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Skandha 10, adhyayas 21-23 · Saptah day 5
While the gopis sing how rivers freeze at Krishna's flute, learned brahmanas refuse hungry boys food — and their wives run out to give it.
In the twenty-first through twenty-third chapters of the tenth skandha (`10.21–23`), the sage Shukadeva places side by side two unforgettable portraits of pure, uncalculated devotion (`bhakti`): the *Venu Gita* ("Song of the Flute") sung by the cowherd women (`gopis`) of Vraja as Krishna and Balarama enter the autumn forest (`10.21`), and the story of the *Yajna-patnis*—the unschooled wives of proud Vedic ritualists who drop their household chores and run out carrying dishes of food when they hear that hungry Krishna is standing nearby (`10.23`).
As the twenty-first chapter opens (`10.21.1–6`), the rains have ended and clear autumn (`sharad`) has arrived in Vrindavana: the lakes are still and bright with blooming lotuses, the winds blow gently carrying their fragrance, and the forest glows with waterfalls, birdsong, and flowering trees (`10.21.1–2`). Accompanied by the cows, his cowherd friends, and his elder brother Balarama (`10.21.2–3`), Lord Krishna enters the woods and places his bamboo flute to his lips (`venum ranyan`, `10.21.3`). Hearing that music, which steals the hearts of every living creature (`sarva-bhuta-mano-haram`, `10.21.5`), the women of Vraja gather in groups back in the village and pour their hearts out to one another—describing with longing eyes how Krishna looks and how all of nature responds when he plays (`10.21.4–20`).
No sooner do the gopis begin to speak of him than their throats choke with emotion as they remember his games (`10.21.4–6`), and in the famous seventh verse (`10.21.7`) they paint the classic portrait of Vrindavana's Lord:
> "Wearing a peacock-feather crown upon his head (`barhapidam`), his body dressed like the finest dramatic dancer (`nata-vara-vapuh`), with a golden *karnikara* flower resting on his ear (`karnikaram bibhrat`), clad in yellow silk shining like gold (`kanaka-kapisham vasah`), wearing the five-colored *Vaijayanti* forest garland (`vaijayantim ca malam`), filling the holes of his flute with the nectar of his lips (`randhran venor adhara-sudhaya purayan`), surrounded by cowherd boys singing his spotless fame (`vrinda-gIta-kIrtih`)—thus the forest of Vrindavana enters under the imprint of his footprints (`vrindavanam sakhi паदैः प्रविशति`, `10.21.7`)!"
Look, O friends (`10.21.8–9`), the gopis say to one another: what highest merit have the eyes of those who gaze without obstruction upon the smiling face of Nanda's sons as they blow their flutes (`akshi-imatam phalam idam`, `10.21.7`)! How can this tiny hollow piece of bamboo (`vamshah`) have earned the fortune of drinking the nectar of Damodara's lips (`damodara-adhara-sudham`)—a treasure that rightfully belongs only to the gopis (`gopika-svam`), leaving them only the leftover drops while the tree-parents and lotus-ponds where the bamboo grew thrill with hair-like shoots of joy (`10.21.9`)?
