125 - Rajasuya Yajna of Vasudeva

Narada said- O lord, after the adoration of Ganesha and the reciting of Radha-stotra what happened thereafter you please tell me.

Narayana said- At the Ganesha-pujana-tirtha, the gods, the yogis and the ascetics had arrived and all were seated under the shade of the banyan tree. Out of them, Vasudeva and Devaki enquired from Shiva, Brahma, Sesha and other ascetics respectfully, "O virtuous one, you people are graceful to the down-trodden therefore, how can the degraded people like us achieve the best position? How shall we cross the ocean of universe? you kindly tell me.

You, people indeed serve as the sailors for crossing the boat of the ocean of the universe, because the holy places are not always in the water and the gods never emerge from the earth. The auspicious vrata, fasting, performing of tapas, giving away charities in many ways, the adoration of the Brahmanas and the gods, purify the performer for a long time but the Vaishnavas purify people with their very presence, with the touch of the dust of the feet of the devotees of Vishnu, the entire universe gets purified at once. The holy places, the ocean as well as the mountains also get purified.

The gods also get desirous of meeting of a Vaishnava for the destruction of their sins like the fire burning the wood. Such of the person who is unable to achieve the knowledge by keeping the company of the Vaishnavas, indeed is a fool. The knowledge otherwise is tasteful like the milk and the curd. Therefore, O teacher of the great intellectuals, I happen to be the father of Krishna and have kept his company for long. Similarly, Devaki too happens to be his mother. Listening to the words of Vasudeva, Shiva himself who happens to be well-versed in all the Vedas laughed aloud and spoke.

Mahadeva said- To live with the intellectuals sometimes becomes disgraceful to them, as the people who get purified with the water of Ganga still go to the other holy places. The father of Krishna is quite a well-read person and his father was the form of Vasu and was descendants of the race of Kashyapa.

They have a clear and auspicious approach towards Krishna and they seek knowledge from us, who are unaware of the personality of Krishna? The illusion of Vishnu is Durga. Mahamaya and overpowers even the intellectuals. The illusion of Vishnu is beyond the reach of all the people in the three worlds. We people always get influenced with the same, influences with the same illusion, Brahma the creator of the Vedas, performed tapas for his whole life at his lotus-like feet and wanted to taste such a type of Krishna.

With the fall of ten lakh and eight hundred Indras, Brahma has to fall; after that a movement of Madhava is counted.

There was a fight between Krishna and Indra for the sake of Parijata tree, I saved Indra by returning the Parijata tree to him.

The knowledge which is beyond description and the people with little wisdom hardly know about the same. Therefore, it is always proper to adore the lord.

I am aware of the soul of the creatures but I am unaware about the knowledge above them who are equals, therefore you better ask about the auspicious things from Krishna alone.

The four praharas of Brahma have been equated with a kalpa by the knowledgeable people. The same Markandeya remained alive for seven kalpas, after the fall of nineteen eight Indras. The same sage Markandeya had them to fall. Thereafter the sage as the result of the tapas performed by him, achieved the slave hood of Krishna.

At the time of dissolution, with the fall of Brahma, the sage Lomasha also had to fall. Thereafter, the Dikpalas and nine planets also have been to fall. Thus, those with long life have to live only for this duration.

At the time of dissolution Brahma falls; he remerges from the forehead of Shiva. Shiva happens to be the beginning of all. This has been ordained by Ganga.

The way in which Radha emerged from the left side of Krishna, Durga, Lakshmi, Sarasvati and Savitri also emerged from his body in the same way.

The twelve Adityas were born out of the body of Aditi. Similarly, there were fourteen Indras on earth.

Similarly, there were eight Vasus, eleven Rudras after the fall of Manu, Indra also falls.

After dissolution the entire universe, Brahma with Brahmaloka and together with his shaktis, are all submerged in water, Krishna himself is the root of all and the lord of all.

Therefore, Vasudeva should organise a Rajasuya-yajna and should adore his son Krishna with the performing of the yajna. Thereafter giving away dakshina appropriately, you cross over the ocean of the universe. Without that, you cannot achieve moksha you are a Kashyapa; the riches of the devotees cannot be held by you. Devaki is the form of Aditi.

You should therefore go to the heaven, together with Devaki which happen to be your, own abode and your own temple. On hearing the, words of Shiva, Vasudeva who had over-powered all tire organ of his senses collected the material performed the Rajasuya-yajna in the auspicious time. Yajnesha, the lord of yajna himself was resent thereat here for the gods appeared themselves and accepted the offerings. O sage, thereafter at the instance, of Krishna, Sanatkumara the lord of the gods.

Sanatkumara said- O lord, the husband of Lakshmi, you give me all your belongings in dakshina immediately and make the yajna successful, now you listen to the words which are according to the Vedas. In case the Brahmana is not given dakshina at once, with the passage of a ghadi the amount of dakshina is doubled. After the lapse of the day, it multiplies to four times and after the lapse of three nights it multiplies to six times.

After the lapse of the fortnight, it multiplies to hundred times and after the lapse of a month, it further multiplies to four hundred times; after the lapse of six months, it multiplies to a thousand times. O lord of the Yadus, after lapse of one years, it multiplies to a lakh of times after which both the performer and the priest fall into the hell. This has been ordained by Brahma. On hearing this Vasudeva at the instance of Krishna delightfully gave away everything to the sage.

At very first, Vasudeva, the father of the lord of Lakshmi then gave away ten crows of very precious gems to Ganga.

Ten crores of the best of gems and four times more the gold, emeralds, diamond, silver, gold, vases, all the ornaments of his wife and the daughter-in-law, a lakh of white fly-whisks an equal number of gem-studded mirrors, herds of Kamadhenu cows, a hundred crores of elephants, a hundred crores of huge elephants, four hundred crores of horses, all the riches of the Yadavas, all the riches of Ugrasena with his consent, the paddy with a hundred lakh of villages, the blossoming trees, a lakh of mountains like heaps of cereals and an equal number of the heaps of paddy, beside payasam, nectar-like sweets, svastika sweet, sweet balls of sesamum, curd, honey, milk, guda and ghee were given filled in canals. Thereafter he gave away the betel with camphor, the fragrant and cool water, fragrant sandal-paste, garland of Parijata flowers, the beautiful seeds, spotless costumes, the flowers made of gems, beside the fruit were delight fully given to the Brahmanas, He also served the gods by feeding the Brahmanas.

During the night, the sages and gods enjoyed the company of their wives and in the early morning all of them left the place with the permission of Krishna.

Thereafter, all the people of the race of Yadus and adored with innumerable gems and other, valuables proceeded to Dvaraka which was protected by Krishna.