Srimad Bhagavatam - Sri Krishna, Monday, 7 August 2023 - I do not wish to start Skandha XII yet. I want to reminisce about many of the wonderful moments so far in Sri Krishna's extraordinary Avatara. So some snippets...
Snippets
12 April:
तं चण्डवेगविषवीर्यमवेक्ष्य तेन दुष्टां नदीं च खलसंयमनावतारः ।
कृष्णः कदम्बमधिरुह्य ततोऽतितुङ्गमास्फोट्य गाढरशनो न्यपतद्विषोदे ॥
T: Seeing that the lightning-like agile, poisonous Kaliya had poisoned the river, Sri Krishna, born only to school the evil, climbed a tall Kadamba tree, girded up his waistbelt, and leapt straight into the poisoned river to attack Kailya.
Kaliya heard this tumultuous plunge in what he considered his kingdom. Shuka clarifies he heard the splash with his eyes (चक्षुश्रवाः), since serpents don't possess ears like humans!
6 May:
मणिधरः क्वचिदागणयन् गा मालया दयित गन्धतुलस्याः ।
प्रणयिनोऽनुचरस्य कदांसे प्रक्षिपन् भुजमगायत यत्र ॥
क्वणितवेणुरववञ्चितचित्ताः कृष्णमन्वसत कृष्णगृहिण्यः ।
गुणगणार्णमनुगत्य हरिण्यो गोपिका इव विमुक्तगृहाशाः ॥
T: “Beloved Krishna is keeping count of the cattle on his string of gems, as he wears his Tulasi garland. He rests his hand on his Gopa friend, and sings and plays his flute. See! The black female deer, their minds abducted by the sweet music, come and sit around him, the ocean of plenitude, looking just like us Gopis who have completely forgotten our own lives!” (Gopis sing of Sri Krishna).
16 May:
सर्वार्थसम्भवो देहो जनितः पोषितो यतः । न तयोर्याति निर्वेशं पित्रोर्मर्त्यः शतायुषा ॥
उद्धव उवाच
अहो यूयं स्म पूर्णार्था भवत्यो लोकपूजिताः । वासुदेवे भगवति यासामित्यर्पितं मनः ॥
दानव्रततपोहोमजपस्वाध्यायसंयमैः । श्रेयोभिर्विविधैश्चान्यैः कृष्णे भक्तिर्हि साध्यते ॥
भगवत्युत्तमश्लोके भवतीभिरनुत्तमा । भक्तिः प्रवर्तिता दिष्ट्या मुनीनामपि दुर्लभा ॥
दिष्ट्या पुत्रान् पतीन् देहान् स्वजनान् भवनानि च ।
हित्वा वृणीत यूयं यत्कृष्णाख्यं पुरुषं परम् ॥
T: Uddhava said: "Certainly, dear Gopis, you are exemplary in your unique bond with Sri Krishna, you are thus universally acclaimed. People have to strive hard through big charity, strict austerity, Yajnas, constant Japa, scriptural studies, ritualistic strictness, and many such practices, all to develop true devotion. This you have in such profuse measure! You are fortunate in this -you have established an unexcelled standard of pure devotion for the Lord whose other name is Uttamashloka — the best among the worshippable. Your attainment beggars what even great Yogis strive for. Your love for the Parama Purusha, Supreme Person, has erased your attachment to people and things in your homes. I can say your displaying your devotion thus to me is entirely an act of grace from you!"
