Always Remember Krishna - Part 10 Date: 2014-09-27 Author: Sudarshana devi 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 Arjuna's experiences once Krishna returned to Goloka. In previous offerings we meditated on the 8 blessings recollected by Arjuna. Now we shall continue to hear further. d. Blessing 9: In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 1.15.16 Arjuna says, yad-doḥṣu mā praṇihitaṁ guru-bhīṣma-karṇa- naptṛ-trigarta-śalya-saindhava-bāhlikādyaiḥ astrāṇy amogha-mahimāni nirūpitāni nopaspṛśur nṛhari-dāsam ivāsurāṇi Great generals like Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Bhurishrava, Susharma, Shalya, Jayadratha, and Bahlika all directed their invincible weapons against me. But by His [Lord Krishna's] grace they could not even touch a hair on my head. Similarly, Prahlada Maharaja, the supreme devotee of Lord Narsimhadeva, was unaffected by the weapons the demons used against him. In Kurukshetra war, there were so many dangerous situations faced by Arjuna when he had to fight against great generals like Bhishma, Drona, Karna etc. who had many powerful weapons which when released on Arjuna would have definitely caused death. But in every instance Krishna protected him. In case of Bhishmadev we know how Duryodhana blamed him to be partial to Pandavas and hurt by Duryodhana's lack of trust, Bhishmadev reserved five special arrows, one for each of the Pandavas. That night, somehow Krishna inspired Arjuna and took away those arrows Bhishmadev had reserved to kill the Pandavas. The following day, Bhishmadev fought so violently that at one point Arjuna was almost to be killed by Bhishmadev, but Krishna, took the chariot wheel and ran angrily towards Bhishmadev, despite His promise that He will not fight or take any weapons. The fight for the day ended as Krishna ran towards Bhishmadev to kill him and thus Arjuna was saved by Krishna. Karna also had a severe fight with Arjuna, and when he aimed at shooting at the neck of Arjuna with the divya astra given by Indra, Krishna pressed the chariot by his toe, causing the arrow to just knock off the helmet of Arjuna, without injuring him. Also Krishna arranged that the wheel of his chariot stuck in the battlefield mud, and when Karna got down to set the wheel right, as per Krishna's advice Arjuna took the opportunity and killed him. Jayadratha was also powerful rival of Pandavas who had been very instrumental in the merciless killing of Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son. Arjuna, being enraged at this cowardly act of Kauravas, especially Jayadratha, took a vow that in the next day's battle he will kill Jayadratha before sunset or himself enter into fire. The next day Arjuna fought very intensely and by the time he reached Jayadratha's place, Sun was about to set. Krishna transcendentally arranged for the Sun to set temporarily and when Jayadratha was jumping in joy, He made it appear again after which He ordered Arjuna to knock off Jayadratha's head. In the last line of the above verse it is very significant that Arjuna is very nicely comparing the way how Krishna saved him and how Lord Narasimhadev saved Prahlad Maharaj. Hiranyakashipu, gave him punishments like throwing in a fire, in boiling oil, from the top of a hill, underneath the legs of an elephant, administering poison etc. Any normal being would have died in even one of these situations, what to speak of a small child. But by the causeless grace of the Lord, Prahlad Maharaj remained unaffected and untouched, as Arjuna mentions in the verse about himself, that those great warriors could not even a touch a hair in his body. It is not that Krishna does miracles only to pure devotees. Krishna being the Supreme Father of all, has been saving even normal people like us from so many fatal conditions day in and day out. But unfortunately we are not grateful like Arjuna to keep remembering it all the time. So lesson from Arjuna is that we should always remember the dangerous moments in our life when Krishna helped us. Krishna willing let us continue to hear more from Arjuna on the other blessings that the Pandavas received, in subsequent offerings. Hare Krishna. Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva, Sudarshana devi dasi..