Leaders I Will Take Any Day

“O Lakshmana, do you rule this earth with Me. You are like My second self, so this glorious opportunity has been presented to you as well. O Saumitra, do you enjoy all the pleasures you desire and the fruits of the regal life. My life and this kingdom I covet for your sake alone.” (Lord Rama speaking to Lakshmana, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 4.43-44)

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लक्ष्मणेमां मया सार्धं प्रशाधि त्वं वसुन्धराम्।
द्वितीयं मेऽन्तरात्मानं त्वामियं श्रीरुपस्थिता।।
सौमित्रे भुङ्क्ष्व भोगांत्स्वमिष्टान्राज्यफलानि च।
जीवितं च हि राज्यं च त्वदर्थमभिकामये।।

lakṣmaṇemāṃ mayā sārdhaṃ praśādhi tvaṃ vasundharām।
dvitīyaṃ me’ntarātmānaṃ tvāmiyaṃ śrīrupasthitā।।
saumitre bhuṅkṣva bhogāṃtsvamiṣṭānrājyaphalāni ca।
jīvitaṃ ca hi rājyaṃ ca tvadarthamabhikāmaye।।

“One of the things I find humorous when reading Vedic literature is the criticism from the enemies of the avatara of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are accustomed to worship. For many of us the tradition descended from within the family. In other words, I have known no other way than to daily light welcoming incense and ghee lamps for the pleasure of God, realizing His personal presence and grace.

“That attitude of awe and reverence extends to hearing. Hari-katha is the most important of kathas. The charitra, the gunas, the karma, the janma – everything about Him is Divine. The qualities and activities are not like ours, and one who knows this nature automatically is eligible for liberation.

जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यम्
एवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर् जन्म
नैति माम् एति सो ऽर्जुन

janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ‘rjuna

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.9)

“The compilers of Vedic literature are well-acquainted with the tools and techniques required in good writing. They present dialogue, poetry, contradiction, argument, discussion, tragedy, and even humor. Perhaps I laugh at things that aren’t intended to be funny, but I can’t help it.

“In the Ramayana, for example, we start out with the setting of universal love in Ayodhya. Everyone adores Shri Rama, who is the eldest son of King Dasharatha. No one knows Rama’s real identity, but if they were informed they probably wouldn’t care. The love is natural and spontaneous. They are not looking to get anything out of Him.

“Then you have the king of Lanka, Ravana. He is the central villain of the historical telling. A man-eating ogre with ten heads and a horrible character, he is not impressed in the least with Rama after hearing about Him from associates.

“One of the criticisms Ravana levels is that Shri Rama is weak for having voluntarily left the kingdom for fourteen years. There was infighting in the family, between Kaikeyi and Dasharatha. The king’s youngest wife was suddenly jealous and decided to ask for irrevocable favors previously offered to her. The result was Rama’s banishment from Ayodhya.

“Ravana wondered why a powerful prince wouldn’t protest the decision. Fight your way to the top. If you are so skilled in battle, why allow anyone to tell you what to do? Why not assert your might for everyone to see? They may not like you, but at least they would respect you.

“Is there any validity to the criticism? I don’t subscribe to any of it, but I’m wondering just in case you meet a troublemaker today. It is not uncommon for the villains to garner more sympathy these days, to have supporters just because they go against the grain.”

Ravana certainly thought that Dasharatha’s eldest son was weak for living like a hermit in the remote forest of Dandaka. Bereft of the royal army, a beautiful palace, and throngs of supporters, Rama should have been lamenting His situation on a daily basis. Ravana, for his part, would never tolerate going from riches to rags.

The Rakshasas will never be able to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even with ample evidence presented before them. If Rama was so weak, how did He defend against fourteen thousand of Ravana’s men at a single time?

For that matter, if Ravana really thought that Rama was nothing to worry about, why send so many men to Dandaka in an attack? One should have sufficed. The truth is the Supreme Lord retains full potency in every situation. Rama had Lakshmana and Sita with Him. These close associates were sufficient companionship for the one who is atmarama, satisfied in the self.

Bhagavan has no need to be greedy. If Bharata is the selected leader for Ayodhya, everything will be fine. This is one of Rama’s younger brothers. On a previous occasion, Rama had offered to share control of the kingdom with Lakshmana. Those two brothers are leaders society should take any day.

