Thought One

Men love to say with a naughty twinkle in their eye: "Why can't we have as many girlfriends as Krishna had gopis, and get away with it like He did?

I say: "If you can pick up the Govardhan mountain with your little finger, if you change the poison that was offered to Meera and turn it to nectar, If you can dance on a thousand fanged cobra, and above all, if you are a young lad of 9, you may dance with as many gopis as you please.

Thought Two

When Krishna left Vrindavan, He stated that no matter where He resided physically His spirit would always remain in the land where Radha stayed. He promised Radha that she would forever dwell in His heart. Krishna pledged with Radha that her name would always precede His.

Hence one always says "RadheKrishna" never "KrishnaRadha"

If the name Radha is chanted repeatedly, it turns into the word "Dhara". 'Dhara' means a stream. Radha is the stream of love that emanates from Krishna and returns to Him, emanates and returns, becomes 'dhara' and turns to 'Radha', from 'Radha' to 'dhara' and so on until Eternity.

Radha is the Manifested Universe that emanates from the Unmanifest Krishna.

Thought Three

In my last portion of "dal-sabzi" I mentioned that when Krishna left Vrindavan he said that He would always reside there in spirit.

However people who visit the above place have different points of view. A lot of them return hot, robbed and disgusted. They are taken for a ride by young boys who who want to make a fast buck. When the disgruntled travelers claim that they have been robbed, the young lads coyly reply that they are the descendants of the greatest 'Mahachor'  (thief) of all times.

The butter that Krishna so mischievously stole is symbolic of our minds and hearts. Milk, when churned, turns into butter and mind when churned by various experiences turns purer and wiser by it. It is this mind and heart that Krishna steals. 

My personal experience of Vrindavan is unforgettably good. The trick is to take the trip with 'bhaktas' (devotees). These 'bhaktas' experience Krishna everywhere. Their emotions are contagious. Hence I experienced Him there too.

Thought Four

MY YOUNG FRIEND'S QUESTION

Hi Aunty Shakun,

I have a question for you I hope you can help me with. In the Mahabharat, Arjuna is hesitant to fight the war against the Kauravas because they are his cousins, right? And he questioned how he could kill his own blood. In a nut-shell can you tell me what was Lord Krishna's response to that???

Many thanks!!!!!! I thank the Lord for having you in my life to give me answers to questions that hit me from time to time!!!!!!

MY ANSWER

Arjun being hesitant to "kill his own blood" and the answers that Krishna gives to Arjuna comprise the whole 'Bhagvad Geeta'. But since you have asked me to answer the question "in a nutshell",  I would say that Krishna reminds Arjun of his 'dharma' (His duty). Arjun's dharma as a soldier, as a husband, as a man. You must remember that Krishna had tried all means to bring about peace. The Kauravas had crossed their limit of decency and fair-play by trying to disrobe Draupadi in public!
The wife of Arjuna cried: " What is the use of 5 husbands if they cannot guard your honour?"

In 'WAR' only the principle exists, not RELATIONSHIPS. Krishna explains to Arjuna that the body dies anyway, and the soul is indestructible. Krishna reminds Arjun that he only has a right over his actions, not over the fruits thereof. Krishna urges Arjuna to perform his 'dharma' the best way he knows how, and to surrender the results to the Lord If you take the message of 'The Gita' symbolically, then asking one to 'fight' and not to 'run'; would mean that you face life and not be an escapist.

DHARMA

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

According to Shree Sathya Sai Baba: "The word dharma is derived from the root dhr, meaning  'wear'. Dharma is that which is worn. Dharmaraja said that whoever protects Dharma will in turn be protected by dharma...

There are five types of Dharma or duties:

1) Kula Dharma or duties relating  to occupational group.

2) Desa Dharma or duty to the nation

3) Matha Dharma or duty pertaining to ones religion

4) Gana Dharma or duties relating to Society

5) Aapad Dharma: Ones duties when faced with danger.

Thought Five

I just saw a most beautiful play called 'Sham rang' I loved the concept! 

The curtain rises with a writer being lauded for his masterpiece composition. Suddenly the Author hears a voice reprimanding him for not having completed his handiwork. As he looks behind to look for the complainant, He sees Krishna. 

The play is set when Krishna has accomplished His life's mission, and knows that the time to leave His body is imminent. His wife Rukmani believes that her Beloved seems dejected and concludes that the reason must be because He misses his intrinsic part,  the flute that He has given forever to Radha. So Rukmani sets out to Vrindavan to meet Radha, to urge her to return the flute. Radha is middle-aged but she is beautiful! Rukmani mistakes her for Radha's maid-servant. Yet Radha washes the feet of Rukmini as she comes from the place where Her Krishna resides. Radha loves Krishna's flute and believes that her Krishna resides in it. Hence she repeatedly enquires whether Krishna has asked for It to be returned.

When later Krishna urges Radha to complain about the fact that He had left her, to go to Mathura,  Radha smilingly remarks that Krishna's mission was a grand one. He had been born for the purpose of destroying all evil incarnate. She believed that her place lay in Vrindavan to look after her Krishna's footprints. Those that He had left behind!  

Even Krishna's wives had to concede that Krishna without Radha is incomplete.

Bina Radhey,Sham aadhey.

Radha's name comes before Krishna because after Krishna there is nothing left (to achieve). Symbolically, Rukmani, Radha, Krishna all reside within us and form components of the sublime emotion that we choose to call 'Love'. The play ends with the artist being dissatisfied with the fact that as much as he writes about Krishna, the Man, the Politician, the Philosopher;  he still cannot do justice to the subject,  and it remains incomplete.   I agree!