krishna stories
Sivan Krishnan
Dear Children
32 ‘The
eternal love”
So far in all our earlier stories, we have been almost dwelling in Brindhavan village, along with Krishna, Radha, the cowherds and the cattle, bringing immeasurable joy to our minds and hearts. Why Brindhavan, the very name brings brammanandam to us? Because Krishna lived there, enjoyed every moment of his presence, made others extremely happy with his presence, and so it is a dream land, say, Heaven for us too!.
Later, when he was in Dwarka as the King, in the midst of ever so many duties, problems and obstacles faced, the endless commitments, responsibilities shouldered etc., Krishna found solace and resourcefulness, and was rejuvenated when he thought of hia Brindhavan days.
Krishna left Brindhavan many years ago. Quite often, the scene of his leaving Brindhavan for Mathura with Balaram, and Sage Akrurar, occupied his mind. Everyone was in tears silently bidding farewell to Krishna. Radha stood in a corner completely shattered, dejected and her eyes were a ocean of tears. Her eyes spoke volumes which he alone understood. Usually in our lives parting friends or relatives is a difficult moment and what about the people of Brindhavan, when they parted with Krishna their darling!!
In our day to day life, we use and practice the term “out of sight is out of mind”. We tend to forget people the moment we lose touch with them after some time, or don’t think of them until or unless we have something to connect with them arises. In Krishna’s case it was not at all so. He always remembers each and every one known to him in his life !
Everytime he recalled the incidents, involving his minor squabbles, quarrels and arguments with Radha, her eagerly bringing some eatables to him made by her specially for him, and compelling him to eat more and more, asking him to stop his playing on flute and talk to her, or forget herself dancing in his flute recitals, her wating for hours to join him in eating and remaining hungry till then, etc.,all these, repeatedly appeared on his mental screen and made him happily smile.
Krishna one day recollected an incident. It all began as a casual conversation and ended in a serious challenge :
“Krishna, you are friendly and lovable to all, they say in our Brindhavan village. Tell me honestly can you find a single person, and do you know anyother person, who is more affectionate towards you and more loving than me?” Radha tapped on his chest and demanded an answer. She exhibited her pride while asking this.
“Radha, are you under the impression that there is no one to me other than you, who loves and cares and affectionate towards me?” Countered Krishna. "Then why should so many surround me when I play on my flute and forget themselves and look at me with their eyes swallowing me in full!”
“Don’t bluff, Krishna” You know very well, none of them will equal me, and my love towards you cannot match with that of any one you know”
Krishna laughed.
“Don’t laugh Krishna, I am serious, I will prove this by conducting a test right now".
“Ok, then do it, let me see” said Krishna.
“All right, take out your flute and now play your best tunes. Let me see who comes near you” So saying Radha drew a circle around Krishna using his flute, on the mud floor in the open yard of Krishna’s house.
She declared “ Krishna you can now start playing. Whoever enters this circle and nears you, will die on the spot if their love for you is lesser than mine” This is the challenge,vow and bet, I am throwing” Do you agree?” Radha went away leaving Krishna in the circle and sat under a tree away from the open yard.
“What can I do Radha other than by accepting your challenge, but, think well before you commit yourself and don’t get disappointed or sad, if you lose in your bet or challenge”
“Krishna you know me, when I say or do something it is a firm commitment. Don’t try to discourage me thinking I will withdraw. Let me see who can come close to you than me within the circle under my condition??. Come on start playing on your flute fist ”
Krishna looked at her for a while smilingly and enjoyed her reactions. Then he began playing on his flute.
The moment his enchanting music spread in the air, and reached all ears, slowly and steadily everyone, mostly the gopis started coming towards Krishna’s house, like iron pieces drawn effectively by a magnet. Most of them encircled him . Radha was keenly observing who all are entering the circle drawn by her. She was worried by their steady moves towards Krishna.
In a few minutes, Radha was shocked and perturbed to note that one by one, most of the Gopis have crossed the line drawn by her and neared Krishna. Nothing happened to them. What happened to her challenge and why no one died on the spot according to her vow or bet!!!! She was weeping, stood distressed and helpless looking at Krishna who was still playing on his flute surrounded by many gopis inside the circle.
“Is my love for Krishna not more than the love of the other Gopis? Have I been all the time just dreaming and boasting. Did I not really have love for Krishna more than others??. The very thought disturbed her and she cried aloud unmindful of the presence of others.
Krishna stopped playing his flute and looked at her. He smiled at her and asked
“You foolish Radha, why do you weep? Why are you feeling dejected?”
“I am defeated. I have lost in my bet and challenge”
“Radha, look here, how do you know you had lost in your challenge?”
He called her to him but she refused to near him, nodding her head but continuing to cry.
