Tag Archive for: RadhaKrishna

Krishna Nectar Lila 59 -“ANGUISH OF THE VRAJAVASIS”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

The three types of fearful omens, namely those on the earth, in the sky, and in the bodies of living creatures, which announce imminent danger, descended upon Vrndavana at that moment.

Jackals shrieked harshly at the sun, smoke and dust as dark as the horns of a buffalo blanketed the sky, and the sun appeared dull and lackluster. High winds howled in every direction and violent earthquakes shook the earth.

Afflicted by the inauspiciousness, the left side of men’s bodies (hand, eye, thigh), and the right side of women’s bodies trembled. Anxiety seized the atmosphere and disturbed everyone’s minds with grief and discontent.

Perceiving all these inauspicious omens in his village, Nanda Maharaja and the gopas understood that a devastating time had assailed the earth. The hostile unfavorable atmosphere submerged their hearts in the mud of fearfulness. Although they had innumerable experiences of the unlimited majesty of Krishna, due to the covering potency ofYogamaya, they knew only His sweet intimacy. Forgetting about the Lord’s omnipotence, they simply worried about the safety of Krishna.

While lamenting over the disturbances some of the learned gopas said, “O! How dreadful! Due to negligence and naivete our innocent Krishna has wandered alone into the dense forest which is infested with various demons that always bring calamities.

“And He has gone there without the company of His intelligent, powerful elder brother Balarama. Without our beloved Krishna we cannot live. But since we cannot fathom the actual situation from here, let us invoke good fortune by chanting, ‘Siva! Siva!’ ”

Overwhelmed with fear and lamentation, the Vrajavasis quickly left their eating and drinking and rushed out intent on finding Krishna. The whole village joined in that procession from one year-old babies to elderly men. They followed the path marked by Krishna’s footprints, which bore the unique symbols of a flag, barleycorn, thunderbolt, lotus flower, and elephant goad.

Nanda and Vrajesvari Yasoda, Balarama, the elderly gopas, and all the children hurried along the path to the bank of the Yamuna River. From a distance they saw Krishna trapped in the lake, motionless within the coils of the venomous black serpent. Stepping closer, they immediately understood the situation just by seeing the facial expressions of Krishna’s friends lying unconscious on the bank. Witnessing this, the Vrajavasis succumbed to anguish and confusion.

Though standing on the bank, they felt they too were drowning in the poisonous lake. Their hearts burned just like a person afflicted by poison. The women fell on the ground like creepers thrown down by a high wind, and the men toppled like uprooted trees. They sprawled out in all directions beside the lake.

Filled with panic and shock, Nanda Maharaja cried out in a voice choked with tears, “O my darling son! Why have you suddenly done this? O dearest of all, please come back to us.” Gripped with lamentation, the cowherd men fell down unconscious on the ground around the King of Vrndavana.

Yasoda swooned with equal distress and sadness. Sympathizing with her and wailing piteously like kurari birds, the elderly gopis collapsed on the ground next to the Queen of Vrndavana.

At first the young gopis could neither cry nor lament as they stared at Krishna with unblinking eyes glittering with love. Then their piteous wailing strained the atmosphere, and the downpour of their tears muddied the bank of the Yamuna. Taking shelter in the embrace of the sakhi of personified unconsciousness, they fell flat on the ground like creepers and trees cut down by a hurricane.

Though fainting, the gopis retained their life airs by recounting the pastimes of the beloved of Vrndavana. Even in that miserable state the gopis somehow maintained their existence. Indeed, intense lamentation permeated the atmosphere.

Seeing the extent of Krishna’s influence, Haladhara (Balarama) looked on with amazement. Then Balarama said, “O father, because Krishna is so dear to you, your heart is burning and you are overwhelmed with lamentation. Nevertheless, you need not be in anxiety for this body that is existing due to Krishna’s mercy.

“O Mago! (Yasoda) Do not cry or lament anymore. Please hear My words and be patient. O Vrajavasis! You should not be so grief-stricken now that you have ascertained the extent of the danger.

“You are unaware of the magnitude of My younger brother’s valor which always increases the joy of others. I am the only one who knows the extent of His transcendental identity. Among the greatest demigods, who can understand even a fraction of His opulence? Please be steady in your intelligence.

“For the lion-like Krishna it is a paltry achievement to subdue the demon Kaliya. Just as the wind cannot conquer a mountain, or as darkness can never cover the sun, or as a clump of reeds can never extinguish a raging forest fire, similarly, Krishna, who wears makara earrings, is not the least bit afraid of this tiny water snake. Therefore give up your grief. Any moment now My brother will finish this lowly snake and come out of the water. You can have complete confidence in My words.”

By His illusory energy Krishna bewilders both the demons and the demigods. He possesses unlimited transcendental opulences and has a most elegant form. He relishes His own prowess within and without, and everyone knows His boundless power. To the surrendered soul He is an ocean of happiness. 

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.

Krishna Nectar Lila 58 -“THE WATER DANCE”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

One day, Vanamali Krishna left His brother Rama at home and went out with His friends to tend the cows and play beside the Yamuna.

At that time, the serpent Kaliya, the son of Kadru, lived in a lake within the river Yamuna. Kaliya had taken shelter in the Yamuna, the daughter of Surya-deva, to hide from his enemy Garuda. This venomous snake, the embodiment of the mellow of fear (bhaya rasa), existed in Vrndavana like an incurable heart disease. He was like death waiting as a helpful friend to engage one, or Rudra’s fire of devastation that destroys the three worlds.

