Six Steps to Relish Krishna's Pastimes

2013-10-27
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.26.01 - Six Steps to Relish Krishna's Pastimes (download mp3)
by Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net




SB 10.26.1
sri-suka uvaca
evam-vidhani karmani
gopah krsnasya viksya te
atad-virya-vidah procuh
samabhyetya su-vismitah

Translation: 
Sukadeva Gosvami said: The cowherd men were astonished when they saw Krsna’s activities, such as lifting Govardhana Hill. Unable to understand His transcendental potency, they approached Nanda Maharaja and spoke as follows.

Purport: 
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains this verse as follows: “During Lord Krsna’s pastime of lifting Sri Govardhana Hill, the cowherd men simply enjoyed the spiritual bliss of the Lord’s activities without analyzing them. But afterwards, when they had returned to their homes, perplexity arose within their hearts. Thus they thought, ‘Now we have directly seen child Krsna lift Govardhana Hill, and we remember how He killed Putana and other demons, extinguished the forest fire, and so on. At the time, we thought that these extraordinary acts occurred because of a benediction from the brahmanas or because of Nanda Maharaja’s great fortune, or that perhaps this boy had achieved the mercy of Lord Narayana and was thus empowered by Him.

“‘But all these presumptions are false, because an ordinary seven-year old boy could never hold up the king of mountains for seven whole days. Krsna is not a human being. He must be the Supreme Lord Himself.

“‘But on the other hand, child Krsna loves it when we coddle Him, and He becomes morose when we — His uncles and well-wishers, simply worldly cowherd men — do not give Him attention. He appears to become hungry and thirsty, steals yogurt and milk, sometimes plays tricks, tells lies, chatters childishly and tends the calves. If He is actually the Supreme Lord, why would He do these things? Don’t they indicate that He is an ordinary human child?

“‘We are totally unable to establish the truth of His identity. Therefore let us go and inquire from the highly intelligent King of Vraja, Nanda Maharaja, and he shall free us from our doubts.’”

According to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, the cowherd men thus made up their minds, and then they entered Nanda Maharaja’s great assembly hall and questioned him as described in the following verse.