Now the Lord himself spoke, elaborating his answer further, “Prajnana is the knowledge that is more exclusive than exclusivity itself; knowledge more profound than profundity itself. It is the incomparable pure knowledge that cannot be compared with anything at all! It is the knowledge that each being has to actually experience.
“We are truly blessed as you have given us this Prajnana of Brahmavidya in abundance. I had requested you once to initiate me as your disciple, and you did so. You have also given me this precious gift of Brahmavidya. Now I have only one wish, let me stay here at your feet along with my dear friends Uddhava and Daruka. I don’t wish to go anywhere now!”
It was a touching experience for the entire aashrama. Even Aacharya Ghor Angirasa was touched. He just said ‘let’s see what we can do’ and kept looking fixedly at his beloved disciple. That day we all left the Guru’s cottage in a very different mood. As the Lord had determinedly declared to live in the aashrama forever, we were lost in the same thought. It was quite evident now that some time or the other aacharya would hand over the responsibility of the aashrama to my Lord and go to the Himalayas. One Yadava had already become a master of Brahmavidya in the form of aacharya. He had become an ascetic before getting married. The second Yadava – my Lord was going to renounce his eights wives, sons, daughters, lakhs of warriors and attendants and follow the path of an ascetic. One of his former relatives had achieved the status of Aacharya Ghor Angirasa. My Lord was certainly going to achieve the status of ‘Atighor Angirasa’ on the strength of his intelligence. We both were going to follow in his footsteps wherever he went.
It had been sixty-three days since we came to this aashrama. This was the sixty-fourth day. I had heard many times in the discussions of the Lord and Uddhava Maharaja that both these brothers had stayed exactly the same period of sixty-four days in the ‘Ankapada’ aashrama of Aacharya Sandipani in the forests of Avanti. It was not in his nature to get stuck in one place. He was indeed a Jalapurusha – always flowing like water.
I was lost in thinking how my Lord’s future life would be in this aashrama. A tranquil evening had descended on our aashrama at the holy place of Prayaga near the banks of river Ganga. I saw huge eagles producing shrill cries and returning to Mount Mainaka in the West. I had just returned to our cottage from river Ganga after offering evening oblations to the setting Sun. All three of us were getting ready for the evening prayers, spreading our mats on the floor. Suddenly we heard some commotion at the western gate of the aashrama. We could vaguely here words like – ‘What – Srikrishnadeva’s brother? Mace fight expert Balaramadada? Sankarshana Balarama himself? And the Chief Minister of Dwaraka?’ After hearing those words, I arose at once from my mat and started running towards the western gate of the aashrama. At the wooden gate stood Brotherly Love in person! Hefty Balaramadada had descended from the chariot and stood at the western gate of the aashrama along with Chief Minister Vipruthu. The huge mace on his shoulder was shining in the rays of the setting sun. He shouted loudly as soon as he saw me, “Daruka, this Prince of Dwaraka would have found you even if you were hiding in the netherworld. Where is my young brother?” He laughed loudly throwing his head back. With that the mace on his shoulder shook. He couldn’t hide the euphoria of finally finding both his brothers. His appearance always inspired energy. Today I felt it even more. I moved forward and touched his feet. Mace warrior Balarama who had become impatient to see his dear brother embraced me tightly as if embracing his own brother. He said, “Come, take me to my brother. I have come to take him to Dwaraka with me. Come on Chief Minister.”
I came to our cottage along with dada and Chief Minister. The Lord and his brother were in the cottage. I offered the fruits which I had collected from the forest in the morning to Balaramadada and the chief minister who were tired due to the journey. Balaramadada felt refreshed and said to the Lord, “I have come to take you back to Dwaraka. Dhakatya, how could you and Uddhava desert us like this? Poor Rukmini – she has been in so much distress after you left! Father and both the mothers are asking for you throughout the day and night. You should quietly come with me now along with Uddhava”. Dada clarified the purpose of his sudden visit while sitting down on the mat. The Chief Minister standing nearby with his hands joined in request said earnestly, “Oh Lord, please don’t try everybody’s patience now. Come to Dwaraka along with Uddhavadeva.”
