Text

Vidyadhara Liberated and the Demon Sankhasura Killed

Purport

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Once upon a time, the cowherd men of Vá¹›ndÄvana, headed by Nanda MahÄrÄja, desired to go to AmbikÄvana to observe the Åšiva-rÄtri ceremony. The rÄsa-lÄ«lÄ was performed during the autumn, and after that the next big ceremony is Holi, or the DolÄyÄtrÄ ceremony. Between the DolÄyÄtrÄ ceremony and the rÄsa-lÄ«lÄ ceremony there is an important ceremony called Åšiva-rÄtri, which is especially observed by the Åšaivites, or devotees of Lord Åšiva. Sometimes the Vaiṣṇavas also observe this ceremony because they accept Lord Åšiva as the foremost Vaiṣṇava. But the function of Åšiva-rÄtri is not observed very regularly by the bhaktas, or devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Under the circumstances, ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam states that Nanda MahÄrÄja and the other cowherd men “once upon a time desired.†This means that they were not regularly observing the Åšiva-rÄtri function but that once upon a time they wanted to go to AmbikÄvana out of curiosity. AmbikÄvana is somewhere in Gujarat Province, and it is said to be situated on the river SarasvatÄ«. Yet we do not find any SarasvatÄ« River in Gujarat Province, although there is a river named SavarmatÄ«. In India, all the big places of pilgrimage are situated on nice rivers like the Ganges, YamunÄ, SarasvatÄ«, NarmadÄ, GodÄvarÄ« and KÄverÄ«. AmbikÄvana was situated on the bank of the SarasvatÄ«, and Nanda MahÄrÄja and all the other cowherd men went there.

They very devotedly began to worship the deity of Lord Åšiva and AmbikÄ. It is the general practice that wherever there is a temple of Lord Åšiva, there must be another temple, of AmbikÄ (or DurgÄ), because AmbikÄ is the wife of Lord Åšiva and is the most exalted of chaste women. She doesn’t live outside the association of her husband. After reaching AmbikÄvana, the cowherd men of Vá¹›ndÄvana first bathed themselves in the river SarasvatÄ«. If one goes to any place of pilgrimage, his first duty is to take a bath and sometimes to shave his head. That is the first business. After taking a bath, they worshiped the deities and then distributed charity in the holy places.

According to the Vedic system, charity is given to the brÄhmaṇas. It is stated in the Vedic Å›Ästras that only the brÄhmaṇas and the sannyÄsÄ«s can accept charity. The cowherd men from Vá¹›ndÄvana gave the brÄhmaṇas cows decorated with golden ornaments and beautiful garlands. The brÄhmaṇas are given charity because they are not engaged in any business profession. They are supposed to be engaged in brahminical occupations, as described in the Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ—namely, they must be very learned and must perform austerity and penances. Not only must they themselves be learned, but they must also teach others. BrÄhmaṇas are not meant to be brÄhmaṇas alone: they should create other brÄhmaṇas also. If a man is found who agrees to become a brÄhmaṇa’s disciple, he is also given the chance to become a brÄhmaṇa. The brÄhmaṇa is always engaged in the worship of Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore the brÄhmaṇas are eligible to accept all kinds of charity. But if the brÄhmaṇas receive excess charity, they are to distribute it for the service of Viṣṇu. In the Vedic scriptures, therefore, one is recommended to give charity to the brÄhmaṇas, and by so doing one pleases Lord Viṣṇu and all the demigods.

The pilgrims take a bath, worship the deity and give charity; they are also recommended to fast one day. They should go to a place of pilgrimage and stay there at least for three days. The first day is spent fasting, and at night they can drink a little water because water does not break the fast.

The cowherd men, headed by Nanda MahÄrÄja, spent that night on the bank of the SarasvatÄ«. They fasted all day and drank a little water at night. But while they were taking rest, a great serpent from the nearby forest appeared before them and hungrily began to swallow up Nanda MahÄrÄja. Nanda cried out helplessly, “My dear son, Kṛṣṇa, please come and save me from this danger! This serpent is swallowing me!†When Nanda MahÄrÄja cried for help, all the cowherd men got up and saw what was happening. They immediately took up burning logs and began to beat the snake to kill it. But in spite of being beaten with burning logs, the serpent was not about to give up swallowing Nanda MahÄrÄja.

