Krsna Bhavanamrta chapter 10

[Paramananda das]

Chapter 10

Relishing the Nectar of Playing in the Kunja

(10:48 a.m. - 3:36 p.m.)

 

 

While Radha and Krishna blissfully spent Their time in the kunja, Lalita and the sakhis sat in their assembly under a tree and Nandimukhi and Vrinda had their long cherished desires fulfilled by seeing Radha and Krishna's loving pastimes. The six seasonal (India has six seasons, not four) Laxmis came to that assembly of sakhis to hear what their services were. Seing them, Vrinda said, "Bho seasonal goddesses! Adorn the forest for Radha and Krishna's pleasure. O Vasanta laxmi (goddess of springtime), go to Govardhana Hill and stay at the Rasa Sthali (the place where Krishna dances the Rasa Dance in the springtime Parasauli village and Candra Sarovara)! O Sarada laxmi )goddess of autumnal beauty), stay on the bank of the Yamuna in the land of desire trees! O all of you Laxmi's, surrender everything to the service of Radhakunda and its forests to give fun and astonishment to your masters, Shri Shri Radha and Krishna! Be blessed, O limitlessly fortunate goddesses. The rainy season should stay east of the kunda, the autumn south, the Hemanta (the season between autumn and winter) in the west, the winter in the north, the spring should stay in the treesaround the kunda and the summer inside the water to make water play successful!"

 

Hearing these words, the Ritu laxmis (seasonal goddesses) that are experienced like no one else, offered their obeisances to Vrinda and the sakhis and went to do their services as was proper, for who will not endeavor to become blessed like this? Meanwhile, Krishna smeared Radhika's  transcendental body with black aguru and musk and dressed Her in His own clothes and ornaments, giving Her even His own flute from His belt. He seated Her facing the north and She silently sat there in Her usual bashfull mood, dressing Krishna up in His usual dress, like His yellow dhoti. Then Krishna sat down next to Her. He heard the sounds of ankle bells and waist bells so He knew that the sakhis were approaching and He gave a signal with His eyebrows to some maidservants, that stood before Them, not to say anything to the sakhis.

 

When the sakhis came there and saw two Krishnas, they were amazed and said to each other, "Bho sakhis! What country have we come to, where there are two Krishnas? They both wear peacock feathers. They are both black like the tamala tree. They both wear garlands of forest flowers and beautiful yellow garments. Aho! Their beauty enchants our minds!"

 

When the sakhis inquired from the bystanding maid servants, the maidens said, "We also don't know who is who! They were already like this when we came here, and when we ask Them what happened, They become scared!"

 

Vrinda said, "Lalitika, I think the One doing mantra japa with the rudraksha beads in His hand, sitting on His kusa asana (a mat made of woven pampas grass) is Krishna! He gave Radhika a form like His own with the use of some mantra, because He wanted to enjoy Her without having to be afraid of the people around."

 

Visakha said, "Sakhi Vrinda, holy mother Paurnamasi has become a trouble maker for us in all respects. This lusty Krishna has given Radhika a form like His own by practicing these mantras. I don't know Who is Who!"

 

Chitra said, "Sakhis, listen! What will we say to Jatila when we come home and she'll ask us, 'Where's my daughter-in-law?' That's our dilemma!"

 

Nandimukhi said, "Chitra, why are you worried? In order not to disturb Jatila's faith in Shri Radhika, He will certainly give Her female form back. But it's not good that She sits by Krishna's side on the strength of this mantra japa. Who knows what's on the mind of He who practices that mantra? He may take Her elsewhere!"

 

Then the sakhis said to Krishna, thinking Him to be Radhika, "Bho! Bho! We know Who of You is Who! Now, put on Your own dress again. Radhe, what's the use of anymore trickery? Come out of the kunja. Let Krishna sit there on His kusa seat, saying His mantras. We're going home. We've wasted so much time! What a mistake. Have we left home at an inauspicious moment?"

 

As Lalita said this, Krishna, who had practiced Radhika's voice and bashfulness, said "Lalita, whatever mishap happened to Me today, should not even be spoken out loud! I will whisper it in your ear in a lonely place. Sakhi, you are My helper."

