How can we kill the demons in our heart by hearing about the killing of the corresponding demons in Krishna lila?
Answer Podcast
The various anarthas represent different demons in our hearts. So how can we invite Krishna to remove those demons from within us?
First, let’s look at this from an analytical perspective. The correlation between Krishna’s pastimes—especially His demon-killing pastimes—and the presence and removal of anarthas in our hearts was made primarily by Bhaktivinoda Thakur, particularly in his book Krishna Samhita. The Goswamis wrote extensively about Krishna-lila, but they did not focus on such metaphorical interpretations of demons. Even Srila Prabhupada only occasionally referred to metaphorical meanings—for example, he mentioned that the six sons of Devaki represent six anarthas—but he did not elaborate on specific correlations.
The detailed correlation between specific demons and specific anarthas, as presented by Bhaktivinoda Thakur, is a unique contribution. To understand his approach, we must consider the broader cultural context in which he wrote. During Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s time, India was going through a phase of intellectual and cultural upheaval, often referred to as the Indian Renaissance. There was widespread criticism of Indian religious traditions—some from evangelical Christians who aimed to convert Indians, and others from rationalists who wanted to modernize India by rejecting religion altogether.
Some Indian thinkers, influenced by these critiques, either converted to Christianity or adopted atheistic rationalism. Others, like Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (author of Vande Mataram), sought to retain what was valuable in the Indian tradition while making it more palatable to the modern mind. In this process, Krishna was often portrayed not as the butter thief or the lover of the gopis, but as the moral upholder of dharma—the Yugadharma-sthapaka. Many labeled Krishna’s Vrindavan pastimes as later additions or sentimental myths, even attempting to sanitize Krishna by rejecting those stories as primitive or superstitious.
Bhaktivinoda Thakur challenged this notion. He argued that the essence of Krishna-lila is rasa, the divine relish of loving exchanges between Krishna and His devotees, especially as seen in Vrindavan. Since many modern thinkers couldn’t appreciate this, he met them halfway by giving metaphorical explanations of the pastimes. This was not meant to reduce the lila to a mere symbol but to offer an entry point for those who had difficulty accepting the literal pastimes.
In Krishna Samhita, Bhaktivinoda Thakur redefined traditional categories using contemporary terms. He categorized devotees into three broad levels:
- Kanishtha – the literalists, who accept the stories of Krishna at face value (e.g., Krishna dancing on a serpent, lifting Govardhan Hill, stealing butter).
- Madhyama – those who go beyond the literal and appreciate the metaphorical meanings.
- Uttama – those who enter the transcendental or rasa-filled appreciation of Krishna-lila, experiencing divine love.
By this framework, he gently acknowledged the intelligence of the rationalists who sought metaphorical meanings, but then pointed them to a higher level—the rasic level. He thus encouraged a progression: from literal understanding to metaphorical insight, and finally to transcendental realization.
In Krishna Samhita and Chaitanya Shikshamrita, Bhaktivinoda Thakur doesn’t go into detailed mapping of each demon to each anartha. His goal wasn’t to create a systematic list, but rather to help people see that Krishna-lila has profound significance beyond mythology. Inspired by his approach, I (or other contemporary teachers) have explored and fleshed out more specific correlations in classes—for example, how Putana represents the false guru or deceptive guidance, and how hearing about her pastime can help us overcome hypocrisy or misleading tendencies.
This utilitarian approach—where one connects a specific anartha to a specific pastime for spiritual purification—is valid and helpful. For instance, if someone struggles with envy or pride, they can focus on a particular pastime, memorize related verses, and contemplate its meaning to overcome that weakness.
However, we should remember that the primary purpose of bhakti is not just anartha-nivritti (removal of unwanted things) but artha-pravritti—the awakening of love for Krishna. Hearing Krishna-lila with devotion, regardless of whether we link it to a specific anartha, is powerful. That hearing, done with a heart open to rasa, itself purifies us.
So, while Bhaktivinoda Thakur’s metaphorical interpretations are brilliant and helpful, we shouldn’t become overly focused on identifying every demon with an anartha. Instead, we should aim to relish Krishna-lila and gradually progress toward the uttama level, where we taste the nectar of rasa.