Krishna leela

f hearing Lord Krishna's pastimes

Krishna-katha means narrations about Lord Krishna. There are two Krishna-kathas: narrations spoken by Krishna and narrations spoken about Krishna. The Bhagavad-gita, is the narration or the philosophy on the science of God, spoken by Krishna Himself.

Shrimad-Bhagavatam is the narration about the activities and transcendental pastimes of Krishna. Both are krishna-katha.  One might wonder as to how one can benefit by hearing such pastimes of the Lord and also why does the Supreme Lord enact pastimes as a human being or a commoner?  The answer, as described in the Bhagavad-gita is that He appears as He is in the human society just to invite everyone to His transcendental abode, back home, back to Godhead. Everyone should be interested in knowing about Krishna.

Shukadeva Gosvami informed Pariksit Maharaja that hearing and chanting the pastimes of Krishna are so auspicious that the processes purify the three varieties of men involved: he who recites the transcendental topics of Krishna, he who hears such topics, and he who inquires about Him. These pastimes are just like the Ganges water, which flows from the toe of Lord Vishnu: they purify the three worlds, the upper, middle and lower planetary systems.

The Amazing Adventures of Krishna

The following wonderful pastimes of the Lord are covered in this section:

• The Advent of Lord Krishna:

Once, the world was overburdened by the unnecessary defense force of different kings. At that time, the whole world became perturbed, and the predominating deity of this earth, known as Bhumi, assumed the shape of a cow.
She presented herself before Lord Brahma with tears in her eyes while narrating the calamitous position of the earth.

Once, the world was overburdened by the unnecessary defense force of different kings. At that time, the whole world became perturbed, and the predominating deity of this earth, known as Bhumi, assumed the shape of a cow. She presented herself before Lord Brahma with tears in her eyes while narrating the calamitous position of the earth. He became much aggrieved and at once started for the ocean of milk where Lord Vishnu resides, accompanied by all the demigods headed by Lord Shiva and Bhumi also followed.

Arriving on the shore of the milk ocean, Lord Brahma personally sat in meditation, and there was a message-transmission from Lord Vishnu to Brahma. Brahma then broadcast the message to the demigods that The Supreme Personality of Godhead would appear on the earth very soon, along with His supreme powerful potencies. The demigods should all immediately take birth in the family of the Yadu dynasty, wherein the Lord would also appear in due course of time. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, Krishna, would personally appear as the son of Vasudeva.

Imprisonment of Lord Krishna 's parents

Once upon a time, Vasudeva, the son of  Shurasena, just after marrying Devaki, was going home on his chariot with his newly wedded wife. At that time, Kamsa, the son of  Ugrasena in order to please his sister, Devaki, had voluntarily taken the reins of the horses of Vasudeva’s chariot and was driving. Suddenly a miraculous sound vibrated from the sky which especially announced to Kamsa: “Kamsa, you are such a fool! You are driving the chariot of your sister and your brother-in-law, but you do not know that the eighth child of this sister will kill you.”

It is said that Kamsa was the most demoniac of all the Bhoja Dynasty kings. Immediately after hearing the prophecy from the sky, he caught hold of Devaki’s hair and was just about to kill her with his sword. Vasudeva, after deliberating on how to save his wife, began to speak to Kamsa with great respect, “If there are any sons born of her, I promise that I shall present all of them to you for necessary action.”

Kamsa knew the value of Vasudeva’s word of honor, and he was convinced by his argument. For the time being, he desisted from the heinous killing of his sister. Nevertheless, later he arrested both Vasudeva and Devaki and put them behind prison bars. Within the prison, shackled in iron chains, Vasudeva and Devaki gave birth to a male child year after year, and Kamsa, thinking each of the babies to be the incarnation of Vishnu, killed them one after another.

Yogamaya’s Arrangements

After Kamsa had killed the six sons of Mother Devaki, Ananta-Shesa entered Devaki’s womb and was transferred to the womb of Mother Rohini by the manipulation of Yoga-maya.
The Lord Himself, who was soon to appear as the eighth son of Devaki,  ordered Yogamaya to take birth from the womb of Yashoda devi. Because Krishna and His potency, Yogamaya, appeared simultaneously as brother and sister, the world is full of Vaishnavas and shaktas, and there is certainly some rivalry between them. Vaishnavas worship the Supreme Lord, whereas shaktas, according to their desires, worship Yogamaya in forms like Durga, Bhadrakali and Candika.

After the transfer of Anantadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared within the heart of Vasudeva and transferred Himself into the heart of Devaki. Because the Lord was present in her heart, Devaki, as her pregnancy continued, appeared effulgent. Upon seeing this effulgence, Kamsa was full of anxiety, but he could not harm Devaki because of their family relationship. Thus he began indirectly thinking of Krishna and became fully Krishna conscious.

• Vision of the universal form

A short time after the naming ceremony, both Balarama and Krishna began to crawl on Their hands and knees. When They were crawling like that, They pleased Their mothers. The bells tied to Their waist and ankles sounded fascinating, and They would move around very pleasingly. Sometimes, just like ordinary, They would be frightened by others and would immediately hurry to Their mothers for protection.

