Srimad Bhagavatam – day 631
Feelings of ‘I-ness’ are the root of all sorrow
Narayana
Maharishi Śuka continued, “Hearing that Krishna had killed demon Bakāsura, the residents of Brindavana were deeply astonished. The listened to the finer details of the story in great awe. Due to their overflowing love for Srikrishna, they applauded and honoured him. He now became even more dear to them.
How could this boy return from the demon’s mouth? How is this feat possible? How did he escape from the jaws of death? Could it be possible that he was restored to life after having died in its mouth? In great anxiety and awe they kept looking at him with eyes that overflowed with love and tenderness. Even after looking at him for long time, they were not content.
Aho batāsya bālasya bahavo mṛtyavo ’bhavan
Apy āsīd vipriyaṁ teṣāṁ kṛtaṁ pūrvaṁ yato bhayam
How astonishing! Until now many have tried to kill little Krishna, but strangely death attacked those who tried to kill him!”
In the past few years Krishna has faced death many times in the hands of demons, nevertheless, it did not strike him and instead boomeranged and gobbled the demon who attacked him. Isn’t this astonishing? Each of these demons was invincible and had, innumerable times in the past, using many frightening forms created untold trepidation in the hearts of many. The mere sight of these demons caused people to collapse. Strangely such ferocious demons met their end when they came to attack Krishna.
“The cowherd thought, ‘From where are these demons, who are keen to kill Krishna, arriving? Why? Could it be the deed of that evil Kamsa? Unable to withstand these tensions at Gokula, we abandoned that place and arrived here. Here too demons arrive. It is now clear that no force can attack Krishna and kill him’.”
Although the cowherds had matured in their thinking that Krishna could neither be easily killed nor defeated, they feared for his safety.
“These demons who approach Krishna with the desire of killing him are killed just as moths burn in the fire”.
Moths, which would have just begun to flap their wings, rush towards fire attracted by its gleam or perhaps mistaking the illumination for some fruit. However unable to withstand the heat, they burn to death then and there. Don’t we see lakhs of insects hovering around the lamp in the street? Here these demons were attracted by this divine illumination called Krishna. Like moths they rushed towards Him, but then were burnt to death as soon as they neared Him.
“How astonishing! The words of the knowers of the Supreme Truth (Brahma vetta) can never be wrong. At all times, they speak only the truth. Maharishi Garga’s predictions have come true today”.
Maharishi Garga had indirectly warned them to be watchful over Krishna as unexpectedly calamities could land on his head. They now remembered him. Words uttered by saints always come true.
“Recollecting the childhood pastimes of Krishna and Balarama, all the cowherds joyfully spent their time”.
They would joyfully, with hearts overflowing with love for Krishna, recollect all His mischievous deeds, His valorous deeds, His games, His prattle, the methods by which He would break into their homes to steal butter and milk. They would also try to analyse some spiritual angle in it all.
Maharishi Garga had indicated that despite facing near-death situations, Krishna could never be harmed. So with full faith in the saint’s words, the members of Nanda’s tribe passed their time happily recounting his pastimes. Being immersed in recollecting the pastimes of Krishna, none of them felt the pain caused by these worldly bondages. This life is full of sorrows. At every juncture some worry or problem unexpectedly lands on the head.
Due to ego and feelings of ‘I-ness’, the intensity of the pain experienced is very severe. Sufferings and sorrows can all be attributed to the ‘feelings of I-ness’ that rule every mind. Sorrow closely follows ego, nevertheless ego pretends as if it is unaware that sorrow is touching it. Ultimately entire ego transforms into sorrow.
Hence, instead of trying to eliminate sorrows, at first try to eliminate ego. Cultivate the feeling that all living entities are equal. Only then ego will be diminished. When the feeling- ‘this is me’ emerges, i.e. when ‘I-ness’ occupies the mind, the thoughts, ‘this is mine, my opinion, my words, my lifestyle, my insult’ and so on emerge. Understand that such thoughts are nothing but ego. Ego renders this life sorrowful.
Why did these sorrows attack me? Why did this illness come to me? The answer to this is- your ego has transformed into them and has come back to you.
Never presume that merely because Krishna was born amidst them, Nanda and his tribe were free from all forms of sorrows. Even they too had problems in life. Even they had difficulties. They too had worldly bondages that led to sorrows. However, since they focused on Krishna, they did not feel the pain.
“Like other children Krishna and Balarama played all games pertaining to childhood stage of life. They played peekaboo with their friends. they built sand castles, they jumped from one place to another like monkeys, and played ball games with other kids. In this way, the two brothers spent their childhood in Brindavana”.
With this the eleventh chapter of the tenth canto comes to an end.
Narayana