[INDOLOGY] Krishna and the Cat

[Madhav Deshpande]

Archana Venkatesan posted a beautiful photo of a cat on the procession
palanquin of Nanguneri Perumal. I composed a few verses describing the
friendship of the cat and Krishna.

कृष्णवर्णो बिडालोऽयं श्रीकृष्णनिकटे स्थित: ।
उभौ कृष्णौ तत: प्रीतिस्तयो: स्वाभाविकी खलु ।।
This dark cat sits next to Krishna. They are both dark, and so their mutual
affection is natural.
कृष्णस्य साहचर्येण बिडाल: कृष्णतां गत: ।
साहचर्याद् बिडालस्य कृष्णो याति बिडालताम् ।।
With Krishna's association, the cat turned into Krishna, and with the
association of the cat, Krishna became the cat.
बिडालकृष्णयोरत्र नास्ति भेद: कथञ्चन ।
एकस्य वासुदेवस्य द्वे रूपे पुरतो मम ।।
There is no difference whatsoever between Krishna and the cat. These are
just two forms of Krishna in front of me.

Madhav M. Deshpande
Professor Emeritus
Sanskrit and Linguistics
University of Michigan
[Residence: Campbell, California]


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