VENUGOPALAN, BANKEBIHARI – THE MYSTIC FLUTIST
Think of krishNa and the picture that immediately comes to our mind is His enchanting face, His flute and the peacock feather. VeNu, Vamshi, Murali, MahAnandA, Akarshini, Anandini, Sammohini are said to be the types of flutes used by KrishNa. VeNu was six inches, Vamshi was fifteen and Murali was eighteen and likewise as the size increased, their melody and power of captivation also increased.
The ‘bAnkE bihAri krishNa’ holding the elegant flute is very famous in BrindAvan. The moorti is bent at three places – the neck, hip and the knees (tribhanga). This brindAvan KrishNa manifested before SwAmi HaridAs, a spiritual poet and classical musician.
As a young child, KrishNa, the natural flutist mesmerized the gOpis of gOkulam with His mellifluous music. They used to stop the work they were doing and leave their houses, following the sound of sweet music to track KrishNa.
In BrindAvana, lakes, trees and hills reverberated with His music. The gOpis thought that the best use of their eyes was in viewing the beauty of krishNa playing the flute, wearing the peacock feather on his head, the blue karNika flowers on His tresses, the brilliant yellow garment and the fresh vaijayanti mAlA.
The gOpis were jealous of the bamboo flute because krishNa always kept it with him. The flute was either tucked in this waist belt or played. They thought, “What good karmas has the flute performed to enjoy the nectar of kRishNa’s lips! The bamboo trees who are forefathers of the flute shed tears of happiness watching the flute being used by KrishNa. And what about the Yamuna river? She feels exalted because the bamboo grew in her banks”.
When krishNa starts playing His flute, peacocks surround him in a circle and dance jubilantly. The calves stop drinking milk from their mothers and with tears filled in their eyes, they try to embrace krishNa. The otherwise chirping birds alight on trees and keenly listen to his vEnu gAnam with eyes closed in trance. The river first swirls around but then softly caresses His feet offering flowers carried in its course. All other animals of the forest like the doe and the buck stand stunned. Not just the mortals, even the dEvatAs and apsaras flying in their chariot over BrindAvan, fall for this enchanting Lord.
PeriyAzhvAr captures this wonderful scene in ten pAsurams in his tirumozhi beginning with the words “நாவலம் பெரிய தீவினில் வாழும் nAvalam periya teevinil vAzhum”. He also gives a phalashruti that says: Those who recite the tirumozhi will be blessed with speech skills that surpass the sweetness of the flute and will be considered noblest.
In gOpAla vimshati: stOtram, SwAmi Desikan expresses that during his final journey, he wishes to see the image of the effulgent blue gem hued vEnugOpAlan wearing the bunch of peacock feathers on his crown and having the beautiful flute on his lips.
मकुटालम्बि मयूर पिञ्छमाला: |
हरिनील शिला विभङ्गनीला:
प्रतिभा: सन्तु मम अन्तिम प्रयाणे ||
adharAhita chAru vaMsha nAlA:
makuTAlambi mayUra pinchamAlA:
harineela shilA vibhanga neelA:
pratibhA: santu mama antima prayANE
AZHVAR EMPERUMANAR DESIKAN TIRUVADIGALE SHARANAM
ADIYEN
Smt. Malathi Balaji
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