Brahma Vishnu and Mahesh Humbled By a Gopika

This is a remarkably interesting story from Garga Samhita. A story which suggested that pride doesn’t suit even the Gods too. The pride of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh was shattered by a Gopika of Goloka dham, the abode of supreme Lord Krishna. The story goes as follows.

Once earth went to Lord Brahma in the form of Kapila (Cow) to complain about atrocities brought upon her and Bhu-loka (life on earth) by sinful Kshatriya rulers like Kamsa, and asura’s like Madhu, Mura and Narakasura and also all other earthly sinful men-women. Lord Brahma listened to their plight and finding himself not fit to solve it, he suggested reaching out to Lord Mahesh (Shiva) since he is the Lord of Bhuta (all the beings). But even Lord Mahesh found himself not capable of solving the problem. Lord Brahma and Mahesh along with Earth went to Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Vishnu, for consultation.

He suggested that he himself was not capable of solving this problem. Without the help of the Lord of infinite universes, Shri Krishna, it seems impossible to solve your problem O Earth. Lord Brahma was stunned to know that there is someone even beyond the capabilities of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu suggested that they should all go to Goloka Dham, गोलोकधाम (Go – cows, lok – world, place) the abode of supreme Lord Krishna, and pray him to help us all.

Lord Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh along with Earth and other gods, went to the highest peak of the universe, Brahmanda Shikhar through a lake, filled with Brahma-Dev (unstopped, ever flowing holy water) which was created due to impression of Lord Vamana’s thumb. The path to the Goloka Dham went through this lake. All of them sat into a water vessel and went deep inside the lake underwater. After moving through a mystical channel, they landed on the Goloka Dham. When they reached the top of the universe, they saw downward and to their surprise, they could see many more universes floating around.

There were many crores of yojana (a unit of distance) above them there were eight cities. Outside the gates of eight cities there was forest. All the trees were filled with gems and jewels around. That’s where they first saw the Viraja River. The waters of Viraja were coming onto the banks making it look like white silk. They crossed the Viraja River. The ghat’s of Viraja were made of gems and expensive stones. Lord Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh along with earth entered the cities just to get stunned by its glow, equivalent to infinitely many Suns. Lord Vishnu asked them to bow down to this glow and they could enter into it easily. The whole city was like a Jyoti (tip of the light of a lamp). All gods entered this, Jyoti! Inside this Jyoti, they saw Goloka Dham, which was protected by a white colored, Shesha Naag of thousand heads. Gods bowed down to Shesha Naag and entered Goloka Dham.

The place was magical and serene. It was so peaceful and one of its kind that even Maya or Kaal couldn’t enter its borders. Sixteen Vikara’s and other earthly or godly natures were also invisible and ineffective in that place. Many Gopika’s with beauty and attractiveness of Kamdev himself were gatekeepers of the place where supreme Lord Krishna resided. Those Gopika’s had grace on their faces and a smile. They stopped the Gods at the entrance. Gods said,

“We are Gods and want to meet Lord Krishna”

Those Gopika’s went inside the Antahpura (inner/core part of the home/palace) to notify the Lord. Finally, at the entrance of a beautiful palace they were received by a Gopika named Shatachandraanana शतचंद्रानना (A face as beautiful or graceful as hundred moons, Shata (शत) – hundred, Chandra (चंद्र) – moon and Anana (आनन) – face). She was wearing yellow-colored clothes and had a stick in her hands.

The Gopika Shatachandraanana asked them

“Whom are you searching for?”

Gods replied

“Supreme Lord Krushna”

Gopika said,

“Ok, can you please tell me who you are? So that, I can let lord know”

Gods were furious to know that a Gopika is asking this question. They replied with pride

“Don’t you know who we are?”

“No” replied Gopika coldly

“We are Gods!” gods said with raised voice

“Gods of?” again Gopika asked plainly

“Gods of universe!” gods replied with pride in their voices

“Which universe? Please tell me fast so that I can inform my Lord” Gopika asked again with plain voice

This really infuriated gods. They asked Gopika

“What are you talking about? There is only one universe. We are gods of that universe.”

Gopika Shatachandraanana politely asked them to follow her. Gods went behind her. Gopika stopped at the bank of a river. She mentioned to Gods and earth that,

“This is river Viraja”

Gods looked into the river. There were thousands of universes tumbling in the elixir flowing through Viraja River like watermelons. Looking at the Gods who were stunned by the view, the Gopika asked

“There are many thousands of universes tumbling around here. Now tell me, which one of these is your universe?”

Gods were so stunned that they couldn’t figure out anything. Looking at their faces Shatachandraanana said,

“What kind of Gods are you? You don’t even know where you are from? Never visited this place, don’t anything about anything and yet are full of pride! You only know about your universe and yet claim to know everything, just like an insect in a fruit who thinks the fruit is the universe!”

The pride of Gods was shattered, they were embarrassed and silent. The gods were humbled by a Gopika! They humbly asked Gopika.

“We are from the universe where an avatar of Supreme Lord, the Trivikram Vaman avatar, because of whose toe-nail a lake came into existence.”

Shatachandraanana smiled and praised all the gods and went inside the palace to inform Supreme Lord Krishna. Gods and earth met Supreme Lord Krishna later and Garg Samhita goes on.

So, this was the story from Garga Samhita, about how a Gopika named Shatachandraanana humbled Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and other gods!

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