Two Strategies For Dealing With Pending Calamity Near Mathura

“After this purificatory process, the gopis, headed by mother Yashoda and Rohini, chanted twelve names of Vishnu to give Krishna's body full protection from all evil influences. They washed their hands and feet and sipped water three times, as is the custom before chanting mantra.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 6)

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A contrast in strategy. Two groups, but each facing impending doom. One person heard it in a voice from the sky [akasha-vani]. The other group witnessed the events unfolding before their very eyes. One person kept an eye on the clock, as it ticked down ever so slowly, while the other happily went about each day, although they were aware of the uncertainty in the general conditions of the material world.

1. Explicit mitigation

Kamsa heard the voice from the sky while escorting his cousin-sister to the home of her new husband. This was on Devaki’s marriage day, and everything was going well until the sudden warning. Kamsa learned that Devaki’s eighth child would be his doom.

It must have been quite a shock to receive such news. There was not much else to the message. It was something like running into a stranger on the street, who makes an important announcement and then vanishes from the scene.

Did it even take place? Should the recipient carefully consider the words delivered or should they reject them out of hand, as if delivered from a crazy person? Should they act on the information or let things go, allowing death to arrive in the natural course?

Kamsa did not hesitate. He immediately went for the kill. The eighth child would never emerge if Devaki were no longer living. Never mind the sin associated with such a dreaded act; at least the king would remain in his position.

The new husband, Vasudeva, rescued Devaki at that moment. Without firing a shot, he found relief through delivery of cogent words of pacification. The king of Mathura relented; he dropped his weapon. Kamsa assumed a position of peace, but the compassion was short-lived. Soon enough, the couple was sent to prison, forced to hand over every new child born to them.

Even with the strict oversight, the eighth child managed to appear. Known as Shri Krishna, He was secretly whisked away to the nearby town of Gokula in what amounted to a baby-swap. Kamsa later tried to kill what he thought was the eighth child born to Devaki, but it was actually Durga Devi in her potency as yogamaya. She mocked the king for even attempting something so foolish, in the process revealing that Krishna was elsewhere and very much alive.

After dismally failing at something that should have been a piece of cake, Kamsa continued with the strategy of explicit mitigation. He sent one henchman after another to Gokula. The mission was to kill Krishna. One of the people Kamsa sent was a witch named Putana.

2. Praying to Vishnu

The people of Gokula were not aware that Krishna was the very same Vishnu that they were accustomed to worshiping. They did not know that Yashoda’s actual child was swapped, that Krishna came in its place. They just knew that her newborn was the jewel of the town, that He was the center of their life and wellbeing.

When Kamsa’s asura friends arrived, the people were amazed at baby Krishna’s ability to survive the attacks. They could not believe it, as how is the essence of innocence expected to defend itself against foes much stronger in the physical sense?

When Putana entered, she took the false form of a beautiful nurse. She presumed permission to breastfeed young Krishna, and this was expected to fulfill Kamsa’s mission. Putana had smeared poison on her breast, but when Krishna started to drink, it was the witch who lost her way.

As the very life was being sucked out of her, Putana could no longer keep the false guise. She showed her true, hideous form of a witch. Greatly enlarged in size, she finally tumbled to the ground, left lifeless from the ordeal.

There were eyewitnesses only to the final scene, where baby Krishna was playing on top of the dead body, looking completely unaffected. The mothers decided to worship Vishnu by repeating various names and asking for protection over the various body parts.

…

In the post-mortem analysis, Kamsa failed and the people of Gokula succeeded. The cause is that Vishnu’s favor is everything. If the Supreme Lord decrees something to take place, His word is as good as that of a pious brahmana’s. Nothing can be done to reverse destiny. Kamsa failed to recognize this until the very end, when He saw the blow of death in the vision of Krishna’s fist striking his face.

In Closing:

How dealing with dreaded curse,
Appeal to Divine or work to reverse?

Kamsa for mitigation choosing,
His mind over death’s clock losing.

In Gokula people always to pray,
Vishnu asked to save the day.

Result that king and asuras defeated,
Time in destiny’s path proceeded.

