GITA 4.15

GITA 4.15

Vasudevasuthandevam kamsachanoora mardhanam

Devakiparamanandam Krishnam vande jagatgurum.

From this sloka we understand that Sri Krishna made His avatar and killed Kamsa and other demons. We are at a place called Ramanreti in Gokulam, where He played. All devotees who come here roll on this earth and they are happy that the mud sticks to their bodies. We should not feel ashamed to do this, as it is a sign of bhakti. Uddhava and Sukhacharya wanted rebirth, provided they are born in this Vrajabhoomi as a tree or even as a particle of dust. Mere knowledge is no good unless we have bhakti, which will make our heart light and happy. Sri Krishna as a child used to play here and build sand castles. He used to tease girls playing, by kicking of their sand castles built with great effort. Sri Andal says that once the girls built a sand castle in the backyard of a house without the knowledge of Sri Krishna. They thought that since the house front doors were closed and bolted, He would not be able to disturb their efforts. Little forgetting that He is the commander even for the door, they were shocked to see Sri Krishna appearing before them and destroying the sand castle. To understand the greatness and glory of this place, one should visit here and roll as other devotees do, and one can note the difference in oneself.

 We will now see the 13th sloka:

catur-varnyam maya srstam
guna-karma-vibhagasah
tasya kartaram api mam
viddhy akartaram avyayam

According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.

"According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non doer, being unchangeable."

He says that He created the four varnam [divisions] in this world. This may make some to feel that Sri Krishna has created these divisions and so differences have been created by Him. We should interpret this sloka as explained by our elders. Two things are there in this world: Differenciation and Discrimination. The former says about categorization, while the latter is inequity. Differences are inevitable in this world. No two are identical. But to think one is superior or inferior to other, is discrimination, and is not natural and so bad in concept. Sri Krishna tells that He created divisions for different purposes, just as in a corporate set up, different persons are assigned different works. He created the four divisions without discriminating. The job assigned was according to their nature and actions. So the division is based on one's guna and karma. Mya = by Me [Sri Krishna], sristam = created. Here we should note that He never created the varnams but created this world with varnams. He emphatically states that He is the Creator. Upanishads say that it is Bramham from which all are created and in which all lie. It is like from earth we make pots and when pots are destroyed they become earth. Just like children play building mud castles and after some time destroy them, God also creates this world and at a later time destroys all. Guna - quality or character, karma = actions, vibhagasa = divided . That is, He says that according to the three qualities, satva, rajo and tamo guna, He has divided this creation of Him. It is said that creations emanate from various organs of the Lord. Since there can not be discrimination among the organs of the same body, there can not be discrimination of creations out of various organs of the Bramhan. In fact, we all like to cling to His feet only and we adore them. So the creations from His feet are as magnificent as from the mouth or other organs. So we should never see superiority or inferiority among various varnams. Nammalwar says that if one has bhakti then we can not discriminate him even if he is considered by the society as of low caste. The Lord says that by division of labour according to gunas, the activities by them become karma yoga. Such people need not go after other gods for favour but follow the karma yoga and reach Him. All are His creations and He has not discriminated. The high- low feeling is not attributable to Him. In fact, the so many multitudes of sub-castes and sub-divisions are not His creation.

                                                                                         (continued)