Krishna Nectar Lilas 99 Krishna Steals Saris part three

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

The Vraja kumaris very methodically offered a neatly folded sari woven with golden threads. “0 Devi! Please accept this golden sari. Please arrange that our clothes will be exchanged with Krishna’s clothes.” They brought the best quality flawless jewels and ornaments made by expert goldsmiths. “Please decorate yourself, 0 Devi, with these priceless ornaments. And please adorn us with the nectar of Krishna’s limbs.”

The young, lotus-eyed gopis brought attractive ointments made of aguru, camphor, and musk. “0 Devi! We offer you these opulent ointments. Please arrange that our bodies will become anointed with the touch of Krishna’s limbs.”

The air attained good fortune by carrying the pleasing, celestial aromas of the various scents presented by the gopis. “0 Devi! We offer you these scents which enliven the nostrils. Please make our limbs fragrant with the aroma from Krishna’s body.”

They offered Vrndavana flowers from all six seasons, which were very colorful, covered with sweet pollen, and surrounded by bees. “0 Devi! Let our lips be worshiped by Krishna’s teeth which conquer the beauty of kunda flowers.” They offered incense made from black aguru, khus root, and clusters of the finest gulgul, saying, “0 Devi! We offer you this pleasing incense smoke. Please show us your effulgence and pacify our burning hearts.”

While offering opulent ghee lamps mixed with camphor, the gopis prayed, “Please illumine the house of our breasts with the lamp of Krishna’s kaustubha jewel.” They offered milk, butter, rock candy, bananas, coconuts, mung dal,

sun-dried rice, cakes soaked in sugar water, malpoa, sweet rice, cooked grains, amrta-keli, and assorted little tasty cakes covered with powdered rock candy icing. While presenting these delicacies to Katyayani the girls prayed, “Please eat all these pure and pleasing food offerings. And please give us the remnants from the lotus mouth of the ever-youthful Krsna. Fixing their minds on their goal, the gopis chanted the following mantra with full feeling:

katyayani maha-maye, maha-yoginy adhisvari, nanda-gopa-sutam devi, patim me kuru te namah

“0 goddess Katyayani! 0 great potency of the Lord! 0 possessor ot great mystic power and mighty controller of all! Please make the son o Nanda Maharaja our husband. We offer our obeisances unto you.”

Then they muttered japa with clear pronunciation. While offering tambula and acamana the gopis said, “Please relish this tambula made of betel, cloves, camphor, and cardamom. And please color our lips with the juice of Krishna’s tambula.”

Performing arati, they said, “0 Mahesvari! We show these lamps to you in hopes that you will please illumine our limbs with the glow of Krishna’s limbs.” After arati they gracefully bowed down on the ground and offered eloquent prayers disclosing their minds’ desires. The gopis prayed, “0 mother of Ganesh! Neither your husband Mahadeva, nor Brahma, nor Brhaspati can offer suitable praise to you, what to speak of others. We are greedy only to taste Krishna. Therefore, we glorify you so that you will stop the itching of our tongues. 0 Mahesvari! Please shower your mercy upon us.

“You are called Yogamaya, the potency of Maha-Visnu, who possesses all energies. You have the power to do the impossible. You are peace, tolerance, nourishment, satisfaction, knowledge and ignorance. Although you bind the living entities, you are the giver of liberation. 0 mother of all! By your glance the creation, maintenance, and destruction of the world takes place.

“0 Devi! You are the pinnacle of all auspiciousness. Your order and glories are sitting like a swan on the heads of all the devatas. You are expert in worshiping Krishna, and you are the supreme Vaisnavi. 0 Paramesvari! 0 supreme goddess! You always engage in the welfare of others. We pay our respects unto you. You perfectly understand the minds of all living entities. So please fulfill our desire to achieve Krishna as our husband.”

Upon finishing their personal prayers for that day, the gopis paid respects and offered the deity of Katyayani to the Yamuna. Throughout the days and nights of the entire month of the vrata the young girls maintained their unswerving zeal. Their throats always sung about Krishna’s qualities. As the days passed the gopis offered more items and increased the standard of worship.

Katyayani-devi was pleased with their pure offerings and regular worship. Thus the gopis hoped to attain her grace. Indeed, just before the end of the month they received the mercy of Devi. Everyone suspected that the gopis wanted wealth like any ordinary human being. But the gopis did not want any wealth from their worship of Yogamaya or the devatas.

The  all-auspicious Katyayani fulfills desires, and bestows mercy and happiness upon those qualified with a pure heart. She reciprocated with the

Vraja kumaris by appearing within their minds saying, “0 auspicious girls! You are the embodiments of Krishna’s conjugal attraction. You will attain all good fortune by worshiping Krishna. The devotees of Laksmi, who fulfills all desires, do not worship other devatas to attain the favor of Laksmi-devi. Your sincere prayer ornaments your heart and indicates your longing for Krishna.

Your prayers also make me glorious. Very soon you will attain the association of Krishna according to your individual tastes. Now you can stop your austerities.” After speaking thus, Katyayani disappeared from their hearts. The words of the goddess greatly increased the gopis’ faith.

Excerpt Ananda Vrindavan Campu, Kavi Karnapura

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!