॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
10 May 2023, Wednesday - Srimad Bhagavatam X.a39 - Sri Krishna elicits all the updates from Akrura. As Gokula grieves, Sri Krishna proceeds to Mathura with Akrura. Bhagavan gives the Darshan of Sheshashayi Maha Vishnu (as Himself) to Akrura.
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The departure of Sri Krishna to Mathura is narrated briefly by Sage Shuka, but we can fathom the pathos in the hearts of everyone in Vraja at Bhagavan's departure. Many poems, dance dramas, and television episodes have graphically described the sense of utter loss felt by Gopis. What about Yashoda herself, when she discovers Sri Krishna is not her own biological son? No mention at all. Even Shuka could not perhaps bring himself to describe her feelings. One thing is for sure. Repeatedly, Sage Garga had told Nanda and Yashoda that this was Bhagavan taking the avatara of Krishna. Every divine act and sport of Bhagavan had instilled the feeling of being in the presence of Paramatma in every citizen, beast, bird, mountain and plant. So perhaps everyone was prepared for another chapter of His Leela!
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After the evening meal, as Akrura rests on his guest couch, Sri Krishna and Balarama meet him in private. Akrura is ruminating on his infinite good fortune to have met the divine personality of Sri Krishna. Then Sri Krishna broaches matters of practicality.
श्रीभगवानुवाच
तात सौम्यागतः कच्चित्स्वागतं भद्रमस्तु वः । अपि स्वज्ञातिबन्धूनामनमीवमनामयम् ॥
किं नु नः कुशलं पृच्छे एधमाने कुलामये । कंसे मातुलनाम्न्यङ्ग स्वानां नस्तत्प्रजासु च ॥
अहो अस्मदभूद्भूरि पित्रोर्वृजिनमार्ययोः । यद्धेतोः पुत्रमरणं यद्धेतोर्बन्धनं तयोः ॥
दिष्ट्याद्य दर्शनं स्वानां मह्यं वः सौम्य काङ्क्षितम् । सञ्जातं वर्ण्यतां तात तवागमनकारणम् ॥
T: Sri Krishna, referred as Bhagavan here, said: My dear, gentle Uncle Akrura, was your trip here comfortable? May all good fortune be yours. How are all our folk in Mathura- happy and in good health? Indeed, it bears no enquiry as long as King Kamsa, the blight and blot on our family called my uncle, is still prospering. Just see how much suffering my sinless parents have gone through because of me! On my account, their sons were murdered by Kamsa, and they have been imprisoned! ( Sri Krishna has revealed he knows all.) Nevertheless, by our good fortune, we have been visited by you, fulfilling our long-cherished wish. Pray tell us, what is the real purpose of your coming?
In response, Akrura told them all, leaving no detail. How Kamsa wanted to kill Vasudeva. How Kamsa had been informed that Sri Krishna and Balarama were Vasudeva's sons prised away in Gokula. How he had instructed Akrura to bring everyone from Gokula ostensibly for a big Dhanuryajna, bringing all their best offerings and gifts, to be entertained in Mathura. How specifically, Akrura had been directed to bring Sri Krishna and Balarama to Mathura, so Kamsa could kill them with his various devices.
श्रुत्वाक्रूरवचः कृष्णो बलश्च परवीरहा । प्रहस्य नन्दं पितरं राज्ञाऽऽदिष्टं विजज्ञतुः ॥
T: Hearing Akrura's account and Kamsa's directive, Sri Krishna and Balarama laughed loudly. Then, not wasting time, they went and recounted everything to their father King Nanda, to set the ball in motion.
A stoic Nanda seems to have half-expected this turn of events. He proclaimed suitably that the entire Gokula should prepare and at once leave with their most precious offerings of dairy and all else, to attend the Dhanuryajna in Mathura as ordered by Kamsa. Word got around fast that Sri Krishna and Balarama had to leave with Akrura.
The young Gopis were plunged in utter grief. They cried and cried, unmindful of their appearances any more. This is an important bit that comes often. My own idea is that women, especially society women, are extremely centred in their body and their appearance. The whole world revolves around their self-image. To be unmindful of this is the extreme situation when their minds are lost to something else. This time it was the flood of feelings for Sri Krishna and the imminent separation. Soma fainted. Some sang within themselves their most cherished prayers to Sri Krishna.
The Gopis were frightened at the prospect of even the briefest separation from Lord Mukunda, so now, as they remembered his graceful gait, his pastimes, his affectionate, smiling glances, His heroic deeds and His joking words, which would relieve their distress. They were beside themselves with anxiety at the thought of the great separation about to come. They gathered in groups and spoke to one another, their faces covered with tears and their minds fully absorbed in Achyuta, Sri Krishna. See how the words describing Krishna and Vishnu are the same.
