Deliverance of Demon Agha

 Bhagavatam - Deliverance of Demon Agha 

Demon Agha is the younger brother of Baka and Putana. Seeing the joyous pastime of Srikrishna and cowherds, Agha wasn't happy and wanted to avenge Srikrishna.

He resolved to kill all the cowherds along with Srikrishna. He thought once these children are killed, it is almost like killing entire residents of Vrindavan as without progeny life would turn dead.

Demon Agha assumed the form of Boa constrictor (serpent) too big to be identified. Its length was around 8 miles, stout as a huge mountain. Its mouth was as wide as a cave opening, its lips touched the clouds, tongue as broad as road, eyes resembling a wild fire.

The cowherds wondered to see the huge figure and discussed amongst themselves whether it could be a boa constrictor. If so, it would perish in the hands of Srikrishna. Saying so, they, along with their calves, entered into the wide mouth of the serpent, clapping hands and laughing loudly.

The serpent, though real, appeared fictitious to them. Srikrishna tried to restrain His companions, but they had already entered the mouth of the serpent with their calves. 

The demon, whose main target was Srikrishna, waited until His entry. The gastric fire of the demon made the cowherds and their calves unconscious. 

Srikrishna was anxious to save those companions and as well punish the wicked demon Agha. He entered the mouth of the serpent and speedily grew in size that choked its throat. Consequently, the serpent eyes shot out, and the vital air split opened from its crown. 

Source: Bhagavatha Mahapurana 

 

Deliverance of Demon Baka

 Bhagavatam - Deliverance of Demon Baka 

Once, Balarama, SriKrishna, and other cowherds were grazing calves. On reaching a pond, they allowed their calves to drink water and were relaxing. They saw a demon disguised as a heron. Demon Baka was sent by Kamsa to kill SriKrishna. 

The heron, with its sharp beak, swiftly swallowed SriKrishna. The cowherds along with Balarama were shocked. SriKrishna tore its bill into two halves and killed it. The cowherds and Balarama were immensely pleased with Srikrishna’s feat.

Once Srikrishna asked cowherds to leave home early the next morning and have breakfast in the forest. Getting up early, Srikrishna signaled his companions to get ready and follow Him. 

The cowherds hurriedly freshed up and decorated themselves with beads, gems, and gold. They also wore tender leaves, bunches of flowers, and peacock features. Each of them had a set of calves to take care of. 

They allowed their calves to herd and began to play games of various sorts. Some of them threw away another's sling far away and made them run. Some played flute, blew horns, hummed in tune with bees, and some repeated cuckoo's sweet notes. 

They ran with the shadows of the flying birds, copied the steps of swans, sitting like a heron, and dancing like peacocks. 

Few others pulled the tail of monkeys, climbed trees along with them, and leaped from one branch to another. 

Still, some others dived into the river and made fun of their own reflection. Some echoed and hopped like frogs.

Even while engaged in sports, the cowherds would often look for Srikrishna, go near Him, touch Him, and feel happy and safe. Srikrishna enjoyed the Sylvan beauty of Vrindavan. 

Sri Sukamuni observed that these cowherds must have possessed rich spiritual merits in their previous births to play sport with Srikrishna.

Source: Bhagavatha Mahapurana 

Residents of Vraja Move to Brindavan

Srimad Bhagavatam - Residents of Vraja Move to Brindavan

The Lord, through his infantile sports, brought joy to the residents of Vraja. As an ordinary infant, He would even do what was ordered to Him. 

Once, a fruit vendor had come selling fruits. Taking a handful of grains, he ran to her to get some fruits. The fruit seller filled His hands with fruits even though food grains had slipped through the gap between His fingers. The fruit basket got filled with precious stones.

The elders of Vraja, headed by Nanda, were deliberating the evil portents in the recent past. They decided to move out of Vraja, particularly taking into account Krishna's safety. 

They decided to move to a forest, Brindavan. It was full of evergreen trees most suited for the bovine race. Putting the aged, infants, and articles on the carts and placing the cattle wealth ahead, they immediately move out of Vraja. Women and children wore fine dresses adorned with jewelry.  

Balarama and Srikrishna were overjoyed to see picturesque Brindavan, Govardhan Hill, and sandy banks of Yamuna River.

As years passed by, Balaram and Krishna grew and were assigned to take care of calves with a set of boundaries not far off from the cow pen.

