Practical Krishna - Solving multiple problems same time successfully

            Krishna’s handling of different problems is providing us with a plenty of practical insights which can help us approach it with the right attitude. It so happens that our experience is not too different from Krishna’s, except in its magnitude. At times, we are faced with multiple problems. Usually we struggle with them and manage to arrive at some acceptable solution. Years later, if we reminisce, we wonder that how we didn’t think of better options, as our life’s trajectory would have drastically altered. This is especially true when we face multiple problems at the same time.

            For the ideal approach, we have to merely look at how the different characters in various itihasapuranas have handled and emulate them to our perfection. Krishna’s entire life is a saga of skillfully solving numerous problems. One such complexity was when Kalayavana arrived at Mathura’s gates to decimate it.

 

Storytime:

            We already saw Jarasandha was a long term problem for Krishna and more so to the citizens of Mathura. As he was preparing for the eighteenth time to bring his twenty three akshauhini army, as if he inspires the Vikram-Betal in the Betal-Pachisi stories in a never dying effort to avenge, there was a new danger in the form of Kalayavana, a non native of the dharmic civilisation. Kalayavana raised a three crore strong army and was considering himself without a match. Through Narada Maharishi he came to know about the Yadavas, especially Krishna.

            Understanding the magnitude of a possible near simultaneous attack by two powerful foes and with the intention of avoiding any loss of life, Krishna had a new well planned city, Dwaraka, constructed in a far off island by Vishwakarma, the architect of Devas. The lokapalas offered numerous treasures to enrich this brilliant city. Krishna had all the citizens transferred to Dwaraka and appeared out of the gates of the city with a simple lotus garland and no weapons. Kalayavana’s image as provided by Narada tallied all the features from blue complexion to yellow silk, from Kaustuba to Srivatsa mark, from the peacock feather to even four powerful arms. Since he found Krishna weaponless, Kalayavana resolved to attack him with bare hands. Being pursued, Krishna ran tantalizingly close that Kalayavana felt he would catch him with another step. Yet without his realization, Kalayavana found himself being led to a far off mountain cave.

            Krishna was abused by Kalayavana, yet as he let him exhaust his Karmas. (इति क्षिपन्ननुगतो नैनं प्रापाहताशुभ: iti kṣipann anugato nainaṁ prāpāhatāśubhaḥ SB – 10-51-8). Krishna hid in the dark cave. Finding someone asleep, the foolish Kalayavana without even pondering how a person he was chasing for such a long time can be fast asleep kicked him hard. As soon as the person woke up and cast his glance on Kalayavana, he was reduced to ashes from a fire that emanated from the sleeping person.

            The person in deep sleep was Muchukunda, son of the famous Mandhata, in the illustrious Ikshavaku lineage, one of the ancestors of Rama.  For his excellent services rendered during a devasura war and also long all what he had to time, as the time calculation is different in that plane, the devas granted him any boon except Kaivalya, Moksha, which can be given  only Mahavishnu. (वरं वृणीष्व भद्रं ते ऋते कैवल्यमद्य न: । एक एवेश्वरस्तस्य भगवान् विष्णुरव्यय: ॥ varaṁ vṛṇīṣva bhadraṁ teṛte kaivalyam adya naḥ eka eveśvaras tasya bhagavān viṣṇur avyayaḥ SB-10-51-20) Muchukunda sought a long sleep without any disturbance. The Devas not only granted it, but also gave a guarantee that anyone who disturbs his slumber will be burnt to ashes.

            Krishna then appeared in front of the puzzled Muchukunda, who was a devotee of Mahavishnu. Despite appearing in his classical form in complete majesty, Muchukunda was wondering who was in front of him. He was also confounded by the stranger who got burnt due to his boon, when he cast his first glance.

            Krishna gave a brief history of his avatara and told him that for all the devotion in his past, Muchukunda deserved some worthy boon. Muchukunda broke into a glorious hymn in praise of Viveka and Vairagya and was thankful that he was able to spend some time thinking about Bhagawan despite being immersed in samsara. The essence of Muchukunda’s prayer is his seeking the feet of Bhagawan as he lamented that he could never satiate the six enemies (five senses and manas) and sought tranquility at the Lotus feet. (चिरमिह वृजिनार्तस्तप्यमानोऽनुतापै-
रवितृषषडमित्रोऽलब्धशान्ति: कथञ्चित् । शरणद समुपेतस्त्वत्पदाब्जं परात्म-नभयमृतमशोकं पाहि मापन्नमीश ॥ ciram iha vṛjinārtas tapyamāno ’nutāpair avitṛṣa-ṣaḍ-amitro ’labdha-śāntiḥ kathañcit śaraṇa-da samupetas tvat-padābjaṁ parātman abhayam ṛtam aśokaṁ pāhi māpannam īśa SB-10-51-57)

            Krishna applauded Muchukunda for not falling into the trap of seeking worldly pleasures. Krishna declared that a true Bhakta is never distracted by sensory temptations, as he is immersed in thoughts of Bhagawan. In case of abstract disciplines, the subtle sensuous tendencies do not get destroyed completely and their mind can turn to sensory objects. Krishna blessed him that Muchukunda will have unwavering bhakti under all conditions. Great acharyas opine that Bhagwan even grants Moksha easily, but is reluctant to offer unconditional true bhakti.