At that time Kṛṣṇa appeared on the scene and touched the serpent with His lotus feet. Immediately upon being touched by the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, the serpent shed its reptilian body and appeared as a very beautiful demigod named VidyÄdhara. His bodily features were so beautiful that he appeared to be worshipable. There was a luster and effulgence emanating from his body, and he was garlanded with a gold necklace. He offered obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa and stood before Him with great humility. Kṛṣṇa then asked the demigod, “You appear to be a very nice demigod and to be favored by the goddess of fortune. How is it that you performed such abominable activities that you got the body of a serpent?†The demigod then began to narrate the story of his previous life.

“My dear Lord,†he said, “in my previous life I was named VidyÄdhara and was known all over the world for my beauty. Because I was a celebrated personality, I used to travel all over in my airplane. While traveling, I saw a great sage named Aá¹…girÄ. He was very ugly, and because I was very proud of my beauty, I laughed at him. Due to this sinful act, I was condemned by the great sage to assume the form of a serpent.â€

One should note here that before being favored by Kṛṣṇa a person is always under the modes of material nature, however elevated he may be materially. VidyÄdhara was a materially elevated demigod, and he was very beautiful. He also held a great material position and was able to travel all over by airplane. Yet he was condemned to become a serpent in his next life. Any materially elevated person can be condemned to an abominable species of life if he is not careful. It is a misconception that after reaching the human body one is never degraded. VidyÄdhara himself stated that even though he was a demigod he was condemned to become a serpent. But because he was touched by the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he immediately came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He admitted, however, that in his previous life he was actually sinful. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person knows that he is always the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa; he is most insignificant, and whatever good he does is by the grace of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master [Cc. Madhya 13.80].

The demigod VidyÄdhara continued to speak to ÅšrÄ« Kṛṣṇa. “Because I was very proud of the exquisite beauty of my body,†he said, “I derided the ugly features of the great sage Aá¹…girÄ. He cursed me for my sin, and I became a snake. Now I consider that this curse by the sage was not at all a curse; it was a great benediction for me. Had he not cursed me, I would not have assumed the body of a serpent and would not have been kicked by Your lotus feet and thus freed from all material contamination.â€

In material existence, four things are very valuable: to be born in a decent family, to be very rich, to be very learned and to be very beautiful. These are considered to be material assets. Unfortunately, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, these material assets sometimes become sources of sin and degradation. Despite VidyÄdhara’s being a demigod and having a beautiful body, he was condemned to the body of a snake due to pride. Therefore from this incident we can learn that those who are too proud of their material assets or who are inimical toward others are degraded to the bodies of snakes. A snake is considered to be the most cruel and envious living entity, but those who are human beings and are envious of others are considered to be even more vicious than snakes. The snake can be charmed or controlled by mantras and herbs, but a person who is envious cannot be controlled by anyone.

“My dear Lord,†VidyÄdhara continued, “now, since I think I have become freed from all kinds of sinful activities, I am asking Your permission to return to my abode, the heavenly planets.†This request indicates that persons who are attached to fruitive activities, desiring promotion to the comforts of higher planetary systems, cannot achieve their ultimate goal of life without the sanction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is also stated in the Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ that the less intelligent want to achieve material benefits and therefore worship different kinds of demigods, but that they actually get the benedictions from the demigods through the permission of Lord Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa. Demigods have no power to bestow material profit. Even if one is attached to material benedictions, he should worship Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and ask Him. Kṛṣṇa is completely able to give even material benedictions. There is a difference, however, between asking material benedictions from the demigods and asking them from Kṛṣṇa. Dhruva MahÄrÄja worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead for a material benediction, but when he actually achieved the favor of the Supreme Lord and saw Him, he was so satisfied that he refused to accept any material benediction. The intelligent person does not worship the demigods or ask favors from them; he directly becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, and if he has any desire for material benefit, he asks Kṛṣṇa, not the demigods.

VidyÄdhara, awaiting Kṛṣṇa’s permission to return to the heavenly planets, said, “Now, because I have been touched by Your lotus feet, I am relieved of all kinds of material pangs. You are the most powerful of all mystics. You are the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are the master of all devotees. You are the proprietor of all planetary systems, and therefore I am asking Your permission. You may accept me as fully surrendered unto You. I know very well that persons who are constantly engaged in chanting Your holy name attain release from all sinful reactions, and certainly persons who are fortunate enough to be personally touched by Your lotus feet are freed. Therefore I am sure that I am now relieved of the curse of the brÄhmaṇa simply by seeing You and being touched by Your lotus feet.â€

In this way, VidyÄdhara got permission from Lord Kṛṣṇa to return to his home in the higher planetary system. After receiving this permission, he circumambulated the Lord and offered his respectful obeisances unto Him, and then he returned to his heavenly planet. Thus Nanda MahÄrÄja was relieved of the imminent danger of being devoured by the snake.

