THE FOLLOWING LECTURE ON LORD KRISHNA’S PASTIMES IN VRINDAVANA IS THE FIRST LECTURE IN A SERIES OF SEVEN, GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CARU SWAMI.
Transcription : His Grace Vrajendrasuta Dasa
Editing : Her Grace Hemavati Radhika Dasi
Audio source: click here
His Holiness began the class by singing the Advaita Ashtakam prayers of Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya.
Huhunkâra-garjanâdi ahorâtra sadgunam
Hâ Krishna râdhikâ-nâtha prârthanâdi bhâvanam,
Dhoopa-dipa-kasturi cha chandanâdi lepanam
Sitânâtha-advaita-charanâravinda-bhâvanam
…… listen audio version : click here
Another version of the lecture given by His Holiness on the auspicious occasion of the appearance day of Sri Advaita Acharya on 25/1/2007 is
available on: click here
This prayer concluded with the Maha-mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.
And then with prema dhwani:
Jaya Om Visnupad Paramahamsa Parivakacharaya Astottarasata Sri Abhaya Caranara Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuada ki jaya.
Sri Advaita Acharya Prabhu’s Appearance day celebrations ki Jay.
Gaura Premanande!!
Today is Sri Advaita Acharya’s appearance day. So I will speak about him. This time we will see Advaita Acharya’s purport first and then his pastimes of Sri Advaita Acharya prabhu.
There are lots of books and descriptions about Advaita Acharya prabhu, like Bhakti Ratnakar, also in Chaitanya Charitamrita, Chaitanya Bhagavata. There is one book called Advaita Charita Sudha, the nectarian pastimes of Sri Advaita Acharya prabhu. So I am just going to speak from these books.
Advaita Acharya as you all know is one of the Pancha-tattvas:
Panca tattvatmakam Krishnam, Bhakta rupa svarupakam.
Bhaktavataram Bhaktakhyam namami bhaktasatikam.
Bhaktarupa, bhakta swarupa and bhakta avatara. Krishna Himself has appeared as a devotee and there is bhakta svarup- a personification of devotee- Nityananda prabhu and, bhakta avatara; incarnated as bhakta, that is Advaita Acharya. In Caitanya Caritamrita we can find that Sri Advaita Acharya is the incarnation of Sri Mahavishnu. So Advaita Acharya is the Mahavishnu Himself, the personality who is the cause of the material creation and from whom different Vishnu tatvas appeared and Advaita Acarya is Mahavishnu himself. And it is also mentioned that Advaita Acarya is the Sadasiva from Vaikuntha. Sadasiva and Mahavishnu appeared as Advaita Acharya.
Advaita Acharya’s fathers name is Kuber Mishra and mothers name is Mallha Devi. Somewhere it is described that Kubera is a friend of Lord Shiva. The son of Viswava and the brother of Ravana is the treasurer of the demigods and a great worshiper of lord Shiva and in that way he is the friend of lord Shiva. The friend of lord Shiva appeared as Kuvera Mishra and Sadashiv appeared as Advaita. There was an interesting incident in the life of Kubera Mishra. He was a very old man. He was at that time about 73 years old. One day a priestly person came and appeared to blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna. So Kuvera Mishra became perturbed hearing the blasphemous words of that man. Then Kuvera Mishra decided to give up his body. He decided to commit suicide. Because in the scriptures it has been said that when there is blasphemy against the lord or his devotees, we should either try to rectify that person and if one cannot rectify that person, then one should actually give up his body. Or if one cannot give up his body then one should at least leave that place immediately. So Kuvera Mishra decided to give up his body being unable to tolorate the blashphemy against the Supreme Personality of Godhead, at that time, a person, a devotee appeared before him and he said; don’t worry, very soon a great personality is going come. And that personality will be the cause in establishing Krishna consciousness in this age of Kali. So being consoled by this devotee, Kuvera Mishra refrained from committing suicide. And that night Kuvera Mishra had a beautiful dream. He saw two very brilliant personalities holding hands with each other and one was telling to the other; ‘let us go and establish the dharma in this age of kali on the earth planet, on this material nature. Then these two great personalities entered into Kuvera Mishra’s heart. When Kuvera Mishra woke he was very happy to have seen such a beautiful dream, and then his wife also woke up and told that she also saw a similar dream.
And soon after that, Kuvera Mishra’s wife Nalha Devi conceived Advaita
Acharya prabhu. After ten months Advaita Acarya prabhu was born on this particular day which is an auspicious day, the 7th day or saptami of the month of Magh. I forgot to mention one thing. Advaita Acharya’s father was in Navadip at that time. When Advaita Acarya’s mother was pregnant he went back to Srivapur in East Bengal in a place called Navagram. There Kuvera Mishra used to be the minister of a king, a powerful king of that area called Divyashingha. He resigned from that position and settled in Navadip in order to have the association of devotees. When he went back to Signhasta, also a place in East Bengal, also a place from where Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s family came. Jagannatha Mishra came also from Simhasta district. When Kuvera Mishra went back, Divyasingha requested to become minister again. He accepted that post. The king was actually very much attracted to Kuvera Mishra. And Advaita Acharya was born on this particular day in Singhasta. When Advaita was six months old rice giving ceremony or annaprasanna was performed. Rice as the remnants of the lord was given. He was named at that time. He actually has three names. His name was Kamalaksha because his eyes were like lotuses. Kamal means lotus and Akshi means eyes. Names for the children according to the sastra were given in
accordance with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the one who has
lotus like eyes is called Kamalaksha.
One name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kamalaksha. Since he was non-different from the supreme personality of godhead, his other name was Advaita. Since he was destined to bring all auspiciousness to this world, another name was Mangal. Mangal means auspiciousness. So these are the three names of Advaita Acharaya ie. Kamalakshya, Advaita and Mangal. Of course he has other names also, as I sang; Sitanatha Advaita caranaravinda bhavanam. Another name of Advaita Acharya is Sitanath. Sitanath means the lord of Sitadevi. Later Advaita Acharya was married to two sisters; Sitadevi and
Sridevi. Sitadevi and Sridevi are the incarnations of Yogamaya. His Holiness expresses that he forgot to read the Advaita Asthakam and will do that at the end.
When he was about three years old, before admission to school, he was sent to school at the age of five, Advaita Acharya’s mother had a dream. In the dream Advaita was in his mother’s lap and he was saying; ‘mother, I will bring all the places of pilgrimage here and make you stay here’. When she woke up she was happy to have had such a beautiful dream. And then Advaita Acharya asked her; ‘it seems that you had a beautiful dream?’ Initially mother refused to tell that dream and when he kept on insisting, she said, ‘yes, I saw a dream in which Advaita will bring all the places of pilgrimage here to take bath here. Then he took his mother to a place that is mountainous and got to a hill. Then he said, ‘mother, all the personalities of the pilgrimage are coming- Ganga, Jamuna Devi. They all came and then transformed into one orchard and thus became a place of pilgrimage’. That place is still available. Singhasta. The name of that place is called Paunatirtha. Paun means from and tirtha means the place of pilgrimage. This is the place where Advaita Acharya fulfilled the promise to his mother.
Then Advaita Acharya was sent to school. He was so brilliant. He could learn everything in one time that for others would take about a month to learn. He was very brilliant. Within very short time he completed his studies. When he was young, the king had a son, the prince who was of the same age as Advaita Acharya. The prince and Advaita became close friend and used to spend most of the time together. So one day they went to Durga temple. The prince offered obeisance but Advaita Acharya just stood on without offering obeisances. The prince said, what happened? Will you not pay obeisances to the Devi?’ Advaita did not say anything and just stood there. The prince, after all he is a kshatrya, got angry. He expressed his anger in the form of offence. He started calling him; ‘see the worshiper of Krishna!. He doesn’t respect Devi!’. One of the nicknames of Advaita Acharya was Krishnabola, because he used to always chant the name of Krishna from his early years. Krishnabola means the one who always chant the name of Krishna. The prince used to say, ‘that all of his friends are also the devotee of Krishna and do not bow down to anyone else. Because of these kind of people there is inauspiciousness in the country’. At this Advaita Acharya got angry and roared like a thunder. The prince became unconscious and lay flat on the ground. The king not being able to see the prince on time, sent his men to look out for him. And they found the prince in the unconscious state in the temple. The other boys told them what has actually happened. They then started looking for Advaita Acharya. The king called for Advaita Acharaya. They started looking for Advaita Acharya. They first went to Kuvera Mishra’s
house. Kuvera Mishra told them that that day was his birthday but they could not find him anywhere. They all looked around and finally found Advaita in a cave. It was not exactly a cave, rather it was rather an anthill. The boys have dug up a hole and made like a cave and Advaita, just about six or seven years old boy was there inside sitting. Then they brought him back to the temple. In the mean time they also tried to bring the prince back to a conscious state by blowing conch shell but nothing could help. The king then enquired what has happened between them. Advaita replied thus; ‘I can tolerate any insult to me, but I can’t tolerate any insult to the Lord and his devotees. So when he started to blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I could not tolerate myself, so I just roared at him out of my anger’. He became unconscious. Actually he became unconscious because of his offence to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because of the offences he became unconscious. The king begged him to kindly get him back to consciousness. Advaita Acharya said; ‘ I can’t do anything. He committed offences to the Lord!’. He suggested giving him some charanamrita of the Lord and he will come back to his consciousness. So the charanamrita was given to the prince and soon he came back to his normal state. This news spread all over and everybody could recognize that Advaita Acharya is a great personality. Although they could recognize that he is a great personality they could not recognize his actual identity.
There was also another incident. The other students were envious of Advaita. Although he was a student of about seven or eight years old, the teachers installed him as an in-charge for other boys in school. The other students were about eighteen to nineteen years old, yet they became envious of Advaita. He was so brilliant that they could not tolerate his glories. They even went to report to the king. They told that this Mangal- at that time he was known as Mangal or Kamalakshya; saying he is always talking about Krishna. ‘He doesn’t want to become a devotee. He is not respecting the Deities’. In this way they reported to the king and the king became very angry. The king called upon Advaita Acharya and tried to make him understand that he should be respectful to the Deities. Advaita could not accept that. He explained worshiping Krishna is the ultimate worship and all other demigods are actually Krishna’s servants and maidservants only. And they don’t like to accept worship and obeisances from the devotees of the Lord. The king understood though but he wasn’t fully convinced.
At that time the king was celebrating the Kali puja- worshiping Kali. Actually the ksatriyas, especially in Bengal used to worship Kali. They were saktas. They were the worshipers of sakti instead of becoming a devotee of the Lord. Advaita Acharya just came into the temple room and walked away without offering obedience to the goddess Kali. At this the king became very angry and started to blashpheme.
Adaivaita Acharya would not accept that. He does not seem to offer obeisances. Then his father came there and told him; look, since the king is not ordinary he should abide by him. “I am your father and I tell, at least to please the king you must offer obeisances to the goddess Kali’ Advaita replied, ‘I can pay obeisance to the goddess kali but the consequences will not be good, so please be prepared to the consequences’.
After saying that, he went and offered obeisances and as soon as he looked back the deities broke into pieces right there. Then everybody could understand that this will bring great inauspiciousness. When the deities break like that, it is a sign that there follows great inauspiciousness. The king immediately fell on his lotus feet, saying; ‘now I recognize that I made a mistake’. Advaita told then to his father to leave that place. Because that place has become not very peaceful. He said; ‘this place is becoming very offensive to the Lord and we should not stay here. So let’s go to Snantipur’.
Kuvera Mishra was very fond of Advaita Acharya. Although he was then a young boy he listened to his instructions, and he packed up. When the king got to know he came and begged them to stay back. The king was trying to convince Kuvera Mishra to stay there. He confessed that he would accept all his instructions. But Advaita approached his father and said, ‘look we have made op our mind and if you don’t go I am going to leave you all. I am going to leave this place. The king fell at Advaita Acharya’s feet and said; I understand and I am convinced now that we have to pray to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. “That you are the incarnation of the lord. And that’s why the Deities would not accept your obedience. She could not tolerate that you are paying obeisances to her and that’s why she left this place. She left for my kingdom. So please do not go away”. But Advaita Acharya has already decided and nothing could stop him. So he left the place. Before that he told the king to become a devotee of Krishna, chant the holy name of Krishna and worship Radha Krishna. Till that time worshiping Radha Krishna was not established in that place. He said; ‘when your heart, becomes completely purified only then he can come to Shantipur’. In this way he instructed the king to visit Shantipur. The king then actually became a devotee. He built a temple of Krishna and started to regularly worship Krishna. Later on he went to Shantipur after giving his kingdom to his son. Advaita Acharya initiated him and his name became Krishna Das.
When Advaita Acharya came to Santipur he was sent to one Sayuka Bhattacarya, a very great scholar. He was a professor. Advaita Acharya was sent to him to study. This place was called Surya. Advaita stayed about two years there with him and completed his studies. His teachers were very fond of him. His teacher recognized that Advaita was an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Advaita completed his studies and was about to leave his teacher, Bhattacarya was very sad. Advaita asked him ‘what would l offer you as my guru dakshnina?’. ‘Give me Krishna prema as the gurudakshina’. Then Advaita replied with obeisances, ‘yes; I as your student must try to offer seriously’. Bahttacarya embraced him. He experienced transcendental ecstasy and became a great devotee of Krishna.
Advaita came back to Shantipur. His father and all others were very happy to have him back. At that time he defeated a visiting scholar. It was quite similar to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu defeating Keshava Kashmiri. That big person came from South India. His name was Sandar. He was a great scholar who has defeated all the scholars in different parts of India and came to Shantipur. When he challenged Advaita Acharya, Advaita Acharya defeated him. He was an impersonalist but due to Advaita’s contact he was then transformed into a devotee.
Advaita Acharya’s father, while at his 89th year of age called one day Advaita and told that he is getting very old and he is preparing to leave his body. At that time Advaita was 15 year old. He told that after his death Advaita should offer pinda daan in Gaya. Very soon Advaita’s father died. Advaita lamented at this departure of his father. When the funeral ceremony was going on, Advaita’s mother very calmly walked into the funeral pire and accompanied her husband.
After the death of his father Advaita went to Gaya and offered pinda to the departed soul and then went Yamuna to have the darshan of Gopinath. Then he went to Jagannath Puri. He travelled to the pilgrimage in the same way Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did. He went to South India, to Dwaraka and other holy places and then to Vridhavan. When in Vrindhavan he was one night in a dream resting under a tree and in that dream the Lord appeared to him and told him that he is Madan Mohan. The Lord said, ‘I am here in the nearby forest. When the Moslims attacked the temple my pujari took me and kept me there, so please come and rescue me’. When Advaita woke up he felt what morose that such beautiful dream broke and in the morning he called the residents of that area and sought help to unearth and get the Deity. That place is called Dada Sabitya Kunja in Vrindaban. From that Kunja they found the Deity of Sri Madan Mohan. Advaita Acharya installed the Deities and gave responsibilities to the village people to take care of Them. He appointed a brahmana to be an in-charge of the Deities’ worship. Then Advaita Acharya left for pilgrimage of Vrindavana.
In the mean time some Indian muslims came there to break the Deities. When they came to that temple they saw the particular Deity was not there. They then thought that they only had heard of a rumor and actually there was no Deity in that temple. Thinking like that, they left. So next morning, when the pujari came he could not find the Deities. He thought because of the offences, the Lord has left that place. He started to cry. Advaita Acharya came back and could not see the Deities there. He also felt very sad at the Deity’s disappearance. He thought that he left the service of the Deity and went for the pilgrimage, that’s why the Deity left. He also started to cry. At that time Krishna appeared to him and said; ‘why do you cry, I am hiding behind the flowers in the garden. Don’t think I am gone. How can I leave you?’ When Advaita Acharya went there, he found the Deity on the mountain of flowers. He became very happy. Since Krishna at that time introduced Himself as Gopal, since then the name of the Deity called Madan Gopal. That Deity is also present in Vrindavana.
Advaita Acharya left Virndavana went back to Navadipa. Everybody there were pleased at his arrival. At that time too Advaita Acharya was very actively propagating Krishna Consciousness. People used to gather in houses and perform kirtana. The king has become a devotee too.
One day Haridasa Thakur came to Advaita Acarya’s house. Advaita immediately recognized him and invited him to stay in his house. Haridas Thakur accepted his invitation. In the mean time when Smartas got to know that a Muslim is staying in Advaita’s house and indulging in chanting the holy name, they became very angry. They came to Advaita’s house and complained: How dare you keep a Muslim in your house? At that time if anybody drinks water touched by a Muslim he would be ostracized from the Brahman family. They even threatened Advaita that they will ostracize him too. ‘We will banish you’, they said!. Advaita replied them to do whatever they like. “I am not going to ask Haridas Thakur to leave my house!. Haridas Thakur approached him and asked why he would take the blames like that, please let me go. I will come to visit you from time to time and will stay some where under a tree, please let me go. Advaita replied; ‘no’.
Advaita Acharya suggested Haridas Thakur to pull the fire out of that village. Do it please he said, in order to exhibit the glory of the Lord and His devotees. So being requested by Advaita Acharya Haridas pulled fire and thus no one in the village could light fire in their homes. As soon as they light fire it got extinguished. They could not cook anything. The brahmanas began performing sacrifices, yet they could not do anything. Even if they bring fire from other villages, as soon as they entered their village the fire extinguished no matter how big the fire they would bring. They were worried and then only realized that they have offended Adavaita Acharya and that’s why its happening like that. So hey came and fell at Advaita Acharya’s feet.
They narrated what had been happening. ‘We know now that we have committed offence to you’, they confessed. Advaita Acharya replied; ‘you all are brahmanas, Vedagya, the exponents of the Veda’. Factually the exponents of the Vedas can produce fire from their mouth. Chant the mantras and produce fire. ‘Why don’t you ignite fire from your mouth?’ he told. They admitted that in the age of kali the brahmanas have lost such potency. Advaita further told that they are very proud of the brahminical position. ‘You did not offend me but you actually offended Haridas Thakur’, he told. He further told that because of the offenses to Haridas Thakur, they are getting this reaction. So if you all want to absolve yourselves from the offenses then they must beg forgiveness from him. You are so proud of your brahmiwnical position and saying Haridas was born in the Muslim family, let you be informed that he is Brahma himself!. So then they all went and fell unto his feet. Then only the fire came back and people could light the fire in their homes.
It is also interesting to note that Advaita Acharya participated in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Advaita Acharaya knew Chaitanya Mahaprabhu even before his birth. He is the one who actually persuaded Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This you all very well know, that seeing the condition of this world he became very concerned and he felt that only Krishna can solve the problems of this world. He only can establish dharma in this vicious materialistic age. He prayed to Krishna to come, offering Tulsi and mala. It’s written in the scriptures that if someone prays to Krishna offering Tulasi mala and Ganga water, Krishna cannot repay His debts to him. So Advaita Acarya’s roaring like a lion was inviting Caitanya Mahaprabhu to come, or Krishna to come as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Due to Advaita Acarya Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu started the sankiratan he sent one devotee to call Advaita Acharya. He went to Santipur and invited Advaita Acharya. Advaita asserted that he will accept Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu if he would place his lotus feet on his head. “I want to test him, but don’t tell anything besides that I refused to come’, he told the devotee. ‘Let me see how he would react!”. Saying this he went to along with him to Mayapur, Navadip, but hid himself in the house of Nandanacarya like Nityananda prabhu. I forgot the name of that devotee. When that devotee went and reported to Mahaprabhu, Mahaprabhu said, ‘oh he Nara! He wants to check me out’; Advaita was used to be called as Nara by Mahaprabhu at that time. He is trying to check me and that’s why he is hiding in the house of Nandanacarya. So ‘ you go to Nandanacarya’s house and call him’, said Mahaprabhu to that devotee. So that devotee went to Nandana Acharaya’s house and requested Advaita Acharya and he came to Mahaprabhu very happily. Mahaprabhu glorified him. Before Mahaprabhu’s appearance he met Madhavendra Puri and he was initiated by him. Madhavendra Puri gave him Radha Krishna mantra and taught him to worship Radha Krishna together. So Madhavendra Puri is the first sibling of Bhaktilata. Bhaktilata was sprouting then and the sibling is Sri Madhavendra Puri- bhaktilata teho prathama ankul. Ankul means sibling. Quite before Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance Madhavendra brought prema bhakti or manifested prema bhakti in this world. From Madhavendra Puri Advaita Acharya received the prema bhakti – worshiping of Radha Krishna. Worshiping Radha Krishna is madhurya and that is also in parakiya mellow. And that is available only in the Gaudiya vaisnava sampradaya. In other vaisnava sampradaya worshiping of Radha Krishna in their conjugal mellow is not available.
So in this way Madhavendra Puri accepted Advaita Acharya as his disciple and in that sense Nityananda prabhu and Advaita Acharya are God-brothers. They have a very loving relationship. They used to fight often. There are so many incidences described in Caitanya Caritamrita and Caitanya Bhagavad about their fighting. Stories like Nityananda prabhu questioning about Advaita Acharya is there. Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Advaita Acharya had very loving relationship. One day Advaita Acharya thought that Mahaprabhu is always glorifying him. He felt that the nectar of his chastisement was not being offered to him.
So in order to get the nectar of chastisement from Mahaprabhu he propagated impersonalism- advaitavad. When this news reached, Caitanya Mahaprabhu came running Mayapur to Santipur. He went straight to Advaita and started to beat him, pounded on his back. Advaita Acharya was an old man at that time and Mahaprabhu was young, Sita Devi was so afraid and started to cry. ‘Save, save my husband’ she said, crying, while Advaita Acharya began to laugh. He said; ‘now my lord, you have offered me your mercy’.
Caitanya Mahaprahu revealed His identity as the Supreme Personality of Godhead to Advaita Acharya. Adavaita Acharya had six sons. From Sita Devi he had three sons. They are Acyuta, Krishan Mishra and Gopala Deva. These three sons became very devout devotees of Krishna. From Sridevi he had three sons namely Balaram, Sarup and Jagannath. They became impersonalists- the non-devotees. In Caitanya-caritamrita it has been described that they became asat. These three sons of Advaita became asat- dry, lifeless. The other three sons Acyuta, Krishna Mishra and Gopaldev became the devotees among which Acyutananda was the most brilliant. In Gauranga-dipika Acyutananda has been described as the incarnation of a cowherd damsel, a gopi named Acyuta manjari.
There is also an interesting incident about Acyutananda. One day someone asked Advaita Acharya,’who is the guru of Caitanya Mahaprabhu?’. Advaita asked; ‘Why?, Isvara puri is the guru of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’. Acyutananda was little boy at that time and he came running and said, ‘that is an offence, that is an offence’. How can one say that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Jagat guru himself has a guru? he exclaimed. Nobody can be his guru!. While in India, as a pastime that he played the pastimes of accepting initiation from Isvarapuri. Advaita Acharya accepted this indeed as the concussion.
His Holiness at the end of his lecture reminded again that the day is Advaita Acharya’s appearance day and urged everyone to try to make it a significant one.
Transcription : His Grace Vrajendrasuta Dasa
Editing : Her Grace Hemavati Radhika Dasi
Audio source: click here
His Holiness began the class by singing the Advaita Ashtakam prayers of Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya.
Huhunkâra-garjanâdi ahorâtra sadgunam
Hâ Krishna râdhikâ-nâtha prârthanâdi bhâvanam,
Dhoopa-dipa-kasturi cha chandanâdi lepanam
Sitânâtha-advaita-charanâravinda-bhâvanam
…… listen audio version : click here
Another version of the lecture given by His Holiness on the auspicious occasion of the appearance day of Sri Advaita Acharya on 25/1/2007 is
available on: click here
This prayer concluded with the Maha-mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.
And then with prema dhwani:
Jaya Om Visnupad Paramahamsa Parivakacharaya Astottarasata Sri Abhaya Caranara Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuada ki jaya.
Sri Advaita Acharya Prabhu’s Appearance day celebrations ki Jay.
Gaura Premanande!!
Today is Sri Advaita Acharya’s appearance day. So I will speak about him. This time we will see Advaita Acharya’s purport first and then his pastimes of Sri Advaita Acharya prabhu.
There are lots of books and descriptions about Advaita Acharya prabhu, like Bhakti Ratnakar, also in Chaitanya Charitamrita, Chaitanya Bhagavata. There is one book called Advaita Charita Sudha, the nectarian pastimes of Sri Advaita Acharya prabhu. So I am just going to speak from these books.
Advaita Acharya as you all know is one of the Pancha-tattvas:
Panca tattvatmakam Krishnam, Bhakta rupa svarupakam.
Bhaktavataram Bhaktakhyam namami bhaktasatikam.
Bhaktarupa, bhakta swarupa and bhakta avatara. Krishna Himself has appeared as a devotee and there is bhakta svarup- a personification of devotee- Nityananda prabhu and, bhakta avatara; incarnated as bhakta, that is Advaita Acharya. In Caitanya Caritamrita we can find that Sri Advaita Acharya is the incarnation of Sri Mahavishnu. So Advaita Acharya is the Mahavishnu Himself, the personality who is the cause of the material creation and from whom different Vishnu tatvas appeared and Advaita Acarya is Mahavishnu himself. And it is also mentioned that Advaita Acarya is the Sadasiva from Vaikuntha. Sadasiva and Mahavishnu appeared as Advaita Acharya.
Advaita Acharya’s fathers name is Kuber Mishra and mothers name is Mallha Devi. Somewhere it is described that Kubera is a friend of Lord Shiva. The son of Viswava and the brother of Ravana is the treasurer of the demigods and a great worshiper of lord Shiva and in that way he is the friend of lord Shiva. The friend of lord Shiva appeared as Kuvera Mishra and Sadashiv appeared as Advaita. There was an interesting incident in the life of Kubera Mishra. He was a very old man. He was at that time about 73 years old. One day a priestly person came and appeared to blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna. So Kuvera Mishra became perturbed hearing the blasphemous words of that man. Then Kuvera Mishra decided to give up his body. He decided to commit suicide. Because in the scriptures it has been said that when there is blasphemy against the lord or his devotees, we should either try to rectify that person and if one cannot rectify that person, then one should actually give up his body. Or if one cannot give up his body then one should at least leave that place immediately. So Kuvera Mishra decided to give up his body being unable to tolorate the blashphemy against the Supreme Personality of Godhead, at that time, a person, a devotee appeared before him and he said; don’t worry, very soon a great personality is going come. And that personality will be the cause in establishing Krishna consciousness in this age of Kali. So being consoled by this devotee, Kuvera Mishra refrained from committing suicide. And that night Kuvera Mishra had a beautiful dream. He saw two very brilliant personalities holding hands with each other and one was telling to the other; ‘let us go and establish the dharma in this age of kali on the earth planet, on this material nature. Then these two great personalities entered into Kuvera Mishra’s heart. When Kuvera Mishra woke he was very happy to have seen such a beautiful dream, and then his wife also woke up and told that she also saw a similar dream.
And soon after that, Kuvera Mishra’s wife Nalha Devi conceived Advaita
Acharya prabhu. After ten months Advaita Acarya prabhu was born on this particular day which is an auspicious day, the 7th day or saptami of the month of Magh. I forgot to mention one thing. Advaita Acharya’s father was in Navadip at that time. When Advaita Acarya’s mother was pregnant he went back to Srivapur in East Bengal in a place called Navagram. There Kuvera Mishra used to be the minister of a king, a powerful king of that area called Divyashingha. He resigned from that position and settled in Navadip in order to have the association of devotees. When he went back to Signhasta, also a place in East Bengal, also a place from where Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s family came. Jagannatha Mishra came also from Simhasta district. When Kuvera Mishra went back, Divyasingha requested to become minister again. He accepted that post. The king was actually very much attracted to Kuvera Mishra. And Advaita Acharya was born on this particular day in Singhasta. When Advaita was six months old rice giving ceremony or annaprasanna was performed. Rice as the remnants of the lord was given. He was named at that time. He actually has three names. His name was Kamalaksha because his eyes were like lotuses. Kamal means lotus and Akshi means eyes. Names for the children according to the sastra were given in
accordance with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the one who has
lotus like eyes is called Kamalaksha.
One name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kamalaksha. Since he was non-different from the supreme personality of godhead, his other name was Advaita. Since he was destined to bring all auspiciousness to this world, another name was Mangal. Mangal means auspiciousness. So these are the three names of Advaita Acharaya ie. Kamalakshya, Advaita and Mangal. Of course he has other names also, as I sang; Sitanatha Advaita caranaravinda bhavanam. Another name of Advaita Acharya is Sitanath. Sitanath means the lord of Sitadevi. Later Advaita Acharya was married to two sisters; Sitadevi and
Sridevi. Sitadevi and Sridevi are the incarnations of Yogamaya. His Holiness expresses that he forgot to read the Advaita Asthakam and will do that at the end.
When he was about three years old, before admission to school, he was sent to school at the age of five, Advaita Acharya’s mother had a dream. In the dream Advaita was in his mother’s lap and he was saying; ‘mother, I will bring all the places of pilgrimage here and make you stay here’. When she woke up she was happy to have had such a beautiful dream. And then Advaita Acharya asked her; ‘it seems that you had a beautiful dream?’ Initially mother refused to tell that dream and when he kept on insisting, she said, ‘yes, I saw a dream in which Advaita will bring all the places of pilgrimage here to take bath here. Then he took his mother to a place that is mountainous and got to a hill. Then he said, ‘mother, all the personalities of the pilgrimage are coming- Ganga, Jamuna Devi. They all came and then transformed into one orchard and thus became a place of pilgrimage’. That place is still available. Singhasta. The name of that place is called Paunatirtha. Paun means from and tirtha means the place of pilgrimage. This is the place where Advaita Acharya fulfilled the promise to his mother.
Then Advaita Acharya was sent to school. He was so brilliant. He could learn everything in one time that for others would take about a month to learn. He was very brilliant. Within very short time he completed his studies. When he was young, the king had a son, the prince who was of the same age as Advaita Acharya. The prince and Advaita became close friend and used to spend most of the time together. So one day they went to Durga temple. The prince offered obeisance but Advaita Acharya just stood on without offering obeisances. The prince said, what happened? Will you not pay obeisances to the Devi?’ Advaita did not say anything and just stood there. The prince, after all he is a kshatrya, got angry. He expressed his anger in the form of offence. He started calling him; ‘see the worshiper of Krishna!. He doesn’t respect Devi!’. One of the nicknames of Advaita Acharya was Krishnabola, because he used to always chant the name of Krishna from his early years. Krishnabola means the one who always chant the name of Krishna. The prince used to say, ‘that all of his friends are also the devotee of Krishna and do not bow down to anyone else. Because of these kind of people there is inauspiciousness in the country’. At this Advaita Acharya got angry and roared like a thunder. The prince became unconscious and lay flat on the ground. The king not being able to see the prince on time, sent his men to look out for him. And they found the prince in the unconscious state in the temple. The other boys told them what has actually happened. They then started looking for Advaita Acharya. The king called for Advaita Acharaya. They started looking for Advaita Acharya. They first went to Kuvera Mishra’s
house. Kuvera Mishra told them that that day was his birthday but they could not find him anywhere. They all looked around and finally found Advaita in a cave. It was not exactly a cave, rather it was rather an anthill. The boys have dug up a hole and made like a cave and Advaita, just about six or seven years old boy was there inside sitting. Then they brought him back to the temple. In the mean time they also tried to bring the prince back to a conscious state by blowing conch shell but nothing could help. The king then enquired what has happened between them. Advaita replied thus; ‘I can tolerate any insult to me, but I can’t tolerate any insult to the Lord and his devotees. So when he started to blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I could not tolerate myself, so I just roared at him out of my anger’. He became unconscious. Actually he became unconscious because of his offence to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because of the offences he became unconscious. The king begged him to kindly get him back to consciousness. Advaita Acharya said; ‘ I can’t do anything. He committed offences to the Lord!’. He suggested giving him some charanamrita of the Lord and he will come back to his consciousness. So the charanamrita was given to the prince and soon he came back to his normal state. This news spread all over and everybody could recognize that Advaita Acharya is a great personality. Although they could recognize that he is a great personality they could not recognize his actual identity.
There was also another incident. The other students were envious of Advaita. Although he was a student of about seven or eight years old, the teachers installed him as an in-charge for other boys in school. The other students were about eighteen to nineteen years old, yet they became envious of Advaita. He was so brilliant that they could not tolerate his glories. They even went to report to the king. They told that this Mangal- at that time he was known as Mangal or Kamalakshya; saying he is always talking about Krishna. ‘He doesn’t want to become a devotee. He is not respecting the Deities’. In this way they reported to the king and the king became very angry. The king called upon Advaita Acharya and tried to make him understand that he should be respectful to the Deities. Advaita could not accept that. He explained worshiping Krishna is the ultimate worship and all other demigods are actually Krishna’s servants and maidservants only. And they don’t like to accept worship and obeisances from the devotees of the Lord. The king understood though but he wasn’t fully convinced.
At that time the king was celebrating the Kali puja- worshiping Kali. Actually the ksatriyas, especially in Bengal used to worship Kali. They were saktas. They were the worshipers of sakti instead of becoming a devotee of the Lord. Advaita Acharya just came into the temple room and walked away without offering obedience to the goddess Kali. At this the king became very angry and started to blashpheme.
Adaivaita Acharya would not accept that. He does not seem to offer obeisances. Then his father came there and told him; look, since the king is not ordinary he should abide by him. “I am your father and I tell, at least to please the king you must offer obeisances to the goddess Kali’ Advaita replied, ‘I can pay obeisance to the goddess kali but the consequences will not be good, so please be prepared to the consequences’.
After saying that, he went and offered obeisances and as soon as he looked back the deities broke into pieces right there. Then everybody could understand that this will bring great inauspiciousness. When the deities break like that, it is a sign that there follows great inauspiciousness. The king immediately fell on his lotus feet, saying; ‘now I recognize that I made a mistake’. Advaita told then to his father to leave that place. Because that place has become not very peaceful. He said; ‘this place is becoming very offensive to the Lord and we should not stay here. So let’s go to Snantipur’.
Kuvera Mishra was very fond of Advaita Acharya. Although he was then a young boy he listened to his instructions, and he packed up. When the king got to know he came and begged them to stay back. The king was trying to convince Kuvera Mishra to stay there. He confessed that he would accept all his instructions. But Advaita approached his father and said, ‘look we have made op our mind and if you don’t go I am going to leave you all. I am going to leave this place. The king fell at Advaita Acharya’s feet and said; I understand and I am convinced now that we have to pray to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. “That you are the incarnation of the lord. And that’s why the Deities would not accept your obedience. She could not tolerate that you are paying obeisances to her and that’s why she left this place. She left for my kingdom. So please do not go away”. But Advaita Acharya has already decided and nothing could stop him. So he left the place. Before that he told the king to become a devotee of Krishna, chant the holy name of Krishna and worship Radha Krishna. Till that time worshiping Radha Krishna was not established in that place. He said; ‘when your heart, becomes completely purified only then he can come to Shantipur’. In this way he instructed the king to visit Shantipur. The king then actually became a devotee. He built a temple of Krishna and started to regularly worship Krishna. Later on he went to Shantipur after giving his kingdom to his son. Advaita Acharya initiated him and his name became Krishna Das.
When Advaita Acharya came to Santipur he was sent to one Sayuka Bhattacarya, a very great scholar. He was a professor. Advaita Acharya was sent to him to study. This place was called Surya. Advaita stayed about two years there with him and completed his studies. His teachers were very fond of him. His teacher recognized that Advaita was an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Advaita completed his studies and was about to leave his teacher, Bhattacarya was very sad. Advaita asked him ‘what would l offer you as my guru dakshnina?’. ‘Give me Krishna prema as the gurudakshina’. Then Advaita replied with obeisances, ‘yes; I as your student must try to offer seriously’. Bahttacarya embraced him. He experienced transcendental ecstasy and became a great devotee of Krishna.
Advaita came back to Shantipur. His father and all others were very happy to have him back. At that time he defeated a visiting scholar. It was quite similar to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu defeating Keshava Kashmiri. That big person came from South India. His name was Sandar. He was a great scholar who has defeated all the scholars in different parts of India and came to Shantipur. When he challenged Advaita Acharya, Advaita Acharya defeated him. He was an impersonalist but due to Advaita’s contact he was then transformed into a devotee.
Advaita Acharya’s father, while at his 89th year of age called one day Advaita and told that he is getting very old and he is preparing to leave his body. At that time Advaita was 15 year old. He told that after his death Advaita should offer pinda daan in Gaya. Very soon Advaita’s father died. Advaita lamented at this departure of his father. When the funeral ceremony was going on, Advaita’s mother very calmly walked into the funeral pire and accompanied her husband.
After the death of his father Advaita went to Gaya and offered pinda to the departed soul and then went Yamuna to have the darshan of Gopinath. Then he went to Jagannath Puri. He travelled to the pilgrimage in the same way Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did. He went to South India, to Dwaraka and other holy places and then to Vridhavan. When in Vrindhavan he was one night in a dream resting under a tree and in that dream the Lord appeared to him and told him that he is Madan Mohan. The Lord said, ‘I am here in the nearby forest. When the Moslims attacked the temple my pujari took me and kept me there, so please come and rescue me’. When Advaita woke up he felt what morose that such beautiful dream broke and in the morning he called the residents of that area and sought help to unearth and get the Deity. That place is called Dada Sabitya Kunja in Vrindaban. From that Kunja they found the Deity of Sri Madan Mohan. Advaita Acharya installed the Deities and gave responsibilities to the village people to take care of Them. He appointed a brahmana to be an in-charge of the Deities’ worship. Then Advaita Acharya left for pilgrimage of Vrindavana.
In the mean time some Indian muslims came there to break the Deities. When they came to that temple they saw the particular Deity was not there. They then thought that they only had heard of a rumor and actually there was no Deity in that temple. Thinking like that, they left. So next morning, when the pujari came he could not find the Deities. He thought because of the offences, the Lord has left that place. He started to cry. Advaita Acharya came back and could not see the Deities there. He also felt very sad at the Deity’s disappearance. He thought that he left the service of the Deity and went for the pilgrimage, that’s why the Deity left. He also started to cry. At that time Krishna appeared to him and said; ‘why do you cry, I am hiding behind the flowers in the garden. Don’t think I am gone. How can I leave you?’ When Advaita Acharya went there, he found the Deity on the mountain of flowers. He became very happy. Since Krishna at that time introduced Himself as Gopal, since then the name of the Deity called Madan Gopal. That Deity is also present in Vrindavana.
Advaita Acharya left Virndavana went back to Navadipa. Everybody there were pleased at his arrival. At that time too Advaita Acharya was very actively propagating Krishna Consciousness. People used to gather in houses and perform kirtana. The king has become a devotee too.
One day Haridasa Thakur came to Advaita Acarya’s house. Advaita immediately recognized him and invited him to stay in his house. Haridas Thakur accepted his invitation. In the mean time when Smartas got to know that a Muslim is staying in Advaita’s house and indulging in chanting the holy name, they became very angry. They came to Advaita’s house and complained: How dare you keep a Muslim in your house? At that time if anybody drinks water touched by a Muslim he would be ostracized from the Brahman family. They even threatened Advaita that they will ostracize him too. ‘We will banish you’, they said!. Advaita replied them to do whatever they like. “I am not going to ask Haridas Thakur to leave my house!. Haridas Thakur approached him and asked why he would take the blames like that, please let me go. I will come to visit you from time to time and will stay some where under a tree, please let me go. Advaita replied; ‘no’.
Advaita Acharya suggested Haridas Thakur to pull the fire out of that village. Do it please he said, in order to exhibit the glory of the Lord and His devotees. So being requested by Advaita Acharya Haridas pulled fire and thus no one in the village could light fire in their homes. As soon as they light fire it got extinguished. They could not cook anything. The brahmanas began performing sacrifices, yet they could not do anything. Even if they bring fire from other villages, as soon as they entered their village the fire extinguished no matter how big the fire they would bring. They were worried and then only realized that they have offended Adavaita Acharya and that’s why its happening like that. So hey came and fell at Advaita Acharya’s feet.
They narrated what had been happening. ‘We know now that we have committed offence to you’, they confessed. Advaita Acharya replied; ‘you all are brahmanas, Vedagya, the exponents of the Veda’. Factually the exponents of the Vedas can produce fire from their mouth. Chant the mantras and produce fire. ‘Why don’t you ignite fire from your mouth?’ he told. They admitted that in the age of kali the brahmanas have lost such potency. Advaita further told that they are very proud of the brahminical position. ‘You did not offend me but you actually offended Haridas Thakur’, he told. He further told that because of the offenses to Haridas Thakur, they are getting this reaction. So if you all want to absolve yourselves from the offenses then they must beg forgiveness from him. You are so proud of your brahmiwnical position and saying Haridas was born in the Muslim family, let you be informed that he is Brahma himself!. So then they all went and fell unto his feet. Then only the fire came back and people could light the fire in their homes.
It is also interesting to note that Advaita Acharya participated in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Advaita Acharaya knew Chaitanya Mahaprabhu even before his birth. He is the one who actually persuaded Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This you all very well know, that seeing the condition of this world he became very concerned and he felt that only Krishna can solve the problems of this world. He only can establish dharma in this vicious materialistic age. He prayed to Krishna to come, offering Tulsi and mala. It’s written in the scriptures that if someone prays to Krishna offering Tulasi mala and Ganga water, Krishna cannot repay His debts to him. So Advaita Acarya’s roaring like a lion was inviting Caitanya Mahaprabhu to come, or Krishna to come as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Due to Advaita Acarya Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came. When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu started the sankiratan he sent one devotee to call Advaita Acharya. He went to Santipur and invited Advaita Acharya. Advaita asserted that he will accept Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu if he would place his lotus feet on his head. “I want to test him, but don’t tell anything besides that I refused to come’, he told the devotee. ‘Let me see how he would react!”. Saying this he went to along with him to Mayapur, Navadip, but hid himself in the house of Nandanacarya like Nityananda prabhu. I forgot the name of that devotee. When that devotee went and reported to Mahaprabhu, Mahaprabhu said, ‘oh he Nara! He wants to check me out’; Advaita was used to be called as Nara by Mahaprabhu at that time. He is trying to check me and that’s why he is hiding in the house of Nandanacarya. So ‘ you go to Nandanacarya’s house and call him’, said Mahaprabhu to that devotee. So that devotee went to Nandana Acharaya’s house and requested Advaita Acharya and he came to Mahaprabhu very happily. Mahaprabhu glorified him. Before Mahaprabhu’s appearance he met Madhavendra Puri and he was initiated by him. Madhavendra Puri gave him Radha Krishna mantra and taught him to worship Radha Krishna together. So Madhavendra Puri is the first sibling of Bhaktilata. Bhaktilata was sprouting then and the sibling is Sri Madhavendra Puri- bhaktilata teho prathama ankul. Ankul means sibling. Quite before Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance Madhavendra brought prema bhakti or manifested prema bhakti in this world. From Madhavendra Puri Advaita Acharya received the prema bhakti – worshiping of Radha Krishna. Worshiping Radha Krishna is madhurya and that is also in parakiya mellow. And that is available only in the Gaudiya vaisnava sampradaya. In other vaisnava sampradaya worshiping of Radha Krishna in their conjugal mellow is not available.
So in this way Madhavendra Puri accepted Advaita Acharya as his disciple and in that sense Nityananda prabhu and Advaita Acharya are God-brothers. They have a very loving relationship. They used to fight often. There are so many incidences described in Caitanya Caritamrita and Caitanya Bhagavad about their fighting. Stories like Nityananda prabhu questioning about Advaita Acharya is there. Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Advaita Acharya had very loving relationship. One day Advaita Acharya thought that Mahaprabhu is always glorifying him. He felt that the nectar of his chastisement was not being offered to him.
So in order to get the nectar of chastisement from Mahaprabhu he propagated impersonalism- advaitavad. When this news reached, Caitanya Mahaprabhu came running Mayapur to Santipur. He went straight to Advaita and started to beat him, pounded on his back. Advaita Acharya was an old man at that time and Mahaprabhu was young, Sita Devi was so afraid and started to cry. ‘Save, save my husband’ she said, crying, while Advaita Acharya began to laugh. He said; ‘now my lord, you have offered me your mercy’.
Caitanya Mahaprahu revealed His identity as the Supreme Personality of Godhead to Advaita Acharya. Adavaita Acharya had six sons. From Sita Devi he had three sons. They are Acyuta, Krishan Mishra and Gopala Deva. These three sons became very devout devotees of Krishna. From Sridevi he had three sons namely Balaram, Sarup and Jagannath. They became impersonalists- the non-devotees. In Caitanya-caritamrita it has been described that they became asat. These three sons of Advaita became asat- dry, lifeless. The other three sons Acyuta, Krishna Mishra and Gopaldev became the devotees among which Acyutananda was the most brilliant. In Gauranga-dipika Acyutananda has been described as the incarnation of a cowherd damsel, a gopi named Acyuta manjari.
There is also an interesting incident about Acyutananda. One day someone asked Advaita Acharya,’who is the guru of Caitanya Mahaprabhu?’. Advaita asked; ‘Why?, Isvara puri is the guru of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’. Acyutananda was little boy at that time and he came running and said, ‘that is an offence, that is an offence’. How can one say that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Jagat guru himself has a guru? he exclaimed. Nobody can be his guru!. While in India, as a pastime that he played the pastimes of accepting initiation from Isvarapuri. Advaita Acharya accepted this indeed as the concussion.
His Holiness at the end of his lecture reminded again that the day is Advaita Acharya’s appearance day and urged everyone to try to make it a significant one.
THE FOLLOWING LECTURE ON LORD KRISHNA’S PASTIMES IN VRINDAVANA IS THE SECOND LECTURE IN A SERIES OF SEVEN, GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CARU SWAMI.
Transcription : Vrajendrasuta Dasa www.naamhat.blogspot.com
Editing : Hemavati Radhika Dasi
Audio source: click here
Lord Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes lecture was given in 7 series.
The 1st series dealt mostly on Sri Advaita Acarya because the class on Lord Krisna’s Vrindavana pastimes was begun on the appearance day of Advaita Acarya.
The 2nd series begins with Lord Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes as transcribed below.
The recording starts with reference to earlier description.
His Holiness Bhakti Caru Maharaja began the class referring to what he has mentioned earlier.
So as I mentioned earlier, that this class will look into the compilations or collections of different pastimes from different puranas. Mainly, a lot of Krishna’s pastimes have been described in Brahma Vaivarta Purana and also in Harivamsa.
These are two of the Puranas which describe quite extensively Krishna’s pastimes. Brahma Vaivarta Purana has one section called Krishna Khanda which deals extensively with Krishna’s pastimes.
Rupa Goswami and Jiva Gowsami also dealt with Krishna’a pastimes quite extensively. Jiva Goswami in his Gopal Sampur describes about Krishna’s pastimes. And Rupa Goswami in his Vidharta Madhav and Lalita Madhav, the two dramas, dealt with Krishna’s pastimes quite extensively. These two are based on Krishna’s pastimes. Besides that there are other dramas also such as Danakeli Kaumudi by Rupa Goswami and Danakeli Cintamani by Raghunath Das Goswami. Sometimes we find that there are certain contradictions. Like in Brahma Vaivarta Purana the description is that Radharani actually appeared from the sacrificial fire. But in Lalita Madhava, Rupa Goswami described that Radharani was born as the daughter of Vindhya Mountain. There is also a very interesting story.
You all know that Parvati, the daughter of Himalaya Mountain is the wife of Lord Shiva. There is another Mountain called Vindhya. Vindhya Mountain became upset about that. He became envious. So he wanted to have a daughter who is better than the Himalayan’s daughter. Or he wanted to have a son in-law who is greater than Lord Shiva. So he performed great sacrifices and as a result of that he got the benediction that his daughter will be married to someone who is even greater than Lord Shiva. That daughter of Vindhya is Radha. He actually got two daughters. One is Radha and another is Chandra. Radharani and Chandravali are actually the daughters of Vindhya Mountain. When they were just babies Putana wanted to kill them. When Putana was flying away with these two daughters of Vindhya Mountain Brahmanas started chanting mantras that killed the witchcraft. So Putana’s life was in danger. So then Putana dropped these two children in order to save her own life. These two children fell in the Januma River. They began floating down the river and the king Vrsvabanu got one daughter that is Radha and the king Chandrabhanu got the other daughter, that is Chandravali.
