CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
While AkrĹŤra was offering his prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord disappeared from the water, exactly as an expert dramatic actor changes his dress and assumes his original feature. After the viᚣášu-mĹŤrti disappeared, AkrĹŤra got out of the water. Finishing the rest of his ritualistic performance, he went near the chariot of BalarÄma and KášášŁáša and was struck with wonder. KášášŁáša asked whether he had seen something wonderful within the water or in space. AkrĹŤra said, âMy dear Lord, all wonderful things that are happening within this world, either in the sky or in the water or on the land, are factually appearing in Your universal form. So when I have seen You, what wonderful things have I not seen?â This statement confirms the Vedic version that one who knows KášášŁáša knows everything and that one who has seen KášášŁáša has seen everything, regardless of how wonderful a thing may be. âMy dear Lord,â AkrĹŤra continued, âthere cannot be anything more wonderful than Your transcendental form. When I have seen Your transcendental form, what is there left to see?â
After saying this, AkrĹŤra immediately started driving the chariot, and by the end of the day they reached the precincts of MathurÄ. As they rode from VášndÄvana to MathurÄ, all the passersby along the way who saw KášášŁáša and BalarÄma could not help but look at Them again and again. In the meantime, the other inhabitants of VášndÄvana, headed by Nanda and Upananda, had already reached MathurÄ by going through the forest, and they were awaiting the arrival of KášášŁáša and BalarÄma in a garden. Upon reaching the entrance to MathurÄ, KášášŁáša and BalarÄma got down from the chariot and shook hands with AkrĹŤra. KášášŁáša informed him, âYou may go home now because We shall enter MathurÄ later, along with Our associates.â AkrĹŤra replied, âMy dear Lord, I cannot go to MathurÄ alone, leaving You aside. I am Your surrendered servant. Please do not try to avoid me. Please, come along with me, with Your elder brother and cowherd boyfriends, and sanctify my house. My dear Lord, if You come, my home will be sanctified by the dust of Your lotus feet. The water emanating from the perspiration of Your lotus feet, namely the Ganges, purifies everyone, including the forefathers, the fire-god and all other demigods. Bali MahÄrÄja has become famous simply by washing Your lotus feet, and he enjoyed all material opulences and later on was elevated to the highest position of liberation. The Ganges water not only sanctifies the three worlds but is carried on the head of Lord Ĺiva. The ancestors of BhagÄŤratha, sanctified by this water, achieved the heavenly planets. O Supreme Lord of lords! O master of the universe! One can achieve piety simply by hearing about Your transcendental pastimes. O Supreme NÄrÄyaáša, who are praised with select verses, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.â
On hearing this, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, KášášŁáša, replied, âAkrĹŤra, I shall surely come to your home with My elder brother, BalarÄma, but only after killing all the demons who are envious of the Yadu dynasty. In this way I shall please all My relatives.â AkrĹŤra became a little disappointed by these words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but he could not disregard the order. He therefore entered MathurÄ and informed Kaášsa about the arrival of KášášŁáša, and then he entered his own home.
After AkrĹŤraâs departure, Lord KášášŁáša, BalarÄma and the cowherd boys entered MathurÄ to see the city. They observed that the gate of MathurÄ was made of first-class marble, very well constructed, and that the doors were made of pure gold. There were gorgeous orchards and gardens all around, and the whole city was encircled by canals so that no enemy could enter very easily. They saw that all the crossroads were decorated with gold and that there were copper and brass storehouses for stocking grain. And there were many rich menâs houses, all appearing symmetrical, as if constructed by one engineer. The houses were decorated with costly jewels, and each and every house had nice compounds of trees bearing fruits and flowers. The corridors and verandas of the houses were decorated with silk cloth and embroidery work in jewels and pearls. In front of the balcony windows were pigeons and peacocks walking and cooing. All the grain dealersâ shops within the city were decorated with different kinds of flowers and garlands, newly grown grass and pleasing flowers like narcissus and roses. The entrance doors of the houses were decorated with waterpots filled with water. A mixture of water, yogurt, sandalwood pulp and flowers was sprinkled all around the doors, which were also decorated with burning lamps of different sizes. Over all the doors were decorations of fresh mango leaves and silk festoons.
