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

 

The Almighty's quality of easy accessibility

 

CHENNAI, MAY 30. Human life in the world is of two types. The

first which the majority lead is materialistic wherein only the

pursuit of worldly comforts and pleasures of the senses for one's

gratification is the sole motive, while the other is a God-

centred life wherein all actions are oriented to realising Him.

Such a person is a true devotee of God and whatever he enjoys in

life is accepted by him as the grace of God. One need not

necessarily be learned in the scriptures or given to austerities

to attain this frame of mind; what is necessary is unalloyed

devotion to God which is expressed by overwhelming love for the

Supreme. Such souls are rare but it is such a devotee who is dear

to the Almighty and He seeks their company.

 

The Bhagavata Purana describes this kind of devotion to God while

portraying the childhood deeds of Lord Krishna by highlighting

how He made Himself accessible to the cowherd boys of Gokul. To

them He was a friend and they all indulged in pranks and sports

as boys of that age do. It would not have even occurred to them

that Krishna was the Almighty incarnate but they all adored Him

and could not bear to be separated from Him. The Lord's deeds

(Lila) like killing the demons Trnavarta, Bakasura and Aghasura

were extraordinary but to them Krishna was their dear friend and

how and why He performed such superhuman feats did not matter to

them, said Sri R. Hari in his discourse.

 

After rescuing His friends from death which had threatened them

in the form of the serpent Aghasura, Krishna in order to make

them get over their fright suggested that they ate their lunch

which they had brought with them to eat on the banks of the

Yamuna while tending the cows. This Purana describes how even the

denizens of the heaven looked on with wonder at the camaraderie

between the Lord and His friends and His easy accessibility to

them.

 

``Describing to one another the taste of each dish, all took

their meal in the company of the Lord, laughing and making others

laugh. Bearing the flute between His midriff and the cloth tied

around his body and His horn and cane under His left armpit and

holding a buttered morsel of cooked rice in His left hand and

fruits stuck in between His fingers, seated in the middle and

inducing laughter in the friends surrounding Him by His jokes,

Lord Sri Krishna engaged in childlike sports and dined with

them.'' The Lord who partakes the offerings in sacrifices

indirectly through the agency of fire, in the case of these

cowherd boys ate with relish the food they offered after they had

tasted it.

 

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