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Sai Krishna
Sai Krishna 1
Lovingly Shared by Venkatachalam
Srinivasan
ANANYA BHAKTHI
(Please note that Gopalakas indicate males and gopikas are
females)
The first episode is an extract from the Book, "SRI SATHYA SAI
ANANDADAAYI" written by very old devotee of Swami. (This book is
available in Prashanthi Nilayam Book Stall) The lady describes
that one day one Mr. Laskshminarayana Sastry was giving a
discourse at Prashanthi Nilayam, in the Divine presence. Swami
intervened and said, "You were telling about Akrura. Tell my
devotees about Gopikas". Sastri said, " Swami, I leave that to
you. You were the one who knew their longing for Krishna. Knowing
from You would be wonderful. What do I know? I know only what is
written in the books".
Swami did not reply. The Sastry then continued the story and told
that Krishna went to Mathura at the age of eight years. Swami
intervened again and said, "How is it possible? Krishna went to
Mathura at the age of fourteen years. Isn’t it? Sastry said,
"Swami, How do I know? Bhagavatha tells so. Only You know at what
age Krishna went to Mathura. Now tell us all your secrets!" Swami
laughed gently; turned towards the devotees and started telling
the story.
Krishna went to Mathura at the age of fourteen years, not at the
age of eight years. Up to the age of eleven years, He was with
Gopalakas. From the eleventh year up to His fourteenth year, He
was with Gopikas.
Once Kamsa sent a giant python to kill Krishna. At that time
Krishna was staying in a village called Rapalle. This place was
surrounded by hills and the only way in and out was a small path
in between two hills. A very huge python slept on that path with
its big mouth open. Krishna knew about this. He came with all the
Gopalakas after their cows had finished gazing in the fields.
Krishna led all the gopalakas into the mouth of the python. As
Krishna walked through the body of the python, He slit open the
stomach of the python. All the gopalakas and their cows came out
safely. After coming out, Krishna explained to them what had
happened. If they had known about the snake earlier, they would
not have volunteered to follow Krishna into the snake’s mouth.
Till the age of fourteen Krishna teased gopikas by playing pranks
on them. They were complaining to Yasodha about the unbearable and
provocative mischief of Krishna. Once in a while Yasodha felt
irritated. Once, when Yasodha expressed her displeasure about His
playing pranks on the gopikas, Krishna told her, "Mother, did I
not sleep near you all night? Why do you believe their words that
I harassed them?" Placating Yasodha like this was not a problem
for Krishna. Even with all these, the gopikas could not bear the
separation from Him even for a moment. Seeing this, the villagers
got jealous and moved Krishna from Gokula to Brindavan. Any person
who entered Brindavana had to pay an entry tax!
Just as he villagers tried to separate gopikas from Krishna, the
villagers of Puttaparthi also tried to drive Me out of this place
thinking that I will amass a lot of wealth! (Swami’s wealth is His
devotees!)
But Radha made it to Brindavana. The old man guarding Brindavana
refused entry and demanded her to pay the entry tax. Radha told,
"I am poor and cannot pay the tax." When the old man informed this
to Krishna, He said, "Is that so? When she comes again don’t allow
her inside. Hold her and inform me. I will come and make
inquiries." Radha came next day and on hearing Krishna would come,
she became extremely happy. Krishna came and asked her, "Why did
you come? Pay the tax." She answered, "Krishna, I do not have
anything except a basket of cow dung." Krishna said, "In that
case, offer yourself (Atma arpana)" She agreed and totally
surrendered her soul to Him. To attain liberation there are many
paths; eligibility is essential.
The Gopalakas of Gokula celebrated regularly a festival in which
Lord Indra was worshipped. Krishna asked Yasodha, "Mother, why is
this festival celebrated?" She said, "Indra is responsible for the
timely rains, which help in keeping our fields green and is
responsible for the well-being of our cows. So we worship Him"
Krishna said, "Indra may give rains, but it is because of
Govardhana Giri we have greenery all around us. Why not worship
it?" Thereafter gopalakas worshipped Govardhana Giri.
