The Glory of Krishna Avathar Part - 3

The Glory of Krishna Avathar Part - 3

The ways of the Avathar

 - 

( It is continued from part - 2. Those who did not read the second part click the below link to read it.
https://saiavathar.blogspot.in/2017/08/the-glory-of-krishna-avathar-part-2.html)

There are many subtle truths relating to an incarnation which cannot be easily understood. Merely to describe the various sports and exploits of Krishna as a child is only a pastime. God's ways are infinite and inscrutable. No one can determine or dictate to God how He should act. He can transform anything in a moment.

It must be clearly understood that Krishna was such a manifestation of the Divine. The name Krishna has to be properly understood. "Krish" + "Na" = Krishna. This means that He is one who cultivates (Krish) the heart. "Karsh" + "Na" is another derivation, which indicates that Krishna is one who attracts--Karshathi-ithi-Krishnah. Krishna attracts people not only by the matchless beauty of His form. He attracts people by his music, his dance, his sports and his words. Krishna, by His winsome ways, could turn the anger of the Gopis towards him because of his pranks, into an enjoyable joke.

Not was that all. Krishna, in fulfilling the pledge He had given to Mother Earth, rid the world of many wicked rulers and sought to establish the reign of Righteousness for the protection of the good.

The Divine incarnates from age to age for the purpose of protecting the virtuous, punishing the wicked and establishing Dharma. Krishna is said to have destroyed many wicked persons. But this is not quire correct. It is their own wickedness which destroyed these evil persons.

Today if the Divine wants to punish the wicked and protect the righteous, there will not be even one wholly righteous person. All will qualify for punishment. It is .not a question of destroying the wicked. The task today is to transform Adharma (unrighteousness) into Dharma (righteousness). How is this to be done? Through love alone.

Men's thoughts determine their destiny 

Krishna also changed the hearts of many people through love. It may be asked: "Is it not Krishna who killed Kamsa?" Not at all. This is the text-book version. In truth, it was Kamsa's own heated bhrama (delusion) which killed him. He was always haunted by the fear of Krishna. His death was a result and a reaction of that fear.

Men's thoughts determine their destiny. Hence, men should cultivate good thoughts and eschew all bad feelings.

God has no dislike for anyone. He envies no one. He has no ill-will towards anyone. Not does He have favourites. The grace one gets is the result of one's own feelings. "Bhaavaatheetham Thriguna rahitham" (The Divine is beyond feelings and attributes). He is "Ekam Sathyam Vimalam Achalam" (the One, Truth, Pure, Immovable). He is "Sarvadhee Saakshibhuutham" (Eternal Witness in all minds).

When devotees complain now-a-days why they are being punished by the Lord in various ways, they do not realise that it is not God who is punishing them. Their own fears and fancies are the cause of their troubles. He alone is a true devotee who recognises that his sufferings are the consequence of his own bad thoughts and actions.

One such devotee was Kunthidhevi, sister of Vasudheva (and mother of the Paandavas). She was Krishna's maternal aunt.

Kunthi's strange prayer to Krishna 

Krishna was leaving Hasthinaapura for Dhvaaraka. He was bidding farewell to all his kinsfolk and taking leave of Dharmaja and others. Everyone silently accepted his decision. The chariot was ready for Krishna's departure. But the Divine can change his mind at any moment. After raking leave of all others he went to Kunthi.

 Kunthi told him- "Krishna! All the troubles we experienced were due to our delusions. If Dharmaja had not been lured by the game of dice, would we have been subject to exile in the forest and all the troubles we went through? Hence my children were the root cause of all our troubles. You are always our protector. During all our troubles I always remembered you. In the world people remember God only in times of trouble and not when they are happy Therefore, Krishna, as long as I have a body, give me always difficulties. However, having had you with us all these years, we are deeply distressed to see you part from us. I have no power to change your mind. I only pray do not forget this aunt of yours."

