Srimad Bhagavatam – day 693
The song of the flute.. contd.
Krishna Srihari Narayana
Together with Balarama and other cowherd boys, Krishna was tending to the cattle in the forests of Brindavan. He was playing the flute as he walked. His rendition of flute was filled with many unexplainable specialities. The bamboo trees were delighted that one among their clan had obtained the rare opportunity to become a flute in the hands of the Lord. The rivers celebrated the music by embracing the Lord’s feet with their waves. They offered lotuses to his feet. The birds perched themselves on the tree branches and listened to the music. As He walked he ensured that the cattle moved forward. He was feeding the cattle as needed. Along with these activities, he was playing the flute. He was multi-tasking.
The Gopikas sang, “Seeing their friend Krishna, who, akin to them was in bluish-black colour, the clouds, were ecstatic and they expanded their form to reach the skies from where, they showered tiny droplets of rain on Him”.
The clouds considered themselves fortunate to have the same colour as the Lord. The entire Nature horripilated with His music. The Lord had adorned himself with flowers of different hues. As He walked, sweet fragrance filled the air. Added to that, the music He played was so enchanting. All living entities stared at Him in awe while listening to the music without even batting an eyelid. Even when their eyes were filled with tears, they hesitated to blink cause they would lose his vision for a second. No other sounds were audible to them at that time. No other object was visible. This was the condition not only of humans, but also of all birds, cows, calves and other animals in that vicinity. The effect of the music could be felt even by the rivers that flowed through that area. Likewise, the clouds that were high up in the skies experienced horripilation upon listening to this music. From this it is evident that the entire area was soaked in his soothing music. The divine music was enchanting to the five elements as well. In order to express their happiness, the clouds showered drops of water upon Him. It was like a rain of nectar.
“Thereafter the clouds formed themselves into a huge umbrella and protected Him from Sunlight. As He walked, the clouds moved accordingly and thus served Him”.
The clouds that otherwise shower rain, now formed an umbrella to protect the Lord. When we close our eyes, this scene unfolds before our mind’s eye.
“What to say of the fortune of the tribal women?”
The women-folk of Brindavan were addressing living entities of every species and declaring them to be fortunate. The truth is that every living entity that was born in Brindavan during that period, irrespective of the species, was truly fortunate.
“This is because the tribal ladies are able to touch the red Kumkum paste adorning Krishna’s feet, which sticks to the grass as He treads on it”.
In great delight and reverence, the tribal women would apply this red Kumkum powder on their bodies.
“The tribal women smear their breasts and face with this Kumkum powder, that has fallen from Krishna’s feet and which is deeply loved by the Gopika women”.
Mother Yashoda would daily apply red Kumkum paste on Krishna’s feet. Krishna’s delicate feet are served by Mother Lakshmi. The red Kumkum paste that is applied to His lotus feet is nothing but the Kumkum worn by Mother Lakshmi on her forehead. Hence the tribal women revered this Kumkum paste from His feet considering it to be the Kumkum from Lakshmi’s feet.
“Due to this, the tribal women, who are tormented by love overflowing from their hearts, abate this agony”.
This is pure love and hence should not be confused with love that arises due to lust. Neither is it the love that arises due to relationships, friendships and attachments. Pure love is beyond description. This love causes the person to forget himself totally. It causes the mind and the senses to focus exclusively upon the Lord. The mind refuses to entertain any other transaction barring focussing on the Lord. The tribal women were afflicted by such pure love. They would apply this Kumkum on their faces and chests and thus drive away the pangs of separation from Krishna.
They were oblivious to their existence and to their surroundings. Their minds were so fixed on Krishna that they forgot their gender, their names and their location. They remained in the world of Krishna. They forgot to notice their friends or greet them. Everyone was gazing only at Krishna. More importantly, they felt that if they talk or look at their friends, they would be missing the opportunity of gazing at the Lord during those moments. Every moment was precious and they wanted to utilize it for gazing at Him alone. It was as if they were afflicted with the disease called infatuation towards the Lord. To reduce these pangs of separation from Him, they applied this Kumkum on their bodies and felt at peace for a little while.
“These tribal women have truly accomplished the purpose of their birth”- said the Gopika women to one another. They continued,
Hantāyam adrir abalā hari-dāsa-varyo yad rāma-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa-sparaśa-pramodaḥ
Mānaḿ tanoti saha-go-gaṇayos tayor yat pānīya-sūyavasa-kandara-kandamūlaiḥ
This hymn is a sacred mantra!
O friends, among the mountains, Govardhana is the best because, it derives supreme joy when it is touched by the tender feet of Balarama and Krishna”.
Krishna Krishna