Sri Krishna Kathamrita Tav k-QaaMa*Ta& TaáJaqvNaMa( tava kathāmta tapta-jīvanam BinduBindu Fortnightly email mini-magazine from Gopal Jiu Publications Issue No. 20 9 January 2002 Śrī Saphalā Ekādaśī, 10 Nārāyaa, 515 Gaurābda s s • THE WICKED MIND t t RILA HAKTISIDDHANTA ARASWATI HAKUR RABHUPADA h S B S T P h g g i i • YASODA’S BELOVED SON l l RILA HAKTIVEDANTA WAMI RABHUPADA h S A. C. B S P h g g i i • KRISHNA GOES TO HERD THE COWS H H SRILA JIVA GOSWAMI’S ®Rī SA¦KALPA-KALPADRUMA · · · · · · · · THE WICKED MIND habituated to criticize others’ conduct will never prosper.” Let others do whatever they SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASWATI like, I have no concern with them. I should THAKUR PRABHUPADA rather find fault with my own damned mind, This wicked mind, which is never and think like the vaiava mahājana [Srila to be trusted, should be broom- Thakur Bhaktivinode] who sings: sticked every morning with āmāra jīvana, sadā pāpe rata, such warning as, “Be not anx- nāhika puyera leśa ious to find fault with others, or para-sukhe dukhī, sadā mithyā-bhāśī, to proclaim thyself as a true, sin- para-dukha sukha-kara cere, bonafide bhakta, which certainly thou art Ever engaged in vicious activity, not.” In this connection, the advice of a vaiava And without the slightest trace of virtue in me, mahājana [Srila Narottam Das Thakur] is: A liar as I am, always sorry at others’ pleasures And merry at others’ sorrows, troubles and cares. karmī-jñānī michā-bhakta, nā habe tāte anurakta, — Śaraāgati 1.4 śuddha-bhajanete kara mana vraja-janera yei mata, tā’he ha’be anugata, We should always remember this song and ei se parama tattva dhana engage our mind ceaselessly in hari-bhajana. Be not attached to karmis, jñānis, and bhaktas false. We should not run about attacking others with But pure, unalloyed bhajana you should always endorse. dissuading policy; such conduct behooves only Follow principles, which Vraja folk adopt, deceitful persons and not preachers.· These being valued truths to be kept aloft. — From the anthology Srila Prabhupada’s Discourses, quoted in — Prema-bhakti-candrika 6.18 Gaudiya Vaisnava Biographies, Nectar Books, Union City GA, USA. The mind is always working erroneously in YASODA’S BELOVED SON looking upon this thing or that, either as good HIS DIVINE GRACE or bad. The Caritāmta sings: A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI dvaite bhadrābhadra jñāna, saba —— ‘manodharma’ PRABHUPADA ‘ei bhāla, ei manda’, —— ei saba ‘bhrama’ When Krishna was a little — Cc. antya 4.176 grown up and was taking care of People are usually too busy with mental specu- the small calves, He would often lations. They should relieve themselves of this and go near the forest. And when He was try to find out the real good of their own selves a little bit late returning home, Nanda Maha- or souls. There is an adage to the effect that para- raja would immediately get up on the candra- carcākarā gati nāhi kona kāle — “One who is śālikā (a small shed built on the roof for getting Issue Twenty, Page — 2 é[q k*-Z<ak-QaaMa*Ta ibNdu a bird’s-eye view all around), and he would Sri Sri Radha Madhav, which eternally go on watch for Him. Worrying about the late arrival in Vrindavan, unseen to mortal eyes. In the of his little son, Nanda Maharaja would remain third portion he describes the sarva-tu-līlā on the candra-śālikā until he could indicate to or Radha and Krishna’s occasional and/or sea- his wife that Krishna, surrounded by His little sonal pastimes. This chapter contains 131 cowherd friends, was coming back with the verses. In the fourth section he gives the calves. Nanda Maharaja would point out the phala-nipati, the benefits of hearing peacock feather on his child’s head and would Sakalpa-kalpadruma, in ten verses. inform his beloved wife how the child was In the first chapter, eleventh verse, Srila Jivapad pleasing his eyes. Mother Yasoda would then describes how Krishna is a kalpa-vka tree: address Nanda Maharaja, “See my dear son, mūla janmādi-līlāsya skandha syān nitya-līlatā whose eyes are white, who has a turban on His śākhās tat-tad-tu-ślokā phala premamayī sthiti head, a wrapper on His body and leg bells which tinkle very sweetly on His feet. He is com- The root of the kalpa-vka tree is Krishna’s pas- ing near, along with His surabhi calves, and just times that begin with His birth. The trunk is His see how He is wandering upon the sacred land eternal pastimes. The pastimes that take place in the different seasons are the branches described in of Vrindavan.” Similarly, Maharaja Nanda this book. The fruit is love for Him. would