Source
Texts:
Krishna
Rescues His Teacher's Son
Text
1
S'rî
S'uka said: 'With His parents arriving at the idea that He
would be the Supreme Personality said He to Himself 'This
should not be so' and thus expanded He the personal illusory
potency [of His yogamâyâ] which bewilders
the people.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Understanding that His parents
were becoming aware of His transcendental opulences, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead thought that this should not
be allowed to happen. Thus He expanded His
Yogamâyâ, which bewilders His devotees.
Text
2
Approaching
them together with His elder brother, the Greatest of the
Veritable [the Sâtvatas], said He, to gratify
them, with humility bowing down to His parents respectfully:
'Dear father and mother!
Lord
Krishna, the greatest of the Sâtvatas, approached His
parents with His elder brother. Humbly bowing His head and
gratifying them by respectfully addressing them as "My dear
mother" and "My dear father," Krishna spoke as
follows.
Text
3
There
has, o father who because of us were always in anxiety, indeed
for the two of you never been anything of the toddler-age, the
boyhood and youth of your two sons [see
*].
[Lord
Krishna said:] Dear Father, because of Us, your two
sons, you and mother Devakî always remained in anxiety
and could never enjoy Our childhood, boyhood or
youth.
Text
4
As
ordained by fate could we, deprived of residing in your
presence, not experience the pampered happiness of children
staying in the home of their parents.
Deprived
by fate, We could not live with you and enjoy the pampered
happiness most children enjoy in their parents' home.
Text
5
To the parents
from whom one is born and by whom one is maintained, is a
mortal person never, not for a lifespan of hundred years, able
to repay the debt, as they are the source of the body that is
there for all goals of life [purushârthas,
compare 10.32:
22].
With
one's body one can acquire all goals of life, and it is
one's parents who give the body birth and sustenance.
Therefore no mortal man can repay his debt to his parents,
even if he serves them for a full lifetime of a hundred
years.
Text
6
A
son who, of them capable with his resources and wealth, does
not provide for their sustenance, will after death be made to
eat his own flesh indeed [see also 5.26].
A
son who, though able to do so, fails to provide for his
parents with his physical resources and wealth is forced
after his death to eat his own flesh.
Text
7
Being
capable of but not maintaining one's mother and father, the
elderly, one's chaste wife, one's very young child, the
spiritual master and the learned one seeking shelter, is one
dead as one breathes [see B.G.
11: 33].
A
man who, though able to do so, fails to support his elderly
parents, chaste wife, young child or spiritual master, or
who neglects a brâhmana or anyone who comes to him for
shelter, is considered dead, though breathing.
Text
8
Therefore
were the two of Us, because of Kamsa who was always disturbing,
with a mind for nothing unable to honor you and have we
uselessly spent these days [of youth].
Thus
We have wasted all these days, unable as We were to properly
honor you because Our minds were always disturbed by fear of
Kamsa.
Text
9
Please forgive
us the fact that, o father and mother, under the control of
others from our part not being at your service, the hardhearted
one [Kamsa] caused such great pain.'
Dear
Father and Mother, please forgive Us for not serving you. We
are not independent and have been greatly frustrated by
cruel Kamsa.
Text
10
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Thus bewildered by the deluding power of Him, the
Lord and Soul of the Universe appearing as a human being,
raised they Them upon their laps to experience the joy of
embracing them.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Thus beguiled by the words of Lord
Hari, the Supreme Soul of the universe, who by His internal
illusory potency appeared to be a human, His parents
joyfully raised Him up on their laps and embraced
Him.
Text
11
Bound by the
rope of affection crying a river couldn't they say a thing, o
King, being overwhelmed with their throats full of
tears.
Pouring
out a shower of tears upon the Lord, His parents, who were
bound up by the rope of affection, could not speak. They
were overwhelmed, O King, and their throats choked up with
tears.
Text
12
The Supreme
Lord, the son of Devakî, thus consoled His parents and
made His maternal grandfather Ugrasena, King over the
Yadus.
Thus
having comforted His mother and father, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, appearing as the son of
Devakî, installed His maternal grandfather, Ugrasena,
as King of the Yadus.
