यद्यत्संस्कृतसाहित्यविषये जानामि तत् लेखितुम् इदमेकं माध्यममिति मन्ये। अन्येऽपि लेखिष्यन्तीति आशासे।
द्वेषो मोक्षश्च - Hatred and Moksha
सर्वेषां जनानां जीवनाधारभूताः धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाः इति चत्वारः पुरुषार्थाः। तेषु मोक्षश्च परमपुरुषार्थया सर्वैः अङ्गीक्रियते। कश्च सः मोक्षः? केन प्रकारेण वा प्राप्यते? इति प्रश्नानाम् उत्तरसमये शास्त्रकाराः मोक्षस्वरूपतत्प्राप्तिमार्गवर्णनद्वारा स्वमतस्थापनम् अकुर्वन्।
Every system of philosophy attempts to explain moksha and the methods to attain it in their own way. Moksha is universally accepted as the most important among the purusharthas that everyone strives for in one's life.
Bhakti plays a very important role in this path to moksha. Worshiping the Lord, meditating upon him, loving him, enjoying his qualities and immersing oneself in his stories are some of the ways in which people show their bhakti to the Lord.
In the 7th skandha of Srimad Bhagavatam, Yudhishthira perplexed by Sisupala attaining moksha asks how a person filled with so much of hatred towards Krishna could attain the highest state. Does this not promote an opposing standpoint to Shastras about पुण्य and पाप - we incur पाप by abusing the lord?
अहो अत्यद्भुतं ह्येतद् दुर्लभा एकान्तिनामपि ।
वासुदेवे परे तत्त्वे प्राप्तिश्चैद्यस्य विद्विषः ॥ ७।१।१५ ॥
द्वेषयुक्तेन चैद्यभूपतिना शिशुपालेन कथं योगिदुर्लभं वासुदेवसायुज्यं प्राप्यते इति विस्मितः युधिष्ठिरः।
Narada responds, "Krishna is bound by sentiments of abuse, praise, worship and scorn. In effect, Krishna is neither angry by abuse nor pleased by worship. In fact Sisupala was so consumed by the thoughts of Krishna that he attained moksha"
इदं शरीरं निन्दास्तुत्यादीनां विषयभूतमिति अविवेकिनामाशयः। लोके मनुष्याणां देहाभिमानिनाम्, अहं मम इति वैषम्यस्त्वात्, 'मम इयं निन्दा, अहम् अनेन निन्दितः', अतः हिंसाकारिषु हिंसाचरणम् साध्यम्। किन्तु, भगवतः कृष्णस्य तादृशाभिमानरहितत्वात् 'अहं निन्दितः अनेन' इति चिन्ता न उत्तिष्ठेत्।
In fact, Narada goes to the extent of saying -
यथा वैरानुबन्धेन मर्त्यः तन्मयतां इयात् ।
न तथा भक्तियोगेन इति मे निश्चिता मतिः ॥ २६ ॥
By bhakti one cannot achieve such intense absorption in thought of the Lord as one can through enmity toward Him. That is my firm belief.
Narada then lists various sentiments through which people have attained moksha or enjoyed the presence of Lord Krishna.
कामाद् द्वेषाद् भयात् स्नेहाद् यथा भक्त्येश्वरे मनः ।
आवेश्य तद् अघं हित्वा बहवः तद्गतिं गताः ॥ २९ ॥
गोप्यः कामाद् भयात् कंसो द्वेषात् चैद्यादयो नृपाः ।
सम्बन्धाद् वृष्णयः स्नेहाद् यूयं भक्त्या वयं विभो ॥ ३० ॥
Love - Gopis
Fear - Kamsa
Hatred - Sisupala
Association - Yadavas
Friendship - You all (Pandavas)
Bhakti - We (Sages like Narada)
Of course, we should not take this literally and start hating the lord. The key to this long winding approach is तन्मयत्वम् - complete absorption in the thought of Krishna.
