Krishna Narayana

Maharishi Śuka continued, “Wonderful are the activities of the Supreme Lord! Seeing the glory of Gokula, Uddhava was impressed. This hamlet was surrounded by flowering forests.”

Uddhava believed that he would be entering a gloomy hamlet with unhygienic surroundings, as, lamenting for Krishna and Balarama all the members of the tribe would have abandoned their daily activities. Contrary to his expectations, although they were grief-stricken, they exhibited no slackness in completion of any duty. This is what the Lord truly loves. Without attaching too much importance to the activities, keeping the mind on Him is what He loves.

If any thought persists in your mind, understood that you have not abandoned it. You are clinging to that thought/ emotion. This clinging should be given up. The thought should be driven away from the mind while flawlessly continuing all the activities/ duties assigned to you. This mental rejection of all other thoughts/ emotions is the true meaning of the phrase- abandoning all duties (dharmas).

While ensuring that all the daily mandated chores continue uninterruptedly and flawlessly, the person should not mentally focus/ worry/ think of the action/ duty that is being performed. The mind should not cling to that task but instead should fix on the Lord. In other words, like a robot one must go on completing the chores while keeping the mind fixed, not on the duties, but on the Lord.

“The colourful flowering trees in and around the hamlet were enhancing its beauty. Swarms of bees were humming melodiously while flocks of birds were chirping loudly everywhere. The lakes that were filled with blooming lotuses were flocked by groups of swans and cranes. Peacocks were to be seen everywhere. With lakes that were brimming with water, Gokula appeared breathtakingly beautiful. Many birds belonging to different lands had arrived there for some periodic rest”.

Even in that era, there are records of birds migrating from one land to another during the year. The land did not consist of as many division as there are today, but still, the landmass had extreme climatic conditions forcing the birds to migrate to other lands during stipulated periods. Birds love India, the land of Gods, for its balanced weather conditions.

“Uddhava, who had arrived at Gokula, was the dearest servant of Krishna. Nanda, who saw Uddhava approaching him, felt elated. He embraced Uddhava and derived great happiness. He welcomed Uddhava warmly believing him to be none other than his beloved son Srikrishna. In appearance, Uddhava closely resembled Krishna. He provided Uddhava with a comfortable seat and fed him a sumptuous meal. He pressed Uddhava’s feet to ward off the tiredness from the journey. He fanned Uddhava who was seated comfortably on the seat provided.

Due to these services provided by Nanda, Uddhava’s tiredness caused due to the journey was abated. Nanda then enquired,

‘O Uddhava! You are supremely fortunate to be living in close vicinity to the Lord. Vasudeva, the son of Sura, is our dearest friend. We are aware that he is now freed from imprisonment. Is he now happy in the company of his children, friends and relatives?

It was the Lord’s grace that the sinner Kamsa has, due to his sins, been killed along with his attendants. He would constantly torture the saints, the noble-minded persons, and the Yadavas. He despised righteous persons.

Does Srikrishna remember me, his mother, his friends, his well-wishers, the cows, cowherds, this Brindavan hamlet, and the Govardhana Mountain? Does he remember us all?”

Nanda enquired on behalf of every tree, leaf, and branch that was located in Brindavan with the hope that Krishna would remember at least one among them. Due to the pangs of separation, he was eager to know whether or not Krishna missed them all. We too make such inquiries, don’t we? When we are informed that the person does indeed miss us, we feel special. We feel honoured and happy that the other person is kind enough to remember us. Here, Nanda was enquiring with similar feelings.

“Will Govinda return at least once to see His family? If He comes here, we will be able to see His beautiful face that is illumined with his lovely nose, charming smile and tender gaze”.

The cowherds and Gopikas were eagerly waiting for that moment when they could set their eyes on the Lord. They were recollecting all the places where Krishna would play as a small child.

“Srikrishna is a Mahatma who has rescued us from the devastating forest fire, from rains accompanied by gale winds, from demons Aghasura, Vrṣabhasura and other formidable demons who were akin to inescapable death”.

Every time a death-like situation pounced upon us, Krishna came to our rescue. Nanda was singing the transcendental sports exhibited by Krishna since birth.

“Krishna’s valour, His side-long gazes filled with tenderness, His charming smile and His sweet words come to memory periodically when we are engaged in material work resulting in shoddy completion of that task”.

When they were engaged in their tasks, the activities of Krishna would come to their memory. They would remember how and where He would stand, how He would smile, and His melodious speech. As their mind would be fixed totally upon the Lord, they would be unable to complete their work effectively.

“When we come across the river banks, mountains, forests and playgrounds that have been adorned by the lotus feet of Srikrishna, the bestower of liberation, our minds attain oneness with Him”.

Periodically we, the inhabitants of Brindavan, walk to all those places where Krishna exhibited His transcendental sports. We visit the river banks, the mountains and valleys where He walked. In addition to all our other activities, this has become another favourite activity. Reaching there we attain oneness with Him. After moving out from there we shed tears missing Him. Mentally we are with Him at all times. We have merged into His mind. Uddhava, how is our Lord? Does He laugh? Does He remember all His past activities?

“Uddhava, in my opinion, Balarama and Krishna are exalted leaders of the Devatas, who have arrived on earth to complete some divine tasks on behalf of the Devatas”.

They have come here to save mankind, to save Earth, to restore righteousness while rooting out unrighteousness, to establish truthfulness.

“Maharishi Garga had informed this to me earlier”.

Nanda thus recollected the words of Maharishi Garga during the naming ceremony of the infants.

“Balarama and Krishna have killed Kamsa whose weight was equivalent of 10,000 intoxicated elephants, the formidable wrestlers Cānura and Muṣṭika and the elephant Kuvalayapiḍa as playfully as a lion kills tiny animals”.

When Kamsa, Cānura, Muṣtika and other wrestlers walked, the hearts of all the people in the vicinity would tremble in fright. Their appearance was so frightening. Nanda and other cowherds had directly witnessed this wrestling match in Mathura.

Narayana Krishna