Thread by @DefiledGod

--Thread on Krishna’s Vow --

Krishna saves Parīkṣita, Uttara’s son by first making a vow, upon which the baby comes back to life. Here is link to the section with Ganguly’s commentary –sacred-texts.com/hin/m14/m14069…. Will be translating this brief section+

#Hinduism #Mahabharata

Parīkṣita was not resurrected due to the Lord's vow. Rather the vow simply explains reasons why Parīkṣita deserved to live. That Bhagavān had the power to bring back the child to life without a vow is not a matter for debate.+

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śrutvā sa tasyā vipulaṃ vilāpaṃ puruṣarṣabhaḥ upaspṛśya tataḥ kṛṣṇo brahmāstraṃ saṃjahāra tat

[That Being who showers his grace to the jīvās (puruṣarṣabhaḥ), hearing those lamentations of Uttara, touched and withdrew the Brahmāstra.]+

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pratijajñe ca dāśārhas tasya jīvitam acyutaḥ abravīc ca viśuddhātmā sarvaṃ viśrāvayañ jagat

[The Lord who never lets his devotees fall (Acyutaḥ), who is worthy to be possessed as a gift (dāśārha), vowed to revive the child...+

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…Then he who is pure in nature as he sacrifices everything for his devotees and bestows them with his grace (viśuddhātmā), said these words in the hearing of the whole universe.]+

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Bhagavān is "Acyuta" as he never lets his devotees slip. How? By considering himself a property or gift to his devotees (dāśārha). How? He is "viśuddhātmā" or pure in nature as he sacrifices everything. All he possesses, he gives away to his devotees+

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This is also what the jitante stotra says, as below: na te rūpam na cākāro nāyudhāni nacāspadam tathāpi puruṣākāro bhaktānām tvam prakāśas

[Your essential nature, form, weapons, abodes etc, are not for you (but for your devotees)...

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…You are the property of your devotees. Thus, by having all Your svarūpa-rūpa-guṇa-vibhūti at the behest of Your devotees, you shine brightly with the virtue of absolute greatness as described in the Puruṣa Sūkta.]+

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Moving on,

na bravīmy uttare mithyā satyam etad bhaviṣyati eṣa saṃjīvayāmy enaṃ paśyatāṃ sarvadehinām

[Uttara, I never utter a falsity. My words will prove true. I shall revive this child in the presence of all beings.]+

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“na bravīmy mithyā” – I never utter falsities, ie, I am noted for my uprightness to my devotees. But then, does he not propagate mohanārtha śāstra? The delusional śāstrās are not propagated by his pūrṇāvatārās but only by his āveṣās.+
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“satyam etad bhaviṣyati” – My words will be true, ie, I am always true to my dharma (protection of devotees). I shall revive this child amidst all beings ---

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...ie, I shall rejuvenate the jīva (by giving it knowledge of the self as distinct from the body), visible to all the senses that possess abodes of enjoyment (sense objects)+

Inner meaning also relevant here.

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noktapūrvaṃ mayā mithyā svaireṣv api kadā cana na ca yuddhe parā vṛttas tathā saṃjīvatām ayam+

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[Never have I uttered something in vain, even in jest. Never also have I turned away from baddha jīva called “yuddha” as it is associated with conflict against its’ true nature due to karmas. (Thus) let this child revive!]+

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Mithyā” here is different from previous “mithyā” which meant falsity. Here,“mithyā” means futility ie spoken just for sake of it. Good intentions are not enough, one must have ability to deliver on them too. Lord confirms he has both.+

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“yuddhe” – baddha jīva who is always associated with the quality of fighting against his true nature due to karmās. It resists the actions of Lord who tries to redeem it. Jīva in samsara thinks itself independent, in conflict with its’ true nature.+

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In summary, Lord says, “ Listen! I never turn my back on this jīva though he fights against me, I make him surrender to me, liberate him from sins & give him assurance that he need not grieve. My words are not in vain..."

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..."So Parīkṣita will definitely live, for I won't forsake him or you, his mother, who has surrendered to me for this desire.”+

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yathā me dayito dharmo brāhmaṇāś ca viśeṣataḥ abhimanyoḥ suto jāto mṛto jīvatv ayaṃ tathā

[As dharma or protection of sādhus,is dear to me, as instructors of the Veda (brāhmaṇāś) are specially dear to me, let Abhimanyu's son, who is born dead, revive!]+

#Hinduism

Bhagavān is “satya-dharma” in sahasranāma as he is always true to his dharma. His dharma is “sādhu paritrāṇāṃ”. These sādhus love him so much that they cannot live without enjoying his guṇās...+

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Thus, he makes sure he always gives his darśaṇam to them through his avatārās. This is his protection.+

