Beginning of the Raas Leela

Shukadeva Goswami said, "O King Parikshit, after Krishna held up Govardhan Hill with one hand for seven straight days, the people of Braj were filled with amazement. But this was not the first strange thing they had seen. Even before that, Krishna had done many wonderful acts. He had defeated the great poisonous serpent king Kaliya. From that time, the people of Braj had become more and more curious. And after the lifting of Govardhan, no one could hold back that curiosity any longer."

In the lanes of Braj, the cowherds gathered and spoke among themselves.

"This Krishna keeps doing such strange things again and again. How is this possible? Does Krishna know magic?"

"That is true," another said. "How can such a small boy keep doing impossible things? I have this question too. I have never seen such things happen before."

"Oh, forget seeing," said a third. "Have you ever heard of such things happening anywhere?"

"No, I have not."

"Then how are such strange events happening in Braj? We must think about this."

"You are right. We really must think about it. If these matters cross the Yamuna and reach the king in Mathura, then we will be in great danger. Who knows what the king of the dynasty may do."

"Yes, yes, I had not thought of that. You are right. You are right. We must solve this mystery."

"But how will we know? What is the way to know?"

"There is only one way. Let us go to the house of Maharaj Nanda. Only he can tell us this secret."

"Come, come, let us go then."

Shukadeva said, "The people of Braj were indeed very simple and very strange. In times of danger, Krishna had protected them. Yet now they doubted his power. They did not know Krishna’s true strength. They knew only what they had seen with their own eyes. How could they know that such a small boy was God? And even if they had heard it, why would they believe it? If they had truly known, would such doubt have risen in their minds, O Parikshit? What they did not know, that was exactly what they wished to know. So they all went to the house of King Nanda."

At Nanda’s house they called out loudly, "Maharaj! Nanda Maharaj! Nanda!"

Nanda came out and said, "Here I am, Upamanyu, Alarka. Come, come. Is there some new problem again? I can see worry on your faces."

"Not exactly a problem," they replied. "But yes, there is worry. We are all a little troubled."

"What has happened, Alarka? What is the problem? Tell me."

"We have come to tell you, King. We have a question for you."

"A question? Good. Tell me, Upamanyu, what do you want to know?"

"We want to know about Krishna. Our question is about him."

"About Krishna? What do you want to know about Krishna?"

Upamanyu said, "You and Devi Yashoda are both fair in color. Then why is your son Krishna so dark, King? We know that Rohini Devi’s son Balaram is linked to the lunar dynasty, so there is nothing to say about his appearance. But how did Krishna become so dark in complexion?"

At once Yashoda, hearing this, became upset. "My son is protecting this land of Braj with his life. He has saved us from so many dangers. Then why is there so much doubt about him?"

"There is a reason for doubt, Devi," they said. "Almost everyone in Vrindavan has the same kind of color and build. Leaving aside Brahmins and Shudras, all in the cowherd community are more or less of the same kind. Then how did Krishna become so different? Today you must tell us the secret of Krishna’s birth, Maharaj. His nature, his power, everything is very strange. Tell us, Maharaj, can you or Devi Yashoda stand holding a huge rock in your hand? But look at Krishna. He stood holding a whole mountain in his hand. Where did he get such strength from? This is not the power of a human being, King. These are signs of a Kshatriya. How did a Kshatriya boy come into a cowherd home? This will bring a terrible disorder to the family line. And if you do not tell us everything clearly, then great trouble will come upon our cowherd society."

Yashoda cried out, "What is this! Kanai has done no wrong. He is one of this society. He loves this society. Then what danger is this?"

Nanda gently said, "Wait, Queen. Do not be afraid. I will speak. Listen, Upamanyu. I will tell you openly all that you want to know. Garga Muni had told me about Krishna."

At once the men leaned forward. "What did the great sage Garga say?"

Nanda answered slowly, "He said that at one time this Krishna was born as the son of Vasudev, so people would call him Vasudev. He also said that in different births he had different forms and different names. But in every birth this boy came as the good power of the world. He punished the wicked and protected the good. He also said that the one whom Vishnu himself protects cannot be killed by anyone. That same power of Vishnu is in this boy. Garga Muni clearly told me, know this boy to be equal to Narayan."

The cowherds stared at him in shock.

"What are you saying, Nanda Raja?"

