Chapter Four

The Killing of Shakatasura and Trinavarta

 

 

At the age of three months Krishna rolled over and crawled out of the house.  To commemorate this event Yasoda observed a special ceremony. The elderly  gopis, looking like creepers of maternal affection, felt intoxi­cated with  bliss by taking part in this function. It seems this pleasure came as a  result of their previous piety. Since the gopis' hearts overflowed with  compassion, they always observed auspicious rituals for the satisfaction  and protection of Krishna.

All the Vrajavasis anxiously rushed to see Krishna. The arrival of the  splen­didly dressed elderly gopis greatly enhanced the joyous atmosphere  of the festival. Yasoda and other gopis smeared oil on Krishna's body to  celebrate the auspicious occasion of His leaving home for the first time  to crawl about on His hands and knees. Mrdangas played melodiously while  Yasoda bathed her son and honored the guests. Krishna-kumara looked  extremely beautiful after His auspicious bath and the application of  kajala to His lotus eyes.Vrajesvari Yasoda pleased all her relatives by  performing the traditional family rituals. Vrajaraja Nanda also relished  boundless happiness during the festival. As an expert in domestic affairs,  Rohini remembered her husband and distributed charity to all the guests.  Afterwards, Yasoda put Krishna to rest on a soft mattress, which was whiter  than powdered cam­phor, in an ornately decorated cradle, which she placed  under a handcart. Mother Yasoda worshiped the guests while Krishna rested  peacefully. Melodious music from rumbling mrdangas, bherries, dundubhis  and other instruments filled the air. The waves of music produced by the  talented musicians sweetened all directions. Satisfied brahmanas recited  Vedic hymns to bless the child. Yasodanandana, whose beauty defeats beauty  personified, started crying due to hunger and a desire to drink Yasoda's  breast milk. But Vrajesvari could not hear Him due to the loud music and  singing.

 

At this time, Krishna decided to kill Sakatasura, a demon who was hiding in  the cart under which He lay. Opening His joyful eyes, Krishna  simulta­neously destroyed the cart and killed the demon by playfully  kicking His feet. Without any effort Krishna vanquished that demon with His  tender feet, which were unlimitedly beautiful and softer than the petals  of a lotus flower. These were not the thunderbolt nails He used to kill  Hiranyakasipu; nor were they the legs He extended throughout the universe  in His Vamana incarnation. The gentle tinkling of Krishna's ankle-bells  increased the splendor of His delicate little legs.Although the cart stood  considerably higher than the child, Krishna easily kicked the wheel of the  cart with His feet. The brass pots on the cart made a tremendously loud  sound as they tumbled over the ground. From the force of Krishna's kick the  wheels split from the axle, the hubs and spokes fell apart, and the  handcart collapsed. Everyone's hearts stopped when they heard the  shattering sound of Sakatasura falling down dead. Thinking that Krishna may  have been hurt, the Vrajavasis filled with an­guish. Their hearts  overwhelmed in fear, they anxiously rushed to the spot.

 

With great anxiety they met Krishna and said, "Alas! Is this the beginning  of some imminent danger? This cart represented auspiciousness since it  remained in their house for so long without moving. How did this cart  suddenly become inauspicious? This perfect boy is the sum total of all  pious activities. Although many heavy brass pots crashed 'down, none of  them touched the tender limbs of Krishna whose glossy body is smeared with  musk. O Lord of Vrndavana, Nanda Maharaja! In any assembly you are the  natural leader, and along with your wife Yasoda you are the em­bodiments  of all fortune. Our words fail to describe the extent of your wonderful  glories." Thus the Vrajavasis praised the King of Vrndavana. The cowherd  boys met their parents and described the heroic deeds of Krishna in broken  language. They said, "It is not His fault. He felt hungry and started  crying loudly for some milk. When He did not get any, then why blame Him  if He did something wrong? You should not scold Him. Unless driven by the  wind how can a lotus bud move, similarly, the cart broke and fell to the  ground because Krishna kicked it with His legs while crying." Assuming there  must be some unknown cause, the elderly per­sons did not believe the  statements of the children.Fearing that the death of Sakatasura must have  brought some danger to her son, Yasodarani fell down on the ground. Rohini  and the gopis affectionately picked up Yasoda, and pacified her with the  good news about Krishna's safety. By their comforting words Yasoda regained  her senses and wiped away her tears.Mother Yasoda said, "Alas! My  three-month old baby, whose body is softer than butter, has suffered so  much. Suddenly this cart broke and fell upon my son. Since my heart did  not stop upon hearing about this, it must be harder than a thunderbolt.  Shame on my motherly love! Alas! I am His mother in name only."