Going one by one through the creatures of the forest (`10.21.10–19`), the gopis marvel that every animal, bird, river, cloud, and stone in Vrindavana gets to stay near Krishna while they are kept indoors:
- When the peacocks hear the flute (`10.21.10`), they mistake its deep resonance for thunder and dance wildly, while the hill animals on the peaks stand frozen and silent (`10.21.10`). - Even the simple female deer (`harinyah`, `10.21.11`) are blessed (`dhanyah`): though ignorant animals, they approach Nanda's colorfully dressed son together with their husbands (`saha-krishna-sarah`) and offer him genuine worship through their wide, loving glances (`pujaṁ dadhuh viracitaih pranaya-avalokaih`, `10.21.11`). - The celestial women riding in aerial chariots (`10.21.12`) fall faint with longing into their husbands' laps as their hair-flowers and waistbands slip loose at the sound of the flute (`10.21.12`). - The cows (`gavah`, `10.21.13`) drink the nectar of the flute-song through upturned, cup-like ears (`unnamita-karna-putaih`), holding the grass-cud forgotten in their mouths while their calves hold a mouthful of milk unswallowed and tears trickle from their eyes as they embrace Govinda inside their hearts (`10.21.13`). - Even the forest birds (`pakshinah`, `10.21.14`) climb onto flowering branches and sit like silent, unblinking Vedic sages (`munayah`) listening to the melody (`10.21.14`). - The rivers (`nadyah`, `10.21.15`), seeing Mukunda, break their currents into whirling eddies (`avarta-lakshita-mano-bhava`), and reaching out with wave-arms carrying blooming lotuses (`bahu-taranga-padmaih`), clasp his lotus feet (`10.21.15`). - The rain-cloud (`parjanyah`, `10.21.16`), seeing Rama and Krishna shaded under the hot sun, rumbles softly in love, spreads itself above its friend like a parasol (`chatrayate`), and scatters tiny droplets of water like white flowers (`kusumaih avakirya`, `10.21.16`). - And above all (`10.21.18`), the gopis salute Govardhana Hill in one of the tenderest verses of the book:
> "Oh friends, this mountain is surely the very best of all the servants of Hari (`hantayam adrir abala hari-dasa-varyo`, `10.21.18`)! Thrilling at the touch of the feet of Rama and Krishna (`rama-krishna-carana-sparsha-pramodah`), it honors them both along with their cows, calves, and cowherd friends by supplying pure drinking water, soft green grass, shady caves, and edible roots (`manaṁ tanoti saha-go-ganayoh tayor yat / paniya-suyavasa-kandara-kanda-mulaih`, `10.21.18`)!"
Even when the unmarried gopis later observe their winter *Katyayani-vrata* (`10.22.1–28`), bathing at dawn in the icy Yamuna for a month on bland *havishya* porridge and praying, "O Goddess Katyayani, please make the son of Nanda Gopa my husband (`nanda-gopa-sutam devi patim me kuru te namah`, `10.22.4`)," Krishna steals their garments up a *kadamba* tree and blesses their pure, single-pointed desire, promising that souls whose hearts are absorbed in him never return to the cycle of fried seeds (`bharjita-bijah`, `10.22.26–27`).
Then, in the twenty-second and twenty-third chapters (`10.22.29–35`, `10.23.1–52`), the scene shifts to a hot summer noon in the forest. Before the boys grow hungry, Krishna looks up at the towering forest trees shading them from the scorching sun (`10.22.31–35`) and calls out to Stoka-krishna, Amshu, Sridama, Subala, Arjuna, Vishala, Vrishabha, Tejasvi, Devaprastha, and Varuthapa (`10.22.31–32`):
> "Look at these blessed trees (`pashyata etan maha-bhagan`), whose entire life is lived solely for the benefit of others (`pararthe ekanta-jivitan`, `10.22.32`)! They endure the fierce wind, torrential rain, scorching sun, and winter frost themselves while sheltering us from them (`10.22.32`). Oh, how supreme is the birth of these trees (`aho esham varam janma`), which sustain every living creature! Just as no petitioner ever turns away empty-handed from a noble householder (`su-mahatah`), so with their leaves, flowers, fruits, shade, roots, bark, timber, fragrant resin, ashes, charcoal, and tender shoots, they fulfill the desires of all (`10.22.33–34`)! This is the whole purpose of carrying a body in this world: to perform unselfish service for creatures with one's life-breath, wealth, intelligence, and words (`pranaih arthaih dhiya vaca`, `10.22.35`)!"
Moments later (`10.23.1–3`), the cowherd boys rub their bellies and come to Krishna and Balarama (`10.23.1–2`): "Rama, Ramo of boundless strength! Krishna, killer of the wicked! Hunger is tormenting us terribly (`kshudha nah badhate`); please do something to relieve it (`10.23.2`)!"
Wishing to show grace to his devoted female servants nearby (`bhaktinam striyam anugraham cikIrshuh`, `10.23.3`), Lord Krishna gave the boys specific instructions (`10.23.3–7`):
> "Go right over there to the sacrificial pavilion (`yajna-shala`), where learned brahmanas who desire heaven (`svarga-kamah`) are currently performing the Vedic sacrifice called *Angirasa* (`10.23.4`). When you arrive, ask for cooked food (`odanam`) by announcing the name of my elder brother Rama and my own name as well: tell them that both Rama and Krishna have come nearby tending their cattle and are hungry (`10.23.5–7`)!"
