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Chapter Seven
The Killing of the Demon Trnavarta
In this chapter, Sri Krsna's pastimes of breaking the cart (sakata-bhanjana), killing the asura known as Trnavarta, and demonstrating the entire universe within His mouth are especially described.
When Sukadeva Gosvami saw that Maharaja Pariksit was eagerly waiting to hear about Lord Krsna's pastimes as a child, he was very much pleased, and he continued to speak. When Sri Krsna was only three months old and was just trying to turn backside up, before He even attempted to crawl, mother Yasoda wanted to observe a ritualistic ceremony with her friends for the good fortune of the child. Such a ritualistic ceremony is generally performed with ladies who also have small children. When mother Yasoda saw that Krsna was falling asleep, because of other engagements she put the child underneath a household cart, called sakata, and while the child was sleeping, she engaged herself in other business pertaining to the auspicious ritualistic ceremony. Underneath the cart was a cradle, and mother Yasoda placed the child in that cradle. The child was sleeping, but suddenly He awakened and, as usual for a child, began to kick His small legs. This kicking shook the cart, which collapsed with a great sound, breaking completely and spilling all its contents. Children who were playing nearby immediately informed mother Yasoda that the cart had broken, and therefore she hastily arrived there in great anxiety with the other gopis. Mother Yasoda immediately took the child on her lap and allowed Him to suck her breast. Then various types of Vedic ritualistic ceremonies were performed with the help of the brahmanas. Not knowing the real identity of the child, the brahmanas showered the child with blessings.
Another day, when mother Yasoda was sitting with her child on her lap, she suddenly observed that he had assumed the weight of the entire universe. She was so astonished that she had to put the child down, and in the meantime Trnavarta, one of the servants of Kamsa, appeared there as a whirlwind and took the child away. The whole tract of land known as Gokula became surcharged with dust, no one could see where the child had been taken, and all the gopis were overwhelmed because He had been taken away in the dust storm. But up in the sky, the asura, being overburdened by the child, could not carry the child far away, although he also could not drop the child because the child had caught him so tightly that it was difficult for him to separate the child from his body. Thus Trnavarta himself fell down from a very great height, the child grasping him tightly by the shoulder, and immediately died. The demon having fallen, the gopis picked the child up and delivered Him to the lap of mother Yasoda. Thus mother Yasoda was struck with wonder, but because of yogamaya's influence, no one could understand who Krsna was and what had actually happened. Rather, everyone began to praise fortune for the child's having been saved from such a calamity. Nanda Maharaja, of course, was thinking of the wonderful foretelling of Vasudeva and began to praise him as a great yogi. Later, when the child was on the lap of mother Yasoda, the child yawned, and mother Yasoda could see within His mouth the entire universal manifestation.
TEXTS 1-2
TEXT
sri-rajovaca
yena yenavatarena
bhagavan harir isvarah
karoti karna-ramyani
mano-jnani ca nah prabho
yac-chrnvato 'paity aratir vitrsna
sattvam ca suddhyaty acirena pumsah
bhaktir harau tat-puruse ca sakhyam
tad eva haram vada manyase cet
SYNONYMS
sri-raja uvaca--the King inquired (from Sukadeva Gosvami); yena yena avatarena--the pastimes exhibited by different varieties of incarnations; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; harih--the Lord; isvarah--the controller; karoti--presents; karna-ramyani--were all very pleasing to the ear; manah-jnani--very attractive to the mind; ca--also; nah--of us; prabho--my lord, Sukadeva Gosvami; yat-srnvatah--of anyone who simply hears these narrations; apaiti--vanishes; aratih--unattractiveness; vitrsna--dirty things within the mind that make us uninterested in Krsna consciousness; sattvam ca--the existential position in the core of the heart; suddhyati--becomes purified; acirena--very soon; pumsah--of any person; bhaktih harau--devotional attachment and service to the Lord; tat-puruse--with Vaisnavas; ca--also; sakhyam--attraction to association; tat eva--that only; haram--the activities of the Lord, which should be heard and kept on the neck as a garland; vada--kindly speak; manyase--you think it fit; cet--if.
TRANSLATION
King Pariksit said: My lord, Sukadeva Gosvami, all the various activities exhibited by the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are certainly pleasing to the ear and to the mind. Simply by one's hearing of these activities, the dirty things in one's mind immediately vanish. Generally we are reluctant to hear about the activities of the Lord, but Krsna's childhood activities are so attractive that they are automatically pleasing to the mind and ear. Thus one's attachment for hearing about material things, which is the root cause of material existence, vanishes, and one gradually develops devotional service to the Supreme Lord, attachment for Him, and friendship with devotees who give us the contribution of Krsna consciousness. If you think it fit, kindly speak about those activities of the Lord.
PURPORT
As stated in the prema-vivarta:
krsna-bahirmukha haiya bhoga-vancha kare
nikata-stha maya tare japatiya dhare
Our material existence is maya, or illusion, in which we desire different varieties of material enjoyment and therefore change to different varieties of bodies (bhramayan sarva-bhutani yantrarudhani mayaya). Asann api klesada asa dehah: as long as we have these temporary bodies, they give us many varieties of tribulation--adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika. This is the root cause of all suffering, but this root cause of suffering can be removed by revival of our Krsna consciousness. All the Vedic literatures presented by Vyasadeva and other great sages are therefore intended to revive our Krsna consciousness, which begins to revive with sravana-kirtanam. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah (Bhag. 1.2.17). Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vedic literatures exist simply to give us a chance to hear about Krsna. Krsna has different avataras, or incarnations, all of which are wonderful and which arouse one's inquisitiveness, but generally such avataras as Matsya, Kurma and Varaha are not as attractive as Krsna. First of all, however, we have no attraction for hearing about Krsna, and this is the root cause of our suffering.
But Pariksit Maharaja specifically mentions that the wonderful activities of baby Krsna, which amazed mother Yasoda and the other inhabitants of Vraja, are especially attractive. From the very beginning of His childhood, Krsna killed Putana, Trnavarta and Sakatasura and showed the entire universe within His mouth. Thus the pastimes of Krsna, one after another, kept mother Yasoda and all the inhabitants of Vraja in great astonishment. The process to revive one's Krsna consciousness is adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15). The pastimes of Krsna can be properly received from devotees. If one has developed a little bit of Krsna consciousness by hearing from Vaisnavas about the activities of Krsna, one becomes attached to Vaisnavas who are interested only in Krsna consciousness. Therefore Pariksit Maharaja recommends that one hear about Krsna's childhood activities, which are more attractive than the activities of other incarnations, such as Matsya, Kurma and Varaha. Wanting to hear more and more from Sukadeva Gosvami, Maharaja Pariksit requested him to continue describing Krsna's childhood activities, which are especially easy to hear and which create more and more inquisitiveness.
TEXT 3
TEXT
athanyad api krsnasya
tokacaritam adbhutam
manusam lokam asadya
taj-jatim anurundhatah
SYNONYMS
atha--also; anyat api--other pastimes also; krsnasya--of child Krsna; toka-acaritam adbhutam--they are also wonderful childhood pastimes; manusam--as if playing as a human child; lokam asadya--appearing on this planet earth in human society; tat-jatim--exactly like a human child; anurundhatah--who was imitating.
TRANSLATION
Please describe other pastimes of Krsna, the Supreme Personality, who appeared on this planet earth, imitating a human child and performing wonderful activities like killing Putana.