Text
13
He
then told him: 'With Us, o great King, as your subjects please
take command, as because of the curse of Yayâti [see
9.18:
42]
one from Yadu should not sit on the throne.
The
Lord told him: O mighty King, We are your subjects, so
please command Us. Indeed, because of the curse of
Yayâti, no Yadu may sit on the royal throne.
Text
14
When
I am present attending to you as a servant, will the demigods
and all belonging to them bow down to offer you tribute;
and what then to
say of other rulers of men?'
Since
I am present in your entourage as your personal attendant,
all the demigods and other exalted personalities will come
with heads bowed to offer you tribute. What, then, to speak
of the rulers of men?
Text
15-16
All His close
relatives and other relations, the
Yadus,
Vrishnis, Andhakas, Madhus, Dâs'ârhas, Kukuras and
other clans, who
disturbed in fear of Kamsa had fled in all directions, were
honored and consoled, for living in foreign regions had made
them weary. He, the Maker of the Universe, arranged for their
homes and gratified them with valuable gifts.
The
Lord then brought all His close family members and other
relatives back from the various places to which they had
fled in fear of Kamsa. He received the Yadus, Vrishnis,
Andhakas, Madhus, Dâs'ârhas, Kukuras and other
clans with due honor, and He also consoled them, for they
were weary of living in foreign lands. Then Lord Krishna,
the creator of the universe, resettled them in their homes
and gratified them with valuable gifts.
Text
17-18
Protected
by the arms of Krishna and Sankarshana enjoyed they in their
homes perfectly the fulfillment of their desires as because of
Krishna and Râma the fever [of a material life]
had ceased, now that they day by day saw the loving, always
cheerful, beautiful lotuslike face of Mukunda with the
merciful, smiling glances.
The
members of these clans, protected by the arms of Lord
Krishna and Lord Sankarshana, felt that all their desires
were fulfilled. Thus they enjoyed perfect happiness while
living at home with their families. Because of the presence
of Krishna and Balarâma, they no longer suffered from
the fever of material existence. Every day these loving
devotees could see Mukunda's ever-cheerful lotus face, which
was decorated with beautiful, merciful smiling
glances.
Text
19
Even the eldest
were youthful and full of strength and vitality, there [in
Mathurâ] drinking in with their eyes repeatedly the
nectar of Mukunda's lotusface.
Even
the most elderly inhabitants of the city appeared youthful,
full of strength and vitality, for with their eyes they
constantly drank the elixir of Lord Mukunda's lotus
face.
Text
20
Next,
o great King, were the Supreme Lord, the son of Devakî,
and Sankarshana approached by Nanda and this is what They,
embracing him, said:
Then,
O exalted Parîkchit, the Supreme Lord Krishna, the son
of Devakî, along with Lord Balarâma, approached
Nanda Mahârâja. The two Lords embraced him and
then addressed him as follows.
Text
21
'O father, by
the great affection and the fondling by the two of you, were we
greatly maintained, indeed is for parents the love for their
children greater even than the love they have for
themselves.
[Krishna
and Balarâma said:] O Father, you and mother
Yas'odâ have affectionately maintained Us and cared
for Us so much! Indeed, parents love their children more
than their own lives.
.
Text
22
He is father
and she is mother who nourish as their own children the sons
who were abandoned by their family that was incapable of
maintaining and protecting them.
They
are the real father and mother who care for, as they would
their own sons, children abandoned by relatives unable to
maintain and protect them.
Text
23
Please, all of
you, go to Vraja, dear father, We will come [with the
appearance of...] to see you and your kin aching of love,
after making our friends here happy.
Now
you should all return to Vraja, dear Father. We shall come
to see you, Our dear relatives who suffer in separation from
Us, as soon as We have given some happiness to your
well-wishing friends.
Text
24
Acyuta thus
appeasing Nanda and the folk of Vraja, then respectfully
honored them with clothing, jewelry and pots and
such.'
Thus
consoling Nanda Mahârâja and the other men of
Vraja, the infallible Supreme Lord respectfully honored them
with gifts of clothing, jewelry, household utensils and so
on.
