'Krishna Consciousness!'

Courtesy: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1020/1511/1600/12Krishna.jpg

While I am stuck at the crossroads of a spiritual quest, wondering which way to go, my 6 year-old's conviction often stumps me.

She has 'Krishna' etched in her mind so strongly that I sometimes wonder how she developed the idea. Yes, her mother was quite spiritually oriented and even religious till the child was say, 2-3 years old but then, that's about it. The little girl's Krishna Consciousness (if I may use that term) is so deep that she gives her thoughts his ('His'?) name. Whenever she wants to tell us about something important running in her mind, she will begin by saying , "Krishna says.....".
She asks him for ideas when she is unable to take decisions. She recommends him to solve her Mamma's problems. If she wants it to rain, she asks him for it. If thunder and lightning bother her, she scolds him for it.

These days, he has become more of an invisible secret friend that most children her age have. She sometimes even fights with him. She says she is older than him. She tells me about how Krishna worries her and his mother by always picking fights with demons. So this morning when she got a little rude and nasty about him to me, I asked her, "Is okay to talk about him that way? Isn't he God?" She coolly answered (I quote) "Yes, but he has asked me to treat him like a friend." 

Simple and yet profound.

They say Gurus may come in any form and shape and size. I will only be too happy to be led by a tiny but strong hand.

Since we are talking about Krishna, I want to tell you this. Very strangely among hundreds of books at a book exhibition, I spotted this book. It stood there calling out to me. It is as if the book was written just for her. It is also the prettiest book I've seen in a long time. It talks about how Krishna is with the child during the day, at night and even in the child's dreams. Titled Krishna Loves You, this makes a beautiful bed-time read, gently lulling the child to sleep with a smile on his/her lips.