The burning venom of the great serpent Kaliya constantly heated and boiled the waters of the Yamuna. Yamuna-devi felt like she had a black ball of fire within her belly. Indeed, the poisonous vapors thus created polluted the air, and caused birds flying overhead to fall down into the water. The entire atmosphere was contaminated by the inauspicious presence of Kaliya, who continually harassed the inhabitants of Vrndavana.

The forceful exhalation of fiery poison from his nostrils illuminated the Yamuna’s waves with a crimson golden radiance. The beauty of this scene resembled the waves of the salt ocean glittering under the moonlight. The dense black smoke lingering above the Yamuna indicated the presence of a raging fire within.

Nothing could live in the Yamuna except Kaliya’s wives and sons due to the calamitous situation caused by the burning poison of that crooked serpent. As one takes shelter under an umbrella, Kaliya stayed safely in a deep lake within the Yamuna.

The cowherd boys and cows sipped some water from the Yamuna to quench their thirst. Although the gopas have eternal transcendental bodies, by the supreme will of Krishna they fell unconscious immediately after drinking. Krishna, the destroyer of demons, worried for a moment about His friends and then He quickly revived them with a sidelong glance.

It appeared that life-giving nectar dripped from Krishna’s lotus eyes. Returning to consciousness, the boys felt astonished and smiled gently. They warmly embraced each other and talked among themselves in great happiness. One cowherd boy said, “Krishna is wonderful. He rescued us just like He did when we wandered into the cave-like mouth of Aghasura. We almost died from drinking that poisonous water but Krishna mercifully saved us. It seems that He has given sanjivani rasa to revive us.” After speaking thus, all the gopas looked lovingly at their dearest friend.

Since Krishna had descended from the spiritual world specifically to subdue envious demons, He immediately climbed to the top of a very high kadamba tree beside the Yamuna. That tall kadamba touched the clouds and kissed the sky. With a desire to crush the pride of Kaliya, the incomparable and inconceivable Lord Krishna prepared Himself for a fight.

He gathered His locks of hair, retied His turban, tightened His belt, and clenched His lotus hand into a fist eager for victory. Krishna’s tender body and slender waist displayed the prime of His joyful youth. Totally relaxed, Krishna glanced gently toward the cowherd boys and said, “Do not be afraid My friends. My transcendental effulgence will dispel all misfortune. Just wait here and watch the cows.”

His face illuminated by a row of radiant teeth, Krishna beamed a confident smile. With His fathomless intelligence and charming characteristics Krishna easily removes the pride and arrogance of materialistic people. Krishna enthusiastically leaped into the Yamuna, just as a kingfisher dives into a river to catch its prey.

Krishna’s forceful plunge pushed the Yamuna over her banks. The deadly poison from the serpent rose up into a mass of foam cresting on the high waves of the river. The cows and cowherd boys ran away in fear upon seeing these ominous waves rushing toward the banks.         

Krishna dove so deeply into the River Yamuna that it seemed He went to trample the Patala region of the universe. Krishna sported in Kaliya’s lake like a lordly elephant—swirling His mighty arms and making the water resound in various ways. This agitation caused the poisonous water to burst into flames. Unable to bear the vigorous vibrations, Kaliya felt as if his life was being thrashed out of him.

Kaliya saw Krishna’s beauty surpassing the sublime elegance of a tamala tree. Krishna’s eyes looked peaceful and pleasing, and His handsome effulgent form easily defeated the sweetness of Kandarpa. Seeing Krishna’s body covered with fragrant yellow sandalwood pulp easily destroys one’s false pride.

Despite beholding this wonderful darsana, the envious Kaliya felt Krishna to be the source of an intolerable fever. Shaking with anger, Kaliya furiously lunged at Krishna, bit Him on the chest, and attempted to squeeze Krishna to death by completely enveloping Him in his mighty coils.

Kaliya considered how this person had so brazenly violated his watery domain. Beset with doubt and suspicion about the identity of Krishna, who removes the power of the best of snakes, Kaliya pondered, “Who is this unknown person who has created such a disturbance? And where has He come from?”

The proud, impudent, materially attached Kaliya wondered how Krishna—a mere boy, blissful and beautiful with blooming youth—could have so effortlessly subdued the massive Aghasura. Finally he concluded that Krishna must have the ability to expand Himself to any unlimited size. Nevertheless, Kaliya tried to smother and crush Krishna by expanding his own body to monstrous proportions. Failing in his endeavor, Kaliya succumbed to exhaustion.

On one level the supremely independent Lord created an inauspicious atmosphere of impending death just to see how much love the Vrajavasis had for Him, and to make them impatient to run to Him. But on another level Krishna, His handsome chest adorned with the glistening kaustubha gem, performed this pastime of being bound by Kaliya just to satisfy His desire to dance on the hoods of the serpent. He merely awaited the approval of His Vrajavasi friends and relatives standing on the shore of the River Yamuna.

Observing the lord of their hearts trapped in the snake’s coils and submerged under the water, the cows and cowherd boys filled with fear and lamentation. Paralyzed by grief, the cowherd boys froze in place, held their palms on their foreheads, and wept profusely while crying out piteously to Krishna, “How painful! How painful! We cannot bear to live!”

Seeing the whole world as void and nearing destruction, they collapsed on the ground. Feeling they had entered an ocean of poison, the cowherd boys nearly died from the devastating inundation of simultaneously experiencing the eight symptoms of transcendental ecstasy.