Text
25
Thus addressed
by the two of Them embraced Nanda Them, engulfed by affection,
with tears filling his eyes and went he with the gopas to
Vraja.
Nanda
Mahârâja was overwhelmed with affection upon
hearing Krishna's words, and his eyes brimmed with tears as
he embraced the two Lords. Then he went back to Vraja with
the cowherd men.
Text
26
Then
had the son of S'ûrasena [Vasudeva], o King, by a
priest and brahmins for his sons the second-birth-initiation
properly performed.
My
dear King, then Vasudeva, the son of S'ûrasena,
arranged for a priest and other brâhmanas to perform
his two sons' second-birth initiation.
Text
27
He
donated to them in worship, to their full ornate, for
remuneration cows with golden chains and ornaments complete
with calves and garlands of flowers of flax.
Vasudeva
honored these brâhmanas by worshiping them and giving
them fine ornaments and well-ornamented cows with their
calves. All these cows wore gold necklaces and linen
wreaths.
Text
28
He,
magnanimous, gave them in charity the cows that were stolen
away by Kamsa, which he had donated in his mind on the day that
Krishna and Râma were born [see 3.10-11-12].
The
magnanimous Vasudeva then remembered the cows he had
mentally given away on the occasion of Krishna's and
Balarâma's birth. Kamsa had stolen those cows, and
Vasudeva now recovered them and gave them away in charity
also.
Text
29
After by
initiation having attained the twice-born status, took They,
sincere in Their vows from Garga, the preceptor of the Yadus,
the vow of celibacy [to be a student, see also
gâyatrî
and brahmacârya].
After
attaining twice-born status through initiation, the Lords,
sincere in Their vows, took the further vow of celibacy from
Garga Muni, the spiritual master of the Yadus.
Text
30-31
As the Lords of
the Universe of all being the origin and in knowledge being
omniscient did They, by their humanlike activities concealing
the impeccable knowledge that was achieved from no other
source, then desire to live at the school of the guru native to
Kâsî [Benares] named Sândîpani
who dwelt in the city of Avantî
[Ujjain].
Concealing
Their innately perfect knowledge by Their humanlike
activities, those two omniscient Lords of the universe,
Themselves the origin of all branches of knowledge, next
desired to reside at the school of a spiritual master. Thus
They approached Sândîpani Muni, a native of
Kâsî living in the city of Avantî.
Text
32
The spiritual
teacher to that circumstance getting Them in self-restraint,
was by Them, who approaching for service respected him as if he
were the Lord, indeed with Their devotion used to set an
irreproachable example for others.
Sândîpani
thought very highly of these two self-controlled disciples,
whom he had obtained so fortuitously. By serving him as
devotedly as one would serve the Supreme Lord Himself, They
showed others an irreproachable example of how to worship
the spiritual master.
Text
33
Their highest
one of the twiceborn satisfied with their pure love and
submissive acts taught as their guru Them all the Veda's with
their corollary literatures and philosophical treatises,
[**]
That
best of brâhmanas, the spiritual master
Sândîpani, was satisfied with Their submissive
behavior, and thus he taught Them the entire Vedas, together
with their six corollaries and the Upanishads.
Text
34
the Dhanur-veda
[military science, archery] along with all its secrets
[the mantras], the dharma [codes of human conduct,
the laws] and the nyâya [the methods of
logic] as also ânvîkshikîm
[the knowledge of
philosophical debate or tarka] and the six aspects of
râja-nîtim [political science, see
***].
He
also taught Them the Dhanur-veda, with its most confidential
secrets; the standard books of law; the methods of logical
reasoning and philosophical debate; and the sixfold science
of politics.
Text
35-36
As
the best of all first class persons and of all knowledge the
promulgators did They, o ruler of man, fixed in concentration
fully assimilate, simply having it related once, in as many
days and nights the complete of the sixty-four arts
[*4]
and offered They satisfied their preceptor, o King,
compensation [gurudakshinâ].