 

When the sakhis heard Krishna speaking in Radhika's voice, they has no more doubts that He was Her and they surrounded Her/Him. When He wanted to take one sakhi to another place, touching her with His lotus hand, that sakhi was startled and said, "Aho Radhe! Your hands, fingers, feet, cheeks, forehead, ears and every limb of Yours has become like Hari's! Only has remained the same. Tell me, how did this happen?" But they did not ask why the touch of Her body caused the same erotic sensation as the touch of Krishna's body did. They thought that Krishna could naturally transfer this ability on another's person's body, also.

 

Then, Krishna, playing to be Radhika, said "Bho sakhis! I don't know what Krishna did after He hypnotized Me with these mantras, but listen to what I saw much later, when I came back to consciousness. Krishna took some water in His hand for acamana (washing the mouth). He pursed His lips, and blew on the water three times. Then He smeared My whole body with this water, although I tried to stop Him. Fortunately, that water didn't touch my throat, as I kept My mouth closed. I was amazed to see that I had taken Krishna's form! Krishna sat on His kusa mat again, practicing His mantras. Whatever else happened cannot be said openly, but I can also not keep it to Myself. If I find any of you alone, I will tell it. I'm too shy to speak out in front of all My sakhis."

 

Hearing this, all the sakhis said, "Radha, we are Your intimate friends. Why should You be shy before us?" But Krishna, playing Radhika, remained motionless and silent. So, all the sakhis went out in a bewildered state, leaving only Lalita behind.

 

The sakhis outside thought, "If we cannot hear it, then no problem. We'll ask Lalita everything when she comes out." With this faith, they all waited outside while Krishna entered the kunja with Lalita, where He embraced her, drank the nectar of her bimba fruit like lips and pulled at her blouse, girdle and breasts.

 

Lalita said, "Sakhi! Radha! What are You doing?"

 

Krishna said, "Sakhi! This is the secret that I wanted to tell you!" Then Krishna began to speak with Lalita in His own voice and enjoyed her. Wasn't their erotic mood enriched with the rasa of laughter and astonishment at that time?

 

Lalita consulted Hari for a few moments, and then quickly went outside, where she blissfully told Visakha, "Come, come quickly and inquire from Hari about what happened!" Whwn Visakha came to Krishna, Lalita made her experience the same as what she had experienced. After that, Champakalata and all the others were gradually enjoyed by Madhusudana. When the sakhis met each other again, they were not very shy about the signs of Krishna's love making on their bodies, as they were all in the same condition. There was no contradiction between them.

 

Then, Lalita and her sakhis, along with Vrinda and Nandimukhi, went to the place where Radhika was sitting in Krishna's garb. Seeing them, Kundalata said, "Come, come O sakhis! O chaste girls, where did you come from so late? Where do these erotic signs on your bodies come from? Your restless eyes are devoid of eyeliner (or 'free from designations'), your hair is loosened (or 'living entity liberated from bondage'), your lips have lost their color (or 'renounced') because of someone's bites, and your breasts have been scratched (or 'the cycle of rebirth is broken') by someone's nails! Madhava, who has given You sayujya ('union with Him' or 'integral liberation'), is sitting here on His mat meditating. Then tell me, who has done that to you? This is very amazing!"

 

Nandimukhi said, "Lalita, ther's no need to speak about anything else now. Tell me quickly what happened with your sakhi, Radha. Does She still have Krishna's form? Where is She staying?

 

Lalita said, "O Nandimukhi, our sakhi Radhika stays in the vine cottage, having Krishna's form. She's too shy to come out, but being wise She thought of a solution for a long time, after which She privately told us, 'If Nandimukhi and Kundalata passionately embrace Me, then My shameless misforming will fade away. It will not fade even after using thousands of kinds of medicine! On the strength of Nandimukhi's severe penance and Kundalata's great chastity, the contamination of this mantra and the garb that this debaucher Krishna made Me wear, will vanish!'"

 

Nandimukhi said, Lalita, is there any loss if Radhika embraces you or any of your billions of sakhis? I think you're lying to us about who's calling us."

 

Hearing this, Vrinda said, "Nandi, these stupid housewives like Lalita have not performed any austerities and Krishna has already turned their chastity into a will-of-the-wisp!"

