Sridharāya namah
Under the tutelage of Maharishi Sāndipani, Krishna began his formal education. Krishna was ‘eka sandhāgrāhi’ which means He learnt lessons merely by listening to them once! There was absolutely no need for repetition in any subject, such was His capacity. In this way Srikrishna mastered Vedas together with its six limbs.
Maharishi Sāndipani had lost his beloved son in a much earlier period of time. Srikrishna tore apart the stomach of Demon Panchajanya and brought back to life Guru Sāndīpani’s son. This was the Guru- dakshina (fees) He offered.
When Rukmi announced the svayamvara (where the bride chooses the groom) of his sister Rukmini, who was the daughter of King Bheeshmaka, many powerful princes such as Shishupala were invited for the ceremony. Rukmini Devi resembled Goddess Lakshmi in every aspect. Fascinated by her overpowering beauty, many princes belonging to various kingdoms thronged there desiring her hand in marriage. In reality, Rukmini Devi is the eternal companion of Srikrishna, the incarnation of Lord Srihari. Therefore Srikrishna decided to marry her in the Gandharva style. Mounting a powerful chariot He arrived in Bheeshmaka’s kingdom. In public view he carried her away in his chariot, defeating Shishupala and other kings who attacked him.
Taming seven bulls, whose noses were not pierced, Srikrishna married Nagnajit during her swayamvara. All the other kings who had assembled there hoping to win her hand in marriage felt deeply humiliated seeing Krishna’s victory. Out of sheer ignorance and infatuated with Princess Nagnajit’s beauty, these kings took up weapons and attacked Krishna. Very deftly Srikrishna, while ensuring that he remains unhurt, defeated and killed them all.
Like an ordinary lover seeking to please his wife, the Supreme Lord Srikrishna brought the Pārijata tree from heaven to please his dearest wife Satyabhama. This deed of Srikrishna left Indra, the Lord of heaven, seething in anger. The deluded Indra took up his weapon, the thunderbolt, and together with his huge army attacked Srikrishna. It was his wife who had instigated him to wage a war against Srikrishna. Indra, who was thus instigated by his wife, was a toy in the hands of women”.
Uddhava further continued, “In the war Srikrishna using his discus killed Demon Narakasura, who with his mammoth body appeared to cover the entire space. Hearing the prayers of his mother Dharitri (mother earth), Krishna then handed over the remaining kingdom to Narakasura’s son Bhagadatta and allowed him to return to his home.
The damsels who had been kidnapped by Narakasura, the son of mother earth, were grieving within the house of Narakasura. They rejoiced greatly when they saw Srikrishna. They looked at him with love coupled with shyness and mentally accepted him as their husband. The Supreme Lord Srikrishna, then through his power of illusion assumed thousands of forms and matched each form to suit to that respective princess. In those forms Srikrishna, by visiting their respective accommodations, simultaneously married all the princesses strictly per Vedic traditions.
Who apart from Paramatma can manifest simultaneously in varied forms and make himself present in different locations at the same time? This is no ordinary feat!
With this illusory form of his, Krishna then begot from each of them ten children, who resembled Srikrishna in every possible way. In that way creation expanded.
Kālayavana, Jarāsandha who was the king of Magadha and King Shalva, together with their vast armies attacked Mathura and Dwaraka. Using His army as His instruments it was Srikrishna who defeated them.
To Arjuna and other devotees He granted divine prowess. Śambara, Dvivida, Bāna, Mura, Balvala, Dantavaktra and others were demons whom Srikrishna either killed personally or had them vanquished by others.
O Vidura! Thereafter He involved himself in the war pertaining to your nephews the Pandavas and Kauravas and caused the killing of the kings. When those kings together with their armies were proceeding to Kurukshetra for the war, earth trembled under their weight. Duryodhana who listened to the ill-advice of Karna, Dusśāsana and Shakuni lost all his prosperity. In addition he even lost his life. When he, with his broken thighs was lying in the battlefield together with his followers, Krishna who saw him was not at all happy.
He thought within himself, “Arjuna, Bheeshma, Drona, Bhima and others have destroyed armies consisting of 18 akshohini (each akshohini army consists of 21870 chariots, 21870 elephants, 65610 cavalry and 109350 foot soldiers) and reduced the burden of earth. Yet, in no way this can be called an extraordinary accomplishment! After all, the powerful burdensome Yadava clan still continues to exist.
These Yadavas, having consumed intoxicating liquor, will, with reddened eyes fight amongst themselves, and destroy each other. There is no other method apart from this through which they can be destroyed. When I begin to prepare for my departure from earth, Yadavas will get routed out completely due to their own doing.
Thinking thus, Srikrishna crowned Yudhisthira as the emperor who through his actions demonstrated to the world the right way of life. He caused joy to all friends and relatives.
When the son of Abhimanyu, the descendant of the Kuru lineage was growing in Uttara’s womb, Ashwattthama, the son of Drona, destroyed the child through his powerful weapon. At that moment Srikrishna revived the child and brought him back to life.
Srikrishna the Supreme Lord got Yudhisthira to perform three Ashwamedha Yāgas. Yudhisthira who ruled the kingdom along with his brothers, followed Srikrishna with total devotion and he lived happily”.
Sridharaya Namah.