Viewing the Vrajavasis enduring such misfortune, the demigods, their hair loosened and clothing disheveled, felt their hearts pierced with flaming arrows. In great distress they called out, “Alas! Alas!”

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.

Krishna Nectar Lila 57 -“FLYING DONKEYS”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

The demigods felt great satisfaction as they flew in sky above Vrndavana watching Krishna’s blissful cowherding pastimes.

The happiness of Krishna and Balarama increased moment after moment as they played with their friends. One day everyone listened to Krishna narrate the glories of Vrndavana’s trees, creepers, bees, deer, and animals to His elder brother. Due to the hot sun, drops of perspiration appeared on the foreheads of Krishna and Balarama. To relieve Their exhaustion

They rested in the shade of some thick foliage. The cowherd boys, while laughing and speaking sweetly, removed the fatigue of Krishna and Balarama by offering various items. These personal services increased their affection for Krishna more and more.

Sometimes Krishna comforted Balarama by personally massaging His feet and offering other services. Feeling refreshed, Krishna and Balarama ignored the hot sun and played again with the cowherd boys laughing gleefully in great delight. Overcome with merriment, they followed the cows into the forest. Everyone relished a festive mood bathing in the natural aura of Krishna’s sweet love.

With a stream of honey-dipped words, the boys spoke to Krishna, who is generous, attractive, expert in all types of sports, full of matchless strength, and the best among all worthy persons. The cowherd boys said, “O Krishna! O supreme enjoyer and all-powerful one! Please hear us. Our bodies can no longer tolerate the severe hunger we feel.

“Nearby is a forest of tala (palm) trees full of mouth-watering fruits. The sweet aroma of those ripened fruits attracts our minds. Simply shaking the trees will bring all the luscious fruits to the ground. Our desire to have those fruits is very great. If You think it is a good idea, then let us go to that tala forest”

After hearing this, Krishna agreed to satisfy their desires by entering the forest guarded by the evil Dhenuka. While observing the beauty of the forest, Krishna stated His intentions to take the fruits. The branches of the trees bent down from the weight of the ripened, bright orange tala fruits. The tightly packed clusters of fruits appeared like one big fruit.

The fruit trees practically touched the clouds and were beyond the reach of the common people. The fragrance of the tala fruits pleased the entire earth. Being greedy for that fragrance, the wind stole it and made a rustling sound in the leaves of the trees as it ran away. Krishna glanced happily at those trees and gave the command, “Pick the fruits!”

The cowherd boys threw stones at the tala fruits with their restless hands. Dhenuka (a demon in the form of a donkey) exploded with anger upon hearing the loud sound of the falling fruits. Suddenly the sky darkened from a huge dust cloud created by the scratching of Dhenuka’s hooves, and the earth trembled from the stomping of his feet. His deafening roar frightened the demigods. Ignoring the other boys, Dhenuka brayed louder than thunder while attacking Krishna and Balarama.

Before the invincible Lords, Dhenuka looked like a grasshopper jumping into a fire. Intending to kill Them, he charged at Balarama and violently kicked the Lord’s chest with the hooves of his hind legs. With the fingers of His left hand Balarama seized Dhenuka by his hooves and threw him into the top of a palm tree. The demon groaned loudly and died.

Seeing the death of Dhenuka, his fellow ass demons sought revenge for the loss of their close friend. Large numbers of strong donkeys immediately attacked Krishna and Balarama. But the two brothers easily killed them all.

Abundant fruits fell from the trees and piled up on the ground below, which turned muddy from the juice of so many broken fruits. The boys threw the unripe fruits around in play. Knowing the rules of purity, they did not touch the fruits contaminated by the blood of the demons. Just smelling the strong fragrance of the tala fruits satisfied them.

Krishna, Balarama, and the cowherd boys collected the cows while admiring the stout trees of the forest. Noticing the arrival of afternoon, Krishna made His way back to Vrndavana. Krishna, the crest jewel of lovers, performed human-like feats while playing His flute and wandering on the bank of the Manasi Ganga.

The pleasant evening breeze carried the clouds of dust raised by the hooves of the cows returning to Vrndavana. The dust appeared to kiss the cowherd boys as it slowly sprinkled down on their hair and turbans. The Vraja gopis, watching intently from the rooftops, lost their minds upon hearing the melodious sound of Krishna’s flute and seeing His delightful face. Conveying His secret attachment, Krishna glanced lovingly toward them with His lotus petal eyes before entering His house.

When Krishna and Balarama arrived, Yasoda and Rohini enthusiastically cleansed the dust from Their bodies, washed and rubbed Them with oil, and bathed Them. After dressing and ornamenting the two brothers, they fed them and laid Them to rest. By nature Krishna is an unfathomable ocean of sweetness, and the best among all qualified persons. His beauty illuminates the whole universe, and dispels the lamentation from the hearts of His obedient followers.

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.

Krishna Nectar Lila 56 – “KRISHNA’S PLAYFUL FRIENDS”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

After His birthday festival Krishna and His boyfriends spent the days in the forests herding the cows.

While walking they rolled clusters of kunda flowers into balls, which looked sesame seed laddus, and bombard each other’s bodies with infallible aim. The boys enjoyed this sport very much. Sometimes they threw the balls high into the sky as if to tantalize the svarga-devis (demigoddesses). At other times they threw them horizontally, as if making earrings for the deities of the directions.

