Bhagavatam - Tenth Skandha , Chapter 23

Brahman's wives Blessed !

Dark blue in complexion with a forest garland, peacock feather and golden garments, dressed like a dancer on the stage with colored minerals and sprig of buds, with his hand placed on the shoulder of a friend, the other hand twirling lotus, with lilies in his ears, hair extending over his cheeks he had a smile on his lotus like face.

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Brahmans wives blessed

The Gopas said.

‘Oh Rama Rama the might armed one, Krishna the killer of evil ones we are hungry. The hunger is causing us distress. You must do something'

Suka Deva continued.

Thus implored Krishna spoke to the cowherd boys. Knowing full well that his devotees among the Brahman wives are nearby and wanting to satisfy the Brahman wives also Krishna said “Please go to the sacrificial area. The Brahmans, the eminent followers of Vedic injunctions, are now performing a sacrifice by the name Angirasam with a desire of promotion to heaven. Go there and request for food announcing the name of the elder Bhagavan Balaram and also my name”.

Ordered thus Gopas went and begged the Brahmans in humble a supplication prostrating in front of them like sticks on the ground. “Oh Bhumi Devas! Please hear us. We cowherd boys are the executors of the order of Krishna and sent by Balaram. We wish all well for you. Please recognize us. Lord Rama and Lord Achyuta are tending to cows not far from here. Being hungry, they desire food from you. Oh knower of Dharma please gives us food. Beginning with the initiation for sacrifice, until the actual sacrifice, eating food for the one who is already initiated is not an offense, except for the sacrifice known as Sautramani. You will not be creating an offense by us giving food.”

Hearing the supplication of the Gopas, the Brahman's, presuming they to be wise men, yet entangled in ritualistic activities acted as though they have not heard. The time, place, particular items required, the Vedic hymns, prescribed rituals sacrificial fires , the presiding Devas, the offering, all of these constitute the Supreme being who is directly making the request. Perverted in their intelligence, thinking him as an ordinary man, falsely identifying themselves with materialistic rituals they did not honor the request of the cowherds.

Not getting a yes or no and discouraged the cowherd boys went back and spoke to Balaram and Krishna. Hearing about the behavior of the Brahmans Krishna addressed the cowherds telling them the way of the world. “Please announce to the wives that together with Sankarshana I have arrived. They will give you as much as you desire, with affection in me.”

Going to the house of Brahmans where the wives were sitting with beautiful ornaments, bowing down to offer obeisance, the Gopas spoke humbly. ” Obeisance unto you, the wives of learned Brahmans. Please hear our words. We are sent by Lord Krishna, who is tending to cows not far from here. Tending to cows he has come from far away in the company of other Gopas and Balaram. He is hungry. Food may be please be given.”

Hearing that Achyuta is nearby, constantly eager for the sight of him, enchanted by the descriptions of Him in their minds, they became excited. Carrying four types of foods endowed with many rich tastes, in many vessels, all the Brahman wives went forward like the rivers moving towards the ocean.

Though forbidden by their husbands, brothers, other relatives, and even by their sons, the Brahman wives moved forward having heard hymns about his transcendental qualities. The Brahman wives saw Krishna and Balaram surrounded by Gopas wandering in the garden along the river Yamuna. They saw Krishna, dark blue in complexion with a garland of forest flowers, peacock feathers and golden garments, dressed like a dancer on the stage with colored minerals and sprig of buds. He was standing with one of his hand placed on the shoulder of a friend, the other hand twirling lotus. With lilies in his ears, hair extending over his cheeks, he had a brilliant smile on his lotus like face.

For a long time the Brahman ladies heard the glories of Krishna in whom they submerged their minds. The glories of Krishna were like ornaments for their ears. As they saw Krishna, at once Krishna entered their hearts through the aperture of their eyes. In this way the Brahman women gave up their distress of not having seen him so far.

Understanding those ladies who, having given up all material desires, arrived with the desire of seeing himself, Krishna spoke with a smile on his face.

“Auspicious welcome for you, oh fortunate ladies! Please come and sit. What can I do for you? You have come with desire of seeing me. That is certainly fitting on your part. Intelligent people, who perceive the true benefit, perform unmotivated uninterrupted devotional service directly unto me. For I am most dear to the soul. One's vital force, intelligence, mind, relatives, wife, children, wealth, and so on have become dear because of self. There is no object dearer than self. Therefore please go to the sacrificial area, so that your husbands the Brahmans will be able to finish their own sacrifices as house holders.

The wives of Brahmans said,” o Lord! You ought not to speak like this. Please make true, the promise given in the revealed scriptures for those who obtain your lotus feet. Rejecting all our relations and having obtained the garland of Tulasi leaves neglectfully kicked away to put in our hair, we cannot go back. Our husbands, fathers, brothers, sons and other relatives will not take us back. How can other people give shelter? Therefore Oh chastiser of enemies! Kindly bestow upon us shelter at the tip of your feet. There can be no other destination.”

The Supreme Being said, “your husbands will not be inimical, so also your fathers, brothers sons and others. The even Devas look upon this favorably. In this world physical association is not necessary for satisfying spiritual loving attraction. Therefore fix your minds in me, you will always quickly achieve communion with me. By hearing about me, by seeing the deity form, by meditation, by chanting my names the spiritual love for me develops. Not by literal proximity. Therefore oh Brahman ladies please return to your homes.”

Spoken to with these words the wives of the Brahmans returned to the place of the sacrifices and the husbands were not inimical and welcomed them back. Together with them, the Brahmans completed the sacrificial rites. One of the Ladies held back by force by the husband gave up her material life as she heard from others about the glories of the Supreme Being.

After the Brahman ladies left, Govinda also shared the very same food with all Gopas.

Then the Brahmans coming to senses felt a great remorse, for having committed sinful offense of ignoring the humble supplication of the Lord of the universe deceptively appearing in the human form. Observing the pure devotion of their wives and their lack of the same they condemned themselves. They spoke among themselves.

“Indeed the illusory potency of the Supreme being is bewildering even to the mystics. We the spiritual masters of the society have become bewildered about our own real interest. See the unlimited devotion of these women for the spiritual master of the entire universe, which has broken the deadly bond of family life. On the part of these women, there are no purificatory rituals of the twice born. There is no a residence done in the ashram of a spiritual master. No austerities were done. No philosophical enquiry into self was gone into. No ritualistic activities as in Vedas. Indeed except for the pure devotional service to Lord Krishna, whose glories are chanted by exalted mantras, they had no other claims. On the other hand here we are having performed all that is prescribed and we have no Krishna. Indeed we are infatuated about the household endeavor. Through the simple words of the cowherd boys, he reminded us of the ultimate destination. Otherwise for him, whose every possible desire is fulfilled, and who controls every things, why this pretense for food.

“He is verily Vishnu himself who has taken birth in Yadu dynasty. This we have heard certainly. Nevertheless foolish as we are we could not understand. Let us offer our obeisance to him whose intelligence is never restricted, because of whose illusory potency we are wandering on this path of furtive work. We are bewildered by his potency. We did not understand his influence. He should forgive the offense. “

Thus looking back, having felt contempt for what they themselves did and were indeed eager to see Lord Krishna.

Yet they did not being afraid of Kamsa.

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He is verily Vishnu himself. Taken birth in Yadu dynasty. This we have heard certainly .Nevertheless foolish as we are we could not understand