O
King, those best of persons, Krishna and Balarâma,
being Themselves the original promulgators of all varieties
of knowledge, could immediately assimilate each and every
subject after hearing it explained just once. Thus with
fixed concentration They learned the sixty-four arts and
skills in as many days and nights. Thereafter, O King, They
satisfied Their spiritual master by offering him
guru-dakshinâ.
Text
37
The twiceborn
man, in due consideration of that amazing greatness of Their
superhuman intelligence, o King, after consulting with his
wife, arrived at the wish for his child that had perished in
the ocean at Prabhâsa [see also 1.15:
49,
3.1:
20,
3.3:
25].
O
King, the learned brâhmana Sândîpani
carefully considered the two Lords' glorious and amazing
qualities and Their superhuman intelligence. Then, after
consulting with his wife, he chose as his remuneration the
return of his young son, who had died in the ocean at
Prabhâsa.
Text
38
Saying 'So be
it' mounted the two great charioteers of unlimited prowess then
a chariot and walked they, reaching there, up to the shore to
sit down for a moment, upon which the ocean in recognition
brought Them offerings of tribute [compare
9.3:
13].
"So
be it," replied those two great charioteers of limitless
might, and They at once mounted Their chariot and set off
for Prabhâsa. When They reached that place, They
walked up to the shore and sat down. In a moment the deity
of the ocean, recognizing Them to be the Supreme Lords,
approached Them with offerings of tribute.
Text
39
To him said the
Supreme Lord: 'At once present Us the son of our guru, a young
boy, whom by you with a mighty wave has been seized
here.'
The
Supreme Lord Krishna addressed the lord of the ocean: Let
the son of My guru be presented at once - the one you seized
here with your mighty waves.
Text
40
The
person of the ocean said: 'It was not I who took him away, o
Lord, it was a powerful daitya named Pañcajana, o
Krishna, a demon who roams in the water assuming the form of a
conch.
The
ocean replied: O Lord Krishna, it was not I who abducted
him, but a demonic descendant of Diti named
Pañcajana, who travels in the water in the form of a
conch.
Text
41
By
him living here has he indeed been taken away'. Hearing that
hurried the Master into the water and killed He him, but the
boy He couldn't find in his belly.
"Indeed,"
the ocean said, "that demon has taken him away." Hearing
this, Lord Krishna entered the ocean, found Pañcajana
and killed him. But the Lord did not find the boy within the
demon's belly.
Text
42-44
Taking
the conchshell, that had grown as a part of the demon, returned
He to the chariot and left He for the beloved city of
Yamarâja [the Lord of death] known as Samyamani
[*5].
On His way being accompanied by Him who has the Plow for His
Weapon [Balarâma], blew Janârdana loudly on
the conchshell [see also B.G.
1: 15]
whose sound was heard by Yamarâja, the restrainer of the
ones born. Overflowing with devotion performed he elaborate
worship for Them and said he humbly, bowing down to Krishna who
dwells in each his heart: 'What can I do for the two of You, o
Vishnu, who appeared as human beings?
Lord
Janârdana took th e conchshell that had grown around
the demon's body and went back to the chariot. Then He
proceeded to Samyamanî, the beloved capital of
Yamarâja, the lord of death. Upon arriving there with
Lord Balarâma, He loudly blew His conchshell, and
Yamarâja, who keeps the conditioned souls in check,
came as soon as he heard the resounding vibration.
Yamarâja elaborately worshiped the two Lords with
great devotion, and then he addressed Lord Krishna, who
lives in everyone's heart: "O Supreme Lord Vishnu, what
shall I do for You and Lord Balarâma, who are playing
the part of ordinary humans?"
Text
45
The
Supreme Lord said: 'Please bring the son of My guru taken from
here to suffer the bondage of his karma, o great King; it is My
command that should be given priority'.
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Suffering the bondage
of his past activity, My spiritual master's son was brought
here to you. O great King, obey My command and bring this
boy to Me without delay.
Text
46
'Let
it be so' he said and brought forth the preceptor's son. The
Best of the Yadus then gave him back to Their guru whom They so
said: 'Please make a another wish'.
