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When we simply
remember with a submissive heart, the words of the Gita ...
Excerpt from a lecture by HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj
Submitted by Manoj
…
Devaki was such a honest, pious, wonderful lady. And do you know, how much she sufferend when she was in that prison cell of Kamsa, for no fault of her own. She got married to Vasudev, who was the most illustrious, respectable, and pious religious man. He was a pure devotee. As was Devaki. They had a nice wedding ceremony and they were on the chariot coming back and her beloved cousin brother happened to be driving the chariot. Because he had so much affection for Devaki. He wanted to show her how much he loved her.
Love is so fickle in this material world. According to circumstance it changes. Real love is unconditional. But material love is very conditional. He was riding the chariot, driving to show love to his wonderful sister. And all of a sudden a voice comes from the sky that says 'Kamsa you are a fool, because the 8th son of Devaki will kill you'. Here he was with tears of love in his eyes, bringing Devaki to her husband's kingdom, with feelings in his heart that I will not see her, I love her so much and the next second, he grabbed her by her hair and drew a sword and was about to cut her head. Vasudev was looking on with amazement. He tried to stop him, but ultimately he had to promise that he will give Kamsa all his children, but to leave her alone. Kamsa then agreed.
Why would Devaki and Vasudev have children under that circumstance. Vasudev and Devaki were such devotees they understood that Krishna was going to be their child and he was going to be their eighth child. It was already announced and they knew it. God was going to be their eighth child and they were devotees. And to carry out the will of God, to be a part of His mission, they were willing to do anything. So they had to have 7 children before and they knew Kamsa was going to kill every one of them.
And do you know how a mother becomes attached to a child after the child is living within her womb for 9 months ? And when that baby comes out, it is the most beautiful object of love in the whole universe for that mother. Mothers agree with that … (smiles…)
Mother, when she sees that baby, she immediately falls in love with it. And every time Devaki saw her beautiful child, Kamsa came and murdered it right in front of her eyes. Why would she have another child. Because she knew it was her service to the Lord and He is going to be the eigth. Even if I have to suffer seeing the murder of 7 children, which breaks my heart, for Krishna's sake I am willing to undergo that. This was the quality of her love.
She never even complained. 6 children were killed. And Balaram appeared. But she never even got to see him. He was transferred from her womb to the womb of Rohini in Gokula. And then finally after all those long years of living in prison and all those children getting killed, when Krishna finally became her child, He told them that very night to take Him to Gokul and leave Him there. She had to remain in prison and Yasoda got to enjoy raising beautiful baby Krishna.
And yet she never complained. She was doing her service with such love and devotion. If this is what pleases my Lord, this is what I want. Whatever I have to undergo, it is meant for Krishna's enjoyment.
Through all this external suffering she was enjoying the ultimate ecstasies internally.
Anyway, about 12 yrs and 9 months later, Krishna came back to Mathura and right in front of Devaki and Vasudev, He climbed on the chest of Kamsa and punched Him and Kamsa was dead.
And then Krishna decided to come and live with Devaki and Vasudev and be their child. And what was the first thing that Devaki and Vasudev decided to do for Krishna. Such amazing devotees they were. They understood Krishna and Balaram are our children. So after all those long years of suffering of separation, when they first came, their first decision was to send them to the Gurukula of Sandipani Muni.
Because they understood, that real love means to enlighten a person in God consciousness. Not to just enjoy them. But if I really love my children, I must serve them, by giving them an understanding of the goal of life and proper training. So for 1 year they were away at the ashram of Sandipani Muni learning the scriptures and spiritual arts and they returned.
Before they returned, Krishna and Balaram approached them and said to Sandipani muni You've taught us such wonderful things. You're our Gurudev. You've given us proper training and it's the proper duty of a disciple to give dakshin. Some charity to the Guru. So what can we give you. Sandipani muni said, just having disciples like you is the fulfillment of all desires. But if you want to give me something, my son died some years ago, he drowned in the ocean, bring him back to life. Bring him back to me.
So, Krishna went into the ocean and brought back the child.
When He went back to the home of Devaki and Vasudev, He lived in Mathura for sometime and they moved to Dwaraka. And one day, when He was intimately, personally sitting with His mother and father, they were praising His glories and He was reciprocating such love with them. And Krishna asked Devaki, you have undergone so much terrible sufferings for My sake. I want to give you a benediction. What would you like. She didn't want anything from Him. She was just satisfied to serve Him. But because she saw that Krishna really wanted to give her a benediction, just to please Him, she expressed something that was very deep in her heart.
As a mother, she said, I love those six children who were killed right in front of my eyes. I had such love, affection for each one of them. And their loss is deeply within my heart. I have heard the wonderful story of how you brought the son of Sandipani Muni back. So I think you have the power to bring the six children back too… So Krishna said yes immediately.
He went down to Sutala Loka which was presided by Bali Maharaj. Bali Maharaj was the king of the Asuras. He was actually the grandson of Prahlad, which also means, he was the great grandson of Hiranyakashipu. Very mysterious family line he has (laughter)… Imagine, in India everyone has pictures of their father, grand father, great grand father. His father was Virocana. His grand father was Prahlad, such a gentle humble, pure hearted saint. And his great grand father was the most terrible rakshasa demon.
Anyway, Bali Maharaj was the king of the demons. But by the Grace of Vamadeva, he surrendered everything with great humility. And after he surrendered everything to Vamanadev and after Vamanadev took everything away, He gave the planet of Sutala to rule over.
When Krishna and Balaram went to Sutala loka, Bali Maharaj was so happy to see them. He bowed down with such love and devotion and washed the lotus feet of Krishna and Balaram and sprinkled the water on all his family members. And he said, My dear lord, you're so merciful to even demons like me. Iam a demon. I conquered Indra and caused so many problems to so many people. But your causeless mercy, even though we worshipped you with enmity, even my great grandfather, Hiranyakashipu, he hated you. But by your great mercy, you gave him liberation. I consider myself more fortunate than the demigods. Because even though we fight with you and you take everything away from us and even kill us, you give us liberation. But these demigods, you give them all material facilities and they are just in illusion, trying to enjoy it all.
So I really consider that I am very fortunate that you gave your causeless mercy to me. How can I serve you ?
Krishna recalled what happened. At one time Lord Brahma, Krishna wanted to show that if devotees are not very very careful, they can fall into illusion of maya. Brahma began to chase after his own daughter, just for a few seconds and then he came back to his senses. But at that time, the six sons of the great saint Marica they laughed at Brahma. They criticized and laughed on him. And because of this offense to a great devotee, even though he appeared wrong, but still he was such a great devotee, they had to fall into demoniac births. And then it was part of their process of purification to become the six sons of Devaki and be killed right after birth. And Bali Maharaj still had the six children, keeping them.
Krishna said give them back to me. Bali Maharaj gave the sons back.
So He brought them back to Devaki and Devaki, her motherly affection was so great that she began to weep. And the first thing she did, with such love, she took each of her children and she gave them the milk from her breast.
But what an amazing arrangement Krishna made. Because Krishna had drunk the milk from Devaki's breast. Viswanath Cakravarti Thakur explains in the commentary of the Bhagavatam, that when Krishna appeared in the jail cell of Kamsa in the four armed form of Narayana, He told Vasudev to take Him to Gokul, immediately. Then on Devaki's request, He became a beautiful baby. But Devaki, she said, wait a second. She was thinking it was a long trip to Gokul. And I don't want my child to be hungry in this trip. So just before they left, she gave Krishna the milk from her breast and filled Him up nicely and then sent Him to Gokul.
Because Krishna drank the milk from Devaki, the milk in her breast became Mahaprasad. And when these six children drank this milk, they all became thoroughly liberated souls. They attained the perfection of life, by drinking Devaki's milk, which was the prasad of Krishna, the supreme personality of Godhead. Their lives became perfect.
Then they bowed before their mother and Krishna and Krishna sent them back to their heavenly abodes, but not as ordinary heavenly denizens, but as paramahamsas.
So what appeared to be a great tragedy and very bewildering ultimately became the greatest benediction. They were liberated. Who can understand the ways of God. Only those who have faith. Only those who have heard from the previous acaryas. Those who have heard and understood the teachings of the Gita, they know that this material creation is endlessly bewildering, and confusing. But for those who simply maintain they faith in the supreme personality of Godhead, everything is auspicious. Everyone in relationship becomes bestowed with that auspicious benediction. By simply becoming purified in consciousness, by simply becoming pure lover of God, all bewilderment, all confusion, all inebrieties of material existence cease to exist and our lives become completely abundant with auspiciousness. How it happens, it is by the supreme will of God.
And we have seen, time and time again, when we understand the words of Krishna as Arjuna did, when Arjuna just simply, humbly sat and listened to the words of Krishna with faith and submissive humility, he understood everything clearly. And was able to fight the battle of life perfectly. The words of the Gita, when they are heard from honest and humble devotees, have the power to reveal God within our lives. This material existence which is full of ignorance is just like darkness. But Krishna is like the sun. In the presence of the sun, darkness cannot exist. When we simply remember with a submissive heart, the words of the Gita, when we remember the words of our Gurudev, when we remember the holy name of God, all the darkness, bewilderment, confusion, misery of material existence, cease to exist. The whole material world is transformed into Vaikuntha, when we have that faith and devotion in the remembrance of Krishna. Vaikuntha, that place where there is no anxieties or miseries, is not simply matter of transferring your body to one planet to another, Vaikuntha is within the heart of every living being. This world is Vaikuntha to those who remember Krishna and it is Martyaloka (the planet of death) for those who forget Krishna.
But how to remember Krishna … it is not just a sentiment. It is a science and the Bhagavad Gita is teaching that science. How to always remember Krishna. In the association of devotees, where they are discussing His glories and living in His loving service, and chanting His names, we can learn the ultimate of all precious gifts - How to live in pure remembrance of the Lord and how to perform the work of this world, in this divine consciousness.
Thank you.
Hare Krishna
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