Bhagavatam tenth canto study 62 – 10.11.19-29 The Vrajavasis move to protect Krishna and Gokula both

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto 10, Chapter 11, The Childhood Pastimes of Krishna, Text 19. paśya paśya vaiśyāṁs te mātra-mṛṣitāṁ svalaṅkṛtāṁ tam nasnādhaḥ kṛtāḥ āro viharasva-svalaṅkṛtaḥ So, paśya paśya, Mother Yashoda is speaking here to Krishna, and she’s telling him that, just see, just see, repetition is often a means of emphasis, and here it’s being emphasized to Krishna that, just see, just see, children may not accept arguments which are reasoned elaborately, but if something is very straightforward evident to them, then they may be able to take it much better. So here pratyakṣa-pramāṇa in that sense is being given, just see how attractive your friends are looking, and don’t you want to look similarly attractive? So paśya paśya vaiśyāṁs, vaiśyāṁs, boys of your age, they are, just see, mātra-mṛṣitāṁ, they have been cleansed by their mothers.
Children often don’t have a sense of cleanliness. It’s not that they’re unclean entirely, but they just don’t have much of a sense of cleanliness. Sometimes children protest, and they are made to take a bath, and they have to be persuaded, and here Mother Yashoda is persuading Krishna by getting him to compare himself with others.
Just see how they have been bathed by their mothers, mātra-mṛṣitāṁ, svalaṅkṛtāṁ, and they have, they’re decorated with their own ornaments. Don’t you want to be decorated like that? tvaṁ caṣṇāthaḥ kṛtāhāro, so Krishna wants to play, but Mother Yashoda is telling him, first you also take a bath, then you also eat food nicely, kṛtāhāro, viharasva, and then enjoy with them. svalaṅkṛtāṁ, with ornaments, are having become, decorating you just like they’re decorating him, decorating them.
So, the maternal love of Mother Yashoda is manifesting here in her desire that her child be as attractive and as well-dressed as possible. She’s stressing that over here, she’s stressing that. And, text 20, itthaṁ yashodā tam aśeṣa-śekharam matvāsutaṁ sneha-nibbadyadhīrṇṛpa haste gruhitvāsah rāma-macchutaṁ nitvāsvavātam kṛtavaty athodayam itthaṁ yashodā When in this way Yashoda spoke, tam aśeṣa-śekharam, that Lord who is aśeṣa-śekharam, aśeṣa-śekharam means that He is the summit of everything, auspicious, and therefore, there is no question of dirtiness or inauspiciousness in Him.
And yet, as a leela, it’s apparently He’s unclean and mother Yashoda is going to clean Him. So that Lord, aśeṣa-śekharam matvāsutaṁ sneha-nibbadyadhīrṇṛpā, He considered, considering Himself to be her son, Yashoda considered Him to be her son. And that Lord who is all-pure, she bound by love, the, her whole consciousness is permeated and bound by that love.
This is being spoken to Maharaja Parikshit by Śukadeva Goswami. She took Him by His hand and then she took Balarāma also. So her rāma-macchutaṁ, that Lord who is infallible, but apparently now He is unclean.
Nityāsvavātam, she took Him to her own home and then kṛtavatyam, she performed for Him, what athodayam. Athodayam, udayam means His beauty arose, it manifested. How? Because He was bathed, He was dressed and He was decorated.
So basically, although Krishna is all-attractive, but when devotees serve Him, His attractiveness manifests all the more. Just like the deities, it’s Krishna and the deities are attractive always. But when we dress and decorate them beautifully, then their attractiveness becomes manifest to our eyes.
So the word udayam, athodayam, udayam used to describe Krishna’s beauty is significant. Just like the sun rises, the sun is already existing before, but to our vision it rises. Similarly, Krishna is always attractive, but when He was bathed, dressed and decorated by Mother Yashoda, then His attractiveness manifested to our vision.
So that’s why aśeṣu-śekharam was used, that He’s all-attractive. But now His attractiveness is manifested, such is the nature of the loving reciprocation between the Lord and the devotees, that the Lord does what is required to help the devotee become infused with love for Him. And in that way, the ever-present reciprocation between them goes on.
So here we had text, Mother Yashoda is bathing Krishna, and Krishna has become manifested all-attractive, or His attraction is manifested rather. So then there is a step back, where from narration there is exposition, where first time is being narrated, then there is a break. So that incident is over sometimes when in a novel, when there is a break, means one incident is over, another is about to start, at that time there may be something like three asterisks, which indicate that this scene is over, another scene is going to start.
So that kind of intermission or intercession by which a new scene can start, the Bhagavatam brings it about by having Shukadeva Goswami speaking. So that incident is over, now Shukadeva Goswami is about to start, right, and narrating a different incident. So here, Shri Shukavacha, Gopavriddha Mahotpathan, Anubhuya Bruhadhwane, Nandadayas, Samagamya Vrajakaryam Amantrayan, Gopavriddha, the elders among the Gopas, Mahotpathan, because there had been great disturbances, so right from Putana, Trunavarth, demons like that had come, and then after that, these two huge trees had fallen down, naturally they were all very concerned, what is going on? Of course, Shaktasura was also there.
