The Lord is conquered by His devotees

Expressions researched:
"conquered by the devotees" |"conquered by His devotees" |"conquered by the devotee" |"conquered, by a devotee" |"conquered by a devotee" |"conquered by His devotee"

SB Canto 6

The Lord and the devotees both conquer. The Lord is conquered by the devotees, and the devotees are conquered by the Lord.

SB 6.16.34, Translation and Purport: Citraketu said: O unconquerable Lord, although You cannot be conquered by anyone, You are certainly conquered by devotees who have control of the mind and senses. They can keep You under their control because You are causelessly merciful to devotees who desire no material profit from You. Indeed, You give Yourself to them, and because of this You also have full control over Your devotees. The Lord and the devotees both conquer. The Lord is conquered by the devotees, and the devotees are conquered by the Lord. Because of being conquered by one another, they both derive transcendental bliss from their relationship. The highest perfection of this mutual conquering is exhibited by Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs. The gopīs conquered Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa conquered the gopīs. Thus whenever Kṛṣṇa played His flute, He conquered the minds of the gopīs, and without seeing the gopīs Kṛṣṇa could not be happy. Other transcendentalists, such as jñānīs and yogīs, cannot conquer the Supreme Personality of Godhead; only pure devotees can conquer Him.

When a devotee fully surrenders and has no aspiration for material profit, the Lord certainly gives him all opportunities for service. This is the position of the Lord when conquered by His devotees.

SB 6.16.34, Purport: Devotees are always engaged in service.

sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor

vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane

[SB 9.4.18]

All the activities of their senses are engaged in the service of the Lord. Because of such devotion, the Lord gives Himself to His devotees as if they could use Him for any purpose they might desire. Of course, devotees have no purpose other than to serve. When a devotee fully surrenders and has no aspiration for material profit, the Lord certainly gives him all opportunities for service. This is the position of the Lord when conquered by His devotees.

CC Madhya-lila

No one can conquer the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the Lord consents to be conquered by His devotees.

CC Madhya 6.84, Purport: Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the ultimate goal of knowledge (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [Bg. 15.15]), one who is not a pure devotee and who is not engaged in the service of the Lord cannot understand Him. Lord Brahmā therefore confirms this. Vedeṣu durlabham: “It is very difficult to understand the Supreme Lord simply through one’s studies.” Adurlabham ātma-bhaktau: “However, it is very easy for the devotees to capture the Lord.” The Lord is known as ajita (unconquerable). No one can conquer the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the Lord consents to be conquered by His devotees. That is His nature. As stated in the Padma Purāṇa:

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grahyam indriyaiḥ

sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ

[Cc. Madhya 17.136]

Being pleased by devotional activities, the Lord reveals Himself to His devotees. That is the way to understand Him.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

It is by attachment and bhāva that The Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is conquered by his devotees.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 13: Whoever follows the principles of devotional service with attachment and follows a particular devotee of Vrajabhūmi certainly attains the highest perfection of love of Godhead in that spirit. There are two characteristics by which the seeds of love of Godhead can develop, and these are known as rati, or attachment, and bhāva, the condition immediately preceding love of Godhead. It is by such attachment and bhāva that the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is conquered by His devotees. These two characteristics are present before any symptoms of love of Godhead are manifest. This was all explained to Sanātana Gosvāmī by Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya told him that since there is really no end to describing the system of devotional service with attachment, He is simply trying to offer a sampling. Lord Caitanya then described the ultimate goal of devotional service, which is meant for one who wants to attain perfection.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Sudāmā Vipra realized that although Lord Kṛṣṇa is unconquerable, He nevertheless agrees to be conquered by His devotees.

Krsna Book 81: Not only must a brāhmaṇa be well qualified according to the requirements stated in scriptures such as Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but at the same time he must be a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The vivid example is Sudāmā Vipra. He was a qualified brāhmaṇa, unattached to all sorts of material sense enjoyment, and at the same time he was a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the enjoyer of all sacrifices and penances, is very fond of a brāhmaṇa like Sudāmā Vipra, and we have seen by the actual behavior of Lord Kṛṣṇa how much He adores such a brāhmaṇa. Therefore, the ideal stage of human perfection is to become a brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava like Sudāmā Vipra. Sudāmā Vipra realized that although Lord Kṛṣṇa is unconquerable, He nevertheless agrees to be conquered by His devotees. He realized how kind Lord Kṛṣṇa was to him, and he was always in trance, constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa. By such constant association with Lord Kṛṣṇa, whatever darkness of material contamination remained within his heart was completely cleared away, and very shortly he was transferred to the spiritual kingdom, which is the goal of all saintly persons in the perfectional stage of life.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

God is not conquerable, but He becomes conquerable, He is conquered, by a devotee who gives up this nonsense process of understanding Him by his limited knowledge and becomes submissive.