Now there is an apparent contradiction between Rupa Goswami’s descriptions here, and the descriptions given in other Puranas. When Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati was asked, ‘why there are such contradictions in the scriptures?’ his answers to that were; ‘Kalpa jnana’. We have to understand that in different kalpas, the pastimes take place in different names. So when we see some apparent contradictions in the scriptures we have to understand that they are actually narrating the pastimes from different kalpas. The details would differ but the underline principle is the same. And what is the ultimate objective of the scriptures? The ultimate objectives of the scriptures are to encourage us to become Krishna consciousness, to inspire us to become Krishna conscious. That is the ultimate objective and Krishna’s pastimes are like a play. Krishna’s pastimes are known as Lila. Lila means pastimes. Pastimes means the activities that are just done out of their own will, out of sweet will. It can be compared to a drama on the stage. Like somebody may play a role of a king on the stage but he may not actually be a king. Somebody may act as a villain on the stage but actually he may not be a villain but a saintly person. This way Krishna’s pastimes are like acts in live, acts on the stage. But what is the objective of that act or drama? The objective is to bring us closer to Krishna, make us attractive to Krishna. To make us Krishna conscious.
So today I will give a brief background to who are acting in that stage in Krisna’s pastimes. First of all we have to remember Vasudeva and Devaki. They are Krishna’s father and mother. Before that we can also take into consideration why Krishna has decided to appear and play His pastimes here. This is because the earth became very much burdened with the sinful activities of the demoniac people headed by Kamsa. The mother earth could not bear the torture of Kamsa. So the mother earth went to Brahma and pleaded to him to do something. “I could not tolerate the burden anymore’. Brahma replied that he won’t be able to do anything because Kamsa is a very terrible person. He said that even the demigods do not have power to do anything to put down Kamsa.
Now who is this Kamsa? Kamsa is a demon called Kalveni who was actually the son of Hiranyksha. He was the uncle of Ravana. Kamsa performed great austerities in order to become immortal. Putting his head down and leg upwards he offered oblations, ahuti into the sacrificial fire to please lord Shiva. He did that many thousands of years. As a result of this, Lord Shiva came to him and asked, ‘Kamsa, what do you want?’. Kamsa said; ‘I want to become immortal, please bless me so that I can become immortal’. Shival replied; ‘I can’t give you that benediction, because, in the material nature no one can become immortal’. So indirectly Shiva told him thus, ‘okay only one person will be able to kill you’. ‘The only person is that, the eighth son of someone who is very dear to you. He will be the only one who can kill you,’ Shiva replied. Kamsa thought; how can a son of my dearest one kill me?. Thinking like that he accepted the deal. Kamsa became a sort of immortal like Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksha. They became immoral with the blessings of Brahma but here Kamsa became immortal by the blessings of Lord Shiva. So there was no one who can kill him. When mother earth along with the demigods went to Brahma, they were reminded that nothing can be done about Kamsa but to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then they went to Ksirodakasayi Vishnu and started to offer prayers to Him. After hearing the prayers Ksirodakasayi Vishu woke up from His yoganindra and enquired what has happened to them. Then the demigods headed by Brahma told Him what had happened. He said, ‘why the demigods give all kinds of benedictions to the demons and create disturbances on the earth planet? Then you all are coming running to me for rescue’. So He said who is this Kamsa? I will kill him just with the Sudarshan Chakra! Then Brahma appealed to the Lord that the Sudarshan Chakra would not be able to kill him. ‘The only way that Kamsa can be killed is that, if you take birth in the womb of Devaki and become her eighth son, then you will be able to kill him’, said Brahma. So Krishna assured Brahma that He will come and also asked the demigods to take birth on the earth planet in order to assist Him. So being instructed by the Lord many demigods took birth on the earth before the appearance of Krishna. There is also another underlying principle behind those instructions of Krishna.
When Krishna came to this earth planet, He gave actually the opportunities to the living entities to develop loving relation with him and get free from the material bondage and then go back home. From other planets one cannot get out of the material nature and go back to the spiritual sky. Only when there will be annihilation, at the end of Brahma’s day, some living entities may go back to the spiritual sky. Otherwise there is no way to get out of the material nature. The only way to get out of the material nature and go back to the spiritual sky is through this earth planet. This earth planet is like a doorway or a gateway to the spiritual sky. So when Krishna comes to the earth planet He actually invites the qualified people, qualified living entities to take part in His pastimes and develop loving relationship with Him and go back to Godhead.
We know that initially we perform Vaidhi bhakti. We practice devotional service. By practicing devotional service we can develop some attachment to Krishna. But this attachment cannot be fully developed. Unless our attachment to Krishna is fully developed we cannot go back to the spiritual sky. Therefore when Krishna performs His pastimes He gives us the chance, the opportunities to the living entities who are quite qualified and developed their love for Krishna to the extent that their final attachment is Krishna only, being fully Krishna conscious while on this earth, and then only they are considered as qualified, to go back to the spiritual sky. So when Krishna comes to the earth planet he allows different living entities to participate in His pastimes. Also He brings many of His eternal associates from the spiritual sky to participate in His pastimes. So in this way Krishna comes with the crew to play on the earth planet and also recruits some qualified candidates to act in His pastimes, from this material nature. Some of the demigods are recruited in Krishna’s pastimes. Just to give an example, Indra came as Arjuna. Yamaraja came as Vidura. Vayu came as Bhima. Another expansion of Dharmaraja was Yudhisthira. Asvinikumaras came as Nakula and Sahadeva. Laksmidevi became Pancali or Draupadi. Similarly many demigods came and took part in the pastimes and got qualified to go back to Godhead. So before Krishna came He commanded some superiors to appear on the earth planet. Those who are elders- like father and mother are Vasudeva and Devaki. Vasudeva is actually Kasyapa Muni. And Devaki is Aditi. Rohini is called Thuri ? Another wife of Kasyapa Muni. So Kasyapa Muni is the son of the Demigods. So he came to appear as the father of Krishna and Aditi as the mother.
Now there is another consideration. There was some questions. Like, Parikshit Maharaja raised. Krishna, right after his birth left Devaki and went to Nanda Maharaja’s house because Nanda Maharaj took him there. Thus Devaki did not get the chance to take care of Krishna as her own baby. So Parikshit Maharaja asked why Devaki, inspite of getting the Supreme Personality of Godhead as her son, could not get the real chance to shower her paternal affection. So in response to that, Sukadeva Goswami told to Parikshit Maharaja that in the previous kalpa, in Treta yuga when the Lord appeared as Ramachandra, His father Dasharatha has three wives- Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. Sri Rama’s mother was Kausalya. When Rama was about to be enthroned, Kaikeyi became very envious. She was fond of Ramachandra, but she has a maidservant named Manthara who was ugly both outside and inside and instigated Kaikeyi. She told her that since Ram will be coronated, His mother, Kausalya will be glorified and her position will be nothing more than a maidservant. ‘Actually your son Bharata should become the king’ she said! Kaikeyi at first objected to that idea saying Rama is the eldest son and has the right to the throne but Manthara continued provoking her. She said, ‘there is one way that her son can become the crown prince and after the death of Dasaratha he can become the king’.
She reminded Kaikeyi a war in which Dasaratha was injured and was treated carefully by Kaikeyi and saved him. Owing to that service Dasaratha gave her two boons. At that time the boon was not taken. Now Manthara advised Kaikeyi to make use of that opportunity and ask Dasaratha. ‘With the first boon you ask Rama to be banished to the forest and as the second boon ask Dasaratha to install Bharata as the crown prince’, she told. Similarly Kaikeyi asked the two boons in the same way to Dasaratha. She demanded Rama to be banished to the forest for 14 years and wanted Bharata to become the king. Dasartha tried many ways to make Kaikeyi understand that it is not the right thing to do! When Rama learnt that, he volunteered to go to the forest in order to keep the vow of the father and let Bharata become the king. When Sri Rama left for the forest, Dasaratha calling His name- Rama, Rama, Rama, left his body.
After returning from the 14 years exile, Sri Rama came back and paid His obeisances to Kaikeyi and treated her as His own mother in a very, very respectful way. She felt embarrassed. Actually she was broken-hearted at the banishment of Rama. When Rama treated her so nicely she expressed her only desire is to get Him as her own son at some day. Lord Ramachandra said, ‘yes, in my next pastimes you will be my mother, but, I won’t drink your milk’. So that’s why Kaikeyi in the Lords next pastimes as Krishna, became Devaki. But Krishna did not drink her milk. So right after His birth, Krishna was transported to Nandagrama, Gokula, at Nanda Maharaja’s house. Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda treated Him as their own child there.
There is also another interesting consideration. Apparently it seemed that mother Yasoda gave birth to a daughter and that daughter was exchanged by Vasudeva with Krishna. Vasudeva kept Krishna in the lap of mother Yasoda and brought the daughter to the prison of Kamsa. But Jiva Goswami pointed out in the Harivamsa and also in the Brahmavaivarta Purana that, mother Yasoda actually gave birth to two children. One son and one daughter. That son is Krishna and the daughter is Yogamaya. So mother Yasoda actually gave birth to original Krishna and Vasudeva Krishna, the son of Vasudeva came to become one with Krishna, the son of mother Yasoda. Jiva Goswami gave many proofs to that. One proof given in this relation is that Krishna Himself said, ‘Vridavana parityaja kadapi kuchhana’, or “I never leave Vrindavana. I always stay in Vrindavana’’. So Krishna always stays in Vrindavana. He never leaves Vrindavana. And it’s also mentioned that, Krishna, the son of Yasoda. Krishna the son of Nanda. Krishna the moon of Vrindavana. So this Krishna must be the original Krishna of Vrindavan and so the original Krishna must be the son of mother Yasoda. So mother Yasoda gave birth to a son and that son is Krishna, but when Vasudeva brought his son, the son of Devaki, to the house of Nandamaharaja, that Nanda Maharaja’s son Krishna- the Nandanandana Krishna and Vasudeva Krishna became one. So the daughter was taken to the prison of Kamsa who was Yogamaya.
Now who are these two personalities, Yasoda and Nanda- Nanda and Yasoda? A Vasu named Drona was Nanda maharaja in his previous life. His wife was Hara who became mother Yasoda. Now how they became the father and mother of Krishna in these pastimes? In the previous pastimes as Drona and Dhara they performed great austerities in the Gangamadan mountain. They wanted to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna. They performed many years of austerities. When Krishna did not appear, they felt so dejected that they wanted to give up their lives. They lit a huge fire and wanted to enter into the fire and give up their body. At that time there was an announcement from the sky that Drona and Dhara do not give up their body untimely. ‘Just be patient. You will be able to get the Supreme Personality of Godhead as your son in due course of time’; the voice announced. ‘When he would appear in Gokula, you will be the father and mother’ the voice pronounced. Then Drona and Dhara became very happy and came back to their house. In due course of time they left their body and in the next life they became Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna appeared as their Son.
The next personality we come to know is Sri Balarama. Who is Balarama? Balarama is Anantadeva. In Ramchandra’s pastimes Balarama was Lakshmana. When the Lord Rama came back to Ayodhya after killing Ravana and rescuing Sita, the residents of Ayodhya were very happy. They all glorified the Lord Ramchandra. He did a very wonderful act that He killed Ravana. At that time the great sage Agastya Muni was there and said that credit actually goes to Lakshmana. Everyone asked how was that possible! Sri Rama killed Ravana and did so many wonderful deeds and rescued Sita.
Besides, it is noteworthy that Ravana’s son Meghnatha was undefeatable. No one can defeat him. He was so powerful that even the demigods could not do anything. He was invincible. So conquering Ravana was impossible if Meghnatha was alive. But Meghnatha was killed by Lakshmana. Lakshmana could kill him because he was a perfect brahmacari. Not only he was a brahmacari, for fourteen years when they were in the forest, he did not eat anything. So the Lord Ramchandra Who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Who knows everything, exclaimed how was that possible? Sita was there and one Who is a perfect Brahmacari means one who doesn’t even look at the face of any women. Sita was there in the forest along with them and how could it be possible he did not have looked into her face and remained as a perfect brahmacari? The Agastya Muni replied, ‘Lakshmana did not look at the face of Sita. He all the time used to look at her lotus feet only’. Lakshmana admitted that it was true. He always looked at the feet of mother Sita and never looked at her face. Lord Rama said, ‘you claim that he did not eat anything for fourteen years, but I used to share with him the fruits! How can you say that he did not eat throughout fourteen year?’ Then Agastya Muni replied; ‘why don’t You ask Lakhsmana himself what he did with the fruits’.
Lakshmana said, ‘when you gave me some fruits I used to keep that in the forest’. Lord Rama said, ‘is it true? Hanuman, you go and see if the fruits were kept in the forest’. ‘Whether Lakshmana is telling the truth!’. So Hanuman went to the forest and brought all the fruits back. At this everyone were excited. How wonderful it is that for fourteen years he did not eat anything! Then Lord Rama said, ‘let me see whether he did not eat a single day. He counted all the fruits and five were missing. ‘How come that five fruits are missing? So you did not remain fasting all the fourteen years! Lord Ram told.
Lakshmana replied at this saying, ‘my Lord, you forgot to give me fruits in those five days’. Those five days were thus the days when you got the news of our father, Dasaratha’s death. The day Sita was stolen. The day I was struck by the saktisen of Ravana and I was made unconscious for which state Hanuman had to bring Visalakarani from the Gandhamadava hill and brought me back to life. The day He went to Patalaloka to kill Mahiravana. The fifth day was the day Sita was tested in the fire. So these are the five days Lord Rama forgot to give fruits to Lakshmana. Therefore those five fruits are in short. At this everyone started glorifying Lakshmana. Lord Rama was moved at the sacrifice of Lakshmana and declared to make him as His elder brother in His next pastimes. So as a result of that, in Krishna’s pastimes Lakshmana appeared as Balarama.
‘I have earlier mentioned about Radharani’, said Guru Maharaja and explained further. Radharani is the daughter of the king Vrsabhanu. In his previous life Vrsabhanu was the sun god Prabhakara. Prabha means radiance. Effulgence. The one who gives out light. Who gives out the light? The sun. Therefore another name of sun is Prabhakara. Sun wanted to have Srimati Radharani as his daughter. He performed great austerities and ultimately the Lord blessed him that when He would come for the next pastimes with Radharani, Radharani will appear as his daughter. That Prabhakara became the king Vrsabhanu and his wife is Kirtida or Kalavati. Radha was born as their daughter. Now Vrsabhanu has four other daughters.
King Krishnanu had five sons. They are: Vrsabhanu, Chandrabhanu, Subhanu, Maharbhanu and Bhanu. These five brothers had twenty children. Vrsabhanu had two children, one son and one daughter, Radha and Silabha. Chandrabhanu also has one son and one daughter, ie. Subahu and Chandravali. He also gave birth to four other children. They have names as Krishna, another friend of Krishna, Mahavali, Chitra and Champakala. Subhanu gave birth to Basudhama, Dhaam, Manibala, Lalita and Visakha. Bhanu gave birth to Madhumati, Kinkini, Rangadevi and Citralekha. And Mahabhanu gave birth to Stoka Krishna, Kapila, Gandhava and Tungavidhya. These are the eight principal gopis and twelve principal friends of Krishna. So these asthasakis are actually Radharani’s servants. The twelve friends of Krsna are also Radharani’s servants. Sridhama is her own brother and others are her cousins. So in this way we can see that all the immediate members are Radharani’s family. The 8 Gopis and 12 Gopa’s are the immediate family members of Srimati Radharani.
Rohini, the mother of Balarama gave birth to five sons. They are Balarama, Sarana, Sauva, Durgama and Kusinatha. She also gave birth to two daughters. These daughters are Citra and Subhadra. This Citra is not the Gopi Citra. She is Vasudeva and Rohini’s daughter and actually the first daughter of Rohini died soon after her birth. But after death she started to lament; that Krishna is coming to perform His pastimes and I am going to miss that! So she wanted to come back and she appeared as Subhadra. These are the brothers and sisters of Balarama.
There are some interesting descriptions about Radharani. Right from birth she was extremely beautiful. Everybody could acknowledge that she is the most beautiful baby in the world. King Vrishabhanu was very happy to have such a beautiful daughter. But they found that the eyes of this beautiful child are not opening. They were sad that the child was born blind although she is very beautiful. They accepted this as their destiny. In the Vedic culture one learns to accept everything as Krishna’s arrangement. So they do not lament much and accept everything as their destiny. They try to adjust their lives with that, for example if someone is very poor, he accepts that as his destiny. When we read the Puranas or the Vedic literatures we can see that everything is due to some previous arrangements. Noting happens by chance, so it is useless to try to change the destiny. Because everything has been arranged by the divine arrangement of the Supreme, also called the Vidhata. So the intelligent person does not take trouble to change his destiny. On the other hand he flows with the destiny and tries to reach the ultimate goal of life. What is the ultimate goal of life? The ultimate goal of life is to develop love for Krishna. So the Vedic culture teaches one to flow in the stream of time to reach the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna. Instead of going against the current he flows with the current and reach the ultimate goal of life. Isn’t this intelligent? In the material nature what people do? They try to go against the current. As a result of that they become exhausted and they do not make any progress. Did you ever try to swim against the current? Go to the Ganga river and try that! So Vrishabhanu accepted the way his daughter was born and gradually he was happy.
In the mean time a son was borne in the house of mother Yasoda. Mother Yasoda gave birth to a son. They were related to each other. King Vrsabhanu and Nanda Maharaja were close friends. There is also a noteworthy aspect. Actually Nanda Maharaja arranged the marriage of Vrsnahanu with Kirtida. Kirtida was very, very beautiful. So one day Nanda Maharaja went to that kingdom and saw this daughter surrounded by her friends. He was struck at her beauty and asked others about her. They told that she is the daughter of the king. So Nanda Maharaja went to that king.
This is also one of the very wonderful aspects of the Vedic culture. Generally if you would see a beautiful girl, you will think to marry her, but in Vedic culture, it’s not like that. When Nanda Maharaja saw such a beautiful girl Kirtida he thought such a beautiful girl will be the perfect match for my friend Vrsabhanu. So he went to the king and told him: ‘Your daughter is very beautiful. She is endowed with so many good qualities. All the good qualities are present in her personality. You must be willing to find a perfect husband for her. So if you want her to get married to a right person I can help you’. He put forward the name of Vrsabhanu the son of Krishnanu and assured that he would be the perfect husband for her daughter. This is how they were married.
Nanda Maharaja and Vrsabhanu were very very close friends. When Krisha was borne, they got to know that Radha was also borne in the palace of Vrsabhanu. One day mother Yasoda went along with her associates from Vrindvana to see Kritida and her daughter. They became very happy to see the beautiful daughter of Kritida. They exchanged their children to keep in their laps. Mother Yasoda took the daughter of Kirtida in her lap and Kirtida took Yasoda’s son in her lap. They could see that both of them were showing great attachment with each other. So they playfully kept both their children on the bed. When they kept both the children on the bed they saw all of a sudden that Radha’s eyes got opened. Actually she kept her eyes closed because actually she did not want to see anyone else accept Krishna. She was waiting for Krishna to appear before her and then only she opened her eyes. Everybody wondered as if this child knew some mantras. Although the child of Kritida and Vrsabhanu was already showing wonderful qualities this time they found their child’s eyes open and began to glorify Krishna.
(Here the recordings is interrupted, for about a few minutes of lecture are missing, 45.36).
His Holiness began another chapter here. To come back to the earth planet go to Vrindavana and do sankirtan. Sankirtan means chanting the holy name of Krishna with genuine feeling from the heart. When you call out, O Krishna, O Gopal, it should not be just a tongue service. It should be from the heart. We should desire really from our heart and say; Krishna! I can’t exist without you. Then only one can develop intense relationship and feelings for Krishna. Gopakumara was chanting in Vrindavana in that way. So one day he fainted and fell in the river Jamuna. He became unconscious. And in that unconscious state he saw himself sitting on a vehicle and moving in tremendous speed. When he came back to his senses he found out himself in Goloka Vrindavan.
One devotee asked a question. What was the age at that time of Krishna and Radharani? [Recording not clear].
Guru Maharaja replied. Generally Lord Krishna looks of the age of sixteen and Radharani of fifteen years of age. This is their eternal age. Now appearance wise Radharani appeared before Krishna. Let me tell about their appearance from Brahmavaivarta Purana. In the Brahmavaivarta Purana it is described that Radharani was baby when Krishna came and then only she opened her eyes. In the same Purana there is another reference. One day Nanda Maharaja was tending the cows in Khandava-vana. Krishna was on his back. At that time, by the arrangement of Krishna’s Yogamaya, there appeared a thick cloud. Nanda Maharaja became worried, what to do! He has a child in his lap and cows were there dispersed. He was worried whether to take care of the child Krishna or the cows. At that time Srimati Radharani came there. There in this description, it is given that Krishna was still a baby in his father’s lap and Radharani is fully grown up. She was a already extremely beautiful young woman. At that time Nanda Maharaja told Radharani what Gargamuni has told him earlier that. ‘You are Mahalaxmi Devi and this child of mine is Narayana himself. I know that both of you are performing your pastimes, so now please open the sky for me and let me take care of the cows’, Nanda Maharaja said. Radharani was very pleased at Nanda Maharaja and said, ‘yes ask for any boon’. Nanda Maharaja said, ‘give me the boon that I can always maintain my attachment to you and to this child’. Radharani told Nanda Maharaj, ‘let that be’, and asked him to go back with his cows. When Nanda Maharaja was gone Radharani exhibited such intense love to this child that her whole mind was lost in this personality. That time the little child also could not play His role properly. (Laughter among the listeners). He appeared suddenly to a young boy of about fifteen years old and then from the body of Radharani all the Gopis appeared, rasamandali was arranged and they enacted their first rasa dance there. After performing the rasa dance Krishna became baby again. Radha became very sad. Krishna became baby and gain and ‘now I won’t be able to exchange with Him the way I wanted’, she thought. Then she heard a voice from the sky: ‘Don’t worry, every night I will come and dance with you’. ‘You will also leave your shadow behind in your house and come to me’ the voice said.
So you have to understand that actually these are Krishna’s pastimes. Krishna is not bound by time and space like the conditioned souls. Therefore even if there appear some contradictions and differences in the scriptures, one should take them as the truth.
In response to next questions that appear too low to understand to transcribe, His Holiness replied : ‘Yes there is Vaikuntha liberation and if you do Navadipa parikramam, (with the ISKCON devotees), he or she goes to Goloka Navadipa Dhaam’. Devotees of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu will not be satisfied in Vaikuntha. They will get bored there. The ultimate consideration of liberation is sambandha jnana. Sambandha means relationship. Krishna manifests in three ways; Brahma, Paramatma and Bhagavan. If one understands the absolute truth to be brahma then he will go to Brahma-loka. If someone realizes only the Supreme Personality as the Pramatma or Supersoul, then he will attain Paramatma liberation. Those who know the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Bhagavan and become the devotee of that Supreme Personality they will go to Vaikuntha planet.
Generally the ultimate consideration is, if someone realizes the above they will attain the supreme position which is beyond the material nature, but that understanding of the Supreme position may be impersonal, localized or their understanding may be the supreme loving object where He allows after having developed loving relationship and having loving exchange with Him.
Paramatma liberation is the liberation attained by the Yogis. They see the Super soul and the Supersoul is inactive. It’s just like seeing Him as the Supreme witness Who is the cause of everything but they don’t develop a loving relationship with Him. Vaikuntha situation is purely a neutral mellow. There is no servitorship.
In response to another question, His Holiness said; yes some becomes trees, but the trees in Vridavana are not in neutrality. The trees in Vrindavana are either in friendship or in parental love. They are not in neutrality. They are not in santa rasa although they appear like that. Actually in Vrindavana everything is moving, nothing is static. Everything is dynamic.
The next answer to the question of a Mataji is as follows. In other ages developing love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead was not very easy. There are two types of liberations. One is pramamukti and the other is satyamukti- the gradual liberation and instant liberation. The gradual liberation is like going to the higher and higher region, to the Goloka Vrindavana. That is the consideration for the gradual liberation. Satyamukti is when one develops his love for Krishna and then after getting his body he is already 100% purified despite of being in the material nature. Then his body is no more material although it appears material and also situated in the earth planet. Because of his love for Krishna, as soon as his body’s term is over he immediately goes back to Krishnaloka. This is what is happening by Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy. This is why Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy is so rare. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is allowing us to develop intense love for Krishna directly instead of going through different stages of elevation.
To the questions pertaining to not taking the teachings if Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His Holiness denounced saying, ‘that is the bad luck’. You get something precious but do not make use of it then who can be blamed? Just like the other day I mentioned a story. One king got drunk and opened his treasury and distributed his most precious jewels to anyone and everyone who were coming there. But after getting it he did not know what is that or doubted the value of the jewels for being handed to him for free, what can be done! So we must understand the value of Mahaprabhu’s mission.
His Holiness appreciated another devotee’s question. It was told that Nanda Maharaja is one of the Vasus and he became Nanda Maharaja in Krishna’s pastimes. Now isn’t Nanda Maharaja an eternal associate of Krishna?
Yes there are two considerations. One is Krishna’s eternal associate as I mentioned. Another consideration is that living entities get the chance to get elevated to take part in Krishna’s pastimes. In this case the living entity who was in the material platform got the chance to be elevated to Goloka Vrindavana. This Drona was not the original Nanda Maharaja of Vrindavana. He got the chance to play the role of Nanda Maharaja in Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan. In the spiritual sky many personalities can be one and one personality can be many. It is inconceivable. Nanda Maharaja is the eternal father of Krishna and Drona also got the position of Nanda Maharaja. Original Nanda Maharaja also came and they became one. Before elaborating much on ‘merging’ I want to mention that these merging of the different personalities is not like merging into the Supreme Brahman. One must be pure in mind to understand this. Similarly we can see that the Gopis are also culminated from different personalities, if we see from the material point of view. But at the same time the Gopis are the eternal associated of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. How do we reconcile that? We have to understand this from the scriptures although it’s beyond our conception.
There are personalities with the same names. Name may be the same but the personalities are different. Like Arjuna, there is Arjuna in Vrindavana as the cowherd friend of Krishna and not the son of Pandu.
Gopa-kumara was going to higher planets, or higher position. That has been described in the Bhagavatam. Since his position in relation to Krishna in Dwaraka was not in that kind or relation, he was not satisfied with that. Krishna was there with him. Although Krishna showed to himself as the cowherd boy and Laksmidevi as Radharani, or to say, although Gopakumara saw Krishna in that Vrindavana way, but still he was not satisfied. Until the time he reached Vrindavana he was not satisfied. So that is the indication of where our eternal relationship is. A better example of this is about Anupama, Jiva Goswami’s father, Rupa Goswami’s brother. Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami to Anupama, who was Rama bhakta, to become the devotee of Krishna. They explained why it is better to become the devotee of Krishna. Anupama asked for one night to think it over. Throughout the night he thought about it and next morning he went to Rupa and Sanatana and said, ‘please forgive me. I can’t give up my devotion to Sri Rama’. Here we have to understand that his eternal relation will be with Lord Rama only. In Chaitanya Caritamrita we can find in that respect, that in whatever mellow one is; that is for him the highest. He considers that to be the highest. If someone’s original relationship is in neutrality, he considers that to be the highest. If someone’s original relationship is conjugal or servitorship etc, the respective mellow will be considered the highest.
Referring to another question, His Holiness said over the gradual elevation- Sadamukti Just like, you can take an airplane to travel overland. When you travel overland, you will be going across different places and levels. When you go by plane you go direct. So the sadamukti is just like taking a flight.
On Mahaprabhu’s special mercy. Mahaprabhu’s special mercy is that if you practice, or if you follow instructions given in the Gaudiya Vaisna Sampradaya, in this body itself, in this lifetime you can achieve the goal of life. Because, the ultimate consideration is to develop the love for Krishna. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has directly given that love. So whoever develops that genuine love for Krishna will go back to Vrindavana or Goloka Navadipa Dhaam.
On Krsna’s pastimes. The original Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna’s pastimes was enacted in the earth planet of every universe. Every universe has 14 planetary systems. Every universe has the middle planet, the earth planet. Krishna enacted His pastimes in every universe’s earth planet. Bhurloka, Bhuvarloka, Swarloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapaloka are the upper plants. The lower planets are Tala, Atala, Bitala, Sutala, Rasatala, Mahartaal and Patala. The middle one is the Bhurloka and that Bhurloka is the earth planet. And in every earth planet there is a place called Bharatvarsa. In that Bharatvarsa there is a place called Vrindavana. Lord Krishna comes and takes pleasure in His pastimes there.
So I will stop now. Thank you all very much. Jay Srila Prabhupada.
With this, His Holiness concluded rendering the 2nd series of lectureing on Lord Krishna’s Vrindavana Pastimes.
For audio reference :
Transcription : Vrajendrasuta Dasa www.naamhat.blogspot.com
Editing : Hemavati Radhika Dasi
Audio source: click here
Lord Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes lecture was given in 7 series.
The 1st series dealt mostly on Sri Advaita Acarya because the class on Lord Krisna’s Vrindavana pastimes was begun on the appearance day of Advaita Acarya.
The 2nd series begins with Lord Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes as transcribed below.
The recording starts with reference to earlier description.
His Holiness Bhakti Caru Maharaja began the class referring to what he has mentioned earlier.
So as I mentioned earlier, that this class will look into the compilations or collections of different pastimes from different puranas. Mainly, a lot of Krishna’s pastimes have been described in Brahma Vaivarta Purana and also in Harivamsa.
These are two of the Puranas which describe quite extensively Krishna’s pastimes. Brahma Vaivarta Purana has one section called Krishna Khanda which deals extensively with Krishna’s pastimes.
Rupa Goswami and Jiva Gowsami also dealt with Krishna’a pastimes quite extensively. Jiva Goswami in his Gopal Sampur describes about Krishna’s pastimes. And Rupa Goswami in his Vidharta Madhav and Lalita Madhav, the two dramas, dealt with Krishna’s pastimes quite extensively. These two are based on Krishna’s pastimes. Besides that there are other dramas also such as Danakeli Kaumudi by Rupa Goswami and Danakeli Cintamani by Raghunath Das Goswami. Sometimes we find that there are certain contradictions. Like in Brahma Vaivarta Purana the description is that Radharani actually appeared from the sacrificial fire. But in Lalita Madhava, Rupa Goswami described that Radharani was born as the daughter of Vindhya Mountain. There is also a very interesting story.
You all know that Parvati, the daughter of Himalaya Mountain is the wife of Lord Shiva. There is another Mountain called Vindhya. Vindhya Mountain became upset about that. He became envious. So he wanted to have a daughter who is better than the Himalayan’s daughter. Or he wanted to have a son in-law who is greater than Lord Shiva. So he performed great sacrifices and as a result of that he got the benediction that his daughter will be married to someone who is even greater than Lord Shiva. That daughter of Vindhya is Radha. He actually got two daughters. One is Radha and another is Chandra. Radharani and Chandravali are actually the daughters of Vindhya Mountain. When they were just babies Putana wanted to kill them. When Putana was flying away with these two daughters of Vindhya Mountain Brahmanas started chanting mantras that killed the witchcraft. So Putana’s life was in danger. So then Putana dropped these two children in order to save her own life. These two children fell in the Januma River. They began floating down the river and the king Vrsvabanu got one daughter that is Radha and the king Chandrabhanu got the other daughter, that is Chandravali.
Now there is an apparent contradiction between Rupa Goswami’s descriptions here, and the descriptions given in other Puranas. When Bhakti Sidhanta Saraswati was asked, ‘why there are such contradictions in the scriptures?’ his answers to that were; ‘Kalpa jnana’. We have to understand that in different kalpas, the pastimes take place in different names. So when we see some apparent contradictions in the scriptures we have to understand that they are actually narrating the pastimes from different kalpas. The details would differ but the underline principle is the same. And what is the ultimate objective of the scriptures? The ultimate objectives of the scriptures are to encourage us to become Krishna consciousness, to inspire us to become Krishna conscious. That is the ultimate objective and Krishna’s pastimes are like a play. Krishna’s pastimes are known as Lila. Lila means pastimes. Pastimes means the activities that are just done out of their own will, out of sweet will. It can be compared to a drama on the stage. Like somebody may play a role of a king on the stage but he may not actually be a king. Somebody may act as a villain on the stage but actually he may not be a villain but a saintly person. This way Krishna’s pastimes are like acts in live, acts on the stage. But what is the objective of that act or drama? The objective is to bring us closer to Krishna, make us attractive to Krishna. To make us Krishna conscious.
So today I will give a brief background to who are acting in that stage in Krisna’s pastimes. First of all we have to remember Vasudeva and Devaki. They are Krishna’s father and mother. Before that we can also take into consideration why Krishna has decided to appear and play His pastimes here. This is because the earth became very much burdened with the sinful activities of the demoniac people headed by Kamsa. The mother earth could not bear the torture of Kamsa. So the mother earth went to Brahma and pleaded to him to do something. “I could not tolerate the burden anymore’. Brahma replied that he won’t be able to do anything because Kamsa is a very terrible person. He said that even the demigods do not have power to do anything to put down Kamsa.
Now who is this Kamsa? Kamsa is a demon called Kalveni who was actually the son of Hiranyksha. He was the uncle of Ravana. Kamsa performed great austerities in order to become immortal. Putting his head down and leg upwards he offered oblations, ahuti into the sacrificial fire to please lord Shiva. He did that many thousands of years. As a result of this, Lord Shiva came to him and asked, ‘Kamsa, what do you want?’. Kamsa said; ‘I want to become immortal, please bless me so that I can become immortal’. Shival replied; ‘I can’t give you that benediction, because, in the material nature no one can become immortal’. So indirectly Shiva told him thus, ‘okay only one person will be able to kill you’. ‘The only person is that, the eighth son of someone who is very dear to you. He will be the only one who can kill you,’ Shiva replied. Kamsa thought; how can a son of my dearest one kill me?. Thinking like that he accepted the deal. Kamsa became a sort of immortal like Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksha. They became immoral with the blessings of Brahma but here Kamsa became immortal by the blessings of Lord Shiva. So there was no one who can kill him. When mother earth along with the demigods went to Brahma, they were reminded that nothing can be done about Kamsa but to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then they went to Ksirodakasayi Vishnu and started to offer prayers to Him. After hearing the prayers Ksirodakasayi Vishu woke up from His yoganindra and enquired what has happened to them. Then the demigods headed by Brahma told Him what had happened. He said, ‘why the demigods give all kinds of benedictions to the demons and create disturbances on the earth planet? Then you all are coming running to me for rescue’. So He said who is this Kamsa? I will kill him just with the Sudarshan Chakra! Then Brahma appealed to the Lord that the Sudarshan Chakra would not be able to kill him. ‘The only way that Kamsa can be killed is that, if you take birth in the womb of Devaki and become her eighth son, then you will be able to kill him’, said Brahma. So Krishna assured Brahma that He will come and also asked the demigods to take birth on the earth planet in order to assist Him. So being instructed by the Lord many demigods took birth on the earth before the appearance of Krishna. There is also another underlying principle behind those instructions of Krishna.
When Krishna came to this earth planet, He gave actually the opportunities to the living entities to develop loving relation with him and get free from the material bondage and then go back home. From other planets one cannot get out of the material nature and go back to the spiritual sky. Only when there will be annihilation, at the end of Brahma’s day, some living entities may go back to the spiritual sky. Otherwise there is no way to get out of the material nature. The only way to get out of the material nature and go back to the spiritual sky is through this earth planet. This earth planet is like a doorway or a gateway to the spiritual sky. So when Krishna comes to the earth planet He actually invites the qualified people, qualified living entities to take part in His pastimes and develop loving relationship with Him and go back to Godhead.
We know that initially we perform Vaidhi bhakti. We practice devotional service. By practicing devotional service we can develop some attachment to Krishna. But this attachment cannot be fully developed. Unless our attachment to Krishna is fully developed we cannot go back to the spiritual sky. Therefore when Krishna performs His pastimes He gives us the chance, the opportunities to the living entities who are quite qualified and developed their love for Krishna to the extent that their final attachment is Krishna only, being fully Krishna conscious while on this earth, and then only they are considered as qualified, to go back to the spiritual sky. So when Krishna comes to the earth planet he allows different living entities to participate in His pastimes. Also He brings many of His eternal associates from the spiritual sky to participate in His pastimes. So in this way Krishna comes with the crew to play on the earth planet and also recruits some qualified candidates to act in His pastimes, from this material nature. Some of the demigods are recruited in Krishna’s pastimes. Just to give an example, Indra came as Arjuna. Yamaraja came as Vidura. Vayu came as Bhima. Another expansion of Dharmaraja was Yudhisthira. Asvinikumaras came as Nakula and Sahadeva. Laksmidevi became Pancali or Draupadi. Similarly many demigods came and took part in the pastimes and got qualified to go back to Godhead. So before Krishna came He commanded some superiors to appear on the earth planet. Those who are elders- like father and mother are Vasudeva and Devaki. Vasudeva is actually Kasyapa Muni. And Devaki is Aditi. Rohini is called Thuri ? Another wife of Kasyapa Muni. So Kasyapa Muni is the son of the Demigods. So he came to appear as the father of Krishna and Aditi as the mother.
Now there is another consideration. There was some questions. Like, Parikshit Maharaja raised. Krishna, right after his birth left Devaki and went to Nanda Maharaja’s house because Nanda Maharaj took him there. Thus Devaki did not get the chance to take care of Krishna as her own baby. So Parikshit Maharaja asked why Devaki, inspite of getting the Supreme Personality of Godhead as her son, could not get the real chance to shower her paternal affection. So in response to that, Sukadeva Goswami told to Parikshit Maharaja that in the previous kalpa, in Treta yuga when the Lord appeared as Ramachandra, His father Dasharatha has three wives- Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. Sri Rama’s mother was Kausalya. When Rama was about to be enthroned, Kaikeyi became very envious. She was fond of Ramachandra, but she has a maidservant named Manthara who was ugly both outside and inside and instigated Kaikeyi. She told her that since Ram will be coronated, His mother, Kausalya will be glorified and her position will be nothing more than a maidservant. ‘Actually your son Bharata should become the king’ she said! Kaikeyi at first objected to that idea saying Rama is the eldest son and has the right to the throne but Manthara continued provoking her. She said, ‘there is one way that her son can become the crown prince and after the death of Dasaratha he can become the king’.
She reminded Kaikeyi a war in which Dasaratha was injured and was treated carefully by Kaikeyi and saved him. Owing to that service Dasaratha gave her two boons. At that time the boon was not taken. Now Manthara advised Kaikeyi to make use of that opportunity and ask Dasaratha. ‘With the first boon you ask Rama to be banished to the forest and as the second boon ask Dasaratha to install Bharata as the crown prince’, she told. Similarly Kaikeyi asked the two boons in the same way to Dasaratha. She demanded Rama to be banished to the forest for 14 years and wanted Bharata to become the king. Dasartha tried many ways to make Kaikeyi understand that it is not the right thing to do! When Rama learnt that, he volunteered to go to the forest in order to keep the vow of the father and let Bharata become the king. When Sri Rama left for the forest, Dasaratha calling His name- Rama, Rama, Rama, left his body.
After returning from the 14 years exile, Sri Rama came back and paid His obeisances to Kaikeyi and treated her as His own mother in a very, very respectful way. She felt embarrassed. Actually she was broken-hearted at the banishment of Rama. When Rama treated her so nicely she expressed her only desire is to get Him as her own son at some day. Lord Ramachandra said, ‘yes, in my next pastimes you will be my mother, but, I won’t drink your milk’. So that’s why Kaikeyi in the Lords next pastimes as Krishna, became Devaki. But Krishna did not drink her milk. So right after His birth, Krishna was transported to Nandagrama, Gokula, at Nanda Maharaja’s house. Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda treated Him as their own child there.
There is also another interesting consideration. Apparently it seemed that mother Yasoda gave birth to a daughter and that daughter was exchanged by Vasudeva with Krishna. Vasudeva kept Krishna in the lap of mother Yasoda and brought the daughter to the prison of Kamsa. But Jiva Goswami pointed out in the Harivamsa and also in the Brahmavaivarta Purana that, mother Yasoda actually gave birth to two children. One son and one daughter. That son is Krishna and the daughter is Yogamaya. So mother Yasoda actually gave birth to original Krishna and Vasudeva Krishna, the son of Vasudeva came to become one with Krishna, the son of mother Yasoda. Jiva Goswami gave many proofs to that. One proof given in this relation is that Krishna Himself said, ‘Vridavana parityaja kadapi kuchhana’, or “I never leave Vrindavana. I always stay in Vrindavana’’. So Krishna always stays in Vrindavana. He never leaves Vrindavana. And it’s also mentioned that, Krishna, the son of Yasoda. Krishna the son of Nanda. Krishna the moon of Vrindavana. So this Krishna must be the original Krishna of Vrindavan and so the original Krishna must be the son of mother Yasoda. So mother Yasoda gave birth to a son and that son is Krishna, but when Vasudeva brought his son, the son of Devaki, to the house of Nandamaharaja, that Nanda Maharaja’s son Krishna- the Nandanandana Krishna and Vasudeva Krishna became one. So the daughter was taken to the prison of Kamsa who was Yogamaya.
Now who are these two personalities, Yasoda and Nanda- Nanda and Yasoda? A Vasu named Drona was Nanda maharaja in his previous life. His wife was Hara who became mother Yasoda. Now how they became the father and mother of Krishna in these pastimes? In the previous pastimes as Drona and Dhara they performed great austerities in the Gangamadan mountain. They wanted to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna. They performed many years of austerities. When Krishna did not appear, they felt so dejected that they wanted to give up their lives. They lit a huge fire and wanted to enter into the fire and give up their body. At that time there was an announcement from the sky that Drona and Dhara do not give up their body untimely. ‘Just be patient. You will be able to get the Supreme Personality of Godhead as your son in due course of time’; the voice announced. ‘When he would appear in Gokula, you will be the father and mother’ the voice pronounced. Then Drona and Dhara became very happy and came back to their house. In due course of time they left their body and in the next life they became Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna appeared as their Son.
The next personality we come to know is Sri Balarama. Who is Balarama? Balarama is Anantadeva. In Ramchandra’s pastimes Balarama was Lakshmana. When the Lord Rama came back to Ayodhya after killing Ravana and rescuing Sita, the residents of Ayodhya were very happy. They all glorified the Lord Ramchandra. He did a very wonderful act that He killed Ravana. At that time the great sage Agastya Muni was there and said that credit actually goes to Lakshmana. Everyone asked how was that possible! Sri Rama killed Ravana and did so many wonderful deeds and rescued Sita.
Besides, it is noteworthy that Ravana’s son Meghnatha was undefeatable. No one can defeat him. He was so powerful that even the demigods could not do anything. He was invincible. So conquering Ravana was impossible if Meghnatha was alive. But Meghnatha was killed by Lakshmana. Lakshmana could kill him because he was a perfect brahmacari. Not only he was a brahmacari, for fourteen years when they were in the forest, he did not eat anything. So the Lord Ramchandra Who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Who knows everything, exclaimed how was that possible? Sita was there and one Who is a perfect Brahmacari means one who doesn’t even look at the face of any women. Sita was there in the forest along with them and how could it be possible he did not have looked into her face and remained as a perfect brahmacari? The Agastya Muni replied, ‘Lakshmana did not look at the face of Sita. He all the time used to look at her lotus feet only’. Lakshmana admitted that it was true. He always looked at the feet of mother Sita and never looked at her face. Lord Rama said, ‘you claim that he did not eat anything for fourteen years, but I used to share with him the fruits! How can you say that he did not eat throughout fourteen year?’ Then Agastya Muni replied; ‘why don’t You ask Lakhsmana himself what he did with the fruits’.
Lakshmana said, ‘when you gave me some fruits I used to keep that in the forest’. Lord Rama said, ‘is it true? Hanuman, you go and see if the fruits were kept in the forest’. ‘Whether Lakshmana is telling the truth!’. So Hanuman went to the forest and brought all the fruits back. At this everyone were excited. How wonderful it is that for fourteen years he did not eat anything! Then Lord Rama said, ‘let me see whether he did not eat a single day. He counted all the fruits and five were missing. ‘How come that five fruits are missing? So you did not remain fasting all the fourteen years! Lord Ram told.
Lakshmana replied at this saying, ‘my Lord, you forgot to give me fruits in those five days’. Those five days were thus the days when you got the news of our father, Dasaratha’s death. The day Sita was stolen. The day I was struck by the saktisen of Ravana and I was made unconscious for which state Hanuman had to bring Visalakarani from the Gandhamadava hill and brought me back to life. The day He went to Patalaloka to kill Mahiravana. The fifth day was the day Sita was tested in the fire. So these are the five days Lord Rama forgot to give fruits to Lakshmana. Therefore those five fruits are in short. At this everyone started glorifying Lakshmana. Lord Rama was moved at the sacrifice of Lakshmana and declared to make him as His elder brother in His next pastimes. So as a result of that, in Krishna’s pastimes Lakshmana appeared as Balarama.
‘I have earlier mentioned about Radharani’, said Guru Maharaja and explained further. Radharani is the daughter of the king Vrsabhanu. In his previous life Vrsabhanu was the sun god Prabhakara. Prabha means radiance. Effulgence. The one who gives out light. Who gives out the light? The sun. Therefore another name of sun is Prabhakara. Sun wanted to have Srimati Radharani as his daughter. He performed great austerities and ultimately the Lord blessed him that when He would come for the next pastimes with Radharani, Radharani will appear as his daughter. That Prabhakara became the king Vrsabhanu and his wife is Kirtida or Kalavati. Radha was born as their daughter. Now Vrsabhanu has four other daughters.
King Krishnanu had five sons. They are: Vrsabhanu, Chandrabhanu, Subhanu, Maharbhanu and Bhanu. These five brothers had twenty children. Vrsabhanu had two children, one son and one daughter, Radha and Silabha. Chandrabhanu also has one son and one daughter, ie. Subahu and Chandravali. He also gave birth to four other children. They have names as Krishna, another friend of Krishna, Mahavali, Chitra and Champakala. Subhanu gave birth to Basudhama, Dhaam, Manibala, Lalita and Visakha. Bhanu gave birth to Madhumati, Kinkini, Rangadevi and Citralekha. And Mahabhanu gave birth to Stoka Krishna, Kapila, Gandhava and Tungavidhya. These are the eight principal gopis and twelve principal friends of Krishna. So these asthasakis are actually Radharani’s servants. The twelve friends of Krsna are also Radharani’s servants. Sridhama is her own brother and others are her cousins. So in this way we can see that all the immediate members are Radharani’s family. The 8 Gopis and 12 Gopa’s are the immediate family members of Srimati Radharani.
Rohini, the mother of Balarama gave birth to five sons. They are Balarama, Sarana, Sauva, Durgama and Kusinatha. She also gave birth to two daughters. These daughters are Citra and Subhadra. This Citra is not the Gopi Citra. She is Vasudeva and Rohini’s daughter and actually the first daughter of Rohini died soon after her birth. But after death she started to lament; that Krishna is coming to perform His pastimes and I am going to miss that! So she wanted to come back and she appeared as Subhadra. These are the brothers and sisters of Balarama.
There are some interesting descriptions about Radharani. Right from birth she was extremely beautiful. Everybody could acknowledge that she is the most beautiful baby in the world. King Vrishabhanu was very happy to have such a beautiful daughter. But they found that the eyes of this beautiful child are not opening. They were sad that the child was born blind although she is very beautiful. They accepted this as their destiny. In the Vedic culture one learns to accept everything as Krishna’s arrangement. So they do not lament much and accept everything as their destiny. They try to adjust their lives with that, for example if someone is very poor, he accepts that as his destiny. When we read the Puranas or the Vedic literatures we can see that everything is due to some previous arrangements. Noting happens by chance, so it is useless to try to change the destiny. Because everything has been arranged by the divine arrangement of the Supreme, also called the Vidhata. So the intelligent person does not take trouble to change his destiny. On the other hand he flows with the destiny and tries to reach the ultimate goal of life. What is the ultimate goal of life? The ultimate goal of life is to develop love for Krishna. So the Vedic culture teaches one to flow in the stream of time to reach the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna. Instead of going against the current he flows with the current and reach the ultimate goal of life. Isn’t this intelligent? In the material nature what people do? They try to go against the current. As a result of that they become exhausted and they do not make any progress. Did you ever try to swim against the current? Go to the Ganga river and try that! So Vrishabhanu accepted the way his daughter was born and gradually he was happy.
In the mean time a son was borne in the house of mother Yasoda. Mother Yasoda gave birth to a son. They were related to each other. King Vrsabhanu and Nanda Maharaja were close friends. There is also a noteworthy aspect. Actually Nanda Maharaja arranged the marriage of Vrsnahanu with Kirtida. Kirtida was very, very beautiful. So one day Nanda Maharaja went to that kingdom and saw this daughter surrounded by her friends. He was struck at her beauty and asked others about her. They told that she is the daughter of the king. So Nanda Maharaja went to that king.
This is also one of the very wonderful aspects of the Vedic culture. Generally if you would see a beautiful girl, you will think to marry her, but in Vedic culture, it’s not like that. When Nanda Maharaja saw such a beautiful girl Kirtida he thought such a beautiful girl will be the perfect match for my friend Vrsabhanu. So he went to the king and told him: ‘Your daughter is very beautiful. She is endowed with so many good qualities. All the good qualities are present in her personality. You must be willing to find a perfect husband for her. So if you want her to get married to a right person I can help you’. He put forward the name of Vrsabhanu the son of Krishnanu and assured that he would be the perfect husband for her daughter. This is how they were married.
