॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
12 May 2023, Friday - Srimad Bhagavatam X.a41 - Sri Krishna enters Mathura and unleashes his charm as well as power and grace over its people.
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In one of his famous songs, Saint Composer Thyagaraja describes the Lord as sarasa-saama-daana-bheda-danda-chatura. Bhagavan is equally capable of pouring out love towards devotees, extending his generosity towards the deserving, as well as creating a rift between enemies, and punishing the wicked. All this is on display in this chapter.
When Akrura beheld the vision of Bhagavan Maha Vishnu in the Yamuna, he took some time to recover, and returned to the chariot. Looking most innocent, Sri Krishna asked him, "Uncle Akrura, you seem to have seen some strange and astonishing vision either on earth, or in water, or in the sky. What makes you look so stunned?" Akrura simply looked at Sri Krishna with a continuing look of amazement and said:
यत्राद्भुतानि सर्वाणि भूमौ वियति वा जले । तं त्वानुपश्यतो ब्रह्मन् किं मे दृष्टमिहाद्भुतम् ॥
T: "Dear Lord, there is no need for me to see anything else to be stunned, I am beholding You as the Indweller of everything on earth, in water, and in the sky!"
Proceeding rapidly, by evenfall they reached the gates of Matura. Akrura assumed that Sri Krishna and Balarama would go with him home. Meanwhile, King Nanda and all the citizens of Vraja had arrived and encamped on the outskirts of Mathura. Bhagavan told Akrura to proceed alone into the city as they would halt outside. Imagine Akrura's condition. Other than Sri Krishna and Balarama, he alone had a lurid sense of Kamsa's plans and what was going to happen soon by the grace of the Lord in Mathura. He was naturally scared and uncertain. He begged Sri Krishna, "Lord Narayana, please don't abandon Your devotee now, please be with me!" Sri Krishna smiled and replied.
श्रीभगवनुवाच
आयास्ये भवतो गेहमहमार्यसमन्वितः । यदुचक्रद्रुहं हत्वा वितरिष्ये सुहृत्प्रियम् ॥
T: "Dear Sir, definitely I shall come to your home soon, along with King Nanda and everyone else. However, right now, I have some unfinished business of taking care of the evil folk in Mathura whose eradication is the most pressing task for me. Once I do it, I shall come to you joyously."
Akrura most reluctantly proceeded alone into Mathura. He went directly to King Kamsa and apprised him of his having completed the assignment of bringing Sri Krishna, Balarama, Nanda and everyone else as ordered. He went home thereafter.
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Next day. Sri Krishna, Balarama and a group of Gopas entered Mathura to take in its sights and civic order. They were amazed to see palatial mansions decorated expensively. The city was fortified with strong walls and moats. There were splendid gardens, avenues, assembly halls, attractive homes of even commoners, sparkling terraces, courtyards and so on that caught their eye. Everything was spic and span. Flower garlands, banners, buntings, and auspicious decorations (Rangoli and so on) were in full view.
Meanwhile, as Sri Krishna and Balarama entered in full splendour along with their associates, and marched in the royal main street, imagine the effect they had on all the Mathura women. I shall summarise by saying that the women were as captivated and lost in the beauty and glory of Sri Krishna and Balarama as the Gopis of Vraja had always been. They stopped whatever they were doing, came and showered flowers and scents, and envied the Gopis for having had constant access to Sri Krishna. Here was the most beautiful, powerful, attractive, and pleasant man ever to have walked on earth.
मनांसि तासामरविन्दलोचनः प्रगल्भलीलाहसितावलोकैः ।
जहार मत्तद्विरदेन्द्रविक्रमोदृशां ददच्छ्रीरमणात्मनोत्सवम् ॥
T: The lotus-eyed Lord of Devi Lakshmi herself had stolen the minds of Mathura women by his self-assured presence, with his divine form as a young man, his bewitching glances, and his captivating smiles, as he walked with the majestic gait of a royal elephant in rut.
The women embraced Sri Krishna in their minds and hearts and felt unprecedented joy.
As the men and women began to welcome and shower their loving offerings on Sri Krishna and Balarama, The brothers saw a man carrying royal garments. Sri Krishna approached him and requested most politely that he would be most obliged if the man gave them some of those royal clothes. He even assured the man he would in return be blessed with great good fortune if he obliged. One should imagine how rustic folk from Vraja would be attracted to the finery of Mathura's royals.
Strangely, the man shooed Sri Krishna away, saying such tribal uncouth boys should not dare even think of looting royal finery, and he would report them and ensure they would be most harshly punished by the unforgiving soldiers of Kamsa. This man was indeed the man in charge of Kamsa's wardrobe and Kamsa's qualities had rubbed off on him.
Thus reprimanded, an angry Krishna gave one blow with the wave of his hand and the clothes man's head broke off and flew away. Seeing their leader die like this at the hands of Sri Krishna, the rest of the men carrying several sets of finery dropped all the royal clothes and ran away for their life. A calm Sri Krishna and Balarama picked up and put on those clothes and distributed them among the Gopas too. They left behind the pile not used.
Soon, a contrasting scene was enacted. A tailor approached them,
ततस्तु वायकः प्रीतस्तयोर्वेषमकल्पयत् । विचित्रवर्णैश्चैलेयैराकल्पैरनुरूपतः ॥
नानालक्षणवेषाभ्यां कृष्णरामौ विरेजतुः । स्वलङ्कृतौ बालगजौ पर्वणीव सितेतरौ ॥
तस्य प्रसन्नो भगवान् प्रादात्सारूप्यमात्मनः । श्रियं च परमां लोके बलैश्वर्यस्मृतीन्द्रियम् ॥
T: He was delighted to see such handsome brothers. He brought fine colourful garments and decorated them to look at their best! Shuka says they looked like royal caparisoned elephants in a procession. Bhagavan granted him boons of wealth, position and prosperity in plenty.
Soon the group approached the house of a Sudama, who was a florist. Sudama (not Sri Krishna's childhood friend we will read about later) received them with great affection, fed them, and decorated them with the best floral garlands.
प्राह नः सार्थकं जन्म पावितं च कुलं प्रभो । पितृदेवर्षयो मह्यं तुष्टा ह्यागमनेन वाम् ॥ ४५॥
T: Sudama said, "Oh Bhagavan, our family has been sanctified today. I am fulfilled in my duties to my ancestors, gods, and my preceptors. I am liberated by Your grace! I shall devote every moment of my life to doing Your bidding, oh, Lord!"
Bhagavan blessed Sudama thus: "Sudama, may you always have unshakeable devotion. May you enjoy the affectionate company of holy men. May you have effusive compassion for all living creatures expecting nothing in return!" In addition, Sri Krishna conferred great wealth, strength, longevity, health and well-being on Sudama.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
