Krsna Book Audio Dictation - Chapter 41
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Forty-one: "Entrance in Mathurā."
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While Akrūra was offering his nice prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately at that time He disappeared from the vision which Akrūra was seeing in the water, exactly like an expert dramatic actor changes his dress and appears in his original feature. Akrūra also, after disappearance of viṣṇu-mūrti within the water, he got out of the water, and after finishing his rest of ritualistic performances came near the chariot of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, struck with great wonder.
When Akrūra appeared near the chariot, Kṛṣṇa inquired from him whether he had seen something wonderful within the water or in the space, and he replied to the inquiry of Kṛṣṇa. Akrūra said, "My dear Lord, all wonderful things that are happening within this world, either in the sky or in the water or on the land, they are factually appearing on Your universal form. So when I have seen You, what wonderful things I have not seen?" This statement of Akrūra confirms the Vedic version that one who has known Kṛṣṇa has known everything, and one who has seen Kṛṣṇa has seen everything, never mind how much wonderful they may be. "My dear Lord, there cannot be any other wonderful thing than Your transcendental form. As such, when I have seen Your transcendental form, what to speak of seeing other wonderful things?"
After saying this, Akrūra immediately started his chariot, and at the end of the day all of them reached the precincts of Mathurā town. When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, two sons of Vasudeva, was passing through the way from Vṛndāvana to Mathurā, all passersby who saw Them could not restrain their eyes to withdraw from seeing Them over and over again. In the meantime, all other inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, headed by Nanda, Upananda, reached Mathurā through forest and they were just awaiting the arrival of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, resting nearby the door in the gardens.
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, thus reaching at the door of Mathurā, got down from the chariot and shook hands with Akrūra. He informed Akrūra that he might go home now because "We shall enter into Mathurā later on, along with Our associates." Akrūra replied, "My dear Lord, I cannot go Mathurā alone, leaving You aside. I am Your surrendered servant. Please do not try to keep me aloof from You. Please therefore come along with me, with Your elder brother and cowherds boys friend, and sanctify my house. My dear Lord, if You come to my home, it will be sanctified by the dust of Your lotus feet, because the water emanating from the perspiration of Your lotus feet, namely the Ganges, purifies everyone, everywhere, including the forefathers, the fire-god and all other demigods. The king Bali Mahārāja has become famous simply by washing Your lotus feet and enjoyed all material opulences, and later on he was elevated to the highest exalted position of liberation.
"The Ganges water emanating from your lotus feet not only sanctifies the three worlds, but it is also held on the head of Lord Śiva. And being sanctified by this water, the whole generation of Bhagīratha has achieved the heavenly planet. O the Supreme Lord of all lords! O the master of the universe! O the Supreme Piety! Simply by hearing about Your transcendental pastimes, O the Nārāyaṇa who is praised by selected verses, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You."
On hearing this, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, replied, "Akrūra, I shall surely come to your home with My elder brother Balarāma after killing all the demons who are envious of the Yadu dynasty, and in this way I think I shall be pleasing all My relatives." On this version of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Akrūra became little disappointed, but he could not disregard the order, and therefore he entered Mathurā and informed Kaṁsa about the arrival of Kṛṣṇa, and then he entered in his own home.
After departure of Akrūra, Lord Kṛṣṇa along with Balarāma and cowherds boy entered Mathurā to see the city, and He saw that the gate of Mathurā was made of first-class marble, very highly constructed, and the doors were made of pure gold, and He saw that the grain stock in bins were made of copper and brass, surrounded by nice orchards and gardens all around, and the whole city was encircled by cannons so that anybody could not enter the city very easily.
