Is there boredom in chanting

Hare Krishna Maha-mantra?

 

 

It would seem from a material point of view that to chant the same sixteen word Hare Krishna maha-mantra over and over and again for many hours a day, day after day, week after week, year after year, decade after decade would become unbearably boring. But actually that is not the fact. Why is this so?

The reality is that by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra with devotional love one is directly associating with Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has inconceivable innumerable attributes. Even if we were to connect with just one attribute of Krishna, we could go deeper and deeper into that one attribute with ever-increasing taste and bliss for all of eternity, what to speak of innumerable attributes!

Therefore there is absolutely no question of boredom in Krishna consciousness. Rather, it is material sense gratification which is indescribably, intolerably boring.

***

Connect with Krishna, every moment

The secret of success in Krishna consciousness is to connect each and every minute of your day with Krishna. In this way, there will be no gaps for maya. Once you completely block out maya by 24 hours a day of Krishna consciousness, you will feel how you are living constantly in the association of Krishna. This is the supreme perfection of existence.

There is nothing more sublime and wonderful than this. There are so many ways we can connect with Krishna. If you get tired of connecting with Him in one way, try connecting with Him in another way. In this way, gradually, gradually you will become so purified that you will easily remain blissfully connected with Krishna for all of eternity.

***

Krishna Story 16     

THE  DANCE ON A SNAKE
by J.K. Sivan

The  rivers are always enchanting to look at,and especially in the evenings.   if one has a chance to sit on the river sand facing the running water with friends to talk about on interesting subjects, while  munching ground nuts and baked peas, in  cool breeze, there is nothing equal to it, is n’t it?  In summer particularly, such an opportunity is pleasant,  quite enjoyable and most welcome.

At one time, it was not so with the river Yamuna, because people considered it  dangerous to enter the river, or drink its water. Why so, because Yamuna always had clean crystal clear waters with facilities for people to bathe and enjoy drinking its water?   The reason for fear of nearing Yamuna was not very difficult to understand.  A  big poisonous snake  had now taken Yamuna as its refuge and turned the waters deadly poisonous and killed the animals, birds and innocent beings entering Yamuna.  Even plants too were not growing near the river!  This happened all of a sudden recently.  Heretofore  it was a paradise for the children of  Vrindhavan to swim and play in Yamuna.

The snake which now occupied Yamuna was known as Kaleeyan. He was in fight with Garuda, the eagleking, his arch enemy,   for long and escaped the attacks of Garuda by taking refuge in the deep Yamuna.  Why Kaleeyan chose Yamuna because there was a curse by a Rishi on Garudan that  if he entered Brindhavan he will meet with his death.  So Garudan cannot threaten the life of Kaleeyan if he is in Yamuna in Brindhavan!!  But  Kaleeyan posed a threat to others in Brindhavan by his presence!

There was a big  jamboo tree on the banks of Yamuna  which was very old , Its branches were over hanging the river and the boys used to climb the tree and jump into the river from the low branches above the river.

Krishna and the boys were always playing there but were prevented by elders and others not to go near the river now because of Kaleeyan’s  presence in the river.

That evening  Krishna and his friends were playing a stick game.  Everyone had a long stick with which  they will have to  hit the stick held  high by the loser  in the game.  The boy has to run and pick up his stick hit away by others, and touch the nearest one whose turn it will be to hold the stick to be hit by others.  The game was interesting for the boys and they were engrossed in it.  Suddenly Krishna lost the game and he had to hold the stick to be hit by others.  Balarama  the strongest boy  hit the stick held high above his head by Krishna.   The  boys were playing on the river bank and Krishna was standing with his back to the river.  When Balarama  hit the stick of Krishna, it fell deep into the river behind him.  Krishna has to chase the boys only after picking up his stick.  He  did not hesitate even for a moment.  He  immediately jumped into the river without caring for the warnings of others.

Other boys  shouted  "Krishna  don’t  enter the water, it is poisonous. come ashore.  Remember  the huge snake in it which will kill you" 

Krishna did not care and jumped into the water and swam towards the floating stick which was carried away by the river’s current beyond his reach.  Krishna was swimming against the current which pushed him away from his target.  Krishna  hesitated for a minute.  The stick was floating somewhere in the mid river. He  saw  a low branch of the old jamboo tree above the water level. He  caught  hold of it  and heaved himself up  and climbed the tree.  He  slowly moved through another branch to the exact place from where he could jump into the river to pick up his stick. 

