Be Calm and Composed

Date: 2016-06-22 Author: Manohar Suvarna

Hare Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva!

Lord Krishna is a perfect master planner. His plans are always favorable to everyone. Problem with us is that we often fail to understand His plan in totality and jump to wrong conclusion. Further, Lord is unbiased, impartial even when it comes to His own family members. He does not interfere. In this regard let us relish the pastimes of Lord Krishna's son Pradyumna for our own purification.

A demon named Sambara kidnapped Pradyumna, when he was even less than ten days old, from the maternity room. Sambara thought that Pradyumna would be the cause of his death. So he threw Pradyumna into the ocean. A fish swallowed Pradyumna. Fishermen who caught the fish presented it to Sambara. When his cooks cut the fish, they gave the infant to maidservant Mayavati. Narada Muni informed her that the infant is Pradyumna, who was in his previous life. Mayavati was actually , Kamadeva's wife. While waiting for her husband to be reborn in a new body, she had taken employment as a cook in the household of Sambara. Mayavati showed great love and affection and took care of Pradyumna. Upon Pradyumna attaining maturity, Mayavati informed Pradyumna about their previous life and Pradyumna killed Sambara. When Pradyumna and his wife entered Dwaraka, many beautiful ladies in the palace mistook Pradyumna as Krishna since his appearance resembled very much like Krishna. on seeing Pradyumna, was overwhelmed with motherly love and remembered her lost child. Meanwhile, Lord Krishna entered the palace with Devaki and and understood the situation. Yet Lord did not reveal anything. Srimad Bhagavatm 10.55.36 says following verse:

vijñātārtho ’pi bhagavāṁs tūṣṇīm āsa janārdanaḥ nārado ’kathayat sarvaṁ śambarāharaṇādikam

Although Lord Janardana knew perfectly well what had transpired, He remained silent. The sage Narada, however, explained everything, beginning with Sambara’s kidnapping of the child.

Some of the lessons we can learn from this pastime is that Krishna who is Supreme Lord Himself, did not kill Sambara to take back His child. Instead He patiently waited for His son to grow old enough to kill demon Sambara. He pacified Rukmini that Her son will return. So in trying circumstances we should not become agitated and reactive. In agitation, we end up doing blunders. But on the other hand when we patiently and calmly handle the situation, we will be able to take the right decisions and also see the hand of Krishna. Also though Krishna knew about the background of Sambara, He remained silent. He gave His devotee, Narada Muni, an opportunity to explain everything.

We pray to our dearest Lord to give us required intelligence to be unperturbed and unbiased in all our dealings with others. We pray to Him to give us ocean of patience and unwavering faith to understand His activities, which are forever beneficial to everyone.

Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva, Manohar Suvarna Abu Dhabi.