Parijata Incense

Krsna then presented Indra the earrings of Aditi. When Krsna and Satyabhama were returning from the capital city of Indra, Satyabhama remembered Krsna’s promise to give her the plant of the parijata flower. Taking the opportunity of having come to the heavenly kingdom, she plucked a parijata plant and kept it on the back of Garuda. Once Narada had taken a parijata flower and presented it to Krsna’s senior wife, Sri Rukminidevi. On account of this, Satyabhama had developed an inferiority complex; she also wanted a flower from Krsna.

Krsna could understand the competitive womanly nature of His co-wives, and He smiled. He immediately asked Satyabhama, “Why are you asking for only one flower? I would like to give you a whole tree of parijata flowers.” Actually, Krsna had purposely taken His wife Satyabhama with Him so that she could collect the parijata with her own hand. But the denizens of the heavenly planet, including Indra, were very irritated. Without their permission, Satyabhama had plucked a parijata plant, which is not to be found on the earth planet. Indra, along with other demigods, offered opposition to Krsna and Satyabhama for taking away the plant, but in order to please His favorite wife Satyabhama, Krsna became determined and adamant, so there was a fight between the demigods and Krsna. As usual, Krsna came out victorious, and He triumphantly brought the parijata plant chosen by His wife to this earth planet, to Dvaraka. After this, the plant was installed in the palace garden of Satyabhama. On account of this extraordinary tree, the garden house of Satyabhama became extraordinarily beautiful. As the parijata plant came down to the earthly planet, the fragrance of the flower also came down, and the celestial swans migrated to this earth in search of its fragrance and honey.

King Indra’s behavior toward Krsna was not very much appreciated by great sages like Sukadeva Gosvami. Out of His causeless mercy, Krsna had gone to the heavenly kingdom, Amaravati, to present King Indra his mother’s earrings, which had been lost to Bhaumasura, and Indra had been very glad to receive them. But when a flower plant from the heavenly kingdom was taken by Krsna, Indra offered to fight with Him. This was self-interest on the part of Indra. He offered his prayer, tipping down his head to the lotus feet of Krsna, but as soon as his purpose was served, he became a different creature. That is the way of the dealings of materialistic men. Materialistic men are always interested in their own profit. For this purpose they can offer any kind of respect to anyone, but when their personal interest is over, they are no longer friends. This selfish nature is not only found among the richer class of men on this planet, but is present even in personalities like Indra and other demigods. Too much wealth makes a man selfish. A selfish man is not prepared to take to Krsna consciousness and is condemned by great devotees like Sukadeva Gosvami. In other words, possession of too many worldly riches is a disqualification for advancement in Krsna consciousness.