The Bhagavata Purana 3

by Bibek Debroy

  Chapter 10(24)

  Shri-Shuka said, ‘While residing there with Baladeva, the illustrious one saw the gopas making preparations for a sacrifice to Indra. The illustrious one is omniscient and dwells in all atmans. Though he knew, he humbly asked the elders, with Nanda at the forefront. “O father! What are all these great actitivies for? What are the expected fruits? Who is this directed towards? What are the arrangements for this sacrifice? O father! Tell me. I have a great desire to hear about this. Virtuous people who look upon everyone else as their own selves should not keep secrets in this world. They do not distinguish between what belongs to them and what belongs to someone else. They do not distinguish between friends, those who are neutral and enemies. Even if a neutral person is avoided like an enemy, it has been said that a well-wisher is like one’s own self. Regardless of whether they understand or don’t understand the purposes of rites, they perform them. The learned accomplish the objectives of rites, not those who are ignorant. That being the case, has the purpose of this rite been thought about? 160 Or is it just something that people generally do? It is best that it should be properly explained to those who ask.” Nanda replied, “The illustrious Indra is the rain god. The clouds represent his embodied form. They shower down the beloved water, which ensures life and subsistence to creatures. O son! We and others worship the lord and master of the clouds. Men worship him through yajnas and kratus, 161 using objects that are ripened through his semen. 162 The remnants of sacrifices are fruits that enable the accomplishment of the three objectives of existence. 163 For enterprising men, Parjanya is the one who determines the fruits. This is the dharma that has come down through tradition. Out of desire, hatred, fear or avarice, if a man rejects this, he does not obtain benefit.” Keshava heard the words of Nanda and the other residents of Vraja. With an intention of generating Indra’s anger, he spoke to his father.

  ‘The illustrious one said, “Creatures come into being because of karma. It is because of karma that they are destroyed. Happiness, unhappiness, fear and fortune are all the outcome of karma. If there is a lord who confers fruits and other benefits of karma, he becomes dependent on the one who undertakes the karma and has no control over those who do not undertake it. 164 Creatures follow their own respective karma. In this world, what can Indra do to creatures? Men act and are driven by their own natures. What power does he have over this? Each person is under the control of his own nature and follows that nature. Gods, asuras and humans are all based on their own natures. It is because of karma that creatures are born as superior and inferior species and give up those bodies. Karma is the lord and preceptor, the friend, the neutral or the enemy. Therefore, one should worship karma. Based on one’s own nature, one must perform one’s own karma. Indeed, what can easily be done is the divinity. If one’s proclivities are towards one form of subsistence, but he resorts to another, that does not ensure benefit. That is like an unchaste woman indulging with a paramour. A brahmana must devote himself to the brahman. 165 Royalty must protect the earth. 166 Vaishyas subsist through trade and shudras by serving dvijas. 167 There are four kinds of means of subsistence—agriculture, trade, tending to cattle and the lending of money. We are continuously engaged in tending to cattle. Sattva, rajas and tamas are the reasons behind creation, preservation and destruction. The universe has been created out of rajas. All the many things on world result from union between one another. 168 It is rajas that urges the clouds and they shower down water in every direction. That is how subjects achieve their purposes. What does the great Indra do? We do not live in cities, habitations, villages or permanent homes. O father! We are residents of the forest. We live in forests and mountains. Therefore, we should organize a sacrifice for cattle, brahmanas and this mountain. 169 Let us use everything that has been brought together for Indra’s sacrifice to accomplish that sacrifice. Let many kinds of food be cooked, ending with broth, payasam 170 and other things. Let small cakes be made out of flour and fried. Let cakes be baked. 171 Let all the milk products be taken for that purpose. Let the sacrificial fires be properly kindled by brahmanas who know about the brahman. Let food with many kinds of qualities be given to them. Let them be given cattle as dakshina. 172 Let the appropriate food be given to dogs, shvapakas, chandalas and outcastes. 173 Let grass be given to the cows. Let offerings be rendered to the mountain. After eating, ornament yourselves. Smear yourselves with pastes and wear excellent garments. After this, circumambulate cows, brahmanas, sacrificial fires and the mountain. 174 O father! This is my view. If it appeals to you, act in accordance with this. A sacrifice for cattle, brahmanas and the mountain will please me a lot.”’

