Verse: Krishna's Pastimes Leicester
As we were discussing this morning, it is due to Srila Prabhupada’s causeless mercy that we have this good fortune of discussing about Krsna, understanding Him to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If Srila Prabhupada did not come and made these wonderful arrangements we would not have been here discussing about Krsna’s pastimes, discussing about the spiritual topics. It is an inconceivable good fortune. And we should always remember that. And this good fortune has been created by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada.
Hare Krsna. Okay. Can the last row hear me?
Devotees: Yes
BCS: Okay. And it is due to Srila Prabhupada’s mercy that we got to know Who Krsna is. Due to Srila Prabhupada’s mercy we got to know that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a Person. How many of you knew that God is a Person?
That is a reality. Most of us did not know that God is a person. We had a vague understanding. First of all, most of us we did not bother about God. And even if we did bother about God we thought Him to be some sort of an energy or some light or [unclear]. First of all we did not accept His existence. If we did accept His existence we did not have a clear understanding Who He is. And then it is by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy that we got to know that He is a Person. That is actually what struck me the most when I started to read Srila Prabhupada’s Nectar Of Devotion. That is the book that actually brought me to Krsna consciousness. And from the very first page it dawned in me that God is a person and He is Krsna. And everything came with such clarity due to Prabhupada’s very, very wonderful presentation. He is Krsna, He is God. And then as we went deeper and deeper the understanding became clearer and clearer that we have a relationship with Him. And His Personality became even more real when we started to read books like Bhagavad-gita, that Personality is speaking to Arjuna. He had a relationship with Arjuna. He was concerned about Arjuna’s welfare. And it is through Arjuna He presented this Bhagavad-gita for our benefit, so that we can understand this science of Krsna consciousness. And then we got access to the Srimad-Bhagavatam and in Bhagavatam it became more and more clear. Bhagavatam is such a scientific presentation of this subject. Bhagavatam begins with creation. How this did creation begin? How did the creation take place? The creation took place from Maha-Visnu. And Maha-Visnu is an expansion of Krsna. And Maha-Visnu’s is breathing. Maha-Visnu is lying in the causal ocean. And as He is breathing, from His breathing the bubbles that are generated, each bubble is a universe. And then Maha-Visnu expands Himself and enters into each body as Garbhodakasayi Visnu. He expands Himself as .. From Maha-Visnu’s navel sprouts a lotus and Brahma is situated in that the lotus. The first created being not only in this universe but in every universe. In every universe there is a Garbhodakasayi Visnu and in every universe there is a Brahma generating from Visnu’s navel in a lotus.
And then Brahma begins the creation, secondary creation. Svarga, then visarga: primary creation and secondary creation. The secondary creation is how the universe is filled up. It was empty at the beginning. And then Brahma generated different living entities and filled up the universe. Brahma was the first one who originated that. He created from his mind all his children. The Four Kumaras came from his mind: the manasa-putras. Then Rudra, an expansion of Lord Siva came from between his eyebrows. Then ten more sons from Brahma: the Prajapatis and ten sages: Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Marici, Angira, Atri, Bhrgu, Vasistha, Dakha, and the youngest one of them is Narada. And then from Brahma’s different limbs came different living entities. Brahma’s shadow became a personality. And in this way all this creation began. And Srimad-Bhagavatam extensively deals with these subjects. Svarga, visarga, then sthanam: the planetary systems. Each universe has fourteen planetary systems, seven higher, seven lower. And how the Lord is maintaining the creation: utaya?. Then sthanam, pooanam: maintenance by the Lord. This utaya? : the tendency to expand, the tendency to procreate. The tendency to create. That is how the expansion actually takes place. The progeny is maintained. That tendency is there in every living entity. Then Manvantar, Isanukatha, Manu’s reigns, the appearance of the Lord in different incarnations and activities. And Nirodha, cessation from material activities. Mukti, liberation from material And asraya, the ultimate shelter, the ultimate goal: Krsna. So scientifically it has been presented that’s why Srimad-Bhagavatam is considered to be the Amala-Purana, the spotless Purana, spotless: no tinge of the material modes. Material modes means the influence of the material nature. Like Srimad-Bhagavatam is beyond this influence of the material nature.In this way Srimad-Bhagavatam is taking us beyond this material nature. And what is beyond this material nature? The spiritual sky. Again information of the spiritual sky: Vaikuntha. The spiritual world where the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And then beyond Vaikuntha is Vrindavan. And then Vrindavan is a place where the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Vaikuntha the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Personality of Godhead but in Vrindavan the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I try to describe that why in Vrindavan Krsna is not the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is because there are many intense loving relationships. Those intense loving relationships are manifest in three different ways. One is friendship, then parental, conjugal. Friendship: relationship between friends. Parental: relationship between parents and children. Then conjugal: relationship between a lover and beloved. Now whatever is there must be coming from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A simple consideration: this material nature is a reflection from the spiritual sky. Are you all aware of that fact? What is this material nature?
