NOTES FOR DAY 5

OF "DEMONS" COURSE

Çakatasura

Çréla Prabhupäda says in a purport in this chapter of Çrémad

Bhägavatam:

"These narrations are wonderfully enjoyable, and those who are

fortunate are struck with wonder upon hearing of these extraordinary
activities of the Lord. Although the less intelligent regard them as
mythological because a dull brain cannot understand them, they are
real facts. These narrations are actually so enjoyable and enlightening
that Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Gosvami took pleasure in them,
and other liberated persons, following in their footsteps, become fully
jubilant by hearing about the wonderful activities of the Lord."

(My note: Kåñëa had not begun to crawl yet)

Sukadeva Gosvami said: When mother Yasoda's baby was slanting His
body to attempt to rise and turn around, this attempt was observed by
a Vedic ceremony. In such a ceremony, called utthana, which is
performed when a child is due to leave the house for the first time, the
child is properly bathed. Just after Krsna turned three months old,
mother Yasoda celebrated this ceremony with other women of the
neighborhood. On that day, there was a conjunction of the moon with
the constellation Rohini. As the brahmanas joined by chanting Vedic
hymns and professional musicians also took part, this great ceremony
was observed by mother Yasoda

After completing the bathing ceremony for the child, mother Yasoda
received the brahmanas by worshiping them with proper respect and
giving them ample food grains and other eatables, clothing, desirable
cows, and garlands. The brahmanas properly chanted Vedic hymns to
observe the auspicious ceremony, and when they finished and mother
Yasoda saw that the child felt sleepy, she lay down on the bed with
the child until He was peacefully asleep.

The liberal mother Yasoda, absorbed in celebrating the utthana

ceremony, was busy receiving guests, worshiping them with all
respect and offering them clothing, cows, garlands and grains. Thus
she could not hear the child crying for His mother. At that time, the
child Krsna, demanding to drink the milk of His mother's breast,
angrily threw His legs upward.

Krsna had been placed underneath a household handcart, but this

handcart was actually another form of the Sakatasura, a demon who
had come there to kill the child. Now, on the plea of demanding to
suck His mother's breast, Krsna took this opportunity to kill the
demon. (Çréla Rüpa Goswämi says He was "expertly pretending to
cry") Thus He kicked Sakatasura just to expose him. Although Krsna's
mother was engaged in receiving guests, Lord Krsna wanted to draw
her attention by killing the Sakatasura, and therefore he kicked that
cart-shaped demon. Such are the pastimes of Krsna. Krsna wanted to
draw the attention of His mother, but while doing so He created a
great havoc not understandable by ordinary persons.

Lord Sri Krsna was lying down underneath the handcart in one corner
of the courtyard, and although His little legs were as soft as leaves,
when He struck the cart with His legs, it turned over violently and
collapsed. The wheels separated from the axle, the hubs and spokes
fell apart, and the pole of the handcart broke. On the cart there were
many little utensils made of various metals, and all of them scattered
hither and thither.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has commented on this verse as

follows. When Lord Krsna was of a very tender age, His hands and legs
resembled soft new leaves, yet simply by touching the handcart with
His legs, He made the cart fall to pieces. It was quite possible for Him
to act in this way and yet not exert Himself very much. The Lord in His
Vamana avatara had to extend His foot to the greatest height to
penetrate the covering of the universe, and when the Lord killed the
gigantic demon Hiranyakasipu, He had to assume the special bodily
feature of Nrsimhadeva. But in His Krsna avatara, the Lord did not
need to exert such energy. Therefore, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam:
Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. In other
incarnations, the Lord had to exert some energy according to the time
and circumstances, but in this form He exhibited unlimited potency.
Thus the handcart collapsed, its joints broken, and all the metal pots
and utensils scattered.

When mother Yasoda and the other ladies who had assembled for the
utthana festival, and all the men, headed by Nanda Maharaja, saw the
wonderful situation, they began to wonder how the handcart had
collapsed by itself. They began to wander here and there, trying to
find the cause, but were unable to do so.