 

"The earth shook from the crashing of the cart and the people became  speechless. When that cart fell down around my child He cried in fear, but  did not get hurt. I guess it must be the result of my misfortune.  Other­wise, why are such evil events occurring like Putana's visit and the  breaking of the cart? Therefore the auspicious King of Vrndavana must arrange to  prevent any further calamities coming to my child. From this incident I  can only guess what further misfortune awaits me."Thus lamenting and feeling apprehensive, Mother Yasoda ran quickly to her  son. She saw His attractive face conquering the effulgent beauty of the  moon with its ever-increasing charm. Yasoda drowned in an ocean of  sweetness when she placed Krishna on her lap. Surcharged with feelings of  bliss, Yasoda's mind became pacified and free from worry.

 

Nanda and Yasoda observed an auspicious religious ritual on behalf of  Krishna-kumara, whose radiant body looked gorgeous. Although Krishna is the  Supreme Brahman, He appeared in Vrndavana as a boy with curly dark blue  hair and a tender transcendental form. As Yasoda fondly fed Krishna the milk  dripping from her breasts, He gradually fell asleep. Then she tucked Krishna  back in His bed under the cart just as before. Rohini, the wife of  Vasudeva, whose lustrous beauty surpasses all the women of heaven, engaged  the brahmanas in chanting auspicious mantras to coun­teract the evil  effects caused by Sakatasura.

Trnavarta Demon Vanquished One blissful day during Krishna's first year,  Yasoda lifted up her resplen­dent, jewel-like son while passing through  the main chamber of the pal­ace. She lovingly fondled and caressed Him.  With His perfect intelligence Krishna immediately perceived some danger.  Employing His Yogamaya potency, Krishna decided to reveal an ecstatic  childhood pastime to show compassion to those rotting in the material  world.

Thinking thus, Krishna made His body so heavy that He forced His mother to  set Him down. Mother Yasoda, who is worshipable by all the three worlds,  suddenly felt very tired from carrying her heavy son. As a creeper hangs  down from the weight of ripened fruits, similarly, mother Yasoda bent over  from the heavyweight of her maternal affection. Afraid of drop­ping her  beloved son, Yasoda carefully sat Krishna down. By the sweet will of the Lord, Yogamaya influenced Yasoda's mind. Without  the slightest worry, She left Krishna alone outside the house and went  inside to perform other domestic duties. Mother Yasoda had no idea that  she had left Krishna in a dangerous position. Yasoda's bewilder­ment had no  other apparent cause than the all-powerful manifestation of her son's  majesty. Realizing her mistake upon entering the house, Yasoda quickly ran  back to get Krishna. Meanwhile a demon named Trnavarta descended upon Vrndavana. Tak­ing the  form of a huge cyclone, he terrorized all the people and animals. The  whirlwind created by the demon seemed like an exhalation of hot breath  from the wives of thousands of snakes burning in separation from their  husbands. It appeared as if the earth transformed into a blacksmith's  bellows emitting a loud sound in all directions. Or was it the ears of the  elephants controlling the four directions, which look like large flat  trays used for winnowing grain, flapping back and forth causing the whole  sky to fall down?