Vyasa Puja 2021

“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Krishna is association with advanced devotees. Even when one's dormant love for Krishna awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 22.83)

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कृष्ण-भक्ति-जन्म-मूल हय ऽसाधु-सङ्गऽ
कृष्ण-प्रेम जन्मे, तेङ्हो पुनः मुख्य अङ्ग

kṛṣṇa-bhakti-janma-mūla haya 'sādhu-saṅga'
kṛṣṇa-prema janme, teṅho punaḥ mukhya aṅga

 

Devotional service will make a person happy; happier than anything else can. There is no qualification to this claim. No hedge. No exception to the rule. It is a universal truth, for the principle is rooted in dharma, which is the essence of living.

There may be a variety of religious traditions practiced and adhered to around the world. Within a single country you might find a handful of popular faiths, with their respective deities, books held in high esteem, and important personalities who roamed the world and preached the truth.

Despite the variety, dharma is always one. For this reason, the closest equivalent to the term “religion” in the Vedic tradition is sanatana-dharma. The essential characteristic of the living being, who defines an existence at the local level and also together at the collective within a specific population, is without beginning and without end.

There was never a time when the living being took birth. We have the brief history in the current lifetime. This is the known ancestry, but man’s recollection is imperfect. We cannot go back infinitely in the past and know exactly where we were at a specific period of time. The same applies to moving forward, travelling into the future.

At every point in the timeline of existence, dharma is the same. My essential characteristic is identical to yours. Dharma cannot be removed, even by force. The tragic event of death caused by infiltration of attacking enemies is merely the destruction of the temporary body. The soul continues to live.

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतो ऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे

na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato ‘yaṁ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre

“For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.20)

The dharma of the individual is to serve. The ideal object of service is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is soul just like me, but of a different nature. I am individual, conditioned soul, jivatma. He is the Supreme Consciousness, distributed everywhere, though a single entity. He is Supersoul, Paramatma.

On the occasion of Vyasa Puja, we honor the appearance in this world of the supreme spiritual guide, the guru. He is the representative of Vyasadeva, and he reawakens my dormant consciousness through both instruction and example. I was otherwise wandering in the darkness, jumping from one temporary interest to another. I was suffering the entire time, though unaware through brief but frequent escapades in escape from the senses.

We learn that the root cause of devotional service is the association of saintly people. We need someone to show us the way. We cannot discover the miracle of the universe and its creation through our own research effort. The breadth and volume of information is too much to consume, and there is not enough time within a single lifetime to gather all of the data, let alone come to a rational conclusion as to its meaning.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada essentially opens the entire universe to me. Without having to move an inch in the physical sense, I can travel to any place I wish. Using the mind, I behold the splendor of the Divine, whose potency cannot be accurately measured by instruments, adhokshaja.

The guru shows the way in an eternal engagement, where there is renewing optimism, opportunity, and bliss. He explains that the meaning of an existence is to be aligned with dharma, to serve God and to always think of Him. He uses the authority of Bhagavad-gita as support.

मन्-मना भव मद्-भक्तो
मद्-याजी मां नमस्कुरु
माम् एवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवम्
आत्मानं मत्-परायणः

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam
ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ

“Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.34)

There is no way to properly repay the favor except to continue in devotion, to attempt to be a small example to others, in the hopes that they will also find eternal happiness. The goal is not to strive to increase the numbers in the flock, to convert a certain number of people to a new religion, or to boast over the successful propagation of a timeless tradition.

क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा
शश्वच्-छान्तिं निगच्छति
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि
न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति

kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā
śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati
kaunteya pratijānīhi
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati

“He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.31)

The focus is on glorifying God and taking pleasure in seeing others happily engaged in the same service, which will do the best for them. The guru may not be universally popular during their time in the preaching world. They may face tremendous difficulties and obstacles along the way, but with Bhagavan as support there is never destruction in the link.

In Closing:

What better can one give?
Than with happiness to live.

Where the whole world opened for me,
Connection to Divine always to see.

The guru my fortunes to save,
Pathway to liberation gave.

Honoring the next and this day,
Possible never properly to repay.