So Mahotpathan, parents are concerned about a small injury to a child, and what to speak of a life threat, and what to speak of repeated life threats. So because of this Mahotpathan, they became concerned and they decided to meet Anubhuya Bruhadhwane, and Bruhadhwane, they had experienced these disturbances again and again, and thus they decided that something has to be done about it. Nandadayas, Samagamya, so all these Nandadayas, because Nanda was the head, so his name is mentioned first, headed by him, Samagamya, they all assembled together, and Vrajakaryam Amantrayam, so they are like the, we could say the administrative council of Vraja, and it’s not a formal structure, but it’s a structure, and they are deciding, Amantrayam, they decided, liberated, they considered that all these disturbances, how can we stop these disturbances? What can we do to deal with these disturbances? So thinking in this way, they had all assembled over there, and they are discussing, Goparvajyam, Vrajakaryam, so the administrative business of Vraja has to be discussed, and that’s what they are going to do now.
As they are discussing, they are contemplating, Tatropananda Namaha, Gopajyanava Yodhikaha, Deshakalarthatattvagya, Priyakrit Ramakrishna Yom, so Priyakrit Ramakrishna Yom, for the benefit of Rama and Krishna, to do benefit to them, to do good to them, Priyakrit, so their center was Balram and Krishna, of course the primary danger was to Krishna, but Balram was always with Krishna, so any danger to Balram would also, Krishna would also mean a danger to Ram, and the Bhagavatam often uses the word Ram to refer to Balram, because it’s understood that this is the pastime of Krishna, this Bhagavatam is centered on Krishna, and therefore there will not be much ambiguity if Ram is referred to, that it won’t be in confusion whether it is Balram or whether it is Ramachandra or Parashuram, so the short name is used over here, so to desire good for him, Priyakrit Ramakrishna Yom, so what would they do? Tatropananda Namaha, so Upananda Nama, now when the Maharaj had an elder brother, his name was Upananda, he spoke, although he had, Upananda had voluntarily ceded administrative authority to Nanda, but still here this was not just a matter of managerial logistics, it was more a matter of safety of the children of Rajya, and therefore he feels that he raises his concern, Gopagyanava Yodhikaha, Gopagyanava Yodhikaha, so by Adhikaha means better or superior, so he’s better by both Jnana and Vaya, so here it’s significant, seniority by age alone is not enough, seniority by wisdom is also required, so Upananda is described as Gopagyanava Yodhikaha with knowledge and age, he was mature, he was superior, sometimes people claim superiority, seniority because of, the superiority because of seniority, but more important than the superiority because of seniority is the superiority because of maturity, because of wisdom, because of clarity, because of sagacity, superiority through seniority is not as, it’s subsumed, it’s subordinated to superiority by sagacity, by wisdom, so here Desha, Kala, Artha, Tattvagya, so he understood the, how the truth has to be, the principle has to be presented according to Desha, Kala, Artha, so whatever we are doing that has to be adjusted, how is the adjustment to be done, Desha, Kala, Artha, according to time, place, circumstance, so what is the adjustment, he made this adjustment according to time, place, circumstance or suggestion according to time, place, circumstance, Desha, Kala, Artha, so Artha is purpose or circumstance we could say, Desha, time, place and circumstance, Tattvagya, one who understood the truth, it’s interesting this word, Desha, Kala, Artha, Tattvagya, Desha, Kala, Artha, Dharmagya came in Bhishma’s pastime when he was on arrow bed and could not offer obeisances to welcome the sages and as he just moved his head slightly and similarly Narada Muni also gave instruction to Dhruva according to time, place, circumstance, so here also we have Desha, Kala, Artha, Dharmagya, Tattvagya here it is rather, now what was the suggestion he gave, it’s text 23, so this Mahotpata, big disturbances are happening and what is they are clearly intended for destroying, for killing these children, disturbances can be of various kinds, say for example now Mahotpata, an earthquake is also Mahotpata, a big disturbance but earthquake is not meant to kill a particular person, earthquake just comes at least from our vision, it’s something which comes to, which can indiscriminately kill anyone but indiscriminate threats are of course threats but discriminant threats or specific threats, Trnavarta came as a powerful storm but he came not just indiscriminately causing destruction in Raja but he came specifically to cause destruction of Krishna, he did not take anyone else away, he did not destroy the houses of Raja entirely, so it’s not just a whirlwind, so he’s saying that clearly this is not an indiscriminate calamity, it’s a specific calamity, so because there is a danger in this place, so we should leave this place, we should get up from here and Asmabhi from here, we should go, where should we go, so where should they, they should leave immediately and it’s interesting they’re saying that this will do good to this place also, they’re concerned about Raja, about the place and they’re of course they’re concerned about Krishna, both concerns are combining here and the Vrajavasis are Krishna conscious but they’re also eco-conscious, they don’t want to have too much trouble coming in their hands and now he’s listing the two, to lend weight to his argument, he’s now listing various things that have happened over there which are matters of concern, so first he says, text 24, so somehow Krishna survived the Rakshasi who was not just a murderer or a murderess