bhajagovindam Part 6

भगवद् गीता किञ्चिदधीता, BhagavadGita Kinchitudeetha
गङ्गा जललव कणिकापीता। Ganga jalalava kanikapeetha
सकृदपि येन मुरारि समर्चा, Sadruthapiyena murari samarcha
क्रियते तस्य यमेन न चर्चा ॥२०॥ Kriyathe tasya yamena na charcha (20)

It would not be fair to write a commentary on the Ganga and ask you taste the waters by merely reading it. I would pray, plead and beg that each one of you go and take a holy dip in the Ganga. Right from her source,Gomukh, Ma flows in different moods. Shes a baby, an enlightened baby in the Himalayas and then shes a ferocious conqueror(ess) down in the plains. I am stopping right here. I want to say no more than this about Ma.

Let me tell you story illustrating the second half of this sloka. I have heard different versions but the essence remains the same.

Once Lord Krishna went to meet Bheema(of the pancha pandavas). He told Bheema that he wishes to take a bath before discussing strategies of the war and asked Bheema to boil water in a vessel. Bheema being very strong took a large vessel and dipped it in the river. He put the vessel on the fire and went for a while. He came back to check if the water had boiled but it was cold. So he thought he would come back after a while. After few mins he came back, the water was still cold. He tried to blow the fire so that it would become hotter. He checked again after sometime, the water was still cold. Now he was angry, terribly angry. But he also thought that since Krishna is there, this could very well be his leela. He asked Krishna what was happening and Krishna asked Bheema to take a look at the vessel. When Bheema looked carefully, there was a tiny frog in the vessel.

Krishna told Bheema that as soon as he had put the vessel in the river, the frog had gotten into it and had prayed "Oh Krishna Save me!". Krishna said that he considered his duty to save any being that asked for help and that is why he had prevented the water from boiling.

My son loves this story, especially the part where Bheema sees the frog in the vessel. A simple story yet it says so much about Bhakti towards the Lord. Just take His name and misery will just vanish. Adi Sankara says that death will not come to those who chant his name. Does it mean that we would live in the body forever if we chant His name? think about it and I shall get back to you in the next sloka

Translation: Those who study the Gita, drink the water of the Ganges, worship Murari(destroyer of demon mura), Yama will not approach these people.