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But of thy own accord, do thou perform some Prayas- chitta, and thereby shew an example to other people." Balarama en- quired what he was to do. The Rishi asked him to do that by which their words as well as the act of Balarama both might prove true. Balarama said: "One’s son is one’s own self. So say the Vedas. There- fore the son of Romaharshana, Ugrasravas, shall be your reciter of Puranas. He shall have long life and freedom from fatigue. What am I to do, O Rishis, by which I may atone for my deed?" The Rishis asked Balarama to kill Valvala, son of the Danava II- vala, who used to pollute the sacrificial ground on certain days of the moon. They also asked Rama to travel all over Bharata Varsha for twelve months, and take his bath at the sacred places. Rama killed Valvala and went out on pilgrimage. On his return to Prabhasa he heard about the death of the Kshatriya kings in the war between the Kurus and the Pandavas. He went to Kurukshetra. Bhima and Duryodhana were then fighting with each other with their clubs. Balarama tried to bring about peace. But they did not heed his words. He then returned to Dvaraka. Balarama once more went to Naimisha and he was adored by the Rishis. SRIDAMAN. SKANDHA X. CHAP. 80-81. Krishna had a Brahmana fellow-student, by name Sridaman. He was well-read in the Vedas, self controlled and contented. He had a wife. He lived on whatever was freely given to him by others. His wife was ill-clad and ill-fed, like himself. One day she approached her husband and said:— "Husband, your friend is the Lord of Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) herself. Go to him and he will give you wealth. He gives even 370 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana his own self to those that meditate on his lotus feet. What can not that Lord of the Universe give to those that worship him with some desire?" Being repeatedly pressed by his wife, he at last resolved to go to Krishna, thinking that the sight of his friend would be his greatest gain. He asked his wife for some offering for his friend, She begged four handfuls of flattened rice (Chipitaka) from the Brahmanas and tied that up in one corner of her husband’s rag. The Brahmana went to Dvaraka, thinking all the way how he could meet Krishna. He passed through certain apartments and went into one of the rooms. Krishna was seated with one of his wives. He saw the Brahmana from a distance and rose up to receive him. He came down and em- braced his former companion with both his hands. Krishna gave him a respectful welcome and a seat by his own side. He then talked with him about the old reminiscences of student life, how they passed their days at the residence of Sandipani, how faithfully they carried out the behests of the Guru and his wife, how necessary it was to respect the Guru and such other topics. He then smilingly looked at the Brah- mana and said:— "What have you brought for me from your house? Even the small- est thing brought by my Bhaktas becomes great by their love, while the largest offerings of those that are not devoted to me cannot please me." The Brahmana, though asked, was ashamed to offer the flattened rice to the Lord of Lakshmi and he cast down his head. The all-seeing Sri Krishna knew the object of the Brahmana’s coming. He found that the Brahmana had not at first worshipped him with the object of attaining wealth. It was only to please his devoted wife that he now had that desire. The Lord therefore thought he would give him such wealth as was difficult to acquire. He then snatched away the flattened rice from the rags of the Brahmana saying, "What is this! O friend you have brought this highly gratifying offering for me. These rice grains please me, the Universal Atma." So saying he partook of one handful. When he was going to take the second handful, Lak- shmi held his hand, saying, "O Lord of the Universe, this much will quite suffice to give all such wealth as can be needed for this world as well as for the next, such that it will even please thee to see that thy votary has got so much wealth." The Brahmana passed the night with Krishna. The next morning, Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 371 he went home. Krishna went a certain distance with him to see him off. Krishna did not give him wealth nor did he ask for any. He thought within himself "What am I, a poor Brahmana and a sinner and this Krishna, whose breast is the abode of Lakshmi, gave me a reception as if I were a god. The worship of His feet is the root of all Siddhis, all enjoyments, of Svarga and even of Mukti. Kind as he is, he did not give me any the least wealth, lest a poor man should forget Him by the pride of wealth." When he reached home, he found palatial buildings, gardens and lots of well-dressed male and female attendants. They received him with valuable presents. His wife also came out to receive him, with