After some time, Krishna asked His mother, "Mother, why do you
worship Govardhana Giri?" She asked Him, "What else should we
worship?" Krishna replied to His mother, "Govardhana Giri is
responsible for the green trees and grass. But it is the cows,
which feed on them and give us milk and butter. Why not worship
the cows?" The gopalakas started worshipping cows.
Krishna, after some time asked His Mother, "Why do you worship the
cows?" She replied, "You told us to do so." Krishna said, "Then,
why not worship Me?" The Gopis worshipped only Krishna and none
else. Their husbands and mother-in-law were against their total
devotion to Krishna and harassed them. But the Gopis endured all
the problems by chanting the name of Krishna. Their despair when
Krishna left with Akrura to Mathura cannot be described in words.
Some of them slept in front of the chariot. Some held the reins of
the horses. Some tied their hair to the wheels of the chariot.
Some of them tried to stop the wheels of the chariot from turning.
Akrura saw how these Gopis were crying and pleading Krishna not to
leave. He could not bear to see their sorrow and stopped the
chariot. Krishna got down from the chariot and consoled them. They
were badly hurt and were bleeding due to their efforts to stop the
chariot. They were too tired even to speak to Krishna. Only after
Krishna promised that He would come back to them, they allowed Him
to leave. After Krishna left, the entire Gokula became desolate
and the residents were in tears and crestfallen. Krishna did not
return to Gokula since then.
Once Krishna came to Gokula with Rukmani and Satyabhama to attend
the worshipping of Govardhana Giri. Radha had a sister called
Chandravalli. They were poles apart in their approach to life.
Sai Krishna 2
Extract from the Book, "SRI SATHYA SAI ANANDADAAYI
Chandravalli hated Krishna. She believed that Krishna, the
mischief monger, created problems for Gopikas. Having stolen their
hearts and making their thoughts involve around Him, she thought
that He was driving a wedge between them and their husbands and
other relatives. As she did not want to succumb to Krishna’s
charms, she stayed back in her husband’s house. Her mother,
however, was not happy about this and persuaded hr son-in-law to
send his wife to attend the function. Reluctantly, he agreed to
send her only for three days. Chandravalli came to her mother’s
house and shut herself in, as her hatred for Krishna was very
intense. Radha somehow wanted to take Chandravalli to the
function. She came, knocked on the door and called her. While
doing so, she called "Krishna" instead of "Chandra". This
infuriated Chandravalli further. Somehow Radha consoled her and
took her to the riverside to fetch water telling that there was no
danger of Krishna meeting her there as He was busy attending the
function at Govardhana Gir. After they walked a little distance,
Chandravalli saw Krishna coming towards them. For a moment, the
pot she was holding, the dress she was wearing, the trees, the
creepers, the flowers, the sky above, the earth beneath and Radha,
who was accompanying her, everything appeared as Krishna. Blinded
by fury, she slapped Krishna on the cheek. Radha was shocked at
this. She turned around and began to scold Chandravalli. Pointing
to the three welts on His cheek, Krishna smiling said, "No, don’t
scold her. She has shown that all the three of us are one and the
same", and left the scene.
When Krishna came home, Sathyabhama saw the welts on the cheeks of
Krishna and told Rukhmani, "Sister, see the cheeks of Krishna.
Someone has slapped Him." Rukhmani, being a person with
"Sathvaguna", did not notice them. Krishna consoled Sathyabhama
and went towards the house of Chandravalli.
When Chandravalli was relaxing at her house, Krishna assuming the
form of Radha went to her house and said, "Do you know that when I
think of Krishna, I take His form!". Believing it, Chandravalli
spent three days in Krishna’s company. Occasionally, Krishna
showed His true form, but Chandravalli thought it was Radha in
that form and kept silent. When she was about to go back to her
husband’s house, Krishna took the form of her husband and came to
her. He confirmed from her that neither did she go to see Krishna
nor talked to Him. On the way, riding her in the cart, Krishna
told her, " Look, Krishna might even come in the form of your
husband. Don’t believe Him."