Krishna Janmashtami 2021

“A nice band played, and the people assembled enjoyed it. All the learned brahmanas were invited, and they chanted Vedic hymns for the good fortune of Krishna. During the chanting of the Vedic hymns and playing of the bands, Krishna was bathed by mother Yashoda. This bathing ceremony is technically called abhisheka, and even today this is observed in all the temples of Vrindavana as Janmashtami Day, or the birthday anniversary of Lord Krishna.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 7)

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We hear so much from the acharya about the need to practice devotional service. We must implement the principles of bhakti-yoga in our daily lives. Follow through on the definition of bhagavata-dharma; make that a way of living instead of an extracurricular activity. Have the devotion become part of you, rather than remain a side discipline with an independent existence.

We might be confused as to exactly what that lifestyle looks like. I know pizza from its taste, but I can be sure from the visual. The picture reveals the identity, and with the devotional culture what exactly are the characteristics to look for?

We know that pretenders infiltrate organizations and institutions. In the popular style of government today, the worst of the worst rise to the top. The better you are at lying, the more likely you are to get elected. It seems that the more corrupt you are, the more authority you are given. You tell everyone else to live a certain way, all the while exempting yourself from the rules.

The occasion of Janmashtami helps to give an idea on the practical aspects of devotional service. It is an annual celebration, commemorating the appearance of Shri Krishna in this world. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. He possesses six opulences simultaneously and to the fullest extent: beauty, wealth, strength, fame, wisdom and renunciation.

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य
ग्लानिर् भवति भारत
अभ्युत्थानम् अधर्मस्य
तदात्मानं सृजाम्य् अहम्

yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion - at that time I descend Myself.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.7)

With Krishna’s pastimes on earth there is even a birthday celebration. The people of Vrindavana mark the occasion of Janmasthami while Krishna is in their presence. The priestly class gets invited to the home. Bands play devotional music. Everyone dresses themselves nicely.

Mother Yashoda has the preferred seat. She is close by. She gets to bathe her child personally, but this does not disqualify any of the other participants from the devotional connection. That is to say, everyone is worshiping in their own way, and they are thus connected in yoga.

The same variety applies to the devotional culture outside of the situation of direct, physical contact. A person in the maya consciousness may be preparing food to consume for the nighttime, in the hopes of satisfying their senses. Another person is following the exact same sequence of actions, but their intent is different. They are preparing food for the satisfaction of Krishna. Their sacrifice in time is equivalent with yajna. There is no difference between their work and the recitation of mantras in a formal worship ceremony by an expert priest.

Even if I lack mobility, having no chance to work physically in favor of supporting the Almighty and those devoted to Him, there is always the opportunity to at least hear. This is also devotional service. It is the first in the list mentioned by Prahlada Maharaja, in his enumeration of activities described to those who are not familiar.

Shravanam; just hear about God. Dedicate some time each day. It is not a difficult process, but the benefits are tremendous. On special occasions like Janmashtami take extra time to remember Krishna, the person we are all meant to adore. He is neither a sectarian God nor a concoction of the mind. He is the Supreme Lord in full, with the detail to the abstract, with the curtain removed, so to speak.

If there happens to be an intense longing to bathe Krishna in the same way that mother Yashoda did, the Supreme Lord is kind enough to appear in the deity form. The same abhisheka ceremony can take place at home, while no one is watching. God’s eyes are everywhere, so He will always notice. He never forgets even a single deed done in His favor.

In Closing:

Even a single deed to take,
Never the memory to forsake.

Since everywhere His eyes,
Blessed the one who tries.

In devotional life taught,
By guru who Divinity brought.

To this world shining the light,
Like on Janmashtami’s night.

How Were People Saved Prior To Krishna's Time

“Brahma, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.9.33)

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अहम् एवासम् एवाग्रे
नान्यद् यत् सद्-असत् परम्
पश्चाद् अहं यद् एतच् च
यो ऽवशिष्येत सो ऽस्म्य् अहम्

aham evāsam evāgre
nānyad yat sad-asat param
paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca
yo ‘vaśiṣyeta so ‘smy aham

 

“I hate to bring other traditions into the discussion, but the questions that popped into my head seemed relevant when applied to the Vedic tradition, which commonly goes by the term ‘Hinduism.’ The idea from the outside is that you must accept a certain person as a savior. Whether they are a prophet, a preacher, an empowered teacher, or related to Divinity itself, the entire basis of the particular organization is affiliation with this person.