 

The body of Trnavarta, full of high winds and a dense covering of dust,  resembled the body of a diseased man infected with ignorance and pas­sion  due to fever and cough. Although a crooked person may externally show some  sweetness, he will never let anyone enter his bitter heart. Just as  excessive wine drinking covers the intelligence and makes one go crazy,  Trnavarta covered all directions with dense darkness. As a battlefield  fills with darkness due to the movement of masses of elephants, similarly,  Trnavarta's whirlwind body enveloped Vrndavana in a dense cloud of  darkness. Trnavarta, an extremely powerful demon sent by JCamsa, disturbed the  natural balance of the material world made of five gross elements. He  converted the three worlds into one element, namely wind. Although the  dust particles within that whirlwind danced joyfully, the Vrajavasis felt  greatly distressed. At its zenith the whirlwind touched the heavens, and  it was so dense that it blinded everyone on earth. It seemed like the  cloud of smoke created by the lord of the snakes during the dissolution of  the universe. Intent on killing Krishna, Trnavarta quickly attacked with his  powerful winds. He dropped a deadly shower of dust, grass, and broken pots  on the people of Vrndavana. Mother Yasoda worried about her son's safety.  She did not realize that her darling son, whose soft hands and feet  possess the beauty, fragrance, and coolness of a lotus flower, could  easily kill the big­gest giants or the immortal demigods in heaven. Suddenly Trnavarta kidnapped that tender baby who would soon cause his  death. But Krishna, who is worshiped by Brahma, Siva, and all the demi­gods,  did not feel the slightest pain or distress. The whirlwind sent the sweet  fragrance of Krishna's body into the celestial abodes. Krishna happily assumed  a powerful feature while contemplating how to kill the demon. Trnavarta  felt that he was carrying a fire bound in a cloth, a deadly poison within  his throat, or death personified.To satisfy the celestial damsels desirous  of His darsana, Krishna rode the whirlwind into the heavens. He looked like  a man running up a flight of stairs as He continually rose upward atop  Trnavarta. When Krishna struck the demon with His hand, which smelled like  musk and looked as splen­did as the stem of a lotus, the demon's life air  slowly left his body. Then with a final blow Krishna crushed the demon to  dust.Krishna looked like a blue sapphire locket hanging from the demon';  throat. When they crashed on the ground the demon died, but Krshric landed  safely on the earth. Seeing this amazing feat, the Vrajavasis fillec with  joy. Though appearing as a mere baby, Krishna proved His supremacy by  displaying His unlimited potency. That great whirlwind demon, whenshowered  dust, rain, and clumps of earth all over Vrndavana, touchec Krishna's body  and attained the supreme fortune of becoming eligible for liberation. Thus  Trnavarta did the best possible act to purify his family line When Yasoda  could not find her son after the cessation of the storm her heart turned  into a desert of lamentation. At that time, she lost al patience, and  unconsciousness personified appeared as her only compan ion. Feeling  helpless and overwhelmed, Mother Yasoda collapsed on the arth. Though  suffering immensely, Yasoda's faint breathing indicatec that she still  lived. Understanding her intense pain of lamentation, the Vrajavasis tried to  revive Yasoda by sprinkling water on her face and speaking comforting  twords. They said, "O pious and learned lady! The extent of your  goodfortune is unlimited. Your son gives happiness to the eyes of everyone  The honey-sweet dealings of Krishna-kumara continually increase our at  tachment to Him. Due to your purity your son is still alive.

 

"O King and Queen of Vrndavana! Now we realize that all your fortunately  and prestige is caused by your illustrious son. Ma Yasoda! Although yoi  are apprehensive about your son's safety, you can give up your distress  for the illusion has left our village. Do not let your mind burn any  longei Lift up your son and rejoice." o"Previously Providence protected my  son from the poisonous breasts Putana and the falling cart demon. Now I  pray to Him to alwaysprotect my beloved son. Alas! I got my son back  because of the Lord's protectionFrom now on I will never take Him off my  lap and put Him on the grouni Quickly help me find my son. Where is He?  Has the wind demon snatche Him and carried Him away? As long as I live I  will never again leave Hii outside alone."

Saying this, Yasoda fell down unconscious. Sympathizing with the plightof  Yasoda, the elderly gopis again tried to pacify her. Due to the burnig  fire of lamentation, Yasoda's lotus face looked morose and took on the hue  of a red lotus. Her sadness submerged the Vrajavasis in an ocean of  distress.

