distress, and we cannot change that. The change we
should make, therefore, is to get free from this material condition of life.
That should be our only business. According to our karma, we are some-
times taking birth in a higher planetary system as demigods and some-
times taking birth as cats and dogs or as germs in stool. Therefore
Caitanya Mahaprabhu said:

ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

“According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout
the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper plan-
etary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems.
Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortu-
nate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by
the grace of Krsna. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master,
such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.”’
(Cc. Madhya 19.151) Only a fortunate living entity gets the opportunity
to associate with Krsna and Krsna’s devotee, and in this way he gets the
seed of devotional service, the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, and
then his life becomes sublime.

Kuntidevi, therefore, is pointing our attention toward Krsna, the
Supreme Person, who is alaksya, invisible to all. Who is that invisible
person? Here—Krsna. ‘‘Oh, Krsna,”’ one may say. ‘“‘There are so many
Krsnas.’” Therefore Kuntidevi says, ‘‘I am offering my prayers to
Vasudeva, the son of Vasudeva.’’ ‘“There are many Vasudevas.”’ ‘‘No.
Nanda-gopa-kumaraya: I am praying to the foster son of Maharaja
Nanda.” In this way, three times she points out, ‘‘Here is Krsna.””

Krsna officially takes birth as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva, but in
