The Brahmanas’ Wives Blessed
1. Once Lord Krsna, the son of Devaki, surrounded by His cowherd friends and accompanied by His elder brother, Balarama, went a good distance away from Vrndavana, herding the cows.
2. Then the sun’s heat became intense, Lord Krsna saw that the trees were acting as umbrellas by shading Him, and thus He spoke as follows to His boyfriends.
3. [Lord Krsna said:] O Stoka Krsna and Amsu, O Sridama, Subala and Arjuna, O Vrsabha, Ojasvi, Devaprastha and Varuthapa, just see these greatly fortunate trees, whose lives are completely dedicated to the benefit of others. Even while tolerating the wind, rain, heat and snow, they protect us from these elements.
4. Just see how these trees are maintaining every living entity! Their birth is successful. Their behavior
is just like that of great personalities, for anyone who asks anything from a tree never goes away disappointed.
5. It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words.
6. Thus moving among the trees, whose branches were bent low by their abundance of twigs, fruits, flowers and leaves, Lord Krsna came to the Yamuna River.
7. The cowherd boys let the cows drink the clear, cool and wholesome water of the Yamuna. The cowherd boys themselves also drank that sweet water to their full satisfaction.
8. Then, the cowherd boys began herding the animals in a leisurely way within a small forest along the Yamuna. But soon they became afflicted by hunger and, approaching Krsna and Balarama, spoke as follows.
9. The cowherd boys said: O Rama, Rama, mighty-armed one! O Krsna, chastiser of the wicked! We are being harassed by hunger, and You should do something about it.
10. Thus entreated by the cowherd boys, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Devaki, replied as follows, desiring to please certain of His devotees who were brahmanas’ wives.
11. [Lord Krsna said:] Please go to the sacrificial arena where a group of brahmanas, learned in the Vedic injunctions, are now performing the Angirasa sacrifice to gain promotion to heaven.
12. When you go there, My dear cowherd boys, simply request some food. Declare to them the name of My elder brother, the Supreme Lord Balarama, and also My name, and explain that you have been sent by Us.
13. Thus instructed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cowherd boys went there and submitted their request. They stood before the brahmanas with palms joined in supplication and then fell flat on the ground to offer respect.
14. [The cowherd boys said:] O earthly gods, please hear us. We cowherd boys are executing the orders of Krsna, and we have been sent here by Balarama. We wish all good for you. Please acknowledge our arrival.
15. Lord Rama and Lord Acyuta are tending Their cows not far from here. They are hungry and want you to give Them some of your food. Therefore, O brahmanas, O best of the knowers of religion, if you have faith please give some food to Them.
16. The brahmanas heard the supplication from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet they refused to pay heed. Indeed, they were full of petty desires and entangled in elaborate rituals. Though presuming themselves advanced in Vedic learning, they were actually inexperienced fools.
17. Although the ingredients of sacrificial performance—the place, time, particular paraphernalia, mantras, rituals, priests, fires, demigods, performer, offering and the as yet unseen beneficial results— are all simply aspects of His opulences, the brahmanas saw Lord Krsna as an ordinary human because of their perverted intelligence. They failed to recognize that He is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the directly manifest Personality of Godhead, whom the material senses cannot ordinarily perceive. Thus bewildered by their false identification with the mortal body, they did not show Him proper respect.
18. When the brahmanas failed to reply even with a simple yes or no, the cowherd boys returned disappointed to Krsna and Rama and reported this to Them.
19. Hearing what had happened, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord of the universe, simply laughed. Then He again addressed the cowherd boys, showing them the way men act in this world.
20. [Lord Krsna said:] Tell the wives of the brahmanas that I have come here with Lord Sankarsana. They will certainly give you all the food you want, for they are most affectionate toward Me and, indeed, with their intelligence reside in Me alone.
21. The cowherd boys then went to the house where the brahmanas’ wives were staying. There the boys saw those chaste ladies sitting, nicely decorated with fine ornaments. Bowing down to the brahmana ladies, the boys addressed them in all humility.
22. [The cowherd boys said:] Obeisances unto you, O wives of the learned brahmanas. Kindly hear our words. We have been sent here by Lord Krsna, who is passing by not far from here.
23. He has come a long way with the cowherd boys and Lord Balarama, tending the cows. Now He is hungry, so some food should be given for Him and His companions.
24. The wives of the brahmanas were always eager to see Krsna, for their minds had been enchanted by descriptions of Him. Thus as soon as they heard that He had come, they became very excited.
25. Taking along in large vessels the four kinds of foods, full of fine tastes and aromas, all the ladies went forth to meet their beloved, just as rivers flow toward the sea.
26. Although their husbands, brothers, sons and other relatives tried to forbid them from going, their hope of seeing Krsna, cultivated by extensive hearing of His transcendental qualities, won out. Along the river Yamuna, within a garden decorated with buds of asoka trees, they caught sight of Him strolling along in the company of the cowherd boys and His elder brother, Balarama.
27. His complexion was dark blue and His garment golden. Wearing a peacock feather, colored minerals, sprigs of flower buds, and a garland of forest flowers and leaves, He was dressed just like a dramatic dancer. He rested one hand upon the shoulder of a friend and with the other twirled a lotus. Lilies graced His ears, His hair hung down over His cheeks, and His lotuslike face was smiling.
28. For a long time those brahmana ladies had heard about Krsna, their beloved, and His glories had become the constant ornaments of their ears. Indeed, their minds were always absorbed in Him. Through the apertures of their eyes they now forced Him to enter within their hearts, and then they embraced Him within for a long time. In this way they finally gave up the pain of separation from Him, just as sages give up the anxiety of false ego by embracing their innermost consciousness.
29. Lord Krsna, who witnesses the thoughts of all creatures, understood how those ladies had abandoned all worldly hopes and come there simply to see Him. Thus He addressed them as follows with a smile upon His face.
30. [Lord Krsna said:] Welcome, O most fortunate ladies. Please sit down and make yourselves comfortable. What can I do for you? That you have come here to see Me is most appropriate.
31. Certainly expert personalities, who can see their own true interest, render unmotivated and uninterrupted devotional service directly unto Me, for I am most dear to the soul.
32. It is only by contact with the self that one’s vital breath, intelligence, mind, friends, body, wife, children, wealth and so on are dear. Therefore what object can possibly be more dear than one’s own self?
33. You should thus return to the sacrificial arena, because your husbands, the learned brahmanas, are householders and need your assistance to finish their respective sacrifices.
34. Thus instructed, the wives of the brahmanas returned to the place of sacrifice. The brahmanas did not find any fault with their wives, and together with them they finished the sacrifice.
35. One of the ladies had been forcibly kept back by her husband. When she heard the others describe the Supreme Lord Krsna, she embraced Him within her heart and gave up her material body, the basis of bondage to material activity.
36. Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, fed the cowherd boys with that food of four varieties. Then the all-powerful Lord Himself partook of the preparations.
37. Thus the Supreme Lord, appearing like a human being to perform His pastimes, imitated the ways of human society. He enjoyed pleasing His cows, cowherd boyfriends and cowherd girlfriends with His beauty, words and actions.
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Hare Krishna