INDIA. PART III. Assembling of the clouds in battle array. Flight of the Joy of the HISTORY OF every quarter, and went forth to battle against the Hot Season. Then the clouds thundered like kettledrums, and flew through the air like mighty heroes; whilst the lightning flashed like the glittering of swords and spears; and the long rows of cranes fluttered their white wings like the waving of many banners, and the frogs and peacocks raised their voices like bards chaunting the praises of great Rajas; and the heavy drops of rain fell like a shower of arrows. Now when the Hot Season saw his enemy advancing in such gallant array, he fled with all haste from the thirsty plains. And the Rain refreshed the Earth, as a husband refreshes his spouse after a separation of many days; and the Earth opened her bosom to her lord, and brought forth fruits and flowers to pay obeisance to their father. And the country of Vrindavana appeared like a beautiful woman adorned with all her jewels; and the lakes and rivers were filled with water; and the trees waved their branches to and fro, whilst the cuckoos, and the pigeons, and the parrots poured forth their joyous strains. And all the cowherds and cowherdesses of Vrindavana gave themselves up to mirth and play; and they put on red and yellow garments, and began to swing in swings, and to sing with loud voices their hymns of welcome to the Rains. Festivities of the cowherds and cowherd esses. Krishna plays the flute in the pastures. damsels of Vrindavana. : At this time Krishna and his companions went out to the pastures with the cows, and sported about in the jungle. Confusion of the And Krishna played upon his flute, and all the young damsels of Vrindavana heard him, and said one to the other :"Krishna is now playing and dancing amongst the cows, but at evening time he will return hither and we shall beKrishna hides hold him." And one day the damsels went down to the river Jumná to bathe; and Krishna saw them, and carried away their clothes, and climbed up a tree; and he made each damsel come out of the water and receive her clothes at his hands. And Krishna said:-" Take not amiss the lesson I have given you; for the god Varuna dwells in the water, and no one should bathe in it without clothes."8 the clothes of the damsels who are bathing in the Jumná. 8 This implied lesson seems to be an after-thought of the author, to impart a religious significance to the dubious prank played by the incarnation of Vishnu. 3. Krishna's opposition to the worship of Indra. HISTORY OF Great feast at honour of In-, When Krishna coun sels the Yádavas to transfer their worship the Govard tain. worship the Now the custom was for the people of Vrindavana to hold a great feast on the fourteenth day of the dark half of the Vrindavana in month Kártika; and on that day they bathed, and washed dra. their clothes, and filled a square place with saffron and sandal wood, and offered sweetmeats to Indra, together with cakes, fried in butter and oil, and incense and lamps. Krishna saw what was going on, he said to his father "Why worship Indra as the Supreme God? He cannot from Indra to grant prosperity, for that is acquired by our religious merits, dhana mounand when he is defeated by the Asuras, he flies away and hides himself: O father, we are Vaisyas, and our cattle live upon the pastures: Let us, therefore, cease to worship Indra, and pay our devotions to the mountain Govarddhana." So Nanda and the cowherds obeyed the words of Krishna, The Yadavas and they placed the sweetmeats, and the fried cakes, and mountain. other things they had prepared, in large baskets, and brazen dishes and pots, and carried them in carts to the mountain Govarddhana, whilst a band of musicians accompanied them and played all the way. When they reached the place, they swept and cleaned the ground all round the mountain, and sprinkled water, and arranged the cakes and sweetmeats in order, and spread garlands upon the mountain. Then Nanda and all the cowherds summoned the family priest and prayed to the mountain. Then Krishna assumed a second form as Krishna appears the genius of the mountain, and manifested himself to all the as the genius of people; and Krishna in his first form as a cowherd bowed reverentially to the mountain, and all the cowherds and cowherdesses did the same, saying:-" When did Indra ever manifest himself as Govarddhana has done?" And the cow- Offering of cakes herds and cowherdesses presented the cakes and sweetmeats to the mounto the mountain; and Krishna in the form of the genius of the mountain stretched forth his arms and began to eat the food. Then Krishna in his own form, and all the people who were there, walked in adoration round the mountain, and returned merrily to Vrindávana. And all the cowherds Sports of the and cowherdesses rejoiced greatly, and they painted marks on in a second form the mountain. and sweetmeats tain. cowherds. INDIA. HISTORY OF all the cows and calves, and fastened small bells and tinkling ornaments round their necks, and engaged in every kind of sport and pastime. PART III. Wrath of down rain to wash away the country of Vrindavana. the mountain fiery hot, and raises it over When, however, Indra saw that the Yádavas had forsaken Indra. He sends his worship and made their offerings to the mountain, he was very wroth, and commanded the Raja of the clouds to go with all his host, and pour down such a deluge as should wash away the mountain and all the country of Vrindavana. So the Raja of the clouds obeyed the commands of Indra, and all the people of Vrindavana came to Krishna trembling with fear; but Krishna cried out :-" Fear not! The mounKrishna renders tain himself shall protect you." Then Krishna by his divine power made the mountain fiery hot; and he raised it up with the people like the little finger of his left hand, so that it covered all the people like an umbrella. And it was told to Indra that all the rains poured down by the Raja of the clouds fell upon the mountain with a hiss; and he went himself and rained without ceasing for seven days and nights, but not a drop