When Indra saw Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi doing severe penance in Badarikāśrama then he became fearful. He thought that by doing such austerities Nara Narayana Rsi will become powerful and will take my heavenly kingdom.
Indra always gets disturbed when he sees someone engaged in spiritual activities very seriously. This is because he is attached to his power and position and do not want to lose his throne.
Srila Prabhupada explains that Indra did not understand the glories of the Supreme Lord. He thought the Lord to be like him, full of desires and getting affected by material senses.
To distract Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi from doing penance, Indra sent Cupid to Badarikāśrama. But Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi can never get agitated by lusty desires.
Never see the Supreme Lord with material vision
Srila Prabhupada always say that we should not consider the Lord to be at our level. In Mahaprabhu’s pastime also we see that Damodar Pandit did not like when Mahaprabhu was meeting a small child of a widow. Although Damodar Pandit did this because he had great love for Mahaprabhu, but Srila Prabhupada says that no one should think that Supreme Lord will be carried away by material desires.
Later, in Mahaprabhu’s pastime we see that when the discussion came of Mahaprabhu meeting king Prataprudra then Mahaprabhu refused to meet him. He said, “People will criticize me saying that how as a sannyasi I can meet a worldly person. Leave the world, even Damodar Pandit, will criticize me.”
In Krishna Lila also we see how Satrajit started doubting that Krishna might have stolen Syamantaka jewel. Satrajit thought that like the demigods, the Lord will also be attracted to a jewel. Krishna is the master of the entire universe; he is the creator and maintainer of everything of this world. Then how can he be attracted to a mere jewel?
We should never see Lord with our material vision. Material desires and material senses do not affect the Lord because he is spiritual and not material. He is the Supreme Lord of all the planets and creator of all the living entities.
Glories of Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi
But unfortunately, Indra did not know the glory of the Lord. So, foolishly he sent cupid to Badarikāśrama to distract Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi.
Now when the cupid began shooting arrows towards Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi in the form of irresistible glances of beautiful women, they began laughing at their childish act. The Cupid and his associates understood their mistake and fell at the feet of the Lord. They begged Lord for forgiveness. The Lord who is always merciful forgave them.
To the surprise of the Cupid, many women began appearing from the body of the Supreme Lord who were extraordinarily beautiful. And the Lord asked them to choose any one and take it as a gift to heaven. They chose Urvaśī and when in heaven Indra saw Urvaśī and heard the extraordinary qualities of the Supreme Lord, Narayana, he was frightened as well as astonished.
Lesser mortals of this Universe are attracted to sexual desires and fantasies, not the Supreme Lord. Also, those who understand these transcendental qualities of the Supreme Lord, use his mind and all senses in worshipping the Lord. By dedicating their lives in the service of the Lord they too lose taste for material sense gratification and get free from all sexual desires.
Free from all sensual desires, they live happy with the Lord forever.
Three Reflections
- To distract Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi from doing penance, Indra sent Cupid to Badarikāśrama.
- When the cupid began shooting arrows towards Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi in the form of irresistible glances of beautiful women, they began laughing at their childish act.
- Lesser mortals of this Universe are attracted to sexual desires and fantasies, not the Supreme Lord Narayana who is a plenary expansion of Krishna.
Ask Yourself
- Do I think the Supreme Lord will get affected by material desires?
Action Item
- Read the pastime of Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.4.6 – 16.
