(9) King Pariksit's Enquiry

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Sri Krishna Janmastami, Tarakeswar
23 August 2019, midnight, part 9
Translated from Bengali

We do not have much time left, but listen now about Lord Krishna's appearance pastime.

You know about Jay and Vijay, the gatekeepers from Vaikuntha. They came as Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa in Satya-yuga, as Ravan and Kumbakarna in Treta-yuga, and as Sisupal and Dantavakra in Dvapar-yuga. After that, they went back to Vaikuntha. And I told you earlier today that before the Lord appears, there must appear a guru. So, for example, there was Kapuldev, Devahuti and other great personalities – later Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa appeared from Kasyap Rishi and his wife Diti, followed by the appearance of the Lord...

I will read now from the tenth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. Listen careful to what I will read. Pariksit Maharaj heard this narrative from Sukadev Goswami. You know that Pariksit Maharaj learned that he had only seven days to live. We will not get any such advance notice – nobody can guarantee that we will not be taken to the Ganges even within next seven minutes. And even when people realise they will die soon, they worry about their will, about doing this, doing that, but Pariksit Maharaj left everything and only listened to Srimad Bhagavatam during his last seven days. He asked Sukadev Goswami questions, and Sukadev Goswami answered them.

'The great devotee Pariksit Maharaj enquired at the holy feet of Sukadev Goswami, "You told me about the dynasty Chandravamsa and Yaduvamsa. So many people were born in both of them. You have told me about their miraculous personalities. Please tell me more about the glory of the pure Yadu dynasty. The Supreme Lord appeared in this dynasty – how did He enjoy His pastime? The Lord is the soul of the whole world, He is the one and only Supreme Lord from whom the whole universe springs up, so why would this Lord assume a human form? Please tell me about this in detail. No liberation can grant the kind of joy you feel when you hear about Lord Krishna, that is why devotees sing about Him loudly. Those who strive particularly to attain liberation constantly chant about Lord Krishna's personality. [Those who want to come to God must chant the glories of Lord Krishna – if this Lord Krishna has not appeared in this world, how would we be able to do it?] This is the supreme remedy for all afflicted souls. His Holy Name and qualities are charming to the ear – those who hear them become greedy to hear about them all the time. Those who have no attachment to listening about Lord Krishna heard nothing and are unconscious and suicidal.

'"Yudhisthir and other great forefathers always served Lord Krishna's holy feet. The Kuru's army, with Bhisma, Drona and other great intimidating generals, was like a fearsome ocean, but the Lord made it seem like a mere puddle in the hoofprint of a calf. He rescued the whole Yadu dynasty. It is owing to his protection of the dynasty that I have got this body now. Asvatthama and others were destroyed by the arrows of the Supreme Lord, and after [my mother's] taking shelter and praying at this Lord's holy feet, He saved her with His chakra and other weapons. As Time, this Lord destroys everything, and as the omniscent Lord He rescues His devotees.

'"Please tell me more about Him, about His personality that He manifested when He appeared in a human form within Maya's world. I know that Balaram is Rohini's son, but how did He appear from Devaki's womb? How can one body appear in two form from one womb? Please tell me about this miracle. How did Krishna take birth to save Devaki? And why was He kept in Gokula? What did Kamsa do when Krishna was in Gokula? What pastimes did the Lord perform when He went to Madhuvan? Why did He slay his own paternal uncle Kamsa and what need was there for Kamsa to be jealous of the Lord? How many years did He perform these human pastimes? How did He increase the glory of His Yadu dynasty? Tell me how the Supreme Lord found all His queens and about His pastimes with them. Gurudev, please tell me everything. You are the master of all mystic practices, please give me relief. I have not even touched water for seven days, but I will not lose my strength due to hunger – gurudev, please melt my mouth with all these narratives about the Lord; may I drink this nectar of the Lord's pastimes."'

— : • : —

{ 2001  |   2002  |   2003  |   2005  |   2009  |   2010  |   2011  |   2012 }
{ 2013  |   2014  |   2015  |   2016  |   2017  |   2018  |   2019  |   2020  |   2021 }