गोप्य ऊचुः
अहो विधातस्तव न क्वचिद्दया संयोज्य मैत्र्या प्रणयेन देहिनः ।
तांश्चाकृतार्थान् वियुनङ्क्ष्यपार्थकं विक्रीडितं तेऽर्भकचेष्टितं यथा ॥
यस्त्वं प्रदर्श्यासितकुन्तलावृतं मुकुन्दवक्त्रं सुकपोलमुन्नसम् ।
शोकापनोदस्मितलेशसुन्दरं करोषि पारोक्ष्यमसाधु ते कृतम् ॥
क्रूरस्त्वमक्रूर समाख्यया स्म नश्चक्षुर्हि दत्तं हरसे बताज्ञवत् ।
येनैकदेशेऽखिलसर्गसौष्ठवं त्वदीयमद्राक्ष्म वयं मधुद्विषः ॥
न नन्दसूनुः क्षणभङ्गसौहृदः समीक्षते नः स्वकृतातुरा बत ।
विहाय गेहान् स्वजनान् सुतान् पतींस्तद्दास्यमद्धोपगता नवप्रियः ॥
सुखं प्रभाता रजनीयमाशिषः सत्या बभूवुः पुरयोषितां ध्रुवम् ।
याः सम्प्रविष्टस्य मुखं व्रजस्पतेः पास्यन्त्यपाङ्गोत्कलितस्मितासवम् ॥
तासां मुकुन्दो मधुमञ्जुभाषितैर्गृहीतचित्तः परवान् मनस्व्यपि ।
कथं पुनर्नः प्रतियास्यतेऽबला ग्राम्याः सलज्जस्मितविभ्रमैर्भ्रमन् ॥
अद्य ध्रुवं तत्र दृशो भविष्यते दाशार्हभोजान्धकवृष्णिसात्वताम् ।
महोत्सवः श्रीरमणं गुणास्पदं द्रक्ष्यन्ति ये चाध्वनि देवकीसुतम् ॥
मैतद्विधस्याकरुणस्य नाम भूदक्रूरैत्येतदतीव दारुणः ।
योऽसावनाश्वास्य सुदुःखितं जनं प्रियात्प्रियं नेष्यति पारमध्वनः ॥
अनार्द्रधीरेष समास्थितो रथं तमन्वमी च त्वरयन्ति दुर्मदाः ।
गोपा अनोभिः स्थविरैरुपेक्षितं दैवं च नोऽद्य प्रतिकूलमीहते ॥
निवारयामः समुपेत्य माधवं किं नोऽकरिष्यन् कुलवृद्धबान्धवाः ।
मुकुन्दसङ्गान्निमिषार्धदुस्त्यजाद्दैवेन विध्वंसितदीनचेतसाम् ॥
यस्यानुरागललितस्मितवल्गुमन्त्रलीलावलोकपरिरम्भणरासगोष्ठ्याम् ।
नीताः स्म नः क्षणमिव क्षणदा विना तं गोप्यः कथं न्वतितरेम तमो दुरन्तम् ॥
योऽह्नःक्षये व्रजमनन्तसखः परीतो गोपैर्विशन्खुररजश्छुरितालकस्रक् ।
वेणुं क्वणन् स्मितकटाक्षनिरीक्षणेन चित्तं क्षिणोत्यमुमृते नु कथं भवेम ॥
T: "Oh, cruel Fate! Heartlessly, you bring people together, give them ample reasons to develop love and attachment, and yet separate them before they fulfil their desires! This is a terrible game of yours! You brought, in our midst, Mukunda, with his lovely face, dark locks, fine cheeks, and gentle smiles, to remove all our grievances. And now you take him away! This is terrible!"
"You have come in the form of Akrura whose name means "Not cruel" but it is most ironic as he is the one heartlessly taking away our beloved. You gave us eyes to see and hearts to love our Lord, Sri Krishna, and now you are taking away this most perfect specimen in the entire gamut of creation!"
"Look at Nanda's son! He breaks his lovers' hearts in a second! He constantly goes to new lovers! He has captured our hearts and minds and we have abandoned our homes, relatives, children and husbands just to serve him! And now, tomorrow, the women of Mathura will joyously feast on the presence of Sri Krishna, as he looks at them lovingly from the corner of his eyes! Look at their good luck! Sri Krishna is no doubt obedient to King Nanda and Yashoda. But once he is enticed by the city women of Mathura, he will not care to return to us village girls!"
"The various clans and royal folk of Mathura will be so lucky to get a Darshan of Sri Krishna, son of Devaki! After all, Devi Lakshmi is his consort, and he is the divinity possessing all transcendental qualities! This man who is doing this cruel act of taking away our Krishna should not be called Akrura as it does not suit him! Look, hard-hearted that he is, our Krishna has already mounted the chariot! Even the elders are doing nothing to stop him. Oh, our Fate today! We won't survive even for a second without our Mukunda! Let us take direct action and stop him."
"When Krishna brought us to the circle of Raasa, we enjoyed his affectionate and charming smiles, his delightful secret sweet talks, his playful glances and his embraces, passing many nights as if they were a single moment. oh, Gopis! How can we possibly cross over this insurmountable darkness of separation from him? How can we exist without Ananta’s (Balarama) friend Sri Krishna, who in the evening would return to Vraja in the company of the cowherd boys, with his hair and garland powdered with the dust raised by the cows’ hooves? As he played his flute, He would captivate our minds, casting his smiling sidelong glances!"
