Nanda and Yashoda Eternal Parents of Krishna

 2012-05-16
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.08.49 - Nanda and Yashoda Eternal Parents of Krishna (download mp3) , (download flv) and (download mp4)
by Shyam Charan Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net



SB 10.8.49
jatayor nau mahadeve
bhuvi visvesvare harau
bhaktih syat parama loke
yayañjo durgatim taret

Translation:
Drona and Dhara said: Please permit us to be born on the planet earth so that after our appearance, the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller and master of all planets, will also appear and spread devotional service, the ultimate goal of life, so that those born in this material world may very easily be delivered from the miserable condition of materialistic life by accepting this devotional service.

Purport:
This statement by Drona clearly indicates that Drona and Dhara are the eternal father and mother of Krsna. Whenever there is a necessity of Krsna’s appearance, Drona and Dhara appear first, and then Krsna appears. Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita that His birth is not ordinary (janma karma ca me divyam).

ajo ’pi sann avyayatma
bhutanam isvaro ’pi san
prakrtim svam adhisthaya
sambhavamy atma-mayaya

“Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all sentient beings, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.” (Bg. 4.6) Before Krsna’s appearance, Drona and Dhara appear in order to become His father and mother. It is they who appear as Nanda Maharaja and his wife, Yasoda. In other words, it is not possible for a sadhana-siddha living being to become the father or mother of Krsna, for Krsna’s father and mother are already designated. But by following the principles exhibited by Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda and their associates, the inhabitants of Vrndavana, ordinary living beings may attain such affection as exhibited by Nanda and Yasoda.

When Drona and Dhara were requested to beget children, they chose to come to this world to have the Supreme Personality of Godhead as their son, Krsna. Krsna’s appearance means paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam — the devotees are protected, and the miscreants are vanquished. Whenever Krsna comes, He distributes the highest goal of life, devotional service. He appears as Caitanya Mahaprabhu for the same purpose because unless one comes to devotional service, one cannot be delivered from the miseries of the material world (duhkhalayam asasvatam), where the living beings struggle for existence. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (15.7):

mamaivamso jiva-loke
jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Because of conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” The living entities are struggling to become happy, but unless they take to the bhakti cult, their happiness is not possible. Krsna clearly says:

asraddadhanah purusa
dharmasyasya parantapa
aprapya mam nivartante
mrtyu-samsara-vartmani

“Those who are not faithful on the path of devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of foes, but return to birth and death in this material world.” (Bg. 9.3)

Foolish persons do not know how risky life is here if one does not follow the instructions of Krsna. The Krsna consciousness movement, therefore, has been started so that by practicing Krsna consciousness one can avoid the risky life of this material existence. There is no question of accepting or not accepting Krsna consciousness. It is not optional; it is compulsory. If we do not take to Krsna consciousness, our life is very risky. Everything is explained in Bhagavad-gita. Therefore, to learn how to become free from the miserable condition of material existence, Bhagavad-gita As It Is is the preliminary study. Then, if one understands Bhagavad-gita, one can proceed to Srimad-Bhagavatam, and if one advances further, one may study Caitanya-caritamrta. We are therefore presenting these invaluable books to the whole world so that people may study them and be happy, being delivered from miserable conditional life.