A short time after the naming ceremony, both Balarama and Krishna began to crawl on Their hands and knees. When They were crawling like that, They pleased Their mothers. The bells tied to Their waist and ankles sounded fascinating, and They would move around very pleasingly. Sometimes, just like ordinary children, They would be frightened by others and would immediately hurry to Their mothers for protection. Sometimes They would fall into the clay and mud of Vrindavana and would approach Their mothers smeared with clay and saffron.

Sometimes the naughty babies would crawl up to the cowshed, catch the tail of a calf and stand up. The calves, being disturbed, would immediately begin running here and there, and the children would be dragged over clay and cow dung. To see this fun, Yashoda and Rohini would call all their neighborhood friends, the gopis. Upon seeing these childhood pastimes of Lord Krishna, the gopis would be merged in transcendental bliss. In their enjoyment they would laugh very loudly.
Krishna and Balarama were so restless that Their mothers Yashoda and Rohini would try to protect Them from cows, bulls, monkeys, water, fire and birds while they were executing their household duties. Always being anxious to protect the children and to execute their duties, they were not very tranquil. In a very short time, Krishna and Balarama began to stand up and slightly move on Their legs. When Krishna and Balarama began to walk, other friends of the same age joined Them, and together They gave the highest transcendental pleasure to the gopis, specifically to mother Yashoda and Rohini. All the gopi friends of Yashoda and Rohini enjoyed the naughty childish activities of Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavana.

Another day, when Krishna and Balarama were playing with Their friends, all the boys joined Balarama and complained to mother Yashoda that Krishna had eaten clay. On hearing this, mother Yashoda caught hold of Krishna’s hand and said, “My dear Krishna, why have You eaten earth in a solitary place? Just see, all Your friends, including Balarama, are complaining about You.” Being afraid of His mother, Krishna replied, “My dear mother, all these boys, including My elder brother, Balarama, are speaking lies against Me. I have never eaten any clay. My elder brother, Balarama, while playing with Me today, became angry, and therefore He has joined with the other boys to complain against Me. They have all combined together to complain so you will be angry and chastise Me. If you think they are truthful, then you can look within My mouth to see whether I have eaten clay or not.” His mother replied, “All right, if You have actually not eaten any clay, then just open Your mouth. I shall see.”
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna was so ordered by His mother, He immediately opened His mouth just like an ordinary boy. Then mother Yashoda saw within that mouth the complete opulence of creation. She saw the entire outer space in all directions, mountains, islands, oceans, seas, planets, air, fire, moon and stars. Along with the moon and the stars she also saw all the elements—water, sky and the extensive ethereal existence, along with the total ego and its products, namely the senses, the controllers of the senses, all the demigods and the objects of the senses like sound and smell. Within His mouth she also saw the three qualities of material nature, all living entities, eternal time, material nature, spiritual nature, activity, consciousness and different forms of the whole creation.

Yashoda could find within the mouth of her child everything necessary for cosmic manifestation. She also saw, within His mouth, herself taking Krishna on her lap and having Him suck her breast. Upon seeing all this, she became struck with awe and began to wonder whether she were dreaming or actually seeing something extraordinary. She concluded that she was either dreaming or seeing the play of the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She thought that she had become mad, mentally deranged, to see all those wonderful things. Then she thought, “It may be cosmic mystic power attained by my child, and therefore I am perplexed by such visions within His mouth. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the expression of consciousness, mind, work and philosophical speculation, and whose different energies produce everything manifested and unmanifested. Under His energy, bodily self and bodily possessions are conceived.” She then said, “Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Him under whose illusory energy I am thinking that Nanda Maharaja is my husband and Krishna is my son, that all the properties of Nanda Maharaja belong to me and that all the cowherd men and women are my subjects. All this misconception is due to the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord. So let me pray to Him that He may protect me always.”

While mother Yashoda was thinking in this philosophical way, Lord Krishna again expanded His internal energy just to bewilder her with maternal affection. Immediately mother Yashoda forgot all philosophical speculation and accepted Krishna as her own child. She took Him on her lap and became overwhelmed with maternal affection. She thus began to think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is understood through the processes of cultivating knowledge derived from the Upanishads and the Vedanta-sutra, practicing mystic yoga and studying Sankhya philosophy, as her own begotten child.
Certainly mother Yashoda had executed many, many pious activities, as a result of which she got the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as her son who sucked milk from her breast. Similarly, Nanda Maharaja also must have performed many great sacrifices and pious activities for Lord Krishna to become his son and address him as “father.”

 Yashoda binds Krishna

Once Mother Yashoda, who was feeding Krishna suddenly remembered that she had to do something. So she kept her son down to attend to the work. Krishna, left all alone felt very indignant and in anger picked up a stone and smashed a butter pot.  He then started to distribute the contents to the monkeys. Mother Yashoda, after seeing her son so engaged, silently approached from behind to catch him.

