heard, one of the cowherdesses said, 'Hearken, Sister! an idea has occurred to me, that all the beasts and birds and trees which are in this forest, are Rishis and Munis, which have descended on earth to behold the sports of Krishn: ask ye them! These standing here are spectators. They will point out to you the direction which Hari has taken.' On hearing these words, all the cowherdesses, distressed at their separation (from Krishn), began to question each individual thing, both inanimate and animate:

"Ofig-trees of various kinds! you have obtained your lofty stature by your meritorious acts!

You, most of all, have been beneficent to others, in that you have taken on
Earth the form of trees.

You have endured the pain inflicted by heat, cold, and rain, and for the sake
of others you have remained standing.

O bark! blossoms! roots! fruit! and branches! with which (ye trees) advantage others!

Nand's darling has bereft us all of mind and property; say, kind beings! has he passed this way?

O Kadam! mango! and Kachnár! have you seen Murári going in any direction?

O Asoka, Champaca, and oleander! have you seen Balbír passing by?

O blooming Tulsí, very dear to Hari!

his person,

Thou whom he never separates from

Has Hari to-day come and met you? Who will tell us? who will point out
the way?

Dear jasmine, Juhí, Máltí! did the youthful Kanháí come in this direction?'
To the Antelopes the women of Braj called aloud, 'Have you seen the forester

(Krishn) passing here?'”

Thus far having recited, the saintly Shukadev said, "Sire! in this manner all the cowherdesses, continually inquiring of beasts, birds, and creeping shrubs, and filled with (thoughts of) Krishn, began, in childish sport, to imitate the slaughter of Pútaná, and all the other exploits of the divine Krishn, and, at the same time, to search on. At last, as they continually searched, after proceeding some distance, they saw the footsteps of the celestial feet of the divine Krishn Chand, together with the lotus, barley, banner, and iron goad (imprinted) on the sand, continue glittering. Soon as they saw this, the women of Braj, having made a reverential obeisance to the dust, which gods, men, and Munis search for, placed it on their heads, and, resuming a confident hope of meeting Hari, proceeded on. Then they beheld that near the traces of those celestial feet the footstep of a female also was ever imprinted. Beholding this, surprised, they went forward, and saw that in one place there had fallen, upon a bed of soft leaves, a fair and jewelled mirror. Of

it they began to ask, but when, filled with the pangs of separation, it also was silent, then they began to inquire of one another, 'Tell, me, Sister! why did he take this with him?' Then one, who knew well the feelings of lover and beloved one, made answer, 'Friend! when the lover sate down to wreathe the long back hair of his mistress, and his lovely form was hid from sight, at that time the fair one took the mirror in her hand, and showed it to him she loved, and then the image of his divine face appeared before her.' Having heard these words, the cowherdesses felt no resentment, but began to say, 'Well must she have worshipped Shiva and Párvatí, and great must have been the penance she performed, that alone she is privileged to sport securely with the soul's Lord.'

"Sire! all the cowherdesses indeed in this direction were wandering about in search (of Krishn) bewildered with the emotions caused by separation from him, prattling and talking, and in the other direction the divine Rádhiká, enjoying excessive delight in the society of Hari, supposed her lover was entirely under her influence, deemed herself the principal person of all, and admitting pride into her mind, said, 'Dear one! I am now unable to proceed further, take me on your shoulders and so go on with me.' Immediately on hearing these words the divine Krishn Chand, the destroyer of pride and searcher of hearts, sat down smiling and said, 'Come! be pleased to mount upon my shoulders.' When having stretched forth her hand she was about to mount, then the divine Khrishn vanished from sight and she (Rádhiká) remained standing with extended arm as (at first) she put forth her hand, just as having parted from the cloud the lightning would remain separate, or as the moonbeams at variance with the moon (might appear) when left behind by it. And the dazzling brightness cast from her white body shadowed upon the earth was beautiful, like a lovely woman standing on a golden ground. From her eyes a stream of water continued flowing, and she was unable even to drive away the black bees which, attracted by the sweet perfume, came perpetually and settled on her mouth. Thus uttering deep sobs, she remained alone in the forest, weeping through the pangs of separation in such a manner that, hearing the sound of her lamentation, all beasts and birds, trecs and creeping things, were weeping, and she continued exclaiming thus'Alas, Lord! chief of benefactors! Whither, O capricious Bihari, hast thou gone? I am thy suppliant at thy feet, thy slave! Ocean of mercy! recall me to thy thoughts.

"Meanwhile all the cowherdesses also searching on, arrived beside

her, and continually embracing her, all of them, as they in turn came up, received such gratification as he does who, having lost great riches, finds moderate treasure, or half of that he lost.

"At length, all the cowherdesses perceiving her deep distress, took her with them, and penetrated into the great forest, and as far as they could see the moonlight, so far the cowherdesses sought for the divine Krishn in the forest. When in the darkness of the dense forest they could not find their way, then they all returned thence, and, taking courage, and assuring themselves of rejoining Krishn, came and sat down on that same bank of the Yamuná, where the divine Krishn Chand had conferred much delight upon them."