“ Listen to me Radha, you did not lose in your challenge”
“No I have seen with my own eyes that all the gopis crossed the line of circle and neared you. Nothing happened to them disproving my challenge. You are just trying to pacify me, to make me happy. I am sorry Krishna, I am unable to bear this great disappointment and defeat”
“Radha, let me tell you firmly once again that you did not lose, in fact you proved and won the bet in your challenge. Just come here and see for yourself”
When Radha neared Krishna, by entering the circle and looked at the gopis, she was shocked and surprised. All the Gopis in the circle bore the face of Radha only!. Because all of them were RADHAS and so nothing happened to them.
"Now do you agree that to me all women are only Radha and that I see you in everyone who nears me.” Radha fell at his feet and he raised her up and embraced her.
Dear Children, do you realise Radha's pure love for Krishna? This is what Bakthi is.
Sivan Krishnan
Dear Children
34 ‘The soul mate ”
Why do we love Krishna, because his love for us is more than ours to him!.
That is why he is worshipped as “Baktha vathsalan” (Lover of devotees). His only interest is the welfare of his devotees. His story is full of his thoughts, deeds and efforts to protect the devotees who seek him, who surrenders to him and loves him, irrespective of the gender, and any being, human or not. Radha is therefore as we have been observing in all the stories so far, is only a personification of pure love for Krishna. Such a love is classified as one of the many ways of worshipping the Lord, namely, “mathura bhavam”. We need to know who this Radha is?
Krishna’s parents Nandhagopan and Yasodha lived in a small village named Nandhagram. In those days, a few houses formed a village. Ajacent to Nandhagram, there was another village named Varshana, where a pious couple lived. They were named Vrishabhanu, and Keerthitha sundhari, They were all cowherds by profession as we already knew in our stories. This couple did not have any issue and they were both dedicated Vaishnavites worshipping Lord Vishnu.
The legend goes, that one day when Vrishnabhanu went to the nearby river for bathing in the early hours, he found a big lotus leaf floating with a newborn baby in it. He was surprised to find the beautiful small baby floating towards him, when he was badly in need of a child at home. He thanked Lord Vishnu for His grace and took the baby home. The female baby’s eyes were closed. The story goes on to describe that her eyes were open and she was able to see only when Krishna stood before her. He was the first sight in her life.
Sage Naradha happened to visit the Varshana village once and when Vrishabhanu took the baby to the sage for his blessing, Naradha observed her and told Vrishabhanu, “ You are the most fortunate person to be the parent of this divine child. Your devotion to the Lord has rewarded you amply”
Sage Naradha was right is n’t it? Krishna regarded Radha as the only person who can influence him and take liberties with him because of her pure love for him. Krishna is bound only by sincerety of devotees. Radha lived for Krishna and Krishna’s jeevan was Radha. They are inseparable and were just two in one. Of all the devotees of Krishna, the foremost was Radha, who forgot herself, lost herself, and bound absolutely by Krishna’s playing on his flute, to the extent that she was even jealous of the flute for being attached to Krishna, and once she stole the flute to hide it away from Krishna!
There is also a version that Radha was an avathar of Goddes Lakshmi.
Once Krishna and Radha were sitting on the low branch of a huge peepal tree on the banks of Yamuna in the evening. Radha was busy making a garland of the various beautiful flowers she plucked from the nearby creepers and trees for Krishna to wear. She knew what were the flowers he liked most and was arranging the flowers nicely while making the garland. A few peacocks were surrounding them both and there were many colourful birds perched on the branches of the tree singing above their heads. Krishna was as usual playing on his flute and did not hear what Radha was asking him as he was completely engrossed in playing the flute heartily.
“Krishna when will you stop playing on the flute and talk to me?” prodded Radha by shaking his shoulder.
“Why Radha, don’t you like my playing on the flute? I have heard you saying quite often that you loved to hear my playing on it."
“Of course, I do like your sweet music but I would prefer your talking to me more than its engaging your lips. That is why I ask you many times to stop playing and talk to me”
Krishna laughed. “Radha, you are not only a riddle but a puzzle. You like my flute recital but you want me to stop playing on it."
“Krishna, I meet you and spend time with you in spite of my very heavy work at home and you know that. I seldom get time and I grab it to spend with you. I would very much like it to be talking with you. Listening to your flute recital, I can always do wherever I am and whatever work I am engaged in. Do you understand now?”
“Oh do you have so much work at home?
“Are you not aware that I have a home, cows and calves, parents and a good lot of household work. Am I like you free to roam about?”
“Then better you marry me
and take me home to be with you always?
Radha laughed and replied “Krishna this is the biggest joke, How can a single person marry himself or herself. You and me are a single soul with separate bodies,”
Only people who are separate and different from each other need to marry in this world, which we are not. Krishna, I also understand that very soon you are going to leave Brindhavan to Mathura to become a King and you may get many brides. If so why do you need me?”