They saw that all the crossing of the roads were decorated with gold, and there were many houses of rich men, and all the houses appeared to be so much symmetrical, as if constructed by one engineer. All the houses were decorated with costly jewels, and each and every house had nice compounds, having the trees of fruits and flowers. The corridors and verandas of the house were shaded by nice silk cloth with embroidery work of jewels and pearls. In front of the windows of balcony there were birds like pigeons and peacocks moving and quacking in their respective sounds, and all the grain dealers' shops within the city were decorated with different kinds of flowers and garlands and newly grown grass, and flavoring flowers like narciss (sic) and roses. All the entrance doors of the houses were decorated with water pots filled with water sprinkled all round, with water mixed with yogurt, pulp of sandalwood and flowers decorated with burning lamps of different size. Overhead the door, the beams were decorated with fresh leaves of mangoes and silk festoons, and they saw all the doors of the houses were decorated in that way.
When the news was spread that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with His cowherds boyfriends are within the Mathurā city, all the inhabitants gathered, and the ladies and girls immediately rose up to the roof of the house to see Them. They were just awaiting the arrival of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with great anxiety. The ladies and women, being too much anxious to see Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, they could not dress themselves very properly. Some of them placed their clothings in the wrong place, some of them anointed their eyes only in one side, and some of them had the bell…, ankle bells only on one leg. Some of them had only earrings only in one ear. In this way, in great hastiness they could not decorate properly, and still they came to see Kṛṣṇa from up of the roof.
Some of them were taking their luncheon, but as soon as they heard that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma was in the city, they left their eating and came to the roof. Some of them were in the bathroom taking their bath, but finishing half only or without taking proper bath they came to see Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. Some of them, while engaged in feeding their children breast milk, put their babies aside and came to see Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. Lord Kṛṣṇa also, while passing very slowly and smiling, immediately stolen their heart, and the husband of goddess of fortune began to pass on the street in grave speed like the elephant. They were all expecting to see Kṛṣṇa since a very long time.
The women of Mathurā since a very long time were hearing about Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, and knowing about Their uncommon characteristics they were very much attracted to see Them. Now, actually when they saw Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma passing on the street of Mathurā and saw Them very sweetly smiling, immediately their joy reached the point of ecstasy. Now after actually seeing Them by their eyes, they took Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma within their heart and began to embrace to the fullest desire, and while doing so their ecstasy became manifested by standing of the hair on the body, and in this way they became relieved from the distressed condition caused by not seeing Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma since a long time, although they heard of Them. As such, all these ladies, after going up on the roof of the palaces of Mathurā, with their joyful faces and ecstatic attitude they began to shower flowers from the roof upon Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.
When Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were passing on the street in this way, all the brāhmaṇas in the neighborhood, they also came out with sandal water and flowers and respectfully offered them to welcome in the city. All the residents of Mathurā City began to talk amongst themselves about the high-grade pious activities of the residents of Vṛndāvana so that they were able to see Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma daily.
(break) …think of the pious activities in their previous life of the cowherds men in Vṛndāvana.
While Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma was passing in this way, They saw some washerman and dyer of clothing, and He was pleased to ask from him some nice clothing for Their use. Lord Kṛṣṇa frankly asked the washerman to deliver the nicest cloth to Him. He also promised that if the washerman would deliver the nicest dyed cloth to Him, He would be very much happy and all auspicity will be upon him. Actually, Kṛṣṇa was neither beggar nor was in need of any clothing, but by this action of His asking nice cloth from the washerman indicated that everyone should be ready to offer to Kṛṣṇa whatever He wants. That is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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Unfortunately, this washerman who was asked by Kṛṣṇa to deliver to Him nicest dyed cloth was a servant of Kaṁsa. Therefore he could not appreciate the demand of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the effect of bad association. Although he could deliver the clothings immediately to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who promised him all auspiciosity, still, being a servant of Kaṁsa, the sinful demon, he could not accept the offer. The washerman, however, instead of being pleased, he was very much angry and refuted the demand saying, "How is that You are asking the clothing which is meant for the king?" The washerman began to instruct Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma: "My dear boys, You don't be so much impudent in future by asking things which belong to the king. Otherwise, You will be punished by the government men. They will arrest You and they will punish You, and You will be in difficulty. I have got practical experience of this fact, that anyone who unlawfully wants to use king's property, they are very much severely punished."
