PLATE ELEVEN

After stealing butter one day, Krsna had allowed mother Yasoda to
catch Him and bind Him to a grinding mortar. Thus, by His own ar-
rangement, Krsna was now ready to fulfill the words of His great devotee
Narada Muni. Narada Muni had cursed the two brothers Nalakivara and
Manigriva to become twin arjuna trees in Nanda Maharaja’s courtyard,
but Narada had also promised that one day they would see the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Krsna, face to face. Seeing the two arjuna trees
in front of Him, Krsna thought, “These two trees were formerly
Nalakavara and Manigriva. But although these two young men are the
sons of the very rich Kuvera, I actually have nothing to do with them. Yet
Narada Muni is My very dear and affectionate devotee, and therefore,
because he wanted Me to come face to face with them, I must do so for
their deliverance.” Having thus decided to deliver the two brothers,
Krsna dragged the big mortar between the two arjuna trees and caused it
to become stuck between them. Then, with great force, Krsna uprooted
the two trees, which trembled severely and fell to the ground with a
great crash. Thereafter, in that very place where the two arjuna trees
had fallen, two great, perfect personalities appeared, their effulgent
beauty illuminating all directions. (pp. 198-202)