Running along with His companions, the son of the king of Vrndavana absorbed Himself in playing and did not even stop for a moment’s rest. To catch a ball thrown high above His head, Krishna looked up, held His tilted turban with His left hand, and caught the ball perfectly in His right hand. Whenever Krishna threw a ball high in the sky, He gracefully raised His right hand, and squinted His eyes to reduce the glare of the sun.

With His curly hair flying about, Gopala played for hours on end with His friends. His face and body covered in perspiration, Krishna looked like the autumnal full moon studded with pearls. When the game ended Krishna took shelter of some shady trees to relieve His fatigue. One friend spread his cloth on the ground as a bed, one friend fanned Krishna with leaves, and another massaged His feet.

In this way the cowherd boys humbly served Krishna. The boyfriends of the Lord, who had performed heaps of pious activities, expressed varieties of blissful rasas as they passed their days herding cows with Krishna, the Supreme Soul of all. 

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.

Krishna Nectar Lila 55 -“RADHA CELEBRATES KRISHNA”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

One year Nanda Maharaja organized a grand festival (nandotsava) to celebrate Krishna’s auspicious birthday.

Krishna sat upon a celestial golden throne and all the Vraja gopis came to worship Him. The loud pounding of the bheri drums, the “dhinta dhinta” sounds from the mrdangas and dundubhis, the bols from the madalas, and the skillful beats on the dolaks announced the auspicious festival of Krishna’s birthday. The joyous vibration of the occasion was enhanced by the excited voices and jingling ankle-bells of the elderly gopis as they greeted the various guests.

The learned brahmanas bathed Krishna with thousands of streams of pure water poured from crystal pitchers while purifying the environment with perfectly enunciated mantras. This added waves of attraction to Krishna’s already gorgeous body. They dried Krishna with a fine linen cloth, dressed Him in a yellow silk dhoti and caddar, decorated Him with glittering gems, and anointed His forehead with tilaka made of gorocana. After fixing His jeweled bracelets and armbands, they tied some durva grass around His wrist with turmeric soaked thread.

Following the local customs of such blissful festivals, the merciful Yasoda blessed Krishna by showering flowers upon His head. The elderly gopis sang traditional Vraja bhasa songs and waved lamps respectfully before the Lord. He, who is kind to His friends and the object of the gopis’ love, sat quietly on His asana accepting arati. Then with great enthusiasm the Vrajavasis joyfully offered gifts to Krishna and gave Him a variety of creamy milk sweets.

To properly complete the festival, Yasoda had her servants invite the general public. Yasoda offered palatable food to the wives of the village leaders, the married women and the young girls of Vrndavana. Nanda Maharaja invited the cowherd men such as Sananda, Upananda, and their wives to take the sumptuous foods cooked by Rohini, the crest-jewel among women. When the cowherd men arrived Yasoda honored their youngest sons by worshiping them and offering pearl necklaces.

Though pained by separation from their husbands because they had to accompany their mothers-in-law to the festival, the newly married gopis put on ornate and elegant ankle-length dresses. The tender faces of these newlyweds glowed splendidly under the fine fabric of their veils. Feeling intensely attracted to Krishna; the gopis disclosed their loving sentiments by offering Him their sidelong glances in charity. Their bangles fell silent as they embraced Krishna with their eyes. They felt as if they were beholding a bouquet of beautiful flowers. No one noticed the auspicious meeting of Krishna and the gopis.

Though they had seen Krishna before, the young unmarried gopis like Dhanya-sakhi just stood with their mothers and gazed timidly upon Him as if it was the first time. While bathing in the lake of Krishna’s exquisite beauty, the unmarried gopis expressed their desire to be His wives by offering Him mental flowers scented with camphor. They became shy, however, when Krishna accepted their proposal with a favorable glance. No could detect the infinite bliss the gopis now relished within their hearts.

At that time, Krishna’s pet parrot left His side and landed on the lotus feet of a gopi whose heart throbbed with love. Hoping to develop a relationship with Krishna, that excited gopi respectfully welcomed the parrot.

Understanding the hint of the parrot, Krishna cast the fresh lotus garland of His glance toward Radha, the daughter of Vrsabhanu. Krishna’s glance seemed to say, “O parrot! I saw this gopi Radha looking at Me from the watchtower as I took the cows to the forest.”

No one else saw this secret exchange of sweet love. Understanding that Radha’s body had become slender due to Her purva-raga, Krishna looked upon Her with great compassion. Then Yasoda, shining with all auspicious qualities, smiled gently and took lotus-faced Radhika and the other gopis to another room to feed them.

After worshiping His best cows with scents and garlands, Vrajaraja Nanda escorted his guests to a wide jeweled veranda and sat them down on wooden seats. Then he bathed their feet, performed acamana, and offered arghya. Nanda arranged for Rohini and the wives of Sananda and Upananda to respectfully serve them first-class food and drink on gold plates.

At the conclusion of the meal, Nanda personally gave them betel nuts, cardamom, scents, garlands, and ornaments. After the elderly men, children, and babies had eaten the feast, the married women and girls sat down in two rows to eat. Radhika and others received respect according to their position.

Yasoda swam in an ocean of happiness as she personally served the gopis. In a voice that sounded as sweet as pattering raindrops of nectar, Yasoda spoke to each guest, “Please do not feel shy. Just eat to your heart’s content.”

