Hare Krishna Narayana

Maharishi Śuka continued, “The Gopikas were seriously examining the footprints of the Lord and making assumptions. They continued,

‘O Gopikas, look at these footprints. They are sunk deep into the soil. From this, it is obvious that Krishna has carried the damsel in His arms’.”

Initially, two pair of feet were visible. After a certain distance, only Krishna’s feet were visible. More importantly, His footprints were sunk into the soil. One Gopika concluded that the lady’s dainty feet were being pricked by the sharp blades of grass and hence Krishna had decided to carry her.

“O dear! Krishna would have been weighed down carrying her. She must be shameless to have allowed Krishna to carry her weight. Why did she have to take away Krishna along with her? He too deserted us without any prior intimation. Poor Krishna, it would have been difficult for Him to carry her weight’. Thus, the women spoke amongst themselves.

‘Look here, the footprints of only the front portion of His feet are visible. From this, it is evident that Krishna would have set down his beloved and stood on the front portion His feet in order to pluck flowers that were situated on the high branches for her.

Look here. This is where the Lord plucked the flowers for the sake of his beloved. He must have definitely plucked the flowers from this branch. More importantly, He must have set her down delicately on the grass. If not, wouldn’t her footprints be visible along with His?

Krishna, the high-minded lover who lovingly plucked flowers for the sake of His beloved is an embodiment of bliss, isn’t He? Undoubtedly, He would have squatted on the ground, plaited her hair and neatly arranged the flowers in her locks’.”

They were analyzing very deeply. Their visualization was as clear as if seen on a TV program. All of them would be in agreement with the Gopika who would have come to such a conclusion about the Lord’s activities. In unison, they agreed that it was the place where he plucked the flowers as His footprints had come to an end there. They were a bit jealous of that lady who had snatched Krishna away from them and was enjoying Him all by herself.

Maharishi Śuka continued, “In this way, this women-folk who had turned mad due to their passion for the Lord, wandered through the forests, scrutinizing His footprints and searching for Him’.”

In this way, while searching for Him, at times they were rebuking Him and blaming Him for having deserted them. ‘He could have chosen any amongst us, couldn’t He? What could be so special about that woman for whose sake He abandoned us completely and disappeared? Are we not beautiful?’ Each of them was admiring her beauty and wondering what could have caused Krishna to leave her and go away. Each of them believed they were beautiful enough to participate in beauty contests. They had turned mad due to their love for Krishna. It was as if hundreds and thousands of mad women were released from a mental hospital. In madness, they were laughing, crying, wandering, scolding Krishna and yet searching for Him.

Maharishi Śuka continued, ‘That Gopi lady, whom Srikrishna had taken away with him, then began to consider herself as more special and most beautiful among all the women on Earth. She turned arrogant that Krishna had, abandoning all other Gopikas, was enjoying her company alone and was serving her’.”

After a long search, the Gopikas had found out that Krishna had in reality taken away a lady along with him. We are now talking about that lady whom Krishna had taken along with him. She turned conceited that Krishna was alone with her. She considered herself the luckiest woman. She did not consider herself the luckiest devotee but only the luckiest lover.

“After reaching a secluded spot in the forest, the lady addressed Lord Krishna saying, ‘Swami, I am unable to walk any longer. Please carry me and take me to that place which you desire’. Krishna replied, ‘Ok. Climb on my shoulder’. Having said this, He vanished from that spot as soon as she tried to climb His shoulder”.

Whatever the Gopikas assumed had turned true. Krishna had in reality gone off with one lady. Nevertheless, even this lady became conceited. Undoubtedly, she had true, unflinching faith in the Lord. Only due to such intense faith He manifested before her. But along with faith, the arrogance that she was the only one who truly loved the Lord seeped into her. She considered herself indispensable. Therefore, she asked the Lord to carry her, which was wrong.

“With Krishna’s disappearance, the lady was filled with deep remorse. She deeply regretted her wrongful words and her arrogance. ‘O Supreme Lord! O Lord who fills us with divine bliss, you are the dearest to me. O Lord, who has infinite muscle strength, please reveal yourself. I am a helpless woman; a mere servant of yours O Lord. Please bless me with your union’- she began to beseech the Lord. She was inconsolable; she repented deeply for her mistake. ‘It was my mistake to assume that I was tired and hence I should sit on His shoulder’- she wept.”

Narayana Narayana