"Yes," Nanda said, "I am speaking the truth. Since hearing his words, I too think of Krishna as a part of Narayan."

One of them asked, "Does the name Krishna also have a meaning?"

"What meaning?" asked Nanda.

"The k of Krishna means Kamalapati. The ri means Ram. The letter s points to the six special qualities of the child. The retroflex n means Nrisingha. The final long aa means fire. And the visarga means Nara-Narayan. Garga Muni himself said these things at the naming ceremony."

At once the men were even more disturbed. "The naming ceremony? What are you saying, Nanda Raja? Garga Muni performed Krishna’s naming ceremony? Why, we do not know this. All of us in the cowherd community are your own people. King, did you not invite us to your son’s naming ceremony? Why did you keep such a holy event secret, King?"

Nanda raised his hand and said, "This is not injustice, Alarka. It is not what you are thinking. I myself did not want to do anything in secret. But at that time this secrecy was needed. Otherwise Kansa would have become suspicious. Then Krishna’s danger would have grown even more."

Then Nanda added, "Alarka, Vrishabhanu knows this. Garga Muni described his daughter Radha as Krishna’s power."

But Alarka shook his head. "No, King, we cannot accept this behavior of yours. Mahatma Vrishabhanu is also guilty of the same fault. Come, let us go to Vrishabhanu."

"Yes, come, come," said the others.

King Parikshit then asked, "Well, even after hearing Krishna’s identity, did the hurt feelings of the people of Braj not go away, O sage?"

Shukadeva replied, "This was a very strange matter. I already told you, King, that through all the plays of Vrindavan rules Yogamaya, who makes the impossible happen. After the lifting of Govardhan, the cowherds were amazed by Krishna’s divine power. Now if talk of his godhood spreads everywhere, then the sweetness of Braj will be lost. If everyone worships him as God, then who will love him with affection, Parikshit? So new doubt rose again in the minds of the people of Braj."

Parikshit said softly, "Then this too happened by Krishna’s own wish."

"Yes, King, that is so," said Shukadeva. "Without Krishna’s wish, nothing happens in the world, and Braj is no exception. It is because Krishna wished it that doubt appeared in the cowherd society, King. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lord, now I understand. Please tell me about Vrindavan, O sage. Did Upamanyu and Alarka go to Vrishabhanu?"

"They did," said Shukadeva. "They were the representatives of the cowherd society. They had gone to King Nanda with the doubts and questions of the whole community. But their hurt feelings were not healed there. Instead, after hearing of the secrecy in Nanda’s house, they came angrily and sadly to Vrishabhanu."

They stood outside his home and called, "Mahatma Vrishabhanu! Mahatma Vrishabhanu!"

Vrishabhanu came out warmly. "Oh, Upamanyu, Alarka! What good fortune for me! Come, come. You are welcome."

But they remained stiff and troubled.

"No, King, we have not come to accept your hospitality. We have come to you with a demand."

"A demand? What demand? What do you want?"

"Vrishabhanu, just as King Nanda is a leader in this cowherd society, your influence is also great. You are a jewel of the cowherd community. We request you, do not keep relations with King Nanda."

Vrishabhanu was startled. "What are you saying? Maharaj Nanda is my dear friend. He is my kinsman. Not only that, he is the friend of everyone in this cowherd society. He wishes good for all. When people come to him, all their troubles go away. Misfortune leaves them. Have you not understood him?"

"We know him too, King. Everyone in Vrindavan knows him. What he has done with this cowherd society is not right. He should not have done this. He held his son’s naming ceremony without telling anyone. For our cowherd society this is very improper and wrong."

"Yes, King, we do not support him. You too should cut off all ties with him."

Vrishabhanu firmly replied, "No, Upamanyu, no, I cannot do that. There is not another man in all this land of Braj with a heart as generous as King Nanda’s. I have no friend as great as he is. How can I leave him?"

Their tone became harder. "If you do not leave him, then all of us together will leave you. Your daughter too is a bride of this cowherd society. If society leaves you, will that be good for your daughter, King?"

Vrishabhanu said at once, "Are you speaking of Radha? No one has the power to harm Radha, not even I. No one in this world can do her any harm."

They stared at him. "How did you know that?"

"Garga Muni himself told me so."

"Garga Muni came to your house too? Garga Muni had come?"

