2019 is gone. 2020 is in. Most of us are busy welcoming 2020, hoping that this year will bring unlimited happiness and will fulfill all our unfulfilled desires. We are also hoping that this year we should not be subjected to any type of miseries.  

But is it not true that last year too we had the same hope at the beginning of the year? Not just last year, in fact, every year we had hoped that our life will be free of all sufferings. But it is also true that just like a shadow, misery has always followed us. 

We always look for mental peace but somehow or other many unpleasant events start unfolding in our lives which steals away all the peace of our mind.  We want good health but surprisingly we get affected by multiple diseases.   

Scriptures explain that we are always subjected by three types of miseries:  adhidaivika-kleśa (sufferings caused by the demigods, such as droughts, earthquakes, and storms), adhibhautika-kleśa (sufferings caused by other living entities like insects or enemies), and adhyātmika-kleśa (sufferings caused by one’s own body and mind, such as mental and physical infirmities). 

We may blame our destiny or curse the higher powers for our sufferings, but the truth is that we are responsible for all the pleasant or unpleasant situations in our lives.  We suffer because of the sins we have committed in our lives – either in this life or in a previous life. 

Padma Purana says that at all the time there are four effects of the sins (1) the sinful effect which has still not fructified (2) the sinful effect which lies as seed (3) the sinful effect that is already mature and (4) the sinful effect which is almost mature.  The distress from which we are suffering now is because of those sins which are “almost mature.”  And other sins which are now lying in the seed form or have not fructified will lead to future sufferings. So when suffering suddenly appears in our life it means that the seeds of sin lying dormant matured.  And whatever sins we are committing now will surely lead to future sufferings. So, it is wrong to blame someone else for our own misdeeds. 

Now if we want to lead a peaceful and blissful life then we need to first free ourselves from all the sins. All the sins should be burnt to ashes.  This can only be possible if we bring Krishna, the Supreme Lord and the Supreme Controller, in our life.  

In Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.14.19) Krishna says, “My dear Uddhava, just as a blazing fire turns firewood into ashes, similarly, devotion unto Me completely burns to ashes sins committed by My devotees.”

So, this New Year let us welcome Krishna in our life. Let us take a vow to take shelter of Krishna. This will guarantee peace and unlimited bliss in our life which we all are desperately looking for.  And the best way to take shelter of Krishna is by chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra – Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

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Purushottam Nitai Das is a member of the congregation at Iskcon Kolkata. He works at IBM as an Advisory Consultant. He writes at https://discoverursupersoul.com/