Description of Falahar-Leela of Shree Hari.
Description of Falahar-Leela of Shree Hari.
Suvrat said:-
In the city also, His devotees kept all the material ready, that was worthy for Phalahara for Him. 1
A religious-minded Brahmin lady, named Ganga had kept (Suran) and other vegetables ready to be cooked in ghee. 2
She prepared pancakes from the dried Shrungataka, dried dates boiled in milk, spot-white Pendhas, and attractive Barfi also prepared by her. 3
After preparing all this, she placed everything on a plate and requested prominent devotees among the citizens to bring Shri Hari for eating. 4
Thereupon, Jobanpagi and others went to Shri Hari and requested Him to come to the city for meals. But He replied to them, How can I come to the city which is so much crowded by people? Therefore, bring some milk or food here itself. 5-6
Then a messenger, who was sent by them told the lady, Shri Hari is not coming here, so take the food there. 7
Then, those obedient lady-devotees, headed by Manya, passed on the message conveyed by the messenger, to Ganga. 8
They told her that Shri Hari is not coming here, so do pack all the eatables in the containers and come there yourself, we shall walk ahead of you, leading the way. 9
Being conversant with strict observance of the norms of religion, Ganga packed everything very carefully. For fear of contamination by contact with the untouchables along the way, she placed everything that was cooked in ghee or milk etc., in a silver vessel, covered it with another plate, and tied them both up with a jute cloth. Holding that in one hand, she carried in the other a can with a pot filled with drinking water. 10 -11
Thereupon Ganga and other ladies carrying the containers with food and drink for Shri Hari set off, avoiding the crowded and lon- ger main road, they walked swiftly along another shorter route. 12
But when they were getting out of the city, those anxious ladies found a great crowd of people even here. 13
They had just turned a little backwards, from that place to avoid contact of the crowd, when, brave royal soldiers, deputed with Hari by the ruler of Angada region along the way, quickly came forward, holding canes in their hands and shouting to the crowds: move aside, make way. 14-15
While the path was being cleared thus by the infantry, walking in front, with their hands raised, ladies, hundred in number, moved on; and could see Shri Hari from a distance. 16
He too, spotted them from afar, along with soldiers wielding canes, in the southern direction. Realizing that food had been brought for Him, He began to smile. 17
Suvrata continued: O king, those female devotees went up to Shri Hari, bowed before Him and then stood at a distance. 18
Having performed His evening ritual, sprinkled black-salt on the bulbus roots: yam etc. and offered it to Lord Krishna, he himself sat down to eat too, for the satisfaction of His devotees with His face towards the east. 19
Wearing a yellow lower garment and a white forehead-mark (tilaka) he had wrapped his silken upper garment around His left shoulder. In order to please Ganga, His special cook of that evening, He, the all pervasive Lord, first touched slightly the yam etc. and asked Ganga its name, like an ignorant child, before eating it and sipped water after every morsel, looking at all those around. His devotees, men and women, wore smiles on their faces, while watching Him, from a far. But Shri Hari merely touched the sweet preparations with His finger indicating acceptance of the same. And He, the leader of saintly men ate, just a little of other items, for pleasing all devotees. 20
Then He said, I am full now. He caused the container with the remaining food to be given away to His attendants. He took gargling water in His mouth. 21-22
Thereafter, He washed His hands and face and went to His bedroom. Then all the devotees who had been watching Him, left for their individual respective resorts. 23
Shri Hari lay down just for a moment. Then He got up and orde- red the attendant to bring His horse. The latter did so quickly. 24
Shri Hari, being the bestower of all the desired objects to His devotees, wished to visit all the lodgings (where the people were staying). So He mounted the horse with limited escorts. 25
All the people have come here for my sake from far off places. So they should not suffer from any difficulty, in any resort. Thinking thus in mind He went towards those places. 26
Then He separately visited the lodgings of all the people, asked about their comfort and procured for them whatever they lacked. 27
O King, being saluted by all people and praised out of astonishment for His personal concern, He returned to His resort and went to sleep happily. 28
Praising repeatedly the unconditional sincere devotion of people from the city of Vruttalaya region, before the dedicated celibates sitting near Him. Shri Hari slept for a while, i.e. allowed sleep to abide a bit in the corner of His eyes. 29
Thus ends the fifty-first chapter entitled, ‘Narration of description of the Phalahara ceremony of Shri Hari,’ in the third prakaran of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as Dharmashastra. (the rules of the code of conduct). 51