Srikrishna- the Lord of the Universe

by Shivaji Sawant

  Now dada also came near the coast to bid farewell to Durvasa. Everyone was waiting only for him. Durvasa himself was waiting for him. He was asking everyone around, ‘Where is Krishna? Do you see him?’ Just then dada came. With him was his son Samba and about twenty of his half-brothers. Not a single son of Rukminivahini and Kalindivahini was among them. Two-three sons each of other vahinis were there. As they were all younger than Samba they were following him. Dada and his sons came near the boat that was going to carry Durvasa rishi to the holy place of Prabhasa. In front of all, dada humbly put his head on the feet of the venerable sage and paid his respects for the last time. After him Balaramadada, Satyaki, Daruka, and I did the same. But all the sons of dada including Samba simply kept watching all this like strangers, from a distance. Venerable Durvasa rishi also gave dada blessings for the last time –

  “May all be well!”

  Now without looking back the venerable sage climbed the boat in a single leap. His disciples bowed down to him and quickly making way for him, took him to the centre. I also climbed into the boat as per dada’s instruction. Dada put his hands on Samba’s shoulder and gave him some advice. Samba also boarded the boat with his brothers and half-brothers to assist me in the proper farewell of Durvasa rishi. All of them carried weapons such as mace, chakra, spear, sword, and pestle. We waved goodbye from the boat. We could clearly see dada waving goodbye to Durvasa rishi standing in the group

  of Balaramadada, Satyaki, Chief Minister, members of the assembly, and Panchalas, from the bank that was being slowly left behind.

  All of us came to the holy place of Prabhasa with Durvasa rishi. The ceremony of final rites that Durvasa had planned for himself began with formal rituals. His disciples promptly started putting the things he asked for in front of him, as per his instructions. As I had seen the sage’s temperament and due to dada’s instructions I was taking every precaution that there is no error in arranging anything that he needed. All of dada’s sons including Samba were sitting far away under a sprawling

  tree. They were cracking some jokes among themselves and laughing. From a distance, we could hear their commotion indistinctly.

  The ceremony got over within one ghatika under the guidance of a well-versed priest of Prabhasa. Durvasa offered the Jalanjali to the setting sun. With the satisfaction of having performed the ceremony properly, he, his disciples and I walked near the tree under which dada’s sons were sitting, chatting among ourselves.

  The scene under the tree had now changed. Now a woman could be seen among dada’s sons. Her face was covered with her shawl. From her frame, she appeared to be with child. And Samba who was leading them so far was nowhere to be seen. As we all approached them, all the sons of dada signalled the pregnant woman to seek the blessings of venerable Durvasa rishi.

  The woman who looked almost due for her delivery walked with difficulty towards the sage taking one step at a time. Acting as if finding it difficult to bend due to her bulging belly the woman said, “Oh venerable rishi, please tell me if I am going to give birth to a son or a daughter and give blessings for my safe delivery!”

  The rishi narrowed his reddish eyes and staring at the pregnant woman in front of him he asked, “Who are you respected lady? How come you appeared here so suddenly?” With a coy gesture the woman said in a lady-like high-pitched voice, “You are so wise. How can I, a noble lady, utter my husband’s name? My servants will tell you.”

  Then three-four of dada’s sons said unanimously, “She is the wife of our Babhru Yadava. Oh, venerable rishi, please give your blessings to her and tell us if she will give birth to a son or a daughter.”

  The pregnant woman could feel that Durvasa rishi was observing her. To avoid his gaze, she coyly turned around. The sudden movement loosened her dress from the left side and a thudding sound followed. The confused woman tried to hold her lower belly together. Two more thudding sounds followed. Now the completely flustered woman tried to gather her dress and disappeared among the group of dada’s sons while giggling. Despicable peals of laughter followed that. Three equal pieces of a wooden pestle were now clearly visible on the ground where the woman had been standing.

  Durvasa rishi saw the wooden pieces lying in front of him and began shaking with rage. The wooden staff in his hand started shaking with his fury. His already red eyes instantly became fiery red like the fire in a yajna pit. The moment I saw the pieces I felt terrified; the rishi’s disciples got scared.

