Shree Shookdeo, the sage, said,--O lord of the earth! when Oodho Jee
had finished counting his beads, he came forth from the river, and
putting on his clothes and ornaments sat down in his ruth. As he came
near Nund’s village on his way from the banks of the river, the
cowherdesses, who had come for water, saw his ruth from afar coming
along the road. On seeing it, they began to say to each other, “Whose
ruth is this? that is coming towards us, let us see, and afterwards
proceed on our journey?” One of them said, “Friend, I hope that
deceitful creature, Akroor, has not come, who took off Shree Krishnù
Chund to live at Muttra, and caused him to kill Kuns.” Another said,
“Why has this treacherous wretch come again, he has already taken away
the root of our lives, and what more will he take away?”
O great king! carrying on various conversations of this kind, the
women of Bruj stood still, having taken the water-pots from their
heads, and placed them on the ground. In the mean while as the ruth
came near some of the cowherdesses having seen Oodho a short way off,
said to each other, “Friend! why this is some one of a black colour
with lotus-like eyes, and a crown on his head; wearing a garland that
reaches to his feet, dressed in yellow silk, and with a scarf of the
same colour. He is sitting on a ruth like that of Shree Krishnù, and
is looking at and coming towards us.” One of them remarked, “This
person has been at Nund’s house since yesterday; his name is Oodho,
and Shree Krishnù Chund has sent some message by him.”
On hearing these words, the cowherdesses, observing a retired spot,
and laying aside all propriety and reserve, rushed towards Oodho
Jee--and regarding him as the friend of Krishnù, they made obeisance,
and enquired after Krishnù, standing on all sides of the ruth, with
joined hands. Seeing their affection Oodho Jee left his ruth; and the
cowherdesses having seated him under the shade of a tree, sat
themselves down on all sides of him, and began to say in a most
affectionate manner: “You have done well, Oodho, in coming, and
bringing us news of Krishnù. You associate constantly with him;
please inform us what message he has sent. You have been sent here
only for the sake of his father and mother; he thinks of no one else.
We have sacrificed every thing for him; our souls are entangled in his
feet. He is occupied with his own affairs exclusively; and has given
pain to all by his departure. And as birds leave trees without fruit,
Huri in like manner has abandoned us; and although we have given up
every thing to him, he has not become ours.”
O great king! when the cowherdesses, filled with delight in their love
for Krishnù, had talked thus for some time, Oodho, perceiving the
great sincerity of their love, was about to rise to make a salutation,
when a cowherdess, who saw a bee on a flower, addressed Oodho, under
pretence of addressing the bee--“O bee! thou hast imbibed the
sweetness of Krishnù’s lotus-like feet; and, therefore, thou hast
obtained the name of the honey maker. Thou art the friend of one who
is deceitful; and, therefore, he has sent you as his messenger, do not
touch our feet, because we know that all of a black colour are
treacherous, such as you are, such is Krishnù; therefore, do not make
salutations to us. In the same way that you roam from flower to
flower, tasting its sweets, and belong not to any particular one, Huri
does not love any one, or belong to any one.” Whilst the cowherdess
was thus speaking another bee came; on seeing it, a cowherdess, named
Seelta, said, “O bee, remain apart, and go and tell this in Muttra,
where there is a hump-backed queen, and where Shree Krishnù Chund
dwells. Why need I speak of one birth; in each succeeding birth your
behaviour is the same? The Raja Buli gave up every thing, and you sent
him to the infernal regions; and drove from her home one so virtuous
as Seeta without fault on her part. Since they were thus treated, what
had we to expect?” After this, all the cowherdesses in a body, joining
their hands, said to Oodho, “Oodho Jee! we have lost our lord by the
absence of Krishnù, take us away with you.”
