Radha Krishna - Chapter 19: Again Swallowing a Forest Fire

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'With the gopas being absorbed in their games wandered their cows far off and entered they, grazing on their own, hungry for grass the thickets. (2) The goats, cows and buffalo going from one part of the forest to the other entered a cane-forest and complained loudly being thirsty of the heat. (3) The gopas led by Krishna and Râma not seeing the animals then regretted it not to have kept an eye on them and searched out the cows their trail. (4) All anxious about the loss of their livelihood followed they the hoofprints of the cows on the path from the blades of grass broken by the hooves and the teeth of the cows. (5) In the Muñjâ forest they found their cows and other animals who, having lost their way, were tired crying of thirst, whereupon they all turned back. (6) They, when they heard the sound of their names shouted by the Supreme Lord with a voice aloud as the rumbling clouds, answered overjoyed. (7) Then all of a sudden, appeared on all sides a huge and terrible conflagration that licking threatened all beings in the forest moving and non-moving with a gruesome storm of sparks driven by their charioteer, the wind. (8) That forest fire falling upon them from all sides made the gopas and the cows, looking about in fear, address Krishna and His strength Balarâma for shelter, the way all people troubled by the fear of death seek the Supreme Personality: (9) 'Krishna, o Krishna, o Greatest Hero, o Râma of a never failing power, please save us who are of surrender from being scorched by the forest fire. (10) We Your friends, o Krishna, having You, the perfect knower of all nature for our Lord, surely can never deserve it to be let down in case we suffer?!'

(11) S'rî S'uka said: 'The Supreme Lord Hari hearing the pitiable words of His friends thus said: 'Don't be afraid, just close your eyes'. (12) 'All right', they said and having closed their eyes delivered the Supreme Lord, the Controller of Yoga, them from the danger by taking the terrible fire in with His mouth. (13) And when they then opened their eyes again were they amazed that, with themselves and the cows being saved, they had been transported to Bhândîra [the banyan, see 10.18: 22, that was ten miles away so one says]. (14) Witnessing the deliverance of themselves from the burning forest as a consequence of the yogic power of Krishna His internal control over the deluding material energy, thought they of Him as being an immortal. (15) Krishna who together with Râma and the cows on their way sounded His flute while He was praised by the gopas, returned late that afternoon to the cowherd village. (16) The young cowherd girls were exited to the greatest state of bliss to see Govinda present again, because it for them seemed to take a hundred ages to be without Him for but a moment.'