Like a beautiful palace with a closed door the dhama also requires a key to grant us entrance. This is chanting the Name. According to Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura it is chanting the Holy Name with loving affection.
“Dham is Nam”. That is the very first manifestation for the sincere sadhaka.
You remember, Indra was very afraid. He offended Krsna to a very bad degree.
Krsna does not forget such an offense to a devotee – He waits till this person goes to that devotee and gets forgiveness, satisfies this devotee and his followers.
There are six offenses acc. to Skanda Purana and the worst is to _kill_ a devotee – and Indra did this worst attempt. Indra was not sure what to do till Sacidevi, his wife also worked on his consciousness and helped him understand. He came on foot!
He was very very afraid. He just did not know what Krsna would do now. Now He would deal with Indra directly. It was scary. It is described Indra was trembling with fear.
…
Krsna in His enigmatic way made clear that yes, Indra can speak. Indra wanted to give a sign he no longer thinks of himself as the Lord of the universe. You have to give a visual sign you are sorry. Indra put his crown at the feet of Krsna. Please remember, that Indra was not elected by 33000000 demigods – Krsna installed him. I.e. Indra knew that only thanks to Krishna h was put into that position.
Previously Indra, who was not unintelligent, had seen how Brahma had displeased Krsna and Krsna expanded Himself. Indra, i.e., was very well aware of the wonderful potency of this smiling prince of Vraja. So when he was offering obeisances his intoxication of pride was gone. He was searching Krishna’s eyes to know what would Krsna do: would He throw thunderbolts? And please hear how Krsna responded, it will endear Krsna to all the devotees.
“O king of the demigods! I am moved to see your unprecedented affection to me! I offended you by stopping your sacrifice.
…
Krsna is ksama-sila – very forgiving and tolerant.
You must remember that Krsna is the father of all living entities – aham bija pradah pita. When the child kicks, the parents think, “Oh, my child develops nice and strong”. Or when the child kicks in the womb, the mother is happy. Krsna does not have any envy or malice to anyone. He is very very disturbed when His devotee is hurt, but He does not Himself become hurt.
He does not have these psychological troubles of insecure people…
…[story of Buddha of not accepting insulting words]…
akrodha paramananda nityananda ray
abhimana sunya nitai nagare beday
1) The noble Lord Nityananda Ray is never angry, for He is the personification of supreme transcendental bliss. Devoid of any concept of false ego, Nitai wanders about the town.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => MSVA 2: Akrodha Paramananda “Supreme Bliss that is Never Angry”
So He is not like us. When Krsna stopped his sacrifice, Indra became so mad that he forgot that this is the same person who put me in this position.
When you eat and your teeth cut your lips – will you take a hammer and knock your own teeth? No. And so Krsna, even if someone turns away from Him, never turns back. So if someone repents and feels sorry, Krsna immediately manifests His ksama-sila, forgiving nature.
api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah
Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination.>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 9.30
In other words, he wants the right thing. He is weak, but he wants the right thing. This is so amazing. Krsna wanted Arjuna to take drums and go to all the towns and villages and proclaim this.
…
I feel this is our duty as devotees to display at least a little bit this quality of Krsna’s forgiveness. I am saying “a little” because we cannot equal Krsna.
As soon as someone does or says something we do not accept immediately we are ready to judge him and say bad things behind their back.
… Rama forgave the crow…
Indra prays:
How… could there exist in You the symptoms of an ignorant person — such as greed, lust, anger and envy — which are produced by one’s previous involvement in material existence and which cause one to become further entangled in material existence? And yet as the Supreme Lord You impose punishment to protect religious principles and curb down the wicked.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.5
You are the father and spiritual master of this entire universe, and also its supreme controller. You are insurmountable time, imposing punishment upon the sinful for their own benefit. Indeed, in Your various incarnations, selected by Your own free will, You act decisively to remove the false pride of those who presume themselves masters of this world.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.6
When a doctor cures your fever, do you take a stone and strike him on the head? No, you know, he removes your fever. When you see your guru is chastising you, you should not go against him with bow and arrows, but understand, “This is for MY relief”. It comes from a different ground, from a different place.