Some of the boys in the meantime ran away to their homes and alerted the elders.  Within a few minutes there were many on the banks wondering what do do and how to save Krishna.  Kaleeya,  who was hungry that day with nothing to eat, was very happy to find  a  boy in the river to be his lunch. 

Dear Children, I forgot to tell you that Kaleeyan was not an ordinary snake,  He  had many heads with big hoods well spread like umbrellas. 

When Krishna jumped into the deep mid river from the tree branch, Kaleeya  was directly under him under the water.  In no time, he caught hold of Krishna, encircled and coiled him with his long tail and began crushing him.  Krishna realized that he was in a fix now and had to act fast to get rid of the huge snake.   Kaleeyan  was busy to spit the poison on Krishna to kill him and  swallow him. 

Krishna  suddenly began gaining  strength and twisted the snake away and extricated from its clutches.  The grip with which he  twisted it made Kaleeyan feel the pain and he began spitting the venom on Krishna. Krishna cleverly avoided the snake’s  efforts and decided to press its head down and jump on its spreaded hoods atop its heads. 

Before long, Krishna was now on top of Kaleeyan’s heads thumping and jumping on the spreaded hoods applying  crushing weight  and pressure to break the skulls of the snake and damage the brains of  Kalyeeyan.  Those standing in awe looking at  Krishna  imagined that Krishna  was joyously jumping and dancing on Kaleeyan’s head, holding his tail in one hand and playing his flute which he always kept in the waist bound by a cloth. The  impact of Krishna’s increased weight and force  slowly made  Kalyeen lose his consciousness and he was about to die.  His  wives who heard the  painful cries of Kaleeyan,  surfaced up from down the river and prayed to Krishna to spare the life of Kaleeyan showing mercy on him for their sake.

Kaleeyan  also begged   "Krishna”, please forgive me for my stupid act done without knowing who you are and please  show mercy on me. I will not do any harm to anyone hereafter”  Krishna took a pledge from him to leave the Yamuna river before night to some other place without harming anyone in future"

Krishna then jumped from Kaleeyan’s  heads to the tree branch and landed ashore,  amidst the  delightful  shoutings of the boys and appreciation of the elders who were witness to this marvelous feat of Krishna.

I read somewhere  Kaleeyan thereafter  moved to some river or ocean near Fiji islands.  But we have not heard anymore about Kaleeyan and need not worry about entering Yamuna for bathing and worshipping Krishna thanking him for the redemption of the beautiful and holy river for us.

Children! we  all enjoy snake dance by young girls in groups  in many dance programmes, but whenever we see the picture of Krishna dancing on Kaleeya’s hooded heads, kept and  worshipped in our Pooja rooms  we can enjoy the beautify of his beaming face having no fear. Remember when Krishna is in our minds there will be no fear at all!

The  rivers are always enchanting to look at and especially in the evenings if one has a chance to sit on the riversand facing the running water with friends to talk about on interesting subjects, munching ground nuts and baked peas, enjoying the cool breeze, there is nothing equal to it, is n’t it?  In summer particularly, such an opportunity is heavenly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The author can be reached at: jksivan@gmail.com

 

 

Chant Krishna's names and become soft-hearted

tad aśma-sāraṁ hṛdayaṁ batedaṁ
yad gṛhyamāṇair hari-nāma-dheyaiḥ
na vikriyetātha yadā vikāro
netre jalaṁ gātra-ruheṣu harṣaḥ

“Certainly that heart is steel-framed which, in spite of one's chanting the holy name of the Lord with concentration, does not change when ecstasy takes place, tears fill the eyes and the hairs stand on end.”
--Srimad Bhagavatam


So hard-hearted is the heart of someone who does not melt with ecstasy while chanting the holy names, while soft-hearted is the heart which does melt with ecstasy while chanting Hare Krishna. The way to achieve a soft heart is to carefully chant these sweet names every day:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

In this way the hardened steel heart will gradually become like molten gold as one learns to relish the experience of directly associating with Lord Sri Krishna in pure love.

