॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
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There is no clear timeline when this happened but it seems to have been around the time of the Rajasuya. Srimad Bhagavatam does not have a clear linear timeline spanning as it does epochs and not human lifetimes. One thing that is meant to stand out always like a red scarf seen in a spinning frontloader is good people's instant devotion for Sri Krishna and his boundless love for all.
***
Hearing that a total eclipse of the sun was soon to occur, people from all over Bharata-varsha, including the Yadavas, converged at Kurukshetra to earn special pious credit. After the Yadus had bathed and performed other obligatory rituals, they noticed that kings of Matsya and so many other kingdoms from all over India.
श्रीशुक उवाच
अथैकदा द्वारवत्यां वसतो रामकृष्णयो: । सूर्योपराग: सुमहानासीत् कल्पक्षये यथा ॥
तं ज्ञात्वा मनुजा राजन् पुरस्तादेव सर्वत: । समन्तपञ्चकं क्षेत्रं ययु: श्रेयोविधित्सया ॥
महत्यां तीर्थयात्रायां तत्रागन् भारती: प्रजा: । वृष्णयश्च तथाक्रूरवसुदेवाहुकादय: ॥
T: Sage Shuka narrated: Once, while Balarama and Krishna were living in Dwaraka, there occurred a great eclipse of the sun, just as if the end of Lord Brahma’s day had come. Knowing of this eclipse in advance, many people went to the holy place known as Samanta-panchaka in order to earn pious credit. This was the mighty lake created by Sage Lord Parashurama during his conquests of the Kshatriyas and had become a most holy site for worship, bathing and Yajnas. All the clans including Vrishnis and Yadavas had come as well as King Nanda and his people from Gokula. The reunion was a flood of emotion as everyone embraced with tears and recounted their intense experiences together from the past.
There are dialogues between Kunti and Vasudeva with her complaining that they had not come to her help in her several instances of distress. Vasudeva explained to her that they were under extreme persecution and fear of death from the atrocities of Kamsa and it took long for them to come out of it. Indeed he consoled her with words that the effect of Fate cannot be averted by anyone.
All those assembled including all the Kauravas and Pandavas deeply envied the good fortune of the Yadus and Vrishnis to be in the constant company of Bhagavan Sri Krishna and get his love constantly whereas even the greatest sages struggle to get a mere glimpse of him.
When Sri Krishna and Balarama met Yashoda and Nanda, it was a most emotional unheaval for them.
कृष्णरामौ परिष्वज्य पितरावभिवाद्य च ।
न किञ्चनोचतु: प्रेम्णा साश्रुकण्ठौ कुरूद्वह ॥
T: Sri Krishna and Balarama embraced Nanda and Yashoda and bowed down to them, but their throats were so choked up with tears of love that the two could say nothing. Raising their two sons onto their laps and holding them in their arms, Nanda and saintly mother Yashoda forgot their sorrow of separation.
Then Rohini and Devaki both embraced the Queen of Vraja, Yashoda, remembering the faithful friendship she had shown them. Their throats choking with tears, they addressed her as follows.
Rohini and Devaki said:"What woman could forget the unceasing friendship you and Nanda have shown us, dear Queen of Vraja? There is no way to repay you in this world, even with the wealth of Indra."
"Before these two boys had ever seen their real parents, you acted as their parents and gave them all affectionate care, training, nourishment and protection. They were never afraid, good lady, because you protected them just as eyelids protect the eyes. Indeed, saintly persons like you never discriminate between outsiders and their own kin."
श्रीशुक उवाच
गोप्यश्च कृष्णमुपलभ्य चिरादभीष्टं
यत्प्रेक्षणे दृशिषु पक्ष्मकृतं शपन्ति ।
दृग्भिर्हृदीकृतमलं परिरभ्य सर्वा-
स्तद्भावमापुरपि नित्ययुजां दुरापम् ॥
T: Shuka continued: While gazing at their beloved Krishna, in the past, the young Gopis used to condemn the creator of their eyelids for the eyelids would momentarily block their vision of him. Now, seeing Krishna again after such a long separation, with their eyes, they took him into their hearts, and there they embraced him to their full satisfaction. In this way, they became totally absorbed in ecstatic meditation on him, whereas indeed even those who constantly practice Yoga find such absorption difficult to achieve.
भगवांस्तास्तथाभूता विविक्त उपसङ्गत: ।
आश्लिष्यानामयं पृष्ट्वा प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् ॥
T: The Supreme Lord approached the Gopis in a secluded place as they stood in their ecstatic trance. After embracing each of them and enquiring about their well-being, he laughed and spoke as follows.
अपि स्मरथ न: सख्य: स्वानामर्थचिकीर्षया ।
गतांश्चिरायिताञ्छत्रुपक्षक्षपणचेतस: ॥
अप्यवध्यायथास्मान् स्विदकृतज्ञाविशङ्कया ।
नूनं भूतानि भगवान् युनक्ति वियुनक्ति च ॥
वायुर्यथा घनानीकं तृणं तूलं रजांसि च ।
संयोज्याक्षिपते भूयस्तथा भूतानि भूतकृत् ॥
मयि भक्तिर्हि भूतानाममृतत्वाय कल्पते ।
दिष्ट्या यदासीन्मत्स्नेहो भवतीनां मदापन: ॥
T: Sri Krishna said: "My dear girls, do you still remember me? It was for my relatives’ sake that I stayed away so long, intent on destroying our enemies. You perhaps think I am ungrateful and thus hold me in contempt. After all, it is the Supreme Lord who brings living beings together and then separates them. Just as the wind brings together masses of clouds, blades of grass, wisps of cotton and particles of dust, only to scatter them all again, so the Creator deals with His created beings in the same way."
"Practising Bhakti to me qualifies any living being for eternal life. But by your good fortune, you have developed a special loving attitude toward me, by which you have obtained me!"
अहं हि सर्वभूतानामादिरन्तोऽन्तरं बहि: ।
भौतिकानां यथा खं वार्भूर्वायुर्ज्योतिरङ्गना:॥
एवं ह्येतानि भूतानि भूतेष्वात्मात्मना तत: ।
उभयं मय्यथ परे पश्यताभातमक्षरे ॥
T:" My darlings, I am the beginning and end of all created beings and exist both within and without them, just as the elements ether, water, earth, air and fire are the beginning and end of all material objects and exist both within and without. In this way, all created things reside within the basic elements of creation, while the Atma pervades the creation, remaining in its own true identity. You should see both of these — the material creation and the self — as manifest within me, the imperishable Supreme Truth."
It was a special moment.
Bhagavan had given his love, his all, and now he had elevated the Gopis to a new level of universal love. They could not express their devotion enough, try as they did. They simply requested him finally that they should go about their normal lives, constantly experiencing Sri Krishna as the Eternal and Universal Truth.
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