At the very moment, her husband was coming in search of
Chandravalli. With hatred for Krishna ranging in her, she got down
from the cart, rushed over and started beating him. The husband
infuriated over his wife’s behavior cursed her and went away. The
villagers, unaware of Krishna’s pranks, were alarmed at these
developments. To prevent any further woman going astray, they
built a pyre and made Radha and Chandravalli sit on it. They
wanted this to be lesson to all those who were running after
Krishna. When the pyre was lit to burn them alive, Radha saw
Krishna standing just in front of the pyre. She told Krishna, "Let
the disaster fall on us, we do not care. Keep looking at us like
this. We will not feel any of the torture."
When the fire started to rage, Radha and Chandravalli suddenly
disappeared from the pyre. Even Krishna was not seen. In the sky
above, the villagers saw Lord Vishnu riding on Garuda with Bhudevi
and Sridevi, on either side of Him. They were astonished at this
marvel. This incident opened the eyes of villagers and they
understood that Krishna was none other than Lord Vishnu. They
conveyed the meaning of what they saw to others. They understood
the Krishna Thatva – the all knowing, all pervading Lord does not
leave even those who hate Him in a lurch. That being the case, how
easy it is to obtain salvation through Bhakthi.
People view this sacred, unsullied love of gopikas for Krishna in
a wrong sense. You are aware of the feelings, which are only
concerned with the body. You project these feelings on to all
sacred things. God has no physical relationship. The transparent
love of the gopikas can only be understood by a clean mind and God
can be reached only with pure feelings. God can never be attracted
to impure feelings. Such transparent and sacred feelings were
present only in gopikas. No one can match their transparent love
and singular devotion. We canhave them as your ideals. You may
ask, "What is the greatness of gopikas?" Was not the devotion of
Ramadasa. Kabir, Surdas and others equal to that of gopikas"
Devotion of all others is a shade lower than that of Gopikas. God
is pure and so have pure feelings towards Him and attain Him.
(Swami concluded the discourse with the message to the devotees
present there that one could attain Him through pure thoughts and
ANANYA BHAKTHI!.
Sai Krishna 3
Today I am presenting two Chinna
Kathas (small stories) of Lord Sri Krishna as told by Bhagavan.
Source: From the Book, Sri Sathya Sai ANANDADAAYI.
VIRAAT SWAROOPA:
In order to prove that Viraat Swaroopa is the presiding deity of
all Yagnas, Krishna related this story to Arjuna. "One day I had
taken the cows for grazing. After a long time, I felt hungry. I
could hear the chanting of vedas from a distant place, where a
Yagna was being performed. I sent Gopalakas to that place to get
food. They went and asked the Brahmins, who were performing the
yagna, for food. The Brahmins told that as they had not yet
offered the food to Yagna Devatha, they could not give it.
The Gopalakas came and told this to Me. Then, I said, "The men
would not know the pangs of hunger. Go and ask the ladies." They
went back to the place again. This time they went through the back
door, unnoticed by the men. They told the women there, "Gopala
wants food". As soon as they heard the name of Gopala, they took
the food with them, and came running in search of Me. The Brahmins
tried to stop them telling that the food had to be offered to
Yagna Devatha first. The women ignored them and came in search of
Me. As soon as Viraat Swaroopa ate the food brought by them, the
presiding deities of Yagnaas were satisfied. Arjuna, know that I
am "Yagna Swaroopa".
THE PRIEST AND THE THIEF:
A Brahman, whose profession was singing the glories of the Lord,
was once reciting Bhagavatha in the house of a patron. A thief
broke into the house where the recital was going on and hid
himself in the attic. Perforce, he had to listen to Bhagavatha.
The singer was describing the 0rnaments worn by Krishna. He
described the various ornaments Yasodha put on Krishna before
sending Him out with the cows. The thief thought that he should
kill that lad, Krishna and rob all the ornaments at one stroke
instead of struggling every day with petty stealing. He waited
till the Brahmin finished the story and left the place.