  Shri-Shuka continued, ‘The illustrious one was time himself and he wished to destroy Shakra’s pride. Nanda and the others heard him and applauded and accepted his words. All of them acted exactly as Madhusudana had said. They had benedictions pronounced and offered those objects and the offerings that had been collected to brahmanas and the mountain. They gave grass to the cows. Placing the wealth of cattle ahead of them, they circumambulated the mountain. They yoked carts, and gopis ornamented themselves and rode on them, chanting about Krishna’s valour. The brahmanas pronounced benedictions. So as to bring about trust in the gopas, Krishna assumed a completely different appearance, with a gigantic form. He said, “I am the mountain” and ate all the offerings. 175 Along with the people of Vraja, he himself bowed down to this form of his and said, “Behold the form of this mountain. It has favoured us by manifesting itself before us. It can assume any form at will and kill residents of the forest who disregard it. For our benefit and that of the cattle, let us bow down before it.” Thus, urged by Vasudeva, the gopas undertook a sacrifice to the mountain, cows and cattle, as they had been instructed. Along with Krishna, they then returned to Vraja.’

  Chapter 10(25)

  Shri-Shuka said, ‘O king! Indra got to know that his own worship had been stopped. He became angry with the gopas who had accepted Krishna as a protector, with Nanda and the others. There are a host of clouds named samvartaka, which bring about universal destruction. Taking himself to be the lord, Indra angrily goaded them in these words. “Because of their prosperity, look at the insolence of greatness that has arisen in the gopas who dwell in the forest. Seeking refuge with a mortal Krishna, they have disregarded a god. They have given up considered knowledge and have resorted to sacrifices full of rites. They wish to cross the ocean of life with these. But since these are broken, they are boats only in name. Krishna talks a lot. He is childish, arrogant and ignorant, but takes himself to be learned. Seeking refuge with a mortal Krishna, the gopas have caused displeasure to me. Their prosperity has maddened them. They take themselves to be protected by Krishna. Destroy their prosperity, insolence and arrogance. Convey their animals to destruction. Astride the elephant Airavata, I will follow you to Vraja. To destroy Nanda’s settlement, the large number of extremely forceful Maruts will be with me.” The clouds were thus commanded by Maghavan. Freed from their bonds, 176 they used their energy to pour down on Nanda’s Gokula and cause suffering. There were flashes of lightning. There were roars of thunder. There were a large number of fierce Maruts. Water and hailstones showered down. The showers were as thick as pillars and the clouds released them incessantly. The torrents of water flooded the earth and high and low ground could no longer be seen. Because of the excessive rain and the strong winds, the animals started to tremble. The gopas and gopis suffered from the cold and went and sought refuge with Govinda. Suffering from the downpour, they covered their heads, and their children with their bodies. Trembling, they sought refuge at the illustrious one’s feet. “O Krishna! O immensely fortunate one! O Krishna! O lord! You are Gokula’s protector. O one who is devoted to his devotees! You should save us from the god who is angry with us.” They were suffering from the shower of hailstones and the extreme storms. Struck by these, they were senseless. On seeing this, the illustrious Hari thought that this was the work of an angry Indra. “This excessive shower and severe
storms with hailstones is not characteristic of this season. Since his own sacrifice has been stopped, Indra is showering down, so as to destroy us. I will counter this through an appropriate use of my own yoga. I must take measures. There are those who foolishly pride themselves on being the lords of the worlds. I must destroy the tamas that leads to intoxication at their affluence. The lords of the gods are suffused with sattva. But since they are intoxicated with what is not sattva, this is not surprising in them. I must think of a means to quieten them and shatter their pride. Those in the settlement have sought refuge with me. I am there protector and they are dependent on me. Through my own yoga, I must protect the gopas. That is my vow.”

  ‘Saying this, with one hand, though he was still a child, he held up Mount Govardhana. Vishnu held it up easily, as if it was a mushroom. The illustrious one spoke to the gopas. “O mother! O father! O residents of Vraja! As you wish, please enter the cavities in this mountain, along with your wealth of cattle. You should not be scared that the mountain will fall down from my hand. Nor should you be scared of the wind and the rain. This is sufficient to protect you.” With their minds assured by Krishna, they comfortably entered those cavities, along with their wealth, their vehicles and their dependents. He abandoned hunger, thirst and all expectations of happiness. As the residents of Vraja looked at him, he held up the mountain for seven days and his feet did not move even a little. On witnessing the power of Krishna’s yoga, Indra was extremely astounded. His pride and determination were destroyed and he asked his clouds to withdraw. The sky was clear of clouds and the sun arose. The terrible storm and rain ceased. Seeing this, the one who had held up Govardhana spoke to the gopas. “O gopas! Cast away your fears and emerge, along with your women, wealth and children. The storm and the rain have ceased. The flood in the rivers has almost receded.” At this, the gopas emerged, taking their respective wealth of cattle with them. The women, the young and the aged emerged slowly, along with carts loaded with various objects. While all the creatures looked on, the illustrious lord playfully placed the mountain back at the spot where it had been earlier. The residents of Vraja were overwhelmed with a flood of love for him. They came forward, embraced him and did other things. 177 The delighted gopis affectionately worshipped him with curds, unbroken rice and water and pronounced excellent benedictions. Yashoda, Rohini, Nanda and Rama, supreme among strong ones, embraced Krishna. Overwhelmed with affection, they pronounced benedictions. O king! Large number of gods, Siddhas, Sadhyas, gandharvas and charanas praised him from the firmament and showered down flowers. O king! Urged by the gods, conch shells and drums were sounded in heaven. The lords among the gandharvas, Tumbaru being the foremost, sang. The protectors of the animals devotedly surrounded him. O king! With them and with Bala, Hari went to his own settlement. The gopikas 178 sang about this and other acts that he had done. He had touched their hearts and they rejoiced.’