They possess complete strength, but also immeasurable compassion. They will let others take the lead when necessary, receiving the chance to offer service. Compared to those servants, what can I really do? But those brothers accept my worship in sincerity all the same: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Worship accepted all the same,
When chanting holy name.

So ideal leaders to make,
Who any day I will take.

Brothers Rama and Lakshmana so,
Ravana their natures not to know.

That as weak and scared treating,
But his army in defeat retreating.

Two Ways To Develop Love Of Krishna

“There are certain prescribed methods for employing our senses and mind in such a way that our dormant consciousness for loving Krishna will be invoked, as much as the child, with a little practice, can begin to walk.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 2)

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“You probably get this question a lot. The basis is the love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the all-attractive one. Shri Krishna, who is the beloved of Shrimati Radharani, the goddess of fortune. Krishna is the jewel of the Vrindavana community, which is originally in the imperishable realm and has a replica version here in our world. Goloka for eternal residence, and Gokula for where the avatara of Krishna asked to be transferred immediately after appearing in the jail in Mathura to the birth-parents, Vasudeva and Devaki.

“I could go on and on about Krishna’s glories. This aligns with Vedic literature itself, which is ananta. There is no single work of highest significance since the descriptions continue to this day. We have the original works like the Puranas, Mahabharata, Ramayana and Vedas, but a humble and dedicated person could today author a poem so beautiful and noteworthy that others take it to be just as valuable in their daily devotional practices.

“How do we break through sectarian boundaries? I would like everyone to experience the sweetness and joy of the bhakti life. I am afraid so many will turn away because the culture is foreign to them. They will feel it is exclusive to India or that it is another of the many faiths to be placed in the basket of competition, within the “my God versus your God” paradigm. How do we make a compelling and convincing case?”

1. Association with devotees

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that there is nothing artificial about the process. Love of Godhead is already within is. Proof is in every aspect of living. The exhibition of love, offered towards pets, brothers, sisters, and members of the community, is a derivative of the original quality.

This is known as dharma. Something which cannot be separated from the associated object. Dharma is what defines something. For the individual soul, jiva, it is loving service. When perverted or directed the wrong way, it can even become inverted. This explains intense hatred for others. A person is simply using their loving propensity in the opposite way.

The love for Krishna simply has to be aroused. One way is to associate with devotees. Follow their way of life. Observe and analyze. Ask questions. Judge for yourself if there is a difference in overall quality of living. At least make the attempt to logically understand the all-attractive and personal aspect to the Divine.

2. Hearing from shastra

The devotees following in the authorized way get their guidance from shastra. These are the sacred texts mentioned above. Worship should be in a proper way. This is not necessarily to inhibit the natural and spontaneous outpouring of affection.

Rather, it is a preparatory regimen. Follow some strict rules and regulations in the beginning so that the consciousness will gradually become purified. The more progress that is made, the more natural everything seems. A person will be able to not only understand Krishna, but the reason for the very existence of so many supposedly competing systems of religion.

In Closing:

So fortunate in this life to earn,
But how others the same to learn?

Along religious lines distinctions when,
To be shut out from accepting then?

Idea that within us already,
Aroused through practice steady.

Devotees of Krishna closely observe,
And time for shastra reserve.

Three Ways To Remember Narayana At The End

“The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember the Personality of Godhead at the end of life.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.1.6)

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एतावान् साङ्ख्य-योगाभ्यां
स्व-धर्म-परिनिष्ठया
जन्म-लाभः परः पुंसाम्
अन्ते नारायण-स्मृतिः

etāvān sāṅkhya-yogābhyāṁ
sva-dharma-pariniṣṭhayā
janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ puṁsām
ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada gives the reminder. The best completion to this lifetime, of everything we have done, in preparation for the next life, is to remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Sanskrit is ante narayana-smritih. Ante refers to time. It is actually infinite in both directions. Move backwards, tracing out the past lives, and it is impossible to find a firm beginning. Some will say that the conditioned souls, the jivas, were part of the brahmajyoti, or the light of the spiritual energy. As if by random, like mustard seeds dropped on the blade of a sword, some souls fell to the material world, while others stayed in the spiritual realm.

Another analogy is to the shore at the beach. Sometimes the waves creep over, meaning that the area is underwater. Sometimes the waves fail to reach; so the area stays dry. The living entity thus toggles; it is in the marginal position, though originally spiritual in nature.

