The Meeting of Sri Krishna Disguised as Abhimanyu
pratah patanga-tanaya manaya padavya
snanaya yati kim iyam vrishabhanu-putri
ity akulaiva kutila vraja-raja-vesma
krishnam vilokitum agan mishato ’timanda
Once, Sri Radha, the young daughter of Vrishabhanu Maharaja, took a vow to regularly bathe in the Yamuna River early in the morning. This filled the less intelligent Kutila with suspicion because it was the month of Magha (January–February), which is the coldest part of the winter. One morning, when Sri Radha had left for the river, Kutila became curious to know what She was really doing. Kutila made an excuse to go to the house of Nanda Maharaja, the King of Vraja, as she was eager to find out if Sri Radha had actually taken the path that led to the Yamuna, and to know whether Sri Krishna was at home or not. She was also eager at heart to see Krishna. Thus Kutila set out for the residence of Vraja’s king.
snatum sa capi nijamatur anujnayaiva
tad yamunam tatam agaditi samvidana
gantum tadiya pada-lakshmadis aicchad esha
tatraiva yatra sa taya suvilalasati
Kutila learned from some servants there that Sri Krishna’s mother, Yasoda, had sent Him to bathe in the river. Her suspicion redoubled and she set off, tracking His unique footprints to the riverside. Kutila wanted to go to the place where Sri Krishna was enjoying beautiful pastimes with Sri Radha.
atrantare sa h acari tulasi pravisya
kunjam vilokya lalitadi-sakhi-sametam
radham priyena saha hasa-vilas-lilalavanya-
majjita-hridam mumude ’vadac ca
Tulasi, one of Sri Radha’s dear maidservants, noticed Kutila approaching the kunja. Tulasi entered that kunja to find Sri Radha surrounded by Lalita and the other sakhis. All were deeply immersed in enchanting laughter and play with their beloved. Brimming with boundless happiness, Tulasi said:
bho bhoh prasuna-dhanusho janusho ’tibhagyavikhyapanaya
yad imam mahamatanudhve!
tat sampratam srinuta sampratam enam eva
drashtum vrajallaghutaram kutila sameti
“O gopis, please listen. Your celebration of this charming festival here today has made the birth of Kamadeva, the god of love, unlimitedly successful. Nonetheless, there is something you need to know. Kutila is coming here from Vraja, just to catch a glimpse of your wonderful festival. She is almost here.”
sa kva kva hanta! kathayeti sasanka-netram
pratyasam alibhir iyam nijagada prishta
sattikaratavim asau samaya vyaloki
tarhy eva samprati tu vo ’ntikam apy upagat
When the sakhis heard this, they looked here and there with eyes full of fear, and cried, “Oh, no! Where is she, Tulasi? Tell us!” “I just saw her in front of the Chattikara (Sakatikara) forest,” answered Tulasi. “She must be almost here.”
proce harih kshanam udarkam ihaiva kunje
sthitvalayah kalayataham ito jihanah
tam vancayan pratibhaya racita ’bhimanyuvesah
kutuhalam ito ’py adhikam vidhasye
“Sakhis,” said Sri Krishna, “you just stay here in the kunja. I am going to disguise Myself as Abhimanyu. With My brilliant intelligence I shall cheat Kutila, and thus further increase our mischievous merrymaking. You will see the end of this affair, as surely as you will see the rising of the sun.”
ity uktva rahasi pravisya vipinadhisatta tat tat prithan
nepathyah pihita-sva-lakshma-nicayah kantha-svaram tam srayan
nishkramyanusasara tam sritimayam sa ’yati durad yaya
narthe hanta! vicakshanah kva nu bhaven nana-kala-kovidah
Sri Krishna went into another kunja, where Vrinda-devi, the goddess of the forest, gave Him clothes and ornaments that exactly resembled Abhimanyu’s. He dressed Himself in them, and attentively covered all of His distinguishing characteristics. Adopting Abhimanyu’s voice, He set off down the path on which Kutila was approaching. Aah! Can a person who is fully adept in all varieties of arts ever fail to accomplish His desired goal? Certainly not!
kasmat tvam kutile! vrajad bhramasi kim vadhva ihanveshana
yayata kva nu sarkajapasu makara-snanam misham kurvati
atraivasti gata kvacit kva ramani-caurah sa capy agatah
snatum bhratar ato ’nvayasmi gamita kurve kim ajnapaya
A little way along the path, Sri Krishna, disguised as Abhimanyu, met Kutila. In Abhimanyu’s voice He asked, “O Kutila, why are you wandering around this part of Vraja at this time of day?” “To search for Your wife,” replied Kutila.
