Srimad Bhagavatam – day 633
The travel to the forests
Narayana
Maharishi Śuka continued, “The thousands of boys walked behind the millions of cows with each boy carrying his lunch in small earthen boxes. Like the other boys, Krishna too carried his food and walked. They carried with them cow-horn bugles and flutes. Some boys held the stick to monitor the calves”.
Do not assume that Krishna was the only one who played the flute. All the boys played flute. We conventionally believe that while Krishna alone played the flute, all the boys would dance. It is true nevertheless that Krishna’s flute was far more melodious than theirs.
Cow-horn bugles were important means of communication. When thousands of boys were walking along with lakhs of cows, how did the boys who were in front message those who were far behind? They would blow the bugle which would send a signal to their friends far away.
Just visualize the scene where thousands of small boys are going for a picnic along with millions of calves. Some boys are holding the earthen lunch boxes. Some have a flute in their hand. Some are holding bugles. Some are holding sticks to monitor the calves. All of them are walking along with Krishna.
“The innumerable calves belonging to Krishna joined the calves belonging to the other boys. The boys playfully proceeded to the forest. It was a joyous scene. They were playing games midway. Even as they were walking, some children would play hide and seek. All of them were ecstatic about this trip”.
This walk was actually a wonderful exercise for them all. Exercise is a must. Only then the body remains fit and healthy. Bending, standing, running, sitting are good exercises. People who are lazy to complete even the most trivial chores will quickly fall sick.
Household chores must be completed by family members themselves! It is incorrect to employ servants to complete our tasks. Servants may be used for certain extra chores. But certain daily tasks, you alone should complete. Only then health will improve. Your body should learn to bend. Within all these chores, many yogic exercises are contained. Unknowingly the person performs Yoga. Lazy people who refuse to move will never complete any work. As such they cannot perform Yoga. They engage only in eating and sleeping all day long.
“All the cowherd boys had decked themselves in ornaments made of gems, conches, rubies and gold. They wore many pearl chains. After reaching the forests they further adorned themselves with fruits, tender shoots, flowers, leaves and the like. In addition, they also decorated themselves with peacock feathers and colourful gemstones”.
Akin to Krishna all of them wore peacock feather in their hair and a headband made of flowers. They decorated their wrists with wristband made of fresh flowers. All of them looked so handsome in appearance that it appeared as if Vaikunṭha itself had descended to Earth. Don’t we compare Brindavana to Vaikunṭha in one of our bhajans?
“Admiring the beauty of the forests, Krishna travelled deep into the forests”.
The beauty of the forests captivates the mind and makes us forget this world. The huge mountains followed by the vast valleys, the huge tall trees, the tiny shrubs, the medium-sized trees with their colourful leaves enchant the mind. It does not however imply that we have to climb every mountain we see or slide into every valley we find. Just stand at a place and admire the beauty of the surroundings. No force in this creation can recreate this beauty. Artists therefore eagerly rush to the forests trying to capture the beauty in their paintings.
As photography did not exist in that era, the descriptions given in these books become the basis for the paintings that depict life in that era. Many present-day artists go to the deep forests to study the beauty of the flowing rivers, the mountainside etc. which they reproduce in their paintings.
The Supreme Lord, who himself had created this exquisite beautiful forest, was now admiring it. He himself is exceedingly beautiful, hence He created a universe as beautiful as Him. The beauty in the Nature is an exact replica of His inherent beauty. Even in the absence of rainfall, trees have a unique beauty in them. The gleaming sand particles have their own beauty.
Good people always shower goodness. A rich man gives what he has i.e. he shares his wealth. It is said that charitable nature bestows richness. An educated person shares his knowledge and thereby becomes even more knowledgeable. Likewise, the Lord who inherently is blissful and beautiful, created beauty in Nature.
“As Krishna was thus standing amidst deep forests, drinking in its beauty, the cowherd boys would run, touch him and return back to their positions. This was a game for them. They would conduct running races, in which the boys had to run quickly and touch Krishna before returning back”.
Within all these sports the Lord was showing the Supreme Essence.
“While some children played flute, other blew the bugles and a few others were running to touch Krishna. Thus they happily spent time in the forest.”
Krishna Krishna