Lord Krishna's Daily Activities

In the seventieth chapter there is a description of Krsna’s morning activities as well as consideration by the assembly of what action to take on hearing from the messenger and Narada.

In the previous chapter it was stated that Krsna had faith in artha, dharma and kama. Now starting the the brahma muhurta, what type of dharmic conduct did Krsna have? This is now described.

When the dawn had obviously arrived (upavrayam), with the crowing of the roosters, the wives such as Rukmini (madhavyah) embraced by their husbands (Krsna in his many forms), cursed, “O roosters!You are the cause of bringing the dawn which brings separation from Krsna. You should immediately die.”

Awakened by the fragrant breezes, the bees were singing. This singing awakened the birds. These birds, like bards, awakened Krsna.

Because of losing the embrace of her husband, Rukmini did not consider the auspicious brahma muhurta to be auspicious. Rukmini represents all the queens, who all felt the same.

Just as another person meditates upon Krsna at the brahma muhurta, so Krsna meditated also upon himself, beyond matter (tamasah param), the one supreme lord, the one who reveals himself (svayam jyotih). But it is also said that others such as Sankarsana, are also the lord. Yes, but there is no other avatara compared to him (ananyam). And moreover, even though Sankarsana and other portions of himself have eternal separate existence, Krsna is still complete (avyayam). The reason for his appearance is his mercy; by his direct presence which all men can see, he removes ignorance. From him appears the impersonal Brahman (brahma akhyam). Here are similar statements : madiyam mahimanam param brahmeti sabditam vetsyasy anugrhitam me , and brahmano hi pratisthaham. Brahma akhyam can also mean “He who is called Brahman” as in: Brahmakhyam brahma namakam and brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate.

The lord’s excellence is described. From him come all sorts of happiness seen in the living entities (laksita bhava nirvrttim), through his energies which give knowledge and devotion, and which create and destroy the universe. For the devotees, Krsna gives happiness by his bestowal of prema. For the followers of dharma, he gives happiness by his careful observance of the rules of dharma, and for the sinful, he gives happiness by killing them and then giving them liberation.

Krsna excecuted all of his duties (kriya kalapam cakara). Being most expert (sattama) he performed the sandhya rites, and chanted the gayatri (brahma) silently.

Being self controlled (atmavan), Krsna would execute his duties.

Daily he would give 13, 084 (baddham) cows with first born calves (grstinam).

He would touch auspicious things like brown cows.

He would greet his ministers (prakrtih).

Distributing to the brahmanas and others the garlands and other things, he would then accept them for enjoyment himself (upayunkta).

Taking the folded hands of his charioteer with his right hand he would mount the chariot.

First the queens glanced at Krsna, though he was accompanied by Satyaki, Uddhava and others, with shy loving glances. This indicated their pain of separation from him “How can we endure this?” By this hint of perplexity, he became bound. He smiled to pacify them. “O unsteady women, just by this little separation you are disturbed. I will return very soon to eat.” Then bewildering their minds with just a smile, he got out of difficulty: freed from the bondage of their loving glances (krcchrat visrstah) he went off.

Leaving each palace in each of his forms, each form would been seen only by the residents and surround neighbors of that particular palace, and not by others. Coming along the main road up to the entrance of the assembly hall, those forms would then become one, and he would enter the hall with only one form, surrounded (parivaritah) by the Vrsnis.

The best of the Yadus was surrounded by the best among men (nrsimhaih), the Yadus.

Jesters (upamantrinah), dancers (natacaryah) and magicians and others honored the Lord in their groups (prthak).

Groups danced and other groups sang. The bards and others offered praises.

Brahmanas chanted the Vedas (brahma ahuh) and those expert at speaking (vadinah) related stories of pious kings.

How did Jarasandha imprison the kings? This verse answers. They did not accept subservience to him (sannatim) by paying taxes etc. Therefore he imprisoned them in Girivraja fort. How many? Twenty thousand (dve ayute) were imprisoned. It is learned from Mahabharata and other sources that he had the desire to perform a sacrifice to Mahabhairava by offering one hundred thousand kings.

Six verses explain their request to the Lord. First they surrender by uttering twice “Krsna” out of respect. “Though we do not understand your true form (aprameyatman), we know that you are the protector of those who surrender to you (prapanna), and therefore we surrender to you. Neglecting a prayer for devotion to you, we instead are intent on deliverance from our own suffering, having intelligence separate from you, with our own interest (prthag dhiyah).”

In this verse they offer respects while describing their fear of material existence. Persons like us (loka) are inattentive to activities for our benefit (kusale karmani). To pious actions? No, we are inattentive to activities mentioned by you (tvad udite). Is it activity of sama , dama , yam and niyama in jnana yoga? No, we are inattentive to worship of you (bhavad arcane), which the real treasure (sve) of everyone. We are rather engaged in unlawful acts, which produce material happiness from wives and sons. Moreover such unfortunate souls never achieve any happiness, for you, being powerful, suddenly destroy our hopes for long life. We offer respects to you in the form of your energy of time. Those who are not your devotees should do this.

