The Finding Chapter 2: Unified path

I once heard Amogh Lila Prabhu mention in an interview that he had always been a deep devotee of Lord Shiva, but over time, found himself increasingly drawn toward Lord Krishna. He felt as though Mahadev himself was gently pushing him along that path.

Looking back, something remarkably similar happened to me.

There was a phase in my life when I was constantly consumed by anxiety, worrying intensely over nothing, and unable to sleep for days on end. During that difficult time, I heard a passing thought somewhere: the ultimate guide to navigating the chaos of life is the Bhagavad Gita. Instead of picking up the holy book right away, I decided to watch it unfold visually, so I tuned into a television adaptation of the Mahabharat.

That decision changed everything. Slowly, my devotion and love toward Lord Krishna began to deepen. I remember watching the final episodes, unable to hold back my tears. For the very first time, I felt the profound, human-like pain of a deity. I felt deeply for everything He had to endure and carry for the world.

That was the exact moment my love for Him truly took root.

Yet, in my immature mind, a conflict began to brew. I found myself worrying, “No, wait—I have always belonged to Shiva. Why is my path suddenly shifting now?”

The answers came as I began to look deeper into the scriptures, which beautifully illustrate the profound devotion Shiva and Krishna hold for one another. They mirror, admire, and respect each other completely. If they are so deeply intertwined, who are we to view them as separate entities?

When Krishna reveals His cosmic form—His Vishwaroopam—in the Mahabharat and declares, "Mai hi parmatma hu" (I am the Supreme Soul), every single deity is seen within Him. He is the ultimate source; He is everything. The divide never truly existed in reality—it was only a limitation of my own mind. They are fundamentally one and the same: Harihar.

To anyone reading this, my only request is to take that first step into spirituality. Just try starting somewhere, in whatever way feels right to you. There is truly nothing more grounding, peaceful, and beautiful in this world. 🩵