fell upon the people of Vrindavana. So Indra returned to his abode in Swarga, and Krishna set down the mountain in its proper place as it had been before; after which Indra and Indra worships all the gods came to Krishna and did homage before him as Supreme Lord. the God of gods and Lord of all. an umbrella. Krishna as the Krishna dances with all the women of Vrindavana on full moon. 4. Love Adventures of Krishna. After this, on the night of the full moon in the month Kártika, Krishna went out into the jungle and played upon the night of the the flute; and all the women of Vrindavana heard the sweet notes of the flute, and were filled with love for Krishna, and followed him into the jungle. And Krishna led the women to the bank of the Jumná, and they all danced and sang round him in a ring, until he appeared like the moon surDisappears with rounded by a circle of stars. Presently Krishna disappeared his favourite Rhadhika. from amongst them, for he had a beautiful mistress named Radhika; and he went away to wander with his favourite damsel beneath the light of the full moon. And all the Sorrow of the other women sorrowed greatly, and sought for Krishna in all directions, but they found him not. And presently they women. INDIA. PART III. saw a mirror upon a bed of leaves, and one said to the HISTORY OF other:-"When Krishna sat down to wreathe the long back hair of Radhika, she could not see his face; and she held mirror. up the mirror and saw his divine countenance whilst he be- Finding of the held the face of his beloved." Meantime Krishna was walk- Sinful elation of ing with Radhika, but her soul was elated with pride, and Radhika. she thought herself better than Krishna, and she said to him :-"O my beloved, I am weary, and I pray you to carry me upon your shoulders.' And Krishna sat down and dons Radhika. smiled, and beckoned her to mount; but when she stretched Krishna abanforth her hand, he vanished from her sight, and she remained alone with outstretched hand. And Radhika wept The women find very bitterly, and the other women saw her, and approached return with her her, and led her back to the bank of the Jumná. Radhika, and to the Jumná. to the women. self into as as there are The circular Whilst the women were sitting by the river, mourning Krishna returns the absence of their beloved Krishna, he suddenly appeared amongst them, and their sorrow was turned into great joy. And Krishna multiplied himself into many forms, so that Multiplies himeach cowherdess thought that she had Krishna to herself; many Krishnas and the women joined hands two and two, and between each women. two was a Krishna; and the Krishnas and the damsels dance. danced together in the circular dance, until their necklaces of jewels were snapped asunder, and their wreaths of flowers had fallen to the ground, and the drops of perspiration glistened on their brows like rows of pearls, and their raven tresses hung down upon their fair faces like young snakes clinging for nectar to the full moon. And the Krishnas and Sporting in the the cowherdesses gratified every desire of their hearts; and they all went down into the river Jumná, and sported and gambolled in the waters; and the moon, surrounded by the stars, was fascinated with the sight, and sent down nectar with its beams. 5. Krishna's Adventures in Mathurá. river Jumná. forms a sacrifice Now it so happened that Raja Kansa performed a great Raja Kansa persacrifice to the god Siva in the city of Mathurá, and many to the god Siva fighting men and wrestlers went to the city to exhibit their Mathura. skill before the Raja. And Krishna and his brother in the city of PART III. Krishna and the city of Mathura. Adventure with of the Raja. HISTORY OF Balaráma went to Mathurá with the other cowherds; and all INDIA. the women of Vrindávana sorrowed at the departure of Krishna. Now when they entered the city their clothes Balarama go to were very old and dirty, and they saw the washerman of the Raja laden with bundles of washed clothes; and they the washerman prayed the washerman to lend them new clothes, but the man would not. Then Krishna and the other cowherds fell upon the washerman and belaboured him, and Krishna struck him so that his head flew off like an ear of corn. So Krishna and his companions seized the garments that the washerman had washed, and began to put them on; but they were rude cowherds, and understood not the raiment, and some thrust their arms into the drawers whilst others drew the jackets on to their legs. And Krishna laughed as he beheld his companions, but presently a tailor came up, and Krishna requested him to dress the cowherds; and the tailor obeyed the request, and set to work with all speed and fitted the clothes upon the cowherds, and Krishna rewarded him by forgiving him all his sins.9 Amusing mis takes in putting on the clean clothes. Krishna for gives the sins of the tailor. Pious address of na. Krishna straightens the renders her young and beautiful. After this a woman who was humpbacked appeared before Krishna, and her name was Kubja. And she said:—“I am the handmaid of Raja Kansa, and my duty is to anoint him with saffron and sandal; and I pray you to permit me to do the same for you." So Krishna gave her leave, and she did so. Then Krishna took compassion upon the humphumpback and backed woman, and he placed his feet upon her feet, and his two fingers beneath her chin, and raised her up, so that she became quite straight, and by the touch of Krishna she was rendered young and beautiful. And Kubja seeing that she Krishna and is was now very beautiful, prayed Krishna to come to her house; and Krishna took her by the hand and said :-" I will come and meet you when I have slain Raja Kansa." So Kubja went to her own house, and filled a square place with saffron and sandal, and rejoiced greatly in the hope of receiving Krishna.10 Kubja offers herself to accepted. The grounds upon which Krishna seems to have forgiven the sins of the tailor seem to form a travestie of Christianity. 10 The similarity between this story and two events recorded in the Gospel nar |