Super-Excellent Vedic Education of Krsna and Balarama

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(Note:Here is an excerpt from the Book 'Krsna" by HDG AC

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a commentary on the 10th Canto of

the Bhagavat Purana. In it is detailed the super excellent and rich

curricullum of the ancient Vedic education system. Basically, in

this system, topics that are now considered 'specialized sciences'

and rarely available were commonly taught to all students. Again we

see another ancient system that is far superior to its modern day

counterpart. Vrndavan Parker)

 

Super-Excellent Vedic Education of Krsna and Balarama

"They also learned how to study soil to find minerals. This study of

soil is now a greatly specialized science, but formerly it was

common knowledge even for the ordinary man. They learned to study

herbs and plants and to extract medicine from the elements. By

studying the different species of plants, They learned how to

crossbreed plants and get different types of fruits."

 

.....It is customary, after being initiated in the Gayatri mantra,

for one to live away from home for some time under the care of the

acarya in order to be trained in spiritual life. During this period

one has to work under the spiritual master as an ordinary menial

servant. There are many rules and regulations for a brahmacari

living under the care of an acarya, and both Lord Krsna and Balarama

strictly followed those regulative principles while living under the

instruction of their spiritual master, Sandipani Muni, in his place

in northern India. According to scriptural injunctions, a spiritual

master should be respected and be regarded on an equal level with

the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Both Krsna and Balarama exactly

followed those principles with great devotion and underwent the

regulations of brahmacarya, and thus They satisfied Their spiritual

master, who instructed Them in Vedic knowledge. Being very

satisfied, Sandipani Muni instructed Them in all the intricacies of

Vedic wisdom as well as in supplementary literatures such as the

Upanisads. Because Krsna and Balarama happened to be ksatriyas, They

were specifically trained in military science, politics and

mathematics. In politics there are six departments of knowledge--how

to make peace, how to fight, how to pacify, how to divide and rule,

how to give shelter, etc. All these items were fully explained and

instructed to Krsna and Balarama.

 

The ocean is the source of water in a river. The cloud is created by

the evaporation of ocean water, and the same water is distributed as

rain all over the surface of the earth and then returns toward the

ocean in rivers. So Krsna and Balarama, the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, are the source of all kinds of knowledge, but because They

were playing like ordinary human boys, They set the example so that

everyone would receive knowledge from the right source. Thus They

agreed to take knowledge from a spiritual master.

 

After hearing only once from the teacher, Krsna and Balarama learned

all the arts and sciences. In sixty-four days and sixty-four nights

They learned all the necessary arts and sciences that are required

in human society. During daytime They took lessons on a subject from

the teacher, and by nightfall, after having heard from the teacher,

They were expert in that department of knowledge.

 

First of all They learned how to sing, how to compose songs and how

to recognize the different tunes; They learned the favorable and

unfavorable accents and meters, how to sing different kinds of

rhythms and melodies, and how to follow them by beating different

kinds of drums. They learned how to dance with rhythm, melody and

different songs. They learned how to write dramas, and They learned

the various types of paintings, beginning from different village

arts up to the highest perfectional stage. They also learned how to

paint tilaka on the face and make different kinds of dots on the

forehead and cheeks. Then They learned the art of painting on the

floor with liquid paste of rice and flour; such paintings are very

popular at auspicious ceremonies performed at household affairs or

in the temple. They learned how to make a resting place with flowers

and how to decorate clothing and leaves with colorful paintings.

They also learned how to set different valuable jewels in ornaments.

They learned the art of ringing waterpots. Waterpots are filled with

water to a certain measurement so that when one beats on the pots,

different tunes are produced, and when the pots are beaten together

they produce a melodious sound. They also learned how to throw water

in the rivers or the lakes while taking a bath among friends. They

also learned how to decorate with flowers. This art of decorating

can still be seen in various temples of Vrndavana during the summer

season. It is called phulla-badi. The dais, the throne, the walls

and the ceiling are all fully decorated, and a small, aromatic

fountain of flowers is fixed in the center. Because of these floral

decorations, the people, fatigued from the heat of the summer

season, become refreshed.

