Saturday 17 September 2011

LORD KRISHNA AS GIRIDHAR

The inhabitants of Gokul and Brindavan
Were thankful to the gods in heaven
They had had a good harvest
And felt that they were very well blessed

They were thankful to Indra for his bounty
For sending them rain in plenty
They prepared lots of delicious treats     
Puris, kachoris, malpoas and other sweets

They made everything ready in heaps
Indra thought that the offerings were his for keeps
Indra waited in great anticipation
Of the treat, with pleasureable expectation     

  
But the young lad Krishna asked to be heard
His foster father, the chieftain Nandmaharaj paused 
Krishna said, "why to Indra ? what has he done ?
Why not to the real giver, mount Govardhan ?

It is Govardhan that gives us green grass for grazing
It is Govardhan that gives us verdant fields for cultivating
It is Govardhan that is worthy of our gratitude
It is Govardhan to whom we must pay tribute

We must offer all this tasty food to our rightful friend
Before it is too late, we must make amend"
The simple folks of Gokul hesitated and paused
Krishna spoke the truth, they averred

To Govardhan then all this food was offered  
Instead of to Indra, as the villagers had originally planned
Lord Indra, king of heaven, was flabbergasted
What cheek, what impudence, he raved and ranted !

Who was that boy Krishna, who asked the villagers to defy the devtas ?
How dare the simple villagers defy the power of the king of devtas ?
At the instigation of that mere ordinary mortal Krishna,
They dared to defy the wrath of the most powerful devta, Indra !

Why did they listen to that impudent and talkative stripling ?
What right did the villagers have to divert his rightful offering ?
The villagers must pay for this insolence
King Indra will punish them for their impertinence

He sent forth torrents of rain, thunder and lightning, in great anger
The villagers of Gokul were besieged and in mortal danger
They ran helter skelter, as the torrents gushed from a height
The cows and calves were frightened and bellowed with fright    

Krishna the young lad, Krishna the chit of a cowherd
Then lifted the massive Mount Govardhan above His head
With the little finger of His left hand, in classical pose
Of His supreme nature, He gave Indra a telling dose     

The simple villagers flocked under Govardhan for sanctum
From Indras belligerence they reached safe asylum
Indra was astonished, but his ignorance persisted alright
For seven days he made the clouds pour forth with full might 

The Lord simply smiled while the deluge went on and on
For seven days without end, until the clouds went into oblivion
While the inhabitants of Brindavan received food and succour  
Were comforted, warmed and fed by the Lord by His mystic power !

When the deluge stopped, the land became dry again
And the inhabitants of Brindavan could venture out again
They resumed their lives with safety and security
Overseen, as it were, as the Lords personal responsibility   

Thus Indra learned his lesson of misplaced pride and feelings
And demonic lust that shows the ignorance of imperfect beings
He duly repented for his mistake, and fell at the Lords lotus feet
And begged forgiveness for his ignorance and misplaced conceit

Indra then praised the Lord for showing him his place without harming him
And for guiding the inhabitants of Brindavan to see the truth supreme
And for being the one and only cosmic controller
Of the entire creation, the Supreme Lord and master !   

Lord Krishna, most merciful, performs His pastimes for our own sattvik pleasure
The inhabitants of Brindavan acknowledged  the Lord as their own dear treasure
Worthy of love, affection, veneration and full devotional service
As is our natural constitutional position, all we have is only His !

- Gautam Saha.

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