Devotees: It is a reflection of the spiritual sky.
BCS: It is a reflection of the spiritual sky. Now you see something in the reflection, don’t you have to accept that it must be the real stuff? In the reflection of a tree, if you see that there are some leaves, some fruits, some flowers, don’t you have to accept that in reality also there are some fruits and leaves and flowers? So in the reflection in this material nature if there are friendship, conjugal and parental relationships, then don’t we have to accept that it is there also in the spiritual world? Now consider what is the difference between the material and the spiritual world?
Devotees: perverted reflection.
BCS: The difference between the material and the spiritual? Naturally it is a perverted reflection.
Devotee: temporary and eternal.
BCS: Very good, temporary and eternal. But what is the bottom line? What is the difference between material and spiritual? Arcana?
Arcana: We put ourselves in the center.
BCS: Very good. Material is we put ourselves in the center. And spiritual is when Krsna is in the center That is the difference between the material and the spiritual nature. You put yourself in the center you are in the material nature. You put Krsna in the center you are in the spiritual nature. Now if we take that from this point, from this consideration. When we put ourselves in the centre that is material, when we put Krsna in the center that is spiritual. So if we have these relationships, if we experience these relationships. Do you experience friendship? Do we experience friendship?
Devotees: Yes
BCS: Do we experience relationships as friends? Do we experience parental relationships? Do we experience conjugal relationships? If that is there with us in the center then this must be there also with Krsna in the center That means in the spiritual world also this relationship of friendship, parental and conjugal is there, right? Now the consideration is: friendship takes place between equals. So to develop friendship with Krsna somebody has to become equal with Krsna. Isn’t it? Can anybody become equal to Krsna? Okay, at least in friendship they are equal. In parental, Krsna becomes subordinate and the devotee become superior. Can anybody become superior to Krsna? Can anybody develop a relationship with Krsna just like a young boy and a young girl develop their relationship? It is not possible. It is not possible because nobody can become equal to Krsna, nobody can become superior to Krsna and nobody can treat Krsna as a girl- or boyfriend. It is not possible. It is not possible but if Krsna wants, can He make it possible?
Devotees: Yes
BCS: We may not be equal to Krsna. But can Krsna become equal to us? We may not become superior to Krsna. But can Krsna become subordinate to us and so forth? So that is Vrindavan. But in order to do that, one has to forget that Krsna is God. If you know that Krsna is God can you treat Him as your equal? In this respect an example has been given to consider. Somebody can say for example in this respect: “Yes I can be equal to Krsna, I can be greater to Krsna. In the material nature we could have these considerations. Who is God? I am God. But in reality God is God and nobody can be equal to Him. But a devotee who is favorably disposed to Krsna can never consider Krsna to be equal or treat Him as equal.