Yasoda affectionately served everyone, and then honored them with offerings of betel nuts, garlands, ointments, sindura, and gold embroidered cloth. Finally, Yasoda, the crest jewel of good fortune, embraced each of the gopis before sending them home. Smiling broadly, Yasoda distributed the remnants of the feast to the sinless residents of the village.

Nanda Maharaja presented gifts to the dancers and musicians while Yasoda blessed them with her upraised palm. Upon concluding the festival, Yasoda thought holding such a festival everyday would surely fulfill all her desires. For a moment she felt a touch of sadness, fearing that she may not have fully satisfied all the guests. 

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.

Krishna Nectar Lila 54 -“THE DISPUTE UNFOLDS”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Then Syama-sakhi, whose body by nature is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, came before Radhika.

Syama-sakhi had offered her heart to Radha and she came every day to serve Her. Seeing this softhearted, lotus-faced sakhi group leader filled Radhika’s own butter soft heart with joy and enchantment. All of Radha’s girlfriends displayed cunning behavior and expertise in all the sixty-four arts.

Srimati Radhika, though displaying an air of gravity to hide Her inner emotions, greeted Syama-sakhi with a gentle, sweet smile and said, “O lotus faced one! Your appearance before Me is like a cooling camphor lamp for My eyes. For you know what is in My mind and heart. So listen as I fill your ears with some pleasing words.” Then Sri Radha told her what Lalita and Visakha had just spoken.

Syama-sakhi replied, “You are the crest-jewel of all the vraja-sundaris (beautiful women of Vrndavana), and the object of everyone’s worship and adoration. Due to Your compassionate nature, You cannot tolerate the unhappiness of other sakhis. As the lotus has a natural attraction for the moon, You seem to have developed a spontaneous attraction to Krishnacandra, the moon of Gokula. The sweet fragrance of Your love spreads throughout Gokula.”

Radhika, the leader of all the gopis, smiled and replied, “O sakhi! The effulgence of your smile brightens your beautiful face. Actually sakhi, it seems you desire that man, and that you are projecting your feelings on others. In this regard, you have achieved excellence in all respects. After all, is there any woman who does not desire to reach out and touch the sun or the moon? What woman would not give the valuable jewel of her love to attain that supremely precious blue sapphire (Sri Krishna)? And what woman in the world does not wish to possess all the jewels in the ocean?”

Syama-sakhi said, “Why are You laughing and making fun of my words? You should be happy to hear my statements and accept them as mercy.”

Radha replied, “O Syame! O you with a belly shaped like the leaf of a peepul tree. You do not understand Syamasundara’s words. Please do not joke with Me. The phrase tat purusa means that He is very difficult to attain. So why are you proposing such an impossible idea? Or you can take tat purusa to mean that Krishna exists in a supremely wonderful state.

“A person like Me, therefore, could never achieve such a rare fortune. So, how have you become so sure of My success? How could you even guess such a thing? This might happen to someone else, but it could never happen to one as unfortunate as I. Although you are as dear as My very self, You have not fulfilled by desire. Now You are just joking with Me and having fun.”    

Radharani continued, “O Syame! Your speech is unreasonable. Everyone in Gokula knows that Madhurika-sakhi is your devoted follower. When Madhurika said, ‘This parrot belongs to my Devi,’ Krishna took the phrase “my Devi” to mean you. Therefore what is the use of thinking anything else.” Thus the dispute came to an end.  

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.

Krishna Nectar Lila 53 – “THE LOVE TALKS”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

All the married gopis like Radhika and Candravali, and the unmarried gopis who had fallen in love with Krishna displayed these super-excellent emotional ornaments.

They were curious to test each other’s loving mood towards Krishna. The exquisite elegance and radiance of even the toenails of the gopis easily derided all the dazzling ornaments decorating the goddess of fortune. The beautiful raised hips of the gopis frustrated the pride of the celestial nymph Rambha, and crushed to dust the royal throne of Cupid, who now sits on their hips to rule his kingdom.

Their slender waists mocked the middle portion of Siva’s damru (small x-shaped drum). The luscious beauty of their full breasts made pomegranate fruits seem worthless. Indeed, upon seeing these wonderful fruits the pomegranate tree stops producing fruits.

The rich red hue of their lips looked like the sky at sunrise or a blossoming bandhujiva flower. Their teeth beamed more brilliantly than shining pearls. One easily abandons the association of his very self just by glancing at them.

The arrow quiver of Cupid felt insulted upon seeing the charming openings of their noses. Upon viewing the captivating sidelong glances of the gopis, Cupid hung his face in shame and forgot how to shoot his arrows.

The attractive blue eyes of the gopis heavily rebuked the natural beauty of the blossoming blue lotuses swaying in the Yamuna. The incomparable beauty of the moon-like lotus faces of the gopis appears to have closed the petals of the lotus flowers and dried up the lake supporting them.

The most beautiful of the gopis acted as group leaders and accepted submissive service from their faithful gopi associates. The gopi group leaders are eternally liberated companions of Sri Krishna, and famous for their expertise in relishing srngara-rasa. They always display favorable moods of love toward Krishna.

The intensity of their love, however, is not a by-product of passionate youth as in ordinary humans. Although the gopis are eternally the dearmost lovers of Krishna, according to human calculation it appears that the gopis begin to manifest intense loving emotions toward Krishna when they enter youth. Mundane scholars should not be surprised by the natural expression of the gopis’ purva-raga for Krishna. The gopis did not taste this rasa upon attaining a particular age, but rather from birth they felt this inconceivably sweet form of love for Krishna. 