PURPORT
Maharaja Pariksit requested Sukadeva Gosvami to narrate other childhood pastimes exhibited by Krsna while playing as a human child. The Supreme Personality of Godhead incarnates at different times in different planets and universes, and according to the nature of those places, He exhibits His unlimited potency. That a child sitting on the lap of his mother was able to kill the gigantic Putana is extremely wonderful for the inhabitants of this planet, but on other planets the inhabitants are more advanced, and therefore the pastimes the Lord performs there are still more wonderful. Krsna's appearance on this planet like a human being makes us more fortunate than the demigods in the higher planets, and therefore Maharaja Pariksit was very much interested in hearing about Him.
TEXT 4
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
kadacid autthanika-kautukaplave
janmarksa-yoge samaveta-yositam
vaditra-gita-dvija-mantra-vacakais
cakara sunor abhisecanam sati
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued to speak (at the request of Maharaja Pariksit); kadacit--at that time (when Krsna was three months old); autthanika-kautuka-aplave--when Krsna was three or four months old and His body was developing, He attempted to turn around, and this pleasing occasion was observed with a festival and bathing ceremony; janma-rksa-yoge--at that time, there was also a conjunction of the moon with the auspicious constellation Rohini; samaveta-yositam--(the ceremony was observed) among the assembled women, a ceremony of mothers; vaditra-gita--different varieties of music and singing; dvija-mantra-vacakaih--with chanting of Vedic hymns by qualified brahmanas; cakara--executed; sunoh--of her son; abhisecanam--the bathing ceremony; sati--mother Yasoda.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: When mother Yasoda's baby was slanting His body to attempt to rise and turn around, this attempt was observed by a Vedic ceremony. In such a ceremony, called utthana, which is performed when a child is due to leave the house for the first time, the child is properly bathed. Just after Krsna turned three months old, mother Yasoda celebrated this ceremony with other women of the neighborhood. On that day, there was a conjunction of the moon with the constellation Rohini. As the brahmanas joined by chanting Vedic hymns and professional musicians also took part, this great ceremony was observed by mother Yasoda
PURPORT
There is no question of overpopulation or of children's being a burden for their parents in a Vedic society. Such a society is so well organized and people are so advanced in spiritual consciousness that childbirth is never regarded as a burden or a botheration. The more a child grows, the more his parents become jubilant, and the child's attempts to turn over are also a source of jubilation. Even before the child is born, when the mother is pregnant, many recommended ritualistic ceremonies are performed. For example, when the child has been within the womb for three months and for seven months, there is a ceremony the mother observes by eating with neighboring children. This ceremony is called svada-bhaksana. Similarly, before the birth of the child there is the garbhadhana ceremony. In Vedic civilization, childbirth or pregnancy is never regarded as a burden; rather, it is a cause for jubilation. In contrast, people in modern civilization do not like pregnancy or childbirth, and when there is a child, they sometimes kill it. We can just consider how human society has fallen since the inauguration of Kali-yuga. Although people still claim to be civilized, at the present moment there is actually no human civilization, but only an assembly of two-legged animals.
TEXT 5
TEXT
nandasya patni krta-majjanadikam
vipraih krta-svastyayanam supujitaih
annadya-vasah-srag-abhista-dhenubhih
sanjata-nidraksam asisayac chanaih
SYNONYMS
nandasya--of Maharaja Nanda; patni--the wife (mother Yasoda); krta-majjana-adikam--after she and the other members of the house had bathed and the child had been bathed also; vipraih--by the brahmanas; krta-svastyayanam--engaging them in chanting auspicious Vedic hymns; su-pujitaih--who were all received and worshiped with proper respect; anna-adya--by offering them sufficient grains and other eatables; vasah--garments; srak-abhista-dhenubhih--by offering flower garlands and very desirable cows; sanjata-nidra--had become sleepy; aksam--whose eyes; asisayat--laid the child down; sanaih--for the time being.
TRANSLATION
After completing the bathing ceremony for the child, mother Yasoda received the brahmanas by worshiping them with proper respect and giving them ample food grains and other eatables, clothing, desirable cows, and garlands. The brahmanas properly chanted Vedic hymns to observe the auspicious ceremony, and when they finished and mother Yasoda saw that the child felt sleepy, she lay down on the bed with the child until He was peacefully asleep.
PURPORT
An affectionate mother takes great care of her child and is always anxious to see that the child is not disturbed even for a moment. As long as the child wants to remain with the mother, the mother stays with the child, and the child feels very comfortable. Mother Yasoda saw that her child felt sleepy, and to give Him all facilities for sleep, she lay down with the child, and when He was peaceful, she got up to attend to her other household affairs.
TEXT 6
TEXT
autthanikautsukya-mana manasvini
samagatan pujayati vrajaukasah
naivasrnod vai ruditam sutasya sa
rudan stanarthi caranav udaksipat
SYNONYMS
autthanika-autsukya-manah--mother Yasoda was very busy celebrating the utthana ceremony of her child; manasvini--very liberal in distributing food, clothing, ornaments and cows, according to necessity; samagatan--to the assembled guests; pujayati--just to satisfy them; vraja-okasah--to the inhabitants of Vraja; na--not; eva--certainly; asrnot--did hear; vai--indeed; ruditam--the crying; sutasya--of her child; sa--mother Yasoda; rudan--crying; stana-arthi--Krsna, who was hankering to drink His mother's milk by sucking her breast; caranau udaksipat--out of anger, threw His two legs hither and thither.
TRANSLATION
The liberal mother Yasoda, absorbed in celebrating the utthana ceremony, was busy receiving guests, worshiping them with all respect and offering them clothing, cows, garlands and grains. Thus she could not hear the child crying for His mother. At that time, the child Krsna, demanding to drink the milk of His mother's breast, angrily threw His legs upward.
PURPORT
Krsna had been placed underneath a household handcart, but this handcart was actually another form of the Sakatasura, a demon who had come there to kill the child. Now, on the plea of demanding to suck His mother's breast, Krsna took this opportunity to kill the demon. Thus He kicked Sakatasura just to expose him. Although Krsna's mother was engaged in receiving guests, Lord Krsna wanted to draw her attention by killing the Sakatasura, and therefore he kicked that cart-shaped demon. Such are the pastimes of Krsna. Krsna wanted to draw the attention of His mother, but while doing so He created a great havoc not understandable by ordinary persons. These narrations are wonderfully enjoyable, and those who are fortunate are struck with wonder upon hearing of these extraordinary activities of the Lord. Although the less intelligent regard them as mythological because a dull brain cannot understand them, they are real facts. These narrations are actually so enjoyable and enlightening that Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Gosvami took pleasure in them, and other liberated persons, following in their footsteps, become fully jubilant by hearing about the wonderful activities of the Lord.
TEXT 7
TEXT
adhah-sayanasya sisor ano 'lpaka-
pravala-mrdv-anghri-hatam vyavartata
vidhvasta-nana-rasa-kupya-bhajanam
vyatyasta-cakraksa-vibhinna-kubaram
SYNONYMS
adhah-sayanasya--who was put underneath the handcart; sisoh--of the child; anah--the cart; alpaka--not very much grown; pravala--just like a new leaf; mrdu-anghri-hatam--struck by His beautiful, delicate legs; vyavartata--turned over and fell down; vidhvasta--scattered; nana-rasa-kupya-bhajanam--utensils made of various metals; vyatyasta--dislocated; cakra-aksa--the two wheels and the axle; vibhinna--broken; kubaram--the pole of the handcart.
