“It is not proper to remain in this place. Let us go to another great forest, as here we have seen numerous calamities which are causes of ruin. The destruction of Putana and the reversal of the cart, and similarly the falling of the trees without the intervention of the wind. Therefore, let us without delay depart from Gokula to Vrindavana, where the earthly calamities will not overpower us.” (Vishnu Purana, 5.6.22-24)

Download as podcast episode (right click and save)

स्थानेनेह न नः कार्यं व्रजामो ऽन्यन् महावनम्
उत्पाता बहवो ह्य् अत्र दृश्यन्ते नाशहेतवः

पूतनाया विनाशश् च शकटस्य विपर्ययः
विना वातादिदोषेण द्रुमयोः पतनं तथा

वृन्दावनम् इतः स्थानात् तस्माद् गच्छाम मा चिरम्
यावद् भौममहोत्पातदोषो नाभिभवेद् व्रजम्

sthāneneha na naḥ kāryaṃ vrajāmo ‘nyan mahāvanam
utpātā bahavo hy atra dṛśyante nāśahetavaḥ

pūtanāyā vināśaś ca śakaṭasya viparyayaḥ
vinā vātādidoṣeṇa drumayoḥ patanaṃ tathā

vṛndāvanam itaḥ sthānāt tasmād gacchāma mā ciram
yāvad bhaumamahotpātadoṣo nābhibhaved vrajam

Mention “Mayflower moving trucks” to a fan of professional football in the United States, and they will likely know exactly what you are talking about. An abrupt shift, in the middle of the night, a storied franchise decided to relocate from one city to another. During ancient times, there was a similar move that took place, but the purpose was to avert further danger. You see, there were these falls taking place that appeared to have no rational explanation. Rather than sit around and try to figure out what was going on, better to try an entirely new village, one that was a great forest, mahavana.

1. The witch

The people did not know the true identity of their beloved son. Though the child belonged to Nanda Maharaja and his wife Yashoda, Krishna was for everyone. He was beloved by one and all, extending to the animal community, even. Now just imagine that there is this precious embodiment of innocence finding one disaster after another. How would you react?

There was the witch named Putana. Except the people did not recognize her. Putana could change her shape at will. This was an ability of deception, an exercise of a kind of black art. There was a purpose. Putana’s intention was to kill. She was known for killing infants. She would enter the scene and feed poison to baby Krishna. The king of Mathura, named Kamsa, wanted Krishna gone. This was because of Krishna’s link to His birth mother. It was previously predicted that Devaki’s eighth child would be the end of Kamsa. Krishna managed to escape, as the birth-father, Vasudeva, took a midnight journey across the raging waters of the Yamuna.

“While Vasudeva was carrying his son Krishna in the falling rain, Lord Shesha in the shape of a serpent spread His hood over the head of Vasudeva so that he would not be hampered by the rainfall. Vasudeva came onto the bank of the Yamuna and saw that the water of the Yamuna was roaring with waves and that the whole span was full of foam. Still, in that furious feature, the river gave passage to Vasudeva to cross, just as the great Indian Ocean gave a path to Lord Rama when He was bridging over the gulf.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Volume 1, Chapter 3)

Putana appeared in Gokula as a beautiful woman resembling a goddess. Therefore, the people were not suspicious. They allowed her to enter the room and feed Krishna. That baby was special, though. He was Divine in origin. He was actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appearing as an avatara. The arrival was known beforehand. The devas, the celestials in the heavenly region, welcomed the arrival of Krishna by offering kind prayers to the womb of Devaki.

“Our dear Lord, You are appearing as the best of the Yadu dynasty, and we are offering our respectful humble obeisances unto Your lotus feet. Before this appearance, You also appeared as the fish incarnation, the horse incarnation, the tortoise incarnation, the swan incarnation, as King Ramachandra, as Parashurama, and as many other incarnations.” (Demigods praying to Krishna in the womb of Devaki, Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Volume 1, Chapter 2)

Krishna kindly agreed to the proposal. He allowed Putana to feed Him. Krishna decided to extract everything there was. This included the very life air of the witch. By the time she found out, it was too late. Her black magic escaped her. She eventually revealed her true form, which was both gigantic and hideous. As her life breath left her, she came crashing down, hitting the ground to create an unmistakable sound. The people were astonished. How could this happen? More importantly, how could Krishna be unharmed? He was seen innocently crawling on the dead body of the witch.

2. The cart

This was another case of a demon, known as asura, in Sanskrit. The direct reference is not there in Vishnu Purana or Bhagavata Purana, but we know from the teachings of the acharyas that this cart was there on purpose. Krishna again knew what He was doing. Having been placed underneath the handcart, Krishna decided to kick it. An innocent act by a child with seemingly no strength was enough to cause a full collapse. Once again, Krishna was not hurt. He drew the attention of the people, and they were perplexed as to how something so dangerous could happen. There was no external cause that could be considered, as there was no direct identification of foul play.

“Krishna had been placed underneath a household handcart, but this handcart was actually another form of the Shakatasura, a demon who had come there to kill the child. Now, on the plea of demanding to suck His mother’s breast, Krishna took this opportunity to kill the demon. Thus He kicked Shakatasura just to expose him. Although Krishna’s mother was engaged in receiving guests, Lord Krishna wanted to draw her attention by killing the Shakatasura, and therefore he kicked that cart-shaped demon. Such are the pastimes of Krishna. Krishna wanted to draw the attention of His mother, but while doing so He created a great havoc not understandable by ordinary persons. These narrations are wonderfully enjoyable, and those who are fortunate are struck with wonder upon hearing of these extraordinary activities of the Lord.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.7.6 Purport)

3. The trees

It is difficult to compare calamities, but this fall might have been the biggest headscratcher of the bunch. It did not seem possible. This was also the final straw. The dangers were too commonplace to ignore. This time, the same Krishna was tied to a mortar. He used that mortar to knock down two trees. Except no one would believe the explanation. Krishna became Damodara through association with the mortar. He was bound by the belly. This was punishment. Mother Yashoda wanted to keep Krishna in one place. For a brief period of time, His naughtiness in constantly moving, chanchala, would be suppressed.

Except no one can actually tie down the Supreme Lord. Krishna used the mortar to knock down the twin yamala-arjuna trees. He did this on purpose, as the trees were actually sons of the deva named Kuvera. They had been cursed on a previous occasion. They were now liberated. The same for Putana and the cart-demon. Krishna was giving out the highest benedictions as consolation prizes, for active participation in His lila.

The elderly cowherd men decided they needed to move to a place that didn’t have the same risks. The Sanskrit word is “dosha”. This can refer to fault, blame, or something generally considered bad. In Vrindavana, perhaps the dosha of natural calamities would be absent. The trees fell without any wind. There was no visible fault that could be identified. The rational adults certainly weren’t going to believe that a child tied to a mortar could have knocked down two trees all by Himself. In this way, the workings of yogamaya led to the move to the sacred land of Vrindavana, where there were more amazing incidents in store.

In Closing:

With more lila to interrupt,
After move to Vrindavana abrupt.

Because unexplainably falling,
Like witch and the cart calling.

Even bound by mortar with ease,
Able to knock down the trees.

Better to go to safer place,
Where less danger to face.

Categories: the three

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