Srimad Bhagavatam – day 665
Krishna’s daily routine
Krishna
“Together with friends, Krishna and Balarama wandered all over Brindavana while taking the cows for grazing and thus, with their footprints, they rendered pure the entire place”.
Krishna and Balarama would let the cows graze in the many fields of Brindavan. As a result, the fields would thrive with crops. The plentiful vegetation and forests ensured that they were blessed with timely and abundant rainfall. Wasn’t that the wonderful period of Dwapara? During this period of Kali, rains wash away the crops completely. Areas where it should rain copiously transform into deserts. Many rivers have dried up of late. World’s largest rivers are drying up leaving behind huge sand beds filled with rocks. Isn’t this shocking? At the same time, a river that has dried up long back suddenly begins to flow in full force.
Despite having many scientific equipments to predict the rainfall, despite the many satellites that indicate to us of the cloud formation and despite the many advancements in the forecasting techniques, rain predictions fail miserably. The day when abundant rainfall is predicted, the sky remains clear, while on days when least rain is expected, it rains torrentially. Hence scientists now safely declare ‘chances of rain exist’ instead of giving categorical predictions. On some days, dark black clouds are accompanied by thunder, but yet it fails to rain. Untimely rains, untimely droughts, untimely famine, cold summers, warm winters i.e. the effects of global warming have completely put our life in jeopardy.
Dangers of Dwapara Yuga were in no way similar to that of ours. Variations in weather was never an issue. Destruction approached them differently, for instance, in the form of huge whirlwinds. In other periods of Dwapara troubles due to famines and heat existed, nevertheless, at the time when the Lord incarnated in Brindavan, such disturbances ceased to exist.
The boys wandered all through Brindavan purifying the vast area between Gokula and Brindavan with their footprints. For this reason, even to-date when true devotees arrive in Brindavan or Gokula, they sprinkle the mud over their heads in reverence. This is the land where the Lord walked! He purified it by placing His foot there! The glory of this land will never deplete even after innumerable eons. True devotees therefore offer obeisance to that land, carry a little soil from there to their homes and place it in the puja altar. Ayodhya is worshipped because He walked there when He incarnated as Rama.
“Srikrishna, the husband of Lakshmi, played the flute as He walked into Brindavan, the place which blossomed with plentiful flowers. He was accompanied by Balarama and was driving the cows He was tending to”.
This was their daily routine. Morning they would take the cows for grazing into the forests and return by Sunset. Despite spending the entire day in the forest, the boys would be as fresh and enthusiastic as they were before leaving. Although by and large this was the routine, on some days Krishna would feign to be fatigued. Surprisingly, on such days his friends also would appear fatigued. With His scattered hair and clothes, He would act as if He was uncontrollably hungry and exhausted. What to say of the illusion He would cast!
“The lush green forests of Brindavan were ideally suited for grazing cattle. When Krishna desired to walk leisurely through Brindavan, the cowherd boys surrounded Him singing His glories. This area was filled with bees that were buzzing melodiously. Deer were frolicking from one end to the other while the birds delightedly flew everywhere. Peacocks were merrily dancing. It was as if the birds and animals were busily engaged in their activities.
Seeing the grandeur of Brindavan, Krishna firmly decided to walk leisurely there. The water in the ponds of Brindavan was as pure as the minds of great saints. The breeze carried the sweet fragrance of the lotuses blooming in the ponds”.
Try to grow flowering plants around your home. In case there is a water body, lotuses should be grown. Not only will our surroundings be filled with the sweet fragrance of the flowers, but also our environs will be kept clean. Poisonous germs get destroyed in the place where lotuses bloom. Harmful bacteria gets destroyed while the good bacteria thrives.
How does a person living in high-rises grow plants? Agreed there is shortage of space in the modern complexes. But can’t we grow a few plants in pots? Can’t you keep at least a small tulsi (basil) plant? Small bonsai plants survive with just a little sunlight. If you cannot grow many plants, grow a Tulasi, Audumbara (fig) or money plant in the balcony.