Sri Krishna Madbhagavatam
43. The Killing of Kaṁsa
After Kaṁsa's wrestlers expressed their determination, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the killer of Madhu, confronted Cāṇūra, and Lord Balarāma, the son of Rohiṇī, confronted Muṣṭika. Kṛṣṇa and Cāṇūra
and then Balarāma and Muṣṭika
locked themselves hand to hand, leg to leg, and each began to press against the
other with a view to come out victorious. They joined palm to palm, calf to
calf, head to head, chest to chest and began to strike each other. The fighting
increased as they pushed one other from one place to another. One captured
another and threw him down on the ground, and another rushed from the back to
the front of another and tried to overcome him with a hold. The fighting
increased step by step. There was picking up, the dragging and pushing, and
then the legs and hands were locked together. All the arts of wrestling were
perfectly exhibited by the parties, as each tried his best to defeat his
opponent.
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But the audience in the wrestling arena was not very satisfied
because the combatants did not appear to be equally matched. They considered
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma
to be mere boys before the wrestlers Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika,
who were huge men as solid as stone. Being compassionate and favoring Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, many members of the
audience began to talk as follows. "Dear friends, there is danger
here." Another said, "Even in front of the King this wrestling is
going on between incompatible sides." The audience had lost their sense
of enjoyment. They could not encourage the fighting between the strong and
the weak. "Muṣṭika
and Cāṇūra
are just like thunderbolts, as strong as great mountains, and Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma are two delicate boys
of very tender age. The principle of justice has already left this assembly.
Persons who are aware of the civilized principles of justice will not remain
to watch this unfair match. Those taking part in this wrestling match are not
very much enlightened; therefore whether they speak or remain silent, they
are being subjected to the reactions of sinful activities." "But my
dear friends," another in the assembly spoke out, "just look at the
face of Kṛṣṇa.
There are drops of perspiration on His face from chasing His enemy, and His
face appears like the lotus flower with drops of water. And do you see how
the face of Lord Balarāma has turned especially beautiful? There is a reddish
hue on His white face because He is engaged in a strong wrestling match with
Muṣṭika."
Ladies in the assembly also addressed one another, "Dear
friends, just imagine how fortunate the land of Vṛndāvana is where the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself is present,
always decorated with flower garlands and engaged in tending cows along with
His brother, Lord Balarāma. He is always accompanied by His cowherd boy
friends, and He plays His transcendental flute. The residents of Vṛndāvana are fortunate to be able to
constantly see the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, which are worshiped by great demigods like Lord
Śiva and Brahmā and the goddess of fortune. We cannot estimate how many pious
activities were executed by the damsels of Vrajabhūmi so that they were able
to enjoy the Supreme Personality of Godhead and look on the unparalleled
beauty of His transcendental body. The beauty of the Lord is beyond compare.
No one is higher or equal to Him in beauty of complexion or bodily luster. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma are the reservoir of
all kinds of opulence--namely wealth, strength, beauty, fame, knowledge and
renunciation. The gopīs are so fortunate that they can see and think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day, beginning
from their milking the cows or husking the paddy or churning the butter in
the morning. While engaged in cleaning their houses and washing their floors,
they are always absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa."
The gopīs give a perfect example of how one can execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness even if he is in
different types of material engagement. By constantly being absorbed in the
thought of Kṛṣṇa,
one cannot be affected by the contamination of material activities. The gopīs
are, therefore, perfectly in trance, samādhi, the highest perfectional stage
of mystic power. In the Bhagavad-gītā, it is confirmed that one who is
constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa
is a first-class yogi among all kinds of yogīs. "My dear friends,"
one lady told another, "we must accept the gopīs' activities to be the
highest form of piety; otherwise, how could they have achieved the
opportunity of seeing Kṛṣṇa
both morning and evening when He goes to the pasturing ground with His cows
and cowherd boy friends and returns in the evening? They frequently see Him
playing on His flute and smiling very brilliantly."
When Lord Kṛṣṇa,
the Supersoul of every living being, understood that the ladies in the
assembly were anxious for Him, He decided not to continue wrestling but to
kill the wrestlers immediately. The parents of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, namely Nanda Mahārāja, Yaśodā, Vasudeva and
Devakī, were also very anxious because they did not know the unlimited
strength of their children. Lord Balarāma was fighting with the wrestler Muṣṭika in the same way that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, was fighting and wrestling with Cāṇūra. Lord Kṛṣṇa
appeared to be cruel to Cāṇūra,
and He immediately struck him thrice with His fist. The great wrestler was
jolted, to the astonishment of the audience. Cāṇūra then took his last chance and attacked Kṛṣṇa, just as one hawk swoops upon
another. Folding his two hands, he began to strike the chest of Kṛṣṇa, but Lord Kṛṣṇa was not even slightly disturbed, no more than an elephant that
is hit by a flower garland. Kṛṣṇa
quickly caught the two hands of Cāṇūra and began to wheel him around, and simply by this
centrifugal action, Cāṇūra
lost his life. Kṛṣṇa
then threw him to the ground. Cāṇūra fell just like the flag of Indra, and all his nicely
decorated ornaments were scattered hither and thither.
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Muṣṭika
also struck Balarāma, and Balarāma returned the stroke with great force. Muṣṭika began to tremble, and blood and
vomit flowed from his mouth. Distressed, he gave up his vital force and fell
down just as a tree falls down in a hurricane. After the two wrestlers were
killed, a wrestler named Kūṭa
came forward. Lord Balarāma immediately caught him in His left hand and killed
him nonchalantly. Another wrestler of the name Śala came forward, and Kṛṣṇa immediately kicked him and cracked
his head. Another wrestler named Tośala came forward and was killed in the same
way. Thus all the great wrestlers were killed by Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, and the remaining wrestlers began to flee from the
assembly out of fear for their lives. All the cowherd boy friends of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma approached Them and
congratulated Them with great pleasure. While drums beat and they talked of the
victory, the leg bells on the feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma tinkled.
