GITA 6.42

GITA 6.42

Dwajasthambam

In the pasuram pillaiuyirai (Periya Tirumozhi, 5-2-3), Thirumangai Alwar says Sri Jagatrakshaka Perumal, as Sri Krishna, stole milk, curd and butter; and by doing so He stole the heart of Alwar also! As a small Boy of Gokulam, the Lord has entered into the mind of Alwar. By stealing, instead of being punished, He steals the hearts of His devotees. Punishment is for the devotees like the Alwar, since Alwar's mind is no longer with him; he is not able to listen to others and so others abuse him for his indifference! Such a Thief is here, as Sri Jagatrakshaka. Here the Lord alone is not stealing, even the birds like cranes, steal fish in the paddy fields full of water. Long ago, the temple was away from the present location and was just on the banks of Kaveri, in a place, now called Koodalur. Once there was a great deluge and the temple was wrecked and the idols were washed away by the river. The idol was captured by some fishermen. Rani [queen] Mangamma was ruling Madurai at that time and the Lord appeared in her dreams and wanted her to build a new temple for Him and install the idol with the fishermen. When the queen came in search of this place, one fisherman leader by name Rama, told her that the Lord had appeared in his dream also and gave the idol to the queen. When they were all searching for a suitable place for the temple, an oracle was heard and the present place was chosen and temple was built. Stone testimonies and other evidences are reported to be available in Tanjore. Though Sri Krishna is accused by others for stealing, we should remember that the entire Universe is His and so when He takes anything, it is His property; and, it is we who steal His property and try to conceal.

 Now we see sloka 41: 

prapya punya-kritam lokan
usitva sasvatih samah
sucinam srimatam gehe
yoga-bhrasto ’bhijayate

The unsuccessful yogī, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of rich aristocracy.

"The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people,with good intentions."

From this sloka Sri Krishna gives assurance of His support to the person, who has started yoga sincerely, in this life as well as in his ensuing births. A person has started yoga in all sincerity. Due to pull of desire in others like the pleasures in heaven or in Chandra loka or Kubera loka, he discontinues yoga and aspires for these inferior pleasures. At the right time, after death of the person, the Lord ensures the person attains the pleasures he wanted. Punya kritam lokan = the worlds destined for those who have done punya, prapya = attains. This person is dispatched to the loka reserved for those who have done great punya; even though this person might not have performed so much punya to deserve that loka, but as he has begun yoga sincerely, he is granted that position. Sasvata sama = for long time, usitva = live there. Normally, for those who have done punya, these loka might be available for living till the punya account has balance and after exhausting all punya, all those persons are sent back to be born as whatever their karma is destined. But, this person, who has started the yoga and discontinued half way, is sent to these loka, reserved for all those who have performed great deeds. Not only that. This person can spend time for much, much longer times. Normally, it is human nature to long for something we do not have. As long as that is not had, this longing for that may be hurting us. But, once we get that and we enjoy its possession, then we will certainly feel that why we bothered the Lord for this small and inferior pleasure. We will then feel that we should continue to practice yoga and be loyal to the Lord. Detachment will creep in, at that time, and we will start thinking these inferior pleasures are enough. He will then be made to be born in a place where the surroundings will be conducive to restart the yoga from the point where he had discontinued in the previous birth. Yoga brashta = he who has slipped from or discontinued yoga, abhijayate = is well born in, sucinam = well intentioned, srimatham = of good character, gehe = houses. So this person, who sincerely started yoga, but has discontinued for variety of reasons, gets the desired pleasures, of inferior nature, in this or other lokas meant for noble souls, and after he is satisfied, and says enough, he is made to be born in a house of families of good character and with good intentions [to stimulate this person again in yoga]. The sloka says that this person is born in such families; but actually, it is the Lord, Who decides this course of destiny. Born in such families, this person is able to continue yoga from where he discontinued in his previous birth.

                                                                                            (continued)