Krishna Nectar Lila 54 -“THE DISPUTE UNFOLDS”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Then Syama-sakhi, whose body by nature is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, came before Radhika.

Syama-sakhi had offered her heart to Radha and she came every day to serve Her. Seeing this softhearted, lotus-faced sakhi group leader filled Radhika’s own butter soft heart with joy and enchantment. All of Radha’s girlfriends displayed cunning behavior and expertise in all the sixty-four arts.

Srimati Radhika, though displaying an air of gravity to hide Her inner emotions, greeted Syama-sakhi with a gentle, sweet smile and said, “O lotus faced one! Your appearance before Me is like a cooling camphor lamp for My eyes. For you know what is in My mind and heart. So listen as I fill your ears with some pleasing words.” Then Sri Radha told her what Lalita and Visakha had just spoken.

Syama-sakhi replied, “You are the crest-jewel of all the vraja-sundaris (beautiful women of Vrndavana), and the object of everyone’s worship and adoration. Due to Your compassionate nature, You cannot tolerate the unhappiness of other sakhis. As the lotus has a natural attraction for the moon, You seem to have developed a spontaneous attraction to Krishnacandra, the moon of Gokula. The sweet fragrance of Your love spreads throughout Gokula.”

Radhika, the leader of all the gopis, smiled and replied, “O sakhi! The effulgence of your smile brightens your beautiful face. Actually sakhi, it seems you desire that man, and that you are projecting your feelings on others. In this regard, you have achieved excellence in all respects. After all, is there any woman who does not desire to reach out and touch the sun or the moon? What woman would not give the valuable jewel of her love to attain that supremely precious blue sapphire (Sri Krishna)? And what woman in the world does not wish to possess all the jewels in the ocean?”

Syama-sakhi said, “Why are You laughing and making fun of my words? You should be happy to hear my statements and accept them as mercy.”

Radha replied, “O Syame! O you with a belly shaped like the leaf of a peepul tree. You do not understand Syamasundara’s words. Please do not joke with Me. The phrase tat purusa means that He is very difficult to attain. So why are you proposing such an impossible idea? Or you can take tat purusa to mean that Krishna exists in a supremely wonderful state.

“A person like Me, therefore, could never achieve such a rare fortune. So, how have you become so sure of My success? How could you even guess such a thing? This might happen to someone else, but it could never happen to one as unfortunate as I. Although you are as dear as My very self, You have not fulfilled by desire. Now You are just joking with Me and having fun.”    

Radharani continued, “O Syame! Your speech is unreasonable. Everyone in Gokula knows that Madhurika-sakhi is your devoted follower. When Madhurika said, ‘This parrot belongs to my Devi,’ Krishna took the phrase “my Devi” to mean you. Therefore what is the use of thinking anything else.” Thus the dispute came to an end.  

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.