            Krishna reminded Muchukunda had killed many innocent animals during hunting while performing his role as Kshatriya, which had no connection to his swadharma. Krishna recommended him to take the path of tapasya with his mind sheltered on HIM, to burn all these vasanas. (समाहितस्तत्तपसा जह्यघं मदुपाश्रित: ॥ samāhitas tat tapasā jahy aghaṁ mad-upāśritaḥ SB 10-51-62) He lays a yardstick to attain सर्वभूतसुहृत्तम: sarva-bhūta-suhṛttamaḥ (SB 10-51-63).  We see this as a distilled essence of the list of qualities he gives Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 12. (Read more in Whom does God love? – Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) Having cleansed his vasanas in his next birth through tapasya, Krishna assures Muchukunda that he will attain Kaivalya.

            Muchukunda left the cave after prostrating to Krishna in a northerly direction. At Gandhamadhana Mountain with his heart firmly fixated on Krishna, he engaged in tapas, deep rooted in shraddha, firm, devoid of any attachments – physical or mental and free of any doubts. (तप:श्रद्धायुतो धीरो नि:सङ्गो मुक्तसंशय: । tapaḥ-śraddhā-yuto dhīro niḥsaṅgo mukta-saṁśayaḥ SB 10-52-3) Then at Badarikashrama he did tapasya overcoming the dvandvas (pairs of opposites) and filled with peace.

            Krishna went back to destroy the Yavana army and had his men carry the booty gathered from the enemies and head towards Dwaraka. Jarasandha intervened in this journey and we saw that in detail Practical Krishna – Big problem different solutions.

 

Understanding Krishna – applying in our lives

• Prioritize: Krishna faced with twin attacks of powerful forces had the priority of his citizens in focus. The very first task he does is getting Dwaraka built on an island and transporting his citizens. Keeping our priority on the order of tasks and their magnitude is a basic lesson in any project management.

• Break the big problem into smaller parts: Krishna broke the multilayered problem into smaller parts. He knew Jarasandha was atleast a day or two away from attacking. To deal with Kalayavana he lured him by appearing unarmed and to run away as if afraid. Having handled him at the cave with his secret knowledge of Muchukunda, he returned in time to destroy the Yavana forces. He later executed the plan he had for Jarasandha. Breaking the problem – big or small, into manageable portions will increase our chances of resolving it.

• Efficiency / multi-tasking / timing: We already noted that Krishna broke the big unmanageable problem into smaller pieces. But doing them in order and timing the sequence is a very key lesson to learn. He handled both blessing Muchukunda, his devotee a darshana and eliminating Kalayavana in a wonderful sequence. As also timing the Muchukunda effort not too long before the suspecting Yavana forces could mount an attack. He also cleaned up the Yavana army ahead of Jarasandha’s arrival, lest they combine their lethality. Thus we have a beautiful example of efficiency, multi-tasking and timing from this episode.

• How to motivate others: Krishna lured and motivated Kalayavana in a way that works on the psychology of any individual. Every step of the way, Kalayavana felt he could catch Krishna with the next step. (हस्तप्राप्तमिवात्मानं हरीणा स पदे पदे । नीतो दर्शयता दूरं यवनेशोऽद्रिकन्दरम् ॥ hasta-prāptam ivātmānaṁ harīṇā sa pade pade nīto darśayatā dūraṁ yavaneśo ’dri-kandaram SB-10-51-7). If Krishna was a tad slower, he would have risk getting caught and a fight on his hands. On the other hand, if he was much faster, a dejected Kalayavana could have changed his minds to fetch his troops or return some other day. While setting goals, it should not be way too far off our comfort zone, yet they must stretch us. If they are too within our limits, the motivation factor will be non-existent and if the goals set are unattainable, the mind will tend to justify and not go after this seemingly futile effort.

• Overcome Tamas: Muchukunda gives us a deep insight into the horrible effects of Tamas. First off, a person of his caliber settling for a long slumber as a boon should highlight the importance of working on our tamasic tendencies. Secondly, when Krishna himself presented with his classic insignia, despite being a Mahavishnu bhakta, he is overcome with doubts and is unable to find who was in front of him. It is not this groggy feeling one gets waking up sleepy, but the tamasic drag that one feels on the personality, that should make us work on being saatvic.

• Spiritual pointers: The important lesson we learn from Muchukunda episode is we are responsible for our Karmas and its karmaphala. Krishna blessed him with extraordinary, undiluted bhakti, yet made him spend his remaining time and another janma, purifying his vasanas and burning his karmaphala. Contrast this with the idea of free saranagati or Abrahamic idea of merely signing up to get rid of karmaphala and vasanas. Such a thing is impossible in nature. The universe Bhagawan has ordained operates under certain dharma and everyone is subject to it. His grace can certainly give us immunity from samsara and strengthen our bhakti.

