What is the difference between devotion to Rama and devotion to Krishna?

[A question by Shri PVNM Sarma]

Swāmi Replied: Rāma contains all positive qualities and devotion to Rāma is very simple and logical. Kṛṣṇa showed tremendous negative qualities, which look like highly negative in absence of deep sharp analysis and because of this, Kṛṣṇa appears with high negative qualities leaving no scope for praise. It is very difficult to praise Kṛṣṇa and it is very easy to praise Rāma. In spite of this, if the devotee praises tremendously Kṛṣṇa, such devotee will be looked as mad and blind in the love to Kṛṣṇa. Such blind madness of love to Kṛṣṇa is the climax of nivṛtti devotion. The advanced stage of pravṛtti and the initial stage of nivṛtti are almost one and the same. The initial stage of nivṛtti is interest and love in which Rāma is loved by the devotee. The final stage of nivṛtti is blind madness of love to Kṛṣṇa in which whatever Kṛṣṇa does looks like justice. In the case of Rāma, Rāma did whatever is justice. Hence, Rāma is called as Ādarśa mānuṣāvatāra (ideal human incarnation for pravṛtti) while Kṛṣṇa is called as Līlāmānuṣāvatāra (playful human incarnation for nivṛtti).

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