336 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

only because Lord Maha-Visnu is nondifferent from He Himself. This
offering of obeisances by Krsna to Maha-Visnu is not, however, the form
of worship known as aharigraha-upasana, which is sometimes recommended
for persons who are trying to elevate themselves to the spiritual world by
performing the sacrifice of knowledge. This is also stated in the Bhagavad-
gita: jidna-yajnena capy ante yajanto mam upasate.

Although there was no necessity for Krsna to offer obeisances, because
He is the master teacher, He taught Arjuna just how respect should be
offered to Lord Maha-Visnu. Arjuna, however, became very much afraid
upon seeing the gigantic form of everything, distinct from the material
experience. Seeing Krsna offering obeisances to Lord Maha-Visnu, he
immediately followed Him and stood before the Lord with folded hands.
After this, the gigantic form of Maha-Visnu, greatly pleased, smiled
pleasingly and spoke as follows.

“My dear Krsna and Arjuna, I was very anxious to see you both, and
therefore I arranged to take away the babies of the brahmana and keep
them here. I have been expecting to see you both at this palace. You have
appeared in the material world as My incarnations in order to minimize
the force of the demoniac persons who burden the world. Now after
killing all these unwanted demons, you will please again come back to Me.
Both of you are incarnations of the great sage Nara-Narayana. Although
you are both complete in yourselves, to protect the devotees and to
annihilate the demons and especially to establish religious principles in the
world so that peace and tranquility may continue, you are teaching the
basic principles of factual religion so that the people of the world may
follow you and thereby be peaceful and prosperous.”

Both Lord Krsna and Arjuna then offered their obeisances to Lord
Maha-Visnu, and taking back the brahmana’s children, they returned to
Dvaraka via the same route by which they had entered the spiritual world.
All the children of the brahmana had duly grown up. After returning to
Dvaraka, Lord Krsna and Arjuna delivered to the brahmana all of his
sons.

Arjuna, however, was struck with great wonder after visiting the tran-
scendental world by the grace of Lord Krsna. And by the grace of Krsna
he could understand that whatever opulence there may be within this
material world is an emanation from Him. Any opulent position a
person may have within this material world is due to Krsna’s mercy.
One should therefore always be in Krsna consciousness, in complete
gratefulness to Lord Krsna, because whatever one may possess is all
His mercy.