            The bigger lesson one can glean from Muchukunda is that all the bhakti and sadhana he had done long ago is secure. Due to this despite the long tamas, as soon as he got the darshana of Krishna, his viveka came to the rescue. When he could have wasted his opportunity on any sensory pleasure, he chose to stay on the highest goal, Kaivalya. He lamented to Krishna on being enslaved by the senses and the mind. Krishna understood his real issue and fear of samsara. He gave the assurance to the bhakta that his true wealth of bhakti will remain unaffected during his cleansing period. The gravest fear for any sadhaka is to get pulled back into the mires of samsara due to a misstep of sensory distractions.

            Krishna cautions that for this Yuga without a portion of Bhakti in our sadhana, mere abstract spiritual practices, as advised by many new age babas are a recipe for spiritual disaster.  (युञ्जानानामभक्तानां प्राणायामादिभिर्मन: । अक्षीणवासनं राजन् द‍ृश्यते पुनरुत्थितम् ॥ yuñjānānām abhaktānāṁ prāṇāyāmādibhir manaḥ akṣīṇa-vāsanaṁ rājan dṛśyate punar utthitam SB 10-51-60) The mind is already used to sensory objects and is firmly associating itself. Bhakti uses the same sense objects to be trained on a superior goal, ishtadevata. As it traverses this journey, it gets elevated little by little, imbibing the qualities it is focused on. Thus Bhakti is a powerful, yet sureshot way to extricate the manas away, yet subtle enough to the manas to realize and resist. In this process of Bhakti, one develops the right intelligence, viveka to discern and stay away from material entrapments.  (न धीरेकान्तभक्तानामाशीर्भिर्भिद्यते क्व‍‍चित् ॥ na dhīr ekānta-bhaktānām āśīrbhir bhidyate kvacit SB 10-51-59)

            Krishna gives an excellent yardstick to measure our spiritual progress – having a heart of kindness, compassion and prosperity for all living beings (सर्वभूतसुहृत्तम: sarva-bhūta-suhṛttamaḥ). In Bhagavad Gita, Bhagawan Sri Krishna stresses this wisdom as one attains peace as he realizes that Bhagwan is the one who is the real enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities and is the Lord of all the worlds and a friend of all living beings.    (भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् । सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ॥ bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati BG 5-29). The true essence of Krishna, Paramatma, shines in every living being, hence when evolves with the maturity to see HIS presence in all, it is a benchmark of the highest culmination of bhakti and jnana. Such a candidate is ripe for Kaivalya, Moksha. May we all strive our best to imbibe this wonderful quality to see Paramatma in every living being instead of seeing it as a body or with our ahamkara. For this we need to realize who our own Atman is, then only we can see the oneness behind all. May Krishna’s grace and his words guide us to work on our tamas constantly and replace it with Sattva which will eventually merge us with his lotus feet.

 

ॐ तत् सत

 

Practical Krishna - Big problem different solutions

             Life at times appears to be an endless battle. To some it looks like when one problem is solved, few tougher ones have replaced the original.  In Krishna’s life – a saga of problem solving, we saw how he was besieged with a series of problems, and many times, they had to be resolved at the same time. One such mega problem that lasted for decades was Jarasandha.  Krishna had to come with three different solutions before he could get rid of him permanently.

One of the most unsung villains in Mahabharata and Bhagavatam is Jarasandha. In this Practical Krishna series, we will focus on the practical lessons His tenacity and organizing skills were so legendary that Krishna used it to his advantage.

 

Storytime:

            After the death of Kamsa, his wives Asti and Prapti who were both daughters of Jarasandha, the King of Magadha, returned back with their woes and widowhood due to Krishna. Enraged by this tragedy, Jarasandha commanded twenty-three akshauhinis to lay siege on Mathura. For context, the entire Mahabharata war was fought with only eighteen akshauhinis, with eleven on the side of Kauravas and seven on Pandavas side.  An Akshauhini comprises of 21,870 chariots (rathas), 21,870 elephants (gaja), 65,610 horses (thuraga) and 109,350 foot soldiers (pada).

            As panic was in the region, Krishna thought of merely wiping out the army and letting Jarasandha alive as he was bound to bring raise more armies. (मागधस्तु न हन्तव्यो भूय: कर्ता बलोद्यमम् - māgadhas tu na hantavyo bhūyaḥ kartā balodyamam SB – 10-50-8). Krishna recalled the very purpose of his avatara, to eliminate the evil forces burdening the earth and protection of the pious. (एतदर्थोऽवतारोऽयं भूभारहरणाय मे । संरक्षणाय साधूनां कृतोऽन्येषां वधाय च ॥ etad-artho ’vatāro ’yaṁ bhū-bhāra-haraṇāya me saṁrakṣaṇāya sādhūnāṁ kṛto ’nyeṣāṁ vadhāya ca SB – 10-50-9)

            Two chariots descended from the heavens, with all sorts of divine weapons and charioteers. Krishna reminded Balarama that these were his familiar weapons and to recall the purpose of his avatara. Krishna led Balarama and a small army to face the ocean of Jarasandha’s endless army. Faced with an impossible task and endless rain of arrows, Krishna twanged his Saranga bow and attacked the enemy forces from seemingly multiple locations. Balarama put his famous plough to its maximum use. The endless mighty ocean of Jarasandha’s army could not hold long before the play of Krishna.