  The woman who had approached Durvasa was not a woman at all! She was not the pregnant wife of Babhru Yadava! He was Samba, dada and Jambavativahini’s son! He had got a sudden impulse to teach a lesson to the lanky and ugly-looking Durvasa rishi who had been throwing tantrums, holding a staff in his hand and was defiantly giving orders to everybody. His innate naughtiness was thus going to be a great problem for him. This was all Samba’s idea - the drama of being a pregnant woman, her mock costume, pretentiously asking for Sage Durvasa’s blessings, asking him about the gender of the unborn child to ridicule his wisdom, and making all his brothers participate in his scheme. Since his childhood no one had ever reprimanded him severely for his naughtiness. No one had ever tried to stop him. He had not been in dada’s company much. All this was the outcome of that.

  Terrified, all of us kept staring at Durvasa rishi, anxious about the consequences of all this. Shaking with rage Durvasa rishi went closer to the three pieces of pestle lying in front of him. With the staff in his hand he turned the pieces over to take a look at them. He struck a few blows of the staff on them. Then holding the staff under his left arm, he poured some water on his right palm from the Kamandalu he was holding in the left hand; he closed his eyes and recalled something. Then while whispering something he quickly sprinkled the water on the three pieces of the pestle and roared loudly, “You stupid Yadavas who dared to humiliate a rishi like me, this same pestle will soon become the cause of your destruction! It will lead to your annihilation! I won’t stay here a moment now. Let’s go.”

  Durvasa rishi didn’t even bother to throw a glance at me or a single one of dada’s sons. He turned in the direction of the north and marched on. His disciples dragged behind him. Benumbed, I ran after him to see if I could pacify him. Durvasa rishi didn’t pay any attention to my pleadings and without speaking a word to me he left.

  I came back to the tree under which dada’s sons had gathered along with Samba. They were not there now and even the destructive pestle was not there! All of them had made one more unforgivable mistake. I was going to hand over that pestle to dada and tell him what had happened. He could have invited other rishis of Durvasa’s calibre and offered it in the Yajna

  pit. He could have even invited Durvasa again to Dwaraka if needed.

  Dada’s son Samba who had inherited dada’s incredible genius had ground the wet pestle into powder with his brothers using stones! He thought that if he destroyed the source of the problem the problem would be solved. He and his brothers had dumped the powder in the frothing waves of the western ocean.

  When I returned alone to Dwaraka from the holy place of Prabhasa my heart was utterly dejected. Not just because the Yadavas were going to be annihilated but because I couldn’t do anything to stop it. And more than that, because it was me who had to break this devastating news to my dear dada!

  When dada asked me ‘Did Sage Durvasa return safely?’ I just said ‘Yes’ and stopped short. He immediately noticed that my answer was not elaborate enough like usual and as per my temperament. He approached me and patting my shoulders he said, “Avadhuta, you will never be able to hide anything from me. Tell me in detail whatever happened. No matter how unpropitious it is!” I hesitated for a moment, wondering how to speak. What had he not done for the Yadavas? Leaving Gokul behind, he came to Mathura. For the sake of Mathura seventeen times he had fought wars with Jarasandha. He had spent a lot of wealth to erect the golden city of Dwaraka. He had obtained great acclaim for this newly built Yadava kingdom in Aaryavarta. How was I going to tell
him the heart-breaking news of their total annihilation? I couldn’t think straight.

  It was also not possible for me to keep quiet when he had directly asked me the question. And it was even more impossible to astutely hide anything from him while sharing the news. Finally, I hardened my heart and told him everything that took place on the holy land of Prabhasa, as it had happened.

  Hearing that, he became solemn for a long time like never before. I had never seen him this serious before – not even after the Great War of Bharata! For quite a long time, he didn’t say anything to me. Then he just smiled and stopped. After some time, he asked me, “Uddhava – Avadhuta, what would you have done if you were in my place?” I realized his intention behind asking me that question. He was testing how connected I was with him.