***

Krishna is unborn

Krishna is not born. He is the unborn source of all existence. Nor are His avatars created by Brahma. Rather it is Brahma who is born from an expansion of an expansion of an expansion of an expansion of an expansion of an expansion of Krishna. I

n other words from Krishna comes Balarama; from Balarama comes Sankarsana; from Sankarsana comes Narayana; from Narayana, the second Sankarsana; from the second Sankarsana, Maha-Vishnu; from Maha-Vishnu, Garbhodakasayi Vishnu from whom Lord Brahma takes his birth.

Although Krishna appears in different forms corresponding to the 8,400,000 species created by Lord Brahma, He does so by His own free will out of His causeless mercy upon the fallen souls of this world, not by the creative power of Lord Brahma.

***

Krishna Story 15        

Krishna, the Gopalan of Brindavan
by J.K. Sivan

You  all know  what is GOKULAASHTAMI, is not it?  The  Ashtami day in which Lord Krishna was born in the month of Sravan (Aavani in tamil).   A special sweet is prepared that day in many houses  called  SEEDAI  (with jaggery,coconut, rice flour etc., fried in oil) which is very delicious to eat.   In this story, you will learn about  GOPAASHTAMI!!    This is celebrated in the month of KAARTHIKAI, Suklapaksham,(from new moon day to full moon) Ashtami.  This is the day  Krishna was recognized as a full fledged Gopa  to tend the cows independently.  Most Krishna temples in the north celebrate this day. 

The Cowherds of  Brindhavan  were systematic in their practices.  All the cows would be attended by the men whereas chidren would be trained to look after the calves. Once they were trained and  found to be capable of independently put in charge of grazing the cows, be with them from dawn to dusk, to safe guard them from natural and man made obstacles, they will be entrusted the task of taking out the cows in herds.  The  day Krishna was recognized as a Gopa, was celebrated in a grand manner in Brindhavan  by decorating the calves and cows with paints on their  horns, new bells around their necks, colourful cloths tied around their necks, with Turmeric, vermilion designs on their foreheads. and garlands around their necks.  Every house in Brindhavan as usual  had a festive look with rangolis, paintings on the front walls, distribution of various sweetmeats and dances besides chorus singing by gopis.

Krishnan, Balaraman and the other boys of Brindhavan village, therefore  have been all along entrusted with the task of playing with the calves only to know them, learn their requirements and fulfil them,  cater to their needs,  take them out not far away within safe zones etc.,   As  such  every cowherd boy by the time he is about  10 year old  or so  would have  gained the experience of  confidently looking after the grown up calves, now, cows, taking them out for grazing in far off  places independently.

With  Krishna  everything is different is n’t it?  On the day  he proceeded with the boys as usual with the calves and cows, someone else was also waiting to celebrate the day in a different manner!!  Who could it be other than a demon sent by the demon king Kamsan? 

The demon was known as Dhenukasuran,

Krishna told Balraman and the other boys   “Let us all go to the yonder Thaal van, where it is dense with trees and  large grass fields. Dhenukaasuran was also there waiting for Krishna in the form of an Ass.  He used his powerful hindlegs to attack and kill whoever neared him. 

“Krishna  look at the  big  Ass staring at us!” shouted a few boys.  The Ass was looking fierce and standing still with red blood shot eyes.  After  observing the boys for some time  the Ass slowly walked towards the boys.  A few boys  threw stones at it and ran away which irritated Dhenukaasuran.

Balaraman  was now close to it and within a split second the demon turned back and began raising his hind legs to hit him.  Balaram  was quick enough to avoid the impact and shouted “Krishna, run away from this Ass,  It suddenly hits back very powerful giving death blows”   Now  Dhenukasuran recognised his main target Krishna identified by Balaraman"calling him by name.

He  moved towards  Krishna  who was closely watching the demon.  The moment the ass turned its back and aimed to  kick using its  hind legs at him, he was swift enough to catch hold of one of the hind legs and swing it using its own force around.  Dhenukasuran lost his balance when caught by Krishna.