            Balarama caught hold of the lone Jarasandha, tied him up with the intent to kill, when Krishna stopped him, having conceived a long term plan (वारयामास गोविन्दस्तेन कार्यचिकीर्षया ॥ vārayām āsa govindas tena kārya-cikīrṣayā SB- 10-50-31). An utterly dejected and humiliated Jarasandha was bent of renouncing the worldly life, but was convinced by his vassal kings. He was completely convinced that his past karmas were behind his defeat. Krishna and Balarama were joyously received even as everyone celebrated these heroes in different ways. Jarasandha thus led seventeen expeditions with twenty-three akshauhinis each. They all met the same fate at the hands of Balarama and Krishna and only Jarasandha’s life was spared.

            On the eve of Jarasandha’s eighteenth attack, another enemy, Kalayavana, amassed huge numbers of army to attack Mathura. Sensing the dual grave danger, Krishna had Viswakarma, the architect for devas, to build a beautiful planned city in Dwaraka and had the citizens relocated through his yogic powers. Having dealt with Kalayavana and his army, his small group started carting the spoils of the war, when Jarasandha came for the eighteenth time with twenty three akshauhinis.

            Krishna and Balarama acted as if afraid and ran as if afraid and ran for many yojanas (विहाय वित्तं प्रचुरमभीतौ भीरुभीतवत् । पद्‍भ्यां पद्मपलाशाभ्यां चेलतुर्बहुयोजनम् ॥ - vihāya  vittaṁ pracuram abhītau bhīru-bhīta-vat padbhyāṁ palāśābhyāṁ celatur bahu-yojanam - SB – 10-52-8). They climbed a huge mountain named, Pravarshana. Unable to find the pair, he asked his army to set the mountain on fire. Jarasandha assumed that they must have certainly died in the conflagaration and was happy to return to Magadha. Krishna and Balarama escaped the fire and returned to Dwaraka.

            Jarasandha tried to create a political marriage by having his vassal Sishupala, the King of Chedi with Rukmini, the princess of Vidarbha. Rukmini sent a wonderful message to Krishna to kidnap and marry her. When Jarasandha, Sishupala and other assembled kings put a strong fight to intervene Krishna who was eloping with Rukmini, they met more than a fierce match from the Vrishnis headed by Balarama, who had followed Krishna. (Read more on Secrets hidden in Rukmini vivaha) Jarasandha consoled Sishupala how he had to wait eighteen encounters to wrest a victory and that time is the greatest leveler.

            Many years passed. One day a person came to Krishna and explained the misery to the countless Kings rotting in Jarasandha’s prison.  At the same time, Maharishi Narada brought the message of Yudhishtra’s desire to perform Rajasuya yagna and become an emperor. Krishna sought Uddhava’s opinion. Uddhava opined that Yudhishtra deserved to be an emperor, but not until Jarasandha is challenged in a duel and eliminated. Since Jarasandha is known to give any gift to a Brahmana and hence Bhima should ask for duel in disguise and fight in the presence of Krishna.

            Having spent few months with the Pandavas and eventually Krishna brought the topic of Rajasuya yagna and the need to eliminate Jarasandha. Per Uddhava’s plan, Krishna was joined by Bhima and Arjuna and they went disguised as Brahmanas. They approached Jarasandha and wanted him to bestow their desire. Gauging their voice, demeanor and scars on their hands from handling bow strings, Jarasandha inferred their Kshatriya origin and granted their unsought desire. As Krishna introduced Bhima and Arjuna and asked Jarasandha to pick one for a duel. Jarasandha felt Krishna was a coward as he left for Dwaraka Island and Arjuna was younger, thus choosing Bhima as he was co-equal in physical strength.

            They came out of the city and selected an arena and commenced their duel with maces. Having broken they continued with their wrestling and fist fights. They were equally matched in skill and courage and were in a stalemate. The fight continued for twenty seven days when the contestants fought bitterly and spent the nights in a friendly manner. The puzzled Bhima enquired why it was so difficult to tackle Jarasandha and had given up hope on the twenty eighth day. Jarasandha was born due to the blessing of Rishi Chandakausika to the heirless King Brihadratha. As he loved his two wives equally, he gave the blessed mango cut in half and each queen delivered half a child. Shocked at this, they got rid of the born dead half infants. A rakshasi Jara, eager to eat picked up the two infants and placed it together. Suddenly this revived the newborn, which she was happy to return to the King, who named it after her, Jarasandha – joined by Jara.

