Once upon a time, Jatila, the mother-in-law of Srimati Radhika, forbade Her to perform Her customary Surya puja at the distant Surya Kunda, concerned that her daughter-in-law was spending too much time outside the home.
Being restricted to the confinement of her in-laws’ house, Sri Radha felt dejected and began to cry an ocean of tears, thinking ‘’of what use was Her life if it was devoid of Her Prananath, Krishna?’’. Srimati Radharani thus decided to make a very nice-flower garland for Krishna and gave it to Vrinda Devi, saying “You please take this garland and give it to Krishna.”
Vrinda Devi thought, “Subala Sakha is a very dear friend of Krishna. Since he is very dear to Krishna, if Subala takes and gives it to Krishna, then Krishna will become very pleased.” So Vrinda Devi gave the garland to Subala. At that time, Krishna was sitting on the bank of Radha-Kunda. It was midday. Subala came and gave the garland to Krishna. Then he explained everything about who had prepared the garland, how it had come to his hand, and how he was handing it over.
Then, hearing this from Subala, Krishna said,
Oh! I was just sitting here thinking about Radha when you brought me Her garland. My mind is very much agitated (in separation from Radharani)
Krishna finally understood that Radharani was confined by Jatila and not allowed to come, so His zeal to meet Her turned into extreme sorrow. Krishna became completely dejected and inconsolable. Feeling intense separation, Sri Madhava tearfully exclaimed to His dear friend Subala,
O My friend Subala! I place My life in your hands. Bring Radha here one way or another. Please help me, please help me! Bring Radha here. Please bring Radha here. Suddenly I have so much earnestness to meet Her that I am unable to even stand on My own. Somehow you must manage. I want to meet Her. I can’t live without Her.
Subala became perplexed and replied as follows
But how is it possible my dear Krishna to bring Her to the forest in the broad daylight? This is not a good time. It is noontime. It is quite impossible to bring Radharani here now. Oh, my friend, give up this hope. It is quite impossible.
Krishna again insisted
But My dear friend, My mind is becoming very restless and agitated. If you cannot bring Radha for Me, then I will drown Myself in the Yamuna River and finish My life. I cannot survive.
Subala thought, “Oh? My friend cannot survive? He will drown in the Yamuna? All right, then. By hook or by crook, somehow I must bring Radharani and give pleasure to my friend.”
Determined to satisfy his friend, Subala hatched a plan. He approached Radharani’s home at Yavat, with one of his calves under his arm. As he got near the house, he set the calf down on the ground and gave its tail a quick twist, so it would run off. Then he approached Radha’s home.
Radharani’s mother-in-law Jatila, who is ever watchful and ever suspicious, had just finished then taking her lunch and was sitting at the doorstep facing the window of Radharani’s room. When she saw Subala, Jatila said,
“Hey! Why have you come here at noontime? Say, what are you doing here? You’re that boy who is always hanging out with that rascal Krishna. You boys are undoubtedly up to no good. You get out of here right now!”
Jatila knew, “Oh, this boy has come here for some purpose. Yes. He’s a naughty boy.”. Hearing these words from Jatila, expert Subala replied
‘’No, no—you’re mistaken, dear mother,” Subala protested. “I’ve lost one of my calves. His mother is causing quite a stir, moaning in separation from her baby, and I just want to bring him back, like a good cowherd. Mother, will you please go in and see if my calf is here? I will be freed from anxiety if I know my calf is here or not.”
Jatila very angrily retorted
I have already taken my lunch. Now, I cannot move. You go inside and see by yourself.
As soon as he heard this, Subala became delighted, for he was expecting her to say that since it was otherwise normally very difficult to go inside because Jatila would always sit at the doorstep like a vigilante. So, Subala quickly took advantage of that rare opportunity and went into the inner chamber of the house wherein Radharani was living.
Meeting Radharani, Subala told everything to Her. Subala said
Krishna is sitting there on the bank of Radha- Kunda intensely thinking of You. You have to go there, otherwise, He will drown Himself in the Yamuna.”
Radharani worryingly said
“How will it be? This is an awkward time and my mother-in-law is sitting there at the doorstep. How can I go? How can I go?”
