Yadhavabhyudhaya concluded-chapter24

September 2, 2007

The Final chapter- Chapter24-Krishna the husband

Krishna returning to Dvaraka was intent in pleasing his wives who got him as their husband due to the merits acquired in their previous lives.

He is described By Desika thus:

Krthuvidhiniyathah api akarmavaSyah

Parichitha kAmaraso api veetharAgah

Nagaravasathih api aSeshavAsah

kaThamiva kena sa vibhuh varNaneeyah

(YAD.24.2)

He was not bound by karma even though he was performing the sacrificial rites according to kshathriyadharma. That is, his sacrifices were not done for the fruit ordained in the Vedas. He was enjoying married life but was detached. That is, he was not influenced by desire. He was living in Dvaraka but yet he was present everywhere. Hence, says Desika, how and by whom can be described as being such and such?

His conduct and story of his life was like that of a rajarshi and extolled by the sages. Dvaraka became rich in treasures and superior to the three abodes of the Lord described in the Vedas., namely, Vaikunta, ksheerasagara and the region of the Sun.( This may be because His soulabhya, easy accessibility out of love excelled His parathva, supremacy.

Krishna established dharma with the association of the sages. He looked after the royal duties with the help of those who were well versed in the Vedas. With his superhuman power took many forms and pleased his many wives. Desika says that even the yogis who have superhuman powers can do so but their doings will be subjected to their karma and their enjoyment will be dependent on their indhriyas. But Krishna, being the supreme purusha did not need His indhriyas because he is atheendhriya, beyond the senses.(in manthraraja padhasthothra it is said `sarvendhriyairapi vinA sarvam sarvathra sarvadha yo jAnAthi namAmi Adhyam tham aham sarvathomukham ,'- that is, He knows everything everywhere and always without the need of the indhriyas.)

Naturally Krishna being the one who gives everything and also moksha to those who always contemplate on nothing but Him only, fulfilled all the desires of His wives. Since he tok many forms and pleased his wives simultaneously, says Desika, even Narada could not stage any of his kalahas to create misunderstanding among his wives.

Krishna not only gave them his love but also instill devotion which will destroy the fear of samsara.

Krishna played with his wives who were fortunate, by making swings for them from ropes(gunas) resembling the three gunas of his maya. The implication is that like the motion of the swing up and down the Lord makes the good souls ascend to heaven and descend to be born in good wombs by the play of the three gunas.

By drenching them with coloured water he created anuraga (red colour as well as love ) on them in and out.

Anukrtha nija Sakthibhih priyAbhih

Saha gunabanDhavibhaktha sanniveSaih

Muhuriha nipathathbhih uthpathathbhih

karaNavaSairiva kanshykaih adheevyath

(Yad.24.32)

With his wives like his three shakthis, Sri, Bhoo and NeelA, Krishna played with the balls tied to the ropes and which rose and fall. It was like His leela with the jivas tied to the three gunas which he enjoys with his three consorts.

When Krishna, who hides in his three heavenly abodes played hide and seek with his wives he only bound their eyes but they never bound his eyes thinking that to do so will create blindness to the three worlds.

Krishna, who instructed the sages like Sanaka in his incarnation as Hayagreeva and Hamsa, was also adept in the instruction of love to his wives. It was like Upanishad for the women whatever he told them in private.

Krishna made himself many and was present in the house of every one of his wives and they took away his footwear to prevent him from leaving them and hence he could not move anywhere!

Describing the various ways in which the wives of Krishna enjoyed his company, Desiks exclaims

Ajanishatha kutho nu bhAgaDheyAth

thribhuvanamangaldheepikAh SubhAngyah

yadhupathi sahadharmachArineebhih

sukham anagham bhuvi yAbhih anvabhAvi

(Yad.24.63)

Whatever was the good merit acquired by these women who were born to become the wives of Krishna and experienced the unparalleled joy in this life! They considered him as human not knowing that he wasthe supreme purusha whose consort is Sridevi and who used to sleep in the bed of Adhisesha.

Yathibhih anububhooshithah sah thAbhih

yadhupathih adhbhutharoopavesha Seelah

nirupaDhika rasAmrthougha sinDhuh

sathatham aporvam apoorvam anvabhAvi

(Yad.24.67)

Krishna , with whom the sages who have controlled their senses wished to enjoy, assumed wonderful forms and qualities and was the ocean of limitless stream of the nectar of love, and was enjoyed by the women as though he is ever new (nithyayuva). To see the glory of those women the yogis who have achieved the superhuman powers ridiculed their achievement.

Desika describes the experience of the women as

Sarithah iva mrgeedhrsah tham ekam

Mahitha guNougha mahodhaDhim bajanthyah

avibharuh anapAyam aikarasyam

munigaNithascha sa eva mukthabhogah(Yad.24.69)

The wives of Krishna merged with him, who is the ocean of auspicious qualities, in their love, like the rivers joining the sea and acquired the state of ekarasya. That is, as the rivers leave their individual tastes and become salty joining with the sea the women were filled with onlyone feeling that is the love for Krishna. This, says Desika, is what has been described as the state of sAyujya mukthi by the sages.

They proved false the common criticisms that are leveled against women in general such as they are fickle, always oppose, harsh and insincere etc. They were the beacons of madhurabhakthi in the world which devotees like Meera and Andal followed. Desika says that even those who portray this by means of acting, dance, singing etc. also get engrossed in devotion of the Lord.

Krishna lived happily in Dvaraka as he was in Vaikunta with Rukmini and Bhama as his divine consorts, Lakshmi and Bhoodevi and yadhavas sering as the nithyasooris ,Sesha, Vishvaksens Garuda etc. and caused the joy of heaven as well as moksha to those around him.

Desika concludes his kavya by these words:

nAreedhrshtyAniyamithaDhiyah nAkanATheSvarathvam

sambhoge cha pravaNamansahSASvatham brahmacharyam

athraikasyAm puri nivasathah sarvalokADhikathvam

niDhyAyanthah thvaritham atharandhustharAm thasya mAyAm

(Yad.24.93)

Krishna while he seemed to be bound by the beautiful eyes of his women, remained the overlord of the devas, while enjoying the company of the women he maintained his brahmacharya and thus displayed his status of transience and imminence as the Supreme Self, who, though seen in Dvaraka, was present in all beings and was all pervading. Those who contemplate on the Lord thus transcend His Maya which is otherwise difficult to transcend.

Gurubhih anaghachitthah AhithodhArabhoomA

Surabhitharasam ethath soonrtham venkateSah

Vyathanutha yadhuveerapreethim icchan prabhoothAm

kavikaTham kamrgendhrah kshemadham kAvyarathna

(Yad.24.95)

The glory of this kavya is described thus:

The contents of the kavya is the gift of the great masters like Vyasa and others to humanity.

It is composed by the mighty lion of debate and poet Venkatesa (Desika) to please the Lord.

It is full of the fragrance of the essence of kavithva and devotion as it abounds in richness of word and meaning and devotional fervour.

It is composed with the welfare of the world at heart and is beneficial , pleasing and true.

Yadhavabhyudhaya , the eminent work of Sri Vedantha Desika is concluded.