Gita 7.22

Sadhak: "So when someone prays to a deity and gets what they want, it's actually Krishna giving it? Isn't that deceptive?"

Guru: "Is it deceptive when you thank a cashier for your purchase, though the store owner pays the suppliers? The cashier is the face you interact with; the transaction has deeper levels you don't see."

Sadhak: "But the devotee believes their deity gave the blessing..."

Guru: "And that belief isn't wrong—it's just incomplete. The deity is a real aspect of the divine, a real doorway. Through that doorway, the infinite operates. The devotee's experience is valid."

Sadhak: "Why doesn't Krishna just reveal Himself to everyone directly then?"

Guru: "Could you look directly at the sun without going blind? The infinite takes forms we can relate to. A child calls the sun 'that bright thing'—the description is limited but the connection is real."

Sadhak: "So all answered prayers ultimately come from one source?"

Guru: "Yes—mayā eva vihitān—by Me alone are they ordained. This doesn't diminish other deities; it reveals their connection to the source, like rivers to the ocean."

Sadhak: "Then why do some prayers go unanswered?"

Guru: "Krishna says 'vihitān'—ordained, arranged. The infinite intelligence ordains what's truly beneficial. Sometimes the greatest blessing is an unanswered prayer. You'll thank the universe later for what it withheld."

Sadhak: "This is giving me a very different view of prayer..."

Guru: "Prayer is always heard. But you're petitioning an intelligence vast enough to see your whole journey, not just your current want. Trust that whatever comes—or doesn't—serves your deepest good."

Sadhak: "So should I stop asking for things in prayer?"

Guru: "Ask freely—it's natural and human. But add: 'This or something better, according to Your wisdom.' This keeps the channel open while surrendering the outcome to greater intelligence."