Sakatasura

“The Sakatasura was a ghost who had taken shelter of the handcart and was looking for the opportunity to do mischief to Krishna. When Krishna kicked the cart with His small and very delicate legs, the ghost was immediately pushed down to the earth and his shelter dismantled…”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10:7:9 Purport)

“Krishna had been placed underneath a household handcart, but this handcart was actually another form of the Sakatasura, a demon who had come there to kill the child. Now, on the plea of demanding to suck His mother’s breast, Krishna took this opportunity to kill the demon. Thus He kicked Sakatasura just to expose him. Although Krishna’s mother was engaged in receiving guests, Lord Krishna wanted to draw her attention by killing the Sakatasura, and therefore he kicked that cart-shaped demon. Such are the pastimes of Krishna. Krishna wanted to draw the attention of His mother, but while doing so He created a great havoc not understandable by ordinary persons. These narrations are wonderfully enjoyable, and those who are fortunate are struck with wonder upon hearing of these extraordinary activities of the Lord. Although the less intelligent regard them as mythological because a dull brain cannot understand them, they are real facts. These narrations are actually so enjoyable and enlightening that Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Gosvami took pleasure in them, and other liberated persons, following in their footsteps, become fully jubilant by hearing about the wonderful activities of the Lord.”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10:7:6 Purport)

“When Sri Krishna was only three months old and was just trying to turn backside up, before He even attempted to crawl, mother Yasoda wanted to observe a ritualistic ceremony with her friends for the good fortune of the child. Such a ritualistic ceremony is generally performed with ladies who also have small children. When mother Yasoda saw that Krishna was falling asleep, because of other engagements she put the child underneath a household cart, called sakata, and while the child was sleeping, she engaged herself in other business pertaining to the auspicious ritualistic ceremony. Underneath the cart was a cradle, and mother Yasoda placed the child in that cradle. The child was sleeping, but suddenly He awakened and, as usual for a child, began to kick His small legs. This kicking shook the cart, which collapsed with a great sound, breaking completely and spilling all its contents. Children who were playing nearby immediately informed mother Yasoda that the cart had broken, and therefore she hastily arrived there in great anxiety with the other gopis. Mother Yasoda immediately took the child on her lap and allowed Him to suck her breast. Then various types of Vedic ritualistic ceremonies were performed with the help of the brahmanas. Not knowing the real identity of the child, the brahmanas showered the child with blessings.”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10:7 Summary)

“While churning the butter, mother Yasoda was singing about the childhood activities of Krishna. It was formerly a custom that if one wanted to remember something constantly, he would transform it into poetry or have this done by a professional poet. It appears that mother Yasoda did not want to forget Krishna’s activities at any time. Therefore she poeticized all of Krishna’s childhood activities, such as the killing of Putana, Aghasura, Sakatasura and Trnavarta, and while churning the butter, she sang about these activities in poetical form. This should be the practice of persons eager to remain Krishna conscious twenty-four hours a day. This incident shows how Krishna conscious mother Yasoda was. To stay in Krishna consciousness, we should follow such persons.”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 10:9:1-2 Purport)

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Excerpted from texts and purports of HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.

This is a section of the book “Vrindavana Lila”.

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