The thief wanted to know where this boy was. He, therefore,
followed the Brahmin and waylaid him. The Brahmin was frightened
and feared that he would lose even the small amount collected as
dakshina and told the thief, "I do not have anything with me". The
thief told, "I do not want any material from you. I want only some
information. You were telling that one lady Yasodha adorned a boy
Krishna with ornaments before she sent him for grazing the cows. I
want to know where I can find him." The Brahmin was in a fix.
Cleverly he told the thief, "There is a book in my house where I
keep all these particulars. Come with me."
He took the thief to his house, and looked in some book and told,
"In Brindavana, on the banks of Yamuna, in a green meadow, two
boys will come in the morning. One dark like the cloud with a
flute, and the other fair clad in white silk. The dark one will
have all the ornaments I had described." The thief believed the
story and set out to Brindavana immediately. He located the place,
climbed up a tree and waited for the boys. The sun rose. Faint
melody of the flute wafted along the morning breeze. The
enchanting music could then be heard closer and the thief spotted
two boys coming.
He got down from the tree and went near them. The moment he saw
them, he forgot himself for a moment, folded his hands and shed
tears of joy. He wondered which wretched mother had sent these
radiant boys, vigrahas chiseled to perfection, loaded with
ornaments to the riverbank. Since the thief had carefully listened
to the story of Krishna as told by the Brahmin, he noticed that
Krishna was not wearing one particular piece of ornament described
by the Brahmin. He even wanted to adorn Krishna with the missing
ornament, which he wanted to get even by stealing, and enjoy the
sight to his heart’s content. Just as the clouds cover the bright
sun, wicked thoughts developed in his mind again. He approached
the boys to kill them.
Shouting, "Stop," he held Krishna’s hand. The moment he touched
Krishna all his previous karma was wiped clean and he inquired
lovingly, "Who are you?" Krishna told him, "Leave My hands. I am
frightened by your looks." The thief told Krishna, "It is my evil
mind which is reflected in my face. If you are frightened I shall
go away." Krishna then told the thief, "Have you forgotten the
purpose for which you have come? Here, take my ornaments."
Confused the thief said, "Will not your mother scold you, if you
gift away all your ornaments to me?" Krishna smiled and said, "Do
not worry about that. I have plenty of them. I am a bigger thief
than you. But there is a difference between you and me – however
much I steal, the owners do not complain. I am lovingly called
"Chitha Chora". Though you are not aware of it, you have a
previous ornament in your possession, the "Chitha". I shall steal
it now and take the same with Me." So saying both the boys
vanished.
The thief found to his surprise a bag full of ornaments on his
shoulder. He brought it to the Brahmin’s house and told him what
had happened. The Brahmin was frightened, took the thief inside
and opened the bag. To his utteramazement he saw all the ornaments
described as being worn by Krishna in the Bhagavatha, in the
thief’s bag. Shedding tears of joy, the Brahmin asked the thief to
take him to the place where he saw the dark boy.
The thief obliged and both of them waited in the same place where
the thief accosted the boy the previous day. Suddenly the thief
exclaimed, "Look, here they come!" However, the Brahmin could not
see any one. Stricken with remorse, he said, "Swami, when You give
Darshan to a thief, why not me? If you do not give Darshan to me,
I shall end my life."
Krishna then told him, "You are reading Bhagavatha just as another
story. The thief on the other hand, believed what you had told
him. I manifest only for those who surrender to Me."
Sincere belief takes one nearer to God.
Sai Krishna 4
(Significance of birth, name,
leelas and Life story. - Words as uttered by Bhagavan)
Krishna was born on 20th of July, 3228 years before the advent of
Christ. It was the year Srimuka, the month of Sravana, the
fortnight named Bahyla, and the day of Ashtami. The Star was
Rohini and the time was 5 A.M. If we count backwards from today,
the day on which Krishna gave up His mortal body will work out to
be 5078 years. The time when Krishna gave up His body is the day
when Kali age commenced. This day is also called Yugadi.
