Consciousness while Chanting

Question to Radhanath Swami: When we chant, with what consciousness should we chant? What thing should we keep in mind while calling the Lord?

Answer by Radhanath Swami: Like a child crying for its mother we should chant the names of Krishna. We should take the shelter of Krishna who has so mercifully appeared within the name.

Forgiving our dear ones

Question to Radhanath Swami: We understand that we should forgive whatever bad things come upon us. But, in case of our close friends, generally we tend to forgive one or two times, but when it happens again then we become angry. The anger so far comes out, and plus new thing, they all come together and we just pounce upon that person. So how do we avoid such case? How tolerate in that case?

Understanding Free Will

Question to Radhanath Swami: Whatever happened, what is happening as well as what is going to be happen, everything is done by with the permission of Lord Krishna. I believe what is happening in our mind and our soul, it is happening with the permission of lord Krishna only. What is my duty then? Why to chant or dance? Is our free will not under the control of Sri Krishna?

Is there a difference between loving our children and loving God?

Question to Radhanath Swami: What is the difference between loving our children and loving Krishna, or God?

Answer by Radhanath Swami: The parent-child relationship is based on the body: the child has come from the parent’s body. So when the body dies, where will the love be? That same affection will cause pain, because it is based on the misconception – “We are these bodies.”

Should we pray for protection?

Question to Radhanath Swami: We learn that we should have faith on protection of Lord and thus we should be fearless. But we generally see that there is a practice, whenever we board a train or bus, at first we start singing Narsimha Arati or many devotees pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva for protection against impeding death. So how to interpret or support this practice?