True Devotion

My offering to Krishna on His birthday this year which we celebrate as Janmashtami is about true devotion to Him.

Krishna spent His whole childhood at Gokul and later in Vrindavan. So, He was very dear to the Gopis. After Kamsavadha (killing of Kamsa), He went away with his biological parents and thereafter for his studies and then started residing at Dwarka. He was now a Prince at Dwarka, leading a happy life with His wives Rukmini and Satyabhama. They looked after all His needs with utmost attention and care. However, very often in His sleep He muttered the names of the Gopis and Radha in particular. When questioned by Satyabhama once, He confessed to remembering the Gopis and His memorable moments with them often.

Sathyabhama was annoyed. She said to Rukmini, “See how much attention we pay to His comforts and He keeps muttering the names of those cow-herd girls only hmm… We both come from noble and royal families and don’t lack beauty or wealth. Still Krishna’s memory is still filled with those Gopis even after so many years of His leaving Gokul.  I just don’t know why He keeps thinking of them”. Rukmini also was puzzled as to what Krishna found lacking  in their company. But being more mature, she just nodded her head and did not reply to Sathyabhama. But, in her inner mind, she too was perplexed on this issue of Krishna remembering the Gopis very often.

Krishna being Krishna could easily read what was going in their mind, but He just kept quiet at that time.

After some time, one morning, Krishna woke up moaning and groaning with pain. He complained that He was suffering from severe stomach pain. Sathyabhama and Rukmini lost no time in calling the best vaidyas (doctors) in Dwarka and they prescribed so many medicines. Days passed but there was not a wee bit of reduction in the pain and discomfort  of Shri Krishna.

During that period, Rishi Narada happened to visit Dwarka. The voice of Narada uttering “Narayana Narayana!!” brought a smile on Krishna’s lips. The next character of His divine drama was there. Narada came into the chamber where Krishna was lying down. He was shocked to see Him in pain.

“What happened Swami?” asked an alarmed Narada.

Sathyabhama and Rukmini who were nearby told Rishi Narada of the terrible stomach ache Krishna was suffering from for the past few days and that the medicines were of no use.

Narada heard them patiently and then turned to Shri Krishna.

“Well Swami, you are Narayana yourself  and you will certainly know the antidote for your stomach pain. Pray let us know so that we can help you” said Narada.

As if hesitant to spell out the remedy, Krishna said with great reluctance, “Well, hmm… the antidote is very simple. Two pinches of the dust of the feet of anyone willing to give it to me is all what is required to cure my stomach ache. My swallowing that dust will rid me of this pain. But… who will do that?”.

Saying so Shri Krishna looked around at everyone, keen to see if anyone was going to come forward. All the people present in the chamber, including Rukmini and Bhama were looking down not wanting to meet Krishna’s gaze. The thought that was going on in their minds was about the sin that they may accrue by giving the dust of their feet to the Lord. It would be blasphemous, thought some. It would ensure hell for them after death, thought others. All the merits accrued in this life would be gone forever  thought some others.

Narada waited for their response and then said to Krishna, “Swami I am a traveller of the three worlds and I am blessed with the power of aerial movement. I will go around and find out if there is anyone who is willing to give what you want. Narayana Narayana!” So saying, Rishi Narada left.

And straight he went to Vrindavan. “Narayana Narayana!” The sound brought all the Gopis running to where Narada was. They paid obeisance to Narada and asked him where he was coming from. “Dwarka” replied Narada. The girls looked at each other and it was apparent they wanted to know about the well-being of Shri Krishna. But they were tight-lipped.

“Don’t you want to know how Krishna is doing?” asked Narada. “After all, he grew up with all of you here…”

“No.. no.. we do not want to know” said one Gopi. “He just left us all and went away. We are only thinking of Him day and night and we don’t know if He even remembers us”. The other Gopis nodded their heads.

“But…” said Narada. “Krishna is unwell and suffering from terrible stomach ache”.

“What!” said all the Gopis in unison and they all surrounded Narada.

“What happened?”

“ Who is attending to Him?”

“Are there no Vaidyas in Dwarka – such a big city it seems!”

“What do the Vaidyas say? It is curable is it not?”

“Is there any medicine for this illness or not?”

This and a hundred more questions addressed to Narada came like arrows from the Gopis.

“Wait… wait!” said Narada. “Of course there is a medicine …”

“Then why not give it?” shot a Gopi before Narada could complete the sentence.

“Be patient. I will tell you”  said Narada.  “The medicine for the cure of Shri Krishna is the dust of the feet of anyone willing to give it to him. Just two pinches of that.”

“So simple!” the Gopis exclaimed. “And yet no one wants to give? Strange people!”

One of the senior Gopis commanded to another, “Go and bring a plate.” And off went the other bringing a big silver plate. One by one all the Gopis stepped on to the plate and shook the dust in their feet to fall into the plate. Soon the plate was full of the dust of the feet of the Gopis.

Narada watched it and said to the Gopis, “Well did you think what will happen to you in your after-life if you give the dust of your feet to the Lord?” In unison the Gopis said, “We are not bothered about ourselves. We only care for Krishna’s well-being”.

Then, one Gopi tore a portion of her silk saree and put the dust in that and made it into a neat bundle. “Here” she said to Narada. “Please go and give this to Krishna immediately. We do not want to hear that he is suffering. Go quickly!” And short of pushing him away they all sent him off to Dwarka.

Narada reached Dwarka and entered Krishna’s chamber. The queens  and the attendants were there with sad faces. Krishna’s face lit up when he saw Narada.

“Narayana.. Narayana!” said Narada and took out the silk packet. Krishna looked at him enquiringly as he opened the packet. “Here is the dust you had asked for” said Narada. Ignoring the bewildered looks of all around, Krishna took two pinches of the dust and put it in his mouth and swallowed it. After a few minutes, he exclaimed, “Ah! Now my pain is gone!” And he sat up cheerfully much to the relief of all present.

“Narada!” said Shri Krishna. “Who gave this dust of their feet may I know?” he asked pretending to not know.

“I went to Vrindavan Swami! The Gopis panicked when they heard you were not well and immediately gave this. When I asked them if they were not bothered about sin accruing to them on account of this act, they said they were not bothered about themselves but only about your well-being Swami!” said Narada meekly  in a matter-of fact manner.

Krishna looked up to see the reaction of his queens and by now they had found the answer to their question and understood what true Bhakti is.

True Bhakti is when we stop thinking of ourselves and think only of the Supreme.

Jai Shri Krishna!!