 

Kundalata said, "Vrinda, you are the goddess in charge of the forest. How many perfections haven't you attained and how many herbs don't you know? You quickly go to Radhika and cure Her alone."

 

Hearing these words, all the sakhis laughed and Lalita said, "Why are you vainly quarrelling? Hari sits on His mat, practicing mauna (silence). Are you afraid to ask Him?"

 

Hearing this, the sakhis' faces became beautified with slight, sprout-like smiles and they went to see Radhika, who was still wearing Mukunda's clothes. With Lalita up front, they came before Her, the corners of their eyes playfully shy as theysaid, "Bho, crown jewel of mantra knowers, You've had Your desires fulfilled now. Why are You still practicing silencs? Answer my questions!"

 

Shri Radhika, taken to be Krishna, was as if awakening from a dream. She carefully opened Her eyes and said, "O sakhis! When did you come?" Looking around here and there, She said, "Where is that impudent boy, Krishna?" and threw the peacock feather from Her head with Her left hand.

 

Lalita said, "Sakhi! You are Shri Radhika! Why were we vainly shy in Your presence? There is another Radha, dressed up like Hari, hiding in the kunja. This false Radha bewitched us! We thought that she was You, and we went up to her, but luckily we were saved. Fear could not leave our hearts when we saw this false Radha!"

 

Speaking like this, the sakhis pretended to be astonished. Seeing this, the keeper of the forest, Vrindadevi, slightly smiled and said, "O sakhis, These two are your boy-or-girlfriend. You can see Them with your own eyes.

 

Nandimukhi said, "O sakhis, I previously saw two Madhava's and now we see two Radhikas! It's no loss to us, but we know it's a great loss to you, for which we are very sad."

 

Visakha said, "Nandimukhi, only dvarapa ('doubts' or the time period of this story) gives us sorrow? You desire it's end, that is proper, for ascetics like you always like to end the suffering of others. Doing this, the merit of your occupational duty will increase (or 'It's normal for you to desire the end of Dvapara Yuga, when the Kali Yuga will start. Because during that time period, irreligion is everywhere and you can enjoy those irreligious activities.')"

 

Then the sakhis removed Krishna's color and ornaments from Radhika's body and dressed Her in Her own ornaments again. Then, Krishna came and imitated Radhika's voice again. While speaking, He imitated Her slightly feigned fear and shyness, half covering His greatly astonished moonlike face with His veil. Drinking the honey of Shri Radhika's lotus-like face with His honeybee glances, He said, "Bho sakhis, let this impudent boy misform My body. It's alright! The most astonishing thing is that He enchanted My sakhis by wearing My dress and by imitating My beautiful form and nature! O sakhis, why do you stay at the side of this boy, who is expert in conjuring hundreds of illusions? Don't be so deluded. Come here! Are you blind, making yourselves laughing stocks like this? It would be good if you could help Me escape and hide in a mountain cave. Otherwise, if you stay here, the same thing that happened to Me may happen to you all!"

 

Vrinda and the others said, "Aho! How wonderful is the greatly sophisticated trickery of Giridhari! That person whom the sakhis first took to be Radha has now again appeared as Radha! O sakhis, now just do what Radhika tells you to. Go along to that mountain cave and leave the bewildering second form of Radha!"

 

Hearing this, even Vrindavana's desire vines began to smile, finally having their desires fulfilled. Kundalata said, "O Lalita, I can only think of one solution to this problem. Nandimukhi should go to Sandipani muni's mother, Paurnamasi, and bring her here."

 

Lalita replied, "O sakhi, Paurnamasi is just the cause of all the trouble. She won't speak about this, but rather, she'll just play another trick on us! I offer my obeisances to her from a distance!"

 

Hearing these words of the sakhis, Radha, Krishna, Vrinda and Nandi began to laugh and said, "O Saraswati, who gives these words to the sakhis, you revealed the truth now! Obeisances unto you!"

 

Krishna became even more thirsty after drinking the nectar-like words churned from the oceam of love and all the gopis became intoxicated from drinking the honey-shower of the most nectarean jokes from Shri Krishna's lotus like mouth.

 

Thus ends chapter ten of Shrila Visvanatha Cakravrti's "Krishna Bhavanamrita Mahakavya," called 'Relishing the Nectar of Playing in the Kunja.'