One fine evening in our Mathurapuri Ãshram, Sri Sri Swamiji had decorated Mãdhuri Sakhi and Sri Premika varadhan in a swing with fragrant flowers and was pleasantly singing kirtans. Sri Sri Swamiji elucidated his experience as below.

"It was a day in Brindãvan. Peacocks were dancing amidst varieties of trees like 'Punnai' (a tree special for Lord Vishnu.), 'Champak' (an ornamental tree native to India). Cuckoos were singing. Krishna came there alone. Entwining the creepers and tying them to the branches of the tree, he made a beautiful swing. Sitting comfortably on it, he started playing on the flute. On hearing the melodious notes from his flute, his eight mates ('ashtasakhis') came in search him. On their way, they had a conflict about who was the dearest to Krishna. They all said, "Once we reach Krishna's place, we will ask Krishna to kiss us. Whoever is kissed by him first is his dearest. The person who is kissed next, is next favorite to him and so on. Deciding so, they came to an amicable understanding.

The sakhis somehow reached Krishna's place. After reaching there, they said, "Oh! My legs are paining; Hands are aching." Krishna glanced at them with pity and asked, "Shall I massage your legs?"

They all replied, "That is not necessary Krishna! If you kiss us once, all our exhaustion would disappear." Krishna said, "So be it. But how can we decide who is to be kissed first?" Immediately he said," I have found a way. We will act accordingly." When they keenly enquired, he said, "As I keep playing on the flute, you all shall go round the swing. I shall suddenly stop playing. Whoever sits first on the swing would be kissed first. Whoever sits next would be kissed next and this shall continue!"

On finding their plan foiled by Krishna, they all stood in disappointment. Finally, with four sakhis sitting on one side of the Lord and the other four sakhis on the other, they swung in joy."

- A. Bhagyanathan

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