"Chalo sakhiyo, shigrehta karo !" Lalita exclaimed as she surveyed the meticulous preparations her friends were making for the long-awaited meeting of Radha and Krishna.
Each of the friends were making preparations. Vishakha was arranging for the clothing and ornamentation of the divine couple. Champaklata was diligently gathering fresh fruits and vegetables, then skillfully preparing delectable meals for the pair. Chitra was meticulously filling pots with varying levels of water, preparing to enchant Radha and Krishna with her mastery of the Jaltarang.
With similar dedication, Tungavidya was packing her veena, ready to serenade the couple. Indulekha planned to dance with grace and elegance, while also ensuring they were served with utensils fit for royalty. Rangadevi was carefully packing fragrant incense and fans to provide comfort to the divine duo in the summer heat. And Sudevi eagerly prepared water jugs, eager to quench their thirst.
In this manner, all the sakhis, with Krishna in their thoughts and Radha in their hearts, were wholeheartedly ready to serve the divine couple to the best of their abilities.
Soon Radha arrived there, dressed beautifully in pink and blue garments, with hair tied in a long braid, adorned with fragrant flowers. She was wearing necklaces of precious gems and garlands of flowers. And the most resplendent was her smile, that adorned her moon like face as if a jewel.
Seeing her, the Ashtsakhis smiled. With their arrangements ready, they all approached her.
"Chaliye Kishori. Iss samaye Krishna, Vrindavan ke kunj mei honge." Lalita said.
Radha nodded shyly, eager to meet her beloved. With her sakhi, she set out to the forests of Vrindavan.
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The mugdha Gopis, overwhelmed by love for Krishna, were surrounding him. They were delighting him in the enthusiastic
embraces and were receiving him with the utmost respect.
They had become almost senseless while taking in his beauty, as if drinking a nectar. His hair was adorned with a superbly charming array of peacock feathers fashioned in a striking half-moon design. His luster resembled a mass of refreshing rainclouds colorfully shot through by an unending succession of brilliant rainbows.
His golden garment and wreath of wild flowers contrast his dark limbs besmeared with sandalwood paste.
Jeweled earrings dangling from his ears made his cheeks glitter, setting off the bewitching smile on His face.
That smile had so captivated the hearts of the gopis that they were simply unable to express themselves. As such, they had become bewildered and would not talk with others. All of these gopis became so affected that it was as if they had offered three sprinkles of water upon their lives. In other words, they have given up all hope for living.
With intense fervor, he was satisfying
the gopis' unbridled passion far beyond their expectations, as a fruit of their devotion. The beautiful cowherd maidens, aroused into a wild, blissful state, embraced his every limb without restraint.
He discretely gazed them, who were undergoing ecstatic transformations – irresistible provocative smiles, restless movements of the eyes, braids coming undone.
Yet even as Krishna returned their caresses, his divine consciousness remained detached, patiently focused on a higher purpose. For he could see that though the gopis had surrendered themselves fully, their minds were still trapped by earthly illusions - ensnared by passions of the flesh and the ego's desires. Their eyes, though adoring, had not yet glimpsed the eternal soul that lay beyond skin and form.
And as he was lost in thoughts, he then suddenly felt the presence of Radha, his eyes quickly went towards her. His lips parted as he felt her anger. The arch of her eyebrows became even more
pronounced. Her golden dejected face, now red with anger, was enhanced by her curved eyebrows, as if a line of black bumblebees were fluttering above a red lotus flower.
Feeling neglected, and angry at him for embracing and kissing the host of cowherd maidens while she was feeling pangs separation, Radha became indignant and went off. Fearing that he had offended her, Krishna could not muster the courage to stop her from leaving. Perhaps she misunderstood him returning the affectionate gestures of Gopis not as returning the fruits of their devotion, but as a philandering act.
Krishna shut his eyes in frustration, as he facepalmed himself. She was angry at him, and now he had to think of a way to coax her. Surely, it would be an easy task. Or atleast that's what he thought.
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A/N
It's time for Maan leela ✨
So why did Radha Krishna do Maan leela ?
Because none of us like eating the same flavour everyday. Sometimes we crave something sweet, other times we crave spicy. Same logic here, Radha Rani does maan to delight Krishna only ❤️
ALSO ! The romance and errotic gestures of Gopis and Krishna reciprocating it SHOULD NEVER be seen as vulgar. As I mentioned twice in the chapter Krishna is giving them fruits of their devotion.
Jaaki rahi bhaavna jaisi, prabhu-murat dekhi tin taisi.
Yashoda has Vatsalya bhaav, so Krishna acts as a son and allows her to do everything a mother would to do her son.
Arjun has sakha bhaav, so Krishna acted as his true friend and allowed him to do everything a friend would do with each other. They hung out, they drank together, he gave him advice and looked out for Arjun.
Similarly these Gopis have Madhurya bhaav for Krishna, therefore he acts as their true lover and allows them to do everything they would do to a lover and he reciprocates, just like he reciprocates with the rest of the bhaavs.
That's the greatness of Krishna, he will act the way you perceive him. Just shows that not only we are trying to please and delight him, even he is eager to please his devotees.