CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
AkrĹŤra was warmly received by Lord KášášŁáša and Nanda MahÄrÄja and offered a resting place for the night. In the meantime, the two brothers BalarÄma and KášášŁáša went to take Their supper. AkrĹŤra sat on his bed and began to reflect that all the desires he had contemplated while coming from MathurÄ to VášndÄvana had been fulfilled. Lord KášášŁáša is the husband of the goddess of fortune; being pleased with His pure devotee, He can offer whatever the devotee desires. But the pure devotee does not ask anything from the Lord for his personal benefit.
After taking Their supper, KášášŁáša and BalarÄma came to bid goodnight to AkrĹŤra and asked him how Kaášsa was dealing with Their friends and relatives. KášášŁáša then inquired into Kaášsaâs plans. The Supreme Personality of Godhead then informed AkrĹŤra that his presence was very welcome. He inquired from him whether all his relatives and friends were well and free from all kinds of ailments. KášášŁáša stated that He was very sorry that His maternal uncle Kaášsa was the head of the kingdom; He said that Kaášsa was the greatest anomaly in the whole system of government and that they could not expect any welfare for the citizens while he ruled. Then KášášŁáša said, âMy father has undergone much tribulation simply from My being his son. For this reason also he has lost many other sons. I think Myself so fortunate that you have come as My friend and relative. My dear uncle AkrĹŤra, please tell Me the purpose of your coming to VášndÄvana.â
After this inquiry, AkrĹŤra, who belonged to the dynasty of Yadu, explained the recent events in MathurÄ, including Kaášsaâs attempt to kill Vasudeva, the father of KášášŁáša. He related the things which had happened after the disclosure by NÄrada that KášášŁáša was the son of Vasudeva, hidden by Vasudeva in the house of Nanda MahÄrÄja. AkrĹŤra narrated all the stories regarding Kaášsa. He told how NÄrada had met Kaášsa and how he himself was deputed by Kaášsa to come to VášndÄvana. AkrĹŤra explained to KášášŁáša that NÄrada had told Kaášsa all about KášášŁášaâs being transferred from MathurÄ to VášndÄvana just after His birth and about His killing all the demons sent by Kaášsa. AkrĹŤra then explained to KášášŁáša the purpose of his coming to VášndÄvana: to take Him back to MathurÄ. After hearing of these arrangements, BalarÄma and KášášŁáša, who are very expert in killing opponents, mildly laughed at the plans of Kaášsa.
They immediately informed Nanda MahÄrÄja that Kaášsa had invited all the cowherd men and boys to go to MathurÄ to participate in the ceremony known as Dhanur-yajĂąa. Kaášsa wanted them all to go there to participate in the function. On KášášŁášaâs word, Nanda MahÄrÄja at once called for the cowherd men and asked them to collect milk and all kinds of milk products to present to the King in the ceremony. He also sent instructions to the police chief of VášndÄvana to tell all the inhabitants about Kaášsaâs great Dhanur-yajĂąa function and invite them to join. Nanda MahÄrÄja informed the cowherd men that they would start the next morning. They therefore arranged for the cows and bulls to carry them all to MathurÄ.
When the gopÄŤs heard that AkrĹŤra had come to take KášášŁáša and BalarÄma away to MathurÄ, they became overwhelmed with anxiety. Some of them became so aggrieved that their faces turned black and they began to breathe warmly and had palpitations of the heart. They discovered that their hair and clothes immediately loosened. Hearing the news that KášášŁáša and BalarÄma were leaving for MathurÄ, others, who were engaged in household duties, stopped working, as if they had forgotten everything, like a person who is called forth to die and leave this world at once. Others immediately fainted due to separation from KášášŁáša. Remembering His attractive smile and His talks with them, the gopÄŤs became overwhelmed with grief. They all remembered the characteristics of the Personality of Godhead, how He moved within the area of VášndÄvana and how, with joking words, He attracted all their hearts. Thinking of KášášŁáša and of their imminent separation from Him, the gopÄŤs assembled together with heavily beating hearts. They were completely absorbed in thought of KášášŁáša, and with tears falling from their eyes, they spoke as follows.