श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणकथाः - कुन्तीस्तुतिः ३
या ते दशाश्रुकलिलाञ्जनसम्भ्रमाक्षम् ।
वक्त्रं निनीय भवभावनया स्थिततस्य
सा माम् विमोहयति भीरपि यद्बिभेति ॥1.8.31
गोपी — the cowherd lady (Yasoda)
आददे — took up
दाम — rope
त्वयि — on You
कृतागसि — creating disturbances (by breaking the butter pot)
तावत् — at that time
ते — Your
या दशा — that situation
अक्षम् — eye
अञ्जन — ointment (disturbed)
अश्रुकलिल — being flooded with tears
सम्भ्रम — perturbed
वक्त्रम् — face
निनीय — downwards
भयभावनया — by pretentions of fear
स्थितस्य — standing
भीः अपि — (and ) even ‘fear’ personified
बिभेति — is afraid.
यत् — of whom
सा— that (plight of yours)
विमोहयति — bewilders
माम् — me
Krishna pretends to be afraid when his mother threatens with punishment after upsetting all the butter pots. In this aspect of being afraid, He can only pretend to be overcome with fear since He knows not what fear may actually feel like… Isn’t he the Lord who grants ‘अभयम्’ to all those surrender unto Him? Kunti is very amused by Krishna’s display of fear, all the more, because even fear personified is afraid of Him and his devotees.
श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणकथाः - कुन्तीस्तुतिः २
जन्मैश्वर्यश्रुतश्रीभिर्एधमानमदः पुमान् ।
नैवार्हत्यभिधातुं वै त्वामकिञ्चनगोचरम् ॥1.8.26
पुमान् - the person
जन्म-ऐश्वर्य-श्रुत-श्रीभिः - (who) by the possession of birth, opulence, education and beauty
एधमानः - (and) progressively increasing
मदः - intoxication
वै - certainly
न एव - never
अर्हति - deserves
अभिधातुं - to address
त्वां - You
अकिञ्चनगोचरम् - who is easily approachable for the materialistically famished
Says Kunti, It is not possible for the self-important person, who is materially satiated, to remember the lord with as feeling and sincerity as the impoverished and suffering. Hence Kunti prays for calamities to beset her so that she may always remember the lord with total sincerity and a feeling of helplessness.
श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणकथाः - कुन्तीस्तुतिः
Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas was one of Krishna’s aunts. Needless to say she loved Krishna, as Devaki or Yashoda might love Him. Apart from her मातृभावः, she had, early on in her life, begun to look up to Sri Krishna as the savior of her sons, Pandavas and Draupadi and their progeny. The Lord was with them, at all major instances, as the story unfolded. Here it was, after the war when Yudhishtira was proclaimed king. Just as the Lord was preparing to leave for Dwaraka after the Mahabharata war, He yet again, saved the unborn son of Uttarakumari, daughter-in-law of Arjuna, on whom the powerful brahma missile was released by Ashwattama. Kunti, overcome by emotion on hearing that their savior Sri Krishna had saved the unborn offspring of the Kuru dynasty, praises him with words of gratitude.
विपदः सन्तु ताः शश्वत्तत्र तत्र जगद्गुरो ।
भवतो दर्शनम् यत्स्यादपुनर्भवदर्शनम् ॥ 1.8.25
जगद्गुरो - O lord of the Universe
सन्तु - let there be
विपदः - calamities
शश्वत् - again and again
तत्र तत्र - here and there
भवतः - your
दर्शनम् - meeting
यत् - that
स्यात् - which is
अपुनः - not again
भवदर्शनम् - seeing the repetition of birth and death
In this verse, which is a part of Kunti’s stuti of Sri Krishna in Canto 1, Chapter 8 of श्रीमद्भागवतम्, she asks the Lord for more calamities in her life, since calamities give her the opportunity to see the Lord more often.
It may seem a contradiction that Kunti asks for more calamities in her life, since every being wishes for happiness in his/her life, but in Kunti’s case, she who has tasted the bliss of the Lord’s presence through each and every calamity, the word calamity loses its bitterness and implies that SriKrishna’s sweet presence would instead take its place.
