॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Wednesday, 19 April 2023 - X a.23- The Yajnapatnis exhibit compassion and great devotion to Sri Krishna in equal measure.
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गोपा ऊचुः
राम राम महावीर्य कृष्ण दुष्टनिबर्हण । एषा वै बाधते क्षुन्नस्तच्छान्तिं कर्तुमर्हथः ॥
T: The Gopas pleaded, "Oh, Balarama! Oh, Sri Krishna! Master, you dispel all our diffculties. We are now extremely hungry! Pray, what should we do to find some food?"
Sri Krishna smiled. He said, "Friends, luckily, nearby, great Brahmins are conducting a big Angirasa Yajna to propitiate the gods and to secure a place in heaven. Go to them- tell them Balarama and I are here, and ask for food."
हे भूमिदेवाः शृणुत कृष्णस्यादेशकारिणः । प्राप्ताञ्जानीत भद्रं वो गोपान्नो रामचोदितान् ॥
गाश्चारयन्तावविदूर ओदनं रामाच्युतौ वो लषतो बुभुक्षितौ ।
तयोर्द्विजा ओदनमर्थिनोर्यदि श्रद्धा च वो यच्छत धर्मवित्तमाः ॥
दीक्षायाः पशुसंस्थायाः सौत्रामण्याश्च सत्तमाः । अन्यत्र दीक्षितस्यापि नान्नमश्नन् हि दुष्यति ॥
इति ते भगवद्याच्ञां शृण्वन्तोऽपि न शुश्रुवुः । क्षुद्राशा भूरिकर्माणो बालिशा वृद्धमानिनः ॥
T: The boys rushed to the spot of the big Yajna ceremony, bowed low to the Brahmins, and appealed. "Oh, Exalted Brahmins, veritable gods on earth! We are the cowherds with Sri Krishna and Balarama. Please listen to the message we bring from them. We have come into this vicinity, grazing our cows. Kindly give Rama, Krishna and us some food as we are extremely hungry. You are all well-versed in Dharma, and following its dictates, kindly feed us as we are asking you for food. We know that certain Yajnas with animal sacrifices and special ones like "Sautramani" prohibit outsiders from partaking in the food being prepared by the Yajna performers. But this is not one such Yajna. So we know that we can request you and partake of food from you!"
When the boys pleaded thus, conveying Bhagavan's message, the Brahmins heard them but pretended they hadn't. They were obsessed with their own rituals and considered themselves wise elders when indeed they were juvenile in understanding. Therefore they neither refused the boys nor told them they would be fed.
देशः कालः पृथग्द्रव्यं मन्त्रतन्त्रर्त्विजोऽग्नयः । देवता यजमानश्च क्रतुर्धर्मश्च यन्मयः ॥
तं ब्रह्म परमं साक्षाद्भगवन्तमधोक्षजम् । मनुष्यदृष्ट्या दुष्प्रज्ञा मर्त्यात्मानो न मेनिरे ॥
न ते यदोमिति प्रोचुर्न नेति च परन्तप । गोपा निराशाः प्रत्येत्य तथोचुः कृष्णरामयोः ॥
T: Sage Shuka remarks here: Is it not the supreme truth that the appointed sacred time, the sanctified place, the materials of the Yajna, the chants, the special techniques used in rituals, the priests themselves, the fire itself, the gods being propitiated, the yajna performer himself, the entire Dharma laid down for Yajnas - is it not true that all these are but manifestations of the Supreme Lord, Bhagavan? That supreme Brahman, Bhagavan Adhokshaja Maha Vishnu, was here as Sri Krishna. And yet, the "wise" Brahmins had completely ignored him and the Gopas' request for food!!!
The Gopa boys returned greatly disappointed and narrated to Sri Krishna how they had not been entertained at all. Sri Krishna gave a broad smile.
तदुपाकर्ण्य भगवान् प्रहस्य जगदीश्वरः । व्याजहार पुनर्गोपान् दर्शयन् लौकिकीं गतिम् ॥
नमो वो विप्रपत्नीभ्यो निबोधत वचांसि नः । इतोऽविदूरे चरता कृष्णेनेहेषिता वयम् ॥
गाश्चारयन् स गोपालैः सरामो दूरमागतः । बुभुक्षितस्य तस्यान्नं सानुगस्य प्रदीयताम् ॥
T: Sri Krishna, the Lord of the Universe, smiled to hear their report. He wanted to show them how to not take No for an answer in this world. He said, "Boys, don't lose heart. We shall yet get food. Go again, this time approach the Yajnapatnis, the wives of the Brahmins. They are busy preparing all the dainty offerings. I know that they are all devoted to me. Tell them you have been sent by Balarama and me for food."
The Gopas went again and directly approached the ladies. "Oh, holy women, wives of the Brahmins! Our obeisances. Kindly listen to our words. Nearby is Sri Krishna who has come grazing the cattle with us. Balarama is with us too. We have come rather far from our homes today. We are extremely hungry. Feed the brothers and us, please."
श्रुत्वाच्युतमुपायातं नित्यं तद्दर्शनोत्सुकाः । तत्कथाक्षिप्तमनसो बभूवुर्जातसम्भ्रमाः ॥
चतुर्विधं बहुगुणमन्नमादाय भाजनैः । अभिसस्रुः प्रियं सर्वाः समुद्रमिव निम्नगाः ॥
निषिध्यमानाः पतिभिर्भ्रातृभिर्बन्धुभिः सुतैः । भगवत्युत्तमश्लोके दीर्घश्रुतधृताशयाः ॥
T: The ladies, who prayed daily for getting a Darshan of Lord Sri Krishna, were simply thrilled to hear he was in their proximity! Their minds were always dwelling on his stories! They at once got up most enthusiastically. Taking loads of their vast variety of dainty dishes, they all rushed to Sri Krishna with the enthusiasm shown by rivers going to the ocean. When they were leaving, their Brahmin husbands, brothers, and relatives- all forbade them to go like that. But they were unstoppable, as they had heard so many stories of the divine Sri Krishna and were most eager to meet him and feed him.
