Just as a river naturally flows towards the ocean, so does our heart in its pure state flow towards Krishna. But just as the river’s natural flow can be blocked and diverted by a dam, so is the heart’s natural flow blocked by the dam of anarthas, worldly cravings that divert our heart towards matter.

We can’t break this dam on our own. Our resolutions for self-mastery may create a few dents, but our subsequent relapses into sensual indulgence not only seal the dents but also reinforce the dam.

Thankfully, what we can’t do, Krishna can easily do. And he wants to do it, for he loves us and want us to be eternally, spiritually happy. Through the process of bhakti-yoga, he offers us access to his omnipotence. Due to this omnipotence, our practice of bhakti-yoga enables our heart to break through the dam and flow towards Krishna, thereby giving us glimpses of sublime spiritual happiness.

Unfortunately, despite our experiences of the sweetness of bhakti and the emptiness of sensuality, we continue to mistake the anarthas to be our friends – we believe that they will make good their promises to make us happy if we just indulge in them longer and better. Due to this mistaken faith, though we externally give up sensual indulgences, we still entertain those desires privately and indulge in them occasionally. And so our practice of bhakti-yoga remains half-hearted and we find our spiritual progress stonewalled by our anarthas.

The only way ahead is surrender, as the Bhagavad-gita (07.14) urges. By choosing to believe that Krishna is our greatest benefactor, we get out of his way. Then his omnipotence, being unleashed by our wholehearted practice of bhakti, causes the dam of the anarthas to crumble – and our heart flows forcefully towards him.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 07 Text 14

"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it."