“Why would She come here?” He asked.
“To bathe in the river Yamuna – or so She says,” replied Kutila.
“But it is just a pretext. She is somewhere close by.” “And where is that thief of women?” asked the Abhimanyu-disguised Sri Krishna.
“He also came here to bathe, and He is somewhere nearby too. When our mother heard about this she sent me here to investigate. Tell me, brother, what shall I do?”
yady apy adya paricyu to mama vrisho navyo hale yojanad
anveshtum tam ihagato ’smi tad api svalpaiva sa hrid-vyatha
mad-dareshv api lampatatvam iti yat sodhyum kim etat kshame
gatva kamsam itah phalam tad-ucitam dasyami tasmai svasah
“Sister,” replied Sri Krishna, “I came here to look for My new bull. He broke loose and ran away when I was yoking him to plough the field. My heart has been troubled because he has probably been stolen, but that pain does not compare to the anguish I am experiencing on account of that rake stealing My wife! That, no man can tolerate. I shall go straight to King Kamsa in Mathura. He will punish that thief in a way that He deserves.”
yuktim kam api me srinu prathamato nihnutya tishthamy aham
kunje ’smin paritas tvaya ’tra rabhasad anvishyatam radhika
sa krishnena vinasti ced iha mishenaniyatam so ’pi ced
aste ’lakshitam eva tatra naya mam vikshyaiva tam duratah
“Please hear My plan. I will hide in this kunja, while you quickly search for Radhika. If you find Her alone, bring Her here on some pretext, but if you find Her with Krishna, observe Them from a distance and then take Me there secretly.”
bhramam bhramam phani-hrada-tatad vikshya vikshyaiva kunjanantah
prodyat-kutila-madhura kesi-tirthopakanthe
pushpodyane ’mala-parimalam kirttida-kirttivallim
prapalinam tatibhir abhitah sevyamanam sanaih sa
When Kutila, whose nature is exceedingly crooked (kutila), heard these instructions, she began to search all the kunjas from Kaliya-hrada to Kesi-ghata. There, near Kesi-ghata, she came to a flower garden where she found Sri Radha, who is endowed with pure fragrance, and who is the flower vine of Her mother Kirtida’s fame. She was surrounded by Her sakhis, who were serving Her attentively.
kim snatum eshi kutile! na hi tat kim artham
yushmac-caritram avagantum ihanvagaccham
jnatam tad asu lalite! vada tad bravimi
kinva ’tra vakti nikhilam hari-gandha eva
Lalita saw Kutila coming, and asked, “Ah, Kutila, have you come to take bath?”
“No,” replied Kutila.
“Then why have you come?” asked Lalita.
“I have come to learn about your moral character,” answered Kutila.
“Very good,” said Lalita. “Then you should learn.”
“I have already understood everything, Lalita.”
“Understood? What have you understood? Please tell me.”
“The fragrance of Hari tells all. What more can I say?”
simhasya gandham api vetsi sa ced ihasti
nihnutya kutracana, tad bibhimo ’ti mugdhah
turnam palaya tad ito griham eva yamah
sneham vyadhas tvam amalam yad ihaivam agah
Lalita took the word hari to mean “lion” and replied, “Kutila! If you can smell a lion here, it must be hiding somewhere. We are simple, tender, young girls, and therefore fearful. We will run home! You have shown us such pure affection by coming to give us this warning.”
yasyanti gehamayi dharma-rata bhavatyah
kirttim vaneshu viracaya kula-dvayasya
kintv agrato ya iha rajati nipa-kunjas
tad-dvaram udghatayatasmi didrikshur etam
Kutila became full of anger and exclaimed sarcastically, “O you chaste girls! And will you proclaim the good name of your families from forest to forest as you go? Open the door to that kadambakunja and let me look inside!”
etat kaya ’pi v a na-devataya sva-vesma
ruddha gatam sara-salaka-kavatikabhyam
ka nama sahasavati parakiya gehadvaram
vinudya bata dosham asesham icchet
Lalita said, “A forest-god has closed the entrance of His bowerhouse with a door of reeds. He has gone elsewhere, and it is not appropriate to open the door to His kadamba grove. What woman would dare commit the sin of trying to open the door to another’s house?”
satyam bravishi lalite! kulaja ’si mugdha
naivavisah para-griham janusho ’pi madhye
kintu pravesayasi bhoh sva-griham param yat
tac-chastra-pathana-krite tvam ihavatirna
ity uktvarunitekshana drutam iyam gatva kutirantikam
bhitva pushpa-kavatikam atijavad antah pravisya sphutam
drishtva kausuma-talpam atra ca harer malyam tatha radhikaharan
ca trutitam para-grihya rabhasad agarad bahih
Kutila said to Lalita, “What you say is true. You are just a pure and simple girl, and you have never walked into anyone else’s house in your life. However, you know very well how to invite a paramour into your house. You have come to this world to teach from the scripture that explains how to facilitate a paramour’s entrance into the house of a young lady from a respectable family.”
