A folk tale
Radha Rani loves her home in Barsana. As a manava, She usually forgets Her true nature. But at times, for a few fleeting moments She does experience Her divinity. Caught as she is between two lokas, Radha wonders why She is so drawn to that cowherd Krishna who lives so far away in Nandgaon. He was a mischievous prankster who with His sakhas and teased her and her sakhis endlessly.
Usually Krishna and His sakhas caught them by surprise with some new prank. And to their utter chagrin get away before they could even think of retaliating. Some day…some day soon….Radha promises herself….she would get the better of that upstart Krishna. Not today..
Because today, Radha and her sakhis are having a grand time playing their endless games of make believe. They are too young to be of any help to their mothers. So they do what they cannot do in the real world in their imagination.
They shape tiny pots and pans out of clay. Just like the potters. They dry their utensils out in the sun. And cook several delicacies on their make believe choolah. Papad, achar, snacks, puri, sabji and sweets. They shape all these delicacies out of clay and arrange them all beautifully. Radha looks at Her sakhis with satisfaction.
She had dried clay in her palms. She rubs them in glee, puts her muddy hands on her hips and said, “Okay now, let’s offer Bhog to our Ishta Devta first.” The sakhis look at her blankly and say, “Ishta Devta? Who is our Ishta Devta? We have not created any idol of our Ishta Deva as yet..”
Radha nods her head grimly and said, “ Hmmm.. You have a point there. Well, let’s first create our Ishta Deva. We will recognize who our Ishta Deva is after we craft the idol.”
The sakhis smile knowingly. Life with Radha was very unpredictable. But fun too. She created something out of anything. Sometimes out of nothing too. She confused them. Bickered with them. Sulked for long hours when she got angry. But loved them all a lot too. They could not imagine a life without Radha.
Radha starts crafting Her Ishta Deva. She shoos away Her sakhis when they try to help Her. And is engrossed in Her task. A peace filled silence prevails for a short while. Radha’s sakhis watch with awe and wait with bated breath for Her response.
For without even being aware of it, Radha had crafted a stunning replica of Krishna – the notorious cowherd who harassed them so much. Radha’s eyes radiated devotion and sublime bliss. It looked as if she belonged to a different realm altogether. In a husky love filled tone Radha says, “Let’s offer the bhog to our Ishta Deva first. Come, lets arrange all our delicacies properly on this pedestal.” The sakhis hurriedly follow her instructions.
That is when they hear someone clearing his throat loudly. Radha and her sakhis are surprised to see an old rishi watching them. They do not recognize him. The rishi does not introduce himself either.
Radha and her sakhis bow down to the rishi respectfully. And welcome him warmly to their humble make-believe abode. They offer him a small grass Asan and ask him to sit comfortably on it.
They had no inkling that they were interacting with rishi Durvasa who was known for his short temper and tendency to curse anyone who displeased him.
Radha and her sakhis win rishi Durvasa’s affection with their naivety, love and ignorance. For once, even the foul tempered rishi Durvasa drops his guard. He smiles with childish wonder when one of Radha’s sakhis says, “O rishi Maharaj, do you know – our beloved Radha makes excellent laddoos? We have just offered laddoos as Bhog to our Ishta Deva. Please wait. We will give you some prasad shortly.”
Rishi Durvasa plays along with them and realizes it was fun to be a child. A short while later, the sakhis bring the prasad to him in a tiny clay plate covered with their dupatta. He accepts the plate with a smile and says, “Let me first do the darshan of your Ishta Devta. Then I will enjoy the prasad.”
Rishi Durvasa knows about Radha’s and Krishna’s divinity. Yet, he exclaims with wonder when he sees Radha Rani’s Ishta Devta. For it was none other than Krishna Himself. But He does not have the heart to ruin their fun. So he eagerly takes the prasad from the sakhi’s hand and says, “O Radha, can I now eat this prasad? Did you make these delicious looking laddoos?”
All the sakhis chorus together and say, “Of course Rishi Maharaj. Our Radha has made these laddoos with Her own hands. We are sure you would never have tasted such delicious laddoos before.”
Rishi Durvasa chuckles loudly. He puts one tiny make believe laddoo into his mouth. And exclaims with sheer surprise, “My goodness, these laddoos are delicious. You are right O sakhis. I have tasted Amrit. But these laddoos which Radha has made out of Vraj’s clay are more delicious than Amrit too.”
With tears of bliss coursing down his rough cheeks, rishi Durvasa places his hand above Radha’s head affectionately, and says, “I rishi Durvasa bless you O Radha Rani. From today onwards you will be known as “Amrit Hasta.” Whatever you cook with your hands will become tastier than Amrit. And whoever eats anything that you cook will become famous, live a long life, and never experience any difficulty in his life.” After blessing Radha, rishi Durvasa disappears.
News of rishi Durvasa’s special blessing on Radha spreads like wild fire all over Vraj. When Yashoda hears the news, she immediately goes to meet Radha’s mother Kirti. Yashoda says, “ O Kirti, please send Radha to our house to cook for Krishna. Every day. Kamsa keeps sending asuras in various guises to harm my Krishna. We are always anxious about Krishna’s safety. I’m sure if Krishna eats the food cooked by Radha’s Amrit Hasta, no harm will come to Him. And my Krishna will become strong, intelligent and have a long life too.”
Kirti looks at Radha Rani and says, “ Well, Radha, will you fulfill Yashoda’s wishes and cook for Krishna every day?” Radha smiles sweetly at Yashoda and says, “ Of course mother. I am “Amrit Hasta” now, aren’t I? What harm can befall young Krishna when I am with Him?”
With grim determination, Radha then discusses the conversation with Her sakhis and says, “ Now let’s think of ways of getting back at that notorious Krishna and His sakhas…”
Like Radha Rani, let’s create and nurture such precious moments and relationships in our lives consciously. For like Radha Rani, if not today, some day, in the distant future, we too will have to part ways with our Krishna for ever. And these memories and relationships will help us cope with the heart break.
Then one fine day, like Radha Rani, when we have no more tears to shed, we too will realize that Krishna (around whom our lives revolved, on whom we pinned all our hopes, without whom we could not imagine a life) wanted us to transcend these very deeply painful challenges of the material realm. And nurture a divine sublime bliss filled bond with Him in the spiritual realm. For eternity and beyond.