The assembled cowherd men and women began to contemplate how

this thing had happened. "Is it the work of some demon or evil
planet?" they asked. At that time, the small children present asserted
that the cart had been kicked apart by the baby Krsna. As soon as the
crying baby bad kicked the cart's wheel, the cart had collapsed. There
was no doubt about it.

The nearby children saw that actually Krsna had kicked the wheel of
the cart and this was how the accident happened. By the arrangement
of yogamaya, all the gopis and gopas thought that the accident had
taken place because of some bad planet or some ghost, but in fact
everything was done by Krsna and enjoyed by Him. Those who enjoy
the activities of Krsna are also on the platform of ananda-cinmaya-
rasa; they are liberated from the material platform. When one
develops the practice of hearing krsna-katha, he is certainly
transcendental to material existence, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita
(sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate). Unless one is on
the spiritual platform, one cannot enjoy the transcendental activities
of Krsna; or in other words, whoever engages in hearing the
transcendental activities of Krsna is not on the material platform, but
on the transcendental, spiritual platform.

The assembled gopis and gopas, unaware that Krsna is always

unlimited, could not believe that baby Krsna had such inconceivable
power. They could not believe the statements of the children, and
therefore they neglected these statements as being childish talk.

Thinking that some bad planet had attacked Krsna, mother Yasoda
picked up the crying child and allowed Him to suck her breast.
(Mention that Kåñëa was not thought to have recovered from the
attack of Putana until He sucked on His mother's breast, even after so
many religious performances were done to protect Him (eg putting on
tilaka, wiping with the tail of a cow). The same thing applies here in
the story of Sakatasura.)

Then she called for experienced brahmanas to chant Vedic hymns and
perform an auspicious ritualistic ceremony. (This is a Vedic tradition)

After the strong, stout cowherd men assembled the pots and
paraphernalia on the handcart and set it up as before, the brahmanas
performed a ritualistic ceremony with a fire sacrifice to appease the
bad planet, and then, with rice grains, kusa, water and curd, they
worshiped the Supreme Lord.

The handcart was loaded with heavy utensils and other paraphernalia.
To set the cart back in its original position required much strength, but
this was easily done by the cowherd men. Then, according to the
system of the gopa jati, various Vedic ceremonies were performed to
appease the calamitous situation.
 LOADS:

1. Story of people carrying loads on other side of river. Devotees told

them to come and join them by swimming over the river, but they said
that they would drown because the loads were so heavy. So devotees
told them to throw away the loads, but they said they could not,
because that was all they had.

2. In SB 2nd canto it is said that a head that does not bow down
before the Lord is like a heavy load. It will simply push one down to a
hellish condition of life.

3. Before Kåñëa appeared the planet was feeling the burden of the
demoniac ksatriyas. They would march their armies up and down and
hurt her.

4. Even when Kåñëa would herd the cows the weight of their bodies on
their hooves would cause pain to the earth, but when Kåñëa was
walking behind them the touch of His lotus feet would soothe those
feelings of pain.

5. In so many places Çréla Prabhupäda talks about the ass carrying

load, just to get a little grass, which is available anywhere, from his
owner.

6. Çrémad Bhägavatam 2.3.21 says: The upper portion of the body,

though crowned with a silk turban, is only a heavy burden if not
bowed down before the Personality of Godhead who can award mukti
[freedom]. And the hands, though decorated with glittering bangles,
are like those of a dead man if not engaged in the service of the
Personality of Godhead Hari.

Çréla Prabhupäda explains in the purport: The common man who is

puffed up with his material position and does not bow down before the
Deity of the Lord in the temple, or who defies temple worship without
any knowledge of the science, must know that his so-called turban or
crown will only succeed in further drowning him in the water of the
ocean of material existence. A drowning man with a heavy weight on
his head is sure to go down more swiftly than those who have no
heavy weight. A foolish, puffed-up man defies the science of God and
says that God has no meaning for him, but when he is in the grip of
God's law and is caught by some disease like cerebral thrombosis, that
godless man sinks into the ocean of nescience by the weight of his
material acquisition. Advancement of material science without God
consciousness is a heavy load on the head of human society, and so
one must take heed of this great warning.
The crown of a king is simply a big load if the king or head of the state
does not actually bear the dust of the lotus feet of brahmanas and
Vaisnavas. In other words, if a liberal king like Prthu Maharaja does not
follow the instructions of brahmanas and Vaisnavas or does not follow
the brahminical culture, he is simply a burden on the state, for he
cannot benefit the citizens. Maharaja Prthu is the perfect example of
an ideal chief executive.

7. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to say that asking

God for mukti or anything else other than bhakti is like going to a
rich man and asking for ashes. There is another story, about an old
woman who was carrying a bundle of dry wood through the forest.
Somehow or other the bundle, which was very heavy, fell to the
ground. The old woman became very disturbed, and thought, "Who
will help put this bundle back on my head?" She then began to call
on God, saying, "God help me." Suddenly God appeared and said,
"What do you want?" She said, "please help me put this bundle
back on my head." So this is our foolishness. When God comes to
give us some benediction, we simply ask Him to load us down again
with all these material bundles. We ask Him for more material
things, for a happy family, for a large amount of money, for a new
car or whatever.

HOW KÅÑËA HELPS HIS DEVOTEES BY CARRYING THE

LOAD:

Now, the materialist says, "All right, you do not know whether you are
going or not. You are giving up this material enjoyment. You are
simply living on chapatis. Oh, we have got so many palatable dishes,
and you are not enjoying this. You are fool." So to these poor
devotees who are taking chapatis, the Lord says a very nice thing.
What is that? Ananyas cintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate, tesam
nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham. Well, materialist, Mr.
materialist, you have to work very hard. But here the assurance is
from the Lord that "Those who are unflinching and cent percent
devoted in the transcendental service of Me, for them I take charge of
the maintenance, all comforts." Nityabhiyuktanam yoga- ksemam
vahamy aham. Now, this sloka is very important for the devotees.
There was a great devotee. His name was Anandacarya. So when he
was writing commentaries on this particularsloka, verse, he saw that
tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham, the Lord says
that "I myself take the burden and take the load on my head, and I
deliver them to my devotees, what they require, what they require.
He doesn't require to go outside. I myself go and deliver the goods,
whatever he requires." This is written here. Tesam
nityabhiyuktanam. Those who are cent percent engaged in the loving
service of the Lord, tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy
aham. Yoga means what is required by him, and ksemam means what
he has got, he requires to be protected.
So these two things the Lord takes charge, that "I personally do it."
For whom? Ananyas cintayanto mam. Those who have no other
thought than Krsna, Krsna conscious. Ananyas cintayanto mam. Ye
janah paryupasate, and engaged in that way always. He has no other
business, simply Krsna. For him these things the Lord does. It is
specifically mentioned here. Therefore this is an encouragement. This
is an encouragement by the Lord that "Do not think that because you
are not trying for going to the other planet you will be unhappy. You
will have happiness." What is happiness? Happiness is within your
mind. If you are assured of your peaceful existence and the next life
you are transferred to the supreme planet, or supreme place, then
that is happiness, not for trying life after life to adjust happiness. Here
is an assurance. Now this Arjunacarya...that's a very nice story. When
he was writing commentaries, oh, he thought, "How is that Lord will
come Himself and deliver the goods?
Oh, it is not possible. He might be sending through some agent." So
he wanted to cut vahamy aham, "I bear the burden and deliver." He
wrote in a way that "I send some agent who delivers." So that
Arjunacarya went to take bath, and in the meantime two boys, very
beautiful boys, they brought some very nice foodstuff in large
quantity. And in India there is a process to taking two sides burden on
the bamboo. Just like a scale it is balanced. So these two boys
brought some very highly valuable foodstuff and grains and ghee, and
his wife was there. And the boys said, "My dear mother, Arjunacarya
has sent these goods to you. Please take delivery." "Oh, you are so
nice boy, you are so beautiful boys, and he has given. And Acarya is
not so cruel. How is that? He has given so much burden to you, and
he is not kind..?" "Oh, I was not taking, and just see, he has beaten
me. Here is cane mark. Oh, see." His wife became very much
astonished, that "Acarya is not so cruel. How he has become so cruel?"
So she was thinking in that way. Then "All right, my dear boys. You
come on." And gave him shelter. And, "No. I shall go because
Arjunacarya again comes. He will chastise us." "No, no. You sit down,
take foodstuff." He(she) prepared foodstuff, and then they went away.
Then the acarya returned, and his wife said: "Acarya, you have
become so much cruel nowadays?" "Oh, what is that?" "Two boys,
very nice boys, they have brought so many foodstuff. You loaded on
their head, and they denied to take it, and you have beaten them,
chastised?"
He said, "No. I have never done this. Why shall I do it?" Then she
described, "Oh, such a nice beautiful boy." Then Arjunacarya
understood that "Because I thought that God does not deliver, so to
show me He has delivered these goods, and because I cut these
alphabets that He does not give personally, so He has shown that
beating mark." Here the Lord says that "I personally deliver." So those
who are in Krsna consciousness, those who are actually busy in the
matter of discharging their duties as a Krsna conscious person, they
may be assured that so far their living condition is concerned or their
comforts of life is concerned, that is assured by the Lord. There will be
no hampering.