Doing exactly as told (`10.23.8–11`), the cowherd boys walked into the sacrificial hall, bowed flat on the ground with folded hands before the officiating brahmanas (`brahma-vadishu`), and spoke respectfully (`10.23.8–10`): "O Earthly Gods (`bhu-devah`), please listen! Wait—Rama and Achyuta are grazing their cows right nearby (`avidure carayantau gah`), and they have sent us here (`10.23.9`). Both Rama and Krishna are hungry (`bubhukshitau`), and so are we cowherds; if you have faith, O best of knowers of dharma, please give them some food (`annam diyatam`, `10.23.9–10`)!"
The boys even reminded the priests of the rules of ritual eating (`10.23.10–11`). Yet the brahmanas—though hearing the boys' earnest request directly for the Supreme Lord himself (`bhagavato 'rthitam`)—paid no attention at all (`na adriyanta`, `10.23.12`)! Puffed up with petty ritual scholarship (`kshudra-ashayah`), obsessed with temporal action (`karma-mayah`), and looking upon the self-manifested Lord Krishna as an ordinary mortal child (`martyam manvanah`), they did not even say "Yes" or "No" (`na om iti na neti ca`, `10.23.12`)! Even though place, time, vessels, hymns, ritual acts, priests, fires, deities, the sacrificer, the rite, and dharma itself are all nothing but forms of the transcendent Para-brahman Krishna (`10.23.11–12`), their eyes were blinded to him standing outside their door.
Seeing the priests remain stone-silent (`10.23.13`), the disappointed boys walked back and told Krishna and Balarama. Hearing it, the Lord of the Universe laughed softly (`prahasya jagad-ishvarah`)—teaching the boys that such cold indifference is the ordinary way of the world toward petitioners (`darshayan loka-vartmanam`, `10.23.13`)—and then sent them back with a new destination (`10.23.14–15`):
> "Go now and report my arrival and Rama's arrival to the wives of the sacrifice (`yajna-patnIh`)! They will happily give you all the food you want (`10.23.14`); for their minds rest in me with deep affection (`mayi baddha-sauhridah`), and nothing can hold them back (`10.23.14–15`)."
Walking into the women's quarters (`patni-shala`), the boys found the chaste, beautifully adorned wives of the brahmanas sitting together (`10.23.15–17`). Bowing low, the boys said (`10.23.16–17`): "Salutations to you, O wives of the twice-born! Listen to our words: Lord Krishna has come right nearby while grazing the cows and has sent us here (`ito 'dura-carah krishno`)! Together with Rama and his friends, he is hungry; please give some food for him and his companions (`10.23.17`)!"
The instant the wives heard that Krishna was standing nearby (`10.23.18–21`), they thrilled with joy (`jAta-sambhramah`). For a long time their hearts had been completely stolen by hearing stories about him (`acirena shruta-priyamanasah`, `10.23.19`)! Filling vessels with all four varieties of fine food—chewed, sucked, licked, and drunk (`catur-vidham bahu-gunam annam`, `10.23.18`)—they rushed out toward their beloved just as rivers rush down to the ocean (`samudram iva निम्नगाः`, `10.23.19`)! Even though their husbands, brothers, sons, and relatives tried to block their path (`nishidhyamanah patibhih`), they did not pause for a second (`10.23.19`).
Wait—one single wife (`eka`) was forcibly locked indoors by her husband (`patina rudhyamana`, `10.23.20`)! Hearing that the other women had gone out to see the Lord, she closed her eyes in tears, meditated upon Acyuta inside her heart (`manasa acyutam`), embraced him deeply in thought (`alingya`), cast off the body born of past karma (`deham karma-nibandhanam`), and entered directly into the Lord before any of the others even reached the grove (`10.23.20`, `10.23.32`)!
Reaching the shady grove (`ashoka-vanika`) by the Yamuna blooming with shoots (`10.23.21–24`), the wives beheld dark-complexioned Shyamala wearing gold-bordered silk, a forest garland, a peacock feather, and mineral paint (`10.23.22`).Resting one hand on the shoulder of his friend and twirling a lotus in the other, with lilies at his ears, dark curls framing his smiling cheeks, and his glorious elder brother beside him (`10.23.23`), he was heard of for so long—and now they took him in through their eyes into their hearts (`10.23.24`), embracing him inwardly for a long time until all their pain of separation melted away (`10.23.24`).