An example in this respect for consideration is: Krsna plays with His friends in Vrindavan. And one of the games they play is wrestling. And the condition of the wrestling bout is that the looser has to carry the winner on his back. So sometimes Krsna wrestles with His friends and Krsna looses. And then the friend he asks: “Krsna, you have to carry on My back now. Then Krsna says: ‘Nothing doing, I did not loose.” There was a banana peel and I slipped on the banana peel and then you jumped on Me and you claimed that you have defeated me. Nothing doing. I am not carrying you.” Then the friend says: “Look, after such a lot of effort I defeated You and now You are saying that You are not defeated, You slipped on a banana peel. Where is the banana peel? So He makes, He forces His way onto Krsna’s back. Now mind you, to climb onto Krsna’s back, what does the friend have to do? He has to step on His body. Now which devotee will take the risk to enter into the temple room and put His foot on Krsna’s body? Will anybody even dare to do that? So that is why as long as we remember that Krsna is God we cannot treat Him in this way. Or as in parental love. The parents of Krsna are asking so many things, treating Krsna in certain unusual ways. Like mother Yasoda is chasing Krsna with a stick in her hand. Will anyone even dare to do that? Nanda Maharaja tells Krsna: “Krsna, please bring my shoes.” Then Krsna, He finds the shoes to be heavy. He is a little boy. His fathers shoes are heavy. So He puts His fathers shoes on his head and carries them to His father. Now who will ever allow Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to carry His shoes on His head? But in Vrindavan that is how they treat each other. So that is the difference between Vaikuntha and Vrindavan.
In Vaikuntha everybody remembers Krsna to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore they always treat Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But in Vrindavan they have forgotten that Krsna is God. They have forgotten. It is a different kind of forgetfulness again. There are two types of forgetfulness. One forgetfulness is out of ignorance. That everybody knows. When we are in ignorance then everybody forgets. Naturally everyone forgets. But there is another kind of forgetfulness. Forgetfulness out of love. Like the son has become the prime minister. It is not that the mother does not know that the son is the prime minister. But does the mother treat the son like the prime minister? Rather the mother treats him as her son. It is not that the mother does not know that the son is the prime minister. But to her it does not matter. She treats Him just like her own son.
So that is the forgetfulness out of love. You love somebody and due your love you don’t treat him according to his position. You treat him according to his relationship. Love Krsna, due to their love for Krsna, they forgot that Krsna is God. And that is called yoga-maya. That is the influence of yoga-maya. Maha-maya is the forgetfulness out of ignorance. Yoga-maya is the forgetfulness out of love. Therefore Vrindavan is the place which simply manifests the love for Krsna. That is the main factor that they are concerned about.
Yesterday I was mentioning when Krsna was kidnapped by the residents of Vrindavan then there was a big commotion in Dvaraka. The Prince has been kidnapped. So then they decided to punish the kidnappers, the Vrajavasis. Rukmini Dasi Devi came with the army and she wanted to punish them. But before the punishment there has to be a judgement. And judgement means hearing both sides, the understanding of both sides. So there are pleaders: public pursecutors and defenders. Narada Muni was the public persecutor and Lalita was the defender. In that Lalita Devi pointed out that Krsna, they did not kidnap Krsna, Krsna wanted to come with them. And Rukmini Devi admitted: “Yes, Krsna’s heart is always in Vrindavan. During the daytime Krsna appears to be absolutely absent-minded and at night Krsna, in His dream He speaks about Vrindavan. He calls out to His friends, the gopis, the mother and father, the cows and the calves. During the daytime Krsna’s heart is in Vrindavan and at night, Krsna also is in Vrindavan.