Krishna’s  enormous strength was not known to Dhenukasuran.  He  underestimated Krishna as a  small cowherd boy.   When he tried best to extricate his leg from Krishna by hitting with the other leg,  Krishna  who was waiting for the chance caught hold of the other leg also.  Now  Dhenukasuran was fully at the mercy of Krishna.  But Krishna gave him no chance.  He  lifted him with full force and  after swinging him around high above threw him with full force against the rock near by.  Dhenukasuran flew in the sky and landed on the rock in full force which broke his bones.  He  was unable to move and bleated loud in pain.

Within moments,  Dhenukasuran breathed his last and lay dead in his demonic form.  The  cowherd boys were shocked to see the dead demon who came in the form of an Ass.  Krishna was unperturbed and was as usual smiling at them.  

 Dear Children, don’t you know how shrewd,  Krishna has always been a  clever boy ever ready for any attack on him as he was aware of the  plans of Kamsa to kill him but he had better counter plans which Kamsa did not know.

The boys were busy that evening explaining with joy and extreme happiness admiring their friend Krishna’s  miraculous feats for the day in dealing with the Ass Demon which was shared equally with same joy and admiration by their parents.     




                                             The author can be reached at: jksivan@gmail.com

How to meet Krishna?

Just imagine if you could personally meet God, how absolutely ecstatic that would be, how you would become completely free from all kinds of fears and anxieties. But how to meet Him? The answer is very simple. The Supreme Lord, the source of all existence, has fully manifested Himself in the form of the

Hare Krishna mahamantra

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama
Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Especially when this mantra is sung in the company of Krishna's pure devotees the Lord becomes easily accessible and showers sweet mercy on all who participate in the kirtan, the ecstatic transcendental chanting session. So make your appointment to meet God today. Participate in a Hare Krishna kirtan at your first available opportunity.

- Sankarshan Das Adhikari

My Spiritual Master, H.H. Shriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari, can be reached at: sda@backtohome.com. For an ecstatic e-course in self-realization through pure Krishna bhakti, please enrol with Him at: www.ultimateselfrealization.com

Can we chant any invented or

concoted mantras?

Srila Prabhupada stated in a lecture in Vrindavana on

November 3rd, 1976:


"There are so many they have invented. Just like

Hare Krishna mantra is prescribed in the sastras, and

they have invented so many. Although there is the

name of the Supreme Lord, still you have to follow

the sastra. If you say Rama Rama Rama, Radhe

Radhe Radhe, Krishna, there are so many mentioned.

That is also name, but you have to follow the sastra.

Sastra says: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna

Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama

Rama Hare Hare. You have to take that. Not that you

can say, nitāi-gaura rādhe-śyāma, hare krishna hare

rāma, no. Why? Is there any in the sastra? No, you

have invented. What is the value of your invention?

You are not perfect."


As the followers of Srila Prabhupada we are meant to

stick to his instructions and not introduce any

invented or concocted kirtans.


***

Krishna Story 14

IS IT “ONE DAY” OR “ONE YEAR”?
by J.K. Sivan

You are all aware that if something is extraordinarily done, it is remembered for long not because of the act itself, but because the person performing it becomes well known and is reputed. The incident of Agasuran, the giant snake demon having been killed by the small boy Krishna became a much talked about event, not only among the people in Brindhavan but by the Devas and demi gods, who witnessed the great feat of Krishna. The news of Krishna’s successful combats with various demons had already reached the ears of Lord Brahma, the God of Creation. He came to see himself personally when Agasuran swallowed Krishna and the other cowherd boys and wondered how this small cowherd boy Krishna was able to easily tackle and kill the various mighty demons. Brahma wondered if the boy Krishna really had the ability to deal with demons and wanted to convince himself by testing Krishna’s bravery and prowess. This is what happened as a result:

The moment the cowherd boys were saved by Krishna after Agasuran, the snake demon, suddenly swallowed them, they were not relieved of the shock of life they had. Krishna pacified them and tried to bring them back to their normal mood. It was lunch time for them So Krishna told the boys "Friends go and bring your lunch packets we brought this morning from home, Let us all sit under one of the shady trees on the banks of Yamuna and share them. We must all be hungry now"

He further told them "Let us free the calves to go and drink water. They have already grazed stomachful, in the yonder green fields. We will keep watch on them while we rest here for lunch and play”. He selected a big shady tree. The fragrance of the flowers charged the air, with gentle breeze spreading the enchanting sweet smell everywhere. Krishna plucked variety of fruits from the trees and served them.

