Swallowing the Forest Fire

The nineteen chapter describes how Krsna protected the cowherd boys from a wild fire in the rushes while their eyes were closed and how, opening of their eyes, they found themselves at the base of bhandira banyan tree.

While the boys were absorbed in playing, the cows, wandering far off (duracarini) out of greed for grass, entered a dense forest.

The cows, buffalos and goats wandered and wandered until they came to grove of reeds (isika). They were suffering from great thirst because of the heat (dava) of the sun.

Not seeing the cows, the boys felt very repentant (jatanutapa). They did not know where the animals had gone. The love for the cows covered their knowledge.

They followed the path of the cows, the means of their livelihood, by their hoofprints and the grass torn by their hooves and teeth.

Finding the lost, crying cows and other animals in the reed thicket, they brought them out.

This verse describes how Krsna rescued the cows. Seeing each one, he called out their names and they answered by mooing.

After reuniting with the cows and wanting to leave that place, suddenly they found themselves surrounded by fire (dhuma ketu) in the forest (dava). It is said that this fire was actually a friend of Pralambha. The fire was stirred by the wind (sarathina) and blazing with fierce flames.

The cowherd boys spoke to Krsna. Why? Because they remembered that Garga had said, “ This boy will protect you from all dangers.” There are three readings: gopas ca gava, cowherds and cows, gopas sma gava the cowherds and certainly the cows, and gopas sa gava, cowherds with cows.

You should not act so that your friends experience suffering (avasaditum) like other people.

He thought, “These boys should not see me swallowing the fire. It should be done without anyone seeing. As they are so tired and hot, I should place them under the cool shade of the beautiful Bhandira tree.” After considering in this way he said, “close your eyes.”

“But you are joking! How can we escape from the forest fire if we close our eyes.”

“Do not fear. Today I will use another means to protect you.”

“Friends! Krsna knows everything about the powers of jewels and mantras to take away the effects of poison and fire. But the methods are not effective in everyone’s presence. Therefore, if you close your eyes he will be alone. That is why he is telling us to close our eyes.” The boys then agree.

Bhagavan here indicates that Krsna was full of all great powers. Thought the fire was fierce he could swallow it.

There is one story. Krsna was thirsty. The fire, unable to do anything against the will of Krsna, and being afraid, turned into very cool fragrant drink. It became a small drop on Krsna’s tender hand, and then as yogadisa, he drank it. Some say that yogamaya appeared at this time and she herself took it from his hand and drank it, but this interpretation gives sorrow to the real devotee.

Yoga means yoga maya and adisa means the master. Krsna is the master of yoga maya. Therefore Krsna drank the fire in his mouth.

Another meaning of mukha is method. Krsna drank the fire by some method. What method? As he is yogadhisa, he used yoga, his aisvarya sakti. By that means he drank the fire. Krsna delivered the boys from all difficulties (krscchra)-- from fatigue and thirst from entering the dense forest. He did this by immediately bringing them to the base of the bhandira tree.

“O friends! You can open your eyes now. I have prevented the fire.”

The boys could understand they and the cows had been saved when they opened their eyes and were astonished.

This verse shows that though they had seen Krsna’s power, that knowledge could not be cover the strength of their sakhya prema, as was the case of Arjuna and others. Yogavirya means power to attain or achieve extraordinary things. The extraordinary thing was getting saved. This power arose through the instruction of yogamaya (yogamaya anubhavita). Seeing the power of Krsna to save them, accomplished through his yogamaya sakti, they thought Krsna was a type of deva (amara). Even that realization was slightly informal, for the boys thought, “because Krsna has done things humans cannot do, he must be a deva, not a human. Because we are his friends, we must also be devas. How could we be friends if we are not similar?” Thinking like this, they were overwhelmed with bliss.

Janardana suggests two things. Ardana means pain and asking. Desiring to separate from the forest creatures (jana), he caused pain (ardana). Desiring to meet the inhabitants of Vraja he made the desire to request him to come arise in their hearts. Janaradana, who caused pain to the forest dwellers by separating from them and caused the inhabitants of Vraja to request his return, entered the village playing a special tune on his flute, while the boys praised him.

Although everyone was blissful when Krsna entered the village, the bliss of Yasoda with her strong parental affection was outstanding. This was described in chapter 14.47. Now, in this verse, the bliss of the gopis headed by Radha is described as Krsna entered the village.

In terms of both quality and quantity, the gopis’ love was supreme. Parama means there was nothing beyond it. Which gopi? Her uncommon quality is mentioned. She experienced a moment’s (ksanam) separation (yena vina) from Krsna as a hundred yugas. Ksanam in neuter instead of regular masculine geneder is traditional usage here. To experience a moment as a hundred yugas is the quality of adhirudha mahabhava, the highest state of prema, after proceeding through rati, prema, sneha,mana, pranaya, raga, anuraga, and mahabhava. According to Ujjvala Nilamani the gopis such as Radha possess this type of mahabhava.