            Having considered Jarasandha’s orgins, Krishna infused his own tejas into Bhima. (पार्थमाप्याययन् स्वेन तेजसाचिन्तयद्धरि: ॥ pārtham āpyāyayan svena tejasācintayad dhariḥ SB-10-72-40(42)). He communicated the strategy while the fight was ongoing to Bhima by splitting a twig. Bhima took his hint and ripped Jarasandha into two parts just like he was born, thus ending the decades long problem. They installed Jarasandha’s son, Sahadeva as the next King and went to on to discharge the countless Kings languishing in the prisons free. Having Krishna installed in their hearts as Paramatma, they went back to their Kingdoms to rule them justly.

 

Understanding Krishna – applying in our lives

• Big problem different solutions – Jarasandha was a bigger problem to tackle than Kamsa’s minions or Kamsa himself. Krishna first let the problem linger till it threatened to merge with another bigger problem. Till then what was a sport, needed a different solution. He bought some peace by letting Jarasandha’s ego satisfied by feigning cowardice and also acts like they were destroyed by the fire. The cover blew up at Rukmini’s wedding. Finally when another pair of opportunities arose, Krishna resolved the problem once and for all.

• Think outside the box – Krishna desired to use Jarasandha as a tool to fulfill his plans (कार्यचिकीर्षया). He used his mortal enemy to carry out his mission to eliminate the evil. Using Jarasandha’s great organizing and administrative skills he influenced him to raise an evil army to flush out all the tamasic and rakshasic tendency people. Thus Krishna’s mission was well served with little effort having delegated the task of assembling the ones marked for elimination.

• Team work – For the first seventeen sieges of Mathura he used Balarama as a partner. He also communicated at a high level to release Jarasandha which kept Balarama wondering. High level decisions need not be informed but clear instructions must be given as to the boundaries and expectations of the task. He also used Balarama and the Vrishnis during Rukmini harana. Finally he assembled a team to tackle Jarasandha in the form of Bhima and Arjuna. Arjuna was a pure backup for contingencies and applying psychological pressure. Everybody on the team got to contribute instead of all actions being done by one person.

• Focus on the now, but have a big picture. Alternatively begin with the end in mind – Every encounter of Jarasandha was a lesson in focusing in the now. If Krishna wasted time wondering about the past attacks or future possibilities, Krishna would not have been successful in setting the example for us. It is also important to note that Krishna kept Jarasandha factored in his future plans. This living in the now, with an eye on new possibilities is a powerful takeaway message for us.

• Don’t worry about loser’s tags - Krishna was not afraid to act like a coward and earn the title, ranchor, the one who ran away from battle. Having defeated Jarasandha seventeen times, he had nothing to prove to Jarasandha. Besides having a big task of losing his Jarasandha’s trail away from the newly built Dwaraka, Krishna felt getting bad name in the eyes of a sore loser is not a big deal. Keep the priorities straight and focus on the task at hand.

• Be bold to change your stance – All Kamsa’s minions and Kamsa were tackled one on one. But with the hordes of Jarasandha he had to demolish those enmass. Also for Jarasandha it became a pattern for seventeen sieges where Krishna and Balarama will annihilate the army and free Jarasandha to return.  Krishna was open to change it when circumstances changed. Same solutions for the same old problems do not help. One must be willing to change course, of course with intelligence applied, not merely for the sake of changing.

• Be careful with ego – Krishna was dealing with a very fragile humiliated ego of Jarasandha. It was enraged at the plight of its daughters but disgraced at the repeated losses. Krishna kept his ego intact, so he kept returning again and again with large armies to fulfill Krishna’s mission. Krishna even feigned running away to feed only this ego, which was again disgraced during Rukmini’s marriage. Krishna knew that to make Jarasandha choose Bhima, he had to accompany with Arjuna so the bruised Jarasandha’s ego will be receptive.

• Be prepared – Krishna was prepared with weapons everytime Jarasandha showed up. Also came up with a new plan when Kalayavana overshadowed Jarasandha’s next siege. Dwaraka was built with Viswakarma and people relocated ahead of the conflict. The Dwaraka plan was to ensure safety and prosperity. Krishna was also prepared with Arjuna as backup and also was aware of the history of Jarasandha which provided the solution for his end. Do your homework ahead.

• Be just – During his intrusion in Rukmini’s planned marriage, he took on the assembled kings, but did not go after them. Even Rukmi, who was trying to avenge his sister’s abduction, was forgiven. All the Kings kept in Jarasandha’s prison were released and sent back with due respect to their kingdoms. It was not a political gesture to buy their support for Yudhishtra. Even Jarasandha’s kingdom was left untouched and was handed over to his son Sahadeva.

• Wait for the right time - Jarasandha could have been eliminated during the very first encounter. Yet Krishna waited for the right time. He also left him during the subsequent encounters, including one at Vidarbha. Wait for the right time to do your tasks. Timing is as important as the actual actions.

