Krishna Nectar Lila 43 – ” Feasting with Friends”

After saving the boys and calves from the mouth of Aghasura, death personified, Krishna, who is full of transcendental qualities, ordered His fortunate companions to gather the calves that had strayed away like meandering deer and follow Him back to Vrndavana. Krishna displayed intense love and affection toward His friends by tending calves and playing with them. To bestow His mercy upon the world Krishna performed many captivating pastimes in the mood of an ordinary boy.

The cowherd boys carried bundles of delicious food items, which their mothers had prepared in the morning, tied on sticks that rested on their shoulders. On the way home Krishna noticed an ideal spot for a forest picnic just beside the Yamuna. “Look, my friends,” said Krishna, “The birds are not flying here. It is a nice quiet place, pleasing to the eyes, and as comfortable as the lap of a mother. There are no footprints on the bank. Therefore it is a perfect picnic site. Let the calves graze nearby while we honor prasada.”

After hearing the statement of Krishna, who is the supreme transcendence and a marvelous person at the same time, the cowherd boys said, “You and I are the same. Since we feel hungry, You must also. So let us take prasada.” Krishna agreed, “Yes! What a splendid idea! Let us sit here and take prasada.”

A circle of tall green trees whose branches joined overhead to form a natural canopy shaded the picnic spot. The earth, as pure and white as powdered camphor, looked as though it had been washed with liquid silver. A gentle breeze, filled with droplets of water scented with the sweet smell of blossoming lotuses, cooled and refreshed the entire area. That peaceful wind felt soothing to the touch, and created a pleasing atmosphere along the bank of the Yamuna.

With His golden effulgence, attractive bluish complexion, and elegant yellow dress, Krishna looked like the whorl of a lotus surrounded by a thousand petals as He sat in the center, encircled by lines of cowherd boys. Krishna’s intimate friends sat nearest Him. They appeared like rays of the sun sitting in rows around the Lord. The innermost rays glowed with a reddish hue. As the rays moved further from the center they displayed a gradation of colors from orange to yellow, green, blue and violent. This rainbow-like display of colors looked attractive.

Although the boys sat at different distances from the Lord, they each felt that Krishna was looking directly at them when He glanced their way. This pastime confirms the words of the learned sages who claim that everywhere are the Lord’s eyes and faces as well as His arms and legs.

At that time Krishna said, “O My friends! Now please take all the foodstuffs off your carrying poles.” Their full tiffins emitted brilliant effulgences in all directions. The cowherd boys placed their prasada on flowers or leaves, on rocks, the bark of trees, or on their caddars.

Some held the prasada in the auspicious lines of their palms, and a few put it on their strongly built thighs. Other boys artistically arrayed their best prasada on leaf plates and affectionately offered it to Krishna.

As Krishna ate, He spoke sweet words that washed over His lips like a stream of nectar. Moving His hands in expressive mudras, Krishna took great pleasure entertaining the boys with witty words. They responded by telling funny jokes that filled Krishna with laughter. The blissful smiles on the lotus faces of the cowherd boys revealed the happiness of their hearts. Krishna’s warm personal dealings increased the affection felt by His boyfriends. The whole scene appeared breathtaking.

With a flute tucked tightly in His waist on the right side and a buffalo horn and cow-driving stick tucked on His left side, Krishna’s thin, perfectly shaped waist attracted the minds of everyone. Krishna ate some pickles with His right hand while holding a nice preparation of yogurt and rice in His left palm. With His hands moistened by these different foods Krishna looked magnificently beautiful.

Brahma, Siva, Indra and other denizens of heaven marveled at the extraordinary sight of Krishna eating with His friends in the forest.