34G 
Babu Bajendralala Mitra — A Picnic in Ancient India. [No. 4, 
“ Govinda of the lotus eye entertained himself in many forms with his 
sixteen thousand wives, so pleasing every body, that each thought Krishna was 
most attached to her, and it was for her only that he was in the ocean water. 
They were all exceedingly gratified and delighted with Krishna. Thinking 
herself to he the greatest favourite, each cast the most bewitching glances 
on him, sang in great delight, and seemed to drink him with her .eyes.* 
Each carried her head high at the idea of being the greatest favourite, and, 
without any feeling of jealousy for their rivals, loved him with the most tender 
passion. Thus enjoyed Krishna his sport in the clear water of the sea, (even 
as if) he had assumed a multiplicity of shapes for the gratification 
of his numerous consorts. By his order, the ocean then circulated clear and 
fragrant water, devoid of all saltness. Standing ankle-deep or knee-deep, thigh- 
deep or breast-deep, each according to her choice, the ladies in great glee threw 
showers of water on Krishna, even as the heaven pours on the sea; and Krishna, 
in his turn, showered water on the ladies, as gentle clouds drizzle on flowering 
creepers. One fawn -eyed nymph leaning on his shoulder, cried out “ Help, 
help, I am falling others swam leaning on floats of diverse forms, some 
shaped like cranes, others like peacocks, others like serpents, or dolphins or fish. 
Some, resting on their breasts like pitchers, swam about in great joy for the 
gratification of Janardana. Delighted with the sight, Krishna sported with 
Bukmini, even as the lord of the immortals sports with his consort ; and 
his other wives did what each thought likely to please him most. Some 
gazelle-eyed damsels disported in the water with very thin raiment on their 
persons ; and Krishna, knowing their feeling, did for each just what she 
would like most at the time. The ladies thought that in birth and accom- 
plishment he was in every way worthy of them, and so they devoted them- 
selves to his gratification, to win his sweet smile, and delightful converse, and 
charming affection. 
Separated at night from each other, the drake and the duck, mourn their hard fate, and 
send forth from the opposite hanks of a river their lamentions to each other ; “ Chakwi, 
shall I come ?’* “ No, chakwa.” “ Chakwa, shall I come P” “ No, chakwi,” being the 
burthen of their woe. The legend has it that two lovers, for some indiscretion, were 
transformed into Brahmani drake and duck, and condemned to pass the night apart 
from each other on opposite banks of a river. A Bengali epigram says, a fowler shut 
up a drake and a duck in the same cage at night, whereupon said the duck : “ How 
happy even this sad state when the fowler appears kinder than our fate.” 
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* Very loosely rendered and several words omitted. 