            Jarasandha’s story is ripe with so many wondrous messages for us to practically apply in our daily lives. Just as one gets better sugarcane juice by repeatedly putting the cane into the press, one must repeatedly ponder over the stories of Sri Krishna. The only difference is sugarcane loses its sweetness after being pressed few times, but Krishna’s madhurya increases the more times we bring to our minds. May we study the scriptures to not only profit for our spiritual quests but also apply the wisdom in everyday living. This alone will enable the holistic evolution of all our faculties, quicker and painless exhaustion of our vasanas even as we traverse this samsara. May Krishnaleelas and his lotus feet be our firm guides in this samsara.

 

 

ॐ तत् सत

Practical Krishna - Caring for others

             Purnavatara Krishna simultaneously manifests Parabrahman, Ishwara, Avatara and human aspects. (Read more in Krishna’s life – a saga of problem solving). In this Practical Krishna series, our endeavor is to constantly focus on the human dimension and extract as many useful tips for applying in our personal lives. We need to make the Itihasapuranas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita as guiding beacons, the way the rishis intended it to be used and not a mere text for worship. We have distanced these by placing them on pedestal and made them into unachievable objects of worship.

            In this series our endeavor is to look at the different incidents of Bhagawan Sri Krishna, given in Srimad Bhagawad Purana, from purely a superlative human’s example for us to emulate. We will filter out the Avatara or Ishwara aspects deliberately and let it not flame our prejudice or bhakti.

 

Storytime:

Mission of hope for Gokula: After the death of Kamsa, Krishna and Balarama had their Upanayana through the Yadava Kula guru, Garga. Eventually they mastered the sixty four arts in sixty four days from the illustrious Avanti residing Guru, Sandipani and returned back to Mathura.

            Krishna was very concerned about his hasty exit from Gokula. To assuage the grief of Gopis and cheer his parents Nanda and Yasoda, he decided to send Uddhava as an emissary. Uddhava was the best educated amongst Vrishnis having tutored under Brihaspati (spiritual Guru of Devas), a minister, a beloved friend and devotee of Krishna, endowed with excellent intelligence. (वृष्णीनां प्रवरो मन्त्री कृष्णस्य दयित: सखा । शिष्यो बृहस्पते: साक्षादुद्धवो बुद्धिसत्तम:  - vṛṣṇīnāṁ pravaro mantrī kṛṣṇasya dayitaḥ sakhā śiṣyo bṛhaspateḥ sākṣād uddhavo buddhi-sattamaḥ SB-10-46-1). The choice of Uddhava is outstanding if we can recall that he alone was the sole recipient of Krishna’s departing words in the form of Uddhava Gita or Moksha Gita. It is so special that it is the only Gita named after the recipient.

It appears to the normal eye that Krishna has abandoned Gokula and Gopis. To the trained eye, Gopis are the highest category of Bhakta, exhibiting more than all the qualities that endear Bhagawan (Whom does God love – Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) and hence always on the top of Krishna’s mind.

            Uddhava reached Vraja towards sunset and spent the night exchanging stories of Krishna and the hospitality of Nanda. Finding their exalted love for Krishna, Uddhava tried to uplift the spirits of Nanda and Yashoda, by highlighting the Avatara, Ishwara and Parabrahman aspect of Krishna. It was after dawn when the Gopis discovered the gleaming golden chariot and wondered if Akrura (the one who took Krishna away to Mathura) had returned only to wonder more as they found Uddhava instead, who looked similar to Krishna and who wore Krishna’s clothes. Understanding him as an emissary of Krishna, they poured their anguish caused due to the deserting of Gokula by Krishna. They felt cheated like a flower that has yielded all its nectar to the bee that is happy to leave. Then in a beautiful outburst of poetry, heart and pure devotion, the state of mind of these highest bhaktas is captured as Bhramara Gita as sung by the Gopis.

            Uddhava, now having understood and witnessed the highest bhakti possible, begins to share Krishna’s message. Krishna enlightened the Gopis the subtleties of Atman and asked how can HE be ever separate from the Gopis? (भवतीनां वियोगो मे न हि सर्वात्मना क्व‍‍चित् । bhavatīnāṁ viyogo me na hi sarvātmanā kvacit SB-10-47-29) HE permeates the panchamahabhutas, manas, indriyas and gunas. Atma is distinct from the body or mind, not affected by the gunas and is Pure Consciousness. Controlling the manas and indriyas is the purpose of Vedas. This may be done through many disciplines like Yoga, Sankhya, Sannyasa, Tyaga, tapas, sense control and satyam and they all lead like different rivers ending in the same sea. (एतदन्त: समाम्नायो योग: साङ्ख्यं मनीषिणाम्। त्यागस्तपो दम: सत्यं समुद्रान्ता इवापगा: ॥ etad-antaḥ samāmnāyo yogaḥ sāṅkhyaṁ manīṣiṇām tyāgas tapo damaḥ satyaṁ samudrāntā ivāpagāḥ  SB-10-47-33) He wanted the Gopis to master the Meditation upon HIM, though HE was far away. It was only for this purpose, he left them physically, but was connected to them spiritually all the time. (मनस: सन्निकर्षार्थं मदनुध्यानकाम्यया - manasaḥ sannikarṣārthaṁ mad-anudhyāna-kāmyayā SB-10-47-34) Just as the lover’s fondness grows in absence, Krishna assured their meditation will be incessant due to this separation.

