Srimad Bhagavatam – day 694
The effect of the Lord’s music on the living entities.
Krishna Krishna
The Gopikas continued, “O friends, among the mountains, Govardhana is the best because, it derives supreme joy when it is touched by the tender feet of Balarama and Krishna. More importantly, when Balarama and Krishna, together with their cows and calves approach the mountain, it provides the best hospitality by supplying them with caves for resting, with water for drinking, green grasses for the cattle plus roots and fruits for the boys”.
On this mountain, there were ample caves wherein they could rest. There was abundant supply of grass, fruits and roots. Drinking water was freely available.
“O friends, along with the other boys, Balarama and Krishna take the cattle for grazing across different forests. It is easy to identify them, who wear on their shoulders, the rope with which the hind legs of the cows have been tied. As they wander through the forests, playing the musical notes from their flutes, the listeners are filled with untold delight. As such, neither the boys nor the cows feel the strain of walking in the forests. The boys and the calves are unaware of their existence and their movements as they wander through the forests listening to this music”.
The boys were unaware that they were walking. They were like walking statues. They had to walk. They had to ensure that the cattle grazed properly. They had to complete the mandated duties and actions (karma). This is imperative. Can we stop breathing? No. It is an action that should be mandatorily completed. Likewise, the boys went through the actions without missing anything but yet without even being aware of their actions. Their minds were fixed on the music.
“This music causes the embodied beings, who are in the forms of animals, birds and other living entities, to remain motionless, while causing trees and other immobile entities to move”.
The uniqueness of this music was that immobile entities shook while mobile living entities remained motionless like statues. Isn’t this wonderful? The Lord himself was playing the flute! In every aspect, it was unparalleled. The Lord’s music cannot even be remotely compared to the present-day flute renditions. It was unique. It was unsurpassed. It caused delight to the five elements causing them to behave uniquely. The clouds provided an umbrella, the waters brought him lotuses and the like. Such was the supremacy of His music. The living entities were taken into a state of deep meditation due to this music.
When Swamiji conducts bhajan sessions on Saturdays or Sunday evenings, many devotees forget their existence. They sit motionless and tears flow from their eyes. They forget to speak. They remain blank, simply watching the events. Their minds would have totally merged into that music. Their only action is breathing, since breath cannot be stopped. This is real meditation. It is real bhakti. Each person should try to cultivate such bhakti. On every possible occasion, they must practice this dhayana and bhakti. With gradual practice, one day it will become accomplished. It is impossible to perfectly meditate on the first day itself. Gradual and regular practice is a must.
In the initial days, the mind will waver. Did we not speak of the deer that is extremely fickle-minded? Like the deer, our mind will run in all directions. It is impossible to control it. It will listen to all sounds. Exactly at the time we sit for meditation, it will desire to complete other activities. This is because it is the mind’s inherent tendency to run. We should wilfully stop it from moving. With practice, it will be accomplished. Do not expect accomplishment with just a day’s practice.
“With their branches the trees were offering obeisance to the Lord. They were swinging to and fro as He played the flute. Even the wind enjoys the music. Deliberately at such time, the cold winds come and touch His feet. When Krishna plays the flute, the Sun-god, Moon-god and all other deities are delighted. The music was such that it would bless the non-moving entities with births in higher species”.
Every living entity, including a tree, must necessarily obtain liberation. Trees have life. But yet, it is wrong to assume that by eating plants and fruits they are being killed. The plants and trees have to evolve and move towards liberation. When they are consumed they will obtain a higher birth. This is the process for their evolution. Plants and creepers do not run trying to save their lives and hence eating them is permitted. They do not fear being cut. This is the rule. On the other hand, eating living entities that experience pain and which run to save their lives is forbidden. Killing the living entities which scream desperately trying to avoid death is sinful. Vegetables, on the other hand, wait to be consumed because, this blesses them with a birth in higher species. I cannot now explain the transformation undergone by the plant after it has been consumed by living entities. It is an extensive, deep subject and a detailed explanation would consume a lot of time. The food eaten transforms into sperm and it undergoes a long journey. As it is irrelevant to this present subject, we are setting it aside.
The Lord’s music had the ability to bless all living entities- moving and non-moving, including all planets, stars, the five basic elements, the deities and the celestials with better births.
“The Supreme Lord who incarnated as Krishna performed limitless miracles. Describing his miracles to one another, the Gopikas mentally merged into him”.
With this the twenty-first chapter of tenth canto comes to an end.
Krishna Krishna