Nanda Maharaja and Vrsabhanu were very very close friends. When Krisha was borne, they got to know that Radha was also borne in the palace of Vrsabhanu. One day mother Yasoda went along with her associates from Vrindvana to see Kritida and her daughter. They became very happy to see the beautiful daughter of Kritida. They exchanged their children to keep in their laps. Mother Yasoda took the daughter of Kirtida in her lap and Kirtida took Yasoda’s son in her lap. They could see that both of them were showing great attachment with each other. So they playfully kept both their children on the bed. When they kept both the children on the bed they saw all of a sudden that Radha’s eyes got opened. Actually she kept her eyes closed because actually she did not want to see anyone else accept Krishna. She was waiting for Krishna to appear before her and then only she opened her eyes. Everybody wondered as if this child knew some mantras. Although the child of Kritida and Vrsabhanu was already showing wonderful qualities this time they found their child’s eyes open and began to glorify Krishna.
(Here the recordings is interrupted, for about a few minutes of lecture are missing, 45.36).
His Holiness began another chapter here. To come back to the earth planet go to Vrindavana and do sankirtan. Sankirtan means chanting the holy name of Krishna with genuine feeling from the heart. When you call out, O Krishna, O Gopal, it should not be just a tongue service. It should be from the heart. We should desire really from our heart and say; Krishna! I can’t exist without you. Then only one can develop intense relationship and feelings for Krishna. Gopakumara was chanting in Vrindavana in that way. So one day he fainted and fell in the river Jamuna. He became unconscious. And in that unconscious state he saw himself sitting on a vehicle and moving in tremendous speed. When he came back to his senses he found out himself in Goloka Vrindavan.
One devotee asked a question. What was the age at that time of Krishna and Radharani? [Recording not clear].
Guru Maharaja replied. Generally Lord Krishna looks of the age of sixteen and Radharani of fifteen years of age. This is their eternal age. Now appearance wise Radharani appeared before Krishna. Let me tell about their appearance from Brahmavaivarta Purana. In the Brahmavaivarta Purana it is described that Radharani was baby when Krishna came and then only she opened her eyes. In the same Purana there is another reference. One day Nanda Maharaja was tending the cows in Khandava-vana. Krishna was on his back. At that time, by the arrangement of Krishna’s Yogamaya, there appeared a thick cloud. Nanda Maharaja became worried, what to do! He has a child in his lap and cows were there dispersed. He was worried whether to take care of the child Krishna or the cows. At that time Srimati Radharani came there. There in this description, it is given that Krishna was still a baby in his father’s lap and Radharani is fully grown up. She was a already extremely beautiful young woman. At that time Nanda Maharaja told Radharani what Gargamuni has told him earlier that. ‘You are Mahalaxmi Devi and this child of mine is Narayana himself. I know that both of you are performing your pastimes, so now please open the sky for me and let me take care of the cows’, Nanda Maharaja said. Radharani was very pleased at Nanda Maharaja and said, ‘yes ask for any boon’. Nanda Maharaja said, ‘give me the boon that I can always maintain my attachment to you and to this child’. Radharani told Nanda Maharaj, ‘let that be’, and asked him to go back with his cows. When Nanda Maharaja was gone Radharani exhibited such intense love to this child that her whole mind was lost in this personality. That time the little child also could not play His role properly. (Laughter among the listeners). He appeared suddenly to a young boy of about fifteen years old and then from the body of Radharani all the Gopis appeared, rasamandali was arranged and they enacted their first rasa dance there. After performing the rasa dance Krishna became baby again. Radha became very sad. Krishna became baby and gain and ‘now I won’t be able to exchange with Him the way I wanted’, she thought. Then she heard a voice from the sky: ‘Don’t worry, every night I will come and dance with you’. ‘You will also leave your shadow behind in your house and come to me’ the voice said.
So you have to understand that actually these are Krishna’s pastimes. Krishna is not bound by time and space like the conditioned souls. Therefore even if there appear some contradictions and differences in the scriptures, one should take them as the truth.
In response to next questions that appear too low to understand to transcribe, His Holiness replied : ‘Yes there is Vaikuntha liberation and if you do Navadipa parikramam, (with the ISKCON devotees), he or she goes to Goloka Navadipa Dhaam’. Devotees of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu will not be satisfied in Vaikuntha. They will get bored there. The ultimate consideration of liberation is sambandha jnana. Sambandha means relationship. Krishna manifests in three ways; Brahma, Paramatma and Bhagavan. If one understands the absolute truth to be brahma then he will go to Brahma-loka. If someone realizes only the Supreme Personality as the Pramatma or Supersoul, then he will attain Paramatma liberation. Those who know the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Bhagavan and become the devotee of that Supreme Personality they will go to Vaikuntha planet.
Generally the ultimate consideration is, if someone realizes the above they will attain the supreme position which is beyond the material nature, but that understanding of the Supreme position may be impersonal, localized or their understanding may be the supreme loving object where He allows after having developed loving relationship and having loving exchange with Him.
Paramatma liberation is the liberation attained by the Yogis. They see the Super soul and the Supersoul is inactive. It’s just like seeing Him as the Supreme witness Who is the cause of everything but they don’t develop a loving relationship with Him. Vaikuntha situation is purely a neutral mellow. There is no servitorship.
In response to another question, His Holiness said; yes some becomes trees, but the trees in Vridavana are not in neutrality. The trees in Vrindavana are either in friendship or in parental love. They are not in neutrality. They are not in santa rasa although they appear like that. Actually in Vrindavana everything is moving, nothing is static. Everything is dynamic.
The next answer to the question of a Mataji is as follows. In other ages developing love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead was not very easy. There are two types of liberations. One is pramamukti and the other is satyamukti- the gradual liberation and instant liberation. The gradual liberation is like going to the higher and higher region, to the Goloka Vrindavana. That is the consideration for the gradual liberation. Satyamukti is when one develops his love for Krishna and then after getting his body he is already 100% purified despite of being in the material nature. Then his body is no more material although it appears material and also situated in the earth planet. Because of his love for Krishna, as soon as his body’s term is over he immediately goes back to Krishnaloka. This is what is happening by Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy. This is why Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mercy is so rare. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is allowing us to develop intense love for Krishna directly instead of going through different stages of elevation.
To the questions pertaining to not taking the teachings if Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His Holiness denounced saying, ‘that is the bad luck’. You get something precious but do not make use of it then who can be blamed? Just like the other day I mentioned a story. One king got drunk and opened his treasury and distributed his most precious jewels to anyone and everyone who were coming there. But after getting it he did not know what is that or doubted the value of the jewels for being handed to him for free, what can be done! So we must understand the value of Mahaprabhu’s mission.
His Holiness appreciated another devotee’s question. It was told that Nanda Maharaja is one of the Vasus and he became Nanda Maharaja in Krishna’s pastimes. Now isn’t Nanda Maharaja an eternal associate of Krishna?
Yes there are two considerations. One is Krishna’s eternal associate as I mentioned. Another consideration is that living entities get the chance to get elevated to take part in Krishna’s pastimes. In this case the living entity who was in the material platform got the chance to be elevated to Goloka Vrindavana. This Drona was not the original Nanda Maharaja of Vrindavana. He got the chance to play the role of Nanda Maharaja in Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan. In the spiritual sky many personalities can be one and one personality can be many. It is inconceivable. Nanda Maharaja is the eternal father of Krishna and Drona also got the position of Nanda Maharaja. Original Nanda Maharaja also came and they became one. Before elaborating much on ‘merging’ I want to mention that these merging of the different personalities is not like merging into the Supreme Brahman. One must be pure in mind to understand this. Similarly we can see that the Gopis are also culminated from different personalities, if we see from the material point of view. But at the same time the Gopis are the eternal associated of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. How do we reconcile that? We have to understand this from the scriptures although it’s beyond our conception.
There are personalities with the same names. Name may be the same but the personalities are different. Like Arjuna, there is Arjuna in Vrindavana as the cowherd friend of Krishna and not the son of Pandu.
Gopa-kumara was going to higher planets, or higher position. That has been described in the Bhagavatam. Since his position in relation to Krishna in Dwaraka was not in that kind or relation, he was not satisfied with that. Krishna was there with him. Although Krishna showed to himself as the cowherd boy and Laksmidevi as Radharani, or to say, although Gopakumara saw Krishna in that Vrindavana way, but still he was not satisfied. Until the time he reached Vrindavana he was not satisfied. So that is the indication of where our eternal relationship is. A better example of this is about Anupama, Jiva Goswami’s father, Rupa Goswami’s brother. Rupa Goswami and Sanatana Goswami to Anupama, who was Rama bhakta, to become the devotee of Krishna. They explained why it is better to become the devotee of Krishna. Anupama asked for one night to think it over. Throughout the night he thought about it and next morning he went to Rupa and Sanatana and said, ‘please forgive me. I can’t give up my devotion to Sri Rama’. Here we have to understand that his eternal relation will be with Lord Rama only. In Chaitanya Caritamrita we can find in that respect, that in whatever mellow one is; that is for him the highest. He considers that to be the highest. If someone’s original relationship is in neutrality, he considers that to be the highest. If someone’s original relationship is conjugal or servitorship etc, the respective mellow will be considered the highest.
Referring to another question, His Holiness said over the gradual elevation- Sadamukti Just like, you can take an airplane to travel overland. When you travel overland, you will be going across different places and levels. When you go by plane you go direct. So the sadamukti is just like taking a flight.
On Mahaprabhu’s special mercy. Mahaprabhu’s special mercy is that if you practice, or if you follow instructions given in the Gaudiya Vaisna Sampradaya, in this body itself, in this lifetime you can achieve the goal of life. Because, the ultimate consideration is to develop the love for Krishna. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has directly given that love. So whoever develops that genuine love for Krishna will go back to Vrindavana or Goloka Navadipa Dhaam.
On Krsna’s pastimes. The original Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna’s pastimes was enacted in the earth planet of every universe. Every universe has 14 planetary systems. Every universe has the middle planet, the earth planet. Krishna enacted His pastimes in every universe’s earth planet. Bhurloka, Bhuvarloka, Swarloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapaloka are the upper plants. The lower planets are Tala, Atala, Bitala, Sutala, Rasatala, Mahartaal and Patala. The middle one is the Bhurloka and that Bhurloka is the earth planet. And in every earth planet there is a place called Bharatvarsa. In that Bharatvarsa there is a place called Vrindavana. Lord Krishna comes and takes pleasure in His pastimes there.
So I will stop now. Thank you all very much. Jay Srila Prabhupada.
With this, His Holiness concluded rendering the 2nd series of lectureing on Lord Krishna’s Vrindavana Pastimes.
THE FOLLOWING LECTURE ON LORD KRISHNA’S PASTIMES IN VRINDAVANA IS THE THIRD LECTURE IN A SERIES OF SEVEN, GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CARU SWAMI.
Transcription : Her Grace Hemagopi Dasi
Editing : Ramananda Raya Dasa
Audio reference : click here
Today we’ll discuss some pastimes of Krishna.Yesterday we discussed that Krishna decided to come to this earth – take birth as the eighth son of Devaki and also the son of mother Yasoda. And before Krishna appeared there had to be seven other children of mother Devaki because Krishna was supposed to be the eighth son. So it was arranged that the first six sons of Devaki will be killed so that Krishna can appear very quickly. Because the demigods were very much worried about Kamsa – Kamsa created so much disturbance. They wanted Krishna to come quickly and finish him off. So when Vasudeva got married to Devaki – Devaki was the daughter of Deva. There was a king called Surasena and Surasena had 2 sons – Ugrasena and Deva. Ugrasena’s son was Kamsa and Deva’s daughter was Devaki. So Devaki got married to Vasudeva and when Devaki was going to her husband’s house in a big procession, Kamsa himself was driving the chariot. Because Devaki was a very dear sister, very dear cousin to Kamsa – so Kamsa was personally escorting her or driving the chariot with Vasudeva and Devaki in the chariot.
At that time the demigods wanted to play some trick with Kamsa. So demigods actually announced from the sky. Like they have a kind of sound system that from a great distance they can make things be heard. They don’t personally have to be there but from a great distance, per say from the heavenly planets, they can make some announcement and it would be broadcasted in here. They had some sophisticated radio system. So, they made an announcement. “ Kamsa that sister of yours that you’re so affectionately carrying to her husband’s house, do you know that her eighth son is going to kill you.” so Kamsa became very worried. As soon as they heard that – oh yeah, that announcement actually also said that Kamsa –you are a fool. You foolish Kamsa, don’t you know that this Devaki’s son is going to kill you?
So Kamsa immediately grabbed Devaki by her hair, pulled out his sword and was about to severe her head. But then Vasudeva pleaded to Kamsa. And said “Kamsa you‘re such a great fighter. You are a great hero. And if you kill a woman, that will get disgrace to you (3.51). Not only people will say bad about you, but even after death, you’ll have to suffer in hell. So a person in his right senses, an intelligent man, a wise man will never kill a woman. Because to kill a woman, is a very very heinous crime. And then he also told Kamsa, “Why are you so afraid of death? After all in this material nature, our duration, our existence is temporary. Everyone is born, everyone remains only for a short while and then he has to die. And in this world, no matter for how long one stays, it’s only a short span of existence. So why are you so afraid of death? Because your death is also born – along with your birth. As soon as your body is born, your death also is born. And as you are riding through the vehicle of your life, you are coming closer and closer to death and that’s a fact with everyone. So why should you be afraid of death? And besides that, you are not this body. You are not this body, you are a spirit soul. So in this way, Vasudeva advised Kamsa.
Now, who is Vasudeva? Vasudeva is actually Suddha Tattva. Vasudeva is a personification of transcendental goodness. And Krishna is born out of Vasudeva. Krishna comes out of transcendental goodness. When one transcends the modes of material nature, the mode of ignorance, the mode of passion and even the mode of goodness – material goodness, then one comes to the transcendental platform which is called Visuddha Satva or Vasudeva platform. So a person who is situated in Vasudeva : he is transcendental to the material nature and is situated in absolute knowledge. And when one becomes situated in that transcendental situation, then only Krishna appears from within the heart. So Vasudeva, a person situated in transcendental platform, advised Kamsa in this way.
Still then, Kamsa was not convinced and Vasudeva could understand that. So then, Vasudeva assured Kamsa, “ Kamsa don’t worry. It is not Devaki who is going to kill you. It is Devaki’s son who is going to kill you. So I give you my word of honour that as the sons are born out of Devaki, I will offer the sons to you. And you can do whatever you want to do with them. So Kamsa liked this idea. He didn’t e really pay much heed to philosophy. But he is a practical person. Demons are actually very practical. He liked this practical proposal that the sons after the birth will be given to him. And he knew that Vasudeva was actually a very truthful person. He knew that when Vasudeva gave his word, he will stick to it. Then Kamsa let Vasudeva and Devaki go.
Then in due course of time, a son was born. When the son was born, it was a beautiful little son, beautiful little baby. But Vasudeva was bound by his word of honour. So he decided to give the son to Kamsa. And Devaki was feeling bad. Naturally the mother is attached to the son that she carried him in the womb for so many months. But Vasudeva never understand that the word ‘truth’ is the most important word. Because, religion, Dharma, is situated on the truth. So, one should never deviate from truth. A person must be truthful. Whatever he says, he must keep to his vow. And that is the sign of a person situated in the transcendental platform. A person situated on the transcendental platform is always very truthful – never will lie. Actually a person situated in the transcendental platform is so truthful that whatever he says becomes true. even though apparently it may not be true. Apparently it may not appear to be true., but whatever he says becomes true.
[End Of Audio Recordings]
Transcription : Her Grace Hemagopi Dasi
Editing : Ramananda Raya Dasa
Audio reference : click here
Today we’ll discuss some pastimes of Krishna.Yesterday we discussed that Krishna decided to come to this earth – take birth as the eighth son of Devaki and also the son of mother Yasoda. And before Krishna appeared there had to be seven other children of mother Devaki because Krishna was supposed to be the eighth son. So it was arranged that the first six sons of Devaki will be killed so that Krishna can appear very quickly. Because the demigods were very much worried about Kamsa – Kamsa created so much disturbance. They wanted Krishna to come quickly and finish him off. So when Vasudeva got married to Devaki – Devaki was the daughter of Deva. There was a king called Surasena and Surasena had 2 sons – Ugrasena and Deva. Ugrasena’s son was Kamsa and Deva’s daughter was Devaki. So Devaki got married to Vasudeva and when Devaki was going to her husband’s house in a big procession, Kamsa himself was driving the chariot. Because Devaki was a very dear sister, very dear cousin to Kamsa – so Kamsa was personally escorting her or driving the chariot with Vasudeva and Devaki in the chariot.
At that time the demigods wanted to play some trick with Kamsa. So demigods actually announced from the sky. Like they have a kind of sound system that from a great distance they can make things be heard. They don’t personally have to be there but from a great distance, per say from the heavenly planets, they can make some announcement and it would be broadcasted in here. They had some sophisticated radio system. So, they made an announcement. “ Kamsa that sister of yours that you’re so affectionately carrying to her husband’s house, do you know that her eighth son is going to kill you.” so Kamsa became very worried. As soon as they heard that – oh yeah, that announcement actually also said that Kamsa –you are a fool. You foolish Kamsa, don’t you know that this Devaki’s son is going to kill you?
So Kamsa immediately grabbed Devaki by her hair, pulled out his sword and was about to severe her head. But then Vasudeva pleaded to Kamsa. And said “Kamsa you‘re such a great fighter. You are a great hero. And if you kill a woman, that will get disgrace to you (3.51). Not only people will say bad about you, but even after death, you’ll have to suffer in hell. So a person in his right senses, an intelligent man, a wise man will never kill a woman. Because to kill a woman, is a very very heinous crime. And then he also told Kamsa, “Why are you so afraid of death? After all in this material nature, our duration, our existence is temporary. Everyone is born, everyone remains only for a short while and then he has to die. And in this world, no matter for how long one stays, it’s only a short span of existence. So why are you so afraid of death? Because your death is also born – along with your birth. As soon as your body is born, your death also is born. And as you are riding through the vehicle of your life, you are coming closer and closer to death and that’s a fact with everyone. So why should you be afraid of death? And besides that, you are not this body. You are not this body, you are a spirit soul. So in this way, Vasudeva advised Kamsa.
Now, who is Vasudeva? Vasudeva is actually Suddha Tattva. Vasudeva is a personification of transcendental goodness. And Krishna is born out of Vasudeva. Krishna comes out of transcendental goodness. When one transcends the modes of material nature, the mode of ignorance, the mode of passion and even the mode of goodness – material goodness, then one comes to the transcendental platform which is called Visuddha Satva or Vasudeva platform. So a person who is situated in Vasudeva : he is transcendental to the material nature and is situated in absolute knowledge. And when one becomes situated in that transcendental situation, then only Krishna appears from within the heart. So Vasudeva, a person situated in transcendental platform, advised Kamsa in this way.
Still then, Kamsa was not convinced and Vasudeva could understand that. So then, Vasudeva assured Kamsa, “ Kamsa don’t worry. It is not Devaki who is going to kill you. It is Devaki’s son who is going to kill you. So I give you my word of honour that as the sons are born out of Devaki, I will offer the sons to you. And you can do whatever you want to do with them. So Kamsa liked this idea. He didn’t e really pay much heed to philosophy. But he is a practical person. Demons are actually very practical. He liked this practical proposal that the sons after the birth will be given to him. And he knew that Vasudeva was actually a very truthful person. He knew that when Vasudeva gave his word, he will stick to it. Then Kamsa let Vasudeva and Devaki go.
Then in due course of time, a son was born. When the son was born, it was a beautiful little son, beautiful little baby. But Vasudeva was bound by his word of honour. So he decided to give the son to Kamsa. And Devaki was feeling bad. Naturally the mother is attached to the son that she carried him in the womb for so many months. But Vasudeva never understand that the word ‘truth’ is the most important word. Because, religion, Dharma, is situated on the truth. So, one should never deviate from truth. A person must be truthful. Whatever he says, he must keep to his vow. And that is the sign of a person situated in the transcendental platform. A person situated on the transcendental platform is always very truthful – never will lie. Actually a person situated in the transcendental platform is so truthful that whatever he says becomes true. even though apparently it may not be true. Apparently it may not appear to be true., but whatever he says becomes true.
[End Of Audio Recordings]
THE FOLLOWING LECTURE ON LORD KRISHNA’S PASTIMES IN VRINDAVANA IS THE FOURTH LECTURE IN A SERIES OF SEVEN, GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CARU SWAMI.
Transcription : Rajat Prabhu
Editing : Her Grace Hemavati Radhika Dasi
Audio-reference : click here
Actually when Krishna was going to Vrindavana riding on a cart on His mother’s lap, Krishna asked “What is there in Vrindavana? Why are you going to Vrindavana? Mother Rohini told Krishna that there are many beautiful places to play and then Krishna asked “Why are those places so beautiful?. She then explained to Krishna that because there are beautiful articles. You will find many beautiful articles to play with. So Krishna became very happy and they settled down in Vrindavana and yesterday I described how at night when they all were asleep. Visvakarma, the engineer, the architect, the demigod arrived there with thousands and thousands of helpers and throughout the night and built many beautiful palaces for the residents of Vrindavana. And in the morning when they woke up they found beautiful palaces with the names of different individuals, head of the family inscribed in golden letters on the gateway. So, Vrindavana, although in our mundane vision appears to be just an ordinary place, some sort of forests and now even the forests are drying out. But actually in Vrindavan, in real Vrindavana there are many, many beautiful places where Krishna and His associates reside .So, every morning Krishna used to go to the pasturing ground with Balarama and their other friends and they used to take the calves. Actually when a boy was 6 to 10 years old, he was allowed to take care of the calves and then after that, he used to take care of the cows. So, this is how they used to get trained up. Little boys take care of the calves and older cowherd people take care of the cows. So, Krishna and Balarama along with their friends used to take care of the calves. So, one day when they were taking care of the calves, then all of a sudden Krishna noticed that there is a strange looking calf. So, actually Kamsa sent one of his associates to kill Krishna and the name of that associate was Vatsasura who came disguised as a calf. He thought that actually they used to all plan like as you remember I mentioned yesterday
When Trnavrta came Trnavrta thought that because Putana came in some form that’s why Krishna could kill her but if he comes without a form, without a visible form then Krishna wouldn’t be able to kill him. Therefore he came in the guise of a whirlwind, because that kind of the thing doesn’t really have a tangible or visible form but still Krishna killed him. But then Vatsasura thought that he will be, he won’t make the same mistake as Putana and Trnavrta so he thought that he would come as a calf and Krishna is very fond of calves. Krishna won’t be able to detect him as an enemy and then in a moment he would kill Krishna. But Krishna saw that this personality in the disguise of a calf was looking at him and also looking at other calves in a very angry way. Krishna could detect anger from his glances. So Krishna told Balarama “Balarama, look at this strange character. [All laughs] Something is wrong there. I suspect that this is a demon and look at the way he is looking at us and the way he is looking at the calves. Generally calves do not look at us like that. Krishna said “Anyway I will take care of him. But then Balarama said “Krishna, if you kill a calf then people will say bad things about you. They will say that you have killed a calf because cow killing is considered a very, very heinous crime according to the Vedic understanding. So, Krishna told Balarama “Don’t worry when I will kill him. His demon form will become exposed, so then people won’t say that I killed a calf. They will say I killed a demon. So Balarama said “That’s a good idea. So, then Krishna just started to call the calf. He used to make the sound with His mouth, from His mouth and hearing that sound, all the calves used to come close to Him. So Krishna started making that sound and all the calves started to come towards Him and then this Vatsasura also thought that now is the opportune moment. Now I will go close to Krishna and then I will kill Him. So, he came with his head faced upwards like he wanted Krishna to catch him on his neck. So, Krishna started to scratch him on his neck and then before Vatsasura could do anything all of a sudden Krishna just grabbed him by his hind legs and started to swing him above His head and He swung him until he left his body. So, this way the Vatsasura demon was killed. At a great distance the calf, the dead body of the demon fell down and then everybody could see that he was in fact a demon so they all became very surprised how Krishna could recognize that this demon actually came to cause harm to them. So, in this way everybody went back home, practically every evening they had some wonderful story to tell to all the people about Krishna. They would in great detail describe to their parents and all the members of the family how Krishna killed such and such demon in a very wonderful way. So, after Vatsasura’s death, actually Kamsa used to send the demons and he also used to send his men, his spies to see what was happening. So, a spy went back and told Kamsa that Vatsasura had also been finished. So, Kamsa became very, very upset. One day when Kamsa was in such a bad mood, in extreme anxiety, of what was going to happen to him and how he was going to get rid of this Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, who is actually the son of Vasudev and Devaki, who was actually meant to kill him. So, one of his friends came and told Kamsa, you should call Bhakasura and Bhakasura was so powerful that even the demigods in the heaven used to tremble in fear just hearing his name and I will describe how powerful Bhakasura actually was. So Kamsa then called Bhakasura and they said that look Bhakasura is so powerful that he would positively kill Krishna. No one is able to do it Krishna won’t be able to do anything to Bhakasura. Now others were not strong enough. But this one is much stronger. So, he would surely kill Krishna. So, Kamsa called Bhakasura and he told Bhakasura. So, Bhakasura I think you should go and do something about this boy and Bhakasura said “No problem, I will go and take care of him. I was just waiting for your command, your order.” But then Kamsa said “Be careful, all this great powerful demons have been killed by this little boy. It seems that he has some great power. Maybe He is one of the demigods who have been born as a cowherd boy. Because the power He is displaying is uncommon. It is not possible for a human being to display this kind of power. Now, Bhakasura said “Kamsa, don’t worry, I will just take care of him.” Kamsa agreed “Okay! Demon bless you. Let all the demons bless you for your success [HHBCS laughs]. So, then Bhakasura went there in the morning when the cowherd boys were tending the cows in the pasturing ground. All of a sudden Krishna saw that there was a White Mountain peak in Vrindavana. So, Krishna became very surprised. He said” Where did the mountain come from? But then when they observed closely then they saw that was actually a huge crane and the white of the crane was appearing like a mountain peak and so Krishna became very surprised and he said that this is a special type of creature. So, Krishna’s friends got excited “Krishna let’s go and see what it is.” So, they all went close to the bird. And when they came close then Bhakasura came charging towards Krishna and but when he grabbed Krishna in his mouth and he found that this little boy was very hot. So, he let the boy go. But this time Krishna just played with the crane for some time. In between the crane’s beak Krishna used his feet and pushed the lower back onto the ground and with his hands he pulled the beak. Although the other cowherd boys couldn’t see that. But Krishna expanded his body to such an extent in that way that the crane’s mouth and his neck and the whole body got torn into two pieces. First when Bhakasura actually helped Krishna within his mouth then the demigods became very concerned and felt that now they cannot do something to help Krishna. So, Indra actually released his thunderbolt. But the thunderbolt struck on Bhakasura’s body. Even Indra’s thunderbolt couldn’t do anything. Other demigods started to release their weapons but nothing happened to him actually. So, in this way Krishna played with the Bhakasura for some time. Then Krishna killed that demon. So, this way Bhakasura was killed. Again the news was taken to Kamsa and Kamsa got really upset. And so the next one was. So, what I will do is, I will just I will describe, today I will describe how Krishna killed the demons. I am not going in chronological order. Like many things happened actually between. Krishna killed this demon but today I will just describe the killing demons and this way I will deal with different aspects of Krishna’s pastimes. Now next one was Aghasura. Aghasura was the brother of Bhakasura. So, Kamsa called Aghasura. Aghasura was another very, very ferocious demon. So, Kamsa told Aghasura that Bhakasura had been killed and now what could be done. So Aghasura said “Don’t worry I will go and take revenge of my brother’s death. So, Kamsa again blessed him on behalf of all the demons. He was a huge python. The description of that python has been given as his mouth was wide open and it seems that the upper jaw of the mouth of the snake was touching the sky. The teeth of the snake appeared to be like mountain. And the mouth of the snake appeared to be like a huge cave in the mountain. So, the boys became very surprised. They said “Wow! Look there is a new cave. We didn’t see this cave before. So, they just walked right into it along with the calves and Krishna was standing there and Krishna could sense some danger. But Krishna felt that the boys have already entered his mouth and Krishna’s friends were completely fearless. They knew that Krishna will protect them from all dangers. So, they did not have any fear of anything. So, they walked straight into Aghasura’s mouth and then Aghasura was also waiting just for Krishna to enter. Aghasura felt that as soon as Krishna would enter, he would just close his mouth. So, he just kept his mouth open and Krishna was just watching and that day Balarama was not there because that day was the birthday of Balarama… So, Krishna finally, when all the friends entered into Aghasura’s mouth Krishna felt that he must do something to save them. And so finally Krishna walked into Aghasura’s mouth and as soon as Krishna entered, Aghasura demon closed his mouth and then Krishna expanded himself in such a way and His body became so hot that He got stuck in Aghasura’s throat suffocating him to death. And he could not breathe anymore because Krishna had struck his throat and finally his life air left from his head. His life air penetrated through Brahmarandra, the hole on the top of the head and left the body. There is a very nice discussion about Aghasura and Krishna from Jiva Goswami. After the life air left, Krishna told Aghasura “Sorry, the space was so small that either I had to leave or your life air had to leave .I felt [HHBCS laughs]. So your life air had to leave from the top of your head and all the cowherd boys came out. So, this is how Krishna saved the cowherd boys and killed Aghasura, So, after that they all went and had a picnic. They went to the bank of Yamuna and Krishna told the friends “Today we all will share our food” and Krishna felt and Krishna actually told His friends that My father is the king, so they give me such nice prasadam but others are not so rich, others parents are not so rich, so they can’t give them such opulent food so today we will share our food and they all started to share they all sat down in a circle and some were giving, offering some food to Krishna’s mouth and Krishna was eating that. So, Brahma who was also watching he was wondering who this personality actually is? In many ways he felt that he must be Narayana but when he saw that Krishna was eating the remnants of other cowherd boys, he felt that this cannot be Narayana because Narayana would never eat anyone’s remnants. So, Brahma decided to check out Krishna. Brahma felt that let me see who this person actually is? At that time Brahma stole the calves. So, all of a sudden the cowherd boys noticed that the calves were missing. They were about to get up and started looking for the calves. So, Krishna said just wait a minute maybe they have gone to some distance; you all carry on taking prasadam I will go and look for the calves and I will bring back the calves. When Krishna went to look for the calves, Brahma stole the cowherd boys also. First he stole the calves and now he stole the cowherd boys and he took them in a mountain cave, kept them in a mountain cave, he filled the mountain cave, the mouth of the mountain with a big stone, big And it took Brahma just one second to steal the cowherd boys and fill them up in a mountain cave and turn around and look at Krishna. But Brahma’s one second is actually 1 year according to human calculation. In the 3th Canto, Srimad Bhagvatam, the description has been given very vividly, how the time calculation differs in different planes. Like in the human calculation, we have 12 months in a year. First of all 1 month has 2 sections, the Krishna Paksa and the Sukla Paksa, the waxing period of the moon and the waning period of the moon. Now 1 period, waxing period takes 15 days and waning period takes 15 days. Now this one month is actually a day and night of the Pitri lokas. In the Pitri loka, the Sukla Paksa is the day, our 15 days is the day of the Pitri loka and the night is also 15 days. In the heavenly planets our 6 months is the day and our 6 months is the night. Like when the sun is in the northern hemisphere, then is the day of the demigods and when the sun is in the southern hemisphere, then it is the night of the demigods. So, in this way the concept of day and night ranges in different planes. How much is the day of Brahma? What is the duration of the day of the Brahma?
Devotee: 4.3 Billion Years
HHBCS: 4.2 Billion Years
So, 1000 Chatur yugas- Sat, Treta , Dwapara and Kali, this four yugas multiplied by thousand is a day of Brahma and that is the duration of Brahma’s night. So, Brahma’s one second is our year. So Brahma looked back and he found he was thinking …. Krishna is in great anxiety but when he looked back he found all the cowherd boys and all the calves there. Actually what happened is when Krishna came back after looking for the cows and not finding them, he found that his friends are also missing and remember that day Balarama was not there. So, somehow Brahma….. Because if he tried any funny trick with Balarama, he would have been in trouble. [All laughs]. So, Brahma was, so that day Balarama was not there, So, Brahma stole all the other cowherd boys and when Krishna came back He found that all the cowherd boys were missing. So, he could understand that this was the brain of Brahma. So, he immediately expanded all the cowherd boys and all the calves from his body. So, actually this cowherd boys and calves were expansions of Krishna. That means they were not Jiva Tatva anymore. They were Vishnu Tatva. They all were non-different from Krishna. So, when Brahma looked back, he found the cowherd boys and the calves and then he could understand that this kind of performance can only be done by Narayana, only by the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is his father. So, Brahma came to Krishna, beg forgiveness. So, this is called Brahma-Vimohan Lila. How Brahma was bewildered? There is another important thing to remember, that is that Brahma at that time became very, very repentant that he did something that he committed a great offense to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and although the Lord although Krishna forgave him, Brahma was not satisfied. So, he wanted to perform great penance to neutralize his offence and Brahma actually came here in Navadwip and he performed great penance thousands of years and as a result of that the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared to him in a very wonderful form. The Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared to him in the golden form and he assured Brahma that there was no offense. His offense was forgiven. He did not mind it at all. So, then Brahma asked him “This form of yours I have never seen before. What is the secret behind this form? So, then the Lord told him that in the age of Kali, He appears in this form and that form is known as Gauranga, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So, Brahma requested golden Supreme Personality of Godhead to give him the chance to appear with him in that pastime in the age of Kali. So, Lord accepted that prayer of Brahma and then again Brahma requested that my Lord usually I am very proud, I become so puffed up, I become so arrogant that I forget your supreme position and becoming proud of my elevated position of Brahma, I commit offense to you. When you appear and you allow me to come with you in that pastime, please allow me to be born in a very low class family. Let me have a very low birth so that there won’t be any room for me to become proud. So, the Lord said “Okay, if you desire that way, then your desire will be fulfilled.” So, then Brahma got a chance to appear in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastime as Haridas Thakur. Haridas Thakur was born in a Muslim family. But he is actually the highest of all the greatest of all the Brahmanas. Brahma himself, but he was the most intimate associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So, this way Brahma stole the calves and he was blessed by the Lord in his golden incarnation. Now one day the cowherd boys were playing in the forests of Vrindavan and then they came to the Talavan for, Tala means palm fruit. Those who were being in India in summer have seen that. Tala fruit is a big type of fruit which has a beautiful fragrance. So, there was a Tala forest which was full of Tala fruits and the boys were playing, they started to get hungry and they smelt the beautiful fragrance of this Tala fruit. And they asked Krishna and Balarama “Please we are feeling very hungry. So, please let us have some fruits, Tala fruits.” But some said that please do not go there because this forest is actually the forest of the demon called Dhenukasura. So, Dhenukasura was a demon in the form of a donkey. He used to protect the Tala forest. So Balarama said “Don’t worry, we can take care of any demon”. They also said yes. When Balarama and Krishna are there, we are not afraid of anything. Because we know you can kill anyone. So, then Balarama just went and He started to shake the forest, the trees, this Tala fruit trees are very strong but Balarama is so strong that he started to shake the trees and the fruits started to drop on the ground making great noise and so, Dhenukasura when he heard the noise he became very angry and immediately he came running and he saw that these little boys were plundering his Tala forest. So, he immediately charged towards Balarama. But Balarama He just grabbed Dhenukasura by his hind leg and started to swing him and then He threw him and Dhenukasura just fell on the top of a Tala tree and left his body. Then Dhenuka’s friends also came and attacked Krishna and Balarama. But Krishna and Balarama one after another finished all the demons. So, in this way Krishna and Balarama killed the demons. Anyway I will try to finish the demons story today and I will go through quickly. And then another demon came his name is Pralambasura. Pralamba was a very powerful demon but Pralamba actually came in the disguise of a cowherd boy. Pralamba saw that Krishna and Balarama were playing with Their friends. So, the way they were playing is Srinath was sitting in one place and surrounded by some of his friends and Srinath was playing a role of a king and Krishna and Balarama appeared there and told Srinath with folded hands that My lord, your highness how you address a king your majesty that Your majesty we are dancers. So, we want to perform some dances for your pleasure. So, everyone said that’s very nice, our king appreciates it very much and the king said I will reward you if I am pleased with your dance, I will reward you with many wonderful things. So, then Krishna and Balarama started dancing. That was the most beautiful dance. So, they said, the king was very pleased. So, the king said as I told you if I am pleased I will reward you to your satisfaction. So, I will give you many valuable jewels or gold. So, Krishna said from your name I know you are Srinath you are the abode of Sri means you are the abode of Laxmi, so you can give a lot of Laxmi, a lot of wealth but I am not interested in wealth. Actually I like to fight. So, I want to fight, I want to wrestle with you. So, if you are really pleased with us so accept our challenge. So, Srinath said fine if that is what you want I promise that I will reward you according to your satisfaction. So, I will offer you what you actually wanted. So, Krishna then said okay I am very happy that you agreed to fight with me. So, in the mean time Pralambasura he thought that this is the good opportunity. So, as a cowherd boy he just walked he just got mingled in the group. So, the boys were divided into 2 groups, one group will wrestle with the other and the looser whoever will be defeated will carry the winner on his back and take him around the forest. Make him ride around the back, around the forest and so this Pralambasura he fought with Balarama because he thought that if Balarama is defeated then Krishna will become so heartbroken that it wouldn’t be at all difficult to kill Krishna. So, Krishna has actually derived the strength from Balarama. So, first I will kill Balarama and then I will kill Krishna. So, he wrestled with Balarama and Balarama was defeated. So, Balarama had to carry Pralambasura. Actually Krishna already told Balarama that look there is another strange character here. Then Krishna actually called the Pralamba Oh! My friend Pralambasura. I didn’t see you for so long. Please come and Pralambasura was very happy that Krishna was treating him nicely, Krishna could recognize him he thought that Krishna thought that he was His friend. Krishna embraced him, he said I am so happy to see you so and they wanted Krishna wanted to Pralamba to fight with Balarama. And then Pralamba actually chose to fight with Balarama. So, Balarama was defeated and Balarama was carrying Pralamba and then after going a little distance Pralambasura became very large. He displayed his own real body now which was a huge demon’s body and he was running away with Balarama on his back. So, Balarama at first couldn’t see around what was the matter. He saw that all of a sudden he saw that he was this little boy who he thought a cowherd boy became a very big, huge demon. So, then Balarama started to hit him on the head and Balarama hit him so hard that Pralambasura left his body. His life air left his body and he was dead. So, this way Pralambasura was dead. Three other demons Krishna killed. One is Shankachurasura. Shankachura was a demon who became envious of Krishna when he saw Krishna was dancing with the gopis. Krishna was actually having loving exchanges with the gopis. This Shankachura came and stole two gopis and Krishna was sitting with Srimati Radharani at that time. So, Lalita and Vishakha came running to Him and told Krishna that this demon has stolen two of our girls. So, Krishna immediately ran after the demon and because the demon was carrying the two girls, he could run very fast, so Krishna very quickly caught him and punched him on his face and the demon was dead [all laughs]. Now this Shankachura had a jewel called Srikant Mani in his chest. So, Krishna opened his chest and took that jewel. So, in the mean time, this happened in the day time. So, Krishna didn’t go back to Srimati Radharani. So, from there He went back to cowherd boys and he gave the jewel to Balarama. So, Balarama asked what happened. Krishna said I got a little delayed because I met a demon on the way so I killed him and I got the jewel from him which was in his heart and I wanted to give it to you. Actually that’s why I got a little late. So, another interesting demon Krishna killed was Aristasura. So, Aristasura was a demon who came in the form of a bull and it was not an ordinary bull, it was a huge bull whose head practically touched the sky and it was so ferocious and started running all over Vrindavana and it started making tremendous noise tremendous roaring sound and so everyone in Vrindavana became very afraid. At that time Krishna was actually playing with the Gopis. So, they were when Krishna saw that all his friends were so afraid. So, Krishna immediately ran after, he approached the bull and the description of Aristasura has been given that when he saw Krishna he started to dig the ground, dig the earth with His hooves and Aristasura’s hooves was very sharp. So, Krishna came and within a very short time, Krishna killed Aristasura. So, after killing Aristasura, Krishna went back to the Gopis. The Gopis said “Krishna, we can’t actually touch You or we can’t deal with You now because You are becoming contaminated by killing a cow. So, You have committed a great sin by killing a cow. So, Krishna said that actually it was in the form of a cow but actually it was not a cow, it was a demon. The Gopis said “But still it has the form of a cow, so you got the son of killing a cow”. So, Krishna asked “So, now tell me what I should do now.” So, they said “That you will get purified by this sin only if you take bath in all the holy places in this world.” Then Krishna said ‘No problem”. So, he hit the ground with his heel and a huge lake was created and all the holy rivers appeared there. Different personalities they are also different devotees of Krishna. So, they appeared there and started to offer prayers to Krishna. And Krishna took His bath and said “now it’s all right”. The Gopis became especially, Srimati Radharani became very embarrassed that they have been defeated by Krishna. Now they have to match that. So, they said “Okay, so we will also make a lake here and the Gopis with the bangles started to dig a lake and the holy rivers appeared and started to offer prayers to Srimati Radharani. So, what are these two places? So, the one Krishna makes is Shyama-Kunda and the one that Gopis made?
Devotees [In unison]: Radha-Kunda
HHBCS: Right
So the Shyama-Kunda and Radha-Kunda was made right after Aristasura’s killing, right after killing of Aristasura. Then Krishna, Kamsa sent Kesi the horse. Now, Kesi came in the form of a terrible horse and was charging towards Krishna. But Krishna just put his hands in Kesi’s mouth and killed Kesi. It says that, in Brahma Vaivarta Purana, it has been described Krishna actually put his hands right inside Kesi’s stomach and pulled out all his guts [HHBCS laughs]. And at that time Kesi took away his original form and carried many, many cowherd boys and went up in the sky. So, Krishna also jumped up in the sky grabbed Kesi and punched him to death. So, this is how Kesi demon was killed. So, now these three personalities like Bhakasura, Aghasura and Kesi were three brothers. So Pariksit Maharaj asked Sukdeva Goswami how was it that these personalities were although they were demons they got the good fortune of being killed by Krishna and got delivered. So, then Sukdeva Goswami told Pariksit Maharaj that long time ago, there was a Gandharva called Gandhavah and he has four sons. These four sons were all great devotees of Vishnu. The eldest one was Vasudeva, then Suhatra, Subhasha and Sudhasha. So, Vasudeva got, he became delivered by becoming a pure devotee of the Lord. But this three other brothers, they were great devotees of the Lord. They were such great devotees that they would not take even a drop of water without worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So, one day this three Gandharvas, actually there were three sons of Gandharva King went to a lake and there they saw some beautiful scene, that the lake was filled with beautiful lotuses but as soon as they went to see the lotuses, many, many Yaksas came running and caught them. So, you thieves you are stealing the lotuses from this lake so and they caught them and took them to Lord Shiva and when they were taken to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva asked why you stole. So, they said actually we are devotees of Vishnu and took the flowers for worshipping Vishnu we are looking for some flowers and when we saw these lotuses we got tempted to take them and but Shiva said that actually you made a great mistake, there is a curse by Parvati. This lake is actually Parvati’s lake. And there is a curse that if anybody takes the flowers from this lake, then he will be born as a demon. So, although I respect you very much as devotees of Vishnu and Vishnu’s devotees should be taken as Vishnu himself, Vishnu’s devotees are expansion of Vishnu’s potency. So, I have great respect for you Vaishnavas but somehow or other you have become victims of a curse. So, you will be born as demons. But don’t worry you will be delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead himself. So, that’s why, that’s how these three Gandharvas appeared as these three demons Bhakasura, Aghasura and Kesi. So, in this way we can also see that Krishna’s pastimes are like drama on a stage. Then Krishna recruits different actors and actresses from different places and these are actually simply Krishna’s divine arrangement because although they are demons, apparently they are demons but they are not ordinary personalities. They are very, very special personalities and unless and until one is a very special personality he cannot participate in Krishna’s pastimes either as a devotee or as a demon. Actually to be with Krishna means a lot of good fortune. So, even though these personalities were participating in Krishna’s pastimes as demons but they were actually very fortunate. Ultimate issue they also were great devotees of Krishna and although they were killed by Krishna but finally they attained the ultimate destination, attained the ultimate destination that is the spiritual sky. Now I will just add a little point here after Krishna killed Kesi, Krishna was swinging the body of Kesi. And ultimately when he let the body and Kesi go, it went flying through the sky and it fell in Mathura and it fell right in front of Kamsa. [All laugh] and so Kamsa couldn’t figure out what happened but then he recognized that it is the body of Kesi and Kesi was Kamsa’s last support. So, Vasudeva who was nearby, Vasudeva also was there in the court at that time. And when Vasudeva realized that it was actually Kesi’ body, Vasudeva smiled and Kamsa noticed it, he started to chastise, he started to scream at Vasudeva saying that you are my greatest enemy in disguise. I know that it is your son who you in a tricky way you took him to Nanda Maharaj’s house and kept him there. So, you deceived him right after his birth. You didn’t tell me that this was your son and now you are happy that I am in trouble. So, you are laughing, he called his man and said “Immediately, grab the head of Devaki and Vasudeva, Vasudeva and Devaki and then they bluff to me. So, immediately Kamsa’s soldiers went and grabbed Vasudeva and Devaki. So, at that time Narada Mini appeared there. So, Narada Muni told Kamsa “Kamsa! What is the use of just killing Vasudeva and Devaki? Like this will not solve your problem. You may feel happy for a time being that you killed Vasudeva and Devaki apparently as your enemy. I told you before also, don’t kill a woman because it’s going to be distressful for you but actually what you should try to do is to kill Krishna. Why are you trying to kill Vasudeva and Devaki? How is it going to solve your problem because Krishna would still continue to exist? So, your problem won’t be solved. So, try to solve your main problem. Kill Krishna and I tell you if you send one or two persons to kill Krishna and Balarama, you will never be successful. So, you have to make a joint endeavour to kill Krishna and Balarama. So, I suggest what you do is you arrange for a Dhanur Yagya- A sacrifice of great bows and you announce to all the kings to come and participate in the sacrifice. Then you also invite Krishna and Balarama. So, when Krishna and Balarama come here, then jointly you attack them with all the kings. So that is how you will be able to kill them. Then Kansa asked “But how should I, how should I encourage all the kings to come, how should I inspire them to come. Then Narada said “You do one thing. You make an announcement that in this Dhanur-Yajna whoever will be able to break the bow, he will get half the kingdom. So, everyone will be interested to get half the kingdom and so that’s how they all will come and so this is how you gather all the kings together and kill Krishna. So, Kamsa thought that’s a great idea. So, he arranged this Dhanur-Yajna. Dhanur means the bow and Yajna means sacrifice and he sent Akrura to get Krishna and Balarama. Hare Krishna. Does anyone have any questions or comments?
HHBCS: Yes
Devotee: I have a question. Generally Dhenu means cow. Kamadhenu ……..
HHBCS: No, that is Dhenu means a cow but Dhenuka is an ass.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes and that is the spiritual sky. Inconceivable. Right as the number of the cows are unlimited, the space is also unlimited. The spiritual sky is not limited.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes, that is what we are seeing with our mundane eyes is not the real Vrindavana.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Or the other way to answer that question is that Krishna’s potency is inconceivable. Like Krishna can make tens of trillions of cows in a fraction of a centimeter. That is how inconceivable Krishna’s potency is. Yes.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: You see, I mean all these literatures, all these scriptures are eternal but they have been compiled by Vyasadeva for our benefit. You see they are there but the writing version has been compiled by Vyasadeva.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: They are eternal. They are there all the time but people could not understand. When they read before Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance they didn’t understand. Like for example if there is a book about Kalki who will appear say four hundred and twenty five thousand years from now. So there are descriptions of Kalki but you know we won’t be interested because four hundred and twenty five thousand years. Why we should talk now. So, those who knew had access you see then again all the scriptures are available to everybody. The scriptures that are also kept you see like those days there were not printing presses. Things were just written by hand and just very few individuals have in their custody. Some as you know were fortunate and had access to them, access to read it and recognize Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Yes. Hare Krishna.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: In the spiritual world yes in the spiritual world there is no demon. There are two understandings because demons cannot actually enter into the spiritual sky but the residents of Vrindavana actually they have some impression of a demon. It’s like seeing some paintings on a wall. You see some paintings on the wall and some memories come back. So, it is something like that, memories come back. Like for example you see Sanatana Goswami describing Brhad Bhagvatam, when Gopa Kumar went back to Goloka Vrindavana, he actually saw the Aristasura but better was the Kesi demon. He is describing the Kesi. So, Krishna actually subdued the Kesi demon and put a, took his garland and made a kind of reign out of that on the back of Kesi demon and about all His friends also rode on the back of the Kesi demon. So, now there are no demons in Vrindavana but we have to understand, Sanatana Goswami is actually describing that you know devotees actually get the feel of that pastime. So, the particular horse is not really Kesi or Kesi demon, after his deliverance was promoted to Goloka Vrindavana and there he became a devotee of Krishna. And for Krishna’s pleasure he was actually playing that role, playing that part but his mentality was not demoniac in that sense. So, understanding is in the spiritual sky everyone is a devotee. Sanatana Goswami describes about Kaliya but there Krishna did not banish Kailya to go away but here also it says that Krishna actually put his uttariya, his chadar around Kaliya’s mouth and then He started to play his flute and then He was riding on Kaliya’s back. So, in this way in the spiritual sky there is no demon but the acts are there. The way the demons acted, those acts are enacted there also. Otherwise in the spiritual sky also there won’t be any excitement. So, this excitement is actually generated by different arrangements of Krishna.