Visakha, a group leader and dearmost friend of Sri Radha, exists as a sweet branch of an enchanting creeper of nectar. Once upon a time in a secluded place, Visakha composed an exceptional verse and spoke to her dear friend Radhika. “Hey Sumukhi! How has Your heart suddenly been so transformed?

“Your present state of mental agitation is greatly paining the minds of Your relatives. This mentality has been steadily growing within You from the day of its appearance. Even an intelligent person using his powers of argument and persuasion cannot understand Your mental state!

“Why are You no longer interested in Your studies? Previously, You took such care to train Your pet parrots, and You used to amuse Yourself watching the dancing peacocks. Why have You suddenly stopped playing Your vina and joking and laughing with Your dear friends? Has that Vanamali Krishna stolen the precious jewel of Your mind?

“Hey sakhi! As a lake devoid of lotus flowers feels no pleasure, it is not surprising that You feel such anguish. There cannot be any happiness for the white lotus flowers until the life-giving sun rises. Besides seeing the monsoon cloud, nothing gives You joy. Your condition is just like the cataki bird who lives only by drinking rainwater falling in the sky, or like Rati-devi who accepts no other lover but the flower archer Kamadeva.

“Besides sitting on the lap of a rain cloud, can a lightning bolt ever cherish any other display of elegance? Does the wife of the cuckoo, except in the month of caitra, ever become intensely eager or worried about separation from her lover? Can a royal swan appear beautiful if there is no water in the lake?

“Can a waxing moon grow during the dark fortnight? Without a gold-testing stone, how can pure gold reveal its own character? Only in the presence of spring (madhava—a month or Krishna) does the creeper (madhavi— Radha) produce its sweet and fragrant flowers. White lilies blossom and give forth their honey only when the full moon appears overhead.

“Hey sakhi Radhe! Why are You concealing Your sentiments from me? Nothing can be hidden from a trained jeweler who can easily test the value and quality of a particular gem. In the same way, You cannot conceal Your emotions from me, for Your love is well known and praised by all. Be merciful and quickly tell me everything about Your new found love.”

After Visakha finished speaking, Lalita, who is an abode of all spiritual qualities adorned with Krishna prema, said, “Like the branch of a supremely gorgeous tree of love, Visakha has spoken quite befittingly. The splendor of night is appreciated during the presence of the moon. But who can cherish the beauty of the moon more than a cakori bird?”

Radhika responded, “Lalite! You have acted very boldly and courageously by thinking about the possibility of an impossible attainment. When Visakha-sakhi attains the month of Madhava (Krishna), she does not give up the nature of the star named Visakha, which enters the sky during the month of Madhava.

“Similarly, it is quite proper to declare that Visakha desires only to unite with Krishna. Therefore do not consider Me to be like You, although Visakha usually helps to enhance the beauty of Madhava (Krishna).”

Lalita-sakhi: “Hey sakhi! Whatever is destined will definitely happen. This is because the month of Visakha is also known as the month Radha. It is only Radhika who gives service during the month named Radha or Visakha. Since the words Radha and Visakha are both of the same category, it can be said that the name of the star called Visakha is actually Radha. Who is the one who becomes beautified by that Radha star? Indeed, it is Krishna who is adorned and served by that Radha.”

Her face beaming with a sweet nectarean smile, Radhika said, “Hey Lalite! What kind of flower appears on a creeper in the sky? One may answer by saying that it is a sky flower of course. Similarly, since your question is also illusory, should I give an illusory answer? Certainly sakhi, you have conquered Laksmi by your words. Now do not perturb Me by speaking imaginary statements.”

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.

Krishna Nectar Lila 52 – “THE GOPIS FALL IN LOVE”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

When Krishna’s beloved gopi Radhika appeared the whole world drowned in unlimited transcendental ecstasy.

Radhika’s touch turned the village of Vrndavana into an abode of the sweetest fortune. The birth of the flower-archer Cupid attained perfection by Radha’s presence, and the poets achieved perfection by praising the mellow exchanges of Radha and Krishna.   

The gopis were extremely anxious to meet Krishna, but they did not manifest any external symptoms of their ecstasy. Transcendental lust had taken over their minds, but they did not show any lusty behavior. Though desiring, they did not act on their desire. They sustained their lives with just one thought: “Soon we will enjoy many playful pastimes with our beloved Syamasundara.”

The gopis hid this intense longing deep in their hearts. They covered the emotions swirling within their hearts with a veneer of boundless shyness. Their sudden detachment from ordinary activities created a slight fear within their minds.

The functions of their minds appeared to be hampered by a type of dreaminess. The incurable disease of inertia had mysteriously infected the gopis. The sudden transformation of the gopis’ minds resembled a type of rice that is ripe inside though appearing raw outside.

Though the gopis concealed their internal attachment to Krishna, their relatives detected a change in their behavior. The experience of rasa transcends verbal description. It can only be appreciated by tasting and feeling it.

In the same way, no words can accurately depict the agitation in the gopis’ minds due to their rising love for Krishna. As a word like Ganga has both outer and inner meanings, similarly, no one can know the confidential desires within the minds of the gopis just by observing their outer behavior.

Somehow they maintained patience despite the fact that the forceful movements of their hearts spun their minds in circles. Though concerned, the gopis did nothing to stop the growing force of their desire. Just as one with a fever always feels thirsty, the gopis always felt severe aching in their bones and joints due to the raging fire of their intense desire to enjoy with Krishna.