Dear children, imagine the scene!.-- A beautiful, clean. free flowing river, sandy banks, surrounded by various big shady trees bearing fruits and sweet smelling multi color flowers, gentle breeze, velvety green graass on earth, Krishna sitting in their midst with the boys seated in a circle around him, all with their food packets open and sharing the variety of food brought by them among themselves with Krishna tasting every item they brought! Krishna in fact looked like a bluish bud amidst numerous beautiful lotus petals in the greenish graassy field they were sitting! They were not only enjoying the food but exchanged jokes and were singing in between with Krishna playing his flute melodiously. His hands, mouth, face, and body had patches of butter, curd, fruit pulp,various types of sweetmeats, eatables and milk which he shared with other boys tasting from each and every food packet.

As they were enjoying their lunch time happily one of the cowherd boys shouted “Krishna, look, there is no calf to be seen, where have they gone?” Everyone looked at the Yamuna river bank and adjacent fields. It appeared the calves after drinking water, slowly entered the green pastures inside the deep forest for further grazing and thus were out of sight. Probably, the calves after quenching their thirst were lured by the green pastures and so they slowly walked into the forest. Krishna then told them "all of you sit and enjoy your food and play. I will go and find them and bring here"

When Krishna looked for the calves, he could not find them anywhere even after walking for long inside the forest. He called them by names but no response. Usually they would answer him. Everything was silent and Krishnan realized he had covered the maximum area which could normally be covered by the calves in the circumstances. Their absence made him suspect some foul play. He realized it is no act of any rakshas or demon as they would only aim at him and not the little innocent calves. Who could have done this? What would have happened to the calves?This must really be some one else's clever act. He returned back to the banks of Yamuna to alert his friends and send them on different directions for tracing the calves.

"Alas!, there was no trace of the cowherd boys also!!! Under the tree there was not a single boy. He was surprised. Where had these boys gone? He looked in the river, in the forest nearby and everywhere. His calling them by names yielded no response. He realized someone much more intelligent than any demon had done this. Who could it be? If no demons involved then it must be Devas!

But Krishna had no time now to pursue this. It was already dusk. The cowherds back in the village will be looking for the boys and calves! He should not allow them to be panicked and worried ! What do do? where to go and get them back? After a minute’s thinking Krishna decided that he will multiply himself and take the exact forms as the calves and the cowherd boys of the village and go back to their respective homes until the boys and calves are restored safely. Also he MUST solve the mystery, latest by tomorrow!!. Dear Children, Do you realise Krishna's predicament?

That evening the cowherd families were exceptionally very happy with their children, unusually. They were given food and refreshments and found them very lovable than normal. The cows too licked their calves more than normal, with abundant love, Is it all because of all of them being Krishna and none else?

This went on for a year without anyone noticing any difference. Krishna had replaced exactly and adequately as the boys and calves, without raising any doubt or suspicion in the minds of the parents and cows. Meantime Krishna vigorously pursued the matter to find out who outwitted him. He ultimately narrowed down the suspects to Brahma and Indhra. Indhra too was eliminated after Krishna’s checking. Krishna now was convinced that it was Brahma who kidnapped the children and the calves!! He went to Brahmaloka and occupied the chair of Brahma much earlier than Brahma used to attend his Dharbar, the place of Creation.. When Brahma came there he was shocked to find another Brahma sitting before him in his place. When he loked around for his staff, what a wonder, everyone around him was a Brahma!!! Bewildered, Brahma then walked to his seat occupied by another Brahma and looked at him. Now everything and everyone was Lord Vishnu only for a fleeting second. The seated Brahma smiled at him and asked “do you wish to put me to any test further?” Brahma realized that in fact he had tested not the cowherd boy Krishna, but Lord Vishnu who took his form. Brahma prostrated before Vishnu and worshipped his feet. Then Vishnu appeared as Krishna, the cowherd boy before him and asked "where are the cowherd boys and calves you kidnapped? Brahma immediately brought them safely and admitted "I was wondering why no one had cared about the boys and calves kidnapped by him and realised Krishna had multiplied himself in their respective forms"

“Yes my lord I know now it is you, Lord Vishnu Himself who appeared as Krishna, and I am very happy to have your Dharshan.