The powerful prince of Dwaraka and Chief Minister kept looking at the Lord with a pleading look in their eyes. But he was completely peaceful. He resolutely said, “Dada, it is not possible now. I have taken the decision to come here after considerable thought. Now I will live here. You can take Uddhava and Daruka back if they are ready to go with you.”
A few stifled moments passed by. Uddhava Maharaja instantly said, “Balidada, I will go wherever my big brother goes. You can take Daruka with you. The three of us had stayed together in the Ankapada aashrama of Aacharya Sandipani in Avanti. In fact, I would have requested even you to stay here. But as the formally initiated prince you have the responsibility of Dwaraka on your shoulders.”
Both brothers were trying to make me a scapegoat in front of Balaramadada’s powerful mace strike. How would I listen to that? I also said quickly, “Oh prince, I consider myself as the Lord’s shadow. I have never gone anywhere without him, and never will!”
Intellectual artfulness and politics was not Balaramadada’s forte. Still he was lost in thought. Within a moment, he decided something and said, “Let us do one thing; we will take Aacharya Ghor Angirasa’s opinion in this matter. Do you agree Dhakatya?” “Sure. Are you going to seek his opinion? We already know it. It is not that only we have fallen in love with him, he also loves us. I am quite confident of what he would say. We are his disciples. His command will be respectfully honoured by us.”
After having meals and taking some rest the prince left for aacharya’s cottage along with the three of us. Aacharya was sitting outside offering sacrificial sticks into the Yajna pit that blazed throughout the days and nights. We approached him. All of us paid obeisance to him. First, he enquired with the prince about how Vasudevababa, both matas, Aacharya Sandipani, his wife and son were doing in Dwaraka. Then he affectionately asked Balaramadada, “How come you arrived without any notice, Prince? Is it that the separation from your brothers became unbearable?” Gurudeva smiled.
“You are omniscient. Do I need to articulate the purpose of my visit?” I had sensed the difference in Balaramadada’s attitude since he had arrived here. He had come with a determined mind to take his brothers with him. He simply glanced at the Chief Minister.
“Gurudeva, the kingdom of Dwaraka without the Lord of Dwaraka is like the sky without sun. The prince is earnestly imploring him to return to Dwaraka since coming here. But saying ‘No’, he has declared his firm decision to stay here forever. And you already know how firm his decision can be.” The Chief Minister said plaintively.
“Oh, Chief Minister of Yadavas, it is indeed true. My beloved disciple Srikrishna is another name for Determination. He wouldn’t have come to my aashrama leaving puissant Dwaraka behind, had he not had that resolve of mind. His wish is the ultimate!” Gurudeva supported his disciple.
Again a few silent moments passed by. We all kept staring at the prince wondering what he was going to do now. We could never forget the mien of prince Balaramadada at this moment, throughout our lives.
He removed the golden royal crown from his head with his own hands and put it on the ground at the feet of the Guru! He leaned forward in front of aacharya and joining both his palms he said, “Gurudeva, it is my innate duty as an older brother to take care of both my younger brothers. If both of them are not ready to come to Dwaraka then you should initiate and accept me also as your disciple and offer me the aashrama attire. Send this royal crown of the prince that was put on my head in a formal ceremony, back to Dwaraka at the hands of the Chief Minister. I have full faith that the king of Dwaraka – Maharaja Vasudeva, both rajmatas – Devakimata and Rohi
nimata would accept your decision readily.”
Aacharya Ghor Angirasa kept offering an increasing number of various sacrificial sticks into the Yajna pit that was the symbol of his Angirasa clan. The Yajna pit of his inner mind came ablaze while taking a firm decision. The Yajna fire flared. Again a few stifled moments passed by. Then he uttered each of his words like how the ancient sages must have extemporarily uttered each hymn of the Vedas – Prince Balabhadraa, I cannot accept you as my disciple! You are a formally crowned prince of a kingdom, blessed by the sages and hermits. Only two things will happen unavoidably if you decide to live here for the sake of your brothers.”
“Which two things, Gurudeva?” Balaramadada asked politely with his palms joined. Everybody started looking at aacharya with tremendous curiosity.