Lecture on BG 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966: Just try to understand through your ears by aural reception, aural reception." San-mukharitām, śruti-gatām. Śruti means this ear, reception through the ear. San-mukharitāṁ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Then just try to practice it in your practical life. Tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśaḥ ajita: "My dear Lord, You are unconquerable, but by this person, You become conquered, simply by hearing." It is such a nice process. God is not conquerable, but He becomes conquerable, He is conquered, by a devotee who gives up this nonsense process of understanding Him by his limited knowledge and becomes submissive. And just try to hear from the right source, and try to appear, apply in your life. Then you become a conqueror of the Supreme.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Ajita means Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can conquer Him. Ajita. Jita means conquered. Nobody is there who can conquer Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa also can be conquered by His devotees.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973: Kṛṣṇa said, "Yes, I am breaking My promise. Don't kill Arjuna." Therefore, for the sake of devotee, He sometimes break His promise. But if His devotee promises, "I shall do it," Kṛṣṇa will give him all protection: "Yes, it must be done. In all circumstances it must be done." This is Kṛṣṇa. If His devotee promises something, that "This must be done," Kṛṣṇa gives all protection. Therefore here it is stated, ajitāśrayaḥ. You cannot be successful without being ajitāśrayaḥ. Ajita. Ajita means Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can conquer Him. Ajita. Jita means conquered. Nobody is there who can conquer Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa also can be conquered by His devotees. Just like the gopīs, they conquered Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, I mean to say, accepted that "My dear gopīs, the service which you have rendered, I cannot repay. You have conquered Me. There is no possibility of My repaying you your service. You better be satisfied with your service. That's all." So Kṛṣṇa's name is Ajita, Acyuta. These are Kṛṣṇa's different names.

This Ajita, who is never conquered, He can be conquered by the devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973: So Kṛṣṇa's another name is Ajita. Ajita means "one who cannot be conquered." His name is Ajita. Everyone can be conquered, everyone can be vanquished, but not Kṛṣṇa. Therefore His another name is Ajita. This Ajita, who is never conquered, He can be conquered by the devotee. That is Kṛṣṇa's name. Another name of Kṛṣṇa is Ajita. Ajita means nobody can conquer.

This Ajita, who is never conquered, He can be conquered by the devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973: So Kṛṣṇa's another name is Ajita. Ajita means "one who cannot be conquered." His name is Ajita. Everyone can be conquered, everyone can be vanquished, but not Kṛṣṇa. Therefore His another name is Ajita. This Ajita, who is never conquered, He can be conquered by the devotee. That is Kṛṣṇa's name. Another name of Kṛṣṇa is Ajita. Ajita means nobody can conquer.

God is conquered by His devotee, not by the demons.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975: God's another name is ajita. A means "not," and jita means "conquered." Nobody can conquer God. That is God. God is never conquered by anyone. He conquers everyone. God is conquered by His devotee, not by the demons. The demons are conquered by God. But devotee can conquer. Ajito 'pi, jito 'pi. Although God is ajita, He becomes jita, means conquered, by His devotee.

Kṛṣṇa conquers everyone, but nobody conquers Him. He is conquered by His devotee only.

Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974: When Kṛṣṇa was present, He had to fight with so many demons, but nobody could conquer Him. That is the history. He conquered everyone, but nobody could conquer Him. He is conquered by His devotee only. That's all. Therefore His name is Ajita. Ajita. If you want to conquer over Ajita, then you simply... Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "Don't speculate." Sthāne sthitāḥ... Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Be submissive: "Kṛṣṇa, I am very poor. Kṛṣṇa, I have no means to understand You. So if You kindly be merciful upon me, then I can understand something about You." Surrender. That is wanted. Kṛṣṇa is very merciful as soon as He sees that somebody is surrendered.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt-satām

[SB 1.2.17]

If we... This is the process. If we hear about Kṛṣṇa...Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You remain in your position. Don't change. Either you are brāhmaṇa or śūdra or gṛhastha or sannyāsī, it doesn't matter. But you hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. This is the first-class process.

You cannot conquer God, but God agrees to be conquered by His devotee.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975: You try to understand about God from a God-realized person. That you do. That will help you. Sthāne sthitāḥ. There is no need of changing your position. You remain wherever you are. Śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ manobhiḥ. Just lend your, this aural reception and try to hear about God from the self-realized person, from mahātmā. Then one day it will become so, that although God is unconquerable, you will conquer Him. Prāyena ajita jito 'py asi. You'll conquer over God. You cannot conquer God, but God agrees to be conquered by His devotee. This is the indirect meaning, to become devotee. This is the way. And what is the devotional way? śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23]. Just try to hear about Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord. śravanam. The first is that you have kindly come here; you are trying to hear.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Kṛṣṇa cannot be conquered by anyone, by the demons, but he can be conquered by a devotee.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 10, 1973: Kṛṣṇa cannot be conquered by anyone, by the demons, but he can be conquered by a devotee. Just like Yaśodāmāyī, he has conquered Kṛṣṇa. The whole world is trembled by Kṛṣṇa's prowess, but Kṛṣṇa is trembling before Yaśodāmāyī, or the stick. So He wants to be controlled, because everyone is praying, "My dear Lord, oh, you're so great." Everyone prays like that, but no one shows his stick. (laughter) But He wants, because that is also enjoyment. So sometimes He is disappointed that nobody wants Me to show his stick. Therefore He finds out such a devotee who can show Him stick. (laughter) Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. So you can become mother of Kṛṣṇa, or you can become father of Kṛṣṇa. What is to become one with Kṛṣṇa? You become father of Kṛṣṇa.

Although Kṛṣṇa is not conquerable, but He likes to be conquered by His devotee.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973: By chanting the mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], gradually we become cleansed of all dirty things within our heart. Thus our mind becomes purified. And in the purified condition of the mind we can think of Kṛṣṇa rightly. In this way, Kṛṣṇa becomes practically dependent on the devotees. Kṛṣṇa is the master, controller of everything, but to the pure devotee He becomes dependent. So why the pure devotee will ask for anything else? Adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. For a devotee, Kṛṣṇa is within the palms of a devotee. Ajita, jito 'py asau. Although Kṛṣṇa is not conquerable, but He likes to be conquered by His devotee. That is the position. Just like He willingly placed Himself to be conquered by Mother Yaśodā, to be conquered by Rādhārāṇī, to be conquered by His friends. Kṛṣṇa became defeated and He has to take His friend on the shoulder.