Devotee:……….That’s what happened.
HHBCS: That’s right. Ultimately this pastime and but they do not have that demoniac mentality as such. There they are not acting on behalf of Kamsa. They are acting for the pleasure of Krishna.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: In most cases, the demons are the devotees or elevated personalities who got cursed. They were cursed to become demons but then they got delivered by Krishna. When they were delivered by Krishna, they were promoted.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Generally, yes most of them, most of them I would say were Vrindavan devotees. Like, it depends ultimately after the consciousness. For example Putana, Putana got the position of Krishna’s mother but Aghasura is said that it merged into Krishna’s body.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Dhenuka also was a Gandharva. He was a Gandharva. Let me see. What did Dhenuka do? Dhenuka did something to Narada Muni and got cursed. He did something and Narada Muni told him that since you acted like an ass…
[All laughs]
Devotee: ………..
HHBCS: What’s that? What’s the next line?
Devotee:………
HHBCS: They didn’t want to become Yasoda, they didn’t want to become like Yasoda but they wanted to become they wanted to have Supreme Personality of Godhead as Their son. You see there is a difference between trying to take the place of Yasoda and wanting to become the mother of Krishna but wanting to have the Supreme Lord as the son is another thing.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes, they are not actually Sadhana Siddhas as such you see, they are pure devotees. Ultimately they are pure devotees of Krishna who wanted to have the darshan of the Lord but then the Lord fulfilled their desire by saying not in this life but in another life, you will get me as your son. So, that’s why the Lord actually blessed them to become his father and mother. Right. When they became the father and mother like it is an eternal relationship like the relationship with the Lord is not, anything that is in connection to the Lord is eternal. So once you become the father and the mother of the Lord, it is an eternal relationship. It’s not a kind of relation broken by material time.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes, that can be, it can be understood that way also because by Krishna’s arrangement Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda in the next life they became Nanda and Yasoda in Vrindavana. So, like it’s like in the spiritual sky different individuals are there. By Krishna’s arrangement there they come to the earth planet. At a particular time they again become the personalities that they are there in the spiritual sky in the material world for example like today Giriraj Maharaja just touched the point in the class. He was talking about Ganga. In the spiritual sky there is Ganga. Actually what happened is Krishna had another Gopi friend called Viraja. Viraja, one day Krishna was with Viraja and the Goloka Vrindavan is like a thousand petals, lotus and on each petal there is a house of one of Krishna’s girlfriends. So, Krishna was in Viraja, Viraja’s house. Krishna made 12 friends guards, 12 gates of the house. At that time Maha Lakshmi Devi she started to look for Krishna and then she turned there in Viraja’s house. So, Viraja became afraid that she will be caught now. So, she transformed herself into water and so when Lakshmi Devi came she asked Krishna “What you are doing here?” So, Krishna said “I was just waiting for you”. So, Lakshmi Devi did not believe at first and then she in her meditation she could understand what actually happened. So she cursed Viraja that the water that you have transformed yourselves into, you will remain as water. So then Viraja actually came down as Yamuna being cursed by Radharani. Now you see like this whatever happens on the earth planet in Krishna’s pastimes. The original of that, the root of that is actually in the spiritual sky Goloka Vrindavana. Like we find that lots of curses are going flying around you and so forth. Actually it was Krishna’s arrangement to send his associates down like Radharani cursed Srinath, Subala and you know like I mean as there it was saying that curses were flying you know in all directions and then they as a result ultimately it is all Krishna’s arrangement they came down like that. So here we can also understand from this statement of Srila Prabhupada that Yasoda and Nanda came on to the earth planet but before appearing as Nanda and Yasoda they all appeared as Krishna’s associates.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: No, they are not given that.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: But sometimes it happens jivas get elevated and enter into Krishna’s pastimes. Like for example let us consider ourselves we are jives, now does it means that we will never be able to go back to Godhead. Now when is now when we go back, jivas can also go back to Krishna’s eternal spiritual sky
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Not Nanda and Yasoda in that sense but a jiva himself never thinks that he can become Nanda and Yasoda but if Krishna wants Krishna can offer that position to some jiva if he wants.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: You see there is a difference between us wanting something and Krishna is offering something. For example the Gopis do want to associate with Krishna and want that Krishna should always be with Radharani and try to make that arrangement but sometimes if Krishna wants, then the Gopis go with Krishna and have an intimate pastimes.
Devotee” Inaudible
HHBCS: Krishna can make anything. Krishna can do everything. Nanda and Yasoda they are Krishna’s eternal father and mother. That is the position. I mean their position is fixed but when Krishna performed the pastime on the earth planet he if you want he may make some living entity take up that role, may allow some living entity to play that role. But ultimately we will find there is some link between that living entity, that individual and the original Personality in the spiritual sky just as we can see here like Yasoda and Nanda has some link with Drona and Dhara. But when we see Drona and Dhara as Vasu, then they are not Nanda and Yasoda as Vasu. Right but they you know although they have some ultimate link with Nanda and Yasoda. So, another way of looking at it is when Drona and Dhara were playing their pastimes right on heavenly planets as Vasu. No. so, they were there at the same time they are here as well. So, this is how inconceivable it is. Drona and Dhara we see as two demigods but when they get the position of Nanda and Yasoda then we cannot really reason how is it happening. So, the best is to leave it as Krishna’s arrangement. Why it happens? How it happens. It’s not up to us. I will take this last question because I am already late.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes. This understanding is, you see Krishna, all the incarnations of Krishna also appear. So, when Krishna goes to Mathura, then original Krishna of Vrindavana stays back in Vrindavana. But actually it is the Vasudeva Krishna Who actually goes to Mathura. And it has been described as when Krishna went to take the bath near the border of Mathura and Vrindavana. When they were just about to cross the border of Vrindavana, Krishna took bath in, Krishna and Balarama took bath in Yamuna. So, at that time Akrura saw Krishna and Balarama in the four armed form. So, the understanding is when they were taking bath when they got out of the chariot to take bath. At that time Vrindavana Krishna and Balarama went back to Vrindavana and it is the Vasudeva Krishna Who actually got into the chariot and Akrura took Vasudeva Krishna and Sankarshan to Mathura. But original Krishna and Balrama did not leave. Other questions that you have please write down and I will answer them tomorrow Hare Krishna. Oh! You have some cookies.
Devotee: Maharaja
HHBCS: You can take some. Hare Krishna.
Transcription : Rajat Prabhu
Editing : Her Grace Hemavati Radhika Dasi
Audio-reference : click here
Actually when Krishna was going to Vrindavana riding on a cart on His mother’s lap, Krishna asked “What is there in Vrindavana? Why are you going to Vrindavana? Mother Rohini told Krishna that there are many beautiful places to play and then Krishna asked “Why are those places so beautiful?. She then explained to Krishna that because there are beautiful articles. You will find many beautiful articles to play with. So Krishna became very happy and they settled down in Vrindavana and yesterday I described how at night when they all were asleep. Visvakarma, the engineer, the architect, the demigod arrived there with thousands and thousands of helpers and throughout the night and built many beautiful palaces for the residents of Vrindavana. And in the morning when they woke up they found beautiful palaces with the names of different individuals, head of the family inscribed in golden letters on the gateway. So, Vrindavana, although in our mundane vision appears to be just an ordinary place, some sort of forests and now even the forests are drying out. But actually in Vrindavan, in real Vrindavana there are many, many beautiful places where Krishna and His associates reside .So, every morning Krishna used to go to the pasturing ground with Balarama and their other friends and they used to take the calves. Actually when a boy was 6 to 10 years old, he was allowed to take care of the calves and then after that, he used to take care of the cows. So, this is how they used to get trained up. Little boys take care of the calves and older cowherd people take care of the cows. So, Krishna and Balarama along with their friends used to take care of the calves. So, one day when they were taking care of the calves, then all of a sudden Krishna noticed that there is a strange looking calf. So, actually Kamsa sent one of his associates to kill Krishna and the name of that associate was Vatsasura who came disguised as a calf. He thought that actually they used to all plan like as you remember I mentioned yesterday
When Trnavrta came Trnavrta thought that because Putana came in some form that’s why Krishna could kill her but if he comes without a form, without a visible form then Krishna wouldn’t be able to kill him. Therefore he came in the guise of a whirlwind, because that kind of the thing doesn’t really have a tangible or visible form but still Krishna killed him. But then Vatsasura thought that he will be, he won’t make the same mistake as Putana and Trnavrta so he thought that he would come as a calf and Krishna is very fond of calves. Krishna won’t be able to detect him as an enemy and then in a moment he would kill Krishna. But Krishna saw that this personality in the disguise of a calf was looking at him and also looking at other calves in a very angry way. Krishna could detect anger from his glances. So Krishna told Balarama “Balarama, look at this strange character. [All laughs] Something is wrong there. I suspect that this is a demon and look at the way he is looking at us and the way he is looking at the calves. Generally calves do not look at us like that. Krishna said “Anyway I will take care of him. But then Balarama said “Krishna, if you kill a calf then people will say bad things about you. They will say that you have killed a calf because cow killing is considered a very, very heinous crime according to the Vedic understanding. So, Krishna told Balarama “Don’t worry when I will kill him. His demon form will become exposed, so then people won’t say that I killed a calf. They will say I killed a demon. So Balarama said “That’s a good idea. So, then Krishna just started to call the calf. He used to make the sound with His mouth, from His mouth and hearing that sound, all the calves used to come close to Him. So Krishna started making that sound and all the calves started to come towards Him and then this Vatsasura also thought that now is the opportune moment. Now I will go close to Krishna and then I will kill Him. So, he came with his head faced upwards like he wanted Krishna to catch him on his neck. So, Krishna started to scratch him on his neck and then before Vatsasura could do anything all of a sudden Krishna just grabbed him by his hind legs and started to swing him above His head and He swung him until he left his body. So, this way the Vatsasura demon was killed. At a great distance the calf, the dead body of the demon fell down and then everybody could see that he was in fact a demon so they all became very surprised how Krishna could recognize that this demon actually came to cause harm to them. So, in this way everybody went back home, practically every evening they had some wonderful story to tell to all the people about Krishna. They would in great detail describe to their parents and all the members of the family how Krishna killed such and such demon in a very wonderful way. So, after Vatsasura’s death, actually Kamsa used to send the demons and he also used to send his men, his spies to see what was happening. So, a spy went back and told Kamsa that Vatsasura had also been finished. So, Kamsa became very, very upset. One day when Kamsa was in such a bad mood, in extreme anxiety, of what was going to happen to him and how he was going to get rid of this Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, who is actually the son of Vasudev and Devaki, who was actually meant to kill him. So, one of his friends came and told Kamsa, you should call Bhakasura and Bhakasura was so powerful that even the demigods in the heaven used to tremble in fear just hearing his name and I will describe how powerful Bhakasura actually was. So Kamsa then called Bhakasura and they said that look Bhakasura is so powerful that he would positively kill Krishna. No one is able to do it Krishna won’t be able to do anything to Bhakasura. Now others were not strong enough. But this one is much stronger. So, he would surely kill Krishna. So, Kamsa called Bhakasura and he told Bhakasura. So, Bhakasura I think you should go and do something about this boy and Bhakasura said “No problem, I will go and take care of him. I was just waiting for your command, your order.” But then Kamsa said “Be careful, all this great powerful demons have been killed by this little boy. It seems that he has some great power. Maybe He is one of the demigods who have been born as a cowherd boy. Because the power He is displaying is uncommon. It is not possible for a human being to display this kind of power. Now, Bhakasura said “Kamsa, don’t worry, I will just take care of him.” Kamsa agreed “Okay! Demon bless you. Let all the demons bless you for your success [HHBCS laughs]. So, then Bhakasura went there in the morning when the cowherd boys were tending the cows in the pasturing ground. All of a sudden Krishna saw that there was a White Mountain peak in Vrindavana. So, Krishna became very surprised. He said” Where did the mountain come from? But then when they observed closely then they saw that was actually a huge crane and the white of the crane was appearing like a mountain peak and so Krishna became very surprised and he said that this is a special type of creature. So, Krishna’s friends got excited “Krishna let’s go and see what it is.” So, they all went close to the bird. And when they came close then Bhakasura came charging towards Krishna and but when he grabbed Krishna in his mouth and he found that this little boy was very hot. So, he let the boy go. But this time Krishna just played with the crane for some time. In between the crane’s beak Krishna used his feet and pushed the lower back onto the ground and with his hands he pulled the beak. Although the other cowherd boys couldn’t see that. But Krishna expanded his body to such an extent in that way that the crane’s mouth and his neck and the whole body got torn into two pieces. First when Bhakasura actually helped Krishna within his mouth then the demigods became very concerned and felt that now they cannot do something to help Krishna. So, Indra actually released his thunderbolt. But the thunderbolt struck on Bhakasura’s body. Even Indra’s thunderbolt couldn’t do anything. Other demigods started to release their weapons but nothing happened to him actually. So, in this way Krishna played with the Bhakasura for some time. Then Krishna killed that demon. So, this way Bhakasura was killed. Again the news was taken to Kamsa and Kamsa got really upset. And so the next one was. So, what I will do is, I will just I will describe, today I will describe how Krishna killed the demons. I am not going in chronological order. Like many things happened actually between. Krishna killed this demon but today I will just describe the killing demons and this way I will deal with different aspects of Krishna’s pastimes. Now next one was Aghasura. Aghasura was the brother of Bhakasura. So, Kamsa called Aghasura. Aghasura was another very, very ferocious demon. So, Kamsa told Aghasura that Bhakasura had been killed and now what could be done. So Aghasura said “Don’t worry I will go and take revenge of my brother’s death. So, Kamsa again blessed him on behalf of all the demons. He was a huge python. The description of that python has been given as his mouth was wide open and it seems that the upper jaw of the mouth of the snake was touching the sky. The teeth of the snake appeared to be like mountain. And the mouth of the snake appeared to be like a huge cave in the mountain. So, the boys became very surprised. They said “Wow! Look there is a new cave. We didn’t see this cave before. So, they just walked right into it along with the calves and Krishna was standing there and Krishna could sense some danger. But Krishna felt that the boys have already entered his mouth and Krishna’s friends were completely fearless. They knew that Krishna will protect them from all dangers. So, they did not have any fear of anything. So, they walked straight into Aghasura’s mouth and then Aghasura was also waiting just for Krishna to enter. Aghasura felt that as soon as Krishna would enter, he would just close his mouth. So, he just kept his mouth open and Krishna was just watching and that day Balarama was not there because that day was the birthday of Balarama… So, Krishna finally, when all the friends entered into Aghasura’s mouth Krishna felt that he must do something to save them. And so finally Krishna walked into Aghasura’s mouth and as soon as Krishna entered, Aghasura demon closed his mouth and then Krishna expanded himself in such a way and His body became so hot that He got stuck in Aghasura’s throat suffocating him to death. And he could not breathe anymore because Krishna had struck his throat and finally his life air left from his head. His life air penetrated through Brahmarandra, the hole on the top of the head and left the body. There is a very nice discussion about Aghasura and Krishna from Jiva Goswami. After the life air left, Krishna told Aghasura “Sorry, the space was so small that either I had to leave or your life air had to leave .I felt [HHBCS laughs]. So your life air had to leave from the top of your head and all the cowherd boys came out. So, this is how Krishna saved the cowherd boys and killed Aghasura, So, after that they all went and had a picnic. They went to the bank of Yamuna and Krishna told the friends “Today we all will share our food” and Krishna felt and Krishna actually told His friends that My father is the king, so they give me such nice prasadam but others are not so rich, others parents are not so rich, so they can’t give them such opulent food so today we will share our food and they all started to share they all sat down in a circle and some were giving, offering some food to Krishna’s mouth and Krishna was eating that. So, Brahma who was also watching he was wondering who this personality actually is? In many ways he felt that he must be Narayana but when he saw that Krishna was eating the remnants of other cowherd boys, he felt that this cannot be Narayana because Narayana would never eat anyone’s remnants. So, Brahma decided to check out Krishna. Brahma felt that let me see who this person actually is? At that time Brahma stole the calves. So, all of a sudden the cowherd boys noticed that the calves were missing. They were about to get up and started looking for the calves. So, Krishna said just wait a minute maybe they have gone to some distance; you all carry on taking prasadam I will go and look for the calves and I will bring back the calves. When Krishna went to look for the calves, Brahma stole the cowherd boys also. First he stole the calves and now he stole the cowherd boys and he took them in a mountain cave, kept them in a mountain cave, he filled the mountain cave, the mouth of the mountain with a big stone, big And it took Brahma just one second to steal the cowherd boys and fill them up in a mountain cave and turn around and look at Krishna. But Brahma’s one second is actually 1 year according to human calculation. In the 3th Canto, Srimad Bhagvatam, the description has been given very vividly, how the time calculation differs in different planes. Like in the human calculation, we have 12 months in a year. First of all 1 month has 2 sections, the Krishna Paksa and the Sukla Paksa, the waxing period of the moon and the waning period of the moon. Now 1 period, waxing period takes 15 days and waning period takes 15 days. Now this one month is actually a day and night of the Pitri lokas. In the Pitri loka, the Sukla Paksa is the day, our 15 days is the day of the Pitri loka and the night is also 15 days. In the heavenly planets our 6 months is the day and our 6 months is the night. Like when the sun is in the northern hemisphere, then is the day of the demigods and when the sun is in the southern hemisphere, then it is the night of the demigods. So, in this way the concept of day and night ranges in different planes. How much is the day of Brahma? What is the duration of the day of the Brahma?
Devotee: 4.3 Billion Years
HHBCS: 4.2 Billion Years
So, 1000 Chatur yugas- Sat, Treta , Dwapara and Kali, this four yugas multiplied by thousand is a day of Brahma and that is the duration of Brahma’s night. So, Brahma’s one second is our year. So Brahma looked back and he found he was thinking …. Krishna is in great anxiety but when he looked back he found all the cowherd boys and all the calves there. Actually what happened is when Krishna came back after looking for the cows and not finding them, he found that his friends are also missing and remember that day Balarama was not there. So, somehow Brahma….. Because if he tried any funny trick with Balarama, he would have been in trouble. [All laughs]. So, Brahma was, so that day Balarama was not there, So, Brahma stole all the other cowherd boys and when Krishna came back He found that all the cowherd boys were missing. So, he could understand that this was the brain of Brahma. So, he immediately expanded all the cowherd boys and all the calves from his body. So, actually this cowherd boys and calves were expansions of Krishna. That means they were not Jiva Tatva anymore. They were Vishnu Tatva. They all were non-different from Krishna. So, when Brahma looked back, he found the cowherd boys and the calves and then he could understand that this kind of performance can only be done by Narayana, only by the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is his father. So, Brahma came to Krishna, beg forgiveness. So, this is called Brahma-Vimohan Lila. How Brahma was bewildered? There is another important thing to remember, that is that Brahma at that time became very, very repentant that he did something that he committed a great offense to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and although the Lord although Krishna forgave him, Brahma was not satisfied. So, he wanted to perform great penance to neutralize his offence and Brahma actually came here in Navadwip and he performed great penance thousands of years and as a result of that the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared to him in a very wonderful form. The Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared to him in the golden form and he assured Brahma that there was no offense. His offense was forgiven. He did not mind it at all. So, then Brahma asked him “This form of yours I have never seen before. What is the secret behind this form? So, then the Lord told him that in the age of Kali, He appears in this form and that form is known as Gauranga, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So, Brahma requested golden Supreme Personality of Godhead to give him the chance to appear with him in that pastime in the age of Kali. So, Lord accepted that prayer of Brahma and then again Brahma requested that my Lord usually I am very proud, I become so puffed up, I become so arrogant that I forget your supreme position and becoming proud of my elevated position of Brahma, I commit offense to you. When you appear and you allow me to come with you in that pastime, please allow me to be born in a very low class family. Let me have a very low birth so that there won’t be any room for me to become proud. So, the Lord said “Okay, if you desire that way, then your desire will be fulfilled.” So, then Brahma got a chance to appear in Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastime as Haridas Thakur. Haridas Thakur was born in a Muslim family. But he is actually the highest of all the greatest of all the Brahmanas. Brahma himself, but he was the most intimate associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. So, this way Brahma stole the calves and he was blessed by the Lord in his golden incarnation. Now one day the cowherd boys were playing in the forests of Vrindavan and then they came to the Talavan for, Tala means palm fruit. Those who were being in India in summer have seen that. Tala fruit is a big type of fruit which has a beautiful fragrance. So, there was a Tala forest which was full of Tala fruits and the boys were playing, they started to get hungry and they smelt the beautiful fragrance of this Tala fruit. And they asked Krishna and Balarama “Please we are feeling very hungry. So, please let us have some fruits, Tala fruits.” But some said that please do not go there because this forest is actually the forest of the demon called Dhenukasura. So, Dhenukasura was a demon in the form of a donkey. He used to protect the Tala forest. So Balarama said “Don’t worry, we can take care of any demon”. They also said yes. When Balarama and Krishna are there, we are not afraid of anything. Because we know you can kill anyone. So, then Balarama just went and He started to shake the forest, the trees, this Tala fruit trees are very strong but Balarama is so strong that he started to shake the trees and the fruits started to drop on the ground making great noise and so, Dhenukasura when he heard the noise he became very angry and immediately he came running and he saw that these little boys were plundering his Tala forest. So, he immediately charged towards Balarama. But Balarama He just grabbed Dhenukasura by his hind leg and started to swing him and then He threw him and Dhenukasura just fell on the top of a Tala tree and left his body. Then Dhenuka’s friends also came and attacked Krishna and Balarama. But Krishna and Balarama one after another finished all the demons. So, in this way Krishna and Balarama killed the demons. Anyway I will try to finish the demons story today and I will go through quickly. And then another demon came his name is Pralambasura. Pralamba was a very powerful demon but Pralamba actually came in the disguise of a cowherd boy. Pralamba saw that Krishna and Balarama were playing with Their friends. So, the way they were playing is Srinath was sitting in one place and surrounded by some of his friends and Srinath was playing a role of a king and Krishna and Balarama appeared there and told Srinath with folded hands that My lord, your highness how you address a king your majesty that Your majesty we are dancers. So, we want to perform some dances for your pleasure. So, everyone said that’s very nice, our king appreciates it very much and the king said I will reward you if I am pleased with your dance, I will reward you with many wonderful things. So, then Krishna and Balarama started dancing. That was the most beautiful dance. So, they said, the king was very pleased. So, the king said as I told you if I am pleased I will reward you to your satisfaction. So, I will give you many valuable jewels or gold. So, Krishna said from your name I know you are Srinath you are the abode of Sri means you are the abode of Laxmi, so you can give a lot of Laxmi, a lot of wealth but I am not interested in wealth. Actually I like to fight. So, I want to fight, I want to wrestle with you. So, if you are really pleased with us so accept our challenge. So, Srinath said fine if that is what you want I promise that I will reward you according to your satisfaction. So, I will offer you what you actually wanted. So, Krishna then said okay I am very happy that you agreed to fight with me. So, in the mean time Pralambasura he thought that this is the good opportunity. So, as a cowherd boy he just walked he just got mingled in the group. So, the boys were divided into 2 groups, one group will wrestle with the other and the looser whoever will be defeated will carry the winner on his back and take him around the forest. Make him ride around the back, around the forest and so this Pralambasura he fought with Balarama because he thought that if Balarama is defeated then Krishna will become so heartbroken that it wouldn’t be at all difficult to kill Krishna. So, Krishna has actually derived the strength from Balarama. So, first I will kill Balarama and then I will kill Krishna. So, he wrestled with Balarama and Balarama was defeated. So, Balarama had to carry Pralambasura. Actually Krishna already told Balarama that look there is another strange character here. Then Krishna actually called the Pralamba Oh! My friend Pralambasura. I didn’t see you for so long. Please come and Pralambasura was very happy that Krishna was treating him nicely, Krishna could recognize him he thought that Krishna thought that he was His friend. Krishna embraced him, he said I am so happy to see you so and they wanted Krishna wanted to Pralamba to fight with Balarama. And then Pralamba actually chose to fight with Balarama. So, Balarama was defeated and Balarama was carrying Pralamba and then after going a little distance Pralambasura became very large. He displayed his own real body now which was a huge demon’s body and he was running away with Balarama on his back. So, Balarama at first couldn’t see around what was the matter. He saw that all of a sudden he saw that he was this little boy who he thought a cowherd boy became a very big, huge demon. So, then Balarama started to hit him on the head and Balarama hit him so hard that Pralambasura left his body. His life air left his body and he was dead. So, this way Pralambasura was dead. Three other demons Krishna killed. One is Shankachurasura. Shankachura was a demon who became envious of Krishna when he saw Krishna was dancing with the gopis. Krishna was actually having loving exchanges with the gopis. This Shankachura came and stole two gopis and Krishna was sitting with Srimati Radharani at that time. So, Lalita and Vishakha came running to Him and told Krishna that this demon has stolen two of our girls. So, Krishna immediately ran after the demon and because the demon was carrying the two girls, he could run very fast, so Krishna very quickly caught him and punched him on his face and the demon was dead [all laughs]. Now this Shankachura had a jewel called Srikant Mani in his chest. So, Krishna opened his chest and took that jewel. So, in the mean time, this happened in the day time. So, Krishna didn’t go back to Srimati Radharani. So, from there He went back to cowherd boys and he gave the jewel to Balarama. So, Balarama asked what happened. Krishna said I got a little delayed because I met a demon on the way so I killed him and I got the jewel from him which was in his heart and I wanted to give it to you. Actually that’s why I got a little late. So, another interesting demon Krishna killed was Aristasura. So, Aristasura was a demon who came in the form of a bull and it was not an ordinary bull, it was a huge bull whose head practically touched the sky and it was so ferocious and started running all over Vrindavana and it started making tremendous noise tremendous roaring sound and so everyone in Vrindavana became very afraid. At that time Krishna was actually playing with the Gopis. So, they were when Krishna saw that all his friends were so afraid. So, Krishna immediately ran after, he approached the bull and the description of Aristasura has been given that when he saw Krishna he started to dig the ground, dig the earth with His hooves and Aristasura’s hooves was very sharp. So, Krishna came and within a very short time, Krishna killed Aristasura. So, after killing Aristasura, Krishna went back to the Gopis. The Gopis said “Krishna, we can’t actually touch You or we can’t deal with You now because You are becoming contaminated by killing a cow. So, You have committed a great sin by killing a cow. So, Krishna said that actually it was in the form of a cow but actually it was not a cow, it was a demon. The Gopis said “But still it has the form of a cow, so you got the son of killing a cow”. So, Krishna asked “So, now tell me what I should do now.” So, they said “That you will get purified by this sin only if you take bath in all the holy places in this world.” Then Krishna said ‘No problem”. So, he hit the ground with his heel and a huge lake was created and all the holy rivers appeared there. Different personalities they are also different devotees of Krishna. So, they appeared there and started to offer prayers to Krishna. And Krishna took His bath and said “now it’s all right”. The Gopis became especially, Srimati Radharani became very embarrassed that they have been defeated by Krishna. Now they have to match that. So, they said “Okay, so we will also make a lake here and the Gopis with the bangles started to dig a lake and the holy rivers appeared and started to offer prayers to Srimati Radharani. So, what are these two places? So, the one Krishna makes is Shyama-Kunda and the one that Gopis made?
Devotees [In unison]: Radha-Kunda
HHBCS: Right
So the Shyama-Kunda and Radha-Kunda was made right after Aristasura’s killing, right after killing of Aristasura. Then Krishna, Kamsa sent Kesi the horse. Now, Kesi came in the form of a terrible horse and was charging towards Krishna. But Krishna just put his hands in Kesi’s mouth and killed Kesi. It says that, in Brahma Vaivarta Purana, it has been described Krishna actually put his hands right inside Kesi’s stomach and pulled out all his guts [HHBCS laughs]. And at that time Kesi took away his original form and carried many, many cowherd boys and went up in the sky. So, Krishna also jumped up in the sky grabbed Kesi and punched him to death. So, this is how Kesi demon was killed. So, now these three personalities like Bhakasura, Aghasura and Kesi were three brothers. So Pariksit Maharaj asked Sukdeva Goswami how was it that these personalities were although they were demons they got the good fortune of being killed by Krishna and got delivered. So, then Sukdeva Goswami told Pariksit Maharaj that long time ago, there was a Gandharva called Gandhavah and he has four sons. These four sons were all great devotees of Vishnu. The eldest one was Vasudeva, then Suhatra, Subhasha and Sudhasha. So, Vasudeva got, he became delivered by becoming a pure devotee of the Lord. But this three other brothers, they were great devotees of the Lord. They were such great devotees that they would not take even a drop of water without worshipping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So, one day this three Gandharvas, actually there were three sons of Gandharva King went to a lake and there they saw some beautiful scene, that the lake was filled with beautiful lotuses but as soon as they went to see the lotuses, many, many Yaksas came running and caught them. So, you thieves you are stealing the lotuses from this lake so and they caught them and took them to Lord Shiva and when they were taken to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva asked why you stole. So, they said actually we are devotees of Vishnu and took the flowers for worshipping Vishnu we are looking for some flowers and when we saw these lotuses we got tempted to take them and but Shiva said that actually you made a great mistake, there is a curse by Parvati. This lake is actually Parvati’s lake. And there is a curse that if anybody takes the flowers from this lake, then he will be born as a demon. So, although I respect you very much as devotees of Vishnu and Vishnu’s devotees should be taken as Vishnu himself, Vishnu’s devotees are expansion of Vishnu’s potency. So, I have great respect for you Vaishnavas but somehow or other you have become victims of a curse. So, you will be born as demons. But don’t worry you will be delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead himself. So, that’s why, that’s how these three Gandharvas appeared as these three demons Bhakasura, Aghasura and Kesi. So, in this way we can also see that Krishna’s pastimes are like drama on a stage. Then Krishna recruits different actors and actresses from different places and these are actually simply Krishna’s divine arrangement because although they are demons, apparently they are demons but they are not ordinary personalities. They are very, very special personalities and unless and until one is a very special personality he cannot participate in Krishna’s pastimes either as a devotee or as a demon. Actually to be with Krishna means a lot of good fortune. So, even though these personalities were participating in Krishna’s pastimes as demons but they were actually very fortunate. Ultimate issue they also were great devotees of Krishna and although they were killed by Krishna but finally they attained the ultimate destination, attained the ultimate destination that is the spiritual sky. Now I will just add a little point here after Krishna killed Kesi, Krishna was swinging the body of Kesi. And ultimately when he let the body and Kesi go, it went flying through the sky and it fell in Mathura and it fell right in front of Kamsa. [All laugh] and so Kamsa couldn’t figure out what happened but then he recognized that it is the body of Kesi and Kesi was Kamsa’s last support. So, Vasudeva who was nearby, Vasudeva also was there in the court at that time. And when Vasudeva realized that it was actually Kesi’ body, Vasudeva smiled and Kamsa noticed it, he started to chastise, he started to scream at Vasudeva saying that you are my greatest enemy in disguise. I know that it is your son who you in a tricky way you took him to Nanda Maharaj’s house and kept him there. So, you deceived him right after his birth. You didn’t tell me that this was your son and now you are happy that I am in trouble. So, you are laughing, he called his man and said “Immediately, grab the head of Devaki and Vasudeva, Vasudeva and Devaki and then they bluff to me. So, immediately Kamsa’s soldiers went and grabbed Vasudeva and Devaki. So, at that time Narada Mini appeared there. So, Narada Muni told Kamsa “Kamsa! What is the use of just killing Vasudeva and Devaki? Like this will not solve your problem. You may feel happy for a time being that you killed Vasudeva and Devaki apparently as your enemy. I told you before also, don’t kill a woman because it’s going to be distressful for you but actually what you should try to do is to kill Krishna. Why are you trying to kill Vasudeva and Devaki? How is it going to solve your problem because Krishna would still continue to exist? So, your problem won’t be solved. So, try to solve your main problem. Kill Krishna and I tell you if you send one or two persons to kill Krishna and Balarama, you will never be successful. So, you have to make a joint endeavour to kill Krishna and Balarama. So, I suggest what you do is you arrange for a Dhanur Yagya- A sacrifice of great bows and you announce to all the kings to come and participate in the sacrifice. Then you also invite Krishna and Balarama. So, when Krishna and Balarama come here, then jointly you attack them with all the kings. So that is how you will be able to kill them. Then Kansa asked “But how should I, how should I encourage all the kings to come, how should I inspire them to come. Then Narada said “You do one thing. You make an announcement that in this Dhanur-Yajna whoever will be able to break the bow, he will get half the kingdom. So, everyone will be interested to get half the kingdom and so that’s how they all will come and so this is how you gather all the kings together and kill Krishna. So, Kamsa thought that’s a great idea. So, he arranged this Dhanur-Yajna. Dhanur means the bow and Yajna means sacrifice and he sent Akrura to get Krishna and Balarama. Hare Krishna. Does anyone have any questions or comments?
HHBCS: Yes
Devotee: I have a question. Generally Dhenu means cow. Kamadhenu ……..
HHBCS: No, that is Dhenu means a cow but Dhenuka is an ass.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes and that is the spiritual sky. Inconceivable. Right as the number of the cows are unlimited, the space is also unlimited. The spiritual sky is not limited.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes, that is what we are seeing with our mundane eyes is not the real Vrindavana.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Or the other way to answer that question is that Krishna’s potency is inconceivable. Like Krishna can make tens of trillions of cows in a fraction of a centimeter. That is how inconceivable Krishna’s potency is. Yes.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: You see, I mean all these literatures, all these scriptures are eternal but they have been compiled by Vyasadeva for our benefit. You see they are there but the writing version has been compiled by Vyasadeva.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: They are eternal. They are there all the time but people could not understand. When they read before Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance they didn’t understand. Like for example if there is a book about Kalki who will appear say four hundred and twenty five thousand years from now. So there are descriptions of Kalki but you know we won’t be interested because four hundred and twenty five thousand years. Why we should talk now. So, those who knew had access you see then again all the scriptures are available to everybody. The scriptures that are also kept you see like those days there were not printing presses. Things were just written by hand and just very few individuals have in their custody. Some as you know were fortunate and had access to them, access to read it and recognize Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Yes. Hare Krishna.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: In the spiritual world yes in the spiritual world there is no demon. There are two understandings because demons cannot actually enter into the spiritual sky but the residents of Vrindavana actually they have some impression of a demon. It’s like seeing some paintings on a wall. You see some paintings on the wall and some memories come back. So, it is something like that, memories come back. Like for example you see Sanatana Goswami describing Brhad Bhagvatam, when Gopa Kumar went back to Goloka Vrindavana, he actually saw the Aristasura but better was the Kesi demon. He is describing the Kesi. So, Krishna actually subdued the Kesi demon and put a, took his garland and made a kind of reign out of that on the back of Kesi demon and about all His friends also rode on the back of the Kesi demon. So, now there are no demons in Vrindavana but we have to understand, Sanatana Goswami is actually describing that you know devotees actually get the feel of that pastime. So, the particular horse is not really Kesi or Kesi demon, after his deliverance was promoted to Goloka Vrindavana and there he became a devotee of Krishna. And for Krishna’s pleasure he was actually playing that role, playing that part but his mentality was not demoniac in that sense. So, understanding is in the spiritual sky everyone is a devotee. Sanatana Goswami describes about Kaliya but there Krishna did not banish Kailya to go away but here also it says that Krishna actually put his uttariya, his chadar around Kaliya’s mouth and then He started to play his flute and then He was riding on Kaliya’s back. So, in this way in the spiritual sky there is no demon but the acts are there. The way the demons acted, those acts are enacted there also. Otherwise in the spiritual sky also there won’t be any excitement. So, this excitement is actually generated by different arrangements of Krishna.
Devotee:……….That’s what happened.
HHBCS: That’s right. Ultimately this pastime and but they do not have that demoniac mentality as such. There they are not acting on behalf of Kamsa. They are acting for the pleasure of Krishna.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: In most cases, the demons are the devotees or elevated personalities who got cursed. They were cursed to become demons but then they got delivered by Krishna. When they were delivered by Krishna, they were promoted.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Generally, yes most of them, most of them I would say were Vrindavan devotees. Like, it depends ultimately after the consciousness. For example Putana, Putana got the position of Krishna’s mother but Aghasura is said that it merged into Krishna’s body.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Dhenuka also was a Gandharva. He was a Gandharva. Let me see. What did Dhenuka do? Dhenuka did something to Narada Muni and got cursed. He did something and Narada Muni told him that since you acted like an ass…
[All laughs]
Devotee: ………..
HHBCS: What’s that? What’s the next line?
Devotee:………
HHBCS: They didn’t want to become Yasoda, they didn’t want to become like Yasoda but they wanted to become they wanted to have Supreme Personality of Godhead as Their son. You see there is a difference between trying to take the place of Yasoda and wanting to become the mother of Krishna but wanting to have the Supreme Lord as the son is another thing.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes, they are not actually Sadhana Siddhas as such you see, they are pure devotees. Ultimately they are pure devotees of Krishna who wanted to have the darshan of the Lord but then the Lord fulfilled their desire by saying not in this life but in another life, you will get me as your son. So, that’s why the Lord actually blessed them to become his father and mother. Right. When they became the father and mother like it is an eternal relationship like the relationship with the Lord is not, anything that is in connection to the Lord is eternal. So once you become the father and the mother of the Lord, it is an eternal relationship. It’s not a kind of relation broken by material time.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes, that can be, it can be understood that way also because by Krishna’s arrangement Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda in the next life they became Nanda and Yasoda in Vrindavana. So, like it’s like in the spiritual sky different individuals are there. By Krishna’s arrangement there they come to the earth planet. At a particular time they again become the personalities that they are there in the spiritual sky in the material world for example like today Giriraj Maharaja just touched the point in the class. He was talking about Ganga. In the spiritual sky there is Ganga. Actually what happened is Krishna had another Gopi friend called Viraja. Viraja, one day Krishna was with Viraja and the Goloka Vrindavan is like a thousand petals, lotus and on each petal there is a house of one of Krishna’s girlfriends. So, Krishna was in Viraja, Viraja’s house. Krishna made 12 friends guards, 12 gates of the house. At that time Maha Lakshmi Devi she started to look for Krishna and then she turned there in Viraja’s house. So, Viraja became afraid that she will be caught now. So, she transformed herself into water and so when Lakshmi Devi came she asked Krishna “What you are doing here?” So, Krishna said “I was just waiting for you”. So, Lakshmi Devi did not believe at first and then she in her meditation she could understand what actually happened. So she cursed Viraja that the water that you have transformed yourselves into, you will remain as water. So then Viraja actually came down as Yamuna being cursed by Radharani. Now you see like this whatever happens on the earth planet in Krishna’s pastimes. The original of that, the root of that is actually in the spiritual sky Goloka Vrindavana. Like we find that lots of curses are going flying around you and so forth. Actually it was Krishna’s arrangement to send his associates down like Radharani cursed Srinath, Subala and you know like I mean as there it was saying that curses were flying you know in all directions and then they as a result ultimately it is all Krishna’s arrangement they came down like that. So here we can also understand from this statement of Srila Prabhupada that Yasoda and Nanda came on to the earth planet but before appearing as Nanda and Yasoda they all appeared as Krishna’s associates.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: No, they are not given that.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: But sometimes it happens jivas get elevated and enter into Krishna’s pastimes. Like for example let us consider ourselves we are jives, now does it means that we will never be able to go back to Godhead. Now when is now when we go back, jivas can also go back to Krishna’s eternal spiritual sky
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Not Nanda and Yasoda in that sense but a jiva himself never thinks that he can become Nanda and Yasoda but if Krishna wants Krishna can offer that position to some jiva if he wants.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: You see there is a difference between us wanting something and Krishna is offering something. For example the Gopis do want to associate with Krishna and want that Krishna should always be with Radharani and try to make that arrangement but sometimes if Krishna wants, then the Gopis go with Krishna and have an intimate pastimes.
Devotee” Inaudible
HHBCS: Krishna can make anything. Krishna can do everything. Nanda and Yasoda they are Krishna’s eternal father and mother. That is the position. I mean their position is fixed but when Krishna performed the pastime on the earth planet he if you want he may make some living entity take up that role, may allow some living entity to play that role. But ultimately we will find there is some link between that living entity, that individual and the original Personality in the spiritual sky just as we can see here like Yasoda and Nanda has some link with Drona and Dhara. But when we see Drona and Dhara as Vasu, then they are not Nanda and Yasoda as Vasu. Right but they you know although they have some ultimate link with Nanda and Yasoda. So, another way of looking at it is when Drona and Dhara were playing their pastimes right on heavenly planets as Vasu. No. so, they were there at the same time they are here as well. So, this is how inconceivable it is. Drona and Dhara we see as two demigods but when they get the position of Nanda and Yasoda then we cannot really reason how is it happening. So, the best is to leave it as Krishna’s arrangement. Why it happens? How it happens. It’s not up to us. I will take this last question because I am already late.
Devotee: Inaudible
HHBCS: Yes. This understanding is, you see Krishna, all the incarnations of Krishna also appear. So, when Krishna goes to Mathura, then original Krishna of Vrindavana stays back in Vrindavana. But actually it is the Vasudeva Krishna Who actually goes to Mathura. And it has been described as when Krishna went to take the bath near the border of Mathura and Vrindavana. When they were just about to cross the border of Vrindavana, Krishna took bath in, Krishna and Balarama took bath in Yamuna. So, at that time Akrura saw Krishna and Balarama in the four armed form. So, the understanding is when they were taking bath when they got out of the chariot to take bath. At that time Vrindavana Krishna and Balarama went back to Vrindavana and it is the Vasudeva Krishna Who actually got into the chariot and Akrura took Vasudeva Krishna and Sankarshan to Mathura. But original Krishna and Balrama did not leave. Other questions that you have please write down and I will answer them tomorrow Hare Krishna. Oh! You have some cookies.
Devotee: Maharaja
HHBCS: You can take some. Hare Krishna.
THE FOLLOWING LECTURE ON LORD KRISHNA’S PASTIMES IN VRINDAVANA IS THE FIFTH LECTURE IN A SERIES OF SEVEN, GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CARU SWAMI.
Transcription : His Grace Vrajendrasuta Dasa. Click here for Naam.Hat Vrajendrasuta Prabhu
Edited by: Ramananda Raya Dasa
Audio source: click here
So when Krishna was about 7 years old, one day He saw that, all the Gopas, all the cowherd people of Vrindavana headed by His father Nanda Maharaja were organizing some festival. Although Krishna saw that they were organizing festival previous years also, but still out of curiosity He asked his father, ‘Father what is this going on today?’. Nanda Maharaja was so busy that he did not answer. Then Krishna told him; ‘My father, I am your son and you are My father. So it is your responsibility to educate me properly. So I am asking you’. ‘What is the worship that you are organizing now? Who is the personality that is being worshiped and what is the purpose of this worship?’ Then also Nanda Maharaja did not reply. He thought that Krishna is just a little child and His questions should not be taken so seriously. So he was busy with his other responsibilities. But Krishna was still trying on to His father and he asked; ‘Father why don’t you tell me whether this worship that you are organizing; whether it is prescribed according to the Vedic instructions, according to the Vedic scriptures? Or just a social custom? And if it is a bona-fide worship, if it is Vedic, then please tell me who is the presiding deity of this sacrifice?’ What is the truth of this sacrifice and what is the benefit of this sacrifice? First of all you have to tell me whether it is Vedic or a social customary! Then Nanda Maharaja took Krishna seriously.
Then Nanda Maharaja told Krishna that this is actually a social custom. It is a customary sacrifice. Nanda Maharaja actually told Krishna that, ‘we are organizing Indra puja or Indra yajna, a sacrifice to please Indra. Then Krishna asked whether it is Vedic or a social custom. So Nanda Maharaja said; ‘social’. Then Krishna said; ‘social activities should not be taken so seriously’. Unless and until prescribed by the Vedas it should not be taken so seriously! So Nanda Maharaja said, ‘but you see our ancestors have been performing this sacrifice according to their customs, as a hereditary customs, therefore for us it is important to perform it like that’. Then Krishna denied that. He said, ‘tell me why you want to please Indra? What is the objective of this sacrifice?’ The Nanda Maharaja said that Indra gives us rain and we are cowherd people we depend very much on rain and therefore we have to perform this sacrifice. Krishna reasoned with His father and said, ‘you see Indra is also a demigod and demigods are also bound by karma. And what is the result, whatever reward they offer to others is also according to their karma. Demigods do not have any means or ability to do something on their own!. They are also dependent. They can’t break the karmic principle and do something. Nanda Maharaja still insisted. ‘You see Krishna, we are cowherd people and rain is very essential for us and if we don’t have rain then we will be in trouble’. Then Krishna told Nanda Maharaja. ‘Father, you don’t actually depend on Indra for the rain because Indra offers the rain just out of nature’s arrangement. It’s not that Indra is arranging. The rains are the natural phenomena. It is not that you are pleasing Indra, that’s why Indra is offering rain. If that was the case then why does it rain in the middle of the ocean where there is no need and no one there offers actually any worship to Indra. So Nanda Maharaja was surprised that this little child has such an understanding. So intelligent. Nanda Maharaja started to think what the boy is saying whether it really make sense. And he felt that it does make sense. Krishna also continued – my father I would suggest since we are cowherd folk we depend really upon the Govardhana. Because it is the grazing ground for our cows that it provides soft green grass for our cows. It is the fountains and rivers in the Govardhana that actually offers us all the water that we need and the cow’s need. Plus Govardhana is giving us so many necessities. So instead of worshiping Indra, let us worship Govardhana! When Krishna suggested in this way, Nanda Maharaja mainly out of his affection accepted. Not only Nanda Maharaja, others also like, Sunanda and Upananda and other senior members of the cowherd folks of Vrindavana accepted this point. Here it is described that more than the given reasons they accepted this out of love for Krishna. When one loves somebody whatever that person says one accepts it. It is out of love and that’s why love is superior to reasons. Although Krishna gave the reasons but those reasons did not play the most important part. It was their love for Krishna they have accepted His reasoning. So Krishna said; ‘let us arrange with the paraphernalia and foodstuff that you have got, let us arrange a worship of Govardhana.’. Krishna suggested to make a mountain of foodstuff. So the cowherds brought cart loads of food and they stacked them up in a mountain. It actually became a huge mountain. The bottom part of the mountain was maltose. There was stacks of puris, there was stacks of halava’s. Around the puris they stacked up huge amount of subji’s and sweets. They all were cooked in different colors. So it was looking like a colorful high mountain. Not only that, in that mountain there were fountains of ghee. There were rivers of milk. Then Krishna said; ‘let us all offer these to Govardhana, the king of the mountain- Giriraja’.
At that time Giriraja took up a huge shape. Giriraja came out of the mountain and He sat there. He was so high that he was touching the sky. And He started to eat with his right hand. He was picking up large amount of foodstuff and putting it in his mouth. And Krishna said; ‘see, see, He came and He is eating’. Everyone saw that gigantic figure and that figure looked just like Krishna. The only difference was their Krishna was small and This Personality was very big. He kept on eating. He also started drawing water from the lakes and rivers while he was eating. Actually all the lakes surrounding the Govardhana became dry because of His drinking. But the surprising thing about this mountain of food is that as He was eating, taking large quantities of food weighing a few hundred kilos at a time, immediately that food stock will be filled up. So the Annakuta mountain, the mountain of food regained its original shape. Giriraja ate for a long time and while He was eating He was making some gestures with his left hand as if He was mocking at Krishna. In this way Giriraja became very pleased and also all the cowherd folks became very pleased that this personality Giriraja was satisfied with their offerings.