Once Mother Yashoda, who was feeding Krishna suddenly remembered that she had to do something. So she kept her son down to attend to the work. Krishna, left all alone felt very indignant and in anger picked up a stone and smashed a butter pot.  He then started to distribute the contents to the monkeys. Mother Yashoda, after seeing her son so engaged, silently approached from behind to catch him. Krishna, however, saw her coming towards Him with a stick in her hand, and He immediately got down from the grinding mortar and began to flee in fear. Mother Yashoda chased Him to all corners, trying to capture the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never approached even by the meditations of great Yogi.

In other words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, who is never caught by the Yogis and speculators, was playing just like a little child for such a great devotee as mother Yashoda. Although she was tired, she somehow reached her naughty child and captured Him. When He was caught, Krishna was almost on the point of crying. He smeared His hands over His eyes, which were anointed with black eye cosmetics. The child saw His mother’s face while she stood over Him, and His eyes became restless from fear.

Mother Yashoda could understand that Krishna was unnecessarily afraid, and for His benefit she wanted to allay His fears.  Mother Yashoda then threw away her stick. In order to punish Him, she thought to bind His hands with some ropes. She did not know it, but it was actually impossible for her to bind the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mother Yashoda was thinking that Krishna was her little child; she did not know that the child had no limitation.  Although He is beyond the reach of all senses, she endeavored to bind Him to a wooden grinding mortar. But when she tried to bind Him, she found that the rope she was using was too short—by two inches. She gathered more ropes from the house and added to it, but still she found the same shortage. In this way, she connected all the ropes available at home, but when the final knot was added, she saw that the rope was still two inches too short. Mother Yashoda was smiling, but she was astonished. How was it happening?

In attempting to bind her son, she became tired. She was perspiring, and the garland on her head fell down. Then Lord Krishna appreciated the hard labor of His mother, and being compassionate upon her, He agreed to be bound up by the ropes. Krishna, playing as a human child in the house of mother Yashoda, was performing His own selected pastimes. Of course, no one can control the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The pure devotee surrenders himself unto the lotus feet of the Lord, who may either protect or vanquish the devotee. But for his part, the devotee never forgets his own position of surrender. Similarly, the Lord also feels transcendental pleasure by submitting Himself to the protection of the devotee. This was exemplified by Krishna’s surrender unto His mother, Yashoda.

Krishna is the supreme bestower of all kinds of liberation to His devotees, but the benediction which was bestowed upon mother Yashoda was never experienced even by Lord Brahma or Lord Shiva or the goddess of fortune. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as the son of Yashoda and Nanda Maharaja, is never so completely known to the Yogis and speculators, Nor is He appreciated as the supreme reservoir of all pleasure by the Yogis and speculators. But He is easily available to His devotees.

After binding her son, mother Yashoda engaged herself in household affairs. At that time, bound up to the wooden mortar, Krishna could see a pair of trees before Him which were known as arjuna trees. The great reservoir of pleasure, Lord Sri Krishna, thus thought to Himself, “Mother Yashoda first of all left without feeding Me sufficient milk, and therefore I broke the pot of yogurt and distributed the stock butter in charity to the monkeys. Now she has bound Me up to a wooden mortar. So I shall do something more mischievous than before.” And thus He thought of pulling down the two very tall arjuna trees.

Read what happened next... The Deliverance of Nalakuvara and Manigriva
Click here to read the Eight verses in Praise of Lord Krishna in His form as Damodara

• The Deliverance of Nalakuvara and Manigriva

The story of the cursing of Nalakuvara and Manigriva and their deliverance by Krishna, under the all-blissful desire of the great sage Narada, is here described. The two great demigods Nalakuvara and Manigriva were sons of the treasurer of the demigods, Kuvera, who was a great devotee of Lord Siva Kuvera’s material opulences had no limit.

The story of the cursing of Nalakuvara and Manigriva and their deliverance by Krishna, under the all-blissful desire of the great sage Narada, is here described.

The two great demigods Nalakuvara and Manigriva were sons of the treasurer of the demigods, Kuvera, who was a great devotee of Lord Siva. By the grace of Lord Siva, Kuvera’s material opulences had no limit. As a rich man’s sons often become addicted to wine and women, so these two sons of Kuvera were also addicted to wine and sex. Once, these two demigods, desiring to enjoy, entered the garden of Lord Siva in the province of Kailasa on the bank of the Mandakini Ganges. There they drank much and engaged in hearing the sweet singing of the beautiful women who accompanied them in that garden of fragrant flowers.
While they were thus enjoying themselves in the water, all of a sudden Narada, the great sage, happened to pass that way. The two demigod sons of Kuvera were so much intoxicated that they could not appreciate the presence of the sage Narada and therefore did not cover their bodies. On seeing the two demigods so degraded by intoxication, Narada desired their welfare, and therefore he exhibited his causeless mercy upon them by cursing them.
Sage Narada cursed that the two demigods Nalakuvara and Manigriva should remain for one hundred years, in the time of Demigods, in the form of trees, and after that they would be fortunate enough to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, by His causeless mercy. And thus they would be again promoted to the life of the demigods and become great devotees of the Lord.

