Krishna Leela

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The treatise entitled "Krishna-Leela" composed by the well-known English prose-writer and novelist Mr. Harisadhan Chatterjee is unique is its subject matter and mode of bountiful expression. Mr. Chatterjee claims the book in its Sub-title as a novel based on the life of Krishna. Lord Krsna is Bhagavan in Himself, "Krsnastu Bhagavan svayam", - is stated in the Bhagavata Mahapuranam. The author has delineated the fiat of Srikrsna in a lucid and prolific style which is to be compared only with the crisped fried gram salted and spiced and the reader will go through it with ease and comfort.

Mr. Harisadhan Chatterjee has authored already three books viz.. "The Traveller" {four volumes}. "Krishna" and "The Ramayan Katha" and has proved his unstinting skill in presenting plenteous narration.

According to some Vaisnava Agama Scriptures Srikrsna has three entities or 'satta', viz.. i) 'paramarthika satta' or eternal entity ii) 'pratibhasika satta' or existing only in appearance and iii) 'vyavaharika satta' or empirical entity. The 'paramarthika lila' or eternal amorous sport is being performed eternally inside the Absolute entity or Brahman. The 'pratibhasika lila' or amorous sport is being performed is devotee's heart and the 'vyavaharika lila' or amorous sport is being acted in this mundane world. The empirical sport or lila is a matter of historical discussion. But it should be borne in mind that there is an ethereal connection or relation within those three lilas or amorous sports of the Lord Srikrsna.

Mr. Chatterjee novel is not a religious one. It copiously depicts in near about fortytwo sub-chapters the incidents of Krsna's life from His advent in the mundane world. Lord Krsna's miraculous divine deeds. His vivid Brindavan Leela, killing of the notorious king Kamsa and enthroning of Ugrasena in Mathura, the Kuruksetra battle where Krsna was in favour of the ever-honest and loyal Pandavas, Krsna's leaving of Mathura for the benefit of his subjects from the joint attacking of Jarasandha with Kalayavana and establishing a safer kingdom in Dvaraka for his beloved subjects etc. are depicted charmingly. The Rajadharma or the duties of king was depicted through Bhisma to the Pandavas especially to Yudhisthira, which is to some extent befitting in the present age also. The destruction of the Yadava lineage and the last departure of Srikrsna from this phenomenal or mundane world are narrated in lucid manner. The expansion of dishonesty in every sphere of life in the Kali Yuga after the Dvapara Yuga was professed by the Lord Krsna before His demise. And at this critical juncture the only solution and solace of the common people will be to chant or mutter the holy name of Lord Hari with utmost effort which will lad them to the cherished goal, i.e. to be able to stay near the Almighty after death since the performance of the 'Vedic Yajna' will be next to impossible to the common people of the Kali Yuga.

In the Appendix of the book the author has described the advent of Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadev, who is believed to the Gaudiya Vaisnavas as the incarnation of Lord Krsna.

Sri Chaitanya enjoyed the ecstatic joy thinking himself as Radha, the eternal 'Sakti' or power of the Lord Krsna and they also happen to believe that Radha and Krsna are intermingled in one body of Sri Chaitanyadev.

A pertinent question may arise in this context. In the Rgveda, there is the "Visnusukta" where Visnu (the root 'vis' with affix 'nuk'' forms the world 'Visnu': the root 'vis' denotes to spread') has been stated as an omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent absolute entity. The name of Krsna (the root 'krs' with the affix 'nak' make the world Krsna: the root 'krs' meant 'to cultivate' or in a sense to attract') is not found in the Rgveda. In the Chandogya Upanisad the name of Devakiputra Krsna' is found. In the Bhagavata Mahapuranam there are two lists of the incarnations of Lord Visnu in two places mentioning twenty-two and twenty-four in number including Krsna.

In the "Gita Govindam" of Kavi Jayadeva (1200 A.D.). there are ten names of Avataras or incarnation but the name of Krsna is not found there as the incarnation of Lord Visnu. The name of Lord Buddha is noticed in the "Bhagavata Mahapuranam" and in the "Gita Govindam". The last Avatara yet to descend in 'Kalki Avatara, the name of whom are noticed in both the above mentioned treatises.

Poet Jayadeva's "Gita Govindam" is treated as a grammar book to the Gaudiya Vaisnava Sect which accepts Krsna as the "Avatari", i.e. the progenitor of all the Avataras or incarnations including Lord Visnu. Most probably, the poet Jayadeva believed that Lord Visnu is the incarnation of the Lord Krsna and that is why the name of Krsna as "Avatara" or incarnation of Lord Visnu is not enlisted in the "Gita Govindam" of Jayadeva. Poet Jayadeva mentioned the name 'Kesava", which is also a name of Lord Krsna, who subdued (killed) the demon 'Kesa' and was called as 'Kesava', instead of the name 'Visnu' thought he uttered two nomenclatures. 'Jagadisa' and 'Hari' with the name 'Kesava' in the 5th sloka of the 1st chapter of the Gita Govindam, entitled 'Samoda-Damodarah' viz.

"Pralayapayodhijala dhrtavanasi Vedam/
Vihitavahitra caritramakhedam//
Kesava. Dhritaminasarira. Jaya Jagadisa Hare"

It means that – "Oh Kesava! Oh Jagadisa! Oh Hari! You saved with ease the Vedas at the time of universal destruction or annihilation or cataclysm just like a boat or castle; let there be glory of you, the Fish-figured (Fish-imaged)." And in the 16th sloka of the said chapter Poet Jayadeva has apprised his obeisance to Sri Krsna who took ten forms in different ages. ("dasakrtikrte Krsnayatubhya namah" // 1.16)

In the Svetasvatara Upanisad, there is line,- "Mahanprabhurvai purusah sattvasyaisah pravartakah" etc (III. 12). The Gaudiya Vaisnavas claim that the name of Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanya is included or inserted in the Veda or Sruti through the line of the said Upanisad. It might be a secterian belief. Still Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanya's divine life style and his advice to mutter or chant the name of the Almighty Hari (the root 'hr' with the affix 'in' forms the world 'Hari' the root 'hr' denotes to remove, i.e. He who removes the worldly attachment perpetually he s called 'Hari') always will reach or conduct the spiritual aspirant to his cherished goal and the aspirant concerned will be able to serve the eternal celestial pair Radha and Krsna in the 'Brajadhama' eternally, - is the long message to the teeming millions of this critical age.

Mr. Harisadhan Chatterjee's style in depicting the "Krishna-Leela" will surely attract every English-knowing people of any religious belief of the world for its novel approach and cogent delineation where Mr. Chatterjee maintains equally the grandeur and sublimity of Sri Krsna's divine appearance and its manifestation in the shape of a man who is ever-loving, ever-sweet and ever-attracting to all, - "Madhradhipaterkhilam madhuram", - i.e. everything of the master of sweetness is ever graceful, ever pleasant and ever candy".

In all the Lilas of Sri Krsna or 'Kesava' or Visnu "naralila" or the amorous sporting in a human form always maintaining the serene divinity is the unique wonder of the Universe.

Let the readers of all categories be satisfied with this novella of Mr. Harisadhan Chatterjee and the grace of God be bestowed upon them unwittingly in going through this unique and peerless "Krishna-Leela".