At that time, the singers, the Bandis, who are according to Vedic scriptures known as Bandis Acadana who used to glorify, sang. Among all the rich people king Nandana is the richest and most generous. In this festival everyone became satisfied and filled up to their neck. The demigods became pleased but surprisingly their king Indra was very upset when this words reached to him. He realized that he has been insulted by these cowherd people. Indra became very, very angry. He said; ‘just a cowherd boy Krishna, He dares to insult me in this way. He doesn’t know who I am’. He is just a mere cowherd boy and He dares to insult me in this way, so I will teach Him. And what are these cowherd people! They just listen to this 7 year’s old little child. Don’t they have any intelligence? They are being told by this little boy and they stopped worshiping me and started worshiping this moutain! So I will teach them a lesson.
So Indra immediately called the cloud, Samvartaka. Samvartaka is the cloud of devastation. At the time of annihilation this cloud starts to pour rain. As a result of that the whole universe at least the lower part up to heavenly planets becomes inundated with the water of devastation. So Indra told to Samvartaka cloud and the terrible wind to go and destroy the mountain. So they immediately went out and the residence of Vrindavana all of a sudden saw there was cold wind blowing from the North. All of a sudden the horizon became covered with dark cloud. And there was continuous lighting and thunder splash. So they all became very afraid. They immediately tried to put their cows in the sheds. There came rain in torrent as if the whole place is going to be devastated. So they all ran after Krishna. ‘Krishna, Krishna, please save us. What’s going to happen now’? Some tried to go to the higher places of Govardhana. But Krishna said; ‘Don’t worry. Don’t be afraid. I am here and Govardhana is here. So there is nothing to worry about.
When Krishna saw that Indra was trying to act funny, actually Krishna was deliberately acting like that in order to smash Indra’s pride. Krishna knew that Indra was very proud because he was the king of the demigods. So Krishna wanted to smash Indra’s pride. Another understanding is actually Krishna wanted others to see who He was. Some people say that demigods are very big personalities. Krishna wanted to teach them that He is even greater than the demigods. He is greater than the topmost demigod Indra. Similarly by bewildering Brahma He established the fact the He is even greater than Brahma. So in this way Krishna established Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna could see that Indra was proud and Indra needed to be brought back to his senses. So Krishna very easily lifted Govardhana on top of His little finger. Everyone became very surprised.
Krishna smiled and told His father; ‘father, did you see, Govardhana became so pleased with us that He on His own wake up to give us protection and He is resting on my head just like a bunch of cotton’. Nanda Maharaja and others were very worried. Krishna said, ‘come, come under this mountain’. They were still worried and then Krishna said; ‘look if I see that you are suffering, then I will feel pain. I will feel tormented. As a result of that my hand may shake and the mountain may fall down, so better come in quickly ‘. So they all came inside the hole that was created by lifting the Govardhana. So when they came into the cave or the hole that was created by lifting the Govardhana, they found that there were beautiful staircases leading down, so they immediately along with the cows went down into the Govardhana. Krishna was standing there lifting Govardhana with His left hand. Some cowherd people felt that Krishna may not be able to hold it for very long, they also went to help Krishna and with the stick they were trying to top Govardhana. So in this way some of the elderly cowherd people also tried to help Krishna lifting the Govardhana. When they went down the Govardhana they found that the place was illuminated with many, many precious jewels scattered around the wall. The entire wall was covered with beautiful shining gems and so was the roof. The floor was very soft as if made of soft and smooth beautiful marble and filled with gems also. Not only this place was very beautifully decorated, there were all amenities also available there, like water for them to drink. There was a gentle breeze blowing. So they all became very happy to have the shelter of Govardhana. In this way they stayed there for seven days and seven nights. But these seven days and seven nights passed very quickly.
In the mean time Indra started to wonder what happened. So he sent the servants of the Pavan deva or the Wind-god to what happened to Vrindavana – Vraja. Very quickly wind came and said nothing happened in Vridavana. Indra was very surprised. He thought that wind did not see things properly. He then sent cloud; ‘go and see what’s happening’. So the cloud also came back and said nothing happened. So Indra got very angry. He got up on his elephant. He rides his elephant Airavata and with his rope he punched the elephant so that it would move fast. Indra reached on top of Govardhana and there he released the thunder. He told thunder, the lightening, to go out and see what is happening to Govardhana. The lightning also came back immediately and said; ‘I saw a strange sight’. ‘I saw that this Govardhana after eating that huge food became so strong that it went up on the sky. It became so powerful that it went up on the sky and it is floating on the sky’. Indra said; ‘that’s very strange’. There was a mountain called Mainaka and said’ I cut the wings of this Mainaka with thunder long time ago and it’s then steady. Otherwise this Mainaka mountain used to fly. As a result that wherever it used to land all the people in that were dying. Cities became flat because of the landing of that Mainaka mountain. Then the wings of Mainaka were cut down by Indra with his thunder. So Indra wondered if that Mainaka mountain again got its wings grown. ‘Any way I will take care of it’, Indra said and in the mean time he sent lightening to see what’s happening there. First time lightening went and soon came back and said; ‘Indra, everyone is dead. No one is tending the cows. I could not see a single soul in Vrindavana’. So at this Indra became very happy and said, ‘I bless you with long life’. Now you go and get the details! Then lightening came back and said; ‘I saw a wonderful sight. I saw that the mountain has gone up to the sky after eating all the food that was offered to him’. The lightening looked and reported again and said, ‘you know what happened? All the residents of Vrindavana have taken shelter under the Govardhana hill and nothing happened to them despite your devastating activities. So Indra said; ‘Ok now I will teach them a lesson and released his thunderbolt. The thunderbolt splashed over the Govardhana but nothing happened to Govardhana. So Indra became very surprised. At that time only Indra wondered- is the boy Krishna is actually Narayana? Is it Narayana playing like a cowherd boy? If that is true then I made a great offense to my Supreme Lord. So then Indra went there. In the mean time the rain stopped. All the cowherd people came out of the Govardhana. After that Krishna was the last one to come out. When Krishna came out Indra saw the Personality who was playing as a little cowherd boy is non other than his worshipful Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Narayana. When everyone was gone Indra approached Krishna. He approached with Saurabi because he knew Krishna is very fond of cows. So taking shelter of Saurabi, Indra approached Krishna, thinking that if he goes with Saurabi than Krishna would not be very angry to him. So in all case we must approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead with His devotees. Saurabi was the cow from the heavenly planet. When she went there abhisekha was going on. Sarabhi bathed Krishna. Saurabi can produce unlimited amounts of milk and she bathed Krishna with her milk and then Indra offered his prayers to Krishna. In this way Krishna’s Govardhana lila was performed.
So today, from now on, I shall keep considerable time for questions and answers.
Question 1. (the questions are not audible to transcribe).
His Holiness said: Krishna lifted the mountain in such a way that there was big wall around the cave, so water didn’t came in.
Question 2. [inaudible]
With laughter. Krishna dropped it very softly. He came out from a side and left it out of His hand.
Question 3. When Nanda Maharaja, Yasoda Mayi did not know or was not aware that Krishna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, why did they ran after Him when they were in trouble?
Answer: Their not knowing Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually is opposite to our ignorance of Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the material nature we are ignorant of Krishna’s position. But they were not in ignorance. They were in some kind of super awareness. In Vaikuntha they have the awareness of Krishna as God. Narayana as God. But in Vrindavana they have some kind of super- awareness due to which they don’t consider or they forget in a way that Krishna is God. It is not that they did not know that Krishna is God. But due to their love for Krishna they did not consider Krishna as God. Whether Krishna was God or not was not relavant to them. Out of their intense attachment to Krishna they will always run to Krishna. Because one of the aspects of surrender to Krishna is – the faith- avasya rakhebe Krishna bisvasa palana, the faith that Krishna will give protection all the time. Their feelings were that whether Krishna was God or not, naturally they used to feel like running to Krishna whenever they were disturbed. For example, each of the cowherd boys were much powerful than the demons like Aghasura, Bakasura etc. They were millions of times more powerful. Whenever the demons came, they did not tried to defend themselves, or tried to kill the demons by themselves. They just ran after Krishna asking for shelter or protection. So that is the mood of a devotee. No matter how powerful he may be, he doesn’t depend upon his own. He simply depends upon Krishna. That is they’re more out of intense love for Krishna that they are running for Krishna.
Question 4. [indaudible]
Answer: You see demigods are generally puffed up. Who are the demigods? They are actually karmic. Referring to one devotee’s comment His Holiness said, ‘yes they are karma-misrha bhaktas’. Their devotion is mixed with karma. They do pious activities and as a result of that they want to enjoy. That is the difference between pure devotion and mixed devotion. In mixed devotion there are some other considerations besides giving pleasure to Krishna. Whereas in pure devotion, the only consideration is pleasure to Krishna. The demigods have some other motivation; some ulterior motives in their being devotees of Krishna. They pray to Krishna for their sense gratification. So you know like pious karmi’s, in India there are lot of pious karmi’s, they have temples at home and they worship Krishna. But what they want? They want wealth. These kinds of people are naturally very proud. Because they are materially attached they are proud of their material possession. Similarly Indra was also proud of his position. Out of his pride he became blind that he could not recognize the Supreme Personality of Godhead although He was there. This is one thing. And another thing to consider is that Krishna’s pastimes are just like a play on a stage. It’s just like a drama enacted on a stage. Drama’s are enacted on a stage to convey some message. To teach something. Different individuals act drama. Different individuals play different role. So they were playing the role and they were actually the person itself. They themselves are not like that. Like somebody plays the role of a villain. That person in real life may be a saint. Right? Similarly Krishna acts and His associates come and participate in those plays and act different roles. Now Indra was playing a role in order to enhance Krishna’s pastimes. The third consideration is that Krishna wanted to establish Himself as the Supreme. Now some people may say that Indra is the greatest. In these pastimes Krishna taught them that Indra is not the greatest. He is greater than Indra. In this way Krishna is establishing the fact or teaching everyone sarva dharma parityaja mam ekam saranam Vraja. You don’t have to surrender unto anyone else. Just surrender unto Me. So in this way Krishna established pure devotion through His pastimes.
Answers to question 5 [not audible].
How was it? Was it easy for Krishna? Actually for Krishna everything is easy. Actually it was not so easy. Remember; Nanda Maharaja, he was thinking that this is just a little boy and just like father often thinks that child will ask so many useless questions. Similarly Nanda Maharaja was trying to avoid answering Krishna’s questions. But then Krishna kept on insisting. Finally Nanda Maharaja turned on Him and thought this boy is talking lot of sense. Like for example what is the Vedic evidence? Who is the presiding deity of the sacrifice? What is the evidence of the sacrifice? What is the benefit of the sacrifice? Nanda Maharaja stopped and wondered- it was true. Who is the presiding deity and whether it’s Vedic or a social. Nanda Maharaja admitted that it is social. And Krishna suggested that there is no need for performing soothing social sacrifice. Later on Krishna made another very nice point. He said; ‘of all the truths, the direct truth is the best’. Pratyaksha. Praman : proof. There are different kinds of praman or proof. He said the direct proof is the best proof. ‘Now you want to offer these to Indra, but we cannot see Indra. One cannot see the demigod’. ‘So why offer something to someone who cannot be seen. So Govardhana is here. He is right in front of us. And you can see what kind of benefits we are deriving from Govardhana!’ Krishna said. So in this way Nanda Maharaja was convinced by Krishna.
Answers to question 6. [inaudible]
You see the Govardhana shrank considerably. There used to be fountains during Krishna’s time. Ever since Krishna left, Govardhana started to shrink and even now Govardhana is become smaller and smaller.
[There were some questions from the devotees and His Holiness said:]
‘The Govardhana was placed to the same place again. When Krishna lifted the Govardhana, a hole was created. When Krishna kept it back the same whole was covered. We have to understand that these are all spiritual. When Krishna lifted, the place – hole that is created; by Krishna’s potency that place became fully decorated. If they can artificially make like here in Mayapure we have artificial fountains of water created, we have to understand that the cowherd folks of Vridavana five thousand years ago, were much more capable than us and they could make fountain ghee and river of milk by that kind of arrangement.
No this is not jnana misra. When we talked about jnana, that jnana was the impersonal knowledge. But the jnana about the spiritual sky is not considered as jnana mishra. That is the revelation. That was not the jnana that was retained in the brain but revealed in the heart of pure devotees. And these descriptions are by Jiva Goswami. He saw the spiritual sky and what he saw, he just wrote it and so it is not jnana-mishra bhakti. It is suddha bhakti. If we have more details of the spiritual sky then that is always for pure devotion. Jnana-misran-bhakti means the devotion mixed with the knowledge. This knowledge is more of impersonalism. If there is more information of Vrindavana or spiritual sky then that is not jnana-misra bhakti. Like Rupa, Goswami and Sanatan Goswamis and others Goswamis were promoting the jnana-misra bhakti. They were actually enhancing pure devotion through their writings. So that knowledge they were imparting was the transcendental knowledge, not impersonal knowledge.
It’s clear that Govardhana is feeling the separation to Krishna. When Krishna was about to leave Govardhana lamented – how am I going to live without You. Then Krishna told Him, you stay for some time and then come back to Me.
Question [not audible]
Answer. His Holiness said: Yes when you approach to a spiritual subject, you have to accept that you can’t reason with it. That’s why I said that when you are approaching literature, especially Bhagavatam, you have to leave your intellect behind. There is no room of your intellect in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Dharma prachhita kaitava- all these so called reasoning, analysis, give them up. The way to approach to Bhagavatam is through faith. If you don’t have faith- it’s bad luck. To the person you are listening to; if you don’t have faith, then better don’t listen to him. To the person who you are listening, you have to give some credibility, especially in a class like this. I mean if you consider that Krishna’s potencies are inconceivable, the spiritual sky is inconceivable, what is the problem of accepting as it is. That’s why it’s often asked; ‘Krishna is blue and do you believe that Krishna is blue? With your reason can you analyze it? Have you seen a blue person? Why do you accept Krishna is blue?
Question. [Not audible]
Answer: Yes. Krishna can take the service directly but in order to serve Krishna directly you have to be very, very close to Krishna. Yes Subau, Sridham, Basudham, Champakrishna, Lalita, Visakha, Rupa Manjari, Anma Manjari- they can render direct service to Krishna. But even then they don’t. Often the Gopis render their service to Krishna through Srimati Radharani. Even the most intimate Gopis used to render their service through Srimati Radharani. And the friends rendered service through Balarama. At least the submission is there and then sometimes they have direct exchange. That is very, very intimate dealing. Consider what they do? They steal some food from Krishna, from Krishna’s plate. They climb on Krishna’s back. Anybody dares to do that when bhoga is offered to Krishna in the temple room? Will anyone dare to take from His plate? Will any one ever dare to put his foot on the Deities? So you can imagine how intimate they are to render that kind of exchange with Krishna. But we are not. We are far, far away. Therefore we have to find a means through which we can render our service to Krishna. And that link is the spiritual master. And then the spiritual master is also linked with his spiritual master. So in this way there is an unbroken chain that goes all the way to Krishna and that’s how the service is rendered.
Now who is the spiritual master? The spiritual master is dear to Krishna. Although the spiritual master himself doesn’t say that he is dear to Krishna, he thinks that his spiritual master is dear to Krishna and he is just an insignificant soul. But to the disciple the spiritual master is very dear to Krishna and to the disciples the spiritual master acts as Krishna’s representative. It is a kind of idea or concept. It is the reality. It is the fact. Krishna actually acts through their spiritual master. Krishna accepts the spiritual master to be the via-medium for the disciples. And due to whatever is offered to Krishna through the spiritual master reaches to Krishna. Then some day the devotee may reach Krishna. Like for example in this respect Brhad-Bhagavatam gives very beautiful guidelines. Now, Gopa-kumar went back to Vrindavana. His spiritual master has been helping him time and time again. His spiritual master came six times to him to help him go back to his ultimate destination. Then when he reaches to Vrindavana Krishna took him by his hand. Not only by his hand, Krishna actually embraced him. Krishna comes running to see him. Krishna comes running and as Krishna embraces him Krishna fainted in ecstasy. This is how Krishna reciprocated with His devotees when they become one hundred percent pure.
[Question: inaudible]
His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami : Snakes are there not only on Govardhana, there are so many snakes in Vrindavana. But those snakes don’t to anything against devotees. You know how many snakes are there in Mayapura? Once from Prabhupada Samadhi they caught 18 cobras. One snake charmer came and he caught 18 cobras. There was once a big flood in 1978 and one boy killed 151 cobras in this area. There are cobras everywhere. But not a single devotee has died so far by snake bites there. Some devotees have been bitten but they didn’t die. Because next door there was the snake doctor and he pulled out the snake poison.
Question [inaudible]
His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami: You see in the beginning we don’t straight away tell them to give up demigod worship because instead of getting rid of demigods they will get rid of you. Then you won’t have any scope to teach them. Therefore first we try to win them over, their confidence. Win their faith. Preach to them. Give them Krishna Prasadam. We try to deal with them in a very nice and friendly way. And then we ask them to chant Hare Krishna. By chanting Hare Krishna they become purified and their faith becomes strong. Then you tell them to stop worshipping demigods.
Question. [Not audible]
His Holiness : Whether Indra got a chance to come and take to Caitanya Mahaprabu’s pastimes! I don’t know. But it is understood that everyone got a chance to take part in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Mahaprabhu is so magnanimous. In a way indeed Indra participated in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Because in Krishna’s pastimes Indra came as Arjuna. In Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes Arjuna came as Ramananda Raya. So in that way Indra came in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes as Ramananda Raya.
His Holiness. I will take just few questions only now.
Question. [Not audible]
His Holiness : You have to understand that Krishna’s pastimes that took place on the earth planet and the calculation was according to human calculation, solar years calculation. If I am now mistaken, I think it’s in Brahmavaivarta Purana, it’s mentioned that Nanda Maharaja started a new calculation of years. (not clear). Generally the understanding is that 7 days, 7 nights, according to the calculation of the movement of the sun – solar calculation.
Question [not audible]
His Holiness : They are actually different living entities who due to their pious activities get this position. Actually living entities are not ordinary. All the living entities have extra ordinary abilities. When he is in forgetfulness of existence as spirit soul he does become ordinary. But actually he is the extra-ordinary spiritual spark. Extra-ordinary part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entity has the ability to do anything. A living entity can become the associate of Krishna; which is the highest position. So if he can get the highest position like that, any other positions also become possible for him to attain. A living entity can become a demigod. A living entity can become Indra. Like if someone can perform 100 horse sacrifices then he can become Indra. Therefore another name of Indra is Satapraju; a person who performed 100 horse sacrifices.
Question [not audible]
How is it possible! Well Nanda Maharaja made it possible. He started a new way of calculation. His consideration was that human life is so short only about a hundred years. He felt these 100 years is too short. So he extended by another hundred years where in the new calculation that 100 years would be 150 years. And ultimate consideration is love. Because of his love for Krishna he calculated in that way.
Question in hindi .
Answer in hindi : Sometimes before it was told that they did not know that Krishna is Bhagavan but due to their intense love they do not used to think whether Krishna is God or not. For them Krishna is just Krishna only and not others.
Question. When some one is rendering devotional service and gradually alleviating, can he fall down?
His Holiness answered: one can fall down from any position until and unless one reaches to the position of prema anyone can fall down. .. Unclear question… When he falls down he falls down but when he starts, he starts from where he left it.
Qustion. Not audible.
Sukadeva Goswami, as you have heard, is the parrot, a favorite parrot of Srimati Radharani. That is true. When Krishna was withdrawing His pastimes, this parrot always used to sing the glory of Radha and Krishna. Actually the parrot always used to sing the glory of Radha. But one day the parrot flew away and went to a tree where Krishna was playing with His friends. So all other parrots said, look what a beautiful parrot! Krishna called that parrot and that parrot came and sat on Krishna’s shoulder. Now the parrot started to chant- Krishna, Krishna. When the parrot flew away Radharani became very sad. So Lalita and Visakha went out looking for that parrot. And then they found that the parrot was sitting on Krishna’s shoulder. So Lalita told Krishna; “Krishna, this parrot actually belongs to Radhika, so give it back’. Krishna said; ‘how do I know that this parrot is Radhika’s. If it is Radhila’s then why it is not with Radhika? I did not ask to come to me and it came to me sitting with me, so it’s mine. In the mean time the parrot also started to chant Krishna, Krishna. Then Krishna said. ‘See it’s even calling My name’. Finally due to the pleading of Lalita and Visakha Krishna gave that parrot back. When Krishna was leaving this planet this parrot was asked by Krishna to stay back. Krishna told to two of them to stay back after His pastimes. One was Uddhava and another is this parrot.
This parrot was very sad after Krishna withdrew His pastimes. One day this parrot was just roaming around aimlessly after Krishna withdrew His pastimes. And then this parrot flew to mount Kailash. There this parrot was sitting on a tree and under that Lord Shiva was sitting there speaking with Parvati. Lord Shiva was telling Parvati Krishna’s pastimes. The parrot also was listening. In the mean time Parvati fell asleep. The parrot was so excited, listening to the pastimes of Krishna and it wanted Shiva to talk on. It did not want Shiva to know that Parvati was asleep. So time-to-time it started making sound- ya, ya. So then Parvati woke up and told, ‘My lord tell me what you have been telling because I fell asleep and I could not hear’. Then Shiva said; ‘you didn’t fall asleep, you have been responding- yes, yes’. Parvati said, ‘no I was asleep and I don’t know how long I fell asleep’. Then lord Shiva felt that someone must have acted funny with him. He looked up and saw a parrot on top of that tree. He was very angry. When this parrot saw that Shiva was very angry he just flew away. And Shiva chased that parrot. For fear for its life the parrot flew away. From Kailash mountain he flew straight to the Badarika-ashrama mountain. At that time Vyasadeva was telling his wife about Krishna’s pastimes. She was so surprised by hearing Krishna’s pastimes that she was gasping with her mouth open. And that parrot flew straight into her mouth and took shelter of her womb and that is Sukadeva Goswami.
Question. [Not audible]
His Holiness : Actually it’s difficult to figure out who is higher and who is lower among those devotees. This higher lower consideration is in a way that Sukadeva Goswami’s mellow was more of neutrality- santa, whereas Uddhava’s relationship was friendship. So which mellow is higher?. In Vrindavana, I said therefore the prominent mood is neutrality. But underlying mellow of everyone was madhurya, that they were all supporting madhurya.
Question [not audible]
His Holiness : There are two ways of looking at it. If you look at him as an associate of Krishna then there is no question of neutrality or impersonalism. How can an associate of God be impersonal. But if we look at another point of view then we can see for the time being he is not displaying his direct attachment to Krishna in that sense. But appears to be an impersonalist but he was not an impersonalist…. This was mostly mentioned in BrahmaVaivarta Purana.
So OK. Thank you all very much. Hare Krishna.
Transcription : His Grace Vrajendrasuta Dasa. Click here for Naam.Hat Vrajendrasuta Prabhu
Edited by: Ramananda Raya Dasa
Audio source: click here
So when Krishna was about 7 years old, one day He saw that, all the Gopas, all the cowherd people of Vrindavana headed by His father Nanda Maharaja were organizing some festival. Although Krishna saw that they were organizing festival previous years also, but still out of curiosity He asked his father, ‘Father what is this going on today?’. Nanda Maharaja was so busy that he did not answer. Then Krishna told him; ‘My father, I am your son and you are My father. So it is your responsibility to educate me properly. So I am asking you’. ‘What is the worship that you are organizing now? Who is the personality that is being worshiped and what is the purpose of this worship?’ Then also Nanda Maharaja did not reply. He thought that Krishna is just a little child and His questions should not be taken so seriously. So he was busy with his other responsibilities. But Krishna was still trying on to His father and he asked; ‘Father why don’t you tell me whether this worship that you are organizing; whether it is prescribed according to the Vedic instructions, according to the Vedic scriptures? Or just a social custom? And if it is a bona-fide worship, if it is Vedic, then please tell me who is the presiding deity of this sacrifice?’ What is the truth of this sacrifice and what is the benefit of this sacrifice? First of all you have to tell me whether it is Vedic or a social customary! Then Nanda Maharaja took Krishna seriously.
Then Nanda Maharaja told Krishna that this is actually a social custom. It is a customary sacrifice. Nanda Maharaja actually told Krishna that, ‘we are organizing Indra puja or Indra yajna, a sacrifice to please Indra. Then Krishna asked whether it is Vedic or a social custom. So Nanda Maharaja said; ‘social’. Then Krishna said; ‘social activities should not be taken so seriously’. Unless and until prescribed by the Vedas it should not be taken so seriously! So Nanda Maharaja said, ‘but you see our ancestors have been performing this sacrifice according to their customs, as a hereditary customs, therefore for us it is important to perform it like that’. Then Krishna denied that. He said, ‘tell me why you want to please Indra? What is the objective of this sacrifice?’ The Nanda Maharaja said that Indra gives us rain and we are cowherd people we depend very much on rain and therefore we have to perform this sacrifice. Krishna reasoned with His father and said, ‘you see Indra is also a demigod and demigods are also bound by karma. And what is the result, whatever reward they offer to others is also according to their karma. Demigods do not have any means or ability to do something on their own!. They are also dependent. They can’t break the karmic principle and do something. Nanda Maharaja still insisted. ‘You see Krishna, we are cowherd people and rain is very essential for us and if we don’t have rain then we will be in trouble’. Then Krishna told Nanda Maharaja. ‘Father, you don’t actually depend on Indra for the rain because Indra offers the rain just out of nature’s arrangement. It’s not that Indra is arranging. The rains are the natural phenomena. It is not that you are pleasing Indra, that’s why Indra is offering rain. If that was the case then why does it rain in the middle of the ocean where there is no need and no one there offers actually any worship to Indra. So Nanda Maharaja was surprised that this little child has such an understanding. So intelligent. Nanda Maharaja started to think what the boy is saying whether it really make sense. And he felt that it does make sense. Krishna also continued – my father I would suggest since we are cowherd folk we depend really upon the Govardhana. Because it is the grazing ground for our cows that it provides soft green grass for our cows. It is the fountains and rivers in the Govardhana that actually offers us all the water that we need and the cow’s need. Plus Govardhana is giving us so many necessities. So instead of worshiping Indra, let us worship Govardhana! When Krishna suggested in this way, Nanda Maharaja mainly out of his affection accepted. Not only Nanda Maharaja, others also like, Sunanda and Upananda and other senior members of the cowherd folks of Vrindavana accepted this point. Here it is described that more than the given reasons they accepted this out of love for Krishna. When one loves somebody whatever that person says one accepts it. It is out of love and that’s why love is superior to reasons. Although Krishna gave the reasons but those reasons did not play the most important part. It was their love for Krishna they have accepted His reasoning. So Krishna said; ‘let us arrange with the paraphernalia and foodstuff that you have got, let us arrange a worship of Govardhana.’. Krishna suggested to make a mountain of foodstuff. So the cowherds brought cart loads of food and they stacked them up in a mountain. It actually became a huge mountain. The bottom part of the mountain was maltose. There was stacks of puris, there was stacks of halava’s. Around the puris they stacked up huge amount of subji’s and sweets. They all were cooked in different colors. So it was looking like a colorful high mountain. Not only that, in that mountain there were fountains of ghee. There were rivers of milk. Then Krishna said; ‘let us all offer these to Govardhana, the king of the mountain- Giriraja’.
At that time Giriraja took up a huge shape. Giriraja came out of the mountain and He sat there. He was so high that he was touching the sky. And He started to eat with his right hand. He was picking up large amount of foodstuff and putting it in his mouth. And Krishna said; ‘see, see, He came and He is eating’. Everyone saw that gigantic figure and that figure looked just like Krishna. The only difference was their Krishna was small and This Personality was very big. He kept on eating. He also started drawing water from the lakes and rivers while he was eating. Actually all the lakes surrounding the Govardhana became dry because of His drinking. But the surprising thing about this mountain of food is that as He was eating, taking large quantities of food weighing a few hundred kilos at a time, immediately that food stock will be filled up. So the Annakuta mountain, the mountain of food regained its original shape. Giriraja ate for a long time and while He was eating He was making some gestures with his left hand as if He was mocking at Krishna. In this way Giriraja became very pleased and also all the cowherd folks became very pleased that this personality Giriraja was satisfied with their offerings.
At that time, the singers, the Bandis, who are according to Vedic scriptures known as Bandis Acadana who used to glorify, sang. Among all the rich people king Nandana is the richest and most generous. In this festival everyone became satisfied and filled up to their neck. The demigods became pleased but surprisingly their king Indra was very upset when this words reached to him. He realized that he has been insulted by these cowherd people. Indra became very, very angry. He said; ‘just a cowherd boy Krishna, He dares to insult me in this way. He doesn’t know who I am’. He is just a mere cowherd boy and He dares to insult me in this way, so I will teach Him. And what are these cowherd people! They just listen to this 7 year’s old little child. Don’t they have any intelligence? They are being told by this little boy and they stopped worshiping me and started worshiping this moutain! So I will teach them a lesson.
So Indra immediately called the cloud, Samvartaka. Samvartaka is the cloud of devastation. At the time of annihilation this cloud starts to pour rain. As a result of that the whole universe at least the lower part up to heavenly planets becomes inundated with the water of devastation. So Indra told to Samvartaka cloud and the terrible wind to go and destroy the mountain. So they immediately went out and the residence of Vrindavana all of a sudden saw there was cold wind blowing from the North. All of a sudden the horizon became covered with dark cloud. And there was continuous lighting and thunder splash. So they all became very afraid. They immediately tried to put their cows in the sheds. There came rain in torrent as if the whole place is going to be devastated. So they all ran after Krishna. ‘Krishna, Krishna, please save us. What’s going to happen now’? Some tried to go to the higher places of Govardhana. But Krishna said; ‘Don’t worry. Don’t be afraid. I am here and Govardhana is here. So there is nothing to worry about.
When Krishna saw that Indra was trying to act funny, actually Krishna was deliberately acting like that in order to smash Indra’s pride. Krishna knew that Indra was very proud because he was the king of the demigods. So Krishna wanted to smash Indra’s pride. Another understanding is actually Krishna wanted others to see who He was. Some people say that demigods are very big personalities. Krishna wanted to teach them that He is even greater than the demigods. He is greater than the topmost demigod Indra. Similarly by bewildering Brahma He established the fact the He is even greater than Brahma. So in this way Krishna established Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krishna could see that Indra was proud and Indra needed to be brought back to his senses. So Krishna very easily lifted Govardhana on top of His little finger. Everyone became very surprised.
Krishna smiled and told His father; ‘father, did you see, Govardhana became so pleased with us that He on His own wake up to give us protection and He is resting on my head just like a bunch of cotton’. Nanda Maharaja and others were very worried. Krishna said, ‘come, come under this mountain’. They were still worried and then Krishna said; ‘look if I see that you are suffering, then I will feel pain. I will feel tormented. As a result of that my hand may shake and the mountain may fall down, so better come in quickly ‘. So they all came inside the hole that was created by lifting the Govardhana. So when they came into the cave or the hole that was created by lifting the Govardhana, they found that there were beautiful staircases leading down, so they immediately along with the cows went down into the Govardhana. Krishna was standing there lifting Govardhana with His left hand. Some cowherd people felt that Krishna may not be able to hold it for very long, they also went to help Krishna and with the stick they were trying to top Govardhana. So in this way some of the elderly cowherd people also tried to help Krishna lifting the Govardhana. When they went down the Govardhana they found that the place was illuminated with many, many precious jewels scattered around the wall. The entire wall was covered with beautiful shining gems and so was the roof. The floor was very soft as if made of soft and smooth beautiful marble and filled with gems also. Not only this place was very beautifully decorated, there were all amenities also available there, like water for them to drink. There was a gentle breeze blowing. So they all became very happy to have the shelter of Govardhana. In this way they stayed there for seven days and seven nights. But these seven days and seven nights passed very quickly.
In the mean time Indra started to wonder what happened. So he sent the servants of the Pavan deva or the Wind-god to what happened to Vrindavana – Vraja. Very quickly wind came and said nothing happened in Vridavana. Indra was very surprised. He thought that wind did not see things properly. He then sent cloud; ‘go and see what’s happening’. So the cloud also came back and said nothing happened. So Indra got very angry. He got up on his elephant. He rides his elephant Airavata and with his rope he punched the elephant so that it would move fast. Indra reached on top of Govardhana and there he released the thunder. He told thunder, the lightening, to go out and see what is happening to Govardhana. The lightning also came back immediately and said; ‘I saw a strange sight’. ‘I saw that this Govardhana after eating that huge food became so strong that it went up on the sky. It became so powerful that it went up on the sky and it is floating on the sky’. Indra said; ‘that’s very strange’. There was a mountain called Mainaka and said’ I cut the wings of this Mainaka with thunder long time ago and it’s then steady. Otherwise this Mainaka mountain used to fly. As a result that wherever it used to land all the people in that were dying. Cities became flat because of the landing of that Mainaka mountain. Then the wings of Mainaka were cut down by Indra with his thunder. So Indra wondered if that Mainaka mountain again got its wings grown. ‘Any way I will take care of it’, Indra said and in the mean time he sent lightening to see what’s happening there. First time lightening went and soon came back and said; ‘Indra, everyone is dead. No one is tending the cows. I could not see a single soul in Vrindavana’. So at this Indra became very happy and said, ‘I bless you with long life’. Now you go and get the details! Then lightening came back and said; ‘I saw a wonderful sight. I saw that the mountain has gone up to the sky after eating all the food that was offered to him’. The lightening looked and reported again and said, ‘you know what happened? All the residents of Vrindavana have taken shelter under the Govardhana hill and nothing happened to them despite your devastating activities. So Indra said; ‘Ok now I will teach them a lesson and released his thunderbolt. The thunderbolt splashed over the Govardhana but nothing happened to Govardhana. So Indra became very surprised. At that time only Indra wondered- is the boy Krishna is actually Narayana? Is it Narayana playing like a cowherd boy? If that is true then I made a great offense to my Supreme Lord. So then Indra went there. In the mean time the rain stopped. All the cowherd people came out of the Govardhana. After that Krishna was the last one to come out. When Krishna came out Indra saw the Personality who was playing as a little cowherd boy is non other than his worshipful Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Narayana. When everyone was gone Indra approached Krishna. He approached with Saurabi because he knew Krishna is very fond of cows. So taking shelter of Saurabi, Indra approached Krishna, thinking that if he goes with Saurabi than Krishna would not be very angry to him. So in all case we must approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead with His devotees. Saurabi was the cow from the heavenly planet. When she went there abhisekha was going on. Sarabhi bathed Krishna. Saurabi can produce unlimited amounts of milk and she bathed Krishna with her milk and then Indra offered his prayers to Krishna. In this way Krishna’s Govardhana lila was performed.
So today, from now on, I shall keep considerable time for questions and answers.
Question 1. (the questions are not audible to transcribe).
His Holiness said: Krishna lifted the mountain in such a way that there was big wall around the cave, so water didn’t came in.
Question 2. [inaudible]
With laughter. Krishna dropped it very softly. He came out from a side and left it out of His hand.
Question 3. When Nanda Maharaja, Yasoda Mayi did not know or was not aware that Krishna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, why did they ran after Him when they were in trouble?
Answer: Their not knowing Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually is opposite to our ignorance of Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the material nature we are ignorant of Krishna’s position. But they were not in ignorance. They were in some kind of super awareness. In Vaikuntha they have the awareness of Krishna as God. Narayana as God. But in Vrindavana they have some kind of super- awareness due to which they don’t consider or they forget in a way that Krishna is God. It is not that they did not know that Krishna is God. But due to their love for Krishna they did not consider Krishna as God. Whether Krishna was God or not was not relavant to them. Out of their intense attachment to Krishna they will always run to Krishna. Because one of the aspects of surrender to Krishna is – the faith- avasya rakhebe Krishna bisvasa palana, the faith that Krishna will give protection all the time. Their feelings were that whether Krishna was God or not, naturally they used to feel like running to Krishna whenever they were disturbed. For example, each of the cowherd boys were much powerful than the demons like Aghasura, Bakasura etc. They were millions of times more powerful. Whenever the demons came, they did not tried to defend themselves, or tried to kill the demons by themselves. They just ran after Krishna asking for shelter or protection. So that is the mood of a devotee. No matter how powerful he may be, he doesn’t depend upon his own. He simply depends upon Krishna. That is they’re more out of intense love for Krishna that they are running for Krishna.
Question 4. [indaudible]
Answer: You see demigods are generally puffed up. Who are the demigods? They are actually karmic. Referring to one devotee’s comment His Holiness said, ‘yes they are karma-misrha bhaktas’. Their devotion is mixed with karma. They do pious activities and as a result of that they want to enjoy. That is the difference between pure devotion and mixed devotion. In mixed devotion there are some other considerations besides giving pleasure to Krishna. Whereas in pure devotion, the only consideration is pleasure to Krishna. The demigods have some other motivation; some ulterior motives in their being devotees of Krishna. They pray to Krishna for their sense gratification. So you know like pious karmi’s, in India there are lot of pious karmi’s, they have temples at home and they worship Krishna. But what they want? They want wealth. These kinds of people are naturally very proud. Because they are materially attached they are proud of their material possession. Similarly Indra was also proud of his position. Out of his pride he became blind that he could not recognize the Supreme Personality of Godhead although He was there. This is one thing. And another thing to consider is that Krishna’s pastimes are just like a play on a stage. It’s just like a drama enacted on a stage. Drama’s are enacted on a stage to convey some message. To teach something. Different individuals act drama. Different individuals play different role. So they were playing the role and they were actually the person itself. They themselves are not like that. Like somebody plays the role of a villain. That person in real life may be a saint. Right? Similarly Krishna acts and His associates come and participate in those plays and act different roles. Now Indra was playing a role in order to enhance Krishna’s pastimes. The third consideration is that Krishna wanted to establish Himself as the Supreme. Now some people may say that Indra is the greatest. In these pastimes Krishna taught them that Indra is not the greatest. He is greater than Indra. In this way Krishna is establishing the fact or teaching everyone sarva dharma parityaja mam ekam saranam Vraja. You don’t have to surrender unto anyone else. Just surrender unto Me. So in this way Krishna established pure devotion through His pastimes.
Answers to question 5 [not audible].
How was it? Was it easy for Krishna? Actually for Krishna everything is easy. Actually it was not so easy. Remember; Nanda Maharaja, he was thinking that this is just a little boy and just like father often thinks that child will ask so many useless questions. Similarly Nanda Maharaja was trying to avoid answering Krishna’s questions. But then Krishna kept on insisting. Finally Nanda Maharaja turned on Him and thought this boy is talking lot of sense. Like for example what is the Vedic evidence? Who is the presiding deity of the sacrifice? What is the evidence of the sacrifice? What is the benefit of the sacrifice? Nanda Maharaja stopped and wondered- it was true. Who is the presiding deity and whether it’s Vedic or a social. Nanda Maharaja admitted that it is social. And Krishna suggested that there is no need for performing soothing social sacrifice. Later on Krishna made another very nice point. He said; ‘of all the truths, the direct truth is the best’. Pratyaksha. Praman : proof. There are different kinds of praman or proof. He said the direct proof is the best proof. ‘Now you want to offer these to Indra, but we cannot see Indra. One cannot see the demigod’. ‘So why offer something to someone who cannot be seen. So Govardhana is here. He is right in front of us. And you can see what kind of benefits we are deriving from Govardhana!’ Krishna said. So in this way Nanda Maharaja was convinced by Krishna.
Answers to question 6. [inaudible]
You see the Govardhana shrank considerably. There used to be fountains during Krishna’s time. Ever since Krishna left, Govardhana started to shrink and even now Govardhana is become smaller and smaller.
[There were some questions from the devotees and His Holiness said:]
‘The Govardhana was placed to the same place again. When Krishna lifted the Govardhana, a hole was created. When Krishna kept it back the same whole was covered. We have to understand that these are all spiritual. When Krishna lifted, the place – hole that is created; by Krishna’s potency that place became fully decorated. If they can artificially make like here in Mayapure we have artificial fountains of water created, we have to understand that the cowherd folks of Vridavana five thousand years ago, were much more capable than us and they could make fountain ghee and river of milk by that kind of arrangement.
No this is not jnana misra. When we talked about jnana, that jnana was the impersonal knowledge. But the jnana about the spiritual sky is not considered as jnana mishra. That is the revelation. That was not the jnana that was retained in the brain but revealed in the heart of pure devotees. And these descriptions are by Jiva Goswami. He saw the spiritual sky and what he saw, he just wrote it and so it is not jnana-mishra bhakti. It is suddha bhakti. If we have more details of the spiritual sky then that is always for pure devotion. Jnana-misran-bhakti means the devotion mixed with the knowledge. This knowledge is more of impersonalism. If there is more information of Vrindavana or spiritual sky then that is not jnana-misra bhakti. Like Rupa, Goswami and Sanatan Goswamis and others Goswamis were promoting the jnana-misra bhakti. They were actually enhancing pure devotion through their writings. So that knowledge they were imparting was the transcendental knowledge, not impersonal knowledge.
It’s clear that Govardhana is feeling the separation to Krishna. When Krishna was about to leave Govardhana lamented – how am I going to live without You. Then Krishna told Him, you stay for some time and then come back to Me.
Question [not audible]
Answer. His Holiness said: Yes when you approach to a spiritual subject, you have to accept that you can’t reason with it. That’s why I said that when you are approaching literature, especially Bhagavatam, you have to leave your intellect behind. There is no room of your intellect in Srimad-Bhagavatam. Dharma prachhita kaitava- all these so called reasoning, analysis, give them up. The way to approach to Bhagavatam is through faith. If you don’t have faith- it’s bad luck. To the person you are listening to; if you don’t have faith, then better don’t listen to him. To the person who you are listening, you have to give some credibility, especially in a class like this. I mean if you consider that Krishna’s potencies are inconceivable, the spiritual sky is inconceivable, what is the problem of accepting as it is. That’s why it’s often asked; ‘Krishna is blue and do you believe that Krishna is blue? With your reason can you analyze it? Have you seen a blue person? Why do you accept Krishna is blue?
Question. [Not audible]
Answer: Yes. Krishna can take the service directly but in order to serve Krishna directly you have to be very, very close to Krishna. Yes Subau, Sridham, Basudham, Champakrishna, Lalita, Visakha, Rupa Manjari, Anma Manjari- they can render direct service to Krishna. But even then they don’t. Often the Gopis render their service to Krishna through Srimati Radharani. Even the most intimate Gopis used to render their service through Srimati Radharani. And the friends rendered service through Balarama. At least the submission is there and then sometimes they have direct exchange. That is very, very intimate dealing. Consider what they do? They steal some food from Krishna, from Krishna’s plate. They climb on Krishna’s back. Anybody dares to do that when bhoga is offered to Krishna in the temple room? Will anyone dare to take from His plate? Will any one ever dare to put his foot on the Deities? So you can imagine how intimate they are to render that kind of exchange with Krishna. But we are not. We are far, far away. Therefore we have to find a means through which we can render our service to Krishna. And that link is the spiritual master. And then the spiritual master is also linked with his spiritual master. So in this way there is an unbroken chain that goes all the way to Krishna and that’s how the service is rendered.
Now who is the spiritual master? The spiritual master is dear to Krishna. Although the spiritual master himself doesn’t say that he is dear to Krishna, he thinks that his spiritual master is dear to Krishna and he is just an insignificant soul. But to the disciple the spiritual master is very dear to Krishna and to the disciples the spiritual master acts as Krishna’s representative. It is a kind of idea or concept. It is the reality. It is the fact. Krishna actually acts through their spiritual master. Krishna accepts the spiritual master to be the via-medium for the disciples. And due to whatever is offered to Krishna through the spiritual master reaches to Krishna. Then some day the devotee may reach Krishna. Like for example in this respect Brhad-Bhagavatam gives very beautiful guidelines. Now, Gopa-kumar went back to Vrindavana. His spiritual master has been helping him time and time again. His spiritual master came six times to him to help him go back to his ultimate destination. Then when he reaches to Vrindavana Krishna took him by his hand. Not only by his hand, Krishna actually embraced him. Krishna comes running to see him. Krishna comes running and as Krishna embraces him Krishna fainted in ecstasy. This is how Krishna reciprocated with His devotees when they become one hundred percent pure.
[Question: inaudible]
His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami : Snakes are there not only on Govardhana, there are so many snakes in Vrindavana. But those snakes don’t to anything against devotees. You know how many snakes are there in Mayapura? Once from Prabhupada Samadhi they caught 18 cobras. One snake charmer came and he caught 18 cobras. There was once a big flood in 1978 and one boy killed 151 cobras in this area. There are cobras everywhere. But not a single devotee has died so far by snake bites there. Some devotees have been bitten but they didn’t die. Because next door there was the snake doctor and he pulled out the snake poison.
Question [inaudible]
His Holiness Bhakti Caru Swami: You see in the beginning we don’t straight away tell them to give up demigod worship because instead of getting rid of demigods they will get rid of you. Then you won’t have any scope to teach them. Therefore first we try to win them over, their confidence. Win their faith. Preach to them. Give them Krishna Prasadam. We try to deal with them in a very nice and friendly way. And then we ask them to chant Hare Krishna. By chanting Hare Krishna they become purified and their faith becomes strong. Then you tell them to stop worshipping demigods.
Question. [Not audible]
His Holiness : Whether Indra got a chance to come and take to Caitanya Mahaprabu’s pastimes! I don’t know. But it is understood that everyone got a chance to take part in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Mahaprabhu is so magnanimous. In a way indeed Indra participated in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Because in Krishna’s pastimes Indra came as Arjuna. In Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes Arjuna came as Ramananda Raya. So in that way Indra came in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes as Ramananda Raya.
His Holiness. I will take just few questions only now.
Question. [Not audible]
His Holiness : You have to understand that Krishna’s pastimes that took place on the earth planet and the calculation was according to human calculation, solar years calculation. If I am now mistaken, I think it’s in Brahmavaivarta Purana, it’s mentioned that Nanda Maharaja started a new calculation of years. (not clear). Generally the understanding is that 7 days, 7 nights, according to the calculation of the movement of the sun – solar calculation.
Question [not audible]
His Holiness : They are actually different living entities who due to their pious activities get this position. Actually living entities are not ordinary. All the living entities have extra ordinary abilities. When he is in forgetfulness of existence as spirit soul he does become ordinary. But actually he is the extra-ordinary spiritual spark. Extra-ordinary part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entity has the ability to do anything. A living entity can become the associate of Krishna; which is the highest position. So if he can get the highest position like that, any other positions also become possible for him to attain. A living entity can become a demigod. A living entity can become Indra. Like if someone can perform 100 horse sacrifices then he can become Indra. Therefore another name of Indra is Satapraju; a person who performed 100 horse sacrifices.
Question [not audible]
How is it possible! Well Nanda Maharaja made it possible. He started a new way of calculation. His consideration was that human life is so short only about a hundred years. He felt these 100 years is too short. So he extended by another hundred years where in the new calculation that 100 years would be 150 years. And ultimate consideration is love. Because of his love for Krishna he calculated in that way.
Question in hindi .
Answer in hindi : Sometimes before it was told that they did not know that Krishna is Bhagavan but due to their intense love they do not used to think whether Krishna is God or not. For them Krishna is just Krishna only and not others.
Question. When some one is rendering devotional service and gradually alleviating, can he fall down?
His Holiness answered: one can fall down from any position until and unless one reaches to the position of prema anyone can fall down. .. Unclear question… When he falls down he falls down but when he starts, he starts from where he left it.
Qustion. Not audible.
Sukadeva Goswami, as you have heard, is the parrot, a favorite parrot of Srimati Radharani. That is true. When Krishna was withdrawing His pastimes, this parrot always used to sing the glory of Radha and Krishna. Actually the parrot always used to sing the glory of Radha. But one day the parrot flew away and went to a tree where Krishna was playing with His friends. So all other parrots said, look what a beautiful parrot! Krishna called that parrot and that parrot came and sat on Krishna’s shoulder. Now the parrot started to chant- Krishna, Krishna. When the parrot flew away Radharani became very sad. So Lalita and Visakha went out looking for that parrot. And then they found that the parrot was sitting on Krishna’s shoulder. So Lalita told Krishna; “Krishna, this parrot actually belongs to Radhika, so give it back’. Krishna said; ‘how do I know that this parrot is Radhika’s. If it is Radhila’s then why it is not with Radhika? I did not ask to come to me and it came to me sitting with me, so it’s mine. In the mean time the parrot also started to chant Krishna, Krishna. Then Krishna said. ‘See it’s even calling My name’. Finally due to the pleading of Lalita and Visakha Krishna gave that parrot back. When Krishna was leaving this planet this parrot was asked by Krishna to stay back. Krishna told to two of them to stay back after His pastimes. One was Uddhava and another is this parrot.
