J.J, Lucas Krishna Pariksha 4f* .1220 .K9L9 3C ,MJG 20 t** *^ i-f .KU? / "B|_ \2 ■ KRISHNA PARIKSHA; OR, KRISHNA TESTED. & &tn&t Eract BY THE REV. J. J. LUCAS. TRANSLATED I ROM THE THIRD HINDI EDITION. {Reprinted from the "Indian Evangelical Revieiv.") PUBLISHED FOR THE CHRISTIAN VERNACULAR EDUCATION SOCIETY 1884. c/ KRISHNA PARIKSHA, OR KRISHNA TESTED : A HINDI TRACT. One day I was telling a company of Hindus the story of the great love and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. A Pundit stopped me by saying, " Sir, you Christians believe the Lord Jesus Christ to be an incarnation of God and your Saviour. Just so we Hindus receive the revered Krishna Chand. In reality we are one. There is only a difference of names. Whom you call the Lord Jesus Christ, we call the revered Krishna Chand." I replied — " Not so, Pundit, there is all the difference between them that there is between heaven and earth. The one was from heaven ; the other, from Mutra." The Pundit — " Yes, sahib, the Lord Jesus Christ was at first in heaven, but afterwards came to earth, and was born in Judea. Just so the revered Krishna Chand came from heaven and took up his abode at Mutra.* Both are incarnations of the great God, and are Saviours of the world." " I wish you to answer me this question, Pundit, Is there any way by which we may find out whether an incarnation is true or false ? or may we regard any one we like as an incar- nation ? " " Certainly, sahib, there is a way of testing an incarnation. Whoever has not certain qualities should not be so recognised." " Very well, Pundit, now be so good as to tell me the marks by which we may recognise the true incarnation." In reply the Pundit said — " An incarnation of God takes place for the benefit of the world. When sin fills the earth and men are tormented by evil, God becomes incarnate to destroy sin. We know the true incarnation by the wonders He works ; an account of the wonderful works of our incarnations, Krishna, Ram, Parusram, Narsingh, and others, is to be found in our religious books. For example, when King Kans began to do evil and oppress men, in order to destroy him and give man * Hindus have often said to me that they regard Christ as the incarnation, who came to save the English. — J. J. L. 4 KRISHNA PARIKSHA, OR KRISHNA TESTED : relief, God became incarnate atMutra, and this incarnation * is called Krishna." I replied — " Pundit, the attributes of a true incarnation of God are holiness, justice, truth, love, infinite power, and knowledge. Do you believe that Krishna possessed these attributes ? " The Pundit—" Most certainly. Krishna had them all." " Very well, Pundit, tell me in what book is there an authentic account of Krishna's life ? " He replied — " In the holy Bhagwat Purana." " Then," said I, " according to the Bhagwat Purana, f there is a difference of opinion respecting Krishna. Rukm, the eldest son of King Bhishmak, thus spoke of Krishna : ' He, indeed, is a rustic and a herdsman ; his pedigree is unsettled, and whose son shall we call him, when the mystery as to his father and mother is unintelligible? One thinks him the son of the herdsman Nand ; another regards him as the child of Vasudev ; but to this day no one has discovered this secret, whose son it is that Krishna is.' Whence each repeats what comes into his own head. Chaupai. ' These ignorant people speak without understanding ; They know not the circumstances of Krishna. Sixteen years he remained in the house of Nand. J Then every one called him a cowherd, Clothed in a rough woollen cloth he tended the cows ; Seated beneath the Indian-fig, he ate his cold victuals.' " Listen, Pundit, while I tell you of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true incarnation of God. About 1880 years ago he was born of a virgin, in the town of Bethlehem of Judea. Before His birth an angel spoke thus to the virgin : ' Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. . . . The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy tiling which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God' (Luke i. 30). Let us now compare * Krishna is the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, the second god of the Hindu triad, and is worshipped by more than one hundred millions of people. t The quotations from the Bhagwat Purana have been made from Professor Eastwick's translation of the Hindi version of the Tenth Chapter of the Bhagwat Parana. — J. J- L. J Krishna gives the reason of his incarnation in these words, — Chaupai. ' Nand and Jasoda penance did ; to me their hearts they gave. They wished to sec the joy of offspring ; I will go and some time (with them) tarry.' A HINDI TRACT. O the works of Christ and of Krishna, and see which has the best claim to be considered the true incarnation of God. The true incarnation should be holy. But in the Bhagwat Purana there is an account of Krishna stealing the butter of the cowherdesses. One day the cowherdesses caught Krishna in the very act of stealing, and took him to his mother, complaining in these words, — Chaupai. ' Milk, curds, butter, buttermilk, nought escapes in Braj, Such thefts he perpetrates, morn and eve he roves about.' " Krishna denied the