To let the nourishing water of truth irrigate the heart, break the dam of misconception

Devotee-seekers sometimes get the question: “If Krishna is all-attractive, then why is everyone not attracted to him?”

Because they do not wish to be attracted to him; they want to enjoy things other than him. Krishna respects the free will of all living beings, so he doesn’t forcibly thrust himself into their consciousness.

“Ok, but I want to be attracted to him, yet I don’t feel attracted. Why?”

Because our many misconceptions comprise a dam that blocks the nectar-river of his all-attractive glories from irrigating our heart with spontaneous attraction.

These misconceptions are not just intellectual misjudgments, but also emotional misdirections.  The Bhagavad-gita (04.10) specifies three principal misconceptions:

  1. Raga (Attachment to worldly things): It preoccupies our heart with dreams of finding attractive things in this world, thereby blinding us to the supreme otherworldly object of love.
  2. Bhaya (Fear of transcendental personality and relationships): Due to disappointing or even heartbreaking experiences with worldly objects of love, we may think of the other-worldly realm as devoid of those objects, thereby precluding the possibility of transcendental love.
  3. Krodha (Anger caused by inability to determine the truth): Different contradictory philosophies may make us cynical about the very possibility of knowing transcendental truths, thereby making love for the supreme transcendental truth impossible.

By associating with advanced devotees who have redirected their love to Krishna, we can get heart-transforming insights into the reality, intensity and purity of that love. Those experiences inspire us to take the leap of faith and choose to offer our love to him. Such conscious and determined practice of devotional service gradually breaks the dam of misconception. As our devotional disposition lets Krishna’s glory, beauty and love fill and flood our heart, he eventually captivates us and ultimately elevates us to his eternal world of love.

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 04 Text 10