Then the question came up: What is there in Vrindavan? That Krsna is not concerned about the opulence of Dvaraka? In Dvaraka nothing is lacking. Everything is there in Dvaraka. Why Krsna is always in Vrindavan, yearning to go back to Vrindavan? Then it was pointed out to her that in Vrindavan all the trees are desire trees, in Vrindavan all the cows are surabhi cows. In Vrindavan the land is made of cintamani. In Vrindavan they don’t lack anything. If they wanted, they could have everything they wanted. But in Vrindavan they don’t want anything but Krsna. What does it mean? When one doesn’t want anything but Krsna. They don’t want anything but Krsna. It simply means that all they have is their love for Krsna. Their love for Krsna is so intense that they don’t have any consideration for anything else. They don’t want anything. All they want is Krsna. That love, these loving devotees of Vrindavan are known as ragatmika bhaktas who have only love for Krsna. They don’t have any other consideration because of their deep love for Krsna.
So Bhagavatam actually takes us to that point, to Vrindavan, Krsna in Vrindavan. That is the ultimate point of spiritual culmination which has been very wonderfully described by Sanatana Gosvami in his Brhat Bhagavatamrta. He pointed out that Vrindavan is the highest. It is not only the highest region in the spiritual sky, way beyond Ayodhya, way beyond Dvaraka: Mathura-mandala. And in Mathura-mandala Vrindavan is the crest jewel.
So now Krsna is performing His pastimes in Vrindavan. Krsna ‘s pastimes in Vrindavan have been described in about thirteen chapters. The first thirteenth chapters of the tenth Canto. Srimad-Bhagavatam has twelve cantos. And those twelve Cantos are considered to be the body of Krsna. In the body you start off with your feet, then the thighs, the abdomen, the chest, arms, neck, face, forehead and the head. How many limbs are that? Twelve. How many limbs you have? Twelve: two legs, two thighs, (four), abdomen (five), chest (six), two arms (seven, eight), neck, (nine) face, (ten) fourhead (eleven) and head (twelve). In that order Srimad-Bhagavatam is manifest. First two Cantos are Krsna’s lotus feet. Third and fourth Cantos thighs. Fifth canto is Krsna’s abdomen. Sixth canto is Krsna’s chest. Seventh and eigth Cantos are Krsna’s arms. Ninth Canto is His neck. Tenth Canto is Krsna’s smiling lotus face. Eleventh Canto is His forehead and twelfth Canto is His head. Now out of all these different limbs, which aspect is most important in the body?
Devotee: the face.
BCS: Yes, the face. Yes, the tenth Canto is most important part of Srimad-Bhagavatam. And I was saying the tenth Canto has nineteen chapters. Up to thirty seven is Krsna’s pastimes in Vrindavan. In the thirty seventh chapter, ultimately what happens? In Vrindavan what did Krsna do?
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharmasaṃsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge
Miscreants are killed, the demons. Kamsa is sending the demons to kill Krsna. And Krsna is killing all these demons one after another. Which was the first demon that came to kill Krsna?
Devotees: Putana
BCS : In this way one after another so many demons came. Sakatasura came, Trnavarta came, Bakasura came, Aghasura came. In this way one after another the demons came but they all got killed by Krsna. One of the last demons who came was Keshi. Keshi came in the form of a horse, a huge gigantic horse. These demons actually have the ability, due to their mystic power, these demons are actually great yogis. By their yoga practice they have acquired these powers. Yoga-siddhis, when you practice yoga you get siddhis. And these demons have the siddhis. What are the siddhis? There are siddhis like anima, laghima, mahima, prapti, prakamya, isitva, vasitva and kamavasayita. Through these yogi-siddhis they could transform themselves in different forms. Like Putana came as a beautiful woman. She looks so beautiful that everyone thought that this must be the goddess of fortune. Can you imagine how beautiful she must have looked?
Similarly Kesi came in the form of a horse and attacked Krsna. When these demons would come the cowherd boys and the residents of Vrindavan would become very, very worried, very afraid. They did not know how to deal with such a situation. When a devotee is in distress, what does a devotee do?
Devotees: They depend on Krsna.
