Lord Krsna and Balarama Meet the Inhabitants of Vrndavana 193

another, and they all felt heavenly ecstasy. Due to such heart-to-heart
embracing, torrents of tears glided down their cheeks. The juniors
were offering obeisances to the elders, and the elders were offering
their blessings to the juniors. They were thus welcoming one another
and asking after each other’s welfare. Ultimately, however, all their
talk was only of Krsna. All the neighbors and relatives were connected
with Lord Krsna’s pastimes in this world, and as such Krsna was the
center of all their activities. Whatever activities they performed—
social, political, religious, or conventional—were transcendental.

The real elevation of human life rests on knowledge and renunciation.
As stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the First Canto, devotional service
rendered to Krsna automatically produces perfect knowledge and renun-
ciation. The family members of the Yadu dynasty and the cowherd men
of Vrndavana had their minds fixed on Krsna. That is the symptom of
all knowledge, and because their minds were always engaged in Krsna,
they were automatically freed from all material activities. This stage of
life is called yukta-vairagya as enunciated by Srila Ripa Gosvami. Know-
ledge and renunciation, therefore, do not mean dry speculation and re-
nunciation of activities. Rather, one must start speaking and acting only
in relationship with Krsna.

In this meeting at Kuruksetra, Kuntidevi and Vasudeva, who were
sister and brother, met after a long period of separation, along with their
respective sons and daughters-in-law, wives, children and other family
members. By talking among themselves, they soon forgot all their past
miseries. Kuntidevi especially addressed her brother Vasudeva as follows:
“My dear brother, I am very unfortunate, because not one of my desires
has ever been fulfilled; otherwise how could it happen that although I
have such a saintly brother as you, perfect in all respects, you did not
inquire from me as to how I was passing my days in a distressed condition
of life.” It appears that Kuntidevi was remembering the miserable days
when she had been banished along with her sons through the mischevious
plans of Dhrtarastra and Duryodhana. She continued; “My dear brother,
I can understand that when providence goes against someone, even one’s
nearest relatives also forget him. In such a condition, even one’s father,
one’s mother or one’s own children will forget him. Therefore, my dear
brother, I do not accuse you.”

Vasudeva replied to his sister: ‘“‘My dear sister, do not be sorry, and do
not blame me in that way. We should always remember that we all are only
toys in the hands of providence. Everyone is under the control of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is under His control only that all kinds
