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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Lord Krishna's acts of compassion

 

CHENNAI, MAY 24. The simple act of remembering the presence of

God at all times and thanking Him for His benevolence in

extending protection on all occasions and for having rendered

guidance when needed, should be considered as the best gift and

an enviable privilege that a man has been endowed with.

Invariably, the human tendency is to seek divine help when a man

passes through crisis. But when he gets over these problems he

will definitely forget the relief received.

 

Some may say that they have no opportunity to read or study or

even listen to the epics or the Bhagavatam to display their

submissive attitude to God and ask how then should they give

expression to their feelings. For them, even the recital of one

hymn praising how Lord Krishna had shown the divine path to the

Pandavas is sufficient. The prayers of a woman who listed the

several ways in which the Lord had saved her sons from the jaws

of death, will remind mankind as to how to express their

gratitude. Called ``Kunti Stuthi'', the poignant verses serve as

a treasure, said Sri R. Hari in a discourse.

 

After protecting the child that was growing in the womb of the

scion of the Pandavas from the deadly effects of a powerful shaft

aimed by an enemy, Krishna was due to leave for home when His

aunt, Kunti, felt grieved and with others submitted her plea to

continue to shower His grace on them. ``You have protected us

from being administered with poison, from a huge fire, from man-

eating demons, and in the latest occasion, saving the only child

from the dart discharged to kill it. May calamities befall us at

every step through eternity, because only in adversity that we

will be blessed with Your sight. You are the only wealth of those

who have no sense of possession'', she prayed.

 

After Kunti's song of praise elaborated in the Bhagavatham,

Yudhishtira broods over the destruction caused in the Kurukshetra

war, and with his brothers meets the grandsire, Bhishma, who was

wounded and was awaiting death, and receives clarifications from

him on a variety of topics concerning ``Righteousness'', and the

sacred obligations and courses of conduct. After Krishna's

departure and Yudhishtira's rule over the kingdom, the child that

was protected by Krishna was born and through him, the dynasty

continued. This ruler was Parikshit for whom the Bhagavatham,

consisting of the Lord's incarnations, was narrated. ``Bhishma

Stuthi'' extolls Krishna's acts of compassion and His kind

gesture to those who fall at His feet.

 

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