Run to Krishna 2/3

(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)

Dear Prabhujis and Mathajis,

Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisances! All Glories to Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev!

This is in continuation of the previous offering of our beloved Guru Maharaj’s lecture delivered in Durban in December 1994. Maharaj explained the pastime of Parikshit Maharaj being attacked by the fiery weapon released by Ashwathama.

"You very well know Parikshit Maharaj. He was in the womb of his mother Uttara and that time, after finishing the work in Hastinapura, Lord wanted to leave for Dwaraka and Krishna was ready sitting on the chariot to leave for Dwaraka. In the meantime, Ashwathama, the son of guru Dronacarya, he released the brahmastra to kill Parikshit Maharaj, the last heir of the Pandavas. He wanted to destroy the Pandavas and before he did so, he had already killed five children of Draupadi. He wanted to completely destroy the race of the Pandavas. He thought that by killing the five children, his master Duryodhana will be very happy and Duryodhana at that time, was lying in the battlefield of Kurukshetra dying and Ashwathama thought, 'I will run to Duryodhana and tell him this good news. So at least his death will be alright.' So he killed the five children of Draupadi and went running to Duryodhana in the battlefield. Duryodhana was dying and Ashwathama said, "Duryodhana, I have done good job for you". Duryodhan asked, "What is it?" He said, "I have killed the five sons of Pandavas. Now they do not have any heir apparent." You will be surprised to know what Duryodhana replied for this. He said, "You have done a very bad job. You have killed all our race". At the time of death, the demon also comes to his senses. We have to remember death. We all have to go sooner or later.

Vasudeva, Krishna’s father, explains to Kamsa in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.1.38,

mrtyur janmavataam veera / dehena saha jaayate
adya vaabda-shataante vaa / mrtyur vai praaninaam dhruvah

"O great hero, one who takes birth is sure to die, for death is born with the body. One may die today or after hundreds of years, but death is sure for every living entity."

These are our transcendental scriptures. You say one verse and you are connected to Krishna and by this pure contact you will be enlivened. Your health will improve. As soon as your health improves, your material activities will improve and nobody will be able to disturb you because you are unflinchingly attached to the supreme power. This is the way to come to the scriptures. Vasudeva is explaining to Kamsa that , "Please do not be afraid of death. mrtyur janmavataam veera - with the birth , the death is born." All of us are going to die. Those who have accepted birth, they have to die. There is no other way we can escape, however we try. We try to stay in Durban which is a beautiful city. We want to be in South Africa because it is a land of plenty but all these arrangements fall short and nobody can save us at the time of death. dehena saha jaayate - it is already born with our body.adya vaa - either today, or abda shataante vaa - or after hundred years, we are definitely sure to die and those who remember this, they never commit any sinful activity. Those who remember the death, they don’t become crazy. Those who forget death, they become crazy and in our craziness, we catch hold of the cow and cut it and eat it and we make a big thing out of it that if you eat meat, you will get protein. From a dead body, can you get protein? If you get protein from dead body, our grand father also dies, then you have a feast on grandfather. Why do you burn his body? You eat your grandfather. Anybody dies in your family, have a nice Sunday feast, if the dead body gives you protein. Dead body cannot and can never give. This is the instruction of our scriptures.

Our lives are put on a right track and as soon as you are on the right track you go fast to Krishna and that is the perfection of human existence. The dogs can’t do. The cows can’t do. We can very well do in this species and please hurry up. Time is running out. Every day Sun rises and sets and our life decreases. There is nobody in Durban also who increases his life. Everybody is decreasing the life.

Anyway, when Ashwathama could not satisfy Duryodhana, Duryodhana died eventually. But Ashwathama was the dead enemy of the Pandavas and so in the womb of Uttara, he wanted to kill Parikshit Maharaj. When Uttara saw that the the fiery arrow is approaching her to kill her womb, there was no way to escape from it. So she ran to Krishna and the beautiful verse is there, how she prayed. Beautiful. Hear the verse. Uttara prays to Krishna and Krishna is just on the verge of departure from Hastinapura. She says, "Please, please, Lord stop!" Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.9:

paahi paahi mahaa-yogin / deva-deva jagat-pate
naanyam tvad abhayam pashye / yatra mrtyuh parasparam

Uttara said: "O Lord of lords, Lord of the universe! You are the greatest of mystics. Please protect me, for there is no one else who can save me from the clutches of death in this world of duality."

Maharaj’s explanation on the above verse shall be posted in the ensuing mail, Krishna willing.

Chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna

Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama

Hare Hare

and be happy.