Yet since time is infinite, we can never say with certitude that the individual was at one place forever at a fixed moment in the infinite past. There is a beginning to a beginning and an end to an end. Ante here refers to the completion of the present lifetime, which is all we know. As Shri Krishna confirms in the Bhagavad-gita, only He can remember the past lives.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि
जन्मानि तव चार्जुन
तान्य् अहं वेद सर्वाणि
न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni
janmāni tava cārjuna
tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi
na tvaṁ vettha parantapa

“The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.5)

Narayana refers to the same Krishna. It is a reference to the personal side of God. He is more than Brahman. The conditioned souls in the brahmajyoti have the vulnerability to fall on the wrong side of the sword, but Narayana never falls. When He appears in this world, it is as if He descends from a higher realm. The identification is as avatara, such as with Krishna, Rama, and Narasimha.

Smriti is remembrance. At the end of this lifetime, which is certainly not the end of everything, keep Narayana in mind. This is the best way to move on to the next life. What we remember at the end determines the next kind of existence, the state of being.

यं यं वापि स्मरन् भावं
त्यजत्य् अन्ते कलेवरम्
तं तम् एवैति कौन्तेय
सदा तद्-भाव-भावितः

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.6)

The process to remember is not difficult, but to make a firm decision in that direction is. Shastra provides this education, the sadhu is a living embodiment of it, and the guru gives the personal recommendations. Three pillars of strength, travelling on parallel lines, guiding the wayward souls towards the transcendental light.

1. Memorize a shloka

To remember a verse from Bhagavad-gita is a way to remember Narayana. He is the one speaking to Arjuna, after all. He provides the visual confirmation during that conversation, by first displaying the universal form [virata-rupa] and then the vision of Narayana.

2. Visualize the guru and their life in devotion

To remember the guru and their steadfast worship is another way to remember Narayana. They are the Supreme Lord’s representative, after all. They are identical in the sense of interest. This is one way to validate, to prove authenticity, within the sacred teacher.

3. Chant the maha-mantra

To chant the holy names is the easiest way to remember Narayana. The guru passes down the formula, authorized within the important texts. This shabda-brahman, the non-different sound representation of the Absolute, is like being next to Narayana. Though we think He is far away, He is always close by, especially prepared to provide safe passage to the life in liberation when this one completes. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Destined for the end,
But where next to send?

Determined by memory at hand,
In material or spiritual to land.

Remembering Narayana the best,
Towards reincarnation the rest.

Sadhu, shastra and guru showing,
Way toward liberation going.

Soon You'll Please Their Appetite

“Then I, resembling a cloud and having molten-golden earrings, made my way into Vishvamitra’s ashrama, for I was very proud of my strength due to the boon given to me by Lord Brahma. As soon as I entered, Rama quickly noticed me and raised His weapon. Though He saw me, Rama strung His bow without any fear.” (Maricha speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 38.16-17)

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ततोऽहं मेघसङ्काशस्तप्तकाञ्चनकुण्डलः।
बली दत्तवरोदर्पादाजगाम तदाश्रमम्।।
तेन दृष्टः प्रविष्टोऽहं सहसैवोद्यतायुधः।
मां तु दृष्ट्वा धनुस्सज्यमसम्भ्रान्तश्चकार सः।।

tato'haṃ meghasaṅkāśastaptakāñcanakuṇḍalaḥ।
balī dattavarodarpādājagāma tadāśramam।।
tena dṛṣṭaḥ praviṣṭo'haṃ sahasaivodyatāyudhaḥ।
māṃ tu dṛṣṭvā dhanussajyamasambhrāntaścakāra saḥ।।

They devour. Pouncing at the opportune moment, as they see it, taking advantage of vulnerability, they seek to meet their strongest desires for pleasure. Maricha and his friends were used to this game. They knew what they were doing. Like taking candy from a baby, as their victims were mostly helpless. The unsuspecting targets did not foresee trouble in a remote area, where they were bothering no one.

The Rakshasas of Lanka knew this. The people at the time were enjoying conjugal pleasure, attending social gatherings, and going about their merry way. Maricha warned the leader, Ravana, that striking the ire of the Supreme Lord in the avatara of Shri Rama would jeopardize the situation. The stability that everyone grew accustomed to would be rocked by death and destruction as proper retribution.

Ravana wanted Maricha to help him. Though the Rakshasas were accustomed to succeeding in their missions in the forest of Dandaka, the most recent trip was a total disaster. Ravana had sent fourteen thousand of his men, and they were soundly defeated.

