The Path of Devotion in the Epics and Puranas: 4. Swami Krishnananda.

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Monday 13, January 2025, 08:40
Article
Scriptures
The Path of Devotion in the Epics and Puranas: 4.
Swami Krishnananda.
Post-4.

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And how does God help? The Mahabharata, again, is an instance on the point—Asvatthama's ferocitv, to give another instance. We are told that Asvatthama, one day, approached his father Drona and said: “You teach everything to Arjuna, whatever you have taught me. What is the difference between a disciple and a son? No difference at all? The son naturally is dearer than disciples. You teach Arjuna everything. Will you not teach me something which Arjuna does not know?” Drona thought: “This is a very foolish son, not as wise as Arjuna, and I should not teach him mysteries that may enable him to work havoc”. But Asvatthama went on pressing the father with importunities: “Teach me something which Arjuna does not know, otherwise what is the good of my being your son.” All the Astras Arjuna was taught. There was nothing that Arjuna did not know, because of instruction from Drona. But on account of a fatherly affection for even a stupid son, which every father has, Drona finally agreed. 

“All right, come here, I shall give you something, but beware. I am giving you fire in your hands by which you can burn the worlds; but my child, do not use it against devotees of God, because it will not work against devotees of God. It will work against real enemies. This is the Narayana-astra, the missile that is invoked with the power of Narayana. I am telling you this today, and I am initiating you into this mystery. If you release this, all the world can be reduced to ashes; but do not use this. I am warning you, lest you should be yourself in danger when you misuse it.” Yet Drona was cautious. He did not tell him how to withdraw the missile, because if he could withdraw it, he would go on using it again and again. He knew the lack of understanding of Asvatthama and the eagerness of his to use it one day or the other! So he could use it only once. Once if is let off, it is let off forever. It could not come back for a second use. But there is a method of withdrawing it also, which in this particular case, Drona never told Asvatthama.

And you know, the occasion came for it. When Drona left his mortal coil, the fury of Asvatthama knew no bounds. He said: “I know the secret; today the Pandavas shall not be in this world. My father has told me something, and today there shall be none remaining on the Pandavas' side, not Yudhishthira, not Bhima, not Arjuna; and he took out his 'cat out of the bag', and he let it out with the invocation of Narayana-mantra. Well! You know what happened? Not even an atomic bomb can work such havoc. It multiplied itself into a million-fold. Everywhere, the whole sky was filled with burning missiles; and there were no stars, no sun, no moon, no sky. It was all fire. That was all. And when Arjuna saw that sight, Krishna was accosted: “O Lord! What is this that is coming? I cannot understand it. Some new thing is coming which I have not seen up to this time.” Krishna said: “I know what it is, and there is no remedy for this. No one can stand against this. 

The best thing for you all is to stop fighting. It shall not do any harm to those who will not fight it. It is destructive only to the enemies. Those who prostrate themselves before it are not its enemies, and so the best thing for you would be to cast down your arms and offer prostration to it, and then it shall exhaust itself” Nobody knew what this mystery was, what it was that was coming; but then Krishna said that there was no fighting with it; and to all it was proclaimed loudly: “Cast down your arms, prostrate yourself before this Fire that is coming; that is the only way of saving yourself.” And all did this except Bhima. He retorted: “I am not a coward. I, a Kshatriya to cast down arms—nothing doing! I shall see to it.” He took up his mace and began brandishing it. Krishna and Arjuna went there and told him: “This is not the time to show your valour, friend, please listen to us.” But he would not listen; then he was pulled down by Krishna and Arjuna. “Come down, stupid man, you do not know what you are doing.” Since there was nobody to fight, the Astra went here, there, everywhere, seeing and searching for a single enemy. Nobody was there to fight with it, and so, finally, it extinguished itself. Thereafter, the flame entered the body of Krishna, because He was Narayana Himself. It entered the body of Narayana. 

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Continued

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