Srimad Bhagavatam – day 664
Krishna
Maharishi Śuka continued, “In this way, the transcendental sports exhibited by Krishna at the age of five were glorified by the residents of Brindavan when He turned six. O Emperor, based on your request I have narrated in detail the games that Krishna played with his friends, the killing of demon Aghasura and the picnic lunch.”
Aha! How blissful! How fortunate were the cowherd boys who played with Krishna! They walked with the Lord, ate along with Him, touched Him. How wonderful! They treated Him as their friend and playmate. Due to their previous merit, the Supreme Essence which is beyond the creation took on a human form and played with them.
“I have narrated to you His transcendental sports. I have also explained the hymn composed by Brahma. The person who sings and who glorifies this hymn will accomplish all the four goals of life.
The person who repeatedly listens, sings and glorifies the incident pertaining to Aghasura’s liberation, the picnic lunch of Krishna with the boys, the grazing by the calves, Brahma stealing the boys and calves as well as the transcendental sports exhibited by Krishna during this period of one year will be freed from the ‘arrogance’ which exists within the form of Aghasura. Even the worst sins committed due to the presence of Aghasura within them will be destroyed when they listen attentively. The Lord will prevent him from falling into the trap of illusion”.
Do not assume this to be just another sport of the Lord. This incident is replete with Vedanta and has deep spiritual essence. The Lord released Brahma from illusion. He taught him the rightful lesson and restored the Vedic knowledge back to him. Those who repeatedly listen to this entire incident, who glorify it and who narrate it again and again to others along with listening to the hymn composed by Brahma will obtain the four goals of life.
“Balarama and Krishna spent their days in Brindavan playing games such as hide and seek, construction of dams in the sand and jumping like monkeys and other games played by children at the age of five”.
In the present age children play carrom, chess, computer games, cricket and the like. Games change with time. In future many newer games will be invented. Does anyone play with marbles these days? Do boys jump like monkeys on branches? Those who constantly think of these childhood pastimes and plays of Krishna and who fill their lives with His essence are bound to obtain liberation.
With this the fourteenth chapter of the tenth canto comes to an end.
Tenth Canto Chapter Fifteen
In this chapter, the slaying of demon Dhenukasura and rescuing cowherd boys who had drunk the poisonous waters is covered.
Maharishi Śuka continued, “Balarama and Krishna completed the age of six”.
Until the age of six the child is addressed as ‘koumara’ and are treated as tiny.
“They now stepped into their youth. Nanda and other cowherds of Brindavan decided it was time to allot to them the duties of tending to cows in addition to looking after the calves”.
The elders believed that their sons were now intelligent enough to handle more responsibilities. Between the ages of three and six they tended to calves. At that age when they had to be carried by others, they were engaged in tending calves. Such was the potential in the boys of that era. More importantly, our dear Krishna had liberated demoness Putana even before He was a year old. Due to association with the Lord even his friends had developed stronger capacities. By the time they were six, the elders thought it apt to entrust them with the management of the cows.
It is said that areas frequented by cattle for grazing naturally flourish with plants. Grazing promotes growth of plants. For this reason, these cows were taken to different areas and fields. In these days don’t we see them taking flocks of sheep from one farm to another?
Since a family owned millions of cows and calves, they were segregated into groups and taken to different areas for grazing daily. After one harvest and before the next sowing, the cows were taken to the farms. The cows would graze on the grasses growing abundantly there. The dung left by the cows increased the nutrient composition of the soil. The land was then tilled and since it was mixed with this manure they would subsequently have an abundant harvest. Artificial manure was not discovered in those ages.
Artificial manure does not surprise us when artificial milk, artificial oil and artificial rice have flooded the market. These are days when we need to verify whether the person whom we are speaking to is real or artificial. Even after having a conversation our doubts are at times not put to rest because the artificial men and women resemble humans perfectly even in skin tone and actions.
Krishna Krishna