  Chapter 10(26)

  Shri-Shuka said, ‘The gopas witnessed this and other things that Krishna did. Since they did not know about his valour, they were extremely surprised. They approached 179 and spoke. “The deeds done by this child are extraordinary. How did he deserve to be born among ordinary people like us? As if he was playing, how could this child hold up a supreme mountain on a single hand for seven days, like a king among elephants does to a lotus? This extremely energetic one had his eyes closed. But like time devours lifespan and the body, he drank from Putana’s breast and sucked out her life. When he was only one month old, he was lying down under a cart and crying. He struck it with one foot and made it overturn and fall down. When he was only a year old, he was seated and was carried through the sky by the daitya 180 Trinavarta. But he seized him by the neck, throttled him and killed him. On one occasion, because he had stolen butter, his mother tied him to a mortar. However, crawling on his hands, he went between two arjuna trees and brought them down. With Rama and surrounded by the children, he was herding calves in the forest. Baka wished to kill him. However, he tore apart the enemy’s mouth with his arms and killed him. Vatsa 181 wanted to kill him and penetrated the calves in the form of a calf. However, he playfully hurled him and killed him, making kapittha fruits fall down. With Bala, he killed the daitya Rasabha 182 and his relatives, thus making the forest of palm, filled with ripe fruit, safe. He arranged that the extremely strong Bala should kill Pralamba. He rescued the animals of Vraja and the gopas from the forest conflagration. In the pool, he subdued the Indra among serpents who possessed virulent poison. He forcibly exiled him from Yamuna, freeing the water from the poison. All of us, the residents of Vraja, have an affection towards him that is impossible to give up. O Nanda! Your son is also attached to you and to us. How did this come about? How can a mere child, who is seven years old, hold up a giant mountain? Who is he? O lord of Vraja! Therefore, we have a doubt about your son.” Nanda replied, “O gopas! Listen to my words and do not have any doubts about my son. This is what Garga had told me about this son. 183 ‘According to the yuga, this one has adopted bodies with three different complexions—white, red and yellow. He is now dark. Earlier, this son of yours used to belong to Vasudeva. Therefore, those who know will refer to this prosperous one as Vasudeva. This son of yours has many kinds of names and forms. His qualities and deeds are also similar. I know about them, but other people do not. He will be the delight of Gokula and will bring welfare to the gopas. It is through him that you will easily pass over all the difficulties. O lord of Vraja! Earlier, the virtuous suffered from bandits. They were not protected by a king. However, he vanquished the flourishing bandits. Enemies and asuras cannot overcome those who have Vishnu on their side. Those immensely fortunate men bring him pleasure. O Nanda! Therefore, this son of yours is like Narayana in his qualities. Therefore, do not be surprised at his prosperity, powers and deeds.’ Garga directly instructed me in this way and returned to his own home. I think that Krishna, unblemished in his deeds, has been born as Narayana’s portion.” Hearing Nanda’s words and what Garga had chanted, the residents of Vraja were filled with joy. Their wonder vanished and they worshipped Nanda and Krishna. The god who showers was angry that his sacrifice had been stopped and showered down thunder, hail stones and winds. Suffering, the protectors of animals and the women sought refuge with him. On seeing this, he was filled with compassion. Though he was only a child, he playfully uprooted the mountain and held it up in a single hand, as if it was a mushroom. He protected the settlement and destroyed the great Indra’s pride. May the lord of cows be pleased with us.’