Shree Shookdeo Jee said,--O great king! when the cowherdesses had thus
spoken, Oodho Jee said, “I will explain the contents of the letter
Krishnù has sent by me, to which listen attentively. He has written,
that you must give up all hope of sexual pleasure, and offer devotion
to him; and that he will never be separated from you; and he has
added, that from the day you began to meditate on him, none have been
so much loved by him as you.” Oodho added, “You have established a
never-ending love for the first male, the immortal Huri; and regarded
him as your lord, whom all else celebrate as the invisible,
imperceptible, inscrutable being, and as earth, wind, water, fire and
air dwell in the body, so Krishnù dwells in you; but through the
influence of his delusive powers seems to be apart. Bear him in mind
and meditate upon him. He always promoted the advantage of his
worshippers; and by his remaining near meditation and religious
knowledge are utterly destroyed. For this reason Huri has gone to live
at a distance. And Shree Krishnù Chund gave me also to understand,
that playing on the flute he invited you into the jungle, and when he
saw the strength of your love and passion for him, he took part in
your festivities; when you forgot his divinity, the lord of Judoos
disappeared. When having recovered understanding, you again meditated
upon Huri, he, knowing the piety of your minds, presented himself to
you.”
O great king! when Oodho had thus spoken, the cowherdesses said
angrily, “We have heard all your speeches; stand apart from us now.
You tell us to cultivate knowledge and understanding, and perform
penance, and tell us to abandon meditation and look up at the sky. You
call him Narayun, in whose sports our minds have been deeply engaged.
Why has he become an invisible and imperceptible being, who has
conferred happiness on us from his childhood? And how has he, who was
endowed with all good qualities and great personal beauty, become a
being without qualities and form? Who will pay any attention to what
you have said, considering that our souls are wrapped up in his
beloved body?” One of them rose up and said, “Let us endeavour to
conciliate Oodho: say nothing to him, but listen to what he says, and
watch his looks.” Another said, “It is not his fault, the hump-backed
woman (Koobja) has sent him here. He is now merely repeating what
Koobja has taught him to say. Krishnù would never speak as Oodho has
spoken since his arrival at Bruj. We are pierced with thorns at
hearing such speeches, and cannot endure listening to them. He tells
us to abandon all thought of sexual pleasure, and engage in devotion;
when would Krishnù speak thus? Prayers, penance, fasting, vows and
prescribed rules of conduct are all acts becoming widows. May Shree
Krishnù live in every age, having conferred happiness on us all. Who
makes use of ashes, and of cow-dung while her husband is alive? Say,
where does this custom prevail? Our vows, penance and fasts consist in
showing our love for Nund and Nundun constantly. Who can possibly
blame you, Oodho? this is a dance of Koobja’s getting up.”
Having recited thus much, Shree Shookdeo, the sage, said, O great
king! when Oodho had heard these affectionate words of the
cowherdesses, he regretted and was ashamed that he had mentioned the
subject of penance to them, and remained silent, with downcast looks.
One of the cowherdesses enquired after Bulram, and said, “Does he ever
think of and call to mind our childish love?” Another replied,
“Friend! you are all cowherdesses and common village women, and the
women of Muttra are beautiful, by whom Huri has been captivated, and
is engaged in sports with them, why should he now think of us? Since
he went to reside there, he has become the beloved of other women; had
we known beforehand this would happen, we would not have let him go
away. Regrets are now of no avail, it is better to lay aside grief,
and hope for his return. Because, as during eight months the earth,
forests and hills, endure heat in expectation of rain, which comes in
due course and cools them; in like manner Krishnù will also come to
us.” One said, “Huri has accomplished all his business, and has
destroyed his enemies, and taken possession of their government, why
should he come to Brindabun, and leave his kingly power to tend herds?
O companions! give up all expectations of his coming. The case is
quite hopeless; and we ought not to think any more about it.” One of
them said, in great distraction of mind, “Why should we give up all
hope of Krishnù? On seeing the forests, hills and the banks of the
Jumna, where Shree Krishnù and Bulbeer engaged in sports, our
recollection of Huri, the lord of our hearts, returns forcibly.” She
then said, “This village of Bruj has become a sea of grief: his name
is a boat in the midst of the stream. Krishnù will take across all
who are immerged in the waters of absence and separation. Why has he
forgotten, that he is lord of the cowherdesses? Is he not ashamed on
account of his name?”