All the people gathered there began to clap in great ecstasy, and
no one could estimate the bounds of their pleasure. The brāhmaṇas present began to praise Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma ecstatically. Only Kaṁsa was morose; he neither clapped nor
offered benediction to Kṛṣṇa.
Kaṁsa resented the drums' being beaten for
Kṛṣṇa's victory, and he was very sorry that
the wrestlers had been killed and had fled the assembly. He therefore
immediately ordered the drum playing to stop and began to address his friends
as follows: "I order that these two sons of Vasudeva be immediately driven
out of Mathurā. The cowherd boys who have come with Them should be plundered
and all their riches taken away. Nanda Mahārāja should immediately be arrested
and killed for his cunning behavior, and the rascal Vasudeva should also be
killed without delay. Also my father, Ugrasena, who has always supported my
enemies against my will, should be killed."
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When Kaṁsa
spoke in this way, Lord Kṛṣṇa
became very angry with him, and within a second He jumped over the high
guards of King Kaṁsa.
Kaṁsa
was prepared for Kṛṣṇa's
attack, for he knew from the beginning that He was to be the cause of his
death. He immediately unsheathed his sword and prepared to answer the
challenge of Kṛṣṇa
with sword and shield. As Kaṁsa
wielded his sword up and down, hither and thither, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme powerful Lord, caught
hold of him with great force. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the
shelter of the complete creation and from whose lotus navel the whole
creation is manifested, immediately knocked the crown from the head of Kaṁsa and grabbed his long hair in His
hand. He then dragged Kaṁsa
from his seat to the wrestling dais and threw him down. Then Kṛṣṇa at once straddled his chest and
began to strike him over and over again. Simply from the strokes of His fist,
Kaṁsa
lost his vital force.
In order to assure His parents that Kaṁsa was dead, Lord Kṛṣṇa dragged him just as a lion drags an elephant after killing it.
On sight of this, there was a great roaring sound from all sides, as some
spectators expressed their jubilation and others cried in lamentation. From
the day Kaṁsa
heard that he would be killed by the eighth son of Devakī, he was always
thinking of Kṛṣṇa
twenty-four hours a day without any stoppage--even while he was eating, while
he was walking, while he was breathing--and naturally he got the blessing of liberation.
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ: a person gets his next life
according to the thoughts in which he is always absorbed. Kaṁsa was thinking of Kṛṣṇa with His wheel, which means Nārāyaṇa who holds a wheel, conchshell, lotus
flower and club.
According to the opinion of authorities, Kaṁsa attained sārūpya-mukti after
death, that is to say he attained the same form as Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu). On the Vaikuṇṭha
planets all the inhabitants have the same bodily features as Nārāyaṇa. After his death, Kaṁsa attained liberation and was
promoted to Vaikuṇṭhaloka.
From this instance we can understand that even a person who thinks of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as an enemy gets liberation and a place in a
Vaikuṇṭha
planet, so what to speak of the pure devotees who are always absorbed in
favorable thoughts of Kṛṣṇa?
Even an enemy who is killed by Kṛṣṇa gets liberation and is placed in the impersonal brahmajyoti.
Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is all good, anyone thinking of Him,
either as enemy or as friend, gets liberation. But the liberation of the
devotee and the liberation of the enemy are not the same. The enemy generally
gets the liberation of sāyujya, and sometimes he gets sārūpya liberation.
Kaṁsa
had eight brothers, headed by Kaṅka. All of them were younger than he, and when they learned that
their elder brother had been killed, they combined together and rushed
towards Kṛṣṇa
in great anger to kill Him. Kaṁsa and his brothers were all Kṛṣṇa's maternal uncles. They were all brothers of Kṛṣṇa's mother, Devakī. When Kṛṣṇa killed Kaṁsa He killed His maternal uncle, which is against the regulation
of Vedic injunction. Although Kṛṣṇa is independent of all Vedic injunction, He violates the Vedic
injunction only in inevitable cases. Kaṁsa could not be killed by anyone but Kṛṣṇa; therefore Kṛṣṇa
was obliged to kill him. As far as Kaṁsa's eight brothers were concerned, Balarāma took charge of
killing them. Balarāma's mother, Rohiṇī, although the wife of Vasudeva, was not the sister of Kaṁsa; therefore Balarāma took charge of
killing all of Kaṁsa's
eight brothers. He immediately took up an available weapon (most probably the
elephant's tusk which He carried) and killed the eight brothers one after
another, just as a lion kills a flock of deer. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma thus verified the statement that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead appears to give protection to the pious and to kill
the impious demons, who are always enemies of the demigods.
The demigods from the higher planetary systems began to shower
flowers, congratulating Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma. Among the demigods were powerful personalities like Lord Brahmā
and Śiva, and all joined together in showing their jubilation over Kaṁsa's death. There was beating of
drums and showering of flowers from the heavenly planets, and the wives of
the demigods began to dance in ecstasy.
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The wives of Kaṁsa
and his eight brothers became aggrieved on account of their husbands' sudden
deaths, and all of them were striking their foreheads and shedding torrents of
tears. They were crying very loudly and embracing the bodies of their husbands.
The wives of Kaṁsa
and his brothers began to lament, addressing the dead bodies: "Our dear
husbands, you are so kind and are the protectors of your dependents. Now, after
your death, we are also dead, along with your homes and children. We are no
longer looking very auspicious. On account of your death, the auspicious
functions which were to take place, such as the sacrifice of the bow, have all
been spoiled. Our dear husbands, you treated persons ill who were faultless,
and as a result you have been killed. This is inevitable because a person who
torments an innocent person must be punished by the laws of nature. We know
that Lord Kṛṣṇa
is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the supreme master of everything
and the supreme enjoyer of everything, and therefore anyone who neglects His
authority can never be happy, and ultimately, as you have, he meets
death."
Since Kṛṣṇa
was kind and affectionate to His aunts, He began to give them solace as far as
was possible. The ritualistic ceremonies after death were then conducted under
the personal supervision of Kṛṣṇa
because He happened to be the nephew of all the dead princes. After finishing
this business, Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma immediately released Their father and mother, Vasudeva and Devakī
who had been imprisoned by Kaṁsa.
