[Advaita-l] Ramana Bhagavan on Krishna

[S Jayanarayanan via Advaita-l]

V Subrahmanian wrote:

> 
> Is the story of Parikshit the way it is narrated here the same as the one in the Bhagavatam?  I have heard that Ashwatthama's missile was aimed at destroying the fetus that was growing in Uttara's womb.  When she appealed to Krishna to save the baby, Krishna entered the womb and protected the child from the effects of the missile.  Since the child had the darshan of Krishna even while in the womb, he came to be known as Parikshit.
> http://www.tattvaloka.com/magazine/may-2011/article/parikshit-confronts-kali-yuga
> Is the incident of the baby delivered still born and Krishna reviving a post delivery one or a narration in a different purana?

 
I had quoted from the Mahabharata (Ashvamedhika Parva) in a posting earlier this month - see below. The reference to Krishna as a Brahmachari is from the Gopala Tapaniya Upanishad - also follows. Ramana Bhagavan has taken the liberty to connect the two stories.
 
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m14/m14069.htm
 
SECTION LXIX
 
That foremost of beings, hearing those heart-rending lamentations of hers, touched water and withdrew the (force of the) Brahma-weapon. That hero of unfading glory, belonging to the race of the Dasarhas, promised to give the child his life. Then he of pure soul, said these words in the hearing of the whole universe,--'O Uttara, I never utter an untruth. My words will prove true. I shall revive this child in the presence of all creatures. Never before have I uttered an untruth even in jest. Never have I turned back from battle. (By the merit of those acts) let this child revive! As righteousness is dear to me, as Brahmanas are specially dear to me, (by the merit of that disposition of mine) let Abhimanyu's son, who is born dead, revive! Never hath a misunderstanding arisen between me and my friend Vijaya. Let this dead child revive by that truth! As truth and righteousness are always established in me, let this dead child of Abhimanyu revive (by the merit
 of these)! As Kansa and Kesi have been righteously slain by me, let this child revive today by that truth!' After these words were uttered by Vasudeva, that child, O foremost one of Bharata's race, became animate and began gradually to move, O monarch.'                                                          
 
Krithna as a Brahmachari:
 
http://www.celextel.org/upanishads/atharva_veda/gopalatapaniya.html
 
Gopala Tapaniya Upanishad
 
Chapter Two

5. The Gopis said: How will we cross the Yamuna's waters and approach Him, from whom great blessings will come? 
6. Krishna said: Say the words Krishna, the brahmacari, and the Yamuna will give you a path. 
...
12. Gandharvi (Srimati Radharani), the best among them, reflected for a moment. 
13. She said: How is Krishna a brahmacari? How is this sage a person that eats only Durva grass? 
 
> subrahmanian.v 
> 
> On Wed, May 14, 2014 at 5:14 AM, S Jayanarayanan via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> I just happened to search "Talks with Ramana Maharshi" on Bhagavan mentioning Krishna, and was surprised to find the incident of Krishna reviving Parikshit indirectly referred to as a "siddhi", along with an exhortation not to judge a Jnani by his conduct! Here it is:

------------------
Talk 449.

Sri Bhagavan now warned the hearers against the mistake of disparaging
a Jnani for his apparent conduct and again cited the story of Parikshit.
He was a still-born child. The ladies cried and appealed to Sri Krishna
to save the child. The sages round about wondered how Krishna was
going to save the child from the effects of the arrows (apandavastra)
of Asvatthama. Krishna said, “If the child be touched by one eternally
celibate (nityabrahmachari) the child would be brought to life.” Even
Suka dared not touch the child. Finding no one among the reputed saints
bold enough to touch the child, Krishna went and touched it, saying, “If
I am eternally celibate (nityabrahmachari) may the child be brought to
life.” The child began to breathe and later grew up to be Parikshit.
Just consider how Krishna surrounded by 16,000 gopis is a
brahmachari! Such is the mystery of jivanmukti! A jivanmukta is
one who does not see anything separate from the Self.
If however a man consciously attempts to display siddhis he will
receive only kicks.