Srimati Radharani Talks to a Bumblebee

Srimati Radharani Talks to a Bumblebee

(a poem by Krishna-kripa dasa based on Srila Prabhupada's
Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead)

Uddhava, servant of Krishna,
Entered the holy Vraja land.
Krishna sent him with a message
To give to the gopis by hand.

The gopis remembered Lord Krishna,
Hearing of Uddhava's mission,
So much so they forgot their homes
And their external position.

Sri Radha, mad with Krishna thought,
In touch through devotion complete,
Talked to a nearby bumblebee,
Who tried to touch Her lotus feet.

'When you're after honey, dear bee,
Each and every flower will do.
Now you convey Krishna's message,
For He's the same nature as you.

'Red kunkum adorns your moustache
As you most proudly let Me see.
It clung to Krishna's garland when
He embraced one other than Me.

'You have come here with His message,
And you're daring to touch My feet,
But I warn you sir, don't touch Me!
You cheating servant of a cheat!'

These sarcastic words of Radha,
Directed at the bumblebee,
Reveal Her doubts about Krishna
And His servant, Uddhavaji.

'Your nature is so like Krishna's
You take a flower's honey then leave,
As Krishna let us taste His lips,
Then, suddenly left us to grieve.

'Why does Sri Lakshmi serve Him so,
Knowing His real character.
We're smarter and won't be cheated
By Him nor by His messenger.'

As Krishna expands as Vishnu,
From Radha comes the goddess Sri.
Although she's goddess of fortune,
She wants to become a gopi.

'Dear bee, You chant Krishna's glories
Thus seeking a reward from Me.
Why this simply useless attempt?
It's foolish as foolish can be!

'We have left all our possessions
And our homes and families too.
We know this Krishna very well.
We all know Him better than you.

'Since Krishna moved to the city
And is known as friend of Arjuna
He now has many new girlfriends
Who think He's the ultimate boon.

'Happily blessed by Krishna's touch
They'll smile as you chant His glories.
Tricky friend of tricky Krishna,
Please go! Enough of your stories.

'Though you're great at solving conflicts,
Your words and Krishna's I can't trust.
We gave up everything for Him,
But He treated us just like dust.

'He can't live without young women,
But city girls aren't so naive.
Not like innocent cowherd girls,
Who charmed by His words, believe.

'Want to lead us to Mathura?
And then again, whatever for?
Krishna's smile is so enchanting
Any woman would just adore.

'Krishna smiles, His eyebrows dancing,
Enticing women all around.
Compare to those, led by Lakshmi,
We're just like straw upon the ground.

'He presents Himself, a noble,
And sages praise Him with respect.
One so great should show His mercy
For we are pained by His neglect.

'Foolish servant, you don't know Him.
He's been so hard-hearted and cold
In this life and in former ones.
The details Paurnamasi's told.

'She claimed He came as Rama, the king,
But His actions were a disgrace.
He killed Vali like a coward,
Without fighting him face to face.

'Attached to Sita's pure beauty,
He drove Surpanakha to tears.
Instead of appeasing her lust,
He chopped off her nose and her ears.'

'Next He came as the brahmana boy
Asking alms from Bali, the king.
Then displeased, He punished Bali,
Though Bali'd offered Him everything.

'We know that Krishna very well.
He's hard-hearted, restless, and mean.
How can we stop our talks of Him?
This certainly remains to be seen.

'Not only we, but great souls too
All have these same proclivities.
We can't see how we'll ever stop
Discussing His activities.'

Because Krishna is absolute
Both His kind and mean acts please.
Opportunities to hear of them
Great devotees will always seize.

Caitanya taught that Krishna's free
To leave us and bring dejection.
He may crush us or embrace us,
Still, we serve Him with affection.

'No one should hear these Krishna talks,
For if a drop goes in one's ear,
One's freed from all dualities
And things materially dear.'

Free of material desire,
One gives up family and home.
Wandering in search of Krishna,
Going here and there, he will roam.

To understand Krishna's nature
Is hard in actuality,
His name, form, comrades, and pastimes
Are of transcendent quality.

'Please don't speak anymore of Krishna.
Give us another topic to hear.
Krishna charmed us with His sweet words
As hunters' tunes entrance a deer.

'In our present doomed condition,
We think of His glittering feet,
And become lusty for His touch.
Please, from your talks of Him, retreat!'

All these talks of Radharani
With the messenger bumblebee
Which refer to Krishna alone
Symptomize topmost ecstacy.

These symptoms of mahabhava
In Radha and the gopis too,
Acaryas have closely studied
To explain the things that they do.

Radha acts as if bewildered,
And She talks in different ways.
This all comes from Her Krishna love
As from jewels come sparkling rays.

Sri Radha's talking with the bee
Cured Her woe of separation,
But then when the bee disappeared,
She went mad in desparation.

Thinking the bee went to Krishna
Telling Her words of demotion,
She feared that She made Krishna sad,
And thus She felt great emotion.

When the bee appeared before Her,
She felt Krishna to be most kind:
He ignored Her disruptive words
And sent the bee to calm Her mind.

Then Sri Radha spoke with great care
Thus addressing the bumblebee.
This time She was speaking sweet words
And not words full of infamy.

'My dear friend, you are most welcome.
To send you, Krishna is so kind.
He ignored My words against Him,
Though they couldn't have pleased His mind.

'Oh My friend, you're welcome to ask Me
Whatever you desire, dear bee,
For I shall give you anything
Because of your kindness to Me.

'You've come to take Me to Krishna
Because He cannot come to Me,
For there new girlfriends surround Him.
But you're too small to take Me, dear bee!

'How can you help Me meet Krishna?
For there He is taking His rest
Along with the goddess of fortune
And embracing her to His chest.

'Oh, never mind! Forget these talks
Of My going or sending you.
Tell Me how Krishna is faring.
In Mathura, what does He do?

'Does He miss His father Nanda?
And His most loving mother too?
What about His cowherd boyfriends?
And we gopis? Give us a clue!

'I'm sure He sometimes sings of us,
We who all served Him without pay.
We simply were His maidservants.
To embrace Him once more, we pray!

'Oh, when will His arms surround us,
Always fragrant with aguru scent.
Oh, please ask Krishna these questions,
Without Him we simply lament!'

This worship in separation
By the gopis of Their dear Lord
Is most praised by Lord Caitanya
As giving the supreme reward.

This reward of love of Krishna
Is certainly the highest goal.
It's this Caitanya came to teach,
And it is this He did extol.