 

Krsna and Balarama learned the art of dressing hair in various

styles and fixing a helmet in different positions on the head. They

also learned how to perform on a theatrical stage, how to decorate

dramatic actors with flower ornaments over the ear, and how to

sprinkle sandalwood pulp and water to produce a nice fragrance. They

also learned the art of performing magical feats. Within the magical

field there is an art called bahurupi by which a person dresses

himself in such a way that when he approaches a friend he cannot be

recognized. They also learned how to make beverages which are

required at various times, and they studied syrups and tastes and

the effects of intoxication. They learned how to manipulate thin

threads for dancing puppets, and They learned how to string wires on

musical instruments, such as the vina, sitar and tampura, to produce

melodious sounds. Then They learned puzzles and how to set and solve

them. They learned the art of reading books from which even a

foolish student can very quickly learn to read the alphabet and

comprehend writing. Then They learned how to rehearse and act out a

drama. They also studied the art of solving crossword puzzles,

filling up the missing space and making complete words.

 

They also learned how to draw pictographic literature. In some

countries in the world, pictographic literature is still current. A

story is represented by pictures; for instance, a man and a house

are pictured to represent a man going home. Krsna and Balarama also

learned the art of architecture--how to construct residential

buildings. They learned to recognize valuable jewels by studying the

luster and the quality of their colors. Then They learned the art of

setting jewels with gold and silver. They also learned how to study

soil to find minerals. This study of soil is now a greatly

specialized science, but formerly it was common knowledge even for

the ordinary man. They learned to study herbs and plants and to

extract medicine from the elements. By studying the different

species of plants, They learned how to crossbreed plants and get

different types of fruits. They learned how to train and engage

lambs and cocks in fighting for sporting purposes. They then learned

how to teach parrots to speak and answer the questions of human

beings.

 

They learned practical psychology--how to influence another's mind

and thus induce another to act according to one's own desire.

Sometimes this is called hypnotism. They learned how to wash hair,

dye it in different colors and curl it in different ways. They

learned the art of telling what is written in someone's book without

actually seeing it. They learned to tell what is contained in

another's fist. Sometimes children imitate this art, although not

very accurately. One child keeps something within his fist and asks

his friend, "Can you tell what is within?" and the friend gives some

suggestion, although he actually cannot tell. But there is an art by

which one can understand and actually tell what is held within the

fist.

 

Krsna and Balarama learned how to speak and understand the languages

of various countries. They learned not only the languages of human

beings. Krsna could also speak even with animals and birds. Evidence

of this is found in Vaisnava literature compiled by the Gosvamis.

Then They learned how to make carriages and airplanes from flowers.

It is said in the Ramayana that after defeating Ravana, Ramacandra

was carried from Lanka to Bharata-varsa on a plane of flowers called

puspa-ratha. Krsna then learned the art of foretelling events by

seeing signs. In a book called Khanar vacana, the various types of

signs and omens are described. If, when one is going out, one sees

someone with a bucket full of water, that is a very good sign. But

if one sees someone with an empty bucket, it is not a very good

sign. Similarly, if one sees cow's milk along with a calf, it is a

good sign. The result of understanding these signs is that one can

foretell events, and Krsna learned the science. Krsna also learned

the art of composing matrka. A matrka is a crossword section with

three letters in a line; counting any three from any side, it will

count nine. The matrkas are of different kinds and are for different

purposes.

 

Krsna learned the art of cutting valuable stones such as diamonds,

and He learned the art of questioning and answering by immediately

composing poetry within His mind. He learned the science of the

action and reaction of physical combinations and permutations. He

learned the art of a psychiatrist, who can understand the psychic

movements of another person. He learned how to satisfy one's

desires. Desires are very difficult to fulfill; but if one desires

something which is unreasonable and can never be fulfilled, the

desire can be subdued and satisfied, and that is an art. By this art

one can also subdue sex impulses when they are aroused, as they are

even in brahmacari life. By this art one can make even an enemy his

friend or transfer the direct action of a physical element to other

things.

 

Lord Krsna and Balarama, the reservoir of all knowledge of arts and

sciences, exhibited Their perfect understanding when They offered to

serve Their teacher by awarding him anything he desired. This

offering by the student to the teacher or spiritual master is called

guru-daksina. It is essential that a student satisfy the teacher in

return for any learning received, either material or spiritual. When

Krsna and Balarama offered Their service in this way, the teacher,

Sandipani Muni, thought it wise to ask Them for something

extraordinary, something which no common student could offer. He

therefore consulted with his wife about what to ask from Them. They

had already seen the extraordinary potencies of Krsna and Balarama

and could understand that the two boys were the Supreme Personality

of Godhead. They decided to ask for the return of their son, who had

drowned in the ocean on the bank of Prabhasaksetra.

 

When Krsna and Balarama heard from Their teacher about the death of

his son on the bank of Prabhasaksetra, They immediately started for

the ocean on Their chariot. Reaching the beach, They asked the

controlling deity of the ocean to return the son of Their teacher.

The ocean deity immediately appeared before the Lord and offered Him

all respectful obeisances with great humility.

 

http://www.krsnabook.com/images/pic47.jpg

The Lord said, "Some time back you caused the drowning of the son of

Our teacher. I order you to return him."

 

The ocean deity replied, "The boy was not actually taken by me, but

was captured by a demon named Pancajana. This great demon generally

remains deep in the water in the shape of a conchshell. The son of

Your teacher might be within the belly of the demon, having been

devoured by him."

 

On hearing this, Krsna dove deep into the water and caught hold of

the demon Pancajana. He killed him on the spot, but could not find

the son of His teacher within his belly. Therefore He took the

demon's dead body (in the shape of a conchshell) and returned to His

chariot on the beach of Prabhasaksetra. From there He started for

Samyamani, the residence of Yamaraja, the superintendent of death.

Accompanied by His elder brother Balarama, who is also known as

Halayudha, Krsna arrived there and blew on His conchshell.

 

Hearing the vibration, Yamaraja appeared and received Sri Krsna with

all respectful obeisances. Yamaraja could understand who Krsna and

Balarama were, and therefore he immediately offered his humble

service to the Lord. Krsna had appeared on the surface of the earth

as an ordinary human being, but actually Krsna and Balarama are the

Supersoul living within the heart of every living entity. They are

Visnu Himself, but were playing just like ordinary human boys. As

Yamaraja offered his services to the Lord, Sri Krsna asked him to

return His teacher's son, who had come to him as a result of his

work. "Considering My ruling as supreme," said Krsna, "you should

immediately return the son of My teacher."

 

Yamaraja returned the boy to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and

Krsna and Balarama brought him to his father. The brothers asked if

Their teacher had anything more to ask from Them, but he

replied, "My dear sons, You have done enough for me. I am now

completely satisfied. What further want can there be for a man who

has disciples like You? My dear boys, You can go home now. These

glorious acts of Yours will always be renowned all over the world.

You are above all blessing, yet it is my duty to bless You. I give

You the benediction that whatever You speak will remain as eternally

fresh as the instruction of the Vedas. Your teachings will not only

be honored within this universe or in this millennium, but in all

places and ages and will remain increasingly new and important." Due

to this benediction from His teacher, Lord Krsna's Bhagavad-gita is

ever increasingly fresh and is not only renowned within this

universe, but in other planets and in other universes also.

 

Being ordered by Their teacher, Krsna and Balarama immediately

returned home on Their chariots. They traveled at great speeds like

the wind and made sounds like the crashing of clouds. All the

residents of Mathura, who had not seen Krsna and Balarama for a long

time, were very pleased to see Them again. They felt joyful, like a

person who has regained his lost property.

 

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Forty-fifth Chapter of

Krsna, "Krsna Recovers the Son of His Teacher."

http://www.krsnabook.com/ch45.html