We continued with our third Pareeksha, based on the content shared in January and February of 2021. Here are the next set of Questions and the corresponding responses-

9. What did Bhagavan Krshna do in Chaturmasya?

• Bhagavan Krshna observed nature during the Chaturmasya, similar to what Bhagavan Rama did during the Chaturmasya along with Shri Lakshmana. It is Shri Krshna’s reverie in nature.

10. What does Govardhana mean?

• Go means senses and vardhana means to lift or discipline the senses. Bhagavan Krshna taught His father and the others to worship the unseen, that is Brahman, through the seen, that is creation (the cows, the needy). One shouldn’t engage in any facet of Sanatana Dharma out of fear.

11. What is the hridaya, prana, and udana of Srimad Bhagavata?

• Hridaya — Skanda 10
• Prana — Chapters 29–33 — Raasapanchadhyaya
• Udana — Chapter 31 — Gopi Gita

12. What do Chapters 31–33 symbolize for us?

• Chapter 31 — Mumukshutvam — the intensity for enlightenment
• Chapter 32 — Moksha — When Bhagavan Krshna comes back
• Chapter 33 — Bhakti — Where the Gopis got to enjoy that Moksha

— — — — — — — — — –

Sakshat Manmatha Manmathah — Bhagavan Krshna is described as a live stealer of the one who steals minds. For the typical person, it is kama that steals their minds, and Bhagavan Krshna steals kama’s mind. For the past one hundred classes, we have been immersed in the details of Bhagavata, of Bhagavan. There is divinity in the details. This is clearly expressed or felt as — In our Upanishad, a description of Bhagavan Vishnu is — Yajnyo Vai Vishnuh. Bhagavan Vishnu is yajna, which means dedication. We have been dedicated these past hundred classes and when one is completely dedicated, they forget about the sacrifice they are making. We can all relate to this — What sacrifice when we are reveling in Vedanta in Bhagavata!

In Skanda ten, Chapter 39 — The Gopis express their sadness to Bhagavan Krshna that they do miss Him. Chapter 40 — Akrura praises Bhagavan Krshna in Akrura Stuti

Chapter 41 — Bhagavan Krshna is moving through Mathura and as He is moving through Mathura, the Devis rush to see Bhagavan and they share among each other — How intense must have been the austerities of the Gopis of Vrindavana that they got to see Bhagavan daily! The Gopis had said the same thing about the seekers of Mathura when Bhagavan was leaving Vrindavana. Seekers shouldn’t be jealous of each other, but be inspired by each other.

Bhagavan continues and then frees the washerman who is actually mean to Him. The next person to receive mukti from Bhagavan Krshna is the weaver. Then He meets a garland maker who gives Bhagavan a garland and — seeks only devotion, a devotion that will never change, to the One within all, that is You, Sri Krshna.

So the seekers are freed, the washerman is freed, the weaver is freed, the garland maker is freed. What we should take away from this is that if we give a little, Bhagavan will give all. So if we choose Peace, we will get Peace and Prosperity.

10:42:17: Rishi Shuka is describing to Raja Parikshita what Bhagavan Krshna did when he got closer to Mathura. As Bhagavan Krshna gets close to the area where the archery and wrestling is going to take place, he happens to enter a tent where they are keeping this great bow. As if playing, Bhagavan Krshna picks up the bow with His left hand and as He tries to string the bow, the bow breaks. This is an intense bow that no one can lift, and with a twinkle in His eye, He did this in front of everyone. This is compared to an elephant that takes a bamboo stick in its trunk and crushes it. Why is Bhagavan doing this? To send a message to Kamsa.

Now Bhagavan comes across a person, Trivakra, who is carrying chandan. Bhagavan asks her for some chandan and follows up by saying “Shreya tat asti”, meaning — If you give me this chandan, it will be shreya for you or that you will get the maximum. And He purified her externally and internally as well. Trivakra was Manthara in her previous birth

What Kamsa is doing is challenging Bhagavan, while the earlier people in this community, like Trivakra, the weaver, the garland maker, were serving Him. And it is for this reason that all the people with Bhagavan Krshna, they sleep well that night even though they were invited to this challenge to be killed. As for Kamsa, he is sleepless. This is what is going on with Kamsa as he is trying to sleep –

In waking and in dream, he saw many portents that came to him like messengers of death. Even though his head was on his neck, he could not find it in a reflection in the mirror. He saw the sun and the moon and other luminaries as doubles even though there is only one of each actually present. Seeing holes in his own reflection, not hearing the humming sound of the working of the prana when the orifices of the ears were closed. All of the trees were yellow. Finding no foot marks on sand or mud — these were some of the bad omens he saw in the waking state.

Does this sound sensible? Those who are adharmik, are confused. Those who follow dharma, are courageous. This is how this chapter ends, comparing these children to the ruler. The children are following dharma, but the ruler is not. If we don’t follow dharma we can’t even sleep, which is such a functional activity.

