Srimad Bhagavatam – day 37
As Srikrishna’s chariot entered the royal path, all the ladies of the royal households went up to the terraces to catch a glimpse of Him.
The citizens of Dwaraka, who were used to having the daily darshan of this Lord who retains Goddess Lakshmi in his heart, were not satisfied even after being in His presence for a very long time that day. This Lord retains the Goddess of wealth in His heart! She is always with Him. Lord Venkateshwara retains Devi in His heart and hence is śri-nivasa.
His chest is the residence for Goddess Lakshmi. His arms are the residence to the guardians of the world and His lotus feet are the shelter to those devotees who glorify Him. His face is nectarous to our eyes.
As the chariot of Lord Krishna, who was decked in golden yellow Pitambara clothes and who was wearing the Vanamala garland, entered the royal paths, a white umbrella was held over His head. He was fanned with Vinjāmara fans. Flowers were showered upon Him in plenty. At that time the Lord was glowing magnificently like a cloud that is encircled by the Sun, Stars, Moon, rainbows and lightning.
Srikrishna went to the residence of His parents and bowing His head in deep reverence, He offered obeisance to Devaki and other seven mothers. All of them embraced Him. With overflowing love, the mothers seated Him on their laps. The joyful tears from their eyes wet Him completely.
From there, He proceeded to His luxurious palace, which had in it every form of luxury. In it resided His 8 queens and 16000 women.
The wives, who from a distance observed the arrival of their husband, who had been away for a very long period of time, with great excitement coupled with shyness, stopped their meditations and also the disciplines that they had been practicing in his absence. They immediately got up from their seats and stood up.
These wives, who were of an in-depth character, at first embraced the Lord mentally in their heart. Thereafter they embraced Him by meeting His gaze. From the place where they were standing, they either bent their head in shyness or met His gaze and embraced Him through that gaze. Then they physically embraced Him. How fortunate they were!
Overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing their Lord, they could not control their tears. Lord Krishna was always beside them; He was exclusively (ekanta) with each of them, yet at every second, His feet appeared newer to them.
Who can ever get tired of observing the lotus feet of that Lord, which Goddess Lakshmi, who inherently is of a restless nature, will never leave (never gets tired)?
Lord Krishna had caused disputes amongst those kings, who empowered with mighty armies, had spread their tentacles in all directions and had become burdensome to Mother Earth. Just like the wind which causes a friction and creates a forest fire that ultimately burns down the entire forest, Lord Krishna, without himself taking up any weapon, had caused friction amongst these kings which ultimately led to their mutual destruction. In this manner, He reduced the load of Mother Earth and was peaceful.
Neither did the Lord take up any weapon to kill anyone nor did He instigate any of them to kill. He just caused a friction between them. All of them were cheats and traitors. He just caused one traitor to fight another. He reduced the load of Mother Earth.
The Supreme Lord, who, using His power of illusion had incarnated amongst humans as Krishna, enjoyed amongst competent women, as if He was an ordinary human being. The women, even with their unsurpassed beauty and deceitful sports, however could not create even the slightest wavering in His mind. With their sensuous smiles and sportive gazes, perhaps even Manmatha, the God of love, would be captivated but they could not cause even stir in the mind of their Lord Krishna even slightly.
Tam ayaṁ manyate loko hy asaṅgam api saṅginam
The Lord has no association with any object, although He is everything.
Ātmaupamyena manujaṁ vyāpṛṇvānaṁ yato ‘budhaḥ
Irrespective of the tasks undertaken, Srikrishna remains unattached to them all! However, the ignorant human being, who is unable to grasp this knowledge, considers the Lord to be an ordinary human. He believes that the Lord is also tied to karmic bondages of this universe, like everyone else. Thus the ignorant person is trapped in illusion.
Spiritual ignorance is the root for all this! Such persons believe, ‘O He too has attachments just as we do. He is also tied down with bondages. He too is enveloped by all forms of desires and anger’. They do not realize that He is everything. Trapped in this illusion, they behave in this manner.
Every being was under this illusion towards Srihari. In reality, the Supreme Lord has no connection with joys-sorrows which arise out of the traits/ modes of nature (Prakriti guṇas). Only he who realizes this fact merges into Him!
Even then, this Lord appears as if He is manifested with a body that is controlled by Prakriti and its gunas (nature and its qualities). This is the īśwaratwam of that Supreme Almighty! Even though He does not exist, He illumines in it. Even though He exists, He appears as if He does not exist.
This is very difficult to understand, isn’t it? Although He is attached, He appears to be unattached. Let us consider the example of an object called stone. How does a stone appear? It appears like a stone. That’s it. It has no movement. How was it created? Perhaps from some metal or from earth or some chemicals. That form itself is Paramatma! He is illumining or making Himself visible through this form! He appears like a stone. He appears like water. He becomes like fire. If you think deeply, you will grasp this subject.
The intellect (buddhi) that is totally fixed upon Paramatma, will not succumb to the trap of likes-dislikes, isn’t it?
Sriman Narayana!