Javat
Please note, this is one of my old videos. For complete information watch the video at the bottom of the page.
The ancient name of this village is Yavata, it is situated three kilometres north east of Nandagrama. The ancient name is derived from the word ‘yava’ or ‘yavaka’, which means the bright red pigment, called in English as ‘vermilion’ or ‘red lac’. The word ‘vata’ means a ‘banyan tree’. In other words, this is the site under the shade of this famous banyan tree, where Krishna would secretly meet His beloved Radha and where He also applied yavaka on the soles of Radha’s lotus feet. It is also said that the gopis also used to decorate Radha’s lotus feet with yavaka under this same tree.
Krishna regularly visited Yavata and expertly dressing Himself in various costumes and disguises, would enter the house of Abhimanyu and enjoy transcendental pastimes with Radharani and Her girlfriends. Sometimes Krishna would even disguise Himself as Abhimanyu and after entering the house; inform mother Jatila that the cunning debauchee named Krishna was planning to come there disguised as her son. As soon as the real Abhimanyu arrived at his home, he suddenly found himself being abused with foul words, beaten over the head with a stick, and driven away by his own mother, much to the satisfaction of all the gopis, who took great pleasure in seeing such amazing and incredible pastimes.
Yavat is also the birthplace of the eight principle manjaris who are the most intimate young friends of Radharani including Sri Rupa-manjari, Sri Manjulali-manjari, Sri Rasa-manjari, Sri Rati- manjari, Sri Guna-manjari, Sri Vilasa-manjari, Sri Labanga-manjari and Sri Kasturi-manjari. These manjaris are differentiated from the sakhis, as they are all kaumaris, or pre-pubescent young girls, and can therefore enter the nikunja where Radha and Krishna are engaged in conjugal love and serve Them unhindered, and without being aroused or agitated to enjoy personally with Krishna.
In Navadvipa Lila these eight principle manjaris appeared as Gosvami’s. Sri Rupa-manjari appeared as Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Manjulali-manjari appeared as Sri Lokanatha Gosvami, Sri Rasa-manjari appeared as Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Rati-manjari appeared as Sri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, Sri Guna-manjari appeared as Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Vilasa-manjari appeared as Sri Jiva Gosvami, Sri Labanga-manjari appeared as Sri Sanatana Gosvami and Sri Kasturi-manjari appeared as Sri Krsna dasa Kaviraja Gosvami.
One day Krsna felt very eager to see Radharani, because He had not seen Her for quite a long period. He went to the village of Javat and was loitering outside the house of Jatila. At that time Jatila came out of the house and seeing Krsna, she called out to Him, “O Kanu! Why are You roaming here and there in the middle of the day? It is so hot now, and in this scorching heat Your face has become red and dry. Please come here. Come close to me.” (At this time, Jatila did not know that Krsna had developed a loving relationship with her daughter-in-law, and thus she was openly affectionate towards Krsna).
Krsna said to Jatila in a pitiful voice, “O my grandmother! What can I say to you about My sorrow? The calf of My most dear cow Dhavali has been lost, and now Dhavali is crying very pitifully, making ‘hamba, hamba’ sounds. Thus I have given up My job of milking the cows and come in search of that calf. Because I have been wandering under the scorching sun I am feeling very thirsty. Due to intense thirst My tongue has dried up.”
Seeing the miserable condition of Kanu, Jatila took Him inside the house and told her daughter-in-law Radha to bring some cool water for Kanu to drink. Because Jatila was present, Radharani pretended to feel very shy to be there. She pulled down Her veil and turned Her face away, covering it with Her sari, but from under the veil Radha was looking at Krsna.
On the pretext of drinking water, Krsna was looking at Radharani and enjoying the moment very much. After Krsna had taken rest for some time, Jatila said, “O Kanai! What has happened today? Till now the gauda-behera (person who milks the cow) has not come. The calves are shouting ‘hamba! hamba!’ due to the delay. You are milking cows every day. Kindly milk this cow!”
Then Jatila instructed Radharani to bring the pot for collecting milk and rope for binding the legs of the cow. Radharani brought the items and placed them in front of Krsna. Jatila then told Radharani to release the calf and allow her to suckle before milking the cow. Radharani did so and the calf ran to its mother, drinking noisily. Out of affection the cow started to lick the whole body of her calf. Then Krsna went near the cow with the milk pot for milking the cow.
Krsna told Jatila, “O Grandmother! Please hold the calf so I can milk the cow.” Jatila was an old lady and not able to see properly. She did not feel able to hold the calf away from its mother to let Krsna milk the cow. She called Radha and said, “My dear daughter Radha! Why are You feeling shy? This Kanha is your nephew, and You are His aunt. Why do You keep Yourself away from Your nephew? Please hold the calf strongly, otherwise it will drink all the milk.”
Being thus ordered by Her mother-in-law, Radharani went close to Krsna without hesitation. She roped the calf and held it tight while Krsna started to milk the cow, and Jatila sat down nearby to watch the proceedings.
While Krsna was milking the cow He was looking towards Radharani, paying little attention to the milking. As a result some of the milk was falling inside the milk pot and some was falling on the ground. Krsna was sitting behind the cow and so Jatila was not able to see Him looking upon Radha. Moreover her eyes were defective: how could she see anything at all? In this way Krsna’s purpose for coming to Jatila’s place was fulfilled.
Although so much milk fell on the ground due to Krsna’s inattentiveness, still, due to being milked by the hands of Sri Krsna, the cow gave her milk freely, and at the end of milking the milk pot was full. Jatila was very happy to see that Krsna had milked so much from this cow. She told Radharani to give some of that fresh, warm milk to Krsna to drink. After drinking milk from the hand of Radharani, Krsna gazed upon at Her face to His satisfaction, then took leave from Jatila. He went back to the herd to milk His cows along with His cowherd friends.