Krishna Nectar Lilas part 24 “Exodus to Vraja”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Exodus to Vraja

One day, Krsna personally entered the hearts of the village leaders and inspired them. Upananda, Sananda, and other senior men convened a town meeting to discuss the future of Vrndavana.

With warm hearts the people spoke to Vrajaraja Nanda, “O King of Vraja! We cannot understand the extent of your opulence. We have never seen a more fortunate person than you.

“You are the greatest among men. Your son delivers everyone from distress and lamentation. Since the time of His appearance, many seemingly sad and painful things have happened here in Vrndavana. Just after His birth the raksasi Putana brought devastation to our village. Then the Sakatasura demon brought us severe distress. Then came that horrible hurricane wind demon Tmavarta who tortured everyone. And the falling arjuna trees almost destroyed us.

“We want to know the cause of all these bizarre events. Everyone experienced good fortune with Krsna’s birth. And we personally know that your family dynasty is also completely auspicious. So by the accumulation of your good deeds a plenary expansion of the Lord appeared as your very own son.

“We can only guess, therefore, that this place causes these difficulties and not your illustrious son. Considering these facts, we conclude that the next year we should leave this place and move to the forest of Vrndavana. Vrndavana is full of good qualities and always pleasing throughout all seasons of the year. It is replete with luxuriant grasses to please the cows. Not only that, but it is said that for one who attains Vrndavana the wealth of the three worlds seems as insignificant as a piece of straw.

“The Goddess of Fortune eternally resides there personally serving all the residents. Govardhana Hill, which always increases the health of the cows, also stands there. O learned one! If you approve this proposal, then please satisfy us by taking us to Vrndavana.”

Then King Nanda, whose consciousness is totally pure, replied to the gopas, “You should understand that I am personally very attached to this Brhadvana (Mahavana). But if you find defects here, then for your sake I think we should give up this place and immediately move to Vrndavana.” This suggestion filled everyone’s heart with joy. In great excitement they ordered their families to prepare the bullock carts for the journey.

The groups of carts, fully loaded with village folk and their paraphernalia, looked very beautiful. Keeping the cows in front, they lined up the carts in preparation to leave. As mature bull elephants can have four tusks, the bullocks had different numbers of teeth depending on their ages. The youngest bullocks had four teeth, whereas the elder bullocks had up to nine.

The bullocks had gold plated horns shining like the peaks of Mt. Sumeru. The rounded and nicely shaped jawbones of the bullocks looked attractive. As a music teacher dances with dexterous steps, the bullocks moved gracefully on their splendid hooves.

As there are four parts to a poem, similarly, these bullocks had four legs. Nanda Maharaja had 900,000 white cows in his herd. The restless natures of the bullocks indicated the depth of their intelligence. Though yoked to the carts, they were not tied through their noses. Attractive necklaces of sweet sounding bells hung from their necks.

Multi-colored canopies topped the carts. These canopies had many designs and colors like green, brick red, yellow, white, red and pale yellow. Colorful curtains made of costly jute covered the sides. Flags fluttered above the golden domes atop the carts. The flags looked like wonderfully designed tongues extended to taste the rays of sun.

The splendidly decorated carts mocked the flower airplanes of the demigods. Indeed, these bullock carts established a new standard of excellence among conveyances. Just as there is no fault in being attached to sadhus, the carts were faultless in construction and beautiful to behold. As devotees become beautiful by engaging in Krsna’s service, the cakras above the carts looked as beautiful as cakravaka birds floating in a lake.

As the sons of Kuvera are attached to residing in his capital city of Alakapuri, similarly, the wood yokes were attached to the carts. The carts held many gorgeous pots mad of gold, silver, brass, bell metal, and copper.

Extending from Brhadvana (Mahavana) to Vrndavana, the long line of cows and bullocks looked like a separate branch of the Yamuna River From a distance it appeared that this long line of moving cows was standing still.

The people thought, “Perhaps the Suradhuni Ganga has appeared here to speak privately with the Yamuna. Or maybe the unlimited waves from the milk ocean have come here to take the dust of Vrndavana? Or has Ananta Sesa renounced his service as Narayana’s bed to come see Vrndavana? Could we be seeing the expanded hood of the kjng of the snakes? Or is it a necklace of pearls decorating mother earth?”

The long line of carts topped with glittering golden domes and multicolored flags flapping in the wind looked like a vast wall containing many tall golden doors surrounding a city palace. They looked like a small mountain range appearing as the offspring of Mt. Kailasa, Mt. Sumeru, and the Himalayas coming to play with the Yamuna. Taking compassion on this tiny mountain chain, Indra withheld his anger and refrained from cutting off their wings with his thunderbolt.

The furrows left in the earth by the wheels of the carts looked like the walls of a castle rising in the air but having no support. One time mother Bhumi took the form of a cow to beg Krsna to remove the distress she felt from the burden of demoniac kings.

It seemed that mother earth had again appeared in her original form as a cloud of dust. Rising in the sky above the carts she seemed to be reaching for Brahmaloka. In this way people viewed the long line of bullock carts moving toward Vrndavana.

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.