Garga Bhagavatham : Sri Mathura khanda - Chapter 5

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Akrura attains the realization of the supreme eternal form of the Sri Krishna and sings the praise of the Lord; Sri Krishna goes for the sight seeing of Mathura along with the cowherd boys; the women of the city are enamored by the Lord and the Lord redeems a washerman

 

 

Sri Narada says :- King! Along with Akrura and Balaram, Lord Sri Krishna reached a garden near Mathura. He got down from the chariot and drank the water of river Yamuna and ascended the chariot once again. Then Akrura took the permission of the two brothers and went to bathe in river Yamuna. He descended into river Yamuna to perform his daily rituals. River Yamuna was very fierce and huge waves were emanating from the river. Akrura noticed the two brothers were in the water conversing with each other. O King of Kings! Akrura, surprised after witnessing this, went back to the chariot and found the two brothers in the chariot as well. Then he back to the water and to his surprise he found the brothers there as well. Lord Balaram was in the form of the divine serpent, Seshanag and was seated in the water with his hood spread out. In his lap, gradually appeared the supreme abode of Golok, the majestic Goverdhan, the divine river Yamuna, the beautiful Vrindavan and a circle which was as brilliant as innumerable crores of bright suns. Within that circle of light,  there was a Raas-Mandal(circle of Gopis in Raasa Leela) and within that, appeared the Supreme divine couple Sri Radha Krishna whose beauty cannot be compared to even to crores upon crores of KamaDevas (Cupids). Knowing Sri Krishna to be the supreme Lord, Akrura repeatedly paid his obeisance and started singing the praise of the Lord in a state of  supreme bliss. 

Akrura said :- I salute Sri Krishna, who is the supreme and complete Lord of all the universes and the Lord of Golok. Again and again, I bow down to Thee, whos is the beloved of Sri Radha and who is the Lord of Vraja. I bow down to Lord Sri Nandanandan, who gives supreme bliss to Mother Yashoda. O son of Devaki! O Govinda! O Vaasudeva! O Lord of the worlds! O scion of the Yadus! O Jagannatha! O best among men! I bow down to you! May my voice always sing your praises. May my ears always listen to your stories. Let my hands always be immersed in performing actions to please you. Let my mind always dwell upon you lotus feet and let my eyes always be immersed in the sight of you divine abode. 

Sri Narada says :- King! As Akrura, who was in a state of astonishment, was singing the praise of the Lord, the Lord disappeared along with his abode. After bowing down again, Akrura finished his daily rituals, returned to the chariot in a state of astonishment, knowing Sri Krishna to be the Supreme Lord. Akrura drove the chariot which made the sound that resembles the majestic roar of the clouds, and brought Sri Krishna and Balaram to Mathura at day fall. After seeing King Nanda, in one of the city gardens, Sri Krishna addressed Akrura in a serious tone like the roar of the thunder. 

Sri Bhagavan said :- O Respected One! Please proceed to the city of Mathura in you chariot. I will follow you by foot along with the cowherd boys. 

Akrura said :- O Lord of Lords! O Jagannatha! O Govinda! O Supreme among men! O Lord! Please come to my humble abode along with your cowherd friends. Please purify my dwelling with the dust of your lotus feet. I will not go home with You. 

Sri Bhagavan said :- O Akrura! I will certainly come to your house along with my cowherd friends and do as you please after slaying Kamsa, the enemy of the Yadus.

Sri Narada says :- King! Lord Sri Krishna remained there while Akrura entered Mathura. Akrura informed Kamsa about the arrival of Sri Krishna and went to his home. The next morning King Nanda, addressed Sri Krishna, who was enthusiastic to see the city of Mathura along with Balaram and the cowherd boys.  He said, "Son, Go safely and see the city of Mathura and come back. Don't underestimate this place like Gokul as this is the mighty and frightening city of Kamsa. After agreeing to this, Sri Krishna went to see the city of Mathura, along with the cowherd boys and a few elderly Gopas, who accompanied Krishna at the request of King Nanda. Surrounded by forts, the city of Mathura was full of houses studded with precious gemstones and sky scrapping palaces, and it resembled Amaravati, the capital city of the demigods. On the banks of Yamuna, were stairs studded with gemstones and the beauty was incomparable. Adorned by these beautiful structures and full of divine men and women, the city of Mathura was brilliant like the city of Alakapuri. Along with the cowherd boys, Sri Krishna arrived at the main street of the city. 

        After hearing about the arrival of Sri Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, the women of Mathura, who had already heard about the glories of Sri Krishna, came rushing to see Him, leaving behind their household chores including caring for their infants. The rushed to see Krishna just as the rivers rush towards the ocean. Some saw Him from their terraces, some saw Him through their windows, some moved the curtains of their windows to see Him and some opened their doors to see Him from their porches. A part of His hair was hanging on His forehead as if to steal the minds of those in front of Him. Another part of His hair was tucked under his crown and hanging on His back as if still the minds of those who were behind him. Half of His pitambar (upper yellow garment) was tucked in His waist and the other half was hanging over His shoulder shining bright like a lightning among dark blue rain laden clouds. In one hand, He was holding a lotus and on His chest He was wearing the Vyjayanti mala (garland made of Vyjayanti seeds). He had adorned new fish shaped earrings in His ears. On his upper arms, He was wearing armlets that were shining like the young sun. The women of Mathura were mesmerized by beauty of Sri Krishna, who is the Lord of innumerable universes. 

The city maidens said :- Aho! How beautiful Vrindavan must be, where Sri Nandanandan Sri Krishna resided. Blessed are the cowherd folks who keep enjoying His beauty everyday. Blessed are the cowherd maidens who keep drinking the nectar of His lips again and again while they are engaged with Him in the dance of Raasa. 

Sri Narada says :- O King! Along that path, a washerman who colors clothes, was passing by.  He looked very haughty. With the permission of the cowherd boys, Madhusudhan Sri Krishna, said to him, " My intelligent friend, Please give us some pretty clothes. If you do, then there is no doubt that you will attain propitiousness." The washerman was a servant of Kamsa and was very wicked. Hearing the words of Sri Krishna, the washerman began fuming with anger just like the fire that rises with the offering of ghee. He addresses Sri Krishna thus.

The washerman said :- Hey! Did your ancestors ever wear such clothes? Unruly cowherd boys! weren't your ancestors wearing only loin-cloth? You forest-dwelling cowherds! If you wish to be alive, leave the city immediately. If not, I will get you all arrested on the charges of stealing the clothes. 

Sri Narada says :- O King! Sri Krishna playfully twisted the forehead of the washerman who spoke disrepectfully, with His bare hand. The light of life left the body of the washerman and entered Sri Krishna's body. Seeing the fate of the washerman, all his followers dropped all the garments they were carrying and ran helter-skelter just like the clouds get dispersed by winds during the Sharad season. Sri Krishna and Balaram took the clothes that they liked from the pile. The remaining clothes were taken by the remaining cowherd boys and other passers-by. As Krishna and Balaram were watching , they began to wear the clothes in a haphazard manner. One of the boys among the passers-by adorned Sri Krishna and Balaram with beautiful clothes and made them look divinely vibrant. He also adorned the cowherd boys with beautiful clothes as well and turned towards Sri Krishna looking at Him with intense devotion. Pleased with the boy Sri Krishna endowed him with His Swaaroopya (same as form as the Lord Himself) and Sri Balaram blessed him with immense strength.

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