Indra spoke many prayers, but I do not repeat – they were still a little tainted with insincerity, fear. Finally, Indra understood – my Krsna is ksama-sila, He forgives like a father. With tears he says, Please forgive me! With full sincerity. Then Krsna speaks very openly. “But how could you do this?” – “It was anger which totally destroyed everything in me”, – “But I am your master, I do not understand how my servant can do such things?” – “I was proud…”. But Krsna wanted to go deeper. He wanted Indra to go deeper, think and avoid it in the future. “There may be pride in my devotee, but you have intelligence and can see this?” Does this ever happen to you? But then you can use your intelligence and step back, “My God, I am proud” and stop it. Indra: “Yes, I have intelligence, but it was destroyed by anger…”
So Indra was just won over by Krsna and he says:
tvayesanugrhito ‘smi
dhvasta-stambho vrthodyamah
isvaram gurum atmanam
tvam aham saranam gatah
O Lord, You have shown mercy to me by shattering my false pride and defeating my attempt [to punish Vrndavana]. To You, the Supreme Lord, spiritual master and Supreme Soul, I have now come to seek Your shelter.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.14
He is now ready to take full shelter, accept Krsna as the supreme master.
namas tubhyam bhagavate
purusaya mahatmane
vasudevaya krsnaya
satvatam pataye namah
Obeisances unto You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the great Soul, who are all-pervading and who reside in the hearts of all. My obeisances unto You, Krsna, the chief of the Yadu dynasty.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.10
My dear devotees, a conditioned soul’s journey stops when he can pray like Indra “Now I have come to take shelter in You”.
And do you know what Krsna do when Indra said these prayers? What Krsna did when Arjuna came to surrener to Him? Krsna smiled.
Indra submitted to the Lord. He admitted he became furiously angry and attacked, so now Krsna reveals His mind. Krsna will never speak to someone insincere.
“Krsna does not speak nonsense. He spoke to Indra with the deep like a cloud [ – did you ever hear spiritual truths yelled at you at high pitched voice : – ) – ], resonant voice of the Supreme Lord:”
maya te ‘kari maghavan
makha-bhango ‘nugrhnata
mad-anusmrtaye nityam
mattasyendra-sriya bhrsam
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Indra, it was out of mercy that I stopped the sacrifice meant for you. You were greatly intoxicated by your opulence as King of heaven, and I wanted you to always remember Me.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.15
Please remember there is a Supreme Isvara – to give you an opportunity to always remember this, I stopped your sacrifice.
… Beladonna (Dhatura) makes you totally crazy – it says that 100 more crazy than from dhatura you become blinded by wealth. If you study – of course, you don’t read these – the gossip newspaper (we called the yellow press) you hear sometimes about read these rich people and how really crazy and bad things they do.
mam aisvarya-sri-madandho
danda panim na pasyati
tam bhramsayami sampadbhyo
yasya cecchamy anugraham
A man blinded by intoxication with his power and opulence cannot see Me nearby with the rod of punishment in My hand. If I desire his real welfare, I drag him down from his materially fortunate position.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.16
api sphArAmode pratipade SuddhA koTi madhure
parANa grAmAntar vahati tava lIlA-rasa -jhare
mano-vatsaH pAtuM viSaya-viSa-garte viSati me
kRpA yaSTyA tUrNaM damaya tam amuM tarNaka-pate
Although the very sweet nectar stream of Your transcendental pastimes
swiftly flows through the villages of the PurANas, the calf of my mind has
now entered a ditch to drink the poison of material sense happiness. O Lord
of the calves, please quickly curb him with Your stick of mercy.
SrI AStadaSa-cchandaH-stava text 11 (part 2)
5) His deeds are sweet, His liberating is sweet, His stealing is sweet, His love-sports are sweet, His oblations are sweet, His tranquility is sweet—Everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!
8) His gopas are sweet, His cows are sweet, His staff is sweet, His creation is sweet, His trampling is sweet, His fruitfulness is sweet — Everything is sweet about the Emperor of Sweetness!
>>> Ref. VedaBase => MSVA 1: Madhurastakam
After speaking those verses, Krsna sent Indra back and said “Please keep that in your mind”. Later Krsna came with Satyabhama on Garuda to take the parijata tree and Indra gave Krsna battle. Indra (Sri VCT) said, “I am like a cow, if I am struck once, I come back again”. Like the monkeys stealing from the fruit sellers. Conditioned soul’s tendency.