After this, the great sage Narada returned to his abode, known as Narayanasrama, and the two demigods turned into trees, known as twin arjuna trees.

Although child Krishna was bound up to the wooden mortar, He began to proceed toward the twin trees in order to fulfill the prophecy of His great devotee Narada. Lord Krishna knew that Narada was His great devotee and that the trees standing before Him as twin arjuna trees were actually the sons of Kuvera. “I must now fulfill the words of My great devotee Narada,” He thought. Then He proceeded through the passage between the two trees. Although He was able to pass through the passage, the large wooden mortar stuck horizontally between the trees. Taking advantage of this, with great strength Lord Krishna began to pull the rope, which was tied to the mortar. As soon as He pulled, the two trees, with all their branches and limbs, fell down immediately with a great sound. Out of the broken, fallen trees came two great personalities, shining like blazing fire. All sides became illuminated and beautiful by their presence. The two purified personalities immediately came before child Krishna and bowed down to offer their respects and prayers.

When the demigods Nalakuvara and Manigriva finished their prayers, the child, Lord Krishna, the master and proprietor of Gokula, bound to the wooden grinding mortar by the ropes of Yashoda, smiled and said, “It was already known to Me that My great devotee Narada Muni had shown his causeless mercy by saving you from the abominable condition of pride due to possessing extraordinary beauty and opulence in a family of demigods. He has saved you from gliding down into the lowest condition of hellish life. All these facts are already known to Me. You are very fortunate because not only were you cursed by him, but you had the great opportunity to see him. If someone is able, by chance, to see face to face a great saintly person like Narada, who is always serene and merciful to everyone, then immediately that conditioned soul becomes liberated. This is exactly like being situated in the full light of the sun: there cannot be any visionary impediment. Therefore, O Nalakuvara and Manigriva, your lives have now become successful because you have developed ecstatic love for Me. This is your last birth within material existence. Now you can go back to your father’s residence in the heavenly planets, and by remaining in the attitude of devotional service, you will be liberated in this very life.”

After this, the demigods circumambulated the Lord many times and bowed down before Him again and again, and thus they left. When the twin arjuna trees fell to the ground, making a sound like the falling of thunderbolts, all the inhabitants of Gokula, including Nanda Maharaja, immediately came to the spot. They were very much astonished to see how the two great trees had suddenly fallen.

The small children who were playing there informed the men that the trees had fallen because Krishna had pulled the wooden mortar with the rope binding Him. Most of the cowherd men did not believe the statement of the children. They could not believe that such things were at all possible. Some of the men, however, believed them and told Nanda Maharaja, “Your child is different from all other children. He just might have done it.” Nanda Maharaja smiled to hear about the extraordinary abilities of his son. He came forward and untied the knot just to free his wonderful child. After being freed by Nanda Maharaja, Krishna was taken onto the laps of the elder gopis. They took Him away to the courtyard of the house and began to clap, praising His wonderful activities. Krishna danced along with their clapping, just like an ordinary child. The Supreme Lord Krishna, being completely controlled by the gopis, sang and danced just like a puppet in their hands

• Krishna - The butter thief

All the gopi friends of Yasoda and Rohini enjoyed the naughty childish activities of Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavana. Formerly, in every household, yogurt and butter were kept for use in emergencies. But Krishna and Balarama would pile up planks so that They could reach the pots and would then pick holes in the pots with Their hands so that the contents would leak out and They could drink it.

All the gopi friends of Yasoda and Rohini enjoyed the naughty childish activities of Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavana.

Formerly, in every household, yogurt and butter were kept for use in emergencies. But Krishna and Balarama would pile up planks so that They could reach the pots and would then pick holes in the pots with Their hands so that the contents would leak out and They could drink it. This was another means for stealing butter and milk. When the butter and milk were kept in a dark room, Krishna and Balarama would go there and make the place bright with the valuable jewels on Their bodies. On the whole, Krishna and Balarama engaged in stealing butter and milk from the neighborhood houses in many ways.

All the gopi friends of Yasoda and Rohini enjoyed the naughty childish activities of Krishna and Balarama in Vrindavana. In order to enjoy further transcendental bliss, they all assembled and went to mother Yasoda to lodge complaints against the restless boys. When Krishna was sitting before mother Yasoda, all the elder gopis began to lodge complaints against Him so that Krishna could hear. They said, “Dear Yasoda, why don’t you restrict your naughty Krishna? He comes to our houses along with Balarama every morning and evening, and before the milking of the cows They let loose the calves, and the calves drink all the milk of the cows. So when we go to milk the cows, we find no milk, and we have to return with empty pots. If we warn Krishna and Balarama about doing this, They simply smile so charmingly that we cannot do anything. Also, your Krishna and Balarama find great pleasure in stealing our stock of yogurt and butter from wherever we keep it. When Krishna and Balarama are caught stealing the yogurt and butter, They say, ‘Why do you charge Us with stealing? Do you think that butter and yogurt are in scarcity in Our house?’