Yamarâja
said, "So be it," and brought forth the guru's son. Then
those two most exalted Yadus presented the boy to Their
spiritual master and said to him, "Please select another
boon."
Text
47
The
honorable guru said: 'I am completely fulfilled, my Boys, by
the remuneration for the guru of the two of you; what else
would there for the spiritual master of Persons like You be
left to desire?
The
spiritual master said: My dear boys, You two have completely
fulfilled the disciple's obligation to reward his spiritual
master. Indeed, with disciples like You, what further
desires could a guru have?
Text
48
Please
go to Your home, o heroes, may Your fame purify and may the
words of Your delight [the mantras, the vedic hymns] be
ever fresh ['never
die away' or 'never be forgotten']
in
this life and in the next!'[see
also: 10.13:
2]
O
heroes, now please return home. May Your fame sanctify the
world, and may the Vedic hymns be ever fresh in Your minds,
both in this life and the next.
Text
49
Thus
by Their guru permitted to leave, reached They on their chariot
fast as the wind and thundering like a cloud their
city.
Thus
receiving Their guru's permission to leave, the two Lords
returned to Their city on Their chariot, which moved as
swiftly as the wind and resounded like a cloud.
Text
50
The
citizens seeing Râma and Janârdana, not having seen
them for many days, all rejoiced like ones who having lost
their wealth had regained it.
All
the citizens rejoiced upon seeing Krishna and
Balarâma, whom they had not seen for many days. The
people felt just like those who have lost their wealth and
then regained it.
*
S'rîla Vis'vanâtha Cakravartî points out:
'The kaumâra stage lasts until the age of five, pauganda
up to age ten and kais'ora to age fifteen. From then on, one is
known as yauvana.' According to this statement, the kais'ora
period ends at the age of fifteen. Krishna was only eleven
years old when He killed Kamsa, according to Uddhava's words:
ekâdas'a-samâs tatra gûdhârcih sa-balo
'vasat. 'Like a covered flame, Lord Krishna remained there
incognito with Balarâma for eleven years' (Bhâg.
3.2.26)
... The three years and four months that Lord Krishna stayed in
Mahâvana were the equivalent of five years for an
ordinary child, and thus in that period He completed His
kaumâra stage of childhood. The period from then to the
age of six years and eight months, during which He lived in
Vrindâvana, constitutes His pauganda stage. And the
period from the age of six years and eight months through His
tenth year, during which time He lived in Nandîs'vara
[Nandagrâma], constitutes His kais'ora stage.
Then, at the age of ten years and seven months, on the eleventh
lunar day of the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra, He went
to Mathurâ, and on the fourteenth day thereafter He
killed Kamsa. Thus He completed His kais'ora period at age ten,
and He eternally remains at that age. In other words, we should
understand that from this point on the Lord remains forever a
kis'ora.'
**:
These are the so-called angas and Upanishads. The six angas
are: s'iks'a (phonetics), chanda, (prosody), vyâkarana
(grammar), jyotisha (astronomy), kalpa (content and rules for
the rituals) and nirukta (etymology).
***:
The six aspects of political science are: (1) sandhi, making
peace; (2) vigraha, war; (3) yâna, marching or
expedition; (4) âsana, sitting tight or encampment; (5)
dvaidha, dividing one's forces or separating one's allies; and
(6) sams'aya, depending on allies or seeking the protection of
a more powerful ruler.
