Second Prank – The Meeting in the Disguise of Abhimanyu
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 , which is the coldest part of the winter.
One morning, when 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 Krishna was at home or not.
Thus Kutila set out for the residence of Vraja’s king.
Arriving at the palace, she asked some resident for the latest news about Krishna.
The resident of Nandagram replied:
“Our Youthful Prince of the Pastures has just gone to the Yamuna for a morning bath, following the order of His mother.”
Hearing this, the doubt within Kutila’s heart simply increased.
Therefore she immediately left for the bank of the river.
Not knowing exactly which direction that Krishna had gone in for enjoying sweet, relishable pastimes with Sri Radha, Kutila begun to trace out His path by following the trail of His extraordinarily divine footprints, which are always clearly visible in the soft earth of Vrajadhama.
Gradually she came just before the forest bowerhouse within which Krishna was enjoying with Radharani.
Tulasi noticed Kutila approaching the kunja so she run where Radha and Krishna, surrounded by Lalita and the other sakhis were enjoying transcendental pastimes.
All were deeply immersed in enchanting laughter and play with their beloved.
Brimming with boundless happiness, Tulasi said:
“O gopis, please listen. Your celebration of this charming festival here today has made the birth of Kamadeva 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.”
Immediately upon hearing this, the entire assembly of girls look this way and that way with fearful, restless eyes as they loudly exclaimed:
“Oh, no!
Where is she, Tulasi?
Tell us!”
Tulasi:
“I just saw her in front of the Sakatikara forest.
I have rushed here as fast as possible!
She must be almost here.”
Hearing all this, Krishna calmly said:
“Oh Sakhis, don’t worry at all.
Just stay here in the kunja and watch the fun.
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.”
Krishna went into another kunja, where Vrinda-devi 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!
A little way along the path, Krishna, disguised as Abhimanyu, met Kutila.
Making His voice just like Abhimanyu’s, He asked:
“My dear sister Kutila!
Why have you come so far away from Vraja so early in the morning?”
Kutila:
“My older brother, I came here to search for Your wife, Radha.
The false Abhimanyu:
“Why would She come here?”
Kutila:
“To bathe in the river Yamuna, or so She said.
But it must be just a pretext.
She is somewhere close by.”
The false Abhimanyu:
“And where is that thief of women?”
Kutila:
“He has also come this way to bathe in the Yamuna.
For this reason, our mother Jatila has sent me to find out what those two are up to.
Now, what should I do?
Please order me.”
The false Abhimanyu:
“Dear sister, 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.
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.”
When Kutila, whose nature is exceedingly crooked , 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 Radharani, 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.
Lalita saw Kutila coming and asked:
“Oh Kutila! Have you come to bathe in the Yamuna?”
Kutila:
“No.”
Lalita:
“Then why have you come?”
Kutila:
“I have come just to learn of you activities.”
Lalita:
“Very good. Then learn all that you can.”
Kutila:
“Lalita! I have already learned all that I wanted to know!”
Lalita:
“So let us hear what that is from your own mouth.”
Kutila:
“There is no need for me to say much because the fragrance of Hari tells all.”
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.”
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 kadamba-kunja and let me look inside!”
Lalita simply laughed and laughed, and said:
“Kutila! Some demigod of the forest has closed the gateway of his own bower-house with doors made of reeds, and has gone elsewhere.
Therefore, it is not proper for us to open the door to this kadamba grove.
Who is such a bold woman who will dare to open the door of someone else’s house and willfully accept such a sin upon herself?”
Kutila:
“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, Kutila 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 Krishna, and a broken pearl-necklace belonging to Sri Radha.
Snatching them up, she came outside.
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.”
Hearing this kind of taunting statement by Kutila, the spotlessly pure-faced Radharani felt a bit provoked.
Radha:
“Kutila! Why are you so angry for no purpose?
That necklace is not Mine. It belongs to your brother, Abhimanyu.
I swear it. Just calm down.”
Saying this, Radharani then begun to chastise Kutila with loud, piercing screams while shaking Her head, moving Her eyebrows, and waving Her index finger angrily.
Then, Kutila retreated back to a safe distance, becoming very fearful by seeing Radhika present there with so many daringly outspoken, bold girlfriends.
Then Kutila turned and called out:
“If You do not want to go home, then don’t. 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 and I will see to it that all of You are properly punished.”
Radha:
“You are free to go, Kutila, 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.”
Hearing this, Kutila angrily said,
“I am going”,
and stormed off hastily.
Then, entering the forest, she sneaked slowly and quietly to the secret place where Krishna was hiding in the disguise of Abhimanyu.
Coming before Him, she blurted out:
“Dear brother! Just look at this!
I found Sri Krishna’s broken flower garland and Radhika’s broken pearl neclace upon a bed of sensuous love.
I have also seen Radhika and Her girlfriends in a solitary place, but that woman-thief was not in the kunja.”
Krishna:
“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.
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.”
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.”
Instructing Kutila thus, the Abhimanyu-disguised Sri Krishna then started walking on the southbound forest path toward Mathura.
Kutila returned home to Yavata, and gradually Radha and Her girlfriends all returned to their own respective quarters.
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.”
When Jatila and Kutila came, Krishna said:
“King Kamsa has been told everything, and ten cavalrymen are on their way here.
But listen.
That Debauchee has taken on my mode of dress and is coming to our home!
Coming to know of this, I have returned home in an unnoticed way.
Sister! Lock the front door and wait with mother upstairs on the veranda, armed with clods of dirt.
Keep on the lookout for that woman-polluter coming down the path.
Thus, even if he tries to climb the wall, he won’t be able to enter the house.
When you see him, then chastise him immediately with the foulest harsh language.”
Then the false Abhimanyu, Krishna, went to the ground floor where Radha was and both begun enjoying pastimes.
Some time later the real Abhimanyu arrived home in Yavata.
As soon as Kutila saw him, thinking he was Krishna in disguise, 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.
King Kamsa was infuriated to hear of your wicked behaviour, 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.”
Observing the strange behavior of his own sister, Abhimanyu became very confused and begun to think,
“My sister Kutila has been seized by some kind of powerful ghost.
I’d better bring a mantra-doctor to exorcise her.”
Resolving thus, he became perplexed by various anxieties and went to the edge of the village to see the exorcist.
In this way, that amazing and astonishing jewel known as Krishna 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 endeavours are always successful; they always bear fruit.
Thus end the second prank of Sri Camatkara Candrika entitled “The meeting in the disguise of Abhimanyu”.
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