"Yes, he came. In great secrecy he performed Radha’s naming ceremony. He had forbidden us to invite anyone to that ceremony. Because he told us a very secret thing about Radha."

The men pressed him eagerly. "What did he say? Tell us, King."

Vrishabhanu’s face softened with devotion. "Garga Muni said that my Radha is Haripriya. The power of Shri Hari himself is sitting in my house as my daughter. And Madhusudan himself has come as the son of King Nanda. Why? Did Nanda Maharaj not tell you that?"

"Yes," they said slowly, "he also said this."

"Then do not disbelieve his words, Alarka," Vrishabhanu said. "Do not keep any doubt in your minds about Krishna himself. He has come to lighten the burden of the world. The cruel Kansa will be destroyed by his hand. Please listen to my request, Upamanyu. At this very moment go to Nanda’s house. Do not keep any hurt feelings toward him. Embrace him with respect. There can be no division in the cowherd society."

The anger in their hearts melted away.

"Yes, you are right, King. We were wrong. Since the great sage Garga told you the same thing, then ignoring King Nanda was our fault. Please forgive us, King. Before Shri Hari and his power, we bow down in full respect. We will go to Nanda’s house right now."

"Yes, yes, come, come," said the others. "No more delay. We must ask Nanda Raja for forgiveness."

King Parikshit asked, "Well, did Nanda Raja forgive this cowherd society, Lord?"

Shukadeva smiled. "These cowherds were inwardly joined with one another, King. Truly no one was separate from anyone else. So no one was greater or smaller than another. All are parts of Shri Hari. They are all parts of Shri Hari."

Then the sage continued in a grave and wondrous voice, "Yes, King. All of them are like the eight attendants who came from the two hands of Shri Hari, like Shridham. From the wrists came the Nandas, from the fingers came the Upanandas, and from the roots of the arms came Vrishabhanu. From his body hair the gopis were born, King. From his left shoulder came Viroja. From his love Shri Radhika appeared. Again, from Radha’s two hands came Lalita and Vishakha. From her body hair the other gopis were born. Do you see, King? No one is outside the body of Shri Hari. So in all the people of Braj there was an awakened sense of oneness."

Parikshit bowed his head. "Yes, Acharyadev, I understand clearly. I have no more doubt."

Shukadeva went on, "At that time, when the cowherds were troubled with doubt about Krishna’s identity, Kamadhenu Surabhi came down from heaven to earth. She had no doubt at all about Lord Shri Hari in the form of Krishna."

In a lonely forest of Braj, on shady ground, Krishna sat by himself, playing his flute softly. Hearing that flute, Surabhi came and stood before him. Then, in a sweet woman’s voice, she said, "O Madhusudan, Supreme Lord Shri Hari, I bow to you."

Krishna smiled. "Come, Surabhi, are you well?"

"By your grace all is well, Lord. I have come from heaven to you with a special wish, Madhusudan."

"Tell me, Surabhi, what do you want?"

Surabhi bowed low. "Lord, you have crushed the pride of King Indra. In this creation, those who take shelter in you attain the highest state. They become free from all desires, hurt feelings, and pride. You protect cows, Brahmins, gods, and holy people. On behalf of all the cattle race, we accept you as Indra in that place, Lord."

Krishna said, "So be it. Let it be so."

Surabhi’s eyes shone with joy. "Lord, you have honored me. I am blessed, Lord. In this world you are the protector of the cattle race. I offer you the name Govinda, Lord. Victory to Shri Krishna, victory to Govinda. Victory to Shri Krishna, victory to Govinda."

Then Surabhi bathed Krishna with her own nectar-like milk. Airavat, the elephant mount of King Indra, brought water from the heavenly Ganga in his trunk. Krishna was anointed with that water. As the heavenly cow poured out milk, all the cows on earth also began to give milk. The ground became slippery with that milk. Gandharvas, Yakshas, and gods showered heavenly flowers. The apsaras began to sing and dance. At that moment even fierce animals forgot their violence. The people of Braj too raised loud cries of victory.

When Govinda’s anointing was complete, the gods and Gandharvas all returned to heaven. And the doubts in the minds of the people of Braj were destroyed forever.

Soon autumn came to Vrindavan. Nature took on endless beauty. The sky was blue. The waters of the Yamuna looked deep and dark. The trees were filled with countless flowers. Birds sang everywhere, and the joy of Vrindavan could hardly be contained.