TRANSLATION
Lord Sri Krsna was lying down underneath the handcart in one corner of the courtyard, and although His little legs were as soft as leaves, when He struck the cart with His legs, it turned over violently and collapsed. The wheels separated from the axle, the hubs and spokes fell apart, and the pole of the handcart broke. On the cart there were many little utensils made of various metals, and all of them scattered hither and thither.
PURPORT
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has commented on this verse as follows. When Lord Krsna was of a very tender age, His hands and legs resembled soft new leaves, yet simply by touching the handcart with His legs, He made the cart fall to pieces. It was quite possible for Him to act in this way and yet not exert Himself very much. The Lord in His Vamana avatara had to extend His foot to the greatest height to penetrate the covering of the universe, and when the Lord killed the gigantic demon Hiranyakasipu, He had to assume the special bodily feature of Nrsimhadeva. But in His Krsna avatara, the Lord did not need to exert such energy. Therefore, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. In other incarnations, the Lord had to exert some energy according to the time and circumstances, but in this form He exhibited unlimited potency. Thus the handcart collapsed, its joints broken, and all the metal pots and utensils scattered.
The Vaisnava-tosani remarks that although the handcart was higher than the child, the child could easily touch the wheel of the cart, and this was sufficient to send the demon down to the earth. The Lord simultaneously pushed the demon to the earth and superficially broke the handcart.
TEXT 8
TEXT
drstva yasoda-pramukha vraja-striya
autthanike karmani yah samagatah
nandadayas cadbhuta-darsanakulah
katham svayam vai sakatam viparyagat
SYNONYMS
drstva--after seeing; yasoda-pramukhah--headed by mother Yasoda; vraja-striyah--all the ladies of Vraja; autthanike karmani--in the celebration of the utthana ceremony; yah--those who; samagatah--assembled there; nanda-adayah ca--and the men, headed by Nanda Maharaja; adbhuta-darsana--by seeing the wonderful calamity (that the heavily loaded cart had broken upon the small baby, who still lay there unhurt); akulah--and thus they were very much perturbed as to how it had happened; katham--how; svayam--by itself; vai--indeed; sakatam--the handcart; viparyagat--became so heavily damaged, dismantled.
TRANSLATION
When mother Yasoda and the other ladies who had assembled for the utthana festival, and all the men, headed by Nanda Maharaja, saw the wonderful situation, they began to wonder how the handcart had collapsed by itself. They began to wander here and there, trying to find the cause, but were unable to do so.
TEXT 9
TEXT
ucur avyavasita-matin
gopan gopis ca balakah
rudatanena padena
ksiptam etan na samsayah
SYNONYMS
ucuh--said; avyavasita-matin--who had lost all intelligence in the present situation; gopan--to the cowherd men; gopih ca--and to the ladies; balakah--the children; rudata anena--as soon as the child cried; padena--with one leg; ksiptam etat--this cart was dashed apart and immediately fell dismantled; na samsayah--there is no doubt about it.
TRANSLATION
The assembled cowherd men and ladies began to contemplate how this thing had happened. "Is it the work of some demon or evil planet?" they asked. At that time, the small children present asserted that the cart had been kicked apart by the baby Krsna. As soon as the crying baby bad kicked the cart's wheel, the cart had collapsed. There was no doubt about it.
PURPORT
We have heard of people's being haunted by ghosts. Having no gross material body, a ghost seeks shelter of a gross body to stay in and haunt. The Sakatasura was a ghost who had taken shelter of the handcart and was looking for the opportunity to do mischief to Krsna. When Krsna kicked the cart with His small and very delicate legs, the ghost was immediately pushed down to the earth and his shelter dismantled, as already described. This was possible for Krsna because He has full potency, as confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (5.32):
angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti
pasyanti panti kalayanti ciram jaganti
ananda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Krsna's body is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, or ananda-cinmaya-rasa-vigraha. That is, any of the parts of His ananda-cinmaya body can act for any other part. Such are the inconceivable potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord does not need to acquire these potencies; He already has them. Thus Krsna kicked His little legs, and His whole purpose was fulfilled. Also, when the handcart broke, an ordinary child could have been injured in many ways, but because Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He enjoyed the dismantling of the cart, and nothing injured Him. Everything done by Him is ananda-cinmaya-rasa, full transcendental bliss. Thus Krsna factually enjoyed.
The nearby children saw that actually Krsna had kicked the wheel of the cart and this was how the accident happened. By the arrangement of yogamaya, all the gopis and gopas thought that the accident had taken place because of some bad planet or some ghost, but in fact everything was done by Krsna and enjoyed by Him. Those who enjoy the activities of Krsna are also on the platform of ananda-cinmaya-rasa; they are liberated from the material platform. When one develops the practice of hearing krsna-katha, he is certainly transcendental to material existence, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate). Unless one is on the spiritual platform, one cannot enjoy the transcendental activities of Krsna; or in other words, whoever engages in hearing the transcendental activities of Krsna is not on the material platform, but on the transcendental, spiritual platform.
TEXT 10
TEXT
na te sraddadhire gopa
bala-bhasitam ity uta
aprameyam balam tasya
balakasya na te viduh
SYNONYMS
na--not; te--the cowherd men and ladies; sraddadhire--put their faith (in such statements); gopah--the cowherd men and women; bala-bhasitam--childish talk from the assembled children; iti uta--thus spoken; aprameyam--unlimited, inconceivable; balam--the power; tasya balakasya--of the small baby Krsna; na--not; te--the gopis and gopas; viduh--were aware of.
TRANSLATION
The assembled gopis and gopas, unaware that Krsna is always unlimited, could not believe that baby Krsna had such inconceivable power. They could not believe the statements of the children, and therefore they neglected these statements as being childish talk.
TEXT 11
TEXT
rudantam sutam adaya
yasoda graha-sankita
krta-svastyayanam vipraih
suktaih stanam apayayat
SYNONYMS
rudantam--crying; sutam--son; adaya--picking up; yasoda--mother Yasoda; graha-sankita--fearing some bad planet; krta-svastyayanam--immediately performed a ritualistic ceremony for good fortune; vipraih--by calling all the brahmanas; suktaih--by Vedic hymns; stanam--her breast; apayayat--made the child suck.
TRANSLATION
Thinking that some bad planet had attacked Krsna, mother Yasoda picked up the crying child and allowed Him to suck her breast. Then she called for experienced brahmanas to chant Vedic hymns and perform an auspicious ritualistic ceremony.
PURPORT
Whenever there is some danger or some inauspicious occurrence, it is the custom of Vedic civilization to have qualified brahmanas immediately chant Vedic hymns to counteract it. Mother Yasoda did this properly and allowed the baby to suck her breast.
TEXT 12
TEXT
purvavat sthapitam gopair
balibhih sa-paricchadam
vipra hutvarcayam cakrur
dadhy-aksata-kusambubhih
SYNONYMS
purva-vat--as the handcart had been situated before; sthapitam--again assembled with the pots situated properly; gopaih--by the cowherd men; balibhih--all of whom were very strong and stout and who could therefore assemble the parts without difficulty; sa-paricchadam--with all the paraphernalia kept on it; viprah--the brahmanas; hutva--after performing a fire ceremony; arcayam cakruh--performed ritualistic ceremonies; dadhi--with curd; aksata--grains of rice; kusa--and kusa grass; ambubhih--with water.