On the outskirts of the village, where He had previously played upon the  breast of Putana, Krishna-kumara triumphed over His enemy by smash­ing him  on the earth. This location brought success, just as victory is as­sured  for one choosing a favorable constellation before fighting. While  vanquishing that demon, Krishna, the greatest of all relishers, looked like  a blossoming apardjitd flower amidst a garden of thorns, or a blue lotus  rising above a lake choked with tall reeds, or a small shining lamp atop a  dense cloud of darkness. Krishna stood as the embodiment of transcenden­tal  knowledge amidst an ocean of ignorance. He resembled a river of nectar  flowing in a desert, or a flower of personified bliss atop of a tree of  misery.

 

Seeing the beautiful blue baby in a safe position, the crowds gradually  dispersed. One person commented, "This low-class, faithless demon has kept  the demigods from blessing us with their association. Taking the form of a  whirlwind, he prevented all auspicious acts and tortured Mother Earth.  Finally he destroyed himself by the reaction of his heinous sin of  attempt­ing to kidnap the Prince of Vrndavana. Since he did even have  enough piety to approach Krishna's house, he died outside of town instead."  Someone else said, "O look at this boy! He is the eternal Parambrahma and  the Supreme Personality of Godhead! The effulgence of His unlim­ited  opulence is always expanding. He is an invincible razor sharp sword  annihilating the asuric kings with His awesome power. From the very  be­ginning, Krishna established the glories of His name by killing the  Putana demon. It is He who freed everyone from distress by destroying  Sakatasura. He also demolished that demon who terrorized the three  worlds." Another Vrajavasi said, "Like King Indra, Nanda Maharaja must  have performed severe austerities and done many good deeds to accrue such  vast piety. As a result, Nanda Baba received a boon that enabled his son  to defeat formidable asuras like Putana and others. There is no other way  to explain how all these demons met their death." Having accepted Krishna as  the wealth of their lives, the Vrajavasis re­joiced upon finding Him free  from danger. Picking Him up in their loving arms, they carried Krishna into  Yasoda's inner chambers. The atmosphere filled with the happy news of  Krishna's well-being. Witnessing the pleasure of the Vrajavasis also brought  waves of bliss to the mind of Asurari, Krishna, the destroyer of demons. Observing this joyful pastime of Krishna, the elderly gopis smiled and said,  "Hey Bhagavati! You are worshipable by everyone in the world. Due to your  good fortune your son is now safe and happy." Such reassuring words  greatly pleased the mind of Yasoda. When rain clouds forcefully pour water  on a burned out forest, a fresh abundance of life reappears to beau­tify  that forest with elegance and contentment. In a similar way, Yasoda looked  refreshed and beautiful upon regaining her beloved son.

 

Though happy, Yasoda felt somewhat anxious and confused by the un­usual  event. In this state of bewilderment she said, "Where is He? Where is He?"  Compassionately taking charge of Yasoda, the Vrajavasis gradu­ally nursed  her back to consciousness. At that time Yasoda's eyes looked like a pair  of lotus flowers moistened with cool drops of dew. Her name, fame, and  position surpass everyone in creation. Waking from her trance, Yasoda  stood up and drowned in an ocean of joy upon beholding her all-attractive  son. Other ladies glorified Krishna-kumara, "Hey Krishna! Hey Krishna!" A dy­ing man  receives new life by taking sanjivani rasa. Similarly, Yasoda, who nearly  died in separation, revived upon meeting her dearest son Krishna. She felt  she had retrieved an invaluable lost treasure. Sitting Krishna on her lap,  she lovingly gazed at Him with unblinking eyes. But being only  semi-conscious, Yasoda could not relish the full bliss of Krishna's direct  association.

 

As her sleeping senses awoke in the service of her beloved son, she said,  "O darling! From the time of Your birth You have caused so much trouble to  Your mother. Of course, this is not Your fault, so how can I blame You? I  am the one who left You outside and unprotected. This shows my heart is as  dry as wood, and therefore I qualify as Your mother in name only. But  since I am known as Your mother, You have never treated me cruelly.

"Although that demon kidnapped You, because You of Your innocence You  somehow escaped and returned. O my beloved! Your love for me is  unprecedented and transcendental. I should be punished for my grave  mistake." Out of intense motherly affection, Mother Yasoda suckled Krishna  with her breast milk and put Him to rest. Although appearing in a human  form to act as the son of Yasoda, Krishna-kumara eternally exists as the  personi­fication of transcendental bliss.