||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya ||

Chapter -211 – The legend of Lord Krishna – 62

Anthar Hithe  Bhagavathi Sahasaiva  Vrajangana: | Athapyamsthamachakshana: Karinya Iva Yudhapam ||

Maharas is the heart content of Srimad Bhagavath Mahapuran describes the intense devotion of female cowherds and their complete surrender to Lord Krishna.  The female cowherds of Vraja approached Krishna with a desire to unite with him, they abandoned their families and people, they could immediately cut off all the worldly attachments, but when they took great pleasure in the company of Krishna, they forgot the real nature of the Bhramam.  They took pride in themselves and believed that they have become successful in kindling the emotions in Krishna; suddenly the supreme Lord disappeared from their sight.  Maharas teaches to live life without getting attached to people or wealth while living in material life, spreading happiness and peace, always remain connected with the Supreme Lord who resides as a soul in living beings.   The union of mind and intellect with the supreme Lord, with the practice of meditation and contemplation is ‘Maharas’ which denotes the permanent bliss.

Shuka Bhramam speaks “ Oh! Rajan, the female cowherds who were besieged with the cupid arrows suddenly noticed the absence of Krishna; they could not control their emotions, they have become panicky like the missing of a male elephant from the herd of female elephants.  They became restless, soon they conducted the search for Krishna in the woods, they recollected all the movements of Ramapathi, they remembered the various amusements of Krishna, they began to sing loudly praising the glories of supreme Lord who has all-pervading nature and conducted search all through the woods.  They enquired all those Ashwaththa, Plaksha, Peepal trees, plants, shrubs, creepers in the wood, Ashoka trees, Naga, Punnaga, Chambaka trees about Nandasoonu.  They approached Tulsi, who is Kalyani/auspicious, always yearn for the touch of lotus feet of Govinda, they enquired Malathi, Jathi, about Madhava.  They enquired Yamuna and Mother Earth who was raised by Lord Vishnu as Varaha, about Lord Krishna.  They enquired the herd of deer who fixes their gaze at Krishna, they enquired the huge trees and its widespread branches whether they had the fortune to get the touch of Krishna.  In this way they were completely absorbed in the thoughts of Krishna, eventually assumed they as Krishna, and began to perform the various passionate sports performed by Krishna. One of the lady assumed demon Poothana and the other one as Krishna, one of woman assumed the form of Shakatasura and the other one kicked the demon with her legs, one of the female cowherds who had huge body assumed herself as Mount Govardhana and another woman lifted her assuming herself as Krishna and instructed others to stand under the Mount Govardhana.  They completely forgot their real nature and grief, absorbed in the thoughts of Krishna, and cheered each other.  Eventually, they all got tired of their various sports, soon one of the females shrieked in surprise after witnessing the footprints of Krishna.  They could realize the symbolic mark on the footprint of Krishna, and found the footprints of a young maiden of cowherd too.   They have assumed that Krishna and the female cowherd must have walked together holding their hands on their shoulders like a male elephant disappeared with the female elephant.  The girl who accompanied Krishna to the woods must be a highly fortunate one, must have contemplated upon him tirelessly and taken complete surrender upon him, she is highly fortunate to have the association of supreme Lord who is difficult to attain even for Lord Bhrama and deities.  The female of cowherds who was eagerly watching the footprints on the ground that created little hollow on the ground confirmed that he must have carried that girl who accompanied him to woods.  While moving forward they could not witness the footprints of Krishna, they witnessed rock and bed of flowers on it.  The cowherds assumed that the girl who accompanied Krishna must have desired to get the flowers.  Krishna must have plucked flowers, made garlands and adorned on her head.  The cowherds conducted a search for the footprints, but found Krishna’s footprints were missing; only the footprint of the girl could be seen.  It was true that Krishna was followed by a young maiden of cowherds to the dense wood, while they moved a long way; she revealed her inability to move further and asked him to carry her.  Bhagavan bends on his knees before her and asked to take a seat on his shoulder, while she was trying to climb up on his shoulder with the slightest pride, soon he disappeared from her sight, and she fell down on the ground with a thud.  She was crying loudly calling out for Krishna,” Oh! Natha, Oh! Ramana, do not abandon me in the woods, I have discarded all the worldly attachments and began the journey with you, kindly bless me with your presence.”  All the female cowherds felt relieved to watch the young beautiful maiden who was in extreme grief and pain of separation from Krishna.  They continued to search for Krishna all over the woods, finally returned to the river banks of Yamuna, they shed tears remembering Krishna and his various pastimes.”

Ha  Natha Ramana  Preshta  Kvasi Kvasi Mahabhuja | Dhasyasthe  Kripanaya  Mey Sakhe  Dharshaya Sannidhim ||