TRANSLATION
After the strong, stout cowherd men assembled the pots and paraphernalia on the handcart and set it up as before, the brahmanas performed a ritualistic ceremony with a fire sacrifice to appease the bad planet, and then, with rice grains, kusa, water and curd, they worshiped the Supreme Lord.
PURPORT
The handcart was loaded with heavy utensils and other paraphernalia. To set the cart back in its original position required much strength, but this was easily done by the cowherd men. Then, according to the system of the gopa jati, various Vedic ceremonies were performed to appease the calamitous situation.
TEXTS 13-15
TEXT
ye 'suyanrta-dambhersa-
himsa-mana-vivarjitah
na tesam satya-silanam
asiso viphalah krtah
iti balakam adaya
samarg-yajur-upakrtaih
jalaih pavitrausadhibhir
abhisicya dvijottamaih
vacayitva svastyayanam
nanda-gopah samahitah
hutva cagnim dvijatibhyah
pradad annam maha-gunam
SYNONYMS
ye--those brahmanas who; asuya--envy; anrta--untruthfulness; dambha--false pride; irsa--grudges; himsa--being disturbed by the opulence of others; mana--false prestige; vivarjitah--completely devoid of; na--not; tesam--of such brahmanas; satya-silanam--who are endowed with perfect brahminical qualifications (satya, sama, dama, etc.); asisah--the blessings; viphalah--useless; krtah--have become; iti--considering all these things; balakam--the child; adaya--taking care of; sama--according to the Sama Veda; rk--according to the Rg Veda; yajuh--and according to the Yajur Veda; upakrtaih--purified by such means; jalaih--with water; pavitra-ausadhibhih--mixed with pure herbs; abhisicya--after bathing (the child); dvija-uttamaih--with ceremonies performed by first-class brahmanas with the above qualifications; vacayitva--requested to be chanted; svasti-ayanam--auspicious hymns; nanda-gopah--Maharaja Nanda, the head of the cowherd men; samahitah--liberal and good; hutva--after offering oblations; ca--also; agnim--unto the sacred fire; dvijatibhyah--unto those first-class brahmanas; pradat--gave in charity; annam--food grains; maha-gunam--excellent.
TRANSLATION
When brahmanas are free from envy, untruthfulness, unnecessary pride, grudges, disturbance by the opulence of others, and false prestige, their blessings never go in vain. Considering this, Nanda Maharaja soberly took Krsna on his lap and invited such truthful brahmanas to perform a ritualistic ceremony according to the holy hymns of the Sama Veda, Rg Veda and Yajur Veda. Then, while the hymns were being chanted, he bathed the child with water mixed with pure herbs, and after performing a fire ceremony, he sumptuously fed all the brahmanas with first-class grains and other food.
PURPORT
Nanda Maharaja was very confident about the qualifications of the brahmanas and their blessings. He was fully confident that simply if the good brahmanas showered their blessings, the child Krsna would be happy. The blessings of qualified brahmanas can bring happiness not only to Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but to everyone. Because Krsna is self-sufficient, He does not require anyone's blessings, yet Nanda Maharaja thought that Krsna required the blessings of the brahmanas. What then is to be said of others? In human society, therefore, there must be an ideal class of men, brahmanas, who can bestow blessings upon others, namely, upon the ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras, so that everyone will be happy. Krsna therefore says in Bhagavad-gita (4.13) that human society must have four social orders (catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah); it is not that everyone should become a sudra or a vaisya and human society will prosper. As enunciated in Bhagavad-gita, there must be a class of brahmanas with qualities like satya (truthfulness), sama (peacefulness), dama (self-control) and titiksa (tolerance).
Here also, in the Bhagavatam, Nanda Maharaja invites qualified brahmanas. There may be caste brahmanas, and we have all respect for them, but their birth in brahmana families does not mean that they are qualified to bestow blessings upon the other members of human society. This is the verdict of the sastras. In Kali-yuga, caste brahmanas are accepted as brahmanas. Vipratve sutram eva hi (Bhag. 12.2.3): in Kali-yuga, simply by putting on a thread worth two paise, one becomes a brahmana. Such brahmanas were not called for by Nanda Maharaja. As stated by Narada Muni (Bhag. 7.11.35), yasya yal laksanam proktam. The symptoms of a brahmana are stated in sastra, and one must be qualified with these symptoms.
The blessings of brahmanas who are not envious, disturbed or puffed up with pride and false prestige and who are fully qualified with truthfulness will be useful. Therefore a class of men must be trained as brahmanas from the very beginning. Brahmacari guru-kule vasan danto guror hitam (Bhag. 7.12.1). The word dantah is very important. Dantah refers to one who is not envious, disturbing or puffed up with false prestige. With the Krsna consciousness movement, we are trying to introduce such brahmanas in society. Brahmanas must ultimately be Vaisnavas, and if one is a Vaisnava, he has already acquired the qualifications of a brahmana. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma (Bg. 18.54). The word brahma-bhuta refers to becoming a brahmana, or understanding what is Brahman (brahma janatiti brahmanah). One who is brahma-bhuta is always happy (prasannatma). Na socati na kanksati: he is never disturbed about material necessities. Samah sarvesu bhutesu: he is ready to bestow blessings upon everyone equally. Mad-bhaktim labhate param: then he becomes a Vaisnava. In this age, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura introduced the sacred thread ceremony for his Vaisnava disciples, with the idea that people should understand that when one becomes a Vaisnava he has already acquired the qualifications of a brahmana. Therefore in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, those who are twice initiated so as to become brahmanas must bear in mind their great responsibility to be truthful, control the mind and senses, be tolerant, and so on. Then their life will be successful. It was such brahmanas that Nanda Maharaja invited to chant the Vedic hymns, not ordinary brahmanas. Verse thirteen distinctly mentions himsa-mana. The word mana refers to false prestige or false pride. Those who were falsely proud, thinking that they were brahmanas because they were born in brahmana families, were never invited by Nanda Maharaja on such occasions.
Verse fourteen mentions pavitrausadhi. In any ritualistic ceremony, many herbs and leaves were required. These were known as pavitra-patra. Sometimes there were nimba leaves, sometimes bael leaves, mango leaves, asvattha leaves or amalaki leaves. Similarly, there were panca-gavya, panca-sasya and panca-ratna. Although Nanda Maharaja belonged to the vaisya community, everything was known to him.