theft, and tried to lay the blame on the cowherdesses, saying, — ' Do not believe them, mother. These false cowherdesses tell untruths ; They were ever wandering about and following me .' " Think of this, Krishna was the thief, but by lying escaped the punishment of his sin ! "Again, it is written in the tenth chapter of the Bhagwat Purana that when the cowherdesses were bathing in the river Jumna, Krishna stole their clothes, and would not give them up until they came out naked, and took them from his hand. Hear him, — Chaupai. ' Thus will I not give them, I swear by Nand : One by one come forth, then receive ye back your clothes. Now let each join her hands and advance, then I will give the clothes.' " The cowherdesses said, — Chaupai. ' "Why does Nand's darling act deceitfully to us, simple maidens of Braj ? He has tricked us ; our consciousness and sense are gone, such pranks have you played, Hari.* Taking courage, we have done what we are ashamed to do : Now, Lord of Braj, perform your part.' " This narrative shows that Krishna was not holy. Surely such a one as Krishna is worthy of punishment, and not of praise and worship." To this the Pundit replied — " Sahib, you are speaking about Krishna's sports. He took the clothes of the cowherdesses to teach them a lesson." " But suppose, Pundit, one of the disciples of Krishna should steal and lie, and taking the clothes of women while they are bathing, should say that this was his sport, or that he meant to give them a lesson, would you excuse him ? " The Pundit replied — " Samarlhi Jco dash nahiri Jiai" i.e. " The Almighty can do no sin." * Hari, another name for Krishna. 6 KRISHNA PAKIKSHA, OR KRISHNA TESTED: "Very well, Pundit, suppose I grant that the Almighty cannot sin, yet it cannot be proven from Krishna's life that he is worthy of this title. He was in the power of women * and you know it is written, — Doha. ' He who is in the power of frail ones, How can he be called Almighty ? ' No one can prevail against the Almighty. Many prevailed over Krishna. For example, in the war with King Jarasindhu, Krishna was defeated and forced to flee for his life. He also fought with Eaja Dauda in order to obtain his mare, which at night became a beautiful woman ; but he neither conquered the Eaja nor got the wonderful mare. It is said that Krishna and all his family were destroyed by the curse of the Rishi Durbasa. The story is this. On one occasion Krishna and Balram with their families drank to excess, and fell to slaying each other. At last only Krishna and Balram were left, and they resolved to become ascetics. One day, as Krishna was sleeping in the forest, a hunter mistook him for a beast of prey and shot an arrow at him, which lodged in his foot and caused his death. Now tell me, Pundit, whether we ought to consider Krishna Almighty ? He himself said that — Chaupai. ' Those alone may be said to have power in the world Who perforin service to their parents.' And yet he and Balram lamented 'that this was always in their thoughts, that to her of whom they were born, that to her they had never at any time been a source of enjoyment .... they had uselessly wasted their existence in a strange house, and that their parents,! for their sake, had suffered much calamity, while they had never served them in any way.' " Even if we admit that Krishna was a great person, yet all right thinking people will say that the greater the person the greater his guilt if he sins. If the judge steals, will you say * The cowherdesses thus reproached Krishna : "Lord, formerly, indeed, you were showing us much favour ; you took us by the hand, ami led us with you in your -wanderings ; now you have gained royal power, and, at the bidding of a woman of the city, Kubja, you have sent a letter to us advising penance. We, weak women, uninstructed in holy rites, have not so much as learnt of our spiritual preceptor the initiatory mystical prayer to be addressed to the^ patron Deity; whence, then, should we have spiritual discernment? To him, Krishna, nr childhood's love was given ; what have we known of the rites of penance ? " t Nand, the father of Krishna, thus laments, — ' Tell me of the welfare of my son, witli whom you always remain ; Does he ever remember me ? Without him we sutler much pain. When he left us he promised to all that he would return : the promised period has long since elapsed.' A HINDI TRACT. 7 that he ought to be forgiven because he is such a great man ? God forbids every kind of sin — as stealing, lying, murder, deceit, adultery, etc. Now, will an incarnation of God commit the very sins He has forbidden ? Listen to Sisupal, who knew Krishna well, and who speaks of him in the tenth chapter of the Bhagwat Purana. ' In this assembly are Dritarashtr,I)uryodhan, Bhism, Kam, Dhronacharya, and others — all men of great wisdom and dignity ; but on the present occasion the judgment of all has become impaired. Very great Munis remain seated while worship is paid to the son of the cowherd Nand, and no one has said anything. He who, born in Braj, ate the broken victuals of the cowherd lads, has in this assembly obtained supremacy and dignity. Chaupai. ' All have thoughtlessly pronounced him great, Having taken