Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev.
After the end of the Mahabharata war, the Pandavs heard the sound of laughter. When they went near the source of sound, they could see Barbarik's head. Barbarik was none other than the grandson of Bhima and Hidimba. When he was a child he was taught by his grandmother Hidimba that one would be liberated even if he is killed by Krishna. This lesson was engraved in his mind deeply and to fulfill this mission he perfomed austerities for many years and obtained powerful weapons from various demi-gods.
When the Mahabharat war was about to begin Barbarik decided to take the side of Kauravas. When Krishna did not approve of this, he told Krishna that he would kill the Pandavas at once and was about to shoot a weapon at them. Immediately he was beheaded by Lord's Sudarshan chakra and his wish of being killed by Krishna was fulfilled by the Lord. Then Perbarik offered prayers to the Lord and requested Krishna to allow him to watch the pastimes of the Lord in Mahabharat war. The Lord granted him a spiritual vision. After watching all the pastimes of the Lord, Barbarik was laughing in ecstasy recollecting the same.
When the Pandavas heard this from Barbarik, they were eager to know who fought more bravely in the war. Barbarik replied - "In reality, NO ONE FOUGHT. Everywhere it was only Sudarshan chakra which was moving around actively causing Bhismadev, Dronacaraya, Karna, Jayadrath and all the warriors to fall down."
In Srimad Bhagavatam 1.15.21 its mentioned:
tad vai dhanus ta iṣavaḥ sa ratho hayās te
so ’haṁ rathī nṛpatayo yata ānamanti
sarvaṁ kṣaṇena tad abhūd asad īśa-riktaṁ
bhasman hutaṁ kuhaka-rāddham ivoptam ūṣyām
I have the very same Gandiva bow, the same arrows, the same chariot drawn by the same horses, and I use them as the same Arjuna to whome all the kings offered their due respect. But in the absence of Lord Krsna, all of them, at a moment's notice, have become null and void. It is exactly like offering clarified butter on ashes, accumulating money with a magic wand or sowing seeds on barren land.
Srila Prabhupada explained nicely in his purport, "All energies and powers are derived from the supreme source, Lord Krsna, and they act as long as He desires and cease to function as soon as He withdraws. This is like a electrical energies are received from the powerhouse, and as soon as the powerhouse stops supplying energy the bulbs are of no use."
Many times in life when we are busily involved in work, or when we become experts in certain kind of work, there is a danger that we start believing that we are the doers. We forget the fact that we are totally powerless, insignificant creatures and that whatever talent or expertise appears to be in us is due to the grace of the Supreme Lord. Even a blade of grass cannot be moved without the Lord's will.
As Prahalad Maharaj very nicely explains to his father Hiranyakashipu in verse Sb7.8.7, "My dear King, the source of my strength, of which you are asking, is also the source of yours. Indeed, the original source of all kinds of strength is one. He is not only your strength or mine, but the only strength for everyone. Without Him, no one can get any strength. Whether moving or not moving, superior or inferior, everyone, including Lord Brahma, is controlled by the strength of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
May we always remember the words of Lord's dearest devotee and serve the Lord sincerely.
Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudev,
Suniti devi dasi
Abu Dhabi.
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