The most important word in these verses is maha-gunam, indicating that the brahmanas were offered very palatable food of exalted quality. Such palatable dishes were generally prepared with two things, namely food grains and milk products. Bhagavad-gita (18.44) therefore enjoins that human society must give protection to the cows and encourage agriculture (krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhavajam). Simply by expert cooking, hundreds and thousands of palatable dishes can be prepared from agricultural produce and milk products. This is indicated here by the words annam maha-gunam. Still today in India, from these two things, namely food grains and milk, hundreds and thousands of varieties of food are prepared, and then they are offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Catur-vidha-sri-bhagavat-prasada. patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati.) Then the prasada is distributed. Even today in Jagannatha-ksetra and other big temples, very palatable dishes are offered to the Deity, and prasada is distributed profusely. Cooked by first-class brahmanas with expert knowledge and then distributed to the public, this prasada is also a blessing from the brahmanas or Vaisnavas. There are four kinds of prasada (catur-vidha). Salty, sweet, sour and pungent tastes are made with different types of spices, and the food is prepared in four divisions, called carvya, cusya, lehya and pehya--prasada that is chewed, prasada that is licked, prasada tasted with the tongue, and prasada that is drunk. Thus there are many varieties of prasada, prepared very nicely with grains and ghee, offered to the Deity and distributed to the brahmanas and Vaisnavas and then to the general public. This is the way of human society. Killing the cows and spoiling the land will not solve the problem of food. This is not civilization. Uncivilized men living in the jungle and being unqualified to produce food by agriculture and cow protection may eat animals, but a perfect human society advanced in knowledge must learn how to produce first-class food simply by agriculture and protection of cows.
TEXT 16
TEXT
gavah sarva-gunopeta
vasah-srag-rukma-malinih
atmajabhyudayarthaya
pradat te canvayunjata
SYNONYMS
gavah--cows; sarva-guna-upetah--being fully qualified by giving sufficient milk, etc.; vasah--well dressed; srak--with flower garlands; rukma-malinih--and with garlands of gold; atmaja-abhyudaya-arthaya--for the purpose of his son's affluence; pradat--gave in charity; te--those brahmanas; ca--also; anvayunjata--accepted them.
TRANSLATION
Nanda Maharaja, for the sake of the affluence of his own son Krsna, gave the brahmanas cows fully decorated with garments, flower garlands and gold necklaces. These cows, fully qualified to give ample milk, were given to the brahmanas in charity, and the brahmanas accepted them and bestowed blessings upon the whole family, and especially upon Krsna.
PURPORT
Nanda Maharaja first fed the brahmanas sumptuously and then gave them in charity first-class cows fully decorated with golden necklaces, garments and flower garlands.
TEXT 17
TEXT
vipra mantra-vido yuktas
tair yah proktas tathasisah
ta nisphala bhavisyanti
na kadacid api sphutam
SYNONYMS
viprah--the brahmanas; mantra-vidah--completely expert in chanting the Vedic hymns; yuktah--perfect mystic yogis; taih--by them; yah--whatsoever; proktah--was spoken; tatha--becomes just so; asisah--all blessings; tah--such words; nisphalah--useless, without fruit; bhavisyanti na--never will become; kadacit--at any time; api--indeed; sphutam--always factual, as it is.
TRANSLATION
The brahmanas, who were completely expert in chanting the Vedic hymns, were all yogis fully equipped with mystic powers. Whatever blessings they spoke were certainly never fruitless.
PURPORT
Brahmanas fully equipped with the brahminical qualifications are always yogis fully powerful in mystic yoga. Their words never fail. In every transaction with other members of society, brahmanas are certainly dependable. In this age, however, one must take into account that the brahmanas are uncertain in their qualifications. Because there are no yajnic brahmanas, all yajnas are forbidden. The only yajna recommended in this age is sankirtana-yajna. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah (Bhag. 11.5.32). Yajna is meant to satisfy Visnu (yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah). Because in this age there are no qualified brahmanas, people should perform yajna by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra (yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah). Life is meant for yajna, and yajna is performed by the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
TEXT 18
TEXT
ekadaroham arudham
lalayanti sutam sati
garimanam sisor vodhum
na sehe giri-kutavat
SYNONYMS
ekada--one time (estimated to have been when Krsna was one year old); aroham--on His mother's lap; arudham--who was sitting; lalayanti--was patting; sutam--her son; sati--mother Yasoda; garimanam--because of an increase in heaviness; sisoh--of the child; vodhum--to bear Him; na--not; sehe--was able; giri-kuta-vat--appearing like the weight of a mountain peak.
TRANSLATION
One day, a year after Krsna's appearance, mother Yasoda was patting her son on her lap. But suddenly she felt the child to be heavier than a mountain peak, and she could no longer bear His weight.
PURPORT
Lalayanti. Sometimes a mother lifts her child, and when the child falls in her hands, the child laughs, and the mother also enjoys pleasure. Yasoda used to do this, but this time Krsna became very heavy, and she could not bear His weight. Under the circumstances, it is to be understood that Krsna was aware of the coming of Trnavartasura, who would take Him far away from His mother. Krsna knew that when Trnavarta came and took Him away from His mother's lap, mother Yasoda would be greatly bereaved. He did not want His mother to suffer any difficulty from the demon. Therefore, because He is the source of everything (janmady asya yatah), He assumed the heaviness of the entire universe. The child was on the lap of Yasoda, who was therefore in possession of everything in the world, but when the child assumed such heaviness, she had to put Him down in order to give Trnavartasura an opportunity to take Him away and play with Him for some time before the child returned to the lap of His mother.
TEXT 19
TEXT
bhumau nidhaya tam gopi
vismita bhara-pidita
maha-purusam adadhyau
jagatam asa karmasu
SYNONYMS
bhumau--on the ground; nidhaya--placing; tam--the child; gopi--mother Yasoda; vismita--being astonished; bhara-pidita--being aggrieved by the weight of the child; maha-purusam--Lord Visnu, Narayana; adadhyau--took shelter of; jagatam--as if the weight of the whole world; asa--engaged herself; karmasu--in other household affairs.
TRANSLATION
Feeling the child to be as heavy as the entire universe and therefore being anxious, thinking that perhaps the child was being attacked by some other ghost or demon, the astonished mother Yasoda put the child down on the ground and began to think of Narayana. Foreseeing disturbances, she called for the brahmanas to counteract this heaviness, and then she engaged in her other household affairs. She had no alternative than to remember the lotus feet of Narayana, for she could not understand that Krsna was the original source of everything.
PURPORT
Mother Yasoda did not understand that Krsna is the heaviest of all heavy things and that Krsna rests within everything (mat-sthani sarva-bhutani). As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.4), maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina: Krsna is everywhere in His impersonal form, and everything rests upon Him. Nonetheless, na caham tesv avasthitah: Krsna is not everywhere. Mother Yasoda was unable to understand this philosophy because she was dealing with Krsna as His real mother by the arrangement of yogamaya. Not understanding the importance of Krsna, she could only seek shelter of Narayana for Krsna's safety and call the brahmanas to counteract the situation.
TEXT 20
TEXT
daityo namna trnavartah
kamsa-bhrtyah pranoditah
cakravata-svarupena
jaharasinam arbhakam
SYNONYMS
daityah--another demon; namna--by the name; trnavartah--Trnavartasura; kamsa-bhrtyah--a servant of Kamsa; pranoditah--having been induced by him; cakravata-svarupena--in the form of a whirlwind; jahara--swept away; asinam--the sitting; arbhakam--child.
TRANSLATION
While the child was sitting on the ground, a demon named Trnavarta, who was a servant of Kamsa's, came there as a whirlwind, at Kamsa's instigation, and very easily carried the child away into the air.
PURPORT
Krsna's heaviness was unbearable for the child's mother, but when Trnavartasura came, he immediately carried the child away. This was another demonstration of Krsna's inconceivable energy. When the Trnavarta demon came, Krsna became lighter than the grass so that the demon could carry Him away. This was ananda-cinmaya-rasa, Krsna's blissful, transcendental pleasure.