In that autumn, the moon-god himself came to Vrindavan to gain the company of his own Krishnachandra. Vrindavan seemed to float in autumn moonlight. Even the moon itself seemed to have become Krishna’s beloved.

One day, under that wonderful moonlight, Krishna played a strange new note on his flute.

The moment the gopis heard it from far away, they lost all sense.

"What is this! I have never heard this tune before."

"Again, again, that flute! Again, that tune!"

One gopi trembled and pressed her hand to her heart. "This flute makes me mad. This flute does not let me stay in the house. Keshav, Keshav, why do you play such a flute, Keshav? I cannot bear it. I just cannot stay in the house. I, I what shall I do? Keshav, where shall I go? Now it is deep evening, and there is so much work left in the house. But, but how can I bring my mind back, how can I? This house has now become chains to me. I cannot bear it at all. I cannot stay in the house anymore. That flute, that flute is pulling me, pulling me very strongly. Shall I go? I, what shall I do? What shall I do? Keshav, Keshav, I am coming, Keshav. I am coming. I am coming right now. Do not play such a flute in the dead of night. I am coming, Keshav."

Parikshit asked, "Did the gopis truly run to him, O sage?"

"Yes, King," Shukadeva said. "The gopis could no longer stay in their homes. Whatever state they were in, in that very state they began to run. Home, family, work, nothing remained in their minds. They forgot everything. They even forgot themselves."

"But they were in their homes. Surely their family members were there too. Did they say nothing, Lord? Is it really possible to leave household life like that?"

"No, King, it is not possible. Their family members tried to stop them. But the gopis were beyond all bonds then. They had no fear, no shame, no sense of honor or insult. Their mind, life, and soul knew only one person, only Krishna. So they began to run."

Parikshit said with deep feeling, "Please tell me of that sight, O sage, of the gopis running in such longing. This pull toward God is the sign of a seeker’s liberation. This pull exists only in Vrindavan."

"You are right, King," said Shukadeva. "This free and boundless loving devotion is Vrindavan’s own treasure. This treasure exists nowhere else. So the sweet flavor of the divine play exists only in Vrindavan, King. Each gopi is an image of that sweetness. Ah, do you want to hear of that pull of theirs, King?"

"I do."

Shukadeva said, "They forgot what they had been wearing, whose clothes were untidy, and in what condition they were. With loose clothes and unfinished ornaments they ran like mad women. Their clothes and ornaments did not match at all. On someone’s forehead the sandal mark was only half done. In someone’s eyes the kohl was only half applied. Someone’s kumkum decoration was still unfinished. The bowl of sandal paste, the stick of kohl, remained in their hands. Someone was running still carrying the pot for milking cows. Someone else had other household things in her hand. Someone may have been fanning her husband, and the fan stayed in her hand."

Parikshit said, "As I listen, I feel amazed, Lord. Household women went out alone on lonely roads after evening! I have never heard of such a thing till today. Seeing it is far beyond hearing."

Shukadeva replied, "No, King, do not compare the state of the gopis that day with the familiar scenes of life, Parikshit. Such a thing had never happened before and will never happen again. Because God himself never again played that flute. Through that flute his powerful attractive force worked."

Parikshit asked, "What was that note like, O sage? I deeply wish to know."

"How can I explain such a note to you, King?" Shukadeva answered. "It is not something to be heard like an ordinary song. It must be felt in deep meditation. Still, if I must say it in words, I can say one thing. That day Mukunda Murari raised on his flute the sound of an unspoken seed of desire joined with 'kling'. By that pull the gopis became so mad with longing."

"Did all the gopis of Braj reach him, Lord?"

"No, King. Many could not cross the limits of household life. The hard stare of society stopped them. They could not cross their threshold."

"Then they could not gain Krishna’s company?"

"They could. Even if their physical bodies could not reach him, their subtle bodies surely did."

Parikshit looked puzzled. "How did that become possible, Lord?"

Shukadeva said, "Society did not let them go out. It kept them locked in their homes. But who could bind their minds? In deep longing they began to think of Krishna. That longing rose to such a level that their mind, life, and soul became full of Krishna. There was no one else in their thoughts except Krishna. In that deep union they found him. In the forest where Krishna was, their subtle bodies gained his company. By his touch, all the bonds of this life and the next life of those imprisoned women were freed in a moment."

