62 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCINTY. 
but fruitlessly in life, and had, alas too late! gained in death the 
fruit of her secret affections. 
The story of the Kadamba tree is a very amusing one. Krishna 
found the Gopis—his female friends—bathing in the river Jumna 
one day. He appeared unseen on the spot, and carried away their 
garments, which he left hanging on the Kadamba tree. What 
consternation this must have caused among the temporary losers of 
the garments had better be imagined than described. It is a 
terrible joke to practise on any body. But Krishna was full of all 
sorts of pranks and practical jokes. 
The story of the Périjatak plant is equally characteristic 
of the character of Krishna. I have already said that the 
Parijtak plant was one of the fourteen gems obtained from the 
great churning of the ocean, and that Vishnu had become the happy 
possessor of this sweet-scented tree. Here, again, let me bring 
Narad on the scene to help’ my story. He happened to have a 
flower from this tree which he had brought from the Paradise of 
Vishnu, and presented to Krishna. In his deep devotion to Ruk- 
mini, Krishna presented the flower to her in preference to any other 
wife of his. This shows the disadvantage cf having more wives 
than one. The news seems to have reached the ears of Satyabhama, 
another dear wife of his. Who do you think wasthe bearer of this 
tale to Satyabhami? Why? Narad, of course. His restless soul 
would not remain quiet with simply presenting a rare sort of a flower 
to a deity he was visiting. One mischief must supersede another. 
How else are mischievous persons to find an occupation for them~ 
selves? What is the result of this report to Satyabhimé of the gift 
of a flower of Nyctanthes from Krishna to Rukmini? Satyabhima 
is electrified. Her lord Krishna, she feels, has slighted her. She 
is mightily offended, She is disconsolate. Nothing will please her ; 
nothing will pacify her. How dared Krishna thus ill-use ber ? 
She can’t explain. Has she been wanting in her duty, or has 
‘Krishna forgotten his former professions to her, or has Rukmini 
got the better of her lord? She must not remain silent now. 
Krishna must know from her how grievous her wrong has: been. 
On his next visitto Satyabh4mé, Krishna finds the door of her 
chamber locked up from within. No answer from her to his 
knocks. The unsuspecting husband knows of no cause, for he has 
given none for such treatment. He is unsuspecting because he 
does not know that the chief mischief-maker on this occasion. is 
