Sri Radhakrsna's leela - Part III - Completed on Page 48 - Page 2

Location: Yamuna Banks

Radha was lost in her thoughts. She had been shocked to hear Subala's reply, that he had agreed for Radha's marriage to Abhimanyu. Who was he to decide that? But what could she do now?

She stared at the cool waters of Yamuna. Fishes kept popping every now and then out of the water and back. As she waited for her sakhis to arrive, she saw her reflection in the waters. In the cool light of the moon, her face was dimly lit, casting a charm which was not present during the day. She wondered what could be done. Just then, the waters of the Yamuna rose. They formed the figure of a lady.

"Pranam Radha!" Yamuna Devi said, her blue complexion glowing with radiance.

"Pranam Yamune... how come you have appeared today?"

"I noticed your depressed face... what has happened?"

And Radha narrated the entire day's incidents to her. Yamuna Devi listened patiently, and when Radha finished, she smiled.

"That is all? This problem is easily solved!"

Radha's face lit up. "Easily solved? How?" she asked, excited.

Yamuna looked towards the sky. "Why, even my mother used the same method to escape my father's embraces!"

Radha's eyes widened, understanding Yamuna's implications. "You mean invoking Chaya Devi? The Goddess of Shadows?"

"I mean the very same. And I think Yogamaya will also lend a helping hand! But we can discuss this later! Right now, Krsna and the sakhis are on their way, for the boat ride. A special boat has been arranged!" She looked to her right, in the direction of the east. The moonlight seemed to be brighter in that part of the Yamuna. As Radha watched, it became brighter, till it took the shape of a big canoe. The bow of the boat was in the shape of a peacock, awaiting a storm. Radha wondered what the peacock seemed to imply.

Lalita and Vishakha were teasing Krsna. "Why are you suddenly listening to our pleas Krsna? Do you want to torment us?"

Krsna frowned. "You girls never believe me. Can't you people have at least a pinch of trust?

"Why should we," chirped in Tungavidya, "When you have cheated us so many times? Remember, you used to dress up as tax collectors and steal our curds!"

"And remember the time he broke our pots of butter saying we have trespassed on forbidden grounds?" said Rangadevi.

"What about the time he appeared in his house when we went to complain to Maa Yashoda?"

"And the time he dressed up as a gopika to get entrance into the Nikunja?"

"And smearing butter on our faces while we were asleep?"

"Oh and most importantly, stealing our clothes when we were bathing, and making us come out and beg for them?"

All the eight sakhis of Radha (Lalita, Vishakha, Chitra, Indulekha, Champakalata, Tungavidya, Rangadevi and Sudevi) joined in the "Krsna cheated us" song. Meanwhile, Chandravali arrived along with her sakhis.

"Hold it! What is going on here?" asked Chandravali.

"We are counting the number of times Krsna cheated us!"

"Oh!" said the other nine gopis, and joined the troupe. Radha shook her head with amusement. "Shall we get going then?"

The gopikas immediately forgot all Krsna's cheating and rushed to the canoe. Krsna laughed and entered the canoe. He took two pairs of oars, and saying a chant, placed them in their handles. They automatically started rowing, and the boat moved.

The gopikas ooh-ed and aah-ed at Krsna's genius. They all were thinking the same thing: We all gopikas are far better than the others because Krsna Himself has invited us on to this boat ride! WE are the luckiest people!

Krsna read their minds. So this is what you people think. You are proud because you were chosen to come with Me. You have that ego, that you are better than the others! Well, this type of thinking is not good for my devotees. So let me remove this thinking...

He glanced at the peacock and smiled. Instantly, dark clouds filled the sky, and it started to pitter patter. Krsna expected the gopikas to be disappointed. The gopikas, on the contrary felt even more elated and proud. Krsna shook his head. Yamune, I need your help.