When the news spread that KášášŁáša, BalarÄma and the cowherd boys were within MathurÄ City, all the inhabitants gathered, and the ladies and girls immediately went up to the roofs of the houses to see Them. They had been awaiting the arrival of KášášŁáša and BalarÄma with great anxiety, and in their extreme eagerness to see KášášŁáša and BalarÄma, the ladies did not dress themselves very properly. Some of them placed their clothes in the wrong place. Some anointed their eyes on one side only, and some wore ankle bells only on one leg or wore only one earring. Thus in great haste, not even decorated properly, they went to see KášášŁáša from the roofs. Some of them had been taking their lunch, but as soon as they heard that KášášŁáša and BalarÄma were in the city, they left their eating and ran to the roofs. Some of them were in the bathroom taking their baths, but without properly finishing their baths, they went to see KášášŁáša and BalarÄma. Some were engaged in feeding their children breast milk, but they put their babies aside and went to see KášášŁáša and BalarÄma. Passing by very slowly and smiling, Lord KášášŁáša immediately stole their hearts. He who is the husband of the goddess of fortune passed through the street like an elephant. For a very long time the women of MathurÄ had heard about KášášŁáša and BalarÄma and Their uncommon characteristics, and they were very much attracted and eager to see Them. Now when they actually saw KášášŁáša and BalarÄma passing on the street and saw Them sweetly smiling, the ladiesâ joy reached the point of ecstasy. When they actually saw Them with their eyes, they took KášášŁáša and BalarÄma within their hearts and began to embrace Them to their fullest desire. Their bodily hairs stood up in ecstasy. They had heard of KášášŁáša, but they had never seen Him, and now their longing was relieved. After going up on the roofs of the palaces of MathurÄ, the ladies, their faces joyful, began to shower flowers upon KášášŁáša and BalarÄma. When the brothers were passing through the streets, all the brÄhmaášas in the neighborhood went out with sandal water and flowers and respectfully welcomed Them to the city. All the residents of MathurÄ began to talk among themselves about the elevated and pious activities of the people of VášndÄvana. The residents of MathurÄ were surprised at the pious activities the cowherd men in VášndÄvana must have performed in their previous lives to be able to see KášášŁáša and BalarÄma daily as cowherd boys.
While KášášŁáša and BalarÄma were passing in this way, They saw a washerman and dyer of clothing. KášášŁáša was pleased to ask him for some nice clothing. He also promised that if the washerman would deliver the nicest dyed cloth to Him, the washerman would become very happy, and all good fortune would be his. KášášŁáša was not a beggar, nor was He in need of clothing, but by this request He indicated that everyone should be ready to offer KášášŁáša whatever He wants. That is the meaning of KášášŁáša consciousness.
Unfortunately, this washerman was a servant of Kaášsa and therefore could not appreciate the demand of Lord KášášŁáša, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the effect of bad association. He could have immediately delivered the clothing to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who promised him all good fortune, but being a servant of Kaášsa, the sinful demon could not accept the offer. Instead of being pleased, he was very angry and refused the Lordâs request, saying, âHow is it that You are asking for clothing which is meant for the King?â The washerman then began to instruct KášášŁáša and BalarÄma: âMy dear boys, in the future donât be so impudent as to ask for things which belong to the King. Otherwise, You will be punished by the government men. They will arrest You and punish You, and You will be in difficulty. I have practical experience of this fact. Anyone who unlawfully wants to use the Kingâs property is very severely punished.â
On hearing this, Lord KášášŁáša, the son of DevakÄŤ, became very angry at the washerman, and striking him with the upper portion of His hand, He separated the manâs head from his body. The washerman fell down dead on the ground. In this way Lord KášášŁáša confirmed the statement of the Brahma-saášhitÄ that every limb of His body is capable of doing everything He likes. Without a sword, but simply with His hand, He cut off the head of the washerman. This is proof that the Supreme Lord is omnipotent. If He wants to do something, He can do it without extraneous help.
After this ghastly incident, the employees of the washerman immediately dispersed, leaving the clothing. KášášŁáša and BalarÄma took possession of it and dressed according to Their choice; the rest of the clothes were offered to the cowherd boys, who also used them as they desired. What they did not use remained there. KášášŁáša, BalarÄma and the boys then proceeded along the main road. In the meantime, a devotee-tailor took the opportunity of service and prepared some nice clothes from the cloth for KášášŁáša and BalarÄma. Thus being very nicely attired, KášášŁáša and BalarÄma looked like elephants dressed with colored clothing on the full-moon day or the dark-moon day. KášášŁáša was very much pleased with the tailor and gave him the benediction of sÄrĹŤpya-mukti, which means that after leaving his body he would be liberated and would attain a four-handed body exactly like that of NÄrÄyaáša in the Vaikuášášha planets. KášášŁáša also granted him that as long as he would live he would earn sufficient opulence to be able to enjoy sense gratification. By this incident KášášŁáša proved that those who are KášášŁáša conscious devotees will not be lacking material enjoyment of sense gratification. They will have sufficient opportunity for such things, but after leaving this body they will be allowed to enter the spiritual planets of Vaikuášášhaloka or KášášŁášaloka, Goloka VášndÄvana.
After dressing nicely, KášášŁáša and BalarÄma went to a florist of the name SudÄmÄ. As soon as They reached the precinct of his house, the florist immediately came out and with great devotion fell down on his face to offer his respectful obeisances. He offered a nice seat to KášášŁáša and BalarÄma and asked his assistant to bring out flowers, betel nuts and pulp of candana. The floristâs welcome greatly satisfied the Lord.
The florist very humbly and submissively offered his prayers to the Lord, saying, âMy dear Lord, because You have come to my place, I think all my forefathers and all my worshipable superiors are pleased and delivered. My dear Lord, You are the supreme cause of all causes of this cosmic manifestation, but for the benefit of the residents of this earthly planet, You have appeared with Your plenary portion to give protection to Your devotees and annihilate the demons. You are equally disposed as the friend of all living entities; You are the Supersoul, and You do not discriminate between friend and enemy. Yet You are pleased to give Your devotees the special result of their devotional activities. My Lord, I am praying that You please tell me whatever You wish me to do, because I am Your eternal servant. If You would order me to do something, it would be a great favor to me.â The florist, SudÄmÄ, was greatly pleased within his heart by seeing KášášŁáša and BalarÄma in his place, and thus, as his choicest desire, he made two exquisite garlands of various flowers and presented them to the Lord. KášášŁáša and BalarÄma were very much pleased with his sincere service, and KášášŁáša offered the florist His salutation and benedictions, which He is always prepared to bestow upon the surrendered souls. When the florist was offered benedictions, he begged from the Lord that he might remain His eternal servant in devotional service and by such service do good to all living creatures. By this, it is clear that a devotee of the Lord in KášášŁáša consciousness should not be satisfied simply by his own advancement in devotional service; he must be willing to work for the welfare of all others. This example was followed by the six GosvÄmÄŤs of VášndÄvana. It is therefore stated in a prayer about them, lokÄnÄáš hita-kÄriášau: Vaiᚣášavas, or devotees of the Lord, are not selfish. Whatever benefits they derive from the Supreme Personality of Godhead as benedictions they want to distribute to all other persons. That is the greatest of all humanitarian activities. Being satisfied with the florist, Lord KášášŁáša not only gave him whatever benedictions he wanted, but over and above that He offered him all material opulences, family prosperity, a long duration of life and whatever else his heart desired within the material world.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Forty-first Chapter of KášášŁáša, âKášášŁáša Enters MathurÄ.â