Perceiving that they had left their homes purely to see him (`10.23.25`), Lord Krishna welcomed them with a smiling face (`10.23.25–30`):
> "Welcome, O supremely fortunate ladies (`svagatam vo maha-bhagah`)! Please sit down; what may we do for you (`10.23.25`)? That you have come here ignoring every obstacle to see me is completely fitting (`upapannam`), for wise people who know their true self (`atma-vidah`) practice unmotivated, uninterrupted devotion (`ahaitukim apratihataṁ bhaktim`) toward me, because I am the dearest Self (`priyah atma`, `10.23.26`)! Only for the sake of the Self (`atmanah arthe`) do breath, mind, intelligence, body, wife, children, wealth, and relatives ever seem dear (`10.23.27`)! Now that you have seen me, return to the sacrificial hall (`yajna-shalam`); your brahmana husbands who are householders will need you alongside them to complete their sacrifices (`10.23.28`)!"
"Speak not such harsh words, O Lord (`maivam vibho 'rhati bhavan gaditum nrishamsam`)," the wives pleaded (`10.23.29–30`). "Make true your own scripture's promise that one who comes to your feet never turns back (`na nivartate`)! Having abandoned our relatives to take shelter at your feet, our husbands, parents, sons, brothers, and friends will never take us back; we have no other refuge (`10.23.29–30`)!"
The Lord reassured them gently (`10.23.31–34`): "Your husbands will not be angry with you, nor your fathers, brothers, or sons; approved by me, even the gods will honor you (`10.23.31`)! Physical proximity (`sannikarshah`) does not always build love and devotion among humans—instead, focus your minds upon me (`mayy aveshyata manah`), and very soon you will attain me (`acirad mam upaishyatha`, `10.23.32–33`)!"
After the wives returned to the sacrificial hall (`10.23.34–38`) and Krishna fed his friends and himself from their dishes (`10.23.35`), the brahmana husbands—who found not a single fault in their wives (`anavadyabhih`) and now realized their own catastrophic blindness—cried out in bitter remorse (`10.23.39–52`):
> "Shame upon our triple birth as brahmanas (`dhig janma nas tri-vrid`), shame upon our celibate vows (`dhig vratam`), shame upon our vast scriptural learning (`dhig bahu-jnatam`), shame upon our noble lineage (`dhik kulam`), and shame upon our ritual expertise (`dhik kriya-dakshyam`), since we remained hostile and deaf to Adhokshaja (`vimukha ye tv adhokshaje`, `10.23.39`)! Truly the Maya of Bhagavan bewilders even great yogis, for because of it we, the supposed teachers of mankind (`guravo nrinam`), were blinded regarding our own true good (`svarthe muhyamah`, `10.23.40`)! > > Instead, look at the boundless devotion of these women toward Krishna, the Teacher of the universe (`aho pashyata narinam bhaktim krishne jagad-gurau`), which tore open the cord of death disguised as household attachment (`mrityu-pasham griha-abhidham`, `10.23.41`)! These women never underwent the sacred thread ceremony (`na samskarah`), nor lived in the guru's house (`na gurukulavasah`), nor practiced severe austerities (`na tapah`), nor debated the self (`na atma-mimamsa`), nor observed ritual cleanliness and auspicious rites (`10.23.42`)—and yet their devotion rested firmly in Krishna, the Lord of the masters of yoga, whose glory we constantly chant while remaining utterly devoid of it (`10.23.43`)!"
Even while deluded inside householder pride (`10.23.44–50`), the brahmanas confessed, the Lord had tried to remind them through the hungry cowherd boys' words (`krishna-rama-girah`), and still their minds had not stirred (`10.23.44`)! Why had the Lord asked poor food from them when Lakshmi herself serves his feet (`10.23.45–49`)? Only out of pure mercy to save them—and yet they had thrown that chance away (`10.23.49`). Bowing in secret to Krishna while fearing King Kamsa TOO much to go see him in person (`kamsad bhitah na ajagmuh`, `10.23.51–52`), the ritualists stayed behind in their hall, while their unschooled wives carried the Lord's blessing inside their hearts forever.
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