**********
Since Krishna was born on Ashtami (the eighth day of the lunar
month), right from the moment of His birth, He was subjected to
troubles. On the other hand, whoever cherishes the name of the
Lord is set free from bondage.
Krishna’s advent signifies the dispelling of darkness, the removal
of troubles, banishing of ignorance and teaching mankind supreme
wisdom. Krishna is said to have been in Mathura. He grew up in
Brindavan, and He had established His home finally at Dwaraka. The
significance of this to the Sadhaka is "Let Krishna be born in the
Gokula of your mind; Let Him grow and play pranks in the Brindavan
of your Heart; Let Him then be fixed in the Chitha of Mathura; and
finally, let Him rule over the agitationless consciousness as the
Lord and Master of Dwaraka."
********
Krishna, whose advent is celebrated, is not the cowherd boy who
charmed the village folk with His flute. Krishna is indefinable,
inscrutable Divine Principle that is born in the navel of the body
(Mathura) as the product of Divine energy (Devaki), which is then
transported to the mouth (Gokula) and fostered by the tongue
(Yashoda), as the source of sweetness. Krishna is the
visualization of the Atma that the repetition of the Name grants;
the vision that was gained by Yashoda. You must foster that
Krishna on your tongue; and when He dances on it, the poison of
the tongue will be rejected without harming any one, as it had
happened when, as a child, He danced on the hoods of the serpent
Kaliya.
********
Krishna is the symbols of idealism. Krishna is able to give a lead
and set an example in all spheres of activity. Krishna is not a
mere individual. He is to be regarded as an ideal for the whole
world. In order to comprehend the ideal aspect of Krishna, we have
to concentrate on the Divine aspects of His life and work. To
understand the human aspects of Krishna, we have to go back to the
times in which He lived. Humility and Obedience were two
characteristic features of Him. In this century, people may get
doubts regarding the personality of Krishna. The reason is that
the depiction of Krishna in the movies today and the description
of Krishna we read in texts of today differ very much from the
facts, and hence the doubts. When we see these things, we
visualize a Krishna was always fighting with kings and removing
them from their thrones. We also think that his devotees blindly
worshipped Him. Looking carefully at the contents of the
Mahabharatha written by Vyasa, we get the unmistakable feeling
that humility and obedience were present in Krishna in a large
measure.
******
Among all Avatars, Krishna’s is the most attractive incarnation.
The very word Krishna means "one who attracts". "Krishyathi iti
Krishnaha" is another derivation for the name. Krishna is the one
who cultivates. This means that Krishna is the Lord who cultivates
the heart of the devotees by weeding out the bad qualities, sowing
the seeds of good qualities and growing the crops of love. Krishna
thus means one who cultivates our hearts and raises in them the
crop of bliss.
******
The individual who can satisfy your yearning pertaining to the
Divine can be called Krishna. "Karshate iti Krishna, Krushite iti
Krishna, Krushate iti Krishna" are three different aspects of
Krishna. These are the three different forms of Sat, Chit and
Ananda. These are present in all the yugas. Kunthi addresses
Krishna as Madhava. ‘Ma"- means Lakshmi and it also means Maya
(Illusion). Te word Dhava means master. In this sense, Krishna is
the Master of Nature, Lakshmi and Maya.
******
Everything is the Universe is governed by certain laws. Certain
laws and regulations control the five elements constituting earth
and the vast ocean. Since man’s life is part of the world, it has
to be regulated. Whether it is for love or for hatred or anger,
some regulation is necessary. Krishna has showed such regulation
to us as an example in His lifetime.
*****
When Krishna was three years old, he saw an old lady carrying a
basket of fruits from the jungle. Krishna told her that He would
like to have some fruits. The old woman said that He would get
them only if He paid the price. Krishna innocently asked the
meaning of the word ‘Price’. The woman said that something should
be given in return for the fruit. Krishna went in and brought as
palm-full of rice. The woman placed the rice in her basket and
gave Krishna some fruits. She was charmed by the beauty of the
child. As she was returning to her cottage, she felt that the
basket was getting heavier. When she placed it down in her hut,
she was amazed to find that all the rice grains had turned into
precious gems! She realized that the child must be Divine.