This parrot was very sad after Krishna withdrew His pastimes. One day this parrot was just roaming around aimlessly after Krishna withdrew His pastimes. And then this parrot flew to mount Kailash. There this parrot was sitting on a tree and under that Lord Shiva was sitting there speaking with Parvati. Lord Shiva was telling Parvati Krishna’s pastimes. The parrot also was listening. In the mean time Parvati fell asleep. The parrot was so excited, listening to the pastimes of Krishna and it wanted Shiva to talk on. It did not want Shiva to know that Parvati was asleep. So time-to-time it started making sound- ya, ya. So then Parvati woke up and told, ‘My lord tell me what you have been telling because I fell asleep and I could not hear’. Then Shiva said; ‘you didn’t fall asleep, you have been responding- yes, yes’. Parvati said, ‘no I was asleep and I don’t know how long I fell asleep’. Then lord Shiva felt that someone must have acted funny with him. He looked up and saw a parrot on top of that tree. He was very angry. When this parrot saw that Shiva was very angry he just flew away. And Shiva chased that parrot. For fear for its life the parrot flew away. From Kailash mountain he flew straight to the Badarika-ashrama mountain. At that time Vyasadeva was telling his wife about Krishna’s pastimes. She was so surprised by hearing Krishna’s pastimes that she was gasping with her mouth open. And that parrot flew straight into her mouth and took shelter of her womb and that is Sukadeva Goswami.
Question. [Not audible]
His Holiness : Actually it’s difficult to figure out who is higher and who is lower among those devotees. This higher lower consideration is in a way that Sukadeva Goswami’s mellow was more of neutrality- santa, whereas Uddhava’s relationship was friendship. So which mellow is higher?. In Vrindavana, I said therefore the prominent mood is neutrality. But underlying mellow of everyone was madhurya, that they were all supporting madhurya.
Question [not audible]
His Holiness : There are two ways of looking at it. If you look at him as an associate of Krishna then there is no question of neutrality or impersonalism. How can an associate of God be impersonal. But if we look at another point of view then we can see for the time being he is not displaying his direct attachment to Krishna in that sense. But appears to be an impersonalist but he was not an impersonalist…. This was mostly mentioned in BrahmaVaivarta Purana.
So OK. Thank you all very much. Hare Krishna.
THE FOLLOWING LECTURE ON LORD KRISHNA’S PASTIMES IN VRINDAVANA IS THE SIXth LECTURE IN A SERIES OF SEVEN, GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CARU SWAMI.
Transcription : Her Grace Madhuri Radhika Dasi / Her Grace Shyama Mohini Dasi / His Grace Vrajendrasuta Dasa Click here for www.naam.hat blog Vrajendrasuta Prabhu
Editing : Her Grace Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi
Audio-reference : click here
So today, we will discuss about some of Krishna’s interesting pastimes. These different pastimes are scattered around in different scriptures and so the first one I was thinking of discussing is about Krishna’s pastimes that has been described in the Nectar of devotion.
So one day Krishna was in the house of Srimati Radharani. Radharani is Krishna’s eternal consort but for the sake of pastimes, for the sake of enhancing the the mellow of union, the joy of union, or excitement of union, Radharani was as appearantly married to Abhimanyu. Actually Krishna is Radharani’s eternal consort and no one besides Krishna can even touch Srimati Radharani. But for the sake of pastimes Radharani was appearantly, that means it appeared as if Radharani was married to Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu was the king in Yavat. And he was a very wealthy person, he was a king of the cowherd folks and it has been described that his house, the walls of his house were made of gold. Not the house, but the the surrounding walls of the house was made of gold, so you can well imagine how wealthy he must have been. And you all know from Nectar of devotion and also from Krishna book that Abhimanyu’s mother and sister Jatilā and Kutila they were very envious of Srimati Radharani. They were always trying to stop Radha and Krishna to meet. The friends of Srimati Radharani the gopis of Vrindavan, they are always trying to unite Radha and Krishna. But Jatila and Kutila were always trying to stop Radha and Krishna from meeting each other. So, and also from the social side, you can well imagine like no mother-in-law wants her daughter-in-law to have an affair with someone else. So appearantly.that was Radharani’s situation. Now this has been described in the scriptures, specially by the Goswamis, that the highest form, the highest enjoyment or highest relationship, the greatest relationship is that between Radha and Krisha in parakiya mellow. Parakiya means where the the hero and heroine are not married to each other. There are two types of conjugal mellows, one is called svakyia and the other is called parakiya.
In svakyia the nayaka and nayika or hero and heroine are married but in parakiya the hero and heroine are not married, and it is said that that relationship is more on a spiritual platform, that relationship is more profound or it is more enjoyable for the hero and heroine. Or that mellow, or that the highest relationship in the spiritual sky when reflected on the material nature, since material is perverted, that relationship in the material nature is the lowest. Whatever is the highest in spiritual sky when it is reflected in the material nature that becomes the lowest. In the spiritual sky when Krishna has His dealings with Srimati Radharani and if she is married to somebody else then it is the highest. But in the material nature when someone imitates Krishna and has an affair with someone else’s wife is it very good? No, that is very abominable, very degrading. So we have to understand that these topics are actually from the spiritual world.
The relationship between Radha and Krishna, the dealings between Radha and Krishna are on the spiritual platform and it is the highest spiritual relationship.
Actually Krishna Who is the Supreme Proprietor, Who owns everything, Who is the Lord and Master of everyone, is there any need or Him to get married or does He need any social approval? No, He can do anything He wants to do. But a living entity should never imtiate Krishna, a living entity must understand that only Krishna can do these things but no one else should imitate it .Just like the servant may see his master doing so many things. But can the servant start imitating the master? Like he may see that the master is.lying on his nice bed and having party with his friends. Now, if the servant says, ok I will also lay on the bed of my master or I will also join in his party and drink with him then the master will kick him out. So the master, our position is like that of a servant and Krishna is Supreme Master. What the master can do the good servant will never try imitate. Therefore the living entity will never imitate Krishna’s pastimes. In other hand he will shy away this activities knowing well that only Kirshna has the exclusive right to indulge in these activities and we do not have. So therefore these pastimes of Radha and Krishna was not revealed to ordinary living entities. It was kept as a secret.
Sacinandana maharaj ki! Jay!
So, therefore these activities or these pastimes of Radha and Krishna, or these intimate dealings of Radha and Krishna were not revealed to others because if a person did not have the right understanding then he will end up in trouble hearing about these pastimes.
It has been described in Bhagavatam that Lord Shiva drank poison. Lord Shiva drank poison, he drank an ocean of poison. Right? And Lord Shiva, a personality like lord Shiva can actually digest that poison. But if an ordinary person tries to drink poison then what will happen? Lord Shiva drank the ocean of poison and it did end in his neck, it didn’t even go down his neck. Only neck became little blue. But if a living entity drinks a little bit poison then what happens? He will be finished. Actually Lord Shiva while he was drinking poison, like a few drops fell on the ground. And some living entities drank, took a little bit of that poison and they became poisonous like the snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, so all these, they got the poison because they just they just drank a little bit of this poison that fell off and now you consider – they took just a bit of this poison and if they bite you then you are finished. But Lord Shiva drank the entire ocean of that poison. Therefore it is repeatedly instructed in the scriptures that the activities of these kind of personalities should never been imitated.
So activities of Krishna therefore, and especially Krishna’s activities in Vrindavan must be heard with folded hands. With a constant prayer that we can understand that somehow we can develop the right kind of intelligence to understand these pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and never ever dare to imitate those pastimes. And when we approach with that kind of understanding then these pastimes become a source of inconceivable joy within our hearts and these pastimes allures us more and more towards the spiritaul sky, towards the lotus feet of Krishna.
These pastimes are important. Krishna acted in this way with a purpose. And the purpose is to attract the living entities especially the exposure of the revelation of this pastimes have a profound significance and the significance is to attract the living entities towards the lotus feet of Krishna. Then here we can also consider one thing. That these pastimes of Krishna were actually unknown this world . This relationship between Radha and Krishna was unknown to this world, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu releaved it. It is Caitanya Mahaprabhu who actually revealed the relationship between Radha and Krishna. Now, let us consider who is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself – came as a devotee and acted as a sannyasi and he was so straight that he would not allow a woman to even offer obeisances to him within 15 yards. So this Personality who is a sannyasi and who does not have anything to do with any woman he is revealing this act, this relationship between Radha and Krishna. Why? Because He saw that otherwise in this age people will not be attracted to, unless the highest mellow of the relationship between the Supreme Personality of Godhead is revealed to these living entitites– they will not become interested in Krishna Consciousness. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed the identity of Srimati Radharani. Sukadeva Goswami who did not want to get involved in material nature, who did not want to come out of his mother’s womb, that Sukadeva Goswami he was describing Krisna’s pastimes in Vrindavan and Srimat Bhagavatam. So a person who is such a staunch celibate he is indulging in these activities between a man and a woman. Not a man a nd woman, of male and female. Is it an ordinary male and female affair? No, It is a supreme male and a supreme female – Krishna and Radha. Jatila and Kutila they are always trying to stop Radha and Krishna from meeting. And they used to get very upset. Now, this is also why Jatila and Kutila were playing these roles. It has been described that if the movement is smooth then the excitement is gone. If a movement is smooth, if everything is going on nicely without any hindrance then there is no excitement. But when there is some hindrance, some obstacles then it becomes exciting. Isn’t it? In an ordinary drama we see that as there is a hero and heroine there has to be a villain. Without a villain the drama becomes insignificant. So in Krishna’s drama which is the highest form of drama, Kirshna’s pastimes, all these characters must be there. The villains must be there, the troublemakers must be there, the comedian must be there. So all these personalities must be there in order to enhance the mellow of the drama.
Actually drama is a big science. Sanskrit drama is a very big science. Rupa Goswami gives very elaborate description of this drama, the science of drama. And he actually releated these activities of drama,or the formation of drama to Krishna’s pastimes. Anyway so Jatila and Kutila were always trying to stop Radha and Krishna from meeting. So one day Abhimanyu was away from home so Krishna e went to Radharani in the disguise of Abhimanyu, he became like Abhimanyu, and he went to Radha’s, house.and everyone, no one could actually recognise Him. Everyone thought this was Abhimanyu. This is how Krishna met Srimati Radharani. But in the meantime Abhimanyu came back. So Krishna saw Abhimanyu coming. So He felt He was in trouble now, so what to do. So Krishna thought of some means, He thought of something. And He went to His mother Jatila and told his mother “See Krishna is coming, dressed up like me, He is so mysterious, He has some sort of mystic power and He can become like anybody, so now He is coming like me“ So JAtila picked up a broom and as Abhimanyu came she started to beat him (laughs) with the broom, so and he started crying, „mother mother, I am your son.“ She said „yes you are my son so in this way, Krishna was performing His pastimes in Vrindavan, giving an inconceivable pleasure to His devotees. Oh, let me tell you all another pastime. One day Krishna and Radha was in Radharani’s room and at that time Kutila, Abhimanyu’s sister, she just happened to come by and she heard Krishna was talking to Radha. So she knew that Krishna was in he room so she thaught now I caught Krishna redhanded. They knew though something was going on but they were not able to catch Radha and Krishna redhanded. So there was, Anyway this time she thought that now I caught Krishna. So and then in the meantime Krishna could understand that someone was coming. So He immediately ran away. So.Kutila game into the room but couldn’t find Krishna, Krishna just ran away.So she asked Srimati Radharani ’Krishna was here with you?’ She said ’No’ and so She said ’I heard him speak to you and I was just about to catch him but he ran away. That son of Nanda Maharaj is such a mischievious character.Although I couldn’t catch Him I know He was here.“ And Radharani couldn’t say anything, she was silent.
And at that time Kutila saw that Krishna’s flute was on the bed. So she picked up the flute and said: yes you said that He was not here but you see here is His flute and now I caught you. So she dragged Radharani out of the room and called Jatila and said“See today I caught her and here is the flute of Krishna. I found it in her bed“. So Jotila heard the whole thing and she was an expert. She called all the people from the neighborhood and she started telling them what actually happened. And Srimati Radharani was there completely embarrassed and shedding tears. So at that time Purnamasi came there. Yogamaya devi, Purnamasi, an old lady with the stick , she just walked in and she asked; what happened? Why is my Radhika crying like this and why you all are standing here around her? So Then Jatila, she got a chance to glorify the activities of her daughter-in-law. So she started telling how Krishna came to the room and they found His flute on the bed and that’s how now there is no doubt that she is an unchaste woman, she is the disgrace to the family. But Yogamaya, Purnamasi started to laugh and said „Oh, is the matter? She started laughing. So then everyone said: why you are laughing it’ is such a serious matter and you are laughing like this?Then she said, finally she got some of control over her laughter and said: you don’t know that last night there was a shower of flutes all over Vrindavan? (laughter) And there was flutes everywhere. (laughter) So I’m, now let’s go to your room. So she took Jatila to her bedroom and found that there was a flute on her bed. (laughter) and said: let’s go to Kutila’s room, let’s see. And they went to Kutila’s room and found another flute (laughter) on her bed. So and she said that: what a shame, all of you are so stupid, you did not notice that there was a shower of flutes in Vrindavan and you are unnecessarily suspecting this sweet lady of Vrindavan, Srimati Radharani, Queen of Vrindavan. So then she took Radharani to her room and.So in this way Jatila and Kutila are always trying to find some fault in Radharani.
One day Srimati Radharani was crying so much that she started to feel that she could not do anything about how she can’t resist her love for Krishna and Krishna’s allurement and she so cried: what shall I do? I know I am unchaste and a woman should not be unchaste but I, I should actually give up my body. I should die. It’s more useless being alive. in this life. By the arrangement of providence I got married to somebody else although from my childhood I offered myself to Krishna but this was an arrangement of providence I could not marry Krishna. I had to get married to somebody else when I was 9 years old. And, so what is the use of being alive? So she was crying like that. And Krishna heard Radhika crying like that. He felt that something must be done about this. So, and that time Kirhsna was actually sitting on His mother’s lap and drinking His mother’s milk. And then all of a sudden Krishna just rolled out of His mother’s lap and mother Yashoda became very surprised what happened. And she saw that Krishna was lifeless. There was no, no sign of consciousness in Krishna as if Krishna became poisoned. And she started to cry. Oh, did He was drinking my milk and what happened as if I offered Him poison from my breast. And He my son, my dear son is now dead. So in a meantime a Krishna expanded himself into a doctor. So one Krishna was lying on mother Yashoda’s lap and an expansion of Krishna, the other Krishna, He actually became a doctor. So when mother Yashoda was crying like that then Nanda Maharaja came running, everyone came running: what happened? And they, and mother Yashoda explained what happened and they saw that the child was like dead. And, so Nanda Maharaja immediately run to look for the doctor and he found the doctor. So he was an old man, very respectable looking, grave gentleman with the stick in his hand and big turban on his head. So the doctor, Nanda Maharaja just brought him. So doctor saw, the thing, he said: it is very serious matter, he is in big trouble. And, but it seems that He can be revived. He can be revived but to get the remedy, to get the cure will be very very difficult I can tell you. So mother Yashoda and Nanda Maharaja and all the residence of Vrindavan immediately said: tell us what is needed, we’ll give everything, we’ll give and, give our lives to make, to cure Krishna. So, a man, the doctor said: that actually I need only one thing. I don’t need many things, I only need one thing. And that is I need a real chaste woman. That’s all I need. And then everyone said: fine, we are, we will, the, in Vrindavan all the ladies are very chaste, so we bring chaste woman in Vrindavan, there wouldn’t be any problems. The Doctor said, ok, that’s good. So you bring a clay pot, a water pot. So the doctor, he made one thousand holes in the water pot and he said that somebody will have to carry water in this pot and then when only a chaste women be, will be able to carry water in this pot. And then when I sprinkle that water again Krishna He will come back to His senses and will be cured. So mother Yashoda immediately said: ok I will go, I will go and get the water. The doctor said: no, you can’t, because if the mother applies the medicine then the medicine doesn’t work. (laughter) So then the other ladies tried but but they all failed. They all failed. As soon as they pulled the water, pulled the pot out of the water immediately all the water fell out. Can you imagine – thousand holes!? (laughter) So immediately it became empty. So, so then all the ladies became very much ashamed, that, that they are been exposed, as not being chaste. So then finally they all walked away covering their face with the edge of the cloth and then the doctor said: actually in Vrindavan there are two very chaste ladies. They’re very chaste. Maybe they’ll be able to bring water. So please go and call them. So mother Yashoda asked: who is that person, who are those persons. The doctor said: they are Jatila and Kutila (laughter). So, mother Yashoda immediately went to their house and said: Jatila, you know this is what happened, so you please come to my rescue. The doctor said only you can, everyone failed, only you can bring that because you are so chaste. So Jatila became very proud, she said: yes, the doctor seems to really know.(laughter) so we are the real chaste ladies in the Vrindavan otherwise everyone is unchaste. And, so Jatila and Kutila came. So Jatila said, no Kutila said: mother let me go and get the water, you don’t take the trouble, I’ll just go and fetch the water. But as soon as she lifted the water, the pot out of the water immediately all the water fell out, she tried once, twice, trice, and then she gave up. She became very ashamed and Jatila got very upset. She said: you are an unchaste daughter of mine, you are not worthy to be my daughter, you are a disgrace to me, you are a disgrace to the entire family, so you get out of here. You better kill yourself and I’ll also drown myself into Yamuna. (laughter) So, so then she said: ok, I’ll go and I’ll bring the water. Why thousand holes, let there be million holes. (laughter) But I’ll bring the water. So she went very proudly, went to the river, Yamuna, and dipped the pot, filled it up, and as she picked it up with the heavy roaring sound all the water and her all body became trenched. So, and then she became very upset. She said: Yasoda, how can you even believe that anyone can carry water in a pot with so many holes in it? (laughter) So it is like drowning, just as an elephant can not be drowned in a hoofprint of a calf, just as there can not be a snake on the head of Garuda, similarly one can not carry water in a pot with so many holes. So then the, the doctor said: my even my last hope is gone, I thought Jatila and Kutila was so chaste but now you can see that they are also characterless. So they are so, they are so proud of their their good character, and immaculate behavior, and they always find faults with others. They don’t see the holes in themselves, but find holes in others. So and then he said: what to do, mother Yasoda, seems that I am in a big trouble, you know I do not know what to do with your son, and if I can’t get a person, really chaste lady, I tell you I can’t really revive your son. So mother Yasoda started crying. Nanda Maharaja started to appeal him: please do something about it.He appealed to the doctor: please do something. So then the doctor sat down and he started to make some astrological calculation. He started to calculate. Then he said: seems that there is one person in Vrindavan, who actually is really, really chaste. And maybe she will be able to bring the water in this pot. And everyone said: who is that? Who is that? So he said: her name is Radhika. And Jatila and Kutila started laughing: they said: this Radhika who is, everyone knows who she is, what is her nature, and you know he is claiming that she is the most chaste woman. So then doctor said: why don’t you shut up. Everyone knows about your character. Why are you (laughter) why are you still finding faults with others? So mother Yasoda immediately went to Srimati Radharani. And told Radharani that this is how was the calculations read, and Radharani started to cry, she, she knew that she was the most unchaste woman. So and when Srimati Radhara, Yasoda, mother Yasoda kept on requesting her, she felt like complying and praying to Krishna, being absorbed in Krishna she came to the place. And so she took that pot with her heart bounding and continuously praying to Krishna and she dipped the pot into water and as she picked it up not a single drop fell out of it. And she brought the water and the doctor took the water to sprinkle little Krishna and immediately Krishna opened His eyes and asked His mother: mother what happened? So why there is such a big crowd? And the doctor started saying that; see this is the most chaste lady in the three worlds but look at this Jatila and Kutila. They are so envious, that they find fault even with her. The most chaste woman in their eyes is unchaste. So what is going to happen to these persons? So better they don’t show their face to anyone.
So in this way Krishna performed His pastimes in Vrindavan submerging all the residence of Vrindavan in the ocean of extasy itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde sva-ghosam nimajjantam akhyapayantam– in this way Krishna submerged all the residence of Vrindavan in an ocean of extasy through His pastimes.
One other very interesting pastime of Krishna is His marrying Satya. Krishna got married to sixteen thousand one hundred and eight wives. When He went to Dwaraka. When He was the, when He left Vrindavan then first He went to Mathura and then He went to Dwaraka. And He got married to
16 108 wives out of them eight are the principal queens.and Krishna actually married them in very exciting way. Now, one of the most exciting ways Krishna got married was marrying Satya. Satya was the daughter of the king of Ayodhya, King of Nagnajit. Therefore another name of Satya is Nagnaja, Nagnajati, Nagnajiti. Nagnajiti, daughter of Nagnajit is Nagnajiti. In the vedic culture sons and daughters are often known by the father, by the identity of the father. Just like Drupa’s daughter is Draupadi. Janak’s daughter is Janaki. So Nagnajit’s daughter is Nagnajiti. So she was the most beautiful woman in this world. An extremely beautiful princess. And in the vedic times the king in order to find the suitable husband used to make different kinds of arrangements like king Drupad made the arrangement for Draupadi’s wedding. You know what the arrangement was? There was a fish high up in the sky and a wheel was rotating and that wheel had one hole and the wheel was rotating in a what is called, eccentric way. Not in a regular way but. So the hole of the wheel was also not fixed at once and the condition was that the person will have to look at the reflection of the fish and the wheel on a pot of water. Looking down on a pot of water one will have to pierce the eye of the fish. So that was the condition and if one could fulfill that condition then only you could get married to Draupadi. And as you know Arjuna fulfilled that condition. And that’s how he married Draupadi. So king Nagnajit made a condition for his daughter’s marriage is that there was seven ferocious bulls like each bull had the strength of twenty elephants. And one had to subdue this seven bulls simultaneously. If one could do that then only he could marry Nagnajiti. So many kings came and princes came. Powerful valiant heroes came but they all failed. So at that time Nagnajit was thinking that what a condition he made probably now he will never be able to get his daughter married. So he was in very much distress. So at that time Narada Muni came and he asked Nagnajit: Nagnajit what’s the matter with you? You look so depressed?“ But he says: look Narada Muni this is what happened, you know I’ve made a condition like that but it was so stupid of me that to make a condition like that and now no one, I can’t find a suitable match for my daughter. And then Narada said; ok, why don’t you call your daughter?“ So king brought Nagnajat, Nagnajiti, Satya and Narada saw that she was born, she was actually an expansion of Lakshmi devi. So he could immediately understand that she is meant to be married to Krishna. So he told that: look, Krishna actually is Narayana, and this daughter of yours is an incarnation of Lakshmi. So she will not get married to anyone but Narayana Himself and Narayana is present in a Yadu dynasty as Krishna. So you should actually call Him. So king Nagnajit immediately wrote a letter to Krishna, inviting Him to come and accept that condition to marry his daughter. So, Krishna came, according to that invitation and, so when Krishna was walking towards the assembly then Nagnajiti saw Krishna and she felt, she immediately fell in love with Him. She felt that this is the person I am meant to get married but this person looks so tender and He won’t be able to subdue the seven, seven bulls. And He is, because so many great warriors, powerful people, powerful ksatriyas could not subdue these bulls, now how this tenderlooking young boy will be able to do it. Better I will go to my father and tell him that don’t worry about condition, let me just get married to this person. (laughter) And if my father doesn’t allow me to get married to Him, then I’ll give up my life in front of my father. Then the ladies also in the hall, from the window saw Krishna coming. The elder ladies in the family and they told that this is the real this is, this is our son-in-law. This person should be our son-in-law, this person should be married to Nagnajiti. And they immediately, but they started thinking that but this person will not be able to subdue these bulls. So what to do? So they all run into the temple of Ambika, Durgadevi. And started to pray: that please let this boy be married to our, let this boy be married to our daughter. And when Nagnajit saw Krishna, he also felt very much enamored by Krishna and said that he also wanted Him to marry his daughter, but at the same time he felt that probably he will not be able to to perform this incredible feat. So he then went to, he has told Krishna: Krishna, how can you subdue these seven bulls? Krishna said: ok, don’t worry, since you invited me to give it a try, I’ll give it a try. And after all if I’m not successful alright, I’ll die. And because seven bulls they are not just ordinary bulls, they are just, they had their horns sharpened up, waiting for the right person coming to pierce. So then Krishna just walked up to the bulls. They were all wicked kings and they thought that when they will actually attack Krishna and snatch the girl away from Him. When Krishna was taking His bride towards Dwaraka then all these kings attacked Krishna jointly. So Nagnajiti was very afraid. She felt how will Krishna be able to tackle such a huge army. So Krishna said: don’t worry. So Krishna picked up His Shanga ball, Kaumodaki mace, His Suhdarshan chakra, and His sword and He got prepared. He pulled out his Paanchajanya conch shell, and he blew the conch shell. So, as soon as Krishna blew the conch shell, Arjuna heard it and he felt that Krishna must be preparing to fight with somebody. So riding on his chariot which was given to him by Sungod, Agnideva, Arjuna rushed in. And so Arjuna said; Krishna, what’s the matter, why just it appears that they want to attack you? Krishna said; yes, that’s true, these cowards they could not win this princess in a proper way now they are trying to steal her. Just like a crow. A crow can not kill an animal but a crow flies over dead bodies of animals. So, but a ksatriya is like a lion and a lion never touches a dead body, a lion will kill the animal and then only will the lion eat. If another killed by some other animal will never be touched by lion. So then Arjuna said: Krishna, ok, You go to Dwaraka, I will take care of them. So, Krishna said: no I can’t do that. Like I can’t leave you alone with so many evil Maharajs and in a fight, so then ArjunA said: ok, then you just sit in a chariot with Satya devi but I will deal with them. So Krishna said: no, let’s fight together. So, Arjuna said: no, when the servant is around it’s not appropriate that the master should pick up the weapons. So as long as the servant is alive he should actually fight for his master. And don’t worry, I will take care of them. These are the bunch of crows. So, then Krishna said ok and these kings attacked Arjuna. At that time , and Arjun, the all sky was covered with arrows, there were millions of arrows shot they shot at Arjuna and Daruk, Krishna’s charioteer became worried. Daruk said: Krishna must do something because it seems that Arjuna has been covered with arrows. And Krishna said: don’t worry, like Arjuna you know he alone fought with one hundred thousand soldiers when he was protecting the cows of king Virat. He already fought with this kind of folks before so don’t worry about it. See how he handles the situation. So then when Arjuna was covered like that by millions of arrows he also released his arrows and counteracted all those arrows. Like the arrows that they shoot, some arrows were showering stones.
So then when Arjuna was covered like that by millions of arrows, he also released his arrows and counteracted all those arrows. Like the arrows that they shoot, some arrows were showering stones which are called parvatasra- mountain arrows. When these arrows broke the mountains, big big boulders were falling. Some released arrows that were dropping fire; igniting fire that was rushing towards Arjuna. Some shoot arrows called nagpaas that released innumerable snakes. So Arjuna counteracted all. By wind arrow he counteracted the stone. This wind arrow was so powerful that in that wind all the stones were carried away. Then the fire arrow was subdued by water arrow. The snake arrow was subdued by Garuda. Then Arjuna started shooting arrows that one arrow will multiply into hundred thousand arrows. In this way Arjuna dealt with them. When Arjuna started shooting his arrows like that, some one’s heads were chopped off. Some one’s Hands were chopped off. Then all the kings ran away. Then at that time Narad Muni came there and said,’you all are Kshatriyas. You should not run away like that! You should better fight with him. After all you want to win a princess. Give it a good fight. After all he is alone’. All those wicked kings came again to fight. So they again got very good bashing. It was not only bashing, it was real throbbing and finally they all ran away. Krishna blessed Arjuna and they all went to Dwaraka. At that time Parikshit Maharaja asked Sukadeva Goswami; why Krishna killed that but which is considered to be sinful? Very heineously sinful because in Vedic culture the cow and bull are considered to be sacred and no one should kill them. So Sukadeva Goswami replied; ‘actually Krishna did not killed those bulls. Another question he asked is; why the king Nagnajit made such a condition that somebody has to kill all those seven bulks in order to win his daughter? Then Sukadeva Goswami corrected him and said, no. the condition was not to kill those bulls but to subdue those bulls. To tie them up. Krishna did not actually kill those bulls. Just by His touch the bulls got delivered. Actually in the past there was a king with his six brothers. Those six brothers of the king were very wicked. So one day they went to hunt in the forest. While hunting in the forest they saw a deer and they shoot arrows against the deer. The deer actually ran away. Nearby was the hermitage of sage Agastya. The deer took shelter of Agastyamuni. So looking for the deer the king and his brothers came to the hermitage of the sage. So they were about to kill the deer. Agastya at that time was in trance but hearing the noise he came out of the trance and asked them what was going on. So the king and his brothers told him that they came there chasing after the deer and they are about to kill that deer. Then Agastya said, ‘look, this deer has taken shelter of me. So it’s my duty to give protection, so you can’t kill him’. They said; ‘No. we came running after this deer and we are ksatriyas and it is bonafide for us. It is authorized for the ksatriyas to hunt in the forest’. Agastya said; ‘that may be, but you are not in the forest. You are in the hermitage of a sage and the sage is giving protection to this animal and no one can kill this animal’. At that time the six brothers of that king started to mock at Agastya and made a sound like a bull. Then they were about to kill that deer. Then Agastya said; ‘sine you are behaving like a bull, you better become bull’. So in this way they were cursed by Agastya Muni. They came back to their senses and fell at the feet of Agastya. They said; ‘please forgive us, we have made the mistake’. Then Agastya said, ‘since I cursed you, it’s bound to happen, but you will be born in the kingdom of king Nagnajit and at that time the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna will come and by His touch of His divine hand you will become delivered’. So now you go and live on as bulls. So the king and his six brothers were born as the bulls and they were delivered by Krishna. So Krishna did not kill those bulls but He delivered them. So this is how Krishna won the princess Nagnai.
Hare Krishna. Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Does anybody have any comments or questions?
Question by a devotee (not audible)
His Holiness : that was momentary that he was bewildered. He was a friend as well as a servant. Prabhupada mentioned that for Arjuna there is no question of his bewilderment. It is actually the arrangement of Yogamaya. Arjuna is a pure devotee of Krishna. But for the sake of pastimes he was momentarily, temporarily bewildered by Yogamaya. (…not clear)
Question 2, not audible.
HH. Ya. Okay. Actually Krishna’s eternal form is like 16 years old boy. He looks always like a 6 year old boy- shyaman tribhanga lalitam niyata prakasa!. His eternal form is like- navayovanamca- eternally youthful. His form is like eternally youthful. But for the pastimes He appeared as a baby. I have in the beginning of this lecture I have mentioned that the first meeting between Radha and Krishna took place when Krishna was in the lap of His father, Nanda Maharaja. One day Nanda Maharaja was tending the cows and he also has Krishna on his lap. He went to the pasturing ground with Krishna. At that time the whole sky became overcastted with cloud. Then Nanda Maharaja felt that there is going to be storm. The cows also became swiftly and started running her and there. So Nanda Maharaja became baffled- what to do- whether to take care of Krishna or take care of the cows. So at that time Srimati Radharani appeared there. So that time when Srimati Radharani appeared she was fully grown up. She was beautiful, youthful sample. Nanda Maharaja told that; ‘I know that Gargamuni told me that you are the Mahalakshmi. You are the principal goddess of fortune, the original goddess of fortune. And this boy I know also that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now you see the storm is coming and the cows are running here and there. I do not know how am I going to take care of the cows with the child on my lap. So you please take Him for the time being while I am taking care of the cows’. So Radharani said; ‘Okay I will do that’. She also said; ‘I am very pleased with you, so please ask for a boon. Any boon you want’. So Nanda Maharaja at that time asked Radharani, ‘please give me the boon that I can always maintain my attachment to You and Krishna’. So Radharani assured Nanda Maharaja saying- you go home with the cows, I will come with Krishna. Then Nanda Maharaja has gone with the cows and at that time Krishna became a fully grown youth. Then that is the first time that He performed His rasalila, the rasa dance with Srimati Radharani. From His body He expanded Himself to many forms and Radharani expanded herself to many Gopis. That place became a perfectly arranged for rasa dance with hundreds of golden (….) and flower (..) and Krishna and Radharani performed their rasa dances. So even when Krishna was in His mother’s lap, He was quite capable of, or also having His eternal dealings with Srimati Radharani. That’s why Krishna is eternal.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Ya, it is said that Abhimanyu never touched Radharani. He never touched Radharani. Actually why Radharani only, all the gopis who were married, their husbands never touched them.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Ya. It is said that their shadows were there with them. Originally they were always with Krishna. The gopis were with Krishna but their shadows were left with their husband.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. No. That is not the one. This is Abhimanyu from Virndavan.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Which animal? Oh I see. Their drinking took place in a certain way and that’s why they retained the poison. They did not drink the poison but due to nature’s arrangement they just retain the poison. Snakes do not drink the poison. It generates the poison and retains the poison. Only when it bites somebody that person dies. The snake doesn’t die from its own poison. And that is the wonderful aspects of creation. The creation of different living entities accepted different aspects of nature but they did not become affected by that.
Devotee, question not audible.
His Holiness : He is also a cowherd man. Abhimanyu did not have enmity with Krishna.
Devotee, question not audible.
His Holiness : There are two ways of looking at it. Prabhupada has mentioned about that. One way of looking at it that they were trikala darsi- they can see the past, present and future. If they can see the future then they can see also the remote future. Not only the harsh aspects but also the other aspects and will be beyond the result of the action. And another consideration, this is what actually I am quoting Srila Prabhupada when a devotee of the Lord curses, the Lord is merciful that He turns that curse into a benediction in order to glorify His devotees.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Ya. Krishna conformed the social etiquettes or the social norms in Vaikuntha, i.e. in Dwaraka. But in Vrindavana He doesn’t damn about such social customs. So you see, that’s why Krishan’s pastimes in Vrindavana are all beyond so-called social or ethical consideration. That is, there Krishna is the Lila Purusottama- the Supreme Personality of Godhead Who has the absolute liberty to act according to His own will.
Right. In Vrindavana Krishna is of different Personality. He does all kinds of things with everybody. But still he does not break the norms like His dealings with His father, His dealings with His mother. They are very formal. But His dealings with the gopis and other residents of Vrindavana, His dealings with the friends is of another style. The consideration of social norms there, is not so prominent. Therefore Krishna doesn’t have to dance in somebody else’ role. Because in Vrindavana He just cares for His own pastimes. He doesn’t care what others are going to think about it. Because that consideration is not there in Vrindavana. For Krishna there is no question of breaking any social norms. Just like for a king there is no question of breaking a law. King is the law maker. Whatever Krishna as the king does, that is the law. Right? For the king there is no question of breaking the law. Similarly for Krishna there is no question of breaking social norms.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Yajnya acarati shresthas, in Bhagvad-Gita, these things we have to understand that, yes we must follow the footsteps of great devotees. They are the shresthas. That doesn’t mean that we have to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We have to understand that that is the highest spiritual consideration. Vrindavana pastimes are the highest activities in the spiritual sky. In order to understand those pastimes we have to at least try to elevate ourselves to that platform with the understanding Who Krishna is. There we have to understand like; Yajna acarati shresthas, like the Supreme shrestha can act in such a way that His activities should never be imitated by anyone. Says for example a proprietor of a big company, a big business organization can give out a few million dollars in charity to somebody. But can anyone in that organization do that? Although in the companies it is the understanding that we follow the chairman, that the others can never imitate certain act of the chairman. Only the chairman has the absolute right. Similarly Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes are exclusively for Krishna and no one should ever try to imitate them. Prabhupada said, if you want to imitate then give it a try. Like if you want to be a Gopijana-balava, like Krishna who has the affairs with many, many gopies, then at the same time you also have to become a Girivaradhari. You have to lift the Giri Govardhana. So you can’t at least imitate one aspect of Krishna’s pastimes; imitate that and not the others. So why one Gopijana Balavah? Why not Girivaradhari Krishna? Try to imitate Him. And you don’t have to lift a mountain, just lift this sofa with one hand!
Devotee, question not audible.
His Holiness : Yes that is the consideration but our understanding is, even if they were not married to Krishna, it still doesn’t matter because Krishna is the Supreme Proprietor. Krishna is the husband of all the husbands also. So what to speak of their wives. And if you say that, you know the problem is that, in general, the general consideration is that, sometimes I also tell that, some went and told Nanda Maharaja that this is very good year for the girls to get married. So Nanda Maharaja made the arrangement for all the girls of Vrindavana to get married. So there we have a problem. The problem is although Krishna expanded Himself as cowherd boys, Abhimanyu was not there. So Krishna did not expand Himself as Abhimanyu. So how do we justify that Radharani was married to Abhimanyu.
It doesn’t matter who ever is married to, in Vrindavana everyone is Krishna’s devotee. And Krishna’s devotee will never try to enjoy Krishna’s wives. So they knew that although wives are actually Krishna’s, even though they were married to them they never touched them. And that is how one becomes purified within their heart by hearing Krishna’s pastimes. They don’t think how Krishna behaved. But they think how the residents of Vrindavana behaved. And they did not have any inclination for any kind of sense gratification. As long as you have desire for sense enjoyment we remain stuck. So in order to go back to Vrindavana can you maintain your sense enjoyment? In order to be elevated to Vrindavana one has to be completely free from all kinds sensual enjoyment.
Devotee, question not audible.
His Holiness. Ya. Devotees are generous but that does not mean that devotees are a bunch of fools. If someone is destroying Krishna’s property one has to immediately stop it. One should not allow that to happen. Yes according to devotees everything is Krishna’s. Because devotees use everything in Krishna’s service. Like the other day Yadurani was telling, that some one dropped water at 22nd avenue, in Prabhupada’s room some one dropped water, then Prabhupad said, ‘don’t waste Krishna’s amenities. Prabhupada did not allow even a drop of water to be wasted because it’s Krishna’s.
Devotee: this question appeared again and again…… question not audible.
His Holiness. Hare Krishna. Ya so if we approach from this verse: tesam.. bhajante mam dridham vratah- worship me, render service unto me wit determination. So in order to render service to Krishna with determination, one has to become free from all forms of sinful activities. So somehow or other we have come to ISKCON and become engaged in Krishna consciousness. Certain degree of determination is there like devotees in ISKCON has given up everything and fully engaged in Krishna consciousness. It needs a lot of determination and sacrifice. As you said that, Prabhupada has created that good fortune. It is not that we become free from sinful reactions and then we come to Krishna consciousness. But you see Prabhupada created ISKCON and brought us into Krishna consciousness. By bringing us into Krishna consciousness, freed us from sinful reactions. That is the first aspect to be considered. The second aspect is, you see devotees don’t have any fear for liberation, even going back to Godhead. It is only at the neophyte stage one thinks of going back to Godhead or wants to go back to Godhead. It’s because the desire to go back to Godhead is synonymous to desire for liberation. Does a pure devotee desire for liberation? No. He doesn’t care for liberation. That’s why I said that is the neophyte consideration. Only at the neophyte stage one wonders whether I am going to go back to Godhead. At the considerable advanced stage devotees don’t care for liberation, what to speak of going back to Godhead. Because he knows that if he can somehow or other could engage in Krishan consciousness, then he is back to godhead. Being engaged in Krishna’s service is non-different from back to Godhead. Therefore devotees do not want to go back to Godhead, he prays that he can always remain in Krishna consciousness. That is indirect way of securing himself in back to Godhead. Because if we are engaged to serve Krishna then we are back to Godhead. We are already back to Godhead. Therefore devotees’ prayer is- na dhanam na janam na sundarim.. but mama janmani janmanivsare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi- all I wanted is to be able to engage in Your service life after life. So then the final aspect of the answer is that a devotee in that advanced stage is like which we call as Raganuga bhakti. In that raganuga bhakti a devotee has no consideration for his enjoyment. He simply cares for Krishna’s enjoyment. And for the sake of Krishna’s enjoyment he is willing to accept anything. He is willing to go to hell. A perfect example of the raganuga bhakti or also called as ragatmika bhakti are Gopis. When Naradmuni went and said that Krishna got a headache, and then you know, the only thing that can cure is the dust from His devotees’ feet. The others said how you can offer dust to Krishna, then you go to hell. Gopis said, let us go to hell, let Krishna be freed from headache. Let us suffer eternally but let Krishna be free from suffering. For the sake of Krishna’s enjoyment we are willing to go to hell. So on the most advanced stage, what to speak of desiring to go back to Godhead, they are prepared to go to hell. And a devotee can spare this life. That’s why Prabhupad said, don’t worry like, ‘I am not able to make it in this life’, then Prabhupada is preparing us to prepare the for millions of years of life time-not even worried about when we are able to go back to Godhead. Let us just serve now. Because if you are engaged in the service of Krishna then what is the use of going back to Godhead! We will rather stay here and render service to Krishna than think of going back to Godhead.
HH. Do you have any more questions?
A devotee asked something- not audible.
HH. Ya. Their sayujya was not actually Brahma sayujya. Some got Brahma sayujya. Many merged into Krishna’s body. That is not Brahma sayujya. That was marma sayujya. So any way the direct answer to that is that, those who were not delivered in Krishna’s pastimes, they were delivered in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Like you see Jaya and Vijaya did not get delivered in Krishna’s pastimes. Sishupal and Dantavakra did not get delivered. When they came as Jagai and Madai, then they were delivered. So everyone got delivered in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Those who could not make it in Krishna’s pastimes they got delivered in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Therefore Mahaprabhu’s pastimes are the most compassionate.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Yes that is one way of looking at it. The other way of looking at it is, since Mahaprabhu’s incarnation is covered, devotees did not go into that part of Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. That’s why they did not mention. Because Mahaprabhus’s identity will be revealed. So they rather became …(not clear). Indirectly also three times they remained as demons and in the forth time they were delivered. That way also, dramatically, politically although it was true.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Sometimes it is mentioned in the scripture that whatever is happening in the material nature is also Krishna’s pastimes. A lot depends on how you are looking at it. Because if you re looking at it from the spiritual perspective, then it is pastime. But if you are looking at the material perspective then it is a miserable expression. Right? So the ultimate issue is; yes! This is also Krishna consciousness. It is Krishna’s arrangement to bring back his devotees. The living entities those who did not become devotees, this is the arrangement of Krishna to make them into devotees…..
Transcription : Her Grace Madhuri Radhika Dasi / Her Grace Shyama Mohini Dasi / His Grace Vrajendrasuta Dasa Click here for www.naam.hat blog Vrajendrasuta Prabhu
Editing : Her Grace Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi
Audio-reference : click here
So today, we will discuss about some of Krishna’s interesting pastimes. These different pastimes are scattered around in different scriptures and so the first one I was thinking of discussing is about Krishna’s pastimes that has been described in the Nectar of devotion.
So one day Krishna was in the house of Srimati Radharani. Radharani is Krishna’s eternal consort but for the sake of pastimes, for the sake of enhancing the the mellow of union, the joy of union, or excitement of union, Radharani was as appearantly married to Abhimanyu. Actually Krishna is Radharani’s eternal consort and no one besides Krishna can even touch Srimati Radharani. But for the sake of pastimes Radharani was appearantly, that means it appeared as if Radharani was married to Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu was the king in Yavat. And he was a very wealthy person, he was a king of the cowherd folks and it has been described that his house, the walls of his house were made of gold. Not the house, but the the surrounding walls of the house was made of gold, so you can well imagine how wealthy he must have been. And you all know from Nectar of devotion and also from Krishna book that Abhimanyu’s mother and sister Jatilā and Kutila they were very envious of Srimati Radharani. They were always trying to stop Radha and Krishna to meet. The friends of Srimati Radharani the gopis of Vrindavan, they are always trying to unite Radha and Krishna. But Jatila and Kutila were always trying to stop Radha and Krishna from meeting each other. So, and also from the social side, you can well imagine like no mother-in-law wants her daughter-in-law to have an affair with someone else. So appearantly.that was Radharani’s situation. Now this has been described in the scriptures, specially by the Goswamis, that the highest form, the highest enjoyment or highest relationship, the greatest relationship is that between Radha and Krisha in parakiya mellow. Parakiya means where the the hero and heroine are not married to each other. There are two types of conjugal mellows, one is called svakyia and the other is called parakiya.
In svakyia the nayaka and nayika or hero and heroine are married but in parakiya the hero and heroine are not married, and it is said that that relationship is more on a spiritual platform, that relationship is more profound or it is more enjoyable for the hero and heroine. Or that mellow, or that the highest relationship in the spiritual sky when reflected on the material nature, since material is perverted, that relationship in the material nature is the lowest. Whatever is the highest in spiritual sky when it is reflected in the material nature that becomes the lowest. In the spiritual sky when Krishna has His dealings with Srimati Radharani and if she is married to somebody else then it is the highest. But in the material nature when someone imitates Krishna and has an affair with someone else’s wife is it very good? No, that is very abominable, very degrading. So we have to understand that these topics are actually from the spiritual world.
The relationship between Radha and Krishna, the dealings between Radha and Krishna are on the spiritual platform and it is the highest spiritual relationship.
Actually Krishna Who is the Supreme Proprietor, Who owns everything, Who is the Lord and Master of everyone, is there any need or Him to get married or does He need any social approval? No, He can do anything He wants to do. But a living entity should never imtiate Krishna, a living entity must understand that only Krishna can do these things but no one else should imitate it .Just like the servant may see his master doing so many things. But can the servant start imitating the master? Like he may see that the master is.lying on his nice bed and having party with his friends. Now, if the servant says, ok I will also lay on the bed of my master or I will also join in his party and drink with him then the master will kick him out. So the master, our position is like that of a servant and Krishna is Supreme Master. What the master can do the good servant will never try imitate. Therefore the living entity will never imitate Krishna’s pastimes. In other hand he will shy away this activities knowing well that only Kirshna has the exclusive right to indulge in these activities and we do not have. So therefore these pastimes of Radha and Krishna was not revealed to ordinary living entities. It was kept as a secret.
Sacinandana maharaj ki! Jay!
So, therefore these activities or these pastimes of Radha and Krishna, or these intimate dealings of Radha and Krishna were not revealed to others because if a person did not have the right understanding then he will end up in trouble hearing about these pastimes.
It has been described in Bhagavatam that Lord Shiva drank poison. Lord Shiva drank poison, he drank an ocean of poison. Right? And Lord Shiva, a personality like lord Shiva can actually digest that poison. But if an ordinary person tries to drink poison then what will happen? Lord Shiva drank the ocean of poison and it did end in his neck, it didn’t even go down his neck. Only neck became little blue. But if a living entity drinks a little bit poison then what happens? He will be finished. Actually Lord Shiva while he was drinking poison, like a few drops fell on the ground. And some living entities drank, took a little bit of that poison and they became poisonous like the snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, so all these, they got the poison because they just they just drank a little bit of this poison that fell off and now you consider – they took just a bit of this poison and if they bite you then you are finished. But Lord Shiva drank the entire ocean of that poison. Therefore it is repeatedly instructed in the scriptures that the activities of these kind of personalities should never been imitated.
So activities of Krishna therefore, and especially Krishna’s activities in Vrindavan must be heard with folded hands. With a constant prayer that we can understand that somehow we can develop the right kind of intelligence to understand these pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and never ever dare to imitate those pastimes. And when we approach with that kind of understanding then these pastimes become a source of inconceivable joy within our hearts and these pastimes allures us more and more towards the spiritaul sky, towards the lotus feet of Krishna.
These pastimes are important. Krishna acted in this way with a purpose. And the purpose is to attract the living entities especially the exposure of the revelation of this pastimes have a profound significance and the significance is to attract the living entities towards the lotus feet of Krishna. Then here we can also consider one thing. That these pastimes of Krishna were actually unknown this world . This relationship between Radha and Krishna was unknown to this world, but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu releaved it. It is Caitanya Mahaprabhu who actually revealed the relationship between Radha and Krishna. Now, let us consider who is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krishna Himself – came as a devotee and acted as a sannyasi and he was so straight that he would not allow a woman to even offer obeisances to him within 15 yards. So this Personality who is a sannyasi and who does not have anything to do with any woman he is revealing this act, this relationship between Radha and Krishna. Why? Because He saw that otherwise in this age people will not be attracted to, unless the highest mellow of the relationship between the Supreme Personality of Godhead is revealed to these living entitites– they will not become interested in Krishna Consciousness. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu revealed the identity of Srimati Radharani. Sukadeva Goswami who did not want to get involved in material nature, who did not want to come out of his mother’s womb, that Sukadeva Goswami he was describing Krisna’s pastimes in Vrindavan and Srimat Bhagavatam. So a person who is such a staunch celibate he is indulging in these activities between a man and a woman. Not a man a nd woman, of male and female. Is it an ordinary male and female affair? No, It is a supreme male and a supreme female – Krishna and Radha. Jatila and Kutila they are always trying to stop Radha and Krishna from meeting. And they used to get very upset. Now, this is also why Jatila and Kutila were playing these roles. It has been described that if the movement is smooth then the excitement is gone. If a movement is smooth, if everything is going on nicely without any hindrance then there is no excitement. But when there is some hindrance, some obstacles then it becomes exciting. Isn’t it? In an ordinary drama we see that as there is a hero and heroine there has to be a villain. Without a villain the drama becomes insignificant. So in Krishna’s drama which is the highest form of drama, Kirshna’s pastimes, all these characters must be there. The villains must be there, the troublemakers must be there, the comedian must be there. So all these personalities must be there in order to enhance the mellow of the drama.