The duo Brothers played on the flute, played like bulls, mimicked various animals, and moved around like ordinary mortals.

Once, while grazing the calves, a demon appeared disguised as a calf with the intent to attack them. Observing it, Krishna approached it from behind, seized its hind legs, revolved it, and threw it far away, killing it. The cowherds were very happy and applauded loudly. 

Source: Bhagavatha Mahapurana 

Srikrishna's Grace on Nalakubera and Manigriva

Srimad Bhagavatam - SriKrishna's Grace on Nalakubera and Manigriva 

SriKrishna redeems the sons of Kubera of their curse as prophesied by Sage Narada. Tied to the mortar by his beloved mother, He crawled between the two adjoined Arjuna trees. The two trees fell down with a big crash. Two celestial men, Nalakubera and Manigriva, appeared and bowed down with joined palms.

They said, “ O Lord, You are the Primordial Supreme Person. You control the body, vital airs, the ego, and indriyas. You are the time spirit and imperishable. You are the divine energy (Prakriti) consisting of three gunas, Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas.

You have come down this time for the prosperity and liberation of the entire creation. Pray, both of us, the attendants of Lord Shiva, to depart. 

Let our speech henceforth be used in recounting Your excellence, our ears in hearing Your stories, our hands in doing Your work, our mind in Your thought.  

The Lord said, “It's already known to me. Sage Narada has showered his grace on you both through a curse. There is no bondage of those pious souls who possessed equanimity, fixed their mind on Me. 

Therefore, you both return to your abode. As sought, you have already realized Supreme devotion in Me, which leads to cessation of rebirth.

The two went around the Lord, who was tied to the mortar, bowed low to Him again and again, and proceeded in the northern direction.

Hearing the noise of two falling trees, the cowherds headed by Nanda came to the spot. They saw two Arjuna trees fall on the ground. They wondered whose work it was . They were alarmed to think that it was an evil portent. 

However, infants playing around there said it was done by this boy, Krishna, who had position between the trees while dragging the mortar. They also said two men came out of the trees and were conversing with Him. 

The cowherds ignored the children's words as they thought it was not possible for this boy to uproot those huge trees. Nanda set free the cord tied to Krishna. 

Source: Bhagavatha Mahapurana 

Sage Narada Curses Kubera's Sons

Srimad Bhagavatam - Sage Narada Curses Kubera's Sons

King Parikshit asks Sukhamuni “Why highly revered Sage Narada cursed Nalakubera and Manigriva? What reproachful act did they do?”.

 

Sukamuni said, “ The two sons of Kubera, despite being attendants of Lord Rudra, possessed uncontrollable passion, were fully drunk and strolling with women near river Mandakini.

The celestial Sage, who happened to pass by, saw the fully intoxicated Yakshas (demigods). The celestial nymphs who were naked hurriedly put on their clothes but sons of kubera, ignored the Sage, and remained unclothed.

Seeing the two sons of Kubera fully intoxicated and blind with pride of wealth, Sage Narada felt they needed to be rectified through a curse and to give an opportunity to correct themselves.

The Sage said, “A man with insatiable desires through wealth loses wisdom. With the pride of wealth (a product of Rajoguna), women, gambling, and liquor get associated. 

This pride of wealth makes men kill animals mercilessly. This perishable body is food to worms when buried, food if killed by carnivorous animals, or as ashes if burnt. Why perpetrate violence for the sake of pampering such a body?

To whom does this body belong? One's father? mother? employer? maternal grandfather (on adoption)? King? Purchaser?

Hence, this body is a common property that exists from Primordial matter and will again go back into it. A fool alone identifies himself with the body.

Poverty is the best solution for a wicked soul blinded with pride of wealth. He who has his foot ever pricked with a thorn alone would never allow a fellow being to suffer such pain. 

The hardship a poor man undergoes will prove to be his austerity in this life. A hungry man's body becomes feeble and desists from violence.

Hence, I shall take away their pride caused by ignorance , who are slaves of women, intoxicated and blinded with pride of wealth.

They deserve to be reduced to the state of a tree (that stands immobile, unbending, and uncovered) so that by my grace, they may not behave like that again. 

In the presence of Srikrishna at the end of a hundred celestial years, they would acquire devotion and end their curse”. Saying so, the Sage went away to the hermitage of Narayana. 