TEXT 21
TEXT
gokulam sarvam avrnvan
musnams caksumsi renubhih
irayan sumaha-ghora-
sabdena pradiso disah
SYNONYMS
gokulam--the whole tract of land known as Gokula; sarvam--everywhere; avrnvan--covering; musnan--taking away; caksumsi--the power of vision; renubhih--by particles of dust; irayan--was vibrating; su-maha-ghora--very fierce and heavy; sabdena--with a sound; pradisah disah--entered everywhere, in all directions.
TRANSLATION
Covering the whole land of Gokula with particles of dust, that demon, acting as a strong whirlwind, covered everyone's vision and began vibrating everywhere with a greatly fearful sound.
PURPORT
Trnavartasura assumed the form of a whirlwind and covered with a dust storm the whole tract of land known as Gokula, so that no one could see even the nearest thing.
TEXT 22
TEXT
muhurtam abhavad gostham
rajasa tamasavrtam
sutam yasoda napasyat
tasmin nyastavati yatah
SYNONYMS
muhurtam--for a moment; abhavat--there was; gostham--throughout the whole pasturing ground; rajasa--by big particles of dust; tamasa avrtam--covered with darkness; sutam--her son; yasoda--mother Yasoda; na apasyat--could not find; tasmin--in that very spot; nyastavati--she had placed Him; yatah--where.
TRANSLATION
For a moment, the whole pasturing ground was overcast with dense darkness from the dust storm, and mother Yasoda was unable to find her son where she had placed Him.
TEXT 23
TEXT
napasyat kascanatmanam
param capi vimohitah
trnavarta-nisrstabhih
sarkarabhir upadrutah
SYNONYMS
na--not; apasyat--saw; kascana--anyone; atmanam--himself; param ca api--or another; vimohitah--being illusioned; trnavarta-nisrstabhih--thrown by Trnavartasura; sarkarabhih--by the sands; upadrutah--and thus being disturbed.
TRANSLATION
Because of the bits of sand thrown about by Trnavarta, people could not see themselves or anyone else, and thus they were illusioned and disturbed.
TEXT 24
TEXT
iti khara-pavana-cakra-pamsu-varse
suta-padavim abalavilaksya mata
atikarunam anusmaranty asocad
bhuvi patita mrta-vatsaka yatha gauh
SYNONYMS
iti--thus; khara--very strong; pavana-cakra--by a whirlwind; pamsu-varse--when there were showers of dust and small dust particles; suta-padavim--the place of her son; abala--the innocent woman; avilaksya--not seeing; mata--because of being His mother; ati-karunam--very pitifully; anusmaranti--she was thinking of her son; asocat--lamented extraordinarily; bhuvi--on the ground; patita--fell down; mrta-vatsaka--who has lost her calf; yatha--like; gauh--a cow.
TRANSLATION
Because of the dust storm stirred up by the strong whirlwind, mother Yasoda could find no trace of her son, nor could she understand why. Thus she fell down on the ground like a cow who has lost her calf and began to lament very pitifully.
TEXT 25
TEXT
ruditam anunisamya tatra gopyo
bhrsam anutapta-dhiyo 'sru-purna-mukhyah
rurudur anupalabhya nanda-sunum
pavana uparata-pamsu-varsa-vege
SYNONYMS
ruditam--mother Yasoda, crying pitifully; anunisamya--after hearing; tatra--there; gopyah--the other ladies, the gopis; bhrsam--highly; anutapta--lamenting sympathetically after mother Yasoda; dhiyah--with such feelings; asru-purna-mukhyah--and the other gopis, their faces full of tears; ruruduh--they were crying; anupalabhya--without finding; nanda-sunum--the son of Nanda Maharaja, Krsna; pavane--when the whirlwind; uparata--had ceased; pamsu-varsa-vege--its force of showering dust.
TRANSLATION
When the force of the dust storm and the winds subsided, Yasoda's friends, the other gopis, approached mother Yasoda, hearing her pitiful crying. Not seeing Krsna present, they too felt very much aggrieved and joined mother Yasoda in crying, their eyes full of tears.
PURPORT
This attachment of the gopis to Krsna is wonderful and transcendental. The center of all the activities of the gopis was Krsna. When Krsna was there they were happy, and when Krsna was not there, they were unhappy. Thus when mother Yasoda was lamenting Krsna's absence, the other ladies also began to cry.
TEXT 26
TEXT
trnavartah santa-rayo
vatya-rupa-dharo haran
krsnam nabho-gato gantum
nasaknod bhuri-bhara-bhrt
SYNONYMS
trnavartah--the demon Trnavarta; santa-rayah--the force of the blast reduced; vatya-rupa-dharah--who had assumed the form of a forceful whirlwind; haran--and had thus taken away; krsnam--Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nabhah-gatah--went up to the top of the sky; gantum--to go further; na asaknot--was not able; bhuri-bhara-bhrt--because Krsna then became more powerful and heavy than the demon.
TRANSLATION
Having assumed the form of a forceful whirlwind, the demon Trnavarta took Krsna very high in the sky, but when Krsna became heavier than the demon, the demon had to stop his force and could go no further.
PURPORT
Here is a competition in yogic power between Krsna and Trnavartasura. By practicing mystic yoga, asuras generally attain some perfection in the eight siddhis, or perfections, namely anima, laghima, mahima, prapti, prakamya, isitva, vasitva and kamavasayita. But although a demon may acquire such powers to a very limited extent, he cannot compete with the mystic power of Krsna, for Krsna is Yogesvara, the source of all mystic power (yatra yogesvaro harih). No one can compete with Krsna. Sometimes, of course, having acquired a fragmental portion of Krsna's mystic power, asuras demonstrate their power to the foolish public and assert themselves to be God, not knowing that God is the supreme Yogesvara. Here also we see that Trnavarta assumed the mahima-siddhi and took Krsna away as if Krsna were an ordinary child. But Krsna also became a mystic mahima-siddha. When mother Yasoda was carrying Him, He became so heavy that His mother, who was usually accustomed to carrying Him, could not bear Him and had to place Him down on the ground. Thus Trnavarta had been able to take Krsna away in the presence of mother Yasoda. But when Krsna, high in the sky, assumed the mahima-siddhi, the demon, unable to go further, was obliged to stop his force and come down according to Krsna's desire. One should not, therefore, compete with Krsna's mystic power.
Devotees automatically have all mystic power, but they do not like to compete with Krsna. Instead, they fully surrender to Krsna, and their yogic power is demonstrated by Krsna's mercy. Devotees can show mystic yoga so powerful that a demon could not even dream of it, but they never try to demonstrate it for their personal sense gratification. Whatever they do is for the service of the Lord, and therefore they are always in a position superior to that of the demons. There are many karmis, yogis and jnanis who artificially try to compete with Krsna, and thus ordinary, foolish people who do not care to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam from authorities consider some rascal yogi to be Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At the present moment there are many so-called babas who present themselves as incarnations of God by showing some insignificant mystic wonder, and foolish people regard them as God because of lacking knowledge of Krsna.
TEXT 27
TEXT
tam asmanam manyamana
atmano guru-mattaya
gale grhita utsrastum
nasaknod adbhutarbhakam
SYNONYMS
tam--Krsna; asmanam--very heavy stone like a lump of iron; manyamanah--thinking like that; atmanah guru-mattaya--because of being heavier than he could personally perceive; gale--his neck; grhite--being embraced or encircled by His arms; utsrastum--to give up; na asaknot--was not able; adbhuta-arbhakam--this wonderful child who was different from an ordinary child.