Sometimes They steal butter, yogurt and milk and distribute them to the monkeys. When the monkeys are well fed and do not take any more, then your boys chide, ‘This milk and butter and yogurt are useless—even the monkeys won’t take it.’ And They break the pots and throw them hither and thither.  If we keep our stock of yogurt, butter and milk in a solitary dark place, your Krishna and Balarama find it in the darkness by the glaring effulgence of the ornaments and jewels on Their bodies. If by chance They cannot find the hidden butter and yogurt, They go to our little babies and pinch their bodies so that they cry, and then They go away. If out of fear of these naughty boys we keep our stock of butter and yogurt high on the ceiling, hanging on a swing, although it is beyond Their reach They arrange to reach it by piling all kinds of wooden planks over the grinding machine. And if They cannot reach, They make a hole in the pot. We think therefore that you’d better take all the jeweled ornaments from the bodies of your children.” 

On hearing this, Yasoda would say, “All right, I will take all the jewels from Krishna so that He cannot see the butter hidden in the darkness.” Then the gopis would say, “No, no, don’t do this. What good will you do by taking away the jewels? We do not know what kind of boys these are, but even without ornaments They spread some kind of effulgence so that even in darkness They can see everything.” Then mother Yasoda would inform them, “All right, keep your butter and yogurt carefully so that They may not reach it.” In reply to this, the gopis said, “Yes, actually we do so, but because we are sometimes engaged in our household duties, these naughty boys enter our house somehow or other and spoil everything. Sometimes, being unable to steal our butter and yogurt, out of anger They pass urine on the clean floor and sometimes spit on it. Now just see how your boy is hearing these complaints. All day He simply makes arrangements to steal our butter and yogurt, and now He is sitting just like a very silent good boy. Just see His face.” When mother Yasoda thought to chastise her boy after hearing all the complaints, she saw His pitiable face, and smiling, she did not chastise Him.

In this way, Nanda Maharaja and his wife, mother Yasoda, developed their unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, having gotten Him as their son. And all the gopis and cowherd men who were associates of Krishna naturally developed their own different feelings of love for Krishna.

The Lord's fame as a butter thief is not reproachable, for by stealing butter the Lord gave pleasure to His pure devotees.

• The Killing of the Aghasura demon

Once, Lord Krishna desired to go early in the morning with all His cowherd friends to the forest, where they were to assemble together and take lunch.  Keeping the calves before them, they started for the forest in a great procession. Many a sportive playing went on amongst the boys as childhood pastimes. When Lord Krishna was enjoying His childhood pastimes with His friends,  Aghasura demon became very impatient. He was unable to tolerate seeing Krishna play so happily.

Lord Krishna and His Friends go on a Picnic

Once, Lord Krishna desired to go early in the morning with all His cowherd friends to the forest, where they were to assemble together and take lunch.  Keeping the calves before them, they started for the forest in a great procession. Many a sportive playing went on amongst the boys as childhood pastimes.
When Lord Krishna was enjoying His childhood pastimes with His friends,  Aghasura demon became very impatient. He was unable to tolerate seeing Krishna play so happily. Aghasura happened to be the younger brother of Putana and Bakasura, and he thought, “Krishna has killed my brother and sister. Now I shall kill Him along with all His friends and calves.” Aghasura was instigated by Kamsa, the wicked uncle of Lord Krishna. So the demon had come with great determination.

Aghasura’s Plan

The demons are generally expert in achieving almost all kinds of mystic powers. In the yoga system, by the perfection called mahima-siddhi, one can expand himself as he desires. The demon Aghasura expanded himself up to eight miles and assumed the shape of a very fat serpent. Having attained this wonderful body, he stretched his mouth open just like a mountain cave. Desiring to swallow all the boys at once, including Krishna and Balarama, he sat on the path.

At first the boys thought that the demon was a statue, but after examining it they saw that it was a big serpent lying down on the road and widening his mouth. Then they further consulted among themselves: “If we all at one time entered into the mouth of this great serpent, how could it possibly swallow all of us? And even if it were to swallow all of us at once, it could not swallow Krishna. Krishna will immediately kill him, as He did Bakasura.” Talking in this way, all the boys looked at the beautiful lotus-like face of Krishna, and they began to clap and smile. And so they marched forward and entered the mouth of the gigantic serpent.

Meanwhile, Krishna, who is the Supersoul within everyone’s heart, could understand that the big statuesque figure was a demon. The boys did not know this, however, and thus while Krishna was planning how to stop the destruction of His intimate friends, all the boys along with their calves entered the mouth of the serpent. But Krishna did not enter. The demon was awaiting Krishna’s entrance, and he was thinking, “Everyone has entered except Krishna, who has killed my brother and sister.”

Lord Krishna’s Plan

Krishna is the assurance of safety to everyone. He began to consider how He could kill the demon and at the same time save the boys and calves. Finally, after some deliberation, He also entered the mouth of the demon. At that time all the Demigods, who had gathered to see the fun and who were hiding within the clouds, expressed their feelings with the words “Alas! Alas!”

