Final quotes from the Mahabharata

Prayers of Queen Kunti

As Krishna departed for Dwaraka to visit his parents, friends and relatives. Queen Kunti stood by the side of his chariot with folded palms and offered prayers.

“O Krishna, you are the original personality, unaffected by anything in this material world. You exist within and without, yet you are invisible to all. Foolish men fail to recognize your identity as the Supersoul of all beings, for you cannot be known by the material senses. Only those who are free from lust and avarice can approach and know you, for otherwise you remain covered by your own illusory energy. Yet you reciprocate with those who come to you in love, acting from within their hearts to free them from illusion.”

Standing outside the royal palace, Kunti praised Krishna for some time. She described the many occasions that she and her sons had been in danger and how Krishna had saved them. Her voice trembled with sublime joy. “O Govinda, I wish that all these calamities would happen again and again, for seeing you means that we will no longer see repeated birth and death.”

During her son’s exile, Kunti had devoted herself to fasts and asceticism. She was a self-realized soul and understood that the ultimate aim of life was to achieve freedom from rebirth in the material world. Realizing that her many difficulties in life had forced her to meditate on Krishna, she felt that those difficulties had been a great blessing, for she had come to know Krishna as the final goal of all spiritual practices. Kunti had cultivated detachment from matter and prayed that Krishna would sever her last attachments to the world in the form of her feelings of affection for her sons and other relatives. Kunti knew that in order to achieve complete liberation, she had to see all living beings, including her own family, as eternal spirit souls. One in true knowledge sees and loves all creatures equally, knowing them to be parts of the Supreme. Bodily designations are temporary and ultimately, meaningless.

Mother Kunti concluded with a final heartfelt prayer. “O Lord of Madhu, as the Ganges forever flows to the sea without hindrance, let my attraction be constantly drawn to you without being diverted to anyone else.”

To dive further into the wonderful prayers of Queen Kunti, please read this book by HDG Srila Prabhupada.