Suppose someone is lost in an ocean and is being tossed around by the waves. If they are fortunate enough to find an anchor that they can hold on to, they can avoid being thrown here and there by the waves. 

Spiritual wisdom-traditions often compare the material world to a vast ocean, wherein we are buffeted by waves of worldly passions. Fortunately, we have access to the supremely steady anchor, Krishna. If we can hold on to him through our bhakti-yoga practices, we can avoid getting hurled here and there by worldly temptations. 

Unfortunately though, sometimes these waves may be so strong that they rip us away from Krishna. Does that mean we are lost once again in the ocean of material existence? Not necessarily; because Krishna is a unique anchor: he is not just unshakeable, but also unlimited. He extends throughout the ocean and is available for us to grasp onto whichever part of the ocean we may be hurled into. That is, even if we are impelled by worldly forces to do something reproachable or even reprehensible, we can still take shelter of Krishna. Even if our subsequent sordid situation makes some bhakti-yoga practices seem impossible for us, we can nonetheless focus on those practices that remain possible for us

When we thus catch hold once again of the Krishna anchor, we can both protect ourselves from being further swept away into misdeeds and resume our journey toward redemption. Underscoring this universal accessibility of Krishna, the Bhagavad-gita (14.26) assures us that we can overcome the disruptive influence of worldly forces if we practice bhakti-yoga resolutely. 

One-sentence summary: 

Krishna is the anchor that extends throughout the ocean — thus, he makes it possible for us to hold on to him no matter how far into wrongdoing we are thrown by the waves of worldly temptations. 

Think it over:

  • How is Krishna like an anchor?
  • How is the Krishna anchor unique?
  • What happens when we catch hold of the Krishna anchor once again? 

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14.26: One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.

To know more about this verse, please click on the image