The Saint of Vrindavan: The Life and Legacy of Swami Haridas

Swami Haridas was a saint, poet and musician from medieval India, who is considered to be one of the most important figures in the Bhakti movement of North India. He was born in 1478 in the village of Sri Nathdwara, Rajasthan, and was a disciple of the famous saint, Raidas. He was a devotee of Lord Krishna and Radha and is said to have spent most of his life in Vrindavan, where he is said to have attained spiritual enlightenment.

Swami Haridas is considered to be one of the greatest exponents of the Bhakti tradition of India, which emphasizes devotion and love for God as the path to spiritual liberation. He wrote many devotional songs and poems in praise of Lord Krishna and Radha, which are still widely sung and recited today. He is also considered to be the founder of the Haridasi sect, which is known for its emphasis on devotion and love for God.

Swami Haridas is also credited with popularizing the practice of singing and playing the kirtan, a form of devotional music that is still popular in India today. He is said to have been a master of many musical instruments, and is said to have been able to play the flute, the veena, and the tabla with great skill. He is also said to have been able to play the kirtan in many different ragas, or musical modes, which made his music both beautiful and spiritually uplifting.

Swami Haridas is also remembered for his teachings on devotion and love for God. He taught that the ultimate goal of life is to attain the love of God, and that this could be achieved through devotion, selfless service, and the singing of devotional songs and the recitation of prayers. He also taught that the love of God is the only true form of love and that all other forms of love are ultimately transitory.

Sant Haridas images

Swami Haridas’s teachings and music continue to inspire devotion and love for God among his followers. He is considered as one of the greatest saints of the Bhakti tradition of India. His followers believe that, his teachings and music are a path to attain spiritual liberation and devotion to God. His legacy lives on through his devotional songs and teachings which continue to be passed down to this day.

When Lord Krishna saved the earth

This story is about how Lord Krishna saved the earth from imminent destruction. This was due to a weapon, Brahmashira, which was far more potent that Brahmastra.

Brahmashira – the weapon more potent than Brahmastra

All of us hear about the supreme weapon Brahmastra. This is known to be the mother of all weapons and has been talked about in quite a few instances. Such as Lord Rama, intending to dry the ocean, Meghnad using this on Hanumana in Lanka just before the Lanka Dahan.

Lord Krishna as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, saved the earth from certain destruction when Aswaththama invoked Brahamshira, but Lord does the needful.
Lord Krishna holding Govardhan Parvat

But few of know that Brahmashira was even more potent than Brahmastra. But, every person, who possessed the knowledge of Brahmashira , was strictly forbidden by his teacher on grounds of humanity. This weapon has power the to possibly wreak more havoc than simply annihilating an entire army.

So we do not hear the use of this weapon in mythological stories despite a number of persons knowing this, including Drona, Bhishma, Arjuna, Karna and Ashwathama (son of Drona).

Karna’ greatness is again underlined here. He, for the sake of humanity, did not used this against Arjuna, despite knowing this very well. But Ashwathama did not hesitate to use this.

Ashwaththama does the unpardonable act

So Ashwathama, at once stage of the war, while facing Arjun, had picked up a grass straw and uttered the key phrase of invoking this mighty astra and had flung it towards Arjun.

Arjun, on realising the imminent danger threw at Ashwathama an arrow invoking his own Brahmashira so as to neutralize it; but Lord krishna knew that a Brahmashira cannot be neutralized, unless revoke by the one who has used it, and that collision of two Brahmashira would result in an earthly-collapse. So, he asked the duo to revoke their respective astras.

Arjuna could revoke the weapon but Ashwathama could not, so Lord Krishna had to intervene and save the earth from an imminent danger.

Lord Krishna stories

Lord Krishna is a central figure in Hinduism and is revered as a deity by Hindus worldwide. He is one of the most popular and widely revered gods in Hinduism, and is considered to be an avatar of the god Vishnu. Lord Krishna is often depicted as a young boy playing a flute, or as a young prince giving wise counsel. There are many stories about Lord Krishna in Hindu scriptures, and here are a few of the most well-known ones:

Birth of Lord Krishna

Lord Krishna Birth

One of the most famous stories about Lord Krishna is the story of his birth. According to legend, Krishna was born in a prison cell to his mother, Devaki, who was imprisoned by her own brother, the evil King Kamsa. Kamsa had been told that Devaki’s eighth child would be his death, so he imprisoned Devaki and her husband, Vasudeva, in the hope of preventing the birth of this child. However, Krishna was born and Vasudeva managed to secretly take the newborn baby to the home of his friend Nanda and his wife, Yashoda, in the village of Gokul. Yashoda raised Krishna as her own son, and he grew up to be a strong and wise young man.

