Misericordia

La misericordia es por encima de la Justicia.

Cuando Kṛṣṇa se había montado en su cuadriga para regresar a Dwaraka, Uttara llegó corriendo en busca de su protección. Cayendo ante las ruedas de Su carro, Uttara suplico por su vida y por la vida de su hijo, dijo:

पाहि पाहि महायोगिन्देवदेव जगत्पते

नान्यं त्वदभयं पश्ये यत्र मृत्युः परस्परम्

Shrimad Bhagavatam (1.8.9)

pahi pahi maha-yogin deva-deva jagat-pate

nanyam tvad abhayam pasye atra mrityuh parasparam 

“¡Oh Kṛṣṇa protégeme! Tú eres el verdadero Mahayogi, porque eres el mayor de todos quienes poseen poderes yóguicos místicos. Eres la esperanza de los desamparados y el protector de los pobres, los sencillos brahmanes y de la propia Tierra. Sólo tú puedes liberarnos en este mundo de la oscuridad y la dualidad. ¡Protege a mi hijo que no ha nacido y quien es la esperanza de nuestra dinastía!”

Y mientras hablaba un misil de gran poder, brillante como el cielo, cayía desde los cielos. La poderosa arma guiada por el mantra se aproximaba al lugar en donde estaba arrodillada Uttara. Pero Kṛṣṇa había escuchado la oración de Uttara. Y al ver que el misil volaba directo hacia ella, la protegió con sus poderes yóguicos. Y con este milagro divino Kṛṣṇa hizo que su vientre estuviera protegido del ataque hacia su hijo nonato, Parikṣit, el futuro regente de India.

Mientras tanto el poderoso Arjuna junto con sus hermanos cabalgó firmemente hacia el sitio en el que se escondía Aśvatthāmā. Quien fue capturado. Los enojados hijos de Paṇḍu lo atraparon y lo arrastraron tal cual bestia fuera del bosque. Lo tomaron, le ataron de pies y manos y regresaron ante su esposa, Draupadī la de sangre ardiente quien estaba en  duelo por el asesinato de su hijos.

El Perdón de Draupadī

द्रौपदी कृप

Draupadī había sido insultada a manos de Duryodana y sus compañeros. Y ahora sus hijos y hermano habían sido asesinados por el perverso Aśvatthāmā mientras dormían. Pero la guerra había templado su sed de venganza; ya había visto suficiente sangre.

Draupadī había enjugado su pelo en la sangre de aquellos hombres que le habían insultado y quienes intentaron desnudarla tras el truqueado juego de dados. Había visto muerte y destrucción en el campo de batalla y ahora había perdido a su hermano el guerrero Dhristadyumna.

Su padre, y muchos tíos de la realeza y nobles primos yacían ahora muertos. Draupadī sentía afecto por Droṇa; había sido amigo de la infancia de su padre Draupada. Y al ver a Aśvatthāmā atado como un animal, no tuvo interés en verle morir.

Draupadī había perdido todo su interés en derramar sangre. “Misericordia por encima de la justicia,” dijo, “Dejen que viva, Arjuna estaba sorprendido de que Draupadī tuviera tanta piedad hacia este demonio despiadado. “Entonces ¿cuál ha de ser su castigo?”



“Entonces arranquen de su cabeza la gema mágica que es la fuente de su poder y envíenle al exilio si así deben hacerlo, pero no le maten. Perdonen su vida. Tal vez algún día se arrepienta de lo que ha hecho. Hasta entonces, habrá de mostrar, con su pesar y locura qué amargos son los frutos de la guerra.” Y volviéndose hacia el desvergonzado hijo del brahmán, Draupadī dijo, “Arrepiéntete de tus crímenes, Oh despiadado Aśvatthāmā.”

Y mostrándole el respeto que se debe a un brahmán, pidió a sus hermanos que le liberaran de sus ataduras. Draupadī dijo, “Su padre fue nuestro maestro, él es un brahmán.” Ella continuó “No puedo ver más sangre. Me lamento por mis hermanos y mis pobres hijos. No permitamos que la esposa de Droṇa, Kripi, se lamente por su hijo Aśvatthāmā como yo me lamento por los míos. Su esposo Droṇa continúa viviendo en el reflejo de su hijo. 

"Por favor, no seamos nosotros la causa de futuras desgracias, ya que somos justos." Dijo Draupadī.  "Y ya que la misericordia es superior a la justicia, muestren misericordia hacia él. Después de todo este derramamiento de sangre, empecemos de nuevo. Ahora al fin tendremos paz. No empecemos un reino de paz con un acto de venganza. Que la esposa de Droṇa no llore igual que yo. Y finalmente, apeló a Kṛiṣhṇa, "O Kṛiṣhṇa, dale justicia o muéstrale tu misericordia según te plazca.”    

Amnesia

Forgotten

The king had left for his palace and court. Soon he became immersed in royal affairs and forgot all about Shakuntala. He had a vague memory that something interesting had happened while on his hunt in the forest, but even when he tried hard to think of what it was, it escaped him. He celebrated the prince's birthday with the queen and fell into the dull forgetfulness of everyday life.

Shakuntala was desperate to hear some news from Dushyant, but as the days went by no messenger arrived to escort her to the palace of the king. As her pregnancy began to show, people would ask about the father of her child. And when she told them, "He will be a great prince, as his father is the King, Dushyant," the people would scorn and laugh at her. 

Finally, she sat down and wrote Dushyant a letter, reminding the king of their love. She sent the letter with a brahmana who passed through the ashrama, and waited for a reply, but heard nothing.