*4:
The Lords learned: (1) gîtam, singing; (2) vâdyam,
playing on musical instruments; (3) nrityam, dancing; (4)
nâthyam, drama; (5) âlekhyam, painting; (6)
vis'eshaka-cchedyam, painting the face and body with colored
unguents and cosmetics; (7)
tandula-kusuma-bali-vikârâh, preparing auspicious
designs on the floor with rice and flowers; (8)
pushpâstaranam, making a bed of flowers; (9)
das'ana-vasanânga-râgâh, coloring one's
teeth, clothes and limbs; (10) mani-bhûmikâ-karma,
inlaying a floor with jewels; (11) s'ayyâ-racanam,
covering a bed; (12) udaka-vâdyam, ringing waterpots;
(13) udaka-ghâtah, splashing with water; (14)
citra-yogâh, mixing colors; (15)
mâlya-grathana-vikalpâh, preparing wreaths; (16)
s'ekharâpîda-yojanam, setting a helmet on the head;
(17) nepathya-yogâh, putting on apparel in a dressing
room; (18) karna-patra-bhangâh, decorating the earlobe;
(19) sugandha-yuktih, applying aromatics; (20)
bhûshana-yojanam, decorating with jewelry; (21)
aindrajâlam, jugglery; (22) kaucumâra-yogah, the
art of disguise; (23) hasta-lâghavam, sleight of hand;
(24) citra-s'âkâpûpa-bhakshya-
vikâra-kriyah, preparing varieties of salad, bread, cake
and other delicious food; (25)
pânaka-rasa-râgâsava-yojanam, preparing
palatable drinks and tinging draughts with red color; (26)
sûcî-vâya-karma, needlework and weaving; (27)
sûtra-krîdâ, making puppets dance by
manipulating thin threads; (28)
vînâ-damarukavâdyâni, playing on a lute
and a small X-shaped drum; (29) prahelikâ, making and
solving riddles; (29a) pratimâlâ, capping verses,
or reciting poems verse for verse as a trial of memory or
skill; (30) durvacaka-yogâh, uttering statements
difficult for others to answer; (31) pustaka-vâcanam,
reciting books; and (32)
nâthikâkhyâyikâ-dars'anam, enacting
short plays and writing anecdotes.(33)
kâvya-samasyâ-pûranam, solving enigmatic
verses; (34) paththikâ-vetra-bâna-vikalpâh,
making a bow from a strip of cloth and a stick; (35)
tarku-karma, spinning with a spindle; (36) takshanam,
carpentry; (37) vâstu-vidyâ, architecture; (38)
raupya-ratna- parîkshâ, testing silver and jewels;
(39) dhâtu-vâdah, metallurgy; (40) mani-
raga-jñânam, tinging jewels with various colors;
(41) âkara-jñânam, mineralogy; (42)
vrikshâyur-veda-yogâh, herbal medicine; (43)
mesha-kukkutha- lâvaka-yuddha-vidhih, the art of training
and engaging rams, cocks and quails in fighting; (44)
s'uka-s'ârikâ-pralâpanam, knowledge of how to
train male and female parrots to speak and to answer the
questions of human beings; (45) utsâdanam, healing a
person with ointments; (46) kes'a-mârjana- kaus'alam,
hairdressing; (47) akshara-mushthikâ-kathanam, telling
what is written in a book without seeing it, and telling what
is hidden in another's fist; (48)
mlecchita-kutarka-vikalpâh, fabricating barbarous or
foreign sophistry; (49)
des'a-bhâshâ-jñânam, knowledge of
provincial dialects; (50)
pushpa-s'akathikâ-nirmiti-jñânam, knowledge
of how to build toy carts with flowers; (51)
yantra-mâtrikâ, composing magic squares,
arrangements of numbers adding up to the same total in all
directions; (52) dhârana-mâtrikâ, the use of
amulets; (53) samvâcyam, conversation; (54)
mânasî-kâvya-kriyâ, composing verses
mentally; (55) kriyâ-vikalpâh, designing a literary
work or a medical remedy; (56) chalitaka-yogâh, building
shrines; (57)
abhidhâna-kosha-cchando-jñânam, lexicography
and the knowledge of poetic meters; (58) vastra-gopanam,
disguising one kind of cloth to look like another; (59)
dyûta-vis'esham, knowledge of various forms of gambling;
(so) âkarsha-krîda, playing dice; (61)
bâlaka-krîdanakam, playing with children's toys;
(62) vainâyikî vidyâ, enforcing discipline by
mystic power; (63) vaijayikî vidyâ, gaining
victory; and (64) vaitâlikî vidyâ, awakening
one's master with music at dawn. [see also Krishna
book ch. 45]
*5
Samyama means , self-control, restraint, holding together, the
integration of concentration [dhâranâ],
meditation [dhyâna], and absorption
[samâdhi] in yoga.
