A Study of the Bhâgavata Purâna; or, Esoteric Hinduism
Religion
A Study of the Bhâgavata Purâna; or, Esoteric Hinduism
Puranas. Bhagavatapurana. English
"’(1) Those that seek pleasure in self (and not in the outside world),
(2) those that are satiated, (3) the ungrateful and (4) the treacherous.
But I do not belong to any of these classes, I do not seek those that
seek me in order to make them seek me continually and constantly. For
when a poor man gains wealth and then loses it, he becomes so full of
that loss that no other thought can enter his mind (_i.e._ to help the
continuity and constancy of the devotional feeling, I do not show open
favor to a devotee. This is an act of supreme kindness and friendship).
You have given up for my sake all worldly concerns, the Vedas and even
your own relations. I seek you from behind, being out of sight.
Therefore you ought rightly to be angry with me. Even with the life of a
God, I cannot make any return for your devotion to me, for you have
burst asunder the ever fresh chains of home life, in order to seek me.
So let your own goodness be the only recompense for your devotion.’"
THE RÂSA.
Govinda commenced Râsa with his devoted band. (Râsa is a kind of dance
in which many dancing girls take part.) The Gopis formed a circle, and
Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, was between every two of them and he pressed
them all unto his shoulders, and each of them thought that Krishna was
near to her. (How could one Krishna stand between every two of them and
how could each Gopi think that he was near to her only, when he was near
to them all? Therefore "the Lord of Yoga" _i.e._ of unimaginable powers.
_Śridhara_.) The sky became filled with hundreds of chariots of Devas
and Deva girls, eager to witness the scene. Drums beat and flowers
rained. The Gandharva kings with their wives sang the pure glory of
Krishna. Loud was the clash of the Gopis’ ornaments. They danced and
sang in great excitement. The moon lingered on with amazed look and the
night became prolonged. So the dance continued till at last the Gopis
became fatigued. Krishna wiped off their sweat and went with them to
bathe in the Yamunâ. After the bath they most reluctantly took leave of
Krishna.
In these enjoyments Krishna was self-contained.
Asked Râjâ Parikshit: —
"The Incarnation of Íśvara is for the spread of Dharma and the putting
down of Adharma. What is this enjoyment of others’ wives, contrary to
all injunctions and hateful in itself, by one who is at once the
originator and preserver of all Dharma?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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