âO Providence, you are so cruel! It appears that you do not know how to show mercy to others. By your arrangement, friends contact one another, but before they can fulfill their desires you separate them. This is exactly like a childâs game that has no meaning. It is very abominable that you arrange to show us beautiful KášášŁáša, whose bluish curling hair beautifies His broad forehead and sharp nose, and who is always smiling to minimize all grief in this material world, and then arrange to separate Him from us. O Providence, you are so cruel! But most astonishingly you appear now as AkrĹŤra, which means ânot cruel.â In the beginning we appreciated your workmanship in giving us these eyes to see the beautiful face of KášášŁáša, but now, just like a foolish creature, you are taking away our eyes by not letting us see KášášŁáša here anymore. KášášŁáša, the son of Nanda MahÄrÄja, is also very cruel! He must always have new friends; He does not like to keep friendship for a long time with anyone. We gopÄŤs of VášndÄvana, having left our homes, friends and relatives, have become KášášŁášaâs maidservants, but He is neglecting us and going away. He does not even look upon us, although we are completely surrendered unto Him. Now all the young girls in MathurÄ will have the opportunity. They are expecting KášášŁášaâs arrival, and they will enjoy His sweet smiling face and will drink its honey. Although we know that KášášŁáša is very steady and determined, we are afraid that as soon as He sees the beautiful faces of the young girls in MathurÄ, He will forget Himself. We fear He will become controlled by them and will forget us, for we are simple village girls. He will no longer be kind to us. We therefore do not expect KášášŁáša to return to VášndÄvana. He will not leave the company of the girls in MathurÄ.â
The gopÄŤs began to imagine the great functions in the city of MathurÄ. KášášŁáša would pass through the streets, and the ladies and young girls of the city would see Him from the balconies of their respective houses. MathurÄ City contained different communities, known then as DaĹÄrha, Bhoja, Andhaka and SÄtvata. All these communities were different branches of the same family in which KášášŁáša appeared, namely the Yadu dynasty. They were all expecting the arrival of KášášŁáša. It had already been ascertained that KášášŁáša, who is the resting place of the goddess of fortune and the reservoir of all pleasure and transcendental qualities, was going to visit MathurÄ City.
The gopÄŤs then began to condemn the activities of AkrĹŤra. They stated that he was taking KášášŁáša, who was more dear than the dearest to them and who was the pleasure of their eyes. He was being taken from their sight without their being informed or solaced by AkrĹŤra. AkrĹŤra should not have been so merciless but should have taken compassion on them.
The gopÄŤs went on to say, âThe most astonishing feature is that KášášŁáša, the son of Nanda, without consideration, has already seated Himself on the chariot. From this it appears that KášášŁáša is not very intelligent. Yet He may be very intelligentâbut He is not very merciful. Not only KášášŁáša but all the cowherd men are so callous that they are already yoking the bulls and calves for the journey to MathurÄ. The elderly persons in VášndÄvana are also merciless; they do not take our plight into consideration and stop KášášŁášaâs journey to MathurÄ. Even the demigods are very unkind to us; they are also not impeding His going to MathurÄ.â
The gopÄŤs prayed to the demigods to create some natural disturbance, such as a hurricane, storm or heavy rainfall, so that KášášŁáša could not go to MathurÄ. They then began to consider, âDespite our parents and guardians, we shall personally stop KášášŁáša from going to MathurÄ. We have no alternative but to take this direct action. Everyone has gone against us to take away KášášŁáša from our sight. Without Him we cannot live for a moment.â The gopÄŤs thus decided to obstruct the passage through which the chariot of KášášŁáša was supposed to pass. They began to talk among themselves: âWe have passed a very long nightâwhich seemed only a momentâengaged in the rÄsa dance with KášášŁáša. We looked at His sweet smile and embraced Him and talked with Him. Now, how shall we live even for a moment if He goes away from us? At the end of the day, in the evening, along with His elder brother BalarÄma, KášášŁáša would return home with His friends. His face would be smeared with the dust raised by the hooves of the cows, and He would smile and play on His flute and look upon us so kindly. How shall we be able to forget Him? How shall we be able to forget KášášŁáša, who is our life and soul? He has already taken away our hearts in so many ways throughout our days and nights, and if He goes away, there is no possibility of our continuing to live.â Thinking like this, the gopÄŤs became more and more grief-stricken at KášášŁášaâs leaving VášndÄvana. They could not check their minds, and they began to cry loudly, calling the different names of KášášŁáša, âO dear DÄmodara! Dear MÄdhava!â
The gopÄŤs cried all night before the departure of KášášŁáša. As soon as the sun rose, AkrĹŤra finished his morning bath, got on the chariot and started for MathurÄ with KášášŁáša and BalarÄma. Nanda MahÄrÄja and the cowherd men got up on bullock carts after loading them with big earthen pots filled with yogurt, milk, ghee and other milk products, and then they began to follow the chariot of KášášŁáša and BalarÄma. In spite of KášášŁášaâs asking the gopÄŤs not to obstruct Their way, they all surrounded the chariot and stood up to see KášášŁáša with pitiable eyes. KášášŁáša was very much affected upon seeing the plight of the gopÄŤs, but His duty was to start for MathurÄ, for this was foretold by NÄrada. KášášŁáša therefore consoled the gopÄŤs. He told them that they should not be aggrieved: He was coming back very soon after finishing His business. But they could not be persuaded to disperse. The chariot, however, began to head west, and as it proceeded, the minds of the gopÄŤs followed it as far as possible. They watched the flag on the chariot as long as it was visible; finally they could see only the dust of the chariot in the distance. The gopÄŤs did not move from their places but stood until the chariot could not be seen at all. They remained standing still, as if they were painted pictures. All the gopÄŤs decided that KášášŁáša was not returning immediately, and with greatly disappointed hearts they returned to their respective homes. Being greatly disturbed by the absence of KášášŁáša, they simply thought all day and night about His pastimes and thus derived some consolation.
