Bhagavada Vahini--- Chapter 9

[Guest guest]

Bhagavada Vahini by Sathya Sai Baba

 

Chapter 9

The Ascent of Krishna

 

Dharmaraja who was reeling in agony at the departure of his uncle and

aunt - Dhritharâshtra and Gandhâri - had another bout of unbearable

pain which was like a needle-thrust underneath the nails. Wherever he

turned, he began seeing bad omens in his kingdom. He noted in every

act around him the taint of falsehood, cruelty and injustice. It met

him at every step and confused his vision.

 

As a result, an inexplicable anguish possessed him, anew. His face

became pale with apprehension. It was marked by constant agitation

and anxiety. Seeing this and becoming agitated themselves, the

brothers - Bhîma, Nakula and Sahadeva - approached their eldest and

expressed their eagerness to delve into the reasons for his strange

sadness. They stood before him with folded hands and inquired, " lord

and master; Day by day we find your countenance rendered dimmer and

dimmer; you seem sunk in unfathomable agony, sinking deeper and

deeper with every passing hour. You have become too weak to stand

firm. If any of us has caused you pain, please tell us, we shall

guard ourselves against repetition, and we pray we may be pardoned.

If all this is due to something else, you have only to tell us about

it, we shall at the cost of our very lives set it right and restore

your mind. When you have such heroes obedient as we are, to correct

any one, however high and mighty, it is not proper for you to give

vent to grief. Inform us the reason and command us what to do " , they

prayed.

 

Dharmaraja replied: " What can I tell you, dear brothers? I see

ominous things all around. From the homes of ordinary citizens to the

hermitages of the saints and sages, wherever my eye falls, I see only

inauspiciousness, ill fortune, and the negation of joy. I argued

within myself that this was only the result of my warped imagination

and I tried my best to muster up courage and confidence. I did not

like to fall a prey to my fears. But, I could not succeed.

Recollecting the scenes made my fear even more fearsome.

 

To aggravate the sadness, I saw also some scenes that are contrary to

established morals and dharma. Not only did they come to my actual

notice, the Courts of Justice in this kingdom have been receiving

petitions and pleas regarding wrongs, injustices, iniquities and

misdeeds, which make me grieve deeply.

 

I saw some situations which were even worse. Last evening, when I was

returning after a tour in the kingdom, I saw a mother cow refusing to

nurse and feed her new-born calf! This is quite strange and contrary

to nature. I saw some women wantonly loitering in the bazaar. I hoped

that they would rush into their homes when they saw me, but, no. It

did not happen so. They had no reverence for authority; they went on

as if I was not in the picture; they continued to talk without

restraint to the menfolk. I saw all this with my own eyes. I simply

proceeded further from that horrid place.

 

Very near the rajabhavan, when I was about to enter it, I perceived a

brahmin selling milk and curds! I saw people emerging out of their

houses and closing the doors behind them, I found them fixing some

iron lump to them, so that they may not be opened! (The reference is,

evidently, to locks, which were strange things in Dharmaraja's

kingdom for no one had any fear of thieves). My mind was very much

concerned with all these tragic transformations.

 

I tried to forget this state of affairs and so started doing the

evening rituals, the sacred rite of offering oblations to the

consecrated fire and shall I tell you what happened? The fire could

not be lit, however hard I tried! O, what a calamity it was! My fears

that these events foreboded some great catastrophe is fed by other

happenings too. They are confirming my premonitions every minute. I

find myself too weak to overcome them. Perhaps the Kali era has begun

or is about to begin, I believe.

 

For, how else are we to explain such facts as this: a wife has

quarrelled with her husband and is arguing before the judge in court

that she should be permitted to go to her parents, leaving him to

himself. How am I to face such a plea in court that she should be

permitted to dissolve the marriage and leave for her parents' home,

deserting her husband? A petition from such a wife was admitted

yesterday in the court of justice! How am I to ignore such

abominations?

 

Why go on recounting these occurrences? Yesterday, the horses in the

royal stables started weeping, did you hear? They were shedding

copious tears, the syces [horse tenders] reported. Sahadeva tried to

investigate the causes of their deep sorrow, but, he could not

discover why and he was struck with wonder and consternation. These

are indications of wholesale destruction, not of any minor danger, or

small evil " . Dharmaraja placed his chin on his upright arm and rested

a while in deep thought.

 

Bhîma did not give way to despair. He laughed a scornful laugh and

began: " The incidents and events you mention might have happened, I

do not deny them. But, how can they bring disaster to us? Why should

we give up all hope? All these abnormalities can be set right by

administrative measures and their enforcement. It is really

surprising that you are so worried about these small matters that can

be corrected by us. Or, is it the imminent breaking out of another

war, that you fear? Perhaps you are anxious to avoid the ravages that

the revival of war might bring about. That contingency is impossible.

For, all our foes have been exterminated, with their kith and kin.

Only we five are left, and we have to seek for friends and foes only

among ourselves. Rivalry will not break out among us, even in our

dreams. Then, what agitates you? I cannot understand why you are

afflicted. People will laugh at you when you take these little things

to heart and lose peace of mind. " Bhîma said this and, changing his

mighty mace from the right hand to the left, he laughed a laugh which

was half a jeer.

 

For this Dharmaraja replied: " I have the same discrimination and

intelligence that you have in these matters. Nor have I an iota of

dread that enemies will overpower us. Have we not defeated the

renowned warriors, Bhîshma, Drona and the rest who could singly and

with but one arrow destroy the three worlds? What can any foe do to

us? And, what can agitate us who were bearing even the direst

calamities with fortitude. How can any difference arise between us

now, who stood so firm in the days of distress?

 

Perhaps, you suspect that I am afraid of anything happening to me,

personally. No, I shall never be agitated by anything that might

happen to me, for, this body is a bubble upon the waters, it is a

composite of the five elements waiting to be dissolved back into its

components. The dissolution must happen some day, it is bound to

fail, to fall, to fester, to be reduced to ash or mud. I do not pay

heed to its fate.

 

My only worry is about one particular matter. I shall disclose it to

you, without any attempt to conceal the seriousness. Listen. It is

now more or less seven months since our brother Arjuna left for

Dvârakâ. Yet, we have not heard anything about the welfare and

wellbeing of the Lord of Dvârakâ, Krishna. He has not sent any

messenger or message regarding, at least, his reaching Dvârakâ. Of

course I am not worried in the least about Arjuna and his reaching or

not reaching Dvârakâ. I know that no foe can stand up against him.

Moreover, if anything untoward had happened to him, certainly, S'rî

Krishna would have sent the information to us; of this there is no

doubt. So, I am confident that there is no reason to be nervous about

him.

 

Let me confess that it is about the Lord Himself that I am feeling

worried; with every passing minute, anxiety is increasing. My heart

is suffering unbearable agony. I am overwhelmed by the fear that He

may leave this world, and resume His permanent abode. What greater

reason can there be for sorrow? If this catastrophe has actually come

about, I shall not continue to rule over this land, widowed by the

disappearance of the Master. For us Pândavas, this Vâsudeva was all

our five vital airs put together; when He departs, we are but

corpses, devoid of vitality. If the Lord is upon the earth, such

ominous signs dare not reveal themselves. Injustice and iniquity can

have free play only when He is absent; I have no doubt about this. My

conscience is clear about it; something tells me that this is the

truth. "

 

When Dharmaraja asserted thus, the brothers fell into the depth of

grief. They lost all trace of courage. Bhîma was the first who

recovered sufficiently to speak! He mustered some courage, in spite

of the wave of sadness that smothered him. He said, " For the reason

that Arjuna has not returned or that we have not heard from him, you

should not picture such a dire calamity and start imagining

catastrophe. There must be some other reason for Arjun's silence, or

else, Krishna Himself might have neglected to inform us. Let us wait,

seek further light, let us not yield to the fantasies that a nervous

mind might weave. Let us not clothe them with the vesture of truth. I

am encouraged to speak like this, for, one's nervousness is often

capable of shaping such fears " .

 

But Dharmaraja was in no mood to accept this. He replied: " Whatever

you say, however skilfully you argue, I feel that my interpretation

is correct. Or else, how can such an idea arise in my mind? My left

shoulder is registering a shiver, see! This is a sign confirming my

fear that this has actually happened. You know it is a bad omen, if

the left shoulder shivers for men and the right for women. Now, this

thing has taken place in my body, and it is a bad omen. Not merely

the shoulder, my entire being - mind, body, intelligence - all are in

a shiver. My eyes grow dim and I am fast losing vision. I see the

world as an orphan, having been deprived of its Guardian and Lord. I

have lost the faculty of hearing. My legs are shaking helplessly. My

limbs have been petrified. They have no life in them.

 

What greater proof do you need to assert that the Lord has left?

Believe me, dear brothers. Even if you do not, facts will not change.

The earth is shaking under our feet. Do you not hear the eerie noises

emanating from the agonished heart of the earth? Tanks and lakes are

shaken into waves. The sky, air, fire, the waters and the earth are

all moaning their fate, for they have lost their Master. How many

more evidences do you need to get convinced? News came some days back

of showers of blood that rained in some parts of our kingdom.

 

Hearing these words, streams of tears coursed down the cheeks of

Nakula and Sahadeva, even as they stood before their brother. Their

hearts were struck with pain; they could not stand, for their legs

failed them.