प्रेमस्वरूपः - 8
अस्माकं तन्निरवधिसुखस्यास्पदं वाञ्छितं यत्।
राधे राधे इति निगदिते स्तम्भतुल्या स्थितं तं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥
vāmā devyo sakalabhuvane te bhavantyo bhavantu
asmākaṁ tanniravadhikasukhasyāspadaṁ vāñchitaṁ yat|
rādhe rādhe iti nigadite stambhatulyā sthitaṁ taṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||8||
वामा देव्यो – beautiful ladies
सकलभुवने – in the entire world
ते भवन्त्यो – have become yours
भवन्तु – Let them be!
अस्माकं वाञ्छितं यत् – our desire is
तन्निरवधिसुखस्यास्पदं – to have that recipient of limitless bliss
राधे राधे इति निगदिते – the mere mention of the word ‘RADHA’
स्तम्भतुल्या – like a pillar
स्थितं तं – who stands
There are many beautiful ladies of yours, let them be! My desire is that person who is the recipient of your love which is the ultimate bliss equal to brahmAnanda. I bow to that Krishna who stands frozen like a pillar upon the mere mention of the word ‘RADHA’.
प्रेमस्वरूपः - 7
किं स्वं पुत्रं सकलजगतः देव इत्यन्वभूत् सा।
कृत्वा थूत्कं त्रिदशपरिषदं प्रार्थयामास यस्मै
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥७॥
āsye dṛṣṭvā nikhilajagatīṁ yā tvayā sṛṣṭapūrvā
kiṁ svaṁ putraṁ sakalajagataḥ deva ityanvabhūt sā|
kṛtvā thūtkaṁ tridaśapariṣadaṁ prārthayāmāsa yasmai
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||7||
दृष्ट्वा – after seeing
निखिलजगतीं – the entire
या त्वया सृष्टपूर्वा – which was created earlier by you
किं सा अन्वभूत् – did she realize/experience
स्वां पुत्रं – her son
सकलजगतः देव इति – to be the lord of the worlds
कृत्वा थूत्कं – she did “thu thu”
प्रार्थयामास – and prayed
त्रिदशपरिषदं – to devas
यस्मै – for him
When Krishna ate mud, Yashoda asked him to open his mouth and show. The moment she saw the worlds inside his mouth, did she realize that her son was the lord of the universe? She immediately took some mud in her hand, circled it over his head and spit on the mud. (this is a practice followed to ward off the evil eye) I bow to that Krishna for whom Yashoda prayed to the devas.
प्रेमस्वरूपः - 6
किं वा वक्ष्ये विरलवचनैः गोपिकाप्रेम तादृक्।
ताभिः सार्धं गहनयमुनातीरकुञ्जे रमन्तं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥६॥
bhaktiṁ dṛṣṭvā anupamitarasaṁ nārado vismito'bhūt
kiṁ vā vakṣye viralavacanaiḥ gopikāprema tādṛk|
tābhiḥ sārdhaṁ gahanayamunātīrakuñje ramantam
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||6||
भक्तिं दृष्ट्वा – seeing their devotion
अनुपमितरसं – incomparable essence
नारदो विस्मितोऽभूत् – Sage Narada was surprised
किं वा वक्ष्ये – what can I say
विरलवचनैः – with insufficient words
गोपिकाप्रेम तादृक् – such is the love of gopis
ताभिः सार्धं – with them
गहनयमुनातीरकुञ्जे – in the deep groves on the banks of yamuna
रमन्तं – one who sports
Seeing their incomparable bhakti, when even Sage Narada was amazed, what can I say of the gopis’ love for Krishna. I bow to that Krishna who plays with the gopis in the banks of Yamuna.