The Story of Govardhan Parvat

Another famous story about Lord Krishna is the story of his childhood. As a young boy, Krishna is said to have performed many miraculous feats and to have displayed great wisdom and intelligence. One of the most famous stories from his childhood is the story of how he lifted the Govardhan hill to protect the people of his village from a heavy rainstorm. According to the story, the people of Gokul were being punished by the god Indra for not worshipping him, and Indra sent a heavy rainstorm to flood the village. Krishna, however, lifted the Govardhan hill and held it over the village as a shelter, protecting the people from the storm.

As a Charioteer of Arjuna

Lord Krishna is also known for his role in the Mahabharata, the great Hindu epic. In the Mahabharata, Krishna serves as the charioteer for the Pandava prince Arjuna and counsels him on the battlefield. The story of the Mahabharata centers around a great war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, and Krishna’s counsel to Arjuna on the battlefield is considered to be one of the most important teachings in Hinduism.

In addition to these stories, there are many other stories about Lord Krishna and his life. He is revered as a deity by Hindus worldwide and is seen as a symbol of love, wisdom, and compassion.

Udupi connection to Mahabharata

There is an interesting story related to Udupi which dates back to Mahabharata. It also explains why people of Udupi are good in catering business. Before Mahabharata war, all states took sides, either of Pandavas or Kauravas. Only one chose to remain neutral – the king of Udupi and Udupi cuisine is quite popular .

Conversation with Lord Krishna

Udupi king said to Krishna, “Everyone is going to fight. Those who fight a battle have to eat. I will be the caterer for the Kurukshetra war.” Krishna said, “Fine. Someone has to cook and serve, so you do it.” The Udupi king was serving food for both sides.

People were amazed how he managed to cook the exact amount of food, because no one knew how many people died on each day. By the time they took accounts, it would have been too late. Definitely, the king did not know how many people died on that day, but every day, he cooked exactly the amount of food that was necessary for the remaining soldiers.

When someone him king how he managed this, he said, “Every day in the night, Krishna likes to eat boiled peanuts. I peel them and keep them in a bowl. He eats just a few peanuts, and after he is done, I count to see how many he has eaten. If he has eaten 10 peanuts, I know tomorrow 10,000 will die, so I cook tomorrow’s food for 10,000 people less. Every day, I count these peanuts and cook accordingly, so it turns out right.” This was the reason Udupi was able to serve the soldiers correctly.

Udupi Krishna Temple story

the town of Udupi was once plagued by a demon named Putana, who would kill and eat the town’s children. In response to the town’s prayers for protection, Lord Krishna appeared and vanquished the demon. Impressed by Krishna’s bravery and compassion, the town’s inhabitants built a temple in his honor.

The temple is known as the Sri Krishna Matha and is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for followers of the Dvaita school of Vedanta. The temple is famous for its unique style of worship, which emphasizes simplicity and devotion over ritualistic pomp and grandeur.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Sri Krishna Matha is its daily offerings of food to the deity. The food is prepared in the temple kitchen, or anna-santharpana, which serves free meals to all visitors, regardless of their caste or religion. This practice is known as prasadam, or the act of sharing food that has been blessed by a deity.

The Sri Krishna Matha is also famous for its ashta-mathas, or eight monasteries, which were established by Madhwacharya to promote the study and practice of his teachings. The ashta-mathas are still active today and continue to play an important role in the spiritual life of the town.

Overall, the town of Udupi and the Sri Krishna Matha are an important part of Hindu religious and cultural heritage, and attract thousands of visitors each year who come to pay their respects to Lord Krishna and to experience the unique and authentic atmosphere of this ancient town.

Lord Krishna and Rukmini devi marriage

Lord Krishna’s eight wives are known as Ashtabharya. Out of these, Devi Rukmini was believed to be most devoted towards the Lord. Following is the fascinating story of how Rukmini got married to Lord Krishna

Rukmi and Shishupala

Devi Rukmini was daughter of Bhismak, who was king of Vidarbha. Rukmi was brother of her, who wanted her to marry Shishupal. Upon hearing this Narada went to Bhismak and narrated the life of Lord Krishna and the grandeur of Dwarka. Bhismak heard the tale with full attention and wanted her to marry Lord Krishna. His daughter too enjoyed the tale. But Rukmi had a strong opposition against Lord Krishna. Ignoring the wish of his father, he was not ready to get his sister married to Lord Krishna. So he invited Shishupal, who came to marry Rukmini.