-I can’t believe my eyes – just look – a Surabhi has just arrived! Just see to the right!-
…
Then Krsna turns to Surabhi who came from the heavenly planets. Surabhi affectionately turned for some attention. It was a (hoch brisant, heikel) highly sensitive subject.
surabhir uvaca
krsna krsna maha-yogin
visvatman visva-sambhava
bhavata loka-nathena
sa-natha vayam acyuta
Mother Surabhi said: O Krsna, Krsna, greatest of mystics! O Soul and origin of the universe! You are the master of the world, and by Your grace, O infallible Lord, we have You as our master.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.19
“This Indra is not fit to be our king!” This was clearly a political statement. Universal politics. Surabhi wanted to enthrone Krsna as the emperor of the universe. “It is not our independent desire:”
“As ordered by Lord Brahma, we shall perform Your bathing ceremony to coronate You as Indra. O Soul of the universe
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.21
You know where it happened? Govinda kunda! All necessary for the coronation of Krsna was done. Brahma acted as the main pujari.
… It was Brahma’s instruction to install Krsna as the leader all cows …
/ Brahma, the Four Kumaras, Uma, Mahadeva, Tamburu, Kartikeya, Narada, and Savita attended Krsna’s abhiseka. Many exalted rsis and sages beautified the assembly The effulgent wives of the demigods such as Arundhati also visited. The celestial Apsaras like Urvasi watching from the sky enhanced the festival with their splendid forms and qualities.
Govardhana, with the limbs of his own body, provided an elegant throne made of smooth stones and jewels. The demigod Varuna personally held a fine white umbrella over Krsna’s head, which had a fringe of hanging pearls that appeared like falling raindrops. Vayu, his arm trembling in ecstatic devotion, stood beside the Lord fanning Him with a camara whisk. The full moon assumed the form of a mirror made of jewels.
Pancajanya, the Lord’s conchshell, sanctified the atmosphere with loud sounds. The effulgent Sudarshan cakra expanded as many lamps to illumine all directions. Krsna’s white lotus flower expanded into many white umbrellas to shield the Lord. Kaumodik, the Lord’s club who is honored for his strength, stood like a jeweled pillar for the bathing ceremony.
The personified forms of the sacred oceans, rivers, ponds, and lakes came with pots of water to bathe Krsna. Mother Bhumi collected the finest quality earth in a box covered with seven jewels. Placing the box on a jeweled plate, she slowly approached Krsna and offered it to Him. The best herbs and medicinal plants personified presented themselves for Krsna’s service. Great sacred trees such as the banyan and peepul manifested in person to give Krsna leaves containing the five types of tastes in golden pots studded with gems of lapis lazuli. The forest gods from the ten directions brought water pots covered with coconuts and various delicious fruits. The Lord of the mountains brought exotic gems and jewels.
The nine jewels, the eight yogic siddhis, the best jewels like cintamani, kamadhenu, and desire-trees all assumed charming forms to worship the Lord. Standing at a distance, they faced Krsna with folded hands. The goddess of Mt. Sumeru offered a golden cloth, and the goddess of the Himalayas presented splendid necklaces. The goddess of Gandhamadana Mountain brought golden lotuses from Manasarovara Lake and personally strung a garland for Krsna.
The goddess of the Malaya Mountain delivered the best quality sandal-wood. Grinding it on a stone from Govardhana, she made a smooth fragrant paste for Krsna. Without the knowledge of her husband, Parvati handed Krsna a gorgeous jeweled necklace. With their own hands, the Sapta-Rsis plucked fresh lotus buds from the Mandakini River to offer to the Lord. When needed for service, the sun god made the lotus flowers blossom for the Lord. The shining of the moon appeared as a mirror.
Agni offered an artistically designed golden incense pot with a hanging fringe made of coral. The best quality aguru scent burned in the pot, and rose into the sky through its thousands of holes. Garuda expanded his effulgent golden wings to form a protective canopy oVer the Lord. All the kings of the snakes fanned their hoods to serve as jeweled flags to surround the bathing platform.