On hearing this, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, became very much angry upon the washerman, and immediately, by the upper portion of His hand, He separated his head from the trunk and it fallen down on the ground. Lord Kṛṣṇa in this way confirmed the statement of Brahma-saṁhitā that every limbs of His body is capable of doing anything He likes. Now, by a simple hand He cut off the head of the washerman as a proof how the Supreme Lord is omnipotent. If He wants to do something, He can do without any extraneous help, just like He cut off the head without the help of a sword.
After this ghastly incidence, all the employees of the washerman immediately dispersed, leaving aside the clothings, and Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma took possession all of them. Then Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma dressed Them according to Their choice, and rest of the cloth, clothings, were offered to the cowherds boys and they also used them as they desired, and the rest of the clothings remained there without being touched by them, and They began to proceed. In the meantime, there was a devotee tailor who took the opportunity and immediately prepared some nice dresses from the clothing for Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, thus being very nicely dressed, They looked just like the elephants who are differently dressed with colored clothings on the full moon day or dark moon day.
Kṛṣṇa, very much being pleased upon the tailor, He gave him the benediction of sārūpya-mukti. Sārūpya-mukti means that after leaving this body, he would be liberated and would attain a body exactly like Nārāyaṇa with four hands in the Vaikuṇṭha planet, and He also benedicted him that so long he would live he would have sufficient opulence to enjoy and sense gratification. By this incident Kṛṣṇa proved that those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees, they will be not lacking in their material enjoyment of sense gratification. They would have enough opportunity for such things. But after leaving this body they would be allowed to enter into the spiritual planets of Vaikuṇṭhaloka or Kṛṣṇaloka, Goloka Vṛndāvana.
After thus being nicely dressed, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma went to a florist of the name Sudāmā, and as soon as they reached the precincts of the house of the florist, immediately with great devotion he came out and fell down on his face to offer his respectful obeisances. After this, the florist offered nice seat to Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and asked his assistant to bring flowers and betel nuts smeared with pulp of candana. In this way, the florist welcomed Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to the greatest satisfaction of the Lords.
The florist very humbly and submissively offered his prayers to the Lord and said, "My dear Lord, because You have come to my place, I think all my forefathers and all my worshipable superiors are by this action 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 for giving protection to Your devotees and annihilating the demons. You are equal friend for all living entities, You are the Supersoul of all living entities, and You have no discrimination between friend or enemy. And still, those who are devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to them You are pleased and give them special result of their devotional activities. Therefore, my Lord, I am praying from You that You can ask me whatever You want me to do because I am Your eternal servant, and if You order me to do something, it will be a great favor upon me."
In this way the florist of the name Sudāmā was so much pleased within his heart by seeing Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in his place, and then, to his choicest desire, he made two nice garlands of different flowers and presented them to the Lord. By rendering of this sincere service by the florist, both Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma was very much pleased. Kṛṣṇa also offered the florist His salutation, and then He offered him all benediction as He is always prepared to bestow upon the surrendered souls. When the florist was offered benediction, he begged from the Lord that he may remain an eternal servant of the Lord in devotional service, and by such service he may do good to all other living creatures. By this incidence, it is clear that a devotee of the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should not be simply satisfied by his own advancement in devotional service, but such Kṛṣṇa conscious person must be willing welfare for all others.
This nice example was followed by the six Gosvāmīns of Vṛndāvana. Therefore it is stated in their prayer, lokānāṁ hitakāriṇau (Śrī Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka 2). All devotees of the Lord, all Vaiṣṇavas, they are not selfish. Whatever benefit they derive from the Supreme Personality of Godhead as benediction, they want to distribute it to all other persons for their benefit, and that is the greatest of all humanitarian activities. Lord Kṛṣṇa, being satisfied on the florist, not only gave him benediction for whatever he wanted, but over and above them, He offered him all material opulences and family prosperity, increase of the duration of life, and whatever his heart desires within this material world were all offered to him.
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Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Forty-first Chapter Kṛṣṇa in the matter of "Lord Kṛṣṇa's Entrance in Mathurā City."