THE DELIVERANCE OF THE YAMALA-ARJUNA TREES
After stealing butter one day, Krsna allowed mother Yasoda to catch Him and bind Him to a grinding mortar. Thus by His own arrangement He was then ready to fulfill the words of His great devotee Narada Muni. Narada had cursed the two brothers Nalakuvara 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 Nalakuvara 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 He 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.
PAINTING BY PARIKSIT DASA (1977)