The various mantras and prayers used for abhiseka like purusa-sukta and sri-sukta took personal forms to chant in alternating low and high tones. The surabhi cow contributed the panca-gavya and Lord Brahma provided the panca-amrta. Airavata (Indra’s elephant carrier) filled the gem-studded bathing pots with water from the Akash-Ganga, which he carried in his trunk. The demigods in the sky vibrated instrumental music.
The celestial ladies showered flowers from Nanda-kanana while intoxicated Gandharvas, Caranas, Kimpurusas, Siddhas, Sadhyas, and Vidyadharas joyfully danced in the sky. All the Apsaras appeared to please Krsna with a special drama. They conveyed the meaning of the play with various dance steps and facial expressions. Upon beholding the elegant form of Syamasundara, the famous Apsara Urvasi felt enchanted and devoted herself to the Lord./
Surabhi showered Krsna from her udders. On this day Krsna, who was previously known as Abhirama (beautiful), became known as Govinda – one who protects the cows and senses of His devotees. Indra said: “O lifter of the great mountain of Govardhana! Although previously known as Abhirama (beautiful and pleasing). You will now be known by Me name of Govinda, which Your devotees will regularly chant. Go means tending and caring for cows. O Lord! From today, everyone will call You Govinda.”
…
On that day there was big harinama festivala, with apsaras singing and dancing, flowers showered from the heaven. Sukadeva Gosvami says:
Tumburu, Narada and other Gandharvas, along with the Vidyadharas, Siddhas and Caranas, came there to sing the glories of Lord Hari, which purify the entire world. And the wives of the demigods, filled with joy, danced together in the Lord’s honor.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.25
The most eminent demigods chanted the praises of the Lord and scattered wonderful showers of flowers all around Him. All three worlds felt supreme satisfaction, and the cows drenched the surface of the earth with their milk.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.25
O Pariksit, beloved of the Kuru dynasty, upon the ceremonial bathing of Lord Krsna, all living creatures, *even those cruel by nature, became entirely free of enmity*.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 10.27.27
The holy name reverberated throughout the universe. Everyone became happy. We in the Hare Krsna movement must become expert in spreading the holy names of Krsna. I request to think today of your role in this.
After this all the demigods left (except one). Everyone was happy by this sankirtan.
A little while ago Queen of England was asked to come to our Avanti school and reveal the picture of Lord Gauranga dancing in the Jharikhanda forest. Queen Elizabeth asked, “Oh, what is the gentleman doing here?” :) The devotees said, “He is singing the holy names and spreading the holy names even to the animals, pacifying even their cruel nature.” “Very good!” – said the Queen. In the February we are asked to give a seminar on pacifying the cruel and envious nature of the people in this world.
/However, Indra and Surabhi remained behind for a moment. After the four-headed one and all the demigods departed, Krsna addressed the fearless intelligenit Indra. In a happy humorous mood, Krsna said, “Is your anger now pacified? Tell me truthfully/
I want that after this devotees see NO OTHER shelter except Krsna!
/ I did not subdue your anger out of revenge or enmity. But I wanted to show how your actions were full of false pride. By mature I cannot bear to see My own devotees possessing false pride. It is well known that such persons deserve to be punished by Me.
“O Indra, it was out of love that I stoped your sacrifice. 0 subduer of your enemies, inner and outer! It does mot suit you to maintain envy toward Me. Now return to Svarga and enjoy your position. But please do not become carried away by your wealth and loose your intelligence again.”/
Krsna looked at him. Dressed in an new golden coronation glimmering dress. He looked most beautiful. He returned to Vrndavana. It seemed as if He had just returned after a moment’s absence.
As He walked to Vrndavan the sakhas who witnessed the demigod worship festival, came out of the hiding and said, “He sakha, that was just wonderful!” And they embraced Him, and joked, and wrestled… But that is all another narration which we will discuss at another time :-)
…
Now Surabhi puja. Please all turn towards the Giriraj and see the scene, how we will worship Surabhi. Maybe some of us have also a good reason to turn to Krsna’s forgiving nature… We will see the aratik to our representative of Surabhi. We will pray to say a good word for us to Krsna and we will sing nicely.
Hare Krsna…
Hare Krsna…
Krsna Krsna…
Hare Hare…
Hare Rama…
Hare Rama…
Rama Rama…
Hare Hare…
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