“O King Parikshit, when the child Krishna was almost finished drinking His mother’s milk and mother Yashoda was touching Him and looking at His beautiful, brilliantly smiling face, the baby yawned, and mother Yashoda saw in His mouth the whole sky, the higher planetary system and the earth, the luminaries in all directions, the sun, the moon, fire, air, the seas, islands, mountains, rivers, forests, and all kinds of living entities, moving and nonmoving.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.7.35-36)

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पीतप्रायस्य जननी सुतस्य रुचिरस्मितम् ।
मुखं लालयती राजञ्जृम्भतो दद‍ृशे इदम् ॥
खं रोदसी ज्योतिरनीकमाशा:
सूर्येन्दुवह्निश्वसनाम्बुधींश्च ।
द्वीपान् नगांस्तद्दुहितृर्वनानि
भूतानि यानि स्थिरजङ्गमानि? ॥

pīta-prāyasya jananī
sutasya rucira-smitam
mukhaṁ lālayatī rājañ
jṛmbhato dadṛśe idam

khaṁ rodasī jyotir-anīkam āśāḥ
sūryendu-vahni-śvasanāmbudhīṁś ca
dvīpān nagāṁs tad-duhitṝr vanāni
bhūtāni yāni sthira-jaṅgamāni

One of the key mistakes the asuras make is to base their assessments off of visuals. This is with respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since they are asura, they are against the godly principles. This is their nature.

अवजानन्ति मां मूढा
मानुषीं तनुम् आश्रितम्
परं भावम् अजानन्तो
मम भूत-महेश्वरम्

avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā
mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam
paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto
mama bhūta-maheśvaram

“Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.11)

Even when they see God directly in front of them, they fail to recognize. They think that He is just like them; someone with whom to compete. They think He has assumed the form and shape, that there is the typical cycle from birth to death.

The reality is that the Supreme Lord is always in the superior position. He retains full potency in every manifestation. In whatever way He is visible to the eyes, He is the same person. We have evidence of this in the lila of the avatara known as Shri Krishna.

1. Sitting in the lap of mother Yashoda

Krishna is a dependent. He is a baby. He requires the protection and care of mother Yashoda. Krishna follows the direction of the father, Nanda Maharaja. When Krishna is hungry, He prefers milk from the breast of Yashoda.

She places Him in her lap and feeds Him. This is a wonderful scene within nature. It depicts a loving relationship. There is a mood of interaction, wherein one person is a protector and the other person receives the protection. In terms of a taste, this interaction is known as vatsalya in Sanskrit.

Though Krishna must listen to Yashoda, He still shows the entire cosmic manifestation.  It is within His mouth, which Yashoda is able to see. Though so small, everything and more is inside of her darling child.

2. Playing under the brightest moon of Sharada Purnima in the Vrindavana forest

When Krishna is a little older, He plays with the gopis of Vrindavana. They rendezvous to the forest during the nighttime. The perfect setting is Sharada Purnima, which is the brightest full moon of the year.

Since the gopis love Him so much, Krishna decides to dance with each girl individually. This way, they feel that Krishna is theirs entirely. He does not have to divide Himself. He is not strained or stretched out. He simply expands into many, though He maintains a singular identity.

3. Holding court on the throne in Dvaraka

In the adult years, Krishna is the king of Dvaraka. This is a wonderful city of gates constructed in the sea. The walls keep the invaders out. There are many bad characters who are constantly attacking Krishna for no reason, in the same way that the enemies of true religion are intent on attempting to destroy devotion to the same Krishna today.

While He is king, Krishna is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has thousands of queens. The unions take place in different ways, with the majority joining Him after the defeat of a particular asura. Krishna resides with each queen individually, in a separate palace. Narada Muni once visited Dvaraka and witnessed this phenomenon.

“The Lord immediately got up from His seat and invited Narada Muni to sit on His personal seat. The Lord again worshiped him with as much paraphernalia for reception as He had in the palace of Rukmini. After worshiping him properly, Lord Krishna acted as if He did not know what had happened in the palace of Rukmini.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 14)

4. Showing the virata-rupa

This is part of the famous conversation with Arjuna while in the middle of the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The virata-rupa is one type of evidence of Krishna’s Divinity. He is God because He can show the complete everything.

The three worlds, the presiding deities, the component populations – everything into a single image, multidimensional and with a time element. Arjuna already knew that Krishna is Bhagavan, but the request to see this image provides proof for others, who may not believe.

5. Guiding Arjuna’s chariot

It might be surprising to learn that after showing something amazing like the universal form, Krishna then proceeded to take a subordinate role. A charioteer is someone who takes orders. Those orders are not always delivered in the kindest way. Quick and to the point, but with force. “Go in this direction. Turn that way.” The subordinate might get chastised from time to time, for no good reason.

Krishna is still Bhagavan in this role. He is offering service to His devotee. This is an amazing level of kindness. Krishna is allowing Arjuna to fulfill the mission of life through carrying out prescribed duties. This work is the same as retreating to a cave or practicing mystic yoga or living in a temple and worshiping the deity.

In Closing:

Whether to Vrindavana came,
Or in Dvaraka reign.

Or for gopis into many became,
Shri Krishna always the same.

As Supreme Lord standing,
Full authority commanding.

Even as charioteer to see,
Since kindest of all is He.

Categories: the five

Tags: feature, god, hare krishna, hinduism, poem, poems, poetry, religion