II SaurabhRaajJain/ArisudhanaKrishna-destroyer of enemies AT#7II - Page 93

VRINDAVAN TALES - KRISHNA AND THE FRUIT SELLER

Once there lived a fruit seller in Mathura. She was uneducated and simple. She had heard through the grapevine that the Almighty was living in Gokul as a child called Krishna. No questions asked - she simply believed.

Now she thought that if only she could see him once, there would be nothing left for her to achieve in life.

It was a long and arduous journey. She crossed the Yamuna in a makeshift boat, and then by foot she reached Gokul. Though exhausted, she did not stop till she found Nanda's house. She hesitated at the gates, as a thought entered her mind - would her call be responded to? She was a woman from a lower stratum of society. Did she deserve to see Him? Was she worth it?

She haltingly called out for Krishna but no one responded that day. Unwilling to give up, she went to Nanda's house and called every day from the gates, each day her call growing louder and more confident. On the third afternoon, in response, she heard the pitter-patter of toddler footsteps.

Krishna was running out all the way to the gates with his tiny hands full of grain. He had seen his parents bartering, and thought a handful of grain would buy him some fruit. But being the child that he was, the grain had seeped through his fingers until there was hardly anything left when he reached her.

"Can I have some fruit?" he asked excitedly, offering her practically empty little palms.

The lady was so enchanted by this dark, beautiful child that for some time, she could do nothing but gaze at him. He broke her trance by asking her again.

When she found her voice, she told him that he could take whatever he wanted, but to forget the grains. She said that her price for the fruit would be to sit on her lap and call her "mother". Of course, as soon as she said it, she feared that she had pushed her luck and her head screamed "Blasphemy!"

Krishna however obliged immediately and settled on her lap.

Unable to believe the moment, she seized it, and cuddled the child close to her chest. She nuzzled her nose in his hair and inhaled deeply the divine buttery smell. She fondled his cheek and planted a kiss on his forehead. Again, she buried her face and rubbed it in his hair, wiping her tears on his little head.

"Mata, can I have the fruit now?" asked Krishna timidly, still nestling close to her. Laughing with joy, she said "Of course child, take everything!"

Krishna jumped up, grabbed as many fruit as he could, and danced back into the house. Before disappearing, he looked back and smiled happily at the lady who was still frozen with enchantment.

As she made her way back home, she felt that she had nothing left to do in life. She had had her peak experience. Her life was made. She was transformed. She had seen, touched, felt and kissed the Lord. What more could she want? She was certainly richer than the emperor.

As she approached her home, though her heart was skipping and light with bliss, her load was getting heavier. To her surprise, she found her fruit basket filled with precious gems.

This is a beautiful parable, and is a lot more than just a children's bedtime story.

It is about Bhakti;

Bhakti can be the easiest or the hardest path. It is easiest because pure love for God can liberate effortlessly. It is hardest because such an attitude does not come spontaneously to everyone.

It is about realizing that no one is "not good enough";

The fruit seller's feelings of low self worth were wiped out forever as the fruit seller hugged and cradled Krishna.

She felt she was not worthy enough to enter the gates of the Lord, but he felt she was worthy enough for him to come running out.

It is about giving;

She came to give, not ask or take. She wanted to express and share her love which was overflowing.

It is about the most powerful form of prayer - gratitude.

Krishna said in the Gita that he would accept a leaf, flower, fruit or water offered to him in love

But she offered him something more than that - the most potent token - her tears. They were drops of concentrated gratitude, an overwhelming feeling of already having received more than she could ever want. And the Universe responded to that feeling in material manifestation in her basket.
Champa