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma fell at Their parents'
feet and offered them prayers. Vasudeva and Devakī had suffered so much trouble
because Kṛṣṇa
was their son; it was beause of Kṛṣṇa that Kaṁsa
was always giving them trouble. Devakī and Vasudeva were fully conscious of Kṛṣṇa's exalted position as the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; therefore, although Kṛṣṇa touched their feet and offered obeisances and prayers to them,
they did not embrace Him, but simply stood up to hear the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. Although Kṛṣṇa
was born as their son, Vasudeva and Devakī were always conscious of His
position.
44. Kṛṣṇa Recovers the
Son of His Teacher
When Lord Kṛṣṇa saw that Vasudeva and Devakī were remaining standing in a
reverential attitude, He immediately expanded His influence of yogamāyā so that
they could treat Him and Balarāma as children. As in the material world the
relationship existing between father and mother and children can be established
amongst different living entities by the influence of the illusory energy, so,
by the influence of yogamāyā, the devotee can establish a relationship in which
the Supreme Personality of Godhead is his child. After creating this situation
by His yogamāyā, Kṛṣṇa,
appearing with His elder brother Balarāma as the most illustrious sons in the
dynasty of the Sātvatas, very submissively and respectfully addressed Vasudeva
and Devakī: "My dear father and mother, although you have always been very
anxious for the protection of Our lives, you could not enjoy the pleasure of
having Us as your babies, as your growing boys and as your adolescent
youths." Kṛṣṇa
indirectly praised the fatherhood of Nanda Mahārāja and motherhood of Yaśodā as
most glorious because although He and Balarāma were not their born sons, Nanda
and Yaśodā actually enjoyed Their childhood pastimes. By nature's own
arrangement, the childhood of the embodied living being is enjoyed by the
parents. Even in the animal kingdom the parents are found to be affectionate to
the cubs. Being captivated by the activities of their children, they take much
care for their well-being. As for Vasudeva and Devakī, they were always very
anxious for the protection of their sons, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. That is why Kṛṣṇa, after His appearance, was immediately transferred to another's
house. Balarāma was also transferred from Devakī's womb to Rohiṇī's womb.
Vasudeva and Devakī were full of anxieties for Kṛṣṇa's and Balarāma's protection, and they
could not enjoy Their childhood pastimes. Kṛṣṇa said, "Unfortunately, being ordered by Our fate, We could
not be raised by Our own parents to enjoy childhood pleasures at home. My dear
father and mother, a man has a debt to pay to his parents, from whom he gets
this body which can bestow upon him all the benefits of material existence.
According to the Vedic injunction, this human form of life enables one to
perform all kinds of religious activities, fulfill all kinds of desires and
acquire all kinds of wealth. And only in this human form is there every
possibility that one can get liberation from material existence. This body is
produced by the combined efforts of the father and mother. Every human being
should be obliged to his parents and understand that he cannot repay his debt
to them. If, after growing up, a son does not try to satisfy his parents by his
actions or by an endowment of riches, he is surely punished after death by the
superintendent of death and made to eat his own flesh. If a person is able to
care for or give protection to old parents, children, the spiritual master,
brāhmaṇas
and other dependents, but does not do so, he is considered to be already dead,
although he is supposedly breathing. My dear father and mother, you have always
been very anxious for Our protection, but unfortunately We could not render any
service unto you. Up to date We have simply wasted Our time; We could not serve
you for reasons beyond Our control. Mother and father, please excuse Us for Our
sinful action."
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead was speaking as an
innocent boy in very sweet words, both Vasudeva and Devakī became captivated by
parental affection and embraced Them with great pleasure. They were amazed and
could not speak or answer the words of Kṛṣṇa, but simply embraced Him and Balarāma in great affection and
remained silent, shedding incessant tears.
Thus consoling His father and mother, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, appearing as the beloved son of Devakī, approached His grandfather
Ugrasena and announced that Ugrasena would now be the King of the Yadu kingdom.
Kaṁsa had been forcibly ruling over the
kingdom of Yadu, in spite of the presence of his father, whom he had arrested.
But after the death of Kaṁsa,
Kaṁsa's father was released and announced
to be the king of the Yadu kingdom. It appears that in those days, in the
western part of India, there were many small kingdoms, and they were ruled by
the Yadu dynasty, Andhaka dynasty, Vṛṣṇi dynasty and Bhoja dynasty. Mahārāja Ugrasena belonged to the
Bhoja dynasty; therefore Kṛṣṇa
indirectly declared that the King of the Bhoja dynasty would be the emperor of
the other small kingdoms. He willingly asked Mahārāja Ugrasena to rule over
Them because They were his subjects. The word prajā is used both for the
progeny and for the citizens, so Kṛṣṇa belonged to the prajā, both as a grandson to Mahārāja Ugrasena
and as a member of the Yadu dynasty. He voluntarily accepted the rule of
Mahārāja Ugrasena. He informed Ugrasena: "Being cursed by the Yayāti, the
kings of the Yadu dynasty will not rise against the throne. It will be Our
pleasure to serve you as your servants. Our full cooperation with you will make
your position more exalted and secure so that the kings of other dynasties will
not hesitate to pay their respective revenues. Protected by Us, you will be
honored even by the demigods from the heavenly planets. My dear grandfather,
out of fear of My late uncle Kaṁsa,
all the kings belonging to the Yadu dynasty, Vṛṣṇi dynasty, Andhaka dynasty, Madhu dynasty, Daśārha dynasty and
Kukura dynasty were very anxious and disturbed. Now you can pacify them all and
give them assurance of security. The whole kingdom will be peaceful."
