288 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

He learned the art of questioning and answering by immediately composing
poetry within His mind. He learned the science of the action and reaction
of physical combinations and permutations. He learned the art of a
psychiatrist, who can understand the psychic movements of another
person. He learned how to satisfy one’s desires. Desires are very difficult
to fulfill; but if one desires something which is unreasonable and can never
be fulfilled, the desire can be subdued and satisfied, and that is an art. By
this art one can also subdue sex impulses when they are aroused, as they
are even in brahmacani life. By this art one can make even an enemy his
friend or transfer the direct action of a physical element to other things.

Lord Krsna and Balarama, the reservoir of all knowledge of arts and
sciences, exhibited Their perfect understanding when They offered to
serve Their teacher by awarding him anything he desired. This offering by
the student to the teacher or spiritual master is called guru-daksina. It is
essential that a student satisfy the teacher in return for any learning
received, either material or spiritual. When Krsna and Balarama offered
Their service in this way, the teacher, Sandipani Muni, thought it wise to
ask Them for something extraordinary, something which no common
student could offer. He therefore consulted with his wife about what to
ask from Them. They had already seen the extraordinary potencies of
Krsna and Balarama and could understand that the two boys were the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. They decided to ask for the return of
their son, who had drowned in the ocean on the bank of Prabhasaksetra.

When Krsna and Balarama heard from Their teacher about the death of
his son on the bank of Prabhasaksetra, They immediately started for the
ocean on Their chariot. Reaching the beach, They asked the controlling
deity of the ocean to return the son of Their teacher. The ocean deity
immediately appeared before the Lord and offered Him all respectful
obeisances with great humility.

The Lord said, “Some time back you caused the drowning of the son of
Our teacher. I order you to return him.”

The ocean deity replied, “The boy was not actually taken by me, but
was captured by a demon named Pajicajana. This great demon generally
remains deep in the water in the shape of a conchshell. The son of Your
teacher might be within the belly of the demon, having been devoured by
him.”

On hearing this, Krsna dove deep into the water and caught hold of the
demon Pajicajana. He killed him on the spot, but could not find the son
ef His teacher within his belly. Therefore He took the demon’s dead body
(in the shape of a conchshell) and returned to His chariot on the beach of