As termites eat dry bamboo devoid of moisture (rasa), the termites of desire slowly nibbled away the dry, mellow (rasa)less hearts of the gopis. Although their minds vibrated with attraction for Krishna, their tender bodies were not yet experienced in savoring the sweet mellows of love.

The disturbance in the gopis’ minds made their cheeks turn pale yellow in color like the lavalé fruit. Their lips dried out like fresh leaves withered by the sun. As the petals of blue lotus flowers loose their luster with the arrival of winter, the childish glimmer in the blue lotus eyes of the gopis gradually faded with the onset of youthful desires. They breathed heavily as if afflicted by sunstroke.

Their erratic movements resembled a deranged person moving here and there without any purpose. Uttering incoherent phrases, the gopis appeared like a person who has lost his speaking ability due to negative planetary influences. When a person develops a mood of detachment he loses interest in domestic affairs, similarly, the gopis became totally detached from their homes and relatives.

Day by day the minds of the gopis were steadily and spontaneously more attracted to Krishna. This created contempt for their household chores. But they carefully hid these feelings even from their closest friends. As the gopis blossomed with youth, they looked incredibly beautiful and effulgent.

Gradually, the gopis understood each other’s purva-raga (love prior to meeting). Radhika’s flourishing heart radiated most prominently. To hide the intolerable rise of affection that they felt for Krishna, the gopis acted in various tricky ways. With their intelligence they reassured themselves of the reality of their deep attachment to Krishna.

Pushed by their disturbed minds, the gopis gave many valuable ornaments to each other in charity. The effulgence of this jewelry rivaled that of royalty, and resembled the beautiful radiance of Krishna’s transcendental body. Receiving these ornaments, the gopis felt blissful and manifested various symptoms of divine ecstasy such as crying, thrill-bumps, and standing up of bodily hairs.

Kajala highlighted their eyes and blue lotus flowers adorned their ears. The sweet fragrance of those flowers filled the earth with jubilation. Because those lotus earrings reminded them of Krishna’s beautiful body, they enlivened the gopis and removed the pain in their hearts. The blue lotuses made a perfect match for the golden bodies of the gopis.

While thus absorbed in thoughts of Krishna, the gopis chanted His sweet name. As the nectar of the name exhilarated their hearts, the gopis displayed various symptoms of ecstatic love. Waterfalls of tears washed away the kajala bordering their lotus-petal eyes. Their life airs seemed to pass out of their fragile bodies as they sighed deeply. Their heavy breathing and tear-filled eyes brought the gopis to a wonderful state of intensely desiring to meet Krishna.

Overwhelmed with such feelings of love, one gopi joked with a girlfriend. “O sakhi! Ah! My heart pains and is full of grief. I am completely contaminated by lust. Upon seeing the beautiful form of Syamasundara, my tears have moistened the pathway of my eyes.”

Her girlfriend replied cleverly, “Though you are not wearing a blue sapphire, your body is showing the symptoms of divine ecstasy. You have not directly smelled that blue lotus, yet even smelling it from a distance has filled your nose with jubilation. Your eyes and other senses are also illuminated with ecstasy due to this absorption. Therefore I think you should have this ecstatic encounter again and again.”

Due to the appearance of their unparalleled love for Krishna, the gopis talked madly with each other. One gopi said to herself, “O sakhi! Do not lament! This is the life of one who rejects the rules of morality. Only because of this are you full of remorse and lamentation. It is a well-known fact that you have a secret love for Krishna. Are you becoming adversely affected by the celestial power of all the gems you are wearing? Or are you just going crazy?” 

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.

Krishna Nectar Lila 51 -“THE YOGI GOPIS”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

As Krishna entered His pauganda period (six to ten years old) He looked exceedingly attractive with His sweet nectarean smile, puffy raised cheeks, and the natural fragrance of His body.

At this time Krishna and Balarama no longer played in the dust of Vrndavana, nor did They play with the honeybees that always buzz in the lotus flowers. For mother Bhumi, the touch of Krishna’s lotus feet gave the perfection of happiness. At six years of age Krishna and the gopas, the abodes of purity and good qualities, stopped caring for the calves and tended the cows instead.

Now Krishna rarely acted restlessly and frivolously as He did during His kaumara period. As a student of the Vedas becomes sober and serious, Krishna turned thoughtful and grave in His movements. His waist reduced to slender proportions and His eyes shone with a glimmer of excitement. He cast anxious glances in all directions. Where did Krishna’s naughty childish behavior suddenly go?

As a great epic is full of expertly placed words and phrases, similarly, Krishna now used precise language with perfect pronunciation. The nectarean beauty of Krishna’s effulgence far surpassed the splendor of a tamala tree blooming in spring with fresh sprouts and colorful flowers. Every part of Krishna’s transcendental body diffused a special sweetness like the liquid nectar oozing from a lotus flower.

When flower buds unfold their petals, pollen, and honey they become surrounded by swarms of eager bees. Similarly, at this time Krishna’s body revealed all the qualities of beauty, softness, fragrance, and sweetness. Krishna combined these attributes with a playful desire to enjoy in a way just suitable for this age. This is symptomatic of His characteristic as Cupid personified and His dhira lalita nature (a youthful hero expert at joking, devoid of anxiety, and controlled by the prema of His beloveds).

