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God helps those who help themselves

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 1 - 6

Similarly, the practice of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, may appear to be a very difficult job. But if anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.
BG 6.24, Purport:

One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with determination and faith and not be deviated from the path. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of mental speculation and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind."

The yoga practitioner should be determined and should patiently prosecute the practice without deviation. One should be sure of success at the end and pursue this course with great perseverance, not becoming discouraged if there is any delay in the attainment of success. Success is sure for the rigid practitioner. Regarding bhakti-yoga, Rūpa Gosvāmī says:

utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ
ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati

"One can execute the process of bhakti-yoga successfully with full-hearted enthusiasm, perseverance, and determination, by following the prescribed duties in the association of devotees and by engaging completely in activities of goodness." (Upadeśāmṛta 3)

As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuḍa, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, heard it. He became compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuḍa was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help. Thus Garuḍa at once asked the ocean to return her eggs lest he himself take up the work of the sparrow. The ocean was frightened at this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow became happy by the grace of Garuḍa.

Similarly, the practice of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, may appear to be a very difficult job. But if anyone follows the principles with great determination, the Lord will surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

The English maxim that God helps those who help themselves is also applicable in the transcendental realm.
CC Adi 1.50, Translation and Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead (svayaṁ bhagavān) taught Brahmā and made him self-realized.

The English maxim that God helps those who help themselves is also applicable in the transcendental realm. There are many instances in the revealed scriptures of the Personality of Godhead's acting as the spiritual master from within. The Personality of Godhead was the spiritual master who instructed Brahmā, the original living being in the cosmic creation. When Brahmā was first created, he could not apply his creative energy to arrange the cosmic situation. At first there was only sound, vibrating the word tapa, which indicates the acceptance of hardships for spiritual realization. Refraining from sensual enjoyment, one should voluntarily accept all sorts of difficulties for spiritual realization. This is called tapasya. An enjoyer of the senses can never realize God, godliness or the science of theistic knowledge. Thus when Brahmā, initiated by Śrī Kṛṣṇa by the sound vibration tapa, engaged himself in acts of austerity, by the pleasure of Viṣṇu he was able to visualize the transcendental world, Śrī Vaikuṇṭha, through transcendental realization. Modern science can communicate using material discoveries such as radio, television and computers, but the science invoked by the austerities of Śrī Brahmā, the original father of mankind, was still more subtle. In time, material scientists may also know how we can communicate with the Vaikuṇṭha world. Lord Brahmā inquired about the potency of the Supreme Lord, and the Personality of Godhead answered his inquiry in the following six consecutive statements. These instructions, which are reproduced from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.9.31–36), were imparted by the Personality of Godhead, acting as the supreme spiritual master.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Helping yourself means you put yourself under Kṛṣṇa; that is helping yourself. And if you think, "Oh I can protect myself," then you are not helping yourself.
Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:

Devotee: Prabhupāda, it is written in the Bhagavad-gītā that we just read from, about how you think that Kṛṣṇa will provide for us. And also further on in the Gītā it is said that God helps those who help themselves.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: Now, how do we determine what we should...?

Prabhupāda: Helping yourself means you put yourself under Kṛṣṇa; that is helping yourself. And if you think, "Oh I can protect myself," then you are not helping yourself. Just like this finger, so long it is healthy, working, if there is some trouble, I can spend thousands of dollars for this. But if this finger is cut off from my body, if you trample down with your feet this finger, I don't care for it. Similarly, to help oneself means to put oneself in the proper position, as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. That is real helping. Otherwise how you can help? The finger can help itself by putting itself in the proper position of the hand and work for the whole body. That is proper position. If the finger thinks that, "I shall remain separated from this body and help myself," it will die. So as soon as you think, that "I shall live independently without caring for Kṛṣṇa," that is my death, and as soon as I engage myself as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, that is my life. So helping oneself means to know one's position and work in that way. That is helping. Without knowing what is his position, how one can help oneself? It is not possible. Yes?

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

There is a English proverb that "God helps him who tries to help himself." That is a English proverb. So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is not very difficult thing.
Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

There is a English proverb that "God helps him who tries to help himself." That is a English proverb. So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is not very difficult thing. People have no taste. They do not understand the importance of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. But this is the only way by which one can become perfect and happy.