but she’s a serial killer and a serial killer is horrifying but a serial child killer is horrifying beyond words and somehow our Krishna survived that and after that, the cart got upturned and Krishna was right under the cart but he survived that also and he’s attributing it to the Harer Anugraha because the mercy of Lord Hari, he was detected Chakravatena Nitoyam, this is text 25, so the demon came as Chakravat, as a whirlwind and took Krishna far high into the sky to smash him to the ground, now in a sense the way Trnavart wanted to kill Krishna was similar to the way Trnavart’s boss Kamsa had killed Krishna’s agraja, his elder brothers by smashing them onto a slab of stone on the ground, of course to ensure that Krishna will die, Trnavart wanted to take an extra precaution that he wanted to take Krishna very high and then smash him to the ground with the help of another opponent, he already brought down Putana, so there’s a poetic justice here in a karmic sense that what goes around comes around, the way Krishna had, the way Krishna’s brothers had been killed, the way Trnavart wanted to kill Krishna, Krishna actually turned that very weapon against him, he used that very strategy instead of he being able to throw Krishna down, it was Krishna who pushed Trnavart down by the power of his weight, increased weight and just as Trnavart’s boss had killed Krishna’s brothers, Krishna killed Kamsa’s agent Trnavart, but here the Vrajavasis are attributing it, Upananda is attributing to Paritrata Sureshwarai, the king of the gods has protected us and then he says so this is text 26 and he says, although the two trees fell and although Krishna and his cowherd friends were there, Krishna was in between those trees and the cowherd friends were nearby, none of them were injured, this is indeed a miracle, this is Achyuta Rakshanam, Krishna thought Achyuta must have protected us, otherwise how could it be possible, if just one tree falls, there is fear that somebody might get crushed, if two trees fall the chances of somebody getting crushed get doubled and if somebody is between those two trees, then they getting crushed by those trees or at least injured by those trees are very high, but despite those extremely high odds, Krishna survived, that is the mercy of the lord, similarly he continues here so all these are being caused by some Arishtu, some unknown demon, one thing going wrong, we could say is incidental, if we face repeated threats, then chance stops being an explanation, say if somebody is in a car crash once and they survive and then in three days if they’re in six car crashes, then we would be definitely concerned that maybe somebody is out to get them, it’s not just car crashes happen, but not with this frequency to the same person, so Krishna is such a small child and so many dangers coming at the Krishna is very alarming and indicative of some specifically targeted danger, so some unknown demon is there, so we should go somewhere else, we should not stay over here, in this Gokula Vraja Bhumi we should not stay, before he comes, we should go away from here to do good to the children, to the boys, we should go to some other place, so by this the children will also be protected and by this the place will also be protected, so it’s not that the place is causing it, but some demon is causing it and the Vrajavasis love Krishna and they love the forest where Krishna has lived, so they want to avoid danger to both and thus he’s suggesting that let us leave here as quickly as possible and then he suggests where to go, he has come with a complete proposal, Upananda has, Vanam Vrindavanam Nama, Pashavyam Navakananam, Gopagopi Gavamsevyam, Punyadrithuna Virudham, so Vanam Vrindavanam Nama, there’s a forest named Vrindavan, Pashavyam Navakananam, the cows will get new grazing lands to sport and to eat and it’s a comfortable place, a hospitable place for our Gopas, Gopis and cows, for all of us and nearby there’s Punyadri, there’s an auspicious mountain, Trunavirudham and there are trees, shrubs, plants, forests and there are also creepers, so it’s rich in vegetation basically, it’s a suitable place for us and therefore, he’s going to say, Tattatradhyayivayasyamaham shakatanyum tamachiram godhananyagrato yantu bhavatamyadhirochate So, he says that if you agree with me, bhavatamyadhirochate, if my proposal is pleasing to you, then let’s act on it, Machiram, without any delay, Tai, let’s load all your luggage on shakatan, on the carts and let’s put our cows in front and let’s all move, Adhya, right away, today, itself let us move. So, the Vrajivasis live simply and thus they can move quickly, swift travel is possible when we travel lightly. So, here, sometimes, here we see the Vrajivasis, if there is a danger, they decide to move at once because they’re so concerned about Krishna.
Normally, to move a house from one place to another is a challenge and it’s not just one’s house, the whole community has to move, that’s an even bigger challenge. But suppose, say, somebody has a stalker, somebody has a threat like that in a particular locality, people might decide that somebody is threatening to kidnap a particular child, then there’s a high crime locality or a locality where there’s bad association, drugs are being peddled, then parents might decide, yes, we have to move from it, this here and we have to move immediately. So, normally, even for going for a journey, packing takes a lot of time for people because they’re worried, they would like to carry their whole house in a suitcase and that’s just not possible.
So, here, what is happening is, the Vrajivasis, because they’re simple cowherds, they’re not nomads exactly, but they are able to move because they are simple. So, they decide to move and we will see in the future verses that immediately the other