The Clever Plan
One afternoon in Yāvat, Jaṭilā was complaining loudly to her neighbors. “That Kṛṣṇa boy has made the whole village restless! My daughter-in-law Rādhā goes out to cook for Him, and every day I hear new gossip! How long must I tolerate this?”
Paurnamāsī Devī, always calm and full of divine intelligence, happened to pass by. Smiling gently, she said, “O Jaṭilā, do not be anxious. There is a sacred way to protect your house and your daughter-in-law — perform a śānti-yajña, a ritual for peace. I shall arrange a learned brāhmaṇa to conduct it for you.”
Jaṭilā, her heart softened by the word “peace,” agreed at once. “Yes, yes, call him! If he can protect my family’s honor, I will give him anything!”
Paurnamāsī bowed slightly, hiding her smile. She knew exactly who that “brāhmaṇa” would be.
The Arrival of the “Brāhmaṇa”
The next morning, Jaṭilā and Kuṭilā cleaned the courtyard and prepared an altar of fresh cow dung, rice, and ghee. Soon a young brāhmaṇa arrived, his body covered with tilaka, a sacred thread over his shoulder, and a bundle of scriptures in his hand. His face was serene, his voice deep and melodious.
Jaṭilā bowed respectfully. “O learned one, please purify this house. We suffer from strange disturbances — rumors, anxiety, and shame.”
The brāhmaṇa smiled. “Mother, fear not. I shall chant mantras that will drive away all inauspiciousness.”
But unknown to Jaṭilā, this was no ordinary brāhmaṇa. It was Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, disguised so perfectly that even Kuṭilā, with all her sharp suspicion, could not recognize Him.
Only Rādhārāṇī, standing nearby with downcast eyes, felt Her heart tremble. “These mantras,” She thought, “sound sweeter than nectar. Can it be…?”
The Divine “Ritual”
Kṛṣṇa sat on a kusha mat and began reciting Sanskrit verses. His voice carried such sweetness that even the birds on the rooftop stopped singing to listen.
“O goddess of virtue, O pure one of golden hue,” He chanted, looking toward Rādhā,
“may peace dwell in this home,
may love destroy all envy,
and may the Lord of Vraja bless this household forever.”
As He chanted, He mixed tulasī leaves with sandal paste and offered them into the fire. But every mantra, though it sounded like a ritual, was secretly a message of love.
When He said “Svāhā,” His eyes met Rādhā’s. When He offered ghee, He whispered, “For You.”
Rādhārāṇī, Her heart beating fast, lowered Her face, hiding Her smile behind Her veil.
Kuṭilā’s Confusion
Kuṭilā watched carefully. “Mother,” she whispered, “this brāhmaṇa looks strangely familiar. See how his eyes twinkle!”
Jaṭilā frowned. “Foolish girl! Do not insult a holy man.”
Kṛṣṇa turned to her with great seriousness. “O Mother, this yajña will succeed only if your daughter-in-law sits near Me. She must offer flowers into the fire with her own hands.”
Jaṭilā nodded proudly. “Yes, yes — my daughter-in-law is very pure. She will do as you say.”
Thus, by Jaṭilā’s own permission, Rādhārāṇī sat beside Him. As They offered flowers together, Their hands touched — just for an instant, yet enough to send waves of bliss through all three worlds.
The “Blessing”
When the ritual ended, Kṛṣṇa stood up and raised His hands in blessing. “O Mother Jaṭilā,” He said solemnly, “your home is now purified. From this day forward, there will be no misfortune here. Only love, peace, and harmony shall dwell in your house.”
Jaṭilā bowed deeply. “O holy brāhmaṇa, You have brought light into this home. Please accept this cloth and some grains as Your humble offering.”
Kṛṣṇa smiled. “I need no reward. The happiness of this family is My satisfaction.”
Then, turning to Rādhā, He added softly, “And the peace of Your heart is My true blessing.”
Before anyone could question Him further, He bowed again, gathered His things, and quietly left — leaving behind a fragrance of lotus that lingered long after He was gone.
The Realization
Later that evening, when Jaṭilā was telling her neighbors how the “brāhmaṇa” had performed a powerful ceremony, Lalitā and Viśākhā entered, laughing.
“O Mother,” Lalitā said teasingly, “we heard that the famous priest of Nanda-bhavana himself came to bless your house today!”
Jaṭilā raised her chin proudly. “Yes, yes — a very learned brāhmaṇa. Such eyes! Such voice! Even the fire danced to his chanting.”
The sakhīs exchanged secret smiles. They knew well who that priest had been.
Meanwhile, Rādhārāṇī sat quietly in Her chamber, holding the flower He had touched. Her eyes glistened with tears of joy. “Even in disguise,” She whispered, “He finds His way to Me.”
The Hidden Meaning
The Lord sometimes comes to His devotee in unexpected forms — as a teacher, a beggar, or even a stranger — to show that His presence cannot be restricted by circumstance.
Just as Kṛṣṇa entered Yāvat disguised as a brāhmaṇa, He enters the heart of every devotee disguised as memory, guidance, and love.
The ritual fire symbolizes the heart itself. When offered with devotion, every act becomes a sacrifice, and the Lord appears, unseen yet unmistakably felt.
Lessons to Be Learned
- Kṛṣṇa reaches the devotee through any means — love cannot be hindered by form or situation.
- Every ritual, when done with love, becomes personal communion with the Lord.
- The Lord’s intelligence is divine — even deception becomes an instrument of mercy.
- Faith means seeing Kṛṣṇa even when He comes disguised.
Reflections
In this playful yet profound pastime, we see that divine love does not depend on formalities. Kṛṣṇa used the language of ritual to express devotion, turning a ceremony of peace into a celebration of love.
In our lives too, Kṛṣṇa comes quietly — through daily duties, through a friend’s kindness, through challenges that awaken our heart. If we look beyond appearances, we may find the same mischievous priest smiling within our own hearts, performing the yajña of divine remembrance.
Prayer
O Śrī Kṛṣṇa, You who appear in countless disguises just to bless Your devotees, please reveal Yourself in the ordinary moments of my life.
Let my every thought and action become an offering into the fire of devotion.
O Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, please make my heart pure, so that even if the Lord comes hidden in the robe of a brāhmaṇa, I may recognize Him through love.
May my home, like Jaṭilā’s, be purified — not by ceremony, but by the touch of Your mercy and the remembrance of Your names.
Origin of the Story
Adapted from “Vraja-līlā – Part 2” by Deena Bandhu dāsa (Yāvat Part One, “Kṛṣṇa as the Brāhmaṇa”), based on the narrations of Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura’s Camatkāra-candrikā and related Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sources. Retold in the devotional tone and mood of Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.
