Krishna Narayana

The Gopikas appeared to discuss amongst themselves- ‘I don’t think this Lord will ever return. His body language and His gestures indicated His eagerness to go to Mathura’. Each Gopika asked the other, ‘Did He signal to you in any way that He would return from there?’ or ‘Did He wave to you before leaving?’ They were enquiring and re-confirming with one another of Krishna’s intentions in returning back. ‘Krishna has forgotten us. May be there are some Gopikas waiting for Him in Mathura’- they thought thus in deep desperation caused due to separation. Their words could be addressed as ‘ninda stuti’- hymn scolding Lord due to love for Him.

Maharishi Śuka continued, “The Gopikas stood there and watched the chariot for so long as its flag and the dust raised by the chariot were visible to their eyes. Having sent their minds along with Srikrishna, the Gopikas who stayed back remained as mere puppets. Giving up any hope of His return, they slowly returned back to the hamlet”.

Some Gopikas had the faith that He would return. Many others didn’t have this faith in His promise.

“Night and day, they sang the glories of the Lord’s transcendental pastimes and thus spent their time”.

They remembered the way He played the flute. They remembered the smiles He showered upon them. They lovingly touched the arm of the Gopika which had been touched by the Lord previously. They kissed that arm. They touched every object that had been touched by Him. They touched every plant and tree that was touched by Him. They went to the banks of Yamuna where the Lord had played. Believing that the Lord was beside them they would rejoice. Then sensing His absence they would weep. Again they would recollect Him and His pastimes and then, through these joyous recollections, would drive away the sorrow that had engulfed them.

When the Lord had stated that He was within them, then why should they grieve?- they thus concluded finally. ‘By weeping inconsolably we are only going to die soon. If we are alive then at least there is a hope that someday we can see Him again’- they thus consoled themselves.

Maharishi Śuka continued, “The Supreme Lord Srikrishna, who was seated along with Balarama and Akrūra in the chariot that was moving at the speed of wind, neared Yamuna, the sacred river that destroys the sins of all. Krishna and Balarama washed their face, hands and feet in the crystal clear, pure and sweet waters of Yamuna. They drank the waters and quenched their thirst. Thereafter they slowly walked back to the chariot which was stationed in the woods and boarded it.

After seating the two brothers in the chariot, Akrūra took their permission and then walked towards the river. He entered the waters of the river and bathed in it. Dipping into the waters he chanted the eternal and sacred Gayatri mantra. He suddenly beheld Balarama and Krishna in those waters.

‘How did Balarama and Krishna, the sons of Vasudeva, enter these waters? A few minutes ago I had helped them board the chariot. Having left them there I walked here. How could they suddenly arrive here? If they are here, they obviously cannot be in the chariot,’- thinking thus, Akrūra lifted his head and looked towards the chariot”.

There is a method in which the person dips completely into the water while chanting Gayatri mantra. He remains submerged in those waters until the mantra chanting is complete. In accordance with this principle, Akrūra was chanting the Gayatri mantra when, all of a sudden, he spotted the brothers within the deep waters. Instantly he lifted his head out of the waters and looked towards the chariot.

“In the chariot, the brothers were seated exactly as he had left them. Akrūra thought to himself, ‘Oh, I must have imagined them to be within the waters. It was an illusion’ and then dipped once again into the waters. In those waters, he now saw the thousand headed Adi-sesha, the Lord of all the serpents. Siddhas, Cāranas, Gandharvas and demons were reverentially bowing before him and singing his glories. Hordes of living entities were glorifying the Lord who was in His complete form.

With a golden glittering crown adorning each of his thousand heads, Lord Adi-sesha illumined like Mount Meru with its golden peaks. He, who was as white as a lotus fibre, was draped in black garments.

Tasyotsańge ghana-syāmaḿ pīta-kauśeya-vāsasam

puruṣaḿ catur-bhujaḿ śāntam padma-patrāruṇekṣaṇam

Akrūra then saw the Supreme Lord Maha-vishnu resting peacefully on the half-coiled body of Adi-seṣa. The Lord had light reddish eyes resembling lotus petals. He was dark like the rain-bearing clouds and had draped himself in golden-yellow silken garments. The four-armed Lord appeared calm and pleasant.

cāru-prasanna-vadanaḿ cāru-hāsa-nirīkṣaṇam

su-bhrūnnasaḿ caru-karṇaḿ su-kapolāruṇādharam

The Supreme Lord had a cheerful, charming face and was gazing with a pleasant smile. He had a raised nose, beautifully arched eyebrows, beautiful ears, lovely cheeks and a deep red lower lip.

Pralamba-pīvara-bhujaḿ tuńgāḿsoraḥ-sthala-śriyam

kambu-kaṇṭhaḿ nimna-nābhiḿ valimat-pallavodaram

He had sturdy and long arms. On His broad chest which was supported by raised shoulders, Mother Goddess Lakshmi was seated. With a conch-shaped neck, deep navel, the three-folded waist which resembled the fig leaf, He was glowing divinely.

bṛhat-kati-tata-śroṇi karabhoru-dvayānvitam

cāru-jānu-yugaḿ cāru jańghā-yugala-saḿyutam

He had wide hips, thighs as huge as elephant trunk, beautiful knees and ankles.

tuńga-gulphāruṇa-nakha vrāta-dīdhitibhir vṛtam

navāńguly-ańguṣṭha-dalair vilasat-pāda-pańkajam

His ankles were raised. Bright effulgence was emanating from His toe nails. He had beautiful tender petal-like toes and fingers while illumined like lotus petals”.

This was the divine vision which Akrūra was blessed with!