58 INTRODUCTION. Rādhā—O friends, the day has auspiciously dawned on me. I have seen him. Addressing the potrait. If thou hast been so good as to come here I shall keep thee within my heart of hearts. My eyes will keep the watch. Kansa’s” messenger will have no entrance there. My very ribs will have to be torn out before they dare touch thee. There is in my heart, sweet friend, a bed of flowers. Thou wilt be there and I shall worship thy lotus-feet all alone; thou art to me what wealth is to a miser or the jewel in the hood is to the serpent.t This time I will not let thee leave me. She touches the portarit. Alas, it is not he. I do not feel the influence of that lifegiving touch. It is a portrait. You have only deceived me. Chandrà–Lose not your wits again, O Rādhā. We will devise means to bring Krisna up here. Rādhā–I will be a Yogini and go about begging alms, till I find him. Chandrà–Don’t say so, dear, you are our pride. You are a princess. Why should you go as a Yogini. I undertake to go to Mathură, and I will bring him. Wait only till I do so. Rādhā—Go, I beseech you friend. Waste not a moment. Chandrä-Be not impatient. I will go and search every town, every village and every house. Ere long he will be brought here, I promise. But before I start, O princess, O our beloved one, smile but once. Your smile will be the auspicious sign of my starting. For a long time have we not seen that sweet smile adorn your face. Rādhā (smiling forcedly)– Go now Chandrā, do not delay. Eacit Chamdrä. Re-enters Chandrā. Rādhā–What makes you come back, Chandrà 2 Chandrä-I am just reminded that at the dawn of love Krisna was so infatuated that we wanted him to execute a bond, before
- Kansa's messenger Akrura came to the Wrinda-groves and took away Krisna to Mathura.
+ The popular notion is that the serpent dies when it loses the jewel it is supposed to bear in its hood. -