BCS: They simply depend upon Krsna. So they approached Krsna and they said: “Krsna, Krsna look at this demon, look at this force!” And Krsna said: “Don’t worry, just stand behind Me. And Krsna tightened His chadar that He had. To fight a chadar would be a little cumbersome. He took the chadar, tied it up and He stood there: “Come” [laughter] And Kesi, this terrible demon came and tried to kick Him. And Krsna just grabbed His feet and started to swing Him over His head. Then He let him. While He was swinging over His head, Kesi's life air already left his body. And He swung him with such terrible speed that Kesi’s body went flying from Vrindavan to Mathura[laughter] and landed right in front of Kamsa. [laughter] And by that time His body looked like just a lump of flesh. Kamsa at first could not figure out what it was. [laughter] This has been described in one of the Puranas, not in Srimad-Bhagavatam. When he landed and when Kamsa realized that it was Kesi, Kamsa's hair stood up out of fear. Kesi was one of his most powerful associates and now Kesi is dead.
At that time Vasudeva was there and seeing Kamsa’s condition, Vasudeva smiled. He could not resist his smile. And seeing that Kamsa became very upset and he pulled out his sword and he was about to kill Vasudeva. And at that time Narada Muniappeared there. And Narada Muni told him: “Kamsa, by killing Vasudeva you are not going to gain anything. Rather Krsna will become even more angry. So spare him but try to deal with Krsna. By killing Vasudeva what are you going to gain? Your actual enemy is Krsna, so deal with Krsna.” Kamsa said: “Look, I have been [unclear], all my most powerful allies, all my most powerful associates have gone and they are all killed, one after another.” Then Narada Muni told him: “That is your mistake. When your enemy is so strong, then you should gather all your strength together to deal with him, not send one by one. So gather all your strength together and then you deal with Him. Kamsa asked: “How am I going to do that?” Narada Muni said: “You have that bow of Lord Siva and you make an arrangement that whoever will be able to string that bow you give him half of your kingdom. You have a bow of Lord Siva. So you make an arrangement that however is able string that bow, you will give him half of your kingdom. And on that occasion you invite Krsna to come. And then you have these wrestlers: Canu and Mustika. And all the other wrestlers, so you let them deal with Them, Krsna and Balarama. And also don’t forget, you have this terrible elephant Kuvalayapida. So you place him at the gate. So when Krsna comes, let Kuvalayapida attack Him and try to kill him. Now the question arises [laughs]: “Why is Narada Muni giving Kamsa all these advices?” The answer to that is: “The demigods approached Narada Muni and told him. “Look, it is taking too long. [laughter]Let Krsna kill this Kamsa, for how long we have to wait? We are in terrible anxiety. You accelerate Krsna’s killing of Kamsa.” So that’s why Narada Muniwas dealing like that. In the mean time Narada Muni again went to Krsna and he told Krsna: “It is so wonderful that you killed all these demons. And now Kamsa is going to meet You. I know the time has come now, please kill Kamsa. So this is how Narada Muni is making the arrangement for a quick annihilation of Kamsa. So Kamsa made that arrangement, the dhanur-yajna. And in the dhanur-yajna, whoever could string the bow, Kamsa arranged that he would get half of his kingdom. In this way he got all the kings to come there. And his idea was that with all his collective strength he will attack Krsna and deal with Him. Now to bring Krsna, Narada Muni suggested that he invites Him, asks Krsna to come.
So Akrura was sent. Akrura is actually a great devotee of Krsna. That’s why Kamsa selected Akrura. Because Akrura was very noble. Everybody knew that Akrura’s nature was very gentle, very sober, very warming, very respectful. So Kamsa decided to send Akrura. So now Akrura is going to Vrindavan. So that is what we were supposed to discuss today. So I thought we will discuss Akrura’s prayers elaborately. But anyway I will just briefly discuss about that because it is almost getting to eight o’clock.
