Narayana Krishna

“In great jubilation, Krishna, who was accompanied by the boys and calves played the flute and the bugle”.

Krishna was jubilant. He had destroyed Brahma’s illusion and had showered boons upon him. The cowherds who had accompanied Krishna were also in a great celebratory mood. The calves were jumping in happiness. What could be the reason behind the jubilation of the boys and calves? Since Krishna was in an ecstatic mood, all boys and calves too were joyous!

“The cowherd boys began to sing His pure glory”.

The boys were shouting victory slogans praising Krishna.

“Krishna thus entered Brindavan calling out His calves by their names”.

Although there were millions of calves, each calf had a name. When Krishna called it by its name, it would lovingly run towards Him with its tail lifted up. The calves would obediently abide by His commands at all times. If He commanded them to walk towards Brindavan, they would immediately obey. When directed to walk into the forests, they would proceed in that direction. These calves obeyed the commands given by other cowherd boys too. Managing them was never a problem. After all, they were no ordinary calves. The Devatas had incarnated as the calves in Brindavan.

“Observing Krishna who was returning, the ladies of Brindavan watched Him to their heart’s content and were soaked in limitless bliss. As the boys entered Brindavan, they began to loudly glorify Krishna’s act saying, ‘Today Yashoda and Nanda’s son Krishna killed a humongous python in the forests and rescued us from death’. Thus, they narrated the story of demon Aghasura’s death.”

They explained in detail the incident that had taken place (a year ago) in the forest. Krishna’s victory was to them an occasion that called for great celebration. Little did they know that He was the Supreme Lord. They believed that, using his physical might, Krishna had simply killed a gigantic demon. The Lord had thrown the veil of illusion around them and hence they could not recognize Him to be the Lord of the universe.

“Maharishi Śuka had narrated in great detail the illusion cast by Brahma and how the Lord destroyed the same. Hearing this, Emperor Parikshit enquired, ‘O revered saint! Previously the residents of Brindavan had never shown as much love towards their children as they showered during this year. How could they shower unsurpassed love towards Krishna, who was not their son?”

Why did the inhabitants of Brindavan have more love for Krishna than that they had for their sons?

“What were the feelings that ruled their heart when they showered such love? Why did such love emerge? This perplexes me. Kindly explain”.

Normally, irrespective of the crowd or the location, a mother recognizes her child. Such is the affinity she had for her child. Did we not previously discuss that a bird recognizes its chick from among the millions of identical chicks in the forest? However, what happened in Brindavan was against this rule. What caused the mothers, who normally have great affinity towards their own children, to shower excessive love on another’s child? How is it that they failed to understand that another’s son had entered their home as their son? Parikshit wanted to know.

“To this Maharishi Śuka replied, ‘O Emperor! Listen. To every living entity, the inner Self, which is one’s own, is the most-dearest. Nevertheless, as this Self (atma) has feelings of love towards children, wealth, power and other worldly acquisitions, they appear to be most loved by the person’.”

In reality, the person loves his inner ‘Self’ the most. However, as the Self loves children, wealth, home, power and other assets owned, they too appear to be dear to him.

“Embodied beings do not have as much love towards their children, assets, power, wealth and all other attachments, as much as they have for their own Self (atma).

Even those who vehemently argue that their ‘body’ itself is their ‘Self’, do not have as much love towards food-grains and other material assets that belong to the body, as much as they have for their body”.

Swamiji explains: They are ones who consider themselves to be the ‘body’. They would have acquired material assets using their intelligence and energy. Even in such persons unknowingly their attachment towards material acquisitions is lesser than that towards their ‘body’ (which they consider themselves to be).

“Those with limited wisdom realize that they are not the body but believe that the body is their own. Even then they do not love their body as much as they love their ‘Self’. This is evident because even after the body is debilitated, the desire to live continues in them”.

Swamiji explains: These are people who realize that they are not the body. However, they believe their body is their own (property). They cannot be classified as fools but as slightly dim-witted. They do not think, ‘I am this body’ but instead think, ‘This body is mine’. When they grow old, they crave to live longer despite knowing that body (their property) won’t co-operate. (Here it must be remembered that their ‘Self’ and not their ‘worn-out body’ creates this desire).

Krishna Krishna