Krishna then returned with the calves and the boys who were sleeping all the time in Brahmalokam under good care of Brahma to Brindhavan. That evening the real boys and the real calves returned to their respective homes.

But some thing funny happened in the homes of the cowherds in the village that evening. All the boys were telling their parents and others in the house, without exception, about how they all entered the mouth of a big black snake mistaking its mouth to be a stone cave entrance and and after it swallowed them, how Krishna redeemed them and saved them by killing the demon Agaasuran. Also they were mouthful of stories of how they enjoyed the food eating together under the tree and Krishna ran into the forest to look for the calves.

The parents were perplexed and wondered why all these boys are telling with so much emotion and enthusiasm what they ate one year ago, and the incident of Krishna killing Agaasuran and saving their lives, which was exactly one year ago, as if it happened that day!!

The secret of why the boys told about the incident exactly after one year is because what is one day for Devas in Brahmalokam is one year for us in this world!!! the time difference in space !!!! Krishna went the next day to Brahmalokam and retrieved the boys but it took one year for us. That is why in this story it is mentioned that Krishna kept the mystery not blown up during the one full year, by taking the forms of the boys and calves until they returned to their respective homes. But this took about an year . As for the boys, they came home "that evening" after their escape from Agasuran and a sumptuous lunch that afternoon, when the calves were lost and Krishna went after them to trace. They were totally oblivious of Brahma kidnapping them, and retained them at Brahmalokam, until the next day Krishna recovered them . Because they were asleep--- “for one day only” in Brahmalokam until Krishna recovered them which was "one year" for us !!

As for the cowherds’ families, they realized that during the last “one year” it was Krishna who was their children and calves until the “real ones” returned back to their normal life and praised Lord Krishna.





                                              The author can be reached at: jksivan@gmail.com

Q & A Column

My Spiritual Master Replies
 
Question: Can Eating Vegetables Also Be Sinful?

While discussing with one of my friends I got confused. According to the four regulative principles of Krishna consciousness, I gave up meat eating a long time ago as I wanted to refrain from killing. When I told my friend I left meat because I don't want to kill, he said that even the plants have life and therefore eating them would also be killing. So I told him that since we are offering food to Krishna it's not sinful. He then asked, "If you offer meat to Krishna wouldn't that also be free from sin, just as when you offer vegetables to Krishna?"

Somewhere I got angry inside and did not talk to him any more. But after thinking about it, this question comes to my mind: Am I sinning by eating vegetarian food?

Also it is said in scriptures that God is present in everything. Prahlada Maharaja insisted upon this, and God came out of the pillar to prove His devotee's words. Is it sinful then to eat anything since God is present everywhere?

One point that is given in Bhagavad-gita is that meat is tamasic, in the mode of ignorance. So to advance spiritually one must be sattvic, that is, in the mode of goodness. Could this be the answer of my question? Kindly clear my doubts.

Sushant

Answer: Yes, If You Don't Offer Them to Krishna


Your understanding from Bhagavad-gita that meat eating is in the mode of ignorance is a fact. The more one eats meat, the more he becomes ignorant.

It is a fact that eating vegetables is also killing. Therefore our vegetables must be offered to Krishna before eating. Meat cannot be offered because when Krishna specifies which types of foods are offerable, He does not include meat in the list. He only includes foodstuffs from the category of fruits, vegetables. dairy products, and grains.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

H.H. Shriman Sankarshan Das Adhikari can be reached at: sda@backtohome.come. Please visit Him at: www.ultimateselfrealization.com for an ecstatic e-course in self-realization through pure Krishna Bhakti

Krishna Story 13

Two More Demons Die

by J.K. Sivan

 Hope you enjoyed reading the 12 stories so far written for you.!!
"Misfortune doesn’t come singly", they say! It was so in the case of Kamsa. He was worried and frustrated when he learnt of the miserable death of Baka. But he could not relent. He immediately called for an urgent council of demons to discuss and select who should be the next to proceed to Brindhavan to kill Krishna.