Sai Krishna 5
Once when baby Krishna clamoured
for milk, Yashoda said that it was too early an hour and that she
would feed him only at nightfall. Krishna closed His eyes and said
that night had fallen. The mother said that darkness of night was
different. It could not happen when one person closed his eyes.
But Krishna argued that light contains darkness and darkness
contains light in it.
Krishna was pleading with Yashoda that He should be allowed to go
to the forest with other cowherd boys. Thinking that if He were
put to sleep, he would forget His desire to the forest, Yashoda
gave Him milk. Krishna was no ordinary child. While drinking the
milk, He pretended as if He was sleeping. He made pretense of
yawning to indicate His drowsiness. In that wide-open mouth of
Krishna, Yashoda saw all kinds of things –all the world in motion
and many deities. She could not make out what it meant. "Is it a
dream or Vishnu’s Maaya? Alternatively, is it some fantasy of
mine? Or, is it real? Am I Yashoda?." These thoughts racked her
mind.
One should take care to protect Truth and Honesty. This was the
ideal taught and demonstrated by Krishna. He was the one who had
eternal youth. By saying that He was eternally young, we should
not imply that He had a young and youthful body forever. This
should convey to us the meaning that He had no anxiety and that He
always had a smiling disposition. This kind of bliss and happiness
also gives happiness to one’s body and bodily health.
Once it so happened that Krishna, Balarama, and Satyaki, who were
little boys at that time, were stranded in a thick jungle. Krishna
frightened them with his description of ghosts, ghouls and demons
roaming in search of human prey. He proposed that two of them
should sleep for three hours at a stretch while the other one kept
watch. It was Krishna’s duty to keep awake and be on the lookout
from 7 p.m. to 10.pm. Satyaki was to be vigilant from 10 p.m. to 1
a.m., and Balarama was to start his part of duty at 1 a.m. and
keep till 4 a.m. Satyaki got up at 10 p.m. Balarama and Krishna
laid themselves on beds of dried leaves and slept soundly.
Meanwhile, a demon did actually present himself before the little
Satyaki. He fell upon the boy, who resisted heroically, dealing
and in turn receiving hammer of strokes with fists, with a good
number of clawing and biting in between. Satyaki was badly mauled,
but was happy at the end that two brothers were still sound
asleep; they had not been disturbed in the least by the noise of
the encounter.
Satyaki had met blow with blow’ and dealt injury for injury. At 1
a.m., he awakened Balarama and stretched his body on the heap of
leaves, as if nothing had happened. The demon invited Balarama too
for a compact and had to retreat humiliated, because Balarama was
too strong, and his blows were even more terrible than Satyaki’s.
Balarama curled himself into the bed at 4 a.m., after waking up
Krishna who was to keep watch in the Brahma-Muhurtha.
The infuriated demon came roaring like a wounded tiger and
advanced ferociously at the little Divine boy. Krishna turned His
sweet charming face at him, and rewarded him with a lovely smile.
The smile disarmed the demon. The longer he came under its
influence, the weaker became his vengeance and venom. At last, the
demon became docile as a lamb; when the other two woke up, they
were surprised at he victory that Krishna had won by the weapon of
love. You cannot destroy anger by anger, cruelty by cruelty,
hatred by hatred. Anger can be subdued only by forbearance;
cruelty can be overcome only by non-violence; hatred yields only
to charity and compassion.
Fill your mind with Leelas of the Lord (Krishna) and His glory.
Once He and His comrades stole into a house and brought down the
vessel of curds. When the mistress of the house came in and asked,
"Why did you come in?" Krishna replied, "My mother had a stick in
her hand; so I ran in here out of fear." "Who are these boys?" she
asked. "I brought them to bear witness to what I say." Said
KRISHNA. "Why have you placed that vessel between your legs? She
asked. "So that these fellows may not get hold of the butter", was
the answer.