After speaking these words, the Gopis of Vraja, who were so attached to Sri Krishna, felt extremely agitated by their imminent separation from him. Forgetting lady-like decorum, they loudly cried out, “Oh, Govinda! Oh, Damodara! Oh, Madhava!”
But even as the Gopis were crying out this way, Akrura began to drive the brothers away in his chariot after the ceremonial morning ablutions and prayers.
Meanwhile, led by King Nanda, the citizens of Vraja had collected all their dairy offerings and special gifts to be given in Mathura, and started in their caravan of carts.
With his loving glances, Sri Krishna somewhat pacified the Gopis, as they followed behind the chariot. He could see they were waiting for some message or signal from him. They were wailing. He, therefore, sent his word, "Rest assured, dears, I shall soon return." (सान्त्वयामास सप्रेमैरायास्य इति दौत्यकै: )
The Gopis' minds followed Sri Krishna's chariot, but they stood motionless, a picture of love in waiting. They watched as the chariot flag slowly disappeared, nor could the dust raised be seen any more, They returned to Gokula, to be immersed for long in pining for their beloved Krishna, reliving the moments of joy with him. They doubted if he would ever return now.
***
Travelling swiftly, Sri Krishna and Balarama came to the bank of Kalindi, or Yamuna, in Akrura's chariot. Sri Krishna went to the sparkling river, drank some of the water, and came back to the chariot. After asking for the chariot to be parked in a grove nearby, he sat down with Balarama. One can imagine even Bhagavan relishing the great moments here, with the loving people of Gokula, nostalgic.
Akrura took their permission and went to bathe in the river as per ritualistic prescription. He got into the water, reciting Mantras, and then saw Sri Krishna and Balarama in the middle of the river! How could Vasudeva's sons be here in the Yamuna, when he had left them behind in the chariot parked in the grove? Astonished, he turned back towards the chariot and saw them very much seated there. Even more perplexed, he returned to the river. Had he seen an illusion?
Just then, Akrura had the Darshan of Adi Shesha, the Ananta snake with a thousand hoods, in the river, stretched out divinely. He was being worshipped by all the gods and celestials. He had a white lustre like a Himalayan peak and wore a sparkling blue garment.
तस्योत्सङ्गे घनश्यामं पीतकौशेयवाससम् । पुरुषं चतुर्भुजं शान्तं पद्मपत्रारुणेक्षणम् ॥
चारुप्रसन्नवदनं चारुहासनिरीक्षणम् । सुभ्रून्नसं चारुकर्णं सुकपोलारुणाधरम् ॥
प्रलम्बपीवरभुजं तुङ्गांसोरःस्थलश्रियम् । कम्बुकण्ठं निम्ननाभिं वलिमत्पल्लवोदरम् ॥
T: Akrura then saw the Parama Purusha, Maha Vishnu, lying peacefully on the lap of Lord Ananta. The complexion of that Ishwara was like a dark-blue cloud. He wore yellow garments and had four arms and reddish lotus-petal eyes. His face looked attractive and cheerful with its smiling, endearing glance and lovely eyebrows, its raised nose and finely formed ears, and its beautiful cheeks and reddish lips. The Lord’s broad shoulders and expansive chest were beautiful, and His arms long and stout. His neck resembled a conch shell, His navel was deep, and His abdomen bore lines like those on a banyan leaf.
He had large loins and hips, thighs like an elephant’s trunk, and shapely knees and shanks. His raised ankles reflected the brilliant effulgence emanating from the nails on His petal-like toes, which beautified Adorned with a magnificent crown, splendid bracelets and armlets, which were all bedecked with many priceless jewels, and also with a bejewelled girdle, a sacred thread, necklaces, ankle bells and earrings, the Lord shone with dazzling effulgence. In one hand He held a lotus flower, in the other three hands the Shankha, Chakra and Gada. Gracing His chest were the Srivatsa mark, the brilliant Kaustubha gem and a flower garland.
Encircling the Lord and worshipping Him were Nanda, Sunanda and other attendants; Sanaka and the other Kumaras; Brahma, Rudra Shiva and other principal gods; great Brahmins the best of the saintly devotees, headed by Prahlada and Narada. Each of these great personalities was worshipping the Lord by chanting sanctified prayers in his own individual way. Also in attendance were the Lord’s principal internal potencies described as Sri, Pushti, Gir, Kanti, Kirti, Tushti, Ila and Urja (eternal prosperity, strength, speech, lustre, fame, happiness, knowledge, energy) as were His material potencies Vidya (right knowledge), Avidya (misleading knowledge) and Maya (illusory energy) that together create this universe, through his final potency, Shakti or creative power.
As the great devotee Akrura beheld all this, he became extremely pleased and felt enthused with transcendental devotion. His intense ecstasy caused his bodily hairs to stand on end and tears to flow from his eyes, drenching his entire body. Somehow managing to steady himself, Akrura bowed his head to the ground. Then he joined his palms in supplication and, in a voice choked with emotion, very slowly and attentively began to pray.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
