Sri Radhakrsna's Leela - Part IV (Updated Chapter 42 on Page 30) - Page 7

Originally posted by: KURT15

Amazing update. Loved Rukmini's portrayal. I could visualize the entite sequence of events as they happened. A big thumbs up to you! 👏

Chapter 16: Sundara and Sundari

"And so you stayed in that holy place for so many months! Surely you must know enough of my childhood pranks to embarrass me at public gatherings now!" Krsna said, thumping Uddhava on his shoulder. Uddhava sighed. "I don't think you will ever change - you are exactly like how Mata Yashoda described your seven year old self!"

"That's nice! I wish I could be! Just a few months and already this princely duties are taking a toll on me! Shall we take a tour of the city?"

"Sure, I haven't explored this magnificent city myself!"

"Speaking of the city, I have to meet two of its citizens - one, our dear uncle Akrura, and two, Sundari the Sairandhri. Come with me."

Krsna and Uddhava arrived at Sundari's doorstep. Krsna called out, "Sundari! I have come!"

One of Sundari's sakhis peeped out. "And who may you be oh - OH!" And with a wide smile she rushed inside, her voice trailing behind her. "Sundari! Prince Krsna and Prince Uddhava have come! Come fast!"

With the accompanying sound of things crashing to the floor, a girl of Radha's age rushed to the doorstep. "You have arrived Prabhu!" said Sundari, dragging Krsna inside her house. She then glanced at Uddhava, rushed to him and with a little more respect led him inside. She sat them both on silk cushions on a large couch. Uddhava looked at Sundari and then at Krsna, then touched Krsna's feet, touched the cushion and sat on the floor.

"But Prince, the couch is for you!" cried Sundari.

But Uddhava shook his head. "Krsna may like to sit on the couch. But since I respect him, and he respects you; that makes you respectable to me! And I cannot sit on a comfortable couch while you sit on the floor yourself!"

Sundari smiled graciously and looked fervently at Madhava. She brought out a pot filled with scented water and washed Krsna's lotus feet.

"Sundara Nandakumara! Suruchira Nava Tulasi Hara!"

Oh my charming Nandakumara, decorated with a garland of fresh Tulasi leaves!

"Mandara Giridhara Dheera! Govardhanadhara Yamunavihara!"

Oh brave one, who lifted the Govardhana Mountain Like Lord Vishnu Himself lifted the Mandara Mountain, you roam on the banks of the Yamuna!

Sundari's eyes twinkled as she sang her heartfelt desires. "Praananatha Rajagopala! Radhikalola! Grhaana Rajagopala!"

Oh beloved of my life! Oh King among cowherds! Lover of Radhika! Please accept this my Lord!

So saying, she sprinkled water on the silken couch. "Oh one with shining lotus like eyes, oh valorous one who has liberated many asuras, who delights in songs of the Rasaleela, King among Cowherds, please accept this throne embedded with golden silks!"

Then she lovingly washed Krsna's feet, caressing those lotus like toes and pinkish soles, though hardened out of years of herding cows. "You made Lord Indra himself bow down to these lotus feet! Oh youthful one, with beauty to enchant Kamadeva! Beloved of the Gopis! King among Cowherds, please accept this Padya water to wash your feet!"

Uddhava smiled - Sundari was offering the traditional Upacharas which were offered to esteemed guests - or beloved ones. Looking at her behavior, it wasn't hard to decide the category Krsna fell in.

Sundari picked up a brass pitcher of water and lifted it to Krsna. "Oh all-auspicious one, worshipped by devas and asuras alike, your anklets chime sweetly pleasing our ears! You have quelled many arrogant demons yourself, so as an offering to yourself, King among Cowherds, please accept this Arghya from the pitcher!" So saying she poured some water in her hand and offered it to Krsna's hands and then feet.

She then picked some more water in another pitcher beside her and turned to Krsna.

