Ghanshyam Charitra
Lesson 3

Ghanshyam and Krityas

All the people of Chapaiya were delighted because of the manifestation of God. The great deities came everyday to see God for darshan. But all of the demons were confused and afraid of this divine child. The demon Kalidatt had lost his mild-sleep at night because of the birth of God. He gathered all the devilish people, and then he ordered them to find out an idea with which they could easily kill Ghanshyam. Thinking seriously, one of them showed a way to destroy the divine child. He said, "If we want to destroy him, we have to send Krityas (wicked, devilish women). They will bring him out of the house and soon after, they will kill him in a cruel way." All the demons agreed to this idea.

After the third day of Ghanshyam's birth, the Krityas, with fearsome dresses and sharp teeth, approached Bhaktimata, the mother of the Ghanshyam. They violently snatched Ghanshyam from her hands and ran away. Bhaktimata got frightened and lost her consciousness. The Krityas went towards the East carrying Ghanshyam. As Bhaktimata woke up, she loudly shouted, "Help me! My son is carried away by devils!" Then she started to cry. Hearing her crying, weeping, and wailing, Rampratapji, the elder brother of Ghanshyam, arrived there. Suvasini Bhabhi, the wife of Rampratapji, and other neighbours also came there. Dharmadev, who had just gone out, came back home because he heard the crying of Bhaktimata. It was midnight, and the people asked one another about the monsters, but none dared to go after the devils in the darkness. Even if they wanted to go, where would they go?

While the Krityas were carrying Ghanshyam in their hands, he strikingly showed bright, divine light from his body. The Krityas couldn't stand the divine light. Not only that, but Ghanshyam increased his body weight so the Krityas became tired and couldn't carry him any longer. They put him down on the ground and started dancing around him and chanting, "Beat him! Beat him!" and, "Eat him! Eat him!"

Bhaktimata started to pray for Hanumanji, the son of Marut (wind God), to save and bring back her son. Hanumanji quickly appeared and asked for orders from Bhaktimata. After listening to the story, he went after the Krityas. He shouted and the Krityas began to run away because they heard his fearful thunders. But Hanumanji had taken a long jump and caught them. He started to beat the Krityas by kicking and punching them. He grabbed their hair and forcefully threw them to the ground. They became half-dead and spiritless like a corpse and humbly requested, "Oh, Hanumanji! Kindly free us from your clutches! We will never come back to this village anymore!"

Then he let them go and the Krityas ran away as fast as they could. Hanumanji bowed down to the God and gently picked him up with both of his hands. He then brought Ghanshyam home. On seeing Hanumanji with her son, Bhaktimata became very happy and offered many sweets and fruits to him. They offered him Sukhdi, a kind of sweet that was the favourite of Hanumanji. Then they offered him a garland of Ankada, a kind of flower. With great pleasure, Hanumanji promised Bhaktimata, "Remember me whenever you are in great trouble. I will always be there anytime to serve Ghanshyam." And then he disappeared.

1. Why did Kalidatt lose his mild sleep?
2. What plan did the devils figure out?
3. Why did Dharmadev come back home?
4. Why did the Krityas put Ghanshyam on the ground?
5. What did Bhaktimata do to bring Ghanshyam back home?
6. How did Hanumanji beat the Krityas?
7. What did Hanumanji promise to Bhaktimata?

Exercise 2:
Who spoke the following sentences?

1. "Beat him! Beat him!" and, "Eat him! Eat him!" ____________________
2. "Help me! My son was carried away by devils!" ____________________
3. "Remember me whenever you are in great trouble. I will always be there anytime to serve Ghanshyam." ____________________
4. "If we want to destroy him, we have to send Krityas." ____________________

Exercise 3:
Fill in the empty spaces in the sentences.

1. _______________ lifted Ghanshyam gently from the ground.
2. _______________ sent the Krityas to kill Ghanshyam.
3. Bhaktimata offered _______________, the favourite kind of sweet of Hanumanji.
4. Bhaktimata offered a garland of _______________, a kind of flower, to Hanumanji.