[Advaita-l] Sri Krishna Karnaamrutam -6

[Kuntimaddi Sadananda]

 PraNAmsto Everybody,

Continuing the series – from the pages of my book, ‘Selfand the Supreme’, published by the Indic Academy.

 

          Sri Krishna Karnaamrutam -VI

Here is another incident as Krishna is growing up as a child. Yasoda mayyaaafter milking the cow prepared the milk and kept aside for the night. LittleKrishna comes and asks for some more milk even though he had enough. But justto tease mayyaa, he keeps pulling her dupatta, asking for more. Here isthe conversation between the son and the mother.

मातः!किम् यदुनाथ? देहिचशकम्! किम् तेन? पातुम् पयः, 

तन्नस्त्यद्य – कदास्तिवा?निशि, निशा कावा? अन्धकारोदयः!

आमील्याक्षियुगम् निशाप्युपगतादेहीति? मातुर्मुहु

वक्षोजाम्शुक कर्षणोद्यकरःकृष्णः स पुष्णातु नः

maataH! kim yadunaatha? dehi caShakam! kimtena? paatum payaH,
tannastyadya – kadaastivaa? nishi, nishaa kaavaa? andhakaarodayaH|
aameelyaakshiyugam nishaapyupagataa deheeti? maaturmuhuH
vakshojaamshuka karShaNOdyakaraH krishnaH sa puShNaatu naH|| II-60

maata – mayyaa!- kim yadunaatha – what is my yadukula naatha, in essence affectionately saying my darling boy, dehi caShukam – pleasegive me that pot, kimtena – Why do you want it ?; paatum payam –Iwant to drink the milk in that; tannastyadya – That is not for now; kadaastivaa– then when (you are going to give me)?; nishi – in the night; nishiikaavaa – what is night?; andhakaaridayaH – when it becomes so darkthat you cannot see; 

After listening to the explanation of when night comes, Krishna mischievouslysays, closing his both eyes – akshiyugam aameelya; nishaapyugataa –right now night has come, since it is now dark and I cannot see anything;therefore dehi iti –now give me that milk pot. Like that he was pullingagain and again her dupatta –vakshijaamshuka karShaNa; udyutakaraH – by lifting his hands and holding her dupatta tightly and then pulling againand again – to that little mischievous little Krishna – sa KrishnaH; naHpuShNaatu – may he protect us. 


The compassionate Krishna wants to show his Viswaruupam to his loving mother Yasoda,and creates a scene where he eats mother earth- an incident we are all familiarwith. It seems the mother earth was so happy when he started eating the mudsince most of the time, it stays near his feet – bhuuhpaadou, yasya naabhiH…says purusha suuktam. Normally he shows the Virat Swaruupam outside as he didfor Arjuna. But here a rare incident where the whole cosmos is shown in hismouth for his loving mother, Yasoda mayyaa. Here is Leekasuka’sdescription of the Virat Swaruupa Darshanam in the mouth of little Krishna’smouth. 

कृष्णेनाम्ब! गटेन रन्तु मधुना मृद्भक्षिता स्वेच्छया 

सत्यम् कृष्ण! के येयमाह? मुसली; मित्यम्ब! पस्याननम्|

व्यादे हीति विदिरितेसिशुमुखे दृष्ट्वा समस्त्म् जगत्

माता यस्य जगाम विस्मयपदम्पायात् सनः केशवः

kriShNe naamba! gatena rantu madhunaamRidbhakshitaa svecchayaa
sathyam krishNa! ka yeva maaha? musalii; mithyamba! pasyaananam|
vyaade heeti vidirite sishumukhe dRiShTvaa samastam jagat
maataa yasya jagaama vismayapadam paayaat sanaH keshavaH|II-65

amba! athunaa – mayyaa! Right now, rantum gatena – one who hasgone to play; krishnena – by Krishna, svecchayaa mRit bhakshitaa– himself wantingly eat the mud (not forced by any). When Balarama said this tomother Yasoda, she confronts him and asks – Krishnaa! Satyam? – is this true? –kayevam aaha? – who told you this? Amba! mityaa- Oh! mayaa! This isfalse accusation; me aananam pasya –look into my mouth; vyaadehi iti– then open your mouth- demanded Yasoda mayyaa. vidaarate shishumukhe– in the opened mouth of the baby Krishna; samastam jagat – thewhole cosmos; drushtvaa – having seen; yasya maataa – whosemother; vismayam padam jagaama – reached a state of wonder; sakeshavaH – that Keshava; naH paayaat – protect us.

Keshava is explained as ka standing for creator Brahmaji, eeshaH –involving both sthiti kaara, Vishnu, and layakaara –Shiva – thatthe whole creation, sustenance, and annihilation is being shown in essence inthe little mouth of Krishna.  Scriptures define Brahman only this way,which is called tatasta lakshana – yatova imaani bhuutani jaayante, yenajaatani jiivanti- yat prayam tyabhisam vishanti … tat brahmeti. ThusKrishna as Brahms sutra says ‘janamaadyasya yataH’ – that who is thecause for the creation-sustenance and annihilation – yet different form all thethree since Krishna is showing all that in his mouth, thus He is different fromwhat is seen in his mouth. That Krishna may He protect us all – saysLeelasuka.  

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Hari Om!

Sadananda