“You could be good or bad in everything else, but you are fine as long as you accept the savior. If you are given over to him, then everything will be alright. I am not here to get into an argument of dogmatic insistence. I fully realize that any person can hold up a book, assign Divine status to a particular person, and then denounce anyone who does not share the same point of view. The outsiders would fall into the ‘sinner’ category, while everyone on the inside would be slated for the best destination in the afterlife.

“The contention I have is that everything about that particular religion is based on this one individual. The followers identify themselves with a name linked to that person. The leaders never say that God is for everyone or that every person follows the Almighty in some way or another. They say that if you don’t accept their specific savior, you are doomed.

“The obvious flaw is that this savior only appeared in this world a relatively few number of years ago. You could say that thousands of years is a long time, but in the grand scheme of things it is like a blip on a radar screen. I get it that everything changed after that, but there was certainly time prior, with a separate set of individuals making up the population of earth.

“What about those people? They couldn’t accept the savior precisely because the savior had yet to appear in the world. What were their options for salvation? Was genuine religion not available? If it was, then why wouldn’t the same religion they practiced be applicable today? Do you mean to tell me that the basics of life and death, the afterlife, sin and piety, and so forth are bound to a specific period of time? That doesn’t make sense.

“These are the doubts I have. Do you think there is any carryover to the Vedic tradition? For instance, in Bhagavad-gita we hear the call to surrender, that every kind of dharma will be accounted for if you accept the shelter of Shri Krishna. There was a time in this world prior to Krishna, as well. What was the solution for people who lived prior to Krishna’s advent?”

Shri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, non-different from the original. Although there is only one God, He manifests differently depending on the time and circumstance. How He manifests has no bearing on His identity.

For instance, if we are Markandeya Rishi and see the Supreme Lord as a small child resting on a banyan leaf while the entire cosmic manifestation is being annihilated, it does not mean that God is limited to the diminutive stature.

Similarly, while Arjuna sees God in the virata-rupa, the universal form, it does not mean that God is too large to fit into a temple or into my heart. He is everywhere and anywhere, and He is never affected by the manner in which others connect to Him.

In a verse from Shrimad Bhagavatam, the same Supreme Lord instructs Brahma that God is never absent from a situation. Vishnu exists prior to Brahma’s emergence from the stem of the lotus flower tied to Vishnu’s navel, padmanabha. Vishnu exists while Brahma undertakes the process of creation, and Vishnu will be there after everything is annihilated.

Although Krishna appears at a certain time and place and delivers words of instruction, that wisdom is timeless. For instance, He explains to Arjuna that the same Bhagavad-gita was spoken at the beginning of the creation, to the sun-god.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
इमं विवस्वते योगं
प्रोक्तवान् अहम् अव्ययम्
विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह
मनुर् इक्ष्वाकवे ’ब्रवीत्

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave ’bravīt

“The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikshvaku.” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.1)

There is a reason that the best equivalent term for religion in the Vedic tradition is sanatana-dharma. Placing the two words together is significant. Dharma is the essence of living. Dharma can never be removed from the individual. Whether they are a plant, a tree, a flower, a lion, a human being, or a demigod, dharma remains the same.

That dharma is timeless; hence sanatana. There is no beginning and no end to the dharma of the individual, and so at any period of time there is the opportunity for salvation. The people worship Vishnu prior to His advent as Krishna, and in another period of time they perhaps direct their worship to another avatara.

The end result is the same, and so no one is ever shut out from genuine religion. There may be a rise or decline in adherence to dharma over the course of time, which may require empowered representatives to reignite the tradition of allegiance to righteous principles, but connection to God the person is never tied to external factors like language, place of birth, occupation, or stature within society.

In Closing:

“To accept the savior must,
In our future promise trust.”

But what about prior years?
Before of savior people to hear.

Limited applicability then?
Where religion on time to depend.

With Vedas on eternal truth landing,
Where Vishnu always as supreme standing.