Aacharya continued while offering sticks in increasing numbers, “Once the aged king of Dwaraka – Maharaja Vasudeva comes to know the whereabouts of you brothers he himself will come here with both his wives! The newly built kingdom will be left without a king. I will have to leave this aashrama as I will be the reason behind all this. Then this new aashrama also will be left without an aacharya. Therefore, in the given situation I can take only one decision – to tell Srikrishna to return to Dwaraka along with Daruka and Uddhava. I have fulfilled my ordained duty to teach him the Brahmavidya for which he had come here. It is his duty to take the Aatmavidya that I have taught him and make it his life’s mission. I have faith that he knows it thoroughly well and he does have the capacity to fulfil it. In front of this Fire of the Yajna pit that is the symbol of the Vajrakula of the Angirasas I command that Srikrishna – the Lord of Dwaraka should now return to Dwaraka along with his brother Uddhava and friend Daruka! I wish you a safe and happy journey.”
As soon as we heard the word ‘command’ all three of us bent down from our waist. While touching aacharya’s feet together we said in unison, “As you wish, Gurudeva!”
Extremely pleased with our words the Aacharya held the crown of the prince of Dwaraka in his hands. He stood up and going closer to Balabhadradada he put it back on his head. He blessed him also, saying, “May all be well!”
We took the blessings of Aacharya Ghor Angirasa and finally got the five tufts on our heads removed. We returned the aashrama clothes to the aashrama store. We bade farewell to all aashrama brothers and left from the Prayaga aashrama. We now wore the vestures and ornaments that dada had brought with him. But somehow dada had forgotten to bring the Lord’s usual crown adorned with a peacock feather from the treasury of Dwaraka. Probably because dada was never used to seeing the Lord without that crown and therefore didn’t realize it. Or maybe he forgot it in the impatient hurry to come here as per his nature. Because of that our return journey became automatically easier. We decorated the entire Garudadhwaja chariot along with the horses. But on its flagpole, we hoisted a simple saffron flag instead of the pennant with the Garuda emblem. This was an instruction from the Lord himself. Due to that, in spite of his royal attire many devotees of the Lord who we passed on our way would pay obeisance from a distance, looking at the Lord’s crownless head and the saffron flag on the chariot. We could see them arguing about something while gesturing wildly with their hands. This was happening just as the Lord had surmised about human nature. I would know what they were arguing about. I could hear their words vaguely, ‘It is not the chariot of Dwaraka. It doesn’t have the flag with the Garuda emblem.’ Another person would say, ‘There’s no crown on his head. I bet he is not the Lord of Dwaraka!’ Because of all this confusion our return journey was easier with the few select warriors that dada had brought along.
After three weeks, we came close to the creek of the island of Dwaraka. As dada had sent a messenger ahead with the news, I got to watch a scene that I had never seen before. Hearing the news that their dearest Lord of Dwaraka was coming back the men and women of Dwaraka had already started approaching us in whatever water vehicles they could, like boats and rafts. As they were impatient to see the Lord in person, they were just not ready to wait at the Shuddhaksha gate as usual. They were coming towards the Garudadhwaja chariot in flocks leaving the water of the creek behind and meeting the Jalapurusha who was the cause of their smooth flow of life. As soon as he saw the western ocean the Lord had told me to put up the pennant with the emblem of the golden eagle with his wings spread wide, on the chariot’s flagpole.
Within no time the ecstatic, chattering men and women of Dwaraka gathered around the Garudadhwaja chariot like fresh flowers spread under the fully blossomed Prajakta tree. They began falling at the feet of the Lord of Dwaraka with moist eyes and heavy voices. ‘Oh, Lord of Dwaraka, please never leave us like this again.’ Their implorations blended in the roaring sound of the ocean.
The Lord started to bend down and pick up the citizens of Dwaraka one after the other. Patting them he said, “No – I will never go. Forgive me that I went without meeting you all.”
Today, in spite of daylight, the Shuddhaksha gate was illuminated with lamps of Karanjel oil. The reflection of the golden fortification on the east of Dwaraka was constantly bobbing up and down with joy. The Lord, Balaramadada, and Uddhava Maharaja – all started walking towards the Shuddhaksha gate. I followed behind them. The Yadava circle, comprising both commanders, and royal ministers was behind us. The Lord’s entire extended family stood anxiously waiting at the Shuddhaksha gate adorned with festoons and flower garlands. Every single person was present there. Vasudevababa, both matas, Aacharya Sandipani with his wife and son Dutta, Gargamuni, Revatidevi, the Lord’s wife Rukminidevi along with her seven sisters, Subhadradevi along with young Abhimanyu, Pradyumna along with his seventy-nine brothers, Uddhava Maharaja’s mother Kansadevi along with her sons, my wife Hayamati along with my son Daruki and his brother, all brothers of dada including Gada and Sarana, all his sons including Nishatha and Ulmuka – the entire family had become emotional and had gathered at Shuddhaksha to welcome my Lord.
