176. From Friend to Paramatma

Different belief systems describe Paramatma with different names and in different ways. Depending on our belief system, the appearance of Paramatma differs and if He appears before us in a different form, it would be impossible to recognize Him.

Similarly, Arjuna was treating Krishna like a friend for decades. He couldn’t recognise that Krishna is Paramatma till he saw His Vishwaroop. He profoundly apologises and says that “Thinking of You as my friend, I presumptuously addressed You as, ‘O Krishna’, ‘O Yadav’, ‘O my dear Friend’. I was ignorant of Your Majesty, showing negligence and undue affection. And if, jestfully, I treated you with disrespect or insulted you, while playing, resting, sitting, eating, when alone, or before others - for all that I crave forgiveness” (11.41-11.42).

Like Arjuna, the same would happen to any of us when we reach that eternal state of surrender. We would realise that everyone around us is a part of Paramatma. In other words, every person, animal or tree would become Paramatma. Our earlier behaviour with them would appear awful and the only option would be to seek forgiveness like Arjuna is seeking. All cultures preach forgiveness, gratitude and prostration to attain this eternal state of freedom.

In the eleventh chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam, there is a long conversation between Krishna and his childhood friend Udhav. At the end of the conversation, Udhav asked for a very simple path toward salvation. Krishna suggests that one should prostrate to a thief, a donkey, or even an enemy with the same reverence with which one prostrates to Him. This path is very simple to understand but very tough to inculcate. This is nothing but ‘realising all beings in the self; self in all beings and see Him everywhere’ (6.29 & 6.30) which can be easily achieved by dropping hatred (5.3) by inculcating the divine quality of forgiveness (16.3).