What If I Am Embarrassed By The Circumstances Of My Birth

“By remembering Shri Rama’s holy name, even those who are born into a low caste become worthy of fame, just as the wild trees that line the roads in the heavenly realm are famous throughout the three worlds.” (Dohavali, 16)

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राम नाम सुमिरत सुजस भाजन भए कुजाति |
कुतरूक सुरपुर राजमग लहत भुवन बिख्याति |

rāma nāma sumirata sujasa bhājana bhae kujāti |
kutarūka surapura rājamaga lahata bhuvana bikhyāti |

 

“Listen, people make a big deal out of the caste system practiced in India, and how it is racist, bigoted, discriminatory, causes oppression, and the like, but the truth is that the same kind of class designations exist throughout the world, and since the beginning of time.

“It was one of the main reasons people fled to what was called the New World in the 17^th century. In America, everyone was in a similar status of refugee. It didn’t really matter from where you came, who your parents were, how much land they owned back home, and the like.

“If you were still in England, France and other countries in Europe, class meant everything. If you were a printer by trade, you could never dream of meeting with the king and queen. Yet a famous printer from America did just that. He rose to the heights of aristocracy, never once falling back on his name or family reputation to get him places.

“You would have to admit that there is some validity to the scrutiny, or lack thereof depending on the case. For instance, if someone is born into a family of lawyers, it is understandable that others would take notice. There is some distinction based on the line of work, on the reputation established through previous generations.

“On the other side, if someone is born into a family lacking respect based on occupation, there is some embarrassment. What if I should fall into that category? What if I am ashamed of how my ancestors behaved? What if they were unclean in their habits, uncontrolled with the senses, and lacked a moral foundation upon which to stand? Does that not hurt my chances at spiritual life?”

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that no matter the consequence of a particular action in material life, the end-result is always misery. If I am so pious that I ascend to the heavenly realm after death, I eventually have to leave. There is a fixed duration of residency commensurate with pious credits. Once the time runs out, you have to find a way to build up the credits again.

ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्ग-लोकं विशालं
क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्य-लोकं विशन्ति
एवं त्रयी-धर्मम् अनुप्रपन्ना
गतागतं काम-कामा लभन्ते

te taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ viśālaṁ
kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti
evaṁ trayī-dharmam anuprapannā
gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante

“When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus, through the Vedic principles, they achieve only flickering happiness.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.21)

I may feel a temporary sensation from a successful venture, but since I am still subject to the threefold miseries of life, there is only suffering in my future. This naturally levels the playing field. The person born of a respectable family is suffering just as much as the one who is embarrassed by their family history.

If there is an inferiority complex and a fear that somehow there will be prohibitions on practicing spiritual life based on discrimination, one should remember that the solution to every problem is connecting with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No person is restricted from genuine yoga, as the basis of the connection is the consciousness.

Goswami Tulsidas explains that when a person chants the holy name of the Lord, which is a form of yoga, they become famous throughout the world. It does not matter if they are born into a low family, kujati.

The saint makes the comparison to the trees lining the streets in the heavenly realm. Because of the nature of the place, even the small, insignificant trees are worthy of honor and respect. They are as much desire-trees as the ones standing tall.

Therefore, even if a person does not receive sufficient acknowledgment from the rest of society, if they are known as a devotee of the Supreme Lord there is nothing to fear. Just as His land, His pastimes, and His names are sacred, so are the people dedicated to Him in thought, word and deed.

In Closing:

Dedicated in thought, word and deed,
Worthy of fame and honor indeed.

Even if from low family coming,
High in status becoming.

Since associated with Rama so,
His shelter only to know.

Otherwise everyone suffering the same,
But equally saved by holy name.

Why Does Life Feel Like Trying To Move A Mountain

“Some were excited, but the bow was immovable, like the word of a saint. Looking at the bow, their strength and intelligence were forcefully stolen, like with King Nahusha.” (Janaki Mangala, Chand 11.2)

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एक करहिं दाप न चाप सज्जन बचन जिमि टारें टरै |
नृप नहुष ज्य्ॐ सब कें बिलोकत बुद्धि बल बरबस हरै ||

eka karahiṃ dāpa na cāpa sajjana bacana jimi ṭāreṃ ṭarai |
nṛpa nahuṣa jyoṃ saba keṃ bilokata buddhi bala barabasa harai ||

“There is the saying about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. I have heard it many times, understood the general meaning based on the context in which it was used, but never gave much consideration to the actual terms.