Then, red-eyed with anger, she stormed up to the flower-door of the kunja, which had been locked with reeds, and kicked it open. There on a bed of flowers she saw a flower garland left by Sri Hari, and a broken pearl-necklace belonging to Sri Radha. Snatching them up, she came outside.
magha-snanam idam yatha vidhi-kritam punyam tathoparjitam
putam yena kula-dvayam ravi-suta-tire ravis carcitah
tad yuyam lalite! yiyasatha griham kimvatra ratrin-divam
dharmam karttum abhipsatheti vada me srotram samutkanthate
Holding them up before Lalita, Kutila said, “Your vow of bathing in the holy river Yamuna during the cold of winter will result in so much religious merit! Such austerities will enable you to purify the families of both your father and your father-in-law. I see that here on the riverbank you are also worshipping the Sun-god properly. Tell me, do you want to return to your homes, or would you rather stay here day and night earning pious merit? My ears are most eager to hear your answer.”
kim kupyasiha kutile! na mamaisha haro
bhratus tavaiva sapatham karavai prasida
ity uktavaty amala-candramukhi sakampasirasham
sa-humkriti katu-bhrutaya tatarje
When the spotless, moon-faced Sri Radha heard Kutila’s taunt, She said, “Kutila, why are you becoming angry unnecessarily? I swear by your brother that this necklace is not Mine. Please calm down!” Then Sri Radha angrily frowned, shook Her head, and loudly scolded Kutila.
netah prayasyata griham yadi na prayata
rajyam kurudhvam iha tavad aham tu yami
tam mataram bhagavatim api hara-malye
sandarsya yushmad uciteshta-vidhau yatishye
“If You do not want to go home, then don’t,” said Kutila. “Stay in this forest, and rule Your kingdom. But I am going home to show this necklace and garland to my mother and Bhagavati Paurnamasi. I will see to it that You are properly punished.”
kamam prayahi kutile! katu kim bravishi
haram pradarsaya griham griham eva sarvah
nasmakam esha yad ato na bibhemi kincan
mithya-pravadam api no na kada dadasi
“You are free to go Ku tila,” said Sri Radha, “but what good are your harsh words? You can go from house to house showing everyone this necklace. I do not fear this in the least because it is not Mine. Do not make false accusations against Me.”
sa kruddha drutam eva goshtha-gamanam svasya pradarsyaiva ta
yatraste harir ajagama sanakais tatraiva nihnutya sa
bhratar malyam agha-dvishah kalaya bho vadhvas ca haram maya
praptam saurata-talpa-gam rahasi ta drishtah sa nalokitah
Kutila pretended to angrily leave for home, but actually she hurried to where Sri Hari, disguised as Abhimanyu, was waiting. “My dear brother,” she whispered, “look what I have found! This garland belongs to Sri Krishna, the enemy of Agha, and this broken pearl-necklace belongs to Your wife. I found these on Their bed of amorous pleasure. Radhika and the others were there in that secret place, but I did not see that woman-thief anywhere.”
bhadram bhadram babhuva mathuram gacchami turnam bhaginy
etavad dvayam eva lambanam abhud vijnapane rajani
kintu sviya-grihasya vaktum ucito na syat kalanko mahams
tasmin vrishni-sadasy atas caturimamnatavya eko maya
Sri Krishna said, “Dear sister, you have done very well. Now I will quickly go to Mathura. Hand Me the garland and the broken necklace. I will show them to the king and petition him. He will certainly believe Me. I shall have to use some clever trickery so that our infamy is not disclosed before the assembly of the Yadus.