address his wife, “My dear Yasoda, just look at your offspring, Krishna! See His blackish The following excerpt taken from chapter one, bodily luster, His eyes tinged with red color, His texts 93-113 and 127-147, describes Krishna’s broad chest and His nice golden necklace! How daily pastime of taking leave of His parents to wonderful He looks, and how He is increasing take the cows to pasture. my transcendental bliss more and more! · Dressing Him in the fine garments and or- Nectar of Devotion chapter 43. naments used by His father, Mother Yasoda made her son very splendid in the eyes of the KRISHNA GOES TO HERD THE COWS people. Mother Yasoda bathed Krishna’s sap- FROM SRILA JIVA GOSWAMI’S phire-splendid form in the golden color of Śrī Sakalpa-kalpadruma splendid garments. As she gazed at how she Śrī Sakalpa-kalpadruma, also known as had decorated Him, nectar flowed from her Sakalpa-kalpavka was written by Srila Jiva eyes and breasts. Wearing a peacock feather Goswami Prabhupada. It is not to be confused and holding a jewelled flute and golden stick, with the later Sakalpa-kalpadruma written by Krishna pleased everyone’s eyes. Whatever Srila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur. could be said about Krishna could also be said In his commentary to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam about Balaram. Yasoda and Rohini are equals. 11.15.26, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati has The love they bear for their sons is the same. mentioned several literatures, including Srila Yasoda’s Love Jiva Goswami’s Śrī Sakalpa-kalpavka, as books which give proper guidance for achiev- Every day as Krishna was about to go to ing Lord Krishna. the forest, Mother Yasoda would make of- Just as one may take compressed cotton and ferings of an auspicious pot of water and a fluff it out, similarly, Srila Jiva Goswami collected lamp, offer ārati, and perform many rituals the pastimes and siddhānta of Krishna found in for His safety. Eager to depart for the for- the tenth canto of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam and ex- est, Krishna approached His mother and panded them in his book Śrī Gopāla Campū. with folded hands bowed before her. She Śrī Sakalpa-kalpadruma is a summary of the touched Him with her hand. Nectar flowed topics of Gopāla Campū. from her eyes and breasts. She said, “I will Sakalpa-kalpadruma is divided into four go with You to the forest. I will cook Your sections. The first part, consisting of 275 verses, lunch and give it to You while it is still hot. describes Krishna’s prakaa and aprakaa līlā, Child, You are very wise. Why are You em- or manifest and unmanifest pastimes. The sec- barrassed? If You say, ‘Who will take care ond part, consisting of 315 verses, further de- of the house?’, then I say one day Rohini scribes the aprakaa or nitya-līlā pastimes of will go with You and I will stay home, and Sri Krishna-kathamrita Bindu Issue Twenty, Page — 3 the next day I will go and Rohini will stay Therein, every direction is filled with auspi- home. Child, why do You say that I should cious sounds of sweet-voiced brāhmaas re- stay at home bound up by household du- citing the Vedas and many poets reciting ties? Why should I not go with You to the prayers. It is a place of great happiness where forest? Ask the others what they think. Day many singers, dancers, and musicians learned after day our son goes to the forest and we, in the arts taught by Bharata Muni perform. His parents, cannot leave this house. Child, Present there are many relatives on both Your parents are neither afraid nor embar- Krishna’s father’s side and His mother’s side. rassed to follow You to the forest.” Accompanied by Balaram, Krishna entered the Hearing Mother Yasoda’s words, Lord sabhā, and thereby flooded all eyes with the nec- Balaram smiled, shed a tear, bowed His head, tar of His splendid handsomeness. Then all the and gently spoke, “O mother, if you and fa- worlds became filled with sounds of “Glory! ther become young and fit again then this Glory! Glory!” When Krishna entered, the elders would be a good arrangement. It is right for rose from their seats. They became like a great the young to stay both at home and in the river of love flowing to the ocean of Krishna. forest. O mother, please know that herding Krishna bowed down to everyone together the cows is only the pretext we use to go to and everyone individually, one by one. With the forest. The truth is that we boys go to the both arms, with lotus hands, and with many forest to play. O mother, we happily eat the glances, He embraced everyone.