On the other side was one man. Superhuman, it seemed. Rama defended Himself without any extra assistance. Just the arrows released from His bow, which chased the enemy like heat-seeking missiles, showing the vision of five-headed serpents at the end. Wherever the Rakshasas turned, they saw Rama.

This was the person they previously refused to acknowledge. They thought there was no God. After all, how could there be if there was no consequence for the grossest violation of human rights? Maricha was a common participant. He knew what to do. Attack the sages in the forest right as the yajna was about to finish.

This would spoil everything. Something like intentionally demolishing a building just as the final nail is driven into the wood. Throwing away the pizza pie as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cutting off the electricity just as the sun finally sets.

As a species, the Rakshasas were man-eaters. This means they didn’t stop with destroying the official ceremonies in honor of the demigods. They weren’t content with ruining religious observances. They would continue with killing the worshipers and then eating their flesh.

This shows that following the path of dharma can be a dangerous business. The enemies of God, the asuras and the Rakshasas, look to satisfy their appetite for destruction by targeting the saintly people of the world. Leaving others alone is not enough; any mention of an Almighty and allegiance to Him needs to be fully eradicated.

There was a purpose to Maricha’s story. He had previously encountered Rama in the forest, when the son of Dasharatha was a mere youth. Yet there was still full potency. Rama guarded Vishvamitra’s sacrifice perfectly.

Maricha charged in the usual way. Normally not enough time to even be detected, Rama calmly put arrow to bow and dispatched the intruder. The force from the blow was so strong that Maricha ended up some eight hundred miles away.

He took with him a life lesson. Do not mess with Rama. Do not go anywhere near Him with hostile intent. It would be best for Ravana to dispense with the idea of getting revenge. Let the matter rest and be glad that everything was peaceful in Lanka.

Of course the mind was already made up. Maricha’s words live through to this day as wonderful glorification of the Almighty; coming from an adversary, no less. The atheist class will never relent, but Rama and His amazing strength are always there to protect, provided one has the good fortune to seek His shelter.

In Closing:

Rakshasas looking to devour,
Their victims to overpower.

Since attacking at night,
As yajna shining bright.

But with Rama a different story,
Maricha describing His glory.

That without fear to defend,
Force from arrows miles to extend.

Why Jump In Too Soon

“And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.5)

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अन्त-काले च माम् एव
स्मरन् मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्
यः प्रयाति स मद्-भावं
याति नास्त्य् अत्र संशयः

anta-kāle ca mām eva
smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ

“I know that Shri Krishna is the embodiment of mercy and compassion, karuna. An ocean of this mercy, if we are being honest. Without cause, since what did I really do to deserve His grace in my life? Why was I specifically chosen to receive this favor, which I needed for such a long time? Perhaps because I was the lowest of the low, that I had no one else to save me, I became the perfect candidate.

“One aspect to this limitless mercy is the interminable availability of rescue. Liberation can occur at any time. The promise is there in Bhagavad-gita. Simply remember Krishna at anta-kale, at the end of time in this specific jiva-prakriti combination. Then you will attain a nature like His, which is not vulnerable to birth and death, reincarnation, the never-ending wheel of suffering, and so forth.

“A person could make the argument that if they only have to remember Krishna at the end, what is the urgency for beginning devotional life today? Why jump in so soon, when there is ample time to rectify mistakes? If I start today, then fall off, won’t it be more difficult to try something I knew I failed at the first time around?”

The promise is true, and it is meaningful. We are eligible for the purification of consciousness at the most important time, when the consciousness from the entire lifetime gets measured. This is the end of life, so what we consider to be the most important will be what is on our mind.

This lifetime is not the only one. We have forgotten devotional service, the all-compassionate nature of the all-attractive one, since before we can remember. This means that not only do our transgressions from this life get forgiven, but also the cumulative total spanning too many years to fathom.

This makes Shri Krishna the most forgiving person. He would otherwise have sufficient justification to remain upset at everyone. The angry-god image, with the old, bearded man looking down from above would make sense if we studied only a short period of time with respect to existence.

But as God never takes birth and never dies, the same is true for us. We spin on the wheel of suffering, thinking that we arrive at the time of birth and depart at the time of death. That is not the case; though only Krishna can remember the infinite past.

The urgency for devotional life is a hedge against the unknown element of time. We can try to guess based on observation and experience, but no one truly knows when anta-kale will arrive for them. We are putting off something important until tomorrow, when tomorrow may never come.