LETHARGY:

In Bhagavad-gétä 3.30 Lord Kåñëa says: Therefore, O Arjuna,

surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me,
without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free
from lethargy, fight.

Çréla Prabhupäda explains in the purport: This verse clearly indicates

the purpose of the Bhagavad-gita. The Lord instructs that one has to
become fully Krsna conscious to discharge duties, as if in military
discipline. Such an injunction may make things a little difficult;
nevertheless duties must be carried out, with dependence on Krsna,
because that is the constitutional position of the living entity.

Another example:
Similarly, there is extreme cold, but everyone is taking bath in the
Ganges. Nobody says, "Oh, I'll not take bath. So duty has to be done.
There may be some suffering, temporary. Even though... Krsna never
says, "Oh, my dear Arjuna, you are My friend. All right, you are feeling
so much sorry. All right, I shall do it for you. You sit down, silent." No.
Krsna never says that. "You have to do it." Although He says that "This
battle is arranged by Me. They're already killed. Nobody is going back.
Still, you have to do it." So our duty, persons who are Krsna
consciousness, engaged in Krsna consciousness, they should always
know that everything is to be done by Krsna. We cannot do anything
without Krsna's sanction. But still, we have to do our own duty. Not
that, "Oh, Krsna will do everything. Therefore we shall not try for a
storefront or we shall not go to see this man or... Krsna..." No! That is
lethargy. You have to do your own duty. But result, depend on
Krsna.This is Krsna conscious. You don't be sorry if there is failure, you
don't be too much, I mean to say, jubilant if there is success.
Everything is done by Krsna. This is the attitude of Krsna
consciousness. They have to do their own duty. Never mind whether it
is suffering or happiness. It doesn't matter.
DULLNESS:
1. Çréla Prabhupäda explains: Dull matter. Dull matter. It has no
necessity. It is dull matter. And as soon as you have got life, there is
necessity. Without feeling necessity means dullness.

2. Some prayers to overcome dullness:

Sinful or pious, infamous or famous, wealthy or so poor a morsel of
food is hard to get, incomparably dull or a great treasury of
knowledge, friend, don't count these things. Somehow see
Vrndavana, and with the help of the words of guru and sastra, cut, cut
the ropes of material illusion.

3. Srila Sanatana Gosvami begins his Digdarsini Tika commentary with

the following prayers:
O Lord dressed in yellow silk, I who am full of love for You, have
tied You with the ropes of hearing about You, the ropes of meditating
on You, and the chains of chanting Your names. Now I hold You
tightly. You will never escape.
Obeisances to Lord Sri Gopinatha. Obeisances to Lord Sri
Caitanyadeva. By taking shelter of the jewel of His form, even this
dull and foolish person dances wonderfully.

4. In Sree Krishna Caitanya Professor Sanyal says that Sakatasura

represents the tendency to take the meaning of the scriptures in too
literal a way, in a mechanical fashion. When the followers of the
pseudo-guru apply themselves to their premature manjari practices in
this mood they quickly fall away from the path.