"Oh Lotus-eyed one! You play the beautiful flute with your lotus hands, and are brother to Lord Balarama, who carries the pestle in his lotus hands! This water is from the sacred Yamuna, your Yamuna; so, King among Cowherds, please accept this Achamana of sacred water!"

Sundari then took some incense on a plate, lit it, filling the room with its fragrance! She offered the incense as was customary, singing, "Oh pride of the cowherds! You shine with the Tilaka of musk (which I first applied when you entered this city)! Your eyes are captivating, enchanting Radha! King among Cowherds, please accept this fragrant Dhoopam offered to you!"

Krsna smiled, knowing that in her hurry and excitement, Sundari was forgetting a few steps; he was still extremely happy for her Bhakti-filled Upacharas!

Sundari then lit a lamp and rotated it around Krsna's face, staring at his whole form. "You wear a beautiful garland of newly blossomed wild flowers, which enhance the beauty of your forehead decorated with (my) sandal paste, your golden robes, and your earrings which are reflecting the light of this lamp! And your smile... How beautiful is the smile on your lotus face oh Madhava, brother of Balarama! King among Cowherds, please accept this Deepa offering!"

And with that, Sundari went inside with her sakhis. Uddhava looked at Krsna's indulgent smile. "So, will you come back to the palace tonight Krsna? Or do you want to live with..." he winked at his brother.

Krsna laughed. "Don't worry, you shall have your cousin back tonight itself! Only thing is, I am not sure whether you will have him before the night arrives!"

Looking towards the kitchen, from where they could smell the delicious aromas wafting through the air, Krsna continued, "And I don't think, the way the smells are reaching us, that we will be able to move from this place. She might add layers of fat to my already unhealthy body without my knowledge..."

Uddhava guffawed, but didn't have time to reply, as Sundari had entered the room again, carrying vessels filled with sumptuous food.

"Krsna and Uddhava, you must eat to your heart's content and not hesitate to take extra morsels! I have prepared, for beginning your meal, a light Milk Payasam, followed by a fruit salad tossed in honey. For the main course, I have made Saffron Rice, with dal (with a sprinkle of lemon juice) and mixed vegetable curry and then some bittergourd lentil stew with brown rice and pumpkin mash. After that, you must have some fresh butter and to finish off, some honeyed curds. Therefore, King among Cowherds, please accept this meal filled with the six tastes!"

Krsna and Uddhava looked at each other, Krsna having the I-told-you expression on his face. Sundari was perplexed. "Is it that you don't like any of the food cooked?"

In reply, both boys pounced on the plate and attacked the food with glee. Sundari and her sakhis erupted in laughter, seeing their princes acting in this most unprincely manner. Within minutes, their leaves were licked clean and they were asking for more.

After the meal was over, Krsna rubbed his stomach, which indeed was slightly bloated, owing to him drinking up five cups of curds without second thoughts. He stretched his hand towards the plate Sundari held to take a betel leaf, neatly wrapped, containing some areca nuts. Sundari looked on, "Oh charmer of the Gopikas! You play such sweet music on your flute! King among Cowherds, rest those lips, red like the rising sun, with some Tambula, made of Nagavalli Leaves and containing Poogiphala (areca nuts)!"

As Krsna chewed on the betel leaves, Sundari said, "You are such a captivating and compassionate person, yet brave enough to tackle Chanura, Mushtika and many of the demons that Kamsa had sent to you! You have even danced on the hoods of Kaliya - and danced equally gracefully with the Gopikas led by Radha and Chandravali - which is what I have heard from the gopas who have visited Mathura the past months to pay their taxes and sell their dairy products. Now, if you please, Oh exquisite son of Nanda Maharaja, will you fulfil my heart's desires and - "

And Sundari blushed like the rising sun herself, her white cheeks suddenly red with embarrassment. Krsna bent his head towards her face and glanced at Uddhava with the corner of his eyes. Uddhava understood his signal and got up. "I shall meet you tonight then, Krsna!" Winking once more, Uddhava bid farewell to Sundari's sakhis and left for the palace. And Sundari led Krsna to her own bedroom, where he sat comfortably, gazing at this love-lorn girl - completely different, in behaviour, to Surpanakha, who she had been in another Yuga.

