Passage 11

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In plain words

Grant that this birth may find its fulfilment,” they prayed. Then Kṛṣṇa again: “No, no. There is still much that has to happen. In a play, a person has put on a role. There are many acts he has to play in. It will not do to act in one act, come away and say, ‘My role is over’. You simply must stay until your story is complete,” He said. “There is still much you have to do. There are many truths to be proclaimed to the world. If you die before all this is complete, what is the use of your lives? Every human being takes birth for the sake of achieving a truth. Having taken this birth, he must achieve it. If one thinks, ‘We were born, we grew up, we went,’ there is no use in it. One must go only after achieving what has to be achieved. So there is still need for you to stay a while on this earth,” said Kṛṣṇa, and He vanished. Then Dharmarāja, recognising Kṛṣṇa's principle, taught Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva and Draupadī, “We must abide by Kṛṣṇa's command to the letter, without fail.” All of them: “Swami! In whatever way you walk, we stand ready to follow that very way,” they vowed before Dharmaja.

On this occasion I must tell of one līlā of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who wore a human guise in play. After Kṛṣṇa had slain Kaṃsa, many wicked kings such as Śiśupāla and Jarāsandha bore hatred towards Him and thought to take revenge. They subjected the Yādavas, Kṛṣṇa's devotees, to many cruelties. Then the Yādavas: “Swami! Every moment we are living in fear and dread. Take us to a place where there is no fear,” they prayed to Kṛṣṇa. Then Kṛṣṇa, as He was going to Vrepalle, said, “All of you, close your eyes just once and think of Me.” That night they closed their eyes. When they rose at daybreak, they were in Dvārakā, with their families and their belongings. This wonder happened only through Kṛṣṇa's divine will. No one can describe Kṛṣṇa's divine principle. He showed many such wondrous divine līlās.