"Why do you go from house to house and eat the butter from their
stores?" asked Yashoda. "I like things that I select and choose; I
do not like to be fed." Replied Krishna. Krishna could not be
confined to one house or one routine. He is Sarva-Vyaapi
(Omnipresent). He is Bhaktha Vatsala. Make your heart the seat of
the Lord. Then it will have value.
"Krishna was only a few weeks old when a certain ascetic came into
the house of Nanda. Yashoda was having the baby in her lap. Of
course, this is an incident not found in any book. I have myself
to tell you this. The maids ran in, for they were afraid the child
might start weeping at the sight of the uncouth individual. He
walked in nevertheless, and Yashoda found that when he was sent
away, the baby raised a cry but not when he approaching! The Muni
(ascetic) also announced himself as having come to see
Krishna-Paramaathma – a name that was new to the entire family. No
wonder, the baby cried when that distinguished visitor was asked
to go! Devaki had been given the vision of Krishna being the Lord
Himself, but this Muni (ascetic) discovered the arrival of the
Avatar, by the grace of the Almighty. It was the Baby who had
invited the Muni (ascetic) for His Darshan," said Swami.
When Krishna danced on he head of Kalinga, the poison was vomited
and the serpent was subdued. When God is revered, the world and
all its poisonous fumes recede, and you are restored to original
health. Make the name and the form of the Lord dance on the hood
of your heart. Krishna had no vishaya-vaasana (attachment to
worldly things) and so He could plunge into the pool, call out to
Kalinga, jump on to its hood, trample on it, and squeeze the
poison out. Krishna never parted in those days from Balarama; but
He came alone on this day. He was wearing a necklace of green
beads; a nose ring of pearl, and in His right ear, a ring of
pearls. He wore no shirt or coat; just yellow silk round His waist
and a kerchief wound around the head, or rather thrown carelessly
round the head, one end this way and another end that way.
(Bhagavan showed, the way, Krishna used to tie the turban)! The
peacock feather that is described by poets and sages was not
always worn. It was stuck into the turban occasionally. Of course,
peacocks abounded in Brindavana then, and are in plenty even
today. On His bare chest, there was a mole that could be clearly
seen, an inevitable mark of all Avatar, including Sai’s. Krishna
saw the carcass of animals that had died when they inhaled the
poisoned air near the pool; birds had fallen dead on the ground.
Nothing green could survive in the neighborhood. As soon as
Krishna jumped into the pool to save the region from the serpent’s
havoc, His companions ran home to bring His parents so that they
could intercede and stop the foolish pranks of their mischievous
son. They were in great panic. Only Radha was calm and collected.
She knew that for Him, it was a minute’s fun, a moment’s Sankalpa
(Divine Will). He had no Vishaya (attachment), so Visha (poison)
could not affect Him.
Gopikas are cowherdesses only in physical form. In the human head,
there is Lotus with thousand petals. Each of these petals has
sixteen Kalas (aspects) As the Lord of Sahasrara
(thousand-petalled Lotus), He presides over the 16000 Kalas, which
are present in Lotus.
The Lord is described s the embodiment of 16 Kalas . The Kundalini
Shakthi (Serpent Power) which starts at the bottom of spinal
column (Mooladhara) rises and merges with the 16000 entities in
the Sahasrara. Thus, it is stated that Krishna was wedded to16000
gopikas.
Yashoda, despite many occasions in which Krishna demonstrated His
Divinity, continued to regard Him as human and frequently thanked
the Lord for saving her child from many dangers. Once, Yashoda
appealingly asked Krishna as to why He was going to the Gopikas’
houses to steal butter, when there was so much in their own house.
The child Krishna replied, "Mother, I am not stealing the butter,
but the hearts of the gopis. Their hearts are pure and full of
devotion. Their butter is filled with the devotion with which they
churn the buttermilk. Their bangles keep time as they sing
Krishna’s name while churning. The butter that emerges contains
the essence of Vedas.". In this manner, every word of Krishna was
replete with spiritual significance.