the strength of the king of gods. To whom have they given it ? ' ' He who contracted friendship with cowherdesses and cow- herds, him have they made chief in holiness in this assembly. He who stole and ate, from house to house, milk, curds, butter- milk, and butter, all have united in extolling. He who in roads and steps down to the river received alms, to him, forsooth, reverence has been paid here. He who by force or fraud enjoyed the wives of others, to him all, with unanimous con- sent, have first given the mark in the forehead. He who abolished the worship of Indra in Braj, and founded that of a mountain, and afterwards, having caused all the materials for the worship to be brought to the mountain, himself by a stratagem devoured them ; to him, notwithstanding, there comes no feeling of shame. One whose caste, rank, and mother, father, family, and duties are unsettled, all have reverenced as the Invisible and Eternal One.' Listen to another witness who knew Krishna well. Indra, who is called the ' Ptuler of the gods,' thus speaks of Krishna in the tenth chapter of the Bhagawat Purana : ' The riches of the inhabitants of Braj have increased, and from this very cause they have become excessively proud. Chaupai. ' They have abandoned invocation, penance, and fasting as regards me, And have called upon themselves dearth and poverty. They have regarded Krishna, who is but a man, as a Deity, And opine that his words are true. He is but a child, foolish and ignorant, Very loquacious, and filled with pride. Now I will remove his haughtiness ; I will destroy his herds, and deprive him of wealth.' 8 KRISHNA PAMKSHA, OR KRISHNA TESTED : " Now, Pundit, when intelligent witnesses like these speak thus of Krishna, how can we regard him as a true incarnation of God ? Listen while I tell you a little about the Lord Jesus Christ, and show you that He was indeed true and holy. He was obedient to His parents. He grew in favour with God •and man. In Him was no sin of any kind. In His heart no evil thoughts, and in His mouth no evil words. He did many deeds of mercy. He was all-powerful. The living and the dead, water and wind, obeyed Him. He made the lame to walk. He cleansed lepers. He opened the eyes of the blind. He gave life to the dead. For proof of all this read the following- passages from the Gospels : — Matt. viii. 2, 3 ; Luke vii. 11-15 ; Matt. xx. 30-34 ; John xi. A ruler of the Jews, named Nicodemus, who saw the wonderful works of the Lord Jesus, thus testified : ' Eabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God : for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him' (John iii. 2). In the Bhagwat Purana we read that Krishna and Balram once went to the house of a Kishi named Sandipan, and with clasped hands stood before him, praying to him in these words, — Chaupai. ' Show favour to us, Prince of Rishis ; Give heed to us, and grant us the boon of wisdom.' The Eishi taught them the fourteen sciences — the knowledge of futurity, astrology, physic, etc. Then they thanked him saying : ' .Sire, though one become incarnate through many births, and gave very much in each, still an equivalent for learning could not be given ; however, do you, with due regard to our ability, favour us with your commands for a recom- pense for your instruction ; then we, having given in proportion to our ability, and received your blessings, will depart home.' Nor is this the only proof that Krishna was ignorant, and had to be taught. On one occasion he was in great doubt whether he should go to the help of the kings in danger, or assist the Pandavas to perform the royal sacrifice. Hear his prayer to Udho to tell him what to do : ' Udho, you are my friend ; from my heart and eyes you are never separate. Urgent business calls me in both directions ; whither shall I go first ? Say, Brother. There are kings in heavy distress, sustaining grief, and placing hope in me. Here tin' Pandavas have together prepared the sacrifice : Thus speaking the Supreme ' Being addressed him.' * Krishna is also spoken of in the Bhagwat Purana as " The First Male, the everlasting God of gods, the divine Krishna Chand ;" "The God of gods ; " "The Illusive Power." A HINDI TRACT. 9 Again, Krishna was deceived by the false report that his father was in prison, and wept bitterly. These instances show that he was not omniscient. We all agree that the true incarnation of God should be merciful. But there is nut the semblance of this grace in Krishna. He slew thousands of people, and laid waste many countries. He caused Jarasinclhu to be slain, whose praise he himself once sang in these words : ' Sire, just as formerly, in other ages, existed just and munificent monarchs, even so now, in this age, you exist. As they formerly fulfilled the wishes of those who asked of them, so do you now perform our desire.' No wonder that the wife of Jarasindhu, weeping and beating her breast, came and stood before the divine Krishna, and, having joined her hands, said : ' Bravo, bravo, Lord ! You merit encomiums for such a deed that you have taken the life of him who gave you all he had. Such is the friendship you show to him who devoted to you his son, his wealth, and his body.' Chaupai. , ' Assuming