"Does He Remember Us?" Thoughts of Srila Gour Govinda Swami
Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja
[Speaking to Uddhava regarding Krishna and Balaram’s activities after they left Vraja
and went to Mathura,] Nanda Maharaja said, “I heard that my brother Vasudev sent Krishna and Balaram to their guru’s house, Sandipani Muni’s ashram in Avantinagar. How my heart is splitting, Uddhava! They have become brahmacäris! They have to go out and beg alms for their guru! They have to collect samit, wood for yajna! O Uddhava, my son Krishna is a milk-fed child, who eats ten times in twenty four hours! Such a heavy responsibility has been placed on him! He is going to the forest
to fetch wood, fuel for the guru’s ashram! This is not befitting my milk-fed Gopal. Uddhava, my heart is breaking hearing all these things.” He asked Uddhava, “Does he still remember us? Is he remembering his most beloved mother? Does he remember his friends, the cowherd boys? Is he remembering his most beloved cows and calves, which he was feeding with his own hands? Does he remember how he was forgetting his food and sleep while playing in this jungle of Vrindavan? Is he remembering Giriraj Govardhan? His footprints are still there. Giriraj Govardhan is still carrying them. That
Giriraj Govardhan is crying for him. Is he feeling that crying? Has he such feelings?”
Nanda Maharaja could not speak about himself. He asked about others. While Nanda Maharaja was speaking, His heart filled with vatsalya-priti. His voice choked up and he couldn’t speak. Nanda Maharaja said, “O Uddhava, Krishna is a very simple child. He was not thinking of anything on any day. Now there is so much anxiety on him. Jarasandha attacked Mathura and the Yadavas had to be protected from that
attack. Such a small child, and such a heavy burden has been placed on Him! When I think of this, my heart breaks!”
·
— From Mathura Meets Vrindavan. Gopal Jiu Publications. Bhubaneswar,
India. 2003. Pages 141-142.
The Dark Cloud Krishna
Srila Rupa Goswami Prabhupada’s
Lalita-mädhava 1.2
Let us offer our respectful obeisances to the
dark cloud of Lord Krishna, who showers the
goddesses of the eight directions with a rain of
sweetness, which eternally decorates the gopis
with beautiful vine-grown leaves and flowers,
and which embraces to its chest the peerlessly
splendid moon of Sri Radha. ·
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