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BY: SUN STAFF
Feb 11, 2011 — CANADA (SUN) — A serial presentation of Sri Krsna's transcendental Vrindavan associates. In the Vidagdha-madhava, a seven act play by Srila Rupa Goswami about 'Clever Krsna', there are numerous scenes in which Krsna's dearmost friend Subala is found playing tricks on Jatila, Radha's mother-in-law. In Act 5, entitled 'Radha-prasadana' (Decorating Radha), there is a scene where the gopis have stolen Krsna's flute, and they are playing it to please the other gopas. But when Jatila hears the sounds, she comes and snatches the flute away. Vrinda promises to recapture it, and begins following after the angry Jatila. At this point, Subala comes along and immediately begins to intervene in the drama, by tricking Jatila into being distracted away from the flute: * 18 (m) (Subala enters). * 18 (n) Jatila: (tilting her neck, she looks) Subala, you speak the truth. That monkey is about to steal my stock of butter. (She changes directions and runs off). * 18 (o) Paurnamasi: Vrinda sent this old monkey named Kakkhati, did she not? * 18 (p) Subala: Nandimukhi, look! Jatila became bewildered. She threw the flute at the monkey and hit her with it. * 18 (q) Paurnamasi: (Happily) Fortunately this monkey Kakkhati has taken the flute and now climbed a kadamba tree. * 18 (r) (Everyone becomes happy). * 18 (s) (Jatila enters). * 18 (t) Subala: Kakkhati is a good name for this monkey. O noble lady, this monkey is afraid of only one person: Your nephew Visala. Visala is now playing on top of Govardhana Hill. Go, you should go there and ask him to help. * 18 (u) (Jatila exits). While Radha and Lalita go off searching for the flute, Paurnamasi arranges with Subala how to deal with the problems of Jatila and the disconsolate Krsna, who does not have His flute, and blames Radha for stealing it. Thinking to lift His spirits, the two friends make a plan: * 18 (kk) Vrinda: (Thinking) Subala, I know how we may cheer up Govinda for a moment. Come. To do this we must first disguise ourselves. (They both exit). Meanwhile, the gopi Sarangi enters, telling Krsna and Madhumangala that the elder Mukhra is angry at Krsna's false accusations. The monkey has been seen with the flute! Then a voice is heard from behind the scenes, which is mistaken for Radha's voice. She begins criticizing the messenger Sarangi, saying to her: * 22 (i) A Voice From Behind the Scenes: O unfortunate Sarangi, O queen of the monkeys, you are a second Jatila. You should go fall in the jaws of some old tiger. The voice then announces that the flute is found, and it is pulled from the corner of a sari and tossed to the boys. Poor Jatila is further chastised: * 23 (e) Madhumangala: Cruel-mouth Jatila appears like a black snake in the month of Sravana. She angrily mover her cane and she roars very ferociously. * 23 (f) A Voice From Behind the Scenes: O smoking cinder that has burned down the good reputation of Your family, every day You cheat someone. What can be done to stop You? Still taking the voice, and the finder of the flute to be Radha, both Madhumangala and Krsna are awed by her angry words. Madhumangala then explains to Krsna how Jatila took hold of Radha, and took her to face Paurnamasi and the other elderly gopis, so she could be chastised. * 24 (e) Madhumangala: Then I saw what happened. In the midst of all the very affectionate elderly gopis Jatila lifted the veil covering Radha's face, and then, from under the veil came, not Radhika, but laughing Subala. * 24 (f) Krsna: (Smiling) Then? Then? * 24 (g) Madhumangala: Then, when the uproarious laughter finally ended, all the gopis were very angry. They loudly rebuked Jatila. Jatila bowed her head in shame and fled from their midst. * 24 (h) Krsna: Tell, what happened to the second girl? * 24 (i) Madhumangala: Radhika whispered a magical mantra in her ear and the girl became transformed into Vrinda. * 24 (j) Krsna: Friend, this is not Radhika's knowledge of magical science. Knowing that Abhimanyu had called Radha away, Vrinda arranged these wonderful pastimes to amuse Me. * 24 (k) Madhumangala: (With a loud laugh) Aha! You speak the truth. Vrinda and I have both seen Subala enter Mukhara's house disguised as Radha. As the scene draws to a close, there are several more scenes where the disguised Subala is mistaken for Radha, then the real Radha is mistaken for being Subala. Finally the transcendental drama comes to an end, with Jatila being left in a bewildered state: * 55 (b) Jatila: (Taking the cane) O Subala, why do you repeatedly make fun of me by dressing up like a girl in this way? * 55 (c) Krsna: (Aside) Fortunately she thinks Radha is Subala in disguise. (Openly, with a playful smile). I swear by all My superiors: It is Radhika who walks there. That is not Subala. * 55 (d) Jatila: O fool, I can see everything. What is the use of trying to convince ? (She exits). * 55 (e) Krsna: Friend, come. Let us go to Gokula. (They both exit). Upon the conclusion of this divine drama, we now close our series on Subala. Tomorrow we will begin to follow the pastimes of another of Sri Krsna's most confidential Vraja friends. Hare Krsna.
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