After that, Krishna went to Utthara (Abhimanyu's wife). Hearing that Krishna was leaving for Dhvaaraka, Utthara ran towards Krishna and fell at his feet. "Lord! Since Abhimanyu's death, I have been trying hard to bear the pain that is gnawing at my bosom. There is a fire burning in my womb. I cannot divine the reason. You should not leave at all for Dhvaaraka now. You must stay You have been the protector of my forebears for many generations. You were the saviour of the Paandavas. The child in my womb is the only hope of the Paandava clan. If anything untoward happens to that child, the Paandava dynasty will be extinguished. Therefore, you must not leave." So saying, Utthara firmly clung to Krishna's feet.

Krishna was immediately moved by Utthara's deep devotion. The journey to Dhvaaraka was given up. Krishna made a promise to Utthara. "I will not leave for Dhvaaraka till your child is born," assured Krishna. At that moment, Dharmaja and his brothers, Dhraupadhi and Subhadhra praised Utthara's devotion to the Lord. Though young in years, Utthara was pre-eminent in her devotion. This was because when she was enceinte, Krishna entered her womb to protect the foetus from the Brahmaasthra (a terrible missile) of Ashvathaama. She had a vision in a dream of Krishna entering her womb. From that moment she was ceaselessly chanting the name of Krishna and seeing Krishna in every person and every object.

Because of this, when the child was born, Krishna named him Pareekshith as he rested everyone till he recognized Krishna.

Divine madness of Gopikas has a lesson for all 

It is clear that the leelas (miracles) of God are inexplicable and infinite. It is ludicrous to seek the whereabouts of the Divine, who is omnipresent. Utthara was one who recognised the omnipresence of God. Recognising her supreme devotion Krishna was prepared to change His plans. People should realise that God responds only to deep and genuine devotion. Verbal supplications will not suffice. The devotee must acquire the yearning that will melt the heart of God. Even butter which is so soft melts only when heat is applied. Likewise, the warmth of Bhakthi (love of the Lord) has to be applied to the butter of the human heart to make it melt. It was their intense devotion which made Krishna dwell in the hearts of Gopikas. They became God-intoxicate. Once when Krishna disappeared from their midst they started searching for him everywhere, among the trees and the bushes of Brindhaavan, oblivious to everything else. Their appeals to the creepers to tell them whether their Krishna was hiding amongst them night seem hysterical. But it would be a good thing if such hysterical love of God filled people's hearts today. The world will be a calmer and better place.

Craze for God removes the craze for wealth 

Some people talk caustically to Sai devotees saying: "You have gone crazy over Sai Baba." This craziness is sublime madness. There are all kinds of lunatics in the mental hospital, many of whom pose difficult problems for the doctors. If some God-mad devotee sits in a corner chanting God's name, what a relief he would be to doctors! If you develop this kind of sublime madness, you will be supremely fortunate indeed! Everyone should be crazy about God. Only then they will get rid of the mad craving for wealth and the things of the world. The craze for money is the cause of all the ills in the world. With the result that the desire for God declines.

Because of the craze for riches, all other evil qualities like pride, greed, envy and hatred have grown among mankind. Wealth is, indeed, needed, but it is the wealth of Divine Grace and the treasure of Divine Love. That alone is lasting. All other things are transient.

Once Yasodha appealingly asked Krishna why he was going to the Gopika's houses to steal their butter when there was so much butter in their own house. The Child Krishna replied: "Mother, I am not stealing butter but the hearts of the Gopis." (Svaami sang a beautiful song relating to this episode). "Their hearts are pure and full of devotion," said Krishna. "Their butter is filled with the devotion with which they churn the buttermilk. Their bangles keep time as they sing Krishna's name while churning. The butter that is got contains the essence of the Vedhas." Krishna asked Yasodha whether this kind of churning was taking place in her house.

Krishna Avathar is hailed as Puurna Avathar 

In this manner, every word of Krishna was replete with spiritual significance. The Krishna Avathar is hailed as Puurna Avathar, compared to all previous Avathars.

Vyaasa could obtain peace of mind only when, on the advice of Sage Naaradha, he began to write about the glorious incarnations of the Lord (described in the Bhagavatham). All his earlier writings, including the codification of the Vedhas and the writing of the puraanas, could not confer peace on him.

Embodiments of Love! No amount of scholarship will give you peace, unless you are filled with the love of God.

( It is a divine discourse narrated by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
on Gokulasthami Day in Sai Ramesh Hall, Brindavan, on 28-8-1994)