While the demon was trying to smash Krishna and His companions, Krishna heard the demigods crying “Alas! Alas!” and He immediately began to expand Himself within the throat of the demon. Although he had a gigantic body, the demon choked by the expanding of Krishna. His big eyes moved violently, and he quickly suffocated. His life air could not come out from any source, and ultimately it burst out of a hole in the upper part of his skull. Thus his life air passed off. Aghasura’s spirit soul   came out like a dazzling light, illuminating all directions, and merged into the body of Krishna within the vision of all the demigods.

Liberation of Aghasura

For Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is far greater than demigods such as Lord Brahma, it is not at all difficult to award one the opportunity of merging with His eternal body. This kind of liberation or mukti is called sayujya-mukti and He awarded this to Aghasura. Aghasura was certainly the most sinful living entity, and it is not possible for the sinful to merge into the existence of the Absolute Truth. But in this particular case, because Krishna entered into Aghasura’s body, the demon became fully cleansed of all sinful reactions. But those persons constantly thinking of the eternal form of the Lord in the shape of the Deity in the temple or in the shape of a mental form are awarded the transcendental benediction of entering into the Kingdom of God and associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

• Subduing Kaliya

Within the river Yamuna there was a great lake, and in that lake the black serpent Kaliya used to live. Because of his poison, the whole area was so contaminated that it emanated a poisonous vapor twenty-four hours a day. Due to the poisonous effect of the Yamuna’s vaporsthe trees and grass near the bank of the Yamuna had all dried up. Lord Krishna saw the effect of the great serpent’s poison: the whole river that ran before Vrindavana was now deadly.

Within the river Yamuna there was a great lake, and in that lake the black serpent Kaliya used to live. Because of his poison, the whole area was so contaminated that it emanated a poisonous vapor twenty-four hours a day. Due to the poisonous effect of the Yamuna’s vapors, the trees and grass near the bank of the Yamuna had all dried up. Lord Krishna saw the effect of the great serpent’s poison: the whole river that ran before Vrindavana was now deadly.

Krishna, who advented Himself just to kill all undesirable elements in the world, immediately climbed up into a big kadamba tree on the bank of the Yamuna and jumped into the midst of the poisonous lake with a tumultuous sound, which the great black serpent Kaliya could hear. The tumult was intolerable for him, Therefore he immediately came before Krishna. Kaliya saw that Krishna was indeed worth seeing because His body was so beautiful and delicate; its color resembled that of a cloud, and His feet resembled lotus flowers. He was decorated with Shrivatsa, jewels and yellow garments. He was smiling with a beautiful face.  But in spite of Krishna’s beautiful features, Kaliya felt great anger within his heart, and thus he grabbed Krishna with his mighty coils. Seeing the incredible way in which Krishna was enveloped in the coils of the serpent, the affectionate cowherd boys and other inhabitants of Vrindavana immediately became stunned out of fear.

As soon as Nanda and Yashoda and the cowherd men heard this news, they became even more anxious. All the inhabitants of Vrindavana came out of the village to see Krishna. When mother Yashoda arrived, she wanted to enter the river Yamuna, and being checked, she fainted, she remained still, as if dead, because her consciousness was concentrated on the face of Krishna.

When He saw that all the inhabitants of Vrindavana—including His mother and father, the gopis, the boys and the cows—were just on the point of death and that they had no shelter for salvation from imminent death, Krishna immediately freed Himself. He began to expand His body, and when the serpent tried to hold Him, he felt a great strain. On account of the strain, his coils slackened, and he had no alternative but to let loose the Personality of Godhead, Krishna, from his grasp. Kaliya then became very angry, and his great hoods expanded. He exhaled poisonous fumes from his nostrils, his eyes blazed like fire, and flames issued from his mouth. Krishna immediately pounced upon him, just as Garuda swoops upon a snake. Thus attacked, Kaliya looked for an opportunity to bite Him, but Krishna moved around him. Krishna immediately pressed down the serpent’s hoods and jumped up on them. He who is the original artist of all fine arts, such as dancing, began to dance upon the hoods of the serpent, although they were moving to and fro. Upon seeing this, the denizens of the upper planets showered flowers, beat drums, played different types of flutes and sang various prayers and songs. In this way, all the denizens of heaven, such as the Gandharvas,
Siddhas and demigods, became very much pleased. Kaliya had about a hundred hoods, but Krishna took control of them. Gradually, Kaliya was reduced to struggling for his very life. He vomited all kinds of refuse and exhaled fire. While throwing up poisonous material from within, Kaliya became reduced in his sinful situation. Kaliya then began to vomit blood instead of poison; he was completely fatigued. His whole body appeared to be broken by the kicks of the Lord. Within his mind, however, he finally began to understand that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he surrendered unto Him. He realized that Krishna is the Supreme Lord, the master of everything.

The wives of the serpent, known as the Nagapatnis, saw that their husband had been subdued by the Lord’s kicking and that he was almost at the point of death due to bearing the heavy burden of the Lord, within whose abdomen the whole universe remains. Kaliya’s wives also surrendered unto the Supreme Lord and began to pray. The Nagapatnis knew that Krishna is the shelter of all surrendered souls, and they desired to release their husband from the impending danger by pleasing the Lord with their prayers.
The Nagapatnis were astonished that, although Kaliya had the body of a serpent as the result of grievous sinful activities, at the same time he was in contact with the Lord to the extent that the Lord’s lotus feet were touching his hoods.

