Sri Krishna Lila: The Complete life of Bhagavan Sri Krishna

Foreword

It pleases me immensely to know that Devi Vanamali, the author of this admirable book on the life of Bhagavan (Lord) Sri Krishna, wants me to write a few words by way of an introductory appreciation and suggestion. I have gone through this book carefully and my first impression after reading it was that this is the first attempt perhaps ever made by a scholar-devotee to present in one compact volume the multifaceted and majestic life of the Great Incarnation. What charmed me especially was the perspicacious and deeply touching style and expression in which the whole story is told so beautifully and so comprehensively.

Usually, devotees of Lord Sri Krishna confine their attention to the childhood and boyhood days of Krishna in Gokula, Vrindavana, and Mathura and even if they are a little more extended, the writings generally add only the events in Dwaraka, of Sri Krishna's regime and His social greatness as delineated in the Shrimad Bhagavatha Mahapurana.

Very few pay sufficient attention to the wonderful deeds of the towering Krishna of the Mahabharata, without which facet of His life the great story would remain incomplete. It is delightful to observe that Mata Devi Vanamali has not omitted any salient feature and has managed to press into her book the essentials of the story as we have in both the Shrimad Bhagavatha and the Mahabharata.

May works of this kind see the light of day in more and more numbers, for the blessing of all humankind.

Swami Krishnananda

General Secretary
Divine Life Society
Rishikesh, India

Back Of Book

"Till My advent O Uddhava, a dip in the Ganga was supposed to eradicate all sins, but now a dip in the holy story of My Life is enough to cleanse the sins of a thousand life-times. He who listens to the story of My Life sanctifies himself."

Lord Krishna in the Sreemad Bhagvatha Purana

"I know of no Reality other than Lord Krishna, whose face is as radiant as the full moon, whose colour is that of the fully laden rain cloud, whose eyes are large and lustrous as the petals of a lotus, whose lips are red as the bimba berry, whose hands are adorned with the flute, and who is clad in resplendent garments."

Madhusudana Saraswathi

"This is the first attempt perhaps ever made by scholar-devotee to present in one compact volume the multifaceted and majestic life of the Great Incarnation!"

Swami Krishnanadaji Maharaj
'Divine Life Society', Rishikesh

	CONTENTS
	Benediction	viii
	Foreword	ix
	Introduction	xv
	BOOK ONE BALA-LILA-THE PLAY OF THE CHILD
1.	The Advent	3
2.	The Birth of the Unborn	13
3.	The Divine Infant	19
4.	The Butter Thief	28
5.	Bondage of the Boundless	36
6.	Brahma Bemused	45
7.	The Enchanting Flute	57
8.	Krishna Lifts the Mountain	66
9.	The Divine Lover	71
10.	The Lord of Vraja	82
	BOOK TWO RAJA-LILA-THE ROYAL GAME
11.	The Prophecy Fulfilled	93
12.	Uddhava at Gokula	102
13.	Lord of Dwaraka	113
14.	Abduction of Rukmini	125
15.	The Cursed Gem	135
16.	The Pandavas	143
17.	The Divine Husband	155
18.	The Sons of Krishna	164
19.	The Divine Ruler	173
20.	The Rajasuya Sacrifice	183
	BOOK THREE UTTAMA-LILA-THE GAME SUPREME
21.	The Gambling Match	201
22.	The Exile	212
23.	The Lord as Ambassador	227
24.	Declaration of War	245
25.	Srimad Bhagavad Gita	262
26.	The Mahabharata War	278
27.	The End of the War	293
28.	The Advice of Bhishma	314
29.	The Story of Sudama	329
30.	Dharma Rules Supreme	339
31.	The Curse of the Sages	352
32.	Advice to Uddhava	363
33.	The Death of the Deathless	375
	Epilogue-Lila-the Cosmic Play	388
	List of Mantras with Meanings	392
	List of Characters	395
	Glossary	405

Sample Pages