Krishna Srihari

Krishna continued, “Oho! It was for me that my parents underwent limitless suffering. They lost all their children and had to face imprisonment only due to me. My dear father, I wish to see my kith and kin”.

If the Supreme Lord himself uttered these words, then the commoners have to ponder deeply about it. At any time children should be the cause of joy to parents and should never become a cause for sorrow.

“O sir, today I am blessed with your visit. It has brought to me great joy”.

The youth of today should learn from Krishna. In the present period, people are in a great hurry to abandon their parents in senior citizen homes. Each son tries to push the responsibility of the aged parents upon his other brothers. Daughters are happy to have their aged parents at home, however their husbands do not co-operate. The presence of the aged members is not to the liking of other family members. Is there any humanity?

Parents sacrifice a lot for the upbringing and education of their children. They take loans, sell their land and sacrifice their comforts in order to send their children to the US. The children who reach foreign lands never return home and these aged parents spend years not knowing when they would set eyes on their children again. They endlessly worry and weep for their children who are far away. I applaud the Government which has proposed punishment for those who neglect the needs of the parents. It is truly an appreciable measure.

Krishna is saying- it is due to me that my parents suffered in every way. It was for my sake that they had to be imprisoned by demon Kamsa. Akrūra was pleased to hear these words from the Lord’s mouth. The Lord was explaining his own duties.

“Krishna then enquired, ‘Kindly let us know the purpose of your visit’.

Maharishi Śuka continued, “Hearing these words, Akrura, a member of the Madhu lineage, explained in minute detail the enmity that Kamsa bore towards the Yadavas and of his attempts to kill Vasudeva. He also explained that Maharishi Nārada had visited Kamsa and informed him of Srikrishna’s birth. He then explained that Kamsa was infuriated beyond limits upon knowing of Krishna and Balarama’s presence in Gokula and how he had schemed to finish them both upon their arrival in Mathura. He also told them that Kamsa was inviting them to Mathura on the pretext of witnessing the grand Satra-yāga ritual. He informed them that he had been sent as an emissary for this purpose. Balarama and Krishna, the destroyer of foes, laughed loudly upon listening to this”.

Kamsa, the vile cheat had, with an intention of destroying them, invited them, along with their kith and kin, for witnessing a grand Satra-yāga. The brothers laughed at his folly.

“The brothers then appraised their father Nanda of Kamsa’s order. Nanda immediately instructed all the cowherds to collect milk, curd, butter along with other gifts to be offered as tribute to Kamsa and to ready the bullock-carts.

When the Gopikas learnt of Akrūra’s arrival to Brindavan with the intent of taking Balarama and Krishna away to Mathura, they were aghast. This news was intolerable to many of them and their hearts wrenched in pain”.

Srihari is now going away from us. These brothers are leaving us. This thought was unbearable to them. It was as if they experienced a mild heart attack.

“Moaning and letting out hot breaths, their faces shrivelled. In some Gopikas the agony caused the clothing, braids, bangles, and bracelets to loosen. Then and there they fainted. The arrival of Akrūra into Gokula caused them to tremble. They began to wail. Some Gopikas meditated upon Srikrishna and turned motionless. Akin to Self-realized saints, they lost awareness of their body and of this external world.

Some others recollected the charming smile of Srikrishna and the sweet words uttered by him to them. Deluded totally, they began to weep uncontrollably. His sweet loving words pierced their hearts. Gopikas eternally meditate upon the dainty gait of Srikrishna, the bestower of liberation, His demeanour, His tender love-filled gazes, His jocular talk which drove away all sorrows and His transcendental sports. Fearing that they would lose Him or be separated from Him, all of them were aggrieved. The Gopikas who had fixed Srikrishna in their hearts shed uncontrollable tears. Their hearts were totally filled with Krishna”.

One Gopika recollected His charming smile, another recollected His tender gaze. While one Gopika fondly remembered His dainty gait, another thought of the way in which He played the flute. One Gopika focussed on His lotus face while another saw His complete form. Thinking of Him and unable to bear the separation from Him, they were weeping bitterly. From now on, He is going to desert us- they lamented.

Krishna Krishna