Who is this young girl?

Krishna:

“Mother, who is this young girl?

Whose daughter is She?

Where does She live?

Why are you showering so much love and affection upon Her?

Please tell Me everything!”

Yasoda:

 “Listen, my son.

I have a friend named Kirtida[1], and it was from her womb that this priceless and unequalled jewel of young girls manifested.

This young girl’s father is Vrishabhanu Maharaja, the King of the cowherds, and She is truly the personified result of the austerities he has performed. Her effulgence illuminates even the sun[2] in the hottest summer month of Jeshtha[3]. This girl thus manifests Her father’s fame everywhere.

Yasoda continued:

“Dear child, Lord Brahma has created numerous elevated feminine qualities in this world, including extreme beauty, sweetness in nature, devotion to elders, shyness, simplicity and humility.

Usually, a person becomes great upon attaining such noble qualities; but these qualities have themselves attained greatness by taking shelter of this young girl.

This is the amazing truth, and it is why I have a natural affection for Her. Her name is Radha[4].”

When Sri Yasoda glorified Sri Radha’s qualities and then spoke Her name, Sri Krishna’s immeasurable delight caused the hairs of His body to stand on end, but He managed to conceal these symptoms of ecstasy with His cloth[5].

Yasoda continued:

“This young bride is married to Abhimanyu[6]. At the moment She is in Her husband’s house in Yavata, but Abhimanyu himself is here. He is just outside in the assembly hall, seeking advice about household affairs from Nandaraya[7], the King of the pasturing lands.

When he enters the inner chambers to greet me, I will say affectionately,

” Oh, Abhimanyu! Please take this box yourself and, carrying it back to your home, kindly offer it to your good wife, Radha.”

While Yasoda was thus conversing with Kishna, a maidservant named Lavanga-lata[8]comes into the room. Approaching mother Yasoda, she announces:

“O Vrajesvari[9], O Queen of the pasture lands, the two expert goldsmiths you summoned, Rangana and Tangana[10], have arrived.”

Yasoda was happy to hear this and told Dhanistha[11]:

“Oh Dhanistha! I am going outside now for a few minutes in order to arrange for the manufacture of Krishna’s ornaments, crowns, earrings and bracelets.

Please stay here and keep an eye on this box until I return[12].”

After Yasoda had gone to talk to the goldsmiths, Subala[13] and some of Sri Krishna’s other nearest and dearest cowherd boy friends came in. Krishna was overjoyed to see them.

After some discussion, He and His friends took the box to a lonely place.

There they opened it, took out the jewels, decorations and clothes, and handed them all to Dhanistha.

Then Sri Krishna Himself climbed into the box and, with the help of His friends, closed the lid.

After a little while, Yasoda returned.

Then the dull-witted Abhimanyu comes in to offer his respects to Yasoda before he returns home to Yavata.

Seeing Abhimanyu bowing down, Yasoda inquires of his welfare, and then instructs him,

Yasoda:

“Abhimanyu, I have prepared this box, full of jewelled ornaments, for your wife.

This box is full of many enchanting articles, such as valuable jewels, golden necklaces, lovely clothes and musk. You must take it home, and personally present it to Radhika in a private place. I do not trust anyone to do this except you.

You should also give Her this message from me:

“O Madakshi-sukhada[14], O Kirtida-kirtida[15]!

O Radha, I am sending You this most effulgent box, which contains ornamentation that is very dear to You.

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 every day.

Thus achieving great fortune and happiness, may You become enthused with newer life forever and ever[16].”

Abhimanyu replied:

“O Queen of Vraja, I will faithfully carry out your orders.”

He immediately lifted the box on his head, and full of bliss, set off for home.

[1] Kirtida is Radharani’s mother. Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami prays her with these words: “May Mother Kirtida, who is very anxious at heart to know about Radha’s welfare and therefore lovingly sends two daughters of her nurses to her abode to inquire about her every day, and who is famous in Vraja as Radha’s mother, protect us.”

[2] Bhanu

[3] Which according to the Vedic calendar comes in the astrological sign of Taurus, or the bull (vrisha). In this way the name of Radha’s father, Vrishabhanu, is explained

[4] The softest heart of Sri Krishna revealed in personified sweetness as the Queen of Vrndavana. Srimati Radharani is Krishna’s most beloved. None can be as beloved by Krishna as Radharani is. She is married to Abhimanyu by the divine illusory arrangement of Yoga-maya, and lives in Yavata-grama (few miles from Nanda-gram) in the house of Abhimanyu’s mother Jatila, Her bumbling, senile mother-in-law. Thus she is living several miles away from Her mother and father (Kirtida and Vrsabhanu) who still live at Varsana.

[5] This is a description of sentiments in the spiritual sky. Transcendental love is so pure, noble and deep that causes ecstasies even to the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna.

[6] The foolish and dull-witted cowherd boy, who by Yoga-maya’s illusion, appears to be the husband of Srimati Radharani. But in reality, he never touches Her or has any factual relationship.

[7] One of Nanda Maharaja’s names.

[8] Also called Lavangalatika or Lavanga-manjari, she is one of Radha’s maidservant who resides and serves in Krishna’s house at Nanda-grama. “In the eastern part of Sri Tungavidya’s kunja lies Lavanga-sukhada Kunja, which is very enchanting to all the beautiful-eyed gopis. In that kunja, Lavanga Manjari always blissfully resides. In age, she is one day older than Sri Rupa Manjari, and she is very famous for her pleasant nature. Her complexion is like lightning, and she wears a dress marked with stars. She gives much happiness to Sri Krsna, and her nature is always daksina-mrdvi. Her age is 13 years 6 months and 1 day. In Kali-yuga, in gaura-lila, she is known as Sri Sanatana Gosvami.” (Sri Gaura-Govindarcana-Samarana-Paddhati by Dyanacandra Gosvami)

[9] The Queen of Vraja

[10] Rupa Gosvami in his Sri Sri Radha Krishna Ganoddesa Dipika says: “The jewellers Rangana and Tankana make ornaments for Krishna.”

[11] An older girl who assists the Divine Couple’s pastimes in a very confidential mood. She lives palace of Goparaja Nanda Maharaja.

[12] Yasoda was worried that Krishna could do one of His mischief, so she instructed Dhanistha to watch out. But she did not take into account that she was on Krishna’s side.

[13] Subala is a Gopa (cowherd boy) in Vrindavana. He has a fair complexion. He wears handsome blue garments and he is decorated wtih many kinds of jewels and flowers. He is twelve-and-a-half years old and He glows with youthful luster. Although he is Krsna’s friend, he is immersed in serving Krsna in many different ways. He is expert at arranging the meeting of the divine couple. He is charming and full of transcendental love for Them. He is cheerful and full of good qualities. He is very dear to Krsna. – From Sri Sri Radha Krishna Ganoddesa Dipika.

[14] You who give happiness to my eyes

[15] You who magnify the fame of Your mother Kirtida

[16] Although Mother Yasoda was playing the part of someone who did not know that Krishna was inside the box, this sanskrit verse may be constructed in different ways, namely that Radha’s ornament, Krishna, was arriving in Her house.

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