Sai Krishna 6
Balarama and Krishna were in the
habit of taking the cowherd boys with their cows for grazing in
the forest near Gokulam. Once, the gopalas were engaged in merry
making, dancing and singing, quite unconcerned about the time
while the cows were grazing. Suddenly they found that the cows had
disappeared. They went in different directions to search for them.
They found the cows grazing at a distant place and saw a fire
blazing al around. The cowherd boys could not approach the cows.
They cried in desperation, "Krishna, Krishna". When Krishna called
the cows by their names, they responded, running towards Him,
crying "Amba.." The cows could always recognize Krishna’s call and
understand His call. The cowherd lads were terribly shaken by the
sight of the advancing fire. Balarama and Krishna told them, "Why
fear when we are here?" Krishna asked them to close their eyes and
not to open until He gave the order. They always implicitly obeyed
the command of Krishna, in whom they had total faith. When Krishna
asked them to open their eyes they did so and found themselves in
the same place where they had been dancing, and it was cool
around. The fire had disappeared. Immediately they fell at the
feet off Krishna and hailed Him as supreme Lord. When such
miracles were performed they used to hold Him as God, but after
some time, they would revert to their old habit of calling Him
their friend.
Even today, people consider the Avatar as God only when
miracles happen, but at other times they consider Him as ordinary
being.
Krishna wanted to teach the Gopalas about Atma. It was a rainy
season, and dark clouds were hovering over the sky. There was
lightening followed by thunder. Krishna said, "The dark clouds
represent the Tamasik quality in man, thunder the Rajassic quality
and the lightning the Sathwic. Because of Thamoguna, you are
The cow transforms grass and gruel into sweet strengthening milk
and gives it away in plenty to its master. Develop that quality,
that power to transform food you consume with sweet thoughts,
words and deeds of sympathy for all. The child Krishna wept for
permission to go along with the cows to the fields of pasture.
Yashoda said, "Dear child! Your tiny silken feet can’t walk
along those pebble-filled tracks. I shall get nice little sandals
for you. You can go, after the sandals are ready.". But
Krishna prattled back, "The cows whom we serve are not shod.
Why should we, who re their servants, avoid the thorns and stones
which they can’t avoid."? No wonder, cows and calves of
Gokula were immobilized and wept when Krishna left for Mathura.
Krishna propagated the view that cow gives prosperity. He regarded
the cow as wealth, and this wealth was equally distributed among
the people. The requirements of humanity are two kinds. One is
milk and related products and the other is the agricultural
harvest. The task related to these two, were distributed between
two brothers. Gopala (Krishna) looked after the cows and milk and
Balarama symbolized by plough, looked after the agriculture. These
requirements do not drop from the sky. They must come through the
cattle and land.
The gopies, simple sincere cowherd maids of Gokula, sought Krishna
within or behind every bush, for He fascinated them, but ever
keeping Himself away! This is only another way of describing the
search of God that we know to be within us, who eludes our efforts
to sink into that sweetness. Krishna is hiding in the recesses of
your heart; you have to trace Him there and hold fast. He runs
away, but leaves footprints marked by the split of the milk on
which He has trodden, in a hurry to be beyond our search. Yes, the
lesson is, "Recognize His foot prints in everything of
beauty, in every act of goodness, in every tear of gratitude, in
every sign of compassion, and discover Him in the bower of your
own heart, filled with the fragrance of Love and Light of virtue."
Once a Gopika went to a well to bring two pitchers of water. After
placing one pitcher on her head, she wanted someone to place the
other water-filled pitcher on the first one. Krishna refused to do
so. Soon another Gopika came along and helped the first Gopika.
The Gopika carrying the two pitchers reached her home. Krishna
followed her to the house, without even waiting to be asked, took
the top pitcher from the Gopika’s head and placed it down. She was
surprised at Krishna’s strange behavior. She asked him, "Krishna,
at the well, you refused to place the pitcher on my head, when I
appealed to you to help me. Now you take it down from the head
without my asking. What is the inner meaning of this action?"
Krishna replied, "Oh Gopika: I am wont to remove the burden
borne by the people and not to add to them."
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