Making Friendship with Kṛṣṇa through Devotional Service
Making friendship with Kṛṣṇa through devotional service means cultivating a personal relationship with Him through hearing, remembering, worshiping, serving, and surrendering. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains both the practice of making friendship and the intimate relationship exemplified by devotees such as Arjuna. In Bhagavad-gītā 5.29, Kṛṣṇa teaches that knowing Him as the supreme Lord, the beneficiary of sacrifices, and the well-wisher of all living beings brings peace. Recognizing this position gives friendship with Him a foundation in devotion, gratitude, and willingness to serve.
Teachings Overview
Friendship with Kṛṣṇa has a place both in devotional practice and among the primary personal relationships with the Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda connects it with practical service, obedience to Kṛṣṇa’s instructions, and dedication of one’s life to Him. Arjuna demonstrates its spiritual perfection, while instructions about offerings and household life show its practical relevance.
Key Teachings
- Recognize Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord while cultivating a personal relationship with Him.
- Include making friendship within a life of hearing, chanting, remembering, serving, and surrendering.
- Learn from Arjuna’s willingness to act for Kṛṣṇa’s satisfaction.
- Offer service in one’s present circumstances and seek peace in friendship with Kṛṣṇa.
Friendship Among the Personal Relationships with Kṛṣṇa
Friendship is one of the personal relationships in which devotees exchange affection with Kṛṣṇa. The teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda place this relationship among the five primary devotional relationships and describe the exalted position of the cowherd boys. Their intimacy belongs to spiritual devotion and should be understood with recognition of Kṛṣṇa’s divine nature.
"According to the divisions and gradations of devotees, permanent devotional situations can be divided into 5 categories: (1) peacefulness, (2) service to Krsna, (3) friendship with Krsna, (4) parental affection toward Krsna, and (5) conjugal love for Krsna."
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes friendship among the five enduring devotional relationships with Kṛṣṇa.
"Adoration, servitorship, friendship, parental affection and conjugal love are the five primary relationships with Krsna."
Śrīla Prabhupāda identifies friendship as one of the primary relationships with Kṛṣṇa.
"This then is the method of Krsna consciousness which allows one to make friends with Krsna. We can enter into any number of relationships with Krsna."
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa consciousness opens the way to personal relationships with Him.
"Those who are under the clutches of maya, thinking the Lord an ordinary person, cannot understand that certain exalted personalities - after accumulating volumes of pious activities - are now playing with the Lord in friendship as cowherd boys."
Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals the exalted position of Kṛṣṇa’s friends among the cowherd boys.
Developing Friendship Through Devotional Service
Making friendship with Kṛṣṇa is also counted among the practices of devotional service. In Śrīla Prabhupāda’s explanations, friendship accompanies hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, serving, and surrendering. This practical cultivation of devotion gives friendship expression through carrying out the Lord’s instructions and dedicating one’s life to Him.
"Prahlada, while instructing his childhood friends at school, stated that hearing of the Lord, chanting, remembering, worshiping, praying, serving, making friends with Krsna, and offering everything to Him constituted the highest spiritual knowledge."
Śrīla Prabhupāda presents Prahlāda’s teaching on friendship within the practices of devotion.
"The nine kinds of devotional service are hearing, chanting, remembering Krsna, offering service to Krsna’s lotus feet, offering worship in the temple, offering prayers, working as a servant, making friendship with Krsna and surrendering to Krsna."
Śrīla Prabhupāda lists making friendship among the nine forms of devotional service.
"Take to this Krsna consciousness service by hearing, by speaking, by remembering, by giving actually service, by worshiping, by making friendship, and after all, everything for Krsna. That is perfection."
Śrīla Prabhupāda encourages devotional activities directed toward doing everything for Kṛṣṇa.
"The different parts of the bhakti-yoga system are accepting service to Him, carrying out His orders, making friendship with Him and ultimately surrendering everything for the service of the Lord."
Śrīla Prabhupāda connects friendship with following the Lord’s orders and surrendering in service.
"The process of devotional service entails always considering oneself the eternal servant of Krsna, making friends with Him and dedicating everything unto Him."
Śrīla Prabhupāda joins friendship with eternal service and complete dedication to Kṛṣṇa.