  I answered, “I would have spoken in the Sudharma assembly as candidly as you would have.”

  Now he gave me the usual smile. He told me, “That’s what is going to happen. Go right away and send Chief Minister Sukrita.”

  Chief Minister Sukrita immediately contacted Balabhadradada and consulted with the Sudharma assembly members about organizing the assembly. As per his instruction the announcements were made throughout the entire island of Dwaraka. Both of them made sure that it also reached the island of queens’ mansion. In a nutshell, the announcement was ‘The Lord of Dwaraka, Bhagvan Vaasudeva Maharaja wants to say something of crucial importance to all the citizens of Dwaraka – on the coming Wednesday. No one will ever be able to hear him talk in the Sudharma royal assembly or any other assembly after this. Anyone who is interested in listening to his speech should make sure to attend the Sudharma assembly this Wednesday!’

  People of Dwaraka started walking towards Sudharma assembly in huge clamorous groups like never before. Though aged and weary, Vasudevababa was present in the Sudharma assembly along with both rajmatas. Prince Balaramadada along with Revativahini had arrived in the assembly before him and taken his seat. The ten ministers of the assembly were seated in their places. Aacharya Sandipani and the Yadavas’ ingenious architect Gargamuni were also present. All the new leaders of each regiment of the fourfold army and the naval chief were present. All dada’s sons including Pradyumna, Bhanu, Vrika, Shruta, Sangramjita, Praghosha and Vira were sitting in the row below them along with their younger brothers. Yes, even Samba who had brought this calamity upon all due to his naughtiness was sitting along with his brothers and half-brothers. In the lowest row, Aniruddha, representing the third generation was sitting along with his blood brothers and stepbrothers.

  On the left and right side of Maharaja Vasudevababa’s royal throne, on an elevated level there were two capacious sectors with decorated seats. In the section on the right all of dada’s wives and my vahinis – Bhama, Jambavati, Mitravinda, Lakshmanaa, Satya, Bhadra, and Kalindidevi were sitting along with their daughters-in-law. In the sector on the left Gada, Sarana, their wives – my vahinis were sitting along with their daughters and daughters-in-law. Among the royal ladies, dada’s favourite daughter Charumati was sitting with her cousins near Bhamavahini.

  Chief Minister Sukrita was standing next to the elevated seat for the Chief Minister holding the jewel-studded royal sceptre in his hand. The huge hall of the Sudharma royal assembly was overflowing. Not even an ant could enter in there.

  Now everyone, including the Chief Minister was waiting for the Lord of Dwaraka and Rukminivahini, who was connected with him and his joys and sorrows forever.

  The Sudharma royal assembly was actually quite close to dada’s palace. Still as per dada’s instruction Daruka had embellished his Garudadhwaja chariot as usual and kept it ready. We boarded the chariot and moved towards the Sudharma assembly. On our way, we passed the time-indicating iron disc platform. As dada instructed Daruka to halt the chariot, he pulled the reins of his four beloved, hefty, milky white horses and controlled them. Garudadhwaja came to a halt. Dada alighted from the chariot alone. Walking slowly, one step at a time, he climbed the stairs of the time-indicating iron disc platform and went close to the broad and tall, gold-plated iron disc. He carefully watched each royal symbol of the Yadavas and smiled to himself.

  He picked up the gold-plated iron hammer tucked in the leather groove next to the iron disc. He shrugged both his broad, muscular shoulders indicating ‘What do I care about all this?’

  Deciding something firmly in his mind, he landed three successive powerful strikes with the heavy hammer on that huge time-indicating iron disc. The echoing sound was so piercing that even the roaring sound of the ocean that was audible so far became inaudible. After all they were the powerful strikes struck by the knee-long arms which once carried the Sudarshan chakra! With a completely serene face now he put the gold-plated hammer back in the leather groove as it was. He climbed down the platform with an utterly calm face, and began walking towards Garudadhwaja.

  He knew very well that because of the powerful strikes that he had struck, the gold plating on the royal symbols of the Yadavas on the time-indicating iron disc had chipped and the symbols were exposed now. They were now in the original iron – black and lustreless. Even the gold plating on the hammer that he had put back in the groove was also cracked. Such things were going to continue now!

