॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
16 May 2023, Tuesday - Srimad Bhagavatam X.a45 - Sri Krishna unites with Devaki and Vasudeva. He consoles Nanda and Yashoda who reluctantly return to Vraja without him. He and Balarama restore the kingdom to rightful heirs. Then they go to Gurukula and learn all the Vidyas. Their Guru Dakshina is bringing their Guru's son back from the dead!
श्रीशुक उवाच
पितरावुपलब्धार्थौ विदित्वा पुरुषोत्तमः । मा भूदिति निजां मायां ततान जनमोहिनीम् ॥
उवाच पितरावेत्य साग्रजः सात्वतर्षभः । प्रश्रयावनतः प्रीणन्नम्ब तातेति सादरम् ॥
नास्मत्तो युवयोस्तात नित्योत्कण्ठितयोरपि । बाल्यपौगण्डकैशोराः पुत्राभ्यामभवन् क्वचित् ॥
T: Sage Shuka narrated: "Bhagavan was at once aware that His biological parents were overawed by His divinity. He at once cast His infallible spell of Maya over them, and they again felt the onrush of all-consuming parental love. Approaching them with Balarama, he spoke sweetly: 'Dearest Mother, Father, we have been constantly eager to meet you but alas, we spent all our childhood and early youth growing up away from you!"
सर्वार्थसम्भवो देहो जनितः पोषितो यतः । न तयोर्याति निर्वेशं पित्रोर्मर्त्यः शतायुषा ॥
T: "We were thus denied your filial love by our bad luck. For every man, this body, the key instrument to achieve the four Purusharthas of life viz., Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, is given by his parents alone, who also nourish and nurture his development. Even a lifetime of a hundred years is insufficient to repay this debt!"
यस्तयोरात्मजः कल्प आत्मना च धनेन च । वृत्तिं न दद्यात्तं प्रेत्य स्वमांसं खादयन्ति हि ॥
मातरं पितरं वृद्धं भार्यां साध्वीं सुतं शिशुम् । गुरुं विप्रं प्रपन्नं च कल्पोऽबिभ्रच्छ्वसन् मृतः ॥
T: "Agents of Death will gnaw at the body of one who is equipped by wealth and strength to serve his physical parents but ignores this duty. One who does not support and serve either his mother, father, old relatives, faithful wife, sons and infants in the family, or Gurus, or Priests, or those who have come seeking help, may be alive but is as good as a walking corpse."
'Dear Parents! We were all so afraid of Kamsa's atrocities and therefore dared not come to meet you. We have wasted many years without serving you."
Sage Shuka narrates that by now the force of Bhagavan's Maya had complete sway over Vasudeva and Devaki and therefore all they could do was embrace and fondle Sri Krishna and Balarama seating them on their laps. They showered copious tears of relief and love. They could not speak as their voices were choking with emotion.
***
Sri Krishna now went and coronated King Ugrasena who had been imprisoned in his old age by his own son, Kamsa. "Revered King! We are your obedient servants. You can order us to do any task. Yayati's curse had ensured that the Yadu kings do not occupy the throne. But now I have coronated you and you shall rule without impediment. As long as I am in your service, even gods will have to come and offer their fiduciary tributes to you. What to speak of ordinary kings!"
Sri Krishna went and brought back nobles belonging to many groups - Yadus, Vrishnis, Andhakas, Madhus, Dasharhas, and so on who had scattered from the fear of Kamsa. He received them cordially, honoured them with gifts, restored their rights and established them back in their regions.
The Yadus and Vrishnis had no cause for discontent at all henceforth. They also had the Darshan of Bhagavan Himself every day!
***
Sri Krishna and Balarama now went to King Nanda and Yashoda. They bowed to them, embraced them, and spoke with intense feeling:
"Dear Parents! You have raised us with such love and care. Parents love their children more than their own bodies. Those who take care of others' children when those others are unable for many reasons to care for their offspring are indeed divine as they take care of those children as their own! They are truly parents as biological parenthood is nothing compared to their love and care. Now you people have to return to Gokula without us. I know what intense sorrow this will bring to you. Once we settle our people here well, soon we shall visit you!"
King Nanda, Mother Yashoda, and everyone else was thus consoled by Sri Krishna. He showered gifts on them. They made their way most reluctantly to Gokula, after repeatedly embracing Sri Krishna and Balarama and shedding tears.
***
Vasudeva now performed the Upanayanam or thread ceremony of Balarama and Sri Krishna. This is when the boys of eligible Varna get initiated into Gayatri. Sage Garga conducted the proceedings, Vasudeva showered gifts of money, cows, clothes and ornaments on the worthy Brahmins who had attended the ceremony. Sage Shuka says that Vasudeva was gifting the cows now when he should have done so ideally at the moment of birth of the boys. At that time he was in prison.