Shakuntala writes a letter

Finally Kanva returned from his long pilgrimage. He greeted Gautami, the matron of the ashram and asked her for the news. Gautami told him all about the yakshas who had attacked the sacred fire, and the elephant who tore through the bamboo and the story of Shakuntala and her infatuation with the King Dushyant. 

Sage Kanva and Shakuntala

After Kanva rested and lit the sacrificial fire and spoke the Vedic truths to his disciples, he called for Shakuntala. When she told that hermit how she was with child, it was decided that the best thing to do would be to travel to the Palace of the great King Dushyant and remind him of his obligation toward his wife.

They resolved to leave at once for the court of King Dushyant to plead their case. 

Morelia

Preaching Center in Morelia

Yesterday, I had the good fortune to visit the Chaitanya Saraswat Math preaching center in Morelia. We drove from San Miguel de Allende to Morelia, about 4 hours by car. Our intrepid guitar man sang a few songs bossa nova style

Dayal Nitai

While Sharanagati Devi Dasi, a disciple of Shridhar Maharaja, drove. She knew the way. Morelia has a small preaching center where Ashrama Maharaja and Janardana Maharaja often visit.

I recently met Sharanagati and her partner Pundarika Lochan and we caught up on old times. Pundarika remembered me from back in San Jose, California. We were going to Morelia to honor the disappearance day of Govinda Maharaja. 

We talked about the great contributions that Govinda Maharaja made to our line and his swanlike character as we wended our way through the hills and mountainous country of Michoacan, Mexico.

Mexico is not all cactus and desert. The area around Michoacan is green. The elevation is above 6,000 feet and there are plenty of trees and forest, lakes, and wild areas.

The Zapotec and Purepecha Indians were never subjugated by the Spanish Conquistadores. They hid in the hills and continued their traditions. Many of the most ancient traditions of Mexico and the indigenous peoples of Meso-America may be found in this hills.

It was a beautiful day with few clouds, a welcome break from the recent cold snap.

Dayal Nita played us another song

As we drove past the Laguna of Cuitzeo.

Morelia has a picturesque old colonial historical center which dates back to the times of the old Viceroy of Spain, El Virrey Mendoza.

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We parked and walked around the center a bit, looking for a place that had organic orange juice.

We finally settled on the corner ice cream store which served a fine fresh-squeezed OJ.

I'm watching my sugar now, so I had a fresh glass of papaya juice. After the break, we continued on to the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math preaching center in downtown Morelia.  The Math is close to the center of town and is frequented by a lot of young people. 

Chaitanya Saraswat Math Preaching Center, Morelia Michoacan, Mexico

Inside the ladies were busy putting up decorations for the festival.

Preparing Prasadam for the guests.

After a while we got started. Bhagavan Prabhu led the faithful in some old Bengali bhajans...

Narottama Das Thakura, Bhaktivinoda

Ladies made garlands of flowers...

 We sang and had a nice remembrance of Govinda Maharja...

I spoke a bit about Govinda Maharaja, prasadam was served, and we took a few photos to remember the occasion. 

The party was finished around 9:00 and it was time for the long drive back to San Miguel de Allende.

San Miguel de Allende

Absent-minded Service

The Curse of Durvas Muni

Forest-dwelling Yakshas

At the petition of King Yudhishthira, Kunti, his mother continued the story of their ancestor Bharata.  As the horizon became clear with the first rays of morning, Kunti replied saying, “Well, It so came to pass that the erudite saint Durvasa Muni, who was known for his hot temper, passed by the ashram of Kanva. 

Durvasa passes by the ashram of Kanva

At that time he was very hungry. The sweet young Shakuntala, now with child was so distracted by her love of Dushyant, that she neglected her service. 

She didn’t attend to the sage properly.  While preparing lunch for Durvasa Muni she forgot to fetch fresh water. The lunch was cold. Her fickle mind was lost as she pined for king Duhsyant and wondered, “Does he still remember me?”

Her absent-mindedness was not lost on the sage. The hot-tempered Durvasa became enraged at her treatment. Finally, he could tolerate her no more. “I curse you, girl.” 

Durvasa curses Shakuntala for absent-mindedness

He said,  “As you have have been so absent-minded with  me, thinking all the while of one who is not here, so shall the one you love be inattentive with you. Whoever it is you pine for will forget all about you. He will remember neither you, nor your face. He shall no more think of you and shall forget your image in his heart. You will vainly strive to waken his remembrance but he shall disown you and cast you out from his court as a stranger.”

With this, the shy and devoted Shakuntala blushed red. “Forgive me, O blessed one,” She said. “I have sinned against you.”

Durvasa was impervious to her pleas. He refused to listen to her. Some time later, hearing of the terrible curse of the hot-tempered sage, Shakuntala’s friends Priyamvada and Anasuya did their best to mitigate the curse. Arriving on the scene they assuaged the saint with sweet words and cool drinks.

Serving the saint the richest and most sumptuous food and drink they knew how to prepare while cajoling him with sweet words, the girls finally managed to calm him.  When they saw he was peaceful within and satisfied with the repast, they said, “O saintly one, kindly mitigate the curse you have given our sister.” In this way they pleaded with him.

Durvasa Muni mitigates the curse

With this, Durvasa Muni, said, “Because you have shown me hospitality worthy of the great Kanva, I will try to relax the curse. I cannot change what has been said. The King will forget all about Shakuntala. But, at the sight of the ring he gave her, the spell will pass, and his memory of her will return.”

So it was that Durvasa Muni left Shakuntala with the fateful curse which would change her life and the life of her unborn son Bharata.