“Radha I don’t need you because you are me and I am you. You ask your friend this flute, it will confirm that when you are not by my side, it is you, Radha.”
“Krishna I know that you cannot be separate from me, if I am not physically by your side, I am your flute stuck in your waist band. When you think of me and has some time for me, the flute will automatically reach your lips to express your mind and reveal your heart both of which are filled with my pure love for you. I know that you need not go in search of me as I don’t have to go anywhere to reach you physically, because wherever you are, I am there, Krishna”.
‘You are right Radha, searching for one another is for those who feel and know they are separate, it is not for us”.
Krishna left Brindhavan, went to Mathura, killed Kamsan, the demon king and later moved to Dwarka, ruled it as the king, married many wives, and took part in the great epic war of Mahabharath, taught Gita to Arjuna and us and all the time Radha lived in him. He never went in search of her at Brindhavan or elsewhere, as there was absolutely no need when she lived in him. Nor did Radha ever went in search of him to revive their old contact, as she always found him in her.
Sivan Krishnan
Dear Children
35 ‘ Arrival at Mathura”
Many days have passed since we discussed about or thought of the demon king Kamsan is n’t it? But as for him, not a single day passed without planning to devise a scheme to kill Krishna!! He had lost his sleep many years ago!! The repeated questions which occupied his mind and ate him were:
Why had he failed in all his attempts and efforts to kill Krishna?
Why did all the demons he sent to destroy Krishna, fail?
It has been a puzzle which disturbed Kamsan and he was yet to find an answer! So no wonder, he could not sleep. As I already wrote to you earlier, Kamsan was the only person who always thought of Krishna not as a devotee but as an interested destroyer!!!
While he was thus uneasy, an idea struck into Kamsan's mind, “why not invite Krishna and his brother Balaram to Mathura? Once they are here, it may be easier to kill them as all the other alternatives miserably failed!” Invitation was therefore sent. to Brindhavan, for Krishna and Balaram and in response, they have already reached Mathura. The beautiful big palace of Kamsan was visible even from a long distance.
Kamsan had already carefully thought and organized the plans to dispose of Krishna! The mighty Kuvalayaapeetam, the strongest and fierce elephant was ready to be unleashed to trample him. Chanooran, the strongest demonic wrestler was kept ready to wrestle with Krishna and kill the young boy,in their wrestling match in presence of every one. Kamsan himself was ready to enter the arena to fight with Krishna, if he still survived all these.
“Baiyaa, Balaram, how can we enter the palace of the king with this village cowherd dress? We were told to approach a launderer who will readily help us with some clean and good clothes. Let us look for him in the bazaar. The moment they met the clothes man, he was very happy and eager to select the best clothes for Krishna and Balaram and dressed them himself. In fact , like many other citizens of Mathura, he was awaiting their arrival to do his service to these young lads.
An old woman who was selling sweet smelling sandal paste packets in the town bazaar, learnt of the presence of Krishna and Balaram in the market area, walked with great difficulty and located Krishna, surrounded by many admirers, embraced him and smeared the rosewater mixed sandal paste all over Krishna’s hands, neck, chest and back, including his cheeks. A flower vendor named Sudhama had been enquiring everyone from the morning itself “Has Krishna arrived?” He had never seen Krishna before, though he heard much about Krishna's handsome personality, his valour and intelligence as stories from Brindhavan reached many ears in Mathura. The moment he saw Krishna smeared with sandal paste by the old woman, he pushed everyone aside and placed the garlands he made and brought for Krishna, on his shoulders.
“I know you love dark blue flowers most, Krishna, and after I heard of your visit here today, I made this special garland for you”
Sudhama, the flower vendor has been an admirer of Krishna and was too happy to see Krishna in Mathura and took pride in collecting and selecting the best flowers neatly garlanded. A red flower garland was also made by him for Balaram.
Krishna embraced the old Sudhama, flower vendor and asked him “Sudhama. Will you tell me what is your wish?”
“Krishna, after I met you, I don’t think I have any wish. My mind and heart I am sure will be as fresh as these flowers, with thoughts of you filled therein. I am extremely happy to serve you”
"Sudhama I am pleased with everyone and I want to be of service to all who think of me and love me, without expecting any reward in return and I accept whatever is offered by anyone, with pure heart and mind. I am bound by their love and it therefore becomes my duty to be of service to all"
Krishna said this to Arjuna also later which we read in Gita, but the moment we keep the Gita book down after repeated studies and recital, daily also, like the book kept away from our hands, the thought of Krishna or what he said also leaves our mind and we become what we always have been! We only just read but don’t retain or follow! Dear Children, is not the dog’s tail despite several efforts and attempts to straighten it, becomes again and again curved!!!