॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
***
Sage Shuka narrated how Sri Krishna called his cousin and counsellor Uddhava aside. Uddhava was a highly evolved spiritualist taught by Brihaspati Brahma himself. He was a radiant, intelligent and articulate man who enjoyed Sri Krishna's confidence. Sri Krishna, the saviour of all who surrendered to him, clasped Uddhava's hands and spoke with great affection in a pleading voice.
गच्छोद्धव व्रजं सौम्य पित्रोर्नौ प्रीतिमावह । गोपीनां मद्वियोगाधिं मत्सन्देशैर्विमोचय ॥
ता मन्मनस्का मत्प्राणा मदर्थे त्यक्तदैहिकाः ।
मामेव दयितं प्रेष्ठमात्मानं मनसा गताः । ये त्यक्तलोकधर्माश्च मदर्थे तान् बिभर्म्यहम् ॥
मयि ताः प्रेयसां प्रेष्ठे दूरस्थे गोकुलस्त्रियः । स्मरन्त्योऽङ्ग विमुह्यन्ति विरहौत्कण्ठ्यविह्वलाः ॥
धारयन्त्यतिकृच्छ्रेण प्रायः प्राणान् कथञ्चन । प्रत्यागमनसन्देशैर्वल्लव्यो मे मदात्मिकाः ॥
T: "Dear Uddhava, would you kindly proceed at once to Vraja, carrying our affectionate greetings to our parents, Nanda and Yashoda? Also, relieve somewhat the anguish of the Gopis who are tormented by our separation by giving them our message of love? The Gopis are immersed in me, mind, heart and soul, and have abandoned both their bodies and worldly ties. They have nothing but my love. They are so affected by our separation that they think we have gone far away. Sometimes it is enough to make them swoon in anguish. The cowherd women are only tenuously holding on to their life breath on my assurance that I shall come back to them soon. "
Uddhava gladly took the message of his Lord quickly to Vraja.
प्राप्तो नन्दव्रजं श्रीमान् निम्लोचति विभावसौ ।
छन्नयानः प्रविशतां पशूनां खुररेणुभिः ॥ ८॥
T: He arrived in Vraja by next evening and witnessed idyllic scenes of the beautiful rustic life of cowherds and cows winding down their day.
गोदोहशब्दाभिरवं वेणूनां निःस्वनेन च ॥
धूपदीपैश्च माल्यैश्च गोपावासैर्मनोरमम् ॥
हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णैः पद्मषण्डैश्च मण्डितम् ॥
T: The sounds of cows being milked vigorously all around mixed with the cowherds' music on their flutes (it is well known the cows are more cheerful when listening to music!). Women had lighted lamps and incense in evening worship, making their homes look enchanting. Swans and ducks were making their sounds in the lotus-filled lakes of Vraja.
Uddhava, covered with dust from the travel, was received most cordially and enthusiastically by King Nanda, who saw in him, known to be close to Sri Krishna, the arrival of Sri Krishna himself!
Nanda and Yashoda spared nothing in their effusive hospitality. After the traditional formalities of reception, Uddhava was comfortabley seated, his feet washed and massaged, and he was served a sumptuous festive meal. Then, while relaxing, Nanda broached:
दिष्ट्या कंसो हतः पापः सानुगः स्वेन पाप्मना । साधूनां धर्मशीलानां यदूनां द्वेष्टि यः सदा ॥
अपि स्मरति नः कृष्णो मातरं सुहृदः सखीन् । गोपान् व्रजं चात्मनाथं गावो वृन्दावनं गिरिम् ॥
अप्यायास्यति गोविन्दः स्वजनान् सकृदीक्षितुम् । तर्हि द्रक्ष्याम तद्वक्त्रं सुनसं सुस्मितेक्षणम् ॥
T: "Dear Uddhava, how is the noble Vasudeva!? What a good riddance of Kamsa and his evil folk who hated and hurt the Yadus incessantly!"