In नारदभक्तिसूत्र, Sage Narada shows the gopis as example for the highest form of bhakti who forget themselves being completely immersed in Krishna –
“नारदस्तु तदर्पिताखिलाचारत तद्विस्मरणे परमव्याकुलेति।” (नारदभक्तिसूत्राणि – ch. 2 su. 19)
“यथा व्रजगोपिकानाम्।” (नारदभक्तिसूत्राणि – ch. 2 su. 21)
प्रेमस्वरूपः - 5
सोऽपश्यत् त्वाम् उरगशयनं कीदृगक्रूरभाग्यम्।
हेतुस्तत्र स्फटिकविमलं मानसं पश्यसि त्वं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥५॥
so'paśyat tvām uragaśayanaṁ kīdṛgakrūrabhāgyam|
hetustatra sphaṭikavimalaṁ mānasaṁ paśyasi tvaṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||5||
स्वाम्यादेशं – lord’s order
हननपरमपि – although it was to kill
आहरत् – brought
त्वत्समीपे – to you
सोऽपश्यत् – he saw
त्वां – you
उरगशयनं – lying on a serpent bed
कीदृक् अक्रूरभाग्यम् – What a fortune for Akrura
हेतुस्तत्र – the reason there is
पश्यसि त्वं – you see
स्फटिकविमलं मानसं – crystal clear and pure heart
Knowing very well that Kamsa’s orders were meant to bring your death, Akrura brought them to you. Despite this, how fortunate was Akrura to have seen you as Vishnu under the river! The reason there is that you see only the pure heart which is clear as a crystal. I bow to that lord who is filled with love and dark like a new rain cloud.
प्रेमस्वरूपः - 4
पार्थं बोधस्फुरितवचनैः उद्धधार स्वशिष्यम्।
आत्मारामं समरभुवि तं सारथीभूतकृष्णं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥४॥
yotsye nāhaṁ mama gurujanaiḥ sārdhamevaṁ bruvāṇam
pārthaṁ bodhasphuritavacanaiḥ uddhadhāra svaśiṣyam|
ātmārāmaṁ samarabhuvi taṁ sārathībhūtakṛṣṇaṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||4||
योत्स्ये नाहं – I will not fight
मम गुरुजनैः सार्धम् – with my gurus
एवं ब्रुवाणम् पार्थं – thus spoke pArtha
बोधस्फुरितवचनैः – with enlightening words
उद्धधार – uplifted
स्वशिष्यम् – his disciple
आत्मारामं – one who revels in the Self
समरभुवि - on the battlefield
तं सारथीभूतकृष्णं – that krishna who became a charioteer
With enlightening words, you uplifted the spirits of your disciple Arjuna who said, “I will not fight with my preceptors”. I bow to that Krishna who revels in the Self, yet, became charioteer for Arjuna on the battlefield.
प्रेमस्वरूपः - 3
बद्ध्वा चैले पृथुकमनयत् त्वत्समीपे कुचैलः।
मुष्टेरर्थे विततसकलश्रीप्रसादं च कृष्णं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥३॥
smṛtvā hṛdyān uṣitadivasān sannidhāne gurostān
badhvā caile pṛthukam anayat tvatsamīpe kucailaḥ|
muṣṭerarthe vitatasakalaśrīprasādam ca kṛṣṇaṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||3||
हृद्यान् = pleasing
तान् उषितदिवसान् = those days spent
सन्निधाने गुरोः = in the presence of guru
बद्ध्वा = tying
चैले = in a piece of cloth
पृथुकम् = flattened rice
अनयत् = brought
त्वत्समीपे = to you
कुचैलः = kucela
मुष्टेरर्थे = for just one handful
विततसकलश्रीप्रसादं = provided entire wealth
Kuchela, remembering the days spent with you in gurukula, ties some flattened rice in a piece of cloth and brings it you. I praise that lord who gave entire material prosperity for just one handful of dried rice.