a number of female attendants. The Brahmana was surprised. He saw this was all the outcome of his visiting Sri Krishna. He controlled himself while enjoying this immense wealth and, meditating on Sri Krishna, he at last attained His supreme abode. THE MEETING AT KURUKSHETRA. SKANDHA X. CHAP. 82-84 There was a total eclipse of the sun. Krishna and all the Yadavas went to Kurukshetra to bathe on the occasion. Nanda, the Gopas and Gopis, all came there. Kunti and her sons, Bhishma, Drona and all the kings also went. They all went together. (The Bhagavata Purana carefully avoids the battle at Kurukshetra. It barely mentions the duel between Bhima and Duryodhana. According to the Mahabharata, Bhishma, Drona and all the brothers of Duryodhana had been killed before the fight took place between Bhima and Duryodhana. But we find here that they were all present at the Kurukshetra meeting. A slight explanation will be necessary to put the readers on the right line of thought. The ideal of the Mahabharata was Tatva-masi, the unity of Jiva and Ishvara. Krishna and Arjuna looked alike. They were close companions. This Advaita view struck at the root of Up- asana excepting as a means to an end; it put into the shade alto- gether the Path of compassion, the Path of service of which Narada is the guide for this Kalpa. So we find even Bhishma being killed. Bhishma died at Uttarayana and necessarily passed through the De- vayana Marga, as an Upasaka. Whatever might be the goal of Up- 372 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana asana, the Bhagavata Purana treats of Upasana as an end and not as a means. The Bhagavatas, the Satvatas, the Vaishnavas do not ask for Nirvana Mukti they ask for devotion to the Lord of the Universe. They work in the Universe as servants of the Lord, taking the whole Universe to be their own selves. The Kurukshetra battle is therefore out of place in the Bhagavata Purana. This explains the great meeting at Kurukshetra instead of the Great Annihilation.) Kunti complained to Vasudeva that he did not make any enquiries about her and her sons, in her many afflictions. Vasudeva said, for fear of Kansa the Yadavas had scattered themselves, and they could not make enquiries about one another. The Kurus, Pandavas and the kings were all glad to see Krishna and his wives. Rama and Krishna duly honoured them all and made valuable presents. They all admired the good fortune of the Yadavas, in having Krishna always in their midst. Nanda and Yasoda were duly respected by Vasudeva and his wives. Krishna met the Gopis in privacy. He embraced them all, and, after enquiry about their safety, said smilingly:—"Do you remember us, O friends? For the good of those whom we call our own, we have been long in putting down the adverse party. Or do you think little of us, feeling that we have been ungrateful to you? Know for certain, it is the Lord who unites and separates all beings. As the wind unites masses of clouds, grass, cotton and dust particles, and again disunites them, so the creator does with all beings. Devotion to me serves to make beings immortal. How glad I am that you have this love to me, for by that love you gain me back. I am the beginning and end of all beings, I am both inside and outside. As the material objects resolve themselves into the primal elements, (Akasa, air, fire, water and earth), so (the material parts in) all beings resolve themselves into the primal elements. Atma pervades all beings as the conscious Perceiver (Atma). Know both (the Perceiver and the Perceived) to be reflected in me, the Supreme and the Immutable." The Gopis were taught this Adhyatma teaching by Sri Krishna. Bearing this teaching constantly in mind, they cast off the Jiva sheath (Jiva Kosa) and they attained Krishna. And they said:—"O Krishna let thy lotus feet be ever present in our minds, home-seeking though we Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 373 may have been. The lords of Yoga by their profound wisdom meditate on thy feet in their hearts. It is by thy feet that those that have fallen into the well of Sansara are raised." (Here we take a final leave of the Gopis. They had known Krishna as the Purusha of the Heart. They now knew him as the all-pervading Purusha. They were drawn back into the bosom of that Purusha, their Linga (Sikshma) Sarira destroyed. They now entered the divine state, but even there they did not forget the lotus feet of Krishna. They became centres of devotional love in the bosom of the Universal Lord.) Yudisthira and other friends of Krishna addressed him as all- incarnating Purusha. The wives of Krishna related to Draupadi how they came to be married to him. The Rishis addressed Sri Krishna as Ishvara. They then took leave of him. Vasudeva however detained them, saying they should instruct him as to how he could exhaust his Karma. Narada said it was no wonder that he should ask this question of them and not of Krishna.