The Lord was pleased with Kaliya and his wives. Immediately after hearing His order, the snake and his wives began to worship Him with great offerings of nice garments, flowers, garlands, jewels, ornaments, sandal pulp, lotus flowers and nice eatable fruits. In this way they pleased the master of Garuda, of whom they were very much afraid. Then, obeying the orders of Lord Krishna, all of them left the lake within the Yamuna.

The Lord also assured Kaliya: “You came here out of fear of Garuda, who wanted to eat you in the beautiful land by the ocean. Now, after seeing the marks where I have touched your head with My lotus feet, Garuda will not disturb you.”

• Govardhan Lila

Krishna and Balarama once saw that the cowherd men were preparing for a sacrifice. Being the omniscient Personality of Godhead, Krishna knew that the cowherd men were preparing for sacrifice to Indra but as a matter of etiquette He began to inquire with great honor and submission from elder personalities like Maharaja Nanda.

It is stated in Chaitanya Charitamrita (a biographical account of the Life and Teachings of Lord Chaitanya written by Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami) that a devotee who is engaged in the service of Krishna is free from all obligations. He has no other duty to perform. He need not perform any ritualistic functions enjoined in the Vedas; nor is he required to worship any demigods. Krishna wanted to firmly establish this principle during His presence in Vrindavana.

When Krishna saw the residents of Vrindavana arranging for Indra-yajna (a traditional ceremony to please Indra, the chief-of-demigods, who is responsible for supplying water) He suggested that they forgo the worship of Indra and instead worship Govardhana Hill.

When Indra understood that the sacrifice which was to be offered by the cowherd men in Vrindavana had been stopped by Krishna, he became angry. He ordered Samvartaka (the cloud of devastation) to go over Vrindavana and inundate the whole area with an extensive flood. Riding on his elephant Airavata, he personally came to punish the inhabitants of Vrindavana.

Ordered by King Indra, all the dangerous clouds appeared above Vrindavana and began to pour water incessantly, with all their strength and power. There was constant lightning and thunder, blowing of severe wind, and incessant falling of rain. The rain seemed to fall like piercing sharp arrows. 

All the inhabitants of Vrindavana prayed to the Supreme Lord Krishna and took shelter at His lotus feet. Lord Krishna immediately picked up Govardhana Hill with one hand, and asked everyone to come under the umbrella of Govardhana Hill along with their properties and animals. For one week, they remained there without being affected by hunger, thirst or any other discomforts. Indra was astonished to see the little boy Krishna holding the Govardhana Hill in His little finger and protecting Vrindavana from the devastating rainfall. He immediately called for all the clouds and asked them to desist. The sky became completely cleared of all clouds and there was sunrise again, the strong wind stopped. All the inhabitants of Vrindavana came out and Krishna replaced the Govardhana Hill in its place.

Indra, the King of heaven, became conscious of his offense before Krishna; therefore he stealthily appeared before Him and immediately fell down at the lotus feet of Krishna and offered his prayers.

• Prayers by Indra

When Krishna  saved the inhabitants of Vrindavana from the wrath of Indra by lifting Govardhana Hill, a surabhi cow from Goloka Vrindavana, as well as King Indra from the heavenly planets, appeared before Him. Indra, the King of heaven, was conscious of his offense before Krishna; therefore he stealthily appeared before Him in a secluded place.

When Krishna  saved the inhabitants of Vrindavana from the wrath of Indra by lifting Govardhana Hill, a surabhi cow from Goloka Vrindavana, as well as King Indra from the heavenly planets, appeared before Him. Indra, the King of heaven, was conscious of his offense before Krishna; therefore he stealthily appeared before Him in a secluded place. He immediately fell down at the lotus feet of Krishna. Indra knew about the exalted position of Krishna because Krishna  is the master of Indra, but he could not believe that Krishna could come down and live in Vrindavana among the cowherd men. When Krishna defied the authority of Indra, Indra became angry because he thought that he was all in all within this universe and that no one was as powerful as he. But after this incident, his false, puffed-up prestige was destroyed. Being conscious of his subordinate position, he appeared before Krishna  with folded hands and began to offer the following prayers.