श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणे दशमस्कन्धे ऐकाशीतितमे अध्याये 10 & 11 श्लोकौ –
इति मुष्टिं सकृज्जग्ध्वा द्वितीयं जग्धुमाददे।
तावच्छ्रीर्जगृहे हस्तं तत्परा परमेष्ठिनः॥10॥
एतावतालं विश्वात्मन् सर्वसम्पत्समृद्धये।
अस्मिँल्लोकेऽथवामुष्मिन् पुंसस्त्वत्तोषकारणम्॥11॥
With these words, he took one fistful of that flattened rice and ate it, and then took another in hand. At this Rukmini who was none other than Sri devi caught hold of his hand, preventing the Lord from eating more of it. The Devi said, “O lord! By what you have already eaten you have conferred on him prosperity here and hereafter.”
Such was Krishna’s pleasure on seeing Kuchela that he forgot himself and wanted to eat more of the rice. By eating more, Sri, the goddess of fortune would have had to serve at the devotee’s home. To save herself from such a plight, she restrained Krishna from eating more.
प्रेमस्वरूपः - 2
पत्युः प्राणं सजलनयनाः प्रार्थयामासतुस्त्वाम्।
दृष्टं सर्वैरुरगपतये दत्तजीवं च कृष्णं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥२॥
patyuḥ prāṇam sajalanayanāḥ prārthayāmāsatuḥ tvām|
dṛṣṭaṁ sarvaiḥ uragapataye dattajīvam ca kṛṣṇaṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||2||
कालिन्द्यां = In Yamuna
विषधरपतौ = on the snake king
ते नर्तनं = your dance
वीक्ष्य = upon seeing
नागाः = the snakes (kalinga’s wives)
सजलनयनाः = with tearful eyes
पत्युः प्राणं = their husband’s life
प्रार्थयामासतुः = prayed
त्वाम् = to you
दृष्टं सर्वैः = who was seen by everyone
दत्तजीवं = who gave life
उरगपतये = to the snake king
In the river Yamuna when you danced on the head of kaliya, the snake king, his wives prayed to with tears in their eyes. I pray to that Krishna, who was seen by everyone giving life to that snake king, who is dark like a new rain cloud and full of love.
In bhagavata purana it is because of the entreaties of kaliya's wives that Krishna steps down from the snake's head.
प्रेमस्वरूपः - 1
गाढं प्रेम स्वकृतवचनैः वर्णनां कर्तुमीहे।
पुण्यां वीक्षामधिजिगमिषुश्चातकोऽहं च कृष्णं
प्रेमापूर्णं नवजलधरश्यामलं देवमीडे॥१॥
gāḍhaṁ prema svakṛtavacanaiḥ varṇanāṁ kartumīhe |
puṇyāṁ vīkṣām adhijigamiṣuḥ cātako'haṁ ca kṛṣṇaṁ
premāpūrṇaṁ navajaladharaśyāmalaṁ devamīḍe ||1||
श्रीगोपीश = lord of lakshmi and gopi
प्रणयसुलभ = easily accessible by love
त्वच्चरित्रे = in your life
हि दृष्टं = is indeed seen
गाढं प्रेम = deep love
स्वकृतवचनैः = words written by me
वर्णनां कर्तुम् = to describe
ईहे = I wish
पुण्यां वीक्षाम् = divine grace
अधिजिगमिषुः = wishing to get
चातकोऽहं = I am like a cataka bird
कृष्णं = krishna
प्रेमापूर्णं = filled with love
नवजलधरश्यामलं = dark like a new rain cloud
देवम् = lord
ईडे = I worship
O Krishna, who is the consort of Shri (Lakshmi) is also the lord of the gopis (wives of cowherds) because you are easily accessible by love, I wish to describe with my words the deep love that is seen in your story. For this I seek your divine grace, like the cataka bird and hence worship you Krishna who is filled with love and dark like a new rain-cloud.
Chataka is a mythical bird which always quenches its thirst only from raindrops that fall. So it is always looking at the sky in search of a rain cloud. My plight is not so bad because I am looking at you, Krishna who is dark like the rain cloud and hence always filled with love.