Lord Krishna and Rukmini Devi

Lord Krishna and Rukmini Devi

Rukmini sends request to Lord Krishna

 

Rukmini was determined to marry Lord Krishna. She sent a letter to Krishna through a loyal Brahmin and declared a fast unto death. The letter said that She has declared him as her husband and will not accept anyone else. This is upto the Lord to save her. The messenger returned to Kundanpur with an assurance from Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna too called the charioteer and set out at once for Kundanpur. There in Kundanpur, Rukmini after getting the assurance from the Brahmin was thus waiting for Lord Krishna‘s arrival.

 

Preparation of wedding

Preparations for Rukmini’s marriage with Shishupala were on with full swing in the city. All houses, streets and lanes were cleaned and sprinkled with scented water. All the men and women folk donned new clothes and ornaments. King Bhismak worshipped his ancestors and gods and welcomed the everyone. Princess Rukmini was given ceremonial bath and donned with auspicious clothes and bracelets.

Rukmini waits for Lord Krishna

All these while, she was eagerly awaiting for Lord Krishna. She had received the news that Dwarakadhish (Krishna) had planned to take her away. She was feeling overwhelmed in her heart. Seeing Lord Krishna arrived intently in the marriage ceremonies of his daughter, her father welcomed him. Seeing him, even the common people of Vidarbh prayed “May our princess Rukmani get Sri Krishna as her husband. At the same time, She emerged from her palace to go to the temple of Ambikadevi, soldiers were guarding her. In the temple, Rukmani prayed peacefully: “O Mother Ambika I greet you and Ganapati, who is sitting in your lap. I seek your blessing that may my wish be fulfilled and may I receive Sri Krishna as my husband.”

Lord Krishna obliges

On her way back, Rukmini was walking very slowly for she was awaiting Lord’s arrival, which was due in any moment. Just then, Lord Krishna appeared before her. Before she could ride her chariot Lord lifted her from amidst the crowd. And in the presence of hundreds of kings, Krishna and Balarama eloped away with bride.

Rukmi is defeated and Lord Krishna marries Rukmini

Hearing that Krishna has eloped with bride, Rukmi and all other kings present there became angry. Accompanied by their huge armies, they decided to give them a chase. But Yadav soldiers were brave and they defeated everyone. All the kings like Jarasandh fled for their lives.

Lord Krishna and Rukmi

Lord Krishna and Rukmi

Rukmi had vowed that without getting his sister released from Krishna’s captivity, he would not return to his city. He chased Lord Krishna but was defeated by him and got his head shaved. Thus defeating all the kings, Lord Krishna brought his bride to Dwarka. There they got married formally. Everyone was in great joy to see Lakshmi as Rukmini with her husband Lord Krishna.

 

Also read: Shri Krishna marriage to Satyabhama and Jambavati

Ashtabharya – Shri Krishna and his eight queens

There are lot of talk about Lord Krishna and his sixteen thousand one hundred and eight wives. Little we know that out of these, only eight were wedded to him separately and rest sixteen thousand and one hundred he wedded, when these poor souls became widow of a demon. Lets talk about these eight queens.

Shri Krishna and his queens

 

Rukmini, most important amongst Ashtabharya was Krishna’s first wife and chief queen (Patrani) of Dwarka. She is considered as an avatar of Shridevi, the goddess of Material Prakriti. Satyabhama, the second wife, is considered the form of the Goddess of Elemental Prakriti Lakshmi. Though Rukmini and Satyabhama enjoy worship as the consorts of the married king Krishna, the others do not enjoy this honour. A young cowherd Krishna is worshipped with his lover Radha. Kalindi, the goddess of river Yamuna, is worshipped independently.

The story of his marriage to eight queens is below.

Rukmini

Lord Krishna married Rukmini, in response to her letter in which she requested him to kidnap her and save from Shishiupala. Her brother Rukma wanted her to marry Shishupala.

Lord Krishna left the battlefield in his duel with Jarasandha in order to marry her.He is also called Ranachora because of this incident. In the Kshatriya tradition of marriage called rakshasa, Krishna carried Rukmini away from the ceremony and fought off all the warriors who tried to obstruct Him.

Shri Krishna and Rukmini

Jambavati  and Satyabhama

He married Jambavati and Satyabhama during the incidents happened in relation to Syamantaka Mani (Syamantaka was a valuable gem which produced Gold).