TRANSLATION
Because of Krsna's weight, Trnavarta considered Him to be like a great mountain or a hunk of iron. But because Krsna had caught the demon's neck, the demon was unable to throw Him off. He therefore thought of the child as wonderful, since he could neither bear the child nor cast aside the burden.
PURPORT
Trnavarta intended to take Krsna up in the sky and kill Him, but Krsna enjoyed the pastime of riding on Trnavarta's body and traveling for a while in the sky. Thus Trnavarta's attempt to kill Krsna failed, while Krsna, ananda-cinmaya-rasa-vigraha, enjoyed this pastime. Now, since Trnavarta was falling because of Krsna's heaviness, he wanted to save himself by throwing Krsna off from his neck, but was unable to do so because Krsna held him very tightly. Consequently, this would be the last time for Trnavarta's yogic power. Now he was going to die by the arrangement of Krsna.
TEXT 28
TEXT
gala-grahana-niscesto
daityo nirgata-locanah
avyakta-ravo nyapatat
saha-balo vyasur vraje
SYNONYMS
gala-grahana-niscestah--because of Krsna's grasping the neck of the demon Trnavarta, the demon choked and could not do anything; daityah--the demon; nirgata-locanah--his eyes popped out because of pressure; avyakta-ravah--because of choking, he could not even make a sound; nyapatat--fell down; saha-balah--with the child; vyasuh vraje--lifeless on the ground of Vraja.
TRANSLATION
With Krsna grasping him by the throat, Trnavarta choked, unable to make even a sound or even to move his hands and legs. His eyes popping out, the demon lost his life and fell, along with the little boy, down to the ground of Vraja.
TEXT 29
TEXT
tam antariksat patitam silayam
visirna-sarvavayavam karalam
puram yatha rudra-sarena viddham
striyo rudatyo dadrsuh sametah
SYNONYMS
tam--unto the demon Trnavarta; antariksat--from outer space; patitam--fallen; silayam--on a slab of stone; visirna--scattered, separated; sarva-avayavam--all the parts of his body; karalam--very fierce hands and legs; puram--the place of Tripurasura; yatha--as; rudra-sarena--by the arrow of Lord Siva; viddham--pierced; striyah--all the women, the gopis; rudatyah--although crying because Krsna was separated from them; dadrsuh--they saw in front of them; sametah--all together.
TRANSLATION
While the gopis who had gathered were crying for Krsna, the demon fell from the sky onto a big slab of stone, his limbs dislocated, as if he had been pierced by the arrow of Lord Siva like Tripurasura.
PURPORT
In transcendental life, as soon as devotees of the Lord merge in lamentation, they immediately experience the Lord's transcendental activities and merge in transcendental bliss. Actually such devotees are always in transcendental bliss, and such apparent calamities provide a further impetus for that bliss.
TEXT 30
TEXT
pradaya matre pratihrtya vismitah
krsnam ca tasyorasi lambamanam
tam svastimantam purusada-nitam
vihayasa mrtyu-mukhat pramuktam
gopyas ca gopah kila nanda-mukhya
labdhva punah prapur ativa modam
SYNONYMS
pradaya--after picking up; matre--unto His mother (Yasoda); pratihrtya--delivered; vismitah--all surprised; krsnam ca--and Krsna; tasya--of the demon; urasi--on the chest; lambamanam--situated; tam--Krsna; svastimantam--endowed with all auspiciousness; purusada-nitam--who was taken by the man-eating demon; vihayasa--into the sky; mrtyu-mukhat--from the mouth of death; pramuktam--now liberated; gopyah--the gopis; ca--and; gopah--the cowherd men; kila--indeed; nanda-mukhyah--headed by Nanda Maharaja; labdhva--after getting; punah--again (their son); prapuh--enjoyed; ativa--very much; modam--bliss.
TRANSLATION
The gopis immediately picked Krsna up from the chest of the demon and delivered Him, free from all inauspiciousness, to mother Yasoda. Because the child, although taken into the sky by the demon, was unhurt and now free from all danger and misfortune, the gopis and cowherd men, headed by Nanda Maharaja, were extremely happy.
PURPORT
The demon fell flat from the sky, and Krsna was playing on his chest very happily, uninjured and free from misfortune. Not at all disturbed because of being taken high in the sky by the demon, Krsna was playing and enjoying. This is ananda-cinmaya-rasa-vigraha. In any condition, Krsna is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. He has no unhappiness. Others might have thought that He was in difficulty, but because the demon's chest was sufficiently broad to play on, the baby was happy in all respects. It was most astonishing that although the demon went so high in the sky, the child did not fall down. Therefore, the child had been saved virtually from the mouth of death. Now that He was saved, all the inhabitants of Vrndavana were happy.
TEXT 31
TEXT
aho bataty-adbhutam esa raksasa
balo nivrttim gamito 'bhyagat punah
himsrah sva-papena vihimsitah khalah
sadhuh samatvena bhayad vimucyate
SYNONYMS
aho--alas; bata--indeed; ati--very much; adbhutam--this incident is wonderfully astonishing; esah--this (child); raksasa--by the man-eating demon; balah--the innocent child Krsna; nivrttim--taken away just to be killed and eaten; gamitah--went away; abhyagat punah--but He has come back again unhurt; himsrah--one who is envious; sva-papena--because of his own sinful activities; vihimsitah--now (that demon) has been killed; khalah--because he was envious and polluted; sadhuh--any person who is innocent and free from sinful life; samatvena--being equal to everyone; bhayat--from all kinds of fear; vimucyate--becomes relieved.
TRANSLATION
It is most astonishing that although this innocent child was taken away by the Raksasa to be eaten, He has returned without having been killed or even injured. Because this demon was envious, cruel and sinful, he has been killed for his own sinful activities. This is the law of nature. An innocent devotee is always protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and a sinful person is always vanquished for his sinful life.
PURPORT
Krsna conscious life means innocent devotional life, and a sadhu is one who is fully devoted to Krsna. As confirmed by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (9.30), bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah: anyone fully attached to Krsna is a sadhu. Nanda Maharaja and the gopis and other cowherd men could not understand that Krsna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead playing as a human child and that His life was not in danger under any circumstances. Rather, because of their intense parental love for Krsna, they thought that Krsna was an innocent child and had been saved by the Supreme Lord.
In the material world, because of intense lust and desire for enjoyment, one becomes implicated in sinful life more and more (kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna-samudbhavah). Therefore the quality of fear is one of the aspects of material life (ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca). But if one becomes Krsna conscious, the process of devotional service, sravanam kirtanam, diminishes one's polluted life of material existence, and one is purified and protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah punya-sravana-kirtanah. In devotional life, one has faith in this process. Such faith is one of the six kinds of surrender. Raksisyatiti visvasah (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 11.676). One of the processes of surrender is that one should simply depend on Krsna, convinced that He will give one all protection. That Krsna will protect His devotee is a fact, and Nanda Maharaja and the other inhabitants of Vrndavana accepted this very simply, although they did not know that the Supreme Lord Himself was present before them. There have been many instances in which a devotee like Prahlada Maharaja or Dhruva Maharaja has been put in difficulty even by his father but has been saved under all circumstances. Therefore our only business is to become Krsna conscious and depend fully on Krsna for all protection.
