[Advaita-l] Sri Krishna Karnaamritam -2

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

                                          Shree Krishna Karnaamrutam – 2
 
Having introduced himself as Shaiva upaasaka while his mind ever locked in the vision of Krishna to the extent that Leelasuka says that he sees only Krishna everywhere – that is his mind is Krishna mayam.

 

Once it so happened that the Lord appeared in the form of Rama at his door steps. When we do puja, we invite a chosen god to come into the form and pray as asmin bimbe - mahaganapatim or mahaa vishnum or any other god that we want to pray-  aavaahayaami, requesting the God - please come down into this form – a transcendental form is invoked into transactional form, for the sake of puja.  In essence, we provide the bimba, the form for the Lord to come; and once He is invited we do all the puja that involves sixteen steps starting from giving Him water to wash, etc. After the puja is finished we also request Him to leave, and is called visargana. After visargana the bimba that was used for the Lord to come in is appropriately disposed – like the way we appropriately dispose of the national flag when it becomes no more useful.  

 

In the case of Leelasuka, once Lord himself walks in without any invitation, but in the form of Rama. After seeing the Lord, Leelasuka says with all the due reverence, please wait, before you enter, can you kindly remove that bow and arrow that you are carrying and instead carry in your hands this beautiful adorable flute, and by the by can you remove the crown of yours symbolizing as the prince of Ayodyha, but instead can you please put on this peacock’s feather on your head? After doing both you can comein and I can put my namaskarams to you. Another poet asks the other way - requesting the Lord please come as  Rama and without forgetting your bow and arrow to destroy the fourteen thousand Rakshas that are disturbing my mind. Leelasuka, instead wants to listen to the divine music in his mind not the frightening sounds of a bow.  


              vihaaya kodanDa sharou muhuurtam


              gRihaaNa paaNou maNi caaru veNum|


              mayuura barham ca nijottamange


              seetaapate! tvaam praNamaami paschaat||


Hay! Seetaapate! – Rama himself says, ‘people will know me as Seetaapati’, while Krishna is called as yashodaa or nanda baala (Radha was later invention). muhuurtham – please, for few moments, kodanDa sharou vihaaya – removing that frightening bow and arrow, paanou maNi caaru veNum gRihaaNa – please take this beautiful star studded flute in your hands.  And by the by, can you also put on this peacock’s feather on your head (instead of that crown) – mayuura barham ca nija uttamange? After you have done that I will put namaskaaram to you and invite you into my mind – paschaat  tvaam praNamaami. 

 


Leelasuka visualizes the Lord Krishna coming in his full glory and beauty as sees Him as:


kastuuri tilakam lalaata phalake, vakshastale koustubham,


naasaagre navamouktikam, karatale venum, kare kankaNam,


sarvaange harichandanam ca kalayan, kanTheca muktaavaLim,


Gopastree pariveShTito vijayate gopaala cuuDaamanNiH||





This is a famous sloka that many people know but may not know that it is the composition from Sri Krishna karnaamritam. 

 

 

lalaata phalake kastuuri tilakam – On His wide forehead He has red tilakam madeup fragrant kastuuri, vakshasthale koustubham, on His chest He is wearing Koustubham mani which is the seat of mahaalakshmi, On the nose new jewel, holding the flute in his hand which is decorated with bracelet, while the whole body is decorated with sandal-wood paste, and with necklace made of gems, He is coming surrounded by Gopies who have essentially surrendered themselves completely to Him. Seeing that Lord Coming with all glory – Leelasuka surrenders himself completely taking shelter at His feet – sharaNaagati. 

 

 

Someone said – koustubham is his ID and without that, we cannot recognize the Lord even if He shows up. He has to show His ID before we let Him in. It is His ID since He carries Lakshmi there. Without Lakshmi one cannot recognize the Lord; or only via Lakshmi one can recognize the Lord. Lakshmi is prakRiti that includes even this body, mind and intellect (BMI). We have to use our BMI to recognize the Lord within or the pure all-pervading consciousness or that enlivens the BMI to make it active or alive. Hence Scripture defines the Lord as – Lakshmi-pati or husband of Lakshmi in the purusha sukam.   In Shree Vaishnavism, it is said only via Shree one can approach Vishnu, who pervades everything – vyaapakatvat vishnuH. 

 

The next sloka is little surprising. It also occurs in Mukundamaala authored by Kulasekhara Alwar. 

 


hay gopaalaka! hay kRipaajalanidhe! hay sindhukanyapate!


hay kamsaantaka! hay gajendra karuNaa paariiNa! hay maadhava!


hay ramaanuja! hay jagatraya gurO! hay punDareekaasha! Maam


hay gopeejananaatha! paalaya param jaanaami na tvaam vinaa||





One can only surrender to the higher and that too only if one has reverential attitude, and recognizes that that there is no other means available for one’s salvation. Hence Leelasuka recognizing the Lord is kRipaajalanidhe – the ocean of compassion, and has in fact has saved in the past many jiivas like gajendra, who have surrendered themselves completely once realized that there is none who can save them. Hence Leelasukas says - na param jaanaami tvaam vina, there is nothing else that I know which is higher than you – Hence maam paalaya – please take complete control of me.  Thus he completely surrenders to the Lord of his vision.  Once surrendered it becomes Lord responsibility to take care of his disciple – that is the promise made by Lord Krishna in Geeta. 

 

ananyaaschintayanto mam Ye janaaH paryupaasaate|

 

teshaam nityaabhiyuktaanaam yoga kshemam vahaamyaham||

 

 


Hari Om!

Sadananda