Falls Count Anywhere

By krishnasmercy on February 9, 2026 • ( 0 )

“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)

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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

It defied logic. There was no rational explanation. The adults equipped with education and advanced reasoning could not locate a specific fault, which is known as dosha in Sanskrit. They were perplexed by two aspects: both the event itself and the aftermath. Due to the workings of yogamaya they were unaware that the person at the center of the affairs was in that spot intentionally, having descended from the spiritual world of Vaikuntha to show what is known as an avatara.

An older person today recalls the way life was forty to fifty years ago, in relation to the sports and entertainment industries. They offer the following commentary, to show how much has changed:

“You know when you run into someone who lives far away, who you haven’t seen in a while, how it surprises you? You might say something like, ‘It is a small world, after all.’ Well, back during those times, in my youth, you could say it was a ‘big’ world. Whatever you did in one city was not known to surrounding areas. Not unless your exploits were broadcast on national television. There were only three networks back then, so the chances of your name spreading far and wide were slim. In this regard, entertainers could employ the same gimmicks in a sort of travelling show. A superstar athlete from one city might fly under the radar when they visit another city. Musical acts would keep the same setlist across an entire tour, which spanned many months. Times were different.”

In adapting to the changes, the sport of professional wrestling has had to keep up with the times. Whereas certain gimmicks like a steel-cage match and a best of three-falls match could previously be used repeatedly, the organizers now have to think of new ways to keep the audience interested. Anticipation. Excitement. That is how you sell tickets. As long as the gimmick is new, it has potential. As long as the audience is not accustomed to the type of match they see, they might at least be intrigued.

One such gimmick is the “falls count anywhere” match. This virtually eliminates boundaries. For a normal match, the ring is the typical focus of entry. That is where the house lights focus. That is where the cameras point. If you declare that a pin-fall can take place anywhere in the arena, then you are sure to get a travelling show. The participants might beat up on each other at the announcer’s table, in the backstage dining area, on the soundstage, or even in the parking lot. You can be sure that the end will be unique. Sometimes the participants fall on one another from a high spot. They land in such a way that it is difficult to tell who is on top, thus leading to controversy when the winner is declared.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the origin of the universe. He is the source of strength in everyone. Whatever we consider to be glorious, there is one person ultimately responsible. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, the result is due to but a spark of His splendor. This means that there is not much effort involved. Moreover, there is so much additional artistry, beauty, and exceptional output available, above and beyond that with which we are familiar.

यद्यद्विभूतिमत्सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा
तत्तदेवावगच्छ त्वं मम तेजोऽशसम्भवम्

yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ
śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā
tat tad evāvagaccha tvaṁ
mama tejo-’ṁśa-sambhavam

“Know that all beautiful, glorious, and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.41)

In the case of the avatara known as Krishna, you could say that there was an informal “falls count anywhere” match. These occurred in a series, where Krishna maintained the virtual championship belt. He did not have to rely on a technicality, such as a disqualification or count-out, where the ring announcer proclaims that one person is the winner, but that the champion still holds the title because “the belt does not change hands.” Krishna was the actual winner, and He gave the conquered the greatest parting gift.

There was the witch named Putana. She came to Gokula specifically to kill Krishna. Her expertise was infanticide. She knew there was this special child to be found, who had escaped Mathura moments after birth. It was predicted that this child would be the end of King Kamsa. That leader believed the voice in the sky. He was so paranoid that he had Krishna’s birth parents locked up. That did not make a dent, as the birth-father, Vasudeva, heroically made the midnight journey across a raging Yamuna River to drop off baby Krishna in Gokula.

“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 came crashing to the ground. This was after she successfully administered poison to baby Krishna, through the breast. The crash was surprising, both in the vision of a hideous dead witch and the lack of agitation in the potential victim. Krishna was seen playing, crawling atop the dead body of Putana.

There was the handcart that came crashing down. This fall took place with the target underneath. Krishna was in the worst possible position. What the people of the area did not know was that Krishna first kicked the handcart. That cart was actually an asura on the scene to fight with Krishna. Some children even saw what happened and told the adults. The adults could not accept that testimony as valid.

ऊचुरव्यवसितमतीन् गोपान्गोपीश्च बालका:
रुदतानेन पादेन क्षिप्तमेतन्न संशय:

ūcur avyavasita-matīn
gopān gopīś ca bālakāḥ
rudatānena pādena
kṣiptam etan na saṁśayaḥ

“The assembled cowherd men and ladies began to contemplate how this thing had happened. ‘Is it the work of some demon or evil planet?’ they asked. At that time, the small children present asserted that the cart had been kicked apart by the baby Krishna. As soon as the crying baby had kicked the cart’s wheel, the cart had collapsed. There was no doubt about it.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.7.9)

The third fall was not adversarial in nature. It was not a contest between hero and villain. This was the mercy of the Almighty shown towards two esteemed figures who had made a mistake a long time ago. Their punishment was to stand naked, as trees. They were released from this punishment by a baby Krishna bound to a mortar. He was known as Damodara, and once again the people could not believe that a small child was responsible for the fall. These were large trees, after all. The living beings inside those trees were then liberated. They returned to the heavenly region. Putana and the cart demon, Shakatasura, were also liberated. This means that if a person is going to fall, it is best to do so in front of the beloved son of Nanda and Yashoda, who is lovingly treated as the dependent requiring urgent attention. The people of the area were so concerned with Krishna’s safety that they decided to move to a great forest, mahavana, to prevent any future falls.