Attract Krsna's Mercy!!!

I get a lot of amazing e-mails from a devotee in South Africa, Mother Cheron. Sometimes I don't have the time to read them, and many of them remain unopened, or half read, as I go off to study or chant my rounds or cook etc. But the heading of this e-mail 'Attract Krsna's mercy!!!" really got my attention, and not just because of the three exclamation points (although that certainly contributed!) After all, isn't that one of our important goals in Krsna Consciousness, to attract Krsna's attention and mercy? I have heard Bhakti Caitanya Swami say several times in class that when we go before the deities, it is not so that we can see Krsna, it is so that Krsna can see us, and see what we have done to increase our love and devotion for Him. In this excerpt from Kadamba Kanana Swami's class, he tells us how we can attract Krsna's mercy, and when we next stand before Krsna and Srimati Radharani, maybe Krsna will take special notice of us because we have made an extra endeavour to do things with more love and devotion.

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"We should perform our service with love but we are not able to. Is it within our reach to love Krishna? Or is it granted by Krishna? It is always granted by Krishna. It is a gift from Krishna and it depends on Krishna’s mercy. The mercy of Krishna is causeless, so Krishna may give to whomever He likes - although one can do something to attract the mercy of Krishna because Krishna has a heart. So Krishna is full of appreciation. It is said that when Draupadi was going through that experience of Dushasana trying to pull her cloth, at that time she surrendered to Krishna and she called out " He Govinda". And Krishna later said that "Whenever I remember how Draupadi just surrendered unto Me, in My heart My appreciation for her is increasing." So Krishna deeply appreciates and feels enlivened by the service of His devotee. Thus devotional service can attract Krishna. And this is what we keep in mind. We may not have love for Krishna, but devotional service to Krishna can attract the mercy of Krishna."

~ H.H Kadamba Kanana Swami

* Thank you Cheron mataji for all the nectar you send my way :)