The effort does not go to waste, either. The progress remains, even in the case of lack of complete purification. This further underscores the compassionate nature of Shri Krishna, who takes notice of even a single utterance of His names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

A watchful eye to find,
And always keeping in mind.

If even once to say,
With holy name to pray.

So that benefit lasting and extending,
Not just for life’s completion pending.

So better now the opportunity taking,
And path to clear consciousness making.

The Most Striking And Noteworthy Moment

“My Lord, who are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun or Your frowning eyebrows. I do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines, Your mane soaked with blood, or Your high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are meant to kill Your enemies.” (Prahlada Maharaja, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.9.15)

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नाहं बिभेम्य् अजित ते ’तिभयानकास्य-
जिह्वार्क-नेत्र-भ्रुकुटी-रभसोग्र-दंष्ट्रात्
आन्त्र-स्रजः-क्षतज-केशर-शङ्कु-कर्णान्
निर्ह्राद-भीत-दिगिभाद् अरि-भिन्-नखाग्रात्

nāhaṁ bibhemy ajita te ’tibhayānakāsya-
jihvārka-netra-bhrukuṭī-rabhasogra-daṁṣṭrāt
āntra-srajaḥ-kṣataja-keśara-śaṅku-karṇān
nirhrāda-bhīta-digibhād ari-bhin-nakhāgrāt

“I really like your response to the people who demand to see God as a means of evidence. Never mind that they don’t require sight for validation in other areas. The pizza is known by the taste. The flower by the smell. The music by the sound. Why, for someone who is the greatest in everything, is a single vision the only way to validate presence?

“The response is that a person sees God everywhere. He is always around. At every moment. My ability to read or hear these published words proves that He exists. He is like the electricity powering the house. He is the sun fueling the universe. Without His prior sanction, no result would manifest; we are not the doer.

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि
गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः
अहङ्कार-विमूढात्मा
कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.27)

“The thing is, how do we get people to notice? How do we get them to believe you can see God in an instant, without waiting until the afterlife? It seems like this would be a key negotiating point in our favor, for bringing them to the side of dharma.”

The immediate proof is time. Known as kala in Sanskrit, it is the great-devourer. The living entity is jiva, which is spirit soul of a certain category. Jiva has the vulnerability to associate with prakriti, which is matter. The further specification of prakriti is guna, which is a grade of material quality. Guna-sangasya, when the jiva associates with guna it receives a certain type of body.

पुरुषः प्रकृति-स्थो हि
भुङ्क्ते प्रकृति-जान् गुणान्
कारणं गुण-सङ्गो ऽस्य
सद्-असद्-योनि-जन्मसु

puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi
bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān
kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya
sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

“The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil amongst various species.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 13.22)

Everything we know around us is this combination, jiva and prakriti. The beings are living when jiva is present, and the result is action. That action has consequence, the sequence of events being known as karma.

Kala works in conjunction with these aspects of the material world. Time is what delivers the consequences, which in turn manifest changes to prakriti. The jiva is not actually affected, though he thinks that he is.

Kala is equivalent with God. He is the actual agent of change. Since kala works at every moment, there is already sufficient evidence of the Almighty’s presence. We don’t have to wait to see kala; the effect is everywhere.

If we remain ignorant of the fact, if we continue to staunchly deny, and if we consider those with the proper vision to be foolish and worthy of punishment and harassment, then we will still get the evidence that we so much insisted on.

The problem is that kala will reveal itself to us at the most striking and noteworthy moment. Kala has a simultaneous meaning of “death.” Those who don’t believe will be forced to submit to the higher will at the end of life, which is the compulsory exit of the jiva from the association with prakriti, in that particular instance.

For the Daitya king named Hiranyakashipu, the evidence was the gruesome form of Narasimha. This is the same time, but on the personal side. This was the same God that Hiranyakashipu’s son Prahlada had worshiped for so long. The same God that the father mocked, the God he thought didn’t exist. In the end, it was the worst of the bad guys who couldn’t resist the onslaught of time, which ironically was not fear-inspiring to Prahlada.

In Closing:

Prahlada not afraid,
When obeisances paid.

To Narasimha vision showing,
The son all along knowing.

But father obstinate so,
With atheist mindset to go.

But finally seeing as time devouring,
Nails of lion through Daitya powering.