a deceitful form, you have used both force and fraud ; This is the renown which entering the world, you have acquired.' " Now listen, Pundit, while I tell you of the great love of the Lord Jesus Christ. He so loved us, sinners, that in order to satisfy God's law which demanded our lives, He gave His own life as a substitute. He gave up ease and glory, and at last His life, in order to remove our sins. Listen to the word of God : ' When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die : yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us ' (Bom. v. 6-8). Ah, assuredly no one ever loved us, poor sinners, as did the Lord Jesus. Another attribute of the true incarnation of God is justice. And yet Krishna slew with his own hand the innocent washerman of Kans because he refused to give up the clothes of his master. Bead the words of the Bhagwat Purana : ' The divine Krishna Chand, being filled with ire, struck him such a blow obliquely, that his head (the washer- man's) flew off like an ear of corn.' Bead again in the Bhag- wat Purana how Krishna violently seized and married Bukmini, the daughter of King Bhishmak and the affianced of Sisupal. Bukm, the brother of Bukmini, was very angry with Krishna because he had carried off his sister, and thus spoke to him : ' Ho, treacherous boor ! What knowest thou of the conduct of princes. Just as in thy childhood thou stolest milk and curds, 10 KRISHNA l'ARIKSIIA, OR KRISHNA TESTED: so now, too, thou hast come here also and carried off the fair one.' I leave it to you, Pundit, to say whether Krishna did ricdit or wrong in this matter. Even the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ bore witness to His uprightness (Matt. xxii. 16). He not only did not wish to injure His enemies, but on the contrary He prayed for them. He thus taught His disciples : ' Love your enemies, bless them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you ' (Matt, v. 44). God is true. Hence His incarnation must be true. But this attribute of God cannot be found in Krishna. He taught others to lie and deceive. For instance, at the request of Krishna, Judhishthir told a lie ; for this sin his finger wasted away, and he had to suffer in hell. Again, when Krishna was guilty of adultery with Badha, her husband Ayanghosh arrived unexpectedly, and at once Krishna assumed the form of Kali, and Badha began to worship him. Hence we have their images worshipped to this day, viz. Krishna, Kali, Badha, Ayanghosh, and Kotila. " Again, listen to the advice Krishna gave to Arjun and Bhim. Chaupai. ' Assume the appearance of Brahmans and so journey : And by force or stratagem, slay your enemies.' " He who himself deceives, and so teaches his disciples, cannot be the true incarnation ; nor can he be pleasing to God. Listen to what the Bhagwat Burana says about this, — Chawpai. ' The invocation, the rosary, the denominational and sectorial * marks, all of them are useless. The vain-minded man plays his antics to no purpose; the true only please + Ram.' " Bead the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will acknowledge that He never told a falsehood or deceived. When His enemies came to take His life, He might have saved it by deception. He regarded the truth as better than life. " No one can forgive sins who is a sinner himself. "Whoever reads the Brem Sagar and other religious books of the Hindus must admit that Krishna was a great sinner. The Lord Jesus Christ was free from all sin. God so loved us as to send the Lord Jesus Christ to bear our sins. He did bear them, and * Of a lotus, trident, etc., made on the body or forehead of worshippers of Vishnu and other gods. t Another name of an incarnation of the god Vishnu. A HINDI TRACT. 11 died on account of them. He now calls all laden with sin to come unto Him. Hear His words: 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ' (Matt. xi. 28). " The true incarnation ought to point out very clearly the way of salvation. Muchkund was anxious to know how He might be saved, and this is the answer Krishna gave him. 1 Hearken, Muchkund ! The matter is exactly as thou hast said, but I will point out to thee a means of salvation, which use. Thou, for the sake of territory, wealth, and women, hast from the time of obtaining thy kingdom performed many unjust acts, which injustice will not leave you without the performance of penance. Wherefore go into the north country and perform * penance, whereupon thou shalt quit this body and be re-born in the house of a Eishi, and then thou shalt obtain final beatitude.' This shows that Krishna could not pardon sin and give beatitude to his disciples. _ They must obtain these by penances and transmigration into various bodies. Krishna taught that Brahmans were equal to himself, and that heaven could be entered by reverencing Brahmans. Hear him. Chaupai. ' Let none injure a Brahman ; let none seize on a Brahman's portion : Keep not back that which is vowed in the heart to be given ; speak the truth to Brahmans : . . . . He who takes what he has given to a Brahman, on him Yam inflicts a punish- ment so great ! ,,-■,, ... ■, i Remain the servant of Brahmans ; suffer patiently all faults committed by Brahmans : A .