During the time of Krishna, Manasi Ganga was very big in size. 

Once Srimati Radharani and Her friends came to the bank of Manasi Ganga to cross by boat. They were carrying pots of yoghurt and other milk preparations to sell in Mathura. 

The boatman agreed to take them across the water and they settled on a price of some sweets and butter.

The boatman rowed the boat for some time and then stopped. 

Srimati Radharani and the gopis asked him why he had stopped. 

He said:

“I am tired and hungry and cannot go any further if you do not feed Me.”

So the gopis offered the boatman their milk products. 

He ate everything then He said:

“I will take a nap and you should massage my arms and legs.”

The gopis told him that if he did not keep rowing the boat they would throw him overboard, and so the boatman continued rowing.

After some time, however, he again stopped the boat, and the gopis again asked him why. 

He told them,

“My boat is old and the water is coming in due to the weight it is carrying. You will have to throw some things overboard, otherwise we will sink!” 

So the gopis threw their yogurt pots overboard. But still there was too much weight, and the boatman said, 

“It is not enough. The water is still entering. You will have to surrender more to the waters of Manasi Ganga.” 

So the gopis threw their heavy jewellery overboard.

Then a storm came. The wind began to blow and the waves upset the boat. At the same time, the boatman also started rocking the boat. Radharani became frightened and put Her arms around the boatman. At that time She realized that the boatman was Krishna. 

Radharani then pulled Krishna’s flute from under His clothing and then all the gopis could understand that the boatman was Krishna Himself.

This is a section of the book “Vrindavana Lila”.

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