प्रभवौ सर्वविद्यानां सर्वज्ञौ जगदीश्वरौ । नान्यसिद्धामलज्ञानं गूहमानौ नरेहितैः ॥
अथो गुरुकुले वासमिच्छन्तावुपजग्मतुः । काश्यं सान्दीपनिं नाम ह्यवन्तिपुरवासिनम् ॥
यथोपसाद्य तौ दान्तौ गुरौ वृत्तिमनिन्दिताम् । ग्राहयन्तावुपेतौ स्म भक्त्या देवमिवादृतौ ॥
तयोर्द्विजवरस्तुष्टः शुद्धभावानुवृत्तिभिः । प्रोवाच वेदानखिलान् साङ्गोपनिषदो गुरुः ॥
सरहस्यं धनुर्वेदं धर्मान् न्यायपथांस्तथा । तथा चान्वीक्षिकीं विद्यां राजनीतिं च षड्विधाम् ॥
सर्वं नरवरश्रेष्ठौ सर्वविद्याप्रवर्तकौ । सकृन्निगदमात्रेण तौ सञ्जगृहतुर्नृप ॥
अहोरात्रैश्चतुःषष्ट्या संयत्तौ तावतीः कलाः । गुरुदक्षिणयाऽऽचार्यं छन्दयामासतुर्नृप ॥
T: "Wonder of wonders. The two divinities who are the origin of all knowledge, who are masters in all the spiritual sciences, were now being intiated into formal scriptural instructions! This was nothing but Bhagavan's Leela!"
The boys now proceeded to the Gurukula of the descendant of Sage Kashyapa, Sage Sandipani, in Ujjain which was then called Avantipura. They lived in accordance with the rules of the Ashrama which was their Gurukula. They controlled their senses acutely. They were extremely careful to obey the Guru. They served their Teacher with true devotion. Guru Sandipani was most gladdened by the boys' attitude. He taught them all the branches of knowledge in the Vedas which are truly encyclopaedic and cover every aspect of Dharma. He also taught them the esoteric aspects of warfare called Dhanurvidya. He also taught them the science of administration, social organisation and customs, and so on. The science of kingship was specifically covered. Sage Shuka points out that Sri Krishna and Balarama were divinity incarnate and possessed all knowledge. But this was their way of performing the Leela of human birth that they went through all instructions so thoroughly. In sixty-four days, they became masters of the total sixty-four branches of human knowledge! They needed to be told a thing only once for them to absorb it and master it instantly. In the end, the brothers submitted most respectfully that the Guru should kindly demand whatever Guru Dakshina they should submit in gratitude.
Sage Sandipani was fully aware of Sri Krishna's and Balarama's divine powers as well as superhuman intelligence. He therefore conferred with his wife and then told them:
सम्मन्त्र्य पत्न्या स महार्णवे मृतं बालं प्रभासे वरयाम्बभूव ह ॥
T: In consultation with his wife, Guru Sandipani said, "Boys, after his untimely demise, my son lies dead in the region of Prabhasa at the bottom of the ocean. Please bring him back to life! This shall be my Guru Dakshina!"
The incomparable brothers answered simply that it shall be done. They went in the chariot directly to Prabhasa (nearby current-day Dwaraka). They sat down in meditation. Varuna, the Lord of the waters, knew them to be incarnated Maha Vishnu and Adishesha. He appeared in a human form in front of them and worshipped them. Sri Krishna simply said, "Lord Varuna, you once swallowed up our Guru's son in your mighty waves. Please give him back to us."
समुद्र उवाच
नैवाहार्षमहं देव दैत्यः पञ्चजनो महान् । अन्तर्जलचरः कृष्ण शङ्खरूपधरोऽसुरः ॥
आस्ते तेनाहृतो नूनं तच्छ्रुत्वा सत्वरं प्रभुः । जलमाविश्य तं हत्वा नापश्यदुदरेऽर्भकम् ॥
तदङ्गप्रभवं शङ्खमादाय रथमागमत् । ततः संयमनीं नाम यमस्य दयितां पुरीम् ॥
गत्वा जनार्दनः शङ्खं प्रदध्मौ सहलायुधः । शङ्खनिर्ह्रादमाकर्ण्य प्रजासंयमनो यमः ॥
तयोः सपर्यां महतीं चक्रे भक्त्युपबृंहिताम् । उवाचावनतः कृष्णं सर्वभूताशयालयम् ।
T: The Lord of the Ocean said: "Bhagavan, I did not take that boy. An Asura by the name of Panchajana who lives underwater must have taken the boy and hidden him in a giant conch underwater. Please see there." Bhagavan went instantly into the depths of the ocean, killed that Asura, and opened the conch. The boy was not there! Sri Krishna brought that conch along, joined Balarama on the shore, and now proceeded to the Lord of Death, Yama, in Samyamanipura.
Sri Krishna blew that giant conch. Yama came running to welcome Bhagavan. Praying to Sri Krishna, he asked,
लीलामनुष्य हे विष्णो युवयोः करवाम किम् ॥
T: "Oh Lord Maha Vishnu! Born on earth as a human for Your divine Leela, kindly tell me what is Your bidding. What do You want me to do?"
Sri Krishna said simply: "Bring back and give us the son of our Guru Sandipani. This is our commitment to our Guru. Kindly don't consider the effects of the boy's Karma that have caused his death." Yama obliged most readily. Sri Krishna and Balarama took the boy back to their Guru and his wife and reunited the three in this incredible miracle. Then they asked, "Sir, is there anything else we may do as our service?" An overwhelmed Sandipani said no one could ask for a bigger gift than this- restoring one's dead son back! May all good befall the divine brothers as every step that they would take on earth would shower prosperity on all life around them. May their knowledge serve them in the here and the hereafter.
The people of Mathura had become most depressed and sad after Sri Krishna and Balarama had gone away to school. Now, the brothers travelled in an extremely fast chariot and reached Mathura very quickly. The citizens of Mathura found life and cheer come back into their lives.
***
॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
