Monday, 26 May 2014

Blood and Vraj --- A unity of paradoxes 


In the forest of Vrindavana the small cowherd community of Yadavas were peacefully residing with their much loved leader and friend , Sri Krishna .  Every night , hearing the flute of Krishna , Srimati Radharani would quietly slip out from her home to secretly meet with her lover in the deep forests .
However this did not go unnoticed . Soon Radha's sister and Mother in law , Jatila and Kutila  informed her husband Ayan of his wife’s  ‘adultery’ . Infuriated Ayan set off to punish the miscreant , into the deep woods . However the lord of all beings , Sri Govinda ,  already knew what was in the air . He quickly asked Radha to collect all the wild fruits and flowers that she can and sit down at his feet in an worshipful gesture . Radha , though perplexed , obeyed to his commands and soon Krishna had himself transformed to Kali — the ishta or chosen deity of Ayan .
One instance when all the differences between chandan smeared body of  Madhava and blood smeared  body of Kali become one . Shyam becomes Shyamaa !
 When Ayan arrived on the spot , he found his wife doing puja of their family deity . Thus Srimati Radharani was saved .

In the last 500 years,  mystics of eastern India personally felt the unity of these two important forms of Hindu pantheon . Many songs and poems were composed in honour of this united form . Poetically it was named KRISHNA-KALI .  In many such song the Sadhak poses himself as a little child requesting his loved mother to drop her ghastly look to assume the more pleasing form of Krishna with kadamba garlands , yellow robes and enchanting crown of flowers and peacock feathers .
A fact lesser known , this day is also commemorated in Bengal as Phalaharini Kalika Puja , which takes place in the amavasya(new moon might) of jyestha(april-may) month .....at a time when India is abound with scented flowers and sweetest of fruits like mango . The seeker surrenders himself by offering the fruits of his love at that blue tinged lotus feet ...

” My mother has become Krishna on seeing the enchanting night of  full moon in the season of spring .
my black moon(Kali) has now started the divine play of holi .
ah ! behold the mesmeric beauty on her body , which is now covered with coloured holi powders and blood .
Dakini , Sakini , Yogini , Hakini and all her other companions have become mad with divine love and thus have turned to gopinis (cowherd damsels)" ----- Premik Maharaj



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