GITA 4.33

GITA 4.33

Sri Krishna enacted many pranks and plays in Gokulam , Brindavan and other places. Today's [29th October,2007] is from an important place -Govardana Giri. All the 1600 persons who accompanied this pilgrimage went round the Giri - called Parikrama. Sri Krishna once lifted and held this hill on His fingers, and so He is called Govardan Giridhari. Once Indra out of anger made rains to lash this place. When the gopis and gopikas and the cattle ran, seven year old Sri Krishna protected all of them by lifting this hill. Though we are at the spot near the hill, Sri Krishna as Sri Giridhari, graces the devotees at Nath Dwaraka in Rajasthan. Out of the five places in Pancha Dwaraka, four are in Gujarat and one in Rajasthan. But we are in the state of Uttar Pradesh and this place is about 30 miles from Mathura. 

People here love and respect this hill so much and they call it as Giriraj or King of Hills. The Lord graces atop many hills like in Sri Sholingar and in Thirumala. But this is the only hill atop the Lord! To do parikrama we have to walk about 21 Kilometres. At some places the maximum height of 80 feet is there and at some other places the hill is not visible. Sage Pulastya once went to see Dronachalam hills (in Kurnool, A.P.). Govardan hill was the son of Dronachalam. The sage was attracted by the beauty of the Govardan with its water falls, springs and greenery. So, he requested Dronachalam to give away Govardan to him so that he could take it to Kasi and meditate sitting on Govardan. Dronachalam had no objection. But Govardan agreed to accompany Pulasthya with a condition that in case the sage places the hill on the way on the ground, then Govardan would stay put there itself and would not move further. Agreeing, the sage with his mystic power, compressed the Govardan hill to hand held size and made it weightless for easy transport. On the way the sage came to this spot and saw the prestige of this place where Sri Krishna played. Govardan hill also saw this place. This unique experience made the hill heavier and at one stage the sage could no longer hold it and so placed it on the ground. According to the condition, Govardan refused to move away from this place. We may have a doubt that how the hill which was formed much earlier to Sri Krishna avatar, could experience Sri Krishna's pranks and plays? But knowing the future only, the hill decided to stay here and be of service to the Lord. Pulasthya got angry on the hill and cursed that it would get reduced daily a mustard size. That is why a tall hill during Sri Krishna avatar, has come to this size over the long period.

 Now we will see the second half of 31st sloka. Earlier we saw the second half of 30th sloka and the first half of 31st sloka. There He told that he who selects one of the many Karma yoga listed, and practices it sincerely, and part takes the remnants of those offered to the Lord, gets his sins dissolved and is able to realize the very ancient Atman. Now the second half of the 31st sloka:

nayam loko ’sty ayajnasya
kuto ’nyah kuru-sattama

O best of the Kuru dynasty, without sacrifice one can never live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of the next?

"O best of the Kuru dynasty, without performing yagna, None can live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of the next?"

Ayam loko = this world, na asty = is not for him, anya = the other world, kuta = where is going to be for him? kuru sattama = noble one of Kuru dynasty. Arjuna queries as to who will not have this and the other world? Ayajnasya = [this is the most important word in the sloka] the one who does not perform yagna. That is the one who does not perform the duties expected of him, he can not get this world. When this world is not there for him, the question of getting the other world, does not arise. Ayajnasya does not mean the one who does not do one of the thirteen Karma yoga listed. Everyone is expected to do certain daily and occasional - nitya and naimittika karma. Ordinary dharma like speaking truth, not stealing , nor aspiring for others' property, etc. are to be practiced. Additionally, depending on his varna and ashram, he has to perform certain rituals. By following these he is said to have performed yagna. We need not imagine the yagna mentioned here as the one done with sacred fire and in front of an assembly of great scholars chanting mantras. In our daily life we commit unknowingly so many sins like killing insects and small creatures, while using stove [even if it is gas/ electric], grinder [even if it is mixer or wet grinders], pounders, sweeping and cooking. Unless these sins are washed off, mere pilgrimage or donations will not get us Moksham. To wash off these sins, it is necessary, one practices the daily rituals prescribed. We have to look after our guests, feed the animals, chant the Vedas to the extent possible, not failing to do the daily and occasional rituals, etc. Failing to do these will deprive him of this and the other worlds. That is the benefits of dharma, artha and kama  [righteousness, property and desire] will not accrue in this world. So, Moksham also will not be attained by him. So basic requirement is, one has to perform without fail the prescribed duties. Kuru dynasty had many noble persons who performed their duties and so Arjuna should not think of abandoning fight which is a Kshatriya dharma (basic duty).

                                                                                                  (continued)