All the kings in the neighboring area
had left their homes in fear of Kaṁsa and were living in distant parts of the country. Now, after the
death of Kaṁsa
and the reinstatement of Ugrasena as king, the neighboring kings were given all
kinds of presentations and comforts. Then they returned to their respective
homes. After this nice political arrangement, the citizens of Mathurā were
pleased to live in Mathurā, being protected by the strong arms of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. On account of good
government in the presence of Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma, the inhabitants of Mathurā felt complete satisfaction in the
fulfillment of all their material desires and necessities, and because they saw
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma daily, eye to eye, they
soon forgot all material miseries completely. As soon as they saw Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma coming out on the
street, very nicely dressed and smiling and looking here and there, the
citizens were immediately filled with loving ecstasies, simply by seeing the
personal presence of Mukunda. Mukunda refers to one who can award liberation
and transcendental bliss. Kṛṣṇa's
presence acted as such a vitalizing tonic that not only the younger generation,
but even the old men of Mathurā became fully invigorated with youthful energy
and strength by regularly seeing Him.
Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā were also
living in Mathurā because Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma were there, but after some time they wanted to go back to Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma went before them and very feelingly and
affectionately embraced Nanda and Yaśodā, and Kṛṣṇa began to speak as follows: "My Dear father and mother,
although I was born of Vasudeva and Devakī, you have been Our real father and
mother, because from Our very birth and childhood, you raised Us with great
affection and love. Your affectionate love for Us was more than anyone can
offer one's own children. You are actually Our father and mother, because you
raised Us as your own children at a time when when We were just like orphans.
For certain reasons We were rejected by Our father and mother, and you
protected Us. My dear father and mother, I know you will be feeling separation
by returning to Vṛndāvana
and leaving Us here, but please rest assured that I shall be coming back to Vṛndāvana just after giving some
satisfaction to My real father and mother, Vasudeva and Devakī, My grandfather,
and other relatives and family members." Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma satisfied Nanda and Yaśodā by sweet words and by
presentation of various clothing, ornaments and properly made utensils. They
satisfied them, along with their friends and neighbors who had come with them
from Vṛndāvana
to Mathurā, as fully as possible. On account of his excessive parental
affection for Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa,
Nanda Mahārāja felt tears in his eyes, and he embraced Them and started with
the cowherd men for Vṛndāvana.
After this, Vasudeva had his son
initiated by sacred thread as the token of second birth, which is essential for
the higher castes of human society. Vasudeva called for his family priest and
learned brāhmaṇas,
and the sacred thread ceremony of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma was duly performed. During this ceremony, Vasudeva
gave various ornaments in charity to the brāhmaṇas and endowed them with cows decorated with silken cloths and
golden ornaments. Previously, during the birth of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, Vasudeva had wanted to give cows in charity to the
brāhmaṇas,
but being imprisoned by Kaṁsa,
he was able to do so only within his mind. With the death of Kaṁsa the actual cows were given to the
brāhmaṇas.
Then Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa
were duly initiated with the sacred thread ceremony, and They repeated the
chanting of the Gāyatrī mantra. The Gāyatrī mantra is offered to the disciples
after the sacred thread ceremony, and Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa properly discharged the duties of chanting this mantra. Anyone
who executes the chanting of this mantra has to abide by certain principles and
vows. Although Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa
were both transcendental personalities, They strictly followed the regulative
principles. Both were initiated by Their family priest Gargācārya, usually
known as Gargamuni, the ācārya of the Yadu dynasty. According to Vedic culture,
every respectable person has an ācārya, or spiritual master. One is not
considered to be a perfectly cultured man without being initiated and trained
by an ācārya. It is said, therefore, that one who has approached an ācārya is
actually in perfect knowledge. Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master
of all education and knowledge. There was no need for Them to accept a
spiritual master or ācārya, yet for the instruction of ordinary men, They also
accepted a spiritual master for advancement in spiritual knowledge.
It is customary, after being initiated
in the Gāyatrī mantra, for one to live away from home for some time under the
care of the ācārya in order to be trained in spiritual life. During this period
one has to work under the spiritual master as an ordinary menial servant. There
are many rules and regulations for a brahmacārī living under the care of an
ācārya, and both Lord Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma strictly followed those regulative principles while living under
the instruction of their spiritual master, Sāndīpani Muni, in his place in
northern India. According to scriptural injunctions, a spiritual master should
be respected and be regarded on an equal level with the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Both Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma exactly followed those principles with great devotion and
underwent the regulations of brahmacarya, and thus They satisfied Their
spiritual master, who instructed Them in Vedic knowledge. Being very satisfied,
Sāndīpani Muni instructed Them in all the intricacies of Vedic wisdom as well
as in supplementary literatures such as the Upaniṣads. Because Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma happened to be kṣatriyas,
They were specifically trained in military science, politics and mathematics.
In politics there are six departments of knowledge--how to make peace, how to
fight, how to pacify, how to divide and rule, how to give shelter, etc. All
these items were fully explained and instructed to Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma
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The ocean is the source of water in a river. The cloud is
created by the evaporation of ocean water, and the same water is distributed
as rain all over the surface of the earth and then returns toward the ocean
in rivers. So Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are the source of all kinds
of knowledge, but because They were playing like ordinary human boys, They
set the example so that everyone would receive knowledge from the right
source. Thus They agreed to take knowledge from a spiritual master.
After hearing only once from the teacher, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma learned all the arts
and sciences. In sixty-four days and sixty-four nights They learned all the
necessary arts and sciences that are required in human society. During
daytime They took lessons on a subject from the teacher, and by nightfall,
after having heard from the teacher, They were expert in that department of
knowledge.
First of all They learned how to sing, how to compose songs and
how to recognize the different tunes; They learned the favorable and
unfavorable accents and meters, how to sing different kinds of rhythms and
melodies, and how to follow them by beating different kinds of drums. They
learned how to dance with rhythm, melody and different songs. They learned
how to write dramas, and They learned the various types of paintings,
beginning from different village arts up to the highest perfectional stage.
They also learned how to paint tilaka on the face and make different kinds of
dots on the forehead and cheeks. Then They learned the art of painting on the
floor with liquid paste of rice and flour; such paintings are very popular at
auspicious ceremonies performed at household affairs or in the temple. They
learned how to make a resting place with flowers and how to decorate clothing
and leaves with colorful paintings. They also learned how to set different
valuable jewels in ornaments. They learned the art of ringing waterpots.