“You have two options. One is to associate with a rock. Since it is cold and difficult to move, you might not prefer that option. The other choice is the hard place. Basically, not much different from the rock. These are the only two options, by the way. You are essentially stuck; no preferred way to move forward.

“I often feel that way about life. We are stuck between choices that are not optimal. Go this way and something bad will happen. Choose the other direction and it will be the same outcome. It is almost like we are powerless in this world. No matter how much we try, unless higher forces cooperate, we don’t stand a chance.”

The story of the bow-contest in the kingdom of Videha highlights a similar issue. King Janaka made the rules. It was his contest, as it was to determine the suitable husband for his beloved daughter, Sita Devi. A heavy bow with its origins in Lord Shiva had been passed down through the family. The lifter of the bow would win the contest.

To say that this bow was heavy is an understatement. To say that the participants in the contest were attempting something equivalent to moving a mountain would also not do justice to the weight of the object in question. This bow was really heavy, and Janaka knew that only the suitable husband for his daughter would be able to lift it. This was the bride-price that he had established.

Goswami Tulsidas makes a wonderful comparison in describing the failure of the many kings assembled that day. He says that the bow was as immovable as the word of a brahmana, who is a qualified saintly person. The kings were like Nahusha, and it was as if the bow stole their strength.

तावत् त्रिणाकं नहुषः शशास
विद्या-तपो-योग-बलानुभावः
स सम्पद्-ऐश्वर्य-मदान्ध-बुद्धिर्
नीतस् तिरश्चां गतिम् इन्द्र-पत्न्या

tāvat triṇākaṁ nahuṣaḥ śaśāsa
vidyā-tapo-yoga-balānubhāvaḥ
sa sampad-aiśvarya-madāndha-buddhir
nītas tiraścāṁ gatim indra-patnyā

“As long as King Indra lived in the water, wrapped in the stem of the lotus, Nahusha was equipped with the ability to rule the heavenly kingdom, due to his knowledge, austerity and mystic power. Nahusha, however, blinded and maddened by power and opulence, made undesirable proposals to Indra's wife with a desire to enjoy her. Thus Nahusha was cursed by a brahmana and later became a snake.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 6.13.16)

It is said that Nahusha was the king of heaven for a time, full of strength. Because he made a sinful proposal to Indra’s wife, he was cursed by a brahmana. He subsequently lost everything.

The sinful proposal here was to try to marry Janaka’s daughter, who was an incarnation of the goddess of fortune. Lakshmi Devi can only live intimately with her husband for eternity, the Supreme Lord. She serves Him in all righteousness, dharma, and this duty happens to align with her preference, borne of love.

I can be the strongest person in the world, but if I choose the unrighteous path, I could lose everything. Due to the curse of a brahmana, that descent could take place instantly. One second I have control over the entire world, and the next I am penniless and lacking strength.

The genuine brahmana class aligns with the interests of the Supreme Lord, and so their words in favor of dharma and service to the Almighty are just as immovable. If they fervently recommend chanting the holy names in the age of Kali, based on the strength of their recommendation I can be sure that such a connection will bring me complete success in life: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Word of brahmana taking,
For successful life making.

That chanting to do for me,
The best destination to see.

Where Supreme Lord in sound,
True transcendence found.

Such that difficulty no more,
Aligned with dharma for sure.

Three Questions About Krishna's Birth

“’My dear brother-in-law, please consider that you have no danger from your sister. You are awaiting some danger because you have heard a prophetic voice in the sky. But the danger is to come from the sons of your sister, who are not present now. And who knows? There may or may not be sons in the future. Considering all this, you are safe for the present. Nor is there cause of fear from your sister. If there are any sons born of her, I promise that I shall present all of them to you for necessary action.’” (Vasudeva speaking to Kamsa, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 1)

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Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, dharma, and a subsequent rise in irreligion, adharma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends as Himself to handle the situation. It stands to reason that extraordinary circumstances would be necessary; otherwise every minute of every day would feature a new avatara arriving from the spiritual world.