Arjuna’s Example of Friendship and Spiritual Perfection
Arjuna illustrates friendship with Kṛṣṇa through both personal intimacy and willingness to serve. The accounts explained by Śrīla Prabhupāda connect his friendship with overcoming ignorance and attaining spiritual perfection. His transformation shows how familiar activities can acquire a devotional purpose when undertaken for the Lord.
"Sri Arjuna is one of the typical pure devotees of the Lord reciprocating in the fraternal relationship, and the Lord's dealings with Arjuna are displays of friendship of the highest perfect order."
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes the Lord’s dealings with Arjuna as perfect spiritual friendship.
"Arjuna is referred to as Gudakesa (in BG 1.24). Gudaka means sleep, and one who conquers sleep is called gudakesa. Sleep also means ignorance. So Arjuna conquered both sleep and ignorance because of his friendship with Krsna."
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains how Arjuna’s friendship with Kṛṣṇa enabled him to overcome ignorance.
"For his doing so (Arjuna changing his decision to serve Krsna) so, he became a famous devotee of the Lord, for it is declared in all the scriptures that Arjuna attained spiritual perfection by devotional service to the Lord in friendship."
Śrīla Prabhupāda identifies Arjuna’s service in friendship as the means of his spiritual perfection.
"The fighting was there, the friendship was there, Arjuna was there, and Krsna was there, but Arjuna became a different person by devotional service. Therefore, the prayers of Kunti also indicate the same categorical changes in activities."
Making Friendship with Kṛṣṇa in Everyday Life
Friendship with Kṛṣṇa can be cultivated through offerings and a sincere desire to please Him. The guidance of Śrīla Prabhupāda extends this opportunity to householders as well as renunciants and connects it with peace and trust in the Lord’s protection. The central consideration is one’s dedication to Kṛṣṇa rather than one’s external situation.
"An offering would make Krsna very glad. If He eats what we offer, our life will be successful, for we will actually make friends with Krsna."
Śrīla Prabhupāda connects offerings accepted by Kṛṣṇa with friendship and a successful life.
"Krsna also wants somebody friendly. It doesn't matter whether he is a sannyasi or grhastha. So any grhastha, whose only aim is how to keep friendship with Krsna, he is also mahat, mahatma."
"We are searching for a friend to give us peace and tranquillity. That friend is Krsna, God. Just make friendship with Him; you'll find everyone to be your friend."
Śrīla Prabhupāda encourages friendship with Kṛṣṇa as the basis of peace and tranquillity.
"You make friendship with Krsna. And because He's the proprietor, He'll protect you. These are the three points. Is that clear? Or you have got any question, you can question. Let it be clear. This is very intelligent question."
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I begin making friendship with Kṛṣṇa?
Cultivate devotional service through hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, and serving, with making friendship and surrender included in that practice.
Can I cultivate friendship with Kṛṣṇa while living as a householder?
Yes. A householder whose aim is to maintain friendship with Kṛṣṇa can be a great devotee.
Can offering food to Kṛṣṇa help develop a personal relationship with Him?
Yes. An offering accepted by Kṛṣṇa is directly connected with pleasing Him and making friendship with Him.
Does making friendship with Kṛṣṇa include following His instructions?
Yes. Friendship is joined with carrying out the Lord’s orders and dedicating oneself to His service.
What can I learn from Arjuna about friendship with Kṛṣṇa?
Arjuna’s example shows that friendship reaches spiritual perfection through devotional service and willingness to serve the Lord.
How is friendship with Kṛṣṇa connected with peace?
Śrīla Prabhupāda directs the search for peace and tranquillity toward making friendship with Kṛṣṇa.
Conclusion
Making friendship with Kṛṣṇa gives personal meaning to devotional service. The teachings of Śrīla Prabhupāda connect this friendship with attentive hearing, sincere offerings, remembrance, obedience, and dedication. Arjuna’s example shows its fulfillment in acting for Kṛṣṇa, while the invitation to householders makes clear that one’s present circumstances can become an opportunity for service. By cultivating devotion and recognizing Kṛṣṇa as the supreme well-wisher, one can direct life toward a loving relationship with Him.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Making Friendship with Kṛṣṇa. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.