Waterpots are filled with water to a certain measurement so that when one
beats on the pots, different tunes are produced, and when the pots are beaten
together they produce a melodious sound. They also learned how to throw water
in the rivers or the lakes while taking a bath among friends. They also
learned how to decorate with flowers. This art of decorating can still be
seen in various temples of Vṛndāvana
during the summer season. It is called phulabāḍi. The dais, the throne, the walls and the ceiling are all fully
decorated, and a small, aromatic fountain of flowers is fixed in the center.
Because of these floral decorations, the people, fatigued from the heat of
the summer season, become refreshed.
Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma learned the art of dressing hair in various styles and fixing a
helmet in different positions on the head. They also learned how to perform
on a theatrical stage, how to decorate dramatic actors with flower ornaments
over the ear, and how to sprinkle sandalwood pulp and water to produce a nice
fragrance. They also learned the art of performing magical feats. Within the
magical field there is an art called bahurūpī by which a person dresses
himself in such a way that when he approaches a friend he cannot be
recognized. They also learned how to make beverages which are required at
various times, and they studied syrups and tastes and the effects of
intoxication. They learned how to manipulate thin threads for dancing
puppets, and They learned how to string wires on musical instruments, such as
the vīṇā,
sitar and tampura, to produce melodious sound. Then They learned puzzles and
how to set and solve them. They learned the art of reading books from which
even a foolish student can very quickly learn to read the alphabet and
comprehend writing. Then They learned how to rehearse and act out a drama.
They also studied the art of solving crossword puzzles, filling up the
missing space and making complete words.
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They also learned how to draw pictographic literature. In some
countries in the world, pictographic literature is still current. A story is
represented by pictures; for instance, a man and a house are pictured to
represent a man going home. Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma also learned the art of architecture--how to construct residential
buildings. They learned to recognize valuable jewels by studying the luster and
the quality of their colors. Then They learned the art of setting jewels with
gold and silver. They also learned how to study soil to find minerals. This
study of soil is now a greatly specialized science, but formerly it was common
knowledge even for the ordinary man. They learned to study herbs and plants and
to extract medicine from the elements. By studying the different species of
plants, They learned how to crossbreed plants and get different types of
fruits. They learned how to train and engage lambs and cocks in fighting for
sporting purposes. They then learned how to teach parrots to speak and answer
the questions of human beings.
They learned practical psychology--how to influence another's mind
and thus induce another to act according to one's own desire. Sometimes this is
called hypnotism. They learned how to wash hair, dye it in different colors and
curl it in different ways. They learned the art of telling what is written in
someone's book without actually seeing it. They learned to tell what is
contained in another's fist. Sometimes children imitate this art, although not
very accurately. One child keeps something within his fist and asks his friend,
"Can you tell what is within?" and the friend gives some suggestion,
although He actually cannot tell. But there is an art by which one can
understand and actually tell what is held within the fist.
Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma learned how to speak and understand the languages of various
countries. They learned not only the languages of human beings. Kṛṣṇa could also speak even with animals
and birds. Evidence of this is found in Vaiṣṇava literature compiled by the Gosvāmīs. Then They learned how to
make carriages and airplanes from flowers. It is said in the Ramāyāṇa that after defeating Rāvaṇa, Rāmacandra was carried from Laṅkā to Bhāratavarṣa on a plane of flowers called puṣpa-ratha. Kṛṣṇa then learned the art of foretelling events by seeing signs. In a
book called Khanār vacana, the various types of signs and omens are described.
If, when one is going out, one sees someone with a bucket full of water, that
is a very good sign. But if one sees someone with an empty bucket, it is not a
very good sign. Similarly, if one sees cow's milk along with a calf, it is a
good sign. The result of understanding these signs is that one can foretell
events, and Kṛṣṇa
learned the science. Kṛṣṇa
also learned the art of composing mātṛkā. A mātṛkā
is a crossword section with three letters in a line; counting any three from
any side, it will count nine. The mātṛkās are of different kinds and are for different purposes.
Kṛṣṇa
learned the art of cutting valuable stones such as diamonds, and He learned the
art of questioning and answering by immediately composing poetry within His
mind. He learned the science of the action and reaction of physical
combinations and permutations. He learned the art of a psychiatrist, who can
understand the psychic movements of another person. He learned how to satisfy
one's desires. Desires are very difficult to fulfill; but if one desires
something which is unreasonable and can never be fulfilled, the desire can be
subdued and satisfied, and that is an art. By this art one can also subdue sex
impulses when they are aroused, as they are even in brahmacārī life. By this
art one can make even an enemy his friend or transfer the direct action of a physical
element to other things.
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Lord Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma, the reservoir of all knowledge of arts and sciences, exhibited
Their perfect understanding when They offered to serve Their teacher by
awarding him anything he desired. This offering by the student to the teacher
or spiritual master is called guru-dakṣiṇā.
It is essential that a student satisfy the teacher in return for any learning
received, either material or spiritual. When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma offered Their service in this way, the teacher,
Sāndīpani Muni, thought it wise to ask Them for something extraordinary,
something which no common student could offer. He therefore consulted with
his wife about what to ask from Them. They had already seen the extraordinary
potencies of Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma and could understand that the two boys were the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. They decided to ask for the return of their son, who
had drowned in the ocean on the bank of Prabhāsakṣetra.
When Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma heard from Their teacher about the death of his son on the bank
of Prabhāsakṣetra,
They immediately started for the ocean on Their chariot. Reaching the beach,
They asked the controlling deity of the ocean to return the son of Their
teacher. The ocean deity immediately appeared before the Lord and offered Him
all respectful obeisances with great humility.
The Lord said, "Some time back you caused the drowning of
the son of Our teacher. I order you to return him."
The ocean deity replied, "The boy was not actually taken by
me, but was captured by a demon named Pañcajana. This great demon generally
remains deep in the water in the shape of a conchshell. The son of Your
teacher might be within the belly of the demon, having been devoured by
him."
