Krishna Narayana

Maharishi Śuka continued, “The maid-servant Trivakra was bewitched by Krishna’s handsome appearance, His charming smile, His delicate form and His jovial talk and His good-heartedness. Her mind was enraptured by Him and hence she gave to the brothers, the thick sandal-paste for decorating their bodies.

The brothers accepted from her the sandal-paste which was in a strikingly different colour than their complexions and applied it upon their upper bodies starting from the waist. The sandal-paste was supremely fragrant and cooling. Due to this application, their bodies shone even more divinely.

Prasanno bhagavān kubjāḿ trivakrāḿ rucirānanām

Rjvīḿ kartuḿ manaś cakre darśayan darśane phalam

This verse is a maha-mantra. If this is chanted, all the disfigurement in the body will be destroyed and we will be bestowed with proportionate limbs and form.

Pleased with her, the Supreme Lord Krishna wanted to reward her for having had His darshan. He decided to straighten the body of this woman, who despite being disfigured and hunched, had a beautiful face”.

It was purely to bless the weaver, the florist, the hunchbacked lady and others that the Lord had decided to walk through the streets of Mathura. When Kubja (the hunchback) offered to Him the thick sandal paste, the Lord decided to free her from this disfigurement.

“The Lord then firmly pressed the front part of her feet with His feet and then, with the tips of his two fingers, He held her chin and pulled her up straightening her. Due to the touch of the Supreme Lord, her body turned proportionate and tall. With a broad chest and wide hips, she became one among the most-beautiful women of that land.

In addition to beautiful, proportionate form, this maid-servant was endowed with many good qualities such as large-heartedness. Love for the Lord overflowed from her heart. Smiling shyly, she held the upper garment of the Lord and said,

“O valourous one! Kindly accompany me to my home. I am unable to leave you here and go alone. You have stolen my heart. Kindly bless me”. Balarama who heard these words kept gazing at Krishna. Krishna cast a glance at Balarama and upon his friends who were accompanying him and then said to her,

“O beautiful one, I shall complete the assignment for which I have come to Mathura and thereafter visit your home”.

The lady had invited Krishna lovingly and hence Balarama and other friends feared that he would abandon the task for which he had arrived and would go away with her. Her voice and mannerisms were full of love such that anyone who heard them would have been captivated. For having offered sandal-paste, the Lord rewarded her with beauty. The Lord gave his word that He would visit her home.

“At the moment you are the one offering shelter to us, the homeless travellers”- with these sweet words, the Lord sent her away”.

The Lord spoke sweetly to her and sent her away. He had said- we are homeless travellers. We are nomadic wanderers. You have been kind to offer your home to us travellers. We shall visit you soon after our work here is completed.

“Seeing Him, who was accompanied by his elder brother Balarama, the traders in the city offered gifts and worshipped with betel leaves tambula, garlands and sandal-paste”.

The brothers walked through the streets where traders had set up shops. These traders lovingly worshipped them both.

“The sight of these brothers caused the women, who were overflowing with love towards them, to lose body-consciousness. They were totally unaware when their garments, braids, bracelets and other ornaments that had loosened. Having lost body-consciousness, they remained still like the picture-images.

Enquiring from the citizens the location of the bow-sacrifice, Srikrishna arrived there. There He saw a magnificent bow closely resembling Lord Indra’s bow. Many mighty soldiers were guarding this bow which was being duly worshipped. This magnificent bow was studded with many golden ornaments. Krishna neared the bow which was extremely heavy and disregarding the soldiers who were preventing his entry, He forcibly grabbed it. Playfully lifting up the bow with His left hand, He strung the bow string tightly and, even as the soldiers were watching, broke it as playfully as an intoxicated elephant would break the sugarcane.

The deafening sound which emerged as the bow was being broken, filled the heaven, earth, the skies and all the directions.”

Just as Lord Rama had in the past broken the Shiva’s bow in order to secure the hand of Mother Sita, here Krishna broke this bow in the sacrificial hall.

“This deafening sound alarmed Kamsa. His heart missed a beat at the thought that death was quickly approaching him. Meanwhile, holding weapons in their hands the infuriated soldiers together with their servants surrounded Krishna from all directions.

Understanding the evil intentions of these attendants, the Supreme Lord Srikrishna and his brother Balarama were incensed”.

Narayana Krishna