“At the time when Aghasura was killed and the demigods were looking on the incident with great surprise, Brahma, who was born out of the lotus flower growing out of the navel of Vishnu, also came to see. He was surprised how a little boy like Krishna could act so wonderfully. Although he was informed that the little cowherd boy was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he wanted to see more glorified pastimes of the Lord, and thus he stole all the calves and cowherd boys and took them to a different place.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 13)

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“From Krishna-lila, there are two particular incidents that stand out to me. This is because of the nature of the source of the antagonism. We know from Bhagavad-gita that the Supreme Lord descends periodically, in His complete self, with a purpose. He protects the sadhus and annihilates the miscreants.

“To annihilate means to have some sort of conflict. The conflict is actually predicated on the intrusion of the aggressors. In other words, the bad guys do something first, and then Krishna responds. We are not talking about preemptive strikes.

“Those conflicts are easy to understand. There are bad people in this world. Bad people do bad things. Since this is the material world, the bad can accumulate power up to the limit of the elements, like the sun, the wind, and the rain. Only God is strong enough to overcome such accumulation of power.

“The two incidents that bother me have to do with the good guys. Brahma and Indra. They are supposedly aligned with Krishna. They are suras. They not only support dharma, but they are objects of reverence within the culture of dharma.

“Both of them interfered in Krishna’s lila. They did horrible things against the most innocent people and living beings. Brahma stole cows and cowherd boys and hid them from sight. Indra unleashed a fury of rain, enough to devastate an entire area within a short period of time.

“We understand that these attacks were the result of envy. People can become envious. I get it. But why do they feel the need to interfere? I would never think of doing that, because when the victims suffer the harm, my envy doesn’t go away. I have only lessened the adversary’s output in order to make myself feel better. Instead of rising to their level, I have brought them down.

“Are not such people embarrassed? Do they feel no shame? What did Krishna ever do to them? Rather, Krishna has done everything for both Brahma and Indra. Where is the appreciation?”

There are two ways to approach the incidents. We can take the viewpoint of criticism. We can be upset that they interfered. We can look down upon them, despite their high statures. Brahma is the creator, after all. Every living being can trace their ancestry to him. It was Brahma who saw Vishnu at the start of everything and subsequently accepted wise counsel.

अहम् एवासम् एवाग्रे
नान्यद् यत् सद्-असत् परम्
पश्चाद् अहं यद् एतच् च
यो ऽवशिष्येत सो ऽस्म्य् अहम्

aham evāsam evāgre
nānyad yat sad-asat param
paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca
yo ‘vaśiṣyeta so ‘smy aham

“Brahma, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.9.33)

Indra plays such a prominent role that there are so many comparisons made to him. Using Indra as a reference point is one way to understand the power, reach, and potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

महागिरिमिवाकम्प्यं महेन्द्रसदृशं पतिम्।
महोदधिमिवाक्षोभ्यमहं राममनुव्रता।।

mahāgirimivākampyaṃ mahendrasadṛśaṃ patim।
mahodadhimivākṣobhyamahaṃ rāmamanuvratā।।

“I am faithfully engaged in the service of Rama, who is as immovable as a great mountain, as great a lord as Mahendra [Indra], and who, like a great ocean, is incapable of being agitated.” (Sita Devi speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 47.33)

The second approach is introspection. If someone like Brahma can succumb to envy, towards Krishna, no less, what does that say about someone like me? Perhaps I should try to avoid being envious myself. Maybe I should first look to praise. Perhaps I should appreciate what others are doing, what they have done, and what they hope to accomplish in the future.

इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत।
सर्वभूतानि संमोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप।।

icchādveṣasamutthena dvandvamohena bhārata।
sarvabhūtāni saṃmohaṃ sarge yānti parantapa।।

“O scion of Bharata [Arjuna], O conquerer of the foe, all living entities are born into delusion, overcome by the dualities of desire and hate.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.27)

Everyone is struggling with moha, after all. This is delusion. They are bewildered by the two endpoints of attraction and aversion. I love this person. I hate that person. This person does everything for me. That person only causes me trouble.

From the conclusion to the two famous incidents, we understand the nature of the highest being of all. He did not hold the offenses against Brahma and Indra. The contrition from the perpetrators only came after failure, after Krishna thwarted their plans, but they were fortunate to be taught a lesson by the greatest teacher of all.

In Closing:

By the greatest teacher of all,
A timeless lesson to call.

That in plans defeated,
Despite in high posts seated.

If Brahma and Indra can do,
Then myself vulnerable too.

Rather not envious should remain,
Thinking only for Krishna’s gain.

Categories: questions

Tags: conflict, envy, god, hare krishna, life, poem, poems, poetry, religion