Chapter Two
Prayers by the Demigods for Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Womb
TEXT 19
sā devakī sarva-jagan-nivāsa-
nivāsa-bhūtā nitarāṁ na reje
bhojendra-gehe ’gni-śikheva ruddhā
sarasvatī jñāna-khale yathā satī
SYNONYMS
sā devakī—that Devakīdevī; sarva-jagat-nivāsa—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sustainer of all the universes (mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni); nivāsa-bhūtā—the womb of Devakī has now become the residence; nitarām—extensively; na—not; reje—became illuminated; bhojendra-gehe—within the limits of the house of Kaṁsa; agni-śikhā iva—like the flames of a fire; ruddhā—covered; sarasvatī—knowledge; jñāna-khale—in a person known as jñāna-khala, one who possesses knowledge but cannot distribute it; yathā—or just as; satī—so being.
TRANSLATION
Devakī then kept within herself the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the foundation of the entire cosmos, but because she was under arrest in the house of Kaṁsa, she was like the flames of a fire covered by the walls of a pot, or like a person who has knowledge but cannot distribute it to the world for the benefit of human society.
PURPORT
In this verse the word jñāna-khala is most significant. Knowledge is meant for distribution. Although there is already much scientific knowledge, whenever scientists or philosophers awaken to a particular type of knowledge, they try to distribute it throughout the world, for otherwise the knowledge gradually dries up and no one benefits from it. India has the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā, but unfortunately, for some reason or other, this sublime knowledge of the science of God was not distributed throughout the world, although it is meant for all of human society. Therefore Kṛṣṇa Himself appeared as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and ordered all Indians to take up the cause of distributing the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā throughout the entire world.
yāre dekha, tāre kaha ’kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa
“Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.” (Cc. Madhya 7.128) Although India has the sublime knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā, Indians have not done their proper duty of distributing it. Now, therefore, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has been set up to distribute this knowledge as it is, without distortion. Although previously there were attempts to distribute the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā, these attempts involved distortion and compromise with mundane knowledge. But now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, without mundane compromises, is distributing Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and people are deriving the benefits of awakening to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and becoming devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the proper distribution of knowledge has begun by which not only will the whole world benefit, but India’s glory will be magnified in human society. Kaṁsa tried to arrest Kṛṣṇa consciousness within his house (bhojendra-gehe), with the result that Kaṁsa, with all his opulences, was later vanquished. Similarly, the real knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā was being choked by unscrupulous Indian leaders, with the result that India’s culture, and knowledge of the Supreme were being lost. Now, however, because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is spreading, the proper use of Bhagavad-gītā is being attempted.
TEXT 20
tāṁ vīkṣya kaṁsaḥ prabhayājitāntarāṁ
virocayantīṁ bhavanaṁ śuci-smitām
āhaiṣa me prāṇa-haro harir guhāṁ
dhruvaṁ śrito yan na pureyam īdṛśī
SYNONYMS
tām—her (Devakī); vīkṣya—after seeing; kaṁsaḥ—her brother Kaṁsa; prabhayā—with the enhancement of her beauty and influence; ajita-antarām—because of keeping Ajita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, within herself; virocayantīm—illuminating; bhavanam—the whole atmosphere of the house; śuci-smitām—smiling and brilliant; āha—said to himself; eṣaḥ—this (Supreme Person); me—my; prāṇa-haraḥ—who will kill me; hariḥ—Lord Viṣṇu; guhām—within the womb of Devakī; dhruvam—certainly; śritaḥ—has taken shelter; yat—because; na—was not; purā—formerly; iyam—Devakī; īdṛśī—like this.
TRANSLATION
Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead was within her womb, Devakī illuminated the entire atmosphere in the place where she was confined. Seeing her jubilant, pure and smiling, Kaṁsa thought, “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, who is now within her, will kill me. Devakī has never before looked so brilliant and jubilant.”