It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that just to become happy and peaceful one has to learn three things.

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
(BG 5.29)

If you want... Because the problem is that we want to be happy and peaceful. Everyone says, "I want peace. There is no peace in my mind." That is a general understanding. Nobody can say that "I am completely happy and peaceful." No, that is not possible. The material world is made in such a way that you cannot feel happy. That is not possible. First of all, we have come to this material world to enjoy sense gratification, but that is not our proper business. Our proper business is to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa, not our senses. So because we have deviated from our original position, therefore it is always a perplexity of our life. But due to illusion we cannot understand it.

There is an English proverb, "One who helps himself, God helps." Yes. God's help will come. So there is no question of despair. Anyone can begin, and the simple beginning is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (2): So if someone feels he has an overwhelming need, he shouldn't try to hold back to the point at which he suffers pain, but he should also chant or do something that will elevate him. And gradually he will...

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, yes. First thing is... Suppose a man is too much sexually addicted. If he hears that "This is impediment to my spiritual advancement," if he hears repeatedly, then he thinks of his weakness, that "This should not have been done, but I am so weak." So with this knowledge he can advance. You see. At least, he must know that "This is not good for my spiritual advancement." Then it will be... Then Kṛṣṇa, or God, will help him. There is an English proverb, "One who helps himself, God helps." Yes. God's help will come. So there is no question of despair. Anyone can begin, and the simple beginning is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So all our students, they were also addicted to such things, but by following this process they are also now free. So it is not impossible. There is no such program which is impossible to be performed. No. Practically this program is the simplest and the easiest process, and it can be adopted by anyone in any condition of life. That is the beauty of this process.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

No, no, don't bring slogans now. Now answer this question.
Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Devotee (1): ...brain, then we have to make some scientific solution, that to say God is acting, that is not acting, that is not practical. We must make some solution, like irrigation or...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: God helps those who help themselves.

Prabhupāda: No, no, don't bring slogans now. Now answer this question.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: People are falsely thinking themselves to be independent of God.

Prabhupāda: No, what is his question, try to understand first of all. The question is intelligent.

We are not idle preachers, we are working. All, very hard, more than the karmīs.
Interview with Newsday Newspaper -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: A question: you are now the leader and the spiritual master. Who will take your place?

Prabhupāda: That Kṛṣṇa will dictate who will take my place.

Interviewer: Kṛṣṇa will tell you that?

Hari-śauri: You want that verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Hari-śauri: This is the translation of what the Sanskrit...

Prabhupāda: No, you can read the Sanskrit also.

Hari-śauri:

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ
ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham
(BG 9.22)

"But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form—to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have."

Interviewer: They still have to go out and ask occasionally?

Bali-mardana: It's not that we sit back and wait for Kṛṣṇa to send it to us.

Rāmeśvara: No, we're very industrious.

Prabhupāda: We don't sit down idly.

Bali-mardana: God helps those who help themselves.

Prabhupāda: We are not idle preachers, we are working. All, very hard, more than the karmīs.

Rāmeśvara: These men, they go out to engage people in taking our books maybe twelve hours a day sometimes, ten hours a day, without any salary.

Prabhupāda: I am now eighty years old, I am working twenty-four hours. I think I work more than my young disciples (laughter).

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Krishna blessed in your endeavor and everything will be all right gradually, and it will be a great enlightenment for you how God helps those who help themselves, especially in the service of God.
Letter to Subala -- Allston, Mass 28 May, 1968:

Please accept my blessings. I thank you very much for your letter dated May 24, 1968, and it is very encouraging. I am sure Krishna will help you more and more because you are sincere servant of Krishna. He blessed in your endeavor and everything will be all right gradually, and it will be a great enlightenment for you how God helps those who help themselves, especially in the service of God.

Page Title:God helps those who help themselves
Compiler:Sahadeva, Serene, Visnu Murti, Alakananda
Created:23 of Apr, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=0, CC=1, OB=0, Lec=3, Con=2, Let=1
No. of Quotes:8