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He attributes even his own independent supreme glory to his devotees: vipra prasādāt asurān jayāmi (~viśṇu dharma 52.23) - “I am victorious over the asurās because of the blessings of the wise”. He considers his nature in this manner.+

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Abhimanyu followed the Lord, and Parīkṣita will also be one of these devotees loved by the Lord and so, he will live. Brāhmaṇāś are protected by a virtuous King, & so Parīkṣita will live as he will favor the Brāhmaṇāś. That is meant+
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yathāhaṃ nābhijānāmi vijayena kadā cana virodhaṃ tena satyena mṛto jīvatv ayaṃ śiśuḥ

[Never has antagonism arisen between me and my kin Vijaya (Arjuna). Let this dead child revive by that truth!]+

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Arjuna is called “Vijaya” as he subdued his senses that cause ego and is sāttvika in nature. He has always followed Krishna’s command and never disobeyed the Lord. So, he has the favor of the Lord. Hence, one of his line will live.+

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Bhagavān refers to Vijaya as his family relation. Just as a person should be proud to be related to a Jñāni, Bhagavān too is proud of having relations with devotees during avatārās. He thus makes a reference to his kinship with Arjuna.+
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yathāsatyaṃ ca dharmaś ca mayi nityaṃ pratiṣṭhitau tathā mṛtaḥ śiśur ayaṃ jīvatām abhimanyujaḥ

[As Truth (Satyam) and means to attain the Truth (Dharma) are always established in me, let this dead child of Abhimanyu revive.]+

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What is Truth? It is his greatness which is spoken of by the śāstrās. The Lord is delineated by the sāttvika śāstrās, and all the greatness attributed to him is true, and he stands fully established in Truth. Thus, Mbh says:+

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ṣatye pratisthitah kriśnah satyam asmin pratihthitam । ṣattasatte ca govindah tasmat ṣatyah satam matah || (~Udyoga Parva 69.12)+

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[Krishna is established in Truth, and the Truth is established in him. The jīvās (sat) and prakrti (asat) are both established in Govinda. Hence He is called ‘Satya’ or ‘Truth’.]+

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He is the propagator of sāttvika śāstrās which describe his greatness as follows:

mahan prabhur-vai puruśah sattvasya eśa pravartakah । su-nirmalām imam ṣantim īśāno jyotir-avyayah ॥ (~Sve Up. 3.12)+

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[This Puruśa alone is the Great Giver of Moksha. This Puruśa is the propagator of Sattva. Therefore this Immutable light is the ruler (Ordainer) of this pure peace of the form of Moksha.]+

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Metaphysically, Arjuna is the meditating mind, Abhimanyu is the performance of karma yoga & his son Parīkṣita is the discriminatory knowledge of self & body to be carefully inspected or considered, but that meaning is sort of boring, so forget it😄+

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yathā kaṃśaś ca keśī ca dharmeṇa nihatau mayā tena satyena bālo 'yaṃ punar ujjīvatām iha ity ukto vāsudevena sa bālo bharatarṣabha śanaiḥ śanair mahārāja prāspandata sa cetanaḥ+

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[As Kamsa (mind) and Kesi (senses) have been slain by me by virtue of my dharma which is a means to protect my devotees, let this child revive today by that truth! After this was said Vāsudeva, that child, O for became alive and began to move]+
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In sahasranāma, Bhagavān is known as “dharmī” as he uses dharma as an instrument to protect his devotees. Dharma refers to śāstrās & knowledge in them.

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“Kamsa” is a metaphor for the mind which is referred to as “hiranmayena pātrena” in the Isa Up. The asura Kesi is a horse signifying the indrīyās. Krishna subdues both for his devotees using the knowledge of the śāstrās (dharma)+

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brahmāstraṃ tu yadā rājan kṛṣṇena pratisaṃhṛtam tadā tad veśma te viprā tejasābhividīpitam tato rakṣāṃsi sarvāṇi neśus tyaktvā gṛhaṃ tu tat antarikṣe ca vāg āsīt sādhu keśava sādhv iti +

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[When the brahmāstra was withdrawn by Krishna, the
room was illumined by your (Janamejaya’s) father with his radiance. All Rakshasas left the room, many were destroyed. In the sky, a voice was heard saying, “Well indeed, Keśava!”]+

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The aśarīri referred to the Lord as “Keśava”. Why this name in particular? Because the Lord had described his auspicious qualities by virtue of which he revived Parīkṣita...

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So, the voice is saying, “From your words, as you described yourself, I recognize you, O Krishna, as the Lord of Brahma and Rudra (Keśava) and hence the Supreme Being revealed by the Veda”.+

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Thus, the Lord reviving Parīkṣita was never the major incident here. It is his beautiful vow to protect his devotees that deserves attention. This discussion is concluded. Thanks for reading, if you took the time to do so.//

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