Three People Who Tried To Take Advantage Of Vishnu's Position Of Dependency

“The Trinavarta demon who took baby Krishna on his shoulder went high in the sky, but the baby assumed such a weight that suddenly he could not go any further, and he had to stop his whirlwind activities. Baby Krishna made Himself heavy and began to weigh down the demon. The Lord caught hold of his neck.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality Of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 7)

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His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada reveals that the demons are always trying to nullify God. The application here is not based simply on a race or a set of characteristics relating to physical features.

The Sanskrit word is asura. This is a negation of the word that means godly, demigod, saintly, or a general believer in God. The qualities of the asura are the opposite of what would be considered good. Good and bad are relative, but in terms of a higher purpose they are what determine proximity to a specific destination.

Good, or punya, brings me closer to the purified consciousness, wherein I see properly, penetrating the thick cloud of illusion. Papa is moving further away; being firmly entrenched in illusion. The asuras live by papa, thinking that there will be no consequences to their actions.

They scoff at the mention of God or allegiance to Him. The worst asuras cannot leave well enough alone. They take intentional action to thwart any further worship within the general public. From Vedic literature we see that if they ever should hear of the Supreme’s imminent arrival within their midst, they will do whatever they can to mitigate.

1. Kamsa

The Bhagavata Purana and other important Vedic texts pass on the historical tale. Kamsa is the king of Mathura, and one day he learns that the eighth child of his newly married sister Devaki will be his demise. He later learns that in a previous life Vishnu, the personal God, had killed him.

Kamsa’s sole objective becomes to eliminate. We see that Kamsa has no interest in a fair fight. That is to say, if I am totally against God, thinking that He doesn’t exist, why would I be so afraid of a newborn? This is a dependent in the truest sense of the word.

At the very least, I would try to size up my opponent. Meet them in the ring of combat and commence a fair competition. Kamsa’s behavior shows that deep down he knew that Vishnu was the Supreme, that Vishnu was indeed the real God, that the sura class had sufficient justification for worshiping.

The demon tries to eliminate, and in any possible way. Kamsa thought he could kill Vishnu by getting rid of every child born to Devaki, as soon as it exited the womb. Thus there was eager anticipation for the arrival of the eighth. The previous children did not survive long, and Kamsa expected the same moving forward.

2. Putana

The plan failed. Vishnu successfully arrived as the eighth child of Devaki. Named Krishna, He was all-attractive and special since birth. He displayed the vision of the four-handed Vishnu to the loving parents, as affirmation of their dedication in the path of virtue.

As much attention as he paid previously, Kamsa was not aware of Krishna’s birth when it occurred, at midnight. The birth-father, Vasudeva, even managed to escape prison and bring Krishna to Gokula, performing a kind of baby-swap.

The asuras are relentless. They will not learn their lesson until it is too late. The next person to try was Putana. She took advantage of Vishnu’s dependence on the parents for feeding. Playing the role of an infant, Krishna would feed on the breast-milk of mother Yashoda, who was unaware that Krishna had been born to Devaki in Mathura.

Sent by Kamsa, Putana arrived in Gokula and took the false guise of a beautiful and loving nurse. No one suspected her when she took baby Krishna in her arms. How low must a person sink to try to feed poison to an innocent and helpless infant?

Putana’s attempt failed, as Krishna sucked the very life out of her through her breast. She got half of what she wanted, and in the process of dying she revealed her true and hideous form. She fell to the ground as a giant witch, and everyone was astonished that baby Krishna survived the ordeal.

3. Trinavarta

If poison doesn’t work, why not try gravity? Bring the child high into the air and then drop Him. The asura named Trinavarta tried working this magic, but amazingly his powers failed him at the worst possible moment. Baby Krishna became too heavy to hold, and it was the demon who fell to his death instead.

…

The attempts continue to this day. Shut down the houses of worship. Force people into submitting to the will of the tyrannical leaders. Compel face coverings that have no impact on diseases that spread through the air. Prevent large gatherings, so that people are devoid of proper association that helps to dispel the darkness of illusion.

As the seemingly helpless Krishna was able to survive the attacks, so too His devotees are able to thrive in any artificially created emergency caused by the envious asura class. There is always the resort of the holy names to give protection: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Showing Vishnu form resplendent,
Supreme Lord now dependent.

On parents and caretakers so,
Initially to Gokula to go.

The asuras now plan to make,
Advantage of situation to take.

That God eliminated could be,
But potency of Krishna to see.