Nalkubera and Manigriva were transformed into two Arjuna trees sprung together at Vraja. Krishna crawled between the adjoined trees to make the prophecy of Sage Narada true. 

Source: Bhagavatha Mahapurana 

Yasoda Ties Srikrishna to a Wooden Mortar

 Srimad Bhagavatam - Yasoda Ties Srikrishna to a Wooden Mortar

Once, Yasoda was personally churning the curds as her maids were busy with other work. She was recalling Krishna's infantile sports and expressed them in the form of songs.

Krishna, seeing his mother churning the curds, longed for a suck and stopped her. Yasoda began suckling Him when she suddenly remembered milk kept on the hearth. She placed Him aside and hurriedly went to save milk from overflowing. 

Krishna felt ignored and angrily took a flat stone (used for grinding condiments) and hit the curd pot. 

He went inside and stealthily ate fresh butter. Yasoda saw the broken curd pot and, knowing that it was the work of her son, had a hearty laugh. 

She saw Krishna standing on an overturned base of wooden mortar and freely giving away fresh churned butter to a monkey. She gently went up to Him from behind. Krishna hurriedly ran away, pretending to be afraid of her. 

Sukamuni said, "How does she know that He is indebted to the monkeys that served Him in His previous incarnation as Srirama? ”.

Yasoda, too, ran after Him but couldn't keep the pace due to her bulky hips. Yet she caught hold of Him, who was weeping aloud. She threatened to strike Him but threw the stick off as she was exceedingly fond of her son. 

Yasoda decided to tie Him to a wooden mortar with a string, thinking that He is a mere human. While doing so, the string fell short by an inch. Yasoda added another string to it. Then again, it fell short, and Yasoda had to attach another string. 

This process continued until she exhausted all the strings available at her house. Yasoda felt shameful when her maids laughed at her. She wondered how come I am unable to bind this boy. 

 

Seeing his mother over-exhausted, Krishna allowed Himself to be bound out of sheer compassion. 

Sukamuni said,” In this way, the Lord demonstrated that He is amenable to the excesses of His devotees, though He is the master of the Universe. Indeed, neither Brahma, Shiva nor Mahalakshmi received such grace from Him as Yasoda did”.

When Yasoda was engrossed in her household duties, Krishna noticed a pair of Arjuna trees. Long ago, Nalakubera and Manigriva, sons of Kubera, were reduced to trees by the curse of Sage Narada.

Source: Bhagavatha Mahapurana 

Vasudava Reveals His Form to Yasoda

Srimad Bhagavatam - Vasudeva Reveals His Form to Yasoda 

Once, cowherds, along with Balaram, informed Yasoda that Vasudeva had eaten mud. Yasoda was upset and holding Vasudeva by hand and asked him, “Why did you eat mud”? Vasudeva nodded negatively and said, “ I never ate mud. They are all liars. Examine my mouth with your own eyes”.  

Yasoda said, “ If so, then open your mouth”. 

Inside His mouth, she saw the whole universe, both mobile and stationery, the atmosphere, four quarters, mountains, oceans, wind, fire, the moon, stars, heaven, the deities presiding over indriyas, the mind, the objects of senses, the three gunas, the body of Her son, the Time, people of Vraja including herself.

She wondered if it was a dream or illusion? I bow down to Brahma, who cannot be easily comprehended. The Lord is my Refuge by whose Maya is making me think I am Yasoda, wife of Nanda, this child is mine, and that the cowherds and cowherdess of Vraja as well as cattle wealth are mine.

When Yasoda thus realized this truth, the Almighty (Vasudava) cast his divine form in the form of material affection. 

King Parikshit asked Sukamuni how Yasoda could get such great merit?

He said, “When Mother Earth pleaded Brahma on atrocities meted on her, they approached Srihari. Brahma was informed that He would be born in Vraja at an appropriate time. 

Srihari asked Brahma to make necessary arrangements for it. Brahma requested the foremost of Vasus, Drona, and his wife, Dara, to be born as humans to take care of child Vasudeva (incarnation of Srihari). Hence, they were born as Nanda and Yasoda. 

Drona and Dara made a request to Brahma that they be blessed with undeterred devotion towards the Lord, for which Brahma accepted.

 

Source: Bhagavatha Mahapurana