Post by jksivan on Aug 14, 2013 20:54:04 GMT 5.5
Dear Children
53 " prasadham "
We all love Krishna and we know that. But do you know whom Krishna love most? You know that also, and it is Radha, his childhood friend in Brindhavan.
When we think of Radha and Krishna, it is like thinking about day and night, body and soul, honey and sweetness, etc., most inseparable. Their love for each other is not what we see in cinemas or read in books. It is divine. What is pure love can be understood from the story today, which I am sure you will like and tell me about it also.
Krishna and Radha grew up in a small village of cowherds and played together in and around the banks of the enchanting holy river Yamuna, in the gardens, in the houses of their friends and in the thick groves of many frui t bearing trees. They were seen together every where, though Radha was slightly older than Krishna. If Krishna was the sun, Radha was the dazzling brightness.
Time flies always, and now Krishna is the king of Dwarka. Where is Radha? No one knows as she was last seen settled in family life wedded to a cowherd Ayyan and lived in Brindhavan just like others, “physically”. Her thought, mind, spirit and breathe was for ever "Krishna and Krishna" alone. As for Krishna, she was living in his mind and heart and he relished the thoughts and memories of his life in Brindhavan in her company.
The King of Dwarka, Krishna, now has many queens who all loved him and all of them knew of Krishna’ s special affection and love for his childhood friend Radha. They envied her because of Krishna’s special love for her which he many times expressed as “Radha is inseparable from me”
They never saw Radha. Once they all asked Krishna to invite Radha to Dwarka as they were all very eager to see Radha and find out what was so special about her.
“If you all wish to see Radha then certainly oneday Radha will be here”
One day, Radha came to Dwarka to visit Krishna at his palace. She was just normally dressed like any other cowherdess in the village and was wearing no expensive dress, jewellery etc..She was a typical village woman. The wives of Krishna were totally upset and wondered but disappointed that nothing was so special about her which deserved Krishna's praising her.
Radha was very friendly and affectionate to all of them and spoke nicely to them freely and they were all fascinated by her simplicity and kindness. They forgot to even offer her anything to drink or eat!! Every word that Radha uttered was in praise of Krishna’s divine qualities and his greatness.
It was getting late and Radha finally was about to leave the palace when Rukmini realized that Radha has not been offered anything to drink or eat, as a courresy and usually extended to a guest or visitor.
“Radha please wait . we were all immersed in your beautiful talk of the olden days of Brindhavan and forgot to even offer anything to you. Kindly wait for a moment”
Rukmini ran to the kitchen, heated some milk and brought it quickly offering same to Radha
“Radha, you are so fond of Krishna and this milk is the suitable drink for you as you know well Krishna is fond of milk! Take it as "Krishna prasadham”. So saying Rukmini handed her the hottest milk in a big tumbler.
The milk was very hot and no one can drink such a hot milk. However, the moment Rukmini said “Krishna prasadham” Radha immediately poured the entire cup full of the hottest milk into her mouth without any hesitation gulped it. She then thanked them and left for Brindhavan.
Radha’s visit had a magic effect on the queens. They changed their opinion about her which was so long disturbing their minds.
Where was Krishna all this time? He was in sound sleep when Radha visited the palace, talked with the queens and left.
Rukmini followed by the other queens later visited Krishna in his chambers. He was still lying in bed. The queens found it was unusual for Krishna to be lying in bed for so long. Rukmini went near him. He was awake and saw them. He did not speak to them or answered their question “ Krishna why are you still lying, are you not well”?
They noticed that Krishna was uneasy and with some difficulty he got up and sat on his bed.
Rukmini was shocked to note Krishna’s uneasiness and observed him closely. Krishna's mouth and lips were red and swollen red and blistered and so were his throat, neck and stomach region burnt red hot and blistered.
"Krishna , Krishna, what happened to you" ?, cried all the queens. What did you do to get burnt in your mouth and stomach etc. Did you touch any fire, if so when and where, to get this much injured?”
Krishna struggled to talk but slowly answered them “Perhaps this is the work of my prasadham. Don’t worry, in a couple of days I will be back to normal”
Rukmini felt like being hit by a thunder bolt. It was she who offered the very hot milk, which no normal person can drink, to Radha, who drank it one gulp without hesitation as it was offered as “Krishna Prasadham”
Rukmini and others fell at Krishna’s feet to forgive them and realized how divine and great was Radha’s love for Krishna and their divine intimacy and understood how Radha and Krishna cannot be separate even in anyone’s thought.