Krishna and Balram stood on top of a hill, bathed in the muted hues of the monsoon afternoon. The soft rustling of leaves filled the air as they watched over the cows grazing peacefully in the meadow below. The gentle breeze carried the earthy scent, hinting that monsoon would arrive soon.
As the sun started to dip lower in the sky, the cowherd boys approached them, their faces drawn with hunger.
"Balram ! Krishna ! Hume bahut bhook lagi hai. Kuch karo." Madhumangal said.
Balram turned to Krishna, "Waise bhook toh hume bhi lag rahi hai."
The desire to please the Brahman women, his devotees, was already on his mind. Now this seemed to him as the perfect opportunity.
With a compassionate smile he said, "Yagyashala mei kuch Brahman Angiras-yagya kar rahe hai, swarg ki praapti hetu. Waha jaake Balram ka aur mera naam lena, kehna ki humne tumhe bheja hai, aur unse bhojan maangna."
The cowherd boys nodded eagerly and set off towards the yagnashala, their hearts filled with hope. The air was filled with the fragrant aroma of incense and the sound of Vedic chants. The Brahmanas, adorned in traditional attire, sat around the sacred fire, offering oblations to the gods with utmost devotion.
As the cowherd boys approached, their simple attire and innocent faces stood out amidst the solemnity of the ritual.
"Brahmandevta," They approached them, "Yagnashala se kuch dur hi Balram aur Krishna apni gaiya chara rahe hai. Hum unke liye bhojan maangne aaye hai."
The Brahmanas refused to pay heed. They were so full of petty desires and ambitious of gaining material heaven, that they didn't realise the opportunity of salvation had itself come to them. Though they claimed to be well-versed in Ved, Vedant and Upanishads, they were inexperienced fools, who didn't grasp their deep meaning.
Although the ingredients of sacrificial performance - the place, time, particular paraphernalia, mantras, rituals, priests, fires, demigods, performer, offering and the as yet unseen beneficial results are all simply aspects of his opulence, the brahmanas saw Krishna as an ordinary human because of their half-baked intelligence. They failed to recognize that he is the supreme absolute truth.
The ritualistic brahmanas could not understand why the sacrificial food should be offered to Krishna, whom they considered an ordinary human being. They just ignored the cowherd boys, didn't even reply with a simple yes or no, and engaged in performing Angiras yagya to attain heaven.
Disappointed, the cowherd boys returned back to where Krishna and Balram were.
"Brahman hokar bhi kitne ahankari hai woh sab !" Madhumangal said.
Subala said, "Pata swayam ko kya samajhte hai jo Krishna aur Balram ko bhojan nahi de rahe."
Hearing the entire thing, Krishna simply laughed and then said, "Unn Brahmano ki patniyo se jaa ke kaho ki mai aur Samkarshan yaha aaye hai. Woh awashya tumhe bhojan dengi."
The cowherd boys didn't protest. They once again went to Yagnashala and this time entered the house where the wives of the Brahmanas, were residing. Those chaste women were sitting together, dressed in fine garments and well-ornamented.
The boys bowed to them and addressed them with with utmost humility, "Pranaam deviyo. Yaha se kuch hi dur Krishna aur Balram apni gaiya ke sang aaye hai. Unn dono ko bhook lagi hai, kripiya bhojan pradaan kare."
The wives of Brahmanas, had always yearned to see Krishna once, they had been completely devoted to him by hearing his descriptions.
"Humare prabhu hume bula rahe hai." They immediately stood up.
Hastily, the Brahman women gathered together in a flurry of activity, their faces lit up with joy and anticipation. They quickly gathered fruits, sweets, and other delicious treats, carefully packing them in woven baskets and clay pots. Their hands moved deftly, fueled by a deep love and devotion for Krishna.
As they stepped outside their humble abodes, their eyes shining with anticipation, they were met with a scene that caused their hearts to sink. Their husbands, brothers, sons, and other male relatives stood in their path, their expressions stern and determined.
"Kaha jaa rahi hai aap sab ?" They asked.
One of the women replied with a smile, "Apne prabhu Krishna ke paas. Woh bhookhe hai na."
"Pralaap !" A man said, "Bhala bhagwaan ko kya bhook lagti hai ? Bhramit ho rahi hai aap sab."
The women shook their heads, they didn't want to waste their time in debating with the men. Their lord had called for them, and their souls were getting restless to go to him.
The brahmanas pleaded with the women to stay, to not venture after Krishna, but the pull of their devotion was too strong to resist. With a fierce determination and a strength fueled by their love for Krishna, the women broke free from the restraining hands of their kin and ran towards the forest, their sarees billowing behind them in the autumn breeze.
Amidst the commotion and the cries of protest, one woman is caught by her husband and forcefully dragged back into her home. The door is slammed shut and locked, leaving her trapped inside against her will.
"Arya ! Mujhe jaane de Arya ! Mere prabhu mujhe bula rahe hai !" She cried slamming on the door.
Tears stream down her face as she pleads and begs to be released, her heart aching to join her fellow devotees in their sacred mission to serve Krishna. But the men, hardened by ritualistic ambitions and fueled by a sense of control, turn a deaf ear to her cries and refuse to let her leave.
Alone in the dark room, the woman felt her heart burst with the agony of unfulfilled devotion. But the woman's devotion knew no bounds. Her love for Krishna transcended all obstacles and limitations. Finally, her longing soul left her body, flying to merge with the divine presence of Krishna. Afterall, if Paramatma calls, how can aatma resist ?
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A/N
This Brahman woman truly broke all the bondage, even the bondage of her physical body to unite with Krishna.... A thousand bows at her feet 🙏
Imagine how much our souls would be longing to become one with Paramatma again, but due to the maya of this world, we forget our true longing and suffering, and chase after materialistic happiness, while in reality the happiness our soul seeks is to be with Paramatma and never be separated.