|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 30 – The legend of Lord Krishna – Kunthi Sthuthi

Namasthe  Purusham Thvam Adhyam Eshwaram  Prakrithe: Param | Alakshyam Sarvabhoothanam Anthar Bahiravasthitham || Krishnaya Vasudevaya  Devakinandhanaya Cha  Nandagopakumaraya  Govindaya Namo Nama: || Nama: Pankajanabhaya  Nama: Pankajamaline | Nama: Pankajanethraya  Namasthe Pankajaghraye || Namo Akinchana Viththaya  Nivriththa Gunavriththaye | Athmaramaya Shanthaya Kaivalyapathaye Nama: ||

Lord Krishna bade fare-well to Pandavas and went to meet Devi Kunthi who is the sister of Vasudeva. Krishna prostrated before her, was embraced, and seated next to her.  Devi Kunthi eulogized the supreme Lord Krishna in marvelous verses.

Devi Kunthi speaks “ I shall prostrate before the supreme Purusha/resides in the city of nine gates/human body, who is eternal and primordial, he is beyond Prakrithi, he is not visible, he resides as a soul in living beings, and he has all-pervasive nature.  Oh! Adhokshaja, who resides as a soul is difficult to perceive due to the curtain of Maya, an ignorant never realizes your presence and will not understand your nature as a soul in living beings.  Oh! Bhagavan, the  Paramahamsa, and the ascetics free from impurities realize your presence in their hearts,  attains union to the supreme Lord with the constant practice of Bhakti Yoga.  How an ignorant could perceive you?  Oh! Krishna, Oh! Vasudeva/son of Vasudeva who incarnated as the son of Devi Devaki, and dearest child of Nandagopa, Oh! Govinda, I shall repeatedly prostates before you. Oh! Pankajanabha who has lotus flower on the navel, Oh! Pankajamaline who is adorned in garlands of lotus flowers, Oh! Pankajanethra, who has the eyes resembles lotus flowers, Oh! Pankajaghraye whose feet have the appearance of a lotus flower, I shall repeatedly prostrate before you. Oh! Hrishikesh, Devi Devaki has given birth to seven children, she had to witness the death of six children before her eyes.  Oh! Krishna, you have been with my children always and protected them from all the hurdles, I shall prostrate before you.  Oh! Devakisunu, my son was fed with poison, heaved to the fire, humiliated in a crowded assembly of Kauravas, exiled from the Kingdom and troubled while living in the forest, my children have gone through various struggles, you have protected my children from the war zone, you have protected from the deceitful act of Dhroni, I shall repeatedly prostrate before you.  Oh! Jagathguru, if you want to give me something, kindly give me troubles/inauspiciousness, so that I can witnesses your presence always.  Oh! Bhagavan, you are the greatest wealth of the penniless, you are the source of Nivriththi Marga, Oh! Athmarama, who symbolizes serenity I shall prostrate before that supreme Lord who symbolizes Kaivalya/free from miseries and sorrows of worldly existence.  Oh! Vibhu, you are independent and void of fears, birth, and Karma, even though assumes numerous forms and performs various passionate sports before Devi Yasodha, that frightful child before Devi Yasodha transports me in a state of ecstasy.  Once, that marvelous child broke the mud pot of butter was chased by Devi Yasodha, and when she tried to fasten with the rope, that little child of Yasodha stood before her crying, as if he was guilty of his act, squashing his eyes adorned in black Kajol and spread all over that beautiful face, that thoughts make me blissful.  Oh! Bhagavan,  some people say, you have incarnated to prosper the clan of Yadhu, others have the opinion that you have born to Vasudeva and Devi Devaki to answer their prayers and kill the wicked demons on the Earth, others say you have incarnated to reduce the burden of the Earth, some says you have incarnated to elevate the Jeeva from the miseries and sorrows of the worldly existence, one thing I have understood,  whoever sings in praise of you, contemplate on your marvelous appearance, listening and reading your various passionate sports, reciting your glorious names, would attain intense devotion and elevate their soul at your lotus feet, remains in a blissful state always.  Oh! Acchyutha, I have a sincere request to you, Oh! Hrishikesh, I am growing old, I should not get distracted from your thoughts, I should not depend on anyone other than you.  Oh! Vishwesha, Oh! Vishwathamn, kindly relieve my bondage to Pandava and Vrishnis, kindly remove my over-dependence and attachment to Vrishnis and Pandavas.  Oh! Madhupathe, my mind and intellect should always take pleasure in your thoughts, with an Ananyabhakthi/knowledge of supreme soul, the practice of intense devotion and faith, like the unstoppable water currents of sacred river Ganga. Oh! Govinda, Oh! Akhila guru, Oh! Yogeshwara, Oh! Srikrishna, Oh! Eminent of Vrishni, protector of Go and Dhvijathi, destroyer of wicked demons, I shall repeatedly prostrate before you. ” Krishna affectionately looked at the face of Devi Kunthi, with a pleasing smile, and prepared to leave Hastinapura.

|| Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya||

Chapter – 29 – The legend of Lord Krishna – Kunthi Sthuthi

Devi Kunthi the mother of five Pandavas and Karna had to undergo various struggles from her young age, she had immense courage, did not let her down when her elder son was killed by the younger one, like these several hard occasions, were faced with extreme calmness.  She had intense devotion and faith on supreme Lord Krishna; hence she did not shatter or distressed even in the worst of the worst situations in her life.  Once Maharishi Durvasa visited the palace of King Kunthibhobja was reverentially served by Devi Kunthi for several days.  Maharishi Durvasa was highly pleased and offered a prayer as a boon to have a child in deities, thus Devi Kunthi who was unmarried and too young wanted to test the boon given by the Maharishi, she recited the chant contemplating upon her beloved deity Lord Surya and she had to yield for his desire to have a child in her, she pleaded before Lord Surya was pacified with another boon to remain youthful even after the birth of the child.  Thus Devi Kunthi got pregnant with Karna, the child born was safely deposited in a river immediately after the birth. 

Later, she married to King Pandu of Hastinapura, the situation in their married life forced the couple to seek the deities for children.    Thus,  Kunthi had three children from Lord Dharmaraja, Lord Indra, and Lord Vayu respectively.  King Pandu married Devi Madhri and she had two children Nakula and Sahadeva from Lord Ashwini Kumaras.  Devi Madhri sacrificed her life in the funeral pyre of King Pandu.  Thus Devi Kunthi became a widow at a young age, took great care of these five children who had to experience constant torture from the Kauravas. Her children were attempted to burn alive by Kauravas, were escaped miraculously. Arjuna got married to Draupadi had to share with his brothers at his mother’s advice. There are several difficult occasions Devi Kunthi proved the strength of her devotion to Supreme Lord Krishna.

The war between the Kauravas and Pandavas were declared, Devi Kunthi came to know about Radheya/Karna who is none other than her elder son; approaches him and requests Karna to leave the association with Duryodhana.  Karna had to discourage his mother explaining his real position when his mother has discarded him, he had Duryodhana as shelter place and he was honored by Duryodhana, so he is liable to be with Duryodhana in the great war of Kurukshetra. Finally, Karna promises to his mother that she will have five sons alive.

During the battle of Kurukshetra Devi Kunthi send her son Arjuna battle against Karna and wishing his victory, she was neither shattered or disappointed, she was well aware of the fact that as long as Krishna with Pandavas, the Dharma and Pandavas will remain protected. Another incident, when Dharmaputhra was offering Pindadhanam for his deceased brothers, Devi Kunthi intervene Dharmaputhra and instructed him to offer initial Pindadhanam for Karna, the latter was stunned and refuses to follow her order.  Krishna with a mischievous smile advice Dharmaputhra to follow the instruction of his mother, later Pandavas came to know about their relationship to Karna became inconsolable, but Devi Kunthi remained calm.