On hearing this, Kṛṣṇa dove deep into the water and caught hold of the demon
Pañcajana. He killed him on the spot, but could not find the son of His
teacher within his belly. Therefore He took the demon's dead body (in the
shape of a conchshell) and returned to His chariot on the beach of Prabhāsakṣetra. From there He started for Saṁyamanī, the residence of Yamarāja,
the superintendent of death. Accompanied by His elder brother Balarāma, who
is also known as Halāyudha, Kṛṣṇa
arrived there and blew on His conchshell.
Hearing the vibration, Yamarāja appeared and received Śrī Kṛṣṇa with all respectful obeisances.
Yamarāja could understand who Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were, and therefore he immediately offered his
humble service to the Lord. Kṛṣṇa
had appeared on the surface of the earth as an ordinary human being, but
actually Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma are the Supersoul living within the heart of every living
entity. They are Viṣṇu
Himself, but were playing just like ordinary human boys. As Yamarāja offered
his services to the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa asked him to return His teacher's son, who had come to him as
a result of his work. "Considering My ruling as supreme," said Kṛṣṇa, "you should immediately
return the son of My teacher."
Yamarāja returned the boy to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma brought him to his father. The brothers asked if Their teacher
had anything more to ask from Them, but he replied, "My dear sons, You
have done enough for me. I am now completely satisfied. What further want can
there be for a man who has disciples like You? My dear boys, You can go home
now. These glorious acts of Yours will always be renowned all over the world.
You are above all blessing, yet it is my duty to bless You. I give You the
benediction that whatever You speak will remain as eternally fresh as the
instruction of the Vedas. Your teachings will not only be honored within this
universe or in this millennium, but in all places and ages and will remain
increasingly new and important." Due to this benediction from His
teacher, Lord Kṛṣṇa's
Bhagavad-gītā is ever increasingly fresh and is not only renowned within this
universe, but in other planets and in other universes also.
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Being ordered by Their teacher, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma immediately returned home on Their chariots. They
traveled at great speeds like the wind and made sounds like the crashing of
clouds. All the residents of Mathurā, who had not seen Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma for a long time, were
very pleased to see Them again. They felt joyful, like a person who has
regained his lost property.
45. Uddhava Visits Vṛndāvana
Nanda Mahārāja returned to Vṛndāvana without Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. He was accompanied only
by the cowherd boys and men. It was certainly a very pathetic scene for the
gopīs, mother Yaśodā, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the inhabitants and residents of Vṛndāvana. Many devotees have tried to
make adjustments to Kṛṣṇa's
being away from Vṛndāvana
because according to expert opinion, Kṛṣṇa, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, never goes even a
step out of Vṛndāvana.
He always remains there. The explanation of expert devotees is that Kṛṣṇa was actually not absent from Vṛndāvana; He came back with Nanda
Mahārāja as promised.
When He was going to Mathurā on the
chariot driven by Akrūra and the gopīs were practically blocking the way, Kṛṣṇa assured them that He was coming back
just after finishing His business in Mathurā. He told them not to be
overwhelmed, and in this way He pacified them. But when He did not come back
with Nanda Mahārāja, it appeared that He either cheated them or could not keep
His promise. Expert devotees, however, have decided that Kṛṣṇa was neither a cheater nor a breaker
of promises. Kṛṣṇa,
in His original identity, returned with Nanda Mahārāja and stayed with the
gopīs and mother Yaśodā in His bhava expansion. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma remained in Mathurā, not in Their original forms,
but in Their expansions as Vāsudeva and Saṅkarṣaṇa. The real Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were in Vṛndāvana in Their bhava manifestation, whereas in Mathurā They
appeared in the prabhava and vaibhava expansions. This is the expert opinion of
advanced devotees of Kṛṣṇa.
But when Nanda Mahārāja was preparing to return to Vṛndāvana, there was discussion among him, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma as to how the boys could live in separation from
Nanda. The conclusion to separate was reached by mutual agreement.
Vasudeva and Devakī happened to be Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma's real parents. They
wanted to keep Them now because of the death of Kaṁsa. While Kaṁsa
was alive, They were kept under the protection of Nanda Mahārāja in Vṛndāvana. Now, naturally, the father and
mother of Kṛṣṇa
and Balarāma wanted Them to remain with them, specifically for the reformatory
function of purification, the sacred thread ceremony. They also wanted to give
Them a proper education, for this is the duty of the father. Another consideration
was that all the friends of Kaṁsa
outside Mathurā were planning to attack Mathurā. For that reason also Kṛṣṇa's presence was required. Kṛṣṇa did not want Vṛndāvana to be disturbed by enemies like
Dantavakra and Jarāsandha. If Kṛṣṇa
were to go to Vṛndāvana,
these enemies would not only attack Mathurā, but would go on to Vṛndāvana, and the peaceful inhabitants
of Vṛndāvana
would be disturbed. Kṛṣṇa
therefore decided to remain in Mathurā, and Nanda Mahārāja went back to Vṛndāvana. Although the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana were feeling separation from Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa was always present with them by His līlā, or pastimes, and this
made them ecstatic.
Since Kṛṣṇa had departed from Vṛndāvana to Mathurā, the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, especially mother Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the gopīs and the cowherd boys, were
simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa
at every step. They were thinking, "Kṛṣṇa was playing in this way. Kṛṣṇa was blowing His flute. Kṛṣṇa was joking with us, and Kṛṣṇa was embracing us." This is called līlā-smaraṇa, and it is the process of association
with Kṛṣṇa
most recommended by great devotees; even Lord Caitanya enjoyed līlā-smaraṇa association with Kṛṣṇa when He was at Purī. Those who are in
the most exalted position of devotional service and ecstasy can live with Kṛṣṇa always by remembering His pastimes.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākur
has given us a transcendental literature entitled Kṛṣṇa-bhāvanamṛtā,
which is full with Kṛṣṇa's
pastimes. Devotees can remain absorbed in Kṛṣṇa-thought by reading such books. Any book of Kṛṣṇa-līlā, even this book, Kṛṣṇa, and our Teachings of Lord Caitanya,
is actually solace for devotees who are feeling the separation of Kṛṣṇa.
That Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma did not come to Vṛndāvana can be adjusted as follows: They did not break Their
promise to return to Vṛndāvana,
nor were They absent, but Their presence was necessary in Mathurā.
In the meantime, Uddhava, a
cousin-brother of Kṛṣṇa,
came to see Kṛṣṇa
from Dvārakā. He was the son of Vasudeva's brother and was almost the same age
as Kṛṣṇa.
His bodily features resembled Kṛṣṇa's
almost exactly. After returning from His teacher's home, Kṛṣṇa was pleased to see Uddhava, who
happened to be His dearmost friend. He wanted to send him to Vṛndāvana with a message to the residents
to pacify their deep feeling of separation.
As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, ye
yathā māṁ
prapadyante: Kṛṣṇa
is very responsive. He responds in proportion to the devotee's advancement in
devotional service. The gopīs were thinking of Kṛṣṇa in separation twenty-four hours a day. Kṛṣṇa was also always thinking of the gopīs, mother Yaśodā, Nanda
Mahārāja and the residents of Vṛndāvana,
although He appeared to be away from them. He could understand how they were
transcendentally aggrieved, and so He immediately wanted to send Uddhava to
give them a message of solace.
Uddhava is described as the most
exalted personality in the Vṛṣṇi
dynasty, almost equal to Kṛṣṇa.
He was a great friend, and on account of being the direct student of Bṛhaspati, the teacher and priest of the
heavenly planets, he was very intelligent and sharp in decision. From the
intellectual standpoint, he was highly qualified. Kṛṣṇa, being a very loving friend of Uddhava, wanted to send him to Vṛndāvana just to study the highly
elevated ecstatic devotional service practiced there. Even if one is highly
elevated in material education and is even the disciple of Bṛhaspati, he still has to learn from the
gopīs and the residents of Vṛndāvana
how to love Kṛṣṇa
to the highest degree. Sending Uddhava to Vṛndāvana with a message to the residents of Vṛndāvana to pacify them was Kṛṣṇa's special favor to Uddhava.
Lord Kṛṣṇa's name is Hari, which means one who takes away all the distress
from the surrendered souls. Lord Caitanya states that there cannot be, at any
time, a worship as exalted as that realized by the gopīs. Being very anxious
about the gopīs' grief, Kṛṣṇa
talked with Uddhava and politely requested him to go to Vṛndāvana. Shaking Uddhava's hand with
His own hands, He said, "My dear gentle friend Uddhava, please go
immediately to Vṛndāvana
and try to pacify My father and mother, Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodādevi, and the
gopīs. They are very much griefstricken, as if suffering from great ailments.
Go and give them a message. I hope their ailments will be partially relieved.
The gopīs are always absorbed in thoughts of Me. They have dedicated body,
desire, life and soul to Me. I am anxious not only for the gopīs, but for
anyone who sacrifices society, friendship, love and personal comforts for Me.
It is My duty to protect such exalted devotees. The gopīs are the most dear.
They are always thinking of Me in such a way that they remain overwhelmed and
almost dead in anxiety due to separation from Me. They are keeping alive simply
by thinking that I am returning to them very soon."
Requested by Lord Kṛṣṇa, Uddhava immediately left on his
chariot and carried the message to Gokula. He approached Vṛndāvana at sunset, when the cows were
returning home from the pasturing ground. Uddhava and his chariot were covered
by the dust raised by the hooves of the cows. He saw bulls running after cows
for mating; other cows, with overladened milk bags, were running after the
calves to fill them with milk. Uddhava saw that the entire land of Vṛndāvana was filled with white cows and
their calves. Cows were running here and there all over Gokula, and he could
hear the sound of milking. Every residential house in Vṛndāvana was decorated for the worship of the sun-god and the
fire-god and for the reception of guests, cows, brāhmaṇas and demigods. Every home was illuminated with light and incense
arranged for sanctification. All over Vṛndāvana there were nice flower garlands, flying birds and the
humming sound of the bees. The lakes were filled with lotus flowers and with
ducks and swans.
Uddhava entered the house of Nanda
Mahārāja and was received as a representative of Vāsudeva. Nanda Mahārāja
offered him a place and sat down with him to ask about messages from Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and other family members in
Mathurā. He could understand that Uddhava was a very confidential friend of Kṛṣṇa and therefore must have come with
good messages. "My dear Uddhava, how is my friend Vasudeva enjoying life?
He is now released from the prison of Kaṁsa, and he is now with his friends and his children, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. So he must be very
happy. Tell me about him and his welfare. We are also very happy that Kaṁsa, the most sinful demon, is now
killed. He was always envious of the family of the Yadus, his friends and
relatives. Now because of his sinful activities, he is dead and gone, along
with all his brothers
"Please let us now know whether Kṛṣṇa is remembering His father and mother
and His friends and companions in Vṛndāvana. Does He like to remember His cows, His gopīs, His
Govardhana Hill, His pasturing ground in Vṛndāvana? Or has He forgotten all these now? Is there any
possibility of His coming back to His friends and relatives so that we can
again see His beautiful face with its raised nose and lotus-like eyes? We
remember how He saved us from the forest fire, how He saved us from the great
snake Kāliya in the Yamunā, how He saved us from so many other demons, and we
simply think how much we are obliged to Him for giving us protection in so many
dangerous situations. My dear Uddhava, when we think of Kṛṣṇa's beautiful face and eyes and His
different activities here in Vṛndāvana,
we become so overwhelmed that all our activities cease. We simply think of Kṛṣṇa, how He used to smile and how He
looked upon us. When we go to the banks of the Yamunā and other lakes of Vṛndāvana or near Govardhana Hill or the
pasturing field, we see that the impressions of Kṛṣṇa's footprints are still on the surface of the earth. We remember
Him playing in those places, because He was constantly visiting them. When His
appearance within our minds becomes manifest, we immediately become absorbed in
thought of Him.