Vyasa paints the picture of the divinely beautiful Sri Krishna whose Darshan the Yajnapatnis were lucky to get. They went to him and feasted on his bewitching appearance, curls, lotus-like face and so on. There was a captivating smile on his face. They enshrined Sri Krishna in their hearts and embraced him within to satisfy their craving. Vyasa says that they were just like a man in deep dreamless sleep who loses all consciousness of the material world and even his own mind and body.
Bhagavan knew the ardent feelings of the Yajnapatnis, and also how they had defied their menfolk to come to him. He received them with genuine affection and regard. "Welcome, oh, ladies! My respects. Kindly tell me what I can do for you! "
प्राणबुद्धिमनःस्वात्मदारापत्यधनादयः । यत्सम्पर्कात्प्रिया आसंस्ततः को न्वपरः प्रियः ॥
तद्यात देवयजनं पतयो वो द्विजातयः । स्वसत्रं पारयिष्यन्ति युष्माभिर्गृहमेधिनः ॥
T: "It is the Atma alone that brings everything to a human being- life, intelligence, wealth, family, and so on. Those who see me as the Atma, what else is dear to them? I know you see me as the Atma and so have come, rightly to me. I receive your affection in toto. Now I request all of you to go back to the Yajnashaala. You are needed by the men to complete the rituals."
The Yajnapatnis now confessed how they had defied their menfolk. Is it not that the one who seeks Bhagavan gives up all worldly relationships and seeks Him alone? So how can Sri Krishna be so unkind and ask them to go back? Their men would never take them back! They were thus entirely surrendered to Sri Krishna and he may do what he pleased.
Bhagavan replied. "There is no way your menfolk shall reject you! You are all mine now. Even the gods see that those who are my own shall never be rejected or come to grief. My people shall on the other hand be celebrated by the whole world. The Yajnapatnis should go back to their lives and duties. They shall attain to Bhagavan with finality quite soon."
The ladies returned to the Yajna, and none was ill-treated. All the rituals went well. Vyasa says there was only one woman, an exception who had been sternly warned by her Brahmin husband not to go to Sri Krishna. She alone gave up her body rather than face her husband. She happily merged with Sri Krishna.
Sri Krishna meanwhile distributed all the dainty food among the Gopas who were very happy to eat to their heart's content. Sri Krishna also ate the food happily afterwards. Shuka tells Parikshit, लीलानरवपुर्नृलोकमनुशीलयन् "the Lord thus played out His Leela in human form, observing all the societal norms!"
The Brahmins now realised that Sri Krishna was indeed Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord. They were filled with regret that they had missed recognising him and serving him, unlike their fortunate Yajnapatnis full of devotion. "Fie on us and our rituals! Fie on our activities going on thus, when we miss the truth of Bhagavan Maha Vishnu Himself come down to be in our midst!"
'We call ourselves Gurus and the guides to the path of Dharma. How mistaken and lost are we! Indeed Bhagavan's Maya deludes all, including the greatest Yogis too! Look at our blessed ladies. They have been freed from bondage by Bhagavan Sri Krishna, and have no worldly ties holding them back from the final release!"
"Our women have not been initiated into rituals, they have not gone to any Gurus, they have performed no Tapas. They have thus no conventional merit or achievements. But they have received the Lord's grace!"
स एष भगवान् साक्षाद्विष्णुर्योगेश्वरेश्वरः । जातो यदुष्वित्यशृण्म ह्यपि मूढा न विद्महे ॥
अहो वयं धन्यतमा येषां नस्तादृशीः स्त्रियः । भक्त्या यासां मतिर्जाता अस्माकं निश्चला हरौ ॥
T: This Sri Krishna, indeed, is the Supreme Bhagavan, Sri Maha Vishnu, the Master of all Masters of Yoga. Just because he has been born among the Yadus, we failed to recognise him! Indeed, the most blessed and fortunate ones are our womenfolk, whose devotion led them to Bhagavan, and also led us through them to His supreme truth!"
नमस्तुभ्यं भगवते कृष्णायाकुण्ठमेधसे । यन्मायामोहितधियो भ्रमामः कर्मवर्त्मसु ॥
स वै न आद्यः पुरुषः स्वमायामोहितात्मनाम् । अविज्ञतानुभावानां क्षन्तुमर्हत्यतिक्रमम् ॥
इति स्वाघमनुस्मृत्य कृष्णे ते कृतहेलनाः । दिदृक्षवोऽप्यच्युतयोः कंसाद्भीता न चाचलन् ॥
T: The Brahmins now prayed: "Oh, Lord, Sri Krishna, the Supreme Lord of Vaikuntha! We are wandering in delusion in our rituals on account of Your own Maya! Oh, Lord, therefore we beg you for forgiveness. Lord, forgive us for not recognising you!"
Thus, the Brahmins expressed within themselves the utmost regret for their misdeed of not recognising and propitiating the Lord in person. While they said this prayer silently, they refrained from going and meeting Sri Krishna, owing to their fear of offending Kamsa! They wanted none of the consequences of offending Kamsa.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
