[Advaita-l] Sri Krishna Karnaamrutam-7

[Kuntimaddi Sadananda]

PraNAms to all - 
Continuing the series based on my book - Self and the Supreme, published recently by the Indic Academy.---------------------
Sri Krishna Karnaamrutam -VII





As SriKrishna was growing up, the gopi maids became so much involved with him, andwith his activities, they think of him all the time. Krishna says:


अनन्याश्चिन्तयम्तो माम् ये जनाः पर्युपासते|

तेषाम्नित्याभियुक्तानाम् योगक्षेमम् वहाम्यहम्||

ananyaashcintayanto maam

ye janaaHparyupaasate|

teShaamnityaabhiyuktaanaam

yogakshemamvahaamyaham||B.G.9-22

 

Whoeverthinks of Me without any other thoughts in mind and worship Me with a single-pointeddevotion, and constantly meditating on Me, I take care of their yoga and kshema.Yoga is trying to gain what one does not have but needs it, and kshemais protecting things that one has gained by yoga. These are two pursuits inlife. Krishna says whoever using his mind, speech, and action – manasaavaachaa- karmanaa- has completely surrendered to Me, I take care of theirwelfare here and hereafter. Gopies are so much involved in Him that they cannotthink of anything else other than Krishna. Here are two examples of the stateof mind of the Gopies that Leelasuka depicts for us.

 

SomeGopies go out carrying in a basket, things and selling what the people need,such as dhahi, or curds, etc. When they carry things in their basket,they keep shouting what they are selling as they go street by street. Those whowant will then come out and buy from them. This is common practice in Indiaeven now. You can get fresh vegetables this way, almost delivered to the house.Here is one Gopi who was so dedicated to Krishna as she was carrying her basketon her head to sell things. Since her mind is so involved in Krishna, she triesto sell something else. She tries to sell not what she is carrying on her head,but what she is carrying in her mind. 


विक्रेतु कामा किल गोपकन्या मुरारि पादार्पित चित्त वृत्तिः

दध्यदिकम्मोहवषादवोचत् गोविन्द! दामोदर! माधवेति!

vikretu kaamaa kilagopakanyaa

muraaripaadaarpita citta vRittiH|

dadhyadikammohavashaadavocat

govinda!daamodara! maadhaveti|| II-56

 

muraaripaadaarpita citta vRittiH – the one whose thoughts are continuouslyreveling in surrendering to Lord Krishna, dadyadikim vikretu kaamaa –the one who was intending to sell dhahi etc, gopa kanyaa – the gopikamaid, mohavashaat – forgetting everything else in the thought ofKrishna, started selling – Govinada! Maadhava! Daamodara! In the bhakti, bhaktadoes not think anything else. 

 

There isan episode in Mahabharat also. Vidura, while serving Krishna, started givingthe skin of banana while throwing the fruit part of it, since the mind was notpaying attention to the action but reveling in the beauty of the Lord. But theLord was enjoying that also – since He says He accepts anything that is offeredwith Bhakti. Krishna says,

पत्रम् पुष्पम् फलम् तोयम्यो मे भ्क्त्या प्रयच्छति|

तदहम्भक्त्युपहृतम् अश्नामि प्रयतात्मन:

patram pushpam phalamtoyam yo me bhaktyaa prayaccasi

tadahambhaktyupahrutam ashnaami prayataatmanaH

For a jnaani also aconstant flow of thoughts on the self is as nidhidhyaasanam – a steprequired after shravanam and mananam - an unbroken stream ofthoughts in the direction of the truth – or we can say unbroken awareness ofthe self that I am, in all transactions of the world. When the mind is deeplyinvolved, one forgets everything else. 

 

Here isanother Gopi. She was playing with Krishna and held him tightly in her embrace.Krishna to tease her by getting out of her embrace using all force that he canmuster, and stands away from her, looking at her and laughing at her. Gopi,obviously, got offended when he got out of her embrace. She throws a bigchallenge at Krishna! 


हस्त माक्षिप्य यातोपि बलत् कृष्ण किमद्भुतम्?

हृदयाद्यदि निर्यासि पौरुषम् गणयामि ते? 

hasta maakshipya yaatopi

balataKrishna kimadbhutam?

hRidayaadyadi niryaasi 

pouruShamgaNayaami te||

 

Hey,Krishna! You are so strong and defeated so many Rakshasaas using your strength– what is a big deal in trying to use that force to get out my embrace. Now Iwant to see how strong you really are. I have locked you up in my heartpermanently. Try and see if you can get out my heart; Let me see you strong youare. Krishna accepts his defeat since he knows he cannot get out even if hetries using all his strength. 

 

We cansee how innocently looking Gopies have locked Him in their minds forever. OnceNarada went to see Krishna and found that he was meditating. When Krishna gotup from meditation, Narada asked – everybody meditates on you, but what are youmeditating on? Krishna says he is meditating on the hearts of all his devotees.Rama means one in whom everyone revels, and also who revels in everyone.Krishna says I am there residing in everyone’s heart – all we need to do isjust open our eyes and look into our hearts - He is there. Krishna says - upadrashtaanumantacha... I am just waiting for you to open your eyes of wisdom to see Me as I amthere in everyone's heart - IswaraH sarvabuutaanam hrudyeshaarjuna tishtati;and that is exactly what Gopis have done. He is the very Life Principle in allof us, and without His presence, we cannot even blink our eyes. 

 

Ultimatelyjnaana and bhakti cannot be different - they are two sides of the same coin asKrishna says Jnaani is my greatest bhakta. Shankara defines Bhakti as - svasvaruupa anusandhaanaam bhaktiH iti abhidheeyate, constant contemplation onone's own self is Bhakti - The Self in me is the Self in all - is the knowledge- sarva bhutastam aatmaanam sarva bhuutanicha aatmani. 


Hari Om!
Sadananda