govarddhanam priya-sakham prativacyam etac
candravalim api bhavad-grihinim nikunje
aniya dushayati nanda-sutas tad etad
vastu-dvayam kalaya tan-mithunasya labdham
“Actually, I will not approach the king Myself. Instead, I will request My dear friend Govardhana Malla to go. I will say, ‘My dear friend, the son of Nanda called your wife, Candravali, to a bower and polluted her. Look, this is her broken necklace and His flower garland. “‘Listen, My friend, Krishna has performed this licentious act with your wife today, and tomorrow He will perform it with all of our wives! I urge you to go petition King Kamsa to send one hundred foot soldiers and ten cavalrymen to Nandagrama to arrest Nanda and his son, and take them to Mathura for punishment.’
ity uktvaiva maya punah sva-bhavanam purvahna evaishyate
madhyahne khalu rajakiya-purusha yasyanti te tu vrajam
tvam gatva griha eva matri-sahita tishtheriti procivan
krishno dakshina-din-mukho ’vrajad atho sa tas ca vesmayayuh
“That is what I shall say to Govardhana Malla. Then I will return home before noon, because the royal forces should arrive in Vraja around midday. Now, you go home and stay with Mother.” Sri Krishna, disguised as Abhimanyu, left on the southward path heading towards Mathura, while Kutila went home. The gopis also returned to their respective residences.
krishno vilambya ghatika-trayato ’tha tadrigvesah
svayam sa jatila-griham asasada
bhoh kvasi mata rayi bho kutile! sametya
janihi vrittam iti te prati kincid uce
Sri Krishna let an hour or so pass. Then, still in His disguise, He went to Jatila’s house and called out, “Mother! Kutila! Where are you? Please come and hear what I have to say.”
vijnapitah sa nripatih prajighaya yad yad
drag asvavara-dasakam tad ihaiti dure
kintv atra lampata-varo dhrita-mat-svarupo
mad-geham eti tad-alakshita agato ’smi
When Jatila and Kutila came, Sri Krishna said, “King Kamsa has been told everything, and ten cavalrymen are on their way here. But that licentious cheater has disguised himself as Me, and right now he is on his way to this very house. I will hide inside.
bahir-dvaram ruddha bhagini! saha matra drutam itah
samaruhyaivattam kalaya taruni-lampata-patham
tam eshyantam tarjanty atikatu-gira tishtha suciram
vadhum rundhan vartte tala-sadana evaham adhuna
“My dear sister, you should lock the outside gate, and then quickly go up to the balcony with Mother. Keep a lookout for that young debauchee. When he comes, attack him with sharp and cutting words. Meanwhile, I will wait with your sister-in-law on the ground floor of the house.”
athayantam drishtva tvaritam abhimanyum katu-ratanty
are dharma-dhvamsin vraja-kula-bhuvam kim nu yatase
praveshtum mad bhratur bhavana-mayi loshtralibhir itah
siro bhindanti te bata capala dasye pratiphalam
Sri Krishna went to the ground floor with Sri Radhika. Some time later Abhimanyu arrived home. As soon as Kutila saw him she began to shout, “O you who destroys the piety of the chaste girls of Vraja! How dare you try to enter my brother’s house! Listen, O fickle one, if you come in here, I will break your head with this stone! Such would be your just reward.
tavanyayam srutva kupita-manasah kamsa-nripater
bhata ayanty addha sa-pitrikam api tvam sukhayitum
yada karagare nripati-nagare sthasyasi ciram
niruddhas tarhi tvac-capalatarata yasyati samam
“King Kamsa was infuriated to hear of your wicked behavior, and he has sent his royal guards to make you and your father ‘happy’. They are coming any moment. They are going to take you to Mathura City and throw you in jail for the rest of your life. That will pacify your fickleness.”
iti srutva jalpam vikalam abhimanyuh katham aho
svasaram me preto ’lagad ahaha kacit katurah
tadanetum yami tvaritam iha tan-mantrika-janan
iti gramopantam vitata-bahu-cintah sa gatavan
When Abhimanyu heard all these confusing words from his sister, he became quite perturbed, and thought, “Alas, my sister has become possessed by a fearsome ghost. I had better call an exorcist.” He thus went to find the mantra-doctor who lived on the outskirts of the village.
evam hari sa jatila griha eva tasya
vadhva saharamata citra-caritra-ratnah
yatnah ka eva phalavattvam agan na tasya
kimva phalam para-vadhu-ramanad rite ’sya
In this way, that amazing and astonishing jewel known as Sri Hari engages in all sorts of pastimes with Jatila’s daughter-in-law in Jatila’s own house. He is always sporting with the wives of others; He has no other occupation. His endeavors are always successful; they always bear fruit.
Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna!
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