Krishna was falsely accused by King Satrajit of killing his brother Prasenjit for acquiring the valuable Syamantaka gem. Satrajit had received from this gem the Sun God.

To clear His name, Krishna searched for Syamantaka gem and found it in the possession of  Jambavant. Krishna indulged in a fight with him for 28 days, before Jambavant realised whom he was fighting.

Lord Krishna - Syamantaka Jewel and his marriage to Jambavati

Jambavant handed over the gem as well as his daughter Jambavati to Krishna. On receiving the Jewel, Satrajit was remorseful at having accused Krishna.

In atonement, he gave  Syamantaka gem along with his beautiful daughter Satyabhama to Krishna. Krishna however returned the Syamantaka gem to Satrajit.

Unknown facts about Lord Krishna

Kalindi

Kalindi is personified Yamuna. One day Krishna and Arjuna went out on hunting. At the end of the day, they decided to bathe in the waters of the Yamuna.

Just then, Krishna spotted a beautiful maiden passing by the river. Krishna immediately sent Arjuna after her. When asked to reaveal her identity, she replied, “I’m Kalindi, the daughter of the sun god. I worship Krishna and hope to marry him one day.”

Arjuna then inquired why she was staying alone. Kalindi promptly answered. “So that nobody disturbs me during my prayers.” She continued, “I hope that one day my wish will come true and the Krishna will take me under his protection.”
Seeing the staunch devotion of Kalindi, Arjuna was pleased and went back to Krishna to tell him about her love for him and her wish. Touched by Kalindi’s pure love, Krishna decided to marry her and make her his queen.

Mitravinda

The Bhagavata Purana records about Mitravinda’s marriage to Lord Krishna. She chooses Krishna as her husband in a Swayamvara ceremony and requests him to take her away.

However, her brothers do not like it and forbid the marriage. They join forces with the Kauravas and fight Krishna. Krishna defeats the princes and takes Mitravinda away.

Satya

Krishna married Satya by taming 7 powerful bulls. The King announced that any prince who could yoke the seven wild bulls he kept in his stables would win the hand of Satya in marriage. None of the suitors could do so but Lord Krishna tamed those ferocious bulls very easily. Arjuna also accompanied Lord Krishna in the swayamvara and he helped in defeating all the warriors who did not want the marriage to happen.

Nidhi van – Lord Krishna interesting story

Bhadra 

Lord Krishna‘s aunt (father’s sister) Shrutkirti was married in the kingdom of Kaikauja. Bhadra was the daughter of Shrutkirti. Bhadra had a strong desire to marry Krishna and she married Lord Krishna unconditionally.  Bhadra’s brothers like Santardan etc. themselves had got their sister married to Lord Krishna.

Lakshana (or Lakshmana) 

Lakshana was the daughter of the king of Madra. She was very beautiful and meritorious. Krishna competed in an archery competition. He competed with Arjuna and Duryodhana, each of them threw the match because they knew Krishna’s passion for her. He kidnapped her from Swayamvara and later married her.

Hindi Story -श्री कृष्ण – जांबवती – Krishna – Jambavati

श्री कृष्ण – जांबवती

बहुत पहले द्वारका पुरी में भोजवंशी राजा सत्राजित रहता था। सूर्य की भक्ति-आराधना के बल पर उसने स्वमंतक नाम की अत्यंत चमकदार मणि प्राप्त की। मणि की क्रांति से राजा स्वयं सूर्य जैसा प्रभा-मंडित हो जाता था। इस भ्रम में जब यादवों ने श्रीकृष्ण से भगवान सूर्य के आगमन की बात कही, तब अंतर्यामी कृष्ण ने यादवों की शंका का निवारण करते हुए कहा कि आने वाले महानुभाव स्वमंतक मणिधारी राजा सत्राजित हैं, सूर्य नहीं। स्वमंतक मणि का गुण था कि उसको धारण करने वाला प्रतिदिन आठ किलो स्वर्ण प्राप्त करेगा। उस प्रदेश में किसी भी प्रकार की मानवीय या दैवीय विपत्ति का कोई चिह्न तक नहीं था। स्वमंतक मणि प्राप्त करने की इच्छा स्वयं कृष्ण ने भी की लेकिन सत्राजित ने अस्वीकार कर दिया।