As he saw his aged father – Vasudevababa, my virtuous Lord separated from us and walking briskly ahead he went forward alone with his heart full of love for his father. He knelt down in front of his aged father and put his smooth, blue, wide forehead at his feet. A few silent moments passed by. The gathered crowd simply kept watching the unprecedented father-son visit with teary eyes.
The old father effusively pulled up and held in a deep embrace his beloved son who was a Chakravarti, world conqueror, the possessor of the Sudarshan chakra and who had left him to become an ascetic. Some sentimental Yadava from amongst the gathered crowd hollered jubilantly, ‘Hail the disciple of Ghor Angirasa, the son of Vasudeva, Bhagvan Vaasudeva Srikrishna…!’ Everyone responded spontaneously in unison, ‘Victory! Victory!!’
The Sudharma royal assembly that was convened the very next day became unforgettable. That day the conduct of both the brothers who were my co-disciples and were formally initiated by Ghor Angirasa, got engraved permanently on my mind.
Chief Minister Vipruthu raised the jewelled golden royal sceptre of the Yadavas and announced the purpose of the assembly in the overflowing council hall –
“He who erected our grand golden royal city Dwaraka with his intellect and hard work, himself forsook it in a moment without informing anybody and without meeting anyone. He went to the faraway aashrama in Prayaga at the feet of sage Ghor Angirasa. Brave warriors of our kingdom and expert spies tried their best to find him everywhere, but no one could find any clue of his whereabouts. We all were feeling despondent. Nobody knew what to do.
“In the end, Prince Balarama found out his whereabouts unmistakably. Even today I don’t know how. I request him to share it with the assembly today.
“On behalf of men and women of Dwaraka I am delighted to welcome the disciple of Ghor Angirasa, the son of Vasudeva, Bhagvan Vaasudeva from the bottom of my heart.
“The Lord of Dwaraka is sitting with Rukminidevi, Uddhavadeva and royal charioteer Daruka, without his crown on his head, which is indeed rare.
“Si
nce he was formally initiated in the aashrama, his crown was bereft of its master. It has been consecrated by mantras. I request prince Balarama that on behalf of Maharaja Vasudeva he should offer it to the Lord of Dwaraka with appropriate honour in front of the Sudharma royal assembly.” The Chief Minister pounded the royal sceptre as per the custom.
Well-built Prince Balarama arose from his seat. His chubby, round, fair face was reflecting the joy of his success in bringing his dear brother back to Dwaraka. He approached the Lord’s seat with an attendant holding the platter of the Lord’s peacock-feathered crown. With affection, he picked up the crown from the platter very delicately and placed it properly on my Lord’s head. At that moment, all the ecstatic Yadava members raised a thunderous applause. I remembered the day when Balaramadada had tucked the peacock feather in the Lord’s crown with his own hands. Even today that peacock feather was still there as it was. Only those who were touched by it realized that both the brothers were still the same – loving each other with their heart and soul.
Today Balabhadradada astounded the Sudharma assembly. He had never spoken more than a word or two just as a royal formality. But today he spoke even though nobody expected him to. It was indeed a splendid, unforgettable speech. He raised his hands and said, “All Yadava members of the Sudharma royal assembly, in front of Maharaja Vasudevababa I tell you that my dearest brother Srikrishna and I played and grew together since our childhood. We are like two eyes of our father and both the mothers. Any picture can be seen in its entirety only using both the eyes. I can’t imagine the kingdom of Dwaraka and this Sudharma assembly without dear brother Srikrishna in it. Vasudevababa is the ruler of this kingdom and I am the prince. But my brother Srikrishna is still the Lord of Dwaraka. He was the Lord of Dwaraka yesterday, he is so today and will remain so tomorrow. Many kings and princes will come and go but there was, is and will be only one Lord of Dwaraka.
Srikrishna- the Lord of the Universe Page 54