10:43:17 — Rishi Shuka continues to share with Raja Parikshita. Vivekji suggested we analyze this shloka more for ourselves — Bhagavan Krshna was like lightning to the wrestlers. Here are the nine different types of relationships that Bhagavan Krshna shares with everyone –

1. To those who were ordinary, He was the best.
2. To the Devis and Gopis, He was like Kamadeva or the most lovely.
3. To the Gopas, He was like family.
4. To those rulers who were wicked, He was their Controller.
5. To the parents, He was like a child.
6. To the Kings like Kamsa, He was death.
7. To the wise, He was Virata or the entire multiverse.
8. To the Yogis or contemplators, He was The Truth or Existence.
9. To those part of the Vrshni family, He was their role model.

What Rishi Shuka is describing is that Bhagavan Krshna became everyone to everyone. He related to all. This is how different personalities knew Bhagavan Krshna. Bhagavan Krshna was feeding all, like the nine different types of tastes. He was meeting different types of people and He was relating to every one of them.

Now Bhagavan Krshna enters the arena. As He is about to enter the arena, right outside there is an elephant named Kuvalayapeeda, which means the one who causes pain. Bhagavan Krshna asks the elephant keeper to move aside the elephant, but the keeper instead provokes the elephant to charge at Bhagavan Krshna. So Bhagavan ties his dhoti and hair and speaks in a thunderous way, asking them to make way so He can enter the arena and the elephant starts charging towards Him. Bhagavan Krshna then starts playing with this elephant like a child plays with a toy. He starts pulling its tail and spinning it around, and the elephant gets more and more enraged, until Bhagavan Krshna finally steps on the elephant and pulls out its tusks. He keeps one and gives the other tusk to His older brother, as if sharing His toy.

When Bhagavan Krshna and Sri Balarama enter into the arena, everyone starts talking amongst themselves saying that these two are like reputed actors. Others are just looking and looking at Bhagavan Krshna and they just can’t stop looking. They are not satiated. Others are describing Him as the master of all, of all people and subjects, of everything He touches. When they enter the arena, the wrestlers on Kamsa’s side challenge them.

10:44:50 — Rishi Shuka continues to share with Raja Parikshita that Bhagavan Krshna and Sri Balarama go to meet their parents who are in jail and Bhagavan Krshna frees them. After speaking to them both, Bhagavan Krshna and Sri Balarama both bend down and put their heads on their feet.

Many who are gathered in the arena are sharing that what is happening is adharma. Here are these grownup wrestlers challenging these kids? And we who are watching this will also be charged with adharma. This relates so much to how Prince Arjuna thinks as well regarding adharma, but if Bhagavan Krshna is there, can there be any adharma? There can’t be! Chanuda, Mushtika, Koota, Shala, Toshala were some of the strongest wrestlers who challenged Bhagavan Krshna and Sri Balarama. Every time they would hit Bhagavan Krshna, it was like a wreath thrown at an elephant, like they were being caressed. And then Sri Krshna and Sri Balarama hit them all once, and it is described as an effigy that has been crushed. Imagine what would happen to a mannequin thrown from high up! After they had destroyed the bow, the elephant, the wrestlers, all their friends ran into the arena and started playing music and dancing. They couldn’t help themselves from rejoicing. Then Kamsa starts making senseless orders to kill Sri Vasudeva, Bhagavan Krshna’s father, to kill Sri Ugrasena, Kamsa’s own father. When Bhagavan Krshna hears this order, He is enraged and jumps up to where Kamsa is seated and finally grabs Kamsa and puts all His weight on Him dropping him down to the ground, and falling on him simultaneously. And Kamsa is finally destroyed.

Sri Krshna Chandra Bhagavan ki Jai!

Skanda nine began with what Kamsa was doing, and finally Kamsa is destroyed. Kamsa symbolizes violence. All of these Asuras represent a part of our personality. Those who are violent invoke fear and evoke fear. This is thoughtfully shared that whatever Kamsa was drinking, speaking, walking, eating, sleeping, breathing, he only had this thought that he was afraid of Bhagavan Krshna. And as you think, so you develop. So when Kamsa is crushed, what happens to him? He becomes free, mukti for Kamsa as well.

Upon Kamsa’s death, Bhagavan Krshna orders all of the rulers and Ministers to perform the samskaras for those who had died. Then He goes to His parents and releases them. And what He says to them is how sad He is that they had to endure Kamsa while he was alive. Then Bhagavan Krshna shares with his parents, Sri Vasudeva and Devi Devaki that there is too much sadness as all their infants were murdered. So all they could do is just put their heads on their feet.

Now Bhagavan Krshna will continue to live in Mathura and we will get to some very special parts, like His Upanayana and when He lived in the Gurukula.