Page:Bengal Vaishnavism - Bipin Chandra Pal.djvu/89

 74 BENGAL VAISHNAVISM fact, the Bengal poets have universalised this romance ol mother-love by making the boy Shree Krishna the object not only of the mother-love of Yasoda and the whole mother- folk of Brindabana, but even of the animal kingdom. When Shree Krishna: and the other cowherds lead their cattle to the pasture, even the cows in the herd are made to cast their entranced look on Shree Krishna and lick His limbs in rapture as they do in the case of their own calves, and while they do so milk spurts out spontaneously of their udders indicating a blending of the physical and the non-physical or the spiritual, if we may say so. This, I think, has absolutely no parallel in any literature. These Yaishnava lyrics rela- ting to mother-love or batsalya are a picture not of any particular romance of the parental affection, but of the universal parent-love. As we read these or hear them sung in keertana-s, we vicariously realise and enjoy this exquisite presentation of the ideal of parent-love or batsalya, where body and soul are blended together. So also in the presentation of the romance of friendship. As we read or listen to these lyrics, we actually re-live our own youths, and thus vicariously realise the emotions of our youthful friendships.