PURPORT
The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.7):
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.” In this age, at the present moment, there are inordinate discrepancies in the discharge of human duties. Human life is meant for God realization, but unfortunately the materialistic civilization is stressing only the senses of the body, not understanding the living force within the body. As clearly stated in Bhagavad-gītā (dehino ’smin yathā dehe [Bg. 2.13]), within the body is the body’s proprietor, the living force, which is more important. But human society has become so fallen that instead of understanding the living force within the body, people have become busy with external things. This is a discrepancy in human duties. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has taken birth or taken shelter within the womb of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Men of Kaṁsa’s class, therefore, are very much afraid and are busy trying to stop this movement, especially in the Western countries. One politician has remarked that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading like an epidemic and that if not checked immediately, within ten years it may capture governmental power. There is, of course, such potency in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. As stated by authorities (Cc. Ādi 17.22), kali-kāle nāma-rūpe kṛṣṇa-avatāra: in this age, Kṛṣṇa has appeared in the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading like wildfire all over the world, and it will go on doing so. Men who are like Kaṁsa are very much afraid of the movement’s progress and acceptance by the younger generation, but as Kṛṣṇa could not be killed by Kaṁsa, this movement cannot be checked by men of Kaṁsa’s class. The movement will go on increasing more and more, provided the leaders of the movement remain firmly Kṛṣṇa conscious by following the regulative principles and the primary activities of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra regularly.
TEXT 21
kim adya tasmin karaṇīyam āśu me
yad artha-tantro na vihanti vikramam
striyāḥ svasur gurumatyā vadho ’yaṁ
yaśaḥ śriyaṁ hanty anukālam āyuḥ
SYNONYMS
kim—what; adya—now, immediately; tasmin—in this situation; karaṇīyam—is to be done; āśu—without delay; me—my duty; yat—because; artha-tantraḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always determined to protect the sādhus and kill the asādhus; na—does not; vihanti—give up; vikramam—His prowess; striyāḥ—of a woman; svasuḥ—of my sister; guru-matyāḥ—especially when she is pregnant; vadhaḥ ayam—the killing; yaśaḥ—fame; śriyam—opulence; hanti—will vanquish; anukālam—forever; āyuḥ—and the duration of life.
TRANSLATION
Kaṁsa thought: What is my duty now? The Supreme Lord, who knows His purpose [paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām Bg. 4.8], will not give up His prowess. Devakī is a woman, she is my sister, and moreover she is now pregnant. If I kill her, my reputation, opulence and duration of life will certainly be vanquished.
PURPORT
According to Vedic principles, a woman, a brāhmaṇa, an old man, a child and a cow should never be killed. It appears that Kaṁsa, although a great enemy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was aware of the Vedic culture and conscious of the fact that the soul transmigrates from one body to another and that one suffers in the next life according to the karmas of this life. Therefore he was afraid of killing Devakī, since she was a woman, she was his sister, and she was pregnant. A kṣatriya becomes famous by performing heroic acts. But what would be heroic about killing a woman who, while confined in his custody, was under his shelter? Therefore, he did not want to act drastically by killing Devakī. Kaṁsa’s enemy was within Devakī’s womb, but killing an enemy in such a nescient state would not be an exhibition of prowess. According to kṣatriya rules, an enemy should be fought face to face and with proper weapons. Then if the enemy is killed, the victor becomes famous. Kaṁsa very conscientiously deliberated upon these facts and therefore refrained from killing Devakī, although he was completely confident that his enemy had already appeared within her womb.
TEXT 22
sa eṣa jīvan khalu sampareto
varteta yo ’tyanta-nṛśaṁsitena
dehe mṛte taṁ manujāḥ śapanti
gantā tamo ’ndhaṁ tanu-mānino dhruvam
SYNONYMS
saḥ—he; eṣaḥ—that jealous person; jīvan—while living; khalu—even; samparetaḥ—is dead; varteta—continues to live; yaḥ—anyone who; atyanta—very much; nṛśaṁsitena—by executing cruel activities; dehe—when the body; mṛte—is finished; tam—him; manujāḥ—all human beings; śapanti—condemn; gantā—he will go; tamaḥ andham—to hellish life; tanu-māninaḥ—of a person in the bodily concept of life; dhruvam—without a doubt.
TRANSLATION
A person who is very cruel is regarded as dead even while living, for while he is living or after his death, everyone condemns him. And after the death of a person in the bodily concept of life, he is undoubtedly transferred to the hell known as Andhatama.
PURPORT
Kaṁsa considered that if he killed his sister, while living he would be condemned by everyone, and after death he would go to the darkest region of hellish life because of his cruelty. It is said that a cruel person like a butcher is advised not to live and not to die. While living, a cruel person creates a hellish condition for his next birth, and therefore he should not live; but he is also advised not to die, because after death he must go to the darkest region of hell. Thus in either circumstance he is condemned. Kaṁsa, therefore, having good sense about the science of the soul’s transmigration, deliberately refrained from killing Devakī.
