Dread and Ghastliness 384

save me. I am a most unfortunate, foolish creature. Please be merciful
to me.” This is another instance of the ecstasy of dread in devotional
service.

When the Keési demon was causing disturbance in Vrndavana by
assuming a large horse’s body that was so big that he could jump over
the trees, Mother Yasoda told her husband, Nanda Maharaj, “Our
child is very restless, so we had better keep Him locked up within the
house. I have been very worried about the recent disturbances of the
Kesi demon, who has been assuming the form of a giant horse.” When
it was learned that the demon was entering Gokula in an angry mood,
Mother Yasoda became so anxious to protect her child that her face
dried up and there were tears in her eyes. These are some of the
signs of the ecstasy of dread in devotional service, caused by seeing
and hearing something that is dangerous to Krsna.

After the Pitana witch had been killed, some friends of Mother
Yasoda inquired from her about the incident. Mother Yasoda at once
requested her friends, “Please stop! Please stop! Don’t bring up the
incident of Pttana. I become distressed just by remembering this
incident. The Piitana witch came to devour my son, and she deceived
me into letting her take the child on her lap. After that, she died and
made a tumultuous sound with her gigantic body.”

In the ecstasy of devotional service in dread, the unconstitutional
symptoms are drying up of the mouth, exuberance, glancing towards
the back side, concealing oneself, bewilderment, searching after the
endangered lovable object and crying very loudly. Some other un-
constitutional symptoms are illusion, forgetfulness, and expectation
of danger. In all such circumstances the ecstatic dread is the steady or
constant factor. Such dreadfulness is caused either by offenses com-
mitted or by dreadful circumstances. Offenses can be committed in
varieties of ways, and the dread is felt by the person who has com-
mitted the offense. When dread is caused by a fearful object, this
fearful object is generally a person who is fearsome in his features,
nature and influence. An example of an object which caused ecstatic
dread is the Putana witch. Dread can be caused by mischievous de-
monic characters, such as King Kamsa, and it can be caused by great
powerful demigods, such as Indra or Sankara.