The cowherd men, who had come to execute the ritualistic function of worshiping Lord Åšiva and AmbikÄ, finished their business and prepared to return to Vá¹›ndÄvana. While returning, they recalled the wonderful activities of Kṛṣṇa. By relating the incident of VidyÄdhara’s deliverance, they became more attached to Kṛṣṇa. They had come to worship Lord Åšiva and AmbikÄ, but the result was that they became more and more attached to Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, the gopÄ«s worshiped Goddess KÄtyÄyanÄ« to become more and more attached to Kṛṣṇa. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ that persons who are attached to worshiping demigods like Lord BrahmÄ, Åšiva, Indra and Candra for some personal benefit are less intelligent and have forgotten the real purpose of life. But the cowherd men, inhabitants of Vá¹›ndÄvana, were no ordinary men. Whatever they did, they did for Kṛṣṇa. If one worships demigods like Lord Åšiva and Lord BrahmÄ to become more attached to Kṛṣṇa, that is approved. But if one goes to the demigods for some personal benefit, that is condemned.

After this incident, on a very pleasant night Kṛṣṇa and His elder brother, BalarÄma, who are inconceivably powerful, went into the forest of Vá¹›ndÄvana. They were accompanied by the damsels of VrajabhÅ«mi, and They began to enjoy their company. The young damsels of Vraja were very nicely dressed and anointed with pulp of sandalwood and decorated with flowers. The moon was shining in the sky, surrounded by glittering stars. The breeze was blowing, bearing the aroma of mallikÄ flowers, and the bumblebees were mad after the aroma. Taking advantage of the pleasing atmosphere, Kṛṣṇa and BalarÄma began to sing very melodiously. The damsels became so absorbed in Their rhythmical song that they almost forgot themselves; their hair loosened, their clothes slackened, and their garlands began to fall to the ground.

At that time, while Kṛṣṇa, BalarÄma and the damsels were so much absorbed, almost in madness, a demoniac associate of Kuvera (the treasurer of the heavenly planets) appeared on the scene. The demon’s name was Åšaá¹…khacÅ«á¸a because on his head there was a valuable jewel resembling a conchshell. Just as the two sons of Kuvera had been puffed up over their wealth and opulence and did not care for NÄrada Muni’s presence, this Åšaá¹…khacÅ«á¸a was also puffed up over material opulence. He thought that Kṛṣṇa and BalarÄma were two ordinary cowherd boys enjoying the company of many beautiful girls. Generally, in the material world, a person with riches thinks that all beautiful women should be enjoyed by him. Åšaá¹…khacÅ«á¸a also thought that since he belonged to the rich community of Kuvera, he, not Kṛṣṇa and BalarÄma, should enjoy the company of so many beautiful girls. He therefore decided to take charge of them. He appeared before Kṛṣṇa, BalarÄma and the damsels of Vraja and began to lead the girls away to the north. He commanded them as if he were their proprietor and husband, despite the presence of Kṛṣṇa and BalarÄma. Being forcibly taken away by Åšaá¹…khacÅ«á¸a, the damsels of Vraja called out the names of Kṛṣṇa and BalarÄma for protection. The two brothers immediately began to follow them, taking up big logs of Å›Äla wood in Their hands. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid,†They called to the gopÄ«s. “We are coming at once to chastise this demon.†Very quickly They reached Åšaá¹…khacÅ«á¸a. Thinking the brothers too powerful, Åšaá¹…khacÅ«á¸a left the company of the gopÄ«s and ran in fear for his life. But Kṛṣṇa would not let him go. He entrusted the gopÄ«s to the care of BalarÄma and followed Åšaá¹…khacÅ«á¸a wherever he fled. Kṛṣṇa wanted to take the valuable jewel resembling a conchshell from the head of the demon. After following him a very short distance, Kṛṣṇa caught him, struck his head with His fist and killed him. He then took the valuable jewel and returned. In the presence of all the damsels of Vraja, He presented the valuable jewel to His elder brother, BalarÄma.

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Thirty-fourth Chapter of Kṛṣṇa, “VidyÄdhara Liberated and the Demon Åšaá¹…khacÅ«á¸a Killed.â€