But as Lord Krishna describes in Bhagavad Gītā (10.10)
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te
To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
So, Subala’s intelligence suddenly lit up. He knew that he has a similar countenance as that of Radharani. According to Sri Sri Radha Krishna Ganoddesa Dipika, Subala is a twelve-and-a-half-year-old cowherd, whose lustre, complexion, and facial features are very similar to those of Srimati Radharani. Thus, Subala said
“All right, Radha. You take my garments.” He gave his dhoti, his kurta, his turban, and everything to Radharani. “You put all of this on. Now, You give me Your sari. I will put on Your sari and remain here.” Thus, they exchanged clothes.
Then, finally exchanging their garments, they were thinking about how to get out. The keen eyes of Radharani’s mother-in-law Jatila and Her sister-in-law Kutila were constantly there on Radharani. How to get out?
Now that Radharani was dressed in his clothes, Subala told Her, “Pick up this small calf. Hold this calf close to Your chest like this, then go out.” As per the narrative, Subala had come to get his calf. So, Radharani did as Subala told Her. Dressed in the form of Subala, Radharani picked up a calf, pressed it close to Her chest, and passed through the door. When She came to where Jatila was sitting, Radharani, in the garb of Subala, spoke, as directed by Subala, “Mother, I got my calf.”
Jatila said “Oh, you got your calf? All right, very good. Now go away! Get out!”
Radharani finally managed to exit, went to Radha-Kunda, and came to meet Krishna in the forest of Vrindavana. But Radharani noticed that Krishna didn’t recognize Her. Krishna said
Oh, Subala, you have come back without Radharani! Couldn’t you bring Her?
Listening to this, Radharani, who is an expert at joking, smiled a bit and decided to play a trick on Krishna. Radharani, disguised as Subala, began cutting jokes and said to Krishna “No Krishna”, She said, “it was impossible for Me to bring Radha in the daytime.”
Krishna said,
Then what am I supposed to do? I can’t tolerate My life any longer.
Hearing this, Radharani made a witty remark
If You say so Krishna, I can go to Candravali and bring her.
“No, no,” Krishna said, “Curd cannot satisfy the thirst for milk. It is not possible!” Krishna was about to faint with disappointment.
Finally, seeing Krishna’s extreme despondency, Radharani quickly embraced Him, saying,
My Lord, can’t You recognize Your maidservant? You failed to recognize Me!
Hearing Radharani’s voice, Krishna, who had almost become lifeless, suddenly became fully joyful.
Thus, ends the transcendental pastime of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna and the primeval potency Srimati Radharani, the pastime which is inaccessible to even the great knowers of Brahman.
This pastime is known as Subala Milana. In Vrndavana, to commemorate this pastime, on the day of Gopasthami, the day that Lord Krishna comes of age to tend the cows, devotees remember the Subala-Milana Lila of Srimati Radharani and Krishna, wherein Radhika exchanges clothes with Krishna’s friend Subala in order to meet Him. On this day it is common for many temples across Vrindavana and now across the world, to dress Srimati Radharani as Subala in commemoration of this pastime. This festival of Subala-Milana is also celebrated at Sri Sri Radha-Damodara Temple of Vrindavana on the Sukla-Paksha Trayodashi day of the month of Karttika.
Due to Her wearing a cowherd boy’s dhoti, Radharani’s feet are visible at that time. This rare Darshana is known as Radha-pada-darsana. During all other times of the year, the feet of Srimati Radharani are not visible to the devotees. It is also worth noting that when Radha-pada-darsana is given, it happens in an indirect way and not directly. In the dress of Sri Radha, the pada-darsana is never given, but in the dress of Subala, it happens indirectly. Such is the way of those things that are most sacred in Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
References:
The narration of the pastime has been compiled based on the following references
- The book Sankirtanamrta, written by a recognized Vaisnava named Dina Bandhu Dasa
- The explanation of Srila B.R. Sridhara Maharaja based on his book ‘Loving Search for the Lost Servant’
- The lecture of Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja, as recorded in the book ‘Mathura Meets Vrindavan’. Gopal Jiu Publications. Bhubaneswar, India. 2003. Pages 65-67.
- The book Vaidagdhi Vilasa, Chapter 3, written by Manohara Dasa Babaji
- Krishna Kathamrta Bindu Magazine, Issue No. 460
- Inspired by the lecture of Swami B. A. Ashram
