A Friend in Need

In the Face of Denial

Fire in the Forest A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Everyone is suffering. But one who knows that he is suffering, he is intelligent. Everyone is suffering. If you are not suffering, why you have covered? Why you have covered? Because you are suffering, is it not? Why you are not naked body? Because we are suffering, therefore we have covered. It is a fact. And if somebody says, "No, we are not suffering," then he's a madman. So everyone is suffering. One who knows it, he is intelligent man. That's all. more

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The Lord is described here by the word viviktadhyatma-darshanah. If anyone can completely perceive another's distress without doubt, it is the Lord Himself. If someone is in distress and wants to get relief from his friend, sometimes it so happens that his friend does not appreciate the volume of distress he is suffering. But for the Supreme Lord it is not difficult. The Supreme Lord, as Paramatma, is sitting within the heart of every living entity, and He directly perceives the exact causes of distress. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, sarvasya chaham hridi sannivishtah: [Bg. 15.15] "I am sitting in everyone's heart, and because of Me one's remembrance and forgetfulness occur." Thus whenever one fully surrenders unto the Supreme Lord, one finds that He is sitting within one's heart. He can give us direction how to get out of dangers or how to approach Him in devotional service.

Violence begets violence
excerpt from purport, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 13.8-12

Nonviolence is generally taken to mean not killing or destroying the body, but actually nonviolence means not to put others into distress. People in general are trapped by ignorance in the material concept of life, and they perpetually suffer material pains. So, unless one elevates people to spiritual knowledge, one is practicing violence. One should try his best to distribute real knowledge to the people, so that they may become enlightened and leave this material entanglement. That is nonviolence.

Don't forget your best friend and ever well-wisher

excerpt from purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.25

In Bhagavad-gita (5.29) Lord Krishna says:

bhoktaram yajña-tapasamsarva-loka-maheshvaramsuhridam sarva-bhutanamjñatva mam shantim ricchati

A person can be in full Krishna consciousness and become happy and satisfied if he knows but three things—namely, that the Supreme Lord Krishna is the enjoyer of all benefits, that He is the proprietor of everything, and that He is the supreme friend of all living entities. If one does not know this and functions instead under the bodily conception, he is always harassed by the tribulations offered by material nature. In actuality, the Supreme Lord is sitting by the side of everyone. Ishvarah sarva-bhutanam hrid-deshe 'rjuna tishthati (Bhagavad-gita 18.61). The living entity and the Supersoul are sitting side by side in the same tree, but despite being harassed by the laws of material nature, the foolish living entity does not turn toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead for protection. However, he thinks that he is able to protect himself from the stringent laws of material nature. This, however, is not possible. The living entity must turn toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrender unto Him. Only then will he be saved from the onslaught of the powerful Yavana, or Yamaraja.

The word sakhayam ("friend") is very significant in this verse because God is eternally present beside the living entity. The Supreme Lord is also described as suhrdam ("ever well-wisher"). The Supreme Lord is always a well-wisher, just like a father or mother. Despite all the offenses of a son, the father and mother are always the son's well-wisher. Similarly, despite all our offenses and defiance of the desires of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord will give us immediate relief from all the hardships offered by material nature if we simply surrender unto Him, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]). Unfortunately, due to our bad association and great attachment for sense gratification, we do not remember our best friend, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.