It is greatly astonishing to us why anyone who hates you or your devotees is not destroyed.

The lord of the universe (jagad inah) has appeared at a certain time (kalaya) or with his portion Baladeva, for protecting the pious and destroying the evil. However, other wicked men, such as Jarasandha, surpass your law and persecute the devotees and protect the wicked. Though you appear to destroy the evil men, are they prospering and happy due to past pious acts? Though you appear to protect the devotees, are they suffering now due to their past sins? It is not possible for us to understand this. It should not be that dull material karma should be more powerful than you.

“Then are you my devotees or my enemies?”

“We are not either. We are jivas engulfed in the material world who have surrendered to you.” That is the import of this verse.

Our happiness, thinking ourselves kings, dependent on ministers, friends and troops, is temporary like a dream. Actually, we are carrying a great burden from intense endeavors at alliance and war, with our corpse like bodies filled with constant fear. It is unfortunate that we did not previously become desireless and take shelter of you. We gave up that happiness which is famous because of the praises of the saintly persons, not condemned by them like our kingly happiness, which is yourself, not dependent on others, coming from you alone, not from gross material objects, obtained by your selfless devotees (aniha labhya), not by those full of lust. Therefore we suffer.

In this verse they pray that Krsna release them from the bondage of karma created by his maya. “Please release (viyuksva) us from the bondage of karma in the form of Jarasandha.”

“But you can get out of this bondage of Jarasandha by yourselves.”

“Having the power of a hundred thousand elephants he alone has imprisoned all of us kings, as lion catches sheep.”

Your enemy, knowing that we have surrendered to you, now persecutes us even more day by day. That is expressed in this verse.

“O you who hold the cakra high, in the eighteen times he fought with you, he was defeated seventeen times. Only once defeating you, who desire to take up the pastimes of fleeing away like an ordinary man, he swelled with pride, and persecuted us, your subjects. Do what is proper in this case (tat).”

In this verse the messenger speaks.

35 I am asking you about the welfare of all the people of the worlds since it is improper to ask about your welfare, it being impossible that you could have any misfortune. “Are the three worlds free from fear now a days?”

“Well, how should I know this?”

“Your great quality is that you wander everywhere. Since from you knowledge of all the worlds can be obtained, I ask you.”

“Nothing is unknown to you in all the worlds created by the Lord. That being so, I asked about what the Pandavas desire to do from you, since you know that the way by which Jarasandha can be killed by Bhima.”

“By your own maya you bewilder the three worlds. Therefore it is astonishing that you are asking about the fearlessness of the people there. But for one playing the role of an ordinary human is not astonishing.’ This is the idea expressed in this verse.

“I have seen many times the insurmountable maya of you who are the bewilderer (mayinah) of even Brahma (visva srjah), of you who are present (caratah) within all beings through your energies such as maya along with your form as paramatma, O all pervading (bhuman). But you cover up your omniscience as speaker because of your own desires in performing pastimes as a human. Therefore it is not surprising for me that you ask such a question.”

“Morever, who can understand the intention (ihitam) of you who sometimes create and sometimes destroy the universe which gets its life from you residing as paramatma within it. Therefore I offer my respects to you who are completely inconceivable (sva vilaksanatmane) by your very nature (sva).”

“Moreover, if you say that it is proper to ask me about the fearlessness of the universe then I reply as follows. You kindle the flame of your good qualities (sva yasah pradipakam), revealing your true nature, through your lila avataras, for the jivas who do not know about liberation from the bondage of the material body. Therefore I surrender unto you (tva). I see many people in this world bewildered by your maya and afflicted by fear. There are also many people who are fearless, absorbed in hearing and singing about your glories.” This was hinted at in the above three verses.

Now he answers the second question of the Lord in five verses. “O form of Brahman, (both brahma and Brahman readings are correct as they are alternatives of the vocative case), even though you know everything, I will let you hear (asravaye), since you have the same qualities as an ordinary human being (nara loka vidambanam).”

This is an example of the ornament called contrast (vyatireka):. praise of the Lord’s expertise by citing low qualities of the human being.

Giving permission for the ceremony but remaining here is not good. You should go there.

“But what is the purpose in their seeing me?” this verse answers.

“Even the outcastes become purified by hearing, chanting and meditating on you, who are the form of concentrated Brahman (brahma mayasya).”

“What is the cause of this eagerness to see me?”

“ Your spotless fame , spread in the heavens, earth and lower planets, covering the houses of the directions like a canopy, purifies the universe. In the same way,your foot water purifies the universe. Because their hearts have been purified, they desire to see you.” Or “You, whose fame and foot water purify the universe, have been invited to Yudisthira’s sacrifice, where there is a necessity of everything being purified.”

In the assembly, the Yadavas , Krnsa’s allies, wanting to conquer Jarasandha, did not listen to Narada’s words. Smiling, with skilful words which would impress upon Uddhava his own desires in the matter, Krsna spoke to Uddava. He did this in order to make known to all the excellence of Uddhava’s skill in giving advice.