Qualities of Sri Krsna 162
languages of the animals. An old woman in Vrndavana, present at the
time of Krsna’s pastimes, once stated in surprise: ““How wonderful it
is that Krsna, who owns the hearts of all the young girls of Braja-
bhiimi, can nicely speak the language of Brajabhumi with the gopis,
while in Sanskrit He speaks with the demigods, and in the language
of the animals He can even speak with the cows and buffalo! Similar-
ly, in the language of the Kashmere Province, and with the parrots
and other birds, as well as in most common languages, Krsna is so ex-
pressive!”’ She inquired from the gopis as to how Krsna had become
so expert in speaking so many different types of languages.

8. Truthful

A person whose word of honor is never broken is called truthful.
Krsna once promised Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, that He
would bring her five sons back from the battlefield of Kuruksetra.
After the battle was finished, when all the Pandavas had come home,
Kunti praised Krsna because His promise was so nicely fulfilled.
She said, “Even the sunshine may one day become cool and the
moonshine may one day become hot, but still Your promise will not
fail. Similarly, when Krsna, along with Bhima and Arjuna, went to
challenge Jarasandha, He plainly told Jarasandha that He was the
eternal Krsna, present along with two of the Pandavas. The story is
that both Krsna and the Pandavas—in this case Bhima and Arjuna—
were ksatriyas (warrior-kings). Jarasandha was also a ksatriya and was
very charitable toward the brahmanas. Thus Krsna, who had planned
to fight with Jarasandha, went to him with Bhima and Arjuna in the
dress of brahmanas. Jarasandha, being very charitable toward the
brahmanas, asked them what they wanted, and they expressed
their desire to fight with him. Then Krsna, dressed as a brahmana,
declared Himself to be the same Krsna who was the King’s eternal
enemy.
9. Pleasing Talker

A person who can speak sweetly even with his enemy just to paci-