"Uddhava, does Sri Krishna remember us? His mother, Yashoda!? His loving friends here? The Gopas, the people of Vraja who consider him as their Lord? The cows of Gokula? Vrindavan? Govardhana? Does Sri Krishna plan to visit us at least once? Ho, how wonderful it would be! We would then be able to feast our eyes on Sri Krishna's lovely face and bewitching smile!"
Nanda narrated to Uddhava all the wonderful Leelas of Sri Krishna and how he had saved the people of Vraja time and again from great calamity.
स्मरतां कृष्णवीर्याणि लीलापाङ्गनिरीक्षितम् । हसितं भाषितं चाङ्ग सर्वा नः शिथिलाः क्रियाः ॥
सरिच्छैलवनोद्देशान् मुकुन्दपदभूषितान् । आक्रीडानीक्षमाणानां मनो याति तदात्मताम् ॥
मन्ये कृष्णं च रामं च प्राप्ताविह सुरोत्तमौ । सुराणां महदर्थाय गर्गस्य वचनं यथा ॥ २३॥
T: "Oh, to recollect the mighty deeds of Sri Krishna! His sidelong glances! His smile! His sweet words! His constant memories render us so weak while discharging our daily activities! The river, the mountain, the forest, the fields, all resonate with the memories of Sri Krishna even now, we can see his footprints! Did he not lift Govardhana with just one hand!? Did he not play so often on his flute regaling the cows and cowherds? I shall be honest with you, Uddhava. I feel both Sri Krishna and Balarama are no usual children. They are divine incarnations! In fact I have been told so by Sage Garga himself."
King Nanda recalls that famous wrestling arena and how Sri Krishna and Balarama made short work of dealing with the renowned wrestlers Chanura and Muskhtika, and how Sri Krishna despatched Kamsa to Yama Loka. Nanda went on and on, savouring each moment, each divine act, each miraculous rescue that Sri Krishna had performed.
श्रीशुक उवाच
इति संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य नन्दः कृष्णानुरक्तधीः ।
अत्युत्कण्ठोऽभवत्तूष्णीं प्रेमप्रसरविह्वलः ॥ २७॥
यशोदा वर्ण्यमानानि पुत्रस्य चरितानि च ।
शृण्वन्त्यश्रूण्यवास्राक्षीत्स्नेहस्नुतपयोधरा ॥ २८॥
तयोरित्थं भगवति कृष्णे नन्दयशोदयोः ।
वीक्ष्यानुरागं परमं नन्दमाहोद्धवो मुदा ॥ २९॥
T: Sage Shuka continued: "Thus, King Nanda went on, totally lost in his affection for Sri Krishna. He choked with emotion then, and became silent. Yashoda was listening to her husband recounting all this, with tears streaming down her eyes constantly. Her whole body experienced a motherly thrill as she savoured the love of Sri Krishna, with even her beasts became wet with milk."
Finally, when Nanda became silent, Uddhava spoke what was on his own mind.
"Oh, how blessed you both are to feel this parental love for Sri Krishna! He is Narayana Himself born as a human! Sir, indeed, Sri Krishna is Bhagavan, the Purusha controlling all creation. Balarama is Prakriti or creation personified. Together, they are performing this Leela. This is what is stated in our scriptures too. If anyone can focus his mind even for a moment at the time of his death on the Lord, he will cleanse himself of Karmas and be liberated. In fact, Sri Krishna has incarnated only to fulfil the needs of his devotees and save the world. You as his parents have so much devotion that no other spiritual practice is necessary for you two."