Actually drama is a big science. Sanskrit drama is a very big science. Rupa Goswami gives very elaborate description of this drama, the science of drama. And he actually releated these activities of drama,or the formation of drama to Krishna’s pastimes. Anyway so Jatila and Kutila were always trying to stop Radha and Krishna from meeting. So one day Abhimanyu was away from home so Krishna e went to Radharani in the disguise of Abhimanyu, he became like Abhimanyu, and he went to Radha’s, house.and everyone, no one could actually recognise Him. Everyone thought this was Abhimanyu. This is how Krishna met Srimati Radharani. But in the meantime Abhimanyu came back. So Krishna saw Abhimanyu coming. So He felt He was in trouble now, so what to do. So Krishna thought of some means, He thought of something. And He went to His mother Jatila and told his mother “See Krishna is coming, dressed up like me, He is so mysterious, He has some sort of mystic power and He can become like anybody, so now He is coming like me“ So JAtila picked up a broom and as Abhimanyu came she started to beat him (laughs) with the broom, so and he started crying, „mother mother, I am your son.“ She said „yes you are my son so in this way, Krishna was performing His pastimes in Vrindavan, giving an inconceivable pleasure to His devotees. Oh, let me tell you all another pastime. One day Krishna and Radha was in Radharani’s room and at that time Kutila, Abhimanyu’s sister, she just happened to come by and she heard Krishna was talking to Radha. So she knew that Krishna was in he room so she thaught now I caught Krishna redhanded. They knew though something was going on but they were not able to catch Radha and Krishna redhanded. So there was, Anyway this time she thought that now I caught Krishna. So and then in the meantime Krishna could understand that someone was coming. So He immediately ran away. So.Kutila game into the room but couldn’t find Krishna, Krishna just ran away.So she asked Srimati Radharani ’Krishna was here with you?’ She said ’No’ and so She said ’I heard him speak to you and I was just about to catch him but he ran away. That son of Nanda Maharaj is such a mischievious character.Although I couldn’t catch Him I know He was here.“ And Radharani couldn’t say anything, she was silent.
And at that time Kutila saw that Krishna’s flute was on the bed. So she picked up the flute and said: yes you said that He was not here but you see here is His flute and now I caught you. So she dragged Radharani out of the room and called Jatila and said“See today I caught her and here is the flute of Krishna. I found it in her bed“. So Jotila heard the whole thing and she was an expert. She called all the people from the neighborhood and she started telling them what actually happened. And Srimati Radharani was there completely embarrassed and shedding tears. So at that time Purnamasi came there. Yogamaya devi, Purnamasi, an old lady with the stick , she just walked in and she asked; what happened? Why is my Radhika crying like this and why you all are standing here around her? So Then Jatila, she got a chance to glorify the activities of her daughter-in-law. So she started telling how Krishna came to the room and they found His flute on the bed and that’s how now there is no doubt that she is an unchaste woman, she is the disgrace to the family. But Yogamaya, Purnamasi started to laugh and said „Oh, is the matter? She started laughing. So then everyone said: why you are laughing it’ is such a serious matter and you are laughing like this?Then she said, finally she got some of control over her laughter and said: you don’t know that last night there was a shower of flutes all over Vrindavan? (laughter) And there was flutes everywhere. (laughter) So I’m, now let’s go to your room. So she took Jatila to her bedroom and found that there was a flute on her bed. (laughter) and said: let’s go to Kutila’s room, let’s see. And they went to Kutila’s room and found another flute (laughter) on her bed. So and she said that: what a shame, all of you are so stupid, you did not notice that there was a shower of flutes in Vrindavan and you are unnecessarily suspecting this sweet lady of Vrindavan, Srimati Radharani, Queen of Vrindavan. So then she took Radharani to her room and.So in this way Jatila and Kutila are always trying to find some fault in Radharani.
One day Srimati Radharani was crying so much that she started to feel that she could not do anything about how she can’t resist her love for Krishna and Krishna’s allurement and she so cried: what shall I do? I know I am unchaste and a woman should not be unchaste but I, I should actually give up my body. I should die. It’s more useless being alive. in this life. By the arrangement of providence I got married to somebody else although from my childhood I offered myself to Krishna but this was an arrangement of providence I could not marry Krishna. I had to get married to somebody else when I was 9 years old. And, so what is the use of being alive? So she was crying like that. And Krishna heard Radhika crying like that. He felt that something must be done about this. So, and that time Kirhsna was actually sitting on His mother’s lap and drinking His mother’s milk. And then all of a sudden Krishna just rolled out of His mother’s lap and mother Yashoda became very surprised what happened. And she saw that Krishna was lifeless. There was no, no sign of consciousness in Krishna as if Krishna became poisoned. And she started to cry. Oh, did He was drinking my milk and what happened as if I offered Him poison from my breast. And He my son, my dear son is now dead. So in a meantime a Krishna expanded himself into a doctor. So one Krishna was lying on mother Yashoda’s lap and an expansion of Krishna, the other Krishna, He actually became a doctor. So when mother Yashoda was crying like that then Nanda Maharaja came running, everyone came running: what happened? And they, and mother Yashoda explained what happened and they saw that the child was like dead. And, so Nanda Maharaja immediately run to look for the doctor and he found the doctor. So he was an old man, very respectable looking, grave gentleman with the stick in his hand and big turban on his head. So the doctor, Nanda Maharaja just brought him. So doctor saw, the thing, he said: it is very serious matter, he is in big trouble. And, but it seems that He can be revived. He can be revived but to get the remedy, to get the cure will be very very difficult I can tell you. So mother Yashoda and Nanda Maharaja and all the residence of Vrindavan immediately said: tell us what is needed, we’ll give everything, we’ll give and, give our lives to make, to cure Krishna. So, a man, the doctor said: that actually I need only one thing. I don’t need many things, I only need one thing. And that is I need a real chaste woman. That’s all I need. And then everyone said: fine, we are, we will, the, in Vrindavan all the ladies are very chaste, so we bring chaste woman in Vrindavan, there wouldn’t be any problems. The Doctor said, ok, that’s good. So you bring a clay pot, a water pot. So the doctor, he made one thousand holes in the water pot and he said that somebody will have to carry water in this pot and then when only a chaste women be, will be able to carry water in this pot. And then when I sprinkle that water again Krishna He will come back to His senses and will be cured. So mother Yashoda immediately said: ok I will go, I will go and get the water. The doctor said: no, you can’t, because if the mother applies the medicine then the medicine doesn’t work. (laughter) So then the other ladies tried but but they all failed. They all failed. As soon as they pulled the water, pulled the pot out of the water immediately all the water fell out. Can you imagine – thousand holes!? (laughter) So immediately it became empty. So, so then all the ladies became very much ashamed, that, that they are been exposed, as not being chaste. So then finally they all walked away covering their face with the edge of the cloth and then the doctor said: actually in Vrindavan there are two very chaste ladies. They’re very chaste. Maybe they’ll be able to bring water. So please go and call them. So mother Yashoda asked: who is that person, who are those persons. The doctor said: they are Jatila and Kutila (laughter). So, mother Yashoda immediately went to their house and said: Jatila, you know this is what happened, so you please come to my rescue. The doctor said only you can, everyone failed, only you can bring that because you are so chaste. So Jatila became very proud, she said: yes, the doctor seems to really know.(laughter) so we are the real chaste ladies in the Vrindavan otherwise everyone is unchaste. And, so Jatila and Kutila came. So Jatila said, no Kutila said: mother let me go and get the water, you don’t take the trouble, I’ll just go and fetch the water. But as soon as she lifted the water, the pot out of the water immediately all the water fell out, she tried once, twice, trice, and then she gave up. She became very ashamed and Jatila got very upset. She said: you are an unchaste daughter of mine, you are not worthy to be my daughter, you are a disgrace to me, you are a disgrace to the entire family, so you get out of here. You better kill yourself and I’ll also drown myself into Yamuna. (laughter) So, so then she said: ok, I’ll go and I’ll bring the water. Why thousand holes, let there be million holes. (laughter) But I’ll bring the water. So she went very proudly, went to the river, Yamuna, and dipped the pot, filled it up, and as she picked it up with the heavy roaring sound all the water and her all body became trenched. So, and then she became very upset. She said: Yasoda, how can you even believe that anyone can carry water in a pot with so many holes in it? (laughter) So it is like drowning, just as an elephant can not be drowned in a hoofprint of a calf, just as there can not be a snake on the head of Garuda, similarly one can not carry water in a pot with so many holes. So then the, the doctor said: my even my last hope is gone, I thought Jatila and Kutila was so chaste but now you can see that they are also characterless. So they are so, they are so proud of their their good character, and immaculate behavior, and they always find faults with others. They don’t see the holes in themselves, but find holes in others. So and then he said: what to do, mother Yasoda, seems that I am in a big trouble, you know I do not know what to do with your son, and if I can’t get a person, really chaste lady, I tell you I can’t really revive your son. So mother Yasoda started crying. Nanda Maharaja started to appeal him: please do something about it.He appealed to the doctor: please do something. So then the doctor sat down and he started to make some astrological calculation. He started to calculate. Then he said: seems that there is one person in Vrindavan, who actually is really, really chaste. And maybe she will be able to bring the water in this pot. And everyone said: who is that? Who is that? So he said: her name is Radhika. And Jatila and Kutila started laughing: they said: this Radhika who is, everyone knows who she is, what is her nature, and you know he is claiming that she is the most chaste woman. So then doctor said: why don’t you shut up. Everyone knows about your character. Why are you (laughter) why are you still finding faults with others? So mother Yasoda immediately went to Srimati Radharani. And told Radharani that this is how was the calculations read, and Radharani started to cry, she, she knew that she was the most unchaste woman. So and when Srimati Radhara, Yasoda, mother Yasoda kept on requesting her, she felt like complying and praying to Krishna, being absorbed in Krishna she came to the place. And so she took that pot with her heart bounding and continuously praying to Krishna and she dipped the pot into water and as she picked it up not a single drop fell out of it. And she brought the water and the doctor took the water to sprinkle little Krishna and immediately Krishna opened His eyes and asked His mother: mother what happened? So why there is such a big crowd? And the doctor started saying that; see this is the most chaste lady in the three worlds but look at this Jatila and Kutila. They are so envious, that they find fault even with her. The most chaste woman in their eyes is unchaste. So what is going to happen to these persons? So better they don’t show their face to anyone.
So in this way Krishna performed His pastimes in Vrindavan submerging all the residence of Vrindavan in the ocean of extasy itidrk sva-lilabhir ananda-kunde sva-ghosam nimajjantam akhyapayantam– in this way Krishna submerged all the residence of Vrindavan in an ocean of extasy through His pastimes.
One other very interesting pastime of Krishna is His marrying Satya. Krishna got married to sixteen thousand one hundred and eight wives. When He went to Dwaraka. When He was the, when He left Vrindavan then first He went to Mathura and then He went to Dwaraka. And He got married to
16 108 wives out of them eight are the principal queens.and Krishna actually married them in very exciting way. Now, one of the most exciting ways Krishna got married was marrying Satya. Satya was the daughter of the king of Ayodhya, King of Nagnajit. Therefore another name of Satya is Nagnaja, Nagnajati, Nagnajiti. Nagnajiti, daughter of Nagnajit is Nagnajiti. In the vedic culture sons and daughters are often known by the father, by the identity of the father. Just like Drupa’s daughter is Draupadi. Janak’s daughter is Janaki. So Nagnajit’s daughter is Nagnajiti. So she was the most beautiful woman in this world. An extremely beautiful princess. And in the vedic times the king in order to find the suitable husband used to make different kinds of arrangements like king Drupad made the arrangement for Draupadi’s wedding. You know what the arrangement was? There was a fish high up in the sky and a wheel was rotating and that wheel had one hole and the wheel was rotating in a what is called, eccentric way. Not in a regular way but. So the hole of the wheel was also not fixed at once and the condition was that the person will have to look at the reflection of the fish and the wheel on a pot of water. Looking down on a pot of water one will have to pierce the eye of the fish. So that was the condition and if one could fulfill that condition then only you could get married to Draupadi. And as you know Arjuna fulfilled that condition. And that’s how he married Draupadi. So king Nagnajit made a condition for his daughter’s marriage is that there was seven ferocious bulls like each bull had the strength of twenty elephants. And one had to subdue this seven bulls simultaneously. If one could do that then only he could marry Nagnajiti. So many kings came and princes came. Powerful valiant heroes came but they all failed. So at that time Nagnajit was thinking that what a condition he made probably now he will never be able to get his daughter married. So he was in very much distress. So at that time Narada Muni came and he asked Nagnajit: Nagnajit what’s the matter with you? You look so depressed?“ But he says: look Narada Muni this is what happened, you know I’ve made a condition like that but it was so stupid of me that to make a condition like that and now no one, I can’t find a suitable match for my daughter. And then Narada said; ok, why don’t you call your daughter?“ So king brought Nagnajat, Nagnajiti, Satya and Narada saw that she was born, she was actually an expansion of Lakshmi devi. So he could immediately understand that she is meant to be married to Krishna. So he told that: look, Krishna actually is Narayana, and this daughter of yours is an incarnation of Lakshmi. So she will not get married to anyone but Narayana Himself and Narayana is present in a Yadu dynasty as Krishna. So you should actually call Him. So king Nagnajit immediately wrote a letter to Krishna, inviting Him to come and accept that condition to marry his daughter. So, Krishna came, according to that invitation and, so when Krishna was walking towards the assembly then Nagnajiti saw Krishna and she felt, she immediately fell in love with Him. She felt that this is the person I am meant to get married but this person looks so tender and He won’t be able to subdue the seven, seven bulls. And He is, because so many great warriors, powerful people, powerful ksatriyas could not subdue these bulls, now how this tenderlooking young boy will be able to do it. Better I will go to my father and tell him that don’t worry about condition, let me just get married to this person. (laughter) And if my father doesn’t allow me to get married to Him, then I’ll give up my life in front of my father. Then the ladies also in the hall, from the window saw Krishna coming. The elder ladies in the family and they told that this is the real this is, this is our son-in-law. This person should be our son-in-law, this person should be married to Nagnajiti. And they immediately, but they started thinking that but this person will not be able to subdue these bulls. So what to do? So they all run into the temple of Ambika, Durgadevi. And started to pray: that please let this boy be married to our, let this boy be married to our daughter. And when Nagnajit saw Krishna, he also felt very much enamored by Krishna and said that he also wanted Him to marry his daughter, but at the same time he felt that probably he will not be able to to perform this incredible feat. So he then went to, he has told Krishna: Krishna, how can you subdue these seven bulls? Krishna said: ok, don’t worry, since you invited me to give it a try, I’ll give it a try. And after all if I’m not successful alright, I’ll die. And because seven bulls they are not just ordinary bulls, they are just, they had their horns sharpened up, waiting for the right person coming to pierce. So then Krishna just walked up to the bulls. They were all wicked kings and they thought that when they will actually attack Krishna and snatch the girl away from Him. When Krishna was taking His bride towards Dwaraka then all these kings attacked Krishna jointly. So Nagnajiti was very afraid. She felt how will Krishna be able to tackle such a huge army. So Krishna said: don’t worry. So Krishna picked up His Shanga ball, Kaumodaki mace, His Suhdarshan chakra, and His sword and He got prepared. He pulled out his Paanchajanya conch shell, and he blew the conch shell. So, as soon as Krishna blew the conch shell, Arjuna heard it and he felt that Krishna must be preparing to fight with somebody. So riding on his chariot which was given to him by Sungod, Agnideva, Arjuna rushed in. And so Arjuna said; Krishna, what’s the matter, why just it appears that they want to attack you? Krishna said; yes, that’s true, these cowards they could not win this princess in a proper way now they are trying to steal her. Just like a crow. A crow can not kill an animal but a crow flies over dead bodies of animals. So, but a ksatriya is like a lion and a lion never touches a dead body, a lion will kill the animal and then only will the lion eat. If another killed by some other animal will never be touched by lion. So then Arjuna said: Krishna, ok, You go to Dwaraka, I will take care of them. So, Krishna said: no I can’t do that. Like I can’t leave you alone with so many evil Maharajs and in a fight, so then ArjunA said: ok, then you just sit in a chariot with Satya devi but I will deal with them. So Krishna said: no, let’s fight together. So, Arjuna said: no, when the servant is around it’s not appropriate that the master should pick up the weapons. So as long as the servant is alive he should actually fight for his master. And don’t worry, I will take care of them. These are the bunch of crows. So, then Krishna said ok and these kings attacked Arjuna. At that time , and Arjun, the all sky was covered with arrows, there were millions of arrows shot they shot at Arjuna and Daruk, Krishna’s charioteer became worried. Daruk said: Krishna must do something because it seems that Arjuna has been covered with arrows. And Krishna said: don’t worry, like Arjuna you know he alone fought with one hundred thousand soldiers when he was protecting the cows of king Virat. He already fought with this kind of folks before so don’t worry about it. See how he handles the situation. So then when Arjuna was covered like that by millions of arrows he also released his arrows and counteracted all those arrows. Like the arrows that they shoot, some arrows were showering stones.
So then when Arjuna was covered like that by millions of arrows, he also released his arrows and counteracted all those arrows. Like the arrows that they shoot, some arrows were showering stones which are called parvatasra- mountain arrows. When these arrows broke the mountains, big big boulders were falling. Some released arrows that were dropping fire; igniting fire that was rushing towards Arjuna. Some shoot arrows called nagpaas that released innumerable snakes. So Arjuna counteracted all. By wind arrow he counteracted the stone. This wind arrow was so powerful that in that wind all the stones were carried away. Then the fire arrow was subdued by water arrow. The snake arrow was subdued by Garuda. Then Arjuna started shooting arrows that one arrow will multiply into hundred thousand arrows. In this way Arjuna dealt with them. When Arjuna started shooting his arrows like that, some one’s heads were chopped off. Some one’s Hands were chopped off. Then all the kings ran away. Then at that time Narad Muni came there and said,’you all are Kshatriyas. You should not run away like that! You should better fight with him. After all you want to win a princess. Give it a good fight. After all he is alone’. All those wicked kings came again to fight. So they again got very good bashing. It was not only bashing, it was real throbbing and finally they all ran away. Krishna blessed Arjuna and they all went to Dwaraka. At that time Parikshit Maharaja asked Sukadeva Goswami; why Krishna killed that but which is considered to be sinful? Very heineously sinful because in Vedic culture the cow and bull are considered to be sacred and no one should kill them. So Sukadeva Goswami replied; ‘actually Krishna did not killed those bulls. Another question he asked is; why the king Nagnajit made such a condition that somebody has to kill all those seven bulks in order to win his daughter? Then Sukadeva Goswami corrected him and said, no. the condition was not to kill those bulls but to subdue those bulls. To tie them up. Krishna did not actually kill those bulls. Just by His touch the bulls got delivered. Actually in the past there was a king with his six brothers. Those six brothers of the king were very wicked. So one day they went to hunt in the forest. While hunting in the forest they saw a deer and they shoot arrows against the deer. The deer actually ran away. Nearby was the hermitage of sage Agastya. The deer took shelter of Agastyamuni. So looking for the deer the king and his brothers came to the hermitage of the sage. So they were about to kill the deer. Agastya at that time was in trance but hearing the noise he came out of the trance and asked them what was going on. So the king and his brothers told him that they came there chasing after the deer and they are about to kill that deer. Then Agastya said, ‘look, this deer has taken shelter of me. So it’s my duty to give protection, so you can’t kill him’. They said; ‘No. we came running after this deer and we are ksatriyas and it is bonafide for us. It is authorized for the ksatriyas to hunt in the forest’. Agastya said; ‘that may be, but you are not in the forest. You are in the hermitage of a sage and the sage is giving protection to this animal and no one can kill this animal’. At that time the six brothers of that king started to mock at Agastya and made a sound like a bull. Then they were about to kill that deer. Then Agastya said; ‘sine you are behaving like a bull, you better become bull’. So in this way they were cursed by Agastya Muni. They came back to their senses and fell at the feet of Agastya. They said; ‘please forgive us, we have made the mistake’. Then Agastya said, ‘since I cursed you, it’s bound to happen, but you will be born in the kingdom of king Nagnajit and at that time the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna will come and by His touch of His divine hand you will become delivered’. So now you go and live on as bulls. So the king and his six brothers were born as the bulls and they were delivered by Krishna. So Krishna did not kill those bulls but He delivered them. So this is how Krishna won the princess Nagnai.
Hare Krishna. Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Does anybody have any comments or questions?
Question by a devotee (not audible)
His Holiness : that was momentary that he was bewildered. He was a friend as well as a servant. Prabhupada mentioned that for Arjuna there is no question of his bewilderment. It is actually the arrangement of Yogamaya. Arjuna is a pure devotee of Krishna. But for the sake of pastimes he was momentarily, temporarily bewildered by Yogamaya. (…not clear)
Question 2, not audible.
HH. Ya. Okay. Actually Krishna’s eternal form is like 16 years old boy. He looks always like a 6 year old boy- shyaman tribhanga lalitam niyata prakasa!. His eternal form is like- navayovanamca- eternally youthful. His form is like eternally youthful. But for the pastimes He appeared as a baby. I have in the beginning of this lecture I have mentioned that the first meeting between Radha and Krishna took place when Krishna was in the lap of His father, Nanda Maharaja. One day Nanda Maharaja was tending the cows and he also has Krishna on his lap. He went to the pasturing ground with Krishna. At that time the whole sky became overcastted with cloud. Then Nanda Maharaja felt that there is going to be storm. The cows also became swiftly and started running her and there. So Nanda Maharaja became baffled- what to do- whether to take care of Krishna or take care of the cows. So at that time Srimati Radharani appeared there. So that time when Srimati Radharani appeared she was fully grown up. She was beautiful, youthful sample. Nanda Maharaja told that; ‘I know that Gargamuni told me that you are the Mahalakshmi. You are the principal goddess of fortune, the original goddess of fortune. And this boy I know also that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now you see the storm is coming and the cows are running here and there. I do not know how am I going to take care of the cows with the child on my lap. So you please take Him for the time being while I am taking care of the cows’. So Radharani said; ‘Okay I will do that’. She also said; ‘I am very pleased with you, so please ask for a boon. Any boon you want’. So Nanda Maharaja at that time asked Radharani, ‘please give me the boon that I can always maintain my attachment to You and Krishna’. So Radharani assured Nanda Maharaja saying- you go home with the cows, I will come with Krishna. Then Nanda Maharaja has gone with the cows and at that time Krishna became a fully grown youth. Then that is the first time that He performed His rasalila, the rasa dance with Srimati Radharani. From His body He expanded Himself to many forms and Radharani expanded herself to many Gopis. That place became a perfectly arranged for rasa dance with hundreds of golden (….) and flower (..) and Krishna and Radharani performed their rasa dances. So even when Krishna was in His mother’s lap, He was quite capable of, or also having His eternal dealings with Srimati Radharani. That’s why Krishna is eternal.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Ya, it is said that Abhimanyu never touched Radharani. He never touched Radharani. Actually why Radharani only, all the gopis who were married, their husbands never touched them.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Ya. It is said that their shadows were there with them. Originally they were always with Krishna. The gopis were with Krishna but their shadows were left with their husband.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. No. That is not the one. This is Abhimanyu from Virndavan.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Which animal? Oh I see. Their drinking took place in a certain way and that’s why they retained the poison. They did not drink the poison but due to nature’s arrangement they just retain the poison. Snakes do not drink the poison. It generates the poison and retains the poison. Only when it bites somebody that person dies. The snake doesn’t die from its own poison. And that is the wonderful aspects of creation. The creation of different living entities accepted different aspects of nature but they did not become affected by that.
Devotee, question not audible.
His Holiness : He is also a cowherd man. Abhimanyu did not have enmity with Krishna.
Devotee, question not audible.
His Holiness : There are two ways of looking at it. Prabhupada has mentioned about that. One way of looking at it that they were trikala darsi- they can see the past, present and future. If they can see the future then they can see also the remote future. Not only the harsh aspects but also the other aspects and will be beyond the result of the action. And another consideration, this is what actually I am quoting Srila Prabhupada when a devotee of the Lord curses, the Lord is merciful that He turns that curse into a benediction in order to glorify His devotees.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Ya. Krishna conformed the social etiquettes or the social norms in Vaikuntha, i.e. in Dwaraka. But in Vrindavana He doesn’t damn about such social customs. So you see, that’s why Krishan’s pastimes in Vrindavana are all beyond so-called social or ethical consideration. That is, there Krishna is the Lila Purusottama- the Supreme Personality of Godhead Who has the absolute liberty to act according to His own will.
Right. In Vrindavana Krishna is of different Personality. He does all kinds of things with everybody. But still he does not break the norms like His dealings with His father, His dealings with His mother. They are very formal. But His dealings with the gopis and other residents of Vrindavana, His dealings with the friends is of another style. The consideration of social norms there, is not so prominent. Therefore Krishna doesn’t have to dance in somebody else’ role. Because in Vrindavana He just cares for His own pastimes. He doesn’t care what others are going to think about it. Because that consideration is not there in Vrindavana. For Krishna there is no question of breaking any social norms. Just like for a king there is no question of breaking a law. King is the law maker. Whatever Krishna as the king does, that is the law. Right? For the king there is no question of breaking the law. Similarly for Krishna there is no question of breaking social norms.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Yajnya acarati shresthas, in Bhagvad-Gita, these things we have to understand that, yes we must follow the footsteps of great devotees. They are the shresthas. That doesn’t mean that we have to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We have to understand that that is the highest spiritual consideration. Vrindavana pastimes are the highest activities in the spiritual sky. In order to understand those pastimes we have to at least try to elevate ourselves to that platform with the understanding Who Krishna is. There we have to understand like; Yajna acarati shresthas, like the Supreme shrestha can act in such a way that His activities should never be imitated by anyone. Says for example a proprietor of a big company, a big business organization can give out a few million dollars in charity to somebody. But can anyone in that organization do that? Although in the companies it is the understanding that we follow the chairman, that the others can never imitate certain act of the chairman. Only the chairman has the absolute right. Similarly Krishna’s Vrindavana pastimes are exclusively for Krishna and no one should ever try to imitate them. Prabhupada said, if you want to imitate then give it a try. Like if you want to be a Gopijana-balava, like Krishna who has the affairs with many, many gopies, then at the same time you also have to become a Girivaradhari. You have to lift the Giri Govardhana. So you can’t at least imitate one aspect of Krishna’s pastimes; imitate that and not the others. So why one Gopijana Balavah? Why not Girivaradhari Krishna? Try to imitate Him. And you don’t have to lift a mountain, just lift this sofa with one hand!
Devotee, question not audible.
His Holiness : Yes that is the consideration but our understanding is, even if they were not married to Krishna, it still doesn’t matter because Krishna is the Supreme Proprietor. Krishna is the husband of all the husbands also. So what to speak of their wives. And if you say that, you know the problem is that, in general, the general consideration is that, sometimes I also tell that, some went and told Nanda Maharaja that this is very good year for the girls to get married. So Nanda Maharaja made the arrangement for all the girls of Vrindavana to get married. So there we have a problem. The problem is although Krishna expanded Himself as cowherd boys, Abhimanyu was not there. So Krishna did not expand Himself as Abhimanyu. So how do we justify that Radharani was married to Abhimanyu.
It doesn’t matter who ever is married to, in Vrindavana everyone is Krishna’s devotee. And Krishna’s devotee will never try to enjoy Krishna’s wives. So they knew that although wives are actually Krishna’s, even though they were married to them they never touched them. And that is how one becomes purified within their heart by hearing Krishna’s pastimes. They don’t think how Krishna behaved. But they think how the residents of Vrindavana behaved. And they did not have any inclination for any kind of sense gratification. As long as you have desire for sense enjoyment we remain stuck. So in order to go back to Vrindavana can you maintain your sense enjoyment? In order to be elevated to Vrindavana one has to be completely free from all kinds sensual enjoyment.
Devotee, question not audible.
His Holiness. Ya. Devotees are generous but that does not mean that devotees are a bunch of fools. If someone is destroying Krishna’s property one has to immediately stop it. One should not allow that to happen. Yes according to devotees everything is Krishna’s. Because devotees use everything in Krishna’s service. Like the other day Yadurani was telling, that some one dropped water at 22nd avenue, in Prabhupada’s room some one dropped water, then Prabhupad said, ‘don’t waste Krishna’s amenities. Prabhupada did not allow even a drop of water to be wasted because it’s Krishna’s.
Devotee: this question appeared again and again…… question not audible.
His Holiness. Hare Krishna. Ya so if we approach from this verse: tesam.. bhajante mam dridham vratah- worship me, render service unto me wit determination. So in order to render service to Krishna with determination, one has to become free from all forms of sinful activities. So somehow or other we have come to ISKCON and become engaged in Krishna consciousness. Certain degree of determination is there like devotees in ISKCON has given up everything and fully engaged in Krishna consciousness. It needs a lot of determination and sacrifice. As you said that, Prabhupada has created that good fortune. It is not that we become free from sinful reactions and then we come to Krishna consciousness. But you see Prabhupada created ISKCON and brought us into Krishna consciousness. By bringing us into Krishna consciousness, freed us from sinful reactions. That is the first aspect to be considered. The second aspect is, you see devotees don’t have any fear for liberation, even going back to Godhead. It is only at the neophyte stage one thinks of going back to Godhead or wants to go back to Godhead. It’s because the desire to go back to Godhead is synonymous to desire for liberation. Does a pure devotee desire for liberation? No. He doesn’t care for liberation. That’s why I said that is the neophyte consideration. Only at the neophyte stage one wonders whether I am going to go back to Godhead. At the considerable advanced stage devotees don’t care for liberation, what to speak of going back to Godhead. Because he knows that if he can somehow or other could engage in Krishan consciousness, then he is back to godhead. Being engaged in Krishna’s service is non-different from back to Godhead. Therefore devotees do not want to go back to Godhead, he prays that he can always remain in Krishna consciousness. That is indirect way of securing himself in back to Godhead. Because if we are engaged to serve Krishna then we are back to Godhead. We are already back to Godhead. Therefore devotees’ prayer is- na dhanam na janam na sundarim.. but mama janmani janmanivsare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi- all I wanted is to be able to engage in Your service life after life. So then the final aspect of the answer is that a devotee in that advanced stage is like which we call as Raganuga bhakti. In that raganuga bhakti a devotee has no consideration for his enjoyment. He simply cares for Krishna’s enjoyment. And for the sake of Krishna’s enjoyment he is willing to accept anything. He is willing to go to hell. A perfect example of the raganuga bhakti or also called as ragatmika bhakti are Gopis. When Naradmuni went and said that Krishna got a headache, and then you know, the only thing that can cure is the dust from His devotees’ feet. The others said how you can offer dust to Krishna, then you go to hell. Gopis said, let us go to hell, let Krishna be freed from headache. Let us suffer eternally but let Krishna be free from suffering. For the sake of Krishna’s enjoyment we are willing to go to hell. So on the most advanced stage, what to speak of desiring to go back to Godhead, they are prepared to go to hell. And a devotee can spare this life. That’s why Prabhupad said, don’t worry like, ‘I am not able to make it in this life’, then Prabhupada is preparing us to prepare the for millions of years of life time-not even worried about when we are able to go back to Godhead. Let us just serve now. Because if you are engaged in the service of Krishna then what is the use of going back to Godhead! We will rather stay here and render service to Krishna than think of going back to Godhead.
HH. Do you have any more questions?
A devotee asked something- not audible.
HH. Ya. Their sayujya was not actually Brahma sayujya. Some got Brahma sayujya. Many merged into Krishna’s body. That is not Brahma sayujya. That was marma sayujya. So any way the direct answer to that is that, those who were not delivered in Krishna’s pastimes, they were delivered in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Like you see Jaya and Vijaya did not get delivered in Krishna’s pastimes. Sishupal and Dantavakra did not get delivered. When they came as Jagai and Madai, then they were delivered. So everyone got delivered in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Those who could not make it in Krishna’s pastimes they got delivered in Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. Therefore Mahaprabhu’s pastimes are the most compassionate.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Yes that is one way of looking at it. The other way of looking at it is, since Mahaprabhu’s incarnation is covered, devotees did not go into that part of Mahaprabhu’s pastimes. That’s why they did not mention. Because Mahaprabhus’s identity will be revealed. So they rather became …(not clear). Indirectly also three times they remained as demons and in the forth time they were delivered. That way also, dramatically, politically although it was true.
Devotee, question not audible.
HH. Sometimes it is mentioned in the scripture that whatever is happening in the material nature is also Krishna’s pastimes. A lot depends on how you are looking at it. Because if you re looking at it from the spiritual perspective, then it is pastime. But if you are looking at the material perspective then it is a miserable expression. Right? So the ultimate issue is; yes! This is also Krishna consciousness. It is Krishna’s arrangement to bring back his devotees. The living entities those who did not become devotees, this is the arrangement of Krishna to make them into devotees…..
THE FOLLOWING IS PART SEVEN : A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION ON LORD KRISHNA’S PASTIMES IN VRINDAVANA GIVEN BY HIS HOLINESS BHAKTI CHARU SWAMI.
Transcription : Her Grace Archana Dasi
Editing : Her Grace Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi
Audio-reference : click here
HHBCS: Yes he was killing his own children. Please start again.
Q: When does Krsna kill these demons in our heart?
HHBCS: When we become devotees then Krsna kills the demons not when we become pretenders like Bakasura. Sometimes we become Bakasura’s sisya and we pretend to be saintly but we are not actually that saintly. When we surrender unto Krsna then Krsna actually takes care of the demons. Krsna purifies our heart of all these impediments.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Yes. When all these impediments, they may come from time to time but if we surrender unto Krsna with full faith. Like if we are staying in Vrndavan that means if our heart is full of faith then in the Land of Vrndavan, Krsna will take care of all the demons.
Q: What about anger, lust and envy?
HHBCS: Anger, lust and envy, they are also taken care of by Krsna. Lust, greed, anger, Yes. At least in that book I am referring to by Bhaktivinode Thakur Krsna Samhita, so far I did not come across lust, greed, anger etc…Before one even surrenders to Krsna, enters into devotion, one has to give up these things. These are the anarthas that have to be given up.
Q: How long does it actually take for Krsna to enter our heart?
HHBCS: The process is navadha bhakti, the nine forms of devotional service that begins with sravanam, hearing then chanting. It is said that from all theses processes hearing is the most effective, the most potent. (Krsna prema krsna dita pare maha tattva) When we hear properly then gradually our devotion develops.That development is in the form of adau sraddha, the development of faith, tato sadhu-sanga, and association of devotees. Due to association of devotees begins the bhajana kriya then after bhajana kriya comes anartha nivritti. Anartha nivritti is the most difficult to cross. I heard Tamal Krsna Maharaj’s class on Madhurya Kadambini. Madhurya Kadambini deals with this aspect anartha nivritti at a great land. There are two types of devotion, one is called nisthita and anistitha bhakti. Nisthita means devotional service in a fixed up kind of consciousness or fixed up devotional service. Anisthita is unstable devotional service. This unsteady devotional service is actually different stages of anarthas. As long we have anarthas our devotion will be unstable. You can see how anarthas is the greatest obstacle to cross. Once you cross the obstacles of anarthas then you come to the statge nisthita bhakti or fixed devotional service. When your devotion becomes steady, your progress is automatically taken care of.
There are four types of anarthas:
Anarthas coming from sinful activities
Anarthas coming from pious activities
Anarthas coming from bhakti
Anarthas developing from aparadhas
These are the four types of anarthas.
There are also different stages of unsteady devotional service. There are six different stages of unsteady devotional service. That also I will describe there. The first one is utsahamayi, enthusiasm. It is full of anarthas but very enthusiastic devotion. That enthusiasm only lasts for short while. Then it becomes mental platform, sometimes steady sometimes unsteady, sometimes enthusiastic sometimes not unenthusiastic. The third stage is being unable to decide what to do. The fourth stage is a constant struggle with the material nature, the objects of the senses. The fifth stage is unable to keep up the vows.
The sixth stage is floating in the waves of success, taranga-rangini, and waves of love puja condition. So when we get across that anarthas stage then we come to nistha. After nistha comes asakti then ruci then bhava then prema. Sukadeva Goswami in Srimad Bhagavatam says
SB 1.2.18
nastha-prayeshv abhadreshu nityam bhagavata-sevaya bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naishthiki
By steady hearing comes naisthiki bhakti, by proper hearing, bhagavata-sevaya. The other stages come beyond that stage, not only from hearing but by involvement and developing that spiritual emotion for Krsna leads to the level of bhava.
There also in Madhurya Kadambini, Visvanatha Chakravathi Thakur describes that after nisthta bhakti comes bhava bhakti then prema bhakti, depending upon our involvement in Krsna Consciousness.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Position of Vrnda Devi? Originally Vrnda Devi is also a wife of Krsna, but in these pastimes Vrnda Devi is the care taker of the forests of Vrndavana. She was the daughter of a king, she is a princess. In order to get the Supreme Personality of Godhead as her husband, she started to perform austerities. She came to the forest of Vrndavana and she used to stay in a hut. She used to undergo various types of austerity and live alone there. There are two ladies actually, Vrnda and Vira, they used to stay there, in Vrndavana. So one day Radha and Krsna had a fight over the possession of the garden in Vrndavana. The question was who it actually belongs to. Krsna and Madhumangala claimed it was their garden and Radharani and her friends, Lalita and Vishaka, claimed it was their garden. So to figure out whose garden it actually was, they approached Vrnda because Vrnda was there in the forest, she knew who it actually belongs to. So when Vrnda was asked Vrnda said that all this while I have been seeing that only Radha’s friends come and collect the flowers from here I have not seen anyone from Nanda Maharaja’s side to come and pick up flowers from here, so this garden belongs to Radha. Radharani became very pleased with Vrnda so she gave her the position of düté, to be her messenger. Whenever Radharani had to send some message to Krsna, she uses Vrnda, so that is Vrnda’s position.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS She is Yogamaya. Yes, she is Krsna’s energy yogamaya
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Well, first of all it is good to feel discouraged. It is good to feel that you are the lower. On the spiritual platform the lower we feel, it is better for us. Actually this part you have answered yourself by saying that it is the mercy. Ultimate success in spiritual life depends upon the mercy of the Lord, the mercy of the spiritual master, the mercy of the vaisnavas and that’s what I was actually explaining. After the nistha bhakti, we can actually make an endeavor, it is up to us. But after that it is up to the mercy, we don’t really have anything to do there. It is only by the mercy of the Lord and his devotees that we can go further
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Well, nityam bhagavata-sevaya will lead to that point of nistha, bhaktir bhavati naistiki but after that it is mercy. But the thing is that when we become fixed up in our devotion then the mercy automatically flows because Krsna wants to bestow His mercy upon us, we simply have to become qualified to receive that mercy.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: The thing is that when they become Kali’s sisya, they think that Kali is the greatest. You see everybody thinks that his master is the best. Right! Kamsa’s followers were thinking Kamsa is the greatest although Krsna was there and they saw how powerful Krsna was, even after they saw Krsna killed Kamsa, still they could not surrender to Krsna, many of them. And they fought like Jarasanda, Sishupala, Dantavraka and Salva, they all were fighting with Krsna. This is the demoniac nature in spite of seeing the power of Krsna they do not want to surrender to Him. This is what pride is, it is because of their pride. That is why to become a devotee one has to develop the quality which is opposite to pride. That is humbleness. So a devotee must become humble. Humble means surrender to the superior, being surrendered to the more powerful and who is more powerful than Krsna? Now let us consider in our day to day life, we are practicing devotional service.
Why can’t we surrender to Krsna? because we do not have faith. We do not have faith because we don’t believe in God. That is atheism. This is Kamsa’s influence, the part of us that is Kamsa’s sisya does not allow us to become a devotee although we know that Krsna is the greatest. That is why it is so important to hear, because more we hear, our faith will become strong but if we do not hear , we do not read, we will forget Krsna. Otherwise what is the opposite of Krsna Consciousness? Just going to Mangala arati in the temple, a few times in the temple, and seeing the Deities. We don’t see the Deities, we think it is a piece of stone. So how can we expect that we are going to develop our faith? Therefore the first thing is hearing and chanting. When devotees lose the taste for hearing and chanting, it is the most unfortunate thing that can happen and unfortunately it is happening to many devotees of our society.
No! I would not say that, I would say that it is a good sign now that the devotees are developing the taste for hearing and chanting gradually. But there was a time when devotees lost and those who lost the taste for hearing and chanting they were in trouble. So we develop our taste for hearing and chanting and the more we hear the more we develop our faith in Krsna, more we read Prabhupada’s books, more we develop our faith in Krsna. Then it becomes easy to surrender and actually what is our ultimate objective?
Our ultimate objective is to remember Krsna at the time of death and in order to remember Krsna at the time of death we have to have a lot of faith. When the yamadutas come with the noose in their hand we have to think of Krsna, we have to call out to Krsna for help. If we don’t and we think No! My two hands are stronger than Krsna, so I will fight with those Yamadutas with my hands and see then the battle is lost, the mission is over.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Well it depends you know. Like there are certain types of living entities who love to do this job. (Laughs)
But a normal devotee from ISKCON, he, I don’t think will become a yamaduta. When he will go to Yamaraja, he will see him as a Mahajan, so he won’t ask Yamaraja , please give whist and a noose and let me go and reclaim those dead souls. On the other hand he will fall at his feet and say please let me hear some Krsna katha from you. He is one of the twelve Mahajanas, Yamaraja, so can you imagine how wonderful it will be to be with him. At that time would you like to become his duti or you want to become his disciple.
Q: The Yamadutas are they demoniac?
HHBCS: No. They are not demoniac. They are good souls with certain propensities. They are some people who want to take care of this kind of service, isn’t it? To grab people, bring them like a policeman. There are kind of policemen.
Q: Who is the God of piety?
HHBCS: Yamaraja is ultimately the God of piety. He is Dharmaraja. He actually establishes the principle of piety. By punishing the sinners, he establishes piety. Right. Yes?
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: If you have some intelligence, you won’t take the job of somebody else.
Q: same question inaudible
HHBCS: You see intelligence is intelligence. When intelligence is applied on matter, then it is material intelligence. When intelligence is applied on spirit then it is spiritual intelligence. It is the same thing but the application is different. When it is applied on matter it is material intelligence when it is applied for spiritual progress for Krsna Consciousness then it is spiritual intelligence.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: As eternally liberated souls we have to understand that all those who are participating in Krsna’s pastimes they are not ordinary living entities, they are actually with Krsna. They are playing different roles but they are actually spiritual personalities. There are two considerations. It depends from which perspective you are seeing. If you look at it from material perspective so it will look as if Kamsa is a conditioned soul or a demoniac person but being killed by Krsna he got delivered. Right. Then after being killed by Krsna he is liberated. But when you look at the spiritual side and see things in the light of Krsna Consciousness then everything is Krsna’s pastimes and those participating in Krsna’s pastimes are actually Krsna’s associates.
I will take three last questions. One, two, three. Ok will take four. (Laughs) Srinivas , Yes?
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: This question has many ramifications but I will deal with just one or two points from that.
First thing is Krsna is The Supreme Person with inconceivable potencies and he can do all kind of things. The Supreme Personality of Godhead can make one living entity expand into many forms. One personality can be present in billion different pastimes of Krsna. Right! Just as Krsna can expand, Krsna’s devotees also can expand by Krsna’s desire. They don’t desire to expand but
Krsna wants and they expand according to His desire. Now if we consider that the demons are also Krsna’s devotees, playing a role and they can expand. But not that in all cases the demons are Krsna’s devotees. Sometimes some condition souls from the material nature are recruited for the roles of a demon also. It happens. So the ultimate answer is it can be either way. A condition soul can play the role of a demon or a pure devotee can play the role of a demon but when a pure devotee plays the role of a demon, he is already pure; he does not get affected by that role, but when a conditioned soul plays the role of a demon or anyone, being able to participate in Krsna’s pastimes, he becomes delivered.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Many times or one time, it is up to Krsna.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Rasika means the mellow. How many mellows are .there? There are five, principle mellows and seven secondary mellows. Those who can enjoy these mellows in Krsna Consciousness are called rasika. muhur aho rasika bhuvi bhavukam SB 1.1.3
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: He was liberated but he was brought back again because Krsna as I said by His inconceivable potency, He can do anything He wants. Actually Krsna wanted to promote Him to Vrndavana. As Kamini he could not go to Vrndavana, he could go to Vaikuntha at the most. So he was brought back and given a chance to become Kamsa and there as Kamsa he got an entry to Vrndavana as an old lady. But there when she got killed by Krsna, she became a useful old lady not a useless old lady. Srinivas?
Srinivas: inaudible
HHBCS: How to invite the mood of anyone? Tell me? You have to love?
Srinivas: inaudible
HHBCS: How do you invite the mood of anyone?
Srinivas: inaudible
HHBCS: You have to love him. I am just giving a very mundane example. Say there is a big mafia leader, he has many followers and they had imbibed his mood. Why and how? Because to them he is a hero. They love him, they are willing to do anything for him because they love him, and they just want to be like him. Similarly when we love the previous acaryas, when we want to become like them with all our heart and soul, then only we will be able to imbibe their mood. In order to do that we have to admire them, it is not just going to happen in a mechanical effort. The heart has to become influenced, act accordingly. Ok. That is the last question.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Tomorrow the abhisheka will be at five o’clock. I said we will go to the temple one hour before to sing, so we will go at four o’clock to the temple. Will one hour singing be too long?
Answer: No. No.
HHBCS: (Laughs) Does everybody have the song sheet?
At the end I will discuss of Bhaktivinode Thakur’s analysis of different personalities in Krsna’s pastimes. We can’t discuss about all the personalities but we will discuss about the main personalities in Krsna’s pastimes. Bhaktivinode Thakur wrote a book called Krsna Samhita. In Krsna Samhita he actually analyzed the significance of different personalities of Krsna Pastimes
There he pointed out that Vasudeva is actually visuddha satva means transcendental goodness. Vasudeva is Krsna’s father. Krsna’s father is the personification of pure goodness or visuddha satva. In the material nature, there are three modes: ignorance, passion and goodness. Although there is some kind of goodness in this material nature, but that goodness is not pure goodness, it is mixed goodness. It is tinted with ignorance and passion. But this pure goodness exists only in the spiritual sky. Only in the spiritual sky, there is pure goodness. From that we can understand that although we have a concept of good and bad in this material nature, but actually in this material nature everything is bad. There is no good in this material nature. Real goodness is only available in the spiritual sky. That pure goodness is personified as Whom? Vasudeva. So unless and until we become completely transcendental to the material nature, we won’t be able to receive Krsna. Krsna appears in the heart of a devotee who has been completely purified from all contaminations and has become situated in perfect transcendental position.
Then Devaki, Krsna’s mother, is the mind or consciousness that has taken shelter in transcendental knowledge. So the father is the pure goodness and the mother is the mind that has taken shelter in pure transcendental knowledge. So in the womb of Mother Devaki, from the womb of transcendental knowledge, Krsna appeared as the transcendental son.
Who is Kamsa? Kamsa is Atheism personified. Atheist means a person who does not believe in God. A person who wants to go away from God, who wants to kill God, who wants to get rid of God. That is Kamsa.
So now we must remember that Bhaktivinode Thakur is not just making some mental speculation. Bhaktivinode Thakur actually has received this understanding or picked up this concept from the scriptures and it is a pure devotee like Bhaktivinode Thakur who can simply convey the spiritual knowledge. From the pure spiritual concept that is the understanding. As you already know, that in the spiritual sky everything is personalized, everything is a person, there is no impersonalism. In the spiritual sky, bliss is a person, ecstasy is a person, devotion is a person, similarly hatred is a person, envy is a person, similarly atheism is a person and what is the name of the personality called atheism? Kamsa.
So this Kamsa tries to kill Krsna. Even before Krsna appeared. When people develop this atheistic tendency what we must understand that those people have been influenced by a personality called Kamsa and although Kamsa is killed by Krsna, this personality is also eternal. Although they are killed by Krsna, they are still eternally present and they propagate their influence. When someone becomes atheistic we must understand that that person is actually a devotee of Kamsa or he has been influenced by Kamsa or he is becoming a follower of Kamsa.