Parikshit then asked, "I have a question, Lord. Shri Krishna himself is far above maya, delusion, desire, and all human nature. He is the Supreme Soul himself. Then why did he play that note of desire on his flute?"

Shukadeva replied, "Parikshit, your question is very deep. The meaning of the name Krishna is attraction. If the Supreme Soul does not himself draw the individual soul near, then how can the individual soul ever reach him? This attraction is described in common language as desire. But in this divine play, attraction can be explained in another way too, King."

Parikshit bowed. "If I am worthy to hear it, then please tell me, O sage."

"The gopis of Vrindavan are parts of him," Shukadeva said. "No one is separate from him. Supreme Lord Shri Hari himself is the very form of divine sweetness. There is no sweetness outside him, for he himself is that sweetness. And he is also the enjoyer of that sweetness. So he himself tastes himself. Being whole, he draws the parts toward himself. Do you understand, King? This is a very difficult matter."

Parikshit said, "Acharyadev, this can only be grasped by realization. Truly, understanding this truth is difficult."

"Yes, King. All of Hari’s play is something to be realized. Otherwise, if we judge it by ordinary reality, we may often go wrong. We spend our time on the outer sign and miss the real goal. We move far away from the root, King."

Parikshit said, "No, Lord, please take me back to that root. Tell me what the gopis, made mad by Shri Hari’s flute, did then, Lord."

Shukadeva said, "The gopis now ran to him like mad women. Overhead the full moon smiled silently. Before their eyes Krishna himself, beautiful as the moon, smiled. I have no language to describe that unearthly form of his, Parikshit, I have none. Krishna’s body seemed made from all the sweetness of creation, or else all the honey of the world seemed to drip down from that very body. The moonlight made him even more dreamy, even more lovely."

Krishna looked with enchanted eyes at the gopis rushing to him. Then in a very soft voice he said, "What is this, friends? Why have you left your homes, families, and households and run to me like this? In your homes are your husbands, children, fathers-in-law, mothers-in-law, everyone. Serving them is your duty. Instead of that, you have run to another man, and that too at night! What will society say? People will speak badly of you. Go, go, return home."

One gopi answered with tears in her eyes, "I have no home, Madhav. I have no society, no household, no family, nothing. Only you are there, Krishna, only you are there. When I came to you, I had no sense of the road, Krishna. Look, the thorns and stones on the path have wounded my feet, my feet are torn and hurt."

Krishna said gently, "Yes, that is true. Ah, does anyone come like this? What will your relatives and friends say? If they hear of such wrongdoing, none of them will let you enter your home again."

Another gopi spoke, her voice trembling. "I did not come to go back, Krishna. What I left behind, what I forgot, I do not want back anymore. I kept the Katyayani vow only to gain you. Mother Katyayani heard my call. My vow has become successful."

A third said, "Mine too. Then why do you speak of returning, Krishna? From the day you called me your friend and stole all the rights over my heart, from that day I cannot think of anyone else, Madhav. Without you my world is empty, my heaven is empty. I do not want to live in that empty world. O Krishna, besides you no one is complete. Then to whom shall I return, Krishna? You are my dearest one, Madhav. I know no other dear one. Then whom should I fear? What shame before people? In this Vrindavan, other than you there is no third one to fear and no third one to love, Krishna, no one. Do not send me back, Madhav, do not send me back. Let me stay near you. Only when I come to you do I feel life return to me. There is no life anywhere else in this world, Madhusudan. Where shall I go?"

Krishna smiled slightly and said, "Have you really come to me, or have you come to see the magic of this autumn night? Tell me truly. See how beautiful the moon has risen. All the trees and plants of Vrindavan are full of flowers and fruits. A gentle breeze is blowing by the Yamuna. One cannot see the beauty of the night while sitting inside the house. So you came running for that, did you not? Well, you have seen it. Now return."

One gopi answered at once, "Krishna, you know everything. On the way to you, my eyes did not fall on the Yamuna or the moon. Hearing the flute, I ran toward you like a mad woman. Do you not know that? Then why do you give this false blame, Madhav?"

Krishna’s voice became softer still. "Very well, very well. Do not be hurt anymore. Tell me, what do you want from me?"

