Yagna
The vagaries of nature and life spare none. Farmers, businessmen, service providers et al labour all through the year but can never be sure of the outcome. It was the same in the past as it is now. And will remain the same in future too.
So rishis Atharvan and Angirasa create different hymns and rituals to please specific Gods for specific reasons. This becomes the Atharva Veda. Now they introduce a concept called the Yagna in which we worship Agni first. Agni is the mouth of the Gods, exists as fire on earth, as lightning in space & as the Sun in the sky and conveys our desires to the Gods.
This increases our chances of getting what we desire. Everyone is happy. Farmers invoke Varuna, businessmen worship Lakshmi, service providers worship Vishwakarman and so on.
Far far away, beyond the Van of Vrinda, some Brahmanas decide to perform a yagna because they wish to ascend to Swarga when they die. They marry devout women for they can get the benefits of the yagna only if their wives sit next to them. But sadly, the wives know nothing about the essence of the Vedas or these rituals. So they just follow their husbands’ instructions blindly.
But in their spare time, they discuss the adventures of Krishna, the cowherd, who lives in Gokul and chant Krishna’s name as they do their work. They feel good when they do this. And that is enough for them.
Krishna
In the Van of Vrinda, Krishna, Balarama and the gopas are famished after a hard day’s work. Krishna says, “I can see a group of brahmanas performing a yagna there. I’m sure they will share some of their rice with us if we tell them we are hungry?”
The gopas walk to the yagnashala and see the Brahmanas chanting the hymns loudly in unison. Their immense knowledge awes them. The Brahmanas are totally engrossed in performing each ritual perfectly. So the gopas stand right in front of them and say, “O Vedic scholars, Krishna and Balarama are minding our cows in Vrindavan. We are hungry. Can you please give us some rice?”
The Brahmanas pause. Only momentarily. And continue performing the rituals. Perfectly. They want Swarga. So nothing else matters to them. But they don’t know what to do with gopas’ strange request. So the Brahmanas just ignore the gopas.
The gopas shrug their shoulders dejectedly but smile with amusement on their way back and say, “They practise rituals without any Bhakti. That’s why they are unable to see Krishna even though He is so close to them.”
The gopas tell Krishna and Balarama all that they saw. Krishna bursts out laughing and says, “Forget about the rice. You can get all the delicacies that you have only dreamt of so far if you do what I say.” “What?” ask the gopas curiously. Says Krishna “Go to the wives of the Brahmanas with the same message again.”
The gopas look at Krishna dumbly. Surely their Krishna had gone strange again. Why – he was asking them to do the same thing again! On a hot summer afternoon. When they were weary to the bone and hungry too. They could never understand Krishna. That was one thing, only one thing that they were sure of.
But they don’t have a choice. So they shrug their shoulders and trudge back tiredly to the yagna shala again. But a strange sight greets them this time. The Brahmana wives are preparing four kinds of food especially for the yagna: Bhakshya, food that is swallowed, Bhijya, food that is chewed, Lehya, food that is licked and Coshya, food that is sucked. The women have a song on their lips and a dainty spring in their gait and seem oblivious to the world around them.
The gopas clear their throats loudly and say, “Krishna, Balarama and we, gopas are famished mothers. Can you please give us some of the rice that you have cooked for the yagna?” The brahmana wives freeze. They then pinch themselves and one another and wonder if they are imagining things. They come close to the gopas and touch them. “Why, the gopas are real. We are not dreaming. Krishna is here. Rama is here. Our dream is coming true.”
The gopas roll their eyes. Krishna. Krishna always confused everyone. Instead of giving them the rice, the women were now jumping around in joy. The gopas chorus together to get through them and say, “Mothers, please, can you give us some rice?” The brahmana wives smile at them widely and say, “Rice? Why rice? Krishna deserves only the very best. We will serve him all that we have cooked for the yagna. Will you take us to Him? Now?” The gopas nod vigorously in assent.
But they stop when they hear the angry voices of the Brahmanas. The gopas wonder if the food that they have feasted their eyes upon will ever reach their mouths. They wait with bated breath…
And hear the wives say, “Enough. We have done enough for you and your yagnas. But not anymore. Krishna is here. We cannot control our hearts any longer. And neither can you stop us.”And without a backward glance, the women hoist the large vessels onto their heads and shoulders and follow the gopas. To meet Krishna. To meet Balarama.
Bhakti
Krishna welcomes them warmly and says, “O simple women, your hearts know no fear for you know I am with you. The ways of the world make no sense to you. Yet you do everything with Bhakti and dedicate it all to me. And seek nothing in return. For Bhakti, as you know, is its own reward.”The Brahmana wives just gaze and touch and smile at Krishna foolishly and endlessly. And remain speechless….
The gopas quickly relieve them of the pots and pans lest they drop them all. Couldn’t Krishna chat with the Brahmana wives after they had all eaten? Krishna looks at the women gently and says, “Now that I have fulfilled your dream and blessed you with my darshan, you should return to your husbands. For their yagnas cannot continue unless you sit by their sides.”
The Brahmana women wail in horror and speak up now, “Don’t be so cruel Krishna. No one – not even our fathers, brothers and sons let alone our husbands will accept us now. We have broken all our worldly ties to get but a glimpse of you. You cannot let down people who seek refuge in you.”
Krishna calmly says, “You will be accepted graciously. For you have surrendered to Krishna. Know this one thing if you must. Physical contact or proximity is not necessary to evolve spiritually. A yagna may take you to Swarga. But Bhakti transports you to realms that exist beyond your imagination. You reside within me now and always will. I promise you that. Now go. Back.
Speak nothing of this when you return though. For Bhakti can never be taught. It can only be experienced. Let them evolve spiritually in their own way, at their own time and pace.” The Brahmana wives do as Krishna says. Their families do welcome them warmly and they complete the yagna properly.
And gopas sigh with relief for Krishna, Balarama and all of them can now feast on the delicacies to their hearts’ content.
Yes. Krishna is in the mantras and rituals too. But without Bhakti – mantras and rituals transform into mere mechanical habits which blinds us to the ultimate reality – Krishna. And that is what Krishna wants us to understand….
Photo given by Shri. Bansiji.
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