The Lord, accompanied by AkrĹŤra and BalarÄma, traveled in the chariot with great speed toward the bank of the YamunÄ. Simply by taking a bath in the YamunÄ, anyone can diminish the reactions of his sinful activities. KášášŁáša and BalarÄma took Their baths in the river and washed Their faces. After drinking the transparent, crystal-clear water of the YamunÄ, They took Their seats again on the chariot. The chariot was standing underneath the shade of big trees, and the two brothers sat down there. AkrĹŤra then took Their permission to also take a bath in the YamunÄ. According to Vedic ritual, after taking a bath in a river, one should stand at least half submerged and murmur the GÄyatrÄŤ mantra. While he was standing in the river, AkrĹŤra suddenly saw BalarÄma and KášášŁáša within the water. He was surprised to see Them there because he was confident that They were sitting on the chariot. Confused, he immediately came out of the water and went to see where the boys were, and he was very much surprised to see that They were sitting on the chariot as before. When he saw Them on the chariot, he began to wonder whether he had mistakenly seen Them in the water. He therefore went back to the river. This time he saw not only BalarÄma and KášášŁáša there but many of the demigods and all the Siddhas, CÄraášas and Gandharvas. They were all bowing down before the Lord. He also saw Lord Ĺeᚣa NÄga, with thousands of hoods. Lord Ĺeᚣa NÄga was covered with bluish garments, and His necks were all white. The white necks of Ĺeᚣa NÄga appeared exactly like snowcapped mountains. On the coiled lap of Ĺeᚣa NÄga, KášášŁáša was sitting very soberly, with four hands. His eyes were like the reddish petals of the lotus flower.
In other words, after returning to the YamunÄ, AkrĹŤra saw BalarÄma turned into Ĺeᚣa NÄga and KášášŁáša turned into MahÄ-Viᚣášu. He saw the four-handed Supreme Personality of Godhead, smiling very beautifully. The Lord was very pleasing to all and was looking toward everyone with a merciful glance. He appeared beautiful with His raised nose, broad forehead, attractive ears and reddish lips. His arms, reaching to the knees, were very strongly built. His shoulders were high, His chest was very broad, and His neck was shaped like a conchshell. His navel was very deep, and His abdomen was marked with three lines. His hips were broad and big, resembling those of a woman, and His thighs resembled the trunks of elephants. The other parts of His legs, the joints and lower extremities, were all very beautiful, the nails of His feet were dazzling, and His toes were as beautiful as the petals of the lotus flower. His helmet was decorated with very valuable jewels. There was a nice belt around His waist, and He wore a sacred thread across His broad chest. Bangles were on His hands, and armlets on the upper portion of His arms. He wore bells on His ankles. He possessed dazzling beauty, and His palms were like lotus flowers. He was further beautified by the different emblems of the viᚣášu-mĹŤrtiâthe conchshell, club, disc and lotus flowerâwhich He held in His four hands. His chest was marked with the particular signs of Viᚣášu, and He wore fresh flower garlands. All in all, He was very beautiful to look at. AkrĹŤra also saw His Lordship surrounded by intimate associates like the four KumÄrasâSanaka, SanÄtana, Sananda and Sanat-kumÄraâand other associates like Sunanda and Nanda, as well as demigods like BrahmÄ and Lord Ĺiva. The nine great learned sages were there, and also devotees like PrahlÄda and NÄrada and the eight Vasus. All were engaged in offering prayers to the Lord with clean hearts and pure words. After seeing the transcendental Personality of Godhead, AkrĹŤra immediately became overwhelmed with joy and great devotion, and all over his body there was transcendental shivering. Although for the moment he was bewildered, he retained his clear consciousness and bowed down his head before the Lord. With folded hands and faltering voice, he began to offer prayers to the Lord.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Thirty-ninth Chapter of KášášŁáša, âAkrĹŤraâs Return Journey and His Vision of Viᚣášuloka Within the YamunÄ River.â