  Following dada and vahini I entered the Sudharma royal assembly with Daruka. The moment they saw us the entire royal assembly gave us a standing ovation except for Vasudevababa, both the rajmatas, the prince, Revativahini, and Aacharya Sandipani.

  The three of us approached our seats. Leaning forward dada joined both his palms and greeted the whole assembly. Rukminivahini and I followed suit. The shower of applause still continued. As the clapping sound reached outside the

  hall, the crowd of Krishna devotees gathered outside began clapping even though they couldn’t see what was happening inside and the sound of their applause also permeated the assembly hall.

  Dada who was mellow with maturity and full of gratitude raised both his arms and smiling politely signalled the crowd in the assembly hall to take their seats. All Yadava members of the Sudharma assembly took their seats. A small din arose outside the assembly hall. But finally, everyone outside the hall took seats wherever they could.

  Sukrita, the newly appointed young Chief Minister of the Yadavas, raised the jewel-studded royal sceptre with the soaring Garuda symbol atop it. He spoke very little in his sharp voice, “Dear Yadava brothers, this assembly today is of crucial importance. The Lord of Dwaraka, Vaasudeva Bhagvan Srikrishna himself has called it. Never had he himself called a Sudharma assembly before. It was always done by the order of Vasudeva Maharaja and Prince Balaramadada from time to time. Whatever the Lord of Dwaraka is going to say now, each word of his will be the outcome of his genius, his contemplation and his own experience. Each one of you should listen to him attentively and remember his words sincerely. I humbly request Bhagvan Vaasudeva to take over!”

  Silence prevailed inside the assembly hall as well as outside as the Chief Minister pounded the royal sceptre on the floor.

  What he spoke today was the essence of his life. His voice was as sharp and as mellifluous like before. He said,

  “My dear Yadava brothers–sisters, boys and girls –”

  Realizing that many in the audience, inside and outside the hall, who were his devotees were not Yadavas, he said again, “All the people who love me unconditionally, I am going to speak very little. It is my first-hand experience that excess talk is always futile. This western ocean has been speaking, roaring for the past lakhs of years. Has anybody ever heard him? He is roaring and telling us that ‘deep within me there is a treasure of many jewels and pearls, but what everyone sees is only my saline water. The one with intelligence and the power of distinction can make use of even the saline water, by obtaining salt from it and making it beneficial for life.

  “My speech today is not advice. It is my duty to share with you whatever my life has given me.

  “I told Arjuna all kinds of Yogas of life on the land of Kurukshetra. Toda
y I assert that the essence of life is Premayoga. Love has no limit. It is endless. The human race has been created only for spreading love. Hatred comes to an end. When one person hates another, that hatred ends with the death of the other person. The malice that one caste harbours against the other ends with the obliteration of the other caste. The contempt harboured by one group of people towards another comes to end with the destruction of the other group. The enmity of one kingdom with another, ends with the destruction of that kingdom. In short, hatred ends at some point of time. Till it comes to an end, the individuals, castes, groups and kingdoms on both sides suffer tremendous irrecoverable loss. That is not the case with love. The more one gives love, the more it multiplies. It never gets reduced by giving.

  “Wars take place due to the immeasurable greed for power, wealth and women. It leads to utter destruction. The war between the Kauravas and Pandavas has proved it. I tried my best to avoid that war. Finally, when the war became inevitable I had to turn it into a Great yajna.

  “All of you who are listening to me now should learn a lesson from the Great War. The biggest war or the Greatest Yajna is actually going on in everyone’s heart. The one who understands his own spirit and its good and bad powers, understands life. The meaning of life is to live and let live. Only when one recognizes one’s own ego and the hundreds of tentacles of one’s greed, will one understand the cause and effect relationship between every small event that takes place in the surroundings.

  “Each one of you carries a tiny reflection of the gigantic expanse outside. When you obtain the strength to look at it with an aloof mind, you will be able to see the grandeur within yourself.