In this verse the words gantā tamo ’ndhaṁ tanu-mānino dhruvam are very important and require extensive understanding. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, in his Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā, says: tatra tanu-māninaḥ pāpina iti dehātma-buddhyaiva pāpābhiniveśo bhavati. One who lives in the bodily concept, thinking, “I am this body,” involves himself, by the very nature of this conception, in a life of sinful activities. Anyone living in such a conception is to be considered a candidate for hell.
adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ
punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām
[SB 7.5.30]
One who is in a bodily concept of life has no control over sense gratification. Such a person can do anything sinful to eat, drink, be merry and enjoy a life of sense gratification, not knowing of the soul’s transmigration from one body to another. Such a person does whatever he likes, whatever he imagines, and therefore, being subject to the laws of nature, he suffers miserably again and again in different material bodies.
yāvat kriyās tāvad idaṁ mano vai
karmātmakaṁ yena śarīra-bandhaḥ
(Bhāg. 5.5.5)
In the bodily concept of life, a person is karmānubandha, or conditioned by karma, and as long as the mind is absorbed in karma, one must accept a material body. Śarīra-bandha, bondage to the material body, is a source of misery (kleśa-da).
na sādhu manye yata ātmano ’yam
asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
[SB 5.5.4]
Although the body is temporary, it always gives one trouble in many ways, but human civilization is now unfortunately based on tanu-mānī, the bodily concept of life, by which one thinks, “I belong to this nation,” “I belong to this group,” “I belong to that group,” and so on. Each of us has his own ideas, and we are becoming increasingly involved, individually, socially, communally and nationally, in the complexities of karmānubandha, sinful activities. For the maintenance of the body, men are killing so many other bodies and becoming implicated in karmānubandha. Therefore Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says that tanu-mānī, those in the bodily concept of life, are pāpī, sinful persons. For such sinful persons, the ultimate destination is the darkest region of hellish life (gantā tamo ’ndham). In particular, a person who wants to maintain his body by killing animals is most sinful and cannot understand the value of spiritual life. In Bhagavad-gītā (16.19–20) the Lord says:
tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān
saṁsāreṣu narādhamān
kṣipāmy ajasram aśubhān
āsurīṣv eva yoniṣu
āsurīṁ yonim āpannā
mūḍhā janmani janmani
mām aprāpyaiva kaunteya
tato yānty adhamāṁ gatim
“Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life. Attaining repeated birth among the species of demoniac life, such persons can never approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence.” A human being is meant to understand the value of human life, which is a boon obtained after many, many births. Therefore one must free oneself from tanu-mānī, the bodily concept of life, and realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 23
iti ghoratamād bhāvāt
sannivṛttaḥ svayaṁ prabhuḥ
āste pratīkṣaṁs taj-janma
harer vairānubandha-kṛt
SYNONYMS
iti—thus (thinking in the above-mentioned way); ghora-tamāt bhāvāt—from the most ghastly contemplation of how to kill his sister; sannivṛttaḥ—refrained; svayam—personally deliberating; prabhuḥ—one who was in full knowledge (Kaṁsa); āste—remained; pratīkṣan—awaiting the moment; tat-janma—until the birth of Him; hareḥ—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari; vaira-anubandha-kṛt—determined to continue such enmity.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Deliberating in this way, Kaṁsa, although determined to continue in enmity toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead, refrained from the vicious killing of his sister. He decided to wait until the Lord was born and then do what was needed.
TEXT 24
āsīnaḥ saṁviśaṁs tiṣṭhan
bhuñjānaḥ paryaṭan mahīm
cintayāno hṛṣīkeśam
apaśyat tanmayaṁ jagat
SYNONYMS
āsīnaḥ—while sitting comfortably in his sitting room or on the throne; saṁviśan—or lying on his bed; tiṣṭhan—or staying anywhere; bhuñjānaḥ—while eating; paryaṭan—while walking or moving; mahīm—on the ground, going hither and thither; cintayānaḥ—always inimically thinking of; hṛṣīkeśam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of everything; apaśyat—observed; tat-mayam—consisting of Him (Kṛṣṇa), and nothing more; jagat—the entire world.
TRANSLATION
While sitting on his throne or in his sitting room, while lying on his bed, or, indeed, while situated anywhere, and while eating, sleeping or walking, Kaṁsa saw only his enemy, the Supreme Lord, Hṛṣīkeśa. In other words, by thinking of his all-pervading enemy, Kaṁsa became unfavorably Kṛṣṇa conscious.