On hearing these words, Oodho, reflecting, began to say, “Happy are
these cowherdesses! and blessed be their firmness, in having given up
all else, and become absorbed in meditation upon Shree Krishnù
Chund.”
O great king! Oodho Jee saw and praised their love, when at the same
time all the cowherdesses rose up, and brought him to their homes with
great respect and dignity. Perceiving their affection, he dined with
them; and after resting he made them all very happy by telling them
stories of Shree Krishnù. All the cowherdesses, having then performed
poojah to Oodho Jee, and placed many presents before him, said with
joined hands and the greatest humility, “Oodho Jee! go and say to
Huri, lord! formerly you were very kind to us, and used to take us by
the hand about with you; but since you have obtained power, you have
written to us about penance at the suggestion of that strumpet,
Koobja. We, poor, impure creatures, have never been initiated by a
spiritual preceptor in any mystical prayer: what knowledge can we
possibly possess; from our childhood we have loved him, and what do we
know of the customs of penance? Why has Huri not come himself to tell
us what penance to perform? This is not a subject to send a message
about. Oodho! go and explain to him, that our lives are ebbing out,
let him come and preserve them.”
O great king! when they had thus spoken, the cowherdesses were
delighted in fixing their thoughts on Huri; and Oodho, having made the
usual salutation, took leave and returned thence in his ruth to
Brindabun. He remained there for some days; and on his way back he
visited and stayed a few days at each of the places, where Shree
Krishnù Chund had been engaged in sports. At length after some days
he returned to Brindabun, and having gone to Nund and Jusodha, said
with joined hands, “Owing to your friendship, I have stayed for some
time at Bruj, and now, with your permission, will go to Muttra.” On
hearing these words, the Ranee Jusodha went into the house, and
brought forth milk, curds, butter and sweetmeats in large quantities;
and presenting them to Oodho, said, “Give these to our beloved Shree
Krishnù and Bulram, and tell our sister, Dewukee, to send them both
to us without any delay.” Having communicated this message, the wife
of Nund began to weep. Then Nund Jee said to Oodho, “What more need we
say to you? You are yourself possessed of great sense, understanding
and knowledge, and many excellent qualities; intercede for us with
Krishnù in such a way that he, taking into consideration the
sufferings of the inhabitants of Bruj, may come to us quickly, and not
forget us altogether.”
After having thus spoken, when Nund Rae shed tears, and all the
inhabitants of Bruj, male and female, standing round, began also to
weep, Oodho Jee consoled them, and restored them to composure of mind
by his explanations; and, accompanied by Rohnee, took his departure
for Muttra; and after journeying some time, arrived at the abode of
Shree Krishnù Chund. On seeing him, Shree Krishnù and Buldeo rose
and embraced him, and enquired in the most affectionate manner
regarding his health, and the news of Brindabun, “Say Oodho Jee! are
Nund and Jusodha, and the inhabitants of Bruj all well, and do they
ever think of us?” Oodho Jee replied, “O great king! I am quite unable
to describe the greatness of Bruj, and the love of its inhabitants;
you are their life; night and day do they think of you, and their love
for you is as complete as a perfect worship, performed with all
prescribed ceremonies. I mentioned to them your advice regarding the
performance of penance; but I have learnt from them the manner, in
which adoration should be offered.” Oodho Jee, having communicated
this intelligence, added, “O merciful to the poor! what more need I
say? you are acquainted with the secret thoughts of each mind; and
understand me without any lengthened explanation on my part, that all
things in Bruj, animate and inanimate, are greatly distressed at not
being able to see and touch you; and the only hope they have is, that
you may return.”
On hearing these words, the two brothers were greatly dispirited; and
Oodho Jee, taking leaving of Shree Krishnù Chund, conveyed the
message of Nund and Jusodha to Basoodeo and Dewukee, and went home.
Rohnee Jee was filled with joy at meeting with Shree Krishnù and
Bulram, and abode in her own house.