            Krishna didn’t abandon them just as our popular poor misunderstanding makes us wonder. He created the best environment for them to evolve on a fast track based on their already exalted states. Though thankful at the grace of Krishna for sending a message to uplift and guide them, they were still immersed deeply in their love for Krishna. Uddhava stayed with them for few more months, which was mutually beneficial. As all the time was spent only talking about Krishna, the Gopis felt their mind engrossed in Krishnaprema all the time. Uddhava learnt about all the pastimes of Krishna, visited the places where those leelas happened and greatly profited from it. His state of mind and spiritual evolution is captured in the Pancharatna, five gems (SB 10-47-58 to 62) where he glorifies the superlative state of Gopis. With the love and permission of Nanda, Yashoda, Gopas and Gopis, Uddhava returned to Mathura with all the messages and hearts from Gokula and their gifts.

 

Mission to aid Pandavas: When Akrura requested Krishna to come to Mathura, he also pleaded Krishna to visit his house. Using this pretext, he visited him one day with Balarama and Uddhava. Akrura, overjoyed, gave him a warm cordial welcome, washed his feet and worshipped him with flowers and sandal paste.  He broke into a hymn on Krishna. Understanding his mindset and that he was much elderly, Krishna used his entire charm offensive with a broad smile and spoke many honeyed words about the revered personage that he was. He pleaded to Akrura that as a first among friends and well-wisher to Krishna, he wanted Akrura to visit Hastinapura and know about the status of the Pandavas, after the death of Pandu and owing to the biased treatment of Dhritarashtra.

            Akrura went on Krishna’s assignment and blended with all the prominent people in Hastinapura. He stayed there for few months to get a first hand understanding of the activities. Akrura was a brother of Vasudeva and Pritha (Kunti) and thus Kunti opened her woes and anxiety of her children’s well being to him. Kunti’s primary concern was if she was under the protection of Krishna as also her children.

Akrura approached Dhritarashtra on the eve of his return and advised him. By following Dharma alone, one gains fame and good. He reminded about his responsibility and duty towards the young Pandavas and advised him to treat them as his own children. One cannot remain even in one’s own body forever and hence the impermanence of relationships including wife and children. Every creature is born alone and dies alone. One enjoys one’s merits by oneself and suffers for the demerits also alone.   (एक: प्रसूयते जन्तुरेक एव प्रलीयते । एकोऽनुभुङ्क्ते सुकृतमेक एव च दुष्कृतम् ॥ ekaḥ prasūyate jantur eka eva pralīyate eko ’nubhuṅkte sukṛtam eka eva ca duṣkṛtam SB-10-49-21).

Wealth obtained by Adharmic means will be destroyed by others. (अधर्मोपचितं वित्तं हरन्त्यन्येऽल्पमेधस: । adharmopacitaṁ vittaṁ haranty anye ’lpa-medhasaḥ SB-49-22). The foolish person wrongly thinks the body, wealth and children as one’s own, due to the wrong understanding. He even adopts Adharmic ways to sustain them, only to find all these things dear to him abandon him at the end, leaving only frustration. (पुष्णाति यानधर्मेण स्वबुद्ध्या तमपण्डितम् । तेऽकृतार्थं प्रहिण्वन्ति प्राणा राय: सुतादय: ॥puṣṇāti yān adharmeṇa sva-buddhyā tam apaṇḍitam te ’kṛtārthaṁ prahiṇvanti prāṇā rāyaḥ sutādayaḥ SB-10-49-23)

Akrura cautioned the outcome of such a disastrous mindset and that it may be easier to mend it now.  The man of Adharma, blinded by the impermanent objects of love drifts in life without a purpose, achieves nothing worthwhile enters the self created tamasic hell. (स्वयं किल्बिषमादाय तैस्त्यक्तो नार्थकोविद: । असिद्धार्थो विशत्यन्धं स्वधर्मविमुखस्तम: ॥ svayaṁ kilbiṣam ādāya tais tyakto nārtha-kovidaḥ asiddhārtho viśaty andhaṁ sva-dharma-vimukhas tamaḥ SB-10-49-24)

Dhritarashtra expressed his gratitude at this sage wisdom of nectarine words, but comes out with an important confession. His unsteady mind, prejudiced by its extreme love for his own children cannot retain this wondrous advice, just like a lightning cannot reside permanently in a cloud. (तथापि सूनृता सौम्य हृदि न स्थीयते चले । पुत्रानुरागविषमे विद्युत् सौदामनी यथा ॥ tathāpi sūnṛtā saumya hṛdi na sthīyate cale  putrānurāga-viṣame vidyut saudāmanī yathā SB-10-49-27) He kind of justified his actions by deeming it as ordained by fate and Ishwara’s law. He even acknowledged that Krishna has taken avatara to reduce the burden of the earth.

