Krishna Book Volume 2 Chapter 11 Deliverance of Paundraka and the King of Kasi.
Wonderful. Simply wonderful.
King Paundraka was always meditating on Lord Vishnu, specifically Vasudeva. But his meditation was offensive. He somehow or other had come to the conclusion he himself was Lord Vishnu and had amassed a following of worshipers and decorated Himself to look exactly like Lord Vishnu, complete with the four symbols, Kaustubha jewel, vaijayanti garland, and mark of Srivatsa. In this condition he became so bewildered and emboldened that he actually challenged Krishna in Dvarka to surrender to him calling Krishna a rascal and imitator.
The whole affair was ludicrous. But Paundraka could not see it. Puffed up by his false sense of self and bolstered by the service and glorification of his followers he challeneged Lord Krishna to surrender or to fight and be killed.
Krishna informs Paundraka via Panudraka's messenger,
"...I shall use this disc to kill not only King Paundraka but all his followers also. I shall destroy this Paundraka and his foolish associates, who merely constitute a society of cheaters and cheated."
Evidently Paundraka has forgotten what type of body he has. One that is subject to death and suitable to be eaten. Krishna continues His message to Paundraka...
"...when your head is severed from your body by My disc, it will be surrounded by meat-eating birds like vultures, hawks and eagles. At that time, instead of becoming My shelter as you have demanded, you will be subjected to the mercy of these low-born birds. At that time your body will be thrown to the dogs, who will eat it with great pleasure."
Which is precisely what happens.
However we learn the most astonishing outcome. The deliverance of Paundraka. He actually attains the four-armed form of Lord Vishnu and is promoted to the Vaikuntha planets!!! Why? He was not devoted. Why? Simply because he was always meditating on the form of Lord Vishnu. His meditation was off because He thought He was Lord Vishnu. By challenging Lord Vishnu and being killed by Him he was relieved of that offense. But his meditation on Lord Vishnu remained. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. It is a kind of glorification.
"As far as Paundraka was concerned, somehow or other he was always thinking of Lord Vasudeva by falsely dressing himself in that way, and therefore Paundraka achieved sarupya, one of the five kinds of liberation, and was thus promoted to the Vaikuntha planets, where the devotees have the same bodily features as Vishnu, with four hands holding the four symbols. Factually, his meditation was concentrated on the Vishnu form, but because he thought himself to be Lord Vishnu, it was offensive. After being killed by Krishna, however, that offense was also mitigated. Thus he was given sarupya liberation, and he attained the same form as the Lord."
This is the nature of the Absolute. Supremely potent. Anything in contact with the Supreme Absolute will derive supreme benefit.
Like fire. Anything in contact with fire will feel the effect.
Wonderful. Simply wonderful.
King Paundraka was always meditating on Lord Vishnu, specifically Vasudeva. But his meditation was offensive. He somehow or other had come to the conclusion he himself was Lord Vishnu and had amassed a following of worshipers and decorated Himself to look exactly like Lord Vishnu, complete with the four symbols, Kaustubha jewel, vaijayanti garland, and mark of Srivatsa. In this condition he became so bewildered and emboldened that he actually challenged Krishna in Dvarka to surrender to him calling Krishna a rascal and imitator.
The whole affair was ludicrous. But Paundraka could not see it. Puffed up by his false sense of self and bolstered by the service and glorification of his followers he challeneged Lord Krishna to surrender or to fight and be killed.
Krishna informs Paundraka via Panudraka's messenger,
"...I shall use this disc to kill not only King Paundraka but all his followers also. I shall destroy this Paundraka and his foolish associates, who merely constitute a society of cheaters and cheated."
Evidently Paundraka has forgotten what type of body he has. One that is subject to death and suitable to be eaten. Krishna continues His message to Paundraka...
"...when your head is severed from your body by My disc, it will be surrounded by meat-eating birds like vultures, hawks and eagles. At that time, instead of becoming My shelter as you have demanded, you will be subjected to the mercy of these low-born birds. At that time your body will be thrown to the dogs, who will eat it with great pleasure."
Which is precisely what happens.
However we learn the most astonishing outcome. The deliverance of Paundraka. He actually attains the four-armed form of Lord Vishnu and is promoted to the Vaikuntha planets!!! Why? He was not devoted. Why? Simply because he was always meditating on the form of Lord Vishnu. His meditation was off because He thought He was Lord Vishnu. By challenging Lord Vishnu and being killed by Him he was relieved of that offense. But his meditation on Lord Vishnu remained. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. It is a kind of glorification.
"As far as Paundraka was concerned, somehow or other he was always thinking of Lord Vasudeva by falsely dressing himself in that way, and therefore Paundraka achieved sarupya, one of the five kinds of liberation, and was thus promoted to the Vaikuntha planets, where the devotees have the same bodily features as Vishnu, with four hands holding the four symbols. Factually, his meditation was concentrated on the Vishnu form, but because he thought himself to be Lord Vishnu, it was offensive. After being killed by Krishna, however, that offense was also mitigated. Thus he was given sarupya liberation, and he attained the same form as the Lord."
This is the nature of the Absolute. Supremely potent. Anything in contact with the Supreme Absolute will derive supreme benefit.
Like fire. Anything in contact with fire will feel the effect.
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