Unknown facts about Lord Krishna

एक बार सत्राजित का भाई प्रसेनजित उस मणि को धारण करके घोड़े पर चढ़कर शिकार को गया तो एक सिंह ने उसे मार डाला। संयोग से जामवंत नामक रीछ ने सिंह को ही मार डाला और वह मणि को लेकर अपनी गुफा में आ गया। जामवंत की बेटी मणि को खिलौना समझकर खेलने लगी। प्रसेनजित के न लौटने पर द्वारका में यह अफवाह फैल गई कि कृष्ण को सत्राजित द्वारा मणि देने से इनकार करने पर दुर्भावनावश कृष्ण ने प्रसेनजित की हत्या करा दी और मणि पर अपना अधिकार कर लिया। कृष्ण इस अफवाह से दु:खी होकर प्रसेनजित को खोजने के लिए निकल पड़े। वन में कृष्ण और उनके साथियों ने प्रसेनजित के साथ एक सिंह को भी मरा पाया। उन्हें वहां रीछ के पैरों के निशानों के संकेत भी मिले, जो भीतर गुफा में प्रवेश के सूचक थे। इससे कृष्ण ने सिंह को मारने तथा मणि के रीछ के पास होने का अनुमान लगाया।

Lord Krishna - Syamantaka Jewel and his marriage to Jambavati

अपने साथियों को बाहर रहकर प्रतीक्षा करने के लिए कहकर स्वयं कृष्ण गुफा के भीतर प्रवेश कर गए। काफी समय बाद भी कृष्ण के वापस न आने पर निराश होकर लौटे साथी ने कृष्ण के भी मारे जाने का मिथ्या प्रचार कर दिया। कृष्ण के न लौटने पर उनके पिता वसुदेव पुत्र-शोक में व्यथित हो उठे। उसी समय महर्षि नारद आ गए। समाचार जानकर नारदजी ने वसुदेव से श्रीमद् देवी भागवत पुराण के श्रवण का उपदेश दिया। वसुदेव मां भगवती की कृपा से पूर्व परिचित थे। उन्होंने नारदजी से कहा-देवर्षि, देवकी के साथ कारागारवास करते हुए जब छ: पुत्र कंस के हाथों मारे जा चुके थे तो हम दोनों पति-पत्नी काफी व्यथित और अंसतुलित हो गए थे। तब अपने कुल पुरोहित महर्षि गर्ग से परामर्श किया और कष्ट से छुटकारा पाने का उपाय पूछा। गुरुदेव ने जगदम्बा मां की गाथा का पारायण करने को कहा। कारागार में होने के कारण मेरे लिए यह संभव नहीं था। अत: गुरुदेव से ही यह कार्य संपन्न कराने की प्रार्थना की।

वसुदेव ने कहा-मेरी प्रार्थना स्वीकार करके गुरुदेव ने विंध्याचल पर्वत पर जाकर ब्राह्मणों के साथ देवी की आराधना-अर्चना की। विधि-विधानपूर्वक देवी भागवत का नवाह्र यज्ञ किया। अनुष्ठान पूर्ण होने पर गुरुदेव ने मुझे इसकी सूचना देते हुए कहा-देवी ने प्रसन्न होकर यह आकाशवाणी की है-मेरी प्रेरणा से स्वयं विष्णु पृथ्वी के कष्ट निवारण हेतु वसुदेव देवकी के घर अवतार लेंगे। वसुदेव को चाहिए कि उस बालक को गोकुल ग्राम के नंद-यशोदा के घर पहुंचा दें और उसी समय उत्पन्न यशोदा की बालिका को लाकर आठवीं संतान के रूप में कंस को सौंप दें। कंस यथावत् बालिका को धरती पर पटक देगा। वह बालिका कंस के हाथ से तत्काल छूटकर दिव्य शरीर धारण कर, मेरे ही अंश रूप से लोक कल्याण के लिए विध्यांचल पर्वत पर वास करेगी। गर्ग मुनि के द्वारा इस अनुष्ठान फल को सुन कर मैंने प्रसन्नता व्यक्त करते हुए आगे घटी घटनाएं मुनि के कथनानुसार पूरी कीं और कृष्ण की रक्षा की। यह विवरण सुनाकर वसुदेव नारदजी से कहने लगे-मुनिवर ! सौभाग्य से आपका आगमन मेरे लिए शुभ है। अत: आप ही मुझे देवी भागवत पुराण की कथा सुनाकर उपकृत करें।

