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Fishes and Swamis:
Jumpin' at the Boat Festival
From Bhaktisiddhanta Swami
Posted May 8, 2004

Auspicious confirmations highlighted Sri Sri Radha-Madhava's Boat Festival the other night in Mayapur, as Lord Matysa sent two finned representatives to join the festivities.

By seeing Their Lordships glistening with sparkling blue chandan [sandalwood], almost hidden behind 20 garlands of fruit and flowers, surrounded by 40 varieties of bhoga offerings, and cooled by the waving of yak-tail and peacock fans, one could get a glimpse on the physical plane of what Krsna's aprakata pastimes may be like. As the boat rounded the 40-foot water geyser in front of Srila Prabhupada's puspa samadhi, a mist of refreshing spray settled within the humid evening setting— lights, swimming saffron devotees, and a melodious Sri Vraja-dhama-mahimantra kirtan. The bhoga offering was completed, and the arotik then began.

Jananivas Prabhu arranged the articles on the tray and methodically passed them to HH Jayapataka Swami, who then offered them to Sri Sri Radha-Madhava. As Maharaja was presenting the ghee lamp, his eyes opened in surprise. "Hey! Hey! Hey!" he shouted.

I looked at the floor in front and saw that a green 10-inch squirming fish with a long trumpet snout had jumped into the boat. It was so unexpected that no one knew what to do. Finally I picked him up and threw him back into the water.

"Better wash your hand, Maharaja," said Jananivasa.

"I have been doing this for the last ten years," said Jayapataka Swami, "and this has never happened before."

"Very auspicious," said Jananivasa, "very auspicious. Matsya Mochana! Look who has come to take shelter of Radha-Madhava."

Everyone laughed at the unexpected intrusion. When the fish form is manifested during a Vedic yajna, it signals an atmosphere of benediction.

"Ok, ok," one may say, "fish do jump, and so one just happened to land in the boat. Big deal!"

But when the boat came around full circle and maneuvered past the chanting devotees, suddenly one could hear a big thud.

"Argh! Argh! Hey!" shouted Jayapataka Swami, as a large 1-1/2 foot rainbow fish, wide as a coconut, flapped around the floor and squirmed to the rear of the boat, falling down under the floorboards, out of reach. It's movements made the boat vibrate underneath our feet.

Maharaja suggested that water be poured down the floorboards to suit the needs of our guest. "As soon as the Deities are taken off the boat, he can be taken out," he said.

After a few gallons, the boat began to ride low in the water, and later our captive was finally released. On this day, he had certainly made a special leap towards Radha-Madhava's Lotus Feet, the perfect escape from this world and the indicator of good fortune.

© dipika.org May 8, 2004