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Note: This chapter is based on Oothukkadu Venkatakavi's composition: Sundara Nandakumara which you can listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1CojgT09sg

Chapter 17: Underwater

Uddhava was perturbed. I must inform Krsna as soon as he arrives, that this is not the time to entertain his devotees. He looked up and saw Krsna entering his room looking refreshed.

"Uddhava!" he greeted, as if Uddhava had just return from a second trip to Vrndavana, "you look tensed!"

"You should be too Krsna! Didn't Maharaja Ugrasena discuss the recent tidings with you? You should take some interest in affairs of the kingdom as well Krsna, not just pleasing your devotees, or relating stories about Vrndavana!"

"Well you are cheerful!" Krsna commented. Then looking Uddhava in the eye, he said, "I know about Jarasandha's plans. I have a plan for him. But then, that is months away! Why should I sit and worry now? I have already instructed our Senapati Krtavarma to alert our troops. There is nothing much to do now."

And placing his hand on Uddhava's shoulders, he said, "But you must hear about what I have promised Sundari. She wants me to visit her regularly. I said yes." Uddhava's eyes widened.

"Nothing to fear! I shall not waste time in her residence; just the odd visit now and then." Krsna added.

"Be careful Krsna, else you will end up marrying her and living permanently with her!" Uddhava said warily, for he knew how different Sundari and other courtesans were from Vrndavana Gopikas.

"Very funny. I already know that she will raise my son. And I shall tell her in due course why I have decided to bestow her with this boon."

"And that reason is?" asked Uddhava, amazed at this sudden announcement. "He shall learn the Satvata Tantra from Narada himself and propagate Bhakti to the citizens of Dva - I mean, Mathura. You see, I cannot send the full city to Vrndavana and torture my gopis, can I?"

Akrura finished chanting his prayers and bowed to the rising sun. He remembered how on his way back from Vrndavana, he had gazed at Krsna and Balarama, admiring their courage and adventurous spirit. He had gotten down from the chariot to perform his morning Sandhyavandana, and dipped himself in the very same Yamuna only at a different spot.

As he returned home, he could envision how, on that day, he had immersed himself completely in the river, only to find Krsna and Balarama staring at him. He had been shocked and jumped up, spluttering. And had found Krsna and Balarama sitting on the chariot, looking amused at his behavior.

He had shook it off then, and once more continued his prayers, only to open his eyes and see a thousand hooded serpent, upon which a majestic four-handed personality lay. He saw a stunning and divine lady seated near the personality's feet, pressing them gently. Surrounding them were fourteen attendants: Nanda, Sunanda, Jaya, Vijaya, Prabala, Bala, Kumuda, Kumudaksha, Vishvaksena, Garuda, Jayanta, Shrutadeva, Pushpadanta and Satvata.

In front of the Lord to Akrura's right stood Brahma, Shiva, Indra and the devas, the nine Manasaputras of Brahma, Prahlada, Narada, Uparichara Vasu and other devotees. Each one of them was singing their own prayer, but all the prayers harmonized together beautifully.

And then Narayana and Mahalakshmi had looked at him, smiling. He had then seen Mahalakshmi multiply herself into eight - Sri, Pushti, Gir, Kanti, Kirti, Tushti, Ila and Urja - the eight-fold aspects of Mahalakshmi. And then appeared four devis from Narayana himself - Vidya, Avidya, Maya and Shakti - all manifestations of Devi Yogamaya Durga. All of them had begun praising Narayana with different songs; all of the songs had felt like pure love and devotion expressed in their highest form. Akrura had joined his hands and cried.

