buffet lunch part 1

[Guest guest]

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

In the previous post on 'oil bath for calf' we saw, it is essential to have the

grand mother in the house for three reasons. Now we will have some elaboration

on the second reason of "saadham kaiyil pisainthu koduththal".

 

Sitting around the grandma and eating jointly with all the family members

around, sharing some stories while enjoying the food is a pleasure in itself.

This very same concept has now modified and brought into effect with a new

christening "buffet lunch" - an evolution.

 

All materials kept in a place - people hang around in small congregations, eat

together while doing some gossiping or discussing some serious business matter,

may include a religious talk also. Only thing missing is the care and love of an

elderly grandma towards her wards.

 

KrishNa had this kind of buffet lunch twice with his friends, since as discussed

in previous post he did not have grandma. Once a vana bhOjanam session he had in

the forest.

 

As usual Krishna was the central focal point, boys of equal age encircling him,

the calves as the second layer of friends. Brahma took envy of this situation

and lifted all cows and calves, krishna's best friends [as Vanamaamalia

padmanabhan said calves he loved more]. Then brahma has to bow down his head

before krishna having done that mischief of snatching the calves and boys. That

is beautifully described in srimadh bhagavatahm translated as below:

 

"After saving all the boys and calves from the mouth of that deadly aghaasuran,

brought them to the river bank, the Supreme Lord and spoke these words. 'Oh, how

beautiful this bank is, dear friends, with all its opportunity to play. Its soft

and clean sands, the aroma of the lotuses in bloom attracting the bumble bees.

The sound of the chirping birds all around in the mass of trees! Let's eat here,

it is late now and we're weak with hunger. After drenching the calves in the

water, they can, at ease, eat from the grasses nearby.'

 

As said the boys allowed the calves to drink water, then took them to the tender

grasses. They opened their lunch bags and enjoyed happily together with the

Supreme Lord.

 

In a wide circle facing inward with a happy face grouped the boys of Vraja,

around Krishna, sitting down in the forest, as beautiful as the petals and

leaves of the whorl of a lotus flower. To serve as a plate, some used flower

petals to enjoy the food. While others used bunches of leaves, twigs, fruits,

their own packets, bark or a slab of rock. Each of them showing the others their

own different types of nice food, they amused themselves by making fun of having

their lunch with the Lord.

 

With His flute tucked in at His belly, the horn and the prod at His left, He

took the rice with curd and palatable fruits between His fingers keeping Himself

in the middle of His associates. Sitting around and He made them laugh telling

jokes of His own. Thus emulating the inhabitants of heaven enjoyed the Enjoyer

of the offerings in His child play.

 

O scion of Bharata, while the Infallible One this way was eating together with

the calf-tenders so close, the calves looking for grass had entered deep into

the forest. Seeing that said Krishna, the Fear of Fear, to the boys caught in

anxiety: "O friends, don't give up your seat here, I'll bring the calves right

back here!" Saying this Krishna went, the Supreme Lord, with a bit of food in

His hand, out to look for the calves of His friends everywhere in the mountains,

the caves, the bushes and the bowers.

 

He, born from the lotus [brahmâ] residing in the beyond, was charmed very much

by the Lord. His enchanting of the boys and just to see more of it, the lotus

born took the boys and their calves to hide them elsewhere, O man of the Kuru

bond. This authority from heaven, who, before, had witnessed the deliverance of

aghaasura had grown very astonished of the All-potent Personality."

 

The love of krishna towards calves is also nicely brought out here. This vana

bhOjanam is so beautifully described by swamy dhEsikan in his "yaadhava

abhyudhayam". The details of the second lunch and more points we will have in

next post.

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.