Adventures Of Krishna & Balrama

The demon feels insecure

Today we have a set of verses from Chaitanya Charitamrita:

yuga-dharma pravartāimu nāma-saṅkīrtana
cāri bhāva-bhakti diyā nācāmu bhuvana

āpani karimu bhakta-bhāva aṅgīkāre
āpani ācari' bhakti śikhāimu sabāre

āpane nā kaile dharma śikhāna nā yāya
ei ta' siddhānta gītā-bhāgavate gāya

(Cc Adi 3.19-3.21)

"yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge"
(Cc Adi 3.22-3.23, which is quoted from Bhagavad Gita)

eta bhāvi' kali-kāle prathama sandhyāya
avatīrṇa hailā kṛṣṇa āpani nadīyāya

caitanya-siṁhera navadvīpe avatāra
siṁha-grīva, siṁha-vīrya, siṁhera huṅkāra

(Cc Adi 3.29-3.30)

Translation:

"I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age - nāma-saṅkīrtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy, realizing the four mellows of loving devotional service. I shall accept the role of a devotee, and I shall teach devotional service by practicing it Myself. Unless one practices devotional service himself, he cannot teach it to others. This conclusion is indeed confirmed throughout the Gītā and Bhāgavatam.

 'Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion - at that time I descend Myself. 'To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.'"

Thinking thus, the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, descended at Nadia early in the Age of Kali. Thus the lionlike Lord Caitanya has appeared in Navadvīpa. He has the shoulders of a lion, the powers of a lion, and the loud voice of a lion.

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Vasudeva was tensed.

The first child had been born soon.

Vasudeva and Devaki were internally weeping. They didn't want a new born child to be mercilessly killed. As soon as he was born, he got named as Kirtiman.

Vasudeva had promised to deliver all the children because Kamsa wasn't convinced that the eighth child would kill him.

Vasudeva, therefore, to save Devaki, promised to give Kamsa every child, whether male or female.

Kamsa seeing Vasudeva keeping his promise, smiled. The demon spoke:

"Vasudev, you have kept your promise. You may take back your child and go home. I have no fear of your first child. It is the eighth child of you and Devaki I am concerned with because that is the child by whom I am destined to be killed."

Vasudev (silently) thanked Vishnu for saving the life of the child and took the child back home.

But, a demon's words isn't something to be relied upon.

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Few days later, the great saint Narada descended from the heavenly planets to the forest of Mathura and sent his messenger to Kamsa.

When the messenger approached Kamsa and informed him of Narada's arrival, Kamsa, the leader of the asuras, was very happy and immediately came out of his palace to receive Narada, who was as bright as the sun, as powerful as fire, and free from all tinges of sinful activities.

Kamsa accepted Narada as his guest, offered him respectful obeisances and gave him a golden seat, brilliant like the sun.

Narada was a friend of the King of heaven, and thus he told Kamsa, the son of Ugrasena,

"My dear hero, you have satisfied me with a proper reception, and therefore I shall tell you something secret and confidential. While I was coming here from Nandakanana through the Caitraratha forest, I saw a great meeting of the demigods, who followed me to Sumeru Parvata. We traveled through many holy places, and finally we saw the holy Ganges.

While Lord Brahma was consulting the other demigods at the top of Sumeru Hill, I was also present with my stringed instrument, the vina. I shall tell you confidentially that the meeting was held just to plan to kill the asuras, headed by you. You have a younger sister named Devaki, and it is a fact that her eighth son will kill you."

Hearing this, Kamsa started trembling.

Look, there are many movies in which Narad muni is potrayed as a cartoon. This isn't true. He is a great devotee of Lord. So, we shouldn't consider him a joker but a great sage. Trust me, there are many instances throughout Shrimad Bhagavatam where Narad muni is glorified.

There are many reasons for a great sage like Narada muni to encourage Kamsa to be cause of distress to the sons of Devaki and Vasudeva.

Firstly, the six sons born from womb of Mother Devaki were sons of Kaalnemi in their previous life. These sons were cursed to be killed by their father. And the curse had just come true! The six sons were killed by Kamsa, who was their father in previous birth. Narad muni was just acting as an instrument since death of children in hands of Kamsa was sure to happen.

Secondly, if Kamsa would commit more and more sins, Krishna would descend faster.

That's why Narad muni acted like this. Don't misunderstand it.

Those who serve Krishna in whichever mood, Krishna reciprocates in that way. Those who think Krishna as their friend, Krishna also considers that devotee as His friend.
Similarly, Kamsa considered Krishna his enemy. Hence, Krishna also reciprocated by becoming his enemy.

Those who don't have Krishna will always be insecure regarding something or other, just like Kamsa was insecure regarding his throne, prowess, etc.

Kamsa arrested Devaki and Vasudeva immediately. And to make it worse, suspecting each of the children to be Vishnu, Kamsa killed them one after another because of the prophecy that Vishnu would kill him.

Narada muni had also informed Kamsa about how Kamsa, in the body of Kaalnemi was beaten up by Vishnu in his previous life.

He also suspected that everyone belonging to the Yadu dynasty were none other than demigods, who were on Vishnu's side. Hence, he was envious of people of Yadu dynasty too.

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