The Supreme Lord is already everywhere. He accomplishes omnipresence through the feature known as Paramatma. This is the all-pervading witness, who is something like a neutral bystander. Residing inside of my heart, He takes note of everything that I do. In this role He does not influence decisions, unless specifically requested to do so.

The time of Kamsa presiding over the town of Mathura triggered the descent of the Supreme Lord in full. The Sanskrit is krishnas tu bhagavan svayam. There are many incarnations of the Almighty, but Krishna is considered God as Himself.

Upon reading of the external events that preceded Krishna’s arrival, there may be some question as to the behavior of the participants. If every action was not performed in the exact, perfect sequence, perhaps the delight of mother Devaki may never have arrived.

1. Why did Vasudeva and Devaki continue to have children?

“The story begins with Vasudeva returning home with his new bride. Since Kamsa was the cousin-brother to the bride, per custom he accompanied the newlyweds. En route to the destination, a voice from the sky suddenly shocked the world. It announced that Devaki’s eighth child would be Kamsa’s doom.

“Kamsa was ready to kill Devaki on the spot, so attached to the temporary body was he. Vasudeva stepped in and ameliorated the disturbance felt by the king of Mathura. Vasudeva promised to hand over every child born to the couple. This way Kamsa would have no reason to fear.

“I like how the saintly Vasudeva was able to think on his feet, to quickly find a solution when time was running out. The larger question is why would the couple continue to have children. If they knew that Kamsa would kill the newborns, in the graphic manner that he was to display, why take the risk? Pregnancy does not carry a guarantee; the ordeal can be quite stressful for the mother. Why not avoid the issue altogether?”

2. What made Kamsa worthy of punishment?

“From the behavior to follow, including the impulse to kill his own sister, we understand that Kamsa was a bad character. He was not a nice guy, even though Narada Muni had no problem visiting and speaking with him. I guess saintly people are neutral in that regard; they are above the dichotomies of good and evil in a material existence.

“The story begins with the voice from the sky, though. It was announcing destiny. Why would Devaki’s son be Kamsa’s death? What had the leader done up to that point to deserve punishment? There must be some history as a precursor.”

3. Why did the voice speak to Kamsa?

“Couldn’t the newlyweds live in peace? Why force them to struggle? If the voice from the sky just kept quiet, there would not have been an issue. Shri Krishna still could have emerged from the mother’s womb and set foot in the path of destruction for the great asura. From what transpired, the akasha-vani only made things worse.”

…

Narada Muni, the great travelling saint representing the Vedic tradition, is known to meddle in affairs in order to further the business of the demigods. The devas, who reside in the heavenly realm, were the ones who initially approached Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to descend to earth and relieve the burden of the influential and steadily rising asura class.

Narada Muni convinced Kamsa to be more on alert than he was. After their discussion, Kamsa decided to imprison Vasudeva and Devaki. Therefore, at that point there was no advantage to not having children. They would stay in prison forever, as long as Kamsa continued to remain afraid. At least with further children appearing, there was the chance that one of them might indeed be Vishnu, who would rescue the parents.

Narada informed Kamsa that in a previous life he was the demon named Kalanemi. Vishnu had killed Kalanemi, and what often occurs is that the rival to the Supreme Lord has to take multiple births to be killed multiple times, prior to achieving liberation. Therefore, it was in Kamsa’s destiny to be killed directly by the hand of God.

The voice from the sky ignited the reaction for the proper chain of events. If Kamsa never knew, then Devaki would never be in prison. If she wasn’t in distress at the time of birth, Krishna would never have been transferred to the nearby town of Gokula. This was done in secret, in the middle of the night by the father, Vasudeva.

These are some of the intricacies to the elaborate production put on by the greatest artistic mind in the universe. The ups and downs, the highs and lows, and the thrill-packed moments are embellishments to the wonderful drama that is associated with the advent of the Supreme Lord, whose appearance is still remembered, honored and glorified to this day.

In Closing:

Accompanying sister sent,
Back on that chariot went.

But arriving voice from the sky,
With message of importance high.

That Devaki’s eighth child to kill,
Terror in Kamsa’s heart to fill.

But destiny unfolding proper way,
Meant for Krishna in Gokula to stay.