“’O naughty child, now try going from here, if you can.’ Having spoken thus, she returned to her household duties.” (Vishnu Purana, 5.6.15)

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यदि शक्नोषि गच्छ त्वम् अतिचञ्चलचेष्टित
इत्य् उक्त्वा च निजं कर्म सा चकार कुटुम्बिनी

yadi śaknoṣi gaccha tvam aticañcalaceṣṭita
ity uktvā ca nijaṃ karma sā cakāra kuṭumbinī

With even a little advancement along the path, in accepting the timeless wisdom of Vedanta, in making progress towards purification of the consciousness, there is this sort of stumbling block that parks itself in the middle of the road. How to get around? Is it possible to pick up the obstacle and move it? There are two important factors that collide, that strike against one another. The predicament resembles the deadlock error in modern relational database management systems. On the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami, we remember how a mother living in a farm community once tried to deal with the issue. Since the connection to transcendence was so strong there was nothing to worry over; it was that way the entire time, in fact.

The predicament we reference is in trying to focus on advancement of the living condition. This is the call to arms, so to speak, of the human birth. Athato brahma-jijnasa says that now is the time for inquiring into spiritual matters. We should make Brahman a goal since Brahman is who we are. We have forgotten our true identity for far too long. The forgetfulness took hold so long ago that we cannot even trace out our history in this material world. It is like we are nitya-baddha, or eternally bound. We would like to change the situation, to flip the script, and become nitya-siddha.

As we are trying for transcendence, we still have to work. Perhaps we now understand the difference between karma and bhakti. In karma, we are always working towards future development. It is like building a better cell inside of a prison facility. We are moving to a bigger and superior house, as we see it, but we are still living in a house. Bhakti is work that resembles karma on the surface, but there are no future consequences tied to a body. We are working towards getting out of the prison, for scaling the high walls established by Durga Devi, who is like the superintendent of this material creation.

Either way, in karma or in bhakti, we have to work. How to reconcile the two factors? Will not the work get in the way of our spiritual progress? How can we ascend in terms of consciousness when we are deep into daily life? There is so much to account for on a given day. In an industrialized part of the world, we have to at least make sure the utilities are running. Heating, cooling, water, electricity, automobiles, cleaning, cooking, and transporting people to where they need to be, to make their appointments. The whole setup requires strict attention to detail, to duty, to obligation, and to oversight.

Imagine if you are running the entire household but someone seems to get in your way. They are a young child. Adding to the complexity, they happen to be naughty. That child is always running about. They are always getting into trouble, though there is a lack of malice. The child simply likes to move around. They are uninhibited in their movements. How will the person managing everything keep their sanity?

In the rural community of Gokula-Vrindavana, the mother named Yashoda once tried binding such a child. He was always finding trouble, it seemed. Did not young Krishna realize that Yashoda was doing everything for Him? The cooking. The cleaning. The changing of clothes. The beautiful decorations applied to the body. The sacred names of Vishnu chanted for protection of the various parts of the body. Everything was for Krishna’s benefit. Krishna was the life and soul of Yashoda.

“Mother Yashoda was firmly convinced of the Vedic injunctions about the importance of cows and the holy name of Vishnu; therefore she took all shelter in the cows and the name of Vishnu just to protect her child Krishna. She recited all the holy names of Vishnu so that He might save the child.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 6)

Yashoda one time bound Krishna to a mortar. This was only possible after repeated attempts and the sanction of the person being bound. You see, Krishna is the very object of dedication, the goal in the formal path of transcendence. Krishna cannot be bound by anyone, and yet Yashoda was able to succeed, albeit for only a short amount of time.

In the affair, Yashoda almost taunted the young Krishna. He was known to be chanchala, or restless. She rightly understood Krishna as difficult to maintain in a single place. As the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna is sarva-ga. He can go anywhere and everywhere. The entire universe is like an expansion of His being. The universe is like His body. It is like an expansion of an original fire, which is beginningless and never dies out.

एक-देश-स्थितस्याग्नेर्
ज्योत्स्ना विस्तारिणी यथा
परस्य ब्रह्मणः शक्तिस्
तथेदम् अखिलं जगत्

eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner
jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā
parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis
tathedam akhilaṁ jagat

“Everything that is manifested within this cosmic world is but the energy of the Supreme Lord. As fire emanating from one place diffuses its illumination and heat all around, so the Lord, although situated in one place in the spiritual world, manifests His different energies everywhere. Indeed, the whole cosmic creation is composed of different manifestations of His energy.” (Vishnu Purana, 1.22.52)

If Krishna was so adept at moving, if He was so restless, if He wanted to go anywhere and everywhere, how about trying now? After being bound to a mortar, where was He going to go? Let Him show His ability. The mother felt safe in that situation. This was not like sending a criminal to prison. She was not trying to make Him stop hurting others. Rather, if only for a brief time, by Krishna staying in one place she could complete her household duties.

The Sanskrit word used in Vishnu Purana is kutumbini. This refers to the wife of a householder. It can also refer to the mother of a family. Yashoda was not being selfish. She was simply trying to keep up with responsibilities. She would not use the love for her son as an excuse to bypass important tasks. In this heartwarming exchange, Krishna remained bound, but soon afterward He was able to take the mortar with Him. He moved the mortar in between two trees, causing them to fall.

On the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami, we remember that wonderful mother, who gives the secret to success. We can try to keep the same Supreme Lord in our home, in a spot reserved for worship, while we carry out work for His benefit. We try to do everything as an offering unto Him, as later recommended to the bow-warrior named Arjuna.

यत् करोषि यद् अश्नासि
यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत्
यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय
तत् कुरुष्व मद्-अर्पणम्

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

In Closing:

The cooking, cleaning, and decorating too,
All this work I am doing for you.

Here you are eager to move,
This place and that to choose.

How about now giving it a try,
After from the belly to tie.

To the mortar bound,
Steady in this vision found.

Categories: holiday, janmashtami

Tags: birth of krishna, dailyprompt, feature, janmashtami, krishna janmashtami, poem, poems, poetry