Similarly when someone develops pure goodness we have to understand that he is now under the influence of Vasudeva.
sattvam visuddhah vasudeva-shabditam SB 4.3.23
visuddha satva is known as Vasudeva.
Mathura is also personified as transcendental knowledge. Now you notice one thing when Mathura was under the control of Kamsa then Krsna did not stay there although Krsna appeared in Mathura. When transcendental knowledge is influenced or predominated by atheism then The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not stay there. He leaves. What does that place become like? Under which control that place is then?
Transcendental knowledge mixed with atheism is called impersonalism. Although it is transcendental knowledge, transcendental means beyond this material nature. So that knowledge is beyond material nature, but unless and until that knowledge accepts Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, that knowledge is impersonal.
Does it make sense? That is Bhaktivinode Thakur so you have to understand. And Krsna left Mathura, the place of transcendental knowledge under the influence of Kamsa. Where did he go? He went to Vrndavana. What is Vrndavana? Vrndavana is the land of faith. In Vrndavana , there is no room for atheism. Kamsa cannot enter into Vrndavana. In order to enter Vrndavana, one has to get the permission of Yogamaya. And if somebody wants to trespass in Vrndavana then he is in trouble. You know that story. Many of you must have heard it before but many of you may not have heard it, anyhow you will benefit I will tell you.
One day Kamsa thought that this boy Krsna is killing all my friends. So now I will go and kill Krsna myself. Thinking like this that Kamsa came to Vrndavana. So from Mathura when you come to Vrndavana there is an area which is near the place called Badarikashrama, so Kamsa entered there and he saw there is an old lady and there are some young cowherd girls.
So Kamsa asked the old lady: “Can you please tell me where the house of Nanda Maharaja is?”
So this old lady said: “Oh! you want to see the house of Nanda Maharaja? Come, I will show you.”
Saying that she grabbed Kamsa by his hair.
Actually the ksatriyas used to keep long hair. It works as a kind of a helmet. Like the sikhs today wear that, they are actually ksatriyas, they are supposed to be ksatriyas now they have become taxi drivers. So they keep their long hair and they make a knot above their head with a turban used as a shock absorber; so Kamsa had that, she slapped Kamsa’s head and let the turban fly, then she grabbed Kamsa by his hair and picked him up and dunked him in a pond, in the water. Kamsa became an old lady, when she pulled Kamsa up, Kamsa was an old lady, he could not stand straight, his body became wrinkled, and all the cowherd girls started laughing seeing the transformation. The old lady is Yogamaya, Purnamasi. So Purnamasi told the girls, so now you try to engage him in some service. We got a newcomer here in Vrndavanaso you engage him in some service. So the cowherd girls said she is so old what she will do?
She is good for nothing. So then they felt that maybe this useless woman can do one thing, she can make some cow dung cakes. This cow dung cake is very easy to make and very useful. In Vrndavana there are many many cows so plenty of cow dung; so they take the cow dung and slap it against the wall so it sticks on the wall and it becomes baked by sun and they use it for cooking. In Bengali it is called gobar. So they said then at least maybe she can make some gobar, cow dung cakes. But this old lady was useless, she could not even make some cow dung cakes, she tried to lift up the cow down, but by the time she slapped it , it all got scattered, it did not stick on the wall, they all started laughing at first and when they tried to teach her and she could not learn, they told her that you get out of here, you are good for nothing. The gopis, the cowherd damsels of Vrndavana started telling her you seem to be a trespasser in Vrndavana, you can’t stay in Vrndavana, and you are not fit to stay in Vrndavana. They started to harass her, so this old lady namely Kamsa, was so distressed, she started crying and telling Purnamasi: “Please let me go let me go! I will never come back.”
(Laughs)
Purnamasi grabbed her by her hair again dunked her in the water again, she got back her form as Kamsa and she told him: “Now go.” He ran for his life and he took a vow that he will come back to Vrndavana. This way unless or until one is qualified one cannot enter into Vrndavana.
In order to enter into Vrndavana, one must have complete faith.
So Vrndavana is the land of faith. As you know before Krsna’s birth, Devaki gave birth to six sons who were killed by Kamsa. These six sons are personified as fame, glory etc…There are six such things just as there are six enemies: lust, greed, anger etc…, there are six aspects of pride: fame, glory etc…so they were killed by Kamsa.
Before Krsna comes, Balarama comes.
Who is Balarama?
Balarama is a pure living entity decorated with the service attitude. The pure living entity is Balarama.
How does the living entity become purified?
How does the living entity become situated in his constitutional position? Through his servitor ship.
jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—Krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’ Madhya 20.108-109
So Balarama is the personification of that pure living entity with pure service attitude.
So Rohini is the consciousness full of faith, sraddha. Here is the difference between Devaki and Rohini. Devaki is consciousness or mind having taken shelter of transcendental knowledge, so Devaki is mind full of transcendental knowledge, but Rohini is mind full of faith. So Balarama was transferred from Devaki’s womb to Rohini’s womb. Rohini is the personality full of faith.
Who is Yasoda?
Yasoda is jubilation. She is always jubilant and in jubilation appears Krsna.
Balarama appears as the seventh son and then came Krsna as the son of Yasoda. Balarama was the son of Rohini and Krsna was the son of Mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja. When Krsna was only seven days old, Kamsa wanted to kill Him and in order to kill Him, Kamsa sent a demon.
HHBCS : When the boys come, ask them to come from that side. HHBCS talks in Bengali.
So Kamsa sent Putana. Who is Putana? Putana is deception. Putana came apparently as a mother. Mother is actually full of affection and her affection is manifested in the form of her milk. Out of her affection, mother’s blood turns into milk. And the mother gives that milk as a token of affection to her son. Putana came as a mother but instead of milk what did she give? She wanted to give Krsna poison. Instead of affection her heart was filled with hatred. This is deception, when it pretends to be one thing but actually it is something else. So Putana is personification of deception. But Krsna is the all powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now when a devotee takes shelter of Krsna, Krsna takes care of everything. Krsna removes all the impediments. So Putana came to kill Krsna but Krsna killed Putana. So in Krsna Consciousness, there is no chance of deception. Deception can not do anything to a devotee. Deception same as atheism can’t do anything to a devotee because a devotee is always protected by Krsna.
Then came Trinavrta who came as a world wind. When there is a world wind everything becomes topsy-turvy. Remember how Trinavrta came, he came covering the entire place with dry grass, dust, sand and broken stone chips so the whole place became completely covered by that and Krsna could not be seen. Trinavrta carried Krsna high up in the sky in order to kill Him. So who is Trinavrta? Trinavrta is argument and logic. When people become argumentative, often we find and come across people who are so argumentative, and sometimes they are very intelligent and they are completely bewildered, cover the whole consciousness with dust, grass, stone chips, fans and we can’t see Krsna we get completely baffled What does Krsna do? Krsna puts only His arms around this person and gives a little squeeze and as the result of that the person is finished. So unnecessary argument same as atheism is also destroyed by Krsna, Trinavarta demon is destroyed.
Sakatasura is the tendency to carry the big burden. Sometimes people carry big burdens like some people think how can I become a big devotee? How can I accept Krsna, I have so many responsibilities? I have my wife, my children, my grand children, my great grand children and what to speak of the “great great grand” children who are going to come. This way some people just carry unnecessary burden on their back as an ass. Like here it is not exactly an ass, it is a cart. Sakat means a cart; the demon came as a cart to kill Krsna. Kamsa sent Sakatasura to kill Krsna. Krsna just gave a little kick and Sakatasura was finished. So in this way with a little touch from Krsna’s lotus feet we can become free from this tendency to carry the big burden on our back.
Then Bakasura. Do you remember Bakasura?
Who is Bakasura?
Answer: a bird
What kind of bird is that?
Answer: “Crane.”
Crane. Okay! Right. You all have seen crane in India! Did you ever watch a crane?
How does it look like? What does he do?
Answer: It keeps something in the mouth.
What is that? Okay.
Crane actually goes to the water and just stands on the water and it looks as if they are meditating. But what are they meditating on? They are meditating on fish. Apparently it seems that he is a very saintly person, isn’t? So peaceful, so quite, his body is milk white but he is always thinking of fish. Right. Bakasura is pretentious saint. You see Baka crane and a swan look quite alike, but a swan is actually a saintly person, but the crane baka is the false saint, pretentious saint. Bakasura came to kill Krsna but he became killed by Krsna.
Then Aghasura. Who is Aghasura demon? Aghasura came as a snake. Whose personification is Aghasura?
Answer from the audience.
No. Aghasura is the personification of cruelty but Krsna killed him also.
After killing Aghasura, What did Krsna do? With his friends he went on the bank of Yamuna and had a picnic. So after cruelty comes the simplicity. Picnic is significant to simplicity. All the boys sitting together and as I mentioned the other day, when was that? Brahma could not figure out how come the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eating the remnants’ of others that is why Brahma started to doubt Krsna’s identity as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He thought that he can’t be the Supreme Personality of Godhead because the Supreme Personality of Godhead will not take any remnants from anyone. Why Brahma got this doubt because at that time Krsna was having a picnic with his friends. That day Krsna actually thought that I am the son of a king, in our house there is so many cows and my mother sent so many delicious milk products for me to eat, but all my friends are not coming from such wealthy family and many of them, they have to sell their milk in the market and therefore their parents can not give them nice prasadam. So today we will all share each others foods. Actually everyday they used to share each others foods, so that day they were also sharing each others foods. Krsna gave his delicious prasadam to somebody else and he took their simple prasadam and this way they were exchanging their food. And then some of the boys took a bite of something and when he liked it very much and he would say Krsna you take this, it is very delicious because in Vrndavan, everybody simply cares about Krsna’s pleasure, they do not care for their pleasure, they do not want to enjoy anything themselves. Anything that is enjoyable they want to offer that to Krsna. In this way they were offering things to Krsna and Krsna also was accepting their offerings. So when Brahma saw that he felt how the Supreme Personality of Godhead will eat somebody else remnants. In Vaikunta Krsna, Narayan , never does that but Vrndavan is something different. Vrndavan is beyond Vaikunta. Voluntarily by the influence of Yogamaya, Brahma forgot about it, he could not understand Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead who resides in Goloka Vrndavan that is why he stole the cowherd boys.
Then came Dhenukasura?. Who is Dhenukasura?
Do you remember Dhenukasura? Who killed Dhenukasura?
No answer from the audience.
This is one demon that Krsna Himself did not kill. Dhenukasura was killed by Balarama. Who is Dhenukasura? Dhenukasura is materialism.
Material intelligence is like although appears to be intelligent but actually they are just a bunch of fools.
Dhenuk means what? Do you know? Dhenuk means an ass. An ass is famous as a fool. When you see someone who is very stupid, what do you say? You say he is an ass or you say he is a donkey.
Dhenukasura is material intelligence and material intelligence is like a donkey. Donkey is very famous as a gift of God. In India not now not anymore but even a few years ago, donkeys were used to carry big burdens, big loads especially the washer men used to have the donkeys and they used to carry the clothes for washing on the donkey’s back and I have seen when I was young these loads used to be so big on two sides, huge big loads, you can barely see the donkey, it is like two big bags are walking. Material intelligence is like carrying a big load.
What is material intelligence?
Material intelligence is collection of information. More intelligence means a person who is more informed materially. He carries lots of information and he has the ability to live between this information and he uses the intelligence for what? Just for his maintenance, just to sustain himself. Similarly an ass also carries the big burden because the ass thinks that unless he carries the burden the washer man will not give him any grass to eat. The ass needs just a little bit of grass which is available everywhere. At least in India you get grass everywhere and for that one does not have to do anything, but a ass thinks that unless he carries the burden, his master will not give him the grass. Similarly the materialistic people carry a big burden. With the big burden what does he do? He works for somebody.
Like somebody studied at least sixteen to seventeen years, collect all kind of information, at the end of his study what does he want? He wants a job and then he get employed by somebody and that man gives him some money at the end of the month or at the end of the week and makes him work as a donkey, he carries the burden and he thinks unless he works for his boss, he is not going to get the money at the end of the month and he will starve. This is the materialistic intelligence or the materialistic mentality. Therefore according to the vedic understanding no intelligent man should take a job, work for somebody else, become a slave of somebody else. Only the sudras work for somebody else. Only the sudras look for employment otherwise vaisya, ksatriyas, and brahmanas are independent. That is Dhenukasura. Another thing about Dhenukasura that is material knowledge, material intelligence, and a person thinks I know so much, I am so wise but Dhenukasura; this wise man with material intelligence is straightened out by Balarama. Balarama is the spiritual master. That is why Dhenukasura was killed by Balarama. So the spiritual master takes care of that so called material intelligence. So when you come in front of the spiritual master when one accepts a spiritual master he should give up all his material intelligence and he should become a fool and that is real intelligence. Dhenukasura was killed and a person becomes really sheltered by the spiritual master.
Kaliya is wickedness. When a person is wicked, he simply wants to create difficulties for others, harass others. That’s what Kaliya was doing. Kaliya vitiated the entire Yamuna river and innocent cows when they drunk the water they lost their lives. This wicked people, although there is no reason to do harm to others but they go out of their way to harm others that is Kaliya. This tendency of being wicked is subdued by Krsna just by dancing on his heads.
Who is Nanda Maharaja? Nanda Maharaja is bliss personified. Nanda is ananda. Ananda means bliss. So Nanda Maharaja is bliss personified. Do you remember one day in Govardhana a snake came out of the cave and coiled Nanda Maharaja. Who is that snake? That snake is Impersonal liberation. So when one is coiled by the snake of impersonal liberation. What happens to your bliss? Your bliss is gone. Right. So Krsna rescued Nanda Maharaja from impersonal liberation. Actually impersonal liberation does not have any bliss, it destroys bliss.
Then Sankhasura. Do you know Sankhasurasura?
I think I have said yes
Sankhasura stole the gopis. Right after the rasa dance this demon came and saw Krsna surrounding by so many beautiful women, so he thought why this cowherd boys have so many beautiful women so he wanted to steal these women. So he stole some girls and at this time Lalita and Visaka came and informed Krsna. So Krsna immediately ran after Sankhasura. He grabbed him and punched him to death. Not only that then opened his ribs and pulled out a jewel. This jewel is called Srimantha, he gave that jewel to Balarams and Balarams ultimately gave it to Sridhams and Sridhams gave it to Radharani. Radharani wears this jewel. Who is Sankhasura? Sankhasura demon is fame. Fame is an impediment on the path of devotion that is also destroyed by Krsna.
Then just before Krsna was about to leave for Mathura, the last demon Krsna killed in Vrndavan is Kesi. Kesi is pride. Kesi was killed by Ksna so pride is subdued.
Then in Mathura Krsna killed Kamsa, atheism is destroyed. After Kamsa was killed, Kamsa’s two wives Asti and Prapti. Who are the wives of atheism? Who goes along with atheism? Possession and Achievement.
These possession and achievement are actually the two daughters of Jarasanda.
Who is Jarasanda? Jarasanda is karma kanda
When one is involved in karma kanda section of the Vedas. What is the result of practicing karma kanda? They possess lots of material possessions and there is a lot of achievements for them. So the two daughters of Jarasanda Asti and Prapti became widows after Kamsa’s death, so they went and told their father that Krsna killed their husband and they became widows. So Jarasanda attacked Mathura seventeen times and finally on the eighteen time Krsna left Mathura and went to Dwaraka. That also is significant because in karma kanda section there are eighteen different activities. So a pure devotee must give up them also. In this way, Bhaktivinode Thakur analyzes different aspects of Krsna’s pastimes.
Thank you.
Hare Krsna. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur ki!
Audience: Jaya!
Any questions?
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: There is a difference between Paramatma and Krsna. Paramatma although Krsna but he is inactive, but Krsna is active
Q: devotee develops his question
HHBCS: He may see but the devotee does not see Paramatma. Jnanis when they achieve perfection then they see paramatma. Krsna is situated in the heart of every living entity, but when the living entity begins to love Him, Krsna sitting in the heart, he can’t remain inactive, he can’t resist to the temptation to reciprocate to the love and then Krsna becomes active
Q: How come the other demons could enter Vrndavana and not Kamsa?
HHBCS: Well the other demons were more fortunate than Kamsa. Kamsa was totally unqualified. Atheism can’t enter into Vrndavana. The other demons were not atheism personified, they were the associates of atheism so they were allowed to enter into Vrndavana in the land of faith, then their atheism got smashed and then they got faith and got delivered.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Impersonalists believe in transcendence but they do not have the understanding of The Supreme Personality of Godhead while the mayavadis they deliberately deny the existence of the Personality of Godhead. In that sense the difference between impersonalists and mayavadis is that the impersonalists are somehow positive while the mayavadis are negative.
Q: Atheists are they considered as demons?
HHBCS: Do you have any doubt? (Laughs)
Atheists are demons in order to be a demon you have to be an atheist. In order to go against God you have to defy Him, you have to deny.
Transcription : Her Grace Archana Dasi
Editing : Her Grace Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi
Audio-reference : click here
HHBCS: Yes he was killing his own children. Please start again.
Q: When does Krsna kill these demons in our heart?
HHBCS: When we become devotees then Krsna kills the demons not when we become pretenders like Bakasura. Sometimes we become Bakasura’s sisya and we pretend to be saintly but we are not actually that saintly. When we surrender unto Krsna then Krsna actually takes care of the demons. Krsna purifies our heart of all these impediments.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Yes. When all these impediments, they may come from time to time but if we surrender unto Krsna with full faith. Like if we are staying in Vrndavan that means if our heart is full of faith then in the Land of Vrndavan, Krsna will take care of all the demons.
Q: What about anger, lust and envy?
HHBCS: Anger, lust and envy, they are also taken care of by Krsna. Lust, greed, anger, Yes. At least in that book I am referring to by Bhaktivinode Thakur Krsna Samhita, so far I did not come across lust, greed, anger etc…Before one even surrenders to Krsna, enters into devotion, one has to give up these things. These are the anarthas that have to be given up.
Q: How long does it actually take for Krsna to enter our heart?
HHBCS: The process is navadha bhakti, the nine forms of devotional service that begins with sravanam, hearing then chanting. It is said that from all theses processes hearing is the most effective, the most potent. (Krsna prema krsna dita pare maha tattva) When we hear properly then gradually our devotion develops.That development is in the form of adau sraddha, the development of faith, tato sadhu-sanga, and association of devotees. Due to association of devotees begins the bhajana kriya then after bhajana kriya comes anartha nivritti. Anartha nivritti is the most difficult to cross. I heard Tamal Krsna Maharaj’s class on Madhurya Kadambini. Madhurya Kadambini deals with this aspect anartha nivritti at a great land. There are two types of devotion, one is called nisthita and anistitha bhakti. Nisthita means devotional service in a fixed up kind of consciousness or fixed up devotional service. Anisthita is unstable devotional service. This unsteady devotional service is actually different stages of anarthas. As long we have anarthas our devotion will be unstable. You can see how anarthas is the greatest obstacle to cross. Once you cross the obstacles of anarthas then you come to the statge nisthita bhakti or fixed devotional service. When your devotion becomes steady, your progress is automatically taken care of.
There are four types of anarthas:
Anarthas coming from sinful activities
Anarthas coming from pious activities
Anarthas coming from bhakti
Anarthas developing from aparadhas
These are the four types of anarthas.
There are also different stages of unsteady devotional service. There are six different stages of unsteady devotional service. That also I will describe there. The first one is utsahamayi, enthusiasm. It is full of anarthas but very enthusiastic devotion. That enthusiasm only lasts for short while. Then it becomes mental platform, sometimes steady sometimes unsteady, sometimes enthusiastic sometimes not unenthusiastic. The third stage is being unable to decide what to do. The fourth stage is a constant struggle with the material nature, the objects of the senses. The fifth stage is unable to keep up the vows.
The sixth stage is floating in the waves of success, taranga-rangini, and waves of love puja condition. So when we get across that anarthas stage then we come to nistha. After nistha comes asakti then ruci then bhava then prema. Sukadeva Goswami in Srimad Bhagavatam says
SB 1.2.18
nastha-prayeshv abhadreshu nityam bhagavata-sevaya bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naishthiki
By steady hearing comes naisthiki bhakti, by proper hearing, bhagavata-sevaya. The other stages come beyond that stage, not only from hearing but by involvement and developing that spiritual emotion for Krsna leads to the level of bhava.
There also in Madhurya Kadambini, Visvanatha Chakravathi Thakur describes that after nisthta bhakti comes bhava bhakti then prema bhakti, depending upon our involvement in Krsna Consciousness.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Position of Vrnda Devi? Originally Vrnda Devi is also a wife of Krsna, but in these pastimes Vrnda Devi is the care taker of the forests of Vrndavana. She was the daughter of a king, she is a princess. In order to get the Supreme Personality of Godhead as her husband, she started to perform austerities. She came to the forest of Vrndavana and she used to stay in a hut. She used to undergo various types of austerity and live alone there. There are two ladies actually, Vrnda and Vira, they used to stay there, in Vrndavana. So one day Radha and Krsna had a fight over the possession of the garden in Vrndavana. The question was who it actually belongs to. Krsna and Madhumangala claimed it was their garden and Radharani and her friends, Lalita and Vishaka, claimed it was their garden. So to figure out whose garden it actually was, they approached Vrnda because Vrnda was there in the forest, she knew who it actually belongs to. So when Vrnda was asked Vrnda said that all this while I have been seeing that only Radha’s friends come and collect the flowers from here I have not seen anyone from Nanda Maharaja’s side to come and pick up flowers from here, so this garden belongs to Radha. Radharani became very pleased with Vrnda so she gave her the position of düté, to be her messenger. Whenever Radharani had to send some message to Krsna, she uses Vrnda, so that is Vrnda’s position.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS She is Yogamaya. Yes, she is Krsna’s energy yogamaya
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Well, first of all it is good to feel discouraged. It is good to feel that you are the lower. On the spiritual platform the lower we feel, it is better for us. Actually this part you have answered yourself by saying that it is the mercy. Ultimate success in spiritual life depends upon the mercy of the Lord, the mercy of the spiritual master, the mercy of the vaisnavas and that’s what I was actually explaining. After the nistha bhakti, we can actually make an endeavor, it is up to us. But after that it is up to the mercy, we don’t really have anything to do there. It is only by the mercy of the Lord and his devotees that we can go further
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Well, nityam bhagavata-sevaya will lead to that point of nistha, bhaktir bhavati naistiki but after that it is mercy. But the thing is that when we become fixed up in our devotion then the mercy automatically flows because Krsna wants to bestow His mercy upon us, we simply have to become qualified to receive that mercy.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: The thing is that when they become Kali’s sisya, they think that Kali is the greatest. You see everybody thinks that his master is the best. Right! Kamsa’s followers were thinking Kamsa is the greatest although Krsna was there and they saw how powerful Krsna was, even after they saw Krsna killed Kamsa, still they could not surrender to Krsna, many of them. And they fought like Jarasanda, Sishupala, Dantavraka and Salva, they all were fighting with Krsna. This is the demoniac nature in spite of seeing the power of Krsna they do not want to surrender to Him. This is what pride is, it is because of their pride. That is why to become a devotee one has to develop the quality which is opposite to pride. That is humbleness. So a devotee must become humble. Humble means surrender to the superior, being surrendered to the more powerful and who is more powerful than Krsna? Now let us consider in our day to day life, we are practicing devotional service.
Why can’t we surrender to Krsna? because we do not have faith. We do not have faith because we don’t believe in God. That is atheism. This is Kamsa’s influence, the part of us that is Kamsa’s sisya does not allow us to become a devotee although we know that Krsna is the greatest. That is why it is so important to hear, because more we hear, our faith will become strong but if we do not hear , we do not read, we will forget Krsna. Otherwise what is the opposite of Krsna Consciousness? Just going to Mangala arati in the temple, a few times in the temple, and seeing the Deities. We don’t see the Deities, we think it is a piece of stone. So how can we expect that we are going to develop our faith? Therefore the first thing is hearing and chanting. When devotees lose the taste for hearing and chanting, it is the most unfortunate thing that can happen and unfortunately it is happening to many devotees of our society.
No! I would not say that, I would say that it is a good sign now that the devotees are developing the taste for hearing and chanting gradually. But there was a time when devotees lost and those who lost the taste for hearing and chanting they were in trouble. So we develop our taste for hearing and chanting and the more we hear the more we develop our faith in Krsna, more we read Prabhupada’s books, more we develop our faith in Krsna. Then it becomes easy to surrender and actually what is our ultimate objective?
Our ultimate objective is to remember Krsna at the time of death and in order to remember Krsna at the time of death we have to have a lot of faith. When the yamadutas come with the noose in their hand we have to think of Krsna, we have to call out to Krsna for help. If we don’t and we think No! My two hands are stronger than Krsna, so I will fight with those Yamadutas with my hands and see then the battle is lost, the mission is over.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Well it depends you know. Like there are certain types of living entities who love to do this job. (Laughs)
But a normal devotee from ISKCON, he, I don’t think will become a yamaduta. When he will go to Yamaraja, he will see him as a Mahajan, so he won’t ask Yamaraja , please give whist and a noose and let me go and reclaim those dead souls. On the other hand he will fall at his feet and say please let me hear some Krsna katha from you. He is one of the twelve Mahajanas, Yamaraja, so can you imagine how wonderful it will be to be with him. At that time would you like to become his duti or you want to become his disciple.
Q: The Yamadutas are they demoniac?
HHBCS: No. They are not demoniac. They are good souls with certain propensities. They are some people who want to take care of this kind of service, isn’t it? To grab people, bring them like a policeman. There are kind of policemen.
Q: Who is the God of piety?
HHBCS: Yamaraja is ultimately the God of piety. He is Dharmaraja. He actually establishes the principle of piety. By punishing the sinners, he establishes piety. Right. Yes?
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: If you have some intelligence, you won’t take the job of somebody else.
Q: same question inaudible
HHBCS: You see intelligence is intelligence. When intelligence is applied on matter, then it is material intelligence. When intelligence is applied on spirit then it is spiritual intelligence. It is the same thing but the application is different. When it is applied on matter it is material intelligence when it is applied for spiritual progress for Krsna Consciousness then it is spiritual intelligence.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: As eternally liberated souls we have to understand that all those who are participating in Krsna’s pastimes they are not ordinary living entities, they are actually with Krsna. They are playing different roles but they are actually spiritual personalities. There are two considerations. It depends from which perspective you are seeing. If you look at it from material perspective so it will look as if Kamsa is a conditioned soul or a demoniac person but being killed by Krsna he got delivered. Right. Then after being killed by Krsna he is liberated. But when you look at the spiritual side and see things in the light of Krsna Consciousness then everything is Krsna’s pastimes and those participating in Krsna’s pastimes are actually Krsna’s associates.
I will take three last questions. One, two, three. Ok will take four. (Laughs) Srinivas , Yes?
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: This question has many ramifications but I will deal with just one or two points from that.
First thing is Krsna is The Supreme Person with inconceivable potencies and he can do all kind of things. The Supreme Personality of Godhead can make one living entity expand into many forms. One personality can be present in billion different pastimes of Krsna. Right! Just as Krsna can expand, Krsna’s devotees also can expand by Krsna’s desire. They don’t desire to expand but
Krsna wants and they expand according to His desire. Now if we consider that the demons are also Krsna’s devotees, playing a role and they can expand. But not that in all cases the demons are Krsna’s devotees. Sometimes some condition souls from the material nature are recruited for the roles of a demon also. It happens. So the ultimate answer is it can be either way. A condition soul can play the role of a demon or a pure devotee can play the role of a demon but when a pure devotee plays the role of a demon, he is already pure; he does not get affected by that role, but when a conditioned soul plays the role of a demon or anyone, being able to participate in Krsna’s pastimes, he becomes delivered.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Many times or one time, it is up to Krsna.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Rasika means the mellow. How many mellows are .there? There are five, principle mellows and seven secondary mellows. Those who can enjoy these mellows in Krsna Consciousness are called rasika. muhur aho rasika bhuvi bhavukam SB 1.1.3
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: He was liberated but he was brought back again because Krsna as I said by His inconceivable potency, He can do anything He wants. Actually Krsna wanted to promote Him to Vrndavana. As Kamini he could not go to Vrndavana, he could go to Vaikuntha at the most. So he was brought back and given a chance to become Kamsa and there as Kamsa he got an entry to Vrndavana as an old lady. But there when she got killed by Krsna, she became a useful old lady not a useless old lady. Srinivas?
Srinivas: inaudible
HHBCS: How to invite the mood of anyone? Tell me? You have to love?
Srinivas: inaudible
HHBCS: How do you invite the mood of anyone?
Srinivas: inaudible
HHBCS: You have to love him. I am just giving a very mundane example. Say there is a big mafia leader, he has many followers and they had imbibed his mood. Why and how? Because to them he is a hero. They love him, they are willing to do anything for him because they love him, and they just want to be like him. Similarly when we love the previous acaryas, when we want to become like them with all our heart and soul, then only we will be able to imbibe their mood. In order to do that we have to admire them, it is not just going to happen in a mechanical effort. The heart has to become influenced, act accordingly. Ok. That is the last question.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Tomorrow the abhisheka will be at five o’clock. I said we will go to the temple one hour before to sing, so we will go at four o’clock to the temple. Will one hour singing be too long?
Answer: No. No.
HHBCS: (Laughs) Does everybody have the song sheet?
At the end I will discuss of Bhaktivinode Thakur’s analysis of different personalities in Krsna’s pastimes. We can’t discuss about all the personalities but we will discuss about the main personalities in Krsna’s pastimes. Bhaktivinode Thakur wrote a book called Krsna Samhita. In Krsna Samhita he actually analyzed the significance of different personalities of Krsna Pastimes
There he pointed out that Vasudeva is actually visuddha satva means transcendental goodness. Vasudeva is Krsna’s father. Krsna’s father is the personification of pure goodness or visuddha satva. In the material nature, there are three modes: ignorance, passion and goodness. Although there is some kind of goodness in this material nature, but that goodness is not pure goodness, it is mixed goodness. It is tinted with ignorance and passion. But this pure goodness exists only in the spiritual sky. Only in the spiritual sky, there is pure goodness. From that we can understand that although we have a concept of good and bad in this material nature, but actually in this material nature everything is bad. There is no good in this material nature. Real goodness is only available in the spiritual sky. That pure goodness is personified as Whom? Vasudeva. So unless and until we become completely transcendental to the material nature, we won’t be able to receive Krsna. Krsna appears in the heart of a devotee who has been completely purified from all contaminations and has become situated in perfect transcendental position.
Then Devaki, Krsna’s mother, is the mind or consciousness that has taken shelter in transcendental knowledge. So the father is the pure goodness and the mother is the mind that has taken shelter in pure transcendental knowledge. So in the womb of Mother Devaki, from the womb of transcendental knowledge, Krsna appeared as the transcendental son.
Who is Kamsa? Kamsa is Atheism personified. Atheist means a person who does not believe in God. A person who wants to go away from God, who wants to kill God, who wants to get rid of God. That is Kamsa.
So now we must remember that Bhaktivinode Thakur is not just making some mental speculation. Bhaktivinode Thakur actually has received this understanding or picked up this concept from the scriptures and it is a pure devotee like Bhaktivinode Thakur who can simply convey the spiritual knowledge. From the pure spiritual concept that is the understanding. As you already know, that in the spiritual sky everything is personalized, everything is a person, there is no impersonalism. In the spiritual sky, bliss is a person, ecstasy is a person, devotion is a person, similarly hatred is a person, envy is a person, similarly atheism is a person and what is the name of the personality called atheism? Kamsa.
So this Kamsa tries to kill Krsna. Even before Krsna appeared. When people develop this atheistic tendency what we must understand that those people have been influenced by a personality called Kamsa and although Kamsa is killed by Krsna, this personality is also eternal. Although they are killed by Krsna, they are still eternally present and they propagate their influence. When someone becomes atheistic we must understand that that person is actually a devotee of Kamsa or he has been influenced by Kamsa or he is becoming a follower of Kamsa.
Similarly when someone develops pure goodness we have to understand that he is now under the influence of Vasudeva.
sattvam visuddhah vasudeva-shabditam SB 4.3.23
visuddha satva is known as Vasudeva.
Mathura is also personified as transcendental knowledge. Now you notice one thing when Mathura was under the control of Kamsa then Krsna did not stay there although Krsna appeared in Mathura. When transcendental knowledge is influenced or predominated by atheism then The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not stay there. He leaves. What does that place become like? Under which control that place is then?
Transcendental knowledge mixed with atheism is called impersonalism. Although it is transcendental knowledge, transcendental means beyond this material nature. So that knowledge is beyond material nature, but unless and until that knowledge accepts Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, that knowledge is impersonal.
Does it make sense? That is Bhaktivinode Thakur so you have to understand. And Krsna left Mathura, the place of transcendental knowledge under the influence of Kamsa. Where did he go? He went to Vrndavana. What is Vrndavana? Vrndavana is the land of faith. In Vrndavana , there is no room for atheism. Kamsa cannot enter into Vrndavana. In order to enter Vrndavana, one has to get the permission of Yogamaya. And if somebody wants to trespass in Vrndavana then he is in trouble. You know that story. Many of you must have heard it before but many of you may not have heard it, anyhow you will benefit I will tell you.
One day Kamsa thought that this boy Krsna is killing all my friends. So now I will go and kill Krsna myself. Thinking like this that Kamsa came to Vrndavana. So from Mathura when you come to Vrndavana there is an area which is near the place called Badarikashrama, so Kamsa entered there and he saw there is an old lady and there are some young cowherd girls.
So Kamsa asked the old lady: “Can you please tell me where the house of Nanda Maharaja is?”
So this old lady said: “Oh! you want to see the house of Nanda Maharaja? Come, I will show you.”
Saying that she grabbed Kamsa by his hair.
Actually the ksatriyas used to keep long hair. It works as a kind of a helmet. Like the sikhs today wear that, they are actually ksatriyas, they are supposed to be ksatriyas now they have become taxi drivers. So they keep their long hair and they make a knot above their head with a turban used as a shock absorber; so Kamsa had that, she slapped Kamsa’s head and let the turban fly, then she grabbed Kamsa by his hair and picked him up and dunked him in a pond, in the water. Kamsa became an old lady, when she pulled Kamsa up, Kamsa was an old lady, he could not stand straight, his body became wrinkled, and all the cowherd girls started laughing seeing the transformation. The old lady is Yogamaya, Purnamasi. So Purnamasi told the girls, so now you try to engage him in some service. We got a newcomer here in Vrndavanaso you engage him in some service. So the cowherd girls said she is so old what she will do?
She is good for nothing. So then they felt that maybe this useless woman can do one thing, she can make some cow dung cakes. This cow dung cake is very easy to make and very useful. In Vrndavana there are many many cows so plenty of cow dung; so they take the cow dung and slap it against the wall so it sticks on the wall and it becomes baked by sun and they use it for cooking. In Bengali it is called gobar. So they said then at least maybe she can make some gobar, cow dung cakes. But this old lady was useless, she could not even make some cow dung cakes, she tried to lift up the cow down, but by the time she slapped it , it all got scattered, it did not stick on the wall, they all started laughing at first and when they tried to teach her and she could not learn, they told her that you get out of here, you are good for nothing. The gopis, the cowherd damsels of Vrndavana started telling her you seem to be a trespasser in Vrndavana, you can’t stay in Vrndavana, and you are not fit to stay in Vrndavana. They started to harass her, so this old lady namely Kamsa, was so distressed, she started crying and telling Purnamasi: “Please let me go let me go! I will never come back.”
(Laughs)
Purnamasi grabbed her by her hair again dunked her in the water again, she got back her form as Kamsa and she told him: “Now go.” He ran for his life and he took a vow that he will come back to Vrndavana. This way unless or until one is qualified one cannot enter into Vrndavana.
In order to enter into Vrndavana, one must have complete faith.
So Vrndavana is the land of faith. As you know before Krsna’s birth, Devaki gave birth to six sons who were killed by Kamsa. These six sons are personified as fame, glory etc…There are six such things just as there are six enemies: lust, greed, anger etc…, there are six aspects of pride: fame, glory etc…so they were killed by Kamsa.
Before Krsna comes, Balarama comes.
Who is Balarama?
Balarama is a pure living entity decorated with the service attitude. The pure living entity is Balarama.
How does the living entity become purified?
How does the living entity become situated in his constitutional position? Through his servitor ship.
jivera ‘svarupa’ haya—Krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’ Madhya 20.108-109
So Balarama is the personification of that pure living entity with pure service attitude.
So Rohini is the consciousness full of faith, sraddha. Here is the difference between Devaki and Rohini. Devaki is consciousness or mind having taken shelter of transcendental knowledge, so Devaki is mind full of transcendental knowledge, but Rohini is mind full of faith. So Balarama was transferred from Devaki’s womb to Rohini’s womb. Rohini is the personality full of faith.
Who is Yasoda?
Yasoda is jubilation. She is always jubilant and in jubilation appears Krsna.
Balarama appears as the seventh son and then came Krsna as the son of Yasoda. Balarama was the son of Rohini and Krsna was the son of Mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja. When Krsna was only seven days old, Kamsa wanted to kill Him and in order to kill Him, Kamsa sent a demon.
HHBCS : When the boys come, ask them to come from that side. HHBCS talks in Bengali.
So Kamsa sent Putana. Who is Putana? Putana is deception. Putana came apparently as a mother. Mother is actually full of affection and her affection is manifested in the form of her milk. Out of her affection, mother’s blood turns into milk. And the mother gives that milk as a token of affection to her son. Putana came as a mother but instead of milk what did she give? She wanted to give Krsna poison. Instead of affection her heart was filled with hatred. This is deception, when it pretends to be one thing but actually it is something else. So Putana is personification of deception. But Krsna is the all powerful Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now when a devotee takes shelter of Krsna, Krsna takes care of everything. Krsna removes all the impediments. So Putana came to kill Krsna but Krsna killed Putana. So in Krsna Consciousness, there is no chance of deception. Deception can not do anything to a devotee. Deception same as atheism can’t do anything to a devotee because a devotee is always protected by Krsna.
Then came Trinavrta who came as a world wind. When there is a world wind everything becomes topsy-turvy. Remember how Trinavrta came, he came covering the entire place with dry grass, dust, sand and broken stone chips so the whole place became completely covered by that and Krsna could not be seen. Trinavrta carried Krsna high up in the sky in order to kill Him. So who is Trinavrta? Trinavrta is argument and logic. When people become argumentative, often we find and come across people who are so argumentative, and sometimes they are very intelligent and they are completely bewildered, cover the whole consciousness with dust, grass, stone chips, fans and we can’t see Krsna we get completely baffled What does Krsna do? Krsna puts only His arms around this person and gives a little squeeze and as the result of that the person is finished. So unnecessary argument same as atheism is also destroyed by Krsna, Trinavarta demon is destroyed.
Sakatasura is the tendency to carry the big burden. Sometimes people carry big burdens like some people think how can I become a big devotee? How can I accept Krsna, I have so many responsibilities? I have my wife, my children, my grand children, my great grand children and what to speak of the “great great grand” children who are going to come. This way some people just carry unnecessary burden on their back as an ass. Like here it is not exactly an ass, it is a cart. Sakat means a cart; the demon came as a cart to kill Krsna. Kamsa sent Sakatasura to kill Krsna. Krsna just gave a little kick and Sakatasura was finished. So in this way with a little touch from Krsna’s lotus feet we can become free from this tendency to carry the big burden on our back.
Then Bakasura. Do you remember Bakasura?
Who is Bakasura?
Answer: a bird
What kind of bird is that?
Answer: “Crane.”
Crane. Okay! Right. You all have seen crane in India! Did you ever watch a crane?
How does it look like? What does he do?
Answer: It keeps something in the mouth.
What is that? Okay.
Crane actually goes to the water and just stands on the water and it looks as if they are meditating. But what are they meditating on? They are meditating on fish. Apparently it seems that he is a very saintly person, isn’t? So peaceful, so quite, his body is milk white but he is always thinking of fish. Right. Bakasura is pretentious saint. You see Baka crane and a swan look quite alike, but a swan is actually a saintly person, but the crane baka is the false saint, pretentious saint. Bakasura came to kill Krsna but he became killed by Krsna.
Then Aghasura. Who is Aghasura demon? Aghasura came as a snake. Whose personification is Aghasura?
Answer from the audience.
No. Aghasura is the personification of cruelty but Krsna killed him also.
After killing Aghasura, What did Krsna do? With his friends he went on the bank of Yamuna and had a picnic. So after cruelty comes the simplicity. Picnic is significant to simplicity. All the boys sitting together and as I mentioned the other day, when was that? Brahma could not figure out how come the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eating the remnants’ of others that is why Brahma started to doubt Krsna’s identity as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He thought that he can’t be the Supreme Personality of Godhead because the Supreme Personality of Godhead will not take any remnants from anyone. Why Brahma got this doubt because at that time Krsna was having a picnic with his friends. That day Krsna actually thought that I am the son of a king, in our house there is so many cows and my mother sent so many delicious milk products for me to eat, but all my friends are not coming from such wealthy family and many of them, they have to sell their milk in the market and therefore their parents can not give them nice prasadam. So today we will all share each others foods. Actually everyday they used to share each others foods, so that day they were also sharing each others foods. Krsna gave his delicious prasadam to somebody else and he took their simple prasadam and this way they were exchanging their food. And then some of the boys took a bite of something and when he liked it very much and he would say Krsna you take this, it is very delicious because in Vrndavan, everybody simply cares about Krsna’s pleasure, they do not care for their pleasure, they do not want to enjoy anything themselves. Anything that is enjoyable they want to offer that to Krsna. In this way they were offering things to Krsna and Krsna also was accepting their offerings. So when Brahma saw that he felt how the Supreme Personality of Godhead will eat somebody else remnants. In Vaikunta Krsna, Narayan , never does that but Vrndavan is something different. Vrndavan is beyond Vaikunta. Voluntarily by the influence of Yogamaya, Brahma forgot about it, he could not understand Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead who resides in Goloka Vrndavan that is why he stole the cowherd boys.
Then came Dhenukasura?. Who is Dhenukasura?
Do you remember Dhenukasura? Who killed Dhenukasura?
No answer from the audience.
This is one demon that Krsna Himself did not kill. Dhenukasura was killed by Balarama. Who is Dhenukasura? Dhenukasura is materialism.
Material intelligence is like although appears to be intelligent but actually they are just a bunch of fools.
Dhenuk means what? Do you know? Dhenuk means an ass. An ass is famous as a fool. When you see someone who is very stupid, what do you say? You say he is an ass or you say he is a donkey.
Dhenukasura is material intelligence and material intelligence is like a donkey. Donkey is very famous as a gift of God. In India not now not anymore but even a few years ago, donkeys were used to carry big burdens, big loads especially the washer men used to have the donkeys and they used to carry the clothes for washing on the donkey’s back and I have seen when I was young these loads used to be so big on two sides, huge big loads, you can barely see the donkey, it is like two big bags are walking. Material intelligence is like carrying a big load.
What is material intelligence?
Material intelligence is collection of information. More intelligence means a person who is more informed materially. He carries lots of information and he has the ability to live between this information and he uses the intelligence for what? Just for his maintenance, just to sustain himself. Similarly an ass also carries the big burden because the ass thinks that unless he carries the burden the washer man will not give him any grass to eat. The ass needs just a little bit of grass which is available everywhere. At least in India you get grass everywhere and for that one does not have to do anything, but a ass thinks that unless he carries the burden, his master will not give him the grass. Similarly the materialistic people carry a big burden. With the big burden what does he do? He works for somebody.
Like somebody studied at least sixteen to seventeen years, collect all kind of information, at the end of his study what does he want? He wants a job and then he get employed by somebody and that man gives him some money at the end of the month or at the end of the week and makes him work as a donkey, he carries the burden and he thinks unless he works for his boss, he is not going to get the money at the end of the month and he will starve. This is the materialistic intelligence or the materialistic mentality. Therefore according to the vedic understanding no intelligent man should take a job, work for somebody else, become a slave of somebody else. Only the sudras work for somebody else. Only the sudras look for employment otherwise vaisya, ksatriyas, and brahmanas are independent. That is Dhenukasura. Another thing about Dhenukasura that is material knowledge, material intelligence, and a person thinks I know so much, I am so wise but Dhenukasura; this wise man with material intelligence is straightened out by Balarama. Balarama is the spiritual master. That is why Dhenukasura was killed by Balarama. So the spiritual master takes care of that so called material intelligence. So when you come in front of the spiritual master when one accepts a spiritual master he should give up all his material intelligence and he should become a fool and that is real intelligence. Dhenukasura was killed and a person becomes really sheltered by the spiritual master.
Kaliya is wickedness. When a person is wicked, he simply wants to create difficulties for others, harass others. That’s what Kaliya was doing. Kaliya vitiated the entire Yamuna river and innocent cows when they drunk the water they lost their lives. This wicked people, although there is no reason to do harm to others but they go out of their way to harm others that is Kaliya. This tendency of being wicked is subdued by Krsna just by dancing on his heads.
Who is Nanda Maharaja? Nanda Maharaja is bliss personified. Nanda is ananda. Ananda means bliss. So Nanda Maharaja is bliss personified. Do you remember one day in Govardhana a snake came out of the cave and coiled Nanda Maharaja. Who is that snake? That snake is Impersonal liberation. So when one is coiled by the snake of impersonal liberation. What happens to your bliss? Your bliss is gone. Right. So Krsna rescued Nanda Maharaja from impersonal liberation. Actually impersonal liberation does not have any bliss, it destroys bliss.
Then Sankhasura. Do you know Sankhasurasura?
I think I have said yes
Sankhasura stole the gopis. Right after the rasa dance this demon came and saw Krsna surrounding by so many beautiful women, so he thought why this cowherd boys have so many beautiful women so he wanted to steal these women. So he stole some girls and at this time Lalita and Visaka came and informed Krsna. So Krsna immediately ran after Sankhasura. He grabbed him and punched him to death. Not only that then opened his ribs and pulled out a jewel. This jewel is called Srimantha, he gave that jewel to Balarams and Balarams ultimately gave it to Sridhams and Sridhams gave it to Radharani. Radharani wears this jewel. Who is Sankhasura? Sankhasura demon is fame. Fame is an impediment on the path of devotion that is also destroyed by Krsna.
Then just before Krsna was about to leave for Mathura, the last demon Krsna killed in Vrndavan is Kesi. Kesi is pride. Kesi was killed by Ksna so pride is subdued.
Then in Mathura Krsna killed Kamsa, atheism is destroyed. After Kamsa was killed, Kamsa’s two wives Asti and Prapti. Who are the wives of atheism? Who goes along with atheism? Possession and Achievement.
These possession and achievement are actually the two daughters of Jarasanda.
Who is Jarasanda? Jarasanda is karma kanda
When one is involved in karma kanda section of the Vedas. What is the result of practicing karma kanda? They possess lots of material possessions and there is a lot of achievements for them. So the two daughters of Jarasanda Asti and Prapti became widows after Kamsa’s death, so they went and told their father that Krsna killed their husband and they became widows. So Jarasanda attacked Mathura seventeen times and finally on the eighteen time Krsna left Mathura and went to Dwaraka. That also is significant because in karma kanda section there are eighteen different activities. So a pure devotee must give up them also. In this way, Bhaktivinode Thakur analyzes different aspects of Krsna’s pastimes.
Thank you.
Hare Krsna. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur ki!
Audience: Jaya!
Any questions?
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: There is a difference between Paramatma and Krsna. Paramatma although Krsna but he is inactive, but Krsna is active
Q: devotee develops his question
HHBCS: He may see but the devotee does not see Paramatma. Jnanis when they achieve perfection then they see paramatma. Krsna is situated in the heart of every living entity, but when the living entity begins to love Him, Krsna sitting in the heart, he can’t remain inactive, he can’t resist to the temptation to reciprocate to the love and then Krsna becomes active
Q: How come the other demons could enter Vrndavana and not Kamsa?
HHBCS: Well the other demons were more fortunate than Kamsa. Kamsa was totally unqualified. Atheism can’t enter into Vrndavana. The other demons were not atheism personified, they were the associates of atheism so they were allowed to enter into Vrndavana in the land of faith, then their atheism got smashed and then they got faith and got delivered.
Q: inaudible
HHBCS: Impersonalists believe in transcendence but they do not have the understanding of The Supreme Personality of Godhead while the mayavadis they deliberately deny the existence of the Personality of Godhead. In that sense the difference between impersonalists and mayavadis is that the impersonalists are somehow positive while the mayavadis are negative.
Q: Atheists are they considered as demons?
HHBCS: Do you have any doubt? (Laughs)
Atheists are demons in order to be a demon you have to be an atheist. In order to go against God you have to defy Him, you have to deny.
http://www.bcswami.com/2011/11/01/kr%cc%a3s%cc%a3n%cc%a3as-v%e1%b9%9bndavana-passtimes
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