The saintly Shukadev said, "Sire! all the cowherdesses seated on the banks of the Yamuná, intoxicated with love, began to sing the exploits and virtues of Hari, saying, 'Beloved one! since you came to Braj, ever since that time, having come here, you have diffused new joys. Lakshmi, placing her confidence on your celestial feet, has come and fixed here her perpetual abode. We cowherdesses are your handmaids, shew compassion and quickly direct your thoughts to us. Since we beheld your dark, comely, and piquant figure, we have become your slaves without purchase. The arrows of your eyes have smitten our hearts, and therefore, dear one! wherefore should not they be accounted your own? Our lives are departing; now, then, compassionate us. Lay cruelty aside, and quickly return to our sight. If it was really your purpose to slay us, then wherefore did you save us from the venomous serpent, fire and water, and why suffered you not us then to die? You are not merely the son of Jasodá; Brahmá, Rudr, Indr, and the other gods, by their humble supplications, have brought you for the protection of the world.

"O souls' Lord! at one thing we greatly marvel, that, if you will slay those who are your own, whom will you defend? Beloved one! you are the searcher of hearts, why do you not remove our distress, and fulfil the hope of our minds? What, is it against weak women that you will display your valour? O dearest! when we recall your gentle smiling glances, full of love, and the arch of your eyebrow, and your coquettish eyes, the bend of your neck, and your gay discourse, then what pangs are there which we do not suffer! And when you were going into the forest to pasture the cows, at that time from fixing our thoughts on your celestial feet, the gravel and thorns of the forest came thence and were rankling in our hearts. Departing at dawn, you were returning at eve, yet still

those four watches appeared to us four ages.

When seated before

you we were gazing on your handsome form, then we used to think in our minds that 'Brahmá is an utter dolt to have made the eyelid, as it were, to impede our steadfast gaze.'

Thus far having recited, the saintly Shukadev said, "Sire! during this same night, all the cowherdesses, afflicted with the pangs of separation, sang on in many various ways the virtues and exploits of the divine Krishn Chand till they were exhausted, but still Bihárí came not. Then truly being very dejected, yet still cherishing a hope of union (by death) they abandoned all confidence of surviving him, and through extreme impatience, became insensible, and falling down, so wept and exclaimed that, on hearing them, animate and inanimate things also were oppressed with heavy affliction."

The saintly Shukadev said, "Sire! when the divine Krishn Chand, searcher of hearts, perceived that the cowherdesses could not survive without him,

Then amongst them appeared Nand's son, just as

A juggler eludes the sight, lies hid, and again displays himself.
When they saw Hari returned, all started up to consciousness,
As when life is infused into a corpse, the senseless members revive.
Deprived of seeing him, the minds of all had become agitated,
As though a mind-agitating snake had bitten all and departed.
Their loyer, knowing their grief to be unfeigned, came arriving,
He watered the creepers with nectar, and revived them all.
As the Lotus dejected at night, so were the fair ones of Braj;

Having seen the beauty of the sun's orb, their large eyes expanded." Thus far having recited, the saintly Shukadev said, "Sire! on beholding the divine Krishn Chand, the root of joy, all the cowherdesses having suddenly emerged from the ocean of painful separation, approached him, and were as delighted as one who, drowniug in an unfathomable sea, rejoices on finding a ford. And being collected on all sides they stood. Then the divine Krishn, taking them with him, came where he had first indulged in the circular dance, and other delights. On arriving a cowherdess took off her mantle and spread it for Krishn to sit down on. When he sat on it, some of the cowherdesses, incensed, said, 'Great sir! you are very deceitful, and know how to take away the minds and wealth of others, but you never acknowledge the favours of any one.' Thus having spoken, they began to say among themselves, 'Good qualities he forsakes, and takes the bad, deceit continues pleasing to his mind. See, sister! and reflect, how shall we deal with him effectually?' Having heard this, one among them said, 'Companion! do you

stand aside, since from our own words we derive no advantage. Lo! I will make Krishn himself avow it.' Thus having spoken, she asked the divine Krishn with a smile, 'Sire! One person confers favours (or is grateful) without having received any; a second reciprocates a benefit; a third, in return for benefits, gives back the reverse; a fourth does not so much as even admit into his mind the sense of having received a favour at all; of these four, which is the good, and which is the bad man-this do you explain to us and tell.' The divine Krishn Chand said, 'Attend, all of you and listen! I will point out to you the good and the bad. The best, then, is he who confers kind offices without receiving them, as the father loves his son; and to do good for good done is not meritorious, as in the case of the cow which yields milk for the food given her. As for the man who looks on a benefit as an injury, know him to be an The worst of all is the ungrateful man, enemy who does that. who obliterates all sense of obligation.'

"When, on hearing these words, the cowherdesses, looking in one another's faces, began to laugh, then, indeed, the divine Krishn being confused, said, 'Attend! I am not to be reckoned among these four, as you suppose, and are, therefore, laughing; but my way is this, that whoever desires anything of me, whatever it may be, I fulfil the desire of his mind. Perhaps you will say, if this be your custom, then why did you thus forsake us in the forest? The reason of that is this, I put your affection to the proof; do not take this matter ill, but consider what I say to be true.' Thus having spoken, he added,

"Now I have made trial of you; you persevered in remembrance, and thought

of me.

You have increased your affection for me, like a poor man who has obtained
wealth.

Thus you came for my sake, and cast away regard for popular report, and
respect for the Vedas.

As the Bairagi (an ascetic) abandons his dwelling, and with entire purpose of
mind, fixes his affection on Hari.

How can I give you exaltation? (though I recompense you) the obligation
I owe you will not receive its equivalent.

Though we should live a hundred years of Brahma, yet the debt I owe you
will not be discharged."

The saintly Muni Shukadev said, "King, when the divine Krishn Chand had thus fondly spoken, then, indeed, all the cowherdesses, laying aside their anger, were pleased; and, having risen, enjoyed various delights in the society of Hari; and, filled with emotions of joy, began to indulge in sports. At this time,