"We think, therefore, that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma may be chief demigods in
heaven who have appeared before us like ordinary boys in order to execute
particular duties on earth. This was also foretold by Gargamuni when making Kṛṣṇa's horoscope. If Kṛṣṇa were not a great personality how
could He have killed Kaṁsa,
who possessed the strength of 10,000 elephants? Besides Kaṁsa, there were very strong wrestlers,
as well as the giant elephant, Kuvalayāpīḍa. All these animals and demons were killed by Him just as a lion
kills an ordinary animal. How wonderful it is that Kṛṣṇa took in one hand the big, heavy bow made of three joined palm
trees and broke it very quickly. How wonderful it is that continually for seven
days He held up Govardhana Hill in one hand. How wonderful it is that He has
killed all the demons, like Pralambāsura, Dhenukāsura, Ariṣṭāsura, Tṛṇāvarta and Bakāsura. They were so strong that even the demigods in
the heavenly planets were afraid of them, but Kṛṣṇa killed them as easily as anything."
While describing the uncommon
activities of Kṛṣṇa
before Uddhava, Nanda Mahārāja gradually became overwhelmed and could not speak
any more. As for mother Yaśodā, she sat by the side of her husband and heard
the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa
without speaking. She was simply crying incessantly, and milk was pouring from
her breasts. When Uddhava saw Mahārāja Nanda and Yaśodā so extraordinarily
overwhelmed with thoughts of Kṛṣṇa,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and when he experienced their extraordinary
affection for Him, he also became overwhelmed and began to speak as follows.
"My dear mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja, you are most respectable among
human beings because no one but you can meditate in such transcendental
ecstasy."
Both Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa are the original Personalities of
Godhead from whom the cosmic manifestation is emanating. They are chief among
all personalities. Both of Them are the effective cause of this material
creation. Material nature is conducted by the puruṣa incarnations, who are all acting under Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. By Their partial representation They enter in the
hearts of all living entities. They are the source of all knowledge and all
forgetfulness also. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fifteenth Chapter:
"I am present in everyone's heart, and I cause one to remember and to
forget. I am the original compiler of the Vedānta, and I am the actual knower
of the Vedas." If, at the time of death, a person can fix his pure mind
upon Kṛṣṇa
even for a moment, he becomes eligible to give up this material body and appear
in his original spiritual body, just as the sun rises with all illumination.
Passing from his life in this way, he immediately enters into the spiritual
kingdom, Vaikuṇṭha.
This is the result of Kṛṣṇa
conscious practice.
If we practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this present body
while we are in a healthy condition and in good mind, simply by chanting the
holy mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa,
we will have every possibility of fixing our mind upon Kṛṣṇa at the time of death. If that is
done, then our life becomes successful without any doubt. Similarly, if we keep
our mind always absorbed in fruitive activities for material enjoyment, then
naturally at the time of death we shall think of such activities and again be
forced to enter into a material, conditioned body to suffer the threefold
miseries of material existence. Therefore, to remain always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness was the standard of the
inhabitants of Vṛndāvana,
as exhibited by Mahārāja Nanda, Yaśodā and the gopīs. If we can simply follow their
footsteps, even to a minute proportion, our lives will surely become
successful, and we will enter into the spiritual kingdom, Vaikuṇṭha.
"You are already perceiving His presence twenty-four hours a day, and yet He will come and see you very soon. Actually He is present everywhere and in everyone's heart, just as fire is present in wood. Since Kṛṣṇa is the Supersoul, no one is His enemy, no one is His friend, no one is equal to Him, and no one is lower or higher than Him. Actually He has no father, mother, brother or relative, nor does He require society, friendship and love. He does not have a material body; He never appears or takes birth as an ordinary human being. He does not appear in higher or lower species of life like ordinary living entities, who are forced to take birth on account of their previous activities. He appears by His internal potency just to give protection to His devotee. He is never influenced by the modes of material nature, but when He appears within this material world, it seems that He acts like an ordinary living entity under the spell of the modes of material nature. In fact, He is the overseer of this material creation and is not affected by the material modes of nature. He creates, maintains and dissolves the whole cosmic manifestation. We wrongly think of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma as ordinary human beings. We are like dizzy men who see the whole world wheeling aroung them. The Personality of Godhead is no one's son; He is actually everyone's father, mother and supreme controller. There is no doubt of this. Whatever is being experienced, whatever is already in existence, whatever is not in existence, whatever will be in existence in the future, whatever is the smallest and whatever is the biggest have no separate existence outside the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everything is resting in Him, but He is out of touch with everything manifested."
Nanda and Uddhava thus passed the whole night in discussing Kṛṣṇa. In the morning, the gopīs prepared for morning ārātrika by lighting their lamps and sprinkling butter mixed with yogurt. After finishing their maṅgala-ārātrika, they engaged themselves in churning butter from yogurt. While the gopīs were thus engaged, the lamps reflected on their ornaments became still more illuminated. The churning rod, their arms, their earrings, their bangles, their breasts--everything moved, and the kuṅkuma powder gave their faces a saffron luster comparable to the rising sun. While churning, they also sang the glories of Kṛṣṇa. The two sound vibrations mixed together, ascended to the sky and sanctified the whole atmosphere. After sunrise the gopīs came as usual to offer their respects to Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā, but when they saw the golden chariot of Uddhava at the door, they began to inquire among themselves. What was that chariot, and to whom did it belong? Some of them inquired whether Akrūra, who had taken away Kṛṣṇa, had again returned. They were not very pleased with Akrūra because, being engaged in the service of Kaṁsa, he took Kṛṣṇa away to the city of Mathurā. All the gopīs conjectured that Akrūra might have come again to fulfill another cruel plan. But they thought, "We are now dead bodies without our supreme master, Kṛṣṇa. What further act can he perpetrate on these dead bodies?" While they were talking in this way, Uddhava finished his morning ablutions, prayers and chanting and came before them
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
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