Dhritarashtra paid his obeisance to the Parama Ishwara, who creates this world, enters and regulates it through his inconceivable Maya. Both Samsara and liberation are a mere sport for HIM.  (यो दुर्विमर्शपथया निजमाययेदं सृष्ट्वा गुणान् विभजते तदनुप्रविष्ट: । तस्मै नमो दुरवबोधविहारतन्त्र-
संसारचक्रगतये परमेश्वराय ॥ yo durvimarśa-pathayā nija-māyayedaṁ sṛṣṭvā guṇān vibhajate tad-nupraviṣṭaḥ tasmai namo duravabodha-vihāra-tantra- saṁsāra-cakra-gataye parameśvarāya SB-10-49-29)

Akrura returned back to Mathura to update Krishna and Balarama of the attitude and actions of Dhritarashtra and the situation of the Pandavas.

 

Understanding Krishna – applying in our lives:

• Be always invested in the overall welfare of the people who are dependent on you: Krishna’s treatment of Gopis and Vrajavasis appears to be crude and ruthless. Yet after listening to his specific message through Uddhava, one gets a glimpse of his long term vision for them. Similarly, though young, he wanted to keep a tab on the Pandavas and their welfare, which he did till their very end.

• Choice of emissary / Learning to delegate: Picking the right person to delegate is a very crucial skill. As also preparing ahead of the task. Imagine if Krishna had switched the people for the missions? Akrura was already in the bad books of the Gopis for having snatched their highest possession away, forever. Even if he brought Krishna’s words, they would have not worked the same way. Uddhava was able to bring the real effect what Krishna wanted to, as he brought his highest wisdom and the likeability of Krishna, being a devotee himself.

Akrura on the otherhand, brought his diplomacy, relationship and maturity to the table during his Hastinapura visit. He was able to further every cause for Krishna, even tried to knock some sense into the blind King. If Uddhava tried the same on Dhritarashtra he could have been even punished. Secondly he would lack the serious diplomatic skills that Akrura had.

• Think long term: The Pandavas were too young and barely knew the dangers of their environment. But Krishna had a long term foresight about their future. This is especially true for Purusharthas – Dharma, Artha and Kama, with the exception of Moksha, which is not a planned activity or outcome. Some long term thinking is necessary. Sow seeds and prepare with a futuristic vision, unattached.

• Benefit the team player: Uddhava was an excellent jnani, yet had not reached the pinnacle through Bhakti. Krishna exposed him to the Gopis so he was an equal beneficiary. Uddhava spent his lifetime evolving based on this mission to qualify for Uddhava Gita.

• Don’t resign to Tamas: Through Akrura, he began a mission to fix the tamasic mind of Dhritarashtra which culminated during his personal visit to broker peace prior to Mahabharata. The message for us normal people is a warning that Tamas can be so dark that even numerous attempts even by Paramatma will find it hard to break. The warning for us is to constantly keep working on our saatvic guna through satsanga and studying scriptures, so we will have a mind open enough to receive.

• Be a hopegiver: Be it Kunti or others, Krishna was a source of hope through his words and actions. Now we cannot emulate an avatara, but our dharmic rooting will let others pin some hope for themselves.

• Understand the problem, before you solve: Krishna was heavily involved in the Pandavas life. To be effective in his objective, he had to have a good understanding in the affairs of Hastinapura.

• Spirituality is a journey, with a guide assured for all: Even the highest level Bhaktas in Gopis, Nanda and Yashoda had to have guidance through their stages. The choice of Uddhava also was to the same purpose. Krishna was personally available as they went through the different levels. Even in our journey, we can begin where we are. It may not be in the same league, but it is the same road. If we take the toddler steps in this journey using all the pointers given in itihasapuranas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita, then we are given the assurance that Krishna will send his emissary to guide us.

• Primary focus in life: The only things that light up on Krishna’s radar is Mokshakamana/bhakti and dharma. He is most concerned with our spiritual aspirations and sends out his feelers to guide and protect it. He also is equally concerned about the ones trying to fight for dharma. His first two missions, after sportfully dealing with Kamsa, highlight his focus. We must aspire to keep either Dharma, which is containing Artha and Kama within or Moksha as our top priority in life.

 These two incidents are ripe with so much wisdom that it is enough for a bhakta or sadaka to immerse into Brahma vichara. It has Bhramara Gita, Pancharatna and Akrura’s stuthi, besides his advice to Dhritarashtra. All these gems can elevate any person who is willing to apply it on their mind. The purpose of dwelling on these small incidents in Krishna’s life is to profit both our vyavaharika life and our spiritual inner journey. May Krishna’s grace be upon us that we will retain enough Sattva to gain from this deep wisdom.

 

ॐ तत् सत