God Helps those who help themsleves

Pankaja_Dasa · July 14, 2005

Question and Answer -Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha

Question: I have a question for our Gurudev and would like to ask you to see if Gurudev has time to answer it.Some of my old friends still drink and eat meat. I did preach to them and they did like it but it seems that theyhave difficulties to stop drinking. I do pray to Lord Krishna for His mercy for them. But do I have rightto ask the Lord Himself to help them stop doing this nonsense? I myself am fallen and have no goodqualities. I have so many defects. How is then is Lord Krishna going to listen to my prayers? How is itpossible for a fallen person to satisfy the Lord and ask Him for protection of others? How can I help my friends?I feel compassion for them and would like to see them stop eating meet and drinking alcohol. What is the bestway of helping them?

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The following is the affectionate and enlithtening reply of Srila Gurumaharaj to the letter:</font>

My dear Sree ......,

I have gone through your letter dated 14 June, 2005 addressed to Tamalkrishna Brahmachari sent by email and noted the contents.

I think it will be better to get clear understanding for the solution of your problem, by going through the conversation of Kapil Bhagavan and Devahuti in third canto, twenty-fifth chapter of Srimad Bhagavat. Kapil Bhagavan has mentioned qualities of bona fide sadhu. First He has narrated the concomitant qualities and after that original qualities of a sadhu. In mentioning about the accompanying qualities, He has said that sadhus are compassionate to the conditioned souls. They themselves are trying to remove the root cause of the miseries of conditioned souls-aversion to Sree Krishna, by persuading them to worship Supreme Lord and practically practising in their lives. But inspite of that, the conditioned souls, due to their bad impressions of previous lives imbibed by evil propensities, have got the aptitude to commit sins. The aspirant who has got the desire to remove evil propensities, should try himself to change his evil propensity. Outside sympathetic persons may help him by spiritual instructions, but he has to try for this from his own initiative. "God helps them who help themselves", "Help thyself and God will help thee"- Herbert. Sree Prahlad Maharaj tried his utmost to rectify his son Virochan by his own ideal life and teachings, but failed. By that he did not become unbalanced, because he had the knowledge that inspite of his endeavour and teachings, his son may or may not accept his advice due to influence of previous bad impressions. Supreme Lord and His Absolute Counterpart Gurudeva do not interfere into the relative independence of the conditioned souls. Supreme Lord is Omnipotent, He can do whatever He likes. But if He forcibly interferes, the person will be bereft of consciousness. If consciousness is destroyed, neither the person nor Supreme Lord will be benefited. So Supreme Lord by His personal appearance in the world and His personal associates, try to persuade the aspirant to submit to and accept the teachings of Supreme Lord willingly.

Your effort to help your friends is laudable. You should not stop your endeavour and affection for your friends but you should not be disheartened if your friends are unable to accept your teachings.

I was glad to see your son in the last videoconference. May All-Merciful Sree Sree Guru Gauranga Radha-Krishna bless you all. My love to you all.

My love to you all.

Affectionately yours,

Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha