The Hindu : God accessible to His devotees

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 10, 2003

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

God accessible to His devotees

CHENNAI JUNE 10 . Among the incarnations of the Supreme Being, that of Krishna has been hailed as the most accessible in which He chose to live amidst the cowherd community of Gokul. Though His childhood deeds (Lila) were superhuman these simple folks had no inkling of His divine nature and considered Him as one of their own. Sages and saints have often wondered what merit this cowherd community must have done to enjoy His companionship.

One divine deed that made Vedanta Desika wax eloquent in his work Yadavabhudaya is the manner in which Krishna showered His grace on Yashoda. Even when He turned two years old the poor mother was concerned that her darling child was still crawling on all fours instead of walking. When she expressed her mind, Krishna who could talk nineteen to the dozen even at that age told her to teach Him. This poet-philosopher notes that this gullible lady immediately held him by His hands and taught Him who had with two strides measured the entire Earth and the other worlds, and asked Bali where He should measure the third step during His manifestation as Trivikrama.

In his discourse, Sri Jayakrishna Dikshitar said it was the Lord's compassionate nature that made Him accessible to His devotees. Krishna's sports in His childhood recounted by Sage Suka in the Bhagavata Purana has inspired devotees down the ages to compose hymns. The Krishnalila Tarangini of Narayana Tirtha deals exhaustively with Krishna's inimitable deeds. Once when Yashoda was asleep a woman went by their house selling fruits. Without disturbing His mother Krishna fetched some food grains in His tiny hands to give the fruit seller in exchange of some fruits but by the time He reached her most of the grains had slipped through His fingers.

Bewitched by the soulful look on His face she did not want to disappoint Him and so opened His closed fists to see whether at least some grains were there. And, to her astonishment she beheld the marks of the conch and the discus on His palms revealing His identity as the Lord of Vaikuntha. When the Lord filled her basket with diamonds and choicest gems this humble woman demanded that He grant her liberation from bondage instead.

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