Srimad Bhagavatam – day 577
Keshavaya namah
Maharishi Śuka continued, “Like demon Tripurasura who, in the past, had been pierced by Lord Shiva’s arrow, this demon Tŗṇāvarta came crashing down from the skies. It was as if a huge mountain or a huge boulder was falling from the skies. All his limbs were totally smashed beyond recognition. The cowherds who witnessed a huge boulder-like object crashing from the skies were petrified. Half the hamlet was covered with his limbs. Pieces of flesh and bone were scattered everywhere. This fall, which was accompanied by a terrible crashing sound, added to the fear”.
When an object falls from a height of thirty feet, it is no longer recognisable. At this juncture I recollect an incident.
Two friends decided to undertake a repair job. As the object to be repaired was situated at a height, they brought a ladder. One friend climbed the ladder and began the work. The other friend stood below supporting the ladder that was leaning on to the wall. The friend who was working needed a hammer. So he shouted to his friend below to get the hammer. The friend immediately went to fetch the hammer, leaving the ladder unsupported. Immediately it came crashing down, bringing with it the person who was working there. His body was bruised badly. In Krishna’s story, Tṛṇavarta fell from the skies. With this, one can gauge the impact it would have had on his body.
“Gopikas saw little Krishna playing happily on the demon’s chest. In great happiness and astonishment, they carried the baby, who was now in his original form and weight, and handed him over to Yashoda.
They rejoiced that Krishna was safe even after a monster had carried him away into the skies. They rejoiced that with the Lord’s grace the boy was restored safely back to them even after landing into the hands of a cannibal”.
A person who is deeply devoted to Lord, laments when even a tiny thorn pricks his Lord’s feet. He/she weeps that the Lord’s feet have shrivelled. Do not develop such infatuation towards the Lord’s body. Recognise the Pure Consciousness that is illumining from that body. Hold on to that Consciousness.
Applying this principle to ourselves, we should understand that it is incorrect to pamper our body. The more the body is pampered, the more comforts it demands. It demands that every need should be fulfilled exactly as it has been habituated to. If any need is deprived, even minutely, the person becomes inconsolable. Hence it is imperative that the body be provided only as many basic essentials as is needed for its sustenance. If the sense organs are pampered, they take the person towards downfall.
Here the Gopikas considered Krishna to be a normal human infant. They thanked the Lord that he had returned safely from the demon’s clutches. They did not think-“O, how could any child withstand this fall from the skies? What could be the special energy in him that brought him safely back?”
They failed to see the Pure Consciousness within Him. They were totally deluded by his illusionary energy and failed to see his transcendental sports. The Lord, through his illusion, caused them to grieve for him. He caused them to fear the situation. Even Yashoda failed to realize that her son was the Lord himself. They were unable to understand His transcendental plays.
Narayana