HARE KRSNA
PAMHO AGTSP
Inner Meanings of Krishna’s Pastimes
This list of obstacles or anarthas to Vraja-bhajana, that are indicated in the inner meanings of the pastimes of Lord Krishna, come from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Caitanya Siksastakam. The demons manifesting in Vraja Gokula on earth have symbolic significance. They are not found in the spiritual world. There they appear only as rumors or impressions, not actual threats to their pastimes.
By reading these namittika (occasional) lilas or pastimes of killing the twenty demons mentioned in the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the sadhakaor spiritual practitioner, purifies his heart of all the impediments, obstacles, anarthas and aparadhas, or offenses. Then one becomes eligible to read, reflect upon and taste the asta-kaliya-lilas of Radha-Krishna.
Until one reaches the platform of bhava-bhakti, it is necessary to cultivate devotion by meditating on both the naimittika and asta-kaliya lilas. By reading and remembering the asta-kaliya lilas (Bhavanasara Sangraha, Krsnahnika Kaumudi), one gets a taste of the loving mood of madhura-rasa. By understanding and appreciating the naimittika lilas, a devotee will destroy all the obstacles to tasting the bhakti rasa within Radha Krishna’s eternal pastimes. With a sincere desire to become purified of all material contaminations, one should read all the below- mentioned pastimes from the tenth canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. With all humility, one should pray to Krishna and Balarama to remove the impurities within oneself personified by the demons whom they killed.
The demons killed by Krishna in the tenth canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam represent anarthas (impurities or obstacles) preventing a devotee from attaining pure love for Radha and Krishna. These undesirable impurities and demoniac qualities must be completely uprooted from the core of one’s heart. Only cent percent pure devotees of Krishna can live eternally in Vrindavana blissfully serving the Divine Couple.
If a devotee cries out humbly and sincerely to Lord Sri Krishna to remove these demoniac qualities which are represented by the demons killed by Lord Krishna, then Sri Krishna Himself will remove those evils. But the devotees must personally work to drive out the anarthas represented by the demons killed by Lord Balarama. This is a mystery of Vraja-bhajana. The aspirant must personally remove these strong impediments with his best care and efforts and by obtaining the mercy of Krishna. If the devotee’s humility becomes very deep and intense, Krishna will be merciful. In that case, the feeling of Lord Balarama will arise in his mind and quickly destroy these demoniac qualities. Then one will gradually improve his cultivation of bhajana, meaning the hearing, chanting and meditating on the pastimes of Lord Krishna.
Pls give some light on this
& pls correct me if i m wrong
your servant
vinay
Replies
Hare Krishna, prabhu !!!
Srimad Bhagavatam is a commentary of Vedanta Sutra. A commentary itself is an explanation. In Vedanta Sutra, only the Absolute Truth is hinted at. But in Srimad Bhagavatam, His nature, pastimes are explained. Now if Krishna is Truth, everything related Him will be Truth, His nature will be Truth, His pastimes will be Truth. When I mean a tree, I mean its leaves, branches, roots. So when I say Krishna, I mean His nature, pastimes, associates. So Krishna is defined by His nature, His devotees, His pastimes. So something that defines Absolute Truth can't be symbolic. It is as true as the Truth. If the tree is true, the leaves can’t be symbolic because they define the tree. The prime focus on the episodes of Krishna killing demons is not just on getting rid of anarthas but on the causeless mercy of Krishna that those who were slayed by Him were liberated and attained Vaikuntha. Putana after being killed got a spiritual body in Goloka as an associate of Mother Yashoda. Such is the mercy of Krishna. If you consider it from this perspective, then they are all true because they define the merciful nature of Krishna and anything that defines Truth is Truth.
The demons represent certain anarthas, yes. Suppose I'm hot-tempered, thus it mean I'm a metaphor representing anger. The demons are true and Bhagavatam teaches that if we act like them considering ourselves to be supreme, we will be vanquished. The chapters of moral science are replete with examples of great men, their teachings as well as bad men. Does it make the bad men a symbol of vice and good men a symbol of virtue ?
Your aspiring servant
Hari bol!
Hare krsna Bhaktin maral mata j
Pamho Agtsp
Mata j.. this article is send by one devotee to me by mail.....so i think its a good topic to discuss here
& wanna know abt this..
Yes this article is vry nice mata j
plss give light on this...
your servant
vinay
Hare Krishna Vinay Prabhu, please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
firstly would like to mention that this article is written very nicely, did You write it Yourself?! Very nice!
But in the last line it says
i could not understand this.
how can feeling of Lord Balarama arise in our mind?! Lord Balarama represents Guru. Lord Balarama killed pride demon with his weight.
In this way Guru means heavy. With heavy instructions Guru brakes our false ego. From our side needed 2 things.
Which was told in Damodar Lila:
Mother Yashoda in order to tie Krishna endeavored much and because of those hard efforts of trying to tie Krishna, Krishna became compassionate and showered His mercy and let Mother Yashoda to tie Him.
In this way, yes, true demons are there, and we can not kill them ourselves but only Krishna if we take instructions of Guru which say us to give our endeavor to Krishna.
Your servant,