Bhagavatam, day 26
Srimad Bhagavatam - day 26
Deciding to return back to Dwaraka, Srikrishna took leave of the Pandavas. He worshipped Vyasa and other Maharishis. In turn, they too reverentially worshipped Srikrishna. Along with Satyaki and Uddhama, He seated Himself in the chariot and just as He was about to leave, he noticed Uttara, wife of Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu, rushing towards him in great fright. She prayed to him in the following manner:
Pāhi pāhi mahā-yogin deva-deva jagat-pate
Nānyaṁ tvad abhayaṁ paśye yatra mṛtyuḥ parasparam
O Maha yogi! O Deva deva! O Lord of this universe! Kindly protect me! In this world where people *** each other, there is none apart from You who can offer me protection! O Prabhu! O Ishwara! A burning iron arrow is heading towards me. I do not mind if it were to *** me, but O Lord, it should not harm the baby in my ***.”
Listening to this prayer of Uttara, Srikrishna, the Supreme Lord who considers devotees as his children, instantaneously realized that this arrow had been launched by Ashwatthama, the son of Drona. He further understood that in order to eliminate the entire lineage of Pandavas from earth, Ashwatthama had directed the weapon towards them.
Exactly at that moment, 5 fiercely burning arrows were rapidly coming towards the Pandavas. For self protection, the 5 Pandavas immediately took up their bows and arrows. Noticing this plight of the Pandavas, who had utmost devotion towards Him, Srikrishna at once, used his weapon, the Sudarshana chakra (discus) in order to protect them.
Srikrishna, who is the form of Self (atma) in every being and who is the Lord of all the Yogis, in order to protect this last descendent of the Kuru lineage, entered into the *** of Uttara, the daughter of King Virata, and enveloping the fetus with his power of illusion (maya shakti), offered it protection.
Brahmastra is an undefeatable weapon. Even then, this supremely powerful weapon, was neutralized and pacified in front of Vishnu’s power and radiance. It retracted from Uttara’s *** and went away.
This Lord is after all, the storehouse of all miracles! Therefore, Shounaka and other eminent saints, please do not consider this to be an extremely astonishing event! To that Supreme Lord who is devoid of birth and who, with his power of illusion (maya shakti) creates, sustains and absorbs this entire material creation, this is not at all an extraordinary deed!
Kunti Devi observed her sons, the Pandavas as well as their wife Draupadi, being saved from this Brahmastra. She now addressed the Lord, who had accomplished such a supreme deed and who was about to begin his journey, in the following manner:
Namasye puruṣaṁ tvādyam īśvaraṁ prakṛteḥ param
Alakṣyaṁ sarva-bhūtānām antar bahir avasthitam
O Krishna! You are the original being (ādi Puruśa). You are the energy who monitors all the planes of existence (loka). You are beyond the power of illusion (māya shakti). You are beyond the understanding of the senses. You reside not only within the hearts of all the beings but also outside of it (all pervading). I offer obeisance to You, O Lord!
Due to the spiritual ignorance (ajnana) of the people, You, who appear as if covered by the veil of illusion, are in reality beyond the grasp of the pratyakṣa pramāṇa (firm knowledge that emerges when a subject is grasped directly through the senses)”.
Here the Lord has not covered Himself with a veil. The illusion of the people has put a veil upon Him. When their spiritual ignorance or this veil of illusion is removed, He will shine. As the veil does not go away and He does not illumine.
“O Lord, how then am I to realize or understand You, who are indestructible? A foolish man cannot recognize an actor who has dressed up for performance. Likewise, the human being who has an egoistic attachment towards the body (dehābhimāna) and who is infatuated due to this, cannot recognize You as the Supreme Paramatma.
Even the best yogis who are at the highest state of enlightenment (paramahamsas) and who have an inner mind that is totally pure and who possess supreme discriminatory capacities, worship you through the path of devotion (bhakti yoga). This incarnation of Yours is solely for this purpose. How can we, the ordinary women, realize and understand Your original true form, which even the supreme paramahamsa yogis, fail to understand in totality?
You have saved us from the terrible weapon that had been thrown by Ashwatthama. Only due to this protection given by You, we are still alive. O Lord, who have preached the Bhagavad Geeta! O Lord of this Universe! We pray that at all times difficulties should land upon us. This is because during difficulties, we will be having your darshan”.
Do you understand this? Real devoted persons never pray that difficulties should be taken away from them. Praying that all hardships be taken away, means the person does not have true devotion. They are attaching a value to their devotion. It is trading. It ends with that transaction. It dissolves with this trade. True devotees pray that troubles should come to them. Even in Purandaradasa keertana, this is seen, “O Lord, it is enough if I have your compassion. Nothing else matters”, he says.
Om Sriman Narayana!