When Shree Krishna descended on the land of Braj more than five thousand years ago, he taught us how to love him and relate to him in many different ways. While Mother Yashoda and the elderly gopis loved him as their child, he was a dear Sakha (friend) to the young gopas (cowherd friends) of Braj. The hearts of the innocent cowherd boys always longed for his companionship! His Leelas as the playful Gopal of Braj are endearing to all his devotees.
The afternoons of Vrindavan were very pleasant, especially on the banks of river Yamuna. Every day, all the cowherd boys who had recently moved from Gokul, along with the apple of their eyes, Krishna would relax on the lush green grass. They relished the delicious lunch their mothers had packed for them with much love. The mild breeze on the bank of river Yamuna was eagerly waiting to play a game of tag with Krishna. As the boys ran after him and touched him from behind, the breeze touched him too. Kissing his soft blue cheeks and blowing through his curly hair, it scooped up the divine fragrance only to freely distribute it among the yearning boys!
It was one such beautiful afternoon as the boys laughed and played with Krishna, one young gopa watched them hesitantly from the shade of a distant tree. Ever since the day he was born in the land of Vrindavan, stories of Krishna and his wonderful pastimes would reach him from Gokul. The day when all the inhabitants of Gokul had arrived in Vrindavan was the best day of his life. Since that day, he had been watching Krishna play joyously with his friends, every afternoon. He longed to share their laughter. Would they include him in their play? After all, he was outsider while they had all grown up together.
He noticed that every time Krishna looked at or touched a gopa, they would bounce with inexplicable bliss. If only an opportunity to approach Krishna would appear before him, wouldn’t he grab it with both hands? “Please dear Krishna, can I be your friend too?”, every cell of his body pleaded! Sure, he may not have been as deserving of Krishna’s love as the rest of the boys, but that didn’t stop him from closing his eyes and visualize being embraced by that love!
All of a sudden, something struck him at the speed of lightning and fell on his lap. He opened his eyes! It was the ball the gopas had been playing with, the ball that had the smell of Krishna’s hands. Was it the seed of the divine bliss, that was going to sprout in his being very soon or was it the fruit of all his patient waiting, he couldn’t decide!
He looked up and a little further from him was the enchanter, Krishna. His beautiful face glimmering with a mischievous smile that stretched all the way to his ears. Soft blue Karnika flowers dangled joyfully from those ears in anticipation of touching those charming cheeks, as Krishna nodded his head and gestured with his lotus hands to join the play. He had always heard that the only qualification to receive Krishna’s love is to have a sincere longing to receive it. Today, he had witnessed the truth in that statement!
Just then, Krishna turned around and began to run, trotting cheerfully in-between. It was time to get up and catch the one, who refuses to go in the Samadhi of yogis, but made it so effortless for the innocent boys of Vrindavan, for he was their inseparable Sakha! It was time to create new memories, new Leelas, here in Vrindavan!
