Krishna, being carried upon Abhimanyu’s head, thus traveled on for a rendezvous with Abhimanyu’s own wife, Who is Krishna’s own dearmost Radhika.
Thus throwing Himself into an ocean of novel prankish fun, He breaks into a sweet, mischievous grin within the box.
The foolish cowherd boy Abhimanyu thought:
“Today I am blessed and successful!
From the weight of this box, I can tell it must be filled with extremely rare jewels.
I will use them to buy thousands of cows, and then I will become as wealthy as Govardhana Malla[1].
Our home will become the very residence of Lakshmi, the supreme Goddess of Fortune herself[2].”
Thinking in this way, Abhimanyu started his journey from Nanda-grama, the abode of Nanda Maharaja[3], the King of the pasturing grounds.
He walked home in total ecstasy. His whole body was filled with happiness, and tears flowed from his eyes due to great bliss.
Although he was carrying such a heavy load upon his head, he felt no more fatigue than if he had lifted it for only an instant.
Who for a moment would feel the burden of carrying an object that is brimming with such delight?[4]
As soon as Abhimanyu arrived home, he told his mother Jatila[5]:
“My dear mother, today I must have left home at an auspicious moment.
Just see!
By some good fortune I have received this box of gold, jewels and other valuables.
Out of her incomparable kindness, Vrajesvari herself has sent this gift, solely to decorate your daughter-in-law. She also composed a verse and told me,
Please listen to this verse, and then recite it to Radha.
“Oh You Who gives pleasure to my eyes! Oh You Who bestows fame and glory upon Kirtida! Oh Radhe! Within this box, I have sent You an extremely brilliant aura. It consists of ornaments just befitting Your body, and I am sure that You will cherish them to the utmost. By all of these dear things, may You become radiantly decorated day after day; thus achieving great fortune and happiness, may You become enthused with newer life forever and ever.”[6]
Hearing these blessings, Jatila became most pleased and thought,:
“By good fortune, we have attained great auspiciousness today. Our daughter-in-law will be exceedingly delighted with Abhimanyu when She receives this gift.”
Jatila smiled somewhat, and said aloud:
“O son, neither your wife, nor your sister, nor I myself can lift this heavy box.
You will have to take it to Vrishabhanu-kumari’s[7] bedroom yourself.
She can then open it straight away and behold these most dear ornaments and decorations.”
Following the order of his mother, Abhimanyu then carried the box toward Sri Radhika’s bedroom.
Seeing the large box upon Abhimanyu’s head as he carried it in, Lalita and all the other girlfriends and maidservants perked up and felt supreme bliss. Radhika’s left eyelid, arm, breast and thigh begun to vibrate and twitch[8]. Because of that, Sri Radha gleefully addressed Lalita[9]:
“My friend, why is it that today My left breast, left arm, left eye and left thigh are all trembling in delight? Considering the time and place, such auspicious signs would seem unlikely.
Please explain this to Me!”
Lalita replied:
“O Radhe! I can only guess that within this box is a most fascinating Manohara-ornament[10].
Your limbs twitched as an auspicious indication of obtaining such a rare gift.
My dearest girlfriend!
This type of twitching is only indicative of obtaining the absolute zenith of good fortune!”
Srimati Radharani replied:
“Oh, Lalita, merely by My seeing this box an indescribably mischievous playfulness is welling up and overflowing within Me.
Open it quickly, and let us see the treasure of jewelled ornaments inside.”
All the Sakhis[11] wondered:
“What’s inside the box? What’s inside the box?!”
They completely surrounded the box in the most extemely eager curiosity as Radha Herself left Her other ornaments aside and quickly begun to open it.
The very second she opened the lid, the moon-like Krishna suddenly came out of the box and stood upright.
Seeing Him there instead of valuable clothing, ornaments and cosmetics, all the girls who were surrounding the box exclaim,
“Aaah! What is this?”
and clapped their hands, joyfully laughing and giggling.
The crocodile-like mood of Cupid’s invisible presence within the room suddenly manifested and begun to swallow up all the bodily limbs of the girls, who were not fully covered with cloth in the privacy of Sri Radha’s bedroom.
The maidservants, who were lying about resting got up very quickly in shy embarrassment.
Topmost divine bliss flew in hundreds and thousands of churning waves, which swelled and flourished about the room.
Astonishingly, just before this, He who is the abode of all arts, Kalanidhi[12] Sri Krishna, had suddenly sprung out of the box and then simultaneously kissed the face of each and every young girl.
Lalita said to Radha:
“Sakhi, this decoration and clothing is most glorious!
Your husband, who delivered it, is glorious!
The house into which this box has come to perform pastimes is glorious! Gostha-mahesvari[13] Sri Yasoda, who sent it with so much love and affection, is glorious!
And her message:
“O Radha, may You always be adorned with this decoration sent by me,”
is also glorious!”[14]
[1] Govardhana Malla was Candravali’s husband and a rich cowherd.
[2] Abhimanyu’s family was not rich, while Radharani’s family it was quite wealthy.
[3] the King of Vraja and father of Sri Krishna. Together with Yasoda, he ruled the cowherd community from Krishna’s palace in Nanda-grama.
[4] Yogamaya confused Abhimanyu and made he think that he was happy because of the wealth he was carrying, but in reality he felt transcendental ecstasy because he was carrying Krishna on his shoulders.
[5] Jatila lived in Yavata and was the mother of Abhimanyu. Together with Kutila (her daughter), Jatila always tried to find fault with Srimati Radharani and spoil all Her divine pastimes. Jatila had also another son named Durmada.
[6] Here the double meaning is evident.
[7] Vrishabhanu Kumari means the young daughter of King Vrishabhanu.
[8] These are considered signs of auspiciousness. It was happening because Krishna was closed.
[9] Lalita is the closest girl friend of Srimati Radharani. Lalita is older than Radha, she is very defensive and sharp-witted in playing along with the divine pastimes.
[10] Manohara may mean: 1) ornaments made of the best of fascinating jewels, or 2) the mind-enchanting Sri Krishna.
[11] Friends.
[12] The black jewel
[13] The queen of cowherds
[14] Lalita is making fun of the whole situation.
This is a section of the book “Camatkara Candrika”.
To buy the complete book, click above
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