Beaten By A Handful of Rogues

[suchandra]

After Lord Sri Krishna's departure, Sri Arjuna suddenly didn't have the same power anymore like before - the great hero of Mahabharata, the conqueror of countless battles was beaten ingloriously by a handful of rogues.

Looks like that not only when Krishna leaves but also when great devotees leave, we're left to become the prey of rogues.

 

CONCLUSION

 

http://vahini.org/downloads/sbtalesfc.html

 

"It will be remembered that before leaving Dwaraka, Krishna had entrusted it's protection to Arjuna. After Krishna's ascension a dejected Arjuna left Dwaraka with all the elders and ladies in carriages of various sorts. His idea was to escort them safely to Indraprastha. On the way, the caravan was waylaid and looted by robbers. The great hero of Mahabharata, the conqueror of countless battles was beaten ingloriously by a handful of rogues. Krishna's queens with Rukmini at the head of them committed sathee and Arjuna with tears in his eyes reached Indraprastha. Falling down at Yudhishtira's feet, he wailed "Great king, O! Brother I have been deceived by Krishna masquerading as our cousin and friend. He has left us. I have lost all my strength. The Gandiva responds no more!!"

 

 

Yudhishtira realized that everything was over. He relinquished kingdom and kingship; installed Parikshit at Hastinapur and Vajra at Indraprastha and with brothers and Draupadi, started on the final trek to the Himalayas. Kunthi devi, Gandhari and Dhritharashtra had already left. The party went higher and higher up through thickly wooded regions and strange vegetation and stranger people; yakshas and gandharvas. A solitary dog was closely following them all the time. After some time, Nakula fell and then Sahadeva and then Arjuna and the redoubtable Bhima also fell and last, even faithful Draupadi dropped. But the dog still followed and at last Yudhishtra with the dog close at his heels reached the gates of heaven. There, of course, Indra, Lord of heaven, with his attendants was waiting to receive him with flowers and garlands. They were ready to receive Yudhishtira but not the dog.

 

And then said Yudhishtira, "I do not want to enter heaven if this dog which has been following me so faithfully is not also allowed" And then a miracle happened. In the place of the dog, there stood Dharma the great lord of justice, Yudhistira's own father."

 

Happiness or Distress; Taking Responsibility

 

by April Hammond

http://chakra.org/discussions/ODiscOct24_07.htmlPosted October 24, 2007

I am often confronted with an issue that may hit close to home for many devotees: "What does Krishna want me to do? What is my dharma?" More often, I am confronted with this one: "Is this really my dharma?"

I have for years been wandering around in my life watching other devotees and myself follow something that we believed at the time to be our destiny but that turned out to be our downfall. Many of us have lingered in jobs, in certain communities and in relationships upon which we later look back and feel horrified.

Yes, yes, I know that everything is in perfect arrangement, but should we always be allowing ourselves to suffer and say: "It is all in Krishna's hands." Not just to say that, but to let ourselves dwell, day in and day out, in misery? Are we surrendering at this time, or just giving up in Krishna's name?

How do we find our mothers in abusive and neglectful relationships while they quote the Bhagavatam about why they need to stay in that nonsense? How do we live in poverty just so that we are not contributing to the capitalistic society? How do we let our children go untreated for illness because we do not agree with allopathic health care?

Yes, a bit of a tangent, but it all comes together. A question to us all: do we see Krishna in our happiness, in our distress, or in neither? Are we calling out the Lord's name honestly or in vain? Just some questions for thought.

[Murali_Mohan_das]

I try to see the "abuse" I receive as part of my purification.

 

Sure, I don't have to tolerate much of the "abuse" I receive, but, the way I see it, there will always be "abuse" in mundane relationships. Trading one "abusive" partner for another doesn't get me anywhere.

 

That tale of the Pandavas mood after Sri Krishna's departure is rather poignant.