The Bhagavad-gita 9.29 asserts that Krishna is equal to all; there is no one that he favors or disfavors. This assurance of Krishna’s equality can help us not feel discouraged when we struggle to connect with him through our meditation. When we call out to Krishna, we may wonder, “Why is it that I feel not the slightest drop of divine emotion? Will I never come close to the level of the saints who relish a torrential flood of divine emotion?”

Comparing our experience with that of the saints is meant to lead us not to discouragement, but to encouragement. Rather than thinking there is something so intrinsically wrong with us that it will keep us forever devotionally deprived, we can instead think of the ecstasies of the saints in the light of the truth of Krishna’s equality: “This is the gift Krishna wants to give me. This is the gift he wants me to become ready to receive from him. This is the gift he wants to help me become ready to receive.”

The truth of our spiritual journey is not that we have to struggle through an exhausting marathon over an almost infinite distance until we reach the place where Krishna will give us his mercy. The truth is that Krishna is here with us right now as we take the smallest of steps in that journey. He will be with us through every step we take, and he will remain with us even through every step we fail to take, even through every backward step we may take. When our strength falters, he will give us strength. When we fall, he will help us rise. When we can no longer lift ourselves up, he will lift us up. He has done this for countless souls before us, and he will do it for countless souls after us. Why will he not do it for us? 

He will. We just need to show him that we want him more than anything else, that we are ready to do what we can to reach him even when he seems to be out of our reach, that we will keep our faith in his equality in bestowing mercy rather than in our track record of our inability to receive that mercy. Let’s show him that we want him by doing what we can to focus our mind and heart on him right now. 

Summary: 

  • When we compare the flood of divine emotion that great souls relish with the less-than-a-drop of divine emotion we struggle to feel, let’s not be discouraged, thinking something is intrinsically wrong with us. 
  • Rather, let us be encouraged, knowing that Krishna is equal — what he has done for them, he will do for us. 
  • Let’s just show him that we want him to do it for us by doing what we can to remember him right now. 

Think it over: 

  • During our moments of devotional discouragement, how can the knowledge of Krishna’s equality reassure us? 
  • When we feel that we are far away from Krishna, how can we change our thoughts? 
  • What can we do to show Krishna that we want to be with him?

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9.29 I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.