Deliverance of Daemon Trinavarta

Illustrated by Rashi

A goose was flying across the blue sky towards the horizon, closely following its mate. Krsna looking up at the sky, suddenly got up from his mother’s lap. He pointed at the birds and, in his inarticulate speech, asked his mother to make him fly. Yasoda laughed and told him humans could not fly, but Krsna’s resolve knows no deterrence. He was going to fly, one way or another.

” Alright, my darling, but first, you should learn how to fly”, said Yashoda and propped him high over her head upon her outstretched hands. Running from one end of the palace to another, she delighted her son, who, while enjoying his maiden flight, was also keenly observing Trinavarta’s presence in the sky. Sent by Kamsa, Trinavarta was watching the Lord too. He planned on creating a strong whirlwind and carrying away both the mother and the baby into the sky. His plan flashed in Krsna’s mind, and he started increasing his weight until Yasoda was forced to bring him down onto her breast. She couldn’t carry him for long and was forced to sit down and place him on the courtyard floor. Why is my Krsna so heavy today? Thinking thus, a perplexed Yashoda felt uneasy at the prospect of yet another disturbing event; somewhat a routine with her son. She strove to keep her son out of danger, but Krsna would run headlong into them. How could she fathom the prowess of her one-year-old child and his propensity towards the deliverance of those evil-minded ones, for he lorded over them too? Yashoda needed to be sent away before the leela commenced. The Lord could not allow Trinavarta to harass his mother. Spurred by divine inspiration, Yashoda forgot about her son and, remembering an errand walked away toward her chamber.

Trinavarta, who was King Sahasraksha in his previous birth, was suffering from a terrible curse. Failing to be hospitable to Rishi Durvasa had landed him in trouble, who had cursed him to leave Mount Gandhmadana and turn into a daemon. He would have to reside for one lakh years in Bharat and await the advent of Lord Krsna, who would deliver him from the curse.

His mother, now safe, Krsna waited for Trinavarta’s next move. Trinavarta went round and round and soon transformed himself into a wild whirlwind, obscuring the directions with clouds of dust. It was a dust storm of epic proportions, not seen before in the land of Braj. Even big-sized stones were blown away, rotated at a great speed, and hurled away at a great distance. Covering their eyes and heads, everyone ran toward their home. No one except Krsna was left outside. This was the chance that the daemon was waiting for. He stooped down, picked up the baby, and shot up into the sky.

Yashoda, prodded again by yogmaya, realized that her beloved son was left out in the open and rushed into the grave storm. Unable to keep her eyes open, she flailed her arms wildly, trying to locate him. She crawled across the courtyard, from one end to another, but Krsna was not to be found. She swooned, realizing her son was blown away into the storm.

It took one ‘muhurat’ (around 48 minutes) for the storm to quieten. As the folks came out, they heard a loud wail from Nanda’s palace. They rushed to find a semi-conscious Yashoda lying on the ground, crying for help. Realizing that Krsna was missing, most of the gopikas fainted, some froze in fear, and the few left standing ran out in different directions hoping to find him.

The daemon Trinavarta was also equally miserable. He wasn’t able to go far with the child. Krsna had become as heavy as a mountain. The daemon was tired but couldn’t abandon the child, who had caught hold of his neck and was squeezing the vital breath out of him. Krsna was reminded of Putana’s horrific cries near her death, making the entire Braj folks tremble with fear. Desiring to spare his kith and kin a similar experience, he choked Trinavarta with his bare hands. Almost breathless, the daemon lost consciousness and started plunging from the sky. Clinging to his neck, along with him, came down Krsna like the celestials do as they descend from heaven. A ray of light escaped from Trinavarta’s body and got immersed in Krsna as a thunderbolt loses its effulgence in the dark clouds. The lifeless body of the daemon dashed on a rock close to Nanda’s palace, making a loud sound. The gopikas rushed to find Yashoda’s darling playing among the scattered body parts of the daemon.

One of them rushed back to Yashoda, carrying Krsna in her arms. Getting Yashoda back to consciousness was proving difficult. Her breath had slowed down, and it looked like she was breathing her last. “Krsna is safe,” she shouted. Dodging death, Yashoda opened her eyes and saw the blue one smiling at her. Words fail to describe Yashoda’s state.

Nanda had also arrived with other gopas and heard the tale of his son’s miraculous escape. His hands and legs trembling, he slumped on the floor. Everyone was surprised at this miracle and attributed it to Nanda and Yashoda’s endless fasts and poojas.