PURPORT
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described the finest pattern of devotional service as ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam, or cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness favorably. Kaṁsa, of course, was also Kṛṣṇa conscious, but because he regarded Kṛṣṇa as his enemy, even though he was fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his Kṛṣṇa consciousness was not favorable for his existence. Kṛṣṇa consciousness, favorably cultivated, makes one completely happy, so much so that a Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not consider kaivalya-sukham, or merging into the existence of Kṛṣṇa, to be a great gain. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. For a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, even merging into the existence of Kṛṣṇa, or Brahman, as impersonalists aspire to do, is uncomfortable. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate tridaśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Karmīs hanker to be promoted to the heavenly planets, but a Kṛṣṇa conscious person considers such promotion a will-o’-the-wisp, good for nothing. Durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate. Yogīs try to control their senses and thus become happy, but a Kṛṣṇa conscious person neglects the methods of yoga. He is unconcerned with the greatest of enemies, the senses, which are compared to snakes. For a Kṛṣṇa conscious person who is cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness favorably, the happiness conceived by the karmīs, jñānīs and yogīs is treated as less than a fig. Kaṁsa, however, because of cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness in a different way—that is, inimically—was uncomfortable in all the affairs of his life; whether sitting, sleeping, walking or eating, he was always in danger. This is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. A nondevotee or atheist also cultivates God consciousness—by trying to avoid God in everything. For example, so-called scientists who want to create life by a combination of chemicals regard the external, material elements as supreme. Such scientists do not like the idea that life is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. As clearly stated in Bhagavad-gītā (mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ), the living entities do not arise from a combination of material elements, such as earth, water, air and fire, but are separated portions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one can understand the position of the living entity as a separated portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by studying the nature of the living entity one can understand the nature of the Supreme Godhead, since the living entity is a fragmental sample of the Godhead. But because atheists are not interested in God consciousness, they try to be happy by cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness in various unfavorable ways.
Although Kaṁsa was always absorbed in thoughts of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was not happy. A devotee, however, whether sitting on a throne or beneath a tree, is always happy. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī resigned from office as a government minister to sit beneath a tree, yet he was happy. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍalapati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat (Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka 4). He did not care for his comfortable position as minister; he was happy even beneath a tree in Vṛndāvana, favorably serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. For a nondevotee, the world is full of problems, whereas for a devotee the entire world is full of happiness.
viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate
yat-kāruṇya-kaṭākṣa-vaibhavavatāṁ taṁ gauram eva stumaḥ
(Caitanya-candrāmṛta 95)
This comfortable position of a devotee can be established by the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Yasmin sthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate (Bg. 6.22). Even when a devotee is superficially put into great difficulty, he is never disturbed.
TEXT 25
brahmā bhavaś ca tatraitya
munibhir nāradādibhiḥ
devaiḥ sānucaraiḥ sākaṁ
gīrbhir vṛṣaṇam aiḍayan
SYNONYMS
brahmā—the supreme four-headed demigod; bhavaḥ ca—and Lord Śiva; tatra—there; etya—arriving; munibhiḥ—accompanied by great sages; nārada-ādibhiḥ—by Nārada and others; devaiḥ—and by demigods like Indra, Candra and Varuṇa; sa-anucaraiḥ—with their followers; sākam—all together; gīrbhiḥ—by their transcendental prayers; vṛṣaṇam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can bestow blessings upon everyone; aiḍayan—pleased.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, accompanied by great sages like Nārada, Devala and Vyāsa and by other demigods like Indra, Candra and Varuṇa, invisibly approached the room of Devakī, where they all joined in offering their respectful obeisances and prayers to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can bestow blessings upon everyone.
PURPORT
Dvau bhūta-sargau loke ’smin daiva āsura eva ca (Padma Purāṇa). There are two classes of men—the daivas and the asuras—and there is a great difference between them. Kaṁsa, being an asura, was always planning how to kill the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His mother, Devakī. Thus he was also Kṛṣṇa conscious. But devotees are Kṛṣṇa conscious favorably (viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daivaḥ). Brahmā is so powerful that he is in charge of creating an entire universe, yet he personally came to receive the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhava, Lord Śiva, is always jubilant in chanting the holy name of the Lord. And what to speak of Nārada? Nārada-muni, bājāya vīṇā, rādhikā-ramaṇa-nāme. Nārada Muni is always chanting the glories of the Lord, and his engagement is to travel all over the universe and find a devotee or make someone a devotee. Even a hunter was made a devotee by the grace of Nārada. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, in his Toṣaṇī, says that the word nārada-ādibhiḥ means that Nārada and the demigods were accompanied by other saintly persons, like Sanaka and Sanātana, all of whom came to congratulate or welcome the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even though Kaṁsa was planning to kill Devakī, he too awaited the arrival of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (pratīkṣaṁs taj janma).
Comments