  Chapter 10(27)

  Shri-Shuka said, ‘He held up Mount Govardhana and protected Vraja from the downpour. Surabhi came down to Krishna from Goloka. 184 Shakra was with her. He approached him in a private place. He was ashamed that he had shown him disrespect. He touched his feet with his diadem, which was as radiant as the sun. Indra had seen, and had heard about, Krishna’s powers and his infinite energy. His pride at being the lord of the three worlds had been destroyed. He joined his hands in salutation and said the following. Indra said, “Your abode is serene and is pure sattva. It is full of austerities and is devoid of anything created by rajas or tamas. This great confluence of gunas is full of maya. It results from the bondage of ignorance and does not exist in you. O lord! Avarice and other things are the signs and symptoms of ignorance. They are the result and the cause. 185 How can these exist in you? For the protection of dharma and for punishing the wicked, you nevertheless wield the rod of chastisement. You are the father. You are the preceptor. You are the controller of the universe. You are time, which is impossible to cross. For the sake of welfare, you wield the rod of chastisement. Out of your own will, you assume forms and perform acts. You destroy the pride of those who take themselves to be lords of the universe. There are ignorant ones like me, priding ourselves on being lords of the universe. On seeing you, fearless in the form of time, we quickly abandon that insolence. We give up our pride and completely follow the path of the noble. This action of yours is only meant to instruc
t the wicked. As a consequence of my lordship, I was flooded with insolence. Ignorant of your powers, I committed a crime against you. O lord! You should pardon those who are foolish in intelligence. O lord! O supreme one! May I never suffer from such wicked sentiments again. O Adhokshaja! O god! Many leaders of armies have been born. They are a burden on earth and create many difficulties. Your avatara is for their destruction and for the welfare of those who resort to your feet. I bow down to the illustrious one, the great-souled Purusha. I bow down to Vasudeva Krishna, the lord of the Satvatas. According to the wishes of your devotees, you assume a form. Your form is pure knowledge. You are in everything. You are the seed of everything. I bow down to the one who is in the atmans of all creatures. O illustrious one! When my sacrifice was stopped, full of pride, I was filled with fierce rage. I tried to destroy this settlement with showers and terrible winds. O lord! You showed me your favours and destroyed my arrogance and my futile efforts. You are my lord and preceptor. I seek refuge with you.” Krishna was thus praised by Maghavan. With a voice that rumbled like that of the clouds, he smiled and spoke these words. The illustrious one replied, “O Maghavan! It was out of a favour to you that I had your sacrifice stopped, so that you might always remember me. You were intoxicated because of your prosperity as Indra. If a person is blind with the arrogance of prosperity and opulence, he does not see me, with the rod of chastisement in my hand. If I desire to show him a favour, I dislodge him from that prosperity. O Shakra! Leave and act in accordance with my instructions. Remain in the position of responsibility you have been entrusted with, but remain free of insolence.” After this, along with her own offspring, the spirited Surabhi approached and spoke to Krishna, the lord who was in the form of a gopa. Surabhi said, “O Krishna! O great yogi! O Krishna! O one whose atman is the universe! O one who is the origin of the universe! O Achyuta! You are the protector of the worlds and you are our protector too. You are our supreme divinity. O lord of the universe! Become our Indra. For the welfare of cattle, brahmanas, gods and virtuous people, become our ruler. Urged by Brahma, we will undertake a consecration ceremony to make you our Indra. O one whose atman is the universe! You have descended so as to reduce the burden of the earth.” Thus, Surabhi invited Krishna and consecrated him with her milk. Along with the divine rishis and urged by the mothers of the gods, 186 Indra sprinkled him with water from the celestial Ganga, brought by Airavata’s trunk. He gave Dasharha the name of Govinda. “I am the Indra of the gods. You have become the Indra of the cows. In the worlds and on earth, men will chant about you as Govinda.” 187 Tumbaru, Narada and the others arrived there—gandharvas, vidyadharas, 188 Siddhas and charanas. They sang about the fame of Hari, the one who cleanses the worlds of impurities. Filled with joy, the celestial women danced. All the prominent ones among the gods praised him. They showered him with wonderful flowers. The three worlds obtained great satisfaction. The cows flooded the earth with milk. Floods of many kinds of juices flowed along the rivers. Honey flowed out of the trees. Even without being ploughed, the plants yielded copious crops. The mountains brought out jewels. 189 O extender of the Kuru lineage! All this happened at Krishna’s consecration. O son! Even those who are cruel by nature, gave up all enmity. In this way, Shakra instated Govinda as the lord of cows and of Gokula. Surrounded by the gods and others, he then took his leave and returned to heaven.’