„ Who reverences Brahmans, reverences me ; let none suppose a clinerence between me and Brahmans. He who imagines a difference between me and Brahmans, shall tall into hell ; And he who reverences a Brahman shall obtain me, and without doubt shall go to heaven.' "Very well, Pundit, Krishna said there was no difference between a Brahman and himself. Now you and I know that a Brahman is just like the rest of us— a sinner in the sight of God. A Brahman cannot answer God for his own sins, how can he answer for ours ? Hence neither Krishna nor a Brah- man can give pardon or open heaven to us. But the Lord. * " Sire, the divine Krishna Chand said to King Judhishthir, Judhishthir ! I by degrees, destroy all the wealth of him to whom I show favour, because brothers, kinsmen, wife, sons and all relatives abandon the man destitute ol wraith, and then the desire of living as a devotee springs up in his mind ; Irom becoming a devotee, he sets himself free from the fascinations of wealth and kin and becomes divested of affection, whereby he worships me with Ins whole heart ; from the happy influence of his worship, he obtains the unshaken beatitude of reunion with the Deity." 12 KRISHNA PAJRIZSHA, OR KRISHNA TESTED: Jesus Christ can. His name teaches this. Jesus means Saviour. Christ means Anointed, or the one set apart by God, our heavenly Father, to be our Saviour. When on earth He ' went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.' How did Krishna spend his time ? Let the ' Saintly Shukadev ' relate. ' Sire, having taken sixteen thousand one hundred and eight wives, the divine Krishna Chand began to disport himself joyfully in the city of Dwarika, and the eight queens, during the eight watches, remained in the service of Hari (Krishna). Always when they arose at early dawn, one would wash his face ; another having applied a fragrant paste to his body, would assist him in bathing ; another would prepare for him, and cause him to eat, food of six flavours ; another would make nice betels with cloves, cardamoms, mace, and nutmegs for her beloved one, and give it to him to eat ; another would select fair raiment and ornaments studded with jewels, and having perfumed and prepared them, would cause the Supreme Being to put them on ; another having arrayed him in the necklace of forest flowers, would sprinkle him with rose water, and rub him with saffron and sandal-oil ; another was fanning him ; and another manipulating his feet. . . .' Chaitpai. ' Of the chief of Yadu each queen produced a son, Each a daughter, fair as Lakshmi, each ten sons ; brave sons were they. One hundred sixty and one thousand ; so vast a host, and all alike. These were the sons of Krishna ; of infinite accomplishments, strength, and beauty.' " Thus, Pundit, according to the Bhagwat Purana, Krishna wasted his time. Eead the Gospels and see how the Lord Jesus Christ never once thought of His own ease or pleasure. He thought ever of the welfare of others, lie came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and give His life a ransom for many (Matt. xx. 28). He so loved us that He gave His own life to save us from the punishment due to us on account of our sins, and to open heaven for us. Now, Pundit, compare Krishna and Christ, and say which is the true incarnation. ' Be careful lest you throw away precious gold for the sake of a worthless bit of glass. Be careful lest you drink poison instead of the water of life.' Will you be the disciple of Krishna, who, according to your revered Bhagwat Purana, was a thief, a liar, an adulterer, and a murderer ; who spent his time in war or in idleness among women ; who came into the world to kill Kans, according to A HINDI TRACT. 1 Q one story, or on account of his love for Kadha (a woman) according to another; whose life, your own books being witnesses, was one round of revelry and drunkenness, seduction and murder ? Will you receive such a one to be your Lord and Saviour ? or will you receive the Lord Jesus Christ, who came from God into the world to save us from our sins ? He ' did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth ; who, when He was reviled, reviled not again.' He was ' holy, harmless, un- dented, separate from sinners.' 'He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him is no sin.' He gave His life a ransom for ours : He rose from the dead on the third day, and receiving all power in heaven and earth, He sent forth His disciples to preach the good news of the forgiveness of sin and eternal life to every one, everywhere, who believes in Him and becomes His disciple. He is now seated at the right hand of God, ready to give pardon and peace and heaven to all who believe and obey Him. Beloved Pundit, believe in Him now and confess Him as your Saviour. He is able and willing to save you. He is worthy of your love and confidence. Make no delay. ' Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.' " MORRISON AND GIBB, EDINBURGH, PRINTERS TO HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE Kjaulord = PAMPHIET BINDER Syracuse, N. Y. Stockton, Calif. BL1220.K9L9 Krishna pariksha; or, Krishna tested : a Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library 1 1012 00163 3223