TEXT 32
TEXT
kim nas tapas cirnam adhoksajarcanam
purtesta-dattam uta bhuta-sauhrdam
yat samparetah punar eva balako
distya sva-bandhun pranayann upasthitah
SYNONYMS
kim--what kind of; nah--by us; tapah--austerity; cirnam--has been done for a very long time; adhoksaja--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; arcanam--worshiping; purta--constructing public roads, etc.; ista--activities for public benefit; dattam--giving charity; uta--or else; bhuta-sauhrdam--because of love for the general public; yat--by the result of which; samparetah--even though the child was practically lost in death; punah eva--even again because of pious activities; balakah--the child; distya--by fortune; sva-bandhun--all His relatives; pranayan--to please; upasthitah--is present here.
TRANSLATION
Nanda Maharaja and the others said: We must previously have performed austerities for a very long time, worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, performed pious activities for public life, constructing public roads and wells, and also given charity, as a result of which this boy, although faced with death, has returned to give happiness to His relatives.
PURPORT
Nanda Maharaja confirmed that by pious activities one can become a sadhu so that one will be happy at home and one's children will be protected. In sastra there are many injunctions for karmis and jnanis, especially for karmis, by which they can become pious and happy even in material life. According to Vedic civilization, one should perform activities for the benefit of the public, such as constructing public roads, planting trees on both sides of the road so that people can walk in the shade, and constructing public wells so that everyone can take water without difficulty. One should perform austerity to control one's desires, and one must simultaneously worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus one becomes pious, and as a result one is happy even in material conditions of life.
TEXT 33
TEXT
drstvadbhutani bahuso
nanda-gopo brhadvane
vasudeva-vaco bhuyo
manayam asa vismitah
SYNONYMS
drstva--after seeing; adbhutani--the very wonderful and astonishing incidents; bahusah--many times; nanda-gopah--Nanda Maharaja, the head of the cowherd men; brhadvane--in Brhadvana; vasudeva-vacah--the words spoken by Vasudeva when Nanda Maharaja was in Mathura; bhuyah--again and again; manayam asa--accepted how true they were; vismitah--in great astonishment.
TRANSLATION
Having seen all these incidents in Brhadvana, Nanda Maharaja became more and more astonished, and he remembered the words spoken to him by Vasudeva in Mathura.
TEXT 34
TEXT
ekadarbhakam adaya
svankam aropya bhamini
prasnutam payayam asa
stanam sneha-paripluta
SYNONYMS
ekada--once upon a time; arbhakam--the child; adaya--taking; sva-ankam--on her own lap; aropya--and placing Him; bhamini--mother Yasoda; prasnutam--breast milk oozing out; payayam asa--fed the child; stanam--her breast; sneha-paripluta--with great affection and love.
TRANSLATION
One day mother Yasoda, having taken Krsna up and placed Him on her lap, was feeding Him milk from her breast with maternal affection. The milk was flowing from her breast, and the child was drinking it.
TEXTS 35-36
TEXT
pita-prayasya janani
sutasya rucira-smitam
mukham lalayati rajan
jrmbhato dadrse idam
kham rodasi jyotir-anikam asah
suryendu-vahni-svasanambudhims ca
dvipan nagams tad-duhitrr vanani
bhutani yani sthira-jangamani
SYNONYMS
pita-prayasya--of child Krsna, who was being offered breast milk and was almost satisfied; janani--mother Yasoda; sutasya--of her son; rucira-smitam--seeing the child fully satisfied and smiling; mukham--the face; lalayati--patting and softly rubbing with her hand; rajan--O King; jrmbhatah--while the child was yawning; dadrse--she saw; idam--the following; kham--the sky; rodasi--both the higher planetary system and the earth; jyotih-anikam--the luminaries; asah--the directions; surya--the sun; indu--the moon; vahni--fire; svasana--the air; ambudhin--the seas; ca--and; dvipan--the islands; nagan--the mountains; tat-duhitrh--the daughters of the mountains (the rivers); vanani--forests; bhutani--all kinds of living entities; yani--which are; sthira-jangamani--nonmoving and moving.
TRANSLATION
O King Pariksit, when the child Krsna was almost finished drinking His mother's milk and mother Yasoda was touching Him and looking at His beautiful, brilliantly smiling face, the baby yawned, and mother Yasoda saw in His mouth the whole sky, the higher planetary system and the earth, the luminaries in all directions, the sun, the moon, fire, air, the seas, islands, mountains, rivers, forests, and all kinds of living entities, moving and nonmoving.
PURPORT
By the arrangement of yogamaya, Krsna's pastimes with mother Yasoda were all regarded as ordinary. So here was an opportunity for Krsna to show His mother that the whole universe is situated within Him. In His small form, Krsna was kind enough to show His mother the virat-rupa, the universal form, so that she could enjoy seeing what kind of child she had on her lap. The rivers have been mentioned here as the daughters of the mountains (nagams tad-duhitrh). It is the flowing of the rivers that makes big forests possible. There are living entities everywhere, some of them moving and some of them not moving. No place is vacant. This is a special feature of God's creation.
TEXT 37
TEXT
sa viksya visvam sahasa
rajan sanjata-vepathuh
sammilya mrgasavaksi
netre asit suvismita
SYNONYMS
sa--mother Yasoda; viksya--by seeing; visvam--the whole universe; sahasa--suddenly within the mouth of her son; rajan--O King (Maharaja Pariksit); sanjata-vepathuh--whose heart was beating; sammilya--opening; mrgasava-aksi--like the eyes of a deer cub; netre--her two eyes; asit--became; su-vismita--astonished.
TRANSLATION
When mother Yasoda saw the whole universe within the mouth of her child, her heart began to throb, and in astonishment she wanted to close her restless eyes.
PURPORT
Because of her pure maternal love, mother Yasoda thought that this wonderful child playing so many tricks must have had some disease. She did not appreciate the wonders shown by her child; rather, she wanted to close her eyes. She was expecting another danger, and therefore her eyes became restless like those of a deer cub. This was all the arrangement of yogamaya. The relationship between mother Yasoda and Krsna is one of pure maternal love. In that love, mother Yasoda did not very much appreciate the display of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's opulences.
At the beginning of this chapter, two extra verses sometimes appear:
evam bahuni karmani
gopanam sam sa-yositam
nandasya gehe vavrdhe
kurvan visnu-janardanah
"In this way, to chastise and kill the demons, the child Krsna demonstrated many activities in the house of Nanda Maharaja, and the inhabitants of Vraja enjoyed these incidents."
evam sa vavrdhe visnur
nanda-gehe janardanah
kurvann anisam anandam
gopalanam sa-yositam
"To increase the transcendental pleasure of the gopas and the gopis, Krsna, the killer of all demons, was thus raised by His father and mother, Nanda and Yasoda."
Sripada Vijayadhvaja Tirtha also adds another verse after the third verse in this chapter:
vistareneha karunyat
sarva-papa-pranasanam
vaktum arhasi dharma-jna
dayalus tvam iti prabho
"Pariksit Maharaja then requested Sukadeva Gosvami to continue speaking such narrations about the pastimes of Krsna, so that the King could enjoy from them transcendental bliss."
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Tenth Canto, Seventh Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Killing of the Demon Trnavarta."