"So," said Krsna, as he walked with Arjuna on the banks of the Ganga, "what is it that is being contemplated on in your mind now?"
Arjuna looked at his sakha, who had been with him for the most part of his life. From that day Krsna had entered their hut after Draupadi's Svayamvara, their lives had changed forever. They faced many difficulties, but Krsna had remained their constant support and guide for so many years. Arjuna thought of him as his best friend, his extraordinary cousin.
All that had changed on the battlefield. Caught between the sudden desire to throw his weapons and leave the Kurukshetra battle, Arjuna had sought Krsna's guidance. And faced the shocking revelation. Krsna was God Himself. And with God as His Charioteer, he and his brothers crossed the mighty ocean called Kurukshetra.
The war had ended a few years ago. As Arjuna's mind thus underwent a sea change of emotion, his thoughts kept dwelling on Krsna and His divinity. Suddenly, on that day, he had thought about the Gopikas of Vrindavana.
Krsna repeated his question. "What are you so furiously thinking about, sakha? Will you tell me, or is it some secret?"
Arjuna looked at Krsna. "What secrets can be kept from you, Madhava? You who are the Supreme Lord residing in our hearts, you know each and every desire of all."
Krsna waved his hand. "Yes fine. I am the Supreme Lord. Good. Now, what is the secret?"
Arjuna laughed. "Okay, so you are God. You incarnated on earth. Then what about all those stories I have heard about your childhood? Which you yourself have related so many times to us all? About the Gopikas? About the Rasaleela? About your favourite Gopika? Radha?"
On the utterance of that name, Krsna stopped. He looked at his friend, his eyes filled with tears of ecstasy. "That name alone is the root of my sustenance, as my name is Her's."
"What? You are saying that your sustenance depends on the name of a Gopika? How is that possible?" Arjuna queried, startled by Krsna's tears of joy.
"These pastimes are not easily understood, Arjuna. Indeed, the Gopikas and Gopas of Vrindavana are all my transcendental associates in Goloka, the Supreme Heaven."
"Goloka? Where is Goloka? You never revealed all this even during your spiritual discourse on the Battlefield."
Krsna looked at his friend's face with a smile. "Like I said, these pastimes are not easily understood. These are highly confidential. Even Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva are unable to experience them!"
Arjuna was filled with astonishment. "Not understood by Brahma or Shiva? Please tell me more, Krsna!"
"I cannot tell you. If I tell you, you will desire to behold these pastimes, which are not perceivable by men, however devoted to me they are."
"But Krsna, now you have awoken this curiosity in me! How am I to resist this curiosity of Your Leelas?!"
Radha's beloved smiled. "You shall see them with your own eyes. Why should I spoil the fun by revealing them now itself?!" As he said this, Arjuna's face burst into a smile. Krsna continued, "You must first worship the Goddess Tripurasundari, who alone controls entry into the Rasa Mandala! She shall initiate you into the Balavidya Mantra, following which you shall be enabled to behold my Leelas!"
And to Arjuna's delight, Krsna waved his hand once more, and in front of him, there appeared a shimmering light. The light took the form of a doorway.
"Go forth, Arjuna. Go into the light, and once you are transported, you shall behold the Goddess."
Arjuna did as he was told. He entered the light, and he was transported to a heavenly garden, where, on top of a white lotus, there sat a girl of sixteen years.
"Welcome, Arjuna, to my Grove. I shall initiate you into the Balavidya mantra now." Arjuna was astonished. This normal-looking sixteen year old was the Goddess Tripurasundari herself!
He fell at her feet, and received the mantra from her. She then instructed him. "Chant this mantra repeatedly for twelve years, and you shall receive your desire." And Arjuna had followed the instructions to perfection, to be blessed with the Darshan of the Goddess's Divine Form!
***Goddess Lalitambika took Arjuna's hand. She led him to a lotus lake and said, "Enter this lake and bathe in it. As soon as you come out, you shall have attained your form as Arjuni." So saying, the Goddess vanished. After a moment's contemplation, Arjuna entered the lake.
Veer Hanuman
Kumkum Bhagya