He had then witnessed a bright light emanating from Narayana's heart, engulfing his surroundings, and watched as a golden horned fish swan the waters, transforming into a white boar lifting up the earth with its tusks. The boar roared and transformed into a horse headed deity, who defeated two demons upon his lap and chanted the Vedas. As the chants filled his ears, he witnessed Lord Hayagriva morphing into a pure white Swan, who flew to Lord Brahma and Sage Narada. Lord Hamsa began teaching Brahma about the Truth and suddenly changed into a golden haired sage, Kapila, who almost immediately turned into a personality with blazing effulgence. Yajnapurusha. And in a trice, Yajnapurusha vanished, and in his place stood a King, his bow in his hands, and a cow beside him. Maharaja Prthu himself! And Prthu vanished, replaced by a foured handed Vishnu - Lord Prishnigarbha, who blessed a five year old Dhruva.

The scene changed and Akrura witnessed Lord Rshabhadeva, the first Avadhuta, who transformed into a roaring Lord Narasimha, who blessed a five year old Prahlada. Lord Narasimha looked at Akrura and laughed loudly - the scene transformed. Akrura was in the midst of an ocean, where he saw a gigantic tortoise supporting a huge mountain on its back. The mountain itself was being rotated upon itself, churning the ocean. As Akrura saw, a divine being appeared with nectar in his hands; the devas and asuras chased after the nectar, while the divine being Lord Dhanvantari transformed into a charming damsel, who distributed nectar to the devas.

Mohini suddenly arose and mounted Garuda, the vehicle of Vishnu, and Lord Hari flew to the rescue of the elephant king Gajendra. After killing the crocodile and liberating Gajendra, Hari grew smaller and changed into a dwarf brahmana, Vamana, who accepted water from Maharaja Bali and suddenly grew to gargantuan proportions and measured the universe with his foot. Lord Trivikrama changed into a brahmana with three faces, a combined form of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva! Lord Dattatreya smiled and transformed into another brahmana, though now he carried a bloodstained axe and a fierce expression on his face. With a contemptuous look, Parashurama transformed into a handsome prince, carrying a bow in his hand, with a benevolent expression, accompanied by Sita, as Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna, Vibhishana, Jambavan, Sugreeva and Hanuman worshipped him.

Looking at Akrura's ecstatic and teary face, Rama multiplied into two boys, his associates vanishing. One boy was fair and the other dark. One boy wore blue garments, the other, yellow. One boy carried a plough and cowherd's stick in his hand; the other, a flute in his dhoti, a cowherd's crook and a lump of butter in his hands. Krsna and Balarama smiled at Akrura once more.

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Just in case, the order of avataras is as follows:

Matsya, Varaha, Hayagriva, Hamsa, Kapila, Yajna, Prthu, Prshnigarbha, Rshabhadeva, Narasimha, Kurma, Dhanvantari, Mohini, Hari (who rescues Gajendra), Vamana, Dattatreya, Parashurama, Rama, Balarama and our Gopala.

Originally posted by: Radhikerani

Just so cool. Could absolutely imagine the astounded Udhhav when Krishna announced his twin plans! 😆
Akroor's part was so well-presented! Such a subtle coordination! I could see the VFX-ed form already!
Will you be my script-writer if I ever get to the level of a professional animator? (I'm dead serious.😉 )

Originally posted by: Surya_krsnbhakt

Twin plans?😲 What are the twin plans? I thought Sundari's son is the only plan? (Confusing the writer himself!)

Sundari&Jarasandh.

I might be a boring script-writer... but I can try!😉

Yes, please! 😆

The Akrura part surprised me myself, because I had just typed something like Akrura goes underwater and sees Narayana, prays and that's it. But when I was going through Bhagavatam, I was like OMG - because there was so much information there that I had left out! SO I had to rewrite parts of the chapter. And then the next chapter, Akrura prays to various incarnations, but I thought instead of just translating his prayers, why not show what he actually saw? The result you can see. 😃

Inspiration, that is. Thank God, you had read SB because that gave us such a beautiful update!