“Therefore, a person should worship work [karma] itself, in accordance with their own nature and their own work. That by which one may live easily is indeed their deity.” (Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.24.18)

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तस्मात्सम्पूजयेत्कर्म स्वभावस्थ: स्वकर्मकृत्
अञ्जसा येन वर्तेत तदेवास्य हि दैवतम्

tasmāt sampūjayet karma
svabhāva-sthaḥ sva-karma-kṛt
anjasā yena varteta
tad evāsya hi daivatam

You worry about them. They face difficulties no generation prior ever dreamed of. The biggest concern during your childhood was broadcast through the famous television announcement. At around ten at night, prior to the local news starting, a voice accompanied a message on the screen, asking parents if they knew where their children were. At the time, you thought it was related to children going missing or perhaps intruders entering the home. Only much later did you learn that the message was necessary since parents would send children out of the home, to play all day, without any direct contact. The one stipulation was that they had to return home before the street lights turned on.

Today, hardly any children wander off on their own. If they should happen to leave, they are always connected through a smartphone. Alas, it is that very device which gives you concern. Despite having access to practically every song ever recorded, every film ever produced, and every book ever published, there is the accompanying lack of patience. As in, nothing is ever good enough. Children are practically rewarded for having a short attention span. How will they ever learn patience? How will they ever develop tolerance? How will they understand the higher meaning to life when they are left with little time to think on their own?

On this particular day, you happen to feel optimistic. That is because you are visiting the home of a friend, and it seems their children have an affinity for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna. Bhagavad-gita confirms that it might require several lifetimes before someone finally acknowledges Vasudeva as the cause of all causes. To even inquire into higher matters shows great fortune. These kids seem to love Krishna. Their attachment is so strong that even their playtime revolves around things Krishna has done.

बहूनां जन्मनाम् अन्ते
ज्ञानवान् मां प्रपद्यते
वासुदेवः सर्वम् इति
स महात्मा सु-दुर्लभः

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.19)

The children happen to know about Krishna through television. They have watched countless hours of animation-style programming depicting the pastimes of the one who is known as the jewel of Vrindavana. They became attached to Krishna almost accidentally, as the parents were not even aware. The parents simply looked for relief, to be free of the children for a few hours. They sat them down in front of the television, unaware of the programming they would gravitate towards.

You raise the topic with your friend, and they immediately express relief. They are glad to see the children interested in this way. They share the following sentiments:

“Thank goodness! I don’t really care what they are into, as long as it is safe. What harm can any of that mythology stuff do, anyway? I am sure they will eventually grow out of it. We are fortunate that these sages of the past came up with this clever way to teach higher principles. The symbolism. The imagery. The stories. Even the simplest among us can develop an interest and expand our knowledge.”

You are a little taken aback, as your friend is almost implying that the scenes depicted are not real. If children are interested, then it must mean the stories are in the category of superheroes and comic books. Like the ones from blockbuster movies, which have accompanying conventions. The fans dress up as the different characters. Your friend seems to think Krishna belongs to the same category.

At the time of this conversation, one of the cartoons happens to be playing on the television. The scene depicted is of the first Govardhana Puja. You offer the following commentary to your friend:

“You can see why children are attracted to Krishna. That makes sense. But did you know that this very scene involves profound wisdom and argument, that even the highest scholar would have trouble grasping? The people of Vrindavana are preparing to worship Indra, who is the king of heaven. This practice aligns with dharma. It is yajna, or sacrifice. Krishna, meanwhile, decides to argue in favor of the philosophy known as karma-mimamsa. This philosophy concludes that karma is everything. Action and consequence. Every person experiences the results of past work. Indra has his own karma, so there is no need to worship him. Better to take the work of the community as topmost. That work aligns with the nature of the people. That work itself becomes the deity, or daivatam.”

Your friend did not know any of this, as the exchange between a young Krishna and His foster father, Nanda Maharaja, is not depicted in detail on the screen. You conclude the discussion with the following:

“The greatest twist of all? This was a head-fake! Krishna did not believe in karma-mimamsa. He was just trying to get the people to shift gears, to worship Govardhana Hill, instead. The presentation was a kind of ‘word salad’ that would confuse even the most ardent follower of rituals in the tradition of dharma. That is how amazing Krishna is. He appeals to the children through His heroic acts. He appeals to the artists through His incredible attractiveness. He appeals to the intellectuals through His arguments. He appeals to the devotees by always siding with them, as beautifully symbolized in the historical incident of Krishna lifting that same Govardhana Hill.”

In Closing:

Best fake of the head,
With new worship instead.

Towards Govardhana take,
And inaugural puja make.

Arguing karma everything true,
But the truth always knew.

That devotion to Him best of all,
Soon as Giridhari to call.

Categories: stories

Tags: dailyprompt, govardhana, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry