Devka – Gujarat Bhagavat Katha 6th Day

The sixth day of the katha began with Pujya Bhaishri mentioning that these are the banks of devotion. Let us all bathe at these banks of katha Ganga. Pujya Bhaishri remembered his Gurudev, Shri Jivraj Kaka and sang a bhajan sung by him in his remembrance.

Shri Krishna has now manifested on earth and everyone is in bliss. Sorrow and happiness are linked to this world. We are inviting sorrows the moment we wish for happiness. Where there is success there is also failure. Even failure is a prasad from God. Shri Jambvaan ji has always achieved success in his life. He performed Shri Vaman Bhagavan’s circumbulation four times when Shri Vaman ji took his massive form. He also performed seva of Shri Ramji. He is the form of Brahmaji. However, during the times of Lord Shri Krishna, Shri Krishna fought with Jambvaan ji and defeated him. Shri Krishna provided him with the prasad of failure.

Occasionally, God plays a leela where he likes to fight with his devotees. Let us contemplate on the story of Shri Sanat Kumar visiting Vaikunth for Shri Narayan’s darshan. The first question is, Sanat Kumar is knowledgeable hence very well aware that they can do darshan of Shri Krishna anytime and anywhere. Regardless, they went to vaikunth and crossed the first six doors of vaikunth. On reaching the seventh door, they were stopped by God’s guards Jay and Vijay. Sanat kumar became angry and cursed the guards that you will become demons.

At that instant, Lord Shri Narayan stepped out. Sanat Kumar calmed down. God’s darshan is such that it calms everyone’s anger. If this does not happen to one, it is considered an insult of God. Feelings and expression are strongly linked. Our feelings are expressed by our expressions. Also, sometimes expressions change our feelings. For example, imagine a husband and wife quarrelling and angry. Suddenly their Guruji visits them. As soon as they see their Guruji, they will pretend nothing is wrong, welcome their Guruji and their anger will calm down.

So, God welcomed Shri Sanat Kumars and asked for forgiveness on behalf of his guards. Shri Sanat Kumars forgave the guards and said that if they pray to God with enmity they will be required to take 3 births whereas if they pray with love, they will be required to take 7 births to attain salvation. Remember, this does not imply that we should do the same and therefore pray to God with enmity in order to attain salvation in 3 births. Two patients may have the same illness but the medicine to cure can be different as each individual’s body system is different.

Jay and Vijay decided to be born on earth in three births as demon. God then decided that a worker’s fault is also a manager’s fault, hence I should be punished more. God therefore decided to take 4 incarnations for the salvation of his workers. God has said in the Vedas that Brahmins are very dear to me. Even if my arms insult them, I will cut them off. And God did exactly this. When many kings were insulting rishis and bhramins, Shri Parshuram Bhagavan killed the kings; kings/ kshatriyas are considered God’s arms. Hence, during Shri Varah avatar, Hiranyaksha was salvaged, Hiranyakashipu was killed by Shri Narsinh Bhagavan, Shri Ram salvaged Ravan and Kumbhkaran and finally Shri Krishna provided salvation to Shishupal and Dantavakra.

Shri Sanat Kumars thought that even we have wronged by getting angry in a place like vaikunth. So they were born as Prahlad. When Prahlad was in his mother’s womb, he heard Naradji’s satsang. Pujya Bhaishri said that a child is an image of a mother’s thoughts and father’s character. It is very important that a pregnant mother does satsang and remains happy as this strongly impacts on the child. The first port of building good behavior is the mother’s womb; the second is the father’s family; the third is school and the fourth is Vyas pith (preaching from spiritual leaders).

Let us continue to contemplate with what Sanat Kumar did. How can great saints like Sanat kumar get angry, even that in a place like vaikunth? And a boss’s workers are always aware of those close to their boss. So why would Jay and Vijay just stop Sanat Kumars? The answer to these questions is that this was all due to God’s desire and for a devotee, God’s desire is his/hers command.

Shri Krishna came through Vasudevji and Devakiji. Vasudev means a pure mind and Devaki means brain focused on God. Our mind stays pure through satsang and our brain remains focused on God through good deeds like pooja, dhyan etc. Therefore we should not stop satsang and good deeds. Bhagavan appeared in Mathura but he did not stay in Mathura as ego ruled in that place. He left a place of deceit and went to Gokul.

A bhagat (devotee) is a mixture of three things: trust, naive and love. God presents where there is a mixture of these three. Nand means ones who gives bliss and Yashoda means one who gives praise. There were great celebrations in Gokul. Vraj was filled with wealth as Maa Lakshmi came to reside here.

On the 14th day, Nand Baba went to Mathura to pay tax to Kans. Putna arrived in gokul killing all new born infants on the way. She came to Yashoda and asked for Shri Krishna in her laps. Maa Yashoda went into the kitchen to get something sweet for her guest. Meanwhile, Putna began to feed poison to Shri Krishna. Bhagavan drunk the poison and her life. Immediately, she turned back into her normal demon form from the beautiful lady form she had taken. Deceit never lasts when one presents in front of God. Putna was in pain and begged to leave her, meaning, provide her with emancipation. The killing of Putna signifies destruction of ignorance. Destruction of ignorance prevents the development of other vices.

Do not differentiate between a son and daughter. Nowadays people are killing fetuses in the womb when they find out it is a girl. This is a very big sin. It is surprising that those who are literate are worse at this than the less well educated. Pujya Bhaishri said that it pleases him to see that in the new admissions in the school in Devka two thirds are girls. This proves that girl abortions do not happen in Devka. Hats off to Aamir Khan for revealing this in his current show on television.

When Shri Krishna was older than three and a half months, Shri Krishna learnt how to turn. Yashoda Maa performed a big celebration. After having a bath, baby Krishna was hungry. Yashoda Maa fed him and baby Krishna fell asleep. She then placed Shri Krishna in a cradle outside under a bull cart filled with butter, milk and yoghurt. Maa Yashoda returned inside to join the celebrations. At that instant the demon Shaktasur came to kill Shri Krishna. Shri Krishna hit the cart and killed the demon. All the pots in the cart broke and the butter, milk and yoghurt spilled in which Shri Krishna fell and began to play.

The cart signifies the cart of life. The two wheels of the cart signify husband and wife, who must be linked with dharma. The two bulls joined to the cart signify two types of dharma: worldly relationships and spiritual dharma. Practicing this dharma keeps life flowing. However, if we are lazy, then life becomes stagnant which then plants all types of evil in us.

Thereafter, uncle Kans sent the demon Trinavrata in the form of a tornado. Baby Krishna was playing in Maa Yashoda’s laps and suddenly became heavy. Maa was surprised and had to leave Kanhaiya on the floor. She went in the house while Shri Krishna was playing. Trinavrata picked up Shri Krishna and decided to take him to Mathura to Kans. Lord Shri Krishna killed Trinavrata before he could leave Gokul.

This leela signifies that Shri Krishna removed the rajogun (unstable mind) and tamogun (laziness). Only (Maa Yashoda) remained. After this, Yashoda Maa fed Shri Krishna who is getting no satisfaction from the feeds. Maa is worried. Slowly, she tickled her baby who laughed and stopped feeding. As soon as Maa looked in Shri Krishna’s mouth while laughing, she did darshan of the whole universe. This way God was sending a message to Maa that I am not the only one feeding your milk, the whole universe is. You are the mother of the whole universe. Maa was shocked. She thought her eyes were deceiving her. She closed her eyes and opened them again to see that her baby was asleep.

Pujya Bhaishri explained that Shri Vausdevji sent Shri Gargacharyaji to name his children secretly so that Kans was not aware. Shri Nand ji performed this event secretly in the cow shed. First, Shri Gargacharyaji named Rohiniji’s son. He will be called Ram as he will please everyone with his character. He will also please others with his power, hence he will be known as Balram. He will maintain the unity of the Yadavas, thus will be called Sankarshan. He is the son of Rohini so will be known as Rohiney.

As soon as Shri Gargacharya ji saw Maa Yashoda’s son, he was lost in Bhramanand. He said that how can I name him? He has several names. He is black in colour hence he will be called Krishna. Krishna also means one who attracts. He is the son of Vasudev, so will be known as Vaasudev. Gargacharya asked Nandji to look after him as he will protect all of you from many obstacles.

Pujya Bhaishri diverted to talk about the aim of Devka Vidyapeeth. He said,”The aim of Devka Vidyapeeth is to get more people, especially girls educated. Many people have provided their input. We still have more buildings to build and work to do. It is nice to see that Shrimad Bhagavat is causing people’s welfare, and the development of such schools to spread education. People have taken on seva like water distribution and transport. Let us together keep up such good work and also do bhajan and eat well. I am happy to see the presence of many saints and such good work in my birth place.

Lord Shri Krishna started to get older. The Gopis began to complain to Maa Yashoda about Shri Krishna stealing butter. The stealing of butter signifies Shri Krishna stealing the minds of Gopis. Shri Krishna would go and free the calves from the shed. This signifies that God frees us from the tangles of attachments.

One day, Shri Dauji caught Shri Krishna eating soil. He went and complained to Maa Yashoda. Maa was angry and questioned Shri Krishna if he had eaten the soil. Shri Krishna saw Maa was very upset. Shri Krishna said that Maa if you believe Dau and the rest of my friends why don’t you check inside my mouth. As soon as Shri Krishna opened his mouth, Maa did darshan of the whole universe. Shri Krishna showed Maa that nothing is separate from me. Each and every person is an autograph of God. I am present even in those who insult and praise you. We should perceive the insult as though God is taking our ego away. This perspective will cause our welfare. Maa now recognised that my son is God. God did not like this and with the help of his Maya (illusion), Maa forgot everything.

Pujya Bhaishri then engrossed all the devotees in the damodar leela of Shri Krishna where she had tied Shri Krishna with a mortar which led to the salvation of Nal Kuber. All the residents of Gokul then moved to. He then briefly narrated the other leelas like the killing of Aghasur, Bakasur and kalpantar leela with Bhramaji. At six years age Shri Krishna began to graze the cows.

Shri Krishna questioned the people of Vraj why they were doing Indra yagya when they have never seen Indra. Why don’t we pray to the devtas we can see like the Goverdhan, cows and brahmins? Everyone agreed with Shri Krishna and performed pooja of Shri Goverdhan, the cows and brahmins. Shri Goverdhan leela was celebrated with great fanfare.

Shri Giriraj Dharan ki jai.