Always Remember - Part 5

Date: 2014-09-22 Author: Sudarshana dasi

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

This is in continuation of the previous offerings titled, "Always Remember Krishna" wherein we were meditating on 's experiences once Krishna returned to Goloka. We saw the below points.

1. With Krishna we are heroes, without Him we are zeroes. 2. Count your blessings.

In previous offerings we meditated on the first three blessings recollected by Arjuna. Now we shall continue to hear further. d. Blessing 4: In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.15.10 Arjuna says to Maharaja Yudhishtira how Lord Krishna had helped in the asat sabha when Dushasana tried to disrobe her. Lord provided her sarees and saved her from a great embarrassment. He did not stop with this alone. Since Dushasana insulted Draupadi by loosening her hair, Lord Krishna ensured that in the battle of all the wives of had their hair loosened, due to the death of their husbands. Srila Prabhupada very nicely mentions in the purport that,All " the wives of the Kuru family became widows because of Dushasanas insulting a great devotee of the Lord. The Lord can tolerate insults upon Himself by any miscreant because the father tolerates even insults from the son. But He never tolerates insults upon His devotees. By insulting a great soul, one has to forego all the results of pious acts and benedictions also." e. Blessing 5: In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.15.11 Arjuna recollects the wonderful blessing which they received from the Lord when they were in the forest. Envious wanted to trouble the even when they were in exile. So he sent Muni and his group of ten thousand disciples to the ashram of Maharaja Yudhishtira after he and Draupadi had their meals. Duryodhana knew that Draupadi'sakṣaya pātra will not give her any food once she has eaten for the day. So when they are incapable of serving Durvasa Muni, they would be cursed by him. This was his desire. But as Krishna assures in , na' me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati" - "My devotee never perishes". So when in this testing situation Draupadi remembered Krishna, He personally appeared before them in the ashram and asked them for food. Draupadi became morose for not being able to serve Krishna when He is asking for food. Krishna smiled and asked her to bring the pots to check if anything is remaining and He found a small bit of leafy vegetable sticking to the pot and He ate it. Just like how Lord in His incarnation happily ate the mahaprasad of His dear devotee Sabari, who was particular to offer Him the best, Krishna ate the mahaprasad of Pandavas and Draupadi. And when He became satisfied, Durvasa and all his disciples all felt their hunger satisfied even when they were bathing in the river and so they left, without even returning to Maharaja Yudhishtira. In concluding lines to the purport of Srimad Bhagavatam 1.15.11, Srila Prabhupada very nicely says, "This incident proves that the Lord is the greatest mystic, and therefore He is known as Yogeshvara. Another instruction is that every householder must offer food to the Lord, and the result will be that everyone, even a company of guests numbering ten thousand, will be satisfied because of the Lord's being satisfied. That is the way of devotional service."

From these blessings we see how when His devotees are put in awkward embarrassing situations, Lord Krishna immediately appears to save them. Krishna willing let us continue to hear more from Arjuna on the other blessings that the Pandavas received, in subsequent offerings.

Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva, Sudarshana devi dasi.