Suffering Need not be Bad

Once when Krishna was on his way to Dwaraka, capital of his kingdom, he meets a devotee Kunta, who requests of him a gift of pain and suffering. But Krishna only laughs; he does not even say that such a request is not right. Let us analyse what does it mean? When a devotee prays for unhappiness, he simply means to say to God, “Even if you give me unhappiness, it would be far better than happiness coming from somewhere else”. Now there is no way left for him to move away from God. We all human are in a habit of moving away from unhappiness and chase behind the Happiness. In a way he is telling God that he would not ask for happiness, because whatever God gives is happiness. This devotee is kidding God, because he knows that the God, the omnipotent nevertheless is incapable of inflicting pain on his lovers, the devotees.

The other reason is psychological. Happiness is in most of us is transient. But the suffering is lasting. And in many circumstances happiness is not only fleeting but also shallow, lacks depth. Suffering has great depth. There is depth in the people who go through suffering. Their eye, look and the whole demeanour shows the depth. A devotee asks for something enduring, something lasting which can broaden and deepen his being. By this he is asking for all that is profound and everlasting in life.

And another factor is, there is a kind of joy even in the suffering that comes to us from the loved once. And even happiness that comes from an unloving quarter is devoid of this joy. This joy has nothing to do with the pleasure masochist have in flogging himself. This devotee Kunta talks of, the joy comes from love’s suffering, which only the true lovers know. Love’s pain is profound and to an extent of devastating that it wipes out the self. The ordinary pain leaves the Ego intact. Love is the end of Ego, which remains unaffected by the ordinary suffering. The devotee is asking for the suffering which can efface him altogether.

That is the reason Krishna laughs at Kunta’s prayer, he does not say a word. Sometimes a smile, a giggle can say more than words do. Words are not that articulate. Krishna knows that Kunta is asking something that is good and great and in a way he has put God into a corner. So the smile was sufficient until the time devotee is ready for the blessing.

Let us understand Krishna to understand Gita. Suffering is not always bad and happiness need not be a greatest thing. 

Wishing you good health and happiness!

Dr.Dwarakanath, Director, Mitran foundation- the stress management people