Akrura when he was asked by Kamsa the day before, that night Akrura just waited for the next morning, Akrura was so excited. That now he will go to Vrindavan to see Krsna. So in the morning left home and he is driving the chariot to bring Krsna and Balarama. And while going Akrura is actually thinking: “What pious activities did I do? What charity did I do? What austerities did I perform that I am getting this fortune to meet with Krsna? And he thanked Kamsa that Kamsa created that good fortune. And it is because of Kamsa that he is going to meet with Krsna. He knew that Kamsa is a demon, Kamsa is a terrible enemy of Krsna. But he also considered that Krsna will understand because He is the Supersoul. He knows my heart. Although I am going to invite Him on behalf of Kamsa as though I am supporting Kamsa’s plan to kill Him. But Krsna will understand everything. And in this way he started to think that after all... Although it is impossible to get the darsana of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but it happens… The Lord bestows His mercy upon the living entities. Although they are unqualified, they get an opportunity to see Him. That is the causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And I have been blessed with that…
And thinking in this way Akrura came to Vrindavan. And when he entered in Vrindavan he saw the footprints of Krsna with all the auspicious marks: a flag, a ship, a wheel, banner and a lotus: abja, yava, a?kusa, asani, dhvaja… Sometimes you may wonder that how is it possible to see the marks of Krsna’s lotus feet on the dust. Here we have to understand that the dust of Vrindavan is so fine. Even now we can see that. Like of course Vrindavan has changed a lot. I remember in the early days one used to go to Vrindavan, walk through Raman Reti and it was… the roads were so full of very fine dust. And because of the fine dust and the other thing is that these personalities are so sensitive, their senses are so acute that they can see the impressions of in the marks of the lotus feet of the Lord. You have to understand that our senses have become very gross. With gross senses we can see on the sandy bank of the ocean, we can see the footsteps and the footprints. At least we can see the footprints. Sometimes we can see the mark of the shoes. But they could see the marks of the auspicious signs that adorned Krsna’s lotus feet.
So Akrura rolled on the ground. And when he was rolling on the ground he felt a tremendous ecstasy. As a result of that ecstasy tears started to flow from his eyes. His hair stood on end. His body began to tremble. And Akrura… Sukadeva Gosvami is describing: “That is what happens when a devotee experiences the Supreme Personality of Godhead, these are the experiences that manifest, these are the symptoms that become manifest. Romañca-kampasru-taranga-bhajau vande guroh sri-caranaravindam. Romañca the hairs standing on end, kampa trembling of the body, asru tears flowing [unclear], sweating, perspiration, wobbling of the legs, trembling of the body, choking of the voice and then finally fainting. Like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu when He entered in the temple, just by seeing Jagannatha He fainted. That is the ultimate symptom. [unclear] These are the asta [unclear]. So Akrura was fainting. And then Akrura was thinking while going. When I go there and see the Lord I will fall at His feet. Then the Lord will place His hand on my hand and then the Lord will bless me. Although I am so fallen, although I am so … He will be all-merciful.
This is the way one has to approach Krsna. When we go to Vrindavan we must approach Vrindavan with this mood that we are so fortunate to enter in the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And we must enter the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with that mood. Bhaktivinoda Thakur in that respect is mentioning that dhama is eternal. But for those who look with mundane eyes the dhama has an outer layer. Those who are not devotees they dwell on the outer realm, they cannot into the dhama. Althought they are apparently in the dhama but they are in the outside layer. One must enter into the dhama one must. And what is the qualification? The required qualification is to develop our love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
I just also want to mention that this topic for discussion for this retreat has been selected by Pradyumna Prabhu. And I presume that Pradyumna Prabhu gave this as the first session. How to enter in Vrindavan? How to enter in the dhama of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Which spiritual attitude to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Thank you all very much. Does anybody have any question?
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Question : [unclear] What is the mood?
The mood should be the mode of devotion. We should not come to the dhama to do picnic. [laughter] Many people come, busloads of people come just to do picnic. Are they coming to the dhama? No, they are just staying on the outer covering of the dhama.
Hare Krsna. Okay, if there is no other question, then we can have a little kirtana.