हत्वा कंसं रङ्गमध्ये प्रतीपं सर्वसात्वताम् । यदाह वः समागत्य कृष्णः सत्यं करोति तत् ॥
मा खिद्यतं महाभागौ द्रक्ष्यथः कृष्णमन्तिके । अन्तर्हृदि स भूतानामास्ते ज्योतिरिवैधसि ॥
न ह्यस्यास्ति प्रियः कश्चिन्नाप्रियो वास्त्यमानिनः । नोत्तमो नाधमो नापि समानस्यासमोऽपि वा ॥
न माता न पिता तस्य न भार्या न सुतादयः । नात्मीयो न परश्चापि न देहो जन्म एव च ॥
T: The amazing scene of Sri Krishna killing Kamsa, the arch enemy of good people, in the Wresting Arena! Do you remember how Bhagavan came to you and assured you that he shall come to Gokula soon? He will never fail to act on his words! So grieve not, my dears. Discover Sri Krishna within yourselves! He is the light shining in every creature as Life! None is really dear to Him nor is His foe. None is high or low for him. He sees everything as equal. Indeed, there is really no mother or father for the Lord! No wife nor sons. No one is indeed close to him, nor is anyone unrelated to him. He is really never born, and has no body!"
High words of spiritual conviction from Uddhava.
"The Lord has no Karma. This is for those born of the three Gunas in good and evil wombs. He has taken a human form only to save the good people on this earth."
यथा भ्रमरिका दृष्ट्या भ्राम्यतीव महीयते । चित्ते कर्तरि तत्रात्मा कर्तेवाहन्धिया स्मृतः ॥
युवयोरेव नैवायमात्मजो भगवान् हरिः । सर्वेषामात्मजो ह्यात्मा पिता माता स ईश्वरः ॥
दृष्टं श्रुतं भूतभवद्भविष्य- त्स्थास्नुश्चरिष्णुर्महदल्पकं च ।
विनाच्युताद्वस्तु तरां न वाच्यं स एव सर्वं परमात्मभूतः ॥
एवं निशा सा ब्रुवतोर्व्यतीता नन्दस्य कृष्णानुचरस्य राजन् ।
गोप्यः समुत्थाय निरूप्य दीपान्वास्तून्समभ्यर्च्य दधीन्यमन्थन् ॥
T: "Just as when boys are running around playing hide-and-seek, sometimes they see the world spinning around them due to the effect of their own whirling, the Atma seems to be swirling whereas he is constant and only the mind swirls. Therefore, King Nanda and Yashoda, do not consider Sri Krishna as just your son. He is the inner soul of all. He is a son, father and mother to all, too! Indeed nothing in the past, present or future, nothing static or moving or living, is separate from the Lord. स एव सर्वं परमात्मभूतः He is the Paramatma dwelling in everything."
Thus, they spent the night in conversation. Just then, the Gopis woke up at dawn, and got busy with their chores like cleaning up the house, lighting lamps, and churning the curd for butter.
The melodious sounds of the ornaments of the Gopis tinkling at the same time as the sounds of the churning rods were a very pleasant wake-up call.
उद्गायतीनामरविन्दलोचनं व्रजाङ्गनानां दिवमस्पृशद्ध्वनिः ।
दध्नश्च निर्मन्थनशब्दमिश्रितो निरस्यते येन दिशाममङ्गलम् ॥
भगवत्युदिते सूर्ये नन्दद्वारि व्रजौकसः । दृष्ट्वा रथं शातकौम्भं कस्यायमिति चाब्रुवन् ॥
T: The Gopis were singing of Sri Krishna and his Leelas. It reached and gladdened the heavens! Their churning of curd was, along with their songs, warding off all evil forces that lurk at dawn.
Then the Gopis spotted a golden chariot in front of King Nanda's palace.
अक्रूर आगतः किं वा यः कंसस्यार्थसाधकः । येन नीतो मधुपुरीं कृष्णः कमललोचनः ॥
किं साधयिष्यत्यस्माभिर्भर्तुः प्रेतस्य निष्कृतिम् । इति स्त्रीणां वदन्तीनामुद्धवोऽगात्कृताह्निकः ॥
T: "Hey! Look! Has Akrura, who came and took away our Sri Krishna at Kamsa's bidding, come again? For what purpose, I wonder!" "Has Akrura come to tell us that we should offer ritual Pinda offerings to the departed Kamsa!!!???" Thus rang out the conversation among Gopis and reached the ears of Uddhava just as he completed his morning ablutions and prayer.
***
॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
