Remembering Krishna is not like locking him into our memory bank

When we try to remember something, we often imagine it as locking that fact or figure firmly into our memory so it will always remain accessible. While this model works functionally in most cases, it has limitations—even things we think are firmly stored may occasionally elude us.

Applying this metaphor of memory as a bank to remembering Krishna may not just fail but could even backfire. Krishna is not an object that neatly fits into our memory bank. He is the supreme reality, far greater than anything else we remember. Remembering Krishna is not about fixing him in our minds but about taking shelter in him, as the Bhagavad Gita (18.62) emphasizes.

The shift from fixing to sheltering

Initially, we might try to remember Krishna in the same way we remember worldly objects—repeating his names, hearing about his glories, and meditating on his form. While these practices are essential, they should lead us to realize that Krishna is not merely another object of thought. He is the basis of all existence, including our ability to remember.

True remembrance of Krishna involves seeking ways for our memory to rely on him as the ultimate shelter. This means recognizing him as the source of everything we do and developing a prayerful attitude that keeps us connected to him. Prayer enables us to move beyond viewing Krishna as an object of remembrance and realize his position as the supreme shelter and source of everything, including our memory.

Summary:

We often use the metaphor of memory as a bank, locking things into our mind to access them later.

This metaphor fails with Krishna because he is not like other objects of thought; he is the supreme shelter.

Remembering Krishna requires not just effort but prayer, which helps us recognize that he is the source of everything, even our ability to remember him.

Think it over:

What metaphor do we often use implicitly to remember things?

What is wrong with applying that metaphor to Krishna?

Recollect times when you struggled to remember Krishna, and think of how adding prayerfulness could have helped you better connect with him.

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04.10 Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me – and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.