Nalakuvara and Manigriva

 

Nalakuvara and Manigriva

Kubera’s sons Nalakuvara and Manigriva were getting bored. It was a spring morning with the flowers blooming. Nalakuvara said to his brother “It’s a beautiful day to go and enjoy ourselves. Let us go to the river and swim.” Manigriva readily agreed. The brothers got some of their apsara friends and went to the River Mandakini. Soon all of them were in the river frolicking. They were so busy enjoying themselves in the water on a warm day that they forgot their surroundings.

Sage Narada, the trilokasanchari (wanderer of the three worlds) was passing by that way. The Sage as was his practice was busy singing the praise of Lord Vishnu. His song was interrupted by Nalakuvara and Manigriva shouting and enjoying with their friends.

The apsaras were first to see the Sage. They picked up their clothes and covered themselves and hid behind the bushes. They were scared that the sage would curse them. Nalakuvara and Manigriva, on the other hand, did not bother. On the contrary, they were irritated that the Sage had interrupted their fun afternoon. Insolently they stood up naked before Sage Narada and walked slowly to pick up their clothes.

Sage Narada was angry too by now. He cursed the brothers. “You stood look like a tree without any respect. May your wish come true. Both of you will become trees. You both will become arjuna trees and stand in one place. You can have your fun.”

Faced with the prospect of punishment, the brothers became repentant. They begged the Sage for forgiveness. Sage Narada was a kind hearted person after all. He told the brothers. “You are an example to show that every action of every person – human or celestial has a consequence. Don’t worry. You will be delivered from this state by the great Lord Vishnu himself when he takes his next avatar.” Saying so he blessed the brothers and went on his way.

The brothers stood in the same place as two majestic arjuna trees. Years and yugas rolled by. Kings and kingdoms changed. People moved and migrated. Rivers changed course. There they were – the Yamalarjuna trees – yes, that’s what they were called in Gokulam /Vrajbhoomi in the land of Nada Deva and Yasoda. The two majestic trees with a small gap were a big attraction for the children to chase each other.

In this idyllic land was born the much-loved Krishna on a dark and stormy night. Yasoda woke up to find a bluish black and divine child by her side. While the entire birth seemed a mystery with everyone including the mother not remembering much about the birth. But if you have Sri Krishna as your child why waste time thinking about unnecessary things? He was the apple of his parents’ eye and the joy of Vrajbhoomi.

Lord Krishna was crawling. He was beautiful and breath taking but was also a bundle of mischief. Yasoda was torn between frustration and amusement with her little Krishna’s pranks.

One day, Yasoda was busy in the kitchen. She heard a sudden noise in her butter storage. She ran to see what the disturbance was about. There her Krishna was looking absolutely happy and dirty too. He had opened and tilted many of the butter pots. He had smeared the butter on himself after eating it to his heart’s content. He had broken a couple of pots of butter trying to reach into the pot. The white butter on his dark skin shone like a silver lining on a dark monsoon cloud. While the sight would have been a blessing and something the Devas and the Gods would have loved to see, for the mother Yasoda, it was a daily occurrence.

She was tired with the day’s work and was unable to enjoy the tantrums of her beloved Kanhaiya. She was unable to discipline him with any harsh words. Today she was beyond herself. She took a thick rope lying there for her cattle.

Yasoda looked at her dirty toddler with exasperation. She said with mock anger “Krishna, what do I do with you. I am not able to cope. I have more work. I am not going to let you move again.”

Yasoda used the rope to tie her Krishna to the heavy mortar used for grinding flour. She ensured that she did not tie the rope tightly around her baby so that she did not hurt him even unintentionally. Proud of her technique and solution, she went back to the kitchen.

Krishna first thought it was a game and was giggling. Once he finished licking the butter in his hands and forearms he was bored. He saw his friends playing outside. He decided he could not be left behind. He started crawling. Could not move.

Krishna turned back and behaved as if he was surprised to see the rope that was tying him to a mortar. He tried crying but his mother did not hear him. Krishna decided he had to take matter into his own little chubby hands. He tugged at the rope. It was loose around his belly. He shook his belly and found he could moved a little.

Krishna started chugging inch by inch. The mortar moved with him after some initial protest. Krishna crossed the forecourt of his home and came out to the open. The Yamalarjuna trees that were just outside the courtyard sensed a breeze caressing them. Krishna moved further. Even the Gods wanted to watch this leela happening in front of their eyes and were looking down.

Confident by now, Krishna dragged the mortar a little faster and reached the shade under the giant trees. The Yamalarjuna trees shed their golden leaves on the child as an offering. The chubby child moved in between the trees. Now even the wind and elements stopped to watch.

The Yamalarjuna trees were shedding their leaves faster. The big mortar had got caught in the gap between the trees. The child wanted to reach his friends who were playing a bit further and was impatient to go there. He turned back and saw the two giant trees and the stuck mortar. Nalakuvara and Manigriva were now praying to the Lord for his mercy and asking to be freed.

With a huge tug, Krishna pulled the mortar in-between the trees. The gap between the trees widened and they fell to the sides uprooted from their base. The child laughed at the loud clap as if it was a game. The Gods watching from heaven chanted Ohm Namo Narayana.

The trees split open and in its place stood two celestial beings Nalakuvara and Manigriva with folded hands with tears flowing from their eyes. Krishna laughed his childish giggle at them and raised his bejewelled hand in blessing. The celestial beings – Nalakuvara and Manigriva—fell at the child’s feet and went back to their celestial abode.

It was just another day at Vrajbhoomi.