AKRURA CAME

Lalita Madhava - Act Three "Vrnda : (After remaining silent for a few moments, she exhales hot air and speaks in confusion.)

If Akrura takes Krsna to Mathura, why should I prepare new bowers in the forest?

Why should I attractively prepare flower beds? Why should I make the fragrant creepers bloom out of season?"

SBB Vol.III 5.164 "Somehow or other the wise Akrura, desiring to promote the welfare of the Yadus, took Him from Vraja to Madhupuri as if by force."

SB 10.39.26 "He who is doing this merciless deed should not be called Akrura.  He is so extremely cruel that without even trying to console the sorrowful residents of Vraja, he is taking away Krshna who is more dear to us than life itself."

SB 10.39.19 "[...] so now, as they remembered His graceful gait, His pastimes, His affectionate, smiling glances, His heroic deeds and His joking words, which would relive their distress, they were beside themselves with anxiety at the thought of the great separation about to come.[...]"

Akrura came

on the heel of many demons,

armed only with wheels,

flapping a cruel flag,

and with his crafty speech

thus he succeeded

to take away

our soul and our life,

so only tremulous whispers

and choked sighs

cling to our lips.

Akrura came

and what remains

of the lunar light

on the diamond riverbank ?

~ only our empty shawls

spread on camphored sand;  ⁽¹⁾

Akrura took away

the reassuring touch

of our Lover's hands,

the fluid honey

coming from His words,

His smile, the musk scent,

and the loving arrows of His glance. 

Akrura came

and left only tears behind,

the starry sky

has no songs to hear  ⁽²⁾

but only cries,

memories have become the only river

to drown the fire of His absence,

now no flower bloom out of season

and the night has no reason

to exist,

its limbs embrace no dreams,

no desires to fulfill

of either love or its dance.

Akrura came

and the white honey of the moon

no longer has a place

upon which to pour

the sweetest of moods ~

melting at the sound of the flute,

the waters of the lake

will never refresh His skin again

after the fatigue of a night of love,

He will not bathe

before dawn comes,

not today, not tomorrow, not any other day,

unbroken lamentation

is the only mark of time,

even the beds of petals

in the bowers have dried,

and Shyam will not come

to drink from the deep goblets

of our love.

1) This is a reminiscence of the Gopis from the night of the Rasa Dance.

    SD 32.13 "For their dear Krsna they attanged a seat with their shawls which         

    were smeared with the kunkuma powder from their breasts."  

2) Another reminiscence from the night of the Rasa Dance.

    SD 30.44 "The Gopis again came to the bank of the Kalindi.  Meditating on

  Krsna and eagerly hoping He would come, they sat down together to sing of Him."