वसुदेव के कहने पर नारद ने अनुग्रह करते हुए नवाह्र परायण किया। वसुदेव ने नवें दिन कथा समाप्ति पर नारदजी की पूजा-अर्चना की भगवती मां की माया से श्रीकृष्ण जब गुफा में प्रविष्ट हुए तो उन्होंने एक बालिका को मणि से खेलते देखा। जैसे ही कृष्ण ने बालिका से मणि ली, तो बालिका रो उठी। बालिका के रोने की आवाज को सुनकर जामवंत वहां आ पहुंचा तथा कृष्ण से युद्ध करने लगा। दोनों में सत्ताईस दिन तक युद्ध चलता रहा। देवी की कृपा से जामवंत लगातार कमोजर पड़ता गया तथा श्रीकृष्ण शक्ति-संपन्न होते गए। अंत में उन्होंने जामवंत को पराजित कर दिया। भगवती की कृपा से जामवंत को पूर्व स्मृति हो आई। त्रेता में रावण का वध करने वाले राम को ही द्वापर में कृष्ण के रूप में अवतरित जानकर उनकी वंदना की। अज्ञान में किए अपराध के लिए क्षमा मांगी। मणि के साथ अपनी पुत्री जांबवती को भी प्रसन्नतापूर्वक कृष्ण को समर्पित कर दिया।

मथुरा में कथा के समाप्त होने के बाद वसुदेव ब्राह्मण भोज के बाद आशीर्वाद ले रहे थे, उसी समय कृष्ण मणि और जांबवती के साथ वहां पहुच गए। कृष्ण को वहां देखकर सभी की प्रसन्नता की कोई सीमा न रही। भगवती का आभार प्रकट करते हुए वसुदेव-देवकी ने श्रीकृष्ण का अश्रुपूरित नेत्रों से स्वागत किया। वसुदेव का सफल काम बनाकर नारद देवलोक वापस लौट गए।

Story of Gandiva bow

There is an interesting story of how Gandiva was acquired by Arjuna. Arjuna helped Lord Agni to cure the indigestion caused by a yagna conducted by King Swetaki.

Lord Agni asked Varuna, who was in possession of Gandiva in exchange of annihilation of Khandava forest. He also gave Lord Krishna the mace Kaumodaki and the discus named Chakrayudha. Varuna also offered Arjuna the bow Gandiva, two inexhaustible quivers, a chariot made by Viswakarma that had Hanuman in its banner, and white steeds that were born in the region of Gandharvas. It was the same chariot in which Soma (Chandra) had earlier vanquished the Danavas.

 

gandiva

Shri Krishna brought back his six brothers for Devki

Many of us do not know that Lord Krishna brought back the six sons of Devki (seventh and eighth being Balrama and himself) for a brief reunion. Names of these six sons are Smara, Udgitha, Parishvanga, Patanga, Kshudrabhrit and Ghrini.

These six sons were earlier grand sons of Hiranyakashyap and they were living under a curse.

shri Krishna

 

Read other facts about Lord Krishna here:

Exploits of Lord Krishna

Killing of Shakatasur by Lord Krishna

After the birth of Lord Krishna, Kansa arranged for numerous attempts on his life, but every time, the Lord killed the person who was appointed for his killing. Following is an incident involving the demon Shakatasur.

KILLING OF SHAKATASUR

Festival in Gokul

When Lord Krishna was twenty-seven days old, a festival was organised in Gokul. Mata Yashoda bathed the Lord and the worshippers recited hymns. Yashoda observed that baby was feeling sleepy, so putting him in a cradle, she left him under a cart. The cart was loaded with pitchers of milk, curd and butter. After sometime, lord Krishna awoke and began to cry with hunger, but Yashoda could not hear his cries.

Shakatasur on a chariot

Meanwhile, Shakatasur rode the cart and wanted to kill Lord by crushing him under the cart. But before he could act, the Lord touched the cart with his feet and cart turned over and all the utensils kept on it came crashing down. The demon,who wanted to kill Lord,  was himself crushed to death under the cart.

Shakatasur Nirvana

Shakatasur Nirvana

Other boys, who were playing nearby, informed the Gopis that the little Kanhaiya had turned over the loaded cart, but they did not believe the kids. Yashoda ran in horror and lifted the baby in her lap. The Brahmins recited pacifying hymns then. Thereafter the baby was bathed again with holy water. A feast of Brahmins followed then.

Liberation of Shakatasura

This is how, Shakatasur was killed by Lord Krishna.In previous life, he was a son of Hiranyaksa named Utkaca. He went to the hermitage of Lomasa Muni and broke some trees there and was cursed to become bodiless. (He had a huge body). He then fell at the Muni’s feet and begged for mercy. The Muni told him that in the next manvantara he would be touched by the foot of the Lord and would be liberated.