A gopi folded her hands and said, "I want nothing from you, Krishna. Nothing. I want to give. I want to give myself completely. I have nothing else besides this. I have no rights, Madhav. I only have control over my outer and inner consciousness. Take that from me, Madhusudan. I do not want to keep myself tied to myself anymore."

Then Krishna said to them all, "O friends, all your prayers and offerings have become successful. Your birth, your actions, your duty, all have become successful. All the sins of this life and the next have washed away. Your desires are fulfilled. You have no more bondage. What you wanted shall happen. Come, enjoy with me."

Shukadeva continued, "The gopis had run to him after giving up all earthly pleasures and desires, worldly interests, pride, honor, and fear of public shame. Now the fruit of that one-pointed thought of God ripened. Shri Bhagavan himself began to enjoy with them. On the banks of the Yamuna, in the forest groves, on paths and open grounds, the rasa of Krishna with his beloved gopis began. Each one received him in her own way."

Parikshit asked, "How was that possible, Lord? Krishna was one, and the gopis were countless. How did all of them receive him?"

Shukadeva replied, "No, King, Krishna did not remain one anymore. Each gopi wanted to receive him in her own special way, and each had her own feeling. Each feeling had to be fulfilled. So Shri Hari created countless forms of his own play. One Krishna began to be with each gopi. Then the gopis received him to the fullest joy of their hearts. By Krishna’s touch and embrace, divine awareness awakened in the gopis. They became completely enchanted in Krishna’s mood and love. They lost all sense of their own bodies."

Parikshit said, "There is one thing I do not understand, Acharyadev. Please explain it to me."

"What do you want to know? Tell me, Parikshit. Tell me."

"The gopis did not worship the Supreme Soul as such. They all wanted to be the beloved of Krishna the man. That was why they ran to him. Then how were they freed from all sin, suffering, and the results of action? They had done no spiritual practice."

Shukadeva looked at the lake before them and said, "Well, Parikshit, do you see that lake in front of us? If you go down into that lake to bathe by yourself, or if someone pushes you into it, the result will be the same, will it not? Your clothes and ornaments will all get wet, yes?"

"Yes, Lord, the result would be the same."

"So you have already found the answer to your own question, King. Whether someone remembers Shri Bhagavan knowingly, or remembers him thinking of him as a beloved, the result is the same. That person is still remembering Bhagavan, is that not so?"

"That is true, that is true. Now I understand, Lord. I have no more doubt."

Shukadeva added, "And let me tell you one more thing, King. As Shri Hari touched the gopis in the form of their beloved, that touch filled their bodies with divine consciousness. Their earthly bodies changed into divine forms. Otherwise how could they hold the love of Bhagavan?"

Parikshit asked, "And the gopis who could not come that day, who sat at home meditating on Shri Hari, did they too have this same transformation, O sage?"

"Certainly, King. Their subtle selves had joined with Bhagavan. In meditation, that day they too received the joy of Shri Bhagavan’s touch. They too took part in the rasa play with Krishna on that bank of the Yamuna and in those forest groves. By the touch of Shyam Sundar, they too gained divine bodies, Parikshit. Their birth as gopis became successful."

"But the families of the gopis were left out of this play, Lord. When the gopis returned to their homes, did no obstacle come?"

"No, Parikshit. The Supreme Lord himself had played with them. Then why would any obstacle come? Was not Yogamaya there, who makes the impossible happen? She is there both to create obstacles and to remove them. By her grace, with blessed hearts, the gopis were able to return home."

Parikshit then said, "And Radharani? I did not get to hear about her, Lord. Tell me, was she not able to take part in this play?"

Shukadeva answered, "Were you not speaking of obstacles, King? Do you know, Radharani faced the most obstacles of all. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, that is Jatila and Kutila, did not trouble Radharani a little."

Parikshit was amazed. "What! The one whom Shri Krishna himself loves, why did he not make her path free of trouble, Lord?"

Shukadeva said, "Love grows through separation, King, love grows through separation. That is why Shri Krishna has remained bound all his life by Radharani’s love."

Parikshit folded his hands. "I want to hear of Shri Radhika’s sorrow of separation, Lord. Am I worthy of it?"

"Certainly you are worthy," said Shukadeva. "I will tell you, King, I will tell you everything. But first let me tell you of her love. It is by Radha’s love that Krishna himself has become bent in three places. I will tell you all about Shri Radhika’s love and pain, Parikshit. If you do not hear that, your main gain will not be complete."