Intensely watching the forest fire surrounding them with fear they addressed Krishna and Balaram for shelter like people who approach Hari when faced with fear of death.

______________

Forest Fire

Suka Deva continued.

Once while the cowherds were completely absorbed in their games, the cows wandered independently in search of grass and entered a dense forest. Moving from one forest, the cows, the goats and buffaloes entered a forest with cane fields. Because of the heat of forest fires, they were thirsty and cried out in distress.

Not seeing the animals, not knowing where they went and feeling remorse the Gopas started searching. They started tracing the path followed by the cows with the help of the markings of their hooves, the half eaten grass etc. Finally after painstaking search the Gopas found their cows. Thirsty and tired they herded the cows back towards their village. Then suddenly a terrible forest fire appeared on all sides, threatening destruction for all those present in the forest. The fire was driven by the wind as the charioteer. Afraid and intensely watching the fire spreading all around, they addressed Krishna and Balaram just like all the persons in trouble who address Lord Hari.

They said, ‘Oh Krishna Krishna the most powerful one, Oh Rama whose prowess is never thwarted, we are your devotees. Please save us. Oh Krishna! Being devoted to you and having you as our Lord, we certainly do not deserve to suffer destruction'.

Hearing those pitiful words of his friends, Bhagavan Krishna said, ‘Just close your eyes, don't be afraid ‘.

‘All right‘, said the boys closing their eyes. Bhagavan using all his mystic power drank the fire with his mouth, saving his devotees from the danger.

Then they opened their eyes to find they were back to the Bhadirika tree where they were playing. When the boys realized that they have been saved from the fire by Yoga Maya of Krishna, they thought that Krishna is a God. They all returned to the village chanting the glories of Krishna.

_________ (Gopis were delighted seeing Govinda, without whom a moment feels like an age.)