Salvation of Two Vampires by Lord Krishna

Lord Vishnu uplifted his many devotees in his Krishna avatar. One such context comes in Shri Harivansh Purana when Krishna had uplifted two vampires roaming in the jungles of Badrikashram and gave them the best life.

Son of Prikshit king, Janmejya is questioning and sage Vaishampayan is replying to him in Shri Harivansh Puran. Janmejaya asked  Lord Krishna had uplifted two vampires.    

Legend of two vampires by sage Vaishampayan  

Once, Lord Krishna departed for Mount Kailash to do the penance of Lord Shiva. On the way, he bathed in the river Ganga and then, he reached to a forest where he had done penance in the past.

The atmosphere was very fascinating. The cold wind was running there. The whole forest was incensed by the fragrance of different types of flowers. Krishna sits under a tree, he converged his mind and attained Samadhi. 

Suddenly, there was a massive uproar. A herd of antelope was running and some strange voices were coming behind them. Grab, and eat them. All these are the offerings of Lord Vishnu. The mixed voices of catching the antelope and praising Lord Vishnu were buzzing all over the forest.

The mausoleum of Lord Krishna was broken by hearing the terrible uproar. He saw a herd of antelope was coming towards him and wild dogs were running behind them. Behind the wild dogs, he saw a group of vampires. They were eating raw meat and drinking blood while praising Lord Vishnu in many ways. 

The herd of antelope stopped near Lord Krishna and the wild dogs also came and stayed there. Suddenly, in the darkness of night, many of the flambeaux arose, and many vampires surrounded Lord Krishna. All the vampires were very fearful. A garland of a human skull was hanging around all of their necks. 

They were eating raw meat of the animals and generating very horrible noises. Some of the vampires had tied their bodies with the human intestines. Krishna began to think about them as they came towards him. Who the people are? why they are coming towards me?

The Arrival of two Vampires 

Lord Krishna was just thinking that only two vampires came before him while talking with each other. They appeared to be very fierce and had very huge teeth. They were eating raw meat of animals and drinking blood and talking about their salvation. They were talking, when Lord Vishnu will save us? What sins did we commit in our previous birth, that we have appeared as vampires in this birth? Those vampires came in front of Lord Krishna while praising Lord Vishnu in many ways. 

       

They both terrible vampires were fascinated by Lord Krishna and said, "Who are you? and what are you doing in this horrible forest? You look like another Vishnu in view.  Whatever we see, we kill it to eat but by looking at you, we are generating devotion in our mind. Please introduce yourself.

 Krishna introduced himself as I am Yaduvanshi and lives in Dwarka. I am going to Kailash to do the penance of Lord Shiva. I have stayed in this forest for some time. But, there was never so much uproar in this forest earlier and nor it was the residence of vampires. This vast Badri region is called  Devbhomi and sages are always absorbed here in the penance Of God. How you have to come here? please introduce yourself.

Then a vampire named GantaKarn came to Lord Krishna and said that first I greet Lord Vishnu and then introduce myself. He said, that I and my younger brother were human beings in our previous birth. Lord Vishnu was extremely hated by us and we did not want to hear his name either. I could not hear the name of Lord Vishnu so I had tied bells in my ears. I had become famous as Gantakarn. Over time, I lost my body.

Owing to the utter disdain of Lord Vishnu, I received a bad birth of vampire. It was my destiny to eat the raw flesh of animals and drink their blood in this birth. Then we did the penance of Lord Shiva and delighted him. We asked him about the solution to our salvation.

Shiva said, you both had scorned Lord Vishnu in your previous birth, so you became vampires in this birth. So now go to "Badrikashram" and continue to remember Lord Vishnu. Only Lord Vishnu will free you from this vampire life.

Then vampire Gantakarn sit before Lord Krishna and began to praise Lord Vishnu in many ways. He began to say when God would give me the vision to see him and free from this vampire life? Saying this, he continued chanting the names of Lord Brahma Vishnu and Shiva till he went into the state of samadhi

Salvation of Vampires

Lord Krishna became very happy with him and gave him his visions at the stage of samadhi. Now the vampire was extremely happy with God's vision. He had known that Lord  Krishna and Lord Vishnu are alike. The vampire repeatedly greeted Lord Krishna and praised the various incarnations of Lord Vishnu in many different ways.

Now the vampire was very happy. He told that he wanted to give a gift to him. He offered a flesh of dead brahmin in a bowl to Krishna as a gift.     

Then Lord Krishna spoke, Brahmins are always revered and adorable for me so I cannot disdain them. Then Lord Krishna revived that Brahmin and sent him to do penance. Krishna delighted to see the act of vampire. Then he put his hand on the head of both vampires. Body of both demons became divine with the divine touch of Lord Krishna.

Lord Krishna spoke, both of you have been chanting my names for a long time even in this vampire life. I am very happy with both of you. So I give both of you the right to live in heaven. 

Both of you will stay in heaven till the end of Vaivswan Manvantar and then get even higher positions in the next Savarni Manvantar. bowing to lord Krishna, both of the divine men went to Heaven. Then Lord Krishna moved to Mount Kailash to do the penance of lord shiva. 

Sage Vaishampayan says, that the recitation of this narrative purifies the mind of a person and gives him the best position. 

Keywords:

1.Harivansh Puran: Ancient holy book
2..Badrikashram: A place in Uttrakhand
3.Vaivasvan Manvantar:  it is the time period, wen four yuga(say, Treta, Dwaper and kalyug repeat 71 times) is called one manvanter. This is  7th manvanter and is running now.
4.Saverni manventer: The next 8th manventer.
5.Vaishampayen Ji: a sage after Mahabharat. 
6.Mount Kailash: A place where Lord Shiva lives. 

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