
Kundalata`s talk with Radha
Verse
15-17
Yashoda continues: "Although Krishna hardly eats anything, the delicious flavor
of Radha's cooking increases his appetite with vigor. Therefore, O Kundalata, on
my behalf, please go to Radharani's shashuri (mother in law) and request that she allow Radha
and her sakhis to come here."
Although Kundalata brings Radha daily to cook in Krishna's home, it appears to
Mother Yashoda that today is the very first time she has come. This is not Yashoda's
fault; rather, the extreme anuraga of Krishna prema causes the Vrajavasis to see
every day as a totally new experience!
Yashoda's words cause Kundalata's heart to rejoice, just as the winter dew refreshes the kunda flowers. Thus she becomes eager to unite the female honey-bee, Radha, with Sri Madhusudan!
Rasa-tarangini Tika:
Krishna-bhavanamrita expands upon this lila rasa: When Kundalata arrives in
Javat, Sri Radhika's bumblebee eyes become jubilant! For ever since the sakhis
finished bathing, dressing and elaborately decorating her, Srimati's restless
glances have been soaring incessantly towards the path that leads to Nandagram.
So when she enters Jatila's mandir, Kundalata sees Radhika coming forward to greet her. As Srimati inquires into Kundalata's welfare, her beaming expression showers amrita, although it is the sakhis and the manjaris who drink the nectar from this rainshower of joy, like chatak birds! (4.107-110)
Rai Kishori says, "Oh sakhi Kundalate! Your sudden arrival discloses Vrajeshwari Yashoda's karunamrita! For without her auspicious order, my depressed mind would have surely turned against me! Oh rasika Kundalata! My guess is that you want to take me to perform Krishna's rasavati (cooking, but it also has the inner meaning rati kriya). Otherwise, why would you have come here with such enthusiasm after consulting my shashuri?"
Hearing Radha's kathamrita, Kundalata answers with a smile:
"Ayi sakhi! As you've understood everything, let's proceed without delay to
Nanda bhavan! You may rest assured that your guru varga will easily grant
permission, for Vrajeshwari has subjugated them with a profuse shower of
charity! And there is one secret you should know:
Mother Yashoda is convinced that her delicate son's ability to destroy the asuras is simply the result of taking the delicious edibles prepared by you! Oh Shashimukhi Rai! Now just hear about her resolute vatsalya affection! Just as she becomes completely devastated in Krishna's absence, that same feeling overtakes her if she loses sight of you for a mere moment!"
Although Radhika feels great joy hearing Kundalata's words, she knows that
Kundalata is Krishna's informer. Therefore, she carefully answers,
"Oh sakhi Kundalate, what you're saying may be true, and I cannot deny that you
are indeed an experienced young woman, but just consider: It is not the custom
for a chaste woman (kulavati) to roam from house to house.
On the other hand,
even though a chaste woman should never sacrifice her kulavati dharma, how can
I refuse your affectionate request? Therefore, Oh Kundalate, first do one
thing: go to Jatila and secure her blessings. Otherwise, she may try to create
a scandal for us at some time in the future!" (Krishna-bhavanamrita 5.1-3,
10-13)