Part 68 (1/2)

Krishna and Arjuna went towards the west. They crossed the seven oceans and the seven Dvipas. They crossed the Loka-aloka and entered the regions of chaotic darkness. The horses could not proceed further. So by Krishna's order the glowing Chakra, Sudarshana, pierced through the darkness and the horses followed the track. Infinite, endless, divine light then spread out. Arjuna re-opened his eyes. They then entered the regions of primal water. They found one house glittering with gems and stones. The thousand-headed Ananta was sitting in that house. Seated upon Ananta was the Supreme Purusha, the Lord of the Lords. Krishna and Arjuna saluted Him. The Purusha then smiled and said: - ”I brought the Brahmana boys that I might see you both. For the protection of Dharma on the Earth, you have incarnated as my parts (Kala.) Kill the Asuras that oppress the Earth and come back soon to me. Filled are your own desires, O you Ris.h.i.+s, Nara and Narayana. But for the preservation of the Universe, do that which others may follow.”

Krishna and Arjuna said ”Om”. They brought back the Brahmana boys and restored them to their father.

THE LINE OF KRISHNA.

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 90.*

Vajra was the son of Aniruddha.

Prati-bahu was the son of Vajra.

Su-bahu was the son of Prati-bahu.

Upasena was the son of Su-bahu.

Bhadra-sena was the son of Upasena.

*END OF THE TENTH BRANCH.*

THOUGHTS ON THE MATHURa LILa.

Kansa was killed and all good men that had fled from Mathura returned to it. Krishna fast developed Himself as ishvara. He restored his Guru's son to life.

Uddhava, the embodiment of Bhakti Yoga mixed with wisdom, was the messenger of Krishna to the Gopis. It was through him that Sri Krishna sent words of wisdom, which He himself could not have spoken to them at Vrindavana. For the Gopis would have spurned such words from Him, so great was their personal love for Him. Krishna now placed another ideal before them for meditation. They were now to seek Him, not as the lovely Krishna, playing upon the flute, but as the all-pervading atma to be known by discriminating wisdom. He asked the Gopis to meditate on this ideal, and He now returned to them as the all-pervading immutable principle in the Universe.

In the stories of Jarasandha, Yavana and Muchukunda we find the historical Krishna.

Jarasandha was an incongruous combination of materiality and spirituality, (the two parts which Jiva put together). He was the performer of Vedic Yajnas, the supporter of Brahmanas, the representative of the old state of things. Naturally therefore he was the most powerful king of his time and the most powerful enemy of Krishna. Vaishnavism had to fight hard with orthodox Brahmanism.

Vaishnava kings were put to death in large numbers. Krishna could not kill him on account of his connection with Brahmanas and with Vedic Yajnas. He even feigned a retreat and fled away to Dvaraka. Dvaraka was a spiritual centre on earth, created by Krishna, for the performance of His mission as Avatara. The town was washed away as soon as Krishna disappeared.

It will be interesting to know the future mission of Muchukunda. But the Bhagavata is silent about it.

THOUGHTS ON THE DVaRAKa

At Dvaraka, we find Sri Krishna as the Lord of the Universe, a Kalpic Avatara, and as such something more than the historical Krishna.

_Sri Krishna as an Avatara._

It is time that we should know something definitely of Sri Krishna as an Avatara.

To restore the Brahmana boys, Sri Krishna went with Arjuna to the abode of Purusha. Purusha smiled and said: - ”I brought the Brahmana boys, that I might see you both. For the protection of Dharma on the Earth, you have incarnated as my parts (Kala). Kill the Asuras that oppress the Earth and come back soon to Me. Satiated are your own desires, O you Ris.h.i.+s, Nara and Narayana, but for the preservation of the universe do that which others may follow.”

The Purusha is the Virat Purusha of our universe, the Second Purusha or the Second Logos.

When the first Purusha woke up, the process of transformation went on and the material creation was completed. The materials could not however unite to form individual bodies. Purusha infused the material creation and became known as the Second Purusha or Virat Purusha, As regards this Virat Purusha, the Bhagavata Purana says as follows: -

”He is the resting place and eternal seed of all Avataras. Brahma is His part, Marichi and other Ris.h.i.+s are parts of His part. Devas, animals and men are brought into manifestation by parts of His part.” Bhagavata I.

3-5.