The creeper named syama-lata becomes free from bitterness before it produces fruits. Even before fully ripe, the fruits are soft, tasty, and tempting. Similarly, though not fully mature, Krishna’s body displayed a tantalizing charm. As a necklace acquires more attraction when strung with different jewels, similarly, the elegance of Krishna’s body enhanced from the variety of radiant pastimes He performed.

The serenity of a lake is destroyed when intoxicated elephants enter and playfully spray water from their trunks. Similarly, Krishna’s broad chest and wide shoulders emanated a sweet wantonness that enchanted and agitated the minds of all observers. 

Radha and all the other beloved gopis of Krishna appeared on earth along with the Lord. Krishna’s complexion compares with the hue of a blue sapphire, a blue lotus, or a fresh monsoon cloud. The complexion of the gopis’ defeats the brilliance of molten gold, lightning, and golden campaka flowers. The gopis appeared on earth within two weeks or one month of the birth of Sri Krishna.

The beauty of any one gopi could easily crush the pride of Parvati. To increase the various flavors of Radha-Govinda’s srngara-rasa (ecstatic conjugal love), the gopis appeared in Vrndavana to selflessly serve Krishna, the fountainhead of madhura-rasa. Radhika and Syama could not have relished the summit of sweetness in srngara-rasa without the Vraja gopis.

In the beginning stage, tulasi manjaris grow straight but upon developing they turn crooked. Similarly, Radhika and the other lovers of Krishna behaved innocently and honestly as children, but upon attaining youth they were crafty and cunning. As a verse from an epic can have many different meanings, the gopis’ speech at this time contained many outer and inner meanings.

The slow and measured steps of the gopis resembled the gentle dripping of water falling off the edge of a roof after a monsoon. The gopis felt a little insecure about the new sensations they felt upon flowering into youth. As the whorl of a lotus flower looks like a golden demigod sitting there ruling over his kingdom, it seemed that the demigod of lust had suddenly taken possession of the gopis’ hearts and established his kingdom there. They no longer cared to play in the dust of Vrndavana.

The palms of the gopis now displayed a pinkish hue like the rising sun. Their reddened lips looked like luscious ripe bimba fruits shining with nectar. Under the control of Cupid, their eyes and limbs moved in various enchanting ways. Their hips expanded with shapely curves and their speech sounded sweet and captivating.

The gopis now walked with petite and gentle steps. Their long, thick hair defeated the dense darkness. These beautiful characteristics heralded the glories of the gopis like a raised flag waving in the wind. The subtle powers of the nine planets now reposed within them.

Since they had lost all the attributes of their childhood, the gopis now plundered the special qualities of others. Their restless running here and there as children reentered their eyes as furtive glances. Their waists became very slender as the broadness of their childhood waists moved out to their hips. Their talkative nature as children turned into the abundant sweetness of youth.

The eight mystic siddhis now resided in the bodies of the gopis. Anima-siddhi (becoming smaller than the smallest) entered their waists. Mahima-siddhi (becoming bigger than the biggest) took shelter within the broad hips of the gopis. Laghima-siddhi (becoming lighter than the lightest) entered their rarely spoken words. Prapti-siddhi (acquire whatever one desires) took the form of the gopis’ shyness.

Kamavasayita-siddhi (obtain anything from anywhere) moved into the corner of their eyes. Vasitva-siddhi (ability to control others) took shelter in the gopis’ glances. Prakamya-siddhi (fulfillment of all desires) manifested in the sweetness of their forms. Isitva-siddhi (create something wonderful or willfully annihilate something) entered their sidelong glances. Thus the eight mystic siddhis fully manifested within the bodies of the gopis.

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.

Krishna Nectar Lila 50 – “Krishna: Crest Jewel of Magicians”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

The mothers of the boys greeted them happily and beautified them by cleansing the dust from their bodies. With excitement and animation the cowherd boys told the wonderful pastimes of Krishna.
They said, “Mother, Krishna is the crest jewel of all magicians. We personally saw His astounding activities. Our hearts filled with joy as we watched Him perform impossible feats. Once Krishna came and saved us when we were trapped in a devastating fire that burned us like poison.”
Pointing with his right index finger, Vrajaraja Nanda ordered his royal attendants to serve Krishna. After bathing Him, they fed Him food and drinks. The learned Krishna, of reddish eyes and charming character, found relief in their tender care. His body excelled the softness of a çiréña flower and the coolness of camphor. After mother Yasoda tenderly fondled her beloved son, Nanda asked Krishna to take rest.
Nanda Maharaja said, “Yasoda, as a wealthy man keeps his clothes and servants in separate rooms, now I think we should make a separate room for Krishna to sleep in.”
Smiling slightly, Yasoda replied, “But it seems that only a few days have passed since His birth. Even now He can hardly protect Himself. I cannot live a moment without having Him sit on my lap.”
Understanding her heart, Nanda Maharaja replied with gentle words, “O Yasoda, your memory is not very good. From the moment of His birth you have enjoyed the wealth of His pastimes. On one side we are very wealthy.” By not replying Yasoda communicated her approval. Nanda felt elated to see her response, so the next day he built special quarters for Krishna.
Despite unlimited personal efforts one cannot understand the transcendental pastimes of Krishna. Even though he outwits the best of yogis, Lord Brahma became totally bewildered by this tiny boy.
During this time Krishna killed a variety of demons like Vatsasura, Bakasura, and Aghasura. Krishna also bewildered Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, while enjoying a picnic on the bank of Yamuna. Thus ends the description of the kaumara lila of Lord Sri Krishna.

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.