Srimad Bhagavatam – day 773
Krishna wanders through Mathura showering boons upon the people
Krishna Nārayana
Infuriated upon being requested thus, the washerman taunted the brothers saying, ‘What is it that you are asking, O’ foolish ones? Discarding your way of life do you seek to wear excellent clothes that exclusively belong to the king? Do you know that I am carrying these clothes to be delivered to the king? How do you, who eternally wander in woods and in mountains, dare to ask for royal clothing? Is it right on part of cowherds to wear exquisite clothing meant only for kings?
O insolent fools, quickly depart from here if you truly treasure your lives. You, who are of lowly status and who are stinking should never dare to make such meaningless demands unbefitting of you. If the king’s attendants were to hear of your detestable demands, they would be outraged. They would bind or slay you that very instant while snatching away all your possessions. Beware!”
In this way, the washerman arrogantly condemned the Lord. Here the Lord, who eternally drapes himself in golden, silken Pitambara clothing, was begging for clothing as if He were human.
“Infuriated with his reply, Srikrishna, using His fingertips, severed the head of this washerman from his body”.
The Lord touched his head with his finger and lo! The head the was separated from the body!
“Abandoning the cloth bundles, the servants of this washerman quickly dispersed in all directions. The Supreme Lord Srikrishna and his brother Balarama then selected beautiful clothing from that bundle and draped them around their bodies”.
Krishna had hinted to the washerman that he would be bestowed with good fortune upon gifting clothing to Him but he had failed to grasp the hint. When the Lord says, ‘Complete this task and good will befall you’ – it should be understood that the Lord will shower a boon upon its completion. However the washerman, who had demonic traits in Him and who abused the Lord met with a ghastly end. It appears that Krishna was annoyed when the washerman abused his cowherd background and the butter dearly loved by the Lord.
“After the brothers had selected the clothing, the other cowherd boys happily selected clothing of their choice from those bundles and emptied them completely”.
Will anyone ever choose to forego prasadam? At times when Pulihora (tamarind rice) is prepared in large quantities Swamiji wonders at the possibility of it going for a waste. But then my devotees re-assure me of their gigantic appetites which ensure that no prasadam ever goes for a waste. On days when 5000 vadas are prepared, Swamiji asks, ‘Why did you prepare in excess. There are at max 1000 persons here today?’ They then re-assure that there is nothing to worry. ‘There will be no vadas left by end of day Swamiji’ they declare confidently. Likewise these boys wore all the clothing and emptied the bundles. All the boys were now decked like kings and ministers.
“The sight of the two brothers brought great delight to a weaver who then lovingly provided them with adequate clothing of many colours, in proportion to their age and form. He also decorated them with many ornaments”.
This weaver tailored the clothing of the two brothers such that it fit them properly. Wasn’t he truly fortunate? My body horripilates as I narrate this incident. The washerman was an unfortunate fool while this weaver was a fortunate soul. Both the contrasting incidents took place in quick succession.
“Balarama and Krishna, who were thus decorated with many colourful clothing, illumined like a pair of baby elephants, one of whom was white and another dark in complexion. Deeply pleased with this gesture shown by the weaver, Lord Srikrishna showered him with great material prosperity in this world, physical and sensory strength, God-consciousness, remembrance of his birth and with oneness in form with the Lord after his death”.
The Lord bestowed the ultimate boon upon the weaver pleased with his small seva. An insignificant seva can also bless the devotee with ultimate results. At times, Swamiji will be supremely pleased with the person who holds the car door open for Him. As the car begins to move, volunteers come running asking Swamiji to raise the windows lest some stone or dust may enter into the vehicle. Swamiji is supremely pleased with such love shown by them and desires to clasp their hand lovingly.
“Thereafter the brothers went to the house of the florist Sudāma, who would prepare flower garlands. Seeing the brothers approaching his home, Sudāma stood up, fell on to the ground and reverentially prostrated to them. He immediately supplied Krishna, Balarama and all other boys with water to wash their feet and with drinking water. He then offered to them suitable seats and worshipped them with flower garlands, sandal paste, betel leaves tambula and suitable food offerings.
He then said, ‘O Lords, with your arrival my birth and my entire lineage has been purified’.”
The Lord had desired to bless all these commoners and hence had politely refused Akrūra’s invite. The Lord, through these visits, was fulfilling the boon granted in many previously births. He was now repaying with interest. Those devotees had begged for these blessings in earlier births which were now being fulfilled by the Lord.
“My fore-fathers, Devatas, and Maharishis are undoubtedly pleased with me O Lord”.
Narayana Krishna