SHYAMDAS 1953-2013 IN MEMORIAM

that assailed Him in the forms of a
heron, a calf and a donkey. He also rid
the Yamuná River of that poisonous
snake Káliya. How could such an
amazing one be born amongst a group
of simple cowherds like us?”
Nanda Baba removed their doubts
by relating the following story. “After
Käüóa’s birth, the sage Garga explained
to me that my son is the lord himself. The
sage told me that the blessed one appears
in different yugas, with various names
and forms, and has now manifested as
my son, úrà Käüóa. He assured me that
‘He will bring happiness to those who
love Him.’ Garga also said to me, ‘Your
son, úrà Käüóa is like Lord Náráyaóa in
splendor, fame and glory.’”
The cowherds were confused, because
they did not understand how úrà Käüóa
could maintain every virtue and still
appear as a child. Nanda’s words made
them understand that while úrà Käüóa is
perfectly full of lordship, potency, fame,
beauty, knowledge and renunciation,
He also does whatever He wants. That is
how—although He is divine and beyond
anything material—úrà Käüóa can also
become a child. He is the lord of Lakümà,
as well as the master of liberation. All of His
manifestations are true and appear for the
sake of His devotees. The blessed one can
easily support all forms of contradiction.
Hearing Nanda Baba’s words, all of the
cowherds’ doubts were removed, and they
honored both Nanda Baba and úrà Käüóa.
Now they had not only heard about Hari’s
glories, but had also witnessed them,
gathering the final proof.
second purpose of Hari’s
A Govardhan Hill làlá was to remove
Indra’s false pride. Although úrà Käüóa
had established Indra in his rain-god
position, Indra forgot this fact and
imagined that he was lord of the world.
After Gopal balanced the Govardhan
Hill on a single finger for seven days,
Indra was truly humbled and reflected,
“I clearly am not the boss. úrà Käüóa
is the lord of all gods. In my great
ignorance, I tried to destroy Braja with
my winds and torrents.” In this way, úrà
Käüóa compassionately removed Indra’s
conceit without destroying him.
Indra then went to Braja with his
30 Special Issue • Shyamdas ~ In Memoriam
divine, wish-fulfilling cow, Surabhà.
He came before úrà Käüóa, who was
sitting alone near the Govardhan Hill.
Humbled and full of shame, Indra
placed his head, adorned with a crown
as bright as the sun, at úrà Käüóa’s lotus
feet. He then praised the immortal lord
in ten lines, and thereby purified his ten
práóas, his vital breaths, which he had
misappropriated for his own material
gain. He finally understood that
they should have been used in Hari’s
divine service. Indra’s indiscretion had
caused his práóas to lose their divine
connection, and when he became
blinded with arrogance, he could no
longer see his true self.
Indra humbly bowed and praised
úrà Käüóa’s form and virtues, “You are
pure essence, untouched by anything
physical. úrà Käüóa, you are forever
free from all forms of greed. You wield
the rod of punishment, but are also
the father, the guru, as well as the
supreme ruler of all creations. For the
good of the world, You play at will
and curb the pride of the arrogant. O
Lord, forgive me, immersed as I was in
the pride of wealth and power. I was
ignorant of your greatness. Although
you are beyond sense perception, You
are devoted to the welfare of those who
are faithful to your lotus feet. Glories to
you, inner controller of all! You embody
pure consciousness and are the soul of
all living beings. Now that my pride
has been sundered, I seek you, supreme
ruler, as my sole refuge.”
úrà Käüóa heard Indra’s prayer,
laughed, and replied, “Those who are
blinded by pride will never take notice
of me. I stopped your sacrifice to enable
you to always remember me. My grace
truly arises when I remove obstructing
prosperity. Now return to your abode,
and carry on your works according to
your qualifications.”
Surabhà, the celestial cow, then
extolled úrà Käüóa, “O great yogi, soul
of creation! We are favored by you,
the true lord. Unlike Indra, you are
continually absorbed in a single divine
nectar. You are the supreme ruler and
protector of the cows and bhaktas.
Now, with a celestial bath of milk, we
honor you as our king.” From that day,
úrà Käüóa became known as Govinda,
“Lord of the Cows.”
Then Indra’s elephant, Airávata,
brought the Gaïgá River down from the
heavens, and with Indra’s assistance, they
honored úrà Käüóa with a ceremonial
bath. In the celebration that followed,
the gods sang while the celestial dancers
danced. Flowers showered from the
heavens, and the entire world became
drenched in supreme bliss. The earth
overflowed with milk from the cows,
and the rivers rushed with nectar. Trees
oozed honey, and crops appeared on
unplowed lands. Gems rose to the
surface of mountains, and enemies
became friends.
úRÅ KÉûîA always forgives those
who take His shelter. The penalties
He administers are not for destruction,
but to correct His people so that they
will turn towards Him. úrà Käüóa is
the Lord of all regions and fulfills the
desires of the devotional heart. His
blessings extend to all realms.
Hari protects His bhaktas and subdues
the false pride of His followers. But His
lotus feet cannot be attained until we
become humble. The beloved always
responds to the devotee’s humility; it is the
most important of all spiritual virtues.
Wherever úrà Käüóa resides, there can
be no anger. He is the supreme wealth.
Not only does He reside within all
beings, but He also is the single force
behind every accomplishment. He
inspires every heart, and those who take
His shelter become like Him—totally
exalted. úrà Käüóa is unimpeded and
free from disparity.
úrà Vallabhácárya praises Him,
“Glories to úrà Käüóa, the doer of
wonderful deeds, who played the world
into existence by dividing form and
name (ùástrártha nibandha).” Creation is
His very form and is therefore sacred.
As Vásudeva, He awards liberation,
but when He becomes úrà Käüóa, He
is both the means and the blessed
reward—full of truth, consciousness and
mostly bliss. He is wisdom personified.
Hari plays to bring His bhaktas towards
His blissful self. By simply playing with
His devotees, Hari awarded them an
independent, love-based devotion.