Baṭu replied, “Hey foolish cowherd! Your svadharma is grazing cows. What do you know of the enjoyment of rasa? You should go in the forest now to graze your cows.” Then Śrī Kṛṣṇa inquired, “Hey Baṭu! You study the rasa-śāstras, don’t you?” Madhumaṅgala replied, “Hey Kṛṣṇa! The rhetoricians believe there are eight rasas, but I think there are only six, including bitter, sour, sweet and so on. After abandoning the rasas embodied in vegetables, soups and other foods, those who endeavor to experience the formless śṛṅgāra-rasa and so on are like thirsty people who abandon pure water and chase after a mirage. It is only useless labor. Those who say that chewing(1) brings the rasa out will not know what that means even after millions of births. It is not possible to chew unembodied rasa. The chewing of embodied rasa in the form of rice, vegetables, sweets and so on is immediately realized.” Curious about Baṭu’s novel conclusions regarding rasa, Śrī Baladeva inquired, “Baṭu, in your opinion, what are sāttvika and anubhāva in the tasting of rasa? What is sañcāri-bhāva and what is sthāyi-bhāva? Please explain.” Baṭu replied, “Haladhara! The rhetoricians think that the sāttvika called tears appears after tasting rasa, but I think tears come before tasting rasa if there is a shortage of food. Moreover, goosebumps and euphoria appear in harmony with such foods. Because of extreme pleasure while eating, my complexion becomes resplendent. Thus, my change of color. When I sometimes shout while eating, that is my broken speech. If there are abundant sweets present and I’m unable to eat much, I feel unhappy and become motionless. You can see my perspiration. You can see that I sometimes pass out after eating a big meal. Lethargy, worry, sleep, joy and so on are sañcāris (passing states) in my tasting of rasa. My sthāyi-bhāva is simply enjoyment, but it is known by various names such as vegetables, soups, sweets, cooked foods and so on.” In this way, Kṛṣṇa, Baladeva and their sakhās began to eat, sunk in the joy of Baṭu’s witty banter.
Behind Rohiṇī Devī, who was engaged in serving food, Kṛṣṇa glanced at Priyājī’s beautiful face and was overwhelmed by a flood of emotions. His appetite weakened and he appeared distracted. Seeing that, Yaśodā Mā became anxious and said, “O child! Though being hungry, why do you not eat these carefully prepared foods? A curse on my head! Please eat some more.” Rohiṇī Mā said, “Child! Śrī Rādhā, though being more delicate than a mallikā flower, has cooked all these delicious foods with great effort. If you don’t eat them, this young girl won’t take the trouble to come here again for cooking.” Kṛṣṇa then concealed his emotional state born of seeing Rādhā and slowly began to eat. Seeing this, his two mothers became very happy. Then Yaśodā served Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa and their sakhās many kinds(2) of sweet and juicy foods and drinks. After eating, Kṛṣṇa washed his hands and mouth and dried them with a soft towel. He chewed delicious tāmbūla scented with cardamom, cloves and camphor as he walked a hundred steps to his bedroom, where he rested on a jeweled couch. After washing her hands and feet, Śrī Rādhā entered the room and felt great joy upon seeing her lover’s lotus face. Then Yaśodā Mātā instructed Rohiṇī Mātā to feed Śrī Rādhā and her sakhīs. Rohiṇī Mā prepared all the food and gave it to Dhaniṣṭhā. Dhaniṣṭhā then secretly mixed it with the nectar from Kṛṣṇa’s lips.(3)
Waiting to eat, Śrī Rādhā bashfully lowered her head and covered it with the border of her dress. Seeing this, Yaśodā Mā spoke affectionately to her, “O Rādhā, am I different from your mother? Why are you being so shy? Whenever I see Kṛṣṇa, I feel great joy; I also feel great joy whenever I see you. I always praise your beauty, qualities and work. Please take your meal in front of me today. O Lalitā! O Viśākhā! All of you girls give up your shyness and have some food in my home. Please freely eat, rest, laugh and play just as in your own mother’s home.” After hearing Yaśodā’s words of favor and affection, Śrī Rādhā and her sakhīs happily partook of the nectar from Kṛṣṇa’s lips. Then, Śrīmatī and her sakhīs washed their hands and mouths and went to her bedroom. They sat on a jeweled couch while the mañjarīs offered them tāmbūla, and the sādhaka-dāsī began to fan them, wave a cāmara and perform other sevās appropriate for the time. With Yaśodā Mā’s permission, Rūpa Mañjarī and the other kiṅkarīs ate the food remaining on the plates of Śrī Rādhā and her sakhīs and then came to join them. After that, the guru-mañjarīs took their meals and the sādhaka-dāsī ate everyone’s food remnants. The sādhaka-dāsī then washed her hands and mouth, cleaned the dishes and came to sit at her gurudevī’s feet in the presence of Śrī Rādhā. Śrīmatī kindly gave pieces of her chewed tāmbūla to each of the kiṅkarīs. When Śrī Rādhā lay down, the sādhaka-dāsī began to massage her lotus feet, as instructed by her guru-mañjarī. Then the mañjarīs all took rest in their respective places.
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1. The word ‘chew’ can also mean ‘to meditate on or ponder.’
2. Foods to be chewed, to be sucked, to be licked and to be drunk
3. His food remnants
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