“My dear Lord,” Indra said, “being puffed up by my false prestige, I thought that You had offended me by not allowing the cowherd men to perform the Indra-yajna. My dear Lord, You are the original father of this cosmic manifestation. You are the supreme spiritual master of this cosmic world, and You are the original proprietor of everything. As eternal time, You are competent to chastise offenders. Within this material world there are many fools like me who consider themselves to be the Supreme Lord or the all in all within the universe. You are so merciful that without accepting their offenses You devise means so that their false prestige is subdued and they can know that You, and no one else, are the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

“My dear Lord, You are the supreme father, the supreme spiritual master and the supreme king. Therefore, You have the right to chastise all living entities whenever there is any discrepancy in their behavior. The father, the spiritual master and the supreme executive officer of the state are always well-wishers of their sons, their students and their citizens respectively. As such, the well-wishers have the right to chastise their dependents. By Your own desire You appear auspiciously on the earth in Your eternal varieties of forms; You come to glorify the earthly planet and specifically to chastise persons who are falsely claiming to be God. In the material world there is regular competition between different types of living entities to become supreme leaders of society, and after being frustrated in achieving the supreme positions of leadership, foolish persons claim to be God, the Supreme Personality. There are many such foolish personalities in this world, like me, but in due course of time, when they come to their senses, they surrender unto You and again engage themselves properly by rendering service unto You. And that is the purpose of Your chastising persons envious of You. My dear Lord, I committed a great offense unto Your lotus feet, being falsely proud of my material opulences, not knowing Your unlimited power. “My dear Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You because You are the Supreme Person and the Supreme Soul. You are the son of Vasudeva, and You are the Supreme Lord, Krishna, the master of all pure devotees. Please accept my prostrated obeisances. You are the personification of supreme knowledge. You can appear anywhere, according to Your desire, in any one of Your eternal forms. You are the root of all creation and the Supreme Soul of all living entities. Due to my gross ignorance, I created a great disturbance in Vrndavana by sending torrents of rain and a heavy hailstorm. I acted out of severe anger caused by Your stopping the sacrifice which was to be held to satisfy me. But, my dear Lord, You are so kind to me that You have bestowed Your mercy upon me by destroying all my false pride. I therefore take shelter of Your lotus feet. My dear Lord, You are not only the supreme controller but also the spiritual master of all living entities.”

Thus praised by Indra, Lord Krishna , the Supreme Personality of Godhead, smiled beautifully and then replied in a grave voice like a rumbling cloud: “My dear Indra, I stopped your sacrifice just to show you My causeless mercy and to remind you that I am your eternal master. I am the master not only of you but of all the other demigods as well. You should always remember that all your material opulences are due to My mercy. No living entity can independently become opulent; one must be favored by My mercy. Everyone should always remember that I am the Supreme Lord. I can show anyone My favor, and I can chastise anyone, because no one is superior to Me. If I find someone overpowered by false pride, in order to show him My causeless mercy I withdraw all his opulences.”

After instructing Indra, Lord Krishna  asked him to return to his kingdom in the heavenly planets and to remember always that he is never the supreme but is always subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He also advised him to remain as King of heaven but to be careful of false pride.

After this, the transcendental surabhi cow who had come with Indra to see Krishna  offered her respectful obeisances unto Him and worshiped Him and bathed Krishna  with her milk, and Indra bathed Him with the water of the celestial Ganges through the trunk of his carrier elephant. Thus Govinda, Lord Krishna, was pleased. The residents of all higher planetary systems, such as Gandharvaloka, Vidyadharaloka, Siddhaloka and Caranaloka, all combined and glorified the Lord by chanting His holy name as their wives and damsels danced with great joy.

After satisfying Krishna, who is the Lord of all the cows in Vrindavana and who is known as Govinda, King Indra took His permission to return to his heavenly kingdom.

• Krishna breaks His own promise

Everyone is aware of the fact that when there was a declaration of war between the Pandavas and Kauravas,
Lord Krishna, took the decision not to fight or lift arms. Yet this example shows how Krishna sometimes breaks His promise. Duryodhana once incited Bhismadeva that the grandsire was not fighting to his best ability as the opposing party were his pet grandsons.

Everyone is aware of the fact that when there was a declaration of war between the Pandavas and Kauravas, Lord Krishna, took the decision not to fight or lift arms. Yet this example shows how Krishna sometimes breaks His promise. Duryodhana once incited Bhismadeva that the grandsire was not fighting to his best ability as the opposing party were his pet grandsons. This charge infuriated Bhishma, who took out five arrows and made a commitment to Duryodhana that the next day he would kill all the five brothers. Duryodhana, being a wily diplomat requested Bhishma that he would keep those arrows safely for the fight next day.

Krishna, who is all knowing reminded Arjuna of a promise, which Duryodhana had given him some time back. Arjuna was told that the time was ripe to ask for that promise by taking back the five arrows. Duryodhana had no option but to give back the arrows to Arjuna. Bhishma, this time gave another commitment that he would kill Arjuna that day or he would end up giving up his life. He fought with such fervour and spirit that at one point in the fight, Arjuna’s chariot was broken down and when he was completely unarmed and helpless, Krishna took up the chariot wheel and went straight to Bhishma, who happily threw his weapons away and welcomed him. By this act of breaking his promise he saved two of his great devotees from perishing.

So Krishna tells Arjuna, kaunteya pratijanihi. "You promise so I shall protect your promise."  Someone could question, why didn’t he declare this himself and why did Arjuna have to declare? The understanding is that even Krishna could break his promise, he would never break his devotee’s promise.  ‘Na me bhaktah prayasyati’: Anyone who has taken to Krishna consciousness, he will never be destroyed.