When Krishna was about one year old, Kamsa sent the mystical whirlwind demon – Trinavarta. Krishna understood this. When God appears in this world, He does not have to perform any mystical practices to become God. He is always God. Even as a baby, He has all the powers of the Absolute Truth.
To protect mother Yashoda, Krishna suddenly became very heavy and she had to put Krishna down. Yashoda went inside to perform her household duties and Trinavarta who had come in the form of a whirlwind started causing a deafening wind raising so much dust that it blinded everyone. Meanwhile Yashoda mayi was frantically trying to find Krishna. She fell unconscious, crying like a cow that had just lost her calf.
Trinavarta picked up baby Krishna and went higher and higher into the sky with an intention to kill Him. But Gopal was having a fun time. He was getting the most incredible panoramic view of Vrajabhumi. When Trinavarta went very high, Krishna began to get heavier and heavier until Trinavarta could not hold him any longer. Trinavarta was trying to push Him off but little Krishna wrapped His tiny arms around Trinavarta’s neck and started choking him. Trinavarta’s eyes rolled out of their sockets and he could not breathe any longer. He fell down on a massive stone slab and died.
Trinavarta represents the false pride of material scholarship. Being very learned can be a great attribute but if it makes us proud, the whole purpose of knowledge is lost. Real opulence is to have transcendental knowledge like the Goswamis and if that knowledge is properly assimilated and realized, it will make us more and more humble.
tåëädapi sunécena taror api sahiñëunä
amäninä mänadena kértanéyaù sadä hariù
To be humble like the blade of grass, to be forgiving and tolerant like a tree; to offer all respect to others and not to expect respect for oneself. That is true knowledge, because it attracts God. Knowledge without good qualities is useless.
A person with good qualities is like a tree with many fruits – always bowing down. A tree that does not have good fruits, keeps its head held high above all others.
What is the use of so called knowledge if it does not bring about good character? Krishna will not tolerate it. It is just a matter of time till everything is vanquished.
This demon of false pride makes us think that we are going higher and higher and higher, above everyone else. If we sincerely and humbly take shelter of hearing the glories of the Krishna, serving His devotees and chanting His holy names then Krishna will save us from this demon.
– Radhanath Swami