The Goddess yielded. The waters of the Yamuna suddenly became very rough, rocking the boat to and fro. If that wasn't enough to scare the gopis, Krsna willed the floorboard to leak. The gopikas, who were enjoying themselves, suddenly noticed the leak in the boat. Water was fast filling the boat, and the downpour of rain was making it worse. They looked at Krsna, who shrugged, as if to say, "I am not responsible." They felt scared. If the leak became wide enough for the Yamuna's waters to gush through... no they mustn't think of that. They turned to Krsna for help.

"Krsna, this boat is leaking!" They wailed, terrified.

Krsna looked at Radha. Radha caught his gaze, and at once understood the peacock bow. The peacock had been awaiting an approaching storm.

Krsna coughed.

"I think I am feeling sick! Sakhis, do something! Plug the hole!"

Radha narrowed her eyes. Everyone could be fooled by Krsna, but not her. What nonsense is this, Kanha?

Wait and watch... and um.. Radha, play your part convincingly!

Meaning?

"Gopikas plug the leak, please!" wheezed Krsna.

"With what? There is no material sturdy enough over here!"

"What no material? You all are wearing heavily embroidered garments! They are sturdy enough!"

The gopikas were horrified. "What are you blabbering Krsna? Are you insane?!"

"I am most certainly not! I am sick!"

Radha understood Krsna's message: Play your part convincingly. She gulped, and with great reluctance, she untied her uttariya, heavily embroidered with gold thread, and tried to stuff it through the hole. But alas, the hole was too big for being closed with a single uttariya. Krsna urged the others. "Look, Radha has done it, why don't you?"

The aghast gopikas looked at each other. They felt very ashamed, but they too removed their uttariyas and tied them up in a bundle along with Radha's. Then they plugged the hole. To their relief, it plugged completely.

"Krsna! We have done it!" they cried.

No sooner had they said that, then a shower of rain fell on the bundle and pushed it through the hole into the Yamuna.

The gopikas were terrified. "What to do now, Krsna?"

"Do I have to tell you everything? Achoo! You have those beaded blouses, don't you?"

"WHAT? You mean - we have to throw our blouses in to fill this hole?" The gopikas screamed, outraged. The rain continued to pour, with thunder and flashes of lightning interjecting.

"Oh right! I should have never come with you people! You can't even take care of a boy when he is sick!"

Radhe, Krsna urged.

Radha shook her head furiously. You want me to lose my modesty? Really Krsna?

Oh come, on. It is not as if I have never seen you in that state before! I have seen you people bathing! And this is not an appropriate topic of discussion!

Radha shivered. Already her blouse was providing minimal comfort in this rain. But she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and unknotted the thread that tied her blouse. All the gopikas were shocked, but soon, they followed what Radha had done. Now, they had nothing to shield their upper bodies from the rain and cold. But they took Krsna's uttariya and tied up their blouses and plugged the hole. One final test, Krsna thought. The blouses instantly got washed away through the hole.

The gopikas were on the verge of tears. Terrified, they turned to Krsna, and prayed: "Oh Balakrishna! You are our only refuge! We were proud that we are travelling with you on this Nauka, and that we were able to make you act according to our whims! We were truly foolish to think so, oh Lord! But, if we have true repentence in our hearts, then, Oh Yamunavihari, please protect us."

Krsna smiled. At last, his dear gopikas had understood the purpose of his leela. He waved his hand. The storm abated, the canoe repaired itself, and most importantly, the gopikas' clothes re-appeared. They were jubilant. The Yamuna's waters became very gentle, rocking the canoe as a mother would her baby. Krsna mentally thanked the Goddess for her help.

"Hail to you Krsna!" the gopikas chanted. The canoe reached the banks, and the celebrating gopikas danced along with Krsna.

"Gandhamu puyyaruga panniru Gandhamu puyyaruga andamaina yadu nandanupai kunda radana-liravondaga parimala"

The gopikas applied sandal paste, mixed with rose water, Oh they did apply it!

On that charming prince of the Yadus, Krsna, they applied with love.. the strongly scented paste, oh they did apply it!

Krsna laughed. His gopikas were now back to the simple, devoted young girls he loved. He looked at the all. "Fifteen days from now is Sharad Poornima. I promise you that on that day there will be a Maharasa Leela."