Almost all the demons who assembled there volunteered to go and kill Krishna, the small wonder boy. Out of them Agasura however, was found fit as he had special reason for avenging the death of his sister Boothanaa,(the demoness who tried to breastfeed Krishna with poison tainted breasts and met with her death.)
He proceeded to Brindhavan, selected a spot where it will be favourable for him to draw Krishna and kill him. On the one end of Yamuna there were many rocks bordering the deep dense forest. Agasura took the shape of a huge black giant snake with its wide open mouth. He took such a shape that anyone would mistake the mouth of the black big snake to be a mountain cave as the coiled serpent looked like a rock positioned in between two huge rocks.

The cowherd children were playing on the banks of Yamuna that day and initially no one noticed the new “cave”. One of the boys saw this and drew the attention of the rest calling them “ let us go into the cave and see what is there in side” Their calves were resting under trees ,after grazing, chewing the cud.

The boys went near the cave and the still unmoving snake passed for a small rock cave. One of them went near and just peeped inside. There was nothing but a hollow passage. He was emboldened and stepped inside the open mouth of the snake and walked in. Two more boys followed the pioneer. Slowly and steadily almost all the boys now were inside the mouth of the snake. Agasuran was watching for Krishna’s movement. Krishna initially hesitated and looked at the rocks carefully. He has not seen this rock with its cave entrance before! However he smiled within himself and entered the cave after all the boys went inside.

The moment Krishna entered its mouth, Agasura closed his mouth and began twisting his body to crush the boys in his stomach. The boys shouted and cried in shock and fear of death. Krishna realized he did not have much time to save the boys. He immediately enlarged his size and added weight to his body. He now was too big for the space in the stomach of Agasura and started kicking the walls of the stomach firercey. Agasura tried to crush him but the pain created by Krishna made him suffer a lot. He was about to burst anytime which was what Krishna planned. Within a few moments, the snake’s body burst out and the children were ejected by Krishna’s powerful hands. Agasura was writhing in unbearable pain and was on his last throes until he was dead soon.

We need to deal with another demon who followed Agasura before ending this story.

Every demon seemed to have some clever idea of approaching the small boy Krishna hoping to kill him but the skill was not enough. This demon was named Vyomaasura. He was the son of a clever demon named Maayasura. He could take any form and shape.

Instead of taking the form of any bird, animal or reptile, Vyomaasura thought he would be able to kill Krishna as “one of the playmates”. He therefore came to Brindhavan with a novel idea.

One day when Krishna, Balarama and the other boys were playing "hide and seek" he was one of them. Initially nobody noticed him as a stranger among them. They were all playing for long and it was becoming dark as the evening advanced to night. "This is the time" thought Vyomaasuran. While playing with other boys he had already schematically chased a few boys and hid them in the forest. Krishna suddenly observed that the number of boys they started the game with, was slowly dwindling. He wondered "why some friends were missing?" He carefully looked at all the playmates.

When Krishna suspected something different with a boy, he slowly followed him and the demon was very happy that he was able to isolate Krishna from the rest, while running and chasing him in the game. When he found Krishna was running towards the deep forest, he happily chased Krishna. When Krishna was cornered, he held Krishna’s hands. The force which the "new boy " applied in holding Krishna’s hands made him realise that he has another demon to combat with that evening. Krishna pretended to be weak and surrender. He acted as if he was unable to free himself from the demon’s grip.

The demon took his real form now and laughed. “Atlast your end is through my hands!!” the demon cried in joy. Krishna decided to kill him before it was late and too dark. So he made himself strong. He caught hold of the demon's hands and twisted it. Unexpecting such a resistance the demon came with a force closer to Krishna to lift him up. Krishna avoided his approach by bending down and instantaneously caught hold of one of his legs and dragged him. The demon fell down. Krishna immediately caught hold of both his legs and swung him up in the air fast in circles and struck him down on a nearby rock, with a force. The demon crashed down on the rock with a thudding noise. He broke his bones and limbs bleeding all through with the impact. His condition was deplorable. He looked like a tender cucumber crushed under an elephant’s feet!!.

When the other boys rushed to the scene they were utterly shocked. They could hardly believe that one of the boys who played with them that evening